Dec 14, 2021 | CVPA, xCVPA, xFeatured
What year did you start working at NIU?
July 1, 2016
Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
Geneva, IL
Where did you attend college and what degree(s) have you earned?
I attended Miami of Ohio and have a B.A. in communications and theatre. I also have an M.F.A. from Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory.
In which department(s) do you teach?
School of Theatre and Dance
What do you like about working at NIU?
The people—students are eager, talented and committed. Faculty are talented, dedicated and caring. Staff is supportive, kind and tireless.
What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
Say yes to everything! Explore courses and activities and events. Take risks. Talk to people you don’t know. Never stop asking questions. Listen closely. Find the fun.
Tell us about a research or engaged learning project you have led.
I’m teaching an honors seminar on the Evolution of Art. I’m very interested in the way the species evolved and how art-making seems to be part of that evolution. I’m also curious about how art itself has evolved. It’s all still contested, so the students and I engage in some speculation, which leads to good questions and hypotheses to be tested.
What do you hope students take away from your class?
Music, dance, theater, painting, sculpting, etc. all likely were the first means by which humans communicated. Art provides a vocabulary of feeling that captures what it means to be human. Everyone is an artist, and every art form is available to each of us to express ourselves in unique and powerful ways.
What is your favorite campus event?
Can’t pick one—the concerts, plays, dances and exhibits put on by and for our students. It’s wonderful and awe-inspiring to see their creativity flower.
What is your favorite memory of NIU?
The Art and Soul event we co-sponsored with the Center for Black Studies after the racial incident in 2020. The whole university was invited to paint Black Lives Matter on Castle Drive, and many came and did—even amid a pandemic. There was music and dancing, and all who came participated in making this powerful statement. For me, it truly reflected the Huskie spirit!
Who has influenced your professional path?
I’ve had many mentors throughout my life, but maybe the most important one was Joel Friedman. He was one of the founding directors of the New York Shakespeare Festival and was my acting teacher in NYC when I was starting out. He was not only a wonderful theater artist but also a gifted teacher. He knew what to say and, more importantly, how and when to say it so it was heard, understood and could be acted upon. He made all his students feel empowered. And I strive to do the same.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
I always wanted to be a theater artist. My first roles were in kindergarten. I started formal lessons at age 10, got professional gigs starting at around 16 and was a professional for the next 20 years. I never thought I’d be a teacher, let alone a dean. But my mentors pointed out to me that I had some abilities, first as a teacher and later as an administrator. When I look back, I’m really doing the same thing, more or less—putting talent together and helping it flourish.
Are you a member of or hold a position within a professional organization? If so, what organization? What is the purpose of that organization and how does being part of this organization benefit you in your role at NIU?
I am a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association, the professional stage actor’s union; and the Screen Actors Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. I maintain my membership and have worked on and off in the profession my whole academic career. I think it’s very important for artists to work in their fields to stay “in shape” and to stay current.
What community organizations are you involved in?
I am on the board of the Egyptian Theatre.
What do you do to relax or recharge?
I bike, hike, golf and read a lot of books. I also do the NY Times crossword puzzle every day, as well as the NYT Spelling Bee.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your NIU Huskie story?
I think what we do is important—ensuring that the next generation of artists, scholars and teachers offers the world their talents and abilities. It’s been a privilege and honor to serve as dean of this great college and university.
Jul 30, 2021 | CVPA, Theatre and Dance News, xCVPA, xFeatured
Kane Repertory Theatre, in partnership with the St. Charles Park District, presents a live outdoor production of the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet at the Historic Pavilion on the Fox River. The play, is directed by Northern Illinois University’s Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts and Geneva resident, Paul Kassel. It premieres August 12 at 7 p.m. and runs through August with its last show at 2 p.m. on August 29. Tickets can be purchased here.
In William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, a long feud between the Montague and Capulet families disrupts the city of Verona and causes tragic results. With a 17 person cast, Kane Repertory Theatre brings a contemporary edge to this world classic.
“The story of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is one of the most enduring tales in our world,” Kassel said. “It is a story of true love, a story of ancient conflicts between rivals; a story of what damage can be done in the name of family, loyalty, and unthinking passion. And as old as this story is, it is also current, and appears almost every day in the news across the world – it can even find its way into our own schools, neighborhoods, and homes.”
“Kane Rep’s staging of Romeo and Juliet honors an ancient tradition of storytelling, using simple means to express profound truths. Where a stick might become a sword, or a cap a crown, a lone figure a teeming crowd. When you join us for this beautiful play by the river, we invite you to do as Shakespeare said and allow us to ‘on your imaginary forces work.’”
