Recent News

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.

Alumnus Drew Paryzer (M.F.A. 2017) co-created SUPERFLUXUS, an interactive theatrical experience that is available online through June 30, 2020. The sci-fi adventure story takes players on a choose-as-you-go journey to the moon in the distant future. Paryzer and fellow creator Seth Bockley originally intended for the storyline to take shape as an immersive theatrical installation, but made a quick pivot when the pandemic forced their project online.  

The Hollywood Reporter recently interviewed Stranger Things actor Finn Wolfhard about working on Kirk Lynn's novel-turned-film Rules for Werewolves. Wolfard is set to reprise the role of "Bobert" in the upcoming film, which is an extension of the recently released short film of the same name. In the interview, he discussed themes of the story and Lynn's unique writing style for both the novel and screenplay. Wolfard also mentioned meeting Lynn, who he described as "an absolute genius from Texas" and "one of the best writers of our time."

Graduation is now behind us, but this year’s commencement and the final semester of many students’ college careers will be remembered for years to come. The resilience and diligence of our students when faced with unprecedented challenges has been nothing short of inspirational. Without the ability to honor these graduates in a usual commencement ceremony, programs within the Department of Theatre and Dance utilized new and creative ways to celebrate their seniors, including everything from car parades to socially distant yard processionals and Zoom celebrations.

The College of Fine Arts recently interviewed faculty member J.E. Johnson to discuss his experience moving his Digital Fabrication course online. Johnson discussed the challenge of adjusting curriculum for a class that is rooted in physically creating projects with resources including 3-D printers and laser cutters. He shared the ways he adapted the class's final assignment with inspiration from his child's marble run, inciting creative digital designs from his students that he then printed in his home studio.

Playwriting faculty member KJ Sanchez has been recognized for excellence in directing as a part of this year's Connecticut Critic's Circle Awards. The Connecticut Critic's Circle typically selects one honoree in each of multiple categories in order to highlight the Connecticut theatre scene. In the wake of shortened seasons due to the pandemic, they decided to broaden their award list, honoring multiple theatre artists in each category to acknowledge their superior artistic contributions through an unprecedented year. Sanchez was honored for her work with Quixote Nuevo, an adaptation of the classic Don Quixote, staged at Hartford Stage last fall.

During the 2019-2020 academic year, ten students received funding from the Fine Arts Diversity Committee for projects that supported diversity and inclusion. Though six of those projects were put on hold due to the pandemic, four were brought to fruition, including pieces by recent graduates Kendra S. Wiley (M.F.A. 2020) and Rebecca East (B.F.A. 2020) as well as current Ph.D. in Performance as Public Practice candidate Siri Gurudev (D.C. Hernandez). Their projects ranged from a non-binary dance piece to a production of Patrick Shaw's play Hamlettes to a performance piece critiquing gender violence across Latin American cultures.

Felicia Fitzpatrick (B.A. 2014) is hosting a TEDxBroadway Live Streaming Conversation on June 16, 2020. The talk, titled The Urgency of Change, will feature Jim Joseph, Dr. Desmond Upton Patton and Edward Poteat, three leaders in their fields who consistently advocate for diversity. Fitzpatrick, a TEDxBroadway Young Professional alum, will lead the conversation as a part of their series which asks the question, "What's the Best WE can be right now?" The series, which began as a response to the pandemic's impact on the theatre industry, is now address the topics of systemic racism and injustice in light of recent events.

Recent graduate Dan Caffrey (M.F.A. 2020) and M.F.A. in Playwriting candidate Jaymes Sanchez have been selected as finalists for the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center's National Playwrights Conference. Caffrey's play The Amphibians and Sanchez's play The Cucuy Will Find You are among the almost 60 submissions that have been narrowed down from over 1,200 applicants. They are now in the pool of plays from which six to eight applicants will be chosen for development and residencies at the O'Neill.

Austin360 recently sat down with faculty member and playwright Dr. Lisa B. Thompson (Single Black Female) to discuss the current fight for social justice as a part of their "What We Need to Hear" series. Thompson touched on the realities of life for black Americans, the art she has turned to for inspiration and comfort, the responses to racial injustices during a global pandemic and advice for her students on how they can stay true to their aspirations in a time filled with uncertainty.