The Actor Training Program seniors invite you to their senior project presentations Monday, April 22-Friday, April 26 in the Performing Arts Building. The projects are the development of solo or devised work from a seminar style class designed for senior students as a capstone of their training in Actor Training Program.

Monday, April 22: 8:15-8:45 PM Mary-Helen Pitman (PAB 115)

Tuesday, April 23: 5:15-5:45 PM Payton Bowen (PAB 115) 5:45-6:15 PM Call Vande Veegaete (PAB 202) 6:30-7:00 PM Louis Hillegass (PAB 115)

Wednesday, April 24: 5:00-5:30 PM Hannah Ensign (PAB 115) 5:30-6:00 PM Savannah Moffat (PAB 202)

Friday, April 26: 6:00-6:50 PM Lindsie Kongsore (PAB 115) 6:55-7:25 PM Emily Nash (PAB 202) 7:45-8:15 PM Kalla Nielsen (PAB 115)

Congratulations to Gavin Yehle, our 2019 Department of Theatre Outstanding Student!

Gavin is a dedicated and compassionate leader in the department who graduated with a BFA from the Actor Training Program in 2018, and is now graduating with a BFA in Stage Management.

During his time in the Department, he has appeared in Our Country’s Good You Never Can Tell The Two Noble Kinsmen, and Arcadia. He has stage managed or assistant stage managed on such shows as Company Amahl and the Night Visitors Julius Caesar The Beautiful Game, and The Importance of Being Earnest.

In addition to acting and stage managing, he also has sound designed, mixed and assisted sound on various shows including You Never Can Tell Steel Pier, Bring It On: The Musical, American Idiot, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Recently he was the lighting designer for The Rivals and has helped with lighting on various projects inside and outside of the department.

The Department of Theatre faculty nominated Gavin because of his commitment to the department, his fellow students, and the theatre community. Serving as a member of the Student Advisory Committee throughout his time as a student, he has a vested interest in the continued success of the department and of his fellow classmates, helping with various student-led projects and productions. Outside the University, he’s worked at various companies including University of Utah Youth Theatre where he got his start in theatre (thank you Penny!), as well as Salt Lake Acting Company, The Grand Theatre, and Pioneer Theatre Company. He appreciates all the support he’s gotten from his professors, family, and friends.

He is a recipient of an Honors at Entrance Scholarship, Department of Theatre Scholarship, Magic Space Entertainment Scholarship, Christine Macken Theatre Scholarship, and the College of Fine Arts Advisory Board Scholarship.

by guest bloggers Michaela Funtanilla and April Goddard

Imagination is the only limitation for Department of Theatre set and prop design students, thanks to the department’s acquisition of a state-of-the-art Shopbot CNC machine. It was purchased by an anonymous donor in summer 2018.

“Our production capabilities have in the past been greatly limited in time and budget. By having CNC technology available in our small shop, we can now think and create with fewer constraints,” said Department of Theatre’s Technical Director, Kyle Becker. Similar to a 3D printer, the Shopbot CNC uses computer drawings (CAD) to operate. But instead of additive manufacturing, the Shopbot cuts out shapes from materials like wood, plastic, foam soft metal, and composites. The machine can print up to an 8x4 ft sheet of material—larger 3D designs require cutting out multiple pieces to then assemble into a sculpture.

Prior to owning this CNC tool, limited projects were outsourced, but this was too expensive to do regularly. Now that the Department of Theatre owns its own CNC tool, the possibilities are endless, and projects that took days to build can be completed in minutes. “We can ask the machine to 3D carve and 2D cut without these tasks consuming time and money that can go to other areas like assembly and painting,” said Becker.

CNC machines are standard technology in the performance art design industry. Students can receive training on the CNC tool though the department's Computer Modeling and Design course, and become more competitive for set design jobs in theatre, film, and theme parks. Becker said he would eventually like to partner with local high school theatre programs to increase CNC machine education.

The Rivals opens 4/5 and will be the first set to highlight the Shopbot’s capabilities as the set requires intricate architectural facades. Buy your tickets at ticket.utah.edu.

