Dr. Judith Pender

Associate Professor – Acting/Directing, Graduate Liaison

PhD 1987 University of Georgia
MFA 1980 University of Georgia
BFA 1977 Missouri State University

320 FAC
(405) 325-5319
jmpender@ou.edu

Judith Midyett Pender is an associate professor teaching acting, directing, and theatre history.  She also serves the School of Drama as Graduate Liaison and the coordinator of accreditation with the National Association of Schools of Theatre.  She holds a BFA in Theatre and Interpretation from Missouri State University, an MFA in Acting and Directing, and a PhD in Theatre History, Theory, and Criticism from the University of Georgia. While living and working in New York, she trained in the Meisner Technique. In 2006, Dr. Pender was named the Irene and Julian J. Rothbaum Presidental Professor of Excellence in the Arts.

Dr. Pender maintains a professional profile as both an actress and a director and has worked in theatre and television across the country. She is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association, Screen Actors’ Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, and has studied stage combat with the Society of American Fight Directors.  A veteran of over 50 productions, her recent directing work includes the outdoor drama, Trumpet in the Land, (for 7 years), and for the School of Drama: Pride and Prejudice, Lend Me A Tenor, Great Expectations, Marat/Sade, You Can’t Take It With You (with Larry Drake), Much Ado About Nothing, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (with the OU Symphony), The Philadelphia Story, As You Like It, Moon Over Buffalo, and The Last Night of Ballyhoo. She appeared as Professor Willard in OU’s University Theatre production of Our Town starring Ken Kercheval and as Abby Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace.  Look for her in the role of Mrs. Bennet in the soon to be released feature film, The Art of Kissing. Dr. Pender’s scholarly activity includes papers presented at the International Symposium for the Humanities, the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities, and the Scholars’ Conference at the Inge Festival as well as  entries on Philip Barry, The Philadelphia Story, Holiday, and Paul Green for Encarta’s new Encyclopedia of Modern Drama.   She and her husband, Dr. Thomas Pender, Director of the Nancy O’Brian Center for the Performing Arts, have collaborated on many creative and scholarly projects.  The production of which they are most proud is their son, Samuel Thomas Pender.