College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

Summer theater program was a pathway for this student-participant turned teacher

Shayla Brown — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 16:26:51 +0000

Summer theater program was a pathway for this student-participant turned teacher Shayla Brown Wed, 07/24/2024 - 12:26

Lake Rusch’s passion for acting was ignited in seventh grade when they first joined ��ӽ紫ý’s Acting for Young People (AFYP) showcase program. They continued to attend the program throughout high school.

“I was acting with the program for so long and I really loved the environment. AFYP nourished my love for performance so deeply,” Rusch said of their time at the Mason Community Arts Academy Program (MCAA), an organization within the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) that offers multiple programs and camps to provide children with arts education.

“When I was selecting colleges to apply to, ��ӽ紫ý was in my top three,” said Rusch, now a rising sophomore at ��ӽ紫ý majoring in theater education with a theater performance minor. They also had a connection to ��ӽ紫ý through their mother, Emily Rusch, who is a development associate in CVPA.

In 2019, Rusch became an intern at the camp, and in 2022, they became an assistant teacher for the camp’s participants.

“I’ve had so many different theater education experiences in my life, and after I started working with AFYP, it just clicked that I should go into theater education,” said Rusch.

Lake Rusch. Photo provided.

AFYP offers three kinds of programming—summer camp, showcase programs, and an afterschool program. The programs teach grade school students ages 7-18 about the world of theater and allow participants to experience performing on stage during their spring and fall showcases.

Having a long history with the program means Rusch has seen it evolve over the years, and has the joy of seeing students grow in the program from the youngest to oldest stages.

“The one thing that I've seen change the most is that we are able to rent bigger spaces every year for our showcases,” said Rusch, who will teach part time in the afterschool program this fall.

“Theater education is special because we’re teaching them growth. I want them to learn new skills and help them [take those skills] wherever they want to,” said Rusch.

Rusch is also close with their boss, AFYP founder and artistic director Mary Lechter, who wrote one of Rusch’s letters of recommendation for ��ӽ紫ý.

Lechter was also present during their auditions for the School of Theater.

“It was a combination of factors that made me choose ��ӽ紫ý, but Mary was one of the biggest influences for me. I really liked the school and knowing that I had a paying job in college where I’d be working with Mary was great,” said Rusch.

As AFYP’s artistic director, Lechter says she is able to work with young actors over the course of several years and watch them grow as people and actors.

“I have had the privilege of seeing Lake come into their own over these past few years, expressing confidence in their voice and ideas,” said Lechter.

Lechter said she looks forward to working alongside Rusch for many years to come.  “In addition to Lake being a great person all around, they are a wonderful actor to work with— intuitive, receptive, bold. I can still see each of their performances vividly.”

Rusch’s position as a teacher and administrative intern allows them to guide students the way Lechter and other ��ӽ紫ý faculty guided them.

“There is an element of commitment and accountability that I learned just inherently by being present at the camp that I definitely uphold now, and hope to continue to uphold. That's something that’s going to be really great for teaching later,” they said.

Check out summer arts programs with Mason Community Arts Academy

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College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

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ARTS by George! 2023 Raises More than $275,000 to Support Mason Arts

Zoe Harr — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:25:00 +0000

ARTS by George! 2023 Raises More than $275,000 to Support Mason Arts Zoe Harr Tue, 10/10/2023 - 10:25

CVPA Dean Rick Davis holds Fund-A-Student auction prior to the evening's concert. Credit: Risdon Photography.

ARTS by George! returned on Saturday, September 30, 2023, hosted by the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at ��ӽ紫ý. The benefit event, which was headlined by GRAMMY and Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry, raised more than $275,000 for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, arts management, as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts. With donations still coming in, ARTS by George! has raised more than $4.1 million for the arts at Mason since the event began in 2006.

The event gave students and faculty from each discipline an opportunity to present behind-the-scenes showcases, film screenings, performances, and interactive experiences. Programming was held in eight open studios, venues, and rehearsal halls across Mason’s Fairfax campus, with beverage and cuisine stations offered throughout.

“ARTS by George! 2023 is in the books, and one for the books,” remarks CVPA Dean Rick Davis. “Thanks to a considerable village, this edition was quite possibly the most uplifting, free-flowing, artistically engaging version of this storied tradition. A hearty thanks to all the students, faculty, staff, and volunteers who made it work better than ever, and to Renée Elise Goldsberry for a generous, inspiring concert and toast, and to our patrons, donors, sponsors, and supporters of all kinds for whom we do the work.”

During the evening’s showcases, guests flowed in and out of three buildings on the Fairfax Campus: deLaski Performing Arts Building, Harris Theatre, and Horizon Hall. Inside deLaski, students from the Dewberry School of Music dazzled the crowd with the powerful voices of Mason Opera students or the impressive instrumental skills ranging from piano to wind symphony. The Dewberry School of Music didn’t stop the beat all night, with talented instrumental and vocal musicians presenting piano, jazz, and opera selections during the nearly two hours of student showcases.

