After earning a B.S. in Education in Speech and Theatre at (then) Southwest Missouri StateUniversity, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Theatre Arts at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Professor Robert (“Rob”) W. Dillon, Jr. came to Southeast in 1989.  Rob has acted for The Park Central Players, The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival and on the stages ofSouthwest Missouri State University, The University of Missouri-Columbia and Southeast Missouri StateUniversity. He also has acted professionally in a number of industrial, commercial and educational video productions. Rob has directed and fight directed many productions over the years and continues to direct in the department’s regular season once or twice each year.

Rob is a regular contributor to The Fight Master, the professional journal of the Society of American Fight Directors, and has published many scholarly and popular articles on theatre, stage combat and Japanese martial culture.

Rob has taught acting, stage combat, theatre history and script analysis at Southeast since 1989.  Rob takes particular pride in the ongoing development of the stage combat program at Southeastᾰa program unlike any other in the southeast Missouri region, the state or even the nation.  Besides teaching two courses, Combat I and II, along with Department Chair Kenn Stilson, Rob maintains a continuously growing world class armory, and the best safety and training equipment money can buy.