On being named a Brown Distinguished Teaching Professor, Kathleen Juhl simply says, "I'm wowed by it. Amazed." In her 15th year at Southwestern, Juhl's peers honored her with one of the University's highest faculty awards.

The purpose of the Brown Distinguished Teaching Professor Award is to recognize and encourage outstanding teaching. Selected from tenured associate and full professors, holders are named for a period of three years and receive a tenth month of pay and a yearly research stipend to develop projects that strengthens teaching.

One of Juhl's projects is the development of an edited anthology of articles with Dr. Ann Elizabeth Armstrong, a colleague at Miami University of Ohio, on feminist theatre pedagogy, Juhl's primary research interest. They plan to publish a book based on their findings. "I'm very happy with the articles we have received so far and I hope the book will contribute to the discussions of feminist approaches to teaching in the theatre discipline," she says.

Her current fall sabbatical also allows her time to develop a new course for the theatre department based on her expertise in voice and movement training. "I enjoy working with actors on voice and movement skills. It is really exciting to help actors learn to create detailed characters using their bodies and voices efficiently and effectively so that the play they are performing is clear and exciting for the audiences."

Much of Juhl's knowledge of voice and movement comes from more than a decade studying the Alexander Technique, which helps an individual better understand how the body is structured and enables one to move and speak more efficiently with less strain on muscles and joints. "The Alexander Technique is an elegant and non-judgmental technique that encourages students to work on their performance skills as the improve the way they use their bodies and voices in everyday activities. This means that learning becomes an integral part of their lives."

Juhl came to Southwestern as a visiting artist in 1987. She holds a B.A. from Iowa State University, an M.A. from the University of Illinois-Urbana, an M.F.A. from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas. She served as acting chair of the Department of Theatre from 1998-2000, and this spring she will chair the Women's Studies program.

Growing up in a family that appreciated the arts and regularly visited theaters and museums had a great influence on both Juhl and her siblings. Her brother teaches band in Iowa while her sister sings and has a theatre background. You might say it's in the blood. Her uncle, Jerry Juhl, partnered with Jim Henson as the head writer on The Muppet Show and co-wrote the Muppet movies.

She credits her family as well with helping instill a passion for social justice issues. "From early on, I remember going to civil rights rallies. For me, theatre has always seemed to be a way to address those issues, especially through grassroots theatre productions. I want theatre projects I'm involved with to enlighten my actors beyond the stage and into the community."

Juhl lives in Austin with her partner of 22 years, Ruth Davis, and spends much of her free time with their five grandchildren. She also devotes her time and knowledge to community theatre projects like "Actual Lives," an Austin company for disabled performers. "I've done two voice workshops with them, and it is amazing work they do. They have artists who are deaf, paraplegic, some with cerebral palsy and brain injuries. They have taught me so much because they are so clear about who they are."

Teaching, she says, is like theatre—"a two way process in which you are giving and getting at the same time all the time."