Mason Community Arts Academy perform selections from Newsies. Credit: Risdon Photography.

Just down the hall, students from the Mason Community Arts Academy presented previews of their work and in a separate room, Film at Mason played selections on an array of television screens, inviting patrons to see what students had created in the program. In another wing of deLaski, emerging professionals of the Mason School of Dance performed to packed houses. With both intimate dance performances, as well as the Mason School of Dance’s collaboration with the Dewberry School of Music in their revival of “Come Sunday,” rooms were frequently filled shoulder to shoulder with enthusiastic audience members.

As guests made their way out of deLaski across the Johnson Center Plaza, they were enticed into Harris Theater by the sounds of Mason School of Theater students. Alternating their time on the Harris stage, students astonished the crowd with songs from their upcoming production of 9 to 5 The Musical as well as a student-written one-act play by Dyllan Hutchinson entitled “So, Two Spies Walk Into a Restaurant,” which premiered earlier in The Originals! this September. More music flowed from the amphitheater space between Harris and Horizon Hall, where Green Machine’sFife and Drum ensemble as well as Green & Gold Soul, joined by dance group Emerald Desire, kept energies high as guests ambled along the walkway into Horizon Hall.

Mason School of Theater students (left to right) Kamy Satterfield, Sarah Stewart, Emma Harris, Lexi Carter, Aiden Breneman-Pennas, and Brett Womack join Renée Elise Goldsberry on stage during the evening's concert. Credit: Risdon Photography.

Inside Horizon Hall, Mason’s Computer Game Design program and Virginia Serious Game Institute created mini studios inside the Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX), where guests explored a change of scenery with actual reality and virtual reality headsets. Also in the MIX, the School of Art and Mason Exhibitions gave guests a chance to play with printing, personalizing a postcard they could take with them as a memento of their experience, while elsewhere in the space, Mason Computer Game Design and Mason Exhibitions invited visitors to play selections from the 2023 Progress@Play Competition and Master of Art in Teaching students demonstrated 3D printing. In addition to the buffet within Horizon, Mason Exhibition’s Metamorphosis, an exhibition created by Mason faculty, decorated the space and a Dewberry School of Music student played guitar in the seating area to round out the spectacular mood in the space.

Dewberry School of Music alumni flutist Eduardo Fajardo. Credit: Risdon Photography.

After the showcases, guests transitioned to the Center for the Arts for a live Fund-A-Student Raise the Paddle event, which brought in more than $36,000 towards the total raised, prior to the performance by Renée Elise Goldsberry. Guests and concert-goers were also treated to Dewberry School of Music piano student Kai Shi and School of Music alumni flutist Eduardo Fajardo in a performance paired with personal anecdotes about the importance of student scholarships.

Capping off the evening, Renée Elise Goldsberry performed a concert culminating in multiple standing ovations, an explosive encore, and multiple sing-along moments from Hamilton fans in the exhilarated audience. Interspersed with personal anecdotes, Goldsberry emphasized the importance of student scholarships and love for young artists, noting that she started as one herself. For her final number of the evening, Goldsberry invited Mason School of Theater students Kamy Satterfield, Sarah Stewart, Emma Harris, Lexi Carter, Aiden Breneman-Pennas, and Brett Womack to join her on stage in a medley from the musical Rent. With tears and shining smiles, the students bowed with Goldsberry stepping back to gesture to the students with a proud expression on her face.

Renée Elise Goldsberry and Rick Davis lead a champagne toast on stage. Credit: Risdon Photography.

After the show, Goldsberry and Davis ended the night with a champagne toast on stage for donors, students, and ��ӽ紫ý faculty. Goldsberry reimagined Hamilton’s “Satisfied,” singing, “A toast to ARTS by George! and ��ӽ紫ý. To the donors and the teachers who are always by your side. To the students and the hope that you provide, may you always be satisfied!"

See more images from the event by visiting a gallery of images.

ARTS by George! has raised more than $4.1 million since it began in 2006, with net proceeds going toward student scholarships and community arts programs.

It’s not too late to contribute! Make a difference in the lives of Mason Arts students, staff, faculty, community arts partners, as well as arts lovers of all ages in the region. For more information, please visit the CVPA website.

View Images from ARTS by George! 2023

Donate to the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

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Mason students take a bow at Capital Fringe

Colleen Rich — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 14:55:28 +0000

Mason students take a bow at Capital Fringe Colleen Rich Mon, 08/14/2023 - 10:55

Aadith Iyer walked onto the stage at Theater J in Washington, D.C., and, as he said, “my stomach dropped.”

“I was, like, this is huge,” Iyer said. “It was very intimidating.”

Bella Panciocco wrote “The Road to the End” while a student at Mason.
Photo provided

But, wow, what an opportunity.

