Congratulations to the cast and crew of A Doll House on a successful opening!
Monday, February 10, 2020

Congratulations to everyone involved in A Doll House on a successful opening weekend, and to our students involved in the most recent Second Season ("I AM WOMB" and "Champagne Party for Time Travelers")! Check out photos of this beautiful work below.

In case you hadn't already heard, dance artist-in-residence Kendra Portier has been hired for our new Maya Brin Endowed Professor, starting in the fall. We are thrilled to keep her here! Find out more about the professorship and Kendra's work below.

Finally, TDPS continues to rock the Helen Hayes Awards nominations, which celebrate excellent work in theater throughout the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region. Our faculty and alumni were nominated for over 20 awards this year. Congrats to all!
  In this newsletter:

  • Recent events
  • Upcoming events
  • Feature stories
  • News
  • Opportunities

Want to share your news with the TDPS family? Have a story you want featured? Have suggestions to improve the TDPS newsletter and communications?

Tell us about the creative, collaborative, innovative, and entrepreneurial work you're doing!

Email  [email protected]  and share with us on social media.



Are you a TDPS student, faculty member, or staff member? Show us what a week in your life at TDPS looks like!

If interested, contact Kate at [email protected] .
Recent events
A Doll House
Torvald Helmer (Beth Rendely ’21) gives money to his wife, Nora (Des’ree Brown ’20). 
Nora catches up with her friend, Kristine Linde (Abigail Olshin ’20), over tea.
Nora shows Dr. Rank (Edima Essien ’21) the silk stockings she will wear in her Tarantella performance at the Christmas Eve costume party.
Nora struggles with the difficult situation she has gotten herself into.
Directed by Kathryn Chase Bryer. Scenic design by Rochelle Mac (M.F.A. Design ’21), costume design by Yi Lin Zhao (M.F.A. Design ’22) and lighting design by Jacob Hughes (M.F.A. Design ’21), choreography by Amber Daniels (M.F.A. Dance ’22), dramaturgy by Kelley Holley (Ph.D. candidate). Photo credit: David Andrews.
Second Season:
I AM WOMB and Champagne Party for Time Travelers
"I AM WOMB," choreographed by Gabriela Grant. With dancers Joelle Everett, Angeline Mendez, Tochi Korie, Paetyn Lewis, Greta Cover, and Tiffany Ospino, and model Taylor Spence and violinist Camille Jones. Costume design by Jasmine Mitchell. Photo credit: David Andrews.
"Champagne Party for Time Travelers,” written and choreographed by Sydney Lemelin and Hana Huie. Lighting design by Malory Hartman, sound design by Zoe Thomas, champagne design by Hannah Imhoff, and film by Sydney Lemelin. Photo credit: David Andrews.
Check out a review of this Second Season production here.
Upcoming events
A Doll House
Friday, February 7 - Saturday, February 15
Kogod Theatre, The Clarice

Written by Henrik Ibsen
Translated by Brian Johnston and Rick Davis
Kathryn Chase Bryer, director

Performed by an all-women cast, this production of Henrik Ibsen’s classic A Doll House questions the roles that society assigns to men and women. Set in late nineteenth-century Norway, the play follows Nora, a woman who seeks self-fulfillment and slams the door on the dollhouse that is her marriage. This fresh perspective on the classic play encourages audiences to question what has changed since 19th-century Europe through the interpretations of six women actors playing male and female characters.

Get tickets here .
Teatro y Su Doble

Thursday, February 13 & Saturday, February 14, 8PM
Dance Theatre, The Clarice

The Clarice is excited to present Teatro y Su Doble: FEOS. The company's multimedia storytelling borrows techniques from puppetry and animation to create a bold analog to traditional theater. 
 
More information and tickets here .
Japan Speaker Series Presents:
A talk by Dr. Peter Eckersall
Thursday, February 20, 3:30-5:00PM
Gildenhorn Recital Hall, The Clarice
 
"Dramaturgy and Affect in Recent Japanese Theatre," a talk by Dr. Peter Eckersall

Recent contemporary performances in Japan often shift in register from the dramatic to the creation of a new media dramaturgy. They seem to refuse narrative in favour of the production of uncanny atmospheres and the dramaturgy of affect. Theatre in terms of narrative (and the postdramatic decentring of this) in crucial instances is being replaced by ambient moments and uncanny ruptures. Non-human systems of visual effects, objects and atmospheres are central elements in this creative process. The paper will consider how contemporary performances often shift their registers and dramaturgy from a modern sensibility into something more like performance installation and performance that is not quite like, but perhaps better discussed, in terms of the framework of visual arts. 

