The New Plays Workshop class taught by Professors Tim Slover and Sydney Cheek-O’Donnell invites you to three nights of free staged readings of new and bold plays. The plays written and performed by members of the Department of Theatre community will run April 23-25, at 6:00 p.m in PAB 115. Admission to the play readings is free and post-performance discussions will happen each night following the play readings. Light refreshments with be served.

Shooter by Mark Macey (Theatre Studies) April 23

The Value by Nicholas Dunn (Adjunct Faculty, ATP alumnus) April 24

Mapplethorpe by Mary Stringham (Art History Major & Theatre Minor) April 25 *Plays contain adult language and themes

About New Plays Workshop class: As a class, the plays are developed through discussion and exploratory workshops over the course of the semester. The development process culminates with student-run staged readings where members may serve variously as actors, directors, dramaturgs, stage managers or producers depending upon area of interest and the requirements of each play.

PERFORMING ARTS BUILDING PARKING:Parking is available in the visitor’s lot to the south of the Performing Arts Building, in the Marriott Library lot. Monday-Friday payment for parking is now required until 10:00 p.m.Please make sure to pay at the kiosks in the parking lot. The closest parking kiosk to Performing Arts Building is located outside the University of Utah Credit Union.

Support local artists and a fantastic organization this Friday, April 20 by attending “Natural Shocks” at 7:30 p.m. in the Babcock Theatre.

Directed by Department of Theatre Instructor Mark Fossen and starring Professor Sarah Shippobotham, this theatre activism piece against gun violence is a one night event produced by Pussycat Productions.

Modeled after her Inauguration Day project when she made her play The Taming available to theaters for royalty-free readings on January 20, 2017, Lauren Gunderson and her team of producers have coordinated an ambitious national campaign of theater activism against gun violence with royalty-free readings of her new play Natural Shocks taking place across the country April 19-23, 2018.

That timing is intentional: April 20 is the 19th anniversary of Columbine and the day of the National School Walkout, organized by the students activists in Parkland, Florida. Professional theaters, universities, high schools, and community groups are pairing their readings with town halls, audience talkbacks, and fundraisers for nonprofits like Everytown For Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action.

Learn more about the nation-wide campaign, here: https://www.naturalshocks.org

The Department of Theatre is lending our Babcock Theatre to Pussycat Productions for this event. Donations for Everytown for Gun Safety will be taken at the door in lieu of tickets.

RSVP at the event Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1491709104291935??ti=ia

Pioneer Theatre Company presents Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, March 30-April 14, featuring Department of Theatre students Beret Brems, Greg Carver, Cameron Holzman, Connor Nelis Johnson, Isabella Reeder, and Nathan Allen Vaugh as part of the ensemble.

Department of Theatre Professor Sarah Shippobotham is serving as the text coach, ATP Area Head and Associate Professor Chris DuVal as the fight choreographer, and hair and makeup Adjunct Faculty Amanda French as the hair and makeup designer.

After a shipwreck, grief-stricken but self-reliant Viola washes up on the shores of 1812 New Orleans. Disguising herself as a boy, she becomes the confidant of Orsino, who sends her to woo in his name the beautiful but aloof noblewoman Olivia – who promptly falls in love with the “boy” she believes Viola to be! Filled with music, merry madness and improbable passions, Twelfth Night has long been one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies.

The love triangle of Orsino, Olivia and Viola will be performed by Shakespeare veterans A.K. Murtadha, Kelsey Rainwater, and Grace Morrison.

More info Box Office: 801-581-6961 Open 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Mon. – Fri. www.pioneertheatre.org

It's no secret that we can learn a lot from The Arts. The Daily Utah Chronicle writer and ex-theatre student, Haley Oliphant wrote about 5 things she learned as a theatre major in her article, "Five Lessons I Learned as a Theater Major." We are confident you can learn a thing or two from one of our theatre classes.

