If these Winship walls could talk.

Alumna Honored with Educator of the Year Award

Gillian McNally (MFA 2002) is the recipient of the Alliance for Colorado Theatre’s 2011 Higher Education Theatre Educator of the Year Award. She currently serves as Assistant Professor of Theatre Education and Head of Community Engagement and Programs for Youth for the University of Northern Colorado.

The Story Wranglers Bring Imagination to Life

“You make the stories. You make the play.” This is the message that transforms groups of third graders into young artists when The Story Wranglers enter their classroom. Part of the Paramount Academy for the Arts, The Story Wranglers are a group of actors and teaching artists who partner with local elementary schools to support enthusiasm for writing, storytelling and self expression, bringing original stories to life on stage.

In addition to the engaging learning process enjoyed by The Story Wranglers young apprentices, “…this program is now offering University of Texas grads and other local artists and teachers a lot of theatre work in town, and it’s only growing!,” said Jenn Hartmann Luck (M.F.A in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities ‘11), Paramount’s Education and Outreach Director. “I want The Paramount to be the place UT grads can come to find experience and real work in Austin!”

Nearing graduation and his own alumni status, Ben Bazan (B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate) has been working for The Story Wranglers for over three years. While working with a group of young artists Ben noticed a suspiciously deserted desk. Upon learning that the desk’s owner was away recovering from serious illness, Ben began working one-on-one with that student to create their own stories together, including a superhero tale chronicling the young boy’s battle with cancer.

You can see his original story and more performed Stateside at The Paramount Theatre on January 31st at 7:00 p.m. For more information visit austintheatre.org.

Members of The Story Wranglers teaching and performing ensemble include:

Jenn Hartmann Luck; M.F.A in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities ‘11, Paramount Theatre Education and Outreach Director
Pierce Purselley; B.A. in Theatre Studies, Paramount Theatre Literacy to Life Program Manager
Ben Bazan; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Michelle Dahlenburg; M.F.A in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities ‘11
Joseph Dailey; B.F.A. in Theatre Studies
Uyen-Anh Dang; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Brian Fahey; M.F.A in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities ‘10)
Matrex Kilgore; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Chrissy Shackelford; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Stacey Volland; B.F.A. in Theatre Studies ‘09

Follow The Story Wranglers on twitter and facebook.

Photo: Ben Bazan and Matrex Kilgore and students act out the stories they wrote in class. Courtesy: The Story Wranglers

34th Annual International Showcase Hits Austin

International Performing Arts for Youth (IPAY) is proud to bring the 34th annual Showcase to Austin, Texas from January 18 - 21, 2012. IPAY is joined by the following hosting partners in Austin: The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance, Texas Performing Arts, The Long Center for the Performing Arts, The Paramount Theatre and Stateside at the Paramount, and Holden & Arts Associates. IPAY and its partners welcome over 450 international artists, presenters, arts managers, students, and guests to take in over 20 performances from the US, Canada, England, Ireland, Holland, Israel, Spain, Italy, and Australia.

The annual Showcase is IPAY’s premiere event in North America, dedicated to promoting the best in international performing arts for young audiences. The event presents an opportunity for the community to gather together to discuss new trends and hot topics in the field, to view work available for touring in the United States, and to promote the high quality and innovation of work being created for young audiences.

Showcase is produced and presented by IPAY, an arts service organization based in Philadelphia, PA, dedicated to promoting, supporting and advancing the community of performing arts for young audiences in North America. The event moves locations every year to benefit local artists and presenters in different locations in North America. Along with the hundreds of guests from around the world, the event in Austin has attracted performing arts groups and presenters from across the state of Texas, including Showcasing performance Intergalactic Nemesis by Austin’s The Robot Planet.

Boomer Stacey, IPAY Executive Director said, “It’s very important for us to be in Austin this year. It’s the first time our organization has worked with so many partners in hosting the event. And it’s great for us to see an increase in the number of artists, students and delegates attending because of their interest in the conference and in the great city of Austin. We’re very excited to be here.”

