Five Questions: Dr. Denyse Lynde

Dr. Denyse Lynde began her university career at Queen’s where she completed a B.A. with honours in English and Drama, before moving on to pursue both and M.A. and a PhD at the University of Toronto’s Graduate Centre for the Study of Drama. She has been teaching at Memorial since the mid-1980s.


1. What was your best grad school experience?

Well I had many. At the top of the list would be directing main stage plays at Hart House Theatre. With a full professional team and amazing pool of talented actors, I spent several years in theatre heaven as I completed my Ph.D.


2. What was your worst grad school experience?

There really weren't many but during the first two years of my Ph.D. I was a Don at one of the University's undergraduate colleges. Kinda combination role as big sister, cop and God....not much fun. Resident food was pretty awful too. I also really disliked teaching Engineers English. They felt the same about me.


3. What was the place outside your home/apartment where you spent the most time?

Two places - the library or the theatre


4. What text/book did you do in grad school that you never, ever want to encounter again?

Dukore's Dramatic Theory and Criticism


5. What was your grad school comfort food?

Not really a comfort food kinda person. Loved eating at small ethnic restaurants on Bloor Street. For comfort, a bunch of us would meet at the Grad pub and bitch and bitch and bitch.