Iyer, a junior theater major at ��ӽ紫ý, was part of a cast and crew made up entirely of Mason students and graduates that performed “The Road to the End” at the recent Capital Fringe festival.

Written by Bella Panciocco, BFA Theater ’23, and directed by Megan Gray Lederman, BA Theater, BA English ’23, and Darren Badley, BA Theater ’23, the play got strong reviews from DC Theater Arts and Broadway World and won for best drama at Fringe in an audience vote.

“It was,” Panciocco said, “really surreal.”

It also was a showcase for the opportunities and experiences available to Mason students, as well as a reminder about how a university experience can be enriched by sampling all a campus has to offer.

Mostly, though, it was a payoff for all the hard work.

“I’ve truly seen everyone’s growth,” said Panciocco, of Oakton, Virginia. “It was really beautiful to see because we were all learning together, and isn’t that what we should be doing? Learning and figuring things out, so when we go into the field we can be that next generation of ‘this is how it should be done.’”

“The Road to the End” is about a father-and-son road trip to the Grand Canyon, a story that emanated from Panciocco’s trip with her mother to the Grand Canyon to mourn the loss of her grandfather.

The play originally was produced for the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Mason Arts at Home series. April Brassard, an adjunct professor in the School of Theater and Panciocco’s writing mentor, suggested Panciocco submit the play to the Capital Fringe, the annual festival in Washington, which is just 20 miles from Mason’s Fairfax, Virginia, campus

The cast and crew from “The Road to the End.”
Photo provided

Brassard, BA Theater ’12, had her own play, “The Morphine Diaries,” shown at the Fringe in 2011 in a space above a D.C. bar.

So when “The Road to the End,” was placed at 240-seat Theater J, she told the cast and crew, “This is the real deal. You don’t know how lucky you are.”

Lucky to show their work on a real stage in front of a D.C. audience and mingle at Fringe events with other performers and directors.

“The thing about Fringe is the exposure. They might be able to make some connections going forward,” Brassard said. “I knew they would be in front of an audience, in front of critics. I knew there would be some anxiety, but I knew they were ready.”

For Iyer, who is from Lorton, Virginia, and played the lead role of Henry, the experience was another step in a career arc he hopes will result in roles in movies and television.

Iyer said he loves theater because “it’s a different form of acting.”

“It challenges you differently,” he said. “I love memorizing lines and having this whole book in your head when you go on stage and have to perform it over and over again in front of a lot of people. That’s very challenging. I believe any good actor should have theater experience.”

The experience was entirely different for Jessica Nguyen, who played Dabria, a hitchhiker. A junior computational and data sciences major from Fairfax, Nguyen said being part of something outside her comfort zone made her Mason experience richer and “helped me relearn what it’s like to be a student.”

“Just having something in your portfolio that says I was able to do this, so why would I fear something new later?” Nguyen said. “That’s what being a student is about, taking risks. That is what acting is, too. With every rehearsal, I was learning more about myself and what fears I was able to diminish by just saying ‘yes.’ ”

“They wanted to share the story and be part of this,” Panciocco said. “And I think this paves the way for future opportunities for Mason theater majors.”

The rest of the cast and crew:

Sage Munson (BFA theater ‘23)

Kendall Huheey (BFA theater ’23)

Keaton Lazar (BFA theater ’25)

Hansin Arvind (BA theater ’22)

Bertem Demirtas (BA theater ’25)

Michael O. Jarvis (government and international politics ’25)

Toni Avonne (BFA theater ’22)

Brett Womack (BFA theater, BA mathematics ’25)

Samba Pathak (BA theater ’23)

Caleb McMurtry (BA theater ’24)

Elisabeth Dupuy (BA theater ’24)

Sarah Strunk (BA film and video studies ’22)

Hannah Griffith (BA theater, BS marketing ’25)

Mary Clare Bernier (BA theater ’25)

Steven Franco (BFA theater ’23)

More News from the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA)

On the Heels of Previewing Her Debut EP, A CVPA Alum Brings a Crown to ��ӽ紫ý
July 16, 2024
Frenn awarded Fulbright to pursue arts-based research in India
July 1, 2024
��ӽ紫ý joins arts research alliance
June 24, 2024
A $5 million gift from the Peterson Family Foundation will support the Center for the Arts transformation
May 28, 2024
��ӽ紫ý's Green Machine Ensembles Bring the Rock, the White House Provides the Roll
April 4, 2024

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April E. Brassard

Mason School of Theater Alumni Collaborate on Musical at Carnegie Mellon

Lakin Raybuck — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 14:00:30 +0000

Mason School of Theater Alumni Collaborate on Musical at Carnegie Mellon Lakin Raybuck Tue, 10/25/2022 - 10:00

Rebecca Wahls, Mason School of Theater alumna and director of this old haunt.

This is not the first time Mason School of Theater alumni actor/lyricist Maggie Rodgers and writer/director Rebecca Wahls have joined creative forces.