Original article by The Finer Points Blog

Ash Patlan on the left in "Halfway" by Emily Schwend

Tell us about yourself: Name, where you are from, what theatre emphasis you did, graduation year, what you do and how you got into your field of work? Hi! I'm Ash Patlan. I'm from Sandy, Utah, and I graduated from the Actor Training Program in the Spring of 2018. I'm currently acting in the Professional Training Company at the Tony Award-winning Actors Theatre of Louisville. As a member of the Professional Training Company, I've been able to perform in many shows put on for the community of Louisville, Kentucky, and have been able to dive headfirst into the professional world of new works. In my time at Actors Theatre, I've originated a role in the world premiere of a site-specific new play by celebrated Humana Festival Playwright, Mara Nelson-Greenberg; I've performed a fully produced run of my own original work on the Actors Theatre Stage; I've played Petunia Fezziwig in the 43-performance run of  Louisville's traditional classic, Fifth Third Bank's A Christmas Carol; and I am about to start rehearsals for the world premiere of the new play, We've Come To Believe, that will be featured in the 43rd Humana Festival of New American Plays. I was first introduced to Actors Theatre when I was a junior in the ATP, as we auditioned for the Director of the Professional Training Company during his recruitment trip to the U. I completely took advantage of the fact that this industry professional was coming to Utah -- just to audition and meet us --  and I used that time to really foster a good professional relationship. I made sure I sent thank you emails after he left, that I kept in contact with him from time to time, and that I auditioned for him again when he came back my senior year. It worked. After I auditioned for him again my senior year, he immediately recognized me from my video submission when I formally applied for the company and the rest is history.

Fifth Third Bank’s A Christmas Carol" at Actors Theatre of Louisville. 

How did your experience in the U’s Department of Theatre help you as a professional? There is no way in the world that I would be where I am today without the things that I gathered from my time in the ATP. Being in this program gave me all of the tools necessary in order to survive and succeed in this immensely difficult field. The quality of the education that I received from the ATP is of such a high quality that it easily rivals anything I could have ever learned from going to any acting school on the East Coast. I daily use the warm up techniques that I've learned from all of those Voice and Speech and Singing for the Actor classes; I meditate and focus myself and the characters I become before, during, and after stepping out on stage with the skills I've obtained from all of those Movement and Butoh classes; and I tackle any script and balance the maths and the humanity of the text with the mastery I've acquired through through the years of Shakespeare and Acting classes at the U. Honestly, I am so glad I went there.

What is your favorite Utah memory? I miss everything about Utah, but I especially miss the U. My favorite moment was the last Finals Week of my senior year and seeing all of my classmates and friends from all 4 graduating classes perform . I thought it was really special to go to each person's final and get to see them in completely in their element and get to cheer them on. I also really liked getting to perform my senior project, MAYFLOWER, and I felt extremely supported by my classmates, friends and faculty in the audience. It became such an important moment for me to create and perform my own work and it really gave me the courage to keep working on it. I eventually went on to further develop MAYFLOWER at Actors Theatre and got to perform a run of it on the same stage where plays by Obie Award-winning playwright, Lucas Hnath, have first premiered. Honestly, what a special time to get together to celebrate one another's work -- it really is magical.

What advice do you have for recent grads? My advice for recent grads is to hit the ground running as soon as you receive that diploma. DO NOT GET LAZY. Have a set of goals of where you want to go and what you want to do and hustle like your life depends on it. You literally have everything you need to succeed, so if you want it, you can make it happen. Research everything, stay in touch with your contacts, be prepared,  stay hungry, and stay humble. You'll be surprised where you just might end up if you do.

Hippolyta is a collaborative project created by the University of Utah Department of Theatre students playing in PAB 202, February 8-10, 2019.

William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream is reimagined and retold through the eyes of one of the play's most undermined characters, Hippolyta. Through this immersive exploration of movement, color, and magic the veil between dreams and reality thins, allowing for mischief to ensue.

