Number Two
Summer/Fall 2004
Editors: Zachary Moore
David Montgomery
In This Issue
Study Abroad!
Pg. 2
Faculty Spotlight
Pg.3
Production Page
Pg. 4
Faculty Interview
“Michael Growler”
Pg. 5
Student
Perspectives
Pg. 6
Outreach Projects
Pg. 7
Alumni News
Pg. 8
Student Spotlight
Pg. 9
Research Spotlight
Pg. 10
New Plays for
Young Audiences
Pg. 11 & 12
Theatrixfest!
Pg. 13
Cat News
Pg. 15
Summer 2004
Course Schedule
Pg. 16
Fall 2004
Course Schedule
Pg. 18
EdTh News
Published Twice a Year, Winter and Summer
NYU Program In Educational Theatre*
Happenings
The academic year has virtually come and
gone, and what a year it has been for the
Program in Educational Theatre. The
production season has been an unqualified
success with our mainstage productions, and
our various THEATRIX! projects. The new
dean of The Steinhardt School of Education,
Professor Mary Braebeck, has commented on
more than one occasion how impressed she is
with the talent and dedication in educational
theatre. We are finalizing our performance
program for 2004/05 and hope to have news
of those projects posted on the e-list soon. If
you would like to be added to the program elist and receive updates on events,
curriculum and position openings, please
contact the office with your details (212 998
5868; email: ed.theatre@nyu.edu)
A number of our students have been
mentored in New York City schools this
year, fulfilling their requirements for the
teaching certification. This field based work
is central to developing professionals, as they
plan, implement and evaluate their teaching
in partnership with cooperating mentors. The
teacher education programs at NYU are
currently under review as we look to reexamining and probing the most productive
ways of nurturing the next generation of
theatre educators.
Other students have participated in a
range of internships across the city, including
The New Victory Theatre, City Lights,
Manhattan Theatre Club and Circle in the
Square. Here, they collaborate with arts
professionals, teaching artists, education
officers, gaining invaluable in-situ industry
experience. I would like to note the support
the program receives from Ms Edie Demas
and her tremendous staff at The New
Victory.
This year, teams of ed theatre
students have created applied theatre on
a range of equity and justice issues; an
acting troupe has traveled to schools
with adaptations of Shakespeare; theatre
of the oppressed evenings have been
held on a regular basis; directors’ scenes
are weekly presented; seminars are
hosted on the important issues which
shape the field; new teaching and
curriculum partnerships are created
frequently;
faculty
and
students
presented their research and creative
projects at professional meetings.
From where I sit, a sense of
community and collaboration in the
Program in Educational Theatre is
palpable. My vision for educational
theatre at NYU is powered by the
committed ensemble that actively
encourages inclusivity and diversity in
the urban landscape. As you read
through this newsletter, you will be
impressed and excited by the activity
which demonstrates this vision in action.
I would finally like to recognize
the outstanding contribution that our
Graduate Assistant, David Montgomery
has provided to the program over the
past two years. He has been a wonderful
asset; good humored, energetic and
generous with his time. We wish him
well as he focuses on writing his
doctoral dissertation next year.
Philip Taylor, PhD
Director, Program in Educational
Theatre
To receive a paper copy of Ed Theatre News please call (212) 998-5868
*Established in 1966 by Lowell and Nancy Swortzell. If you would like to contribute to the
Swortzell Scholarship in Educational Theatre please read:
www.nyu.edu/education/music/swortzell
Page 2 of 20
Curriculum Innovations ~ Study Abroad 2004
The Program has been inundated with requests
for a place in our study abroad centers in
England and Ireland this year. We have had to
create a waiting list, and ensure that those on this
list will be given first priority for a place in
summer 2005 in the event they can't go this
summer. Thirty four students will attend the
Shakespeare's Theatre and Drama for Children
courses in London and Northampton (June 26July 18). There, students will attend workshops
at the Globe Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare
Theatre in Stratford. We will take advantage of
"Season of Star Crossed Lovers" in London, and
see Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet,
and Measure for Measure. At Stratford we visit
the tragedies, including Macbeth, Hamlet, and
King Lear. In Stratford, students will attend
lectures at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and
will examine the performance history of the
tragedies at the RSC. The London program is
launched with a visit to the National Theatre to
see Roy Williams' Sing Yer Hearts Out for the
Lads at the Cottesloe, a play which examines,
What does it mean to be English? How much
does it take to qualify? How long do you have to
be here to belong and is the equality of the races
just a dream? Other productions include
Iphegenia at Aulis; just how far will a leader go
in order to save face and secure a military victory
in the East? Stephen Sondheim's "A Funny Thing
Happened on the Way to the Forum", a day in
the life of Pseudolus, a liar, a blackmailer, and a
slave who’ll stop at nothing to win his freedom.
And Conor McPherson's new play at the Royal
Court in partnership with the Gate Theatre
Dublin production, Shining City. In London,
NYU students visit schools, working with British
drama teachers, where they plan, implement and
evaluate sessions for youth. Workshops are
given by Britain's leaders in drama education,
including Jonothan Neelands, Judith Ackroyd,
and a most welcome return to the program by the
most influential author in the field, Gavin
Bolton.
The Dublin program (July 22-August
13) has thirty-six students learning in a new
partnership between NYU's Program in
Educational Theatre, the Abbey Theatre, and the
Samuel Beckett Center at Trinity College
Dublin. Students register for two courses in
the Applied Theatre. They will examine the
role of theatre in a rapidly changing world,
and investigate various community and
outreach theatre modules. Theatre in
education and other participatory forms of
engagement are explored with Ireland's
leading teaching artists, including Cecily
O'Neill, Sharon Murphy, Brian Singleton,
Martin Drury, Chrissie Poulter and Joanna
Parkes. Students focus on a module of
interest to them and create an applied theatre
project that will be presented at the Samuel
Beckett Theatre during a two-day seminar
exploring the role of the teaching artists in
the twenty-first century. This seminar will be
open to the Dublin community and promises
to be quite an event. Case studies NYU
students will experience include: TEAM TIE,
Calypso Theatre Company, Explorer Project-Irish Museum of Modern Art, Northern
Ireland Community Theatre, The Ark,
Artformations, the Island Project. Students go
on a field trip to Kilkenny to see The Playboy
of the Western World. Other productions
include The Shaughraun at The Abbey, and
Storytelling Theatre at The Peacock. Program
faculty are very excited about this new
curriculum between a major cultural
institution (The Abbey), NYU and TCD. It is
often said, when you come to study at NYUEd Theatre, you experience the world! There
would be few, if any, programs like ours that
could match these international initiatives.
STOP PRESS!
New January intersession course in Puerto
Rico, January 3-13, 2005. Community
Theatre. Open to seniors and graduates.
Further information: David Montgomery,
dm635@nyu.edu
Page 2 of 20
Faculty Spotlight ~ Nan Smithner Honored For Service
Nan Smithner was recently honored for her
work with the Big Apple Circus Clown
Care Unit, a company of professional
performers who work in seven different
pediatric
hospitals
throughout
the
metropolitan area (Columbia Presbyterian,
Mt. Sinai, New York Hospital, Sloan
Kettering, Harlem Hospital, Schneider's
Long Island Jewish and Northshore
Hospital). The clowns, who operate on a
highly professional artistic level as "clown
doctors," and dress in white coats, work in
conjunction with regular hospital staff, and
are present in the hospital facilities three to
five days a week, year round. The mission
of the Clown Care Unit is to bring humor
and joy to sick and terminally ill children in
these facilities.
The Clown Care Unit Award honors
those performers who have worked a
minimum of 500 days and 5 years. In Dr.
Smithner's case, she been affiliated with the
organization for fifteen years, not only as a
performer, but, over the years, as an on-site
supervisor, workshop leader and trainer for
the national satellite programs (which
operate in Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta,
Boston, Washington D.C., Baltimore, and
Miami). She says: "It is my personal honor
to be affiliated with this organization,
which has profoundly affected the lives of
many children over the years, and continues
to do so."
Welcome To Our New Adjunct Faculty Member ~ David Montgomery
To most of us David Montgomery is a
familiar face in the Program In Educational
Theatre.
He has been our programs
incredible GA for the past two years, and
after the spring semester he is moving on.
