The University of Akron School of Dance, Theatre, and Arts Administration

09/22/2020

Thank you to Summit County Executive Shapiro, Council and the Akron Community Foundation for recognizing the need and the value of Arts and Culture in our communities!

We're happy to announce that we're partnering with Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro to help award $6.5 million in federal CARES Act funding for the COVID-19 Non-Profit Emergency Relief Grant Program, which will be distributed to Summit County nonprofits in grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. The grants will focus on basic needs providers, along with arts and culture service providers. Grant applications will be accepted Oct. 5 through 16. We'll share more details soon, but in the meantime, visit www.akroncf.org/grantmaking-initiatives/summit-county-cares-nonprofit-assistance for information.

09/22/2020

Theatre

Meet Brian Schultis! Brian is the director of our upcoming virtual production: The Waves.

About performing on the virtual platform, Brian says: "There's a simplicity and beauty to watching the actors make the choice to fully engage their scenic presence even while sitting in their dorm-room with a headset on. No matter how difficult things get, the choice to make that leap is something that can't be taken away from them and to see them making it is inspiring."

Read his full interview here: https://www.uakron.edu/dtaa/theatre/

UA Theatre News

09/08/2020

Emily Davis Gallery

We are back after the holiday and open to the public. “Bearing Witness” is currently on view and will be up through October 9th. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Thank you to @niko_elenchevski for designing the poster for the exhibition.
.
.
.
.
.
@portraits_of_a_pandemic @autumnbland @joi_shoots @dannylyonphotos @christopher.mason @kid_indie13 @uakron @myersschoolofart
#emilydavisgallery #uakron #myersschoolofart #myers #universityofakron #bearingwitness

08/24/2020

Welcome back, Zips! Whether you're on campus or tuning in from home, DTAA is happy to welcome everyone back for Fall 2020!

05/18/2020

UA Arts Administration Alumna! There are many out there doing great things for the arts.

EALDC Member ✨Mary Finnerty✨ Check out her June 5th presentation on internship structures and outcomes at the Association of Arts Administration Educators virtual conference ➡️ artsadministration.org/2020-conference
.
.
.
Mary is the assistant manager of development systems and database at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts — and has been an EALDC member since Jan. 2020.
.
.
.
#EALDConnect #whyIjoinedEALDC #acreativedc

05/16/2020

review.

UA Virtual Short Play Festival: Cameron Cabot

https://youtu.be/h_XENuKOGwo

Cameron says:
"What does it mean to look at something again? What does it mean to reflect, to re-view?
To dream, to wander, to connect, to view time as fluid and its lessons as ever-present and changing… Is the human experience just a series of variations on the same theme?

I planned to address these questions through active, reflective, devising work with actors for the theatre. When adapting these to a virtual experience, I discovered another interesting question to explore...what is the role of technology in how we review our lives and experiences? What does it mean to see the past, immortalized though only a 2D shadow, through a glass screen? "

What does it mean to look at something twice? What is it to dream, to reflect, to re-view the patterns that we consider "normal"?

05/15/2020

Colette

UA Virtual Short Play Festival: Tessa Gaffney

https://youtu.be/7dvOdz2c-F8

A final project about French writer, mime, actress, and journalist, Colette. Mature material.

Tessa says:
"I am a graduate assistant in the Arts Administration program. My piece is based on the play, "Colette in Love" by Lavonne Mueller and the French author's own book written during her time in the vaudeville scene in the early 1900s, "The Vagabond." To me, this was a story about a woman in love with writing; each of the other characters and even the fact that she was getting ready to go onstage were distractions from her one true love, capturing her thoughts and feelings in words, which in many ways is still a dangerous thing for a woman to do. This virtual interpretation was an attempt to explore the ways others take up space in our psyche, even when they're not around." ✨

A final project for James Slowiak’s DIrecting II class at The University of Akron, Spring 2020

05/14/2020

If I Was The Man

UA Virtual Short Play Festival: Cennidie Hall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWoRsIce0fk

A Devised Performance Inspired by Susan Glaspell's Trifles.

