If these Winship walls could talk.
Get a sneak peek of LIGHT | NIGHT the bike light dance project – a one night only performance on November 3!
LIGHT | NIGHT the bike light dance project is a site-specific performance celebrating the changing light, designed to bring awareness to the need for using bike lights for safety at night.
During the performance, lights will illuminate the movement of dancers, and as day turns to night, those dancers will only be visible by the lights on their bodies—a poetic reminder to the campus community of the importance of being lit at night.
As part of the event, 270 bike lights will be distributed free of charge to students, faculty and staff of The University of Texas at Austin with a valid ID as part of the UT Safe Cycling Campaign.
Join Light|Night on Facebook, so that you’ll be in the loop with the event’s development.
When: Saturday, November 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: The LBJ Library Plaza
More information: 512-471-5793 or theatreanddance@utexas.edu
This project is an interdisciplinary collaboration across the university campus, including the School of Architecture, Department of Art and Art History, and Department of Theatre and Dance. It is made possible by the UT Safe Cycling Campaign 2011-2012, the UT Student Green Fee and the Snell Endowment for the UT School of Architecture.
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Choreography and Artistic Direction // Andrea Beckham (Senior Lecturer, Department of Theatre and Dance)
Sound Design and Composition // Taylor Kirk (BA Theatre and Dance 2011)
Costumes // Sarah Abusheikh, Dominique Gonzalez, Hannah Kim, Cristal Martinez, Natasha Rice, Roni Chelben, Susan Maccorkle, Mercedes O’Bannion, Kelly Ruiz (Department of Theatre and Dance)
Original Concept and Marketing Design // Raquel Breternitz, Laura Cole, Michael Jarrott, Shannon Vanderhill (Department of Art and Art History)
Produced by // Gloria Lee (Associate Professor of Design, Department of Art and Art History)
Kate Bedford (School of Architecture)
Photo by // Sandy Carson, The University of Texas at Austin
This event is now ‘sold out’. For more information, email tdfamilyweekend@gmail.com
Families are invited to experience “a day in the life” of their theatre or dance student during The University of Texas at Austin’s annual Family Weekend.
Join us in the Winship Atrium, the students’ favorite gathering space, and
- Meet faculty, teachers and mentors
- Attend classes highlighting acting, design, dance and theatre history
- Walk the same halls as your student and see the department’s theatres and studios
- Gather at a reception for students and family members
WHEN: Saturday, October 27 at 10:00AM
WHERE: Winship Drama Building Atrium, 300 East 23rd St., Austin, Texas 78712
R.S.V.P.: Please email your acceptance to tdfamilyweekend@gmail.com, and include the number of family members attending
Parking is available at the San Jacinto Garage, located at the corner of San Jacinto Boulevard and 24th Street.
See a Department of Theatre and Dance Performance following the reception!
THE CATARACT, by Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright and alumna Lisa D’Amour, takes the B. Iden Payne stage at 2:00 p.m. Set in Minneapolis in 1883, this poetic drama explores one week in the lives of Cyrus and Lottie Finch, a stalwart couple who take in two vagabond lovers from the South. The unlikely pairs’ intersection unearths their deep-seated desires – ones which they fight to keep buried.
Discount tickets are available for Family Weekend participants. Additional performance and ticket information will be provided in response to your RSVP for the October 27 events.
Learn more about The Cataract at jointhedrama.org
Get a glimpse behind the scenes of the making of Ovation’s A Chance to Dance!
Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt, two of the UK’s leading contemporary dancers and choreographers, are looking for the best dancers for a new company for Nigel Lythgoe (So You Think You Can Dance). Their quest leads them to our very own studio at the University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance.
Be sure to tune in, see who’s selected, and cheer on Texas’ Talent! A Chance to Dance premieres August 17 9pm CST on the Ovation Network, and UT takes center stage on August 24!
Photo: Raymond Thompson, The University of Texas at Austin
Faculty members Katie Dawson and David Justin have been named the recipients of the 2012 Department of Theatre and Dance Teaching Awards.
