Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for The Marvelous Wonderettes at Unity Theater in Brenham, TX. This four person jukebox musical features popular songs from the 1950s and 1960s. The production runs through early October. Unity Theater is a professional theater company situated in historic downtown Brenham, showcasing professional theatre artists from the Houston and Austin areas. Tickets are available here.

Margarett Root Brown Chair in Fine Arts and Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal is the scenic designer and scenic charge artist for Magnolia Musical Theatre’s production of The Addams Family Musical. The professional production is directed by acting and musical theatre graduate and Assistant Professor of Theatre at Abilene Christian University Joey Banks ’07, with technical direction by theatre arts graduate and SU Scene Shop Manager Chaz Sanders ’14. Ava Schweke ’29 collaborated with Roybal and Sanders in the fabrication and painting of the scenery while Madalyn Holstein ’29 served as a scenic carpenter and painter. The Addams Family Musical runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m. from July 15–August 15 at the Hill Country Galleria Pavilion in Bee Cave, TX. Bring a blanket, your beverage of choice and enjoy an evening of free, live theatre in the Hill Country!

Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola presented a paper titled “Ferrara as a Mediterranean Hinterland: Text, Technology, and Ceremony at the Este Court” at the 28th Annual Mediterranean Studies Association International Congress, held at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece from May 26-29.

Assistant Professor of Theatre Gabriel Peña performed as invited guest artist in Notes from the Field, the final production of Sewanee University of the South’s theatrical season, presented at the Tennessee Williams Center in Sewanee, TN. The docu-drama, compiled from hundreds of interviews with individuals impacted by the school-to-prison pipeline, features Gab portraying three distinct characters in this powerful multimedia work. Rehearsals began remotely, then integration with the local production team took place in March, and the show ran from April 15–April 19. Additional information is available here.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for The Stranger at Unity Theater in Brenham, TX. One of Agatha Christie’s more obscure works, The Stranger is a 1930s psychological thriller pitting a young woman against a charming grifter. Tickets are available at unitybrenham.org. The Stranger runs from April 23–May 10.

The Department of Theatre sent four seniors to the United States Institute of Theatre Technology conference in Long Beach, CA from March 13–17. Aidan Balakrishnan ’26, Warren Mullinnix ’26, Piper Swisher ’26, and Marley Wickersham ’26 took part in sessions ranging from stage and production management to lighting, scenic, and audio design. The students also networked with professional companies and artists, and presented their digital portfolios as part of Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel’s capstone course.

Margarett Root Brown Chair in Fine Arts and Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed stage scenery for the production Little Women, presented April 16–26 at the Mary Moody Northen Theatre on the campus of St. Edward’s University in Austin. The production, written by Kate Hamill, is a fresh, fierce adaptation of the beloved classic, reimagined for a new generation–boldly exploring love, ambition, and the power of sisterhood.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes and masks for Zach Theater’s beloved classic, Charlotte’s Web. This family-friendly production tells the story using live bluegrass music, aerial silk acrobatics, and mask work. Performances run through May 17. Get your tickets here!

Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola recently published an article titled “Farò raddoppiare li segni pubblici de gaudio et letitia per la terra et per tutto. Lucrezia Borgia and Her Theatre of Diplomacy (1509–1512)” in Storie e Linguaggi 11.2 (2025). The article examines Lucrezia Borgia’s diplomatic activity during the wars of the early sixteenth century, showing how the courtly receptions, musical performances, dances, and fashion spectacles she organized in Ferrara functioned not merely as displays of power but as active instruments of political negotiation and mediation. The article is available open access here.

Computer science and theatre double major Aidan Balakrishnan ’26, computer science and mathematics double major Tanner Klein ’26, and computer science major Matthew Volkin ’26 participated in the Association of Computing Machinery’s South Central USA Regional Programming Contest on November 8, solving seven out of 13 problems. Their team, the pi-rates, placed 4th among the 20 teams in the South Central USA Division. They participated in the competition at the University of Texas at Austin site, but were in competition with teams at other sites throughout the South Central USA Region. Teams in the Mid-Atlantic USA Region and Southeast USA Region competed on the same day, and across the entire conference, the pi-rates placed 17th out of 94 teams. The team was coached by Associate Professor of Computer Science Jacob Schrum.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for A Charlie Brown Christmas at Zach Theater in downtown Austin. This musical is based upon the classic Peanuts family favorite and is a wonderful holiday event for the whole family. The production runs from November 7 through the end of the year. Tickets can be obtained here.

