Actor and teacher are roles Jeffrey Cornell loves to play

As he approaches his 90th show in 30 years at PlayMakers Repertory Company, Jeffrey Cornell remains as big of a believer as ever in the power of theater.

“It’s there to obviously entertain,” he says, “but it’s also there to teach, to make people aware and form community.”

Acting has always been elemental for Cornell, who recently played Willy Loman in “Death of a Salesman” and is now taking on the role of shop owner in the musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” the final act in PlayMakers’ season running from April 9-27.

He watched his father perform in community theater growing up in western Pennsylvania, and the passion for acting was passed down to him. He embarked on a career that’s involved commercial gigs, stints acting at Disney World and aboard cruise ships and a move to Chapel Hill.

But teaching the craft he practices is just as important to Cornell. He joined Carolina’s faculty after earning his master’s here in 1998 and is now the dramatic art department’s associate chair, teaching courses on all levels of acting as well as beginning drama courses.

“When you learn how to do something, you should help others learn as well,” says Cornell, the son of two educators.

Cornell will retire from the faculty at the end of this semester but plans to continue acting at PlayMakers and will still teach occasionally.

He calls teaching a responsibility — but one that’s “exciting and fun.”

Students in Cornell’s advanced acting course pick scenes to perform by drawing randomly from a box. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Time for class

That much is clear as students in Cornell’s advanced acting class begin to arrive.

He cracks jokes with them before leading the group through an actor’s warmup, a routine that involves neck stretches and voice exercises.

Cornell and the students then perform a drill where they pace around the room before speaking up, one by one, and delivering lines they’ve memorized while everyone else freezes.

“Go before you’re ready,” he tells them, advising against perfectionism.

The day’s main task is to act out a scene from Shakespeare’s “Richard III” and the balcony scene from “Romeo and Juliet.”

This is where Cornell’s love for the fine details and interacting with students shines. He offers feedback on everything from what part of the body students use to breathe to the difference between a scene being “discovered” by an actor “rather than described.”

“He’s very approachable and just a kind and welcoming person to be around,” says sophomore Kristen Coleman, who played Lady Anne during the class’s “Richard III” scene.

Cornell observes students in his advanced acting course engage in a line-reciting drill. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Sharing the stage

Cornell’s first PlayMakers role was as Roderigo in “Othello” in 1995, and he enjoyed playing Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady” in 2017. The 2013 performance of “The Tempest,” in which he played Caliban, stands out because of the water-based set.

But a few roles remain memorable because of whom Cornell shared the stage with. Like the way Cornell discovered theater, his daughter Kira, a Carolina senior, grew up with a dad in acting.

Two years ago, PlayMakers put on “Hamlet,” with Cornell playing Polonius and Kira serving as the understudy for Ophelia, Polonius’ daughter. The actress playing Ophelia became sick, and Kira performed in her place five times. “Father and daughter got to play father and daughter on stage, which was a thrill,” Cornell says.

Earlier this year, Cornell took the stage with a former student in “Death of a Salesman,” as Allen Tedder ’14 returned to Carolina to perform the role of Loman’s son, Biff.

His acting and teaching worlds collided in the best way possible.

“To have a former student play that role with you on stage … it’s what we do,” Cornell says. “We teach, and then now we get to work as a peer.”

Cornell (right) shared the stage with a former student, Allen Tedder ’14 (left), earlier this year in “Death of a Salesman.” (Huth Photo)