The pair first worked together in 2013 in a play that Wahls directed, followed by several other pieces in subsequent years.

What had originated as an idea for a thesis for Wahls, who now attends Carnegie Mellon University, the musical, this old haunt, evolved over time and countless Zoom calls. With Rodgers overseeing the music and lyrics, Wahls directing, and NYC-based playwright SMJ writing the book, they held eight separate draft readings with other artists across the country to build their team. Once they received the official greenlight from Carnegie Mellon, the physical world of the play began to come to life.

“Going to Mason was the best choice I ever made. The relationships I formed during my time at Mason include not only Maggie but many of my most essential collaborators” shared Wahls. As for students pursuing a career in theater, she adds, “If you are dedicated to making a career in the arts, don't wait for permission. Write the play, raise the money you need to make it happen, book the venue, get people in seats. You also don't have to do things the way someone else already did them. Decide how much time, how much money, and what people you need to make the thing happen. Being an artist-producer has been essential to my journey, and through the skill set I have acquired, I have been able to lift up my own work and the work of my collaborators.”

School of Theater alumna Maggie Marie Rodgers, actor and lyricist.

“Mason gave me the opportunity to really explore text and new work. A lot of my time at Mason was figure it out with your collaborators." said Rodgers. Many late nights were spent in rehearsal rooms. We worked really hard and got great support from the faculty. My time at Mason led me to opportunities such as studying at the O'Neill Theatre Center and being an apprentice at Berkshire Theatre Group.” As for her advice to aspiring students, “Go see shows in the DC area (they have discounts for students). Write down what worked and didn't work-how can you put that into your practice? Support your classmates who do get a part. It's a community that brings each other up.”

The musical, this old haunt, explores the ups and downs of friendship and how the people we know become ghosts. 10 years after high school, Hetty, Selina, Caroline, and Penelope reunite after their choir teacher's passing. In a cabin in the woods, old memories and past selves are summoned.

What’s next for this team? The Big Apple! Following the academic premiere of this old haunt at Carnegie Mellon University this fall, November 19-30, they are planning a concert of the music in Spring 2023 in New York City.

For more information, including how to purchase tickets, visit this old haunts performance website.

this old haunt
Created by Maggie Marie Rodergs, Rebecca Wahls, and SMJ
Music and lyrics by Maggie Marie Rodgers
Book by SMJ
Additional music and lyrics by Annabelle Lee Revak

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School of Theater’s 'The Originals!' introduces student works to the campus community

Colleen Rich — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 20:39:11 +0000

School of Theater’s 'The Originals!' introduces student works to the campus community Colleen Rich Mon, 10/17/2022 - 16:39

"The Originals!" six plays were performed at Theatrespace in September and recorded for watching online on Mason Arts at Home. Photo by Shayla Brown/Strategic Communications

The Originals! is an annual production within ��ӽ紫ý’s School of Theater that showcases the writing, acting, and directing skills of the creative students of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. This year six amazing plays were put on in de Laski Performing Arts Building TheaterSpace. Read all about them here:

“Merry, Bright, etc.”

Written by Zoe Harr and directed by Erin Birchfield

In this play excerpt, a young man named Ben struggles to connect with a girl he likes, who works as an elf in same mall that he does. She is only known as “The Hot Elf” and has no idea that Ben exists.

“Ben is my definition of a loser,” said Harr, who wanted to explore the concept of an unlikeable protagonists. “Someone who, as an audience member, you’re kind of stuck with. Someone who you root for him in the play, but wouldn’t be friends with in real life.”

Ben lives with his friend, Lisa, who acts as a driving force that helps him step outside himself. Throughout this scene, Ben is trying to break out of this mold of being this guy who can’t even talk to a girl he likes, but constantly puts his foot in his mouth.

“I don’t think he necessarily succeeds in the sense that he gets exactly what he wants,” said Harr, “but he succeeds in the sense that he is actually able to make a connection.”

Will he get the hot elf’s name? And do you need to achieve a goal completely in order to win?

“The Great American Class Interactive Experience (GACIE)”

Written by Sarah Strunk and directed by Caroline Austin

The concept of GACIE came to Strunk as she scrolled through Tik Tok, she said. There were interesting nuances within the relationship of a couple who came from completely different backgrounds. Young couple, Christian and Gwen, participate in an interactive experience. The game is filled with tension as the couple step into new territory and are exposed to their different upbringings, as well as comic relief in the form of Nella Hautala’s performance as the Elevator/ticket seller/game master.

“Seven Years’ Time”

Written by Dyllan Hutchison and directed by Jeremy Pritchard

“Seven Years’ Time” is a story about a girl named Lucy who turns 20 and finds a letter from seven years ago. She calls her own phone number, and when her 13-year-old self answers, the conversation that follows is inspiring. Hutchinson’s take on society’s fear of growing older as well as self-love and confidence takes place in this sentimental yet entertaining phone call between 13-year-old Lucy and 20-year-old Lucy.

