Blake Anthony Edwards

Blake Anthony Edwards serves as Lecturer of Theatre & Dance at Gonzaga University, teaching foundational courses in acting, voice & movement, and theatre for young audiences. An active practitioner, he performed at the 2022 William Inge Festival in Lynn Nottage's Sweat and directed productions including Romeo & Juliet for St. Louis Shakespeare.

His educational credentials include:

• M.F.A. in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University
• M.F.A. in Acting from Ohio State University
• B.A. in English from Yale University

Edwards' research pioneers the adaptation of the Hunter Heartbeat Method—originally designed for autistic students—into universal actor training. This work develops physical vocabulary for Stanislavskian technique beginners while creating inclusive rehearsal spaces for neurodiverse performers, bridging pedagogical theory and practical inclusivity.

His creative output features four nationally produced Theatre for Young Audiences works: Big Bad Wolf Tales, The Odyssey, The Quibbling Siblings, and The One and Only Sarah Stonely. His directorial portfolio spans Shakespearean, TYA, and solo performance genres with emphasis on embodied storytelling techniques.