Virginia's Point of View: One Last Look

Only one more week left of the 2014 season. I can't believe it's gone so fast! But you know, that's part of working in theatre. We focus energy on ephemera. We create things that are only meant to live a short time. That reading of Other Desert Cities last week is a great example. We worked for 8 hours on it and then shared it with you. Now it is all gone, never to be concocted in quite the same way again. Because this is our world, theatre people are all pretty good at giving the past a great big sloppy kiss and rushing off into the future!

So, see me rushing.  I'm teaching two directing classes next semester. One with a brand new grad class who'll be with me for three years. The other with twelve undergraduates, many of them directing for the very first time. They will be directing short scenes from a play I love, Mary's Wedding. I always like to work with a beginning directing class on a favorite play. They give me so many ideas! But, if I don't get those syllabi done this week, I'll have to work on them in my precious ten days of vacation! That would make me very teary eyed!

We just recently chose a new Artistic Director for Theatrix, the student-run theatre company. I hope to spend some time with him before the week is out, to prep him for the fun he has in store. My next project for the university will be directing Thornton Wilder's Skin of our Teeth, which will open next winter. Each of the 3 acts in the play finds the human race in another disaster, from which we recover by the "skin of our teeth." What could be timelier? I've begun working on it already. I think about it on my dog walks and have started to write little notes in to myself whenever I have a pen in my hand.

Speaking of beginnings, tomorrow Susan Levine Ourada's new dance company, SloDance will give its debut performance P(l)aying Due(t)s on the Howell stage at 7:30. We're so honored to have her choose us for this event.

Speaking of endings, I will also see each of our plays one more time this week. It is ephemera, but it will live vividly in my memory and certain moments will keep touching me as long as I live. And that is also what theatre is.

NRT Excitement with Emma: Destinations Presents SLOdance

One of two Destinations performances has come and gone. Destinations, for those of you who don't know, is a series of two productions included in NRT's summer season--each of which are "one night only" performances. This year our Destinations series consisted of a staged reading of the acclaimed play Other Desert Cities by Jon Robin Baitz and was directed by Joshua Waterstone. The reading occurred this past Tuesday. But, if you missed that one, don't fret! You can catch the final performance of the Destinations series, SLOdance. Here's some information about the company and what to expect from the production from Artistic Director, Susan Levine Ourada:

"SLOdance is a dance company centered in Lincoln, Nebraska and is dedicated to 

making and presenting high quality, diverse and contemporary Modern Dance. 

Artistic Director and founder Susan Levine Ourada began thinking about forming 

a troupe when she moved in Lincoln to become the Head of Dance at the University 

of Nebraska–Lincoln. She saw a need for professional caliber dance for both the 

accomplished dancers residing in the local area, as well as a path for talented dance 

graduates from her program to help them in growing their careers. In addition, she and the 

other dancers involved in the company are committed to reaching out to share their 

work and vision around Nebraska and beyond.

Susan Levine Ourada
Artistic Director of SLOdance

SLOdance will have their “official” premiere, produced by the Nebraska Repertory 

Theater as a Destinations performance on August 5th, 2014 at 7:30pm in the Howell Theater. 

This concert will feature 7 short dances, including two works for the company 

that were created by prestigious New York City based artists Alexandra Beller 

and Jenna Riegel, and several pieces by Levine Ourada including a duet made with 

with Paul Besaw, her longtime dance collaborator. The group has already had 

several opportunities to perform their work in advance of this concert including 

performances at Sheldon Art Gallery, at NET television studios and at the Festival 

of Pelican Migration in Alma, NE with the Nebraska Chamber Players. In July, 

Susan and Paul will be performing at several curated shows in Burlington, Vermont 

and environs, including the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts.

SLOdancers for the Destinations concert are Ekida Laurie whose career has spanned 

three continents and who is a deliciously beautiful dancer, Noelle Bohaty, who 

began her career in Lincoln, has performed around the US and is currently a 

Teaching Fellow in the prestigious Ohio State University MFA program, Melissa 

Templeton, Dance Historian and part of the faculty at UNL, and Siera Greiner, 

Hannah Husman, Beth Jensen, Marisol Herling and Vivian Kim, all graduates of UNL’s 

Dance Program. Composer Garrett Hope has composed original music for two of the 

dances that will be shown."

Vivian Kim
Featured Dancer in SLOdance

Noelle Bohaty
Featured Dancer in SLOdance

Marisol Herling
Featured Dancer in SLOdance

Destinations presents: SLOdance

Tuesday, August 5th

7:30pm

Howell Theatre

Tickets are $7 at the door, but are free to Season Pass Holders. Coffee & Tea will be provided by The Coffee House. Remember, this is a one night only performance!