Fortunately for us, he is not leaving us
behind completely. In the summer he begins
his stay as an adjunct faculty member for
NYU.
Dave has worked as an Elementary,
Middle School, and High School Drama
Teaching artist for Project Arts, District 26 in
Queens, New York, and he also enjoyed
leading workshops for the Educational Arts
Team in Jersey City, New Jersey, under the
direction of Carmine Tabone. Dave has also
taught drama at I.S. 292 in Brooklyn, New
York, The Gateway Acting School in
Bellport, Long Island , and has served as
Drama Director for many summer
camps. As an actor-teacher, David had been
employed as a facilitator for The George
Street Playhouse and The Shoestring Players.
Aside from his teaching duties at
NYU, Dave will be teaching at Manhattan
Marymount University and Pace University.
Next year, along with his teaching duties,
Dave is hoping to be able to concentrate on
researching and writing his doctoral
dissertation entitled Integrating Drama in the
Classroom: A Study of English Language
Arts and Social Studies Teachers’
Experience in an Arts Partnership. Dave is
sure to be an excellent addition to our adjunct
faculty!
Dave
will
be
teaching
E17.1068/2031, Dramatic Activities in the
High School.
Page 2 of 20
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Opens!
A Director’s Post-Show Notes ~ by Nan Smithner
In retrospect, every day I remain awed
and astounded by thoughts of the beautiful
realm of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
that appeared in our little black box
theatre this mid-winter. It is amazing to
recall that Shakespeare wrote these words
around 1596, and then to have
experienced their powerful resonance
through the performance of our ensemble
in 2004. Oberon’s words keep ringing in
my head: “This falls out better than I
could devise.” In watching the many
elements cascade and fall into place, I am
so thankful to so many talented people.
The success of Midsummer was
due to the hard work of the cast and crew,
and their willingness to improvise and
collaborate. The word “collaboration” is
where it is at. The crew worked for and
with the cast with total dedication, using
expert organizational skills, compassion
and patience. The coaches steadfastly
taught their artistry and skills. The
assistant director and dramaturg
followed every word and action, and
contributed invaluable feedback and
creative ideas. . The designers followed
through with their fabulous schemes.
The producers stood by us all
in the face of set disasters, costume
conflicts, light crises and time crunches.
The Program Director offered constant
words of wisdom and support
The cast entered boldly into the
physical world of my scheme that was risky,
challenging and exciting. They delved into
the emotional work with great intensity, and
steadfastly backed up the elegant text with
strong imagery. The dark fairy world
embraced and enthralled the machinations of
the lovers, the joyful bumblings of the
mechanicals, and the calculated power of the
royals. It was indeed, as Hippolyta says
“strange and admirable,” and in Theseus’
words “hot ice and wondrous strange black
snow.” This was our midwinter’s
Midsummer, and “while these visions did
appear” I thank all who contributed to create
a magical world all unto itself.
Student Directed Productions Storm The Provincetown
This spring the Program in Educational
Theatre is proud to present two main stage
student directed works in the Provincetown
Playhouse. These performances are a part of
our student run performance group, Theatrix!
The two productions will run simultaneously
with Folktale Journey: Old Stories Told in
New Ways being performed in the afternoon
for young audiences, and The Love of the
Nightingale being performed in the evenings
for high school and adult audiences.
Folktale Journey is a devised
production being directed by David
Montgomery and starring Kristen Barca,
Michael Cunningham, Lizzie Elliot, Hadley
Fitzgerald, Emily Gencarelli, Jonathan Jones,
Tom Lupfer Stuart Nager, Jay Pecora, Jeff
Querin, Rachel Silbiger, and Isabel Steuble
Johnson. The production crew includes,
Caroline Abella, Monica Escuetta, and
Natalie Burgess. Audiences are invited to
join us as we enter into a journey into the
world of folktales. In this performance, we
will present age-old folktales as well as some
new folktales, all acted out on stage. It is
being Performed on April 24th and 25th at
2:00 P.M..
The Love of the Nightingale by
Timberlake Wertenbaker, and directed by
Zachary Moore, follows the Greek myth of
Philomele. The production is an explosive
mixture of ethics, politics, and feminism, the
play takes an uncompromising look
at the issues of voice and power:
who speaks and for whom; who is
heard and who is silenced. The
performance stars Sarah Bellantoni,
Sarah Chemerys, John DelVecchio,
Christina Disla, Enza Giannone,
Heather Heels, Kelvin Moon Loh,
Jessica
Rodriguez,
Anne
Rothenberg, Alex Sarian, Jes
Unkenholz, Andrzej Zabicki, and
Christina Zagarino. The production
crew includes Daryl Embry, Leah
Witman, and Charles Alexander Jr.
It is being performed April 23, 24,
and 25 at 8:00 P.M.
Storytelling at the Provincetown Playhouse: For New York, With Love
The 2003-2004 storytelling series, For New
York With Love, finished on a very high
note on April 4th, with performance by two
of the founders of the storytelling renaissance
in America, Gioia Timpanelli and Diane
Wolkstein. This capped a season of world
class storytelling that featured a wide variety
of tales and storytelling styles. Along with
superb traditional telling for all ages by
Timpanelli, Wolkstein, Gerald Fierst and
Ron Sopyla, we saw Marilyn O'Conner
Miller telling stories in Italian and English to
her puppet Piccolo, David Gonzalez,
accompanied by Daniel Kelly, telling,
singing, and embodying Latino stories,
and a program of traditional and
contemporary love stories for adults by
Regina Ress.
Storytelling is an ancient art. It
is also the way traditional peoples have
taught and continue to teach, both their
children and themselves, about life's
important lessons. In inviting great
storytelling to the Provincetown, the
Program in Educational Theatre
showcases both the fine and subtle
art of the storyteller and gives our
students a chance to see a form of
educational theatre in practice.
We are pleased to announce a new
season of storytelling at the
Provincetown
Playhouse,
beginning on Sunday, October
3rd. Be there! Our thanks to
Regina
Ress,
Storytelling
Coordinator!
Page 2 of 20
Faculty Interview ~ Michael Growler by Brenda Burton
Being in Michael Growler’s Costume Design
class this semester has been quite a learning
experience, as well as a load of fun. As the
kids say, he’s The Bomb. Growler, as he
likes to be called since there are so many
Michaels, teaches this class with a hands-on
approach…we don’t read about what other
people theorize about designing costumes,
we actually go out and do a good bit of what
costume designers actually do. From doing
what needs to be done when a trunk of
costumes is lost on tour and your show opens
in five hours, to investigating the bowels of
the wardrobe departments of two Broadway
theatres, we’ve been privy to quite a lot of
what actually happens in the world of
Costume Design.
Growler is currently the House
Wardrobe Supervisor at the Biltmore theatre
on Broadway, which is home to the
Manhattan Theater Club. He brings a keen
design sense as well as real world experience
to this class which makes the learning, and
the teaching, so interesting and valuable. He
is a definite asset to the Steinhardt faculty. I
had the opportunity to ask him some
questions, and here are his thoughts on a few
matters:
What has your life been like lately, and
what do you have coming up in the near
future?
My work life for the last three
months has been primarily filled with three
jobs--designing Ragtime, teaching the
Costume Design class, and House Wardrobe
Supervisor for Manhattan Theater Club.
Two future projects I have scheduled are the
opening of Sight Unseen starring Laura
Linney at the Biltmore, and I’ll be designing
the costumes for Hedwig and the Angry Inch
in August.
What sort of experience do you bring with
you? Design? Wardrobe, etc.? What are
the differences you notice between, say, a
Broadway show, and something that’s
done Off-Broadway, or designed for a
show here at NYU?
I’ve not designed a Broadway show
but I’ve worked in wardrobe for over 15 of
them and the main difference I can see
between designing Broadway and OffBroadway is the budgetary one.
In
designing a Broadway musical there is
simply a higher financial playing ground.
The designers are expected to spend a lot of
money on assistants, use the finest materials
and have the costumes fabricated in the most
prestigious shops. Every other design job is
I pick my projects based on a
simply a juggling act of what do I buy, bunch of things but the first two are:
borrow or steal.
Are these people I want to work with?
How do you go about teaching Costume And, Do I have a positive gut response
Design?
to the piece?
