Larry Menefee

Professor Larry Menefee has been a faculty member at Cumberland University since 1996, serving as Professor of Communications and Theatre. He holds a B.A. from David Lipscomb University, an M.A. from Southern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Denver. His expertise spans theatre direction, linguistics, and public speaking, with over 100 university and community theatre productions directed. He edited Theatre Southwest and authored articles in theatre journals. Notably, he translated and adapted Sophocles’ Oedipus the King from Greek, produced as a mainstage play at Cumberland.

Dr. Menefee teaches courses in voice articulation, dialects, and phonetics (IPA), alongside basic communication and oral interpretation. His research interests include classical and contemporary theatre, intercultural narratives, and language studies. He maintains a broad literary interest in global fiction, sci-fi, and Western literature, with favorite works like The Count of Monte Cristo and The Fountainhead.

His academic contributions emphasize bridging classical texts with modern performance, evident in his translation projects and pedagogical focus on vocal techniques. He has advised no listed students but has impacted thousands through his teaching in communication and theatre disciplines.