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BIO & VITA

L. CHRISTOPHER COLLINS

Lowery Christopher Collins (Chris)--recently retired Professor of English at Panola College--has been an educator and writer for over thirty years. He has taught at high school, middle school, elementary school, college, and university levels. For several years, he was a high school theatre director and a gifted education consultant.  

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He’s been honored with several teaching awards including the Young Audiences of Northeast Texas Outstanding Service to the Profession Award and the Kennedy Center’s Steven Sondheim Award for being one of the most “Inspirational Teachers” in the U.S. He is also an award-winning playwright of over thirty scripts, a weekly newspaper columnist, a short story writer, a poet, a pianist, a vocalist, a songwriter, a screenwriter, a Recording Artist with Daywind Studios, the founder and artistic director of Stagelands Theatre Company, an aspiring novelist, and a (former) choir director. He teaches classes from rhetoric and composition to literature to acting to the Bible.

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He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and History and a Master’s Degree in English from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas and has served on fine arts and gifted education committees as well as on a board of governors for a small playhouse.

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He also organized the Original Shorts Play Festival in the 2000s for short original plays in Northeast Texas schools and the Piney Woods Arts Festival in the late 1990s. 

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In addition to his interests in teaching, directing, and writing, he has a fondness for baking, lighthouses, windmills, filmmaking, salsa, Flannery O’Connor, travel, guacamole, social media, genetics, Maine, landscaping, pillows, gospel music, Shakespeare, marbles, YouTube, quantum physics, movies, weird jokes, maps, trees, cold rooms, Texas, and grammar. 

About/VITA: About

LOWERY CHRISTOPHER COLLINS

V I T A

L. CHRISTOPHER COLLINS
Curriculum Vitae


EDUCATION

  • MASTERS OF ARTS--English, Stephen F. Austin State University

  • BACHELOR OF ARTS--English and History, Stephen F. Austin State University

  • ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE--Panola College

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE

  • PANOLA COLLEGE, Carthage, Texas (2019-2021)
    Professor of English and Preparatory Studies

  • RAINS ISD, Emory, Texas (2003-2019)
    Teacher/Director of Theatre Arts/OAP/GT Specialist/English: Rains High School (2003- 2013, 2014-2019)
    RHS Fine Arts Chair (2007-2013)
    District Coordinator/Director Academic UIL: RISD (June 2014-2019

  • CHAPEL HILL HIGH SCHOOL, Tyler, Texas (2013-2014)
    Teacher/Director of Theatre Arts/ OAP/Academic UIL Coordinator         

  • PRIVATE CONSULTANT (2003-present)
    Writing, Differentiation, Acting, Set Design, Playwriting, Improvisation, GT basics, Advanced GT Studies, Model United Nations Security Council Prep, and more.

  • REGION 7 EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER, Kilgore, Texas (1999-2003)
    Curriculum Specialist/Education Consultant             

  • PANOLA COLLEGE, Carthage, Texas (1992-1999)
    Adjunct Instructor of English –Carthage, Center, and Marshall Campuses                                  

  • GARY ISD, Gary, Texas (1997-1999)
    Teacher—Music, English, Reading, Theatre, K-12

  • TIMPSON ISD, Timpson, Texas (1994-1997)
    Teacher—English, Spanish, Choir, Timpson High School          

  • STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY, Nacogdoches, Texas (1990-1993)
    Adjunct Instructor: English (1992-1993)
    Graduate Teaching Assistant/Instructor: English (1990-1992)

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ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES: VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS 

  • Have Hosted Several UIL OAP Clinics/Festivals

  • Have Hosted/Taught Various Student Day-Long Clinics/Camps 

  • Served as Developer, Scenario/Curriculum Writer, Annual Facilitator of Region 7 Model United Nations’ Active Security Council Sessions/Meetings (2000-2016)

  • Various Workshops I Have Developed and/or Presented Can Be Found on the "Teaching" Link

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VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PROJECTS/BOARD and ADVISORY SERVICE​

  • Served on Board of Governors: Lake Country Playhouse, Mineola, Texas (2007-2011)

  • Served as Theatre Representative on the Region 7 Fine Arts Advisory Panel (2003-2019)

  • Served as Representative on the Region 7 Gifted and Talented Advisory Panel (2003-2009)


AWARDS and HONORS                            

  • FINALIST/WINNER of "HONORABLE MENTION"--The 2021 Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest
    -- Story "Benevolence" published in Saturday Evening Post January/February 2021 edition

  • WINNER—2018-2019 Texas Educational Theatre Association Playwriting Winner for Texas Educator: The Beebles Accord, A Dramatic Treatise on Time and Art

  • WINNER—2016-2017 Texas Educational Theatre Association Playwriting Winner for Texas Resident: Calling the Shots

  • WINNER—Young Audiences of Northeast Texas Distinguished Service to the Professional Award 2016

  • WINNER—KENNEDY CENTER/Stephen Sondheim 2012 Inspirational Teacher Award—One of the Ten Winners in the United States

  • HONOREE—Rains County and City of Emory, Texas: Official Recognition of May 5, 2012 as “Christopher Collins Day” for the county and city; awarded honorary citizenship in Rains County (Via County Judge, Commissioners’ Court, Mayor, and City Council proclamation)

  • WINNER—Outstanding Play of the Year: Lake Country Playhouse 2008 Season—On Golden Pond (Director)

  • WINNER—2005-2006 Texas Educational Theatre Association Playwriting Winner for Texas Resident Drama: Pariah

  • RECIPIENT—Stephen F. Austin State University Student Government Association's Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year 1991-92

  • RECIPIENT— Distinguished Honor Graduate Award, Panola College 1988

  • Numerous Nominations


CREATIVE/PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS

  • Playwright

    • Author of approximately thirty plays

    • Five of my plays have been accepted/produced at UIL competition

    • Three of my plays have won the Texas Educational Theatre Association Playwriting Contest: 2005-2006, 2016-2017, 2018-2019

  • Columnist—Chapter to Chapter Weekly in East Texas Press: January 2015- October 2020

  • Author—Published Book—Unusual Poems for Unusual Kids and the Unusual Adults They Become, 2017

  • Screenwriter—Web Series Screenplay— 2018-

  • Pianist and Vocalist

    • Album of Original Music—The Collinses, Our Songs: Volume 1, Daywind Studios, Hendersonville, Tennessee, 2017

  • Acting Experience

    • Various Commercials

    • Various Plays

  • Directing Experience

  • Approximately 85 Major Productions


MEMBERSHIPS/OFFICER SERVICE

  • Member—Texas Educational Theatre Association

  • Member, Phi Theta Kappa 

  • Member, Alpha Chi 

  • Member, Sigma Tau Delta 

    • President of SFASU Chapter 

    • Vice President of SFASU Chapter 

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