Autumn 2014
Compagnia Sud Costa Occidentale, an Italian troupe led by Emma Dante, made its debut in September in an English-speaking country with Operetta Burlesque, Dante’s movement-oriented play that tells the story of Pietro, a young man from a village near Naples who identifies as a woman.
Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company Artistic Director Howard Shalwitz gave the keynote address for the Syndicate symposium, “Blurring Boundaries without Burning Bridges: Italian Contemporary Performance, the Theatre of Emma Dante and Beyond.” He has been the visionary force behind Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company for 34 seasons, steering the theatre’s adventurous play selection, guiding the development and production of dozens of new works, and building a renowned acting company.
Director, scenographer, visual theatre artist and educator Pamela Howard gave the annual Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute Lecture in Sepetember. She has worked in the UK, Europe and USA since 1960, and has realized over 250 productions. Since 2000 she has been developing her work as Director/Scenographer specializing in contemporary opera and music theatre, with a particular interest in site specific and sustainable theatre.
Playwright C. Denby Swanson was on the AfterWords panel discussion for the department’s production of her play The Norewegians in October. She has been a Jerome Fellow, a William Inge Playwright in Residence and a McKnight Advancement Grant recipient. Ms. She is on the faculty at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
Kelly Hunter, creator of the Hunter Heartbeat Method and British film, television, radio, stage and musical actress was here in November to conduct Shakespeare and Autism workshops with students and was on the panel for the AfterWords discussion for the department’s production of In Here Out There. Kelly joined us again in the spring for the Shakespeare and Education Festival.
Spring 2015
Artistic Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company Greg Doran attended an open rehearsal of the school tour Henry V and gave feedback to students in January. He also presented the talk Shakespeare from Stage to Screen” to theatre students in the Drake Performance and Event Center and “The Journey Toward Becoming Artisitic Director of United Kingdom’s Royal Shakespeare Company” at the Barnett Center.
Director, writer, actor, filmaker and motivational speaker Melissa Maxwell was guest director for the department’s production of Trouble in Mind in March. While in residence, she was also a guest speaker for several classes. Melissa’s plays include Salt in a Wound, Unrequited Love and Fetus Envy.
Folger Shakespeare Library Director of Education Peggy O’Brien conducted panel discussions for the Shakespeare and Autism Day as part of the Shakespeare and Education Workshop. A former Folger educator, she established the library’s education philosophy and the bulk of its programs in the 1980s and led the department until 1994, when she left to become director of education programs for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Royal Shakespeare Company Director of Education Jacqui O’Hanlon led the workshop “Active Approaches to Shakespeare Workshops” for the Shakespeare and Education Festival.
SITI Company was in residence in April to teach Viewpoints, Suzuki and other topics of their expertise. The MFA Acting students had the opportunity to rehearse and perform in their production of theatre is a blank page, which debuted at the Wexner Center for the Arts.
Wexner Center for the Arts Talkbacks and Workshops
The Events
David Greig with the Harmony Project
New Society
Miranda July
The Cardinals
Stan’s Café
theatre is a blank page
Ann Hamilton and SITI Company
