UAB Department of Theatre Guest Artist Residencies
Through the College of Arts and Sciences Jemison Scholar program, the Department of Theatre is able to fund a guest artist program that offers opportunities for student enrichment and faculty development. The department also profits from the Ruby Lloyd Apsey New Plays endowment that, until 2014, funded bi-annual playwriting competition. The winning play was given a staged reading and the best of these plays were produced on the Theatre UAB mainstage season. In 2011, the Department of Theatre presented the world premiere of We Three by Paul Shoulberg, winner of the 2009 Ruby Lloyd Apsey Award. This year, the department used proceeds from the endowment to commission a new work by award winning playwright Robert Earl Price.The following is a list of guest artists for the department since 2008...
2008
Steve Carmichael, lighting designer for Cabaret
Ken Cerniglia, open lecture on dramaturgy at Disney Theatrical Group, NYC
Moisés Kaufman, coached student director and cast for The Laramie Project
2009
Paul Shoulberg, winner of the 2009 Ruby Lloyd Apsey Award
2010
Bill Castellino, director for The Rocky Horror Show
Steve Carmichael, lighting design for The Miser
2011
Rachel Burttram, acting master class
2012
Lexie Dorsett, instructor for Musical Theatre performance
Frank Bradley, visiting professor and director of Don’t Trifle With Love
2013
Abe Reybold, instructor for Musical Theatre Performance
Melissa Bailey, choreographer for Bat Boy
David Leong, performance/movement master class
Jones Welsh, movement coach for Big Love and movement master class
Nicolas Dromard, performance master class
Julie Sanford, two-day industry casting workshop
2014
Dominique Johnson, musical theatre performance master class
Donnie Mather, movement master class, movement coach for Women of War
2015
Joshua Holden, puppetry master class, puppetry coach for Avenue Q
Robert Earl Price, playwright for The Butterfly Effect
Eden Espinosa , master class in musical theatre
Patti D’Beck, master class in musical theatre
2016
Michael Cassara, NY casting director, held three workshops on getting cast
Audrey Cefaly, playwright for Love is a Blue Tick Hound and many others
Kevin Kennison
The objectives and goals for the guest-artist program include providing opportunities for cultural enrichment, professional experience, and access to a larger artistic community. The program benefits the students, faculty, as well as the university and local communities. The majority of the guest-artists brought in by the department participate in public presentations, classes and seminars, talkbacks, master classes, and theatre productions that extend to the UAB and Birmingham communities.