Today we’d like to introduce you to Bradley Nies.
Hi Bradley, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been inspired by teachers, instructors, and professors. I attended Sanford-Fritch High School in Fritch, Texas, and I had an incredible theatre instructor who saw the potential in me for acting. Because of Lydia Fowlkes, I graduated and attended Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas. There, I had another incredible theatre director named Terry Lewis who took me under his wing and taught me not only how to direct but also how to run a theatre arts program. I graduated from this community college and finished my B.A. at West Texas State University. After the terrific experiences I had with Professor Royal R. Brantley there, I continued my studies in Communication with a Theatre Emphasis, thus earning my M.A. Degree. Without these people in my life, I would not be where I am today.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I was hired as the Theatre Arts Director at Blinn College-Brenham Campus in the fall of 1990. While I have loved every minute of it, I have also had some obstacles along the way. After 25 years of teaching theatre, the state of Texas changed the requirements of professors in community colleges, and this move forced by to continue my studies. Turning “lemons into lemonade,” however, I completed postgraduate hours in directing, script analysis, and playwriting. As a result, I have lived out my dream of being a published playwright, having had five plays published, as well as having several unpublished plays performed in Texas and New York.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a professor at Blinn College-Brenham Campus, I am able to give what was given to me when I was a student: a love and appreciation of the theatre. As such, our theatre arts program has grown larger than I could have ever imagined! I am proud to say that our program is known throughout Texas for producing quality work. In addition, our program has been compared to that of a small university. I could not have done any of this if not for our incredibly talented students, as well as our incredible theatre arts faculty and staff.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
Yes! When writing, I use the book, “Playwriting: The Structure of Action” by Sam Smiley and Norman Bert as a reference guide. I also use the text, “How to Turn Anything into a Screenplay” by Richard Krevolin. I had these textbooks in a playwriting class I took at Texas Tech University, and I still use them today! When doing any kind of theatre research, I always turn to the Internet Broadway Database at www.ibdb.com and the Internet Off-Broadway Database at www.iobdb.com. Both websites contain the latest updates regarding Broadway and off-Broadway theatre. I also read play…all the time! My favorite playwrights are Edward Albee, John Logan, and Liz :Lockhead.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blinn.edu
- Other: www.bradleyniesplaywright.blogspot.com
Image Credits
Pic #1: Blithe Spirit (Spring 2011)
Pic #2: Amadeus (Fall 2011)
Pic #3: Dracula (Fall 2007)
Pic #4: God of Carnage (Spring 2012)
Pic #5: Lee Harvey Oswald (Spring 2017)
Pic #6: Little Shop of Horrors (Fall 2010) All plays were directed by Brad Nies, with technical direction by Kevin Patrick and costume/makeup design by Jennifer Patrick.
