Every month, this e-newsletter brings you information about upcoming productions and events, as well as alumni updates. In between e-newsletters, we're also posting to the School of Drama blog, where you'll find students reflecting on their experiences and training at the School of Drama, as well as stories about the research and creative work of our faculty and spotlights on current students and alumni.
Recent posts to the School of Drama blog include a spotlight on Taigé Kussman, star of the recent Undergraduate Theater Society production of Cabaret and recent BA graduate, as well as a post by Tara Velan (PATP '16), who reflects on her process of developing character.
Our goal with the blog is to share a more diverse array of voices and perspectives about our School, our people, and our community. We hope to provide a platform for fresh insights, engaging stories, in-depth profiles, debate, discussion, and much more. And we invite you to suggest a story!
She may have finished her credit requirements—and received her diploma—last December, but Taigé Kussman hasn’t quite wrapped her educational experience at the School of Drama. That wrap will come March 8, closing night of the Undergraduate Theater Society’s production of Cabaret, in which Taigé plays the iconic role of Sally Bowles.
“It’s a fitting capstone to her collegiate career,” says Professor Andrew Tsao, head of the undergraduate program. “Taigé came to us a young artist with a great deal of talent. She is now leaving us as a young artist with a great deal of talent and a lot more knowledge and craft.”
Taigé came to the University of Washington as a transfer student. She is the first in her family to go to college and after completing her transfer degree found herself frustrated and unable to articulate what she wanted to do. She took a few years off, during which time she made a lot of music, worked, and wrote poetry.
“During that time—and doing creative work—led me to the point where I felt ready to go back to school,” she explains. “I had a new focus and drive to complete my undergraduate degree.”
Taigé started in the creative writing program—and continues to build that body of work. She registered for an acting class thinking that she’d...
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In this blog post, Tara Velan, a second-year student in the Professional Actor Training Program, reflects on her work developing the character of Miss Gilchrist in Brendan Behan's The Hostage.
Dia dhaoidh!
This winter I have been delighted to be a part of The Hostage creative team. Our work has been a rollercoaster of experimentation as we bring Brendan Behan’s story to life.
Awakening the life of Miss Gilchrist continues to be challenging and rewarding. While exploring this world alongside so many fellow layered characters (our cast is quite large!), I have discovered some valuable tools for my acting practice.
Part of our goal as actors in the Professional Actor Training Program is to identify and develop an individual process of character development, so that the skills we gain from our training aid in the construction of a personal method for creating performed art.
In addition to our work with evolving character, we must lend our full presence to the space and our fellow scene partners. During our actual lives we live fully present in the moment; the past is past and the future is unknown. To live fully in an imagined reality we must strive to keep this freshness. We must take in our surroundings and fellow storytellers with keen use of our senses.
Read moreIn addition to our work with evolving character, we must lend our full presence to the space and our fellow...
The University of Washington School of Drama invites you to meet our Professional Actor Training Program (PATP) Class of 2015. The PATP will present Showcase performances in Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles.
Seattle, March 30, 2015
Location: Penthouse Theatre, UW campus
Time: 7:00 pm
RSVP: By invitation only. Please contact Katrina Ernst at katrinae@uw.edu or 206-685-0600.
New York, April 14, 2015
Location: June Havoc Theatre, 312 West 36th Street, 1st Floor
Times: 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm
RSVP: Reply to showcase@uw.edu
Los Angeles, April 22, 2015
Location: The Colony Theatre, 555 North 3rd Street, Burbank, CA 91502
Times: 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
RSVP: Online
Frank Butler (MFA '85) designed the lighting for the Guthrie Theatre's production of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, playing through March 29.
Leyla Modirzadeh (PATP '94) is directing No Exit at Theatre Oxford, running April 17-19.
Patrick Dizney (PATP '98) was honored with the ATHE Teaching Award at the Region 7 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Patrick is assistant professor of performance at Central Washington University.
Samer Al Saber (PhD '13) is completing a two-year Mellon post-doctoral fellowship at Davidson College, where he has been teaching and directing. Samer is co-organizing the seminar "Literary Historiography: Ethnography, Oral history, and the Archive" at the American Comparative Literature Association...
Read moreUpcoming Events and Performances
Seattle Showcase
March 30, Penthouse Theatre
More details
New York Showcase
April 14, 1:00pm and 4:30pm
More details
Los Angeles Showcase
April 22, 1:30pm and 7:30pm
More details
Bus Stop
April 22–May 3
More details
Dr. Rebecca Schneider, lecture
Lectured presented by the Performance Studies Research Group
Friday, April 24 at 4:00pm
More details
UTS Presents: On the Verge
May 28–June 7
For a full list of upcoming shows and events, visit drama.uw.edu.
Banner Photo Credit: The cast of the Undergraduate Theater Society's production of Cabaret. Photo by Johnny Valencia.