--- title: Laurel Koerner date: 2022-02-02T16:21:00-06:00 author: Click Rain Admin canonical_url: "https://www.dordt.edu/people/laurel-koerner" section: People --- [ View Directory](https://www.dordt.edu/academics/faculty-information) ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/people/68a815a4115858e938d.jpg?mode=crop&pos=top-center&w=25&h=25&f=webp&c=af60b80e&v=2ea818201a668d841364094def2dcb7b7161337537e165dfb152762bb0999025) [Theatre Arts](https://www.dordt.edu/academics/faculty-information?department=theatre-arts) # Laurel Koerner Professor of Theatre Arts ![]() [712-722-6433](tel:712-722-6433) ![]() ![]() **Laurel Koerner** serves as a professor of theatre arts and as chair of the Theatre Arts Department. Before joining the faculty at Dordt, Koerner served as the Director of Theatre and Professor of Theatre at Tabor College, where she established their Theatre major and minor. Throughout her career, Koerner’s direction and designs for university theatre arts departments has received numerous accolades from the American College Theater Festival. Koerner’s areas of expertise include character work, voice & speech, physical acting, ensemble-based new work development, expressive reading of Scripture, directing, and design for theatre. Outside of the classroom, Koerner also contributes to Dordt’s campus life through her serving as the Theatre Club sponsor, student mentor, and Bible study small group leader. Koerner is dedicated to continuing her work in developing both novice and seasoned actors off campus as well. She offers workshops and serves as a regional production respondent with the American College Theatre Festival. She also coaches professional actors in audition preparation and dialect/speech work. **Education:** - BA, Graphic Design and Studio Art, Dordt University, 2006. - MA, Theatre History and Performance Theory, Bowling Green State University, 2008. - MFA, Acting, California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), 2012. --- ## Articles by Laurel Koerner [ ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/iat-brilliant-things2.jpg?mode=crop&pos=0.4895-0.6554&w=56&h=33&f=webp&c=0c65bd78&v=6f1e63821471c832c5e1ca8216c15c5c0c1e052c08c93f04c3dd53f232b14096) Essays Apr 07, 2026 ### Brilliant Things: Directing the Heart Toward Hope By Laurel Koerner How might the practice of paying attention to and naming the good in our lives direct our hearts toward hope? Read More ](https://www.dordt.edu/in-all-things/brilliant-things-directing-the-heart-toward-hope) [ ![](https://d3evso2dxyohou.cloudfront.net/generalUploads/iat-creating-conditions.jpg?mode=crop&pos=center-center&w=56&h=33&f=webp&c=0e631df7&v=ad7efab2a7b2ecfca84bb97d096a99fe6b9e21877b4185aab570df37ecdb4fec) Essays Sep 02, 2025 ### Creating the Conditions By Laurel Koerner Creativity is an innate part of being human, but it’s through presence, risk, and a willingness to play that creativity thrives. How might our creativity shift if we embraced the process rather than focus on the product? Read More ](https://www.dordt.edu/in-all-things/creating-the-conditions)