The Texas A&M University performance studies program\u2019s first theatrical production under the new School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts is also its first collaboration with Blinn-Bryan Theatre Troupe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The two theater programs have joined forces to present \u201cRhinoceros,\u201d written by Eug\u00e8ne Ionesco and translated by Derek Prouse. It is co-directed by Anne Quackenbush, Texas A&M lecturer, and Greg Wise, Blinn theater instructor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The production will open with three shows April 20-22 at Blinn-Bryan Student Center Theatre, then move to Texas A&M as part of Venture, the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts\u2019 weeklong showcase of student work<\/a>. Three shows will be at the Black Box Theater in the Liberal Arts and Arts and Humanities Building April 27-29 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5, available at blinn.edu\/boxoffice.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wise brought a previous Blinn production to Black Box Theater, and approached Quackenbush to team up on \u201cRhinoceros\u201d with her Collaborative Performance course (PERF 322).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s a big show,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of moving parts. There\u2019s a lot of people. Greg knew it would be effective if there could be two teams. We immediately said yes. I\u2019ve worked with Greg for a long time and I love his work. We have a nice mutual admiration society, and we view things very similarly. It\u2019s been fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The play \u201cshowcases a great combination of our two programs,\u201d Wise said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe production features students in the acting realm and design realm that are combining all these talents,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a challenging play to produce that would not have been possible without this collaborative partnership.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRhinoceros\u201d is a theater-of-the-absurd experience that centers on a small village that is disturbed by the appearance of rhinoceroses. The townspeople are gradually drawn in by the creatures and become them, Quackenbush said, but one man fights against this transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inesco wrote it as a warning against the dangers of fascism, and the theme of transformation was a key element in developing the production, Quackenbush said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe had a lot of discussions early on \u2014 what should this transformation mean today?\u201d she said. \u201cWe had such a broad variety of reactions in terms of what students saw as something dangerous, something that could be seductive. What\u2019s safe? What could make you feel like the burden of making decisions, of being an individual, was taken off your shoulders? What would that be? And what would it be like to lose your voice \u2014 literally lose having a human voice and no longer be making decisions for yourself?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prior to rehearsals beginning in February, Quackenbush and the students explored the play\u2019s background and how it employs existentialism and absurdism. Audiences can have a harder time responding to dark existential plays, she said, but calls this production \u201cover the top.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAbsurdist plays add a whole layer of silly,\u201d she said. \u201cIt makes what you\u2019re thinking about a surprise. And the next thing you know, you\u2019re laughing again because it\u2019s just big and broad. We spend literally a third of the time laughing when we\u2019re directing. Wonderful comic timing from our kids; and that\u2019s not easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rayna Dexter, instructional associate professor in performance studies, leads the play\u2019s design team of students through her Collaborative Design course (PERF 321). Jeff Watson, theater facility coordinator, and a team of Texas A&M and Blinn students have taken on set construction. Senior performance studies major Grace Harmon serves as assistant director. Former Texas A&M faculty member Chris Cole is guest artist and lighting designer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The students are enjoying the rehearsal process, according to Syara Villarreal, a cast member and junior performance studies major.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s awesome,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m having a great time. It\u2019s so great to be with the Blinn theater kids. They\u2019re just like us. We\u2019re all the same people in different ‘fonts.’ They come here twice a week; we go there on the weekends. It\u2019s super exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Quackenbush said she\u2019s \u201cincredibly proud\u201d of the students\u2019 work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s coming together beautifully,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely something we can be proud of. I think it\u2019s a very topical play as well. It\u2019ll entertain and give people a little something to chew.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details:<\/strong> April 20-22 at 7 p.m. at Blinn-Bryan Student Center Theatre. April 27-29 at 7 p.m. at the Black Box Theater in the Liberal Arts and Arts and Humanities Building. Tickets are $5 at blinn.edu\/boxoffice.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo by Spencer Bryant. Blinn theater instructor Greg Wise and Texas A&M performance studies lecturer Anne Quackenbush are the co-directors of the collaborative performance of “Rhinoceros.” Photo by Spencer Bryant.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Introducing Venture, the inaugural celebration of creativity<\/a> from students in the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts. Join us April 25-29, when the sights and sounds of these talented artists will be on display at venues throughout the Rudder complex on the Texas A&M University campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The dance program\u2019s annual Perpetual Motion performance will be in Rudder Auditorium for the first time. It features works by faculty members, students and guest artist Jane Weiner from Hopestone, Inc. in Houston. Students will perform \u201cSierra,\u201d a 23-minute dance created by Carisa Armstrong, associate professor and dance program director, and Christine Bergeron, clinical professor and associate dean for academic affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details:<\/strong> April 27-28 at 7:30 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium. Tickets are $12; $6 for students, seniors and military, available at the MSC Box Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related story: <\/strong>\u2018Perpetual Motion\u2019 Dance Event Gets Bigger Stage, Includes Return Of 23-Minute \u2018Sierra\u2019 Piece<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Live Art Student Showcase will feature projects created by students in Seminar in Performance Theory (PERF 460). Works will include encounters with \u201cexperiencing live,\u201d experiments in performer\/audience relationships, and explorations of the interwoven affective, embodied, cognitive and emotional experience of live performance. The students have been influenced by a wide range of artists and movements, from Dada to Bauhaus, Merce Cunningham and John Cage to Fluxus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details:<\/strong> April 27 at 1 p.m. at Rudder Forum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cWaste Wear Wearable Arts Runway Show\u201d comes from the Dress in World Culture course (PERF 156), taught by Grace Adinku, which examines the social, psychological and cultural aspects of dress and appearance. Students are creating handcrafted, one-of-a-kind wearable arts dress designs using recyclable waste items including plastic, paper, metal and face masks, as well as clothing and textiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details:<\/strong> April 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Rudder Forum. Free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnalogue Electronica\u201d is a showcase of composers and performers from the Electronic Music Composition course (PERF 318), taught by Dr. Will Connor. Students are introduced to a variety of analogue electronic instruments and asked to improvise and compose for them to create a final project. The instruments include analogue synthesizers, theremins, no-input mixing boards, step sequencers, Kaossilators and haunted boxes \u2014 noise-making devices the students designed and built themselves. The 90-minute concert will feature compositions written and played by the students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details:<\/strong> April 25 at 7 p.m. at Rudder Theatre. Free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Student Research and Creative Works Symposium will show the wide variety of creativity explored in the various disciplines within the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details:<\/strong> April 26 at 10 a.m. at Rudder Forum. Free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRhinoceros,\u201d Eugene Ionesco\u2019s play, translated by Derek Prouse, is the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts\u2019 first theater production, and also its first collaboration with Blinn-Bryan Theatre Troupe. It is co-directed by Anne Quackenbush, Texas A&M lecturer, and Greg Wise, Blinn theater instructor. After three shows April 20-22 at Blinn-Bryan Student Center Theatre, \u201cRhinoceros\u201d comes to Texas A&M as part of Venture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Details:<\/strong> April 27-29 at 7 p.m. at the Black Box Theater in the Liberal Arts and Arts and Humanities building. Tickets are $5, available at blinn.edu\/boxoffice<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\nAbout Venture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Experimental Performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Fashion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Music<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Theater<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Visualization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n