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About Bill J. Adams

Bill J. Adams, D.M.A., is a Professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts at Nova Southeastern University's Halmos College of Arts and Sciences. He is a Certified Master Trainer of Estill which is a speech language pathology-based voice pedagogy integral to more than 800 voice instructors in 33 countries worldwide. As a Certified Master Teacher of Acting and Singing with Archetypes, Dr. Adams exposes students to ground-breaking performance training and influential theatre educators from Wales to Washington State. Tasked with exploring effective delivery of academic theatre programs at the national level, he is theChair of Southeastern Theatre Conference’s (SETC) College & University Division. Dr. Adams spearheaded the development of THEA 2500 Healthcare Theatre and team-teaches the course with Melissa Morris, Patel College of Healthcare Sciences’ Director of Simulation. For this inter-professional innovation, ongoing efforts to promote student success, and outstanding service, Dr. Adams was honored as the College’s Distinguished Professor in 2019. 
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Since 2013, Dr. Adams has served on grant panels for the Broward Cultural Division recommending $4,424,480 to support community artists, and in 2018, he served as Principal Investigator for the creation of Facing Forward, a health awareness docudrama funded by the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation ($43,899). The project exposed hundreds of students to important health information, and a panel discussion, “Health Awareness: Grant-Funded Theatre Devised to Educate Audiences” was presented, with Mark Duncan, at SETC in Knoxville. 
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Dr. Adams has also been the Artistic Director of the Renaissance City Men’s and Women’s Choirs in Pittsburgh as well as South Florida Chorale Arts, Inc. Under his leadership, both award-winning community choruses commissioned and premiered major works such as Mementos of Millay by James Mulholland, Eight Candles by Bruce Lazarus, and an arrangement of Melissa Etheridge’s “Tuesday Morning” which was performed as a tribute to American hero Mark Bingham at the United Flight 93, 9-11 crash site in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. 
 
Specializing in the effective synthesis of acting and singing technique, Dr. Adams’ performance resume is character driven. While living in New York, he premiered the role of Ariel in The Rape of the Lock and performed Vašek in The Bartered Bride with the Bronx Opera Company. Other notable roles include Ciccio in Most Happy Fella with William Michals and Jessica Hershberg at Palm Beach Dramaworks, Loutzenheiser the mad trapper in Cannibal: the Musical with the Promethean Theatre, Mike in William Bolcom’sA View from the Bridge with Opera Theatre of Pittsburg, the Mayor in Albert Herring with Orlando Opera Company, and Zangara in Sondheim’s Assassins with Orlando Civic Theatre. 

Positions

2011 - Present Art Administration Major Chair, Nova Southeastern University ‐ Halmos College of Arts and Sciences - Department of Communications, Media, and the Arts
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2010 - Present Coordinator of Performing and Visual Arts, Nova Southeastern University ‐ Halmos College of Arts and Sciences - Department of Communications, Media, and the Arts
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2008 - Present Music Major Chair, Nova Southeastern University ‐ Halmos College of Arts and Sciences - Department of Communications, Media, and the Arts
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2007 - Present Associate Professor, Nova Southeastern University ‐ Halmos College of Arts and Sciences - Department of Communications, Media, and the Arts
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2011 - 2014 Musical Theatre Major Chair, Nova Southeastern University
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2005 - 2007 Private Voice Instructure, Point Park University ‐ Conservatory of Performing Arts
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2004 - 2007 Artistic Director, Renaissance City Choirs
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2006 Private Voice Instructor, Carnegie Mellon University ‐ Pre-college Musical Theatre Division
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2003 - 2005 Instructor of Voice, Clarion University of Pennsylvania
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1999 - 2002 Artistic Director, South Florida Choral Arts, Inc.
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1998 - 2002 Assistant Professor of Music, Barry University
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1998 - 2002 Bachelor of Music Degree Program Development, Barry University
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1998 - 2002 Director, Barry University ‐ Musical Threatre Program
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1997 - 1998 Adjunct Professor of Music, Barry University
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1997 - 1998 Assistant Conductor of Musical Theatre Productions, Barry University
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1994 - 1995 Adjunct Faculty, Valencia Community College
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1992 - 1995 Industry Professional, Orlando Opera Company ‐ Opera Outreach Programs and Workshops
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1992 - 1995 Resident Artist, Orlando Opera Company
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1989 - 1990 Box Office Manager, University of Kentucky
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1987 - 1990 Faculty Member, University of Kentucky ‐ Voice Class for Actors
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1987 - 1990 Vocal Director for Musical Theatre Productions, University of Kentucky
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1987 - 1989 Assistant Box Office Manager, University of Kentucky
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Disciplines

Research Interests

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Professional Service and Affiliations

Present Member, Broward Cultural Division’s Cultural Investment Program
Member, College Music Society
Member, Estill Voice International, LLC
Member, FHEAN (Florida Higher Education Arts Network)
Member, Florida Theatre Conference
Presenter, MTV Meets Franz Schubert – Liminal Observation of Multidisciplinary Performance
Member, National Association of Teachers of Singing
Member, Southeastern Theatre Conference
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Honors and Awards

  • 2017-2018 Professor of the Year
  • (2014) Faculty Merit Award - Service, Nova Southeastern University
  • (2013) Faculty Merit Award - Service, Nova Southeastern University
  • (2012) Faculty Merit Award - Service, Scholarship, Teaching, Nova Southeastern University
  • Professional Development Award, Barry University
  • Extra Gold Award - Best Duo, Barry University
  • GLCC Stars of the Rainbow - Best Musical Organization, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
  • Scholarship Recipient, Orlando Opera Studio

Courses

  • Introduction to Arts Administration
  • Advanced Arts Administration
  • Musical Theatre Performance
  • Advanced Musical Theatre Performance
  • Senior Seminar (online)
  • Beginning Voice Class
  • Intermediate Voice Class
  • Music Through History (traditional classroom and online)
  • American Popular Music
  • Theatre Laboratory (Baby: the Musical, Ruthless)
  • Ensemble (Choral and Instrumental)

Education

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1998 D.M.A., Vocal Performance, University of Miami
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1992 M.M., Vocal Performance, University of Kentucky
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1988 B.M., Vocal Performance, University of Kentucky
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Contact Information

(954) 262-8025

Email:

Articles (3)

Presentations (33)