Gary Ketzenbarger

Professor of Theater & Communications
970-947-8252 | gketzenbarger@coloradomtn.edu

Gary Ketzenbarger is Professor of Theatre and Communications at the Roaring Fork Campus, Colorado Mountain College. He is also the Program Director for the Theatre Department and the Artistic Director for the Sopris Theatre Company, which is located at the Spring Valley residential site.

Gary holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Denver, an M.A. in Theatre from the University of Colorado/Boulder, and is a dissertation shy of attaining his Ph.D. in Theatre from that same institution. He was recently awarded “Faculty of the Year” (2013-2014) at the Roaring Fork Campus where he teaches, and was subsequently awarded college-wide Faculty of the Year.

He has a long history of involvement in the theatre, both academically and professionally. In addition to being a professor of theatre, he is a playwright, an actor, and a director. He wrote Half and Half, Confession of Faith and Resume for Immortality, a one-man show he performed at the United Solo Theatre Festival (New York City).

He is the winner of two Best Actor awards (CCTC) and has performed at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. He has been a long-time company member of the Lake Dillon Theatre Company (a professional organization) where he has been both an actor and director.

Some of Gary’s favorite roles include Lt. Colonel Vershinin in Anton Chekhov’s The Three Sisters; Duke Orsino in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night; Salieri in Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus; George in Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?; Dr. Dysart in Peter Shaffer’s Equus; Johnnypateenmike in Martin McDonaugh’s The Cripple of Inishmaan; John Honeyman in Lee Blessing’s A Walk in the Woods; Henry Drummond in Lawrence and Lee’s Inherit the Wind; Charles Smith in David Mamet’s November; Dr. Astrov in Anton Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya; and Mr. Lockheart in The Seafarer.

Gary’s directing credits include The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard; Collected Stories by Donald Margulies; Rumors by Neil Simon; The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel; Oleanna by David Mamet (in which he also performed); The Syringa Tree by Pamela Gien; Dangerous Liaisons by Christopher Hampton; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum by Sondheim, Shevelove, and Gelbart; The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams; and Anton in Show Business by Jane Martin.

Gary has a wife, Kelly, and three children, Kara, Luke and Gabrielle. In a varied and interesting life he has also worked as a merchant seaman, an underground miner, a dog sledding guide, a white-water rafting guide, among other non-theatrical occupations.

He is very excited to be presiding over Colorado Mountain College’s AA with an emphasis in Theatre degree and looks forward to continued success with the program.

Send him an email at: gketzenbarger@coloradomtn.edu

Call him at: 970-947-8252 or 800 621-8559, Ext. 8252