Alumna Leads Outreach and Education at American Shakespeare Center

Sarah Enloe (BFA, ’01) is the Director of Education for the American Shakespeare Center in Virginia. The world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s Indoor Theatre, American Shakespeare Center is an URTA organization that plays in rep 52 weeks a year.

Sarah holds a master of fine arts in dramaturgy and master of letters in teaching from Mary Baldwin College’s Masters in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance Program and a bachelor of fine arts in theatre studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Sarah taught theatre arts at the high school level in Texas for five years, where she directed A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and Much Ado About Nothing, as well as an annual Theatre for Young Audiences production and four award-winning one act plays. In 2003, she won recognition as teacher of the year and an NEH fellowship to study with Shakespeare & Co. Sarah contributed to Joan Lazarus’s “Signs of Change” in 2002. In addition to her position at the American Shakespeare Center, she teaches classes at Mary Baldwin College and at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

UT Theatre and Dance Community Recognized in The Austin Chronicle’s “Top 10 of 2011”

Congratulations to the Department of Theatre and Dance productions, students, faculty, alumni and friends named as top picks of 2011 in The Austin Chronicle’s annual list of standout performances.

Selections from “Top 10 Theatrical Wonders of 2011”

8) Lauren Lane – Featured performer, The Cherry Orchard, Department of Theatre and Dance Fall 2011 production

Lucien Douglas and Lauren Lane, The Cherry Orchard; Photo: Brenda O’Brian

Honorable Mentions

And Then Came Tango

Produced in conjunction with The University Co-op Presents the Cohen New Works Festival, And Then Came Tango is a play for young audiences, celebrating the modern family. The creative team, cast and crew of the 2011 production included:
Director: Emily Freeman; M.F.A. in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities candidate
Dramaturg: Elizabeth Schildkret; M.F.A. in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities candidate
Costume Design and Construction: Susan MacCorkle; M.F.A. in Theatrical Design candidate
Music Composition: Paul Marbach; B.A. in Music ‘11
Stage Manager: Amanda Koleckar; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
And, featuring performers:
Ariel Livingston; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Kelsey Rondeau, B.F.A. in Dance candidate
Diana Gonzales; B.A. in Theatre and Dance ‘11
Uyen-Anh Dang; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Michael Massey; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Katie Folger; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Mikey Mintz; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Courtney Moreno; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Liz Wasem; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate

And Then Came Tango will tour Austin-area schools and return to the Department of Theatre and Dance stage in the fall of 2012.

And Then Came Tango; Photo: David Bjurstrom

Heddatron (Salvage Vanguard Theater)

Director: Dustin Wills; B.A. in Theatre and Dance ‘06
Scenic Design: Lisa Laratta; M.F.A. in Theatrical Design ‘08
Technical Director: Mason Baker; B.A. in Theatre and Dance candidate
Technical Director: Dorian Robison; M.F.A. in Theatrical Design candidate

Selections from “Top 10 Theatrical Delights of the Latter Half of 2011”

7) Daria Davis, M.F.A. in Directing candidate and Director of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Department of Theatre and Dance Fall 2011 production

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Photo: Trent Lesikar

Selections from “Top 10 Notable Theatrics of 2011”

2) The Book of Grace (ZACH Theatre)
Featuring performer:
Shaun Patrick Tubbs; M.F.A. in Acting ’10

7) Hillcountry Underbelly (The Vortex)
Director: Dustin Wills; B.A. in Theatre and Dance ‘06
Director: Keri Boyd; Director: Dustin Wills; B.A. in Theatre and Dance ‘06
Scenic Design: Lisa Laratta; M.F.A. in Theatrical Design ‘08
Costume Design: Dustin Wills; B.A. in Theatre and Dance ‘06
Featuring performers:
Emily Tindall; B.A. in Theatre and Dance ‘07
Jenn Hartmann Luck; M.F.A. in Drama and Theatre for Youth and Communities ‘11