Theatre alumna Olivia Rose McCain ’22 was awarded a 2025 B. Iden Payne Award for Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design for her work on MotherTree at the VORTEX Repertory in Austin. Olivia is an actor, designer, and entrepreneur with a successful podcast called Gals & Goblins.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed stage scenery and is the scenic charge artist for Magnolia Musical Theatre’s production of SpongeBob the Musical. This professional production is directed by Professor Emeritus of Theatre Rick Roemer, with technical direction by Scene Shop Manager Monroe Oxley. Students Ansh Tripathi ’28 and Yeva Tcharikova ’28 collaborated with Roybal and Oxley as academic interns in the fabrication and painting of scenery. Students Emma Hoover ’27, Olivia Hynes ’27, Piper Swisher ’27, and Emily Williams ’28 are scenic carpenters and painters. The production is running Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m. from July 16 through August 16 at the Hill Country Galleria Pavilion in Bee Cave, TX. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair and their favorite beverage to be transported to Bikini Bottom for an unforgettable evening of entertainment featuring a talented cast and crew performing alongside a live orchestra.

Theatre alumnus Kyle Bussone Peterson ’24 is currently appearing as “Motel Kamzoil” in Fiddler on the Roof, now playing on the historic Angus Springer Stage at the Palace Theatre. Motel is a sweet and timid character who stands up for himself when he and Tevye’s daughter, Tzeitel announce their engagement. The production is directed by Professor Emeritus Rick Roemer, former Artistic Director and Chair of the Theatre Department. The show opened on May 30 and runs Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through July 6. Many performances are sold out, and remaining dates have limited seating available.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel was invited to collaborate with the Drama Department at Austin Community College (ACC) on their production of The Long Christmas Ride Home  by award-winning playwright Paula Vogel. Bechtel designed the costumes and mentored three ACC students in costumes, hair, makeup, and puppetry. This deeply moving play chronicles a seminal event in the life of Vogel and her siblings and features bunraku puppetry. The production runs through March 2, 2025. Tickets can be reserved here.

Assistant Professor of Theatre Gabriel Peña, Scene Shop Supervisor Monroe Oxley, and Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal collaborated on Adam Gwan’s chamber musical, Ordinary Days, for Penfold Theatre. This intimate musical follows four individuals as they navigate the frantic energy of New York City. Audiences are invited to consider the beauty of the ordinary as the characters connect, fall apart, lose each other, and find themselves. Peña served as director, Oxley as technical director, and Roybal as scenic designer. SU theatre major Bethani Pedraza ’25 and theatre minor Yeva Tcharikova ’28 provided technical assistance. Penfold Theatre is a 501(c)(3) professional theatre company recently setting roots in Round Rock, TX after 15 years of producing theatre in the greater Austin area. The productions run February 7 – March 1 at their new permanent home in Round Rock. The trailer, tickets, and information about Penfold Theatre is available here.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for Unity Theatre’s production of The Trip to Bountiful. This mid-20th century play was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning Texas native Horton Foote and explores themes of longing, discontent, and family. This production runs from February 6 through February 23 in historic Brenham, Texas. Tickets can be purchased at unitybrenham.org.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy King choreographed The Secret Garden  at The Georgetown Palace Theatre. The musical, based on the children’s novel, opens this Friday, January 31, and runs until Sunday, March 2. It plays Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.

On October 15, Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy Rebecca King spoke at the book launch for Critical Acting Pedagogies: Intersectional Approaches. The book launch was held at RADA (The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) in London and online, broadcast in America and the UK. Her chapter, “Liberating Casting and Training Practices for Mixed-Asian Students,” was one of 10 academic writings highlighted at the event.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed the scenery and stage properties for I’m Proud of You  by Tim Madigan. This production is a staged adaptation of Madigan’s novel, I’m Proud of You: My Friendship with Fred Rogers. The play chronicles the true and extraordinary bond between Tim Madigan, a Texas author and reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Fred Rogers, the iconic TV host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. This production will be the inaugural production in Penfold Theatre’s new and permanent theatre venue in Round Rock, TX. Roybal also served as a theatre consultant on the new venue, which will be the first professional theatre in Round Rock. The production showcases Professor Emeritus Rick Roemer and SU alumnus Zac Carr ’11 as actors. SU Scene Shop Manager Monroe Oxley is the Technical Director for this production. Additionally, the stage and seating risers were designed and constructed by Oxley using a build crew that included Connor Bustos ’26 and Ash Zunker ’25. The production runs October 4-26.

