University of Central Florida student Elle Sullivan has won the Southeast regional competition for dramaturgy at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival and will be heading to Washington D.C. to compete at the national level this spring.
Sullivan, a junior majoring in Theatre Studies and minoring in Music, says her interest in the discipline stems from an interest in research and audience engagement. Used frequently in new play development, dramaturgs assist in gathering historical details and assist in the storytelling aspect of plays. They also assist frequently with audience engagement activities, such as pre-and post- show audience discussions and lobby displays.
“I was first interested in dramaturgy because it consists of a lot of historical research, but now I find that I really enjoy the audience engagement side,” says Sullivan.
Sullivan’s dramaturgy work was first noticed by an adjudicator visiting Theatre UCF for the fall 2013 production of The Drowsy Chaperone. “I approached [Director Earl Weaver] and offered to be his dramaturg for Drowsy. He agreed, and I worked closely with the Assistant Director, Rebecca Kane, to research a long list of things Earl wanted more details on. I compiled a packet that included information about food products, language translations, studies of historical figures, and other details. Then I created a lobby display that a lot of patrons enjoyed when they came to see the show.”
“The number of dramaturgy students who get recognized at the regional level is small. For Elle to be recognized on the national level is huge. This is the perfect stepping stone for her to get into a graduate program for dramaturgy,” says Theatre faculty member Earl D. Weaver.
Weaver continues, “We’ve had very few undergraduate level dramaturgs. Given that Elle initiated this position with me, it highlights her drive to get everything out of her BA education that she can.”
Sullivan credits her UCF education with helping her to get to the competition and doing well once there. “At UCF, I’ve had to do a lot of research and writing, which served me well when starting the project. Once at the competition, I was given the task of writing playbill notes for a new play. When the playwright asked for a complete rewrite with a three hour deadline, I was prepared to switch gears and I made the deadline.”
She also notes another aspect of her UCF experience that helped her advance to the next level: she was the only student at the competition who dressed up for the interviews. “Our Theatre faculty has prepared us for professional situations. And I’m representing the Theatre Department, and UCF, as best as I can.”
The Theatre department has a long history of involvement with the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Theatre Department Chair and Artistic Director Christopher Niess says, “The Kennedy Center competitions provide a unique opportunity for the students to get a sense of theatre training and practice regionally and nationally. By developing this sense, students have an advantage in the marketplace as well as a more matured perspective of art and culture.”
This year, in addition to Sullivan’s achievement, Alex Bair, Lucas Perez, Eric Earley, and Helena Whittaker were Irene Ryan Acting Award Semi-Finalists; Will Yanni was awarded an Honorable Mention in Scenic Design; and Igor Yachmenov received an Honorable Mention in Sound Design.
More Information
For more information about Theatre UCF, visit http://www.theatre.ucf.edu.
Contact: Heather Gibson, Theatre UCF; 407-823-1732, heather.gibson@ucf.edu
Theatre UCF is part of the School of Performing Arts at the University of Central Florida. The department’s graduate and undergraduate programs focus on providing a competitive edge to theatre artists seeking professional theatre careers, as well as to future creative intellectual leaders. The department offers theatrical presentations year-round to the public at the east Orlando campus. For more information about attending performances call 407-823-1500 or visit http://www.theatre.ucf.edu.
America’s Partnership University: The University of Central Florida, the nation’s second-largest university with nearly 60,000 students, has grown in size, quality, diversity and reputation in its first 50 years. Today, the university offers more than 200 degree programs at its main campus in Orlando and more than a dozen other locations. UCF is an economic engine attracting and supporting industries vital to the region’s future while providing students with real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation. For more information, visit http://www.today.ucf.edu.