An Update from Alan MacVey
August 17, 2009
Dear Theatre faculty, staff and students,
As we enter a new academic year, I want to give you an update on flood recovery and the Theatre facilities. Before I do, though, let me welcome you back, or welcome you for the first time, to the Theatre Arts Department. The coming year promises to be filled with our usual array of fine classes and productions, and we have arranged visits from some high profile artists. I hope and expect you will find it a rich and challenging experience to be part of our artistic community.
Facility Changes
The Theatre basement, flooded in June 2008, still cannot be used, and the trailers that were in the north parking lot last spring will be removed. In their place the University has remodeled a fraternity house that is only a three minute walk from the Theatre Building. To get there, simply walk up River Street (to the west of our building) and turn up the first set of steps on your right. There you’ll find what we’re calling 108 River. It’s a brick building that houses a large classroom, as well as offices for four faculty members, several staff members, and most of the department’s graduate teaching assistants. It also has offices for the staff of the Division of Performing Arts. The classroom will be used for non-major and major classes, and for rehearsals, so many if not most Theatre students will have a chance to work there.
The costume shop, costume storage, and prop storage remain at Studio Arts (the old Menards). Those facilities have been improved and will serve us well until new rooms are built in the Theatre Building. Studio Arts is a few miles away but there is regular bus transportation available. We’ll provide you with more information about how to get there if you need it. And speaking of costumes, you’ll find there now are no basement dressing rooms for Mabie Theatre; this year we will use two or three temporary dressing rooms on the slip stage and the Thayer Theatre dressing rooms.
The summer brought some very positive developments in the Theatre Building. The entire sound system was replaced – every amp, every speaker, every foot of wire. We enter this year with a state of the art system. We also replaced the stage floors in Mabie and Thayer Theatres, and completed the new stage in Theatre B. New lighting and video equipment have brought us up to date in those areas as well.
I think you’ll find 108 River to be a warm and useful facility. Still, I hope it won’t keep you from spending time in the Theatre Building. Our department has always had a wonderful sense of community, fostered in part by all of us being in one building. Please come to the Café in the lobby, have breakfast or lunch, hold meetings, goof around, so that all of us -- faculty, staff, graduate students, undergraduate majors and non-majors -- can stay in touch with each other.
Long Term Facility Plans
Planning continues with FEMA, the federal agency that will eventually provide much of the funding to replace our basement facility. It’s a slow process. Three options are still being discussed: (a) put the basement back more or less as it was, only better; (b) put some things back and construct new space for others; (c) cease to use the basement altogether and design an addition to the building that will replace what was lost. We don’t know when that decision will be made, but I hope it will take place this fall so we can move ahead with the design and construction process.
Starting the Year
As usual, auditions for fall term productions will be held toward the end of the first week of classes. Everyone is encouraged to try out. For more information, go to the Online Call Board on the department’s web site. By the way, an audition workshop will be held Wednesday night, August 26, for all who would like to know more about what to expect.
We will hold a welcome meeting for all new students – first year students, new majors and transfer students – at 5:30 on Thursday, August 27 in Theatre B. There will also be an important department meeting for all students and faculty on Tuesday, September 1, at 5:30 in Theatre B. At that time we’ll give you a lot more information about what’s ahead, who will be joining us this year, and how to get involved. It won’t take more than 45 minutes. Please join us.
If you are not a Theatre student and are interested in taking classes, performing in productions, or possibly becoming a major, I encourage you to come to the department meeting on September 1 or simply stop by the main office. We’ll be happy to answer your questions and put you in touch with other theatre students. Everyone is welcome in the Theatre Building.
I hope you’ll find the coming year filled with many opportunities for learning and creativity, and that you’ll enjoy being part of the Theatre Arts community. Welcome!
Sincerely,
Alan MacVey
Director, Division of Performing Arts
Chair, Theatre Arts Department