When Dr. James Lile reads a book, all he sees is actors on a stage.

“Every once in a while I think maybe I should get a hobby,” said Lile, new assistant theatre professor.

Lile and his wife moved to Joplin three weeks ago to take the position Dr. Alex Pinkston left at the end of last semester. Lile taught previously at Texas A&M University-Commerce

A gray-haired man, Lile has quickly settled into his new responsibilities and is currently teaching Theatre Appreciation and directing a one act play opening Tuesday.

“Auditions started immediately after I got here,” he said. “Then production started immediately.”

Lile brings a refreshing enthusiasm to the theatre department and said he has been happy with the job and Missouri Southern.

Lile said one of the things that drew him to Southern was the theatre department’s willingness to question conventions and embrace creativity

“That kind of artistic freedom is welcoming,” he said.

Theater is Lile’s life and dominates both his thoughts and time. Because of this he said he has little time to delve into anything else. Sometimes Lile said he feels like he should branch out, but life is never boring for him as a theatre professor.

I wake up grateful every morning,” Lile said. “Theater is all that for me. How fortunate to have found that.”

Educational theater is Lile’s forte and the motivating goal for his life’s work. He said he is always trying to spark a lifelong passion for theater in his students.

“Providing opportunities for students to perform is what I like to do,” Lile said. “Because ultimately theater is so much more than doing plays; it’s a lifestyle.”

Lile prefers classical plays for his directing choices because he likes the grander scale of the passions, characters and conflicts involved in them.

Dr. Jay Fields, theatre department head, and other members of a committee chose Lile out of 75 applicants for the position.

“We needed someone to primarily do musicals,” Fields said. “We were trying to find a person who appreciated theater history and wanted to do period plays.”

Lile not only fit the qualifications with years of experience directing a musical every year, but, with his personality, he connected with other theatre professors.

“It was an easy conversation,” Fields said. “It was our first conversation, but it seemed like talking to an old friend.”

Fields said he is pleased with Lile’s performance thus far and thinks he will be an asset to the department both professionally and personally.

“He has a good sense of humor and personality and is never at a loss for words,” Fields said. “He always has something to say or something to add. It’s always good when someone has a good sense of humor. He’s serious enough for the job, but doesn’t take himself more seriously than other people do. He’s a very down to earth type of guy, and the first minute I saw him I thought he looks like a good guy.”

Lile enjoys the praise, but still simply gets up every morning grateful he has found his passion in life.

“If I ever can’t enjoy a rehearsal or someone else’s production, then I know it’s time to do something different, luckily that hasn’t happened yet,” he said.