The Next Century
2002-2003 “See yourself…while watching us”
Julie McGarvie directed her MFA thesis production of The Skriker in the Arena to lead off the season. This was the second production to feature a huge bed in the space (the first was in Oh Dad, Poor Dad… some 28 years earlier). In this case the bed was an acting space as well as a source of concealment and surprises for the macabre, 
dreamlike world of Caryl Churchill. Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing directed by guest Bonnie Schock, Artistic Director of Three-Legged Race, followed in the Thrust. UDT entitled Across the Spectrum was dedicated as a memorial to Barbara Barker and her legacy. The program note included: “It is fitting that we are presenting Paul Taylor’s “Esplanade” on the program his evening. Barbara first brought this work to the university in 1990 to showcase our students. We honor her tonight with its repeat performance in her memory.” The program included “The View of Tibet” (Shouze Ma); “Said So”-premiere (Bill Young); West Side Story’s “Dance at the Gym”, “Somewhere” ballet, and “Cool” (Jerome Robbins as reconstructed by Christine Fournier); “The Gist” (Shapiro and Smith); and the aforementioned “Esplanade” (Paul Taylor as reconstructed by Mary Cochran). The X fall season included An Evening of GLBT Theatre directed by Scott Beavers, My Lai directed by Lindsay Hinman and Justin Bernacki, and Devotees in the Garden of Love directed by Macelle Mahala.
There is a Field transformed the proscenium stage into an audience interactive performative space and the lobbies into installations. Conceived and directed by Professor Sonja Kuftinec, the production was staged with the audience seated onstage in ¾ round facing the auditorium and the wings. The action was staged in the middle with a huge scenic backdrop designed by Jeffrey Bleam in place of the front (now back) curtain. Assistant director Scot McElvany created the digital projections for the collaboratively created journey through the Middle East. The lobby installations were the creations of artists Diane Katsiaficas, Hend Al-Mansour, Kathryn Haddad, and Lisa Arnold. On the Edge V featured works by Kari Margolis and Stuart Pimsler with author Kira Obolensky. The Jazz Performance Collaboration showcased all new compositions in the jazz style featuring work by Zoe Sealy and composer Dean Sorenson. Summerfolk by Maxim Gorky and directed by Kenneth Mitchell was the first mainstage production of the BFA-Actor training program. With scenery design by Mark Hauck, lighting design by Mat Terwilliger, the production was a gentle, lyrical, tribute to the days when the Russian elite escaped from the city to the country to while away the summer. Spring in the X brought Neruda directed by Erin Lundeen and Darcie Wade‑Ferrell, Machinal directed by Rytch Barber, Peer Gynt directed by Maggie Scanlan as a prelude to her fall MFA thesis production, and New Works to the X stage.
Showboat reincarnation year two brought Dracula (number 3) and director Charles Nolte back to the river. Adam Yazbeck played Dracula, Megan Bartle as Mina, and Zach Hill (Van Helsing) and Ryan Grimes (Nurse Hennessy) returned for another season. This Boat brought some problems for scene designer Lance Brockman to solve in this production – there was no way to put in a trap for the magical disappearance of the count in an all steel deck. So he elevated the stage, creating the main entrance to exist at the top of a flight of stairs thus providing sufficient space between the platform and the deck to allow the count to drop through it. And the same bat that flew through the audience on the two previous versions flew again this year. Vern Sutton’s olio magic included the moon olio and the “vegetable garden of girls”.
Kari Margolis joined the BA performance faculty, Kenny Mitchell and Elisa Carlson joined the BFA-Acting faculty, and Justin Christy became our Promotions Coordinator. Scott Freeman departed and Pam Knourek deserted us for North Carolina School of the Arts. Susan Binder joined us as Costume Director. Pearl Rea who had been the Light Lab Supervisor and Dance Lighting Supervisor for four years left us to tour as Lighting Director with the Paul Taylor Dance Company. Alan Sikes and Matt Wagner assisted the history/lit faculty in teaching undergraduate courses.
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