Video Podcast: Ubu Roi Design Storm

As the first show of the Fall semester, Ubu Roi’s entire design was the result of a storm.  Borrowing the idea from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, Ubu’s “Design Storm” featured an intense and condensed four-day creative process that resulted in all the sets, costumes and music that audiences will see on stage.

“We worked on the show for ten days then did a run-through of it with the designer,” show director Betsy Tucker said.  “The next night we got together for four hours to talk about the show.  Then over the next two days we built the whole thing – a process that usually takes six weeks.  The ‘storm’ was an experiment to see if it could be done and to determine whether it isa workable model for future productions.  It went very well, and we had a good time.    They rose to the wackiness of the production.”

View the Video Podcast of the design storm weekend here.

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Current Drama Students “In the Spotlight”
– Q & A with graduate student Lisi Stoessel and undergraduate student Molly Coyle

1. Age: 27
2. Year in School: 3rd year MFA Candidate
3. Hometown: Charlottesville, VA
4. Why U.Va.? My interest in the Drama Department began when I took the Introduction to Scenic Tech and Scene Design classes while completing my undergraduate Studio Art degree at U.Va.
5. Major/ Minor/ concentration: Scene Design
6. U.Va. Drama resume: Scene Design: Mud, Scapin, Iphigenia and Other Daughters, Hair; Props Master: Arms and the Man, The African Company Presents Richard III
7. Best thing about U.Va. Drama: The supportive professors
8. Worst thing about U.Va. Drama: The Drama building
9. Favorite U.Va. Class: Heritage of Design
10. What are you most excited about for the upcoming 07-08 year? Seeing Hedda Gabler realized
    
11. What did you do this summer?  I was in Philadelphia researching site-specific theatre for my thesis and working as the Associate Set Designer/Makeup Designer for Pig Iron Theatre Company’s Isabella, which premiered at the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival.
12. Post-U.Va. goals?  To design and paint for performance. 

1. Age: 21
2. Year in School: 4th Year Undergraduate
3. Hometown: Leesburg, VA
4. Why U.Va.?  For the Grounds. I first visited UVA on one of those beautiful, crisp early fall days that show the school at its best. I was looking for a place with a well-rounded, liberal arts education so I could explore both English and Drama-- and anything else that appealed to me. UVA is the perfect fit.
5. Major/ Minor/ concentration: Drama and English Major
6. U.Va. Drama resume: UVA Drama: Actor: Hedda Gabler (Thea); Waiting for the Parade (Marta); Arms & the Man (Peasant). Stage Manager: Truth & Beauty; A Number; Till We Have Faces. Student Theatre: Shakespeare on the Lawn: Hamlet (Player); Macbeth (Donalbain). Spectrum Theatre: Arcadia (Noakes). "Co-reviver" of the Virginia Players-- past president and current treasurer. Drama Box Office Manager.
7. Best thing about U.Va. Drama: The department has so much personality. It's really nice to know all the students and professors I pass in the halls-- we're a very welcoming and friendly bunch-- I look forward to my time in the building.
8. Worst thing about U.Va. Drama: That I'm going to run out of time and not be able to take all the Drama electives I hoped to.
9. Favorite U.Va. Class: Shakespeare with Claire Kinney. This was one of the first classes I took and I felt so important walking around with the Complete Works three days a week. Professor Kinney is a vibrant lecturer and we were offered the opportunity to perform scenes for the class. It was the first time I got to see the acting grads and drama students perform.
10. What are you most excited about for the upcoming 07-08 year? I'm really excited for Hedda Gabler. In general, I'm looking forward to doing lots of shows this year and working with my friends
11. What did you do this summer?  I spent most of the summer in London, as a student in the Culture of London program through the UVA English Department. I saw a lot of excellent theater and spent the bulk of my time exploring the city-- it's a place I would love to go back to. I also got to do some traveling around Europe after the program ended-- I learned so much about myself by traveling alone. My summer was full of amazing experiences and I couldn't have wished better!
12. Post-U.Va. goals?  I plan to pursue acting . . .somewhere. Right now I'm keeping my options open to see what opportunities present themselves. It's an enticing time—I’d do anything anywhere!