My approach to teaching Costume Is there anything else you’d like to
Design is simple--I am dragging the students add? What’s your favorite color?
through the actual design process a step at a Favorite fabric? Favorite show?
time. I can’t stand sitting still in a classroom Favorite CD? Where’d you live
when I know that designing a show requires when you were a kid? Something
constant leg-work.
you want to say that isn’t really ever
What are the students in your class like?
asked in an interview question?
My class has been really interestingIn
In closing...I grew up in a
in that my students are not design majors suburb of Chicago, and was always
and have all come to the class for different interested in theater and costumes
reasons with incredibly varying histories, even though I didn’t know these
experience and abilities. Each student seems interests would lead to a career. I
to be doing their best with their gifts for studied music through school and have
design, resourcefulness and imagination.
a viola performance degree from the
Why did you decide to teach?
University of Minnesota. After
It’s silly to say but I teach to learn. graduation I gave up the viola and
In distilling the process down to concisely moved to L.A. where I floundered
teach, I am streamlining my own process.
until my best friend asked me, "If I
What do you want to get across to your could do anything what would it be?" I
design students?
wanted to be a costume designer--who
I hope that I am teaching this class knew? I had always loved musical
that design isn’t exclusively about designing theater-my mother watched 30's
costumes but it involves organization, musicals on TV whenever they were
creative problem solving and good old New on and my father had us in theater
York hustle.
seats as often as possible. One of my
Do you have any specific advice for young favorite places to be is in an audience
Costume Designers?
at a musical as the house lights are
I have no real advice for young going down. My favorite shows are
designers except if you feel you are a the classics-West Side Story and A
designer at heart throw yourself into it Chorus Line-I have been listening to
completely. Put your head down and work.
Floyd Collins lately-my music
What advice would you give someone who background makes it impossible to
wants to teach Costume Design?
work on "simple scores"--if I am going
Any design teacher needs to have to be submerged into a piece I have to
experience designing--simple as that-- be able to find new things in it even
costume design isn’t drawing pictures alone after listening to it a hundred times. I
in a room.
don’t have a favorite fabric but I love
How do you go about picking the projects color--intense saturated color.
that you do? How do you decide which
jobs you’ll take?
Page 2 of 20
Student Perspectives
Undergraduate~ Caroline Abella
This is my first year in educational theatre
and my second year at NYU. I love the
program for a variety of reasons, but there
are two main ones. First of all, I love theatre.
It has been my passion since high
school. Interestingly, it was not until I
entered the educational theatre program at
NYU that I discovered my drama teacher in
high school was in fact a graduate of the
masters program. Second of all, I love to
teach, especially through theatre, which
makes Educational Theatre the ideal program
for
me.
Goethe said, "Whatever you can do, or
dream you can, begin it. Boldness has
genius, power and magic in it." For me,
New York City is the place to begin. There
is genius in her urban magnificence, power
in her unrelenting pulse and magic in her
mercurial personality. The City effervesces
with theatricality, and I can't think of a
better place to incubate my dreams and
cultivate my pursuits as a theatre artist.
NYU's Program in Educational Theatre
found
me
at
a
co-dependent
crossroads in my relationship with the
City. Everyone who has lived in New York
has a "starving artist" story about sublet hell
or temping purgatory or career limbo. The
City demands, and sometimes it's hard to
deliver. I was running on an industry
treadmill and going through shallow
motions when EDTC found me craving
something more substantial. EDTC found
me wanting to give more than receive.
I moved to Manhattan in August of 2001,
and the jolt of 9/11 initiated me into a new
culture of urgency and purpose. I am still
learning how to transform fear and paranoia
into beauty and creativity, and Ed Theatre
has challenged me in new directions, and I
am starting to actualize my goals as a
teaching artist and a theatre director.
This winter, I worked on A
Midsummer Night’s Dream. I participated
behind the scenes as an assistant stage
manager, and while it was hard work, it
was an amazing experience. When I
brought my dog of five years, Emily, to
rehearsal
one
Sunday,
she
was
immediately cast in the play.
Since then, I have begun work on a
Theatrix! production which will be.
performed April 24th and 25th called
Folktale Journey. I am stage managing
for that show--- my first experience stage
managing. The play is for children, whom
I really love, and the rehearsal process has
all of us involved in it devising the piece
practically from scratch. I love stage
managing, and, once again, the people in
the show are incredibly wonderful to work
with. . Like Midsummer , the process is a
lot of hard work, but it is extremely
rewarding, particularly when I think about
the young people who will experience it.
MA Student ~ Josh Adler
possibilities. There is heart and soul
in
the
opportunities.
New York City sings even louder
and shines more brilliantly now that I
am a part of NYU's Educational
Theatre program. My professors are
bright stars in a new galaxy, and my
classmates are spirited friends in a
fabulous constellation. I am thrilled
to expand with this universe and
navigate through the City with radical
new
visions. Dream. Begin. Knock. Op
en. Enter. Transform...
My father used to encourage me with a
proverb: "Knock and the door will be open
to you." NYU found me knocking, and
many doors are opening. This summer I
look forward to the study-abroad program in
London and Dublin. And in the Fall, I am
excited to workshop an original appliedtheatre project as an independent
study. There is tremendous joy in the
“Whatever you can do,
or dream you can,
begin it.”
Graduate ~ Noah Kass, M.A.
The Educational Theater program at New
York University, gave me a confidence that
was sorely lacking. I found professors who
valued my opinions. I listened to teachers
who spoke out of confidence not ego. There
was an open dialogue where students felt free
to challenge there professors. It’s a small but
powerful community, that’s strength lies in
its unique student/teacher relationship.
Through a series of
dramatic activities including teacher in role,
improvisation and physical theater, students
are given an opportunity to explore and
develop within a multi-cultural environment.
For me, the strength of activities are designed
to explore human, social and curricular
issues. The work uses theater and drama to
raise real questions for students to explore. I
loved that we were asked to make choices
and examine these choices. We as master
students were forced to take responsibility
for out own academic career. The
Educational Theater program focuses on
group problems solving, cooperation and
concentration. I was challenged to think “on
my feet.”
The highlight of my year was the Study
Abroad Program in London. Besides meeting
my girlfriend Liz, I had the opportunity to
work with great practitioners
such as Cecily O Neil, Jonathan
Neelands, and Tony Goode. I also
thoroughly enjoyed my time in the
schools. It gave me a great deal of
confidence in my abilities as well as a
powerful toolbox to take into the
classroom. It also showed me a
community of educators striving to
make each other more effective as
their practice.
The year I spent in
this program truly changed me. It was
a place where I felt at home.
Page 2 of 20
Outreach Projects
“Crazy In Love”: Midsummer Student Workshops ~ By Cassandra McClean
“CRAZY” That’s what my students
thought when they saw their room miraculously
transformed from their traditional set up into the
famous circle seating we Ed theaters students are
so accustomed to at NYU. They knew their class
would be different that day, and boy were they
right!
Brad Vincent and David Montgomery
agreed to visit the high school where I student
teach, Information Technology High School in
Long Island City, NY. They came as teaching
artists to do a pre-performance workshop with my
students as they prepared to see A Midsummer
Night’s Dream produced and performed by the
Educational Theater Department here at NYU.
For many students the idea of
studying Shakespeare is scary, and for my 9 th
grade students this was no exception. Little
did I know that the workshop Mr. Vincent and
Mr. Montgomery had prepared would not only to
help me to answer those questions as a teacher, but
the workshop would intrigue and interest my
students into actually wanting to discover the
magic and creativity involved in Shakespeare’s A
Midsummer Night’s Dream.
“How many of you ever had a crush on someone in
Junior High School?” This question was part of the
opening warm up Mr. Vincent began with the
students. The activity required students to change
chairs whenever they heard a question applicable
to their lives.
All of the questions asked had to do with love and
all of its complexities. There were giggles and
outright laughter as the students watched one
another and themselves proceed to change chairs
as prompted by the questions. Love was definitely
in the air and on their minds.
The results of the workshop were
marvelous. The students were ready and
anxious to see what the play was all about
after they got a little peak from the
activities they participated in. When they
came to watch the performance, I watched
them as their eyes were filled with awe.
The students all enjoyed the
show and still can’t stop talking about it.
