Broadway Veteran Michael Campayno is Director of Musical Theatre at Point Park University

Michael Campayno is a seasoned performer, educator and artistic leader with over a decade of experience shaping the future of theater while maintaining a prominent career in New York City. At Point Park, Campayno is also an artist in residence and director of musical theatre in the Conservatory of Performing Arts.

In the Q&A and video below, Campayno shares more about his background and what students can expect in his classes.

How does your industry experience influence how you teach?

I bring my lived experiences into the classroom so that my students understand the industry they are entering and how to operate within it. Some of my professional experiences include:

Prince Fiyero in "Wicked" on Broadway
Rolf in NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!" with Carrie Underwood
Originating my own role as Rob Camilletti in "The Cher Show," opposite Stephanie J. Block

Why should students choose the Department of Theatre?

Students should choose Point Park University's Department of Theatre because, as my manager always says, "this career is a marathon, it's not a sprint." Through professional connections and foundational techniques, Point Park ensures that students enter the industry with confidence and success.

Our goal in the theatre department is to cultivate and mentor the next generation of young artists who are not only going to participate in the industry but also lead the future of it: artists who define success for themselves, and artists who have the foundation to carry them from Broadway to television to commercials to film, and artists who never forget who they are or why they do what they love.

What is your teaching philosophy, and what can students expect in your classroom?

My teaching philosophy really doesn't come from the peak moments of my career. Rather, it comes from the moments when I needed to explore determination, perseverance and remind myself who I was. What makes you the most exciting artist is that technique flows through you — your opinions, your expressions and your experiences. Bringing those lessons into the classroom is invaluable for the students because they need to know what kind of industry they are going into and how to operate within it.

My classroom is a very hands-on laboratory. It's a safe space to fail, to explore a step-by-step process and to put theory on our feet.

What's the advantage of attending a university in Downtown Pittsburgh?

The advantage of attending an urban university is that Pittsburgh acts as a transitional city. It doesn't feel overwhelming like those bigger cities, but Pittsburgh still stays connected to pop culture and everything relevant in the industry.

What do you do in Pittsburgh for fun?

Some things I enjoy doing in Pittsburgh for fun are actually "typical Pittsburgh" things: watching the Steelers and using a lot of Heinz ketchup. I also like to learn words that we use in Pittsburgh that not everyone knows, like sweeper and gumband.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

At Point Park, art is essential. We create artists who will shape the future through storytelling. Start your story here.