Starting in 1997, our MFA in Acting offered an Ensemble Track, which focused on traditional training, and an Independent Track, which focused on performer generated new works creation. Due to the success of the Independent Track, I led the revision of our MFA in Acting to focus on offering both – traditional training and a focus in performer generated new works creation. Along with this major revision, we also developed an outstanding program of Outreach & Engagement that has become an ongoing part of our program.
This revision and program development has resulted in the creation of many new works by the students.
| | Solo Festivals created and performed by the MFA actors were produced in 2004, 2009, 2012, and 2015. |
| | Devised new work created and performed by the MFA actors: |
| | There Is No Silence | 2014 | Conceived and directed by me. |
| | The Camouflage Project | 2011 | |
| | Vaudeville | 2005 | Conceived by Mary Tarantino and Lesley Ferris, directed by Lesley Ferris and I. |
| | Outreach & Engagement devised new work created and performed by the MFA actors: |
| | In Here Out There | 2014 | |
| | This Above All | 2011 | |
| | Destinopolis | 2009 | |
| | Hidden Voices | 2006 | |
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| Wexner Center for the Arts |
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In 1996, the chair of the Department of Theatre, Dr. Kathleen Conlin, charged me to develop a partnership with the world-renowned Wexner Center for Arts located on the OSU campus. What has unfolded over the many years since, has been numerous invaluable residencies with the performing artists the Wexner brings in from around the world. Our department has become the academic arm of the their professional performance programming.
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| The SITI Company |
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In 1996, the chair of the Department of Theatre, Dr. Kathleen Conlin, charged me to develop a partnership with the world-renowned Wexner Center for Arts located on the OSU campus. What has unfolded over the many years since, has been numerous invaluable residencies with the performing artists the Wexner brings in from around the world. Our department has become the academic arm of the their professional performance programming.
In 1996, the Wexner Center brought in The SITI Company to perform The Medium and Anne Bogart to conduct a Viewpoints master class for our department. The company’s work, Anne’s teaching methods and the Viewpoints material, so greatly impacted me as an artist and teacher, that I started training with the SITI Company in 1997. Over the years, I have become a teacher of both of their training methods, Viewpoints and Suzuki. Additionally, I wanted to make this training and experience with such high caliber artists available to my students, so in 1998 we did our first three-week intensive residency with SITI. We have continued this partnership with residencies for each graduate student cohort in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009 & 2015. In preparation for each of these residencies, I train the undergraduate and graduate students in Viewpoints and Suzuki as well as coordinate the residency activities.
In 2015, our MFA actors had the incredible opportunity to perform with the SITI Company at the Wexner in a new work called the theatre is a blank page. This work was created by the SITI Company in collaboration with visual artist and OSU faculty member, Ann Hamilton. This project received the “Excellence Award for the Year” from the Greater Columbus Arts Council.
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| Marcel Marceau |
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Having worked closely with Marceau since 1986 and producing his American Seminars at the Goldston School for Mimes from 1986 – 1989, I wanted to give my students at OSU the opportunity to work with this world renown artist who was also my mentor, teacher and dear friend.
I co-produced and prepared students for residencies with Marcel Marceau at OSU in 1995, 1998 & 2001. In preparation for the residency, I planned the residency content with Marceau, and did grant writing, development and publicity. I also taught the undergraduate and graduate students Marceau and Etienne Decroux, Marceau’s mime teacher, techniques and choreographic styles, and helped them to create mime plays to show to Marceau and receive his critique. Marceau’s residency activities included: master classes in his techniques and choreographic styles, mime playwriting, lyrical breathing, and acting; performances; lectures; press conferences; photo sessions; video recording of his solo plays that had never before been recorded; motion capture of his signature movements and his solo play The Eater of Hearts; planning and preparation for the establishment of the Marcel Marceau American Archive to be housed at the OSU Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Theatre Research Institute. In 1999, OSU awarded Marceau with an Honorary Doctorate Degree.
Read more about Marcel Marceau at the Highlight section pages The Marcel Marceau Project, Working with Marcel Marceau, and Writing
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