As we study and go back to the text, a day
doesn’t go by where the students don’t
make connections back to the performance
or the workshop. It provided them with
such a positive and exciting base, that to
go back and study and teach the text has
been a piece of cake and welcomed by all.
Educational Theatre Students Use Drama to Grapple with Tragedy ~ By Seren Levinson
Seren Levinson, Abby Loring, and
Erin McGuire became inspired to produce a
performed ethnography after studying
various ethnographies and ethnographers in
Professor Philip Taylor’s Methods and
Materials of Research (E17.2077) Fall 2003.
Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues, the
Tectonic Theatre Company’s The Laramie
Project, Anna Deavere Smith’s Fires in the
Mirror and Twilight, Jessica Blank and Erik
Jensen’s The Exonerated, and other powerful
performance texts fueled our desire to tackle
a project of their own.
The three Masters candidates chose
to examine a community’s reaction to
tragedy after three New York University
undergraduate students died in September
and October 2003 in three unrelated dreadful
events on or near the NYU Washington
Square Park campus.
Emulating Eve
Ensler’s style of interview guided by vague
questions, they set out to interview a wide
range of participants to examine how deeply
a series of similar painful events can affect
members of a community.
They also
attempted to discern how far-reaching the
affects of the tragedies extend. Their goal is
to create a performance text revealing the
pain of, and the lessons learned by,
community members affected by the
tragedies. After interviewing, reflecting,
comparing, and discussing, they wrote a
performance text based on what they heard,
saw, and felt through their research.
Seren, Abby, and Erin
intend to continue their research and
are looking to interview more
community members, especially
since the wound was reopened when
another New York University
undergraduate student took her own
life in March 2004.
For further information, to
peruse the text (a work in progress),
or to interview to help us collect
data (interviews are completely
confidential), please contact Seren
Levinson (Seren@nyu.edu), Abby
Loring (abl244@nyu.edu), or Erin
McGuire (ekm239@nyu.edu).
Applied Theatre Workshops ~ By Dr. Philip Taylor
A number of innovative projects have been
devised by the applied theatre class this
semester. Groups have selected a topic of
interest to them, and drawing on the
techniques ethnographers use to collect data,
students have entered a field setting of their
choosing,
conducted
interviews
with
participants, and rendered their data into a
neat dramatic text which has served as the
basis for an applied theatre exploration.
Applied theatre is a term and movement
which characterizes theatre which addresses
issues of local and community concern. Using
participatory theatre strategies (such as
teacher in role, image and forum theatre,
hotseating, role on the wall), teaching artists
engage spect-actors with dramatic scenarios
as a spring board for thematic and aesthetic
exploration. In the spring 2004, the projects
have included domestic violence, queer
teens, bullying, and drama for older people.
Students have grappled with important
questions to do with devising work for
specific communities, the role of the
facilitator/joker
in
engaging
audiences/spectators, the ethical
responsibilities on teaching artists,
and how this work is evaluated in
the short and long-term. Guest
presentations have come from
Cecily O'Neill (process drama
leader), Robert Landy (drama
therapy professor), Joyce St Georg
(coordinator of training programs
powered by drama strategies) and
Lowell Swortzell.
Page 8 of 20
Alumni News
Educational Theatre Graduate Jeff Dailey Winner in the
National Opera Association's Dissertation Competition
Dr. Jeff S. Dailey, Director of Fine and
Performing Arts for the Deer Park School
District in Suffolk County, has won the
National Opera Association Dissertation
Competition. This contest is held
biennially, and Dr. Dailey’s NYU
dissertation, “The Successful Failure:
Arthur Sullivan’s Ivanhoe,” was judged to
be the best submitted study on an operatic
topic for the period 2000-2002.
“This award marks the
second time that a
dissertation from Music
and Performing Arts
Professions has won
this distinguished
recognition from the
National Opera
Association.”
Dr. Dailey received his Ph.D. in
Educational Theatre in 2002. He also
holds a B.A. degree in Music and English
from Wagner College, M.A. and M.Phil.
degrees in Historical Musicology from
NYU’s Graduate School of Arts and
Science, and a Professional Diploma in
School Administration from the College of
Staten Island. Since 2001 he has been the
Director of Fine and Performing Arts in
Deer Park
Dailey’s winning dissertation is a
comprehensive study of the opera
Ivanhoe–the only grand opera composed
by Sir Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert-andSullivan fame). Ivanhoe was performed
over 160 times in 1891 in a theatre
especially constructed for it, after which it
practically disappeared from the stage. Dr.
Dailey’s thesis explores the opera from
literary, historical, dramatic, and musical
perspectives. The story behind the opera is
complex and often entertaining, dealing
with issues of English nationalism,
socialism, politics, and real estate, not to
mention the quarrel over the cost of a
carpet that forever changed the direction of
English musical theatre. The colorful cast
of characters includes Queen Victoria, the
irascible William Gilbert, the impresario
Richard D’Oyly Carte, George Bernard
Shaw, Lillian Russell, Kaiser Wilhelm II,
and the suffragette Ethyl Smyth.
This award marks the second time that a
dissertation from Music and Performing
Arts Professions has won this distinguished
recognition from the National Opera
Association. Dr. Gail M. Robinson-Oturo's
"The Life and Legacy of Todd Duncan: a
Biographical Study" was selected in 2000
as the winner of the NOA Award.
Source:http://www.nyu.edu/education/mu
sic/headlines/dailey.html
Alumni and Faculty Achievements
Alumni Receives
Tenure
Frans Rijnbout received his PhD in
Educational Theatre and was an
adjunct instructor in the program
until 2000. He recently received
Tenure and was promoted to
Associate Professor of Theatre at
Regis
College,Weston,
Massachusetts. The program in
Educational
Theatre
proudly
congratulates Dr. Rijnbout.
Dr. Swortzell
Receives Award
Alumni Interviewed
About Famous Students
Dr. Lowell Swortzell was recently
awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award
from NYU’s Steinhardt School of
Education. All of us here in the Program
in Educational Theatre would like to
extend our sincerest congratulations to
Dr. Swortzell, and thank him for what he
has done for educational theatre in his
lifetime.
NYU Ed. Theatre alumni Lois Kivesto
was recently interviewed about her
influence on and experience teaching
both Mike Myers and Eric McCormack
in her high school. She was recently
thanked by Myers while he was
receiving a star on Canada’s walk of
fame.
Page 9 of 20
Student Spotlight
Lisa Barker
This past fall, after three years of
teaching English and Drama, directing
productions, and serving as a Performing
Arts Department Head at a public, urban
high school in northern California, I
found myself in a pirate costume passing
out Legos to midwestern tourists.
Needless to say, this did not resemble a
natural career progression.
It did,
however, provide a forum for some
serious soul-searching.
In fact, the
bizarre detours of this transitional year
served to solidy my drive.
Around this time last year, I decided to
trade full-time teaching in the Bay Area
for a year of service through Americorps
in Chicago. I submitted my letter of
resignation, reserved the moving truck,
and began to mentally assemble a
packing list for summer study abroad in
London and Cork. The months merrily
rolled along until suddenly, during
IDIERI, at a Northhampton, England
computer lab, I had two new emails in
my Inbox: 1) “Americorps lost funding.
Find a new job.” and 2) “Hey, Barker,
we got the apartment! Mail me your
deposit.” And with a few clicks I made
the decision to proceed midwestward
despite my sudden lack of employment.
Although I became more cautious about
beer money and more friendly with online job search engines and Irish roadside
payphones, I managed to milk my
remaining study abroad time without
excessive fret about the uncertainty of
the fall.
When stateside, I filled a big
yellow
truck
with
my
life’s
accumulations and acquainted myself
with Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and
cornfields. I learned to appreciate the
headlamp, small town America, and the
sincerity of “Steer Crossing” signs. Once
I’d surrendered the Penske, I scrambled
to make rent. At Halloween, this meant
manning the “Pumpkin Pitch” game and
scaring families as a “research assistant”
inside an inflatable beast. Despite the
90-minute commute, low pay, and
irregular hours, these positions bore
positive byproducts. I networked with
other actors, accomplished a decent
amount of reading on the train, and
shaped some plans for the future during
those idle moments inside the beast’s
lung cavity.