Art history and theatre graduate Gabriella Gonzalez Biziou ’12 starred in and associated-produced a beautifully executed short film titled Foolhardy Love. Gabriella is returning to Texas this month to promote the film, which follows a couple confronted with two very different desires for their future. An official selection for the Beverly Hills Film Festival 2024, Foolhardy Lovescreens in Austin at the Austin Under the Stars Film Festival on Thursday, September 12 at 7:30 p.m., and at the Austin Spotlight Film Festival on Saturday, September 14 at 7:00 p.m. The film has been nominated for Best Narrative (at both festivals), Best Director, Best Actress (at both festivals), and Best Actor. The trailer can be viewed here.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy Rebecca King, along with her colleague Robert Torigoe, published a chapter entitled “Liberating Casting and Training Practices for Mixed-Asian Students” in Critical Acting Pedagogy: Intersectional Approaches. The chapter, which examines the history of multiracial representation and offers practical inclusive pedagogical approaches, can be found here.

This summer, Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy King directed Cats at the Georgetown Palace Theatre. Recommended by SU’s Ride the Cyclone  director Kristen Rogers, King collaborated with Evelyn Hoelscher of the Spaces of Fontana Dance Company and music director Michael Rosensteel on a contemporary take on the classic production. The production runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. from August 2 through September 8. Tickets can be purchased here.

Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola published an essay entitled “Lucrezia Borgia Triumphal Chariot: Notes on Performance Documentation” in Skenè. Journal of Theatre and Drama Studies,  10.1 (2024): 61-80, Memory and Performance, Classical Reception in Early Modern Festivals. The Monographic Section was edited by Francesca Bortoletti, Giovanna Di Martino, and Eugenio Refini. The essay can be read here.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal served as a theatre staging and venue consultant for Penfold Theatre’s new home in Round Rock, TX. This is the first professional theatre venue in Round Rock. Penfold Theatre will open its 17th season and continues its mission of telling intimate stories of empathy and hope, curating performances by premier local artists, and nurturing theatremakers of today and tomorrow. The opening of this facility will also provide other performing artists access to affordable space at a time when venues are disappearing.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed scenery and is the scenic charge artist for Magnolia Musical Theatre’s production of Footloose the musical, running July 10 through August 10 at Hill Country Galleria Pavilion in Bee Cave, TX. This professional production is directed by Professor Emeritus of Theatre Rick Roemer, with technical direction by Scene Shop Manager Monroe Oxley. Students Connor Bustos ’26 and Em Hoover ’27 collaborated with Roybal and Oxley as academic interns in scenic fabrication and scenic art. Alumni Kyle Bussone-Peterson ’24 and Alex Cannata ’24, along with students Ashlyn Zunker ’25 and Olivia Hynes ’27 are scenic carpenters and painters.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for The Star Spangled Girl  at Unity Theater in Brenham, TX. This classic Neil Simon comedy required 15 distinct costumes from the late 1960s for the three main characters. Unity Theater is a professional theatre company located in beautiful Washington County, attracting theatre artists and patrons from both the Austin and Houston areas. The Star Spangled Girl  runs through June 30.

Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola was the keynote speaker for the International Conference “RAPPRESENTARE GLI ESTE. La comunicazione del potere Estense entro e oltre i confini della signoria” in Ferrara, Italy from May 23-25.

Senior Research and Instruction Librarian Katherine Hooker presented a poster at the Texas Library Association’s annual conference on April 17. “Three Ring Library Circus (But in a Good Way): Leaning into the Theme with Creative Instruction for Creative Students” summarized three-part library instruction delivered to students in Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel’s “Design Fundamentals” course. Students learned via an online escape game, a collaborative Padlet, and an InfoGuide, all highly customized around the course’s vibrant circus theme.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel worked as a costume buyer for Amazon Pictures’ new series “Fallout.” Alumnus Jonathan Knipscher ’03 was the Associate Costume Designer on the project. The show premieres on April 11, 2024. The series trailer can be seen here.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy King wrote, directed, and produced a staged reading of her new play Finger Lickin’ Goodat the Jones Theatre in February. The cast included students Jason Bui ’27 as Raymond, Kyle Bussone-Peterson ’24 as Kevin, and Connor Bustos ’26 on stage directions. They were joined by guest Gina Houston in the leading role of Alice and Director of Business Internships and Assistant Professor of Business Andy Ross as Jim, etc., in his acting debut! The reading was also performed at Austin Community College in Highland Park.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal was invited to join the Board of Directors for the Palace Theatre, Georgetown, TX.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed the staging and was a scenic artist of scenery and stage properties for Penfold Theatre’s production of Yasmina Reza’s play, Art. The comedy is playing at the Ground Floor Theatre in Austin, TX. from Nov. 2 through Nov. 18. Glenda Wolfe, SU Costume Shop Manager, designed costumes, and the production was directed by Stephen Pounders, Professor of Theatre at Baylor University. The production explores the meaning of art and the meaning of friendship. When Serge purchases an all-white painting for $200,000.00, his longtime friendship with good friends Marc and Yvonne is tested. Arguments quickly go from theoretical to personal to confrontational, and friendships hang in the balance. Yasmina Reza’s sometimes heartbreaking play asks poignant questions about the meaning of art and friendship. The play has won the Moliere Awards for Best Play, Best Author, Best Production, the Lawrence Olivier Award for Best Comedy, and the Tony Award for Best Play. Penfold website: https://tinyurl.com/art-penfold Production stills: https://tinyurl.com/ytafq9dr Trailer: https://youtu.be/7Mn5xqSNMK8.