Here's what Cennidie had to say:

"Hi Everyone! My name is Cennidie Hall and my video is a devised piece based on the play “Trifles” by feminist playwright Susan Glaspell. Originally, I chose this work because I felt represented by the way Minnie’s emotional well being was not taken into consideration. However, when I was asked to create a virtual response due to being unable to put it on the stage, I decided to send a more direct message than if I were to have done the play itself. I am beyond tired of the way women are treated, and I hope that this video demonstrates the hurt and anger that I and millions of women face everyday based on society’s expectations of us. Women are SO important and it’s time that we all acknowledge this."

A Devised Piece Based On Susan Glaspell's Trifles.

05/13/2020

The New American Dream

UA Virtual Short Play Festival: Lysander Mills
https://youtu.be/I-7DR_3W2aY

A video response to Edward Albee’s The American Dream during Lockdown 2020.

Here's what Lysander had to say:

"The New American Dream" - by Lysander Mills
"In looking at a play that reflected the 1940s-1960s, I wanted to explore whether Edward Albee's “The American Dream” would stand the test of time. While reading the absurdist “The American Dream” I felt the play fully displayed the invisible thumb that presses on every one of us: the extreme lengths that people go through to be seen as noteworthy individuals and the levels of identity that people strip away just to fit some artificial idea that they may not even truly want. People create falsehoods of what is good and what is bad and don artificial smiles to convince others they are fine. Perhaps we as people are living in an augmented world that does not recognize identity, that does not recognize love, that does not recognize human connection, and that does not recognize life. While we reflect upon the times we are living in we should not neglect our pasts or our future."

An adaptation created by Lysander Mills of Edward Albee's The American Dream

05/12/2020

A Day in the Life of Danny: A Self Isolation Story

UA Virtual Short Play Festival: Danny Paparella

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkMOeUr5eNM
Note: Please play on a computer, it does not work on phones.

Danny says:

"A Day in the Life of Danny: A Self Isolation Story is a choose your own adventure YouTube story in which you will make choices that influence what happens next. Will you wake up, or snooze? Have coffee, or tea? These decisions will end up affecting the story, choose carefully.

This project is based on The Bell Play written by Danny Paparella, which would have been on the stage if not for the current pandemic. This project draws themes from the play as well as aesthetics, though its form has changed (and with that new form came challenges, including the necessary limiting of choices for this first iteration of the project). The project also retains the initial question asked in the play: What is the moment of possibility, and how is it affected by our subconscious?

With that, I release you into the mind of a self-isolated millennial, an extrovert in a supposed "introvert's paradise," a sleep-deprived and simultaneously overslept individual, the mind of Danny in self-isolation."

Begin your journey!

05/11/2020

UA Virtual Short Play Festival: Jenny Boswell
https://youtu.be/qYNJ1zqB5B0
A video adaptation of Caryl Churchill's one-act play, Heart's Desire.
Jenny says:

"In transforming my play (Heart’s Desire by Caryl Churchill) into a virtual, one-person performance, I decided I wanted to actually perform the play as is because it’s such a fun, interesting, and goofy —but meaningful— piece. So, I played all of the characters myself. Because it’s a film adaptation, I added on another layer: I had the story follow along with the daughter’s point of view as she is deep in thought whilst journeying back home, with her playing the roles of her family members. I had a lot of fun with this and I hope you enjoy!"

05/11/2020

Let's celebrate our UA Dance students! UA Dance is proud of graduating Dance program majors and minors for the 2020 year. Congratulations 2020 graduates!
To read graduating student focuses visit: https://www.uakron.edu/dtaa/dance/sub-pages/dance-student-focus.dot

05/10/2020

Welcome to the UA 2020 Virtual Short Play Festival!
Each day this week we will be sharing the works of the UA Directing II class.
Check out the playlist for the full line-up and watch each day as we feature the pieces from each director.

Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdczgLxXNFDaHtdeIEtT5iCsoYDZzT-0n

Read Professor James Slowiak's statement about the festival below:

"One of my favorite classes to teach is Directing II, the advanced directing course at The University of Akron. Together with a small group of committed students, we explore the directing principles of Stanislavski and Brecht, while measuring our own styles and ethics against other contemporary directors and their techniques. We question the purpose of theatre and write manifestos, culminating in the production of a festival of short plays. This semester four undergraduate and three graduate directors were in the middle of auditioning actors to begin rehearsals for the Short Play Festival when the pandemic hit, social contact was forbidden, and classes moved online. Playwrights such as Caryl Churchill, Susan Glaspell, Christopher Durang, and Edward Albee had been selected to have their works performed, along with a play about Colette, one director’s self-penned play, and a devised, musical piece. The question became how to continue each director’s process with his/her play under the new restrictions and without being able to work with actors or perform it live. I asked each director to reframe their plays as an online, solo project. They could choose to explore a thematic aspect of the play or use the play as a catalyst to explore their personal connection to the work. The parameters were wide because it was unclear what tools or conditions the students would have to do their work and no one in the class was a media specialist. For me, the results have been exciting. We offer you 2020’s Festival of Short Plays—a series of works in process that question the theatre and its double—life itself."

—James Slowiak

05/06/2020

Join the Arts Administration Program's Arts Connections Series TODAY at 2pm as we discuss the field of music amidst the the current health crisis with Dr. Lashbrook and Dr. Feyes! Follow the link to register:
https://tinyurl.com/Connections-Music

05/05/2020

Congratulations to the 2020 Theatre Arts Scholarship Recipients!

05/04/2020

UA Theatre would like to congratulate senior Jenny Boswell on her graduation! We're featuring her on our UA Theatre webpage here:
https://www.uakron.edu/dtaa/theatre/
Here's what Jenny had to say:
Major: Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts
Minor: Business Administration

Favorite memory of UA Theatre: There are so many, I don’t think I can choose just one... So a few of my favorite memories include:
peeking at the set being built in Sandefur Theatre, finally getting into full costume and makeup for dress rehearsal, the incredibly stressful (but successful) quick changes I have experienced, receiving the note "That worked for me", the many backstage/post-show memories, and the friendships I have created over the years.

Plans after graduation: The plan is to move to a bigger city in the near future where I will be pursuing my career as a professional performer in film/television, theatre, music, and whatever else may come my way! I am currently looking into either Los Angeles or Atlanta.

To everyone who has supported me and helped me grow as an artist, thank you. I specifically want to thank James Slowiak for pushing me to always be my best and reminding me to never settle. Thanks to the theatre department, arts administration, the costume and scene shops, my fellow theatre peers, and of course, my friends and family. Thank you all — you will be missed!

Best Wishes to Jenny!

05/04/2020

Join the Arts Administration Program on Wednesday at 2pm for the final Arts Connections Talk of the semester! Professors from the school of music, Dr. Lashbrook (voice) ad Dr. Feyes (instrumental) will be with us to discuss the field of music and encourage artists to stay motivated in their craft through the summer, whatever it may look like! Follow the link to register:
https://tinyurl.com/Connections-Music

05/01/2020

UA Dance is proud of graduating Dance program majors and minors for the 2020 year. To congratulate our graduating dance students we are featuring each of them here and on our website. https://www.uakron.edu/dtaa/dance/sub-pages/dance-student-focus.dot

Today, give a big congratulations to Amanda Kindt.

Here's what Amanda had to say:

Major:
Bachelors of Fine Arts in Dance

How do you plan to engage in the field of dance in the years after graduation?
I have been auditioning this spring semester in hopes of joining a Ballet Company or a dance position with a cruise line after graduation. As things are up in the air with this pandemic, my audition schedule got cut short. However I am optimistic towards the future that I will land a performance job as that is my goal upon graduation. I also may end up teaching dance as that is more of a long term goal, after performing for as long as I can.