Although December meant
posing as Santa’s mistress and passing
out candy canes, the New Year yielded
endeavors more closely resembling my
Ed Theatre studies. My proposal for
a ten-week after-school theatre arts
program had been accepted, and I
began co-teaching this curriculum in
a west side high school. I led
creative writing workshops in public
elementary schools and performed
children’s stories with Barrel of
Monkeys.
In addition, through
Northwestern University’s Civic
Education Project, I will take ten
high school students to Detroit to
explore means of youth violence
prevention and conflict resolution.
At the same time, I’ve been taking
Applied Theatre and Dramatic
Criticism from far away and have
plans to study in NYC this June.
Not to mention, I’ll be returning to
Ireland this July to round out the
Master’s.
In these ugly times of war
and recession, bizarre detours and
pockets of promise have allowed me
to maintain perspective. I continue
to fall in love with Educational
Theatre, and I see that our efforts as
educators and artists and innovators
are needed more than ever.
Ann McCormack
“The
Arts-in-Ed
Partnership grant funds a
storytelling and maskmaking unit…”
East River Theatre Company ( Ann
McCormack, Artistic Director/ Ed. Theatre
Doctoral Candidate) has recently been
awarded two Community Arts Grants and
one Arts-in-Education grant. One, from the
N.Y.S. Council of the Arts, will fund East
River’s June production of Womenfolk:
Tales Around the Table while another from
the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs
Brooklyn Arts Council is funding an After
school Project . The Arts-in-Ed Partnership
(NYSCA) grant funds a storytelling and
mask-making unit with a ninth grade
language arts teacher and her students, all
recent immigrants to the US, at Brooklyn
International High School.
The East River Theatre
Company has grown out of work
developed within the Ed. Theatre
Program, and I would like to hear
from alumni and current students
interested in becoming a part of our
work (info@.eastrivertheatre.org).
Page 10 of 20
Faculty Research: American Educational Research Association
Joe Salvatore and Philip Taylor
represented the program at the Annual
Meeting of AERA, San Diego April 1216. With colleagues Lisa M. Donovan
(Lesley University), and Gene R. Diaz
(Lesley University), they presented on
their creative arts research project from
the summer 2003. Their presentation,
Have Script, Will Travel: Readers
Theater for Social Change this session
examined the impact of
integrating arts-based research, in the
form of Readers Theatre, into a course
on Curriculum Theory.
The presentation included a
discussion of: the rationale for including
a qualitative research requirement in the
course; the research process on
educational assessment that resulted in a
script named Ah-SSess created from
interviews with educators on their views
of assessment; and the impact of the
performance on participants at the
4th Annual International Drama in
Education
Research
Institute:
Destabilizing, Distinctions and
Definitions, in University College
Northampton, United Kingdom, July
2003 and at the NYU Forum on
Assessment in August 2003.
Dr. Roger Bedard Visits NYU
The Program in Educational Theatre
was pleased to host a seminar on
current trends and challenges in the
field of Theatre for Young Audiences
at the Provincetown Playhouse, April
15th. The featured speaker was
Professor Roger L. Bedard, Ph.D,
Evelyn Smith Family Endowed
Professor in Theatre, and, Director,
MFA and Ph.D Programs in Theatre
for Youth, Arizona State University.
Dr. Bedard shared an historic
overview of dramatic literature for
children and outline key points for an
exploration of current trends and
challenges in the TYA.
You can now access for no charge the
Department of Music and Performing
Arts
Professions
new
e-journal,
ArtsPraxis edited by our own Philip
Taylor
at:
www.nyu.edu/education/music/artspraxi
s
ArtsPraxis responds to the call for a rich
dialogue between all those committed to
the arts in educational and community
contexts. The journal will include
contributions from arts educators,
therapists,
arts
agencies,
arts
administrators, funding bodies, arts
scholars, and community artists from
diverse settings. The journal emphasizes
critical analysis of the arts in society.
ArtsPraxis provides a platform for
contributors to interrogate why the arts
matter and how the arts can be
persuasively argued for in a range of
domains. The first issue of the journal
has a special focus on assessment in the
arts.
His lecture was followed by a one
hour interactive session which examined
the following issues: Gatekeepers: How
do we serve the child versus those who
would protect them?
The Tyranny
of Economics: The growing threat of
commercialism in TYA.
Selling our
Souls: Do TYA companies need the
schools more than they need us?
Roger L. Bedard holds the Evelyn
Smith Family Professorship of Theatre at
Arizona State University (ASU). At ASU
Dr. Bedard heads the Theatre for Youth
MFA and Ph.D. Programs and directs
ARTSWORK: The Kax Herberger Center
for Children and the Arts. He teaches
graduate level courses in theatre for
young audiences and dramatic theory
and criticism. Dr. Bedard was a
founding board member and the first
Executive Secretary of the American
Alliance
for
Theatre
and
Education. His primary research has
been in the area of the history and
theory of theatre and young
people. His book publications include
editing Dramatic Literature for
Children: A Century in Review
(Anchorage Press) and Spotlight on
the Child: Studies in the History of
American
Children's
Theatre
(Greenwood Press).
Editor:
Philip Taylor, New York University
TABLE OF CONTENTS
New Journal on Assessment in the Arts
Editorial board:
Tom Barone, Arizona State University
Judith Burton, Teachers’ College,
Columbia University
Richard Colwell, University of Illinois
Dipti Desai, New York University
David Elliott, New York University
Lawrence Ferrara, New York University
Barbara Hesser, New York University
Robert Landy, New York University
Philip Taylor, New York University
BJWagner, Roosevelt University
Ted Warburton, New York University.
Number One (2004): Special Focus-Assessment in Arts Education
Notes for Contributors
Editorial: Philip Taylor
“Evaluation in the Arts is Sheer
Madness”: Richard Colwell,
University of Illinois
“A model for teaching creative
vocal jazz improvisation”: Patrice
Madura
Indiana University School of Music
“From Both Sides: Assessment
Benefits for Teacher and Student”:
Marleen Pennison, Playwrights
Horizons Theater School/NYU
Tisch School of the Arts
“Standards: The illusion of
comfort”: Carole Miller & Juliana
SaxtonUniversity of Victoria, B.C.
Page 11 of 20
NEW PLAYS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AT THE
PROVINCETOWN PLAYHOUSE
SEVENTH SEASON THIS JUNE
Three new plays and one old one will be
presented in the Program's prize-winning
series devoted to play development
which runs throughout the month of
June. In the last six years eighteen new
plays have been given a week of
intensive rehearsals and three public
performances; they have gone on to win
the American Alliance for Theatre and
Education's "Outstanding Plays of the
Year" awards, the Bonderman prize,
several have been published and all have
had full productions elsewhere, at such
major theatres as the Children's Theatre
of Seattle, Nashville, Dallas and at the
Kennedy Center.
Flight, the season opener, represents a
new dimension of the series (see separate
story)which brings back a forgotten play
for examination today. Flight, first and
last seen in 1936, is a "living
newspaper," which in short scenes
chronicles mankind's desire to fly from
antiquity to the flight of Charles
Lindbergh. Directed by Professor Nancy
Swortzell, the readings will be given at
the Provincetown, June 4, 5, at 8 p.m.
and on the 6th, at 3 p.m., followed by a
discussion.
A jazz choreopoem by Jeff Obafemi
Carr, based on an African folk tale, and
entitled Before The People Came, is the
second offering. It tells the story of a
time when animals ruled the world: the
tiger, the monkey, the owl, giraffe, and,
especially, the rabbit. Intended for the
younger members of the audience, this
play with songs is currently enjoying a
major success at the Children's Theatre
of Nashville. But the author is thrilled to
have another opportunity to take it to its
next stage of development at the historic
Provincetown Playhouse. Performances
are June 11, 12 at 8p.m. and the 13th at
the 3 p.m., followed by a discussion with
the creative team.
Earth Songs will follow; this is an
experimental work by Jose Cruz
Gonzalez, one of today's leading
playwrights for young audiences.
Among his outstanding plays are the
prize winning Salt and Pepper,
Calabasasstreet and The Highest
Heaven. The new work has been
commissioned by the Metro Theatre
Company of St. Louis, MO but will have
its first try-out here. We are pleased to
be working in cooperation with this
major regional theatre. Performances of
Earth Songs will take place on June 18,
19 at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 3
p.m., followed by a discussion with the
dramatist.
