Headlines from the Department of Theatre and Dance

Yesenia Garcia (MFA Acting, ‘07) is featured in a National spot for Veteran’s Affairs. Garcia portrays a bi-lingual nurse, with both English and Spanish dialogue.

The commercial originally aired on November, 11th during the Country Music Awards on ABC.  The segment is scheduled to run throughout the 2010 Winter Olympics and during the end of the 2009 NFL season.

For over five decades, Theatre Journa’s broad array of scholarly articles and reviews has earned it an international reputation as one of the most authoritative and useful publications of theatre studies available today. Drawing contributions from noted practitioners and scholars, Theatre Journal features social and historical studies, production reviews, and theoretical inquiries that analyze dramatic texts and production.

The 2009 October edition features two articles from a current student and faculty member.  PPP area head, Dr. Charlotte Canning, pens “In the Interest of the State”: A Cold War National Theatre for the United States” and PhD candidate Claire Croft writes  “Ballet Nations: The New York City Ballet’s 1962 US State Department–Sponsored Tour of the Soviet Union”.  The articles were published independently of one another and as Dr. Canning notes, “We didn’t know about one other’s articles until well into the page proof process.”

Theatre Journal operates with a rigorous peer review and article submission is extremely competitive.  Having two representatives from the Department of Theatre and Dance in the same issue is unprecedented.

The Directing the Young Performer class is presenting their Festival of Short Plays in The Lab Theatre this Friday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. The students in the class will present very short plays that they have directed with area high school students. The full program of plays will run about 90 minutes.

The Festival directors are:
Eamon Corrigan
Jade Kelly
Amber Loftis
Eugenia Montoya
Bridgid Thomas

Current graduate student, Jenn Hartmann (DTY) performs on Friday, November 20th at 10PM at Thunderbird Coffee (formerly Clementine Coffee Bar) located at 2200 Manor Ave.  Call 512-472-9900.

“There is no one like Jenn Hartmann on the scene or anywhere. She blends folk-rock with Broadway, cabaret, and comedy. When someone can pull this off who also sings great, and succeeds on all levels mentioned above, look out!!”
-Gabriel Levitt, Jezebel Music

The University of Texas at Austin
Department of Theatre and Dance

Audition Notice: Casting for The Difficulty of Crossing a Field

Libretto by Mac Wellman
Music by David Lang
Directed by Luke Leonard (MFA Directing candidate)
Music Director Lyn Koenning

Seeking the role of Mr. Williamson

Description: A planter and slave owner in his 40s in Selma, AL during 1854.

Seeking a strong actor with presence, maturity, musical literacy, physical training, southern dialect, and charm.

The ideal candidate will be a student, faculty or staff member at The University of Texas at Austin.

Must be available for 7 weeks of evening and weekend rehearsals beginning mid-February.

Theatre and Dance majors who previously auditioned may re-audition.

Audition material: Sides will be provided.

Date: Mon., Nov. 23
Time: 6:00pm
Location: Winship 2.116
Bring: headshot and resume
Sign up: email  denise.martel at mail.utexas.edu to audition

“Women in American Musical Theatre: Essays on Composers, Lyricists, Librettists, Arrangers, Choreographers, Designers, Directors, Producers, and Performance Artists” edited by Bud Coleman and Judith A. Sebesta was recently published by McFarland.

Throughout the twentieth century women have made significant contributions to the creation of American musical theatre. Directing, choreographing, writing, arranging, producing and designing musicals in a variety of venues throughout America, women have played a significant role in shaping the development of musical theatre both on and off Broadway and in regional, educational, and community venues. The essays in this book examine the history of women in musical theatre, providing biographical descriptions of the women themselves; analyses and interpretations of their productions; and several accounts of how being a woman affected the artists’ careers.

Bud Coleman (Ph.D. ‘93) is chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance at the University of Colorado at Boulder. A former dancer with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Fort Worth Ballet, Kinesis, and Ballet Austin, he has directed and choreographed numerous musical productions.

Judith A. Sebesta (Ph.D. ‘97) is chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance at Lamar University.   She previously taught at the University of Missouri, University of Arizona and the University of Evansville.

On Saturday, November 14 the BFA and MFA dance students will present S.E.E.D (Students Exhibiting Experimental Dance).  S.E.E.D. will be performed throughout the Winship dance studios.  There are two performances at 1pm and 4pm.  Guests are asked to meet in the atrium of the Winship building.  Admission is free.

On Thursday November 12 at 8PM, The Long Center presents A Conversation with Stephen Sondheim.

A rare look into the mind of the most important artist to work in American musical theater over the past half-century. In a live, unscripted conversation with the Austin Chronicle’s Robert Faires, Sondheim will share behind-the curtain moments and reflect on the creative process.

UT students and faculty receive half price tickets with their valid ID.  Tickets may be purchased on line or direct at the box office.

Over 40 University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance students joined choreographer, Trey McIntyre for a master class held yesterday in Anna Hiss Gym titled, “Step into Dance”.  Led by McIntyre himself, students had the opportunity to dance alongside the Trey McIntyre Project company as they participated in the morning class.

“It was great to dance with company members to get a sense of the caliber of the professional dance world,” said BFA in Dance senior, J Elissa Marshall.  “The class was a great preview of the performance we’ll see on Wednesday, ” she continued.

Trey McIntyre Project is presented by Texas Performing Arts at The University of Texas at Austin Wednesday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE WORKSHOP with STEVEN DIETZ