Theatre Director Anne Mahoney

Although Anne Mahoney, instructor of theatre, film and communication courses starts her 19th year with MCC- Blue River, her theatre experience covers a 30 year career.

As a student-artist finishing college, Anne ushered for the Lyric Opera, took voice, dance and acting classes in NYC, understudied w/Missouri Repertory theatre, modeled, sang in KC jazz clubs and worked as a singing waitress for Off Broadway Dinner theatres.

After graduation, she worked stage managing for William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, acted in main roles from a variety of plays like Shakespeare’s comedy Taming of the Shrew, Neil Simon’ classic Barefoot in the Park, Noel Coward’s musical revue Oh Coward and George Feydeau’s farce, A Flea in her Ear.

Wanting to know all facets of the theatre business, Anne served as lighting and sound technician for productions such as Hamlet, Waiting for Godot, and Finian’s Rainbow. She also was assistant to the director for diverse shows such as Edward Albee’s absurdist play, Everything in the Garden and Moliere’s farce Tartuffe.

Ms. Mahoney is proud that she was one of the founding company actors associated with the still thriving professional children’s theatre troupe The Seem To Be Players based in the Lawrence Arts Center in Lawrence, Kansas.

Her education includes a Master of Arts in Theatre from the University of Kansas, a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Theatre from the University of Arkansas, a lifetime teaching certificate in the graduate education program at Rockhurst University, and Dorothy Heathcote’s interactive summer workshop at the University of Idaho titled Theatre in Education.

Anne also experienced an intensive summer program through Southern Methodist University’s 8 week European Theatre Study based in London,

England, where she attended plays each night,
heard and wrote reviews each morning and studied the craft of theatre every afternoon, at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Judy Dench, Diana Rigg and Robert Morely were faculty at that time.

Ms. Mahoney continues to enjoy opportunities directing a varied list of shows in both Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri. Since 1977, in both community and academic theater settings, the list includes large musicals, produced for indoor, outdoor, and dinner theatre, such as Oliver, The Music Man, Oklahoma, The Sound of Music, Little Mary Sunshine, The Wizard of Oz and Annie, plus, three act shows such as Cheaper by the Dozen, Wait until Dark, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, The Miracle Worker, St. Joan, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelve Angry Men and Arsenic and Old Lace. In 2006, she was invited to direct the Blue Springs City Theatre’s production of the 1948 version of Father of the Bride and in 2008 directed their performance of the Miracle Worker. MCC-Blue River students work both on and off stage at these performances for credit.

Fall, 2009, Ms.Mahoney directed the MCC- Blue River’s Cheaper by the Dozen and Spring 2010 student performed Agatha Christies Mouse Trap.

Anne continues to attend workshops, classes and national events to nurture her own directing, teaching and acting technique. She serves on two scholarship boards helping young artists fund their training and education. She hopes to give 2 more decades to the performing and cultural arts as teacher, performer, writer, and director. Read more....