The final play, Between Land
and
and Sea: A Selkie Myth, is a new work
by Laurie Brooks in which she reexamines her first major script, Selkie,
and comes up with deepened characters
and other changes. The play already is
scheduled for production at the Coterie
Theatre in Kansas City and at the
Children's Theatre of Nashville. Our
performance will be directed by Scot
Copeland, the Artistic Director of the
Children's
Theatre
of
Nashville. Readings will be given June
25, 26, at 8 p.m. and June 27 at 3 p.m,
followed by a discussion with the
playwright and director.
Auditions for roles in all four plays
will take place at the Provincetown
Playhouse on April 26, 27, and 28 from
6 to 10 p.m. All students are invited to
participate.
A graduate course in play
development takes place during three
weeks of the play series and closely
examines the process at work as we see
daily revisions in the scripts and
productions. Class members also have
the opportunity to develop their own
scripts during the course: E17.2152
Theatre Practices; Problems in Play
Production. The Development of New
Plays. 3 points. June 7-24, MTWR 6:308:45 p.m.
AUDITION DATES ANNOUNCED!
FOR FOUR PLAY READINGS IN JUNE
NEW PLAYS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AT THE PROVINCETOWN PLAYHOUSE
Great roles in four plays (two with music) to be developed in one week rehearsal and three public performances. Rehearsals
in evenings only, Sunday through Thursday, 6 -10 p.m.; performances Friday, Saturday at 8; Sunday at 3.
Four Exciting Scripts; Four Exciting Directors
AUDITIONS AT THE PROVINCETOEN PLAYHOUSE
MONDAY, APRIL 26: 6 -10 P.M.
TUESDAY, APRIL 27: 6 -10 P.M.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28: 6 -10 P.M.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!
BE PART OF THIS AWARD-WINNING SERIES
Page 12 of 20
PROGRAM'S "NEW PLAYS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AT THE
PROVINCETOWN PLAYHOUSE" COLLABORATES WITH ROYAL
NATIONAL THEATRE OF GREAT BRITAIN ON NEW PROJECT
The Program's June series of play
readings will add a new dimension this
year, according to Lowell Swortzell, the
Artistic Director of "New Plays for
Young Audiences at the Provincetown
Playhouse," when it launches Historic
Connections in collaboration with the
Royal National Theatre in London. This
project seeks to bring to light forgotten
or lost plays from the past that can be of
interest today. The first play to be
jointly sponsored is Flight to be heard at
the beginning of June at the Playhouse
and in July as a workshop in the
Lyttleton Theatre at the Royal National.
Written by Oscar Saul and Louis Lantz
in 1936, this is a "Living Newspaper"
history of flight from man's first
attempts to the success of Charles
Lindbergh's triumphant achievement
in 1927. Hailed by a critic as "skillful
and educational entertainment," Flight
may serve as a model for teachers and
directors today to create their own
Living Newspapers on a variety of
subjects. Both in New York and
London Flight will be directed by
Professor Nancy Swortzell.
Each
year
“Historic
Connections” will bring back a play
that deserves to be heard again. These
are not necessarily by obscure
dramatists but by such famous
playwrights as James Barrie, Robert
Graves, George Sands, August
Strindberg, Lady Gregory and Elmer
Rice. In addition to Flight, Nancy will
direct at the National Theatre a
platform presentation devoted to
Eugene O'Neill's adolescence which
juxtaposes scenes from his own
autobiographical
comedy,
Ah,
Wilderness!, depicting the youth he
wished he had, with scenes from
Young Eugene; The Seamother’s
Son by Lowell Swortzell, revealing
his actual life and experience. Young
Eugene opened the restored
Provincetown Playhouse in 1998
and has had six productions since.
This O'Neill program will be seen in
London in the second week of July.
The connection with Historic
Connections which is just getting
underway can lead to student
internships,
exchanges
of
productions and directors and other
joint endeavors. "To have this
official connection with Historic
Connections in London is a most
exciting development in the "New
Plays for Young Audiences" series,
Lowell thinks. "By the end of June
we will have produced 21 new plays
and restored one old one in our
seven year history. We invite all
students in the Program to be part of
this project."
The Forgiving Harvest premieres at “The People’s light
and Theatre Company
The Forgiving Harvest by Y York which
was first seen at the Provincetown
Playhouse as part of last summer's “New
plays for Young Audiences” will have its
first full production at The People's Light
and Theatre Company in Malvern, PA,
beginning April 14th for a run extending to
May 23 in more than sixty performances.
Those who worked on this production or
who were members of E17.2152, the Play
Development course, may well wish to
attend. Malvern is outside Philadelphia, so
it is possible to see a matinee and get back
to NYC in the same day. Call 610644.3500 for schedule of performances and
to reserve tickets. Y York has won
many prizes for her plays, including
her best-known work, the adaptation
of Afternoon of the Elves. And
indeed this production of The
Forgiving Harvest is also a prize
winner, given one of seven national
awards by AT&T: OnStage, which
are administered by the Theatre
Communications Group. A very
great honor for a play for young
people. The Forgiving Harvest tells
the story of a young girl's devotion
to her pet calf and how she tries to
save it and the family farm from
being sold. It is a story of families
facing the future and moving
forward together. It was well received
at the Provincetown last summer and
no doubt will repeat its success at the
People's Light and Theatre Company,
one of the country's major professional
theatres for young audiences.
If you are interested in
attending this production, please
contact Professor Lowell Swortzell
(>ls12@nyu.edu>)
for
more
information. Meanwhile, all of us who
worked on this play send Y and
Shannon O'Donnell, the director, our
Congratulations and Best Wishes for
another success. And regards to Sticky
the cow!
Page 13 of 20
Theatrixfest! 2004 ~ By David Montgomery
“The resulting
“Evening of One-Act
Plays” was a hit;
providing both
original work and
published work
directed and acted by
educational theatre
students.”
“Despite
the
difficulties of time,
limited funds, finding
consistent rehearsal
space,
and
scheduling rehearsals
for student who’s
commitments
are
exceedingly full, the
TheatrixFest proved,
once
again,
that
creating
theatre
where students honor
and
share
the
process of theatre
with one another is
possible when we
have a supportive
home like Theatrix! to
do it in.”
In the Fall TheatrixFest, Educational Theatre
students were able to experience two
weekends of play readings, workshops, and
short plays, as the offerings varied from night
to night and gave many students the
opportunities to see and perform work. For
the spring TheatrixFest, the Theatrix!
committee and faculty advisors decided to try
and mount more fully produced shows that
would enable students involved in them the
opportunity to perform their pieces more than
once.
The resulting “Evening of One-Act
Plays” was a hit; providing both original
work and published work directed and acted
by educational theatre students. The Vacuum
Experiment, written and directed by Emily
Vogel, and Still Here, written by Elisabeth
Fies and directed by Nina Waluschka, were
the two original plays offered. The Vacuum
Experiment, an avant-garde piece, presented
two characters, Bea and Joss, played by
Tanya Jones and Donna Conklin, as codependent women who rotate between
abusive, severe, and humorous interplay as
they attempt to connect to one another. Still
Here was also about two female characters--a mom, played by Jocelyn Benford, and her
daughter named Cassie, played by Rachel
Silbiger, who must deal with the sad fact that
Cassie’s prom date won’t be showing
up.
Alternating between humor and
heartbreak, the play ultimately revealed that
the mom might be the sadder of the two
ladies as she began to say goodbye to Cassie
who, through her prom fiasco, moved one
step closer to growing up and leaving
home. In both shows, the actresses created
vivid and memorable characters which
worked to bring the original texts to life.
The two published works of the
evening consisted of four monologues from
Talking With, by Jane Martin, and the oneact play, Sociability, By Charles Dizenzo.
The Talking With monologues, directed by
Donna Romero, presented four women who
were quite different from one another, but
each revealed their individual moments of
transformation.
