Theatre 5220: Professional Aspects

In 2020, I substantially revised this course that supports students preparing to graduate and enter the professional world. The course includes student from all aspects of theatre and enrolls both undergraduates and grad students. I added a number of new modules to the course including a section on self-production that included information on nonprofits, funding and grants. I also added a series of guest artists that visited the class (either in person or online) including artistic directors, talent agents, designers, educators, and professional actors, including Sifiso Mazibuko, an alum who was starring in Hamilton in London.

One of the most successful changes was the addition of a research project about each student’s dream job. The first part asked students to find their dream job and compile a thorough dossier about it including the work it involves, the company itself, and the person who currently holds the position. After receiving their submissions, I reached out to the professionals they wrote about to arrange opportunities for students to conduct interviews with them, either live or through email, for the second half of the project. Of meeting one of their idols, one student wrote:

Something I hadn’t realized about performing in such a hugely successful and widely produced show like Phantom is how frequently and how much someone can move around. Cudia has swapped between the touring and Broadway productions multiple times, playing and understudying for multiple roles, before finally arriving as the “full-time” phantom.