The story encapsulated in Isaac Gómez’s La Ruta is immediate, centering around nine women whose lives have been altered – shattered, even – by the ongoing femicides near Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Though it’s set nearly three decades ago, the struggles, fears and hopes of these women are very much alive as the number of disappearances continues to rise to this day. To harness the essence of these women and their struggles in a play seems a daunting task in and of itself, but strip away the stage, the lighting fixtures and the set and the hurdles of telling this story seem nearly insurmountable. This is where the creative team of La Ruta found themselves midway through the summer; this is where their journey of innovating, experimenting and reimagining the play began.

Continue Reading Beyond the Screen: Telling the Story of LA RUTA

Though the pandemic has forced students everywhere to reimagine the start of the fall semester, the Theatre and Dance Undergraduate Advisory Council (UAC), with the help of our brilliant faculty, facilitated a warm welcome for incoming and returning Longhorns. To accommodate today’s virtual world, the UAC planned a week of digital events to introduce incoming students to the department, culminating in this year’s Convocation. In a video circulated to all undergraduate and graduate students, the UAC compiled introductions and words of encouragement from faculty in all areas of the department. Along with providing descriptions of their areas of study, the faculty communicated their belief in the resilience and adaptability of the strong community of artists that populate the F. Loren Winship Drama Building.

Continue Reading Faculty and Students Started the Semester with a Virtual Welcome Week