Tag Archives: drama

All the Library’s a Stage

New Works Festival posterSpring 2015 has been an exciting semester at the Fine Arts Library (FAL). We have hosted a record number of events — 13 to be exact. They’ve included exhibit receptions, lectures, book readings, concerts, and performances. The events for this week are particularly novel as we have opened our space to the Department of Theatre and Dance’s Cohen New Works Festival.

During the Fall semester, an exuberant student by the name of Mahalia Dinglasan approached Beth Kerr, Theatre/Dance Librarian and I about the possibility of setting a play that she was proposing at the Fine Arts Library. The story is set in a library and, thinking outside the box, she thought the Fine Arts Library would make a great venue. As I am eager to activate the Fine Arts Library spaces and engage with our audiences and patrons in new and innovative ways, I was excited for the Fine Arts Library to participate in the Festival.

A few weeks after we agreed to host the performance, Mahalia began working on casting her play. She asked Beth if she would be interested in playing Nan the librarian in the play. Beth declined as she is a theatre person but her role has always been behind the scenes. Mahalia then defaulted to me. I thought to myself that I have never been asked to do anything so unusual as a professional librarian and I may never be asked to do anything like it again. As I am one for new experiences, I was excited to say yes.

Monday evening was opening night of Emanation. What a fantastic journey I have been on over the last few months! The students in the company have taught me so much about acting, about confidence, about patience, about hard work, about respect, about community, about myself.

The show runs Tuesday 4/14 at 8:30pm, Wednesday 4/15 at 8:30pm, and Friday 4/17 at 7pm. Tickets are sold out but they are letting walk-ups attend as space is available. If you are interested in experiencing library space in a whole new way, I would recommend heading over to the Fine Arts Library for one of the performances. I don’t think you will be disappointed (unless you don’t get in!).

¡Viva El Payaso! Win Tickets to Operación Clown: Cállate

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Just in time to celebrate the opening their new exhibit Frente a Frente: The Mexican People in Independence and Revolution, 1810 & 1910, the Benson Latin American Collection is holding a contest apropos of the anniversaries it is commemorating.

As part of our ongoing promotion of Texas Performing Arts 2010-2011 season, the current contest is for two tickets to Operación Clown: Cállate (Shut Up!), for either the Wednesday, September 15, show in Spanish, or the Thursday, September 16 English version.

From the TPA website:

Operación Clown is renowned for their innovative use of masks, puppets, and cabaret theatre based on theatrical clown technique.

This internationally celebrated theatrical group will bring the acclaimed piece Cállate to the McCullough stage. Narrated with an explosive mixture of melodrama and irreverent humor, this love story set at the time of the Mexican Revolution combines drama, comedy, wrestling and images inspired by the Golden Age of Mexican cinema to fuel a cast of characters based on stereotypes of the period.

For your chance to win, visit the Operación Clown Trivia Question page and fill out a brief questionnaire.

Entries must be received by 3pm on Monday, September 13. One winner will be chosen randomly from the correct responses and announced on Facebook and via email on Monday, September 13 before 5pm.

And regardless whether you win or not (but especially if you do), join your friends at the Benson Latin American Collection in Sid Richardson Hall from 5-7pm on Thursday the 16 for the opening reception for Frente a Frente for a first taste of the exhibit and delicious food from El Naranjo.