CUBA INSIDE/OUT: An Exhibition

By Christopher Stackowicz and Yael Prizant

LangLab South Bend
1302 High Street

April 27 - August 1, 2012
Opening Reception April 27th 6:00-9:00 pm

Cuba Inside/Out is a collaborative piece between Christopher Stackowicz, Visual Arts Department Chair at Bethel College and Dr.Yael Prizant, a Theatre and Dramaturgy professor at the University of Notre Dame. The show features 22 photographs, hand painted reproductions of the signage visible throughout Cuba, text from Dr. Prizant’s upcoming book on Cuban theatre and remixed audio of Cuban plays, Castro’s speeches and various other sounds of Cuba.

You are also invited to a public gallery talk with the creators
Monday, May 7 at 7:30 pm.

About this project:
Yael Prizant (MFA/PhD - UCLA) has been researching and writing about Cuban theatre since 2003. When she met photographer and artist Christopher Stackowicz (MFA/BFA - ND '99), they realized his acumen for color and composition would dynamically represent the island, its art, its people, and its complexities. In 2011, they went to Cuba together and took nearly 100,000 photos of Havana and Santiago de Cuba for Yael's forthcoming book, Cuba Inside/Out: Theatre and Revolution in the Age of Globalization (Southern Illinois University Press). The pair then divided the photos thematically, into what has become three distinct shows: on drama, tourism, and revolution. The work here depicts the drama of the street as well as within Cuban theatres. The combination of excerpts from Yael's book, quotes from recent Cuban plays, and Chris' stunning photographs provoke a reconsideration of how lived experiences influence art.

Biographies:
Yael Prizant is a dramaturg, translator, teacher, and advocate for the arts. Her primary area of research is Cuban theatre since the fall of the Soviet Union and she translates the work of Cuban playwright Abel González Melo. She studied dramaturgy at UMASS Amherst and worked as a literary manager in Los Angeles for many years. In 2007, she earned her Ph.D. at UCLA and currently works as an Assistant Professor at the University of Notre Dame. She is also a proud co-founder of Ultreia, Inc., a non-profit organization that supports artistic and educational endeavors that serve the South Bend community.

Christopher Stackowicz is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Visual Arts at Bethel College. He earned his BFA from Notre Dame in 1999 and his MFA from Stony Brook University in 2002. His artistic specialties are in painting and interactive panoramic photography. His primary area of research is creating interactive photographs and applications for display, research, and as a vehicle for better understanding the site of antiquity. He has worked for the past 13 years as an editor, photographer, web designer, and interactive media specialist for Dr. Robin Rhodes on his Greek Architecture at Corinth project. He has also worked on a variety of projects for the American School of Classical Studies in Athens as a conservation photographer and as the editor and coordinator for the upcoming Athenian Agora Site Guide iBook, the interactive panoramic photographer for the SHARP project at Korphos, and for the Snite Museum. As a painter, his work is owned by numerous collections and has been exhibited both nationally and internationally. He had and has participated in over 100 shows since his MFA in 2002. As a Notre Dame alumnus and longtime area resident, Christopher is very active in the local arts community and his work can be seen all over town. He is currently working on the Marian devotional ceiling fresco at Queen of Peace in Osceola and the outdoor public mural at Bar Louie at University Park Mall. He earned his BFA from Notre Dame in 1999 and his MFA from Stony Brook University in 2002.

ND Playwrights Now! Thursday April 26th

Light Up The Sky

By Moss Hart
Directed by Jay Paul Skelton
Decio Mainstage Theatre

Tuesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 22 at 2:30 p.m.

Light Up The Sky (1948) is the last play written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Moss Hart. This backstage tale takes a jaundiced view of the theatrical archetypes: the arrogant director, the diva leading lady and her acerbic, seen-it-all-before mother, the ambitious producer, the naive new writer, and of course a garrulous parrot. Throw in a Shriners' convention and you have the recipe for a madcap evening in and about the theatre. Fast-paced and full of reversals of fortune and shifts in power, this very funny comedy is perfect for families and groups of all ages. 

For ticket information, click here. 
 

