Chatting with Charney
A few words from Director Mark Charney
  
Dr. Mark Charney, Director
The School of Theatre and Dance has been throwing around the word partnership for going on six years now, so it seems appropriate for me to share with you our idea, not only of how we define the word, but also how this word impacts our faculty, students, and, yeah, you--our audiences and our supporters.
 
If you are a wordsmith, you know that the very idea of "partnering" has positive connotations, especially implying an alliance, community. Our areas of theatre and dance take this seriously because we look for many levels of support. The most pressing need for most arts organizations in 2018 may be financial, so donors and supporters become partners of a sort, investing in our program so that it has the means of advancing. And, yeah, we'd LOVE your help, always, but that's not the subject of this column.
 
For us, at TTU, the word means much more. On the local level, we like to think of Lubbock as our campus, which means that we reach out into the community to help fill a need. Our Theatre and Dance in the Community class strives to find the most appropriate community partners, be it Covenant Children's Hospital, Guadalupe Somerville Parkway, Ervin Elementary School, Atkins Middle School, or the Burkhart Center. With these partnerships, we ask our students to share their particular skill sets in theatre and dance with organizations that we believe would profit from such an association. As you probably know, every one of our students spends a semester working for local organizations, and each has learned that theatre and dance isn't only personal but exists to be shared and to transform our environment.
 
Although I will address this in more detail in forthcoming newsletters, this affection for and work with the community has led us to devote next season to site-specific and found spaces; in other words, we are going to ask our patrons to join us for a season not in our theatre spaces, but at the Nissan Parking Lot, St. Johns Church, the Equestrian Center, the Ranching Heritage Center, and possibly the Museum, to name a few locations. When our Marketing Director, Cory Norman, and I were exploring location opportunities, almost every site welcomed us, hopeful for the promise of a future partnership so that this season-in-the-community is not a one-time event (another reason I love Lubbock). And we often partner with Lubbock Community Theatre, run beautifully by Jay Brown, as with their production of A Raisin in the Sun and ours of Clybourne Park.
 
Partnership for us extends past the local as well. For example, we are partnering with Atkins Middle School to produce a professional production of Lorca's Doña Rosita, taking five 11- and 12-year olds outside of Lubbock to the Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, MA (for many, their first time out of the city). They will meet international artists, see plays, learn theatre professionally, and explore the world outside of Lubbock. We are also partnering with the Academy of Performing Arts in Hong Kong, which is sending 5-8 of their students to our WildWind Performance Lab immersive theatre program in June, and exploring a co-production with Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey. And we recently took students to the University of Sharjah outside of Dubai, and will again next Feb, to participate in an international theatre festival.
 
Noel Zahler, our Dean, encourages these national and international partnerships for a number of reasons. First, it introduces our students and faculty to how other cultures approach performance and education. Second, it shares with these countries our aesthetic and unique, innovative ideas. Third, it bridges gaps in everything from simple methods of living to political, social, gender and economic philosophies. And, fourth, it gives our students access to mentors from around the world, some professional, some educational, making their journeys towards their professional life a bit less stressful and broadening the choices they have.
 
If you think about it, our programs in Prague, Marfa, and, yeah, even at home with WildWind Performance Lab are partnerships of a sort. Prague offers untold explorations of art in a different country; Marfa encourages students to use the environment to create art; and WildWind brings to Lubbock 18 professionals who partner with TTU to take our students to the next level, to share their expertise in very real ways.
 
Theatre and dance are, by their very nature, collaborative, and this idea of partnerships is another way of collaborating with a variety of cultures, aesthetics, and ideologies. By balancing our education in the classroom with such rich partnerships, we trust our students will better understand the community and the world, thus proving our slogan: "From Here, It's Possible."

