Upcoming Events

What we've been up to this summer

Rebecca Armstrong spent the summer training at DePaul University in Chicago on CLO 3D Fashion Design Software, visiting family in Madison, Wisconsin and relocating from Lincoln, Nebraska to Lewiston to join the department. Looking forward to getting to know everyone and supporting the department.

Tim Dugan is currently on a year long sabbatical.  This past summer he developed a show with two other collaborators/former MFA colleagues for Philadelphia Fringe Festival called Certifiable©-An Accredited Workshop for Qualification©, an interactive workshop exploring both the sublime and absurd traditions of various certifications one can pursue in theater. He just started teaching two acting classes at his alma mater, Temple University.  Tim will also be performing in Martin Crimp's adaptation of CYRANO DE BERGERAC as De Guiche at Quintessence Theatre Group in Philadelphia this fall.  Check it out if you're in the area!

Brian J. Evans enjoyed a summer filled with international (UK) and national (NYC, MN, WI, SC) travel, much of which aligned with his latest embodied research project,  Busking for Reparations. His daughter, Lenox, will be turning three in November, and he is fully embracing the joys of DAD-life. Prof. Evans is excited to collaborate with his new colleagues in the department and is eagerly anticipating his first-ever sabbatical this Winter following his official reappointment last year!

Amy Huang participated in the NEH summer institute "Place, Race, and Gender in New England Gothic Literature" at St. Joseph's College in Standish, Maine. This was a great opportunity to learn about the histories of a number of sites in New England, as well as to examine the representations of these places in literature and film. She and Professor Kellen Hoxworth (SUNY - University of Buffalo) also worked to record a podcast episode for C19: The Society of Nineteenth-Century Americanists on "The Time and Place of Performance in and beyond C19," which should be available to listen to in the coming months. 

Callie Kimball just signed a contract for the Washington DC premiere of her play Sofonisba. It will be produced by Washington Stage Guild in the Spring of 2025. The play has been on the Kilroys‘ List, was a finalist for the O’Neill Playwright Conference, a semifinalist for both the Princess Grace Award and the Shakespeare’s Sister Award, and was supported by a grant from the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation.

Tristan Koepke spent the summer working as Associate Director of the Young Dancers Intensive at the Bates Dance Festival and working on new iterations of his ongoing multimedia creative research project, Emotional Tofu.

In addition to some visually and culturally restorative travel in Portugal and Spain, Chris Mc Dowell worked with Bates theater directing graduate Kush Sharma '22 on his production of Steel Magnolias in Middlebury VT, helped Maine MILL on their second annual fundraising event (in anticipation of their major move to a new space!), and began the design process with both Sophie Wheeler '25 on Wolf Play in the Andrucki Black Box, and our upcoming guest director Josh Hsu and Kerrigan Anuszewski '25 for The Seagull in Schaeffer Theatre.

Justin Moriarty continues his work as full time TD at Bates. This summer, Justin had the opportunity to work as a video consultant for an Opera with Hogfish, a Maine Arts non-profit. Justin will be working at the Camden Film Festival in mid September and is excited for the new energy joining the Department this academic year!

This summer has been packed with a variety of projects for Courtney Smith. From working with the Dogteam Theatre Project on two World Premiere Off-Broadway productions (A Hundred Circling Camps by Sam Collier & La Viuda by María Irene Fornés) at the Atlantic Theatre Stage 2, to selling his home in Middlebury and moving to Lewiston. As one of the new faces in the department, he is looking forward to collaborating with you and engage with any and all students who are interested in Design, Technology, and Management. 

The professional highlight of Kati Vecsey's summer was the MAGYE Conference in Hungary where she presented a paper about her voice coaching experience of working with Daniel Karsai who suffers from ALS. This single-case study is unique because it focuses on speech problems occurring when Karsai speaks in Hungarian, his first language, but it also describes symptoms observed when Karsai uses a second language, English. 

Also, while in Hungary for a month she was able to see 6 different theater productions that she is considering taking her students to during the off-campus ST to Hungary and Poland in May 2025. 

Sally Wood spent the summer doing something genuinely terrifying: teaching audition techniques to High Schoolers. Having survived that and a nasty bout with Covid, she has emerged victorious. She spent a lot of time reupholstering footstools as a new passion project & side hustle. When not pulling staples, she also got to work on two newish plays with John Cariani! Cul de Sac & Almost, Almost Maine or Not Quite Almost Maine (still working on the title) will be a companion piece to Almost, Maine and will premier this winter at Portland Stage Company.

Fall Classes

Still deciding which classes to take this fall? Check out these offerings from the Theater and Dance department! 

THEA 231 - Scenic Design - B. Christine McDowell

TR, 7:30 - 10:30pm

Scene Design has spaces open.  Thea 130 Intro to Design is a prerequisite for this course, but exceptions are common and can be negotiated.  Please contact Professor Mc Dowell to discuss interest in the class. (1.000 credit hours)

THEA 240 - Introduction to Playwriting - Callie Kimball

TR, 7:30 - 10:30pm

Playwriting still has a few spots open. Come learn how to write a play! The class will nourish your creative spirit and help you refine your own unique writing process. (1.000 credit hours)

DANC 270Q - West African Dance of Guinea - Marita Kennedy-Castro

MW, 9:30 - 10:50am

Together, master drummer and djembe artist Sayon Camara, and devoted dance artist Marita Kennedy-Castro, bring to this class live rhythms and dances that celebrate the cycles of life and nature, and are the heartbeat of Guinean culture. Students will learn foundational movements, contemporary style and choreography, cultural relevance, and the regional and historical context of each rhythm and dance. This traditional art form continues to evolve in present day Guinea and is celebrated around the globe. No prior dance experience is required. One-half credit is earned. Open to first-year students. (0.500 credit hours)

DANC/THEA 270T - Physical Theatre - Brian J. Evans

F, 1:05 - 4:00pm
Discover the dynamic world of physical theater in a new course led by Assistant Professor Brian J Evans. This course will immerse student artists in the art of storytelling through movement, exploring techniques that bridge the gap between dance and drama. Perfect for students eager to push the boundaries of traditional theater, student artists will learn to express complex emotions and narratives using the body as the primary tool. Whether you're a seasoned performer or new to the stage, this course offers a unique opportunity to enhance your creative skills in a collaborative and welcoming environment. (0.500 credit hours)

THEA 362 - Advanced Acting - Sally Wood

TR, 1:05 - 3:00pm

I have a room for a few more brave souls.

Did you love Introduction to Acting? Wait, there’s more! Build on all the skills you picked up and dive deeper faster with this action-packed class. Ensemble building, problem solving and kicking butt are all part of the daily buffet in this course. The last time Sally Wood taught this course was in 2016…it was that good. (1.000 credit hours)

305 College Street

Lewiston, ME 04240

theateranddance@bates.edu

207-786-6161

Bates College
2 Andrews Road
Lewiston, Maine 04240
United States
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