Faculty and Staff

Cyndi Moran teaches a variety of media production courses includingIntroduction to Video Production, Advanced Video Production, and Digital Video Editing, as well as cinema studies courses, such as Documentary Film and The Art of Film and Video. Her documentary work has been seen on the PBS series P.O.V., and in numerous national and international festivals. She has produced TV segments for WTTW and The Sundance Channel, and she has edited independent documentary productions, television shows, commercials, and programs for artists and not-for-profits.

Chris has a wide range of artistic expertise ranging from stand-up comedy, to experimental film, to more serious documentary work. His thesis project for his M.A. at NEIU, "Tell Me About My Mother," (about his mother's struggles with extreme mental illness) won a few awards but, most importantly, has screened in front of classrooms and conventions of occupational therapists. His absurd comedic plays have been produced all around Chicago, including at Second City's DeMaat Theatre. His book, "Twenty Years Without a Weekend" recounts his unconventional path to becoming an expert in public speaking, by giving tours of the city of Chicago to tourists for over 20 years. Chris also has various television production experience, having worked with Big Shoulders Digital Video and other companies. Chris could go on. Chris likes writing about himself in the third person. 

Sarah earned her MFA in Stage Design – Scenic Design from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., where she received a full-ride scholarship, and trained under award-winning scenic designers: Daniel Ostling, Todd Rosenthal and Walt Spangler.

Upcoming Work: The Cake (Nashville Repertory Theatre) in October 2022, and Once: The Musical (Writer's Theatre) in 2023

Select Credits:  Lookingglass Alice (Assistant Scenic Designer for 2022 remount production in Chicago, and the 2015 Miami and Denver Tours, Lookingglass Theatre Company); South of Settling (Steppenwolf);  In The Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) (TimeLine Theatre Company); The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and James and the Giant Peach (Filament Theatre); Fulfillment Center and 3C (A Red Orchid Theatre); Unseen and A Life Extra Ordinary (The Gift Theatre).

Her design work has been recognized regionally by the American College Theatre Festival, nationally by the JFK Center for the Performing Arts, and internationally at the Prague Quadrennial exhibition held in the Czech Republic. Her photography work has been exhibited in New York City.

Adam is an accomplished director with a long history developing critically and nationally acclaimed new work. He brings credits and assistant credits at Steppenwolf, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Court Theatre, CityLit, Redtwist, The Side Project, Bristol Riverside Theatre, South Bend Civic Theatre, and leading companies across Chicago and the east coast. One of Chicago’s leading voice and dialect coaches, Adam has vocally designed nearly sixty productions in Chicago with his work praised by Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune as “remarkable."

As an arts leader, Adam has helped to build, shape, and support major institutions such as Bristol Riverside Theatre, Hartford Stage Company, and William Morris Endeavor. Adam previously taught at Columbia College Chicago and Northwestern University before joining Northeastern. In addition to his time on campus, Adam continues to serve young artists as the head of musical theatre at Actors Training Center in Wilmette. His other interests include his wife, young son, a dog and cat, baseball, golf, crossfit, and his amazing neighborhood in Evanston. MFA-Directing, Northwestern University, BFA-Acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. 

Leslie has been working as an Artist/Educator in the Midwest region for over a decade. In addition to working on stage and screen and off, she works as a voiceover artist, audio book narrator, and amateur photographer. She is a proud member of Actors' Equity. Some regional theaters include Williamston Theatre, Tipping Point Theatre, Performance Network Theatre, The Henry Ford Museum, Metropolis Performing Arts, Idle Muse, Dandelion Theatre and Quest Theatre Ensemble.

G. "Max" Maxin IV works also a freelance theatrical designer in Chicago and is one of the co-founders of Another Door Theatre Project. Favorite design credits include: "Gypsy," "Little Women," "Cabaret," "Bare (Another Door)"; "Urinetown" (Jeff Nomination Lighting), "Three Days of Rain," "Next to Normal," (BoHo); "The Nance," "Priscilla: Queen of the Desert," "Angry Fags," "Design for Living," "The Submission," "Book of Merman" (Pride Films & Plays); "First Date" (Royal George); "Spamalot" (Nightblue); "From These Fatal Loins," "Home Before Dark" (The Ruckus), and "Story of a Story" (The Untold Story) (Underscore).

Before earning his Ph.D. in Communication, Rhetoric, & Digital Media at North Carolina State University, Dr. Pepper earned an M.A. in Film Studies from the University of Iowa and a B.A. in Drama & Communication from the University of New Orleans. His work has appeared in The Journal of Cinema and Media Studies, Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, Nebula, FlowTV, and Culture Machine. He has also contributed book chapters to several edited collections.

John Ross Jr. has been a faculty member in the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre since 2000. He teaches courses in public speaking, voice and diction, and human communication, and he holds a graduate degree in dramatic arts from Harvard University.

Dan Wirth has been involved with theatre for most of his life. As a professional actor he toured throughout the United States with The Acting Company. While living in New York City, he performed at the Public Theatre, the Harold Clurman Theatre, the 18th Street Playhouse, Lamb’s Theatre, Playwright’s Horizons, The American Place Theatre, and the Actor’s and Director’s Lab (later renamed the Samuel Beckett Theatre.) In Europe, he performed at the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival and in London’s West End. Regionally, he has appeared at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and the Utah and Oregon Shakespeare Festivals.

He worked with the esteemed directors Alan Schneider, Joseph Papp, Michael Langham, Liviu Ciulei, Garland Wright, Jerry Turner, and Sharon Ott, and has appeared on-stage with James Cromwell, J. T. Walsh, Jimmy Smits, Jamey Sheridan, Bob Gunton, Diane Venora, Kathleen Widdoes, David Warrilow, Alvin Epstein, Leigh Taylor-Young, Margaret Reed, Howard Korder, Wayne Knight, and Jeff Daniels. Dan was a Chicago Cub in the film Rookie of the Year. In Chicago, he appeared at the Raven Theatre and again at the Filament Theatre in Lounging. He has directed for six theatre companies in the Chicago area including Fury Theatre's production of The Merry Wives of Windsor.

As Artistic Director of The Intimate Theatre, his production of Miss Julie, the play's world premiere in a new translation, had a highly successful run with a cast of professional actors. This was a very ambitious undertaking for a new theatre company, and its success generated a great deal of visibility and respect for the group. An award winning playwright, Dan’s play Used Carlotta won new play contests at the Source Theatre in Washington, D.C. and the New American Comedy Festival in Ukiah, California, and was produced each time. It was also a finalist in the National Playwrights Conference at the O'Neill Theater Center. The Cleveland Public Theatre featured Urban Renovator Blues in their Eighth Festival of New Plays. In Chicago, his production of the play was chosen as the premiere theatre piece for the reopening of Cabaret Voltaire, a performing space that went on to feature many new and experimental theatre works. Also a published poet and a film maker, Dan has taught theatre and communication courses at Dominican University, Wright College, Harper College, Oakton College, Daley College, Barat College, and Lake Forest College.

In his numerous years at Northeastern Illinois University he has directed Nuevas Voces, Babel, Offended!, Episode 26, Why Torture Is Wrong, And The People Who Love Them, The Cherry Orchard, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Fuddy Meers, An Inspector Calls, Charley’s Aunt, The Skin of Our Teeth, The Birthday Party, Dracula, Buried Child, Little Murders, The Curate Shakespeare As You Like It, The Nerd, four Children’s Theatre productions, and eight Summer Transition Program Drama Workshops. He appeared on stage at NEIU as a very large Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. He has an M.F.A. from The University of California, San Diego, and a B.S. from Central Michigan University.