Theatre

Name: Victoria (Tori) Schuchmann '16
Undergrad Degree: Theatre & English (concentration in Teacher Education); minor in Educational Studies
Hometown: Oxford, CT
Extracurricular Activities: Theatre Fairfield Production Intern, Your Mom Does Improv (YMDI)

Describe a project done through the program that you are particularly proud of.

Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” During the Christmas break of 2014, I had the honor and privilege of producing Theatre Fairfield’s independent project, Gruesome Playground Injuries. This entirely student-run undertaking allows young, inspired artists to implement the lessons they have learned in the classroom, as well as build upon the priceless production experience they have gained throughout their time here at Fairfield. I have no hesitations or reservations in saying in that being a part of Gruesome Playground Injuries has been one of the proudest experiences of my life, thus far. I wholeheartedly believe that theatre teaches lessons far beyond the reaches of a stage. Patience, perseverance, dedication, teamwork, and insurmountable amounts of love are just a few of the priceless virtues theatre instills in all those who partake in it.

Describe the ways that the university’s Jesuit mission and identity had a positive influence in your academic and personal experience while at Fairfield.

Fairfield University as a Jesuit institution greatly affects my daily life as a student here. I feel privileged to be able to attend mass, on campus, every Sunday; to be able to share my beliefs with those around me; to partake in service and humanitarian efforts organized by campus ministry. During my freshman year, I participated in an alternative spring break trip to Spotsylvania, Virginia in which I, along with ten other Fairfield personnel, helped rebuild Lake Anna State Park. These seven days of intense mental and physical exhaustion were some of the most fruitful of my time at Fairfield. Fairfield creates a sense of community that is incomparable to other campuses in this country. The people here are different. The atmosphere here is different. The experience here, I believe, is different. The constant presence of Jesuits in residential halls, the classrooms, and in the chapel are constant, heartwarming, reminders that students can carry a little piece of home with them wherever they go.

Name: Katie Premus
Undergrad Degree: Theatre and English Literature
Hometown: Staten Island, NY
Extracurricular Activities: Theatre Fairfield Production Intern, YMDI Improv Director

Why did you choose to attend Fairfield University?

An enormous part of why I chose to attend Fairfield University was that it is a Jesuit university with a strong focus on the liberal arts education and an honors program that values interdisciplinary studies. In high school I had been interested in many subjects and I had hoped to explore all of these interests in college. I came into school with a declared English major, but I knew that I would still have the opportunity to continue to learn about my other passions. This educational freedom led me to eventually declare a second major. I loved that Fairfield would give me the opportunity to learn more about any subject I was interested in, and that the University would make me a well-rounded student.

Describe a project done through the program that you are particularly proud of.

Every year, Theatre Fairfield, with the help of the Jamie A. Hulley Arts Foundation, offers an opportunity for theatre students to work on an Independent Project. This means that students return to campus a few days after the New Year and spend their time designing, directing, and acting in an entirely student-organized production. In the winter of 2013, I took part in this project as an actor in Paula Vogel’s play, How I Learned to Drive. This production was a challenge for us, but we were able to collaborate as a group and mount a production that we were enormously proud of in only three weeks. This Independent Project is always a wonderful chance for us to put to use the skills we have been gaining all semester and hone our own artistic visions and ideas. This project is also one that allows us to continue to grow from year to year. Now that I am a senior, I will be given the chance to strengthen my artistic skills as a student and theatre artist as I direct this year’s Independent Project.

Describe a favorite course and how it helped your academic growth.

One of my favorite courses that I have taken was an independent study in stage management, which I took in the theatre department with Professor Lynne Porter. During this course, I learned about the field of stage management through first hand experience. I stage managed Theatre Fairfield’s production of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People – working with the director and cast, facilitating communication between the designers, technical director, and the director, and eventually running the show during its performances. This course tested my theatrical knowledge, strengthened my leadership skills, and taught me the importance of collaboration and organization within the theatre.

