Accomplished director Jerry Henderson to share secrets of memorization for actors

The Lipscomb University Theater Department is pleased to announce that Jerry Henderson, former Lipscomb faculty and former chair of the theatre department at Pepperdine University for 20 years, will teach an acting workshop titled “Techniques for Memorization” at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6, in the University Theater. 

 

The workshop is free and open to the entire student body and community.

 

Henderson, a professional actor, director, and writer from Cookeville, has built a strong theater program, directing classic shows such as, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Sound of Music, Oklahoma!, Antigone, My Fair Lady and many others.

 

He is also noted for writing many plays such as: To Josephine, A Legacy of Fear, The Little Box of Winter Seed, Everything on Pacific Avenue and Over It All a Tent was Spread.   

 

Henderson is recently retired and is now traveling the country speaking, lecturing, and directing community theatre. He also finds time to teach acting classes aboard various cruise ships.

 

Deb Holloway, instructor of English and theater, is excited for Henderson to teach the students. A friend of Henderson’s, she attended his workshop on “Techniques for Memorization” four years ago at a theater conference in Atlanta.

 

“He has a very different and unique approach for memorization,” Holloway said. “He emphasizes an overall understanding of the whole play and the script. By understanding the plot, it helps you understand your lines, which results in the memorization of your lines. I found it very fascinating.”

 

Lipscomb’s theater department hosted its first acting workshop last fall.  Holloway and Larry Brown, professor of theatre, received many student requests to hold workshops that would further their skills and understanding of acting. 

 

Judy Leavell, a Lipscomb alumna and professional actress from Atlanta, Ga., conducted the first workshop last year. Both she and Henderson are on the advisory board for the Lipscomb theater department.

 

“The workshops have been endearing (to alumni) because they provide a way for former Lipscomb students to give back to the theatre department,” Holloway said. In addition, she hopes the workshops will raise awareness of the theater department.

 

“We have been producing quality performances and we are hoping that they will see our growth and be encouraged to try out and build our numbers in this program.”