teequillin.com

From Colleagues:

Stephen D. Wedan, MFA, steve.wedan@gmail.com

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Tee Quillin for several years at MTSU. In my experience, he has been an articulate, expert, and approachable presence to his colleagues and his students. I recommend him without reservation as teacher of Acting: for stage, for the camera, styles, and voice.

Guy William Molnar, Asst Professor of Acting, Directing, and Voice, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, gwmolnar@ptd.net

He is passionate about acting, about theatre, about students.  He goes more than the extra mile; he does ANYTHING he can to ensure that his students and his colleagues have as rich and compelling a theatrical experience as possible whether he’s acting, teaching, directing, or conducting a radio interview.  The only thing that excites him more than growing as an actor is seeing his students grow.  He gets it.

Lane Davies, Artistic Director, Tennessee Shakespeare Festival

Tee Quillin is a talented and creative educator and artist, and has an excellent rapport with students. He is intelligent, organized and focused, with a proactive approach to getting things done.

Leonard Jacobs, National Theatre Editor, The Neilson Company/Back Stage

Tee is a terrific guy and a fantastic interviewer. I’ve had the pleasure of being interviewed on the Inexplicable Dumb Show several times, and in addition to appreciating the focus he has placed on my blog, The Clyde Fitch Report, I am struck by his intelligence, his wit, his knowledge of the theatre, and his ability to co-create one brilliant podcast. I’m proud to call Tee my friend — equally proud to call him an esteemed colleague.

Josh Robbins, Agent, BNA Talent Group

Tee is one of my top 10 favorite people in Nashville. He is highly creative, always gives a top performance with Buyers & Casting Directors, and is super easy to work with. As his agent, I have worked with him for many years in the entertainment industry and he is someone that I hope to have on my roster for many more years.

Sarah Lena Brown, Media Director, Simple Helix, sarahlbrown2@gmail.com

Tee had managed to put together an incredibly professional audio show.  I spent a few years in radio and had a jaded opinion on produced shows; everything sounded like it wanted to be on NPR but hadn’t yet made the cut.  Inexplicable Dumb Show, however, was entirely different.  The show focused primarily on theatre; professional, amateur, and community theatre all had a voice and a home there.  Tee’s editing and production kept the show tight and focused, but never let the format sound forced or hurried.  That, in and of itself, is a marvel.  He kept a steady stream of relevant and prestigious guests on the mic, one of whom was a redhead from Alabama named SARAH LENA BROWN.
You never know how a guest spot on a show is going to go.  You have no idea of the pace and rhythm of the usual gang, you don’t know if your flavor of humor will mesh with the show, and you don’t know if your dog will suddenly go nuts because a squirrel appeared outside while you were trying to tape the episode via Skype.  Didn’t matter.  Although I was new, Tee and John crafted an environment that was comfortable to me; they adapted to my humor and nudged me in a better direction if I took a conversation off course.  And although my dog went into something of a vocal seizure mid-episode, the final cut had no evidence that I was anywhere BUT in the studio with them.

The final version was something I was incredibly proud of.. I was proud to be a part of it and I was amazed at Tee’s skills in this medium.

Denise Hicks, Artistic Director, Nashville Shakespeare Festival, denise@nashvilleshakes.org

Tee is an enthusiastic and endlessly creative theater artist. He’s a multi-talented, highly skilled, great communicator, a motivating teacher, an inspiring team player, a persevering problem solver and an all around fun guy to have involved in a project. I do not hesitate to recommend him for any job or role.

Jamal Sterling, Theatre Arts Teacher, Dallas Independent School District

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Tee Quillin in a collegiate and professional atmosphere. During our time at Southern Methodist University, Mr. Quillin was a very important mentor and vital to my development as a graduate student. Mr. Quillin taught an undergraduate Art of Acting course, which was apart of our graduation requirement. I had the opportunity to sit in on his class and his instructional techniques helped shape my own. Mr. Quillin has a very disciplined approach in the classroom. He encourages his students to focus and work hard which, in turn, builds the students respect of the craft. Onstage, Tee is the consumate professional. He challenges his colleagues to go above and beyond. Tee would be an irreplaceable asset to any theater program.

From Students:

Dustin Napier (Former MTSU Student, friend) Nashville, TN, dustinlukenapier@gmail.com

Tee Quillin is more than a teacher. He is a mentor. Beyond lectures and textbooks, he inspires, ignites, and emboldens his pupils, not only with the wisdom he imparts, but also with the drive he exemplifies. His love for the theatre is exceeded only by his love for his colleagues and students. I have a lot to thank Tee Quillin for – and the list continues to grow.

