Dorothy Runk Mennen

Dorothy Runk Mennen (July 17, 1915 – February 20, 2011) was a pioneer in the creation of a voice curriculum for the university training of theatre actors and professional performers. She was also a prolific author regarding the training of the voice and Professor Emerita of Theatre at Purdue University.

Education and early teaching After spending her early life in Ohio, Mennen received her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech from Kent State University in 1938, and received the Honorary Cardinal Key from the National Activities Society for Women for her participation in extracurricular activities. She then taught high school English in Twinsburg, Ohio for 5 years.

Teaching at Purdue University After receiving a MA in Theatre from Purdue University in 1964, Mennen taught at Purdue in the Theatre program as the voice teacher for both candidates in the Professional Acting program (graduate) and undergraduate theatre majors from 1964 to 2001. She developed the original voice curriculum for their MFA training for actors "from the ground up", where she was also the vocal director for their musicals, serving for over 70 productions. part of the editorial board for Marian E. Hampton's The Vocal Vision: Views on Voice, and associate editor of Singing for Standard Speech and other Contemporary Issues in Voice. She also served as an editor for the Voice and Speech Review.

Voice and Speech Trainers Association Mennen was the founding president of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association (VASTA) in 1986, which became an international organization because of her efforts. Mennen continued as a vital member of the VASTA board for twenty years after her retirement. She also served on the board of the Indiana chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and was a member of the Voice Foundation.

A letter to the faculty reads, "Perhaps because my family lived here...I knew this was where I would be. I always saw the faculty and staff as a gestalt. it was our personal responsibility to make each one not only look good, but be good as artists and teachers. It was important to make the Theatre live up to its potential with the university and the students. To me, this meant being a part of the university as a whole and to serve it."

Lifetime Distinguished Member of VASTA Mennen is featured as a Lifetime Distinguished Member of VASTA, honoring "individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of Voice & Speech. In recognition of their achievements, they are given an honorary membership." Mennen joins a group of pioneers in voice training, including Frankie Armstrong, Cicely Berry, Arthur Lessac, Kristin Linklater, and Patsy Rodenburg.

Purdue Legacy Award On October 1, 2010, Mennen was inducted as a Purdue Legacy recipient for her contributions to Purdue Theatre.

Personal life She married Harold Mennen in 1943. After he returned from military service, they moved to West Lafayette, Indiana. After her retirement from Purdue, Mennen moved with her husband to Owosso, Michigan, where she lived until her death.