“It was a lot self-reflection and trying to figure out who I used to be, who I am, and who I want to be in this new stage of my life,” said Hutchinson. “It was a really special experience for me.”

The characters are also surrounded by different versions of Lucy’s mom and dad, also seven years apart. Reflection on the past is something that connects the audience to the performance.

“Robin’s Therapy”

Written by Brett Womack, directed by Annie Graninger and musical direction by Brett Womack

The only musical in the bunch, “Robin’s Therapy” tells the story of Robin’s journey going to see Dr. Prue Warwick every day. With Womack on the piano as the story unfolds, Robin and her therapist take us for a ride.

The musical element helps these characters to convey their thoughts and feelings toward the concept of therapy and whether it’s really effective. This conversation in song touches on so many questions about mental health and who to reach out to for help.

“This character is doing their best to committing to their resolution to improve their mental health even though they don’t necessarily know why they should and what they should do to get there,” said Womack.

The fear and hesitation a lot of individuals feel toward the idea of therapy is represented in a lyrical way that captures the audience and makes them think even after the story has ended.

“I Shouldn’t Have Stuffed My Muffin with Jelly”

Written by Trevor Handlin and directed by Jo Arnett

There was a lot going on with this piece. It was unclear which way to look as characters interacted with one another. Some were strangers, and some were enemies. This play included shocking instances of murder and seemed to take place in an unknown apocalyptic setting.

It was funny, creepy, and bemusing. It had the most characters of any of the plays from “The Originals!” and everyone did their part. With the prize for most interesting name, “I Shouldn’t Have Stuffed My Muffin with Jelly” is one to see.

“Full Disclosure”

Written by Lillian Della Maggiora and directed by Shannon Rodgers

This story is about two women in a relationship that’s hit a rough patch. In the beginning, they are silent for much of the piece, portraying thoughts and emotions with their facial expressions in a way that was entertaining enough even without the dialogue the audience was likely expecting.

They walk around what is assumed to be a gallery of some kind, observing the art on the walls. When the conversation finally starts, it’s intriguing how genuine and beautiful it is. These women have an open and honest conversation. What’s more fascinating is that the story is not tied up with a neat little bow in the end. The ending is somewhat unexpected and unresolved.

If you missed these live performances, no worries! The School of Theater has released a video recording of all six plays. Check it out on Mason Arts at Home.

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College of Visual and Performing Arts School of Theater

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Mason's School of Theater Presents Head Over Heels

Lakin Raybuck — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 19:07:18 +0000

Mason's School of Theater Presents Head Over Heels Lakin Raybuck Fri, 10/14/2022 - 15:07

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The effervescent production, featuring a cast of Mason’s School of Theater students, will make its debut at Mason’s Center for the Arts on October 27, 2022, and will run through October 30, 2022.

The cast of the upcoming production of Head Over Heels performed songs from the show during a presentation at ARTS by George! on September 25. Photo by Cable Risdon Photography.

From the visionaries that rocked Broadway with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q, and Spring Awakening, Head Over Heels will have you laughing out loud while taking you on a nostalgic journey with 1980’s classics such as the Go-Go’s “We Got the Beat,” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth.”

"I know what you might be thinking, how could a 15th-century Elizabethan farce and the music of an 80s rock band possibly go together? Well they do in this fun and relevant show, Head Over Heels!" said Erin Driscoll Gardiner, the show's director, who is also an adjunct faculty member in the School of Theater and a well-known D.C.-area performer.

"At its core, Head Over Heels is about a people steeped in tradition awakening to their true selves, love, acceptance, and forgiveness," shared Gardiner. "When I first was approached to direct this piece, I immediately thought of Madonna’s 1991 MTV Awards performance. She and her dancers were all in period costumes performing Vogue for the young MTV audience. That mixed world where both coexist is where I wanted this show to live. Head Over Heels is its own universe full of color and nature. "

Performing alongside the actors is a band composed of three alumni, one current student, and one faculty member from Mason’s Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music.

The show is based on the 15th-century story, The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia, written by Sir Philip Sidney, with the book by Jeff Whitty, and adapted by James Magruder. A love story that is equally heartwarming and hilarious to watch follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their kingdom from extinction.

The show features musical direction by Joe Walsh (Term Assistant Professor, Dewberry School of Music) and choreography by Stefan Sittig (Adjunct Faculty, School of Theater).

"For the characters in our fictional Arcadia, they must leave their home and journey into the unknown. After two years in a global pandemic and our current political climate, changing ‘the norm’ can seem to threaten our way of life. But, this is the very time to let ourselves be turned upside down and see things anew. All the while, remembering that everyone can make mistakes, learn, and grow. Finding forgiveness and embracing love, when it seems impossible, IS how we change and grow.”

