18April

Liberty University’s Scott M. Hayes Talks URTA Training and the Terminal Degree

Scott M. Hayes, an URTA alum of the Asolo Conservatory at Florida State, and current Interim Dean of Liberty University’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, spoke about his graduate theatre training, professional journey, and offers advice for those interested in performing, teaching, and more. You’re a multi-faceted artist–a playwright, director, producer, and actor. What

acting, arts administration, Asolo, Asolo Conservatory, graduate school, Liberty University, mfa, Regent University, The URTAs, Theatre, theatre arts, UC Irvine, university theatre, urta
Posted by URTA Posted on 18 Apr 0 Comments

30March

“Come From Away” URTA Alums Jenn Colella and Joel Hatch

Broadway’s Come From Away is a unique new musical that beautifully intertwines the stories of a group of strangers stranded in Gander, Newfoundland where international flights were forced to reroute on September 11, 2001. All actors in the show’s ensemble play multiple characters. The cast features two URTA alumni—Jenn Colella and Joel Hatch—who each play

acting, auditions, Broadway, Come From Away, mfa, MFA training, musical theatre, musicals, The URTAs, theater, Theatre, theatre arts, UC Irvine, University of Minnesota
Posted by URTA Posted on 30 Mar 0 Comments

17January

Interview with “Beautiful” star and URTA Alum, Ben Jacoby

What made you decide to go to graduate school? I felt like I needed more training. I went to a small, liberal arts college where I studied a wide range of subjects. Acting, of course, was one of them, but the liberal arts atmosphere didn’t afford me the in-depth training I felt like I needed

Posted by URTA Posted on 17 Jan 0 Comments

02January

Interview with Lighting and Set Designer Justin Townsend

Justin Townsend is an international lighting and set designer for performance. He has been nominated for the 2016 Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards for Broadway productions “The Humans” and “American Psycho”. He holds a MFA from URTA member university, CalArts. Mr. Townsend is an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Brooklyn College. He spoke recently

Posted by URTA Posted on 02 Jan 0 Comments

05December

URTA Alum and Tony Winning Sound Designer, Leon Rothenberg

URTA’s Rachel Friedman recently chatted with California Institute of the Arts alum, Leon Rothenberg about how his training shaped his career, and about his current show “Rancho Viejo”, now playing at Playwrights Horizons. I would love to start with the beginning of your career. You received your Bachelor of Music from Oberlin and then went

Posted by URTA Posted on 05 Dec 0 Comments

16November

Alumni Interview with Colby Lewis

Actor Colby Lewis is a 2014 MFA graduate of URTA member program, University of Connecticut. Since graduating, he’s performed a variety of major roles including, notably, Cassius Clay in the Denver Center Theatre production of One Night in Miami. Currently, he’s the Male Principal Standby in the Chicago company of Hamilton, understudying the roles of

Posted by URTA Posted on 16 Nov 0 Comments

05October

Faculty Interview with Robert Perry

Robert Perry, lighting designer and professor at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign discusses his work, graduate school, and what what he looks for in graduate school students. What projects have you worked on recently? Lately I have been working on projects ranging from comedies to tough works about life struggles and current events. Just recently

Posted by URTA Posted on 05 Oct 0 Comments

19September

Alumni Interview with Emily Penick of ACT

What made you want to go to graduate school? I wanted to go to grad school for two specific reasons. The first reason was to improve my craft and set myself up for a professional directing career. The second reason I felt I needed graduate school was because I felt I wasn’t being taken seriously

Posted by URTA Posted on 19 Sep 0 Comments

06April

URTA Interview with Beth Malone: Tony Nominee and URTA Alum

Beth Malone is a graduate of the MFA Acting program at UC Irvine. Last year, she originated the role of Molly Brown in the world premiere of a wholly reimagined The Unsinkable Molly Brown at the Denver Center for the Arts. This year, she received a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Alison Bechdel in Fun

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Apr 0 Comments

06March

The URTA Q&A with Holly Poe Durbin

Holly Poe Durbin is the head of Costume Design studies at the University of California, Irvine, as well as a member of URTA’s National Board. Today, she offers some advice to those seeking a MFA in theatre design, as well as sharing some thoughts on her own career as a professional designer. Holly, can you

Posted by URTA Posted on 06 Mar 0 Comments

Category: The URTA Q&A