Theater StudiesDuke alumnus Paul W. Downs received an Emmy for Outstanding Writer for a Comedy Series for his work on Hacks. Read more. read more about Alumni News: Paul W. Downs Receives Emmy for his work on "Hacks" »
Senior year for Duke’s Class of 2020 did not go as expected. As they look toward their long-delayed, eagerly anticipated, in-person commencement ceremony on Sept. 26, members of the Class of 2020 share their memories of Duke and how they learned to cherish ordinary moments of connection and community. Katie Cassedy Katie graduated in 2020 with an economics major and a minor in visual media studies. She is currently a UK Agency Associate in LinkedIn’s Business… read more about The Class of 2020 Remembers Duke »
On the podcast More Than Tracy Turnblad, Ryan Donovan discusses body standards for short men, Annie, competitive suffering, historical attitudes toward fatness onstage, thin women who have played Effie in Dreamgirls, Ryan's work regarding disability and LGBTQ+ bodies onstage, and more. Hear the full interview. read more about Faculty News: Ryan Donovan discusses fat representation in the arts »
Theater Studies has brought acclaimed playwright Benjamin Benne to campus as its Visiting Artist for fall 2021. His two-week residency begins with the early creative stages of his new play Fantasma, commissioned by the South Coast Repertory Theatre, and culminates with a New Works Lab stage reading on September 10 at 5:00pm in the Rubenstein Arts Center Gallery. He’s joined by his collaborator Cat Rodríguez, who serves the dual roles of dramaturg and director. Students will participate in a week-long workshop with… read more about Benjamin Benne Discusses His Latest Work, "Fantasma" »
Tia Smith is among a group of young artists named winners of the Loft Teen Arts Project visual arts commission competition. These artists' original artworks will be displayed in The Loft—Steppenwolf’s first-ever dedicated education space that encompasses the entire fourth floor of the Liz and Eric Lefkofsky Arts and Education Center. Read more. read more about Tia Smith (Theater Studies '23) Steppenwolf Loft Teen Arts Project Winner »
Torry Bend is collaborating with playwright Howard Craft and director JaMeeka Holloway to present Dreaming at La MaMa, October 14-17, 2021. Dreaming follows two men deeply affected by Winsor McCay’s comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland. In a world where comic book characters live side by side with real people, Malachi Washington works to free comics cast in prejudiced bodies while Winsor’s son, Bob McCay, seeks to revive the old comic strip. What follows is a… read more about Torry Bend Presents "Dreaming" at La MaMa »
Seeking a Native American voice actor to play George, a man stuck in a 2D body that is a racist depiction drawn by a white man. George seeks out Malachi Washington for help an artist who has dedicated his life to rescuing racist and stereotyped people and return them to their 3D human bodies. Seeking a voice over actor of Asian descent to play Mr. Lee, a man stuck in a 2D body that is a racist depiction drawn by a white man. Mr. Lee is first hesitant to leave the body that has brought him fame and money as a comic… read more about Casting Call for Voice Over Actors »
The Department of Theater Studies welcomes Ryan Donovan, visiting lecturer in musical theater, and Juliana Kleist-Méndez, artist in residence, to the faculty for the 2021-2022 academic year. Donovan will teach several musical theater courses, and Kleist-Méndez will teach acting courses in addition to developing and presenting her performance work Fuller on February 3 through 5, 2022, in Sheafer Theater. Visiting Lecturer in Musical Theater: Ryan Donovan… read more about Theater Studies Welcomes Visiting Lecturer and Artist in Residence »
When he was an undergraduate political science student, Kerry Haynie was never taught about the 1921 Tulsa massacre. Nor was there much discussion about the role of race in the founding political documents of this country or much examination of how race influenced public services such as sewer lines and zoning. In one sense, a lot has changed. In 2021, Duke’s faculty includes a strong lineup of leading scholars who examine how race is embedded in issues that cross all the schools of the university. This fall, many of… read more about University Course Raises Race as a Central Element of Undergraduate Education »
This month we feature a collection of Duke-authored books that explore historical and current aspects of music in the United States and beyond. These books, along with many others written by Duke authors, are available at Duke University Libraries, the Gothic Bookshop or the Regulator Bookshop. The Song is You by Bradley Rogers Musicals, it is often said, burst into song and dance when mere words can no longer convey… read more about 10 Books About Music from Duke Authors »
The "Broadway Bodies" Conversation Moves to Center Stage WNYC A short sentence in a recent New York Times article about Broadway actors returning to stages this fall has ignited a conversation about body expectations, fat phobia, and race in the professional acting world. Ryan Donovan joined WNYC host Michael Hill for a conversation. "The theater industry is really unique in that the way that you look can determine whether you are even considered for being hired right when you walk in the door,"… read more about Faculty News: Ryan Donovan discusses casting practices »