On Pointe with Charlotte
A few words from Head of Dance Charlotte Boye-Christensen
 
Charlotte Boye-Christensen
Last week, we were fortunate to have New York based Parijat Desai visit our program. She taught ten classes for both Dance and Theatre students and additionally gave a lecture demonstration at LHUCA on Saturday, March 24th, accompanied by Seth Warren-Crow. It was a wonderful experience for our students to be exposed to a style that is very different from what they are used to. Parijat's fusing of traditional Indian Bharatnatyam principles with contemporary dance was a unique artistic approach. It was exciting to see how she retained the gestural specificity and rhythmical clarity of these principles and re-interpreted them in a contemporary format. It was inspiring to gain some insight into the history and meaning of Bharatnatyam. She also touched on her site-specific work, which included a work inspired by and created at the Le Corbusier building in Ahmedabad as well as at Indian Islamic architectural sites in other parts of India. For our students to see such rich ways of interpreting space both from historical, cultural, societal but also from architectural perspectives (light, angles, levels) was a great way to start exploring next year's site-specific season and how some of these methods might be implemented in our students approach to space.
 
During Spring break, Professors Genevieve Durham DeCesaro and Kyla Olson sponsored 18 undergraduate dance and theatre majors and minors at the annual American College Dance Association Conference, held this year at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.  At the conference, 14 of the 18 student attendees performed in original student and guest artist choreography. We were thrilled to feature pieces choreographed by undergraduate students Amelia Famularo and Tyra Bradford and by guest artist Travis Prokop. Our students participated in over 90 individual classes and workshops, enjoyed eight fully produced concerts, and connected with colleagues in university dance programs across the state. And, last but not least, t he students came back feeling inspired and motivated. 
 
Amelia Famularo wrote: This conference is a spectacular and eye-opening experience that I am extremely grateful I have had the opportunity to experience for the past three years. 
 
Tyra Bradford wrote: American College Dance Association conference was truly a life changing experience, I feel as though I have grown as an artist by being surrounded by other artists in various stages of their career. I had the opportunity to receive feedback on my choreographic work "Senseless Control", which furthers my understanding of intent behind movement choices.
 
Thank you to Texas Tech University for providing an opportunity for faculty and students to attend this educational conference, and congratulations to the student choreographers and performers who represented the Dance program so well at the regional level.
a2ru: Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities 
From February 15-18, students from Texas Tech converged on Louisiana State University for the 2018 a2ru Emerging Creatives Student Summit. We sat down with 1st Year MFA P&P student Alex Webster to find out more.
 
Alex Webster
Who are you?
I'm Alex Webster, and I'm a first year MFA Performance and Pedagogy student! I'm at Texas Tech because I believe that the intense training and expectations matched with the genuine interest in students leads to incredible student development. Coming to a tier one research university as a performance student, I was a bit nervous about the research component of a graduate degree. Once I received information about the Arts in Alliance at Research Universities (a2ru) conference, I knew that this was my way in!   
 
What is a2ru?
a2ru is an organization which offers interdisciplinary research opportunities in an applied learning style. Students across the country were accepted to attend the 2018 Creative Summit to study "Spectacle: The Collective Experience" through artistic, scientific, and interdisciplinary lenses. I met students and faculty in both art and scientific disciplines to study how spectacle is viewed in both art and science. Studying the cultural bonding aspects of Mardi Gras festivals on the same day as attending The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory allowed me to view my art and creation process with a scientific lens.

Graduate students at a2ru
Graduate students at a2ru
What sort of interdisciplinary connections and work did you do while at the convention?
My collaborative research for the conference was "The Spectacle of Identification," which I processed with engineers, physicists, and visual artists. Focusing on creating common language, developing our topic with an interdisciplinary approach, and creating both a process and a product which required audience involvement has required me to evaluate my creative process as a theatre-maker and understand that there are many other avenues to explore. I'm excited to be submitting research for the national a2ru conference this Fall, which has stemmed from the Creative Summit. 
 
How will your attendance at a2ru affect your coursework at Texas Tech?
Quite a few of my peers attended the conference with me, and we were encouraged by our TTU faculty to bring back our experience to our coursework and integrate it into our learning. The mission of our department beckons us to integrate the practical and the scholarly, and a2ru's Creative Summit allowed me to do just that. 
 
