By Katie Potzick
There are a lot of University of Louisville students who were active in theater in high school but dropped the interest in college due to lack of opportunity. Most students are aware of the main stage productions but are not theater majors or feel too intimidated to get involved.
Studio Theater is a little known group on campus that fills that gap, offering students interested an outlet to produce their own material. It is a program for students at every experience level from amateurs to skilled performers to get involved in theater. It is open to all U of L students and is free of charge.
The current Studio Theater is overseen by Tiffany LaVoie, a theater MFA student, and Jillian Spencer, a senior Theater major.
“Studio Theater gives you the opportunity to do things you can’t do elsewhere. You choose your own script, the actors you work with and design your own show,” said LaVoie. “It’s exciting because it’s a space where people can assist you with the lighting and sound and support you every step of the way but it’s still your own production… just you and your ideas.”?
The group has already had one performance and has three more planned for the fall semester. The shows revolve around several different pieces planned by student directors.
Rocky Vanderford, a senior theater arts major, got involved with Studio Theater to “help get my bearings in the U of L theater department.”
Last year, she helped design the lighting for two studio shows and this year is a directing a piece titled “None of the Above” for the December performance. Studio Theater gives students like Rocky a chance to try their hand at new jobs within the theater from stage managing to directing to building the sets.
It also gives students an outlet to express themselves as with Christine Leidner, a senior theater arts major, who is directing a piece called “Foul Territory” for the October performance.
“Foul Territory is about two friends that are at a baseball game, said Leidner. “The guy, Owen, keeps getting hit in the face with baseballs while the girl, Ruth, is trying to lift his spirits.”
Studio Theater productions will host performances on Oct. 9-12, Nov. 20-23, and Dec. 4-7. They will be held at the Thrust Theater at 8 p.m., although different venues have been bandied about such as an outdoor setting in the spring. Admission to Studio Theater performances is free and the shows will range from 10 to 90 minute pieces, running from comedic to tragic, from solos to several actors.
Although the fall season is planned, the spring is still under construction and the group is looking for new members and ideas.
Anyone interested in the performing arts, according to those who know it best, may find opportunity with Studio Theater.
Interested students can inquire about Studio Theater by contacting Tiffany LaVoie or Jillian Spencer at tavol01@louisville.edu or jaspen04@louisville.edu, respectively.
