Harry Parker

Dr. Harry B. Parker has been a Professor of Theatre since joining the faculty at TCU in 2003.  He also served as the Chair of the Department of Theatre for 18 years (2003-2021), and as the Founding Managing Director of the Trinity Shakespeare Festival, which was hosted at TCU for 10 years (2009-2018).  A native of Oklahoma City, Harry received a B.F.A. (magna cum laude) in Theatre from TCU, and from the University of Kansas in Lawrence he earned an M.A. in Theatre (Acting/Directing), and a Ph.D. in Theatre and Film. He has also served on the faculty of Westmar College in Iowa, and spent eleven years as the Director of Theatre at Emporia State University in Kansas. For seven summers Harry worked professionally as the Assistant Artistic Director at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, where he assisted Artistic Director Lyle Dye in staging over 30 major musicals. He has directed more than 150 professional, community and academic theatre productions across the country including professionally at the Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.); Stages Repertory Theatre (Houston); American Heartland Theatre (Kansas City); Bishop Arts Theatre (Dallas); and Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) and the Oklahoma City Repertory Theatre. In Fort Worth/Dallas, he has directed professionally for Stage West, Amphibian Stage Productions, Jubilee Theatre, Lyric Stage and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, as well as having directed over 20 shows for Circle Theatre. His directing credits include Holiday, Antigone, The Play That Goes Wrong, South Pacific, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Grapes of Wrath, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, No, No, Nanette, Sweeney Todd, Godspell, The Miser, The Skin of Our Teeth, Charley’s Aunt, The Philadelphia Story, Company, The Will Rogers Follies, The Comedy of Errors, Marvin’s Room, Thurgood, The King and I, The Matchmaker, The Laramie Project and The Taming of the Shrew. With Tim Madigan he co-wrote the play I’m Proud of You, based on Tim’s friendship with Fred Rogers, which premiered at Circle Theatre in Fort Worth, and has since been produced or scheduled for four more professional productions, to date.

Since 2008, Harry has hosted a popular weekly radio show entitled “Curtain Up!” on KTCU, 88.7 FM (also available at www.ktcu.tcu.edu) featuring songs from the musical theatre. He served a term as the National Chair for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and has twice been awarded the Kennedy Center Medallion of Excellence for his service to that organization.  In 2013, Harry was awarded the TCU Chancellor’s Award as a Creative Scholar and Teacher, and in 2020 he was awarded the Elston Brooks Lifetime Achievement Award from the Live Theatre League of Tarrant County. He has served on the Board of both Circle Theatre and the Live Theatre League of Tarrant County.  He is an Associate Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Harry is married to Karen Parker, and they have two adult children. He is exceptionally proud of his current and former students, and their impressive accomplishments.