Christopher Rushing Email & Phone Number

W.T. Woodson High School / 2021-Present I inherited a Woodson Drama program with an outstanding history. I have proudly continued to build this program, increasing student involvement through a variety of avenues. Manage a six-figure yearly budget across multiple projects.Provide the planning, assessment, instruction, communication, human relations, safety, and management of a classroom. Classes include Theatre Arts, Advanced Theatre Arts, Technical Theatre, Advanced Techincal Theatre, and Future Teachers for America.Oversees yearly fundraising efforts and manages Booster/Volunteers. Manages multiple projects throughout the year. These include two mainstage performances, a one-act, an immersive theatre experience, training student technicians, booking and managing community events, and I am currently developing a new American Sign Language theatre piece.Productions have been nominated for and won multiple High-School Theatre awards, including winning a variety of acting awards for the DMV “Cappies” and winning Best Actor at the Regional and State competition in 2024 and placing second in the Virginia One Act competition in 2024.

South East United States

Representation-UCP in partnership with The Orlando Repertory Theatre-201912th Night-Lowndes Shakespeare Center-2018New Cinderella Plays- UCP in partnership with The Orlando Repertory Theatre-2017Lear-The Fern Theatre-2016Hedda Gabler-The Seedling Project-2016Americana-The Seedling Project-2015Stop/Over-Aris Theatre-2015Romeo and Juliet (tour) -Assistant Dir.-Georgia Shakespeare Festival-2014Tempest-Assistant Dir.-Atlanta Shakespeare Company-2013Anthropomorphized Bottles-Onion Man Theater-2013Shakespeare's Life and Works-Adapter/Director-Atlanta Shakespeare Company-2013The Office of Nostalgia-Onion Man Theater-2013Art-Academy Theater-2012Closer-Theater South (Georgia Southern Univ.) 2010True West-Averitt Center for the Arts-2010Appointment With Death-Averitt Center for the Arts-2009 Down Came the Rain-Theater South (Georgia Southern Univ.)-2009Waiting for Godot-Averitt Center for the Arts-2008 Academic Directing:Shakespeare with Heart-Orlando Shakes-2019Twelfth Night-Shakespeare Intensive for Teens-2017A Midsummer Night’s Dream-Shakespeare Intensive for Teens-2016King Lear-Shakespeare Intensive for Teens-2015Much Ado About Nothing-Atlanta Shakespeare Company- Therrell High School-2014Tempest-Atlanta Shakespeare Company-Therrell High School-2013Romeo and Juliet-Atlanta Shakespeare Company-Therrell High School-2012The Comedy of Errors-Atlanta Shakespeare Company-Therrell High School-2011Other:Twelfth Night-Dramaturg-Orlando Shakespeare-2017Aris Theatre Fundraiser “Celtic Shorts”-Executive Producer-Aris Theatre-2015Serial Killers-Executive Producer-The Seedling Project-2015Journey End-Playwright-Atlanta Shakespeare Company-2019Heartscape-Playwright-The Fern Theatre-2016The Olympians-Playwright-Atlanta Shakespeare Company-2016One Stop Heart Shop (10 min)-Playwright-Onion Man-2013Waiting Just to Go (Short play)-Playwright-Onion Man-2013Repetition and Repetition-(10 min)-Playwright-KCACTF IV Competition-2010

Atlanta, Ga

Worked as a teaching artist for a variety of companies including: Atlanta Shakespeare Company, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Forefront Arts, Academy Theatre, and Theatre Gael. Developed, booked, and taught workshops.Taught In-school Residencies.Served as lead teacher for a variety of teams. Generated new curriculum and lesson plans.Created schedules for teachers and students.

