Tee Quillin

Tee is a terrific guy and a fantastic interviewer. I've had the pleasure of being interviewed on the Inexplicable Dumb Show several times, and in addition to appreciating the focus he has placed on my blog, The Clyde Fitch Report, I am struck by his intelligence, his wit, his knowledge of the theatre, and his ability to co-create one brilliant podcast. I'm proud to call Tee my friend -- equally proud to call him an esteemed colleague.

I had the pleasure of being directed by Tee in a gorgeous production of Miss Saigon. Tee was a consummate professional, taking great care to create a warm and safe working environment amidst sometimes difficult material. Throughout the summer we worked together, I watched Tee foster personal relationships with each member of the cast in order to bring out the best performance in each of us, and maintained a collaborative spirit while delivering a vision of the show that was so undoubtedly his own. Years later, I can confidently say working with Tee was one of my best experiences working in theatre.

Tee Quillin is a talented and creative educator and artist, and has an excellent rapport with students. He is intelligent, organized and focused, with a proactive approach to getting things done.

Tee Quillin is more than a teacher. He is a mentor. Beyond lectures and textbooks, he inspires, ignites, and emboldens his pupils, not only with the wisdom he imparts, but also with the drive he exemplifies. His love for the theatre is exceeded only by his love for his colleagues and students. I have a lot to thank Tee Quillin for - and the list continues to grow.

While I was a student at MTSU, I found that Tee Quillin was one of the only theatre professors that I could rely on for good advice, instruction, and guidance. I always looked forward to his classes and knew that I would never walk out of his classroom without having learned something worth learning. What I have learned from him so far has become some of the best teaching that I have ever been exposed to and had the honor of learning. He is an outstanding artist, teacher, and person. Any student has the opportunity to work with him should consider themselves extremely lucky. I did and still do.

When I think of teachers who most affected and improved my life, those educators who I would consider my favorite, Tee Quillin is always the first one who comes to mind. Not only is he a modern-day Renaissance man in the world of theatre, but he is able to draw out talent and imbue confidence in those both on & off stage/in front of & behind the camera. I trust and respect him as a teacher, a director, a family man, and a friend.

Attending classes with Tee Quillin, to me, was something to look forward to each week. Every session was involved, and each student was allowed to find their own unique voice through performance. We were required the usual readings, and I will not deny the importance of familiarizing one's self with history and literature - but I will always remember spending class periods in a football stadium reciting Greek plays as if it were an amphitheatre from 2,000 years ago. That sort of teaching stays with you - and it speaks volumes about the intellect and effectiveness of Mr. Quillin as a mentor.

There comes a time when hiring actors that you just have to have solid, experienced and capable hands on deck. When that time comes, you hire Tee Quillin...immediately if not sooner! All too often, the words "true professional" get bandied about with relative non-chalance these days, but Tee exemplifies them; by every action, by every nuance he brings to character, by the skills he displays in all aspects of performance and by the wealth of theatrical knowledge he brings to every company he works with. Add in the undeniable fact that he's just plain "good people" (always a factor in hiring talent these days) and you've got a winner from day one. I highly recommend Tee to anyone looking for a truly "professional" actor to employ.

Tee is an enthusiastic and endlessly creative theater artist. He's a multi-talented, highly skilled, great communicator, a motivating teacher, an inspiring team player, a persevering problem solver and an all around fun guy to have involved in a project. I do not hesitate to recommend him for any job or role.

I've had the pleasure of working with Tee Quillin for several years at MTSU. In my experience, he has been an articulate, expert, and approachable presence to his colleagues and his students. I recommend him without reservation as teacher of Acting: for stage, for the camera, styles, and voice.

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Tee Quillin in a collegiate and professional atmosphere. During our time at Southern Methodist University, Mr. Quillin was a very important mentor and vital to my development as a graduate student. Mr. Quillin taught an undergraduate Art of Acting course, which was apart of our graduation requirement. I had the opportunity to sit in on his class and his instructional techniques helped shape my own. Mr. Quillin has a very disciplined approach in the classroom. He encourages his students to focus and work hard which, in turn, builds the students respect of the craft. Onstage, Tee is the consumate professional. He challenges his colleagues to go above and beyond. Tee would be an irreplaceable asset to any theater program.

I hope to one day be able to work with Tee again. He is one of the best actors and indeed people that I have ever worked with.

I was scared to death... I worked all my life to suppress the signs that I was gay.  Growing up in the Midwest, that's what gay boys do; they hide any trace of their homosexuality.  So when Tee asked me to create a character based on the line describing my character as "The J. Edgar Hoover of Japan", I knew it was time. Time to access that flaming, flamboyant, screaming queen that lives inside me.  The one I've always known existed, but never wanted anyone else to know or see. I pulled together a costume, hid from the cast, waited for my cue, took a deep breath and made my grand entrance.  To top it off, I was shirtless with a cape and I waved a light-up wand!  The cast, literally, stared at me with their mouths open in complete shock. This was the first time I ever worked with Tee and I truly thought he was going to flip his sh*t!  After all, my version of The Mikado was far from what he originally imagined (a character more closely resembling Elvis Presley). I was prepared...  prepared for Tee to crush my creation. Instead, what I heard was Tee laughing.  Laughing with that wonderful laugh of approval. Tee supported my choices as an artist.  He molded my decisions and truly guided me to one of my best character performances of my career!  I don't know how he did it, but he made me feel safe.  We collaborated and together created an experience for the audience that was truly original. I do not say this of most, but if you have the opportunity to work with Tee, grasp it with both hands and really sink your teeth into it.  Take risks and trust that he will use you to paint a beautiful picture that will be remembered by all those who experience it.  

