Midterm

Dr. Harold Mortimer is a first year professor at the University of Oklahoma in the musical theatre department. His goal for the first couple years while at OU is to start an international program through the musical theatre department for students to go to Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa to study abroad.
Mortimer received his Doctorate and Masters from the University of Washington. After college he performed in operas and musicals, but soon after found his love in teaching. Mortimer taught at Ball State University, where he started his partnership with Tshwane University of Technology.
“I had never been out of the country and was looking for an experience to travel,” Mortimer said, “I thought that starting an international program would be a great way for students and myself to learn more about musical theatre and interact with students from different countries.”
The first time Mortimer went to South Africa was in 2008. He spent half of the year conducting research and teaching classes. Mortimer has gone back to Tshwane University each summer to teach workshops, sit in on classes and master classes for two to three weeks. This past summer, he accepted the opportunity to direct Spring Awakening for two months.
Victoria Abhalter is a freshman at the University of Oklahoma majoring in musical theatre and is in Mortimer’s music theory class.
“Dr. Mortimer has told our class about his plan to start an international program here and I would love to take part in that,” Abhalter said, “You get the chance to learn from a different country and experience how the students in South Africa perform.”
Mortimer starts meeting with the international program board this week to find out how he will start up this program. His program will be helpful for musical theatre majors because the students will get the chance to study abroad, get different perspectives on their major and also stay on track on when they will graduate.


JONES Run time: 2:09