Before joining the Department of Theatre and Dance, Rusty Cloyes worked as a stage manager and associate production manager at venues across the country. Now, Cloyes continues to work with theatres locally and nationally, but much of his time is dedicated to being an Associate Professor of Practice, Director of Production and head of the stage management emphasis here at UT Austin, where he has mentored and encouraged the next generation of stage and production managers for the past several years. We spoke with Cloyes and a few of his students about his theatrical background, his favorite part of teaching and the valuable advice he’s shared with his students.
NUESTRA TIERRA, NUESTRO TEATRO: AFFIRMING LATINIDAD ON WINSHIP STAGES
Dramaturg Demian Chavez Galvan digs into the script and context for Romeo y Juliet, from the new setting to working with a group of predominantly Latino artists to realize this bilingual production. Read their article in English or scroll down for their full article in Spanish.
When KJ Sanchez and Karen Zacarías first explored the concept of a bilingual adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, they knew they needed to place the action in a setting that felt like a pressure cooker. It was vital that the audience feel that the characters act in the only way they could given their circumstances. Five people will die by the time the play is over, and we need to believe each of their deaths is tragically inevitable.
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Behind-the-Scenes with Guest Choreographer Claudia Lavista
Every spring semester, Dance Repertory Theatre welcomes guest choreographers from around the world to choreograph new works, giving our dance students the opportunity to learn new choreographic methods and dance styles. Points of Intersection features pieces by two guest choreographers – American dancer, choreographer and educator Jennifer Archibald and Mexican choreographer and performing artist Claudia Lavista. We spoke with Lavista, who is visiting UT Austin as a Fulbright Scholar, and a few of her dancers about the process of collaborating on her piece Óxido (Rusty).
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