Veronica Longo, Junior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Theatre Major with a minor in Education

While I was a student at MTSU, I found that Tee Quillin was one of the only theatre professors that I could rely on for good advice, instruction, and guidance. I always looked forward to Professor Quillin’s classes and knew that I would never walk out of his classroom without having learned something worth learning. What I have learned from Professor Quillin so far has become some of the best teaching that I have ever been exposed to and had the honor of learning. Professor Quillin is an outstanding artist, teacher, and person. Any student has the opportunity to work with him should consider themselves extremely lucky. I did and still do.

Ben Dawson, Professional Actor and Former student, benphillipdawson@gmail.com

Tee formed the foundation of my acting abilities in a Shakespearean and a Film Acting class.  He is respected by his students and by countless professionals I have encountered in the city.  His name on my résumé immediately garnishes admiration, for many have had the opportunity to work with him.  Quite frankly, Tee is the best acting teacher and one of the most excellent actors in the Nashville area.  I have seen his former students find success in New York City and in regional theatre, and I guarantee you they would consider his classroom one of the finest examples of training available.

Jon D. Bumpus (MTSU Student, Friend) Murfreesboro, TN, jdb7b@mtmail.mtsu.edu

Attending classes with Tee Quillin, to me, was something to look forward to each week. Every session was involved, and each student was allowed to find their own unique voice through performance. We were required the usual readings, and I will not deny the importance of familiarizing one’s self with history and literature – but I will always remember spending class periods in a football stadium reciting Greek plays as if it were an amphitheatre from 2,000 years ago. That sort of teaching stays with you – and it speaks volumes about the intellect and effectiveness of Mr. Quillin as a mentor.

Jarred Justice (MTSU Student, friend) Murfreesboro, TN shadownight@comcast.net

I’ve had many great teachers over the years; most of whom I’ll never forget and Tee Quillin is among the most memorable. One of the most important aspects of his class it’s realistic; he doesn’t waste time with meaningless text books and teaches you things you can’t learn in a traditional classroom. I can honestly say that before I had taken his class I had no idea what to expect of my future career and I was honestly afraid it would never happen. However, Tee’s teachings have forced the fear out and replaced it with hope as he has aided me immensely in pursuing my dream of being an actor by improving my skills for auditions and potential jobs enough so that I feel more prepared for my future than ever before.

Justin Stokes (Filmmaker and MTSU Grad, Murfreesboro TN), jds6h@mtsu.edu

Prof. Quillin is one of the most influential professors I have worked with during my college tenure. Having had the privilege of studied under him for two semesters, I developed the patience, skill, discipline, and empathy expected from actors of the highest caliber. His understanding of the craft of acting and psychology of character is paralleled by his dedication to teaching his students and the ability he retains to inspire them to the highest levels possible. Prof. Quillin is an excellent actor and brings a sense of professionalism, courtesy, an articulate nature, and (most importantly) years of skill and experience to any classroom.

Kara Harper (MTSU Student, Friend) Murfreesboro, TN, krh3s@mtsu.edu

Tee Quillin is the best professor I have had while attending MTSU. I learned so much from him that I took his classes for three semesters. Tee thinks outside of the box. While taking his Acting for Camera class he found a way to bring out a deeper side in each student. He is very good at what he does, me personally, he helped me to put everything out on the line and go for it… from this I got with a Talent Agency and started to make money finally and I would not have been able to do it without Tee’s help. With each student he finds a unique way to bring out something deep within, its truly amazing to watch. He does not just recite words from a book he actually TEACHES. A professor that brings his students outside on campus to act out plays is someone who truly cares.

Max Pozderac, University of Texas Graduate, Accordion27@gmail.com

When I think of teachers who most affected and improved my life, those educators who I would consider my favorite, Tee Quillin is always the first one who comes to mind. Not only is he a modern-day Renaissance man in the world of theatre, but he is able to draw out talent and imbue confidence in those both on & off stage/in front of & behind the camera. I trust and respect him as a teacher, a director, a family man, and a friend.

Nick pozderac, University of North Texas student, theymightbepoz@gmail.com

What makes Tee Quillin the finest director I’ve worked with is that he comes into every project with a fully realized vision. Not only does he have a vision in terms of acting, blocking and set design, but he is able to eloquently communicate his vision to all members of the cast and crew. His fluentcy in both the techncal and performance aspects of Theatre makes him a true collaborator, one open to all ideas.