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Sweet Maladies represents theater program’s new focus

sweet_maladiesThe opening this week of Sweet Maladies by Zakiyyah Alexander represents four years of work by the Augsburg College Theater Department to diversify its program and to attract more diverse and often underrepresented voices to the theater.

The department has made changes to its curriculum, welcomed local directors and new faculty, and undertaken projects as “a way to welcome more students with different kinds of cultural backgrounds to participate,” said Department Chair Darcey Engen.

One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the Department’s commitment to excellence. Continue reading “Sweet Maladies represents theater program’s new focus”

Augsburg College TRIO McNair Scholars present research at UC Berkeley

McNair_BerkeleyNearly a dozen Augsburg College McNair Scholars presented their summer research findings at the University of California, Berkeley’s 20th Annual McNair Scholars Symposium, held August 2-5. The symposium hosted students from colleges and universities across the United States.

Augsburg students during summer 2012 spent an average of 400 hours exploring their topics, developing theses, collecting and reviewing data, and preparing formal paper presentations.

Scholars were paired with a faculty mentor in their discipline to gain extensive skills and knowledge, learn research methods, and practice writing and public speaking. Continue reading “Augsburg College TRIO McNair Scholars present research at UC Berkeley”

Theater department takes on the challenges of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays

365theaterBy Wendi Wheeler ’06

Imagine writing one play every day for a year. Also imagine the challenges presented to 14 actors each playing several roles in 54 plays presented in one evening. That is the task of the cast of Suzan-Lori Parks’ 365 Days/365 Plays, directed by Augsburg theater professor Martha Johnson.

In the fall of 2002, Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks decided to take on the challenge of writing one play a day for a full year. 365 Days/365 Plays is the successful result, featuring 365 short plays exploring such divergent topics as sex, war, fairy tales, Indian mythology, American historical figures, love, politics, race, contemporary celebrities—and numerous other issues from American life. Continue reading “Theater department takes on the challenges of Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Days/365 Plays”