John Proctor is the Villain
We kicked off this semester with a fast-paced, deeply insightful play that follows a group of small-town Appalachian Georgia high schoolers as they grapple with big world issues of sex and power - in their lives and in The Crucible. The play, directed by Sharon Andrews, also welcomed Elliot Lerner ('12) back to the Mainstage Theatre as the hip English teacher, whose own questionable character may be as troubling as Miller's iconic hero.
She Loves Me
Directed by J.K. Curry, this charmingly old school, full orchestra musical about trying to find a perfect match in an imperfect world, was David Hagy's swan song - as it was his final musical on the Tedford Stage.
It’s a show to get you tapping your toes and thinking that spring might finally get here, after all, along with true love and brighter days. - Lynn Felder, Cultural Voice of North Carolina
Spring Student Choreographic Concert
The WFU Dance Company took to the stage under the direction of Chris Martin on April 21 to present the choreography of nine of their peers across a range of styles.
Sound Design Showcase
As part of the new course THE 290/EGR 280 Special Seminar: Sound for Musical Theatre, students along with their mentor Post-Graduate Teacher-Scholar Jeff Sherwood put together this online showcase of their work on the musical She Loves Me. The purpose of this site is not only to showcase the students' work, but also to educate the greater Wake Forest University community about theatre sound design and the behind-the-scenes work of the sound department for a musical theatre production. To check out their work, visit https://go.wfu.edu/theatresound.
Up and Away: Neuroscience meets Theatre
During her spring 2022 leave, Dr Cindy Gendrich directed Up and Away, a sensorily rich play for neurodiverse audiences at the Rose Theatre in Omaha, NE (artistic director Matt Gutschick, ‘08) The play focused on the fictional Fogg Family Balloon Society’s 1000th balloon ride, and involved close audience interaction and sensory play, as well as music, dance, puppets, and a charming scene set in the clouds (on fluffy white blankets). Parents of kids with ASD often have trouble finding theatre productions right for their kids, but Up and Away gave each child one-on-one attention from an actor, in a sensorily rich, yet sensitive environment that made them feel welcomed and safe.
To prepare for the play, Cindy spent about a year doing autism research, and brought on board neuroscience/theatre double major Cameron Michels (‘23) to help. They read, discussed, watched tv shows and videos, and applied what they learned to ideas for the production. Nicole McNamara Quatrocchi ('04) also Zoomed with Cindy and Cameron, and encouraged her awesome son Stevie to share his ideas. And Dr. Matt Zakreski (‘08), who is now a child psychiatrist specializing in work with gifted kids and kids with ASD, Zoomed with Cindy and her cast, as did Trusty Sidekick, the originators of Up and Away. Members of the company, as well as Dr. Zakreski, were able to see the final product in April. It appears to have been a success, since Dr. Matt called it, “the best theatre experience of his life,” and the kids had a blast.
Theatre in Education collaboration
Christina Soriano and Brook Davis from the Department of Theatre & Dance collaborated with Alan Brown from the Department of Education for the Theatre in Education class this semester. Wake Forest students used theatre and dance to teach 100 fourth graders at Brunson Elementary School in Winston-Salem. Students learned about local heroes: Maya Angelou, Larry Leon Hamlin, Annie Kennedy, Sam "The Dot Man" McMillan, and Ruth Revels. They presented examples of their learning at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art. Pictured here are Wake Forest students and faculty in front of Brunson Elementary School (photo credit: Ken Bennett, WFU).
Faculty Awards & Recognitions
Lynn Book, Teaching Professor of the Theatre, is retiring after 17 years at the university.
On April 29, the Board of Trustees announced it had approved the tenure and promotion of Kevin Frazier to Associate Professor.
Kevin was also named the Senior Faculty Fellow for Angelou Hall for the 2022-2023 year. Michael Kamtman will be an Associate Faculty Fellow for Babcock Hall.
Dr. J.K. Curry was named the Susan & Gene Goodson Faculty Fellowship in March.
Congratulations to Lynn, Kevin, Michael, and J.K. on all of their honors and achievements!
Class of 2022
On May 16, Wake Forest University will hold its commencement exercises, and 22 students will be leaving our department. This link has been created to celebrate these students and their accomplishments. Join us in congratulating them.