Original article can be found at: The Daily Utah Chronicle  

It’s no surprise to anyone that arts degrees have a bad reputation. They’re often thrown to the side as useless and trivial — degrees one pursues when there are no other options. This “last resort” degree is also painted as an easy cop-out, but that is simply not true. Actors spend weeks memorizing scripts and blocking, and they must be able to recite monologue after monologue at a moment’s notice. Dancers dance until their feet literally bleed, their bones or muscles snap or until their routine is absolutely perfect — and then they dance some more. Visual artists spend hours in front of a canvas or screen meticulously deciding what colors, shapes, lines, textures and themes to incorporate into each masterpiece. Writers take black and white text and use it to create technicolor worlds with living, breathing characters. The bottom line is that arts training is hard. Beyond hard. I was a theater major once and I couldn’t handle it. It takes its toll on you emotionally, physically and mentally. I left because acting wasn’t the right fit for me, but I don’t feel my time was wasted. Here are five lessons I learned in the two and a half years I spent as a theater major:

Show Up This is exactly what it sounds like. Show up for your job, your significant other or life in general. You miss out on the best things life has to offer when you decide to sit one out. This doesn’t mean show up to every event you’re invited to, but it does mean that when you take the time to pursue something, you should always be present.

Take the Note Once After each rehearsal for a show, the director gives notes to the actors on what they can do to improve their performance. This mantra means when given a correction, strive to not receive the same correction in the next round of notes. Warranted feedback helps you become a better person and it helps you avoid mistakes in the future. If someone you care about or respect offers their two cents about something, take it seriously.

Don’t Hide From Your Emotions I know, I know, cue the sappy Hallmark movie music, but this is important. I once started crying in the middle of my acting class (side note: no worries, this was pretty normal) but my professor, Sarah Shippobotham, wouldn’t let me look away from her. She told me I could cry all I wanted to, but I couldn’t hide my face. I learned in that vulnerable moment I shouldn’t be embarrassed about my emotions, and even though this is a lesson I’m re-learning every day, I have Sarah Shippobotham to thank for helping me take the first step.

If You Pee Clear, You Sing Clear This is one of professor David Schmidt’s many mantras of life. More simply stated: stay hydrated.

Practice How You Perform Surprise, surprise: practice makes perfect. Well, maybe not perfect, but at least better. This little saying, however, takes things a step further. Don’t phone it in when you’re studying for a test, practicing a monologue or learning something new. If you really want to be better at something, you have to practice it a lot, but practice it with all the effort you have. While I may no longer be pursuing a degree in drama, I have learned many life lessons about how to be a better version of myself. I’m grateful to the people who work hard to bring the arts to life and for the professors who taught me valuable things. There are more lessons to be learned through art, but those are the ones you’ll have to learn for yourself.

@oliphant_haley

Musical Theatre Program students, Andy Harrison and Alice Ryan participated and performed at the 2018 Performance >Voice Confere nce sponsored by the University of Utah Voice Disorders Center on Saturday, April 7.

Both students participated in a masterclass and performed for keynote speaker Leda Scearce, a Singing Voice Rehabilitation Specialist from the Duke Voice Care Center. The students receive vocal instruction in the Department of Theatre from Assistant Professors Shalee Schmidt and Brian Manternach, D.Mus., and were able to attend the conference through Dr. Manternach's involvement on the conference planning committee.

University of Utah Health Care presented the Performance Voice Conference in celebration of World Voice Day. Physicians, otolaryngologists, speech language pathologists, vocal coaches, voice instructors, faculty and students were invited to join for a day of instruction and collaboration with nationally and internationally acclaimed voice professionals.

Attendees learned about the science behind clinical and pedagogical approaches to prevent or care for voice problems affecting performing artists. Topics included the effect of medications, hydration, and voice rest on voice function and recovery after injury. Speakers offered scientific and clinical expertise including laryngology, speech-language pathology, vocal coaching and voice science The Department of Theatre is a sponsor of the conference along with the National Center for Voice & Speech, the University of Utah Communication Sciences and Disorders, and other college Communication Sciences & Disorders departments in the state of Utah.

