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“April is the ... [busiest] month”
by Tom Bloom, Chair, Associate Professor, Scenic Design
tab4p@virginia.edu

Tom Bloom

In my thirteen years in this department I do not recall a month that was as jam-packed with activity as this past April.  The building featured an array of student drama, film, dance and art – the products of numerous 4th year undergraduate projects and 6th term MFA projects.  Here’s a partial list of activities that made for a very busy building throughout the month:

• 1st week of April: MFA Acting Recitals in the Helms.  
• 2nd week of April: U.Va. Dance Program’s “Cross The Line…An Experimental Dance Concert” in the Helms Theatre and Ed Morgan, former Assoc Artistic Director of the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre works with MFA Actor’s Portfolio Class.
• 3rd week of April: The Voysey Inheritance opens in the Culbreth Theatre, under the direction of Bob Chapel.
• 4th week of April: The Voysey Inheritance continues in the Culbreth Theatre and the undergraduate Musical Production of A ... My Name Will Always Be Alice in the Helms.
• April 28 – May 3: MFA and undergraduate staged reading of Twenty-Seven by Ed Morgan in the Helms Theatre; Musical Theatre class review in the Helms; Rehearsal for Senior Seminar Young People’s Plays under the leadership of John Frick; and MFA graduate designers exhibition in the Culbreth lobby.

In addition there were a number of directing class projects and dance showings from the Dance choreography class.  We even managed to wedge in auditions for our Fall ’08 season – Some Girl(s) by Neil LaBute; Day of Absence by Douglas Turner Ward, and the musical Oklahoma!.  U.Va. grad Melissa Crespo returns to direct Some Girl(s), Associate Professor Theresa M. Davis is directing Day of Absence, and Bob Chapel directs Oklahoma! – his first musical for the department since the popular The Mystery of Edwin Drood, produced Spring ’05.

Much credit for fitting all of this activity into our building needs to go to Caitlin McLeod, our Production Coordinator and newly hired Assistant Professor of Stage and Production Management. Caitlin was offered the position following an extensive national search, chaired by Associate Professor Doug Grissom.  We’re delighted that she’s joining us!  If you happen to be visiting the building some day – say hello to Caitlin – her office is “strategically” situated right in the midst of the swirl of activity that characterized our building during the month of April. You might recall the lobby cubby where once there was a public phone and “Coat Room” – welcome to Caitlin’s office!

Progress continues on the Drama Building expansion project.  The William Rawn architectural firm was on grounds early April presenting their conceptual site model of the Ruth Caplin Theatre and the adjacent expansion to the Drama building.  Their concepts were enthusiastically received by all University offices participating in the development of this project.  I hope that I have much more to report about this project in our Fall ’08 Newsletter.  Until then – have a great summer and I invite you to join us for the return of the Heritage Theatre Festival (new name!) to the building – http://www.uvahtf.org.

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