Arts at Denison

In memoriam....
Bryant Arts Center stands as a testament to the vision of John "Jack" Beyer '92, who passed away on Jan. 23, 2026. As the last surviving founder of the world-renowned New York-based firm Beyer Blinder Belle that famously safeguarded New York’s architectural history, Beyer left his indelible mark at Denison with the 2009 transformation of a 1904 gymnasium into the visual arts building that it is today.

Beyer was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, with a degree in art, and later received a bachelor's and a master's degree in architecture from Harvard University in 1961.

Early in his career, he went to work for Victor Gruen, an Austrian-American architect who pioneered the shopping mall.

Describing the 2009 project that resulted in Denison's Bryant Arts Center, his firm observed that the sweeping renovation "creates a contemporary identity for Denison University's Art Department and promotes the cross-fertilization of visual arts disciplines under one roof.”

Learn more about Bryant Arts Center at link in comment.

June 11, 3PM and June 12, 3:30PM & 8PM
Exclusive film screening of 'Little Dancer' | The story of the young ballerina who posed for Edgar Degas
Herrick Hall
Free and open to the public, however tickets required at artsatdenison.ludus.com
Alumni, please register through the alumni website.

Join members of the Denison and Granville community for a rare and exclusive screening of "Little Dancer," a new musical by Ahrens & Flaherty (the award-winning team behind Ragtime, Anastasia, and Once on This Island), inspired by the story behind one of the most iconic works of art in the world.

"Little Dancer" tells the story of Marie van Goethem, the young ballerina who posed for Edgar Degas and became the heart of his celebrated sculpture masterpiece and then disappeared into the streets of 19th-century Paris. This evocative original work explores the resilience, ambition, and indomitable spirit of a young woman navigating a man’s world.

This special screening features a three-camera capture of the show’s sold out one-night-only concert performance at London’s Royal Drury Lane Theatre in July 2025. It stars Tiler Peck, prima ballerina of the New York City Ballet in a memorable performance.

The film runs for approximately one hour and 45 minutes and offers an extraordinary preview of a production ahead of its official debut in London's West End early next year.

This special screening is made possible by Denison alumnae and producer Sharon Carr ’73 and is also part of Denison’s 2026 Reunion weekend (June 11-14), celebrating alumni milestone years.

The movie screening will be held in Herrick Hall at Denison University.

Retiring Faculty Spotlight | Cheryl McFarren, B.A., M.F.A., Ph.D. Associate Professor Emerita of Theatre

Over the past 17 years, Cheryl Kennedy McFarren has shaped Denison’s theatre program through a deep commitment to the practice of performance. As Associate Professor of Theatre and Jonathan R. Reynolds Distinguished Professor of Theatre, she has supported generations of students in developing their craft, through an approach to theatre-making rooted in presence, collaboration, and creative agency.

McFarren’s path to the stage began in Oakland, California, where a summer recreation class first sparked her own interest in theatre. Encouraged by mentors who recognized her talent, she went on to study at the Young Conservatory of the American Conservatory Theater, where exposure to professional productions deepened her curiosity and ambition.

Led by this momentum, she then earned a bachelor’s from University of California, Berkeley, followed by a master’s of fine arts from the National Theatre Conservatory, and a doctorate in theatre from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

With more than five decades of professional experience, including 35 years directing and 30 years exploring the full range of theatrical production, McFarren has accumulated an impressive breadth of work.

Her time at Denison will be remembered for her mentorship, artistic rigor, and a deep belief in the power of creative exploration. For the many students and colleagues who have worked alongside her, those lessons will continue to resonate well beyond the stage.

Read full bio in our commencement program at https://denison.edu/forms/commencement-program

The Vail Series was endowed by a generous gift from the late Mary and Foster McGaw in honor of Jeanne Vail, class of 1946. On this 80th year of her graduation, we reflect and give gratitude.

As a Spanish major and a straight-A student with a deeply sensitive and artistic spirit, Vail was active in many extracurricular activities while at Denison.

Vail was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority where she was treasurer during her junior and senior years.

She was active in the Glee Club, the A capella Chorus, YWCA, Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish honorary), Phi Society (scholastic honorary), the Committee of 100, and the Denison Decade Committee.

Elected to Phi Beta Kappa in her junior year, Vail was one of only five students to receive general honors at her Commencement exercises in 1946.

Jeanne Vail died in 1949, a victim of Poliomyelitis, but her memory will live in perpetuity at Denison through the Vail Arts Program.

And just as it was intended to do, the Vail Series enriches the artistic experience of the entire Denison community, giving us the opportunity for faculty, staff, and Denison students to meet Vail artists in the classroom, and attend concerts with world-renowned artists at no cost.

Then and now, Denison acknowledges, with deep gratitude, this fitting memorial to a gifted alumna of great promise who exemplified the very best in our tradition and our continuing mission.

Alumni Spotlight | Evan Hill's ’09 Unconventional Path

When Evan Hill graduated from Denison with his degree in theater, he imagined a future in performance and comedy — that didn’t include a career in the front office of one of baseball’s most iconic franchises: the Chicago Cubs. How did he get there? By treating a baseball stadium like a stage.

Read the full story, by Safal Baral '26, at https://denison.edu/academics/theatre/wh/161701

We wrapped up the year in Eisner in May with with eight time Tony-Award winning "Spring Awakening," a powerful, rock-driven coming-of-age musical that explores the restless yearning and suffocating alienation of adolescence.

Set in 1891 Germany, the story follows a group of young classmates as they navigate desire and self-discovery in a rigid, unforgiving society.

Though 1891 and 2026 are worlds apart, the feelings of isolation and despair at the heart of this story remain deeply familiar. And yet, rehearsing this production, what emerged most powerfully was the relentless presence of ensemble. And what was discovered was the only way forward is together (from Director's notes).

On stage in April, Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” imagined a 1904 Parisian bar where young Picasso and Einstein—on the brink of changing art and science forever—sparred, flirted, and philosophized with a host of eccentrics.

Their witty debates about creativity, fame, and the future were as hilarious as they were profound. The play cleverly explored how genius is shaped by its time and, in turn, shapes the world.