OU-C faculty member Ken Breidenbaugh recognized for exceptional effort

Ken Breidenbaugh, the driving force behind the Chillicothe Campus’ theater program, was mentioned as one of the university’s faculty members who have especially made a difference during the university’s Founders Day convocation in Athens on Feb. 19.

During the event, Faculty Senate President Joseph McLaughlin remarked, “Finally, our activities are no less important in our own backyard. We need to celebrate the achievements of faculty like Dr. Kenneth Breidenbaugh, an assistant professor of Comparative Arts, Art History, and Theater on the Chillicothe campus, who this past fall celebrated the offering of his 50th production while at OU-C, an original play written and produced by himself. Dr. Breidenbaugh’s work, as recognized by colleagues who brought it to my attention, is crucial to the task of cultural development so central to our teaching and scholarly mission to the people of Southeast Ohio.”

Breidenbaugh was nominated for the recognition by fellow OU-C faculty member Barbara Trube, who responded to a request for the university’s “unsung heroes.”

“I am both honored and humbled by this recognition,” Breidenbaugh said. “It is always nice when colleagues recognize your efforts. I realize it is an old cliché, but when you like what you do, you never work a day in your life, and I feel that is true for me. I thoroughly enjoy what I do, and I enjoy sharing my interest in theater with others.”

“This is an exciting place to work, and our theater program is a joy to operate. We have support from the administration and the community, and our students are terrific. They come from a variety of backgrounds -- such as economic, age and life experience – and together form a happily volatile mix of people. They are hungry to know things, and being involved in theater offers them a great opportunity to learn quite a bit about different disciplines.”

Since presenting its first theater performance in March 1997, OU-C’s theater program has become a staple of the campus and has continued to support the cultural life of the campus and community. Its next performance will be a presentation of The Quick-Change Room at 8 p.m. on March 19 & March 20 in the Bennett Hall auditorium.

The OU-C theater program has nurtured the stage careers or pastimes of several students, who have landed roles in productions such as Tecumseh! and professional children’s theater.

Further, in recognition of the university’s bicentennial, Breidenbaugh co-authored and directed the play Two Ohios which was performed at Chillicothe’s historic Majestic Theatre. The project was funded by a $5,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Education. He wrote and directed Two Ohios and More in honor of the campus’ 60-year anniversary in 2006.

Breidenbaugh, a Chillicothe native, joined the OU-C faculty in 1989 while completing his Ph.D. He earned his bachelor’s degree in theater from the Athens campus.