Macelle Mahala
Teaching Philosophy
The study and practice of theatre requires experiential learning—learning by doing. To that end, I structure the courses I teach to provide opportunities for students to act, write, and create in informed, thoughtful, and innovative ways.
I honor each student's individual interests, background, and abilities and provide a safe space for personal expression and development. I believe this lays the groundwork for the collective endeavor that is theatre making within the context of the classroom.
As a class, we create a body of work (be it a compilation of scenes, scripts, or critical essays) that both build upon and reach beyond any one individual's previous capabilities.
In many of my courses, we also examine how theatre emerges out of specific time periods and cultures and how our own time period and cultures influence the ways we think about and practice the discipline of theatre.
Areas of Interests
- Playwriting
- Performance Art
- African American Theatre
- Intercultural Theatre
- Theatre for Social Justice
- Dramaturgy
- Theatre History and Criticism
Courses I Teach
- Theatre Heritage I: Ancient Theatre – 1800
- Theatre Heritage II: 1800 – the Present
- Playwriting
- Directing
- Beginning Acting
- Introduction to Theatre
- Pacific Seminar I
Contact Information
Macelle Mahala, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Theatre Arts
Email
Phone: 209.946.2055
Office: DeMarcus Brown Studio Theatre Building, Room 8
University of the Pacific
3601 Pacific Avenue
Stockton, CA 95211