Jim Bray

Jim Bray
Teaching Assistant Professor, Theatre
brayja22@ecu.edu
252-328-6333
202D Messick Theatre Arts Center
Mail Stop 553
East Carolina University

Jim Bray joins us from Cedar Falls, Iowa where he was Assistant Professor of Acting at the University of Northern Iowa. At UNI, Jim created an acting progression in Meisner and Chekhov work, and was instrumental in bringing diverse voices to the forefront of the work UNI produced. He founded and served as chair of the Equity and Anti Racism Committee as well as founding and advising the Multicultural Theatrical Society; a student run organization. Jim received his MFA in Acting from Kent State University and received his BFA in Musical Theatre/Professional Acting from East Carolina University. Professor Bray is a certified instructor of the Sanford Meisner approach to acting, originally training for two years with Don Biehn (graduate of the William Alderson Studio and The Goodman School), then later with Larry Silverberg and Maggie Flannagan. He has been proficient in Meisner work for 23 years. Jim has also worked alongside master teachers Anne Bogart and Chris Bayes. As a member of Actors’ Equity Association since 2001, Jim’s professional credits include various gigs in NYC, regional theaters, and touring productions stateside and throughout Europe. Professor Bray’s research and scholarship lies in merging Meisner, Michael Chekhov and Clown and physical approaches to acting training in order to guide students towards creating a rich personal acting process. Jim is an actor, singer, director and intimacy director. He is a member of the National Alliance of Acting teachers, as well as ATHE, where he participates with Acting, Theatre for Social Change and the Black Theatre Association focus groups. Jim is originally from Winston-Salem, N.C. and is a proud dog dad to Penny Lane.