Recent News

The Department of Theatre and Dance is thrilled to welcome a number of new tenure and tenure-track faculty members this academic year. Among the artists and academics joining the department are two Expanding Approaches to American Arts scholars, Virginia Grise in the Playwriting/Directing area and Luke Williams in the Performance as Public Practice area. Sinclair Emoghene also joins the department in the Dance area, while Kate Freer returns to the UT Live Design and Production area as an assistant professor. 

From conferences and productions to intensives and fellowships, find out some of the ways UT Theatre and Dance artists have shared their talents beyond the Winship Drama Building in our final roundup of summer projects for 2024.

Texas Theatre and Dance is pleased to announce Virginia Grise will be joining the department in the Fall of 2024 as an Assistant Professor in Playwriting and Directing and Expanding Approaches to American Arts at the College of Fine Arts. 

Current student Demian Chavez Galvan and their theatre company Teatro Sin Fronteras presented Soldadera, a mariachi musical for young audiences here in Austin and in El Paso during the summer months. The musical, written by Chavez Galvan and originally performed during The Cohen New Works Festival (2023), featured work by multiple UT Theatre and Dance artists. 

Hinge Baby, written by alum Danny Tejera (M.F.A. 2020) and Tatiana Pandiani, was selected for Lucille Lortel Theatre's Alcove New Play Development Program. They're joining a cohort of fellow playwrights writing works that address the climate crisis and imagine possible futures beyond our current times.

We spoke with current students Esmeralda Treviño, Dominic Gross and Kira Small, alumni Sophie Anne Miller and Nya Garner and faculty members Corey Allen and Nanette Acosta about their experiences performing, designing and directing for Illinois Shakespeare Festival's 2024 summer season. 

Jaymes Sanchez (M.F.A. 2022) and KJ Sanchez (faculty) will both participate in one of The Orchard Project's various new work labs. Jaymes Sanchez will participate in the 2024-2025 Greenhouse Lab, while KJ Sanchez joins their Writers in Residence for their 2024 Performance Lab.