Shannon Ivey
Shannon Ivey, Professor. Professor Ivey is an actor, writer, filmmaker, journalist, and advocate for social change. She also serves as the Division Chair for TLU's Division of the Arts. Her life's passion is connecting the stories inherent within theatre, film, and new media to the messages of non-profit organizations. Ivey works as a producer, writer, director, and CEO of Theatre For Change--a 501(c)3 committed to linking social injustice to film and theatre.
Ivey’s most recent film “Ruth” has garnered international accolades, including: Best Original Screenplay-Florence Film Festival, Official Selection-Cannes International Film Festival, Best Short-Big Apple Film Festival, Best Woman Filmmaker-Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, Best Short Film, and Remy Award Winner—Worldfest Houston and many more.
As a journalist and advocate, Ivey has devoted her life to arts for social change, She continues to give voice to victims of human trafficking, abuse and neglect, domestic violence, foster children, and immigrants along the Texas border through her films and by producing stories on her TikTok Channel, which has 245K Subscribers. Ivey's stories have been featured on CNN, The New York Times, The LA Times, The New York Post, KSAT 12, KMOL, and many more.
Prof. Ivey holds a double B.A. from The University of the Incarnate Word and her M.F.A. in Acting from University of California, Irvine. Shannon has worked professionally as an actress, director, and writer in Texas, New York, and Los Angeles. Some of her most notable credits as an actress include: ABC’s Notes from the Underbelly, CBS’ Criminal Minds, CW’s All of Us, Showtimes’ Sleeper Cell, WB’s Justice League, King Lear, Hamlet, Solid Gold Cadillac, Moon Over Buffalo, Doll’s House, Victor Victoria, and Wit. Prof. Ivey is a proud member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA.
For more information about Professor Ivey, please visit her website: www.shannonivey.com.
Ivey’s most recent film “Ruth” has garnered international accolades, including: Best Original Screenplay-Florence Film Festival, Official Selection-Cannes International Film Festival, Best Short-Big Apple Film Festival, Best Woman Filmmaker-Los Angeles Independent Film Festival, Best Short Film, and Remy Award Winner—Worldfest Houston and many more.
As a journalist and advocate, Ivey has devoted her life to arts for social change, She continues to give voice to victims of human trafficking, abuse and neglect, domestic violence, foster children, and immigrants along the Texas border through her films and by producing stories on her TikTok Channel, which has 245K Subscribers. Ivey's stories have been featured on CNN, The New York Times, The LA Times, The New York Post, KSAT 12, KMOL, and many more.
Prof. Ivey holds a double B.A. from The University of the Incarnate Word and her M.F.A. in Acting from University of California, Irvine. Shannon has worked professionally as an actress, director, and writer in Texas, New York, and Los Angeles. Some of her most notable credits as an actress include: ABC’s Notes from the Underbelly, CBS’ Criminal Minds, CW’s All of Us, Showtimes’ Sleeper Cell, WB’s Justice League, King Lear, Hamlet, Solid Gold Cadillac, Moon Over Buffalo, Doll’s House, Victor Victoria, and Wit. Prof. Ivey is a proud member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA.
For more information about Professor Ivey, please visit her website: www.shannonivey.com.
David Legore
David Legore, Chair, Professor. Professor Legore directs faculty productions and works primarily with student actors, directors and writers. A 1991 graduate of TLU with a B.A. in economics, Prof. Legore cultivated his passion for theatre as a student actor and director at TLU. In 1995 he earned his M.F.A. in directing from the University of South Dakota, where he was twice in the regional finals of the Irene Ryan Acting Competition at the American College Theatre Festival.
Believing that performance artists must be entrepreneurial creators and distributors of content, his pedagogy explores the interactions of performance craft, content creation, digital media, and entertainment economics. In support of this scholarship, he has attended conferences and seminars exploring the use of emerging digital technologies for content creation and distribution, including BEA / NAB, SIGGRAPH, LDI, and the Digital Media Academy.
He is an award-winning filmmaker, winning a Silver Remi award at the 40th Annual Houston WorldFest International Film Festival for his original, feature-length movie SILVR BULLETZ, BLAK DUZT. That screenplay was recently adapted for the stage, with the title SILVER BULLETS, BLACK DUST. His original stage play TRIGGER WARNING was produced by Theatre For Change in 2015, being showcased at the Classic Theatre of San Antonio, Texas A&M San Antonio, and TLU. His most recent writing projects include FLAGS, an original stage play about property and prejudice; and DOOLIE, OR THE POLARIZATION OF COSMIC RADIATION, a play about anti-semitism in an age of political division and extremism. His writing can be found at the New Play Exchange. He was a member of the Texas Theatre Task Force, a local conservation group that successfully restored the Stephen and Mary Birch Texas Theatre in Seguin.
For more information about Professor Legore, please visit his website at www.davidlegore.com.