Chilean Film Festival begins Thursday, April 19th

Showcasing the originality of Chile’s indigenous filmmakers, the Festival of Chilean Film brings five feature films—and three acclaimed Chilean directors—to Notre Dame. Directors Ignacio Agüero, Gonzalo Justiniano, and Andrés Wood took up their work after the Pinochet dictatorship had almost eliminated Chile’s film industry. Their films have played a critical role in the country’s democratization process and helped form Chile’s present-day conceptions of history and identity. All events will be held in the Browning Cinema of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

The festival will begin with a free, but ticketed panel discussion and reception on Thursday, April 19 at 6:30 PM. The panel discussion, “Masters of Chilean Cinema,” will feature the three directors. The event is free, but ticketed with a reception to follow at 7:30 PM.

Tickets for the remaining events can be purchased at the Ticket Office by phoning (574) 631-2800 or online at performingarts.nd.edu.  Ticket prices are $6, $5 Faculty/Staff, $4 Senior, $3 Child/Student.

Thursday, April 19 at 8:30 PM 
Film Screening: Gonzalo Justiniano
Director Gonzalo Justiniano will introduce his film.

B-Happy (2003)
Not Rated, 90 minutes, Spanish and French with English subtitles

Katty is a teenage girl who finds solace from her troubled family in her friendship with a classmate who introduces her to the beauty of poetry. Challenged by her criminal father and overworked mother, she is forced to make difficult choices in order to live independently. Justiniano’s unsentimental coming-of-age drama is elevated by a remarkable performance by Manuela Martelli as Katty.

Friday, April 20 at 6:30 PM
Double Feature Screening: Andrés Wood
Director Andrés Wood will introduce his films.

Violeta Went to Heaven (2011)
Not Rated, 110 minutes, Spanish with English subtitles

Winner of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Jury Prize, Violeta Went to Heaven tells the extraordinary story of Violeta Parra, Chilean folksinger and pop culture icon whose songs expressed the soul of her nation. Following her whirlwind journey from Chile to Paris, where she also gained fame as a visual artist, Andrés Wood’s impressionistic biopic is permeated by Parra’s heart-wrenching, indelible songs.

Machuca (2004)
Not Rated, 121 minutes, Spanish with English subtitles

Set in 1973, this astonishingly intimate and painful coming-of- age story centers on a pair of 12-year-old boys from opposite extremes of society who form an unlikely friendship during the last chaotic days of President Allende and the first days of the brutal rule of General Pinochet. Featuring a searingly beautiful soundtrack, Machuca was acclaimed at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival. It is arguably the best-known Chilean film in the international context.

Saturday, April 21 at 6:30 PM
Double Feature Screening: Ignacio Agüero
Director Ignacio Agüero will introduce his films.

100 Children Waiting for a Train (1988)
Not Rated, 55 minutes, Spanish with English voiceover

Each Saturday, Alicia Vega transforms the chapel of Lo Hermida into a film screening room as she conducts a workshop for children under the auspices of the Catholic Church. The hundred or so children who had never seen a movie before learn about the cinema through photograms and moving images, discovering the wonder of Chaplin, Disney and the Lumières.

Agustín's Newspaper (2008)
Not Rated, 80 Minutes, Spanish with subtitles

Journalism students embark on an investigation of El Mercurio, the country’s oldest newspaper, and its pro-coup role in 1970s Chilean politics. Agüero’s documentary raises profound questions not only about the role and responsibilities of Chile’s media, but also of all those who manage the dissemination of information around the world.

Antígona Furiosa

   By Griselda Gambaro
   Directed by Anton Juan
   Philbin Studio Theatre
   DeBartolo Performing Arts Center

   Thursday, February 23 at 7:30 p.m.
   Friday, February 24 at 7:30 p.m.
   Saturday, February 25 at 7:30 p.m.
   Sunday, February 26 at 2:30 p.m.
   Tuesday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m.
   Wednesday, February 29 at 7:30 p.m.
   Thursday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m.
   Friday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
   Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 p.m.
   Sunday, March 4 at 2:30 p.m.

