Actors. Arts administrators. Award Winners. Directors. Educators. Filmmakers. Scholars. Technicians. Writers, and more. Since the first theater class was offered in 1924, countless students have not only benefited from the study and practice of this art form, but thrived in careers on and off-stage.
On the occasion of Duke University's 100th birthday, the Theater Studies department put this century of excellence on display, welcoming back distinguished alumni to perform alongside current Theater Studies faculty and students in a Centennial Concert gala in Reynolds Industries Theater. The concert was co-produced by Assistant Professor Ryan Donovan, who conceived and directed the event, and Lecturing Fellow of Theater Studies Bill Webb, who designed the set and lights.
The celebration began even before one walked into the theater: An exhibit in the lobby (which can be viewed at the bottom of this page) traced the evolution of theater at Duke from the first faculty hire in 1930 to the beginning of the Drama Program in 1974 and the establishment of the Department of Theater Studies in 2003. "I spent the half-hour before the concert being led by alumni, ranging in ages from 30s to 70s, through the panels, as each excitedly told me about their own eras of Duke Theater," said R. Darren Gobert, professor of Theater Studies and chair of the department.
While some of those alumni took to the stage at the concert, Theater Studies also celebrated distinguished alumni who thrive in careers off-stage and screen.
Hoof 'n' Horn closed the memorable concert with a performance with Stephen Sondheim's "Our Time." Sondheim's lyrics captures what the future holds for Duke Theater Studies students:
Years from now, we’ll remember and we’ll come back
Buy the rooftop and hang a plaque:
“This is where we began
Being what we can”
