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Peter Bloedel, Professor for the Theatre Department, in front of a gray mottled background.

Peter Bloedel

Professor
Department: Theatre Department
Phone: 507-344-7369
Office Location: Ylvisaker Fine Arts Center 208
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Education

  • A.A. from Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, MN
  • B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
  • M.A. from Minnesota State University – Mankato, Mankato, MN

Academic Interests

  • Play Directing
  • Playwriting
  • Creativity Theory
  • Scenic Design for Theatre

Professional Memberships

Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

Awards

Awards from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival:

  • Achievement in Directing for the play “Jam Jar Sonnets” in 2010
  • Achievement in Playwriting for the play “Jam Jar Sonnets” in 2010
  • Achievement in Original Music for the play “Jam Jar Sonnets” in 2010
  • “Jam Jar Sonnets” was selected, out of hundreds of school’s productions, to be remounted in Overland Park, Kansas for two performances at the 2010 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
  • “Jam Jar Sonnets” was subsequently awarded “The Golden Handtruck” award for best load-in and load-out of the festival in 2010.
  • Achievement in Scenic Design for the play “Peter Pan” in 2012
  • Achievement in Scenic Design for the play “Leveling Up” in 2015
  • “Leveling Up” was also selected out of hundreds of school’s productions to be remounted in Bloomington, Minnesota, for two performances at the 2015 College Theatre Festival
  • “Leveling Up” was subsequently awarded “The Golden Handtruck” award for best load-in and load-out of the festival in 2010.
  • Achievement in Scenic Design for the play “Icehouse” in 2016
  • Achievement in Ensemble Acting for the play “Icehouse” in 2016
  • In the winter of 2019, BLC Theatre was invited to the Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival to perform selected scenes from “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in Sioux Falls, SD
  • Achievement in Ensemble Work for the play “Pinocchio” in 2022
  • Achievement in Directing for the play “Pinocchio” in 2022
  • Achievement in Puppetry for the play “Pinocchio” in 2022
  • Achievement in Scenic Design for the play “Antigone” in 2023
  • Achievement in Directing for the play “Pride and Prejudice” 2024
  • Achievement in Ensemble Acting for the play “Pride and Prejudice” in 2024
  • Achievement in Directing for the play “What Child is This?” in 2024
  • Achievement in Ensemble Acting for the play “What Child is This?” in 2024
  • Achievement in Playwriting for the play “What Child is This?” in 2024

Synod Recognition:

  • In 2022 was given a life-time membership to the Lutheran Youth Association (LYA) for being an 18 year member of the board and for service to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s youth.

Service

  • Served on the Board of Education for Mount Olive Lutheran School for 6 years.
  • Served as a delegate for Mount Olive Lutheran Church to Minnesota Valley High School for 6 years.
  • Served 18 years on the Evangelical Lutheran Synod’s Board for Youth Outreach.
  • Organized and hosted 2 Lutheran Youth Association Rallies for the Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
  • Serves as the Master Ceremonies for the Options for Women Gala in the Greater Mankato Area.
  • Regular play director and former developer for Theatre Bible School, Mount Olive Lutheran Church

Presentations/Publications

Written and recorded songs on 4 albums (album titles: The Divers, Water, Walkies in the Park, Where You Are Now) with the Mankato based acoustic band “The Divers.”

Plays written/published:

  • “The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet”
  • “The Rules of Comedy”
  • “A Play with Words”
  • “Icehouse Madrigals”
  • “Icehouse”
  • “One-Act Rhymes for Bible Times”
  • “Jam Jar Sonnets”
  • “A Seussified Christmas Carol”
  • “Life Coach”
  • “The Seussification of A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
  • “The Distracted Scholar’s Guide to Literature and Drama”
  • “A Christmas Carol” (an original adaptation from the novella by Charles Dickens)
  • “A Seussified Pride and Prejudice”
  • “Aboveboard” (co-written with Emily Kimball)
  • “The Kev Burger” (published in a compendium of scary plays called “Scared Silly” by Playscripts, Inc.
  • “The Hallmarks of Horror”
  • “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” an original adaptation of the Washington Irving story, written with Hans Bloedel
  • “The Art of Being Vague”
  • “Rules for Rom Coms”
  • “The Adventures of Pinocchio” an original adaptation from the Carlo Collodi story, written with Hans Bloedel
  • “What Child is This?”

Presentation Opportunities of note:

  • For 10 years a regular presenter at the Minnesota Gathering of Champions at the Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
  • Two time keynote speaker for The Young Writers’ Conference
  • Keynote speaker for The Young Artists’ Conference, 2023
  • Regular presenter for the Lutheran Youth Association
  • Keynote speaker for the 2023 Lutheran Youth Association in Chicago
  • 2021 Master of Ceremonies for The Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge, Mankato, MN
  • Seven year Master of Ceremonies for The Options for Women Gala, Mankato, MN
  • Has performed thousands of times before live audiences as an entertainer in the realms of music, variety arts, acting and comedy.

Presentations:

  • “Creative Word-Play in Writing”
  • “Bethany Series in Scholarship – Icehouse Madrigals”
  • “Bethany Series in Scholarship – Jam Jar Sonnets”
  • “Creativity and the Dumb Question”
  • “Deception, Suggestion, and Influence”
  • “The Dangers of Following Your Heart”
  • “Motivations to Pray”
  • “Announcing a New Play: What Child is This?”
  • “Our Justified Identity”

Teaching Philosophy

Bloedel appreciates being able to teach at a college like Bethany where a Christ-centered approach is at the very heart of the curriculum. In his classes, students can expect to examine all things through the lens of Christ. As an artist Bloedel holds Philippians 4:8 as his mission statement, which reads:

…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things

Biography

Bloedel has worked in the Theatre Department at Bethany Lutheran College since 1991. He is the originator of Bethany’s annual vaudeville revue “Theatre Physics” which celebrated 30 years in 2023. He is one of the founding members of the eclectic music group “The Divers” and has written songs for the band as well as for BLC theatre productions. Bloedel has written many original, full-length plays including the Minnesota based comedy “Icehouse Madrigals”, and “Jam Jar Sonnets” (published by Playscripts Inc.). Other published plays by Bloedel include: “The Seussification of A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “One-Act Rhymes for Bible Times,” “A Seussified Christmas Carol,” “A Play With Words,” “The Rules of Comedy,” “Aboveboard” (with Emily Kimball), and the popular favorite – “The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet.” Bloedel has also co-written rhyming stage adaptations of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Pinocchio” with his son Hans. His most recent play is a dramatic treatment of the nativity story entitled “What Child is This?” Bloedel’s plays have enjoyed nearly 9500 performances worldwide.

Hobbies/Interests

  • Making and writing music / singing, playing guitar, mandolin, harmonica,
  • Creating Youtube Videos
  • Juggling/Circus Arts
  • Magic/Illusion