Mark Robinson '01

Choosing a School Where He Could Do It All

When Mark was looking at colleges, he wanted to find a place where he could explore his love of theatre and music. At Luther, he was able to engage those passions and more. He was involved in a theatre or dance performance every semester as well as his own performance as a senior project. Mark was also a member of Nordic Choir and Concert Band, which gave him opportunities to tour in Norway, England, Japan, and China. 

From Freelance Artist to Teacher

After Luther, Mark worked as a freelance theatre artist before attending the University of Alabama, where he earned an MFA in acting. While there, he taught and directed at Auburn University–Montgomery and did several teaching artist residencies at local schools in the area. He and his wife moved to San Francisco, where he worked as a technical director, scenic director, and actor for the Marin Shakespeare Company, and freelanced for several other companies.

With news of their first child, Mark and his wife searched for a job in the Maryland area, and found a position teaching at Holton-Arms School. This position allows him to work not only as a teacher, but also pursue his passions of designing and directing by serving as the school’s technical director. In Mark’s words: “I have counted myself lucky in what I get to do every day!”

Advice for Students in the Arts

“The work is not about you. It is about us. If I give my energy, my focus, my listening and my heart to helping make the others on and off stage have their best performance and if they are also focusing their energy on others then we can truly create something transcendent and magical.”

The research and critical thinking skills I learned through Paideia and through many other classes have proved invaluable. More so for me, the experiences of working with high caliber instructors and professionals in theater, dance, and music helped me recognize and hone my own skills more fully.

-Mark Robinson '01