Arlington, Va

Duties Include:-Designs strategies, facilitate stakeholder relationships, and realize plans to grow and improve Synetic’s educational and outreach offerings for all audiences.-Develops and maintain the pipeline of outreach productions, teachers, and community partners-Controls and manages a budget that covers all education programs, classes, and matinees. -Designs, launches, and manages expanded financial assistance program, in collaboration with the Development Team -Oversees implementation of all Synetic classes, camps, and programs, ensuring desired outcomes are achieved, including curricula support, registration, management of teaching artists, and quality control-Creates clear, realistic, and measurable strategies for accomplishing the objectives of Synetic educational programs and track the progress towards those goals.-Manages data collection, entry, and analysis to demonstrate programmatic progress to outcomes and growth.-Develops content for marketing materials promoting classes and camps including e-news, website, and printed materials, in collaboration with the Marketing team-Creates and implements the training, rehearsal, and performance schedules, in collaboration with Production Manager-Books and manages all Synetic outreach programs.-Oversee teaching artists working in schools, including consulting on lesson plans and observing classroom instruction-Liaises with Synetic’s Development Team to provide data and language for funding requests and reports. Assists in writing Grants. -Executive produces Family Theater productions, with Artistic Director-Recruits and manages highly professional, diverse instructors for all Studio/Outreach programs and provides feedback based on observations and students/parents reviews.-Represents and promotes Synetic Studio, Outreach, Family Theater, and other education initiatives throughout the community, including to National Landing redevelopment efforts

Orlando, Florida Area

*Won Teacher of the Year for 2017-18I worked at six of the seven campuses throughout the school year. Duties include: Community outreach and creating opportunities with other Arts Organizations in the community. Provide direct, instructional support, coaching, and guidance to teachers integrating visual arts within their classrooms and embedded throughout the curriculum(s). Develop, select and model lessons that meaningfully integrate the arts as an instructional strategy and incorporate the use of arts integration. Collaborate with teachers to develop plans to improve student performance in academic subjects through arts integrations. Assists teachers in creating an arts integrated classroom environment that provides for student involvement in the learning process and enables each student to achieve their learning objectives by coaching and guiding teachers. Writing narrative and applying for Grants. Writing curriculum and lesson plans. Assisting with “Shakespeare With Heart” in partnership with the Orlando Shakespeare Company. “Shakespeare With Heart” is for students with and without special needs where they work together over a two-week period to produce a Shakespeare play. The camp culminates in a fully produced performance. Taught afterschool Theatre programs partnering with organizations like Rollins College, University of Central Florida, the Orlando Repertory Theatre, and Orlando Shakespeare. Served as Team Lead for the Arts Integration Team. Lead meetings and helped provide insight and guidance to the 4 other Arts Integration Specialists.

Atlanta, Georgia

 Conceived, created, and ran a one year Theatre Lab that produced six projects. Managed schedules. Created, maintained, and managed budgets for productions. Wrote original new works. Negotiated and booked performance venues.  Wrote for The Seedling Project blog and generated copy.

Atlanta, Ga

 Administrative tasks (copying, data entry, scheduling, etc) Trained new Teaching Artists. Taught workshops, classes, and residencies for students’ grades K-college. Taught three month after school Drama Residency at Therrell High School (for four consecutive years). Implemented assessment and data collection to gauge the efficiency of our education programs and teachers.  Generated original plays. Scheduled and attended special events, talk-backs, and meetings with clients. Contacted education clients and booked workshops.  Lead tours and hosted talk-backs with teachers during/after matinee performances.  Engaged in community outreach and nurtured relationships with other Arts Organizations and Theatres in the community.

Greater Atlanta Area

Started as Barista. After the minimum time (6 months) was promoted to Shift Manager.Created Schedules for a team of eight-ten employees.Was part of the team that consistently performed in the top three stores in its district for drinks-per-hour sales and whole bean sales, while surpassing sales goals consistently each quarter.Followed Starbucks operational policies and procedures, including those for cash handling, safety, and security.Trained new employees. Ran the floor and managed a team of employees during times of high stress.Handled money, tills, and deposit duties.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Theatre And English, 3.79

Activities and Societies: Theatre, Drama Club, Playwrighting Group.Was awarded a Theatre scholarship four years in a row. Was a leader.

Master Of Education - Med, Curriculum And Instruction, 4.0