Paul Kassel is a professional actor, director, writer, and theater educator. Paul worked Off Broadway, including a year in Vampire Lesbians of Sodom at the famous Provincetown Playhouse in Greenwich Village, and off-off Broadway, in regional theaters, and appeared in several films and television shows. Before moving to Illinois, Paul directed and performed with Halfmoon Theatre Company in Poughkeepsie, NY, for which he directed Is He Dead, Good People, and Almost, Maine. Other professional direction include God of Carnage (River City Repertory) and What Remains: Long Island Stories of 9/11 for Asylum Theatre Company, of which he was a founding member. A long time university professor, favorite college productions include, As You Like It, The Government Inspector, Lysistrata (which he adapted and co-wrote music) at Bradley University; A Shayna Maidel, A Doll House and The Rover (Stony Brook University), and A Flea in Her Ear, Babes in Arms, Measure for Measure and Macbeth (State University of New York at New Paltz). He continues to act and direct professionally, most recently as the “Stage Manager” in Our Town, produced by the Kane Repertory Theatre Company. Paul received his M.F.A. from Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Professional Actor Training. He is a proud member of AEA and SAG/AFTRA. Paul Kassel is Dean for the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts and a professor in the School of Theatre and Dance.
The cast of “Romeo and Juliet” includes Max Stewart (Romeo), Leiren Jackson (Juliet), Rosalind Hurwitz (Nurse), Al Hermann (Friar Laurence), Avery Fountain (Benvolio), Daniil Krimer (Mercutio), Joseph Metcalfe (Tybalt), Avery Bowne (Paris), Brian Koester (Lord Capulet), Mary Nigohosian (Lady Capulet), Joel Ottenheimer (Prince), Tom Ochocinski (Lord Montague), Anne Wrider (Lady Montague), and Reginald Hemphill, Vincent Juarez, Sophia Arnold, Jill Marlow (Ensemble), with Luke Harmon as the Stage Manager.
Tickets
Kane Repertory Theatre, in partnership with the St. Charles Park District, presents a live outdoor production of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare directed by Paul Kassel. Regular run performances are Aug 12-13, 17-19, 25-27 at 7pm and Aug 29 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $30 Adults, (ages 19-59) $25 Seniors (ages 60+) $15 Students (ages 3-18). This play is recommended for all ages. For tickets or more information visit the box office online.
About Kane Repertory Theatre
Kane Repertory Theatre is a professional 501(c)(3) non-profit theater company located in St. Charles, Ill. By using visceral performance to explore values in America, Kane works to spark conversation, evoke empathy, and strengthen the community. Under the leadership of Executive Director Avery Bowne and Artistic Director Daniil Krimer, Kane Repertory Theatre strives to be one of the Midwest’s leading regional theaters through new play development, reimagining classics, and forming an ensemble of dynamic artists, while providing patrons of all ages with first-class theatre education and engaging new audiences through various outreach efforts.
Jun 24, 2021 | CVPA, xCVPA, xFeatured
Paul Kassel, Dean of the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts, who has guided the college through some extraordinarily challenging times, has accepted the offer of a second five-year term as dean.
Kassel came to NIU in 2015 after more than a dozen years as a Professor of Theatre at SUNY New Paltz where he also served as Associate Dean of their School of Fine and Performing Arts, and had spent the last two years in the role of Interim Dean.
In his first term, Kassel was credited for his work instituting key curricular changes, recruitment efforts that have resulted in increases in enrollment in CVPA, and the hiring of new faculty. He has developed strong external relationships with the community, alumni and friends of the college. Kassel is seen as a strong and passionate advocate for the college and for the arts more generally. And he was lauded for his commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion demonstrated through programming and events such as the Art and Soul street painting event. His efforts to increase support to offer top notch arts programming to audiences university-wide resulted in the establishment of the Arts and Culture Fee to support those efforts.
Kassel received his M.F.A. in Performance from the Florida State/Asolo Conservatory of Professional Actor Training. He is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Screen Actors’ Guild/American Federation of Radio and Television Artists. Professional associations include the International Conference of Fine Arts Deans, the Alliance of Arts in Research Universities, the National Conference of Arts Administrators, and the Association for Theatre in Higher Education.
May 5, 2021 | CVPA, Music News, Theatre and Dance News, xArt and Design News, xCVPA, xFeatured
Just two days remain to give to our Crowdfund campaign to support our senior artists.
As a last minute incentive, Paul Kassel, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts will match the next $750 in new donations!
Visit our crowdfund page to make your donation.
