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Woodrow Proctor as Richard Hannay embraces Mollie Downes as Annabella Schmidt. They look into the distance under a prop streetlight and stage lights.
Drama

Virginia Theatre Festival's '39 Steps' Shows Off the Humor in Hitchcock

If you’ve ever surprised yourself, or people seated near you, by laughing at a suspenseful moment in a movie, you’re ready for “The 39 Steps” on stage.

https://dailyprogress.com/life-entertainment/local/art-theater/virginia-theatre-festivals-39-steps-shows-off-the-humor-in-hitchcock/article_4c443a50-490f-11ef-9428-cb127eb8dc7e.html

Mollie Downes, Anna Faye Lieberman, Woodrow Proctor & Blake Segal
Drama

Virginia Theatre Festival Makes Casting Announcement for Upcoming Production of The 39 Steps

The Virginia Theatre Festival has announced casting for its upcoming production of the hilarious and high-octane take on the classic Hitchcock whodunit The 39 Steps. The 39 Steps, directed by Nicolas Minas, will run from July 25-August 4 in the Culbreth Theatre. The cast for The 39 Steps will include: Mollie Downes (Annabella Schmidt/Margaret/Pamela): Mollie (they/she) has appeared in the national tours of Chicago, The Cher Show, and Legally Blonde. Their regional theatre credits include Pippin, Damn Yankees, and Hairspray. Anna Faye Lieberman (Clown 1): Anna (she/they) appeared Off–Broadway in The Worst Café in the World. Their regional theatre credits include Fun Home, Into the Woods, Head Over Heels, and A Christmas Carol. Woodrow Proctor (Richard Hannay): Woodrow (he/him) has performed at regional theaters across the country including Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Franklin Stage, Saratoga Shakespeare, Luna Arts and The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. Blake Segal (Clown 2): Blake (he/him) has appeared in the national tour of Mary Poppins. He has performed at regional theaters across the country including Williamstown Theatre Festival, Old Globe, St. Louis Repertory Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company, Yale Repertory Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse, PlayMakers Repertory Company, and Syracuse Stage. He has been seen by television audiences on the CBS series Blue Bloods. Blake is a graduate of the University of Virginia.

https://virginiatheatrefestival.org/casting-announcement-for-the-39-steps/

An illustration of a director's clap board, a marionette puppet of a furry grey animal, and a student in pants and a tank top dancing.
Drama

Drama Department Classes Offer Hands-on Experimentation and Creation

While the University’s department of drama offers many traditional classroom-based courses, several classes take students outside of the classroom setting, giving them a hands-on space to experiment with new media.

https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2024/05/drama-department-classes-offer-hands-on-experimentation-and-creation?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured

A photo of the entrance to the balcony in Old Cabell Hall, which is decorated by the mural "The Student's Progress" by Lincoln Perry.

Painting a Brighter Future – a Critical Exploration of the UVA Arts Scene

From student-formed bands that elevate nightlife, to individual art exhibits on display at the University’s Ruffin Gallery, the arts community at the University is filled with a plethora of passionate creatives.

https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2024/05/painting-a-brighter-future-a-critical-exploration-of-the-u-va-arts-scene?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_featured

Four cast members of Shakespeare on the Lawn's "Much Ado About Nothing" pose in costume for a photo outdoors.
Drama

Shakespeare on the Lawn Brings New Energy to an Old Classic

The works of William Shakespeare have been performed for hundreds of years, with endless variations on modernizing the themes and setting.

https://www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2024/04/shakespeare-on-the-lawn-brings-new-energy-to-an-old-classic?ct=content_open&cv=cbox_latest

The crustacean puppet Kiki lights up the dusky sky on grounds with its embedded blacklights.

These Creatures Moved and Grooved on Grounds

Technical Director of Drama Steve Warner, along with architecture instructor and fabrication lab director Melissa Goldman and studio art technician Eric Schmidt started the Art of the Moving Creature course in 2012, a two-semester sequence that culminated in the first Festival.

https://news.virginia.edu/content/these-creatures-moved-and-grooved-grounds