In June, Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy King completed the teacher certification program at The Meisner Institute and is now a Designated Meisner Teacher (DMT). King also led and organized the panel “What Are You? Amplifying Mixed-Asian Voices in Acting Pedagogy,” which she presented at the ATHE (Association of Theatre in Higher Education) 2023 conference. She was able to bring student Bronwyn Fogarty to attend the four-day conference, which featured panels by several theatre scholars from around the world.

Associate Professor and Chair of the Theatre Department Kerry Bechtel has accepted an invitation to serve on The United States Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) Costume Commission Leadership Board and as the International Organization of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians (OISTAT) representative for a three-year term. OISTAT organizes the Prague Quadrennial and World Stage Design Event and is a collective of theatre creatives working worldwide. The USITT Costume Commission develops and oversees national and regional programming and events for professionals, academics, and students involved in the fields of design and technical theatre.

On August 3rd, Gabriel Peña presented at the American Theatre in Higher Education conference. He spoke on the panel “Spotlight on New Works LIA (Latinx Indigenous and the Americas) and ATDS (American Theatre and Drama Society). Only two books were selected by LIA to highlight this year, and he presented on behalf of one of them, Marissa Chibás’ work “Mythic Imagination and the Actor: Exercises, Inspiration, and Guidance for the 21 Century Actor”.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed scenery and was Scenic Charge Artist for Magnolia Musical Theatre’s inaugural production of the musical, “Beauty and the Beast,” running July 19 through August 13 at the Galleria Pavillion in Bee Cave, TX. This professional production is directed by SU theatre faculty Emeritus, Rick Roemer, with technical direction by SU theatre scene shop manager, Monroe Oxley. Bella Morrow ’25 and Piper Swisher ’26 collaborated with Roybal as academic interns in scenic fabrication and scenic art. Kyle Bussone-Peterson ’24, Alex Canatta ’24, and Ashlyn Zunker ’25 were scenic carpenters.

Professor of Theatre and Dean of the Faculty Sergio Costola, JaimeLynn Hotaling ’23, and Maisie Jones ’23 presented a paper titled “Undergraduate Research and Theatre: Lessons Learned during the Pandemic” at the 2023 ConnectUR Annual Conference, held June 26-28 at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed and painted scenery for Penfold Theatre’s world premiere production of “Box,” running June 23 through July 8 at the Ground Floor Theatre in Austin, TX. The playscript and production is a two-year collaboration with Jarrett King, playwright-in-residence at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, IL; Ryan Crowder, Producing Artistic Director of Penfold Theatre; and a collaborative production team with direction from Simone Alexander, Producing Artistic Director and Founder of New Manifest Theatre Company, Austin, TX. SU Theatre major Kyle Bussone-Peterson ’24 collaborated with Roybal and the production team by serving as Stage Property Designer and Property Master. Bussone-Peterson completed this faculty/student collaboration as an Academic Internship opportunity with Penfold Theatre. “Box” is a story about Mr. Henry “Box” Brown, an abolitionist born into slavery in 1815 and escaped slavery at 33 by arranging to have himself shipped via a wooden crate from Virginia to an abolitionist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1849. The crate measured 3’1” long x 2’6” high x 2’ wide, equipped with 3 holes for air and a water bladder. The sealed crate was transported by wagon, railroad, steamboat, and ferry over an approximated time of 27 hours. Watch the trailer here.

Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre Kerry Bechtel completed the costume design for the mid-century classic musical Godspell by John-Michael Tebelak and Stephen Schwartz. This production runs through June 25, 2023, at Unity Theater, a professional AEA and USA-associated theater company in Brenham, Texas. https://unitybrenham.org/

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal secured a design contract with Magnolia Musical Theatre to design the stage scenery for the musical Beauty and the Beast. The production is being directed by Southwestern University Professor Emeritus Rick Roemer, with Technical Direction by Monroe Oxley, Southwestern University Scene Shop Supervisor. The production will be presented at the Galleria at Bee Caves, TX. July18-August 13.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal secured a scenic design contract with Penfold Theatre. The project is threefold: 1. Collaboration with Chicago playwright Jarrett King to develop an original playscript about the life and times of Henry “Box” Brown. 2. Specifically, design and paint early 20th Century roll drop scenery with dry pigment paint and ground flake animal glue. 3. Present the design in a modern presentational format at the Ground Floor Theatre, Austin, TX, in June 2023. Henry “Box” Brown was an abolitionist who was born into slavery in 1815 and escaped slavery at the age of 33 by arranging to have himself shipped via a wooden crate from Virginia to an abolitionist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1849. Henry Brown went on to lecture for the abolitionist movement in New England before moving to England, where he continued to speak out about the evils of slavery and performed his one-man show, Henry Box Brown’s Mirror of Slavery.

Assistant Professor of Theatre Gabriel Peña presented a workshop at SETC (the Southeastern Theatre Conference) in Lexington, Kentucky, on March 3. His workshop “Sensing Possibilities: Feldenkrais Method and its Potential Applications for Performers” explored how Awareness Through Movement lessons, often utilized as physical therapy, can be resourceful to actors.

Professor of English Michael Saenger and Associate Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola collaborated on a book titled Shakespeare in Succession: Translation and Time (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2023). The edited collection brings together scholars from eight different countries and five continents.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed A Christmas Carol for Penfold Theatre, which was presented at Old Settlers Hall in Round Rock, Texas, December 8-23. The classic radio cast production involved the design of a 1930s radio broadcast venue where five female actors represented all characters while also hand-operating Foley sound effects. The production ran at Old Settlers Hall December 8-18 before moving to the Driskill Hotel in Austin for a two-night run December 22 and 23.

Associate Professor of Theatre and Associate Dean of the Faculty Sergio Costola presented a paper titled “Lucrezia Borgia and Theatrical Practice of Women in Elite Society” at a conference on Memory and Performance. Classical Reception in Early Modern Festivals sponsored by the Archive for Performances of Greek and Roman Drama of the University of Oxford, England (Parma, Italy, October 13-14, 2022).

Associate Professor of Theatre and Associate Dean of the Faculty Sergio Costola presented a paper titled “The Battle of Polesella (1509). Diplomatic Relations and the Performing Arts” at the 10th Splendid Encounters Conference, Beyond the Truth. Misinformation and Credibility in Early Modern Diplomacy (Florence, Italy, October 12-14, 2022).

Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Amy Rebecca King organized a panel titled “Mixed-Asian Casting” for the 2022 Association for Theatre in Higher Education Annual Conference, held July 28–31 in Detroit, Michigan. Even though multicultural people make up the fastest-growing demographic in America, they are underrepresented in the media. This panel explored the issues that multicultural actors, specifically mixed-Asian actors, experience in the casting industry. King, along with her colleagues Reiko Aylesworth (Southern Methodist University) and Robert Torigoe (University of Hawaii), gathered interviews with actor Amy Hill, casting director Victor Vazquez, and editor-in-chief of Mixed Asian Media Alex Chester and explored the experiences of mixed-Asian actors, as well as the difficulties of casting according to race in film/TV, theatre, and media. The session was very well attended, and the first-time panelists have been invited back to present at next year’s conference.

Associate Professor of Theatre and Department Chair Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for a production of The Sweet Delilah Swim Clubat Unity Theater in Brenham, Texas. Unity Theater is a professional theater located midway between Austin and Houston that brings together professional actors, directors, and designers from both cities. The production runs from June 2–19. 

Theatre students Dane Parker ’22, Campbell Duffy ’22, Jaime Hotaling ’23, Harrison Jones ’23, Oskar Brian ’22, Jessica Workman ’22, Ash Zunker ’25, and Lilly Percifield ’22 performed G.H.O.S.T. Unit: The Live Event on February 26 and advanced from the Region 6 Festival (where they received three Meritorious Achievement Awards for Innovative Theatre Practices, Outstanding Ensemble, and Support of New Work) to the national Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Cast and crew received the Innovative Theatrical Experience Special Achievement Award. G.H.O.S.T. Unit: The Live Eventis part of Associate Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola’s 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 faculty-student projects.

