Michael Connolly, associate professor of theatre in Meadows School of the Arts, joined SMU in 1995. He earned a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross, an M.A. from Illinois State University and a Ph.D. from Indiana University. He has balanced both teaching and professional acting for the past 40 years, including eight as a company member of the Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center. At SMU, Connolly served as head of the acting program for 15 years, was on the Faculty Senate and worked on numerous other University and department committees. He was named a Distinguished HOPE Professor for excellence in teaching and the Meadows Foundation Distinguished Teaching Professor. A longtime member of the Actors' Equity Association, he has worked in theatre productions across the country as well as commercials and industrial films for clients such as Sprint and the American Museum of Natural History, winning a Silver Microphone Award from the National Association of Radio Advertisers. He has given presentations and workshops at numerous conferences and theatre festivals and served on the national board of the University/Resident Theatre Association. He retires as professor emeritus of theatre.
Michael Connolly, associate professor of theatre in Meadows School of the Arts, joined SMU in 1995. He earned a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross, an M.A. from Illinois State University and a Ph.D. from Indiana University. He has balanced both teaching and professional acting for the past 40 years, including eight as a company member of the Tony Award-winning Dallas Theater Center. At SMU, Connolly served as head of the acting program for 15 years, was on the Faculty Senate and worked on numerous other University and department committees. He was named a Distinguished HOPE Professor for excellence in teaching and the Meadows Foundation Distinguished Teaching Professor. A longtime member of the Actors' Equity Association, he has worked in theatre productions across the country as well as commercials and industrial films for clients such as Sprint and the American Museum of Natural History, winning a Silver Microphone Award from the National Association of Radio Advertisers. He has given presentations and workshops at numerous conferences and theatre festivals and served on the national board of the University/Resident Theatre Association. He retires as professor emeritus of theatre.