More information here .
Noises Off
Friday, February 21 - Saturday, February 29
Kay Theatre, The Clarice

Written by Michael Frayn
Directed by Lisa Nathans

What else could go wrong? Tensions run high as Lloyd Dallas, the director of this play’s play-within-a-play, struggles to prepare his accident-prone cast for the opening of British bedroom comedy Nothing On. Missed cues, jealous lovers, a lost contact lens and a troublesome plate of sardines all conspire to ruin the performance. Michael Frayn’s award-winning farce details the hilarity that ensues behind the scenes of a theatrical production as characters attempt to untangle the chaos and salvage the play.

Get tickets here .
"Noises Off" Opening Night: Alumni Mixer and Scholarship Reception
Friday, February 21
Grand Pavilion and Kay Theatre, The Clarice

Please mark your calendars and join us for the opening night of "Noises Off" on Friday, February 21. We will celebrate this year's TDPS scholarship recipients and give TDPS alumni, students, faculty, and friends an opportunity to mix and mingle.
 
  • 5:30PM - Alumni reception in The Clarice Grand Foyer
  • 7:00PM - "Noises Off" in the Kay Theatre
  • 9:45PM - Scholarship celebration and alumni/student cabaret in the Grand Foyer
 
If you are a singer or performer, we encourage you to sing a tune during our alumni/student cabaret. We will have a pianist on hand to accompany you. Please send your song choice to Kate Spanos at [email protected] if you would like to perform; we will also have a sign-up sheet at the event in case you decide at the last minute.
Randy Lord '77 and Marti Empey '76 as
the Corpse de Ballet in The Wizard of Id .
University of Maryland, 1976.
Photo courtesy of Randy Lord.
Revolutions in Sound Symposium

Friday, February 28 & Saturday, February 29
Cafritz Theatre, The Clarice

The Revolutions in Sound symposium is a public humanities event and publication seminar bringing together scholars from across the Americas examining how black and brown, LGBTQ+, indigenous, and crip communities instrumentalize sound in service of resistance, survivance, and radical world making.

More information here.
Alumni Master Classes - "Business of the Business" and "On Camera"
Monday, March 9
Cafritz Theatre, The Clarice

  • 10AM-12PM: The Business of the Business
  • 1PM-4PM: On Camera

Join us for two special master classes with alumni, actor Wayne Duvall '81 and casting agent Brette Goldstein '04.

See more details on the flyer.
  Have an event you want to share? Please email  [email protected]
Feature stories
Kendra Portier Named Maya Brin Endowed Professor in Dance

Artist and teacher Kendra Portier, who is currently the Visiting Artist in Dance, has been named the Maya Brin Professor in Dance at the University of Maryland, effective fall 2020. The endowed professorship was made possible by a $1 million pledge by Professor Emeritus Michael Brin to the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) on behalf of his late mother Maya Brin, who had a personal love of ballet. 

Read the full story  here.
Headshot courtesy of Kendra Portier.
TDPS in the 2020 Helen Hayes Awards Nominations

Congratulations to the faculty and alumni from TDPS who were  nominated for 2020 Helen Hayes Awards ! Check out all the TDPS folks who were recognized for their phenomenal work in the theater scene of DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Read the full story  here.
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
Photo credit: C. Stanley Photography.
  Have a story you want to share? Please email  [email protected]
News
  • RIPE FRENZY, a new play by playwriting professor Jennifer Barclay and directed by design professor Jared Mezzocchi at Andy’s Summer Playhouse last summer, won Excellence in Playwriting at the New Hampshire Theatre Awards. The play was produced as a professional production with the children of Andy’s, where they worked alongside adult artists to produce a new version of the script that included a young ensemble and young actors playing the roles of children characters. The production was also nominated for best professional production in the state of New Hampshire and Mezzocchi for best director. Mezzocchi accepted the award on behalf of Barclay and Andy’s Summer Playhouse, where he is artistic director, at a ceremony last month. See his acceptance speech here.

