Caroline Stefanie Clay Joins University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts Faculty as Professor of the MFA Acting Program

The University of Iowa Department of Theatre Arts recently completed a national search to fill the position of the lead acting professor. The department has announced that Caroline Stefanie Clay will be joining the faculty this fall as lead acting professor of the MFA acting program. Clay has performed on Broadway in Little Foxes, Doubt, and more, with film and television credits including the role of "Cece Colvin, The Matchmaker" on Grey's Anatomy, as well as roles on Shameless, The Knick, Law & Order: SVU, House of Cards, and this season's ABC premiere of United We Fall. She is currently appearing in the World Premiere of Charlayne Woodard's In the Garden, a co-production between Baltimore Center Stage and La Jolla Playhouse. Complete bio below.

"If these times reveal anything, it's that the dreams and aspirations of our young change makers cannot be denied. They are the inheritors of these new, ever-shifting paradigms: both the challenging and sublime. They must be nurtured, and supported," says Clay. "To join my Mary Beth Easley, Paul Kalina, and my esteemed colleagues in the Department of Theatre Arts, is an incredible honor and opportunity. Iowa's conservatory-style programming bursts with rigor, an amplified cultural diversity, and cultivated created spaces that are vital and necessary. I look forward to sharing my training and experience with these emerging artists, as they go on to create viable and vibrant careers."

"We couldn't feel more fortunate to have Caroline Stephanie Clay join our faculty," says department chair, Mary Beth Easley. "She is a beloved member of the professional acting community, someone who is routinely 'invited to the table' by our professional colleagues. A beautiful human being, and an impassioned advocate for developing artists, Caroline brings both deep practical experience and a robust, nurturing teaching pedagogy that will greatly enhance our arts community. I look forward to welcoming Caroline into the Department of Theatre Arts family, and to witnessing the growth in our students as a result of their interactions with her in the classroom and on the stage."

Caroline Stephanie Clay (SAG-AFTRA, AEA) is an actress, director, educator, playwright, and vocal coach. On Broadway, she has appeared in Tony Award-winning productions, including The Little Foxes, Doubt; (Broadway and National Tour) The Royal Family, and Drowning Crow. Her extensive film and television credits include the role of "Cece Colvin, The Matchmaker" on Grey's Anatomy, as well as roles on Shameless, The Knick, Law & Order: SVU, House of Cards, and this season's ABC premiere of United We Fall. A native Washingtonian, Clay is a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where she also teaches, and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (BFA in theatre arts). She earned her MFA in performance at the University of Maryland. She has also taught acting/voice classes and intensives at Georgetown University, Howard University, Bowie State, University of Maryland, and Duke University. Under the direction of Patricia McGregor, Clay received the NAACP 2020 Award for Best Actress in A Play for the role of "Faye" in Geffen Playhouse's production of Dominique Morrisseau's Skeleton Crew. She is currently appearing in the World Premiere of Charlayne Woodard's In the Garden, a co-production between Baltimore Center Stage and La Jolla Playhouse, one of the first regional theatre co-productions in the country approved by Actor's Equity to return, implementing full Covid-era safety protocols.

Learn more about Caroline Stephanie Clay at www.claycreatives.org.

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