The
actresses---Sarah
Bellantoni in “Fifteen Minutes,” Enza
Giannone in “Marks,” Heather Heels in
“Rodeo,” and Kristin Warheit in “Clear
Glass Marbles”-----as well as the director
must be commended for discovering and
revealing the motivations which compel the
characters to speak aloud to the audience,
thus overcoming the artificiality that the
monologue convention can produce when
clear choices are not made. For Sociability,
director Michael Yurchak made some bold,
creative, and completely hilarious choices in
how he directed and conceptualized the
play. The set and costumes, all onedimensional and in black and white, did more
than hint at the superficiality of the four main
characters---Frank, Fanny, Jack, and Milly--all of whom were uproariously played by
Kevin Newman, Lisa Schreiner, Charlie
Alexander, and Enza Giannone. Sociability
ended the evening on a high note as audience
members were treated to rapid fire comedy
and non-stop laughter for 25 minutes
straight.Putting on these one-acts required
other dedicated students to make it
happen. As production manager, Larry
Mingione helped all the shows with their
technical needs while remaining calm
throughout the process. Likewise, stagemanagers Monica Escueta, Gina Ferrante,
and Rachel Hull all played crucial roles in
pulling their respective shows together.
Despite the difficulties of time,
limited funds, finding consistent rehearsal
space, and scheduling rehearsals for students
who’s commitments are exceedingly full, the
TheatrixFest proved, once again, that
creating theatre where students honor and
share the process of theatre with one another
is possible when we have a supportive home
like Theatrix! to do it in.
Page 14 of 20
Doctoral Founder’s Fellowship
Congratulations to Selena Burns!
The Program has been awarded its first Founders Fellowship. The fellow receives full tuition
support and a generous stipend over three years. In the second and third years, the Fellow can
elect to be a Graduate Assistant/Research Assistant/Teaching Assistant.
Welcome to Selena Burns who has accepted the Founders Fellowship.
Selena Burns ; Undergrad Suma Cum Laud; Grad Suma Cum Laud; Phi Beta Kappa,
Wellesley College; MA (Stanford).
Creative Arts Team News
11th Annual New York Student Shakespeare Festival
The Kaplan Center is once again
gearing up for a fantastic Festival
beginning in late April, this year
with the invaluable support of
interns from the Ed Theatre
department. The Festival is based
on the belief that Shakespeare is
best learned in the act of
performing his words. After a
series of workshops for teachers at
NYU, CAT sends Shakespeare
teaching artists to participating
schools to support teachers and
students as they prepare to present
their work. Over the course of three
Festival days students perform short
scenes, participate in Shakespearerelated activities, give each other
feedback, and receive feedback from
special
guests
and
theatre
professionals. For more information,
please call Mitalene Fletcher at 212992-9807.
CAT Youth Theatre’s Spring Show: IN OUR ELEMENT
This spring the CAT Youth
Theatre put up it’s 16th original
show, IN OUR ELEMENT. The
show was very well received and
played to enthusiastic audiences
over two weekends in February.
NYC high school students created
this original show to explore the
theme of the elements: air, earth,
fire and water. The studentwritten sketches were mostly
organic
and
spontaneous,
reflecting both literal and
metaphoric interpretations of the
elements
such
as
forest
fires,
immigration, lust, and greed to express
not only what the elements mean to them
individually, but also the impact the
elements have on others across the
world. The show was directed
collaboratively by a team of eight under
the leadership of Helen White. The
production also received valuable
assistance from two Ed Theatre interns.
For more information on the CAT Youth
Theatre and available internships, please
call (212) 998-7339.
Page 15 of 20
Looking For Shakespeare 2004 ~ By Joe Salvatore
It’s that time of year again! The
Program in Educational Theatre is
preparing for another summer of
Looking for Shakespeare.
This
summer’s program will run for three
weeks, from June 28 through July
18. An ensemble of fifteen to twenty
young people between the ages of 13
and 18 from throughout the
metropolitan area will come to the
Provincetown Playhouse to create an
original production of Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet. Joe Salvatore will
direct the program and production, and
Brad Vincent will serve as producer.
The ensemble will work Monday
through Friday from 9:00am-3:00pm,
and the experience will
culminate in three performances on
July 16 and 17 at 8:00pm and July 18
at 3:00pm. There is a materials fee of
$590, and scholarships are available.
The Looking for Shakespeare program
runs in conjunction with E17.2171,
Shakespeare’s Theatre I, taught by Joe
Salvatore. NYU students enrolled in
this course will serve as acting
coaches for the young people, while
also working as production assistants
on all areas of the production. The
course will meet from 9:00am4:00pm, with the final hour devoted to
more theoretical discussions of
tackling Shakespeare’s plays with
young people. Interested students
should register for the course after
speaking with their advisor.
If you know young people
that you think would benefit from this
program, please stop by the
Educational Theatre office and pick up
flyers and brochures. Auditions for
Looking for Shakespeare 2004 will
take place on May 1 and May 15
between 10:00am and 2:00pm. We
will provide students with short
selections from Romeo and Juliet to
prepare for the audition. To schedule
an audition and receive an application
and audition materials, please contact
Brad Vincent, the Producer for
Looking for Shakespeare. He can be
reached at 212.998.5273 or at
bev202@nyu.edu.
Shakespeare to Go ~ By Brad Vincent
About four hundred years ago, a group
of traveling players wandered into
Stratford upon Avon and presented a
play. Somewhere in the crowd, a little
boy named Willy was inspired and
grew up to be the greatest playwright
of all time. Shakespeare to Go is an
attempt to do the same for the children
of New York City. Starting last
September, a dozen Ed. Theatre
students began preparing a traveling
adaptation of The Taming of the
Shrew. By December, we packed all
of our costumes and props into four
trunks and hit the road, or rather, hit
the subways. Over the year, we've
performed at three high schools and a
Montessori school - for kids from six
years old to eighteen years old, from
various cultures and economic
backgrounds, from public school to
private. Each audience followed the
story, laughed, applauded, and
hopefully saw a side of Shakespeare
they had not expected. The reviews
from
the
students,
teachers,
administrators, and parents was
unanimous - Shakespeare to Go was a
hit! Or in the words of one of the girls
at Cathedral High School in
Manhattan, "this troupe is a lively,
hilariously entertaining and intelligent
spectacle." Now that our season has
come to a close, we bid a fond
farewell to troupe members Leslie
Moore,
Lisa
Schreiner,
Mike
Yurchack, and Shannon Lynch. Yet
even in this bittersweet time, we look
forward to venturing out again next
fall with returning and new
members. If you are interested in this
new dynamic outreach program of Ed.
Theatre, look for audition information
in August. The Shrew Crew will be
back, and we will be looking for new
members and working on a new
show. Come join us!