Best memory working with UA Dance:
I loved being backstage before a show. You can feel the excitement in the air, especially before opening night. All the dancers would either be running between dressing rooms, singing really loudly, warming up, finishing their makeup and hair, or putting on their costume. It was practically chaos but everyone was always so supportive and would cheer each other on once you got on stage. It was a real family back there.

Best wishes to Amanda!

05/01/2020

Join us on Wednesday, May 6th at 2pm for a virtual discussion with UA music faculty Dr. Lashbrook and Dr. Feyes! We will discuss the ways instrumental and vocal music have and will change due to the current health crisis, as well as ways musicians can stay active and sharp! Follow the link to register:
https://tinyurl.com/Connections-Music

04/30/2020

In 2011, Arts Administration Interim Program Coordinator and Professor and Coordinator of Theatre James Slowiak was awarded the Outstanding Artist in Theatre Award from the Akron Area Alliance on November 20th. Given every two years, Slowiak was nominated for his work with New World Performance Lab and the Colorline Project, both community projects that also incorporated students from the UA Theatre Program. Slowiak said, “I think it is an award for me that extends beyond just me but it is recognition of the kind of experimentation, innovation and collaborative work that I think needs to be supported and recognized.” Performers praised Slowiak and the experiences they had working with him in the November Buchtelite article that featured Slowiak and the award, and his current students concur.
#artsstarthere

04/30/2020

UA Dance is proud of graduating Dance program majors and minors for the 2020 year. To congratulate our graduating dance students we are featuring each of them here and on our website. https://www.uakron.edu/dtaa/dance/sub-pages/dance-student-focus.dot

Today, give a big congratulations to Skyler Bortz.

Here's what Skyler had to say:
Major:
Bachelor of Arts in Dance with Business Cognate & Bachelors of Arts in Psychology

How do you plan to engage in the field of dance in the years after graduation?
I will be continuing to teach dance as it is a passion of mine.

Best memory working with UA Dance:
One of my best memories is being backstage with everyone getting ready for a show and feeling the excitement and anticipation of performing.

Best wishes to Skyler!

04/30/2020

Introducing The University of Akron School of Dance, Theatre, and Arts Administration's Arts Connections Series! Sponsored by the Arts Administration Program, the Arts Connections Series features discussions with arts leaders to connect UA artists with the community.
Join us on Wednesday, May 6th at 2pm for a discussion with UA Chair of the Voice Program Dr. Laurie Lashbrook and UA Assistant Director of Bands Dr. Andrew D. Feyes for a discussion centered on the field of music! Register here: https://tinyurl.com/Connections-Music

04/29/2020

UA Dance is proud of graduating Dance program majors and minors for the 2020 year. To congratulate our graduating dance students we are featuring each of them here and on our website. https://www.uakron.edu/dtaa/dance/sub-pages/dance-student-focus.dot

Today, give a big congratulations to Tiffany Campbell.

Here's what Tiffany had to say:
Major:
Bachelor of Arts in Dance with Business Cognate

How do you plan to engage in the field of dance in the years after graduation?
After graduating this spring, I will be engaging in the field of dance by pursuing a career in arts administration; my goal is to work for a dance company in a business or administration role. I also would love any opportunity to advocate for the importance of arts in our lives. This could entail inspiring others through teaching, outreach, presentations, and other informative ways for people to understand the purpose of the arts.

Best memory working with UA Dance:
One of my favorite memories while being a student at the University of Akron is being a student assistant for three years at The University of Akron’s pre-professional program The Dance Institute. I loved working with and teaching the students and learning the business areas of dance at the office and the managerial aspects of organizing and holding a show. I will also have very fond memories of the people I have met, friends I have made, classes I have taken, and performances I have danced in at The University of Akron for the rest of my life.

Best wishes to Tiffany!

(Photo Credit: Dale Dong)