College of Wooster Theatre and Dance

07/18/2023

Dear students, alumni, and friends,

I already sent a message out, but I was told that I should make a more public announcement if I wanted to reach more people. I am writing with some updates on the department and my own life and career. After 12 years at the College of Wooster, I will be leaving the Department of Theatre and Dance. Starting in the fall, I will be Chair of the Theatre Department at Columbia College Chicago. The department has over 700 theatre majors and offers 7 different BA and BFA theatre degrees, as well as MA and MFA degrees in Acting and Contemporary Performance Making. The department also stages more than 40 productions a year and has an impressive roster of faculty and staff, so I am very excited about this new opportunity!!

Over the years at Wooster I directed 20 plays, including CAGED, Women of Ciudad Juárez, Silent Sky, Trifles, The Normal Heart, Eurydice, and Water by the Spoonful (two of the productions were honored by KCACTF). I traveled with students to the United Kingdom, Peru, Mexico, Canada, Belgium, Romania, Spain, and across the US. I also brought dozens of guest artists to campus. I created new courses for the college— Latinx Theatre, Latin American Theatre, Theatre for Social Change, Q***r Theatre, and Performance in London. I have seen students grow and excel in all these opportunities and events and am happy to say that I made lasting relationships with so many of them.

I taught and directed hundreds of Wooster students in my courses and productions, and I advised dozens of young artists on their IS projects over the years. We attended plays together in Cleveland, worked all hours of the night on productions, laughed and cried in my office, and labored to make the department a better place through the BIPOC Performing Arts Alliance. And as Chair of the department, I oversaw the retirements/transitions of professors Dale Seeds and Kim Tritt, the inspiring return of Mike Schafer, and the hiring of professors Naoko Skala, Emily Baird, and Suwatana Rockland. I will cherish all of these and many other memories.

I wish you all the best in your future! Break a leg! (and stay in touch)

Sincerely,
Professor Jimmy Noriega

07/10/2023

Profile of alumna Stephanie Castrejón published in Wooster Magazine’s summer 2023 issue. It discusses her work at the college as guest director for the spring 2023 theatre production of Alicia from the Real in Wonderland. 

06/09/2023

College of Wooster students on the summer TREK program to London with Dr. Noriega. Museums, theatre, and afternoon tea! It’s been a good first week!

04/14/2023

Two more nights to watch the Spring Dance Concert!! Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm!

The College of Wooster’s Department of Theatre and Dance and the College of Wooster student Dance Company will present the annual Spring Dance Concert April 13 to 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Freedlander Theatre (329 E. University Street). Under the direction of Emily Baird, assistant professor of theatre a...

04/13/2023

Spring Dance concert open tonight!!

04/08/2023

Nice profile on Dance alumnus Amadi Washington ’14 .

Amadi Washington ’14 began dancing at nine years old, when his elementary school included an African dance class in their curriculum. As he continued through high school, he only took more and more dance classes before coming to The College of Wooster as a theatre and dance major. Since graduating...

04/04/2023

Dr. Noriega was awarded the Kennedy Center Gold Medallion. Check out the news story to read more!

Jimmy A. Noriega, professor of theatre and Latin American studies at The College of Wooster, is the recipient of the Kennedy Center Gold Medallion, […]

04/04/2023

Professor Skala works with theatre and dance majors (Katie Spence and Audrey Klosterman) at the I.S. Bootcamp that took place right before spring break!

04/01/2023

The Department of Theatre and Dance was thrilled to host more than 60 students and faculty from the Five Colleges of Ohio (Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, and The College of Wooster) for a day of dance workshops and performances on Saturday, February 11. The program, known as The Ohio Five Dance Conference, has created an environment for students and faculty to share their work, exchange ideas, and become acquainted as colleagues through their mutual appreciation for dancing.

The workshop lineup featured six dance styles: modern, salsa, Afro-house, postmodern, Thai-fusion, and Samba. Check out the video to see highlights from this gathering! (Shout out to Wooster student, Minh Pham, who filmed and edited the video).

More than 60 students and faculty from the Five Colleges of Ohio (Denison University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College, Ohio Wesleyan University, and The Coll...

03/30/2023

A big shoutout to Naoko Skala, Assistant
Professor, Department of Theatre and Dance.
Her article, “Experiencing the Japanese Nohgaku Theatre” (Winter 2022) was published in TD&T –Theatre Design & Technology. It received a Herbert D. Greggs Merit Award, which is from the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) for outstanding articles, which recognizes the quality of research and writing.

The award promotes innovative, in-depth writing
about theatre design and technology in TD&T.
A few complimentary comments from the
selection committee, include:

“Nicely done and containing lots of new
information.”
“A well-illustrated insight into Noh theatre. A
great introduction for a commonly taught
international form of theatre.”
“This article contained sound scholarship and is
a comprehensive treatment of the subject."

The United States Institute for Theatre
Technology (USITT) is a leading not-for-profit
professional organization for live performance
design and technology practitioners, educators,
and students.

02/24/2023

ALICIA FROM THE REAL IN WONDERLAND at Freedlander Theatre at the College of Wooster. March 2 & 3 at 7pm and March 4 & 5 at 2pm. Tickets can be reserved in person, by calling the Box Office at 330-263-2241, or online at www.wooster.edu/tickets.

Fun for friends and families of all ages!!

02/20/2023

Come see Alicia from the Real in Wonderland at the College of Wooster from March 2-5! The Department of Theatre and Dance invites friends and families of all ages to Freedlander Theatre to join in the fun. After each show, people can meet the cast in the lobby for opportunities to take photos with the characters.

Performances are March 2 and 3 at 7pm and March 4 and 5 at 2pm. The show has a runtime of approximately one hour and 45 minutes (including a 15-minute intermission).

The Freedlander Theatre Box Office is open February 20 to March 1 from 1-5pm and March 2 to March 5 from 1pm to the show's start time. Ticket prices vary by category and can be reserved in person, by calling the Box Office at 330-263-2241, or online at www.wooster.edu/tickets.

Alicia from the Real in Wonderland, by Carlos-Manuel, is directed by theatre and dance alumna Stephanie Castrejón ('16). It tells the story of a 16-year-old who decides to run away from home because of a disagreement with her mother. As she packs her stuff, she sees a White Rabbit and follows him. Soon, Alicia finds herself in a world full of “wonders,” with plants that talk, a philosopher caterpillar that discuss the meaning of reality, a mysterious cat that glows in the dark, a pair of mischievous twin sisters who always contradict themselves, and of course, a Mad Hatter, an over-the-top Queen of Hearts, and a Jabberwocky that everyone is terrified of for no reason. All these well-known, but also unique characters, have one goal in common—to help Alicia realize that running away from home and her problems is not a solution.

Please help us in spreading the word about this new production!