Recent News

Charles O. Anderson, head of dance, was recently recognized as one of the 2017/18 Creation and Development Fund recipients by the National Performance Network for his project (Re)current Unrest which explores African American cultural and historical experience through a multi-media dance piece. 

Poor Boys’ Chorus by Brian Kettler (M.F.A. 2015) is one of 20 plays selected from more than 200 submissions to be a part of Broadway Bound Theatre Festival’s inaugural season in New York City this August.

An informal affiliation of local arts critics have recognized the year's most exceptional achievements in dance, classical music, visual arts and theatre. The Department of Theatre and Dance productions, students, faculty, alumni and friends are well represented on this year's list of nominations. Texas Theatre and Dance's In the Red and Brown Water and Momentum were both recognized as part of this year's list. 

Acting lecturer Quetta Carpenter was named the recipient of the 2017 Department of Theatre and Dance Teaching Award for her contributions to the department and her work in the classroom. 

Faculty member Sven Ortel along with current students Lacey Erb and Alex Gendel join the design team of the Broadway-bound Roman Holiday - The Cole Porter Musical, starring Stephanie Styles, Drew Gehlind, Jarrod Spector and Georgia Engel and opens in San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre this summer. 

Anderson’s contributions as an educator and artist were formally recognized at the College of Fine Arts 2017 spring commencement ceremony. He will receive a monetary prize and is invited to present the keynote address for the 2017 winter College of Fine Arts commencement.

Sofia Aranha (current student) and Jacqueline Heimel (M.F.A. 2017) recently received the university's Roy Crane Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts. Recognizing their work in the performing arts, the monetary award celebrates Aranha's choreography (Dil Se Re and Swadesh: One's Own Country) and Heimel's creation, "Randy the Rooster."

J. Quinton Johnson, alumnus of the department, will star as "Marco" in ABC's Dirty Dancing (May 24, 2017). Johnson can also be seen as "Hercules Mulligan/James Madison" in the Broadway smash-hit Hamilton.