Blogs
By Shachia Bryan (Excerpt from original piece)
You would think that a play with five performers, music and a spotlight would be very simple, but that was far from the case in The Better Half.
By Spencer Stebbins (Excerpt from original piece)
Music has a certain rhythm, a certain beat, and a certain power that draws the listener in. Whether you love classical or rock, music recreates itself into a living being that speaks directly into your ear, pulling out and enhancing your emotions. Whether you close your eyes and let your imagination flow from one world to another or throw in your headphones and let the music carry your body to a certain beat while you run, music pushes you beyond your limits and resounds through your whole body. When we look to dance as an art form, we begin to see the music we hold dear come to life in another human being. We see a variety of emotions play out. And when we take a moment to let all else fade away, we become a part of the dance itself as our hearts and imagination are taken in by the performance.
By Neva Gakavian (Excerpt from original piece)
One hundred and sixty-one years to the day after Moby Dick was published, I had the privilege to see this classic story interpreted for modern theater in Rinde Eckert’s And God Created Great Whales. Eckert conceived the play and performed Nathan, the main character — a brilliant man trying to complete his musical about Moby Dick before he completely loses his memory. To stay on track, his mind has created an imaginary, eccentric woman portrayed by Nora Cole. These two strong actors had the presence of fifty. They filled the stage with life and proved that a successful production isn’t measured by its size or scope but by the passion of the actors and their ability to connect to the audience.
UMD’s TerpVision, the TV news and information channel that brings you stories of impact and inspiration around campus, shares a behind-the-scenes look at A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Karen Kohn Bradley dances to her own tune, and it seems to be attracting all kinds of attention.
2012 is winding down. Here are some thoughts from Center staff on what their highlights were from the past year.
The Creative Dialogue entitled 'The Art of Adaptation' featured a choreographer, a poet, and two playwrights. The conversation was rich, edgy, informative and really fun. Not a single person left the room during the discussion.
The moderator, Kojo Nnamdi, wrote a note after it was over stating, 'This may have been the most Creative Dialogue yet. Your engagement with one another served both to engage the young audience and to make my job easy.'
JANE HIRSHBERG, Community Engagement Manager, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
2013 is just around the corner! Here's what some Center staff had to say about what they're looking forward to in the new year.
I am looking forward to eighth blackbird with great anticipation. I am always thrilled when visiting artists perform with School of Music students.
This performance includes Steve Reich’s Double Sextet, a piece I’ve never heard. I’m trying to decide whether to buy the music and listen to it before the concert or be completely surprised by it at the performance. Steve Reich was awarded a Pulitzer for this piece so it will be fun to hear what excited the Pulitzer judges heard that caused them to make the award.
— SUSIE FARR, Executive Director, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center
You may be wondering why a story booth has appeared in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s lobby, outside the Kay Theater. We learn something new almost every day about why this project is important to us but our intention in doing it was to collect narratives from the people that matter to us, people like you, about the performing arts.
The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation will match, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000, any new or increased gift made this season.
Kwame Opare believes that dance is about building a community. In the slideshow above, the MFA Dance candidate from the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies leads his students in a joyous dance celebration, accompanied by three African drummers.