Dear Friends of Drama,Without question, we are experiencing tumultuous times, and hope our Winter School of Drama newsletter finds you and your loved ones safe and well. In my brief time so far as Executive Director, coinciding with our own anxious moment in history, I have felt proud and encouraged to see our students, faculty, and staff using theatre and performance to take the world head-on…

“The cast’s seriousness elevates both the humor and the tragedy of Chekhov’s play.”— Shoreline Area NewsUW School of Drama’s production of The Seagull was recently reviewed by Shoreline Area News, with critic Kindle Carpp highlighting the…

Richard Nguyen Sloniker (MFA Acting, 2009), a graduate of the University of Washington School of Drama, was recently featured in The Seattle Times for his work as a leading actor in Seattle’s regional theatre community.Sloniker is currently appearing at Village Theatre as Sherlock Holmes in Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. The…

UW Drama presents The Seagull, opening January 29Seattle, WA - The University of Washington School of Drama proudly presents Anton Chekov's classic, The Seagull. Adapted by Richard Nelson, Ricard Pevear, and Larissa Pevear, this new translation of Chekhov's "serious comedy of human contradictions" is directed by MFA student Sebastián Bravo Montenegro. The…

While February might be just 28 days, the UW College of Arts & Sciences offers an exciting lineup of more than 40 in-person and online events. From thought-provoking art and music to conversations on culture, history, and science, the UW community invites you to explore, learn, and connect across disciplines throughout the University. Featured on UW News

Union Arts Center’s New Works Northwest Festival returns January 22–25, 2026, offering staged readings, community events, and artist conversations that center the development of new plays by Pacific Northwest writers. Now in its third year, the festival invites audiences into a vital step of the creative process, supporting stories as they move from script to stage.Curated from more than 200…

Interdisciplinary artist Kyra Miller Himmelbaum (MFA, Acting, PATP ’03) continues to create work that moves across performance, film, and visual storytelling. Her recent project, Bluebeard Gaslight, blends puppetry, horror, experimental film, and handmade design into a striking, genre-defying experience. Himmelbaum’s collaborative process brings together filmmakers…

PATP alum Ariel Estrada receives critical recognition for contemporary performance. Actor Ariel Estrada, a graduate of UW Drama’s Professional Actor Training Program (PATP), is earning strong reviews for their performance in Full Contact, with critics noting the work’s physical intensity, emotional clarity, and ensemble-driven approach.Estrada’s performance…

PATP alum Jose Rufino earns praise for emotionally resonant stage work.Actor and PATP alumnus Jose Rufino is receiving critical attention for his recent performance in The Long Christmas Ride Home at The Strand Theatre. Reviews highlight his emotional nuance and disciplined physical storytelling, underscoring a performance grounded in restraint and…

Actor, director, educator, and author Timothy Johnson is celebrating the publication of his first acting book while continuing active collaborations in the professional theatre field.In July 2025, Johnson released How to Rehearse a Scene: Progressive Exercises to Enhance Scene Work with Routledge. The book offers a practical and imaginative approach to…