Part-time Instructor of Theatre Yesenia Garcia Herrington ’03 was selected to join the second annual tuition-free program “Commercial Theatre Producing 101” sponsored by Theatre Producers of Color, based out of New York City. The competitive 10-week program provides education, training, and mentorship to aspiring BIPOC producers. She also was invited to participate in a “Women in Theatre” panel at Texas State University on April 30.

Associate Professor of Theatre and Paideia Director Sergio Costola and Jaime Hotaling ’23 presented a paper titled “Theatre Education at the Crossroads: Lessons Learned during the Pandemic” at the 2022 American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Conference on General Education, Pedagogy, and Assessment, held February 10–12 in San Diego, California.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed a 1930s scenic setting of a fictional KPNF radio station for Penfold Theatre in Austin. The audience experiences the arrival of a small company of virtuosic voice actors who perform multiple roles in the radiocast of A Miracle on 34th Streetusing live Foley sound effects. The load-in and installation was assisted by Southwestern student Dusty Cutler ’25. The production runs December 9–19.

Associate Professor of Theatre and Paideia Director Sergio Costola collaborated with Olly Crick on a book to be published by Routledge in December 2021. The book, titled The Dramaturgy of Commedia dell’Arte, examines commedia dell’arte as a performative genre and one that should be analyzed through the framework of dramaturgy and dramaturgical practice. 

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel was invited to review the recently published book Shoe Reels: The History and Philosophy of Footwear in Film for The Journal of Dress History, published by the Association of Dress Historians. The review appeared in the winter 2021 issue.

Students Dane Parker ’22, Campbell Duffy ’22, Jaime Hotaling ’23, Harrison Jones ’23, Oskar Brian ’22, and Jessica Workman ’22 performed G.H.O.S.T. Unit: The Live Eventon September 29 for the two respondents of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and received three Meritorious Achievements for Innovative Theatre Practices, Outstanding Ensemble, and Support of New Work. Hotaling and Duffy were also nominated for the prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Award. G.H.O.S.T. Unit: The Live Eventwas directed by part-time Assistant Professor of Theatre CB Goodman and is part of Associate Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola’s 2022–2023 faculty-student project.

Part-Time Assistant Professor of Theatre Joey Banks ’07 and Technical Director in Theatre Justin Smith ’04 will be producing and performing in the Haymaker Players’ production of Tail End Charlie, August 23–September 8, at Trinity Street Playhouse in Austin.

Associate Professor of English Michael Saenger and Associate Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola organized and led a seminar titled “Polychronic Translation of Shakespeare” at the 2019 European Shakespeare Research Association Conference, held at the Università degli Studi Roma Tre, in Rome, Italy, July 9–12. Kayla Ingram ’20 attended the conference, and, following an independent study with Dr. Saenger on Shakespeare and Translation, designed graphic support for the seminar.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel  has been acting as the associate costume designer alongside Costume Designer Jonathan Knipscher  ’03 at Central City Opera, in Central City, CO. The production of Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd  is making its Colorado regional premiere. The opera follows the original Herman Melville novella about a young sailor on a British warship in the late 18th century; it features a cast of nearly 60 men and boys as well as realistic period costumes ranging from Royal Navy uniforms to sailors and civilians.

Professor of Theatre John Ore, Sam Buehler ’20, and Sage Clay ’22 completed a faculty–student project that created the Heather McGaughey Sustainability kiosk, a public information touchscreen display located in the Jones Theater lobby. Please visit their work to find out more about environmental studies, fine arts, and Heather McGaughey’04.

Assistant Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola presented a paper titled “Lucrezia Borgia’s Use of Court Spectacle as Diplomacy during the Years of War (1509–1513)” and chaired the session “Confronted Case Studies of Kings and Queens in History, Art, and Psychology” at the Kings and Queens 8 conference, Resilio Ergo Regno: Resilience, Continuity, and Recovery at Royal Courts, held at the Università degli Studi di Catania, June 24–27. 

Professor of Theatre John Ore was selected to serve as adjudicator for the Region 3 Area 1 AAAAA one-act play contest at the Jerry Fay Wilhelm Center for the Performing Arts on April 3, 2019.  Among performances that day were scenes from A Storm in the Barn, Much Ado about Nothing, and The Man Who Came to Dinner.

Associate Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola presented a paper on Lucrezia Borgia (1480–1519) at the 2019 Renaissance Society of America annual meeting in Toronto, Canada, March 16–19. His paper was presented as part of a session titled “Women at Home in the Courts of Renaissance Italy.”

