Dr. Brant Pope, currently head of the Department of Theatre at The University of Illinois, has been appointed chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at The University of Texas at Austin, effective June 1, 2010. Pope has also been appointed as holder of the Z.T. Scott Family Chair in Drama in the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Theatre and Dance alumnus Kevin Adams (B.F.A. in Theatrical Design, 1984) won a Tony Award for “Best Lighting Design of a Musical” for his design of American Idiot. The award marks a third-career win for Adams.
In Austin to deliver the commencement speech at the university-wide ceremony, award-winning actor and Department of Theatre and Dance alumna, Marcia Gay Harden visited her alma mater to lead an intensive acting workshop with selected participants from the Department of Theatre and Dance.
Originally presented as part of the 2009 University Co-op Presents the Cohen New Works Festival and remounted as an ENCORE in the fall, The Psyche Project makes a return engagement as re: Psyche, June 23 - July 18, 2010 at the BLUE Theatre.
For the 18th year, an informal affiliation of local arts critics has recognized the year's most exceptional achievements in dance, classical music, the visual arts, and theatre. Department of Theatre and Dance productions, students, faculty, alumni and friends are well represented on this year's list with nearly 40 nominations.
Todd Lowe (B.F.A. '99) plays “Terry Bellefleur” for a third season in the hit vampire drama while Kevin Alejandro (B.F.A., Attended '95 – '99) joins the cast as “Jesus”, a character expected to appear in nearly every episode of the season.
Theatre and Dance alumnus Robert Schenkkan (B.F.A. in Drama, 1975) received two Emmy Award nominations for Best Writing, Miniseries for his work on The Pacific. The World War II drama tracks the intertwined real-life journeys of three U.S. Marines across the vast canvas of the Pacific Theater. The Pacific received a total of 24 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Miniseries.
Faculty members Franchelle Dorn and Andrea Beckham of The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance are among the recipients from throughout The University of Texas System who have been presented the Board of Regents' Outstanding Teaching Awards.
In Prague to complete her studies in photojournalism, recent graduate J Elissa Marshall rounded out her European adventure with a trip to Spain to perform with El Colegio del Cuerpo in the International Festival of Music of Dance of Granada.
