Brent Hanson, Professor of Theatre for Southern Virginia University, Retires
By Lacy Rodriguez & Cameron Robertson
After a long career in the theatre industry, Dr. Brent Hanson, professor of theatre at Southern Virginia University, will be retiring at the end of 2021.
Dr. Hanson joined Southern Virginia in 2016. In addition to teaching, designing, and building the sets for the plays, he also served as the artistic director from 2005-19 for the Hill Cumorah Pageant, a massive historical play hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Palmyra, New York.
“[I] never thought the Lord would have use of my theatre talents,” said Dr. Hanson, when asked about his time working on the pageant.
Kathy Hess, who served with her husband as the work crew directors for the pageant, said, “Brent was a pure delight to work with at the pageant. He was always pleasant. Always happy. Always interested in others. Some of my most spiritual experiences happened at pageant during his spiritual messages he would give at each cast devotional. He just had a gift for touching people’s hearts and creating an atmosphere of love and devotion to the Savior.”
“All of this was reflected in his artistic work in the show as well. He took his calling seriously and you could tell that he was prayerful and thoughtful of the experience that the cast and the audience would experience. It was an honor to work with him. He is one in a million.”
“I served on the Hill Cumorah staff with Brent Hanson for seven or eight years,” said Jeff Hess. “It was he who issued the calling of work crew director to me. I always enjoyed our interactions and what I learned from him, and I appreciated the spirit he brought to the pageant, especially when he spoke during our devotionals.”
Dr. Hanson came to Southern Virginia University from Dixie State College in St. George, Utah, where he was the dean of fine arts. Joining Southern Virginia University presented him with a different experience.
“Coming to the theatre department here at Southern Virginia University was humbling coming from Dixie State, which put multi million dollars into their theatre and stages,” Hanson said. “So to come in with a small stage and set was humbling, yet exciting. The campus itself has a charm to it. It’s easy to fall in love with. It has a spirit that is kind of irresistible. The buildings don’t make the experience. It’s the people.”
“My favorite show is usually the one I’m working on…One that does stand out though from my time here at Southern Virginia University is our production of The Pirates of Penzance a couple of years back,” continued Dr. Hanson. “That was just a lot of fun. The staging and the student talent throughout was just a lot of fun.”
In addition to having a Ph.D in theatre and film, with a minor in English and an emphasis in directing and playwriting from Brigham Young University, Dr. Hanson also has a M.F.A. in set design and a B.F.A. in theatre from the University of Utah. He has directed over 50 productions, and produced several as well. One, “Rud’s Farm”, was performed by Southern Virginia theatre students in 2020 as a radio play during COVID-19. He has also designed sets for over 100 productions, including “Arsenic and Old Lace” in 2019, and Southern Virginia’s most recent, “Into the Woods”.
