Typically a theatre production is experienced for a narrowly prescribed moment—the 2-2.5 hours of performance. Jen Thomas, Assistant Professor of Performance and Communication Arts, is attempting to lengthen and broaden the theatrical experience for her students involved in production, as well as broader audiences, by offering in-depth exposure to production elements such as script selection, design conversations, casting, rehearsals, technical rehearsals, and “post-mortem” conversations. Thomas says, “The work we do in the theatre blurs the distinctions between academic/artistic and curricular/co-curricular while offering highly experiential and interdisciplinary experiences for actors, designers, technicians, and audiences alike.” This project will make the interdisciplinary process of theater visible to a wide audience, and provide student collaborators the opportunity to critically reflect on their experiences leading up to the performance.
Thomas has been working with cast members of Ash Girl, students Kristen Di Perno and Elise Miner, Leila Walker (Former Assistant Director of the Crossing Boundaries grant and CLIR post-Doctoral Fellow), and Eric Williams-Bergen to build a web platform to “Flip the Stage.”