Believing that performance artists must be entrepreneurial creators and distributors of content, his pedagogy explores the interactions of performance craft, content creation, digital media, and entertainment economics. In support of this scholarship, he has attended conferences and seminars exploring the use of emerging digital technologies for content creation and distribution, including BEA / NAB, SIGGRAPH, LDI, and the Digital Media Academy.
He is an award-winning filmmaker, winning a Silver Remi award at the 40th Annual Houston WorldFest International Film Festival for his original, feature-length movie SILVR BULLETZ, BLAK DUZT. That screenplay was recently adapted for the stage, with the title SILVER BULLETS, BLACK DUST. His original stage play TRIGGER WARNING was produced by Theatre For Change in 2015, being showcased at the Classic Theatre of San Antonio, Texas A&M San Antonio, and TLU. His most recent writing projects include FLAGS, an original stage play about property and prejudice; and DOOLIE, OR THE POLARIZATION OF COSMIC RADIATION, a play about anti-semitism in an age of political division and extremism. His writing can be found at the New Play Exchange. He was a member of the Texas Theatre Task Force, a local conservation group that successfully restored the Stephen and Mary Birch Texas Theatre in Seguin.
For more information about Professor Legore, please visit his website at www.davidlegore.com.
Larry Martinez, Jr.
Larry Martinez, Jr., Design and Technical Director. Hailing from San Antonio, Larry attended Texas A&M University of Corpus Christi where he majored in Theatre, with an emphasis in Acting/Directing. Through the guidance of so many amazing mentors and professors, he has mainly worked in the San Antonio community as a designer, educator, and technician.
He previously worked as a lighting designer for the Magik theatre on their touring production of CARMELA FULL OF WISHES, the Classic theatre’s production of THE SEAGULL and multiple productions for Teatro Audaz San Antonio, on shows such as SOMEWHERE OVER THE BORDER, and receiving an Alamo Theatre Arts Council Award for “Best Lighting Design of a Play” for their production of BAD HOMBRES, GOOD WIVES in 2022. Larry has also worked with multiple country/rock artists in various venues around Texas with Studio 210.
His proudest achievement of his career so far has been his work with students in the SAISD area. He served as the Technical Director for Jefferson High School, Theatre Teacher for J.T. Brackenridge Elementary, and most recently the Head Director of Young Women’s Leadership Academy, teaching 6th through 12th grade. He wishes to leave his students with the reminder that “Theatre saves lives, and it’s okay if that life is yours, and always, make them see you.” He is excited to begin the next phase of his career and artistic journey and is looking forward to collaborating on beautiful productions this upcoming season!
He previously worked as a lighting designer for the Magik theatre on their touring production of CARMELA FULL OF WISHES, the Classic theatre’s production of THE SEAGULL and multiple productions for Teatro Audaz San Antonio, on shows such as SOMEWHERE OVER THE BORDER, and receiving an Alamo Theatre Arts Council Award for “Best Lighting Design of a Play” for their production of BAD HOMBRES, GOOD WIVES in 2022. Larry has also worked with multiple country/rock artists in various venues around Texas with Studio 210.
His proudest achievement of his career so far has been his work with students in the SAISD area. He served as the Technical Director for Jefferson High School, Theatre Teacher for J.T. Brackenridge Elementary, and most recently the Head Director of Young Women’s Leadership Academy, teaching 6th through 12th grade. He wishes to leave his students with the reminder that “Theatre saves lives, and it’s okay if that life is yours, and always, make them see you.” He is excited to begin the next phase of his career and artistic journey and is looking forward to collaborating on beautiful productions this upcoming season!
Alli Williamson
Alli Williamson, Costumer. Alli brings a decade of costume experience to TLU. Her work integrates loves of period research, design, construction, and teaching with a solid dose of whimsy whenever possible. In addition to costuming all TLU's faculty productions, Alli mentors student productions with costume needs. She currently also costumes Texas State's spring opera performances.
Alli has extensive mainstage musical theatre costume experience, having costumed 15 musicals for TLU, UMHB, ETBU, and local youth theatre. Her favorite past shows - for the moment - include INTO THE WOODS, THE LIGHTNING THIEF, and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. She is grateful to the actors and creative teams with whom she works, and is exceptionally proud that (though we came close once) none of her actor's clothes have ever unintentionally fallen off onstage...which is not a challenge directors always consider as they block shows.
Alli graduated from Rice University with a B.A. in Policy Studies and Political Science.
Alli has extensive mainstage musical theatre costume experience, having costumed 15 musicals for TLU, UMHB, ETBU, and local youth theatre. Her favorite past shows - for the moment - include INTO THE WOODS, THE LIGHTNING THIEF, and THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME. She is grateful to the actors and creative teams with whom she works, and is exceptionally proud that (though we came close once) none of her actor's clothes have ever unintentionally fallen off onstage...which is not a challenge directors always consider as they block shows.
Alli graduated from Rice University with a B.A. in Policy Studies and Political Science.
