ANNUAL REPORT 2010 REPORT ANNUAL School of Communication Communication Communication of of School School at Northwestern University University Northwestern Northwestern at at Leading the way the Leading Northwestern university School of Communication 2240 Campus Drive evanston, illinois 60208­3580 847/491­7023 www.communication.northwestern.edu L e a D i N g t h e W a Y S M T W T F S throughout its long history, Northwestern’s School of Communication has attracted 1 leaders and innovators to its faculty. and that is why it has been so successful in New Year’s Day educating leaders and innovators across the creative economy. We have no better example of this than Mary Zimmerman (C82, gC85, gC94), the 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Jaharis Family Foundation Professor of Performance Studies. Mary came to North­ Winter quarter western as a freshman and stayed to earn not just her bachelor’s and master’s degrees classes begin but also a PhD in performance studies. Both as a student and a young alumna, Mary adapted a wide range of texts for performance, showing an unusual aptitude for 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 seeing how even the most unlikely source — such as the notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci — might make exciting theatre. Mary’s career has been marked by extraordi­ nary achievements, from her 2002 tony award for Metamorphoses (which she wrote and directed) to her recent successes as a director for New York’s Metropolitan 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor, La Sonnambula, and, last year, armida (above). Martin Luther King Jr. Day Of course, much of the extraordinary work our faculty and students do depends on resources made available through generous gifts from our alumni, friends, and 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 community. through these contributions and the leadership role you take, you make Spinning into Butter, Spinning into Butter, it possible for the School of Communication to lead the way. Louis, 8 p.m. Louis, 8 p.m. Barbara J. O’Keefe, Dean 30 31 Spinning into Butter, Louis, 2 p.m. January L e a D e r S h i P mov e S u S S M T W T F S Leaders bring artistry to all they do, and they appreciate — and develop — artistry in 1 2 3 4 5 others. the Department of theatre’s dance program celebrated its 30th­anniversary . Chinese New Year Spinning into Butter, Spinning into Butter, season last year with a special Danceworks performance that brought together Spinning into Butter, Louis, 8 p.m. Louis, 8 p.m. Louis, 8 p.m. students, faculty, alumni, and guest artists. the show featured student dancers but also gave faculty dancers an opportunity to show off their eclectic styles. Faculty 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 performers included Billy Siegenfeld, Jeff hancock, Molly Shanahan, Joel Valentin­ Spinning into Butter, Peribanez, Barber, 8 p.m. Peribanez, Barber, 8 p.m. Louis, 2 p.m. Martinez, Meghann Wilkinson, Brandi Coleman, and program director Susan a. Lee, who donned go­go boots to join students for a ’60s­era piece celebrating the program’s beginnings. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Peribanez, Barber, 2 p.m. Valentine’s Day Peribanez, Barber, 8 p.m. Peribanez, Barber, 8 p.m. everybody Dances!, the talents of our alumni and faculty are often displayed on the stage — or on the Wallis, 10 a.m. Peribanez, Barber, 8 p.m. screen. at the 2010 toronto international Film Festival, no fewer than three films by alumni directors grabbed audience attention. David Schwimmer (C88) brought 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 trust, based on his play of the same name as premiered by Chicago’s Lookingglass Peribanez, Barber, 2 p.m. Presidents’ Day Danceworks, Louis, 8 p.m. Danceworks, Louis, 8 p.m. theatre. rabbit hole, directed by John Cameron Mitchell (C85), generated awards buzz for its star, Nicole Kidman. Barney’s Version, directed by richard Lewis (C83) and starring Paul giamatti and Dustin hoffman, had already picked up a golden 27 28 Lion nomination at the Venice Film Festival the previous week. Danceworks, Louis, 2 p.m. Give every year, make a difference every day. February L e a D e r S h i P r e a C h e S O u t S M T W T F S When evanston­area day care centers lost funding for speech therapy, the Speech 1 2 3 4 5 and Language Clinic in the roxelyn and richard Pepper Department of Communi­ Danceworks, Louis, 8 p.m. Danceworks, Louis, 8 p.m. Danceworks, Louis, 8 p.m. cation Sciences and Disorders stepped forward. Now Brandon Miller (above) and the State(s) of america: the State(s) of america: the regina taylor Project, the regina taylor Project, other children at several sites have easy and affordable access to evaluations and Barber, 8 & 11 p.m. Barber, 8 & 11 p.m. therapy for speech and language issues such as stuttering, articulation problems, 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 and swallowing disorders. the program is a boon not only to evanston children Danceworks, Louis, 2 p.m. Winter quarter classes end and their parents but also to communication sciences students, who use the clinical the State(s) of america: the regina taylor Project, Barber, 2 & 8 p.m. practice in the day care centers to gain real­world experience. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Leaders make connections that pay wide dividends. radio/television/film junior Daylight saving St. Patrick’s Day Spring break begins Jingyang Cheng got more than a good grade for a documentary that is now used for time begins fundraising by the animal shelter it featured. theatre students learn storytelling and other skills working with local middle school students. Our alumni — as well 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 as students and faculty — contribute their talents to the vibrant Chicago theatre community and to theatres across the nation. they also pay forward their success by coming back to campus: last year the school enjoyed visits from alumni such as producer­writer Josh Shader (C99), actor Stephanie March (C96), director greg 27 28 29 30 31 Berlanti (C94), and a panel of alumni and friends at our annual Festival of Writing. Spring quarter classes begin Give every year, make a difference every day. March L e a D e r S h i P i S i M a g i N a t i V e S M T W T F S Leaders listen more closely, think more deeply, and see differently. they reimagine. 1 2 take the theatre and interpretation Center’s musical exploration of a Midsummer Night’s Dream (above). the show combined Shakespeare, 1950s New Orleans jazz, and a steamy original score, courtesy of a group of our students. the theatre and interpretation Center gives students opportunities to work closely with their peers, 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 faculty, and guest artists such as — in this, its 30th­anniversary season — directors Jungalbook, Barber, 7 p.m. Jungalbook, Barber, 2 & 7 p.m. Sean graney and Derek Sanders, actors David Catlin (C88) and ann Whitney (C52), and actor­playwright regina taylor, who curated a campuswide mixed­media project. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 imagination is a skill you can develop early. this year the center invited community Jungalbook, Barber, 2 p.m. Jungalbook, Jungalbook, Barber, Jungalbook, families to share the wonder of performance through imagine u, a backstage tour Barber, 7 p.m. 10 a.m. & 7 p.m. Barber, 7 p.m. of the kid­friendly fare that is a longtime signature of Northwestern theatre. that tradition began with alumna and faculty member Winifred Ward (C1905), who 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 developed improvisational theatre as an educational tool for children. She founded Palm Sunday Passover begins good Friday at sundown an organization that evolved into the american alliance for theatre and education, Jungalbook, earth Day Barber, 2 p.m. which today presents the Winifred Ward Outstanding Children’s theatre Company award. Last year the Purple Crayon Players, a student­run Northwestern company 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 producing theatre for young audiences, proudly brought the award home. easter Passover ends Waa­Mu Show, Waa­Mu Show, Cahn, 8 p.m. Cahn, 2 & 8 p.m. Give every year, make a difference every day. april L e a D e r S h i P B u i lds loy a L t Y S M T W T F S Last May hundreds of alumni, students, faculty, and friends gathered on campus 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 to honor retiring Department of theatre faculty member Dominic Missimi and his Waa­Mu Show, Waa­Mu Show, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Wee­Mu, Barber, 10 a.m. 30 years of teaching at Northwestern — and to witness one great night of music Cahn, 2 p.m. Cahn, 8 p.m. Louis, 8 p.m. Waa­Mu, Cahn, 2 & 8 p.m. Waa­Mu Show, Cahn, 8 p.m. Brighton Beach Memoirs, theatre. headliners of “Starry Starry Night: a Celebration of Music theatre and Louis, 8 p.m. Dominic Missimi” included (above, from left) heather headley (C97), Brian d’arcy 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 James (C90), Kate Shindle (C98), and gregg edelman (C80) as well as Janette Mother’s Day Brighton Beach Memoirs, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Louis, 8 p.m. Louis, 8 p.m. Louis, 8 p.m.