UK Theatre's Spring 2020 Studio Season in Full Swing

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 20, 2020) — The University of Kentucky Department of Theatre and Dance will begin its 2020 Studio Season tonight (Feb. 20). Studio Season is a student-led experience that allows student artists the opportunity to seek, create and present pieces of performance. These performances are created with little faculty intervention and resources, giving voice to students and allowing them to express themselves to the fullest extent.

"Studio Season is an essential part of our overall academic mission at Department of Theatre and Dance to support and give voice to the artistic lives of our students. Through Studio Season our students explore and practice their creativity, their theories and methodologies, and the tools of expression that will serve them as they journey beyond our walls. A studio is a place of creative work, it’s where artists make their work. In theatre, we tell stories, and the intimacy of the studio setting makes those stories electric and alive," said Studio Season Director Stephen Wrentmore.

Studio Season Board President Sam-Claire Bieber agreed, "Studio Season encourages students to put into action the practices and theories they study in the classroom and the ideas they have for the future of theatre. The work is urgent, contemporary, and evocative.”

Kicking off Studio Season will be the play “The Most Massive Woman Wins” by Madeleine George, directed by Taylor Crumrine. The play follows four women as they flashback through a series of life events that has led them to a liposuction clinic waiting room. It is a commentary about the societal pressures placed on young women and how the characters may grow, but they can never seem to break the toxic cycle. It is a production that will force the audience to face the product of their prejudice. The play will premiere at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, with two additional performances taking place 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, in the Black Box Theatre.

The second offering of the Studio Season will be “How To Act With Purpose,” a devised piece that is led by Isaac Hines-Williams. The original production is a sketch comedy show that is centered around the millennial director of the show, taking the audience along on a ride through their existential crisis. Through Marxist thought and some TikTok dance moves, it attempts to address the issue of contemporary culture through a series of different lenses.  Showtimes will be 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, and one final performance 9 p.m. Thursday, March 26, in the Briggs Theatre.

The next act, “Food Fight,” led by Sam-Claire Bieber, will not only provide you with entertainment, but this one-night event will double as a fundraiser and canned food drive for the Big Blue Pantry. The student-created production by members of Brat Pack Stage Combat will consist of fight content that is created and performed by students. You won’t want to miss this knock-out event in the Black Box Theatre at 5 p.m. Friday, April 3.

Next up, “The Audience Disturbs Marcel’s Bath Time (and He is Very Upset With You All),” by Ryan Bultrowicz and directed by Abby Davis. This play will make the audience question and think about today’s issues involving personal privacy, inequality and sacrifices sometimes necessary in order to survive, all while inciting a laugh. Watch Marcel take a bath in the Black Box Theatre 5 p.m. Thursday, April 9, and 5 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 10.

“Fall From Grace,” by Jason D. Martin and directed by Sami Durstock, will be the next play in the lineup for the 2020 Studio Season this spring. Centered around what exactly makes life worth living, “Fall From Grace” will take the audience on a journey through specific points in their lives, with the purpose of bringing forth a realization that sometime we are not fully aware of what we have, until everything is lost. Experience your own “Fall From Grace” in the Black Box Theatre one day only, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, April 19.

The Studio Season finale will be a production of “UKTaps,” led by Jenna French. This production will present a selection of the students' work over this semester, followed by an invitation to participate in the future. “UKTaps” will be presented 5 p.m. Monday, Aprl 27, in the Briggs Theatre.

All Studio Season productions will be free and open to the public. Find out more information about Studio Season and how to get involved in the future at https://finearts.uky.edu/theatre-dance/studio-season.

The Department of Theatre and Dance, part of UK College of Fine Arts, is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre. Students in the department get hands-on training and one-on-one mentorship from professional faculty and renowned guest artists in acting, directing, playwriting, theatrical design and technology. From mainstage productions to student-produced shows, students have plenty of opportunities to participate on stage or backstage. Special programs include a musical theatre certificate, education abroad, as well as a thriving dance program that emphasizes technique, composition, performance and production.