6.24 A Conversation with Katie Murphy and Megan Upton-Tyner
This week Jimmy talks with Kansas theatre teachers Katie Murphy and Megan Upton-Tyner. They talk about community norms, theatre advocacy, and the impact their teachers have had on them.
Katie and Megan's Recommended Resources:
People Like Us- adaptive theatre music and movement
Megan Upton-Tyner
Teacher
Megan Upton-Tyner has been teaching theatre and directing for over two decades. She has taught at the college level, and has directed multiple community and children’s theatre productions. She has been in the public school classroom for the last 9 years. Starting this fall, she will be teaching at Andover High School in Andover, Kansas having been at Valley Center High School prior to that. Megan is a member of the Educational Theatre Association and is the Advocacy Coordinator for Kansas Thespians. She was the recipient of the Kansas Thespians Theatre Teacher of the Year for Region 1. She firmly believes that theatre is an essential part of a well-rounded education and is committed to acknowledging and empowering student voices.
Katie Murphy
Teacher
Katie Murphy is a Theatre teacher at Topeka West High School in Topeka, Kansas. She is the Troupe director for thespian troupe 3061. She is a member of the Educational Theatre Association, and a Kansas Thespian State Board member. Topeka West was named Outstanding School by EDTA in 2022. Topeka West is also a 2 time winner of the Outstanding Impact Award for Theatre Advocacy in 2022 and 2023. Topeka West was also given the distinction of a “Premier School for Theatre Education” by the Educational Theatre Association in 2023.
