Madison Smith

The Raphael Village is a non-profit day program for differently-abled adults with Autism, Down Syndrome and other exceptionalities. The Village creates an environment for learning life skills and job readiness skills to help foster great independence

• Assessed student progress through formative and summative evaluations, adjusting instructional methods as needed to help students reach individual goals
• Developed an evolving curriculum of exercises, activities and games that promoted social skills and artistic expression for students
• Introduced improvisational exercises to hone students'' quick thinking skills while simultaneously building their confidence
• Designed a series of performance opportunities including a Not So Spooky Haunted House, a Holiday Concert, a Mardi Gras Parade event and an original Spring Play, written by members of the class, which provided different opportunities to showcase skills learned in class
• Boosted students'' creative expression through engaging and innovative theater exercises and activities.
• Coordinated a work-study program with the University of New Orleans to allow students to experience the behind-the-scenes procedures of an operational theatrical scene shop

• Designed curriculum to create basis of performance methodology for Basic and Intermediate level acting courses
• Increased student motivation by developing engaging lesson plans that catered to various learning styles.
• Developed course materials to encourage critical thinking, discussion, and promote student learning objectives.
• Taught multiple sections of courses in varying levels, simultaneously
• Exposed students to diverse content to build perspective in drama pedagogy.
• Directed students in classroom performances and invited faculty to see final performance projects
• Mentoring and coaching of students requiring additional assistance to improve overall comprehension of difficult concepts.
• Engaged students in in-person, lab style and lecture classes while providing curated supplemental course material to students in their online learning platform, Canvas
• Promoted a positive learning environment by helping to establish each class section as an ensemble, encouraging them to build peer to peer relationships and work collaboratively on performance assignments
• Held in-person and virtual office hours for students currently enrolled in my courses, or for former students seeking additional assistance
• Assigned and reviewed assignments, proctored tests and provided grades according to university standards.
• Built strong student rapport by providing academic and creative artistic guidance, which increased student involvement in the university theater program

• Directed three university mainstage productions during my tenure as a Graduate student: Dead Name, She Stoops to Conquer, The Moors. These productions featured casts of undergrad students, graduate students, faculty members and members of the New Orleans community.
• Worked alongside student playwright and production team to develop the world premiere production of Dead Name
• Collaborated with and lead teams of Undergrad students, fellow Graduate students and Faculty on each production
• Supervised student production staff during performances and rehearsal process.
• Continuously evolved production process into highly successful educational theatre season by improving personal teaching techniques and increasing student engagement
• Lead inter-departmental collaboration between the Music, Film and Fine Arts Department within the School of the Arts to further increase student engagement and to create an inclusive artistic environment for multi-disciplinary work
• Managed the Costume Shop, oversaw rentals of materials by students and costume designers from the local New Orleans Community
• Acted as an ambassador for the UNO Theatre Department, appearing at various university sponsored events representing and speaking on the behalf of the department

• Cultivated and maintained positive working relationships with various professionals in the community, including actors, producers, writers, designers and technicians
• Directed productions for a wide variety of theaters, including Community, Store Front and Equity companies
• Collaborated with and lead teams through entire production process as a director and producer
• Developed a reputation as a leader in the development of New Works and directed several Chicago or World Premiere productions
• Established a culture of continuous collaboration by fostering open communication channels and empowering team members to voice their ideas
• Worked regularly with young performers in various educational settings, including circus school and private audition coaching
• Managed budgets effectively to ensure optimal use of resources while maintaining financial stability

• Produced and Directed thirteen productions, 11 of which were Chicago or World Premieres
• Developed D&P's reputation as a New Works focused company and collaborated with playwrights all over the United States and Canada on productions
• Opened Nox Arca, a black-box theater venue of which D&P became the resident company
• Offered Nox Arca as a tiered rental package to other theater companies in Chicago with the goal of providing the most affordable rental in the city, thus creating a more inclusive environment for greater artistic expression by artists who may not otherwise be able to afford to produce work
• Oversaw rehearsal schedules, ensuring efficient use of time while maintaining high artistic standards throughout the process.
• Directed day-to-day business operations and made strategic decisions to further organizational goals and fiscal objectives.
• Championed diversity and inclusion efforts within the organization, promoting an inclusive atmosphere both onstage and offstage.
• Scheduled seasonal theater productions and engaged actors and stage personnel on seasonal contracts as well as maintained a staff of five permanent team members
• Auditioned, selected and coached actors to execute high-quality performances and enhance production value.
• Increased audience attendance through engaging marketing campaigns that showcased the artistic talent of the ensemble.
• Proactively addressed and resolved conflicts within the team, maintaining a harmonious work environment conducive to artistic excellence.