WashU Performing Arts

06/03/2026

🎙️It's a new for your summer listening pleasure – inspiring AND loaded with sage advice! Episode 28 really should be assigned listening for all students, and it features television producer, screenwriter, and author Nick Santora!

Nick is an executive producer, showrunner, screenwriter, and author who has written for and/or produced 'The Sopranos', 'The Guardian', 'Law & Order' (dun-dun), 'Prison Break', 'Lie to Me', and 'Scorpion'. He has created and executive produced 'Beauty and the Geek', 'Breakout Kings', 'Reacher', and the soon-to-be-released this summer spin-off of Reacher called 'Neagley'. Rob and Nick talk about his circuitous journey studying multiple subjects at , his graduate training and professional career as a lawyer, and how he spent a week of vacation writing his first screenplay that won Best Screenplay of the Competition in the New York City Independent International Film Festival. It was at this moment that his career as a writer and creator began!

Listen now: https://pad.washu.edu/news/pad-podcast-episode-28-nick-santora

05/22/2026

Episode 27 of the PAD podcast features Tracy Wise, Author and Freelance Writer! After an international childhood lived throughout Asia because of her father’s aid work, Tracy has spent her career in theatre, opera, and then higher education administration. She currently writes university presidential speeches, campus communications, and news stories in California’s Inland Empire. She has a BA in Theatre and Spanish from (which includes a year at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK) and an MA in Cultural Studies (a historiography degree) from the University of East London in the UK. Tracy talks to Rob about the many skills she learned as an official “Metzian” in the Performing Arts Department. Tracy learned local lessons that she leveraged into an international career. Don’t miss this one!

Listen here: https://pad.washu.edu/news/pad-podcast-episode-27-tracy-wise

05/11/2026

Don't forget — our 2026 Handprint Ceremony is this Wednesday (May 13th) from 10am to noon in the PAD Hallway!

Anyone who participated in a PAD dance or drama production during their time at WashU is invited to leave their mark on the PAD 🎨

05/07/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 PAD student and faculty award recipients! 🌟🏆

04/30/2026

🎙Episode 26 of the features the very funny and engaging Joanna McNurlen! From studying Drama and Business at to building a dynamic career with roles at Deloitte, Spotify, and now her current role managing a team of Technical Architects at Salesforce, and teaching Change Innovation and Management at NYU, Joanna shares how her path was shaped by growth, risk-taking, and learning through failure. Rob and Joanna talk about the PAD classes that most shaped and (her word) broke her in a way that led her to a better understanding of the value of emerging from a struggle and understanding her true talents applied to business.

Do not miss this funny, thought-provoking, and inspiring episode featuring the one and only Joanna McNurlen! ✨

Listen now at the link in our bio 🔗

04/27/2026

📣🎓Attention graduating PAD students, actors, designers, and crew members: the 2026 Handprint Ceremony is on May 13th in the PAD lounge and hallway!

Since 1999, graduating students have memorialized their involvement in the department with handprints and footprints on the PAD hallway wall. This event is open to all graduates who have participated in a PAD production during their time at WashU (not just majors and minors). Family and friends are welcome. We hope to see you there!

More info here: https://pad.wustl.edu/events/2026-handprint-ceremony-graduating-pad-students

04/22/2026

Last month, PAD adjunct faculty member Diadie Bathily made his Oscars debut, performing Zaouli, a cultural dance from the Ivory Coast in the performance of “I Lied to You” from “Sinners". Diadie is the founder of St. Louis' Afriky Lolo Dance Company and teaches West African dance classes here at Washington University in St. Louis!

Read the full articles here:

St. Louis dancer Diádié Bathily shares Zaouli with the world during ‘Sinners’ Oscars performance: https://www.stlmag.com/culture/st-louis-dancer-diadie-bathily-shares-zaouli-with-the-world-during-sinners-oscars-performance/

Diadie Bathily brought West African dance to St. Louis — and took it to the Oscars stage: https://www.stlpr.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2026-04-09/diadie-bathily-afriky-lolo-african-dance-st-louis-oscars

From St. Louis to the Oscars: Local dancer performs on stage for ‘Sinners’ songs: https://www.stltoday.com/life-entertainment/local/art-theater/article_0ea527ea-a569-4701-82da-c1e5b16fd332.html

04/20/2026

Lesley Malin, AB ’88, and Scott Helm, BSBA ’87, of Baltimore, have made a $1.35 million gift to support the PAD's annual summer theater program at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London. The gift creates an endowed fund to assist participating students with financial need, including providing resources for tuition and program fees, as well as for airfare, meals and other expenses.

Read the article here: https://source.washu.edu/2026/04/major-gift-strengthens-washus-shakespeare-summer-program/

The program will be renamed the Schvey-Spottiswoode Shakespeare’s Globe Program, honoring Henry Schvey, a professor emeritus and former chair of the PAD; and Patrick Spottiswoode, founder and retired director of Globe Education at Shakespeare’s Globe and a former visiting professor at WashU.

We are so grateful for their generosity and support that allows us to continue this program that is beloved by students and faculty alike!

Alumni Lesley Malin and Scott Helm have made a $1.35 million gift to support WashU’s annual summer theater program at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London, which is hosted by the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences.

04/20/2026

The Lighting Technology Class presents RETINA BURN 👁️🔥
Join us for an evening of bold light and live performance. Featuring the musical talents of Uncle Albert Band!

April 23 | Edison Theatre
Free admission 🎟️🎟️

04/17/2026

The PAD season isn’t finished just yet 🎭 Check out the impressive work PAD classes have been developing all semester! From acting scenes and dance performances to a concert featuring lighting design by fellow WashU students, Final Showings have something for everyone. Come support your friends and celebrate all their hard work!