Western Oregon’s David Janowiak named Theatre Department chair

David Janowiak is the new chair of the Department of Theatre, effective July 1. He comes to UNC Charlotte from Western Oregon University, where he has spent the past seven years as professor and chair of the Creative Arts Division, following 17 years leading the WOU Theatre Department.

Janowiak, a successful administrator and community builder, has orchestrated curricular revisions and development to keep departments and divisions dynamic and responsive to changing times and circumstances, including the development of Oregon’s second BFA pre-professional degree in theatre. In 2022, he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant to bring Spanish-language classical productions to the stage of the Valley Shakespeare Company.

Previously, Janowiak served as artistic director of the Spotlight Theatre Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for five seasons and was a founding member and artistic director of Salem Repertory Theatre (Oregon), where he produced more than 20 shows and directed and acted seasonally.

As a member of Actors’ Equity Association, he has worked at professional and regional theatres across the country and abroad. He has won numerous awards and accolades for his acting and directing, including Best of 1990 in Theatre Week Magazine for his performance in the title role of Dr. Faustus at the Pitman Theatre in Milwaukee.

On camera, Janowiak has appeared in several films and industrials, as well as print ads. He continues to work as a professional voice actor in films, commercials and industrials.

Janowiak’s 25-year academic career includes stints at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and Lakeland College in Plymouth, Wisconsin. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.