KCACTF Review

Jennifer Ezell
The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF) celebrates the artistic work of university and college programs. The Kennedy Center, through the regional festivals, provides a platform to display new student-driven work in all areas of theatre and for students to receive feedback from experts in each field. Students can also participate in workshops to gain new skills, talk about current issues in theatre, or learn about specific projects in theatre. For example, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Shakespeare Beyond Bars have had workshops in the past. We talked with Jennifer Ezell, who presented at this year's festival.


Who are you?
Jennifer Ezell, PhD student. I chose Tech because our department has a unique program, which allows graduate students to develop equally as artists and scholars. Texas Tech is also an academically rigorous university, which is very important to me at this point in my scholarship and career.
 
How were you involved with KCACTF this year?
I've been involved with Region VI since my undergrad, and I love seeing how our region has grown and continues to challenge itself. This year I participated in the Institute for Theatre Journalism and Advocacy (ITJA), led two workshops on advanced Meisner technique, and co-led a workshop (with Jacob Henry and Bill West-Davis) on collaboration and communication in theatre production. 
 
What advice would you give future KCACTF participants?
If you have the chance to work with Andy Propst, take it! He will challenge you to rethink theatre journalism, theatre advocacy, and your own place in theatre. He's an amazing connection to the world of theatre journalism and advocacy, and I didn't expect to leave feeling like I could email for more advice - but, that's exactly what he encourages! I also challenge everyone to go to workshops, stay for talkbacks, eat lunch with new people, and generally get to meet other artists at KCACTF. Every year I meet students and faculty from other universities whose work inspires me, and those connections live on through social media, USITT, and other festivals. 
 
 
How has KCACTF affected your scholarly work?
Andy Propst encouraged me to the think of writing journalism and reviews as an extension of my art AND my scholarly training. That note immediately changed how I think about my "writing voice." Also, Emily Huegatter's workshop on the  TIPS System  for director-actor communication reformed how I communicate with actors, and I've used the materials from her workshop in every rehearsal since then.
 
Did KCACTF have any unexpected effects?
I think my relationship with other artists in the department is much stronger than before. In some ways, being a first year PhD student means you are in a different academic circle than the MFA students and undergrads. KCACTF forced us into the same creative spaces and living spaces for a week, and I learned that we share a lot of the same passions and concerns for the future of theatre. Conversations that started as responses to specific productions or workshops have continued back at Tech, and I'm excited to continue to grow those artistic relationships and new friendships.

Alumnus Spotlight - Scott Gryder 

Scott Gryder
Texas Tech Alumnus Scott Gryder has been cast in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Lyric Opera in Chicago this spring. Scott took some time from his busy schedule to answer some questions for us.

Who are you, and what is your relationship to Texas Tech?
Being a born 'n raised West Texan from Brownfield, TX, TTU was a great fit for getting a college education. I received my BA in Theatre in 2005.  Along with getting to perform some exciting roles in mainstage productions (Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors and Louis in Angels in America;" just to name a few), I got a well-rounded theatrical education in both technique and design. AND, when it comes to dancing,...as "an actor who moves well," I was trained by 3 master dance teachers:  Galina Panova, Genevieve Durham, Dr. Lorraine Person.  We worked through jazz, modern, and musical theater dance styles, and with their incredible skill and gobs of encouragement, I feel as if I left TTU's Theatre Department as a true triple threat.

What is your involvement with Jesus Christ Superstar,  and how did you get involved with Lyric?

I've been cast in the role of Singing Ensemble for JCS, so I'll be in every performance, but I'm also understudying two principle roles: Annas, one of the High Priests, and King Herod! Thanks to being signed with Lily's Talent in Chicago, I had access to online audition opportunities at ActorsAccess.com, and that's where I submitted to audition for their production of JCS. After several rounds of auditions, including a Director's Session with the creative team, I was offered these roles!

How has TTU prepared you for a professional life outside of Lubbock?
TTU gave me confidence in my skills as an actor/singer/dancer. I went out into the professional entertainment world knowing my strengths and abilities and having a nice breadth of experience under my dancebelt. Not only that, with fellow TTU alumnus Jimmy Odom based in Chicago as a long-time chorus member of Lyric, I've always felt a comforting connection to home.

