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Faculty 
UC Irvine theater professor’s new production tells a story through physical movement

The runaway wanders the cold streets of Los Angeles grasping for meaning in the uncompromising urban sprawl. Fleeing a life of evangelical conformity, the girl hopes to find something valuable hidden within the city's outer husk. The perennial theme of the directionless child's search for identity...
Alumni 
Amandla Bearden Featured in National Commercial

UCI Drama Alumni Amandla Bearden is currently featured in a national commercial for Credit Karma.  

Alumni 
Nick Manfredi in an Episode on "Betrayed"

Nick Manfredi (MFA 2016) was recently featured in an episode of Betrayed on ID (Information Discovery) Network.
Alumni 
Gwyn Conaway-Bennison recently published "The Story We Wear: Costume Design for Animators and Illustrators"

Gwyn Conaway-Bennison (MFA 2015), who is currently guest Costume Designer on UCI Drama’s Mrs. Packard, recently published The Story We Wear: Costume Design for Animators and Illustrators (Design Studio Press 2017).
Alumni 
Fun Home’s Beth Malone Joins Broadway’s Angels in America

The Tony nominee will share the role of the Angel at select performances with Amanda Lawrence. Beth Malone earned her first Tony nomination for her portrayal of Alison Bechdel in Fun Home. She also originated the role of June Carter Cash in Ring of Fire on Broadway, as well as the roles of Betty...
Faculty 
Eli Simon named The Daily Pilot/TimesOC Man of the Year in Theater for 2017

The Daily Pilot/TimesOC Man and Woman of the Year in Theater for 2017 are the artistic director of UC Irvine’s New Swan Shakespeare Festival and the executive director of One More Productions at the Gem Theater in Garden Grove, Eli Simon and Nicole Cassesso. Simon is a Chancellor’s Professor of...
Alumni 
Alum Bree Murphy to Play Adelaide in Upcoming Production of 'Guys and Dolls'

Bree Murphy (MFA 2014) is playing Adelaide in Music Theatre West’s upcoming production of Guys and Dolls, and current second year MFA in Music Direction candidate Benet Braun is the Music Director for the show.
Student 
Lex Leigh is Associate Music Director for South Coast Repertory’s upcoming production of Shakespeare in Love

Current second year MFA in Music Direction candidate Lex Leigh is Associate Music Director for South Coast Repertory’s upcoming production of Shakespeare in Love. Lex previously worked on last summer’s production of Once at SCR. 
Alumni 
Quinn VanAntwerp to perform in Broadway in Concert Series

"Theatre West's acclaimed Broadway in Concert series returns for the company's 65th anniversary season with an exciting line up of stars. Cast member from Broadway and film production of Jersey Boys' Quinn VanAntwerp in Oh What a Night (Saturday, February 3, 2018; and Los Angeles and San Francisco'...
Alumni 
UCI Drama alumni performing in the Broadway musical 'The Book of Mormon'

True to the Department of Drama's long-standing reputation of training the future stars of Broadway, three UCI Drama alumni are currently performing in the Broadway musical 'The Book of Mormon': Jacob Haren (BFA 2013) can be seen on Broadway; Jacob Ben-Shmuel (BFA 2017) and Oge Agulué (MFA 2015)...
Alumni 
UCI Drama alumni in 'Frozen' at Disneyland Resort’s Hyperion Theatre

Two UCI Drama alumni are currently working on Frozen at Disneyland Resort’s Hyperion Theatre; Ashley Moniz (BA 2009) is performing as Anna, and Nathaniel Chase (MFA 2017) is working as an Assistant Stage Manager.
Alumni 
UCI Drama alumni Karyn Lawrence works as Lighting Designer in several shows

Karyn Lawrence (BA 2007/MFA 2012), winner of a 2016 NAACP Theatre Award for Best Lighting for her work on Fences, has worked as Lighting Designer on five shows this year thus far, including Next to Normal at East West Players and Moby Dick at South Coast Repertory.
Student 
Hope Reborn in “Is There Life After Birth?”

In partnership with UCI Illuminations, “Is There Life After Birth?”, directed by MFA Directing Candidate Melissa Livingston, had a moving opening night on Friday, Nov. 17, here on campus in Studio 4 at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts. This 35-minute production includes rich emotional...
 
Rock opera 'Chess' develops a metaphor for political and romantic intrigue

Cris Gross from the LA Times interviews director Robin Buck about the Department of Drama's production of CHESS, part of the 2017/18 Season "The Business of Politics/The Politics of Business." .
 
New Swan Shakespeare Festival named Best Theater/Playhouse in OC Weekly’s “Best of 2017” issue

"Yes, the theater founded by UC Irvine professor Eli Simon benefits from close access to the infrastructure, as well as the past and present talent of the university, and to compare its output—two plays and a handful of special events each summer..."
Alumni 
What this UCI Alum Says About Her Tony-Nominated Role in "Come From Away"

“I learned so much about who I am and who I want to be. And at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts, they don’t have a program to mold one into a certain kind of actor; they give you exactly what you need… UC Irvine was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.” – Jenn Colella
Faculty 
HAMILTON Stage Management Team Slated for L.A. Panel

The Stage Managers' Association of the United States (SMA) presents IN CONVERSATION WITH THE HAMILTON STAGE MANAGEMENT TEAM (Angelica Tour), hosted by Actors Co-op Theatre Company, a panel moderated by Joel Veenstra, SMA Western Regional Representative and Associate Head of Stage Management at UC...
Alumni 
Hamilton Stage Management Team Slated for L.A. Panel

The Stage Managers' Association of the United States (SMA) presents IN CONVERSATION WITH THE HAMILTON STAGE MANAGEMENT TEAM (Angelica Tour), hosted by Actors Co-op Theatre Company, a panel moderated by Joel Veenstra, SMA Western Regional Representative and Associate Head of Stage Management at UC...