The cast of the upcoming production of Head Over Heels strikes a pose during a showcase at ARTS by George! on September 25. Photo by Cable Risdon Photography.

"This show is a challenge asking its performers to conquer the heightened Elizabethan language while also having proficiency in 80s rock music. Not only has this cast risen to the challenge but they have managed to create a piece that is heartwarming and a blast to watch," said Gardiner.

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ARTS by George! Showcases the Arts at Mason and Raises Scholarship Funds

Zoe Harr — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 17:06:54 +0000

ARTS by George! Showcases the Arts at Mason and Raises Scholarship Funds Zoe Harr Tue, 09/06/2022 - 13:06

In This Story

Rick Davis

“An evening like no other,” ARTS by George! makes its in-person return on September 24. The philanthropic event, headlined by Emmy^® and Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth, raises support for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, arts management, as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performance at Mason season at the Center for the Arts. Since its creation in 2006, ARTS by George! has raised more than $2 million for the arts at Mason.

“More than any single performance or exhibition or screening could ever do, ARTS by George! offers a window into the life and work – the very heart – of this great College of Visual and Performing Arts,” notes Rick Davis, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA). “In fact, it’s kind of a stained-glass window, composed of many colors and shapes and designs representing the many programs we offer, and it casts a beautiful light on the interplay of students, faculty, professional guest artists, and the communities that we all serve.”

School of Music students perform at a previous ARTS by George! event.

ARTS by George! begins by bringing hundreds of CVPA students and faculty together to collaborate in a series of behind-the-scenes showcase performances and exhibits, ranging from musical cabarets to virtual reality demos. From the School of Music, a taste from the many offerings including jazz, piano, symphony orchestra, opera, as well as special performances by The Green Machine. Introducing its upcoming production of the laugh-out-loud love story Head Over Heels, Mason School of Theater will perform highlights from the musical featuring music of the Go-Go’s and more! Additionally, guests will be invited to performances from the School of Dance, student film screenings from the School of Film, and Computer Game Design demonstrations. Programming begins at 5 p.m., presented across 10 open studios and rehearsal halls on Mason’s Fairfax campus, which will also have sumptuous beverage and cuisine stations offered throughout.

Co-chairs of ARTS by George! Anne Bolger and Steven Golsch emphasize the importance of the event, stating, “This benefit raises important scholarship funds to help our talented students and community arts partners and share their art and inspire the world. We are proud to support these programs and students as they fulfill their lifelong dreams.”

Kristin Chenoweth headlines the event on September 24.

After the thrilling showcase festivities, guests will transition to the Center for the Arts for a Live Fund-A-Student Auction, leading up to the performance by Kristin Chenoweth. In this 8:30 p.m. concert, Chenoweth will sing music from her album For The Girls, a heartfelt tribute to the great female singers throughout history. The album includes Chenoweth’s personally charged interpretations of classic songs identified with such iconic artists as Barbra Streisand, Lesley Gore, Linda Ronstadt, Dinah Washington, Dolly Parton, and more. To learn more about Kristin Chenoweth, please visit her website. The evening culminates with a special champagne toast onstage with ARTS by George! ticketholders and Ms. Chenoweth.

This year, the winner of the Arts by George! 2023 scholarship is Film and Video Studies student, Tiffany Vu. Past recipients include Erblin Nushi (Film and Video Studies, 2018), Mariah Rogers (The Green Machine, 2020), and Alana Lyons (Mason School of Theater, 2021). Student scholarships allow for the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ (CVPA) students to explore creative projects while cultivating Mason’s enriching arts education and first-class performances.

Rick Davis encapsulates Mason and its community’s excitement, stating, “We’re delighted to be back to our full expression of CVPA’s contribution to the dynamo that is ��ӽ紫ý.”

To learn more about Arts by George!, visit the website.

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CVPA's Young Alumni Commissioning Project Begins a Fourth Round

Emily Schneider — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 15:01:37 +0000

CVPA's Young Alumni Commissioning Project Begins a Fourth Round Emily Schneider Tue, 12/07/2021 - 10:01

��ӽ紫ý’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) released today a request for proposals for the Young Alumni Commissioning Project, which provides crucial support for the artistic development of recent alumni.

This is the fourth year of the program, which will award up to five grants to CVPA alumni for the creation of original work that will be presented by the College at a Mason venue during the 2022-23 season. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, February 11, 2022. The recipients will be announced in May 2022.

“The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is bearing fruit so beautifully after our first three rounds, adding new work to the world's store of artistic creation and helping advance the careers of Mason’s outstanding arts alumni,” shares Rick Davis, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. “As we enter cycle four, I am excited to see what our community of artists brings forward for consideration. Each cycle represents and reflects a moment in time for both the artists and the world we work in, and I know that our alumni are busy doing what artists do: seeing, feeling, and thinking deeply about their world, and transforming those perceptions into significant work.”

