Anthony Greer (he/him)
Please tell us about your education or training in theatre.
My path in theatre is a bit different than most directors in that I did not take any theatre courses in college. In fact, I swore I wouldn’t participate in anything onstage when I was a kid…but then my high school needed a boy whose voice hadn’t changed, could sing, and could play the trumpet to be Winthrop in The Music Man. After that, I participated in every high school production and worked with my directors behind the scenes building sets, selecting costumes, and analyzing scripts. My goal was to learn everything I could through osmosis. In college, I became involved with Quad City Music Guild, the largest community theatre in my area, and worked with people who had been directing for 40 years. At United Township, I started directing the musical in 2016 and began producing our other shows in 2021.
What theatre project/production are you currently involved with or in the planning stages for?
So many! United Township closes our winter play, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz later this month, and I’m in the planning process for our spring production, Shrek the Musical. I’m also working with the awesome directing staff for the 2027 All-State and Regional productions.
What is the best thing about your job?
I teach English and speech courses during the day, and I work in theatre after school. I feel incredibly lucky to work with high school students in a variety of disciplines to help them achieve their goals. It’s never boring!
What is the biggest challenge you face related to your work in the theatre?
Honestly, the biggest challenge is the fact that I didn’t have “formal” theatre training. I never took a theatre class, which means I don’t have as much content knowledge as my peers. I don’t regret my educational decisions! However, I truly believe extracurricular theatre is more than “putting on a show”. I want my students to learn as many techniques and skills as possible so they can continue their theatrical journey after high school. That means I’ve had to educate myself over the years. I’m extremely lucky to have met some amazing people over the past decade who have taught me so much!
Of what theatrical accomplishments are you most proud?
I’m really proud of how we produced shows during the 2020-2021 school year. We were able to produce all three of our shows by being creative and shaking up our normal processes. We even had a full musical where we observed social-distancing (The Theory of Relativity).
Who was/is your mentor?
My biggest mentors were Bob and Peggy Hanske (drama) and David Maccabee (band/music). Bob and Peggy ran the drama club in high school, and they were the ones who introduced me to the world of theatre. I grew up with Mr. Maccabee’s daughters, and he laid a large portion of the foundation of my music education. I don’t think I would be where I am without these amazing people.
Please describe your history with the Illinois High School Theatre Festival.
I’m a relative newcomer to the Festival compared to others in my position. I never attended during high school, and I didn’t bring my own students until 2019. In the fall of 2022 I was approached by Ryan Lambert to serve as an Associate Director of Workshops, and I served in that position for the 2023-2025 festivals. I currently serve as Secretary and work to make Allan Kimball’s vision a reality. I feel incredibly honored to be selected as the 2027 Executive Director!
Do you have a specific IHSTF or ITA memory you would care to share?
My favorite memory was looking at my students during “Dance of the Robe” during the 2019 All-State Aida. They were in awe of their peers, and I could see how inspired they were by the performance.
