All the various UT Theatre constituencies came together in large numbers on Sunday afternoon, August 27th, to kick off the new year/season in style.  Everyone gathered first in the Carousel Theatre and new Theatre Department Head/Producing Artistic Director, Cal MacLean, welcomed everyone and proceeded to give his "inaugural address", setting the tone for what he hoped to accomplish here.

There were the usual introductions and lots of announcements, but the focus was on the students, particularly the undergraduates, and how they could become involved.  Cal stressed that we would be continuing a dual mission of presenting Professional theatre and of teaching how theatre is done.  Neither will be sacrificed for the other, he emphasized, and that additional vehicles would be added to make sure those who want to do theatre have the opportunity to do so.

In addition to the four LORT productions in the Clarence Brown Theatre, Born Yesterday, A Year With Frog and Toad, Fences, and A Flea in Her Ear, this year we will have two University Company productions in the Carousel -- one involving primarily MFA performance students (All My Sons), and the other mainly undergraduate students (Assassins).

Also, two Studio Series shows presented in the CBT Lab Theatre will provide additional opportunities -- in the Fall, The Laramie Project will be cast from a large group (45) of undergraduates who are auditioning; The MFA performance students will present A Shakespeare Project: King Lear in the spring.

That's not all that will be happening, however.  There will also be a series of four staged readings, beginning with the musical Violet on September 24th in the Lab Theatre.  All-Campus Theatre will be presenting a couple of shows in the Lab, beginning with Bent at the end of September and beginning of October.  There will also be two independent student productions in the Lab Theatre during the year.

Of course, there will be plenty of openings for involvement in technical areas for all these productions as well -- It's going to be a busy place!

As Joe Champelli is assuming the role of Production Manager, Casey Sams was introduced as the new Director of Undergraduate Studies.

And then, we ate...