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel recently designed the costumes for Tennessee Williams’s Pulitzer Prize–winning Cat on a Hot Tin Roofat Unity Theatre, in Brenham, TX. This production marks the 10th collaboration between Bechtel and the professional theater company.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal is the scenic designer for A Christmas Carol Classic Radiocast, produced by Penfold Theatre of Austin. The setting is the fictional KPNF radio station, where dozens of characters bring to life the Dickens masterpiece A Christmas Carol. A small company of virtuosic voice actors and live foley sound effects reminiscent of A Prairie Home Companion recreate the images and sounds of this Christmas classic.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal was scenic designer for John Patrick Shanley’s play Doubt: A Parable, produced by City Theatre of Austin. The play was directed by Professor Emeritus Rick Roemer. Set in 1964, the play depicts a strict nun challenging the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and her faith when she accuses a popular priest of doing something inappropriate with a student in their school.

Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal received a nomination for Best Scenic Design of a Drama 2018 by Broadway World-Austin. His scenic design of Florian Zeller’s Molière Award-winning play The Father questioned the truth and the nature of reality as dementia disrupts the child-parent relationship.

Professor of Theatre John Ore served as director of the 10th annual Tal Lostracco Theatre Camp at Southwestern. This year, 83 campers and 29 staff participated in the two-week residential summer camp from July 8 to 22, culminating in one-act productions of Diramuid and Grainne, The Miracle Worker, Grub-Street Opera, Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play, and Equus.

Associate Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola presented a paper titled “‘Lucrezia Borgia’s Performances at the Este Court” at the seventh Kings and Queens Conference, “Ruling Sexualities: Sexuality, Gender, and the Crown,” at the University of Winchester in the United Kingdom, July 9–13, 2018.

Associate Professor of Theatre Sergio Costola was an NEH Summer Scholar, having participated in the 2018 Summer Seminars and Institutes Program: Digital Technologies in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Georgia in Athens, June 17–29.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal was nominated for an Austin Critics Table Award for Best Scenic Design for his design of Trinity Theatre’s production of Florian Zeller’s The Father, directed by Professor Emeritus of Theatre Rick Roemer and produced by David Jarrott Productions. The Father is a tragi-comedy mystery, which takes a sobering and realistic look at family dynamics using unsentimental and emotionally charged scenes. The audience experiences the confusion of dementia as seen through the eyes of a man living through the physical and psychological loss of self. The incremental vanishing and reappearing scenic elements provided a poignant commentary on what is and is not real.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel recently designed the costumes for Unity Theatre’s production of Becky’s New Car in Brenham, Texas. Bechtel has been working with Unity Theatre, a professional theatre company located in historic Brenham, for the past 8 years. This production runs through May 6, 2018.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed the stage setting for Frank Zeller’s play, The Father, produced by DJ Productions in Austin, TX. The director of the production is SU Professor Emeritus of Theatre Rick Roemer. The production runs through early March. The Fatherexplores family dynamics as we all age. As life expectancies lengthen, so do the social and economic repercussions of an aging population, not the least of which is the effect of memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s on families and caregivers. With the inevitable and trying parent-child role reversals, the non-linear structure of the script thrusts the audience headlong into the world of Andre, the father, to wonder, ”What is true, what is reality?”

Professor of Theatre John Ore designed the lighting and served as stage manager for Arts Avenue’s full production of the classic musical  Meet Me In St. Louis  in the Alma Thomas Theater .   Ore also mentored sound designer Jaden Williams, class of 2020, and tech director Christian Aderholt, class of 2018, who contributed hugely to the show’s successful four-performance run from Jan. 3–6, 2018.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed stage scenery for Penfold Theatre’s production of Miracle on 34th Street. Roybal created the interior of the fictional 1947 KPNF radio station where actors used live, foley sound effects for this classic radiocast. The production was presented Nov. 30–Dec. 23.

Professor of Theatre John Ore designed the dance lighting for Georgetown Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Ore also mentored Matt Murphy, class of 2019, Sam Bruno, class of 2020, and Andrew Snyder, class of 2021, who served as support technicians on this holiday classic performed in Alma Thomas Theater.

Professor of Theatre John Ore designed the dance lighting for Georgetown Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. Ore also mentored Matt Murphy, class of 2019, Sam Bruno, class of 2020, and Andrew Snyder, class of 2021, who served as support technicians on this holiday classic performed in Alma Thomas Theater.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed stage scenery for the play Miracle on 34th Street produced by Penfold Theatre in Austin, Texas.

Part-Time Assistant Professor of Theatre Bethany Lynn Corey and Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal were recognized with nominations by The B. Iden Payne Awards Council. Bethany Lynn Corey’s original play All Aboard was recognized as an Outstanding Theatre for Youth Production. Desiderio Roybal was recognized for Outstanding Set Design of The Herd produced by Jarrott Productions. The B. Iden Payne Awards Council recognizes outstanding theatrical performance, production and design in Austin.