Tee is one of my top 10 favorite people in Nashville. He is highly creative, always gives a top performance with Buyers & Casting Directors, and is super easy to work with. As his agent, I have worked with him for many years in the entertainment industry and he is someone that I hope to have on my roster for many more years.

Prof. Quillin is one of the most influential professors I have worked with during my college tenure. Having had the privilege of studied under him for two semesters, I developed the patience, skill, discipline, and empathy expected from actors of the highest caliber. His understanding of the craft of acting and psychology of character is paralleled by his dedication to teaching his students and the ability he retains to inspire them to the highest levels possible. Prof. Quillin is an excellent actor and brings a sense of professionalism, courtesy, an articulate nature, and (most importantly) years of skill and experience to any classroom.

Tee Quillin is an honest, dedicated and a very creative producer. He is a talented artist. I recommend him highly.

Tee formed the foundation of my acting abilities in a Shakespearean and a Film Acting class.  He is respected by his students and by countless professionals I have encountered in the city.  His name on my résumé immediately garnishes admiration, for many have had the opportunity to work with him.  Quite frankly, Tee is the best acting teacher and one of the most excellent actors in the Nashville area.  I have seen his former students find success in New York City and in regional theatre, and I guarantee you they would consider his classroom one of the finest examples of training available.

Working with Tee is like being part of an improv team. You want two prop geese to have a love story in the background of a show? Or the cast to recreate the famous Iwo Jima photo? Or characters to break out into a step routine? Yes! And... As a director, Tee trusts his casts and artistic teams to make choices, and those same people trust his leadership.  His rehearsals are safe, nurturing places to explore and grow as an artist.   Tee creates theatre collaboratively, weaving together the ideas of everyone involved into a truly unique fabric.

I've had many great teachers over the years; most of whom I'll never forget and Tee Quillin is among the most memorable. One of the most important aspects of his class it's realistic; he doesn't waste time with meaningless text books and teaches you things you can't learn in a traditional classroom. I can honestly say that before I had taken his class I had no idea what to expect of my future career and I was honestly afraid it would never happen. However, Tee's teachings have forced the fear out and replaced it with hope as he has aided me immensely in pursuing my dream of being an actor by improving my skills for auditions and potential jobs enough so that I feel more prepared for my future than ever before.

Tee Quillin is the best professor I have had while attending MTSU. I learned so much from him that I took his classes for three semesters. Tee thinks outside of the box. While taking his Acting for Camera class he found a way to bring out a deeper side in each student. He is very good at what he does, me personally, he helped me to put everything out on the line and go for it... from this I got with a Talent Agency and started to make money finally and I would not have been able to do it without Tee's help. With each student he finds a unique way to bring out something deep within, its truly amazing to watch. He does not just recite words from a book he actually TEACHES. A professor that brings his students outside on campus to act out plays is someone who truly cares.

Tee had managed to put together an incredibly professional audio show.  I spent a few years in radio and had a jaded opinion on produced shows; everything sounded like it wanted to be on NPR but hadn't yet made the cut.  Inexplicable Dumb Show, however, was entirely different.  The show focused primarily on theatre; professional, amateur, and community theatre all had a voice and a home there.  Tee's editing and production kept the show tight and focused, but never let the format sound forced or hurried.  That, in and of itself, is a marvel.  He kept a steady stream of relevant and prestigious guests on the mic, one of whom was a redhead from Alabama named SARAH LENA BROWN. You never know how a guest spot on a show is going to go.  You have no idea of the pace and rhythm of the usual gang, you don't know if your flavor of humor will mesh with the show, and you don't know if your dog will suddenly go nuts because a squirrel appeared outside while you were trying to tape the episode via Skype.  Didn't matter.  Although I was new, Tee and John crafted an environment that was comfortable to me; they adapted to my humor and nudged me in a better direction if I took a conversation off course.  And although my dog went into something of a vocal seizure mid-episode, the final cut had no evidence that I was anywhere BUT in the studio with them. The final version was something I was incredibly proud of.. I was proud to be a part of it and I was amazed at Tee's skills in this medium.

What makes Tee Quillin the finest director I've worked with is that he comes into every project with a fully realized vision. Not only does he have a vision in terms of acting, blocking and set design, but he is able to eloquently communicate his vision to all members of the cast and crew. His fluency in both the technical and performance aspects of Theatre makes him a true collaborator, one open to all ideas.

He is passionate about acting, about theatre, about students.  He goes more than the extra mile; he does ANYTHING he can to ensure that his students and his colleagues have as rich and compelling a theatrical experience as possible whether he's acting, teaching, directing, or conducting a radio interview.  The only thing that excites him more than growing as an actor is seeing his students grow.  He gets it.