Ray Miller, 2007 Distinguished Alumnus
Ray Miller received his M.S. in Dance (1977) and a Ph.D. in Theatre (1984) from the University of Oregon. His professional credentials encompass musical theatre, theatre and dance history, dance aesthetics, modern and jazz/tap technique, mime and pantomime, directing, and choreography. Miller has directed and/or choreographed more than 200 musicals, operas, plays and/or dance concerts, including revivals of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown and the rock opera The Survival of St. Joan; choreographing the outdoor drama Trumpet in the Land; and directing and choreographing musicals for the Bowling Green Summer Music Festival, including Godspell, Grease, Joseph and the Amazing Technical Dreamcoat, and Little Shop of Horrors. He also directed and choreographed the Southeastern premier of the Harry Chapin musical, Lies and Legends.
In addition to musicals, Miller has directed productions of plays such as Masterpieces (about the Bronte family), Hamlet, Galileo, The Rehearsal at Versailles (Moliere) and The Shepard's Chameleon (Ionesco). He has worked with playwrights to develop and produce new work, such as Leaning Towards Infinity based on a novel by Sue Woolfe, Daughters by Shirlene Holmes, Streams by Jean Colonos, and Crowning Glory by Brad Bailey. He has written and directed some of his own work, such as the play Tragedy at Kent State, and dance dramas based on the events of 9/11 and the plight of runaways in Atlanta.
Miller has delivered papers on musical theatre, dance aesthetics, and dance/theatre history and pedagogy at the Congress on Research in Dance, Association for Theatre in Higher Education, Writing Across the Curriculum National Conference, Southern Humanities, and other academic conferences. He has written articles and reviews for numerous academic journals, and Praeger Press will soon publish his book on the history of dance on the American musical theatre stage. He currently is president-elect for the Congress on Research in Dance.
| DISTINGUISHED ALUM AWARDS Given annually and presented at commencement. The award is given in honor of continued service to the school, honor to the school, and service to the community. |
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| 2011 | Mira Frohnmayer Mary Seereiter, Dance |
| 2010 | Doree Jarboe Timothy Ryan, Dance |
| 2009 | Richard Benedum Ann Rodiger , MS Dance |
| 2008 | Larry Gookin Barbara Sellers-Young, Dance |
| 2007 | Ray Miller, Dance Edgardo Simone |
| 2006 | Terry Kuhn Dianne Markham, Dance |
| 2005 | Julie Anne McCornack Sadie Tiffany Mills, Dance |
| 2004 | Barry McNabb, Dance Richard M. Smith |
| 2003 | Allan Eugene Aitken |
| 2002 | Richard Fuller |
| 2001 | Charlotte Plummer Owen |
| 2000 | Janet Towner, Dance |
| 1999 | David Schrader |
| 1998 | Jon Appleton |
| 1997 | Lynn Sjolund |
| 1996 | Doug Orme |
| 1995 | Jerold Ottley |
| 1994 | Gene Slayter |
| 1993 | MarAbel Frohnmayer |
