Anthony R. Haigh
Professor of Dramatic Arts, Emeritus
Education
Diploma: Rose Bruford College in London
MA: Theater, Lancaster University
PhD: Theater, Michigan State University.
Expertise
Theater — Acting, directing, playwriting — Dramatic literature — British life and culture — Contemporary British theatre — Educational drama and children’s theatre — Shakespeare — Regional theatre — Alien status (British citizen but not a US citizen) — Contemporary British playwrights — Pantomime
An energetic teacher and director who has guided Centre students and productions to several honors. Chosen to join the Kentucky Chatauqua program with life-like portrayals of Samuel Drake, an Englishman who established the nation’s first professional theater on the western side of the Appalachian mountains. Teacher-leader for several overseas theatre study tours. He is also a consultant to KDE and GSA.
BIOGRAPHY
Anthony Haigh retired as professor of dramatic arts at Centre College in 2017, where he had taught since 1991. Haigh is active as a professional actor, director, and playwright. A native of England, Haigh earned a diploma from the Rose Bruford College in London, where he is now a Fellow of the College.
ACTING AND DIRECTING
Haigh is an energetic teacher and director who enjoys the challenge of working in different genres. He recently directed the musical “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” at Centre College. His other Centre productions are as varied as Tom Stoppard’s “Arcadia,” George Bernard Shaw’s “Major Barbara,” and Thomas Heywood’s “Fair Maid of the West.” He recently created a devised piece with students – “After Orpheus” which they took to the Edinburgh International Festival.
His most recent professional work includes “The Seafarer” for Actor’s Guild of Lexington and a 50th anniversary production of “Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf” for Banta Productions. He was also founding Artistic Director of “Shakespeare at Equus Run” – an outdoor Shakespeare festival which was located at Equus Run Vineyards, just outside Midway, Kentucky.
His acting work includes playing Andre in Athol Fugard’s new play “Exits and Entrances” He has also appeared at Actor’s Theatre in Louisville and even performed in a Christmas musical at Dollywood. His appearance in Michael Jonathan’s “Walden” is regularly seen on PBS stations nationwide as part of Earth Day. In 1997, Haigh was chosen by the Kentucky Humanities Council as the first recipient of the Vic Hellard Memorial Award. He developed a one-person play on the life of Samuel Drake, an Englishman who established the nation’s first permanent professional theatre west of the Alleghenies. Most recently he was seen in the movie “Shadow People” directed by Matt Arnold.
Prior to joining the Centre faculty, Haigh taught at Madeley College in England, Michigan State University, Ferris State University, and at Fort Lewis College.
TEACHING AND STUDY ABROAD
Haigh has been director of the Centre-in-London Program and regularly takes groups of Centre students on theatre study tours of England. He also maintains an ongoing relationship with the Rose Bruford College – one of England’s leading drama schools. He has built a student exchange program between Centre and RBC and has taught in their master’s program as well as directing plays there. Haigh is a past-president of the South Eastern Theatre Conference – the largest theatre organization in America and continues to be active in that organization. Each March, 20 or so students with drama program faculty attend that conference and the students have the opportunity to audition and interview for theatre work experiences and internships.