University of Northern Iowa UNI ScholarWorks Theatre UNI Alumni Newsletter Newsletters Winter 2020 Theatre UNI Alumni Newsletter, Fall 2020-Spring 2021 University of Northern Iowa. Department of Theatre. Let us know how access to this document benefits ouy Copyright ©2020 Department of Theatre, University of Northern Iowa Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/thenews Part of the Higher Education Commons, and the Theatre and Performance Studies Commons THEATREUNI ALUMNI NEWSLETTER Winter 2020 - Spring 2021 IN THIS ISSUE LETTER FROM THE STURGIS YOUTH VIRTUAL THEATRE 2 DEPARTMENT HEAD 23 THEATRE 20TH 28 Alumni performances during Eric Lange ANNIVERSARY a pandemic MEET OUR GUEST ARTIST PROFILE FACULTY PUBLICATIONS 3 NEW FACULTY 24 Chris Wood 32 Dr. Amy Osatinski’s book on Disney Theatre TO TOUCH NEW ORGANIZATION: ORIGINAL FACULTY WORK 5 THE MOON 25 UNI Multicultural 33 AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE Theatrical Society (MTS) AND THE ARTS PANEL A CLASS IN MEET THE LEGACY OF 9 STAGE COMBAT 26 MONSTERS 34 LIGHT ALUMNI PROFILES A NEW PARTNERSHIP DONOR PROFILES 10 Michael Boudewyns, Sarah 27 Denver Center for the 35 The Karbula Family, Noll Wilson, Erika Kuhn, Performing Arts Dianne Phelps Michaela Nelson, Tori Rezek, Marjorie Gast, Melia Beschta ON THE COVER 1 TheatreUNI production of To Touch the Moon A LETTER FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEAD Dear TheatreUNI Alumni and Friends, devised, multimedia, filmed theatrical work about the varied yet related events I hope this much-delayed letter finds you of 2020 including but not limited to: the in good health and enjoying the beginning pandemic, isolation, race and power, of 2021. Like many things, this newsletter climate change, natural disaster, etc. In has been so long in coming together order to guide the creative process, we because of “the big pivot” – that is, the will be utilizing and exploring genres of shift of attention and energies required as storytelling such as Hip Hop Theatre, we navigate our way through teaching and Documentary Theatre, Theatre of the creating art in the midst of the pandemic. Oppressed, and Theatre for Social Change. In March of last year we locked down The intention of Dream With ME is to along with the rest of the country and further our commitment to an inclusive found innovative but challenging ways to and equitable world while highlighting deliver our course goals to students. We how theatre can inspire our community Eric Lange had to cancel our final production of the and incite change. 2019/20 season, Romeo and Juliet, which was to have toured to several locales to While we can be grateful for the way play to high school students. Fortunately, that technology has enabled some of our we were able to bring the project forward classes to shift online, I think we will as a staged reading at the beginning of all be exceedingly more grateful when this school year which was performed science (aka, a vaccine) gets us to the point to an invited (and limited!) audience where we can again find opportunities “While we can be grateful for and filmed for streaming. The streaming for the types of connection, community the way that technology has version will reach more high school and congregation that are at the heart of students than we ever could have if a our art form. enabled some of our classes to physical tour had been possible. shift online, I think we will all The pandemic also interrupted our plan be exceedingly more grateful Unfortunately, the COVID reality caused for the next TheatreUNI Alumni Reunion when we can again find us to cancel our hosting of the Iowa – which was to have coincided with a opportunities for the types of Thespians Festival this year. We missed production of the musical Cinderella this connection, community and the throngs of students trekking from April. Rest assured, during the 2021-22 congregation that are at the building to building on the UNI campus season we will host a reunion – even if heart of our art form.” for shows, workshops, and competitions, it’s the biggest Zoom gathering of and very much look forward to their TheatreUNI alumni ever! return when possible. I hope you enjoy the updates in the The Fall 2020 semester ended before newsletter, and that you’ll reach out any Thanksgiving, preventing the need for time you would like more information or students to travel home and then return to plan to be in the area. campus. We even used the Saturday before Thanksgiving as a final exam day. We are All the best in 2021! pursuing a similarly condensed semester right now. Classes started on January 25, and there will be no Spring Break as we barrel through to finish things out by the first week of May. Eric Lange, Head During this current semester we are Department of Theatre creating a