Antígona Furiosa (1986) is a re-shaping and re-telling of the Antigone story. During an interview in 1998, Gambaro had this to say about her work: "I knew I was going to subvert Sophocles' idea, in that I was going to speak with the voices of so many women in my country who have done the exact same thing as Antigone, who disobeyed Creon's order and threw a handful of dirt over her brother's body, enough to uphold the tradition of an honorable burial for the dead. Antigone is every one of the Madres de Plaza de Mayo who have paid for their disobedience with their lives."

For ticket information, click here. 

To view the trailer, click here. 

The 23rd Annual Notre Dame Student Film Festival

The wildly popular Notre Dame Student Film Festival returns to campus for its 23rd year on January 19-21, 2012.

A tradition like no other, the festival screens films that were made by undergraduate students during the past year as class projects. These students study the art of filmmaking in advanced, intermediate and introductory film and television production courses taught in the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre.  All films are shot on location and often feature the acting talents of Notre Dame students and faculty. The festival will be held in the Browning Cinema of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. 

The screenings are:

Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Friday, January 20 at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the Ticket Office, online at performingarts.nd.edu, or by calling (574) 631-2800. 

Tickets move fast, so get your seats early! MORE info and a complete list of films.
 

FTT Talks Presents: Antonia Ellis and Kevin Fortson, and Their Lecture, "Producing Successful Television Shows - Studio and Producer Perspectives"

4:30 PM, Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Eck Visitors Center Auditorium

Antonia Ellis has been the producer of Sex & The City, Royal Pains and Men in Trees. She was also co-producer of The Corner, which won an Emmy for Best Mini-Series. Earlier, Ellis was a production executive and head of post-production at DreamWorks SKG Television, and before that was associate producer on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Ellis has also produced feature films and is developing a web series. She is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Producers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild, and Women in Film.

Kevin Fortson, in his current role, produces scripted and reality series. He oversees the hit reality franchise The Bachelor  -- which includes The Bachelorette and Bachelor Pad -- The Voice, Rizzoli & Isles, Pretty Little Liars, The Lying Game, and Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew. Prior, Fortson was senior vice president of operations and studio facilities for Warner Bros. Earlier, he worked on shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Extra, Geraldo, and Now It Can Be Told.

For more information on Antonia Ellis and Kevin Fortson: click here. 

Sponsored by the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre, Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts and Multicultural Student Programs and Services

Provenance by Anne García-Romero

   Directed by Kevin Dreyer

   7:30 PM, November 16th - November 18th, 2011
   2:30 PM and 7:30 PM, November 20th, 2011
   Philbin Studio Theatre, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center

   For ticket information: click here.

Latina Theater Today: New Voices Conference

Thursday, November 17, 2011
McKenna Hall 210
University of Notre Dame

The one-day conference on Contemporary Latina Theater will feature two free panels of leading theater professionals and scholars exploring the current state of Latina Theater.

For more information: click here.
 

Fred Nelson, President, People's Choice Awards, and His Lecture, "Popular Culture is NOT an Oxymoron"

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
The Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
4:00 PM
 

In his talk, Nelson will share pop culture insights he has gleaned from movies, TV, and music in the 25 years since he graduated from Notre Dame, while providing tips for career advancement in film, television, and theare, publishing and advertising. 

Nelson is currently the President of the People's Choice Awards and has previously held positions at Entertainment Weekly, Time and Esquire magazines, and Leo Burnett Advertising. He was a Co-Executive Producer of VH1's The World Series of Pop Culture and has shared his entertainment expertise on Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, E!, Bravo, Fox, CBS and ABC's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters and the Department of Film, Television, and Theatre

The iNDustry Alliance Alumni Filmmaker Series Presents:
Actor William Mapother (ND '87) and his film, Another Earth

Friday, November 4, 2011
The Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
6:30 PM and 9:30 PM
 

Rhonda Williams (Brit Marling), a bright young woman accepted into MIT's astrophysics program, aspires to explore the cosmos. John Burroughs (William Mapother; ND '87), a brilliant composer, has just reached the pinnacle of his profession and is about to have a second child. On the eve of the discovery of a duplicate earth, tragedy strikes and the lives of strangers become irrevocably intertwined. This Sundance winner offers an unusual hybrid of indie drama and science fiction.