An alumna of The University of Texas at Austin, Katie Dawson (M.F.A. ’06) is recognized as an innovator in the classroom. Her areas of research include community-engaged outreach programs, arts integration, youth theatre, museum theatre, drama-in-education, theatre-in-education, and teaching artist praxis. A perpetual educator, Dawson’s work extends beyond the university and into classrooms throughout Texas to the far northwest of Alaska.
She serves as the director of Drama for Schools, the department’s professional development program that trains educators and students in drama-based instruction. A growing field, Dawson and her students’ work is in demand with educators, businesses and administrators.
As the head of the B.F.A. Dance program, David Justin is integral to the development of the highest quality of professional training for the department’s dance students. An experienced teacher of technique, choreography, and dance production, Justin provides learning opportunities in and out of the studio. Recently, he invited students to perform alongside his dance company, American Repertory Ensemble, at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin.
Justin serves as the co-artistic director of the department’s dance ensemble, Dance Repertory Theatre. His work Oblivion’s Ink, premiered in the spring’s smash hit Catalyst, received critical praise and was nominated for a 2012 Austin Critics’ Table Award. Dance Repertory Theatre presented Oblivion’s Ink in May at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the National College Dance Festival.
The Department of Theatre and Dance celebrates Katie Dawson and David Justin and their work.
The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance announces an inaugural five-performance Subscription Series with a spectacular 2012-2013 Season! The 2012-2013 season brings to the stage dramatic storytelling by Pulitzer Prize acclaimed playwrights, two world premieres, a bold adaptation of a cherished classic, and enthralling dance by nationally renowned choreographers.
“You are about to witness one of the ways that the arts brings new things into the world,” explains Brant Pope, chairman of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin. “Our 2012/13 season rivals in creative energy anything a state of the art science lab or think tank could invent. This year, we have two world premieres – the stunning adaptation of The Scarlet Letter, and Suzan Zeder’s brilliant The Edge of Peace. The latter marks the first co-production between our department and the celebrated Seattle Children’s Theatre. Audiences will relish the regional premiere of The Cataract by UT alumna and Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright, Lisa D’Amour. Add to this, Lynn Nottage’s smash hit Intimate Apparel and Dance Repertory Theatre’s compelling choreography in Roots and Wings and this season is proving to be one of the most exciting yet!”
Additional non-subscription season highlights include Fall For Dance; UTNT (UT New Theatre), curated by preeminent playwright Steven Dietz; and the Cohen New Works Festival, presented by The University Co-op. An audience favorite, the Cohen New Works Festival offers over 30 plays, dances, and exhibits to more than 8,000 patrons in six days.
Tickets for the department’s inaugural five performance Subscription Series are on sale now online at jointhedrama.org, or by calling (512) 471-4454.
Individual tickets for all performances go on sale August 20 at authorized ticket outlets, which include the Bass Concert Hall Box Office, most H-E-B stores and all Texas Box Office outlets, online at jointhedrama.org, or by calling (512) 477-6060 or (800) 982-BEVO (2386).
The Cataract
By Lisa D’ Amour
October 19 – 28, 2012
Oscar G. Brockett Theatre
Set in Minneapolis in 1883, this poetic drama explores one week in the lives of Cyrus and Lottie Finch, a stalwart couple who take in two vagabond lovers from the South. The unlikely pairs’ intersection unearths their deep-seated desires – ones which they fight to keep buried.
The Scarlet Letter
Adapted by Sarah Saltwick
Based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne
November 16 – December 7, 2012
Oscar G. Brockett Theatre
Sin. Guilt. Judgment. Love.
Hester Prynne comes to the stage in this world premiere reimagining of Hawthorne’s classic tale.
