Oluchi Nwokocha

Focus and Philosophy: Acting is about the human condition. What does that mean? It means we people watch at the airport. I’m kidding... Kind of. My philosophy is based on the idea that regardless of talent everyone has a creative bone in their body. I believe that our imagination and creativity are at the core of who are as human beings. My focus in the classroom is on building our foundation as actors through movement, voice and speech, improvisation, and script analysis, through the lens of play.  If we are not enjoying the discovery, even if it makes us uncomfortable, then what is the point? 

Background: I was born and raised in the Bay Area in the great state of California to immigrant parents. As a child of Nigerian parents, I was steeped in the culture and the expectations and pressures of being a first-generation Nigerian-American child. I grew up with the expectation that I would be a nurse. I don’t like blood. In my sophomore year of college, I changed my major to Theatre and never looked back. I always knew I was going to be an actor, my parents didn’t. The middle child of seven kids, I spent my youth creating fake talk shows and plays to entertain my siblings. 

As an actor, I have over a decade of experience in the industry having lived and worked in both Los Angeles and New York City. I was last seen in Barbecue at The Human Race Theatre in Dayton, Ohio. I began my journey as a Professor at San Jose State University teaching theatre appreciation and acting for non-majors. From there, I spent four years at Miami University of Ohio as an Assistant Professor in Theatre teaching acting for the camera, auditions, acting for the musical stage, beginning acting, and scene study. All the while continuing to pursue my own interest as an actor (voiceover, theatre, tv/film), writer, and director. I bring my wealth of experience and connections to the classroom.

Teaching: I mostly teach performance classes with a dash of theatre appreciation and script analysis. Since I have been teaching for the last 15 years, I am constantly looking for new plays, techniques, and ways to disseminate the information that is digestible and inspires earnest pursuit in my students. 

Research/Scholarship/Creative: Over the last ten years, I have worked with Red Ladder Theatre Company; a social justice theatre company based in San Jose, CA, working with men and women who are experiencing incarceration. In the Arts and Corrections program with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations, we provide rehabilitative programming via improvisation, devised theatre, and storytelling. In 12-week cycles, we focus on pro-social activities such as communication, creative problem solving, interpersonal skills, empathy, creative thinking, and accountability. The first six weeks are spent working on the foundations of theatre the Who, what, where, when, and why, using imaginary objects, characters, and locations. The latter six weeks are spent devising a play based on the themes they want to discuss like parenting from prison, fearing change, AI, and feeling left behind. It is through this work that I have discovered a love for applied theatre. Providing theatre in non-traditional spaces is very important because everyone should have access to their creativity regardless of their background, mistakes, or financial situation.

It is through this lens that as part of my research, I am working on producing a documentary about how theatre impacts men and women who are experiencing incarceration as well as a book detailing photos of the participants in our workshops. 

As an educator, I continue to refine my own professional interest by studying for my certification in Lessac Kinesensics for voice and speech along with obtaining the next level in my Theatrical Intimacy Education Training.

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