 When in-person classes were suspended on March 12, walking away from Much Ado About Nothing was heartbreaking; we had to step away from weeks and weeks of work, much of which we knew would never be seen by anyone but us. We are grateful that the UMW administration took decisive steps to keep all of us safe and well amidst so many unknowns; what remains most important is that you, your loved ones, and our greater world do everything we can to flatten the curve of the pandemic and emerge strong and healthy.
And yet, even in this time when we find ourselves apart from one another, we continue to believe in the power of theatre to nurture and inspire ourselves and our community. Our students will be performing Much Ado About Nothing after all—ONLINE! Mark your calendar—April 16, 2020, from 7:00 – 8:00 pm—just two weeks away! REGISTER HERE. Our entire department has come together to ensure that our students are engaged, connected, and seizing every opportunity to learn and grow, even when distance keeps us apart. Our performance of Much Ado is but one example of how we continue to teach and learn as a community of educators, artists, and students. There are so many reasons why this project is important to all of us. Much Ado is the final production Helen Housley will direct for us as she anticipates retirement at the end of this year after two decades of teaching, directing, and serving as our vocal coach for dozens of productions. The same is true of Marilyn Wojdak, our costume shop supervisor, who is also retiring in May having brought a breathtaking level of excellence and professionalism to the shop in her 13 years with us. More than two dozen students have been rehearsing the play in the weeks prior to leaving campus and eight students have senior projects connected to Much Ado. Finally, it’s Shakespeare! We always celebrate the opportunity to bring his work to life. We are thrilled at the prospect of getting to share our work with you as we wrap up our season. Different than planned, fairly abridged, and not onstage in Klein Theatre (but performed in bedrooms and living rooms across several states), Much Ado, nonetheless, will showcase what we do best—students finding themselves in the work, strengthening their skills, growing their capacity to contribute to our community, and readying themselves for life after UMW. Please join us. Our students need your support right now. With so much uncertainty in our world, I want them to know that we are all there for them. Will you celebrate their work with me? Wishing you good health and strength every day, |
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| Gregg Stull Producing Director |