The College of Fine Arts recently spoke with Theatre and Dance lecturer and scenic art supervisor for Texas Performing Arts Karen Maness about how her Scenic Art and Figurative Painting class coped with the transition to online learning. Maness adjusted coursework to enable students to complete projects using materials they had access to at home. The class met virtually twice a week, once for lectures and again for group drawing and painting sessions, providing students with connections and familiarity during an unprecedented semester.

Earlier this summer, a group of UTeach Fine Arts students, alumni and faculty presented a session entitled "Social Emotional Learning (SEL) through the Fine Arts" at a summit for teachers hosted by the Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts. The group examined new ways to foster human connections through Zoom, providing examples of fun activities to engage with their K-12 students. Among the students and alumni who helped with the presentation, led by faculty member Roxanne Schroeder-Arce, were Nathan Tran (B.F.A. 2020), Juan Angel Leyva (B.F.A. 2020) and UTeach Theatre students Indya McKnight and Deja Criston.

This week (June 30 - July 5, 2020), Performance as Public Practice professor and head of the Oscar G. Brockett Center for Theatre History and Criticism Dr. Charlotte Canning will be at the helm of the "Tweeting Historians" Twitter page. Each week, one historian from around the globe is selected to present their research and foster discussions through the page, giving Twitter users a view into the minds of many brilliant researchers. Dr. Canning will serve as the first theatre historian to take over the page. 

The Conejo Players Theatre is currently preparing for a live stream performance of faculty member Steven Dietz's play Lonely Planet. Dietz's play explores the anxiety caused by the AIDS epidemic through the eyes of two gay men as they cope with the loss of friends in their community. The Conejo Players Theatre's production addresses themes of fear, loneliness and the importance of friendship, which have become especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. The California-based theatre company's production, filmed live on their stage each night, will run online from July 31-August 2, 2020.