Michael J. Vetere III, Ed.D. is the Artistic Director for Suspended Belief Theatre, an educationally focused puppet-arts theatre company in Bloomington, IL. He is also Professor of Creative Drama and Puppetry at Illinois State University (ISU) in Normal, IL. as well as the Web Designer & Social Media Director for the Association of Teacher Educators.
He received his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from Illinois State University, a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) from Virginia Commonwealth University in Theatre Pedagogy, and his Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) from West Virginia University in Creative Dramatics, Puppetry, and Youth Theatre. He has taught and directed creative dramatics and puppetry programs in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the DC area.
Several of Michael's performing and teaching credits include The Puppet Co., Spectrum Puppets, Milwaukee Rep, and Bread and Puppet Theatre. He has trained at the Sandglass Theatre Puppet Intensive, Marlboro, VT; Banff Puppetry Intensive with Olde Trout Puppet Theatre, Banff, AB; and with Puppetry in Prague Workshop, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Vetere is a published author and has presented at state, regional, and national conferences on various topics including creative dramatics, puppetry, and youth theatre. Currently, he directs the ISU Saturday Creative Drama program for youth grades kindergarten through grade six. He has also been awarded the ISU College of Fine Arts Outstanding Teaching Award.
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