From 1985 to 1997, Payson Burt served on the faculty of Temple University as their Stage Combat instructor and faculty Fight Director. Temple offers an undergraduate BA in Theatre/acting and a three-year MFA in acting.

Payson’s MFA program consisted of four full semesters of instruction culminating, at the end of the second year in an SAFD skills proficiency test, where in the last 6 years, his students enjoyed a 100% pass rate.

Payson instructed many actors who are now working consistently in Theatre, TV and Film. A partial list includes:
Tom Sizemore Jason George Kim Rhodes Danny Woodburn Eric Parham Robin Atkin Downs

“The years I spent teaching at Temple University were some of the most rewarding of my career. I started in 1985; during the formative years of my skills as a fight director, and always received full support and encouragement from the faculty and artists that I learned to respect during my years as an undergraduate.
In the MFA program, which consisted of 4 full semesters of instruction, I developed a very effective pedagogy; teaching talented students the craft from the very beginning, foundational techniques, with adequate time to get into the “nuts and bolts” of the work. This resulted in graduates who not only could perform an athletic event well, but possessed a fine process with which to make informed choices for any dramatic (or comic) situation”.

In 1997, as he was leaving the program to relocate in Los Angeles, the School of Communications and Theatre honored Payson when he was presented with their Outstanding Alumni Achievement Award in fight direction.

Photos from:	(click on any of these thumbnails)
1986 Season The Odyssey
1997 Season Macbeth

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