Seating is limited, reservations not claimed will be forfeited at the door. Additional rush seating will be available on a first come-first served basis.

Reserve tickets at hippolyta-tickets.eventbrite.com

The University of Utah’s Department of Theatre ends the fall season with Charles L. Mee’s Big Love, an elaborate, updated retelling of one of the oldest plays in Western history, The Danaids by Aeschylus. Directed by Robert Scott Smith, the production runs Nov. 9-18 in the Babcock Theatre in the lower level of the Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 South and University Street.

Big Love, which has nothing to do with polygamy or the late cable TV series, tells the story of 50 brides who flee their 50 grooms and seek refuge in an Italian villa. Mayhem ensues, complete with grooms in flight suits, women throwing themselves to the ground, occasional pop songs, romantic dances, and even a bride falling in love.

Written originally for the Humana Festival, Louisville, in 2000, this play is topically relevant by tackling the issue of sexual misconduct that prompted the #MeToo movement, and challenging the many misconceptions of gender and sexuality that still exist today. In a 2003 interview with Open Stages newsletter, Mee explained, “…it’s all about refugees and gender wars and men and women trying to find what will get them through the rubble of dysfunctional relationships, and anger and rage and heartache.”

Big Love is timely, important, and a spectacular theatre piece the audience won’t forget.

Tickets General $18

UofU Fac/Staff $15

Seniors (60+) Military $15

Free for UofU students with valid student ID, must show Ucard in person to request a ticket

Student $8.50

The U's Department of Theatre presents William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, set in a futuristic Rome run by women. Guest directed by David Carey, the production runs Oct. 26-Nov. 4 in Studio 115.

The vision for this futuristic, women-ruled production of Julius Caesar comes from guest director, David Carey. Carey is a UK National Teaching Award-winning Fellow who has worked as a Voice and, Text Director on over 30 productions at the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and who has taught at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He made the decision to cast 13 women and 5 men in what he calls a “gender-flipped version of Shakespeare’s play.” The casting led to the development of a conceptual Rome set in 2118, where Caesar has declared herself “Mother of the Motherland.”

“The increasing domino-effect of climate change across the world led to the complete disruption of advanced technology and the collapse of the social order by 2048,” Carey says about this production’s time and setting. “Seventy years later, women have established themselves as the dominant power in the post-technological world following the failure of male leadership, while men have become the ‘weaker sex.’

” This 400-year-old political drama, based on true events from Roman history deals with political topics that are timely and, significant to audiences today. Carey explains, “The play deals with the consequences of authoritarianism and idealism in the political sphere. At a time when populism, authoritarianism, and the idealisms of left and right are threatening the basic tenets of democracy, it feels right to be mounting a production of Julius Caesar.”

A post-performance discussion about power and dominance of women on the theatre stage will be held on Friday, November 2, immediately following the evening 7:30 p.m. performance. Adjunct Assistant Professor of Theatre and of Gender Studies, Lynn Deboeck will be leading the discussion with production dramaturg, Alia Richards where audiences are invited to engage in the conversation.

Julius Caesar at a glance:

Dates and Times: Previews Oct. 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. The show runs Oct. 26-28 and Nov. 1-4 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees on Nov. 3 and 4 at 2:00 p.m.

Post-Performance Discussions: Nov. 2 immediately following the evening 7:30 p.m. performance.

Location: Studio 115 in the Performing Arts Building, 240 S. 1500 East. Parking is available in the visitor's lot to the south of the theatre, at Rice-Eccles Stadium or on Presidents Circle.

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/events/julius-caesar/ or at the Performing Arts Box Office, located at Kingsbury Hall.

So, I made a thing. A year ago I was beginning to write the grant for this project. I had seen Remote Mitte by Rimini Protokoll earlier that year in Berlin, and I was really interested in audio tours as an immersive, theatrical experiment. I wrote about re-contextualizing locales, sharing stories dismissed by ageism, engaging people with my city, and, with the help of Robert Scott Smith, I got the grant.

