Mike Griffin

Mike Griffin is an Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Program Officer in the Department of Dramatic Arts at Brock University, where he has taught acting, directing, and physical theatre for eight years. He holds a BFA and BEd from the University of British Columbia, and an MFA in Directing from the University of Calgary. His research focuses on Commedia dell’Arte’s relevance to contemporary contexts, student-centered pedagogy, and the intersection of theatre with mental health issues. He has directed numerous productions at Brock, including The Mysterious Mind of Molly McGillicuddy, a physical theatre exploration of brain injury. Griffin is a recipient of the 2023 Faculty of Humanities Teaching Excellence Award and has presented at international conferences on topics ranging from brain injury representation to ensemble methodologies.

Education:

• BFA (Acting) and BEd (Drama/English), University of British Columbia
• MFA (Directing), University of Calgary

Research Interests:

• Commedia dell’Arte adaptation
• Physical theatre techniques
• Student agency in performance education
• Mental health narratives
• Immersive ensemble creation

Key Contributions:

• Published in Routledge Companion to Commedia dell’Arte (2015)
• Creator of award-winning plays like Pantalone’s Palace and Molly McGillicuddy
• Organizer of interdisciplinary research events linking brain injury studies to the arts

Awards:

• 2023 Faculty of Humanities Award for Teaching Excellence