Page 16 of 20
Summer 2004 Course Schedule
First Summer Session (May 17 – June 25)
TOTAL CLASSES OFFERED:
EDTH CLASSES OFFERED:
CAT CLASSES OFFERED:
12
2
10
E17.2023
IMAGES OF WOMEN IN THEATRE
MTWR 6.30pm-8.45pm 5/17 – 6/4 3 credits
SMITHNER
E17.2952
LEARNING THROUGH THEATRE:
The Theory and Practice of TIE
MTWRFU 10AM-5PM & TBA 5/17-5/23 3 credits
CAT STAFF
E17.2152
THEATRE PRACTICES:
Problems in Play Production
MTWR 6.30pm - 8.45pm
6/7 -- 6/25 3 credits
SWORTZELL
E17.2960
DRAMA WITH SPECIAL POPULATIONS
LEVEL I
F 6:30-9:30PM, S 10AM-5PM 5/21 & 5/22 1 credit
Class meets with E17.2961 & E17.2962
GRANET
E17.2961
DRAMA WITH SPECIAL POPULATIONS
LEVEL II
F 6:30-9:30PM, S 10AM-5PM 6/4 & 6/5 1 credit
Class meets with E17.2960 & E17.2962
GRANET
E17.2962
DRAMA WITH SPECIAL POPULATIONS
LEVEL III
F 6:30-9:30PM, S 10AM-5PM 6/18 & 6/19 1 credit
Class meets with E17.2960 & E17.2961
GRANET
E17.2971
TEACHING LITERACY THROUGH DRAMA
U 10AM-5PM, M 4-6:15PM 6/6 & 6/7 1 credit
Class meets with E17.2972 & E17.2973
CARR
E17.2972
CREATING EDUCATIONAL THEATRE SCRIPTS
TWR 4-6:15PM, S 10Am-1PM 6/7-7/12 1 credit
Class meets with E17.2971 & E17.2973
CARR
E17.2973
EXPLORING LITERATURE THROUGH DRAMA
S 2-5PM, U 10AM-5PM 6/12 & 13 1 credit
Class meets with E17.2971 & E17.2972
FLETCHER
Page 17 of 20
CREATING THEATRE WITH
YOUNG PEOPLE II: PLAYBUILDING
UMTWRFS 10AM-5PM 6/20 – 6/30 & TBA 3 credits
WHITE
E17.2990
CURRENT EVENTS IN EDUCATIONAL DRAMA
TBA 1-6 credits
CAT STAFF
E17.2999
CREATIVE ARTS TEAM: PRACTICUM
IN DRAMA-IN-EDUCATION
TBA 1-6 credits
CAT STAFF
Second Summer Session (June 28 – August 6)
TOTAL CLASSES OFFERED :
EDTH CLASSES OFFERED:
CAT CLASSES OFFERED:
11
11
0
E17.2171
SHAKESPEARE'S THEATRE 1
MTWRF 9.00am-4.00pm 6/28--7/16
SALVATORE
E17.2131
THEATRE OF EUGENE O'NEILL
MTWR 6.30-8.45pm
6/28--7/16
SWORTZELL
E17.2135
CHANGING CONCEPTS OF
THEATRE FOR CHILDREN
MTWR 6.30-8.45pm
7/19--8/6
BROOKS
E17.2031
DRAMATIC ACTIVITIES IN THE
HIGH SCHOOL
MTWR 3.45pm-6.00pm
7/19--8/6
EDTH STAFF
E17.100001
IND STUDY
1-4 points
TAYLOR
E17.230001
IND STUDY
1-4 points
SMITHNER
E17.230101
PRAC IN EDUC THEATRE
1-6 points
SALVATORE
Study Abroad
LONDON
E17.2172099
June 28-July 19
SHAKESPEARE'S THEATRE II
TAYLOR
E17.2133099
DRAMA WITH AND FOR CHILDREN
TAYLOR
DUBLIN
E17.2101099
E17.2101099
July 22-August 12
APPLIED THEATRE I
APPLIED THEATRE II
TAYLOR
TAYLOR
Page 18 of 20
Fall 2004 Course Schedule
E17.0009/V30.0635
STAGECRAFT
MW 4:55-6:35 PM
BRANTMAN
E17.0027/V30.0637
ACTING I
MUELLER, MITCHELL, BERSLEY
Sec. 1TR 8:00-9:15 AM, Sec 2 MW 8:00-9:15 AM, Sec 3 F 9:00-11:45 AM
E17.0037/V30.0639
ACTING II
TR 12:10-1:45 PM
RUSSELL
E17.0050
INTRO TO ED THEATRE I
MW 12:30-1:45
VINCENT
E17.1000
INDEPENDENT STUDY
TBA
SMITHNER
E17.1005
INTRO TO THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
T 6:45-8:25 PM
BROOKS
E17.1017/V30.0645
DESIGN FOR THE STAGE
TR 4:55-6:35 PM
LEONARD
E17.1029
DRAMATIC ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY
R 4:55-6:35 PM
STAFF
E17.1051
CHARACTER STUDY AND MOTIVATION
R 7:45-10:15 PM
AVERY
E17.1057
MASTERS OF MODERN DRAMA
M 6:45-8:25 PM
THOMSON
E17.1065
THEORY OF CREATIVE DRAMA
T 4:55-6:35 PM
VINCENT
E17.1068/2031
DRAMATIC ACRTIVITIES IN THE HIGH SCHOOL
9/12 12-6PM, 9/17 6-10 PM, 9/18 10-5PM, 9/19 12-4 PM
10/2 10-4 PM, 10/3 12-4 PM
MONTGOMERY
E17.1079
MASKS & PUPPETRY
M 4:55-6:35 PM
LEE
E17.1081
DIRECTING
F 12:45-3:30 PM
BERSLEY
E17.1099
STYLES OF ACTING & DIRECTING
M 6:45-9:00 PM
STAFF
E17.1105
BEGINNING PLAYWRITING
T 8:35-10:15 PM
BROOKS
E17.1113
PHYSICAL THEATRE IMPROVISATION
T 6:45-8:25
SMITHNER
Page 19 of 20
E17.2021
DEVELOPMENT OF THEATRE
W 6:45-8:25 PM
SWORTZELL, L
E17.2059
CREATIVE PLAY IN THE ARTS
W 4:55-6:35 PM
SMITHNER
E17.2077
METHODS AND MATERIALS OF RESEARCH
T 6:45-8:25 PM
TAYLOR
E17.2091
DRAMATIC CRITICISM
R 6:45-8:25 PM
NADLER
E17.2134
STUDENT TEACHING IN THE ELEMENTARY
SEC 1 W 4:55-6:35, SEC 2 W 6:45-8:25
SMITHNER
SALVATORE
E17.2151
LEADERS IN EDUCATIONAL THEATRE
T 8:35-10:15 PM
TABONE
E17.2177
THEATRE OF BRECHT AND BECKETT
W8:35-10:15 PM
TAYLOR
E17.2193
DRAMA IN EDUCATION I
11/19 5-9PM, 11/20 10-5:30 PM, 11/21 10-5:30 PM,
12/3 5-9 PM, 12/4 10-5:30 PM, 12/5 10-5:30 PM
O’NEILL
E17.2300
INDEPENDENT STUDY
TBA
TAYLOR
E17.2301
PRACTICUM IN ED. THEATRE
TBA
SALVATORE
E85.0092/008
COLLEGIUM
W 3:30-4:45 PM
WERNER
E03.0001/012
NEW STUDENT SEMINAR
R 2:00-3:15 PM
VINCENT
E17.2951
TEACHING THROUGH DRAMA
10/16 10-5 PM, 10/17 10-5 PM, 10/23 10-5 PM
10/24 10-5 PM, 10/30 10-5 PM, 11/6 10-5 PM
11/7 10-5 PM
VINE
E17.2954
STORYTELLING IN THE CLASSROOM
10/29 6:30-9:30 PM, 10/30 10-5 PM
NAUMER
E17.2960
(must be taken w/
2961 & 2962)
DRAMA WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION POP. I
9/10 6-9:30 PM, 9/11 9-4 PM, 9/12 9-12 PM
GRANET
E17.2961
DRAMA WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION POP. II
10/8 6-9:30 PM, 10/9 9-4 PM, 10/10 9-12 PM
GRANET
E17.2961
DRAMA WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION POP. III
12/10 6-9:30 PM, 12/11 9-4 PM, 12/12 9-12 PM
GRANET
E17.2971
TEACHING LITERACY THROUGH DRAMA
CARR
Page 20 of 20
E17.2980
CREATING THEATRE WITH YOUNG PEOPLE I
10/1 1-6 PM, 10/8 1-6 PM, 10/15 1-6 PM, 10/22 1- 6 PM
10/29 1-6 PM, 11/5 1-6 PM, 11/12 1-6 PM, 11/14 9-6 PM
WHITE
E17.2985
(must get permission
from instructor)
CAT EARLY LEARNING INTERNSHIP
9/7-12/14 TimeTBA
NAUMER
E17.2987
(must get permission
from instructor)
CAT YOUTH THEATRE INTERNSIP
9/7-12/14 T 3:30-6:30 PM and TBA
WHITE
E17.2999
(must get permission
from instructor)
CAT PRACTICUM: DRAMA IN EDUCATION
9/7-12/14 Time TBA
HARDWICK
“It’s
All Happening!”
Program In
Educational Theatre
82 Washington Square
East
Pless Annex 223
New York, NY 100036680
PHONE:
(212) 998-5856
FAX:
(212) 995-4569
Outreach Theatre,
Applied Theatre,
Shakespeare to Go,
Theatrix!
E-MAIL:
Ed.theatre@nyu.edu
We’re on the Web!
See us at:
www.nyu.edu/education/
music/edtheatre
Study Abroad,
Internships, Theatre for
Youth, TIE
If you would like to provide feedback on what you like or what you think could be improved on this newsletter, or you need to
be added to the E-list please contact Zachary Moore (ztm200@nyu.edu).