What has been the most challenging/rewarding aspects of working on this particular production?
We start rehearsals for JCS on Monday, April 2, but the challenge so far has been to start learning 3 roles at once on my own: ensemble singer and double understudy: Annas & Herod.

If you could offer one piece of advice to current TTU Theatre and Dance students, what would it be?
Perform as much as you can: in musicals, plays, and concerts/cabarets. Your rep will grow, and you'll learn a lot about the entertainment world and yourself; especially how you fit into it and where you'd like to be. Also, keep training. There is always a skill to be honed or special skill to be discovered (puppetry, ukulele, voice over, etc). And, lastly and most importantly, gigs may not always be coming your way, but don't give up!  Surround yourself with supportive people and find a flexible day job if you can (because nobody ever tells you that performing won't typically pay the bills), and keep at it! If it's what you love, it's worth it!

Little Women, The Broadway Musical

Little Women_ The Broadway Musical
 
Purchase Tickets Here!
Little Women Student Spotlight
 
Dominic Franco
Dominic Franco is a senior BFA musical theatre major. He is the first male member of the Texas Tech Pom Squad, a team that earned the title of National Champions last year at the NDA College Nationals. Dominic is currently working as the Assistant Choreographer for the upcoming main stage musical, Little Women. He chatted with us about what that experience is like.

"It's been a really different experience to work on a musical that isn't mainly dance focused. In the past, I've choreographed for dance heavy musicals like Cabaret or Hairspray, so it's been interesting to choreograph for Little Women. I've been working with Kyla Olson, who is the main choreographer, and director Kristen Rogers, who are both amazing. We've collaborated to incorporate movement into the staging and create something together. It's been amazing to choreograph in a way that is about the emotion and the intention of the script, rather than just inserting 18 bars of a dance number. Working with Kyla has been incredible, and it's great to work in an environment where I can learn from her and contribute my own ideas as well."


Raider Red's One-Act Play Spectacular Opens April 3!

Aberrant  by Anthony Burton
Photo by Bill West-Davis
Raider Red's One-Act Play Spectacular (RROAPS) is an evening of six short, original one-act plays written by Texas Tech students. The plays in this year's iteration include Aberrant by Anthony Burton (directed by Lydia McBee-Reed), Mr. Fluffington is a Quack by Michelle Benson (directed by Ryan Fay), Arid by Shane Strawbridge (directed by Kevan Dunkelberg), All Things Go by Gabrielle Barajas (directed by Eric Eidson), Midlife Crisis by Will Sinclair (directed by Michael Moriarty), and Reggie's Gonna Die! by LyaNisha Gonzalez (directed by Collin Vorbeck).



"RROAPS is unique within the Texas Tech School of Theatre & Dance, in
Reggie's Gonna Die! by LyaNisha Gonzalez
Photo by Bill West-Davis
that it is completely student driven," says producer Dean McBride. "It offers student playwrights, directors, designers, actors, and arts administrators the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in new play development and production. Practical experience in new play development is such valuable experience for up and coming theatre artists, and is something the School of Theatre and Dance stresses at Texas Tech. This year the plays we have selected and put together, as well as being thoroughly entertaining, are especially thought provoking and extremely relevant."
 

Tickets for RROAPS are $10 for individuals and $5 for students with a valid student ID. A limited number of free student rush tickets are available for Texas Tech Students. More information is available at (806) 742-3603 or theatre.ttu.edu.


BurkTech Players to Present Almost, Maine
A Word from Managing Director Dóri Bosnyák

The  BurkTech Players are currently in their 4th - and possibly most exciting -  year. This semester is the first time that the  BurkTech Players are performing a fully produced two act play: John Cariani's Almost, Maine.
 
Co-Director Christie Connolly (on mic) playing improv games at First Friday Art Trail.
Photo by Dóri Bosnyák 
But before we go any further: who are the BTP? According to our mission, " We provide a nurturing environment to encourage, extol, and extend collaboration through shared experiences of the performing arts with individuals on the autism spectrum" but some might argue that we are more than that. Summarizing an ensemble so unique and rich in history in just one sentence is challenging.