The Department of Theater Studies mourns the loss of Doug Martelon, who served as Theater Operations manager at Duke for 25 years. He left Duke in 2012 to devote his time and talent to The Summit Church. Doug passed away on May 6, 2021, from COVID-19 complications. He is survived by his wife, Trena, and a son, Nicholas. “Doug was my collaborator at Duke, and my friend for over 25 years,” said Professor of the Practice and former Department Chair Jeff Storer. “He was a kind, gentle man who was courageous… read more about Remembering Theater Operations manager Doug Martelon »
The National Science Foundation presents the Alan Waterman Award, the government’s highest honor for an early career scientist or engineer, to only two researchers every year. This year, both winners are part of the Duke community. The award will be shared by Nicholas Carnes, the Creed C. Black Associate Professor of Public Policy and Political Science in the Sanford School of Public Policy, and Duke alumna Melanie Wood, a mathematician at Harvard University. Both will receive a five-year $1 million research grant. Duke… read more about Duke Faculty Member, Alumna Win Nation's Highest Honor for Early-Career Scientists and Engineers »
The Department of Theater Studies at Duke University recently presented six undergraduates with awards celebrating ongoing achievements in the discipline. Awards and recipients: Harold Brody Award for Excellence in Musical Theater awarded to Multy Oliver Recognizes accomplishments in musical theater by students in the Department of Theater Studies, the Department of Music, or the student-run musical theater group Hoof 'n' Horn. The award was established by an alumnus with a deep affection for and… read more about Theater Studies Annual Awards »
The Brooklyn Art Song Society's inaugural New Voices Festival brings the start of an essential event for modern song. The festival takes the tradition that created countless masterpieces and re-imagines it for the 21st century. Fifteen works by living composers, half of them world premiers, reflect on the past and look toward the future. Jody McAuliffe translated three Russian poems for New Voices II which will be performed on May 15, 2021. Read more. read more about Jody McAuliffe's Translations Part of Brooklyn Art Song Society Performance »
DukeArts spoke with Duke seniors and Theater Studies majors Ash Jeffers and María Zurita Ontiveros about their paths to theater, and how they are leading the production of MEDEA – the first mainstage Theater Studies production with students at its helm. Read the full article at DukeArts. read more about Medea Would Not Be Denied »
A March 24 panel discussion in response to the increase of violence against people of Asian descent, including the mass shootings in Atlanta earlier this month, attracted more than 670 Duke faculty, staff and students. Moderated by Nayoung Aimee Kwon, the online event featured presentations on the historical context of anti-Asian violence from Susan Thananopavarn, Eileen Chow and Esther Kim Lee. Syllabus on Asian-American History and Culture In response to recent acts of violence against Asian Americans stemming from a… read more about The History of Violence Against Asian Americans »
Summer Session I (May 12-June 21) THEATRST 145S-01 ACTING MTuWThF 11:00AM - 12:15PM Jeff Storer Codes: AL; CCI SYNCHORNOUS ONLINE Using the writings of Sarah Ruhl, Qui Nguyen, August Strindberg, Konstantin Stanislavsky, Suzan Lori-Parks, Anna Deavere Smith, Caryl Churchill, Anne Bogart and Jose Rivera students will explore the fundamentals of acting realism through assigned readings, writing prompts, performance exercises, scene study, and text analysis. A balance between… read more about Summer Session I & II »
KARI BARCLAY, Theater Studies '16, has been named the winner of the inaugural So.Queer Playwrights’ Festival, sponsored by the Richmond, VA, Triangle Players. Read the full story in the Stanford News >>> read more about Kari Barclay (TS '16) Wins So.Queer Playwrights’ Festival »
Part of our “Art and Artists are Essential” collection and invitation. “I started writing music over winter break from home. I met Robbie Rosen, a producer and American Idol finalist, who helped me write original songs for the first time! This is a song about being stuck between two places, and I think every Duke student has felt this in some capacity, especially during the pandemic. We were back in our hometowns for longer than we are used to, and many of us are questioning where we feel most at home. I feel really… read more about Sophia Roth ‘22: “Between Two Worlds” »
The Department of Theater Studies at Duke University in Durham, NC invites applications for an Artist in Residence to begin July 2021. This full-time, one-year position is intended for a recent graduate of an MFA program (2019 or later preferred) in either Acting or Directing; the position requires an MFA at the time of hire along with membership in AEA, SAG-AFTRA, or SDC. Job duties will include a 2/1 teaching load in small laboratory-based acting classes as well as ancillary coaching in the successful candidate’s areas of… read more about Job Announcement: Artist in Residence »