President’s Club members and friends are invited to a unique event to watch the creative process unfold, unscripted and full of surprises.

In the tradition of master classes, come see master teachers Dexter Bullard of The Theatre School and Bob Palmieri of the School of Music each guide a group of students through the magical and exhilarating process of improvising theatre and jazz.

The night is guaranteed to be engaging for the master teachers, students and audience alike, as they explore how artists create beautiful works in the moment.

RSVP by Sept. 22 by contacting us at (312) 362-8455 or eventRSVP@depaul.edu .

Theatre and Jazz Improvisation at DePaul

Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time: Registration at 6 p.m. Event at 6:30 p.m. sharp. An exclusive President’s Club reception follows.
Place: Concert Hall, Lincoln Park Campus, 800 W. Belden Ave., Chicago


Get driving directions.

This event is part of the President’s Club Excellence Series.

Featured Faculty

Introductions by John Culbert, dean of The Theatre School, and Donald E. Casey, dean of the School of Music

Dexter Bullard, The Theatre School
Head of Graduate Acting and Showcase Season Artistic Director

Dexter has taught acting, improvisation and physical theater throughout Chicago, including at the University of Illinois-Chicago, Roosevelt University, Columbia College, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Second City Training Center, The Audition Studio, TVI and The Actors’ Center.

Dexter is an award-winning director dedicated to directing new plays and creating original theatre for Chicago. Recent directing credits include “Lady” by Craig Wright Off-Broadway at Rattlestick Theatre, Brett Neveu’s “Gas for Less” at The Goodman Theatre, the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championship Opening Ceremonies at the Chicago Theatre, “echo chamber” at Links Hall (with his wife Tif Bullard), “The Butcher of Baraboo” with Steppenwolf’s First Look Rep, and “Grace” at Northlight Theater. In 2004, Dexter was awarded the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Direction Off-Broadway for Tracy Letts’ “Bug” at The Barrow Street Theater, as well as a Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Director.

Since 1996, Dexter has directed with The Second City, developing revues at E.T.C. Chicago and at Second City Detroit. For three years, he led a Second City National Touring Company to many destinations, including Vienna and the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston.

In 1995, Dexter co–founded Plasticene Physical Theater, whose critically-acclaimed experimental works have been featured at The Steppenwolf Studio, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Storefront Theatre, Performing Arts Chicago and MCA, as well as in New York City. With the Plasticene company, he has directed and collaboratively created twelve original works including “The Palmer Raids” (2003) and “One Fal$e Note” (2006).

In 1990, Dexter founded The Next Lab at The Next Theatre where he directed “Bouncers,” for which he received a Jefferson Citation and an After Dark award for his direction. As associate artistic director at Next Theatre, he directed and/or created eight shows for mainstage and Lab.

He has also directed projects for Famous Door, American Theatre Company, Hartford Stage Company and A Red Orchid Theatre.

Bob Palmieri, School of Music
Jazz Studies Faculty Adjunct

Bob Palmieri began his studies as a member of the American Boychoir, touring the United States and Canada in the mid 1960s. Upon leaving the choir, he turned his attention to the electric guitar, learning both the repertoire of the day and enough electronics to modify all of his gear.

After a stint in a blues band in Boston, he attended the University of Rochester, where he studied acoustical physics, electrical engineering and perceptual psychology before joining the Eastman Jazz Ensemble in 1978. He continued his musical studies at the University of Miami where he earned the degree of Bachelor of Arts in studio music and jazz, performed as a member of the university’s Concert Jazz Band and worked extensively as a session guitarist at Criteria Studios.

He moved to New York in 1983, playing in clubs and concert halls, studying with Gene Bertoncini and John Scofield, touring with the Maynard Ferguson band and teaming up with guitar designer Ken Parker to develop new concepts in pickups and electronics. Bob arrived in Chicago in 1985, where he played on hundreds of recording sessions for radio and television commercials and performed in clubs around the city. In 1994, he joined the faculty at DePaul University where he teaches jazz guitar, improvisation, jazz history and theory.

Past performance and recording credits highlight a broad range of styles, as represented by work with Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson, Lyle Mays, Garth Brooks, the American Ballet Theater and Rochester and Florida Philharmonic Orchestras, among many others. More recent recordings include members of the Pat Metheny Group, Phillip Glass Ensemble, Rashied Ali and Fred Hersch.