Theatre Faculty

KATHY POWDRELL
Theatre Director

FHS Musical Producer/Director
International Thespian Society Troupe 1084, Director
UIL One Act Play Director
Uil  Poetry Interpretation Sponsor
UIL Prose Interpretation Sponsor

Kathy Powdrell begins her 33^rd year in FISD.  During that time Kathy Powdrell has worked on 29 Musicals.  Powdrell, as UIL One-Act Play director has 13 appearances at the State Meet and Four UIL One-Act Play State Championships in 1996, 2004, 2007 and 2009.

Powdrell recently was nominated to Direct at the American High School Theatre Festival, at the Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland where Peer Gynt was presented in 2019.

Powdrell was the recipient of 2008 the UIL Sponsor Excellence Award, University of Texas Outstanding Teacher’s Award, the Lillian B. Rhodes Texas Exes outstanding Teacher award, Founders Award for Texas Educational Theatre Association, in 2008 she served as President Elect of TETA.  Powdrell was named FISD Secondary Teacher of the Year in 2017-18.   She and her husband Earle received the Grass Root Finn Buller’s Award Advocates of the Year for United Spinal Association 2018 in the United States Capital.

Kathy Powdrell is a Graduate of The University of Houston with a BS in Science from the College of Education.  Powdrell’s graduate studies in theatre include Lamar University and the University of Texas, Austin. Powdrell completed a Fellowship with the English Speaking Union at London’s Globe Theatre-Teaching Shakespeare through Performance.

In 2018 Powdrell, after 10 previous nominations, won Theatre Under the Stars, Tommy Tune Awards Best Director for The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Kathy Powdrell has mentored and taught throughout the State. This includes:  The University of Texas Summer Theatre Workshop (seven years), Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Camp on the Coast guest director (four years), UIL Super Conferences, Texas State University Summer Theatre program, Texas Thespian Conferences and mentors to Teacher Certification students from The University of Houston and St. Thomas University.  Kathy Powdrell helped create the Houston Shakespeare Conservatory for High School students with Steve Wallace of The Houston Shakespeare Festival.  Kathy Powdrell served as the associate director of The University of Texas Summer Theatre Workshop Conservatory with Dr. Lucien Douglas at the University of Texas, Austin.

Powdrell is perhaps most proud to be a Mustang Parent and Grandparent teaching three of her children and her two granddaughters. Powdrell has been a resident of Friendswood, Texas since 1979 where she and her late husband, Earle Powdrell, raised their four children. The Powdrells are a Mustang Family where their children were Mascots (three years) Varsity Football, Swim Team, Thespians, UIL One-Act Play, Band, Academic Decathlon, UIL Speech and Debate, Student Council and Girls Nation.

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AMY THORNTON

Technical Director
Mustang Follies Director
Haunted House Director

Amy R. Thornton received a B.A. in Theatre from McMurry University and an M.F.A. in Acting/Directing from Texas Tech University. She has taught at Texas Tech, Louisiana State, and Littlefield High School. This is her 18^th year at Friendswood High School. Amy has acted in over 40 plays and musicals. Directing experience includes Alice in Wonderland, The Good Doctor, The Music Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Our Town. Amy is a member/past member of TETA, TETAAO, SWTA, NETA, TCTA, and the International Thespian Society. Amy is married and has a son, Nelson, who is a Senior at FHS.