All potential applicants are invited to participate in an online grant writing workshop designed and executed by CVPA staff, taking place on Wednesday, January 26 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Individual applicants can also reserve time to speak with CVPA staff about their project and the application process during scheduled office hours, offered during the week of January 31 and February 7.

Jada Salter, 2021 recipient of the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award

During the 2020/2021 award cycle, Jada Salter (’20) received the Young Alumni Commissioning Project Award and $5,000 in support for Just the Two of Us, a documentary about multi-Grammy award-winning musician and her grandfather William “Bill” Salter. Nicole Daniell (Dance ‘17), Nicholas Horner (Theater ’18, MFA Candidate ‘21), Cristian Perez (Music ‘12), and Katherine Thompson (Visual Art ‘15) were awarded Young Alumni Creative Development Awards and each received $2,500 in commissioning support.

The Young Alumni Commissioning Project is made possible by a generous bequest from the estate of Linda E. Gramlich for the support of young artists, and by donors to Mason’s Giving Day, including Shugoll Research. Young Alumni Commissioning Project recipients may receive up to $5,000 in commissioning funds; as well as venue, production, and marketing support for a public showing of the work.

To be eligible, applicants must be a graduate of the College of Visual and Performing Arts from the class of 2011 and after. Proposals should be for original new work in any art form suitable for performance, exhibition, or screening in a Mason venue. The size, length, duration, magnitude, and content are at the artist’s discretion. Potential venues include Mason’s traditional theater spaces, galleries, and cinemas, but proposals for non-traditional venues will also be considered.

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Art and poetry exhibition invites all voices

Colleen Rich — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 15:01:48 +0000

Art and poetry exhibition invites all voices Colleen Rich Mon, 11/22/2021 - 10:01

Mason alum and artist Joseph McCloskey-Caballero’s Creation in Ores (left) and Bailando Bacchanal (right) explore common actions taken to connect to the less mundane self in collaboration with theater major Alex Berrios, whose poems “Mirror Talks” and “Laugh Some More” accompany the work. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

Sharing art with art lovers at the intersection of the literary and visual arts is something Jordan McRae thinks is truly innovative. He’s one of many artists featured in Conjuring Presence, an exhibition of visual art and poetry featuring ��ӽ紫ý students, faculty, and alumni at the Fenwick Gallery in Fenwick Library on the Fairfax Campus.

“My inspiration for creative writing––in particular, poetry–– has returned to me. It had been a while since I wrote creatively, let alone for something that would be publicly shown,” said McRae, a graduate student in the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ Arts Management Program. “I wanted to challenge myself to start writing again, and this exhibition was the perfect opportunity.”

“Conjuring Presence” features work from nine pairs of artists and poets that speaks to ideas of presence, absence, erasure, and creation. Curator and Mason alum Jessica Kallista, MFA Creative Writing ’02, asked each participant to consider the possibilities and manifestations of presence: “What does it mean to become mindful of the presence of others and the need to work against erasure? Who decides whether some people are or are not allowed to be present to occupy spaces in the arts and academia? How do we acknowledge the past, work for a just future, and still ground ourselves in the present?”

School of Theater faculty member and visual artist Deb Sivigny created the sculptures Caught, Aloft, and Pause (detail above) in collaboration with Mason alum and poet Holly Mason Badra, whose poem “An Aubade with Grain, Gold, and Feather” accompanies the work. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

The pairs responded with works including sculpture, textiles, poetry, video performances, and artificial intelligence (AI) “metahumans” that speak with the voices of many. Among the participants are current students and alumni from Mason’s School of Art, Creative Writing program, and Arts Management program, as well as faculty in poetry, game design, theater, and visual art.

“So much of the history of art exhibitions, and academia, is problematically notable for who is excluded,” said Kallista, who teaches in Mason’s School of Art. “I worked consciously as a curator of this exhibition to conjure the future we want to see, a future that is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible to all.”

Kallista said that the exhibit is an intentional effort to pivot toward an inclusive future that invites, elevates, appreciates, and applauds previously excluded voices. “The exhibition is exciting, and the collaborations are phenomenal, demonstrating that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are the secret so many of us have been shouting: We can do much more amazing work when all voices that believe in equity are invited to the table.”

Jax Ohashi, MFA sculpture major, was paired with poet and third-year MFA student Simonne Francis.

Mason MFA student and poet KS Keeney's poems “Midnight” and “Portrait of a Lover” accompanied videos by experimental multidisciplinary artist StrangeLens whose “Goatface La La Land” is pictured above. Photo by Shelby Burgess/Strategic Communications

“The piece I made for this show, which fittingly takes place in a university library, resembles the form of a book,” Ohashi said. “The ties for the accordion pages reference the form of butterflies, a universal symbol of hope, travel, and change.”

