UMBC Department of Theatre

Tickets are now on sale for DOLL PARTS... a one-[trans]-woman show written & Performed by Professor Nikki Ann Hartman.

July 21-25 at 7:30pm @ The Voxel (9 W 25th Street Baltimore, MD 21218).

Ticket link is in our bio! Use promo code
UMBCTakeFive to get $5 off the July 21 preview performance!

Doll Parts… is a one-[trans]-woman show about memory, becoming, and transitioning gender in later life. Taking place in the present, even in its recollection of events of the past, Doll Parts… follows Nikki as she discovers her true self in the midst of hormone-therapy-induced puberty, dating, menopause, and surgically transitioning her gender in her 60s. Balanced with humor, a touch of the Divine, and an overwhelming joie de vivré, Doll Parts… looks at living an authentic life even if it has to be as a sacred act of rebellion!

Featuring a creative team with lots of UMBC Theatre friends...
Director & Production Manager: Grace Shepperd
Scenic Designer: Emerson Balthis '24
Costume Designer: Timothy Clark
Lighting Designer: Adam Mendelson
Assistant Lighting Designer: Andy Pfluger
Associate Projections Designer: Sean DiGiorgio '26
Sound Designer: Kaydin Hamby '19
Stage Manager: Mady Sims
Assistant Stage Manager: Jadyn Fleming
Producer: Kiirstn Pagan '11

Supported by UMBC CAHSS Dean's Research Fund, CIRCA, and Maryland State Arts Council.

Check out some of final projects from Professor Nate Sinnott's Scene Painting class! 🎉🖌

Happy Commencement!! Congratulations to our Spring 2026 graduates! Show them some love in the comments . 🎉🥳🎉

And a huge shout out to our graduating minors:
Autumn Bevins
Divine Iweha
Max Jett-Parmer

All production photos by Kiirstn Pagan ‘11.

Performance final showings are complete! 🎉 Congratulations to Professor Colette Searls's Craft of Acting II class, and Professor Gerrad Taylor's Vocal I Class!

One final showing today (May 20):
Sound Design - 1 - 3pm, Proscenium Theatre

Congratulations to Professor Gerrad Taylor's Acting Shakespeare class! Photos by LaTrelle Jamez (BFA '25) 😁.

Today's Final Showings (May 19):
Vocal I - 2pm, FA 318

Remaining Final Showings:
Sound Design - Wednesday, May 20, 1 - 3pm, Proscenium Theatre

Final showings continue this week! Congratulations to Professor Nigel Semaj's Movement 2 class (pictured) who had an excellent final presentation last week. (Directing also had a fantastic final presentation, but my camera died 😭)

Today's Final Showings (May 18):
Craft of Acting II - 4pm, FA 318

Remaining Final Showings:
Vocal I - Tuesday, May 19, 2pm, FA 318
Sound Design - Wednesday, May 20, 1 - 3pm, Proscenium Theatre

TODAY!

GAIA, A Fashion Exhibition designed by Taylor Holmes '26
Wednesday, May 13 from 6 - 8pm in the ADS (PAHB 105)

Come experience GAIA, a fashion exhibition that explores the beauty, power, and fragility of the natural world. This collection demonstrates how the old can be transformed into something new, echoing the cycles of rebirth found in nature itself. Through fully repurposed materials and sustainable design, GAIA highlights what we stand to lose in the face of climate change while celebrating the wonder we still have.

Happy Study Day! Final Showings have begun! Congratulations to Professor Andrew Hann's Vocal 3 class (pictured) who kicked us off with their excellent final performances yesterday.

Today's Final Showings (May 13):
Movement II - 1 - 2:30pm, TRS
Directing I - 4 - 6pm, TRS
GAIA by Taylor Holmes, 6 - 8pm, ADS

Upcoming:
Acting Shakespeare - Friday, May 15, 2pm, TRS
Craft of Acting II - Monday, May 18, 4pm, FA 318
Vocal I - Tuesday, May 19, 2pm, FA 318
Sound Design - Wednesday, May 20, 1 - 3pm, Proscenium Theatre

🎭 Alumni Spotlight on Vicky Graham (BFA Acting '20)! 🎭

Vicky is an actor and producing artist currently working in the Baltimore area. They were seen most recently in Romeo and Juliet at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company and a staged reading of An Enemy to the People by Nigel Semaj at Johns Hopkins University. Vicky has performed at Baltimore Center Stage (Our Town, Young Playwrights Festival), The Voxel (Call Me By Any Other Name… Just As Sweet, Salty, I Will Eat You Alive), The National Aquarium (Voyages: Chapter 7), and The Strand (The Long Christmas Ride Home). Vicky has also directed staged readings of Selkie at Red Emma’s Bookstore and THE SUPREMEZ: LIVE AT ROOKIES at the Voxel for the T4T4T Festival. Vicky works regularly with Submersive Productions and is currently on the producing team for their next project, The Pansy Hour.

“If I could tell a UMBC theater student anything, it would be to never give up on yourself. There were many times during college when I was struggling in multiple different areas, from financial instability to depression. My friends and classmates have become such a valuable support system. We tell each other about opportunities, go to each other’s shows, and help each other develop new work. It’s always a relief to see familiar faces in the audition room. With their encouragement, I feel like I can do anything. Even when the future feels completely unpredictable, believing in yourself and your ability to achieve your goals will help you succeed.”

Read more about Vicky's post-UMBC journey, and get to know other featured alumni at the link in our bio!

Pictured:
1) Vicky's professional headshot.
2) Vicky as Fat Woman 1 in I Will Eat You Alive by Katie Hileman with Interrobang Productions.
3) Vicky as Virgo in Call Me By Any Other Name… Just As Sweet by Nigel Semaj.
4) Vicky as Winnie/Fauna in Salty by AJ Clauss with Truepenny Projects.

Congratulations to UMBC Theatre Department's 2026 Student Awardees:

Outstanding Achievement in Performance: Grace Marsh and Dario Prioleau
Academic Excellence: Jadyn Fleming and Alden Lester
Outstanding Achievement in Design and Production: Ann Davies, Malaak McDonald, and Andy Pfluger
Outstanding Department Service: Morgan Decker and Adam Harper

Show them some love in the comments!