Madeleine Martin, an assistant director of performance at Florida State University’s School of Theatre, has built a career that spans acting on Broadway, television, and animation. Now teaching in FSU’s College of Fine Arts, Martin draws from her varied experiences to mentor students in the nationally recognized theatre program.
Martin’s early interest in performance began with puppet shows as a child. Reflecting on her journey, she said: “I fell in love with the premise first, and then doing my own puppet shows. There’s a quote by C.S. Lewis that says, ‘Reason gets us to truth, but imagination gets you to a meaning.’ My father was a philosophy professor, and I think I’ve always been interested in how we can lead a meaningful life. I find that the artistic creations are one way I have any choice in life.”
Her professional credits include roles on Emmy Award-winning television series and work as a voice actor for animated productions. She has appeared in shows such as “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Hemlock Grove,” and “Criminal Minds.” Most recently, Martin voiced the lead character Fionna Campbell in HBO Max’s animated series “Fionna & Cake.”
Discussing her connection to both acting and teaching, Martin said: “I started in theater, and that was always my first love. Then I somehow fell into animation and television. But one unifying thread has always been that sense of artistic community and belonging. I think it’s my favorite part of acting and teaching – they both fuel each other.”
She describes her latest role as particularly rewarding: “Fionna is honestly my favorite character I’ve ever played,” Martin said. “She’s somebody who thrives on adventure and jumping into challenges and has a keen sense of that code of honor that she operates by. It’s been such a rich character to play.”
Martin will join fellow cast members at New York Comic Con from Oct. 9-12 to participate in a panel about the show—a significant event for fans of animation culture.
“Comic Con has kind of been my dream since I started working in animation,” Martin said. “It’s such a festival of the imagination, and the support of the artistic community. To be up there with the castmates and the creators of the show…It’s something I’m really excited about.”
“Comic Con has kind of been my dream since I started working in animation. It’s such a festival of the imagination, and the support of the artistic community.”
– Madeleine Martin, Assistant Director of Performance
Martin holds an MFA degree from York University in Toronto before joining FSU as faculty. Her research focuses on vocal coaching methods developed by Kristen Linklater—particularly how reducing physical tension can enhance vocal expression for actors.
“For example, what goes into voicing a squirrel?” she asked students during class discussions about voiceover psychology.
Addressing perceptions about academic research at universities like FSU—which often focus on scientific fields—Martin noted: “When people think of a university and research, you think of the sciences,” she said. “How cool is that to see the artistic side of research and how important it is to what you might do as an actor?”
As someone familiar with academic environments through her parents’ careers as professors, Martin finds satisfaction mentoring young adults exploring their identities.
“I was always crazy about John Hughes movies and how he was really interested in people at that age in life where they’re 18 to 22 years old,” she added. “Who am I going to be and where do I belong and what’s going to be important to me?
“That’s the most exciting part of teaching. Being around people at that age and being alongside them while they’re figuring out where they want to go.”