William Mapother has appeared in over fifty films and television shows. Recent film work includes: The Drew Peterson Story, the Sundance hit Another Earth, Edwin Boyd, and FDR: American Badass. Other films include the Oscar-nominated In the Bedroom, World Trade Center, The Grudge, Lords of Dogtown, The Burrowers, and Without Limits. His television-work includes Lost (as Ethan Rom), Prison Break, Criminal Minds, Touched by an Angel, CSI: Vegas, CSI: Miami, Law and Order: SVU, and Law and Order: Criminal Intent.

Prior to acting, Mapother worked in various positions in the film industry and taught grades seven to twelve in East Los Angeles. He grew up in Louisville, KY and received a BA in Literature from Notre Dame. He lives in Los Angeles. 

For more information, click here. 

Silent Shakespeare: An Evening with Thanhouser Films

Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Browning Cinema, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
7:30 PM
 

Ned Thanhouser, President of Thanhouser Company Film Preservation, Incorporated, will introduce the following featured short films The Winter's Tale (1910), Cymbeline (1913) and King Lear (1917)

Ned Thanhouser, grandson of the company's founder, established the Thanhouser Company Film Preservation, Incorporated, a non-profit organization involved in the research, acquisition, preservation and publication of educational materials related to teh early silent motion picture era, with a specific focus on the Thanhouser film enterprise. He has worked with the Library of Congress, American and British Film Institutes, and George Eastman House. Ned Thanhouser extensively assisted with Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History by Q. David Bowers, the most complete study ever done of an early American motion picture company.

These short films showcase the Thanhouser Company's pioneering achievement as one of the first American film producers to bring Shakespeare to the silent screen. Edwin Thanhouser, founder of the Thanhouser Company traveled with and owned numerous theatre companies in major cities prior to entering the motion picture industry.

It is a free, but ticketed event.  For tickets, contact the Ticket Office at (574) 631-2800 o click here.

For more information about Thanhouser Films: http://www.thanhouser.org/index.html

The Secret in the Wings

By Mary Zimmerman
Directed by Siiri Scott
Philbin Studio Theatre, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center

FTT Talks Lecture Series & ND Alumni Filmmaker Series

Screenwriters, playwrights, directors, television producers, filmmakers, actors, and executives from the entertainment industry present at this lecture series. At the Notre Dame Alumni Filmmaker Series, alumni filmmakers return to campus and screen their current films.

FTT Theatre Season & Special Presentations

FTT Theatre produces a wide spectrum of entertaining, thought provoking, and educational plays that include the classics, Shakespeare, dramas, comedies, and contemporary performances.

Films and Faith Weekend

Various faith-related topics are screened at this film festival, which often features prominent film directors and engaging post-film panel discussions.

Notre Dame Student Film Festival

For more than 20 years, Notre Dame students from introductory, intermediate, and advanced film production classes have screened their short films to sell-out crowds.

Notre Dame Theatre Outreach

This community-based program is for area middle and high school students and brings educational theatre activities that are based upon a current FTT theatre production. Notre Dame Theatre Outreach has focused around plays such as Blithe Spirit, Our Town, and numerous Shakespeare performances. It includes workshops in the schools and the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, attending a performance, touring the theatre facilities, and participating in a Talk Back with the actors and crew. If your school is interested in participating, contact Chris Sopczynski at csopczyn@nd.edu.

Notre Dame Undergraduate Film and Television Conference

Selected undergraduate students from across the United States come to Notre Dame for a two-day academic conference during which they present papers on various film and television topics.

Theatre and Cinema at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center

Notre Dame’s state-of-the-art center provides a variety of outstanding theatre productions; independent, foreign, and documentary films; and prominent music and dance artists.

Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival

Every summer, this festival presents world-class theatre and fosters educational performance opportunities for young actors.
shakespeare.nd.edu

Actors From The London Stage

Classically trained actors from England are on biannual academic tours to college campuses where they present Shakespeare plays and teach in classrooms.
nd.edu/~aftls

ArtsEverywhere

ArtsEverywhere is a guide to arts and culture throughout the greater South Bend region. artseverywhere.com

Department Calendar

View the upcoming events in Film, Television and Theatre.