What Our Students Say

Jenny Connell

"One of the things I’ve really appreciated about our playwriting faculty is their commitment to helping us break open our own writing process. This isn’t a program where every student is asked to march in lock-step to the same set of deadlines. We are asked to take on our own writing, and find our own voices, on the timeline that makes sense to us as individuals. Yes, this requires a lot of discipline on our part, but I know that my writing is stronger for it."

-Jenny Connell, Second Year M.F.A. Candidate, Playwriting

"My favorite class so far has been Acting One with Lucien Douglas. I think I learned more about acting in that one class than all four years of drama in high school. What's great about the Theatre and Dance program is how all the faculty are really there to help you succeed…[They] always make themselves available to help with any questions or concerns."

-Alex Bartels, Junior, B.A. in Theatre and Dance

Derek Moon

"I chose UT because of the technology and faculty available, and the department's commitment to constructive progress in the arts. The flexible curriculum has taken my work in many amazing directions, from learning and documenting technologies to teaching animatronics in Costa Rica to bridging gaps between mainstream information technology and academic theatre. Every step of the way, multiple colleagues, students, faculty, and staff have been available and proactive in encouraging, critiquing, and pushing me to go further than I thought was possible."

-Derek Moon, Third Year M.F.A. Candidate, Theatre Technology/Technical Direction

"I appreciate the many opportunities students have to be involved in productions and projects around the theatre. There is always something going on and I love how busy our department stays and how dedicated it is to producing new and exciting plays."

-Beth McCurdy, Junior, B.A. in Theatre and Dance

Mary Chase

"Suzan Zeder really made me think outside of the box when I was taking her pedagogy class. I truly appreciated how much she made us think about the connections between our teaching philosophy and our student learning objectives. She made transformative learning seem both imperative and accessible."

-Mary Chase, Second Year M.F.A. Candidate, Dance

Mary Katherine Vigness

"The faculty in this department truly go out of their way to help each student pursue their individual goals. I am constantly amazed by their knowledge and compassion."

-Mary Katherine Vigness, Senior, B.A. in Theatre & Dance/History/Plan I Honors

"What originally attracted me to the Drama and Theatre for Youth program at UT is what I now love the most about the program: the people in this program build a strong community that works together. Students and faculty alike are constantly seeking a balance of theory and practice while looking towards making important change in our field. The DTY program has helped shape who I am as an artist, a teacher, and a collaborator, and I am so lucky to be part of this community."

-Sally Vander Gheynst , Third Year M.F.A. Candidate, Drama and Theatre for Youth

"Working on Holes was probably the most rewarding experience for me as an actress, thus far. Not only did the cast have an opportunity to meet and work with Louis Sachar, but he also attended one of the performances, which I thought was such an honor, that he came to watch our cast bring his story to life. And, having my picture featured on the front page of the Daily Texan Weekend was pretty awesome too!"

-Leslie Horne, Junior, B.A. in Theatre and Dance

"I chose UT because it has one of the few Costume Technology Departments available, and not only is it highly ranked but it is the best fit for me as an individual. I felt immediately at home here. My current show project is tailoring the suit for the character of the History Book for the world premiere of Eve Tulbert’s Ashes, Ashes. This project also requires that I learn how to screenprint as the fabric must be printed before it is cut. The image being printed is of an unidentifiable language. This character sits in a chair twelve feet above the stage floor for the entirety of the show. The suit has tails that come off the side, one that is six feet long, and another that is thirty feet long. Both tails are ripped off at the end of the play, and throughout the play words are torn off the tails as the characters read them. Sarah Mosher is the grad student designer for “Ashes” and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her on this costume. I think it will be really spectacular in its own way and I look forward to seeing the play."

-Sara Lankenau, Second Year M.F.A. Candidate, Costume Technology

Patrick McKelvey

"Professors in the department like Stacy Wolf and Deborah Paredez place great importance on the intersections between artistic and intellectual practice. I'll admit that when I first arrived I was essentially clueless about where my education here would lead me, but even within my first semester I found myself in a community that supports artists and academics alike, and I could not be more excited about my future work as a dramaturg and scholar."

-Patrick McKelvey, Senior, B.A. in Theatre and Dance/English