The theater program is bringing veteran film, television, and stage actor Joe Grifasi to campus for a residency Thursday, November 15, through Saturday, November 17.

Grifasi earned an MFA degree in acting at the Yale School of Drama, where he has also taught. He will work with students in theater professor Roger Copeland’s ”Stage to Screen“ class, which is adapting the play Night Club for the screen. He also will lead workshops in acting for the camera.

Grifasi has had featured roles in some 60 films, including The Deerhunter, Natural Born Killers, Presumed Innocent, Changing Lanes, Batman Forever, and Moonstruck.

He also has been a series regular or made guest appearances on approximately 80 television shows, including The Bronx is Burning, Homicide, Law & Order – SVU, ER, Hope and Faith, and The Practice, and he has appeared in numerous plays on- and off- Broadway and in national and regional theaters. 

During the residency, Grifasi will present a free, public program Thursday, November 15, at 4:30 p.m. in Wilder 101. He will screen scenes from a number of his better-known films, and Copeland will interview him about his work on both screen and stage and take questions from the audience.