The Edge of Peace
By Suzan Zeder
Directed by Linda Hartzell
February 1 – 10, 2013
A play for all ages, The Edge of Peace tells the touching story of Buddy, a young boy struggling to make sense of a world at war. The final play in Suzan Zeder’s Ware trilogy, this world premiere is produced in partnership with Seattle Children’s Theatre.
Intimate Apparel
By Lynn Nottage
March 1 – 9, 2013
Esther, a gifted seamstress, dreams of finding love and longs to open a beauty parlor in Harlem. She meets George, and her aspirations appear within reach. Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage weaves a tale of romance, ambition, and self-discovery in Intimate Apparel.
Roots and Wings
Artistic Directors David Justin and Charles O. Anderson
April 19 – 21, 2013
Hot on the heels of 2012’s critically acclaimed Catalyst, Dance Repertory Theatre takes flight. The showcase presents exciting new dance works and re-staged masterpieces by nationally and internationally acclaimed guest artists and faculty.
Join the drama this season and become a Subscription Series holder!
Learn about the full season of offerings online or by phoning 512-471-5793.
Patrons are invited to attend a performance rehearsal of UT’s award-winning student troupe, Dance Repertory Theatre. Led by Department of Theatre and Dance faculty members Lyn Wiltshire and Charles O. Anderson, Dance Repertory Theatre will present six dances created for the upcoming Young Tanzsommer International Festival in Austria. Dance Repertory Theatre has presented at this prestigious event since 2004.
When: June 21, 2012 at 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Where: Anna Hiss Gym Room 134
The rehearsal is free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
Dance works include:
Put Your Hands On Me by Caitlin Poulton
GROW by Andrea Beckham
High Five Jive by Mariclaire Gamble and Lisa Kobdish
Rite by Charles O. Anderson
Two Modes of Action by Lyn C. Wiltshire
Sing! Sing! Sing! by Natasha Davison
For more information, contact the Department of Theatre and Dance at 512.471.5793
UT Theatre and Dance Community Shines at Ceremony
The Austin Critics’ Table has chosen their favorite for the year in theatre, design, dance, visual art and classical music. Among the top picks are many Department of Theatre and Dance students, faculty, alumni, and friends who have been recognized for their outstanding achievements during the 2011-2012 season. The strength of Theatre and Dance was exemplified with the recognition of every area of our department from undergraduates to graduates and from designers to directors. Congratulations to all!
The 2012 awards were presented June 4th at Cap City Comedy Club.
Awards by category:
THEATRE
Production, Drama (tie)
Direction
Daria Davis, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MFA candidate
Acting in a Supporting Role
Kelli Schultz, Next to Normal (ZACH Theatre), BA ‘12
David Mark Cohen New Play Award
River City, Diana Grisanti, MFA ‘12
DANCE
Short Work
Poet’s Love (Ready, Set, Go!), Rosalyn Nasky, attended
Dancer
Alvin Rangel, Tango Vesre, MFA ‘12
DESIGN
Costume Design
Yao Chen, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MFA candidate
Video Design
Jeff Kurihara, Broken Pieces/ Just for the Night (New York Stories), MFA candidate
SPECIAL CITATIONS
John Bustin Award for Exceptional Versatility
Kim Adams, BA ‘09
W.H. “Deacon” Crain Award for Outstanding Student Work
Liz Kimball, MFA candidate
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 2011
To read the full list of nominees and winners, click on the appropriate link.
UT Theatre and Dance Community Among Top Picks
Minus 16, Catalyst, 2012 Photo: Jeff Heimsath
For the 20th year, an informal affiliation of local arts critics has recognized the year’s most exceptional achievements in dance, classical music, the visual arts, and theatre. Department of Theatre and Dance productions, students, faculty, alumni and friends are well represented on this year’s list of nominations. Winners will be announced of the Critics’ Table Awards will be announced on June 4.
Performances listed below are produced by The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance unless otherwise noted.
