
Professor Thurman was a native of Lexington, Indiana. She earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Northwestern University. Thurman began her career teaching in public schools in Illinois and joined the Northwestern University faculty in 1971 as an associate professor of dramatic production. She was named a full professor in 1975. She retired from teaching in 1985.
In 2003, Professor Thurman received the Lifetime Achievement Medallion from the Children’s Theatre Foundation of America.