filmed theatrical experience called Dream With ME, a student-driven, 2 MEET OUR NEW FACULTY In the 2018-2019 school year TheatreUNI In the Summer of 2020, Bray was invited the actors with a fresh understanding welcomed two new members to the to perform in the World Premiere musical of the rigor that one finds in a three department, Assistant Professor of Theatre 33 ⅓ at Dobama Theatre in Cleveland, act comedy, sets a high bar for his Jim Bray and Production Manager Katy Ohio. The play takes place in and out of forthcoming projects. McGlaughlin. Both Bray and McGlaughlin the present and 1974 and tells the story of recently completed MFAs in Acting small-town high schooler, Jules McMillan, In Spring 2021, Bray and Professor Gretta and Stage Management respectively. Jim and the importance rock ‘n roll played Berghammer will direct Dream With graduated from Kent State University in in his coming of age story while coming ME, a student-devised and completely Ohio and Katy is a proud Hawkeye from to terms with being gay. Jim played both filmed production exploring events of the University of Iowa. Both are members Older Jules (who narrates this musical look 2020 including: the pandemic, isolation, of Actors Equity Association, the union for back on his life) as well as Jules’ Father. racism, bias and the power of hope. The Actors and Stage Managers. goal of Dream with ME is to further our commitment to an inclusive and Jim Bray is an award-winning actor, “Bray is a dynamic actor. His equitable world while highlighting how director and singer. Before attending charm is undeniable, as is his theatre can inspire our community and graduate school, Jim lived in New York talent. He shifts between the incite change. A strong advocate for City and worked with various regional storyteller and father personas diversity and inclusion, Professor Bray theatres around the country and with graceful ease. His acting founded and advises TheatreUNI’s newest toured with productions stateside and is completely on point, and his student organization, the Multicultural internationally. He is a certified instructor Theatrical Society; an organization meant voice is glorious in tone, and of the Sanford Meisner approach to acting, to represent underrepresented performers and is developing his pedagogical work in emotional clarity.” – Cleveland and technicians across multiple disciplines Michael Chekhov, Clowning, Viewpoints Stage Alliance, 2019 of theatre. and Equity and Anti-Racist practices. This summer, Professor Bray completed a In December 2019, Jim was one of twenty- Most recently, Professor Bray made his three week teacher training in Clowning five performers selected from around UNI directorial debut with the smash hit with Chris Bayes (world renowned the world to train for a weekend at SITI You Can’t Take It With You. Watching movement instructor at Yale Drama), Company in NYC with Viewpoints creator him create a strong ensemble, delicately completed 18 hours in Intimacy Training and director Anne Bogart. handling dated material, all while infusing (continued) How did you get started in theatre? I loved singing; I was always singing. I performed in plays and musicals throughout grade school and my grandparents both studied at Julliard and were trained in opera, so I think they probably rubbed off on me somewhere. However, my drama teacher in high school, Carole Midura, was the first person who made me realize that I could actually make theatre for a living. Before that, it was merely a dream. I studied Musical Theatre and Professional Acting at East Carolina University and then I took the leap to NYC. What brought you to/what do you appreciate about TheatreUNI? The strong sense of collaboration I feel with my colleagues in our department is special. I am so grateful. To have the kind of support Jim Bray these inspiring artists offer is no small thing. To have such support in any department on any campus is rare. In my opinion, the only way successful theatre is created is through honest, generous collaboration; and we have an abundance. I’m happy to have found that here. I also appreciate the strong dedication to teaching here at UNI. Coming to UNI in my first year having the colloquium for new faculty was an incredible resource, and I value UNI’s commitment and encouragement to expanding our resources as educators. What do you do for fun? Antique shopping, singing, yoga, dreaming up stories, playing with my super dog, Penny Lane. 3 MEET OUR NEW FACULTY (continued) and Boundary practice with TIE (Theatrical Intimacy Education), and • • • At UNI, Katy has enjoyed working with attended countless workshops and the faculty teaching the Foundations of seminars on Equity and Anti-Racist Katy McGlaughlin has worked Theatre Class to expand the lab portion training for theatre educators.