This is a special and significant year for the University of Kentucky’s Department of Theatre and Dance, as we focus on our Season of Sustainability. Each of our productions this season tells powerful stories that raise awareness about environmental issues—highlighting concerns, exploring possible solutions, and advocating for the preservation of our planet. Dancing with the Environment features five contemporary dances, each inspired by one of the five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and space. This concert bridges dance and environmental consciousness, offering new perspectives on the natural world and inviting us to think about the elements in a variety of meaningful ways.
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond simply telling stories. We are actively working to reduce waste, pollution, and energy consumption. From costumes to sets, many of the materials you’ll see on stage have been, or will be, repurposed across multiple productions. We’ve also upgraded our lighting to energy-efficient LED systems, which not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also consume far less energy than traditional incandescent lights.
For Dancing with the Environment, we’ve embraced sustainable practices by using found and recycled materials. In fact, 99% of the props in this production were sourced from items already in our stock, reinforcing our dedication to re-use and recycling. Many of the costumes were repurposed from previous shows, and we’ve employed low-toxicity, sustainable dye techniques to distress and age the clothing used on stage. Additionally, the marley flooring on our stage has been in use for 14 years, proving that sustainability can be built into the very infrastructure of our productions.
We’re also keeping an eye on the future. 95% of the clothing used in this production will be carefully saved and stored for future shows and classroom use, ensuring that these materials continue to have a life beyond this performance.
The performing arts have a unique ability to address the critical challenges of our time. I am proud that our department is dedicated to reflecting, discovering, explaining, and imagining solutions for the state of our world. As chair, I am excited to lead our community of students, scholars, educators, and staff in this important work and to inspire action in the face of the immense challenges we all face.
Susie Thiel
Chair, Department of Theatre and Dance
VERSES
SPACE
Choreographer: Theresa Bautista
Music: Clayton Hable, soundscape; Laurie Anderson (composer), Laurie Anderson, Kronos Quartet (artists), Galaxies, Dawn of the World, CNN Predicts a Monster Storm, Wind Whistles Through the Dark City (Nonesuch Records)
Stage Manager: Katherine Kennedy
Costume Design: Lisa Wilson
Lighting Design: Mattie Johnson
Dancers:
Bobbie Akin, Zoe Easterberg, Reagan Fornia-Fleming, Aary Hampton, Kat Heffner, Ali King, Sarah Deale (Understudy)
Zephyr
Air
Choreographer: Laura Neese in collaboration with performers
Music: Composer: Caroline Shaw, Artist: Roomful of Teeth, Partita for 8 Voices Part 1: Allemande (New Amsterdam)
Stage Manager: Katherine Kennedy
Costume Design: Lisa Wilson
Lighting Design: Eli Van
Dancers:
Natalie Brisken, Jojo Edmonds, Allison Gates, Miranda Haney, Kloe Hooker, Luci Mangen, Carrie Vest
UNCONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION
EARTH
Choreographer: Susie Thiel in collaboration with the cast
Music: Patricia by Havana Mambo (Reader’s Digest); Heavy Machine Sound Effects, Tree Falling Sound Effects, Industrial Sound Effects edited by Susie Thiel; Tree’s Sacrifice by Ezio Bosso (2016 Sony Music Entertainment Italy S.P.A.)
Stage Manager: Katherine Kennedy
Prop Coordinator: Daryn Russell
Costume Design: Lisa Wilson
Lighting Design: Bobbie Akin
Sound Design: Susie Thiel
Dancers:
Anna Benton (soloist), Zander Chojnacki, Jasmine Estep, Mattie Johnson, Ali King, MacKenzie Flowers, Holly Fullington
Intermission
38.03672°N, 84.50196°W
WATER
Choreographer: Janie Morgan and dancers
Music: Jon Ross as Cheese Teeth, Landfall
Stage Manager: Katherine Kennedy
Costume Design: Lisa Wilson
Lighting Design: Alex Korfhage
Dancers:
Bobbie Akin, Anna Benton, Julia Bradley, Emilee Casabella, Allison Gates, Kat Heffner, Lexi Kunigonis, Sophie Lee, Jessica Mattingly, Lily Sgroi, Haley Shaver, Katie Shouse
INFERNO
FIRE
Choreographer: Jasmine Singer
Music: News channels, open broadcast recordings, edited together by Jasmine Singer; Power-Haus, Rapacity; Power-Haus, Middle of the Night (Sony Music Publishing)
Lighting Design: Chris Hak
Dancers: Bobbie Akin, Emilee Casabella, Zoe Easterberg, Jojo Edmonds, Reagan Fornia-Fleming, Kat Heffner, Lily Sgroi, Kyla Shinsky, Jasmine Singer, Jasmine Estep (Understudy)
All student work is supervised by College of Fine Arts Faculty.
Lighting and Sound: Jeremiah Kearns
Costumes: Lisa Wilson
Scenic Design: Kate Field
Technical Direction: Zak Stribling
Choreography: Susie Thiel
Stage Management: Megh Jennings-Posner
The Department of Theatre and Dance is pleased to offer Live Audio Description for all performances of Dancing with the Environment in order to promote accessible enjoyment of live dance performance for all audience members. Any patron may request a listening device to enjoy this service.
Special thanks to Bluegrass Council of the Blind for technology support.
AD Writers: Laura Neese, Noelle Sharp
AD Narration: Zoie Albrecht, Carrie Vest, Laura Neese
AD Sound & Technology Director: Jeremiah Kearns
AD Service Coordinator: Laura Neese
Kaileigh Ervin, Anniston Jenkins - Wardrobe Crew
Dean, College of Fine Arts: MARK SHANDA
Chair, Department of Theatre & Dance: SUSIE THIEL
FULL-TIME FACULTY
Tracy Barber, Senior Lecturer
Herman Farrell III, Professor, Playwriting, Co-Director Certificate in Filmmaking: Production & Dramatic Writing
Kate Field, Assistant Professor, Scenic Design
Jeremy Gillett, Assistant Professor, Acting, Studio Season Director
Nancy Jones, Professor, History, Practice & Performance/Director of Musical Theatre Certificate/Director of Undergraduate Studies
Jeremiah Kearns, Assistant Professor, Lighting & Sound
Laura Neese, Lecturer, Dance
Christina Ritter, Senior Lecturer, Theatre
Peter Allen Stone, Associate Professor, Theatre
Zak Stribling, Senior Lecturer, Theatre/Technical Director/Production Manager
Susie Thiel, Chair/Associate Professor, Dance
ADJUNCT FACULTY
Theresa Bautista, Dance
Danielle Dunmire, Dance
Jeremy Kisling, Theatre
Kristany Setser Malone, Dance
Janie Morgan, Dance
Ron Wilbur, Musical Theatre
Anna Wilson, Dance
Lisa Woods, Theatre
STAFF
Natalie Maynard, Costume Cutter/Draper
Andrea Richardson, Costume Inventory Specialist
Sarah Smith, Administrative Assistant
Lisa Wilson, Costume Shop Manager
EMERITUS FACULTY
Nelson Fields
Robert Haven
John Holloway
Geraldine Maschio
Rhoda-Gale Pollock
James W. Rodgers