  • MFA Dance candidate Gabriel Mata will premiere an evening length solo, “This is where/I Begin…” at the Atlas Intersections Festival on Friday, February 21. This piece is a motion memoir, exposing the plight of a DACA recipient/Dreamer and the experience of living in the United States. The dance highlights intersectionality while exposing the complexity of politics, status, body, and home. Get tickets here and use code SoloMata30 for discounted tickets.
  Have news you want to share? Please email  [email protected]
Opportunities

  • NEW The Clarice and Joe’s Movement Emporium are now seeking proposals for NextLOOK artist residencies for 2020-21. Established in 2014 through a partnership between The Clarice and Joe’s Movement Emporium, NextLOOK supports the development of new music, plays, dance, and other experiences by performing artists based in DC, Maryland, and Virginia who want to understand how their audience can become a creative partner. The deadline is March 6 and the recipients will be announced in April. View the flyer for more information; visit the website to fill out an application. Please contact Jane Hirshberg at [email protected] with any questions.

  • NEW Imagination Stage in Bethesda is seeking part-time box office associates and receptionists with weekend availability. These are part-time hourly positions with variable hours depending on availability, 8-24 hours/week, which will include Saturdays, Sundays, and/or weekday evenings. Occasional weekday shifts may be available. A candidate may be considered for both box office associate and receptionist responsibilities. Visit their website for more information.

  • Encore Stage & Studio is accepting applications from undergraduate students for their theatre internships for summer 2020. Click to find out more information about internships in Arts Management, Stage Management, and Secondary and Elementary Education Interns. Best consideration date for applications is March 1.

  • The Kennedy Center’s Theater Education team has an opening for a full-time Program Assistant. This is an entry-level position and an excellent opportunity for a young person looking to start in arts administration or theater education in D.C. Visit their website for more information and to apply.

  • The Kennedy Center is launching a new career development offering, the Next Generation Leaders Scholarship Program. This program, which will pilot in summer 2020, seeks to cultivate talented individuals from underrepresented populations in the field to develop their knowledge and skills in arts administration. This effort will further the Center’s commitment to addressing a lack of diversity in arts administration. Check their website for more information and to apply. If you have questions regarding the scholarship program or our other career development programs, contact Megan Varn, Coordinator of Internship & Fellowship Programs.

  • The Kennedy Center’s partner, TYA USA, is seeking interns for the New Visions New Voices festival and conference in May. They are looking for local undergraduates to work alongside the TYA USA staff and partners at the Kennedy Center to produce the festival and conference. Duties will include assisting with conference sessions and festival readings, way-finding, staffing the registration desk, and providing general administrative support. Fill out the application here.

  • Wolf Trap is seeking students for paid summer apprenticeships. All of the positions are full-time (35 hours/week). They are looking for students that have completed at least one year of undergraduate study or alumni no more than two years out of school. All positions are paid and they provide a well-rounded, educational experience for interns and apprentices, including many professional development opportunities. The deadline is March 1 for apprenticeships. Check out more information and apply here.

  • The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is seeking interns and volunteers for this year’s festival in late June and early July. The Mentorship Program for a More Diverse Workplace (for young women of color) offers a stipend of $1500 for at least 100 hours. The Minority Awards Program-Internship (minority students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents) offers a $650/week stipend for 10 weeks (40 hours per week). More information and deadlines can be found on their website. If you are interested in volunteering (Portuguese speakers are preferred), you can sign up for more information here.

  • The Shakespeare Theatre Company is seeking part-time Assistant House Managers. Under the direction of the Theatre Services Manager, this position serves as a key member in welcoming our patrons to the theatre and ensuring their safety. Responsibilities for this entry-level position include training ushers, greeting and seating patrons, and maintaining a high level of customer care and safety under the direction of the Lead House Managers. Must be available for at least two shifts per week, including nights and weekends. Apply on their website or send a cover letter, resume, and references to [email protected].
  Have an opportunity you want to share?
Please email  [email protected]
 Do you have something you want to share with the TDPS community?
Email [email protected] and share with us on social media!

The School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies
advances and transforms the research and practice of the performing arts
through a commitment to excellence and innovative education.

----

Kate Spanos, Coordinator of Marketing & Communications
Becky Hill, Graduate Assistant