Celebrating 100 Years with the School of Theatre

FROM THE DEAN’S DESK

This year we commemorate the School of Theatre’s 100th anniversary with the theme “Honoring the Past, Building the Future.” The season kicked off with a production of Dontrell Who Kissed the Sea, directed by Natalie Sowell, the School of Theatre’s Director. October will feature a Theatre Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and brunch, a production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and a Centennial Film Festival. The School of Theatre is inviting alumni to return to celebrate this milestone!

The centerpiece of Shakespeare in this year’s theater season is an appropriate selection. When UNCG was founded in 1892, Shakespeare was among the subjects taught to the women who matriculated. The University’s founder and first president, Charles McIver, conceived the first dramatic production in 1894 with the women of the College taking all the parts, including the male gendered roles—a tradition of dramatic cross dressing that had originated in Shakespeare’s period with boys playing all the women’s parts.

In UNCG’s early days, plays, tableaus, skits, and dramatic recitations became part of campus life with the founding of the Adelphian and Cornelian literary societies. Mary Settle Sharpe, one of the few married women to serve the College during its early years, became theater’s first real champion. She taught history, physical education, reading, and elocution, which included debate and drama. Sharpe directed many plays including the May Day fetes of 1912 and 1916 on themes drawn from Renaissance England (Shakespeare’s period).

After Mary Settle Sharpe departed UNCG in 1920, theater’s torch was passed to W. Raymond Taylor who joined the faculty in 1921 to teach speech but quickly shifted to theater. For 39 years, “Teacher Taylor” became an institution, teaching the first theater courses and forming two student organizations: the Masqueraders (an honorary society) and the Playlikers (which produced plays). Taylor Theatre, UNCG’s theater that bears his name, will close next year to undergo a $10.5 million facelift—the first major renovation since the theater opened in 1967.

UNCG’s School of Theatre today is distinguished by being one of the few in the country to feature a children’s theater program—the North Carolina Theatre for Young People—founded in 1972 by Tom Behm. The musical theatre program, under the supervision of Dominick Amendum, has become the University’s most selective degree program in just four years. And while we celebrate the centennial season with the Bard’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, we also look forward to the School of Theatre’s second century of inclusive excellence and community engagement!

Sincerely,

bruce d. mcclung, Dean

College of Visual and Performing Arts

VIEW THE SCHOOL OF THEATRE TIMELINE

A JOURNEY OF 0.4 MILES IN FIFTEEN YEARS

Kevin Lawson, MFA Theatre: Musical Theatre Directing student on the stage of Taylor Theatre where he will music direct the School of Theatre’s production of Andrew Lippa’s Wild Party opening November 11th. Photo credit: Mike Micchiche.

Kevin Lawson jokes that it took him fifteen years to go zero-point-four miles—that’s the distance from the Music Building to Taylor Theatre—from a freshman piano performance major to the School of Theatre’s first MFA student with a concentration in Musical Theatre Directing—with a lot of stops along the way.

Lawson first enrolled at UNCG in 2007. He discovered that he enjoyed musical theatre more than any other genre of music and began playing for shows at the University. That led to almost constant work with theaters around the Triad, which caused him to pursue a dream:

“I was getting so much freelance work, and it was the direction that I wanted to take. I moved to New York with a dream many of us have—that I was going to work on Broadway.”

Lawson was successful in finding work as an accompanist for auditions and readings for new shows, and he did vocal coaching. He also worked as a music director at an off-Broadway theater and did regular stints out of town at regional theaters. When a more permanent opportunity presented itself, he moved cross-country to become the resident Music Director for a theater on California’s central coast:

“It was called ‘The Great American Melodrama,’ and oh boy it was! We did musical theatre shows and also parodies on the shows. It was great fun in that I got to create and perform some original work with the ensemble.”

While in California, Lawson began taking classes at a local community college and finishing up general education courses that he needed to complete his degree from UNCG. And then, his path took another turn. Read more here.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts has something for everyone during

UNCG Homecoming Week and Spartan Family Weekend!

“23 Chunks of Being” by Gregory Grieves

Wednesday, October 12th–14th | 12:00–5:00 PM

Saturday, October 15th | 2:00–5:00 PM

Greensboro Project Space | 111 E. February One Pl.

