Presenter Profile

Phillip M. Church Associate Professor of Theater / Artistic Director of What if Works Inc.Trained at the London of Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, worked in repertory theater, for BBC and Yorkshire television and as an Assistant Director at Glyndbourne Opera. He received an MFA in Directing at UC Irvine. A member of Actors Equity Association Church has been with the Department of Theater at Florida International University for thirty-eight years, during which time he directed numerous classical and contemporary plays, major musicals and community engaged docudramas. He established the widely popular “Introduction to Acting & Directing for TV & Film” for both theater majors and non-majors. The course explores the complementary techniques that exist between stage and screen. In 1997 Church established the FIU Shakespeare in Stratford & London Study Abroad program, an annual six-week course focused on text and performance of productions the productions of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Globe Theater in London. In 2010 he inaugurated What if Works Inc. a 501c community-engaged, post-graduate company dedicated to bringing about social change through theater, music and film. What if Works’ most current production is “The R+J Effect: Denver” an updated version of Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet” exploring gun violence in our communities and on school campuses. The production is presented in collaboration with Denver Public Schools, the Denver Police Department, the Metropolitan State University, Denver and the Denver Center for International Studies High School. The Miami Capulets face off the Denver Montagues on stage! This Miami-Denver joint partnership encourages audience involvement during the play’s action, bringing the voices of students, parents, law enforcement, educators and civic leaders together into one conversation. “The R+J Effect: Denver” will be staged as part of the Colorado Thespians Conference at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

What if Works proposes to offer a workshop in "Theater for Social Change & High Schools"