Ty Burrell, best known for his role as Phil Dunphy in the ABC sitcom Modern Family, visited the Department of Theatre Friday, March 30 to talk about his life and career in front of Theatre students, faculty, and staff.

ATP Head Chris DuVal joined him on the Babcock Theatre stage where Ty shared his views about preparation, commitment, and his perspective about acting.

Ty Burrell is a long time Utah actor and resident. He worked for both the Pioneer Theatre Company and Utah Shakespeare Festival before he developed fame in his current role in Modern Family. He is a theatre trained actor from Penn State and has worked in London, Broadway, and in many regional theatres across the country. Ty and Chris originally acted together in Cedar City in the late 90’s and have remained close friends since that time.

Ty’s wife, Holly is an alumna of our Actor Training Program. Ty and his wife Holly are valued supporters of the Department of Theatre at University of Utah.

Thanks for visiting and spending your morning with us!

Photo by Todd Collins Photos

We close the 2017-18 season with Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, based on the novel “The Playmaker” by Thomas Keneally, April 6-15 in the Babcock Theatre. Directed by Actor Training Program Professor Sarah Shippobotham, this play-within-a-play is a story in which justice, power and the possibility of redemption come under scrutiny. In Jan. 1788, the first of the British prison ships arrived at Botany Bay, Australia and settled the penal colony at Port Jackson, the site of current-day Sydney. Many of the prisoners had committed minor crimes and their wardens were military men who fought and lost the war against the American colonies. When hope and supplies run low, a lieutenant tries to increase morale by staging a comedy, The Recruiting Office” by George Farquhar, using the convicts as the cast.

The creative set of this modern classic designed by Department of Theatre’s technical director and associate professor Kyle Becker, aims to put the themes of this inspiring play at the fore. Performed by a cast of highly talented actors from the Actor Training Program and Musical Theatre Program, this production is set to be an innovative portrayal of the struggle for justice, power and humanity. Stay after the show for a conversation with the cast and creative team about the production following the Friday, April 13 performance.

Our Country’s Good at a glance:

Dates and Times: April 6-8 and 12-15 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees on April 14 and 15 at 2 p.m.

Post-Performance Discussion: April 13.

Location: The Babcock Theatre, located at 300 S. and University Street (1400 East) in the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, lower level. Free parking is available to the south of the theatre and at Rice Eccles Stadium.

Tickets: General Admission tickets are $18, University of Utah faculty and staff are $15, University of Utah students are free with UCard and all other students with valid student ID are $8.50. Tickets can be obtained by calling 801-581-7100, online at tickets.utah.edu or at the Performing Arts Box Office, located at Kingsbury Hall.

Please join us for the Public Presentations of our Theatre Chair Candidates All presentations will happen in PAB/Studio 115 at 9:00 a.m. the following dates:

Candidate Sydney Cheek-O'Donnell March 29

Candidate Joe Price April 3

Candidate Kate Moncrief April 10

Candidate Harris Smith April 17

Eclipsed directed by Stephanie Weeks received several national awards for our production showcased at the 2018 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival including:

Distinguished Performance and Production Ensemble

Eclipsed by Danai Gurira - University of Utah

Outstanding Performance and Production Ensemble

Eclipsed - University of Utah

Distinguished Performance by an Actress in a Play

Darby Mest, the Girl, Eclipsed, University of Utah

We first produced Eclipsed in March of 2017 in Studio 115. Later that year, we were invited to attend the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival Region 8 in Mesa, AZ February 12-16, 2018.

Eclipsed tells the story of five extraordinary women brought together by upheaval in their homeland of Liberia near the end of the Second Liberian Civil War. Traveling to AZ to share a tale of survival, hope, humor, and resilience couldn't have been possible without our cast, crew, creative team, director, and everyone else who joined us on this journey.

Congratulations!