Paul Steger

Lincoln, Neb.-Paul Steger, Head of Performance and Associate Professor in the Florida State School of Theatre and former Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at UNL, has been named the new Chairman of the Department of Theatre Arts and Managing Director of the Nebraska Repertory Theatre at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Steger will begin his tenure at UNL on July 1.

"We are delighted that Paul has accepted our invitation to serve as our new Theatre Arts Department Chair and Managing Director of the Nebraska Repertory Theatre," said Hixson-Lied Endowed Dean Giacomo M. Oliva. "Paul's arrival coincides with the completion of a college-wide strategic planning effort, which puts him in an ideal position to work with faculty and staff to move the department and the Nebraska Repertory Theatre forward in the coming years. His vitality and enthusiasm for the position, together with his extensive and varied professional and academic experiences, will serve him well. We feel fortunate to have him as part of the College administrative team."

Steger joined the FSU faculty in 2003 as an Associate Professor and currently serves as the Head of the Performance area. He was at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 1990-1998, serving as a Visiting Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor and Associate Professor of Theatre Arts. He was also an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma from 2000-2002.

He is a member of Actor's Equity and the Screen Actor's Guild. His film, television and theatre credits in the Los Angeles area include "Magnolia," "Family Law," "The Practice" and "Party of Five;" "The Last Session" at the Tiffany Theatre and "Greg" at the Blue Sphere Theatre Alliance.

Steger has directed more than 40 productions for the educational and professional theatre including River Stage, Nebraska Theatre Caravan, Wisconsin Shakespeare Festival, and the St. Louis and Nebraska Repertory Theatres. He is a Certified Teacher of Stage Combat and is the Assistant Coordinator and head Teaching Assistant for the Society of American Fight Directors' National Stage Combat Workshop in Las Vegas. He is a member of the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat, Fight Directors Canada, The Nordic Stage Fight Society, and the Society of American Fight Directors.

His collaborations with a variety of video performance artists have played such venues as Franklin Furnace (NYC), The Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), The Contemporary Museum of Art (Glasgow), and the Ljubljana Festival (Croatia).

Steger received his MFA in Directing from Western Illinois University and his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre (Acting/Directing) from St. Louis University.

"I am very excited to return to Lincoln and lead the exceptional faculty of the Department of Theatre Arts to a more prominent national stature," Steger said. "The programs sit poised for this next step. I express my sincere gratitude to the family of Mr. Johnny Carson and his generous gift to help make the bridge from the academy into the profession a tangible dream for the students. Equally, I look forward to working with the Nebraska Repertory Theatre, the community and the University, bringing dynamic theatre to the people of Nebraska."

Steger replaces Jeffery S. Elwell, who left UNL last Fall to become Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Eastern Carolina University in Greenville, N.C.