Staff
Director – 160 Stouffer Commons, 3702 Spruce Street, 215-898-2312
Ty A. Furman has been advising and facilitating Student Performing Arts at Penn Since 1997. He holds a Doctorate in Education from Penn's Graduate School of Education and a Masters in Theatre from Villanova University. He is a member of the Arts Administrators in Higher Education, a group of more than a dozen arts administrators from all over the US and for the past three years has served on the Arts Leadership Day committee at Penn. Ty is also one of the coordinators of the all-campus leadership retreats held twice a year for more than 80 upperclassmen and created and runs PennArts - an arts pre-orientation program for 40 incoming students. Ty is currently on the Board of The South Philadelphia Association of Dog Owners. From 1997 to 2003 he served as the Executive Director of the Barrymore Award winning Vagabond Acting Troupe.
Associate Director - 160 Stouffer Commons, 3702 Spruce Street, 215-898-7038
Laurie McCall has been working in the Division of University of Life at Penn since 1992 where she started as Assistant Director of New Student Orientation for the Department of Academic Support Programs. After starting a family in 1999, she remained on a part time basis to run the PennQuest Pre-Orientation Program. In 2007, she returned to full time to work for the Platt Student Performing Arts House and Pre-Orientation Programs. Laurie was just recently elected as the Chair-Elect for the Penn Professional Staff Assembly. She holds a B.S. in Education from Kutztown University and a M.A. in Communication Studies from Bloomsburg University.
Technical Supervisor – 4100 Walnut, 215-898-5823
Peter Whinnery has been serving the technical needs of performing arts groups and supervising the tech shop at Penn since 1982. Peter holds an MA in Theatre from the University of Michigan and a BA in Mathematics from Albion College. Peter also teaches design through the Theatre arts program and is the resident designer for the Barrymore Award winning Interact Theatre Company in Philadelphia.
Additional Staff:
Michelle Moller - Technical Assistant, 215-573-8647
C. Erik Nordgren, Ph.D – Glee Club Director, 215-898-4533
Greer Cheeseman – Penn Band Director, 215-898-8719
Ed Wise – Penn Jazz Ensemble Director
Nancy Kantra – Penn Dance Director