In the Aud

A group of Michigan State University students virtually came together throughout fall 2020 to create a series of 5 new audio plays, each connected to the themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As a starting point, we all brought in poetry to share. We read and discussed dozens of poems from diverse artists and used those as a jumping off point. The poetry evoked frank and honest conversations about race, gender, and sexuality, and every member of the ensemble shared deeply moving personal experiences about how these impact the way they move through the world today. We then created scenarios and improvised scenes until the basic structure for each play began to take place. Individuals and groups of students took on the challenge of weaving these experiences into cohesive audio dramas. 

In this episode we speak with Director Sarah Hendrickson and four members of the Department of Theatre Freshman Class about their experiences with starting college online during a pandemic and the amazing creativity that came out of that experience.
Student guests include Queenmakeeda Taylor, Henry Clise, Tessa Kresch, and Sebastian Barnett.

In Pandemic'd!, MSU Department of Theatre Freshmen are followed by a fictitious camera crew as they explore their first year in college. Using humor and satire, our actors delve into the uniqueness of their experience in a university and society that have been impacted by a pandemic. It’s “Parks & Rec” meets “Glee” meets “Waiting for Guffman” meets “The Office”. It’s Pandemic’d!

Pandemic'd! A Mockumentary Comedy will premiere its first two episodes on Friday, February 12, 2021. See both episodes at https://www.youtube.com/theatre_msu. Subscribe to be notified when new episodes are released! For more information visit theatre.msu.edu/pandemic

Designer, educator and Department of Theatre Alum G Max Maxin IV returned to Michigan State to review and critique the portfolios of our BFA and MFA Design Students. In this episode we hear from Max, along with students Alaina Guttierrez, Rose Legge, Zech Saenz, Grace Foiles, Nick Casella, and Mona Jahani about their portfolio review experience and why they all chose MSU.

To learn more about these designers, you can visit their websites:
https://www.ivmaxin.com
https://www.monajahani.com
https://zechsaenz.weebly.com
https://www.nicklascaselladesign.com
https://gracefoiles.weebly.com
https://leggedesigns.weebly.com/

MSU Assistant Professor of Acting and Movement and certified intimacy director, Alexis Black, MSU Academic Specialist and AEA Stage Manager Tina Newhauser, and stage manager and Department of Theatre Alumnus Chris Badia discuss the creation of Stage Managing Intimacy, a workshop that Alexis and Tina are leading for Intimacy Directors & Coordinators. The course covers best practices and protocols that allow stage managers to support the creation and performance of consensual intimacy choreography. This workshop has been a national collaboration of theatre professionals and has evolved from the work Tina and Alexis did right here with MSU Stage Management students, like Chris, to write a stage management handbook that includes these best practices.

In her project, VOTE YOUR VOICE, Rose Legge, an MFA Design candidate, will use a technique called projection mapping to cast graphic art images on to the side of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum (MSU Broad). The presentation will empower citizens to vote by bringing attention to important information, like how to apply for a mail-in ballot or locate the East Lansing City Clerk’s office. In the transitions between the informational content, the artist has inserted visuals of timely social justice and human rights issues. The projections will be viewable from the street to passing vehicles and pedestrians alike. The content will span 20 minutes and loop for the two-hour duration. This MSU Department of Theatre special project is presented in partnership with the MSU Broad. 

Theatre senior Marshall Ross discusses a film he produced over the summer of 2020. The project, entitled 'SOLO' was selected as one of 12 to receive a $500 CREATE! Micro-Grant Program from the Michigan State College of Arts & Letters Dean's Art Advisory Council. Winners were asked to utilize a variety of expressive mediums to respond critically and imaginatively to events occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Ross' film follows a man alone in isolation during the lock-down order, highlighting the effects of anxiety/depression.                
“I don’t necessarily have some grand world changing message I need to put out into the world right now, but I am living in this time, I see what’s going on, I am affected by it, and I wish to capture myself and my experience during this trying time,” Ross said. “Maybe it can give some perspective on the state of the world, maybe it can create a bigger clearer picture of the state of humanity.”

Subscribe to Marshall's YouTube channel to be notified when the film is available for viewing. 

Theatre seniors Nate Davis & Jason Dernay discuss their new podcast The Art of Adaptation. The project was selected as one of 12 to receive a $500 CREATE! Micro-Grant Program from the Michigan State College of Arts & Letters Dean's Art Advisory Council. Winners were asked to utilize a variety of expressive mediums to respond critically and imaginatively to events occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pair created a 10-episode podcast where they interviewed multiple artists and discuss how the pandemic has affected them and the art industry.                                    

“By interviewing professional artists, from musicians to photographers to comedians, we want to highlight adapting collaborative art to social distancing, the individualized and market impacts of the pandemic, how they have persevered in their art, and their future as an artist,” Dernay and Davis said.

To listen to all ten episodes at The Art of Adaptation.