Stories - College of Arts and Sciences

Brian Thorstenson: A New Act Begins

Sinatra Chair Brian Thorstenson celebrates 20 years of mentoring diverse playwrights and the exciting future of theater at SCU.

Dancing with Meaning

SCU senior Mia Kanter explores the topic of burnout through dance

Detour to Partner with 2023-25 Sinatra Artist in Residence

Detour will bring its unique style to campus through collaborations with Sinatra Artist Brian Thorstenson.

Brian Thorstenson named SCU’s 2023-25 Frank Sinatra Chair in the Performing Arts

A long-time professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance will kick off a new era of the Sinatra Residency.

Brian Thorstenson: Recipient of University Teaching Award

Brian Thorstenson awarded Louis and Dorina Brutocao Award for Teaching Excellence

Kristin Kusanovich: University Award Recipient

Kristin Kusanovich awarded The Faculty Senate Professor Award

Ruth Mikusko Recognized by the College of Arts and Sciences

Ruth Mikusko awarded the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Service Award

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

Karina Gutiérrez directs this Mariachi opera, a wrenching tale of Mexican American migration through mariachi music, at West Edge Opera.

Changing the World in the Language I Know

Juliet Kulusic ’23 is leaving SCU with a unique and holistic view of the human experience.

Act Your Passion

Theatre and Dance alumnae Sonya ’15 and Kalina Venugopal ’17 pursue their passions in New York City.

Kimberly Mohne Hill Recognized by the College of Arts and Sciences

Kimberly Mohne Hill awarded the Professor Joseph Bayma, S.J., Scholarship Award

From the Page to the Stage

Vicky Pham ’23 reflects on her experience writing A Seat at the Table and working with BD Wong to produce the play on campus

Reimagining Live Theatre during the Pandemic

After many months without live theatre performances on campus, SCU students performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream with a Covid-friendly twist.

Bringing Emotion to the Stage

Student choreographers tap into contemporary topics such as motherhood, human trafficking, and more during this year’s Choreographers’ Gallery.

Loss & Love

2020 graduate Caroline Eby's sacrifice of the biggest performance of her life so far, her senior recital, to help stop the spread of COVID-19 is chronicled in the Fall edition of the Santa Clara Magazine.

Celebrating 20 years of Charisma

The annual student-led devised theatre performance explores spirituality and existence while combining art, music, and dance, with the spoken word.

Physics of Dance Workshop

Professors David Popalisky and Richard Barber held a Physics of Dance Workshop for Florida high school teachers at FSU.

Spring Immersion Trip to New York

The Theatre & Dance department hosted its annual Spring Break Artistic Immersion Trip to New York again in 2019. Our large and active alumni network in NYC helped to provide some once-in-a-lifetime experiences for our current Junior and Senior students.

A Play of Little Moments

Christian Wilburn’s love_stories gives stage to student experiences

Experimenting in Theatre

SCU theatre arts major gears up to take the stage, both literally and virtually

Teatro Catalina 2018

In late January we found out that Teatro Catalina wanted us to spend a week exploring the art of devised theatre with their Nicaraguan Theatre Company. A departure from previous trips where each show had been centered around a theme, this play would be developed from their own personal stories...

Teatro Catalina 2017

The 2017 Teatro Catalina arts service trip to Chinendega, Nicaragua was a transformative experience for eight current SCU students and three Theater & Dance alumni, lead by faculty advisor Claire Calalo. Every partnership between Santa Clara University and this program is unique, and this year proved to be a milestone for the collaboration in many ways.

Spring Immersion Trip to Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland

Hot on the heels of our wildly successful and inspiring first-annual Spring Break Immersion Trip to New York City, the Department of Theatre & Dance sponsored this year’s Spring Break Immersion Trip to Ashland, Oregon and the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Spring Immersion Trip to New York

In March 2016 the Theatre and Dance Dept. successfully piloted its first immersion trip to a significant performing arts city. This initiative emerged from our Program Review process to seek innovative ways to connect current students with Theatre and Dance alumni working in theatre and dance at all levels from performing to community social justice work in the arts. Students will travel to Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2017; future trips might journey to Chicago or Los Angeles. Junior and Senior students apply during the Fall Quarter to join the trip.

Teatro Catalina 2015 Trip

Teatro Catalina is a program began by SCU Alumna Katie Fitzgerald as a community theatre in Villa Catalina, Chinandega, Nicaragua. Through the participation of SCU alumni and undergraduate teaching artists, along with faculty mentors, Teatro Catalina continues to grow and is currently working to integrate the performing arts into the Nicaraguan Public School system. Students may get involved by applying in the Fall quarter for the Spring Break arts immersion trip.

Fr. Fred Tollini, S.J. Celebration

The Department of Theatre & Dance celebrates Fr. Fred Tollini, S.J. after 41 years of outstanding service.

ASTEP

ASTEP (Artists Striving To End Poverty) at SCU is a student chapter of the New York based organization that began with Julliard students wanting to transform the lives of youth through the arts, to awaken their imaginations, foster critical thinking, and help them break the cycle of poverty. Students at SCU may get involved by joining the Registered Student Organization (RSO) club and participate in the ArtsReach and Dancercise programs in the local San Jose community.

ArtsReach

ArtsReach is an arts outreach program at Sacred Heart Community Services that provides learning experiences in theatre, dance, music, and visual arts to students in the after-school Homework Club. ASTEP at SCU works to coordinate opportunities with faculty, staff, and students to participate throughout the year and for Department courses to fulfill the Experiential Learning for Social Justice (ELSJ) core requirement.

Library Arts Study Break

During exam week each quarter FAST (Fine Arts Support Team) coordinates a 15 minute study break in the Harrington Learning Commons Lower Level that features dancing, music, theatre, visual art, and spoken word.

Shakes in Your Face

Shakes In Your Face is an engaging performance of Shakespeare's greatest hits by students and faculty in various locations across the SCU campus and in the community. These lively and fun short scenes and monologues are usually unannounced and take place in non-traditional performance spaces for passers-by, lunch crowds and students needing a study break.

THTR 32 - Costume Construction

In this class, students learn about fabric/textile studies, sewing techniques, dying and ornamentation, and costume crafts and, as a final project, produce quality shirts which are then donated to an orphanage in Uganda.