Theatre Education, Pedagogy, and Training

David Dudley interviews Naoko Maeshiba about the opportunities in Towson University’s MFA in Theatre Arts program. 

In this installment, David Dudley interviews four members of Double Edge Theatre Company about the company’s unique approach to training and living.

Seth Lepore continues the conversation on entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial mindset for artists.

Stephen Nunns shares his approach (or lack thereof) to pedagogy, which is often dynamic and performative.

Phil Weaver-Stoesz writes about how to avoid being overwhelmed with tasks or fear in this installment of his series on positive practices and principles for theatremakers.

Louisiana State University undergrad Alexander Adams writes about discovering dramaturgy at a school without a concentration in the field. 

Playwright Catherine Castellani describes an unsettling experience at her child’s elementary school play, and explores the prevailing attitudes around arts education in primary and secondary education.

In this installation, David Dudley talks with the three artistic directors of the SITI Company about what makes their program different and successful. 

In the first of a series of posts exploring positive practices and principles for theatremakers, Phil Weaver-Stoesz writes about the value of listening in the process of creation.

Jayne Benjulian sits down with director and actor, and now, author, Jeff Zinn, to talk about acting and his new book The Existential Actor.

Polly Edelstein reflects on her choice to leave a full-time administrative position in order to be a freelance theatre artist, and encourages other recent grads to think beyond the traditional path to employment.

In this installment, David Dudley talks with Goddard’s Elena Georgiou about the benefits of earning an MFA in a low-residency model, and how that can help shape a writer’s voice.

Farm Theatre’s artistic director, Padraic Lillis, discusses the success of The Farm Theater’s College Collaboration Project.

In the first of a series of four posts documenting the process of producing Rent with students in North Dakota, Chelsea Pace describes overcoming her own mixed feelings about the musical to see the value in the project.

Matthew Gray offers support from the academic arena for HowlRound contributor Seth Lepore’s charge that university theatre departments are not readying the next generation of theatre artists.

Julie Rada digs into what we really mean when we talk about “safety” in a creative environment, and shares a list of agreements she has compiled to ensure it.

Madilynn Garcia and Mahalia Dinglasan close out their series about The Cohen New Works Festival, sharing what they found and what questions still remain.

Gloucester Stage’s Executive Managing Director Jon Wojciechowski discusses the process and philosophy behind the company’s new playwriting apprenticeship.

Jennifer Johnson, of The Charlestown Working Theater, who has trained with Double Edge Theatre, interviews Stacy Klein, Founding Artistic Director of Double Edge about the evolution of Double Edge’s training method.

David Dudley talks to Colleen Sullivan of Shakespeare Academy at Stratford, where they are about to begin a second season of educating theatremakers in ensemble and Shakespeare.

Seth Lepore talks about gaining the skills to self-produce and theatre artists as entrepreneurs.

In the first post of this mini-blog series, two students at the University of Texas at Austin share the excitement surrounding The Cohen New Works Festival.