Blogs

October 12, 2015 - 11:11AM -

This blog post is by Karla Casique, a sophomore journalism major.

Edmar Castaneda

Edmar Castaneda
 

The Venezuelan llanos stretched out before me, painted in a nostalgic haze, the land pulsing and blurring with each pluck of the harp, every coax of Edmar Castaneda’s fingers causing memories to peel themselves away from the dark closets of my mind and dance before me on the cabaret style theatre on a Friday night.

It was a fascinating thing to watch Castaneda and Tierra perform together, their souls clearly forged from the same stone. It’s not surprising since they are husband and wife—20 days after meeting, they got married and now have 2 kids plus 12 years of marriage. Both have the gift of smudging reality, making the music visible across the air, their passion and devotion vibrating the skeletons of the crowd.

October 7, 2015 - 11:11AM -

Philip Kershaw is a senior theatre and history double major, and Marina di Marzo is a senior theatre and broadcast journalism double degree candidate. Here, they give some insight about Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel, a UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies production that runs October 9-17.

Intimate Apparel

Intimate Apparel cast & crew photo courtesy of Philip Kershaw & Marina di Marzo
 

The American Dream is the first product we ever buy. It comes in a shiny package with the promise of the world being at your fingertips if you give in to its alluring aroma. The willingness to bet on ourselves to be able to reach the happy ending that we all desperately desire is injected into our psyche from an impressionable age and never truly leaves us. But what if you don't get that happy ending? What if there are roadblocks on the pathway to the Promised Land that you cannot move?

Nottage's work highlights the ties that bind us together, the inner stitching of the American quilt whose individual panels represent a wealth of differing experiences.

October 6, 2015 - 10:10AM -
Megan Pagado

Choreographers Showcase

Zvi Gotheiner photo by Andrea Mohin; Leah Cox photo by Jim Urquhart
 

Auditions for the 33rd Annual Choreographers Showcase are open to all dance-makers, aged 18 years and older, who live in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia. Live auditions will be adjudicated by our expert panelists, Leah Cox and Zvi Gotheiner. Six finalists will be selected to receive an honorarium of $800 and present their work in concert on Saturday, February 6, 2016. There is no fee to audition.

Auditions will be held in the Dance Theatre at The Clarice on December 5 & 6, 2015, from 10AM to 6PM each day. Auditions are by appointment only. To schedule an audition, apply here. The deadline to apply is November 30, 2015.

September 23, 2015 - 11:11AM -

This blog post is by Karla Casique, a sophomore journalism major.

Photo courtesy of Shared_Studios

A bridge woven by cameras, lights, speakers, hundreds of text messages and e-mails, dozens of tongues lighting the path, images not flickering but incarnating a beating heart that’s a continent or a nation away, just a few feet in front of you.

I was surprised how intimate the set up was, there was no room to be self-conscious since the only thing I saw was a full-body image of Miguel Angel. That way, I was completely focused and invested in him, instead of being consumed with my appearance or demeanor.

September 2, 2015 - 11:11AM -

NextNOW Fest 2015 is right around the corner and we'd hate for you to miss out. Here are eight reasons why you should be at NextNOW Fest 2015:

#8: One-of-a-kind Treasures


Paramount Pictures

August 6, 2015 - 12:12PM -

This blog post is by Omar Khan, senior communication major.

Photo courtesy of Cary Gillett

For the past 17 years Cary Gillett, Production Manager for the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies and UMD alum, has brought her distinct expertise to the DC area stage and production managing scene. She has worked on a wide range of projects in the area, from being the Resident Stage Manager at the Round House Theatre to “A Salute to the 2015 Presidential Scholars” at the Kennedy Center. Recently, she took her expertise and knowledge into the wider arts world.

“The really exciting part is that this is a completely new endeavor for Eastern theatre. There are no stage management programs in China, but there is a need."

July 21, 2015 - 9:09AM -
Megan Pagado

This blog post has been updated to include more performances.

Wrestling with the WIP

May 20, 2015 - 4:04PM -
Megan Pagado

We are beginning the planning process for NextNOW Fest 2015. The Fest will take place September 9-12, 2015, in and around The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

NextNOW Fest is a four-day, multi-­arts festival, co-­presented by all partners of The Clarice. NextNOW Fest invites students, alumni and our "Creative Radius" neighbors into our incredible artistic community for four days of artful, participatory and surprising events.

May 14, 2015 - 1:01PM -

This blog post is by Emily Schweich, junior broadcast journalism major.

Photo courtesy of Leigh Wilson Smiley

Leigh Smiley, director of the University of Maryland School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, wears many hats as a teacher, administrator and working professional. This spring, she worked as the vocal coach for Marley, a musical about the legendary musician and activist that opens May 13 at Center Stage in Baltimore.

“I feel extremely proud to work on this piece, because I think the message is right. I think the heart in the project and humility in the project is really what we need right now in this region and in the nation.”

May 13, 2015 - 11:11AM -

This blog post is by Emily Schweich, junior broadcast journalism major.

Part of the value of a performing arts degree is that it teaches important skills that are transferable to any career. As a sales engineer for Cisco one of the largest companies in internet working technology, School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies alumnus Chris Martin (Ph.D. in Performance Studies ’10), draws on the interpersonal skills and work ethic that he developed through his training in the humanities to better serve customers.

Martin hasn’t completely abandoned theatre – quite the opposite. He said his position at Cisco has given him the financial freedom to continue pursuing the arts in other ways. “I’m able to do things like volunteer at a high school,” he said.

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