DANCE
Dance Concert
Short Work
Tango Vesre by Alvin Rangel, MFA ‘12
Watch the Gap by Ellen Bartel, MFA ‘12
Choreographer
David Justin, Oblivion’s Ink, Department of Theatre and Dance Associate Professor and Co-Artistic Director of Dance Repertory Theatre
Dancer
Alvin Rangel, Tango Vesre, MFA ‘12
Ensemble
Ellen Bartel (MFA ’12), Mari Akita, and Adam Sultan in Program C: Butoh (Big Range Dance Festival)
Dance Repertory Theatre dancers in Minus 16, Catalyst
DESIGN
Scenic Design
Rowan Doyle, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MFA ‘12
Michael Raiford, Hairspray/Spring Awakening/God of Carnage (ZACH Theatre), MFA ‘09
Chris H. Yoo, 360 (round dance), MFA candidate
Costume Design
Yao Chen, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MFA candidate
Proletina Veltchev, Love’s Labour’s Lost, MFA ‘12
Lighting Design
Kate Leahy, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MFA ‘12
Cheng-Wei Teng, Love’s Labour’s Lost, MFA ‘12
Video Design
Joao Beira, Too & For (Catalyst), Choreographer Yacov Sharir
Jeff Kurihara, Broken Pieces/Just for the Night (New York Stories), MFA candidate
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 2012 Photo: Trent Lesikar
THEATRE
Production, Drama
Direction
Daria Davis, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MFA candidate
Acting in a Leading Role
Jon Cook, The Aliens (Hyde Park Theatre), BA ‘12
Acting in a Supporting Role
Kim Adams, Ghosts/The Pavilion (Penfold Theatre Co. in partnership with Breaking String), BA ‘09
Kelli Schultz, Next to Normal (ZACH Theatre), BA ‘12
Rommel Sulit, Bacha Bazi (Boy Play)
Ensemble Performance
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
David Mark Cohen New Play Award
360 (round dance), Steven Dietz, Department of Theatre and Dance Professor
Bacha Bazi (Boy Play), Gabriel Jason Dean, MFA ‘12
River City, Diana Grisanti, MFA ‘12
Static, Tom Horan, MFA ‘12
Music Direction
Allen Robertson, Hairspray/Next to Normal (ZACH Theatre), MFA ‘92
Movement
Quetta Carpenter, Love’s Labour’s Lost , Department of Theatre and Dance Lecturer
Tom Truss, Hair (Texas State University-San Marcos), MFA ‘09
Audiences have the opportunity to be enchanted once again by Oblivion’s Ink, the contemporary ballet by Department of Theatre and Dance Associate Professor David Justin. Dance Repertory Theatre, the university’s student dance ensemble, will perform Justin’s choreography at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. on May 25.
Oblivion’s Ink, 2012. Photo: Jeff Heimsath
The performance is in conjunction with the National College Dance Festival, an annual event that highlights exemplary choreography and performance created at colleges and universities across the country. The University of Texas at Austin’s dance program is one of 30 schools recognized at this year’s prestigious event. Oblivion’s Ink was premiered in March 2012 as part the department’s critically acclaimed dance concert Catalyst.
In addition to its debut at the Kennedy Center, Oblivion’s Ink will be performed in American Repertory Ensemble’s (ARE) spring concert at the Long Center for the Performing Arts on May 23. Entitled Fast Approaching Swiftly Gone, ARE’s program includes the Tosca String Quartet as well as work by internationally renowned choreographers Alex Ketley and Julia Adam.
David Justin serves as the co-artistic director of Dance Repertory Theatre and the artistic director of American Repertory Ensemble.
Legacy is vital in dance. Passing from one generation of dancer to the next through the sweat and dedication of practice, dance thrives, evolves and sustains in the light of legacy. Shirlee Dodge founded the dance program at The University of Texas at Austin in 1943 and built a legacy formed from two continents, the womb of modern expressionist dance and a lifetime devoted to true creativity.