Name: Logan Pratt '15
Undergrad Degree: Theatre and Communication
Hometown: Cohasset, MA
Extracurricular Activities: Theatre Fairfield Production Intern, Band

Describe a project done through the program that you are particularly proud of.

I was able to have an internship with Theatre Fairfield in which I Stage Managed a show called Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco. The show was the first main-stage show that I Stage Managed with Fairfield University, and it was a very rewarding experience. The show presented itself with many challenges, such as organizing everyone’s schedules and times to be at the theatre and rehearsals, as well as balancing late night rehearsals with my other academic classes, another major on top of that, and going to classes everyday. However, learning how busy it keeps me and how much I love the job has allowed me to take the skills I have learned while stage managing and apply them to my own real life experiences. I have become much more organized and approachable in my everyday life. These skills have allowed me to get other jobs outside of the theatre department, such as working at a theatre in Connecticut as an Assistant Stage Manager this past summer. The experience I had while doing the show at Fairfield has stuck with me so much because of the people I worked with and the experience I had, and has made me excited to talk about my future in Stage Management, looking back fondly on this adventure.

Describe a favorite course and how it helped your academic growth.

The Theatre Department offers a course every fall semester called Stagecraft, which teaches you the backstage fundamentals of theatre. We learned how to use power tools, build a set, different types of wood, tie knots, and all the other areas of theatre that are considered to be behind the scenes and may help you while working on a show. Taking this class is one of the main reasons why I declared my theatre major. Although it required a lot of hours working in the scene shop and working on the shows, it provided me with that hands-on work that allowed me to appreciate many more areas of the theatre besides just acting on the stage. It also allowed me to choose a career path for after graduation, which is Stage Management. The class prepared me for future classes in the theatre department such as Design, in which we did a set, lighting and costume design, as well as an internship I had in Stage Management where I had hands on experience in Stage Managing a show for Theatre Fairfield. This basis of knowledge that I had from that Stagecraft class allowed these specific areas of my academic career as a Theatre Major that much more enjoyable, knowing that I had the experience and understanding of different skills that I needed to fulfill these classes and internships.

Name: Maggie Greene '15
Undergrad Degree: Double Major in Theatre and Theatre Administration & Management
Hometown: Portland, OR
Extracurricular Activities: Theatre Fairfield Production Intern, Your Mom Does Improv (YMDI) Director

Why did you choose to attend Fairfield University?

I chose to attend Fairfield University for various reasons, but one of the school’s most important qualities that informed my decision was the fact that it is a Jesuit school. I attended Jesuit High School in Portland, OR. and knew that I would want to continue to grow with the Jesuit mentality through a liberal arts university. I also knew that I wanted to move to the east coast because I wanted to be a theatre artist, and with such easy access to NYC, Fairfield seemed irresistible. Once I learned about the theatre department and how it focuses on holistically educating aspiring theatre artists, I made my choice.

Describe a project done through the program that you are particularly proud of

During my sophomore year Dr. Martha LoMonaco and I worked together to create an independent major in Theatre Management & Administration. Partnering with Dr. Carl Scheraga and the business school, we set out to find way to fulfill my aspiration to explore the world of theatre management. We spent many months creating an independent major that would teach me about marketing, management, ethics, writing, and more. Another very important piece of my education has been the internships I have had. During both the summer of 2013 and 2014 I interned at Playhouse on Park in West Hartford, CT and had internships in Marketing and Education, and Casting and Development. Also, during my sophomore year and my senior year, I have had production internships in Audience Relations and Public Relations with Theatre Fairfield on campus. These internships, in conjunction with my major in theatre management, proved to be extremely valuable to my growth as a theatre artist.

Describe a favorite course and how it helped your academic growth

"Design" with Professor Lynne Porter was by far my favorite course that I have taken at Fairfield so far. Because designing for theatre requires commitment to the creative process, this course really encourages students to take time to make mistakes and think outside the box. Every day I felt challenged and inspired as I was taught to understand plays as a designer, while I learned the basics of how to make concepts and themes come to life in a visual way. This class taught me not to settle, to strive for excellence, and to be open to new ideas—even at the last minute.