It all started with the School of Theatre & Dance's Community Outreach class that worked with the Burkhart Transition Academy. Sam Shreffler, who was an alum from the Academy, worked with a handful of theatre students to form a theatre troupe and soon the Famous Four decided to continue this work outside class. Since starting out with the 6 initial  members, we have now grown to 35+ ensemble members. We perform one larger piece each semester and facilitate multiple workshops and attend events as a group throughout the year. We are thrilled to share that we performed for hundreds of audience members at the First Friday Art Trail this March and that we will continue this new tradition in April: catch us 6:25-6:45 PM at the next First Friday in front of 5 & J Gallery just north of LHUCA! 
 
The BurkTech Players Photo by Dóri Bosnyák
Our proud theatre troupe is presenting the romantic comedy Almost, Maine  by John Cariani,  directed by Lauren Carlton, Christie Connolly, Er ic Eidson and DayDay Robinson.  Almost, Maine is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling coup le at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery.

Almost, Maine
- It's almost love. But not quite. 

WHEN: April 28 & 29 at 7:30pm.
WHERE: All Saints Episcopal School 3222 103rd St, Lubbock, TX 79423
TICKETS: Almost, Maine has a "Pay What You Can" system. Reserve your tickets through the TTU School of Theatre and Dance Box Office in person at Flint Ave & 18th St, Lubbock, TX 79410 or through the phone (806) 742-3603. Box Office hours are noon-5:30 pm, Monday-Saturday during the season. 

Living Art Preview

Dean McBride
My name is Dean McBride. I am a third year MFA Arts Administration student who will graduate in May and will continue my academic scholarship as a PhD Arts Education student at the University of North Texas in the Fall.   
 
As an aging gay man; survivor of the AIDS crises and addiction; and nontraditional scholar, and dramatist, I create interdisciplinary performance pieces that explore the junction of self-reflective, autobiographical narrative; unique theatrical performance technique and venues; spectacle and performance as public art, memorial, and civic revolution--all in order to develop meaning, context, and wider understanding of LGBTQ experience, history, and culture.   
 
Inspired by ACT UP's dramatic acts to focus attention on crucial issues of the AIDS crises, I am currently producing my thesis project, Living Art: Performances at the TTU Public Art Collection -- a series of  multi disciplinary, site-specific performances   adapted from  stories  written by 40 long-term survivors telling stories of their beloved friends who were lost  to AIDS . Living Art  will  happen   on April 27, 2018.

Through the generous support of the TTU J.T. and Margaret  Talkington  College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Theatre and Dance,  Living Art 's  production includes an ensemble of  more than 75  performers, performance artists and dancers; a composer and many musicians  and vocalists ; the public art collection and a variety of visual artists.   
 
As well, the creation of the  Living Art   is being filmed for  documentary   by the College of Media & Communications   and will be facilitated by and archived through,  Popwalk , an app created by the School of Art, especially for virtual touring of the TTU Public Art Collection.  Living Art  will also  be followed by the  publication of a  commemorative  book  to include the  stories and picture from the event .  
 
With two colleges and more than  125  individual collaborators, the event is the first of its kind.  Living Art  will foster greater understanding and receptivity of public art, performance art, the experience of survivors of the AIDS crises , and  serve   to deepen the community's connection to artistic experience and LGBTQ history and culture.  

TTU , TCVPA, and the School of Theatre and Dance    celebrates  and encourages   the experience   of diversity and inclusion   across campus and within the community. LGBTQ history   and culture   is an important component of that experience. Recently, this history and culture has become less visible as assimilation has occurred brought about   by advancement in LGBTQ civil rights and community acceptance. Discussion of the AIDS crises and its survivors is especially absent from the social dialogue. Much like the community's relationship to public art, survivors of the AIDS crisis have begun to blend into the background.   
 