From an early age Dodge danced her way through life (tap and acrobatics) with her sister in Vaudevillian acts until she discovered a new way to move and express in the performances of Mary Wigman. An acolyte of Rudolf Laban, Wigman is considered by many to be the founder of modern dance in Europe. At the age of 21, Dodge traveled to Europe with her University of Wisconsin Dance classmates. She convinced her parents that she needed to remain in Europe to study with Wigman in Dresden, Germany. She graduated from the Mary Wigman Central Institute in 1939 with three degrees: Professional Theatre Dancer, Pedagogy for Laymen Dancers, and Pedagogy for Professional Dancers. Later, armed with international experience, an artistic pedigree from the leading edge of modern dance and a professional teaching and performing career spanning parts of Europe, New York and the midwest; Dodge was invited by Anna Hiss (Head of The University of Texas at Austin Department for Physical Training for Women) to found a creative dance program for the university in 1943.
Within two years, Dodge was able to bring the dance program to the College of Fine Arts under Dean E. William Doty. Dodge not only taught dance, but choreographed and performed as well. This began the dance education of university students, as well as the Austin community. In a 1946 program letter, she wrote:
“Creative Dance, like any art, is a matter of personal experience. This experience can be the act of the dancer or the act of the spectator. In a dance concert, a true aesthetic fulfillment is that performance throughout which a free and flowing communication is established between the dancer and his audience.
[….] It is impossible to describe dance with words. Dance is a language which must be met in terms of its nature. As sound is to music, as words are to literature…so is movement to dance.” (Shirlee Dodge, Dance Sketches, 1946)
Dodge achieved full professorship at the university in 1965. She and her colleagues B. Iden Payne, Loren Winship, E.P. Conkle, Jim Moll and Fran Hodge, were forces that shaped the department and the standards of excellence that the faculty and students relentlessly pursue to this day.
Taking a snapshot of the dance program today, it is inspiring to see the thread of legacy continue to be spun. The department’s dance faculty share with Dodge the philosophical perspectives of individual creativity, the professional experiences of working internationally, and making the teaching aspect of this art form a central part of the experience. The bachelor of fine arts in dance, which started in 1998, focuses on three fundamental elements of study to support students living life on a dancer’s journey: performance, creativity and pedagogy. All of these were fundamental to the creative life of Shirlee Dodge.
There are many ways to measure success. One is to look at the success of the pupils. While an educator cannot take credit for students’ innate talents, mentors like Dodge do play an undeniable role in nurturing talents to realize their fullest potentials. Possibly one of the greatest successes has been that of alumnus Tommy Tune, winner of nine Tony Awards and the National Medal of Arts, to whom Dodge was an important “haven of sanity.” (Tune, 1998) Tune is a hard act to follow, yet theatre and dance alumni continue to impact the field with great success from New York to Los Angeles; from Maine to Mexico; onstage, behind the scenes and in the studio.
Today’s university dance program is a true partner in the Department of Theatre and Dance, and is considered a model for other programs. The department has evolved greatly since the days of creative dance in P.E. programs. The dance program is developing scholarships, taking students to Europe to perform and study, presenting choreography at the Kennedy Center, and seeking ways to constantly improve the student experience through repertoire, facility improvements, and guest artist interactions. The momentum is compelling. Dance at the university stands to continue as a driving force in the department, the college and the nation.
Contributed by David Justin, Associate Professor of Dance
Photography courtesy of Pam and Edmund McIlhenny
The Shirlee Dodge Theatre and Dance Endowment was recently established by Shirlee’s daughter, Pam McIlhenny and her husband Edmund. This endowment will honor Professor Dodge’s legacy by supporting The University of Texas at Austin dance program and awarding scholarships to the most talented dance students.
To be a part of this meaningful tribute to Shirlee Dodge, you may make a gift online or by check made payable to ‘The University of Texas at Austin’ and mail to:
Michele Baylor, Director of Development
The University of Texas at Austin
Department of Theatre and Dance
1 University Station, D3900
Austin, TX 78712
For additional information, please contact Michele Baylor at 512-475-6291.
