Theatre Faculty & Staff

Jennifer Hunter (Associate Professor of Theatre, Director, Producer) is in her eighth year of teaching and directing at Cornerstone University. Some of her favorite Cornerstone directing credits include The Pirates of Penzance (for which she won Grand Awards in 2007 for Outstanding director and Outstanding production), Bright Ideas (Grand Award Nomination in 2007) The Woman In Black (Grand Award nomination in 2005), The Man Who Came To Dinner, The Boyfriend, The Last Night of Ballyhoo and The Heiress. Hunter has opera, directing, solo performance and acting credits in Iowa, Texas, Missouri, Michigan and Florida. She holds an M.F.A. in theatre directing from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She enjoys directing children’s theatre and has directed Puss In Boots, Hansel and Gretel and Snow White at Circle theatre and Bunnicula at Grand Rapids Civic theatre. Jennifer has also worked with Heritage Theatre Group and Lost In the Cove Productions. She and her husband, Jason, have four daughters: Madeline, Savanah, Ava, and Emerson.

Randall Wm. Burghart, M.M. (CU '94) (Guest Music Director/Original Composition) directed his first Cornerstone musical, The Sound of Music, 12 years ago. Since then, he has participated in the theatre program in numerous ways. He has served as music director for H.M.S. Pinafore, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Boy Friend, Jane Eyre, The Fantasticks, Honk!, and the Grand Award Winning productions of The Secret Garden and The Pirates of Penzance. He designed sets for many of the shows previously listed, as well as such shows as The Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Real Inspector Hound, and The Woman in Black. He also directed, designed, and conducted Cornerstone's first fully staged operatic production, The Old Maid and the Thief. Burghart remains active in the community as well, having served as music director for the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre's production of Disney's Aladdin Jr., and Calvin College's production of Godspell. He has also served as chorus master for the West Michigan Savoyards' production of The Gondaliers. Also remaining active on stage, Burghart appeared most recently in the role of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Kuyper College's production of The Beams are Creaking and in Circle Theatre's production of Hansel and Gretel. In 2005, Burghart and his wife Kristen, presented an oratorio setting of the biblical Song of Songs, The Greatest Song, which its creator, Calvin Seerveld, described as "the finest presentation of this work in its 40 year history." The couple are blessed with three lively boys: Chauncey, Rowan, and Finneus.

Deb Keller (Adjunct Instructor)is delighted to be teaching at Cornerstone. She is also a Professor of Acting subjects and Stage Combat at Aquinas Theater and also at Lansing Community College. Previously, she worked on fights and professional acting for 10 years in New York City where she received her MFA from NYU's Graduate School of Acting.  In NYC, Keller trained under and assisted Rick Sordelet and Steve White with fights On and Off-Broadway including The Public Theatre, The Goodman, The Guthrie, The Looking Glass Theatre and "Days of our Lives". She has competively fought in NYC as a 3rd degree Black Belt, but the fights in Peter Pan and Macbeth remain some of her favorites to play with.

Dave Weaver (Technical Coordinator) is the media events technical director at Cornerstone. He is a member of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and has performed all aspects of stage work on numerous Broadway touring shows including Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Cats, and South Pacific. He has been house head audio tech at Van Andel Arena for several concerts, has mixed sound for Griffins hockey, Rampage football and the Grand Rapids Symphony. Weaver also worked on the movie Road to Perdition.

Nancie Smith (Costumer) has served as costume designer for CU theatre productions since 1994.  She has costumed many productions including The Importance of Being Earnest, The Secret Garden, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Heiress, Jane Eyre, Honk!, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and Little Women. She also costumed Circle Theatre's productions of Hansel and Gretel as well as Snow White, and has recently costumed Bunnicula for Civic theatre. Nancie was nominated in 2003 for a Grand Award in costume design for her work on Heritage Theatre's production of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Catie Dreher (Guest Lighting Designer) has designed the lights for more than 100 productions in the West Michigan area, including shows for Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, Actors’ Theatre, Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids and Heritage Theatre Group. Catherine won the 2005 Grand Award for excellence in lighting for her design of The Rocky Horror Show at Actors’ Theatre. She works full time in the theatre department at Grand Rapids Community College.

Torrey Thomas (Adjunct Instructor, Choreographer) Torrey teaches dance classes at Cornerstone University, assists CU Theatre with choreography and is a faculty member at Grand Rapids Christian High School. He has received choreographer awards on all levels from the UDA College Nationals, to many regional and local competitions. Principal Dancer, Chicago and World Party 2000, Grand Rapids Circle Theatre; Touring Dancer for “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, performing with her at the Fox Theatre in Detroit and at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Torrey specializes in Jazz, African, Tap, Hip Hop, Liturgical, Modern and Broadway dance. His proudest moment as a teacher came in 2007 when three of his students were featured on the reality hit show “So You Think You Can Dance”. Torrey believes dance is one of the greatest forms of expression, allowing students to be creative, energetic, and innovative. He encourages his students to believe in themselves, develop a high level of confidence, and reach for the stars. He gives all Praise, Honor, and Glory to God!