In December of 2017, I sent out flyers to every assisted living facility in Salt Lake, calling for storytelling volunteers. I got one reply. This tour is a collection of his stories. Along the way, equipment broke, feelings got hurt, and publishing platforms disappeared into the ether after being acquired by massive speaker companies (I’M LOOKING AT YOU BOSE). But my friends and faculty were always there to work through the hiccups, and that was pretty flipp’n awesome. Special thanks to Benjamin Young and Alexander Woods.

This tour isn’t perfect. But it’s personal, political. And it’s probably not like any other audio tour you’ll be listening to in the near future. So go out there and get to know my city.

by Emily Nash, student in the Actor Training Program

Great Ascents

By Emily Nash Available on VoiceMap Audio Tour Oct. 6-Nov. 6, 2018

Audio Tour: Great Ascents was made possible by a University of Utah Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) grant. UROP provides undergraduate students and mentors the opportunity to work together on research or creative projects. To find out more about how to apply for a UROP grant, visit: our.utah.edu/urop/

About Emily Nash She is a senior in the ATP. Currently she's the assistant director of Julius Caesar in Studio 115 at the University of Utah. She is also finishing her massage therapy certification, and lurking, "whoops I mean interning," at Pioneer Theatre Company. Favorite roles include 

Maria in Up: The Man in the Flying Chair (Studio 115), Player in Shockheaded Peter (Sackerson), and Carmen in This Girl Laughs, This Girl Cries, This Girl Does Nothing (Arizona State University). Next up you’ll see her in The Rivals in the Babcock Theatre. Lots of love to her friends and family for supporting her shenanigans.

The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe, directed by Assistant Professor Alexandra Harbold featuring Department of Theatre faculty, students, and alumni is playing at Salt Lake Acting Company October 10-November 11, 2018. These warriors are ready to take on anyone. Their minds move at warp speed, their emotions jostle for position, their bodies are fine-tuned, and their hormones are raging. It’s war out there on the girls’ soccer field. Get ready for The Wolves.

Tickets available at Salt Lake Acting Company.

Design Team:

Set Design – Erik Reichert

Costume Design – Kerstin Davis

Lighting Design – William Peterson

Sound Design – Jennifer Jackson

Prop Design – Janice Jenson

Dramaturg – Catherine Heiner

Soccer Consultant – Joe Murray

Stage Manager – Justin Ivie*

Assistant Sound Design – Kate Hunter

Assistant Stage Manager – Katelyn Limber

Cast:

Madi Cooper – #25

Louise Dapper – #14

McKenzie Steele Foster – #11

Tracie Merrill – Soccer Mom

Mary Neville – #7

Ireland Nichols – #00

Hailee Olenberger – #13

Fina Posselli – #2

Cézanne Smith – #8

Alison Jo Stroud – #46

The Department of Theatre at the University of Utah is honored to be hosting Fight Master David Boushey on October 19, 2018 for a master workshop with faculty and students from the Actor Training Program, 9:40-11:35 a.m. in the Performing Arts Building.

Master Boushey is an American stuntman, stunt coordinator, stage fight director and stunt trainer. He is the founder of International Stunt School in Seattle, WA, which is considered the foremost stunt training facility in the film industry. He is also the founder of the United Stuntmen's Association and the Society of American Fight Directors. He was inducted into the Hollywood Stuntmen's Hall of Fame in 1992. Fight Master Boushey is one of fourteen First Masters in North America and the recipient of the Los Angeles Critics Award for Best Fight Choreography in 1981, 1985, and 1991.

During his career 40-year professional career as a stunt coordinator and stunt instructor throughout North America and Europe, he has Coordinated Stunts and Action for 8 Academy Award-Winning actors including Chris Cooper, Brad Dourif, William Hurt, Tommy Lee Jones, Marsha Mason, Jon Voight, Christopher Walken, and Denzel Washington. Other actors he's trained include Drew Barrymore, Barry Corbin, Anna Faris, Danny Glover, James Earl Jones, Heather Locklear, Mary Tyler Moore, Meg Ryan, Keifer Sutherland, and Elijah Wood.