mpagado's blog

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

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Telling the stories of war and the struggles of returning veterans can be a difficult task. Artists and journalists often fall back on cliche narratives and tropes to express the difficulties that these men and women face as they readjust to civilian life. Sometimes, some of the most important voices are left out of these stories – those of family and community members who are also touched by the perils of war.

As producer Anne Hamburger said in the conversation following the performance, AJ’s story was that of the “everyman.” His and Melissa’s experience reflected many common struggles that returning Marines and their families face.

This blog post is by Emily Schweich, a junior broadcast journalism major at the University of Maryland.

One might think that puppets are just for kids. Not so. Pointless Theatre, a D.C. company founded by UMD School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) alumni, blends puppetry, theatre, dance, live music and visual art to create unique onstage spectacles for adult audiences.

From October 9 to October 13, Pointless Theatre is in residence at Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mt. Rainier to rehearse for and polish their performances for a showing Saturday, October 11 at 7PM. Pointless Theatre will perform two original twenty-minute pieces, Famous Birds and Nom-noms, followed by a conversation that will allow audience members to share their thoughts and feelings about the work.

“This residency has allowed us to reinvest in our company members, build skills they haven’t had before, and give them the opportunity to flex their directing muscles or design muscles in a low-risk environment,” Whalen said.

This post is written by Monica Warren, Artist Services Coordinator at The Clarice. What happens to a costume after the show is over? Does it go into retirement? Are there old tutus playing shuffle-board with once worn opera gowns? Do they participate in early morning water aerobics and take fun bus trips to Atlantic City? As fabulous as that sounds, in some cases, they just go back to work. At The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, the Costume Shop holds a host of beautifully crafted and interestingly procured costumes. Recently, some of them were reincarnated by alight dance theater, a local dance company in Greenbelt, MD that was founded by several University of Maryland alumnae.

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Two University of Maryland faculty recently explored the connection between art and everyday life in Placeholders, a site-specific dance performance and art installation held Saturday, September 13 in the Long Branch neighborhood of Silver Spring.

“Placeholders has been a unique opportunity for me to sink my teeth into a creative process in a neighborhood that’s close to where I both live and work.”