Jay Hemphill is a third-year M.F.A actor at IU. Originally from the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Jay began his theatrical career at the University of Tennessee's Clarence Brown Theatre and Dollywood. An avid lover of sketch-comedy and musicals, he co-authored and starred in the original comedies Don We Now Our Gay Apparel and Don We Now MORE Gay Apparel. A self-proclaimed "History Nerd", Jay also interprets history at the Indiana Historical Society. Some of his favorite roles include Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby, Jack in The Open Hand, Emcee in Cabaret, Brandt in The Busy World is Hushed, Dr. Frank-n-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Martin Grey in The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?. Off-stage Jay plays proud papa to his two miniature schnauzers, Barkly and Tucker.
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The College of Arts