Professor of Theatre Kathleen Juhl and Cathy Madden’s co-edited book, Galvanizing Performance: The Alexander Technique as a Catalyst for Excellence, was published on August 21, 2017. The Alexander Technique is practiced widely by performing artists. It encourages artists to make the choice to perform with ease and confidence. This book is the first of its kind because it focuses specifically on the ways performing artists and their teachers engage the Alexander Technique as they rehearse and perform. The book represents the first time Alexander Technique teachers have formally opened the doors to their teaching studios and classrooms to reveal specific pedagogies for working with the technique and performance.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal’s scenic design for the play, The Herd, has been added to the short list of plays under consideration for B. Iden Payne award nominations for 2016–2017. Roybal also received the Austin Critics Table Award for Excellence in Scenic Design for the 2016–2017 theatre season for his designs for  Clybourne Park, The Price, and The Herd. All three plays were credited for design excellence. The Herd and The Price were designed for David Jarrott Productions. Clybourne Park was designed for Penfold Theatre. These plays were selected for the award from all the plays produced in Austin and the Greater Austin Area for 2016–2017. The adjudicators were critics writing for both print and online publications including the Austin-American Statesman, Austin Chronicle, CTX Live, BroadwayWorld Austin, Austin Entertainment Weekly, ConflictofInterest.com, and Arts and Culture Texas. Clybourne Park also received the Austin Critics Table Award for Excellence in Collaborative Ensemble Production. Roybal was scenic designer, Justin Smith ’04 was technical director, and Austin Mueck ’18 was assistant scenic designer.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed stage scenery and was Scenic Artist for David Jarrott Productions’ staging of The Herd, by Rory Kennear, now playing at Trinity Street Theatre. His interior, suburban London setting showcased paintings by two local artists, Shanny Lott of Austin and Associate Director of University Events Xan Koonce. This is Roybal’s second design for David Jarrott Productions. His first design, The Price by Arthur Miller, was awarded the 2016 Best Scene Design Award in Austin and the Greater Austin area by the Central Texas Excellence in Theatre Awards.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for the Houston-based Main Street Theater production of Bunnicula, based on the young adult novel. This is the second production for Main Street she has designed this season.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel recently designed the costumes for Unity Theatre’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank.  This production opened on Feb. 10, 2017 and will continue its run through the beginning of March. Brandy Giordano, Class of 2017, worked as both costume design assistant and costume technician on the production. Unity Theatre is professional theatre company located in historic Brenham, TX.

Austin Mueck, Class of 2018, received a Best Scenic Design Award for his design of the musical, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown at the 2017 Texas Educational Theatre Association Conference in Galveston. Associate Professor of Theatre and Resident Scenic Designer Desiderio Roybal mentored and advised Mueck’s poster presentation at the TETA Conference. Mueck designed You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown for the Southwestern University Theatre Department in November 2016 under the mentorship of Roybal and Southwestern Technical Director Justin J. Smith ’04.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal was awarded Best Scenic Design of a Play for 2016 by the Central Texas Excellence in Theatre Award Committee for his work on Arthur Miller’s “The Price.” Austin Mueck, Class of 2018, served as Assistant Scenic Designer for “The Price.” The Scenic Designs under review came from all plays produced by theatres in Austin and the Greater Austin area during 2016.

David Jarrott Productions, production company for “The Price,” also received awards for Best Production of a Play and Best Leading Actor in a Play. Jarrott Productions has commissioned Roybal to design scenery for Rory Kinnear’s “The Herd” opening April 2017 in Austin. Mueck will again serve as Assistant Scenic Designer and will also serve as Production Assistant to the Producer during the run of the play.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed the costumes for two professional holiday productions: Fancy Nancy’s Splendiferous Christmas—which opened at Main Street Youth Theatre in Houston, TX in early November, and Little Women—which opened at Unity Theatre in Brenham, TX in early December. Bechtel was assisted on both productions by current Southwestern theatre major Brandy Giordano, class of 2017. In addition, several Southwestern Theatre Costume Laboratory students participated in the construction of the costumes for both productions.

Professor of Theatre John Ore served as the adjudicator for five Central Texas middle schools (District 25-2A) as they presented one-act plays and competed for three overall ”best production” trophies and eighteen acting awards on Nov. 16 at the Cultural Arts Center in Temple. Ore was delighted with the energy, commitment and talent evinced by the teachers and young thