Faculty/Staff Directory
Cynthia Sams
Part Time Instructor
Credentials: MA, MFA
| Office Hours: | 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday/Thursday |
| Locations: (Campus & Office) |
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| Website: | http://Department of Media, Culture, and the Arts |
| Biography: | Cindy Sams is a writer, educator, and theatre practitioner based in Middle Georgia. She teaches Theatre Appreciation at Middle Georgia State University, where she brings more than two decades of experience in educational theatre, performance, and directing to the classroom. Her teaching emphasizes storytelling, performance history, and the cultural traditions that shape theatrical expression across time and place. Sams holds an M.A. in Theatre from Regent University and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Reinhardt University. Her interdisciplinary background informs both her pedagogy and creative work, blending dramatic structure with narrative craft. Her writing has appeared in literary journals including Reckon Review, Burningword Literary Journal, and Well Read Magazine, with additional work forthcoming in Under the Gum Tree and other publications. She writes primarily in creative nonfiction, often in hybrid and experimental forms, exploring themes of Southern identity, migration, memory, and family. Her current book-length project, Reverse Migration: A Memoir in Pieces, is a hybrid memoir that traces her journey between Georgia and the American Southwest through fragmented narrative and innovative forms. In addition to her academic work, Sams remains active in the theatre community, performing and directing in regional productions throughout Middle Georgia. |
| Syllabi: | |
| Teaching and Research Interests: | Shakespeare and early modern drama; Commedia dell’Arte and masked performance; theatre history and performance traditions; adaptation and reinterpretation of classical texts; oral tradition and storytelling in global theatre; performance-based pedagogy. |
| Courses: | Theater 1100 -- Theater Appreciation Theater 1101 -- Play Production |
| Education: (All institutions attended and degrees or credentials earned) | MA in Theater, Regent University MFA in Creative Writing, Reinhardt University |
| CV: | Academic Appointments Middle Georgia State University — Macon, GA Instructor of Theatre Appreciation 2024–Present Professional Experience Central High School — Macon, GA Director of Theatre 2018–2022 Veterans High School — Kathleen, GA Director of Theatre 2010-2018 |
| Professional Experience: | Cindy Sams brings more than two decades of experience in educational theatre as a teacher, director, and performer. Her work spans classroom instruction and stage production, with a focus on helping students engage performance as both a craft and a mode of storytelling. She began her career in journalism, where she developed a foundation in clear, compelling writing and audience-centered communication. This background continues to shape her teaching across disciplines. In addition to her academic work, she is an active creative nonfiction writer whose work has appeared in multiple literary journals. She continues to contribute to both the literary and regional theatre communities in Middle Georgia. |
| Publications and Scholarships: (Last 5 Years) | Publications Creative nonfiction published in: Reckon Review Burningword Literary Journal Well Read Magazine Forthcoming: Under the Gum Tree Additional publications and submissions available upon request. Creative Work in Progress Reverse Migration: A Memoir in Pieces A hybrid memoir exploring Southern identity, migration, and memory through fragmented narrative forms. Under Peer Review at Mercer University Press |
| Professional Affiliations: | Professional Affiliations American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) International Thespian Society (ITS) Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) Georgia Theatre Conference (GTC) |
| Organizations: | Professional Affiliations American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) International Thespian Society (ITS) Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) Georgia Theatre Conference (GTC) |
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