“As Chair of Theatre Arts at the University of Pittsburgh, I was happy to invite Gale to work with our grad and undergrad students for several semesters between 2007 and 2012. Gale taught undergrad classes in commedia and clown and helped two of our grad students to learn how to train others in these performance traditions. Gale’s classroom work always combined inventive fun with challenging discipline; both were in evidence in the end-of-semester presentations that I enjoyed. His work as a movement coach for our production of Compleat Female Stage Beauty showed in the confidence and ease of movement (in Restoration shoes and costumes) of our student cast members. Gale triumphed in 2010 as both a performer and a coach when he played the lead and helped to train his fellow student cast members in Bill Irwin’s adaptation of Moliere’s Scapin. Gale opened up many exciting possibilities of movement and comedy for our students during his six years in and out of our classrooms and stages. Every time one of his courses or productions – usually filled with juniors and seniors – came to an end, I had freshmen and sophomores in my office demanding to know when he would be coming back.”

 –Bruce McConachie, Professor of Theatre Arts, and Past President of the American Society for Theatre Research.

 

“Your workshop met our needs beautifully.  You were able to bring the historical commedia to life for our students, while at the same time giving them some practical tools through which to further explore mask work and physicality in their acting.  Students left the workshop with a much stronger understanding of the commedia form, more interested in its history and excited about applying it in performance.”

 –Terry Brino-Dean, Jame Madison University

 

“Gale McNeeley’s workshops were the perfect mix of information and entertainment. Theatre students admired his skills and appreciated his coaching, and literature students were challenged by his historical references and interdisciplinary connections. His scholarship is solid, his performances are lively, and his desire to share with students and faculty alike is exciting, inspiring, and, most of all, sincere.”

 –Fr. Shawn Clerkin, Director of Theatre, Gannon University

 

“Gale did a great job introducing the students to the traditional commedia characters.  The workshop gets the students’ bodies and minds going with physical characterizations and improvisation.  Interactive teaching at its best!”

 –Karen Gygli, John Carroll University