Kevin Wetmore’s resume is 72 pages long, single spaced. The LMU professor of theatre arts and MFA Performance Pedagogy program director holds many titles. He’s a father, a spouse, a friend, a theatre historian, writer, actor, director, stage combat choreographer, artistic director of Shakespeare on the Bluff, founder and writer/ director of the annual Haunting of Hannon, an intermediate American Youth Soccer Organization referee, co-chair of the Los Angeles chapter of the Horror Writers Association, a retired comedian. Plus, he just completed a role as the longest-serving board member for the Association for Asian Performance.
Does Wetmore have the same hours in the day as everyone else? Over the course of his long career, he’s started three Shakespeare festivals; has written 12 books; edited another 19; published more than 100 book chapters and more than 100 movie and book reviews; written and published about four dozen short stories; and in his spare time, he reviews manuscripts and travels abroad as an invited guest to present at professional conferences.
Wetmore, who has been with the LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts for twenty years, says work in the classroom centers him, and teaching is his reset. “The arts give us this utter sense of how amazing it is to be alive. I’m just honored, and delighted, and overwhelmed that I get to be a part of it and do these things,” he says.
He is fueled by curiosity. This is made evident in his wide range of degrees. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in classical dramatic studies from Bates College, a Master of Arts in theatre arts from University of Leeds, a certificate in Japanese studies from University of Pittsburgh, a Master of Arts in theological studies from Loyola Marymount University, and a Ph.D. in theatre and performance studies from University of Pittsburgh.
“There are so many things that interest me and so many things I want to do, and I refuse to not do it all,” he says. “That’s boring. My job as a scholar is to make connections and draw things together and create opportunities for my students and my colleagues.”
Prolific is a word that may be overused in academia, but it accurately describes Wetmore. “For me, the great joy is that I can write a series of essays on the African presence in African American drama and then turn around and write a book about corpse-eating monsters … I’ll fly to Wales to give a lecture on African theatre, and then fly to Japan to talk about Japanese theatre, and then go to Connecticut to meet with a bunch of horror writers to discuss how to make things scary.”
Well-known in the world of literary criticism, Wetmore has been nominated for six Bram Stoker Awards for various essays. Most recently, he edited the book, “The Great Wave,” which includes his commentary alongside the famous play by Francis Turnly. Up next? He’d like to focus more on his fiction work. He’s become known for his author mashups. For example, “Tales of a Fourth Grade Shoggoth,” a short story about a young boy who’s a descendant of alien gods, is a mashup between horror writer H.P. Lovecraft and children’s author Judy Blume. However, his great ambition is to write a novel.
He knows it’s a lofty goal, but his passion for the work makes him immune to the word “no.” When he wanted to write a book about Star Wars, he wrote a book about Star Wars. As a result, the History Channel asked him to be on the 30th anniversary special, interviewing him in LMU’s Virginia Barnelle Theatre alongside Joss Whedon, a noted American screenwriter, director, producer, comic book writer and composer. When he wanted to bring his love of Shakespeare to LMU, along with the support of CFA Dean Bryant Keith Alexander, he launched Shakespeare on the Bluff. It has now been a successful production at LMU for eight years.
Professional actor, Jennifer Robbins B.A. ’94, M.F.A. ’23, knew Wetmore as a teacher, graduate advisor, director, and fellow actor. “I find that Kevin’s teaching and directing instill trust in the creative process, and a tireless commitment to intellectual curiosity and play,” Robbins says. “Shakespeare on the Bluff provides a dynamic opportunity, not only for classical performance training at LMU, but for rare and fruitful collaboration between emerging artists, and professional actors, directors, designers, and technicians. It is a collaboration inspired by love. Love for Shakespeare, the audience, and the theatre family at LMU.”
For someone who is constantly dreaming, brainstorming, in and out of various worlds, Wetmore is also very present and grounded in the moment and often draws inspiration from everyday life. He attributes this to his theatre experience. “Let’s get in a room, pick up this paper, put on these costumes, and see what happens – find these moments. That’s why I love Shakespeare,” he says. “I love Shakespeare because he understands us better than we understand ourselves … He shows us who we really are. I love that human element.”
Dean Alexander notes: “I have had the pleasure of working with Kevin in his multiple capacities as faculty, as former department chair, director of the M.F.A. program – he even cast me in a scene with a student actor once – but I am most intrigued with his imagination as a director, actor, and dramatic writer, and how all that is embodied in his written published books.” The dean has championed Wetmore’s career over the years, spending time with each of his books before placing them for public viewing and consumption in the display cases outside his office. He also attends each of his performances, including the wildly popular Haunting of Hannon, an interactive theatre event Wetmore takes great pride in writing and directing each year.
Yes, Wetmore is human (unlike some of the characters he writes about), and he does get creatively blocked from time to time. But when that happens, he moves on to the next project. Always say yes– this is what he teaches his students in “Surviving as an Artist” (THEA 491). This mindset has provided him with abundant opportunities and has connected him to like-minded people from all over the world.
Similarly, he preaches about being proactive. “If you want to do something, do it and make them stop you. Don’t wait for someone to give you something,” he says. This was a lesson he learned as a teenager; around the time he made his professional acting debut as Curio in a production of “Twelfth Night.” The experience gave him the inspiration and confidence to produce Shakespeare in the park in his local town. Looking back, he’s still flabbergasted that people took him seriously at such a young age. By 19, he was directing an entire production, overseeing large budgets, and acting as a boss to people more than twice his age.
At 55, Wetmore hasn’t lost that child-like spark and excitement. “I’ve made a career out of doing everything I love and have loved since I was a kid,” he says. “Tell me something better than that!”