The time has come for both to be recognized and acknowledged.  And what better way to accomplish this than through artistic expression and spectacle. Through public performance  at the TTU public art Living Art  will deliver  moments of joy, laughter, tragedy, and love that embody the human condition under inconceivable circumstances ,   providing   multidisciplinary  artists a  opportunity to  bring to light first-hand experiences of living through the AIDS crisis   and  the TTU and  Lubbock community   the opportunity to  know and  understand.    
 
Please join us for Living Art: Performances at the TTU Public Art Collection on April 27, 2018, 5:00 pm at the sculpture RUN, located at the TTU Athletic Sports Performance Center,   7 Akron Ave and will culminate with a reception in the Maedgen Theatre lobby to celebrate the new TCVPA Theatre Building and accompanying public art.  


Student Achievements from March

From Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) Region 6 Festival:
Costumes from Gnadiges Fraulein
Cassandra Trautman: KCACTF Region 6 Award for Excellence: Originality in Costume ( The Gnadiges Fraulein), KCACTF Region 6 Award for Allied Design and Technologies ( Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play); Jacob Henry: Award for Excellence in Composition and Arrangement; Melissa Miller: Award for Artist Advocate from ITJA; Shane Strawbridge: Irene Ryan Finalist, Award for Best Classical Acting, Winner and National-Semifinalist for Excellence in Theatre Journalism and Advocacy; Erin Grogan: Region Finalist for the John Cauble Short Play Award; Eric Eidson: Arts Administration Runner-Up; Maddie Bryan: MTI Dance Finalist; Julia Rhea: MTI Dance Finalist; Luke Weber: MTI Finalist; Michael Zak: MTI Finalist & MTI Runner-Up; Lauren Carlton: SDC Directing Initiative Finalist; Devised, Directed by Ryan Fay: Devised Finalist; Collin Vorbeck: Innovation in Research Award


Shane Strawbridge is one of four critics invited to DC from the eight regions to join the Institute of Theatre Journalism and Advocacy, studying with Bob Mondello from NPR; Nelson Pressley from The Washington Post, and Sarah Kaufman, Pulitzer Prize-winning dance critic, among others.
 
Costumes from Mr. Burns
Cassandra Trautman was hired as a Costume Designer for the Texas Shakespeare Festival, and she was also invited, free, to USITT in Fort Lauderdale to present her award-winning KCACTF costume design for Mr. Burns.

Colleen Hunt applied for, was offered, and has accepted a competitive internship with the ACDA National College Dance Festival this year.

Christie Connolly (nominated by Bill Gelber) and Collin Vorbeck (nominated by Mark Charney) were awarded Helen DeVitt Jones Excellence in Graduate Teaching Awards.

Our alum, Dr. DeRon Williams, recently took a tenure-track job at  Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic as Assistant Professor of Theatre/Directing, overseeing the directing sequence and assisting with departmental marketing/advertising.

 

MAINSTAGE

 
LITTLE WOMEN 
Music by Jason Howland, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and book by Allen Knee
Directed by Kristen Rogers
Musical direction by Adam Day Howard; Choreography by Kyla Olson

April 12-15 & April 19-22, 2018

Great American novelist Louisa May Alcott's beloved classic Little Women takes the form of the Great American Musical in this heartwarming adaptation. Originally produced on Broadway in 2005, you can experience the March Sisters' journey from childhood to young adulthood, discovering along the way the values of life, love, and family. Impeccably composed music and a beautifully crafted story make this a must-see for every theatre-goer and every family!
 
DANCETECH: CHOREOREALITIES 
Choreography by TTU Dance Faculty 
May 3-5, 2018

In DanceTech: ChoreoRealities, the TTU Dance faculty invite viewers to experience differing choreographic explorations inspired by current issues in Western cultures and American politics. The University Dance company, performing choreography by award-winning TTU faculty and guest artists, will explore the intersections between truth, hope, peace, fear, and aggression.
 

 

CREATIVE MOVEMENT STUDIO

 

RAIDER RED'S ONE-ACT PLAY SPECTACULAR (RROAPS)
An evening of short, original one-act plays is the subject of Raider Red's One-Act play Spectacular by Texas Tech University student playwrights.
April 3-7, 2018