November & December 2016 College News

at Prague Exhibition grounds’ lapidary. The exhibition ran parallel with a conference of theatre designers at the Czech Museum of Music. Charles Ney’s book, Directing Shakespeare in America: Current Practices , was reviewed in the Shakespeare Theatre Association’s Quarto . From the review: “Mr. Ney sets a new standard for the study of directing Shakespeare in the USA, deftly interviewing leaders in the field and opening up the remarkable visions, unique processes and historical research that drives the production of the Bard’s work in festivals and theatres nationwide. . . . No doubt, Directing Shakespeare will be a welcome text for classrooms worldwide providing students with the ‘best practices’ of notable directors . . . It’s also a great read for seasoned professionals seeking a glimpse into the personalities and process of many of America’s most successful directors.” Michael Rau gave a talk on November 4 on the relationship between VR and the performing arts at the Books in Browsers Conference in San Francisco. Women and War , a collection of verbatim stories, letters, and testimonials from female American veterans of war was performed at Theatre Center Mainstage and the San Marcos Public Library. The concept for the show was created by Neil Patrick Stewart and co-directed by Tom Dugdale , Michael Rau , and Neil Patrick Stewart . The show was featured on the front page of the San Marcos Daily Record . STUDENT ACCOLADES Amy Bouquet , Jillian Campo , Kathryn Carroll , Aubrey Clyburn , Lauren Foutch , Alana Garcia , Sonia Guerra , Ayla Hantson , Jeannette Hiteshew , Kaleigh Koenig , Colleen Payne , and Sabrina Sanford appeared in Women and War co-directed by Tom Dugdale, Neil Patrick Stewart and Michael Rau at the Theatre Center Mainstage and at the San Marcos Public Library . ALUMNI ACCOLADES Brianna Ripkowski (BFA Acting) and Devin Finn (BFA Acting) appeared in The Other Place by Sharr White, produced in Austin by Southwest Theatre Productions, under the direction of Michael Costello . AJAX IN IRAQ OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 6, 2016 The Department of Theatre and Dance proudly presented Ajax in Iraq by Ellen McLaughlin. The show was directed by graduate student Rocky Hopson . The play followed the parallel narratives of Ajax, an ancient Greek military hero, and A.J., a modern female American soldier, both undone by the betrayal of a commanding officer. Inspired by interviews with Iraq war veterans and their families, Ajax in Iraq explored the timeless struggle soldiers face in trying to make sense of war. College of Fine Arts and Communication | 19