A proud member of the Northern Kentucky University faculty since 2000, Dee Anne Bryll holds a BA from Baldwin-Wallace College in Speech/Theatre Arts and an MA from Kent State University in Theatre. In addition to her work at NKU, she is also on faculty at Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department. In addition to her teaching work with area universities, Ms. Bryll is the Artistic Project Mentor for Educational Theatre Association’s JumpStart Theatre program, which brings musical theatre to under-served area middle schools. Dee Anne is an award-winning director, choreographer, actress, and teacher whose work includes Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Xavier University, Cincinnati Landmark Productions, Commonwealth Theatre Company, the Carnegie Theatre, and Kings Island. She was the winner of the 2006 Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Outstanding Performance by a local actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her portrayal of “Maggie Jones” in 42nd Street. In addition to her choreography and direction, Dee Anne is an adjudicator and workshop leader for the Ohio Community Theatre Association, teaching their Adjudication Training Program. She has presented workshops in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2017 for the Educational Theatre Association’s (EDTA) National Conventions in New York, Chicago, and Cincinnati. This past summer she presented a workshop for Atlanta Georgia’s Alliance Theatre’s Woodruff Arts Center Educator Conference titled Musical Theatre Instructional “Boot Camp”; Building Essential Skills in Teachers and Students New to Musicals. Her cold reading workshop has been presented locally as well as for the West Virginia Theatre Conference. An Art Rouse and five-time ACT President’s Award winner, Dee Anne was awarded the Roger Grooms Award, for her contribution to Theatre Education. In January 2015, she was awarded the Freddie G Broadway Junior Spirit Award presented and sponsored by Freddie Gershon (CEO of Music Theatre International) and his wife Myrna. Dee Anne and her husband, Ed Cohen, were awarded the Acclaim Trailblazer Award in 2010 for their contribution to the Cincinnati theatre community. Their productions of Parade (co-produced by CCM & the Carnegie), Chicago (Carnegie) and The Sound of Music (Covedale) were named LCT Outstanding Musicals of the 2013, 2014, and 2015 Seasons. Dee Anne is very proud that many of her students are pursuing careers in theatre as educators, as well as performers, choreographers, stage managers, and technicians on Broadway, regionally, and in university theatres!