Fenwick Gallery Manager Stephanie Grimm, art and art history librarian, said that this year’s works are engaging with AI and game-based technologies, like Mason alum Boris Willis and Vivek Narayanan’s Encounters, which features “metahumans” narrating a series of texts by the artists.

Angela Terry, an MFA graphic design student, produced an image, a school photo of herself in grade school. “I thought the innocence of youth would be a great offset of something hidden that should have a presence. The pink polka dots are there for decoration, to create a distraction. The white text stating, ‘i am here,’ conjures presence by letting the viewer know something is there,” Terry said.

McRae worked with Terry to develop a co-created project. In this project, Terry produced a visual arts piece, and McRae produced a poem.

“I wanted to center this poem on my meditation practice and how I came to meditation,” McRae said. “Radical Honesty aims to show my internal progression with my mindfulness journey. “

Many of the works can be viewed online through Mason Exhibitions, and the full exhibit can be seen in Fenwick Gallery through Dec. 11.

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Students take center stage with the Mason Players’ Originals

Colleen Rich — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 13:49:38 +0000

Students take center stage with the Mason Players’ Originals Colleen Rich Thu, 10/07/2021 - 09:49

A scene from the musical "Yet" by Mason students Drake Leach and Brandon Morris. Photo provided

“The Originals” is magical for both its stories and for the student-driven performances, said ��ӽ紫ý adjunct professor and playwright Frank Robinson Jr., co-director of “The Originals.”

Mason’s School of Theater and the Mason Players are presenting “The Originals” this week—a collection of new work featuring the school’s talented student playwrights. Mason creative artists have the opportunity to share their work in a variety of forms—a one-person show, a choreographed work, or the traditional 10-minute play structure.

This year’s program includes six plays: four multi-character 10-minute plays, a one-person show, and a musical, with a mix of themes including romantic, futuristic drama, and absurdist.

“I love ‘The Originals,’” said Jessica Singley, a senior theater major. “It’s probably one of my favorite parts of the Mason theater season every year.”

"Struggling at the Bottom of the Pool" was written by Brooke Kemph. Photo provided

This annual event happened over zoom last year, with each of the actors in their own homes. The last full production with a live audience was two years ago in 2019. This year’s performances were recorded before a reduced audience, dictated given the pandemic, which included faculty mentors and student designers and directors, who filled a few seats and cheered the students on.

The performance will be available to the public to watch online starting at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, on the Center for the Arts Facebook page and YouTube channel. The recording will be available to watch through Oct. 16.

“Theater has changed irreparably as a result of the pandemic,” said Robinson, who teaches playwrighting in the School of Theater. “With professional actors, as well as student actors and our student playwrights, part of the reasons you do theater is for that interaction with your audience.”

Robinson said that as students prepare for hybrid audiences, both remote and in-person, they have to think outside the box. “The challenge is also the payback,” he added.

Singley’s 10-minute play, “Someone Has to Leave First,” is loosely inspired by a Richard Siken poem “The Worm Kings Lullaby,” she said.

"The Originals" is co-directed by Mason adjunct faculty members Frank Robinson Jr. and April Brassard. Photo provided

Mason alum and adjunct professor April Brassard serves as faculty mentor and co-director for “The Originals.”

“All of these students bring such rich life stories, and all of their pieces are really open-hearted,” said Brassard, who graduated from Mason in 2012 and also teaches playwrighting. “There’s a ton of talent and passion for the craft from young up-and-coming voices.”

Senior theater major Brooke Kemph said she worked closely with Brassard in the playwrighting course where her play, “Struggling at the Bottom of the Pool,” originated.

“The piece explores this relationship between two people,” said Kemph. “I really wanted to explore the concept of toxic relationships that people can find themselves stuck in.”

Drake Leach and Brandon Morris collaborated to create a musical titled “Yet.” Leach is a senior musical theater major and lyricist for this show, and Morris is a junior musical theater major and composer for this show.

“The premise of ‘Yet’ is a man waiting for his son to come up and discuss a plan to move into assisted living,” said Leach. “While doing that, he reminisces about the past, and in doing so, vividly imagined it so that it takes up his reality.”

“We started in a different spot in the beginning,” said Morris, who took Robinson’s playwriting class. “In some cases, the story influenced the music, and in other cases, the music influenced the story.”

Leach said they were both inspired by the work of their peers who were able to explore different types of characters in the musical.

“Working with your peers is great, and helps to build connections,” said Isabella Panciocco, a junior majoring in theater. “I have watched the show grow, and it feels magical.”

“It’s a supernatural coming-of-age story,” Panciocco said her play, “The Moon is Changing and So Are We,” which focuses on a man who thinks he was bitten by a werewolf. “It’s a story about how to deal with change and growing up, and how the world around you is changing. Sometimes you kind of feel stuck.”

Brassard noted that the production is a huge plus for the students, particularly for those who wrote the plays. “A lot of universities don’t give students that kind of launching pad,” said Brassard.

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