Free and open to the public | More about the exhibit here

University Concert and Lecture Series

Falk Visiting Artist: Shaun Leonardo

Thursday, October 13th | 6:00 PM

Margaret and Bill Benjamin Auditorium, Weatherspoon Art Museum

Free and open to the public | More information here

University Concert and Lecture Series

Urban Bush Women

followed by Alumni & Friends Reception

Friday, October 14th | 8:00 PM | UNCG Auditorium

Buy tickets to the performance | Register for the reception

Homecoming Block Party

Saturday, October 15th | 3:00–7:00 PM | Kaplan Commons (EUC Lawn)

Spartan Feast featuring Stamey’s Old Fashioned BBQ, Yum Yum Ice Cream, and

North Carolina Craft Beer. Music by Sleeping Booty.

Visit the CVPA table on the lawn for giveaways.

All events are free, tickets for the Spartan Feast are $8, available at the gate.

Children’s Festival

Saturday, October 15th | 3:00–5:00 PM | Shaw Residence Hall Lawn

North Carolina Theatre for Young People will provide family fun.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

directed by Professor Mya Brown—a new take on a classic

Alumni Night is Saturday, October 15th | 7:30 PM | Taylor Theatre

Buy tickets to the performance

Theatre Hall of Fame Induction and Brunch

Sunday, October 16th | 11:00 AM–1:00 PM | EUC Auditorium Lobby.

Centennial Film Festival

produced and directed by Professor Michael Flannery

Sunday, October 16th | 1:30 PM | EUC Auditorium

Free and open to the public

UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS ON THE ROAD

Washington DC Alumni Brunch

Sunday, November 6th | 12:00–2:00 PM

Churchill Hotel, 1914 Connecticut Avenue NW

NYC Alumni Brunch

Sunday, December 11th | 12:00–2:00 PM

Trattoria Dell’Arte, 900 7th Avenue

UPDATE ALUMNI CONTACT INFORMATION

ALUMNI NEWS & NOTES

Daria Clarke (’20 BFA Dance) is performing with the Garth Fagan Dance Company at New York’s Joyce Theater in November.

Shayla Taylor (’20 BFA Dance) is an apprentice with Urban Dance Women, which performs in UNCG Auditorium on October 14th as part of the 110th University Concert and Lecture Series.

Get tickets here.

Bethany Uhler Thompson (’20 DMA and ’17 MM Cello Performance) has published an article, “Beyond the Corner: Introducing a String Music Program to Youth in Detention,” in String Research Journal (2022). Thompson wrote the article based on research she did while directing a string program with youth in the North Carolina juvenile justice system. Read the article here.

Anthony Cataldo (’19 BFA Acting) is performing (The Righteous Brothers/Ensemble) in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical through the end of October at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine.

Victoria Pittman Morris (’17 BFA Acting) is performing in Rebellious—a play at Triad Stage during October about the Bennett Belles of Bennett College during the 1960s Sit-In Movement.

Sidney Outlaw (’04 BM Vocal Performance) has been appointed to the voice faculty of the Manhattan School of Music. Outlaw will be the baritone soloist in J.S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor at Carnegie Hall in May 2023.

Sharif Bey (’00 MFA Studio Arts and CVPA Distinguished Alumnus) is featured in the podcast “Arts Educators Save the World,” which has also featured conversations with Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) and Robert Lopez (Frozen). Bey’s episode is with Bill Strickland, founder of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild. Listen here.

Alumni News & Notes are compiled from self-submissions

and from the University’s news clipping service.

Submit your alumni news here.

SNAAP SURVEY FOR ALUMNI

UNCG’s College of Visual and Performing Arts is partnering with the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) to learn about how studying the arts has influenced your life and career. The information we gather will be used to strengthen our program at CVPA and help other arts educators across the country better meet the needs of their students.

The SNAAP survey is offered only to participating institutions and their graduates. Your invitation to participate in the survey will arrive via email in mid-October 2022, and you’ll simply need to click through to the survey to tell us about your experiences. Your input will help shape the future of arts education throughout the United States, including those following in your footsteps here at UNCG. Look for your invitation arriving soon in your inbox, and thanks in advance for your participation.

ROBERT C. HANSEN SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT

IN THEATRE EDUCATION

Bob Hansen, former Associate Dean, College of Arts and Science and Theatre History Professor. Photo credit: Terri W. Relos

Bob Hansen gave 34 years of service to UNC Greensboro. Now in retirement, he continues to give through creating the Robert C. Hansen Scholarship Endowment in Theatre Education:

“My time at UNCG was a very satisfying experience. I feel well-rewarded. It’s a delight to see the accomplishments of students and alumni. Not just their work in the discipline. These young people have become great citizens, great family people. They are doing wonderful things no matter what area they wind up in.”

Hansen says he came to UNCG as a “gung-ho theater designer and scholar-artist.” He also served in several administrative roles: Head of the Communication and Theatre Department, Head of the Broadcasting/Cinema and Theatre Department, and as an Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Throughout his career, Hansen continued to teach, primarily theater history. His gift will support BFA students in Theatre Education:

“Artist-producing programs are often in the spotlight, but in reality the majority wind up teaching and inspiring others who go on to feed the arts in important ways. Ask any artist. They’ll be able to identify a teacher—it can be from school or community theater or church choir—but there’s always someone in their life who recognized their talent or passion and encouraged them.”

Read more here.

To learn more about creating a named scholarship, contact CVPA Director of Development

David Huskins at 336-256-0166 or drhuskin@uncg.edu.

FACULTY/STAFF NEWS & NOTES

Dominick Amendum (Smart-Tilman Artist-in-Residence and Coordinator of the Musical Theatre Program, ’01 BM Piano Performance) is in London acting as Music Director for two upcoming films based on the Broadway musical Wicked with composer Stephen Schwartz.

Tami Draves (Professor of Music Education) was Scholar-in-Residence at Case Western Reserve University in September. As part of her residency, she gave a talk titled “Gender Dynamics in Schools of Music” as the featured speaker on the Music Colloquium Series.

Andy Hudson (Assistant Professor of Clarinet) is featured on the new single release “Ballistic Etude 3.1” with the international sextet Latitude 49. Download or stream the track here.

Garrett Klein (Assistant Professor of Trumpet) joins the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra in the Principal Trumpet chair.

Kailan Rubinoff (Associate Professor of Musicology) gave three public lectures at the 2022 Utrecht Early Music Festival in the Netherlands August 24th–September 4th. Her talks, as part of the Verenigd Rond Bach (“United Around Bach”) forum, centered on historical performance in 1960s Amsterdam, the reception of Josquin and the Early Netherlandish School composers, and on Louis Andriessen’s parodic musical theatre work Mattheus Passie (1976). She also moderated a public interview with the dramaturg Thomas Höft, whose Utrechter Passion premiered with the ensemble Ārthouse 17 at the Festival.

Erin Ferrell Speer (Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre, Directing, and Acting) is Assistant Director of a new off-Broadway musical at the York Theatre. The project, Stardust Road, is a musical revue featuring the work of the Great American Songbook composer Hoagy Carmichael and is directed by Susan H. Schulman (The Secret Garden, Little Women, Sweeney Todd, and former president of the Society of Directors and Choreographers).

Faculty/Staff News & Notes are compiled from self-submissions

and from the University’s news clipping service.

Submit your Faculty/Staff News here.

CLOSING SPOTLIGHT

School of Theatre students India C. Jones as Titania and Calvin Rubes as Nick Bottom

in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream running in Taylor Theatre

through October 15th. For show times and ticket information, visit vpa.uncg.edu/theatre.

Photo credit: Becky Vanderveen.

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) e-Newsletter is published eight times a year in September, October, November, December, February, March, April, and May.

The Newsletter is emailed to CVPA alumni, faculty, staff, students, patrons, and donors. Please feel free to forward your copy, and anyone who would like their name to be added to our distribution list can contact us via uncgarts@uncg.edu.

The e-Newsletter is edited by Terri Relos, Director of External Relations. Archived issues can be found in the “News” section of the CVPA website. To submit Alumni News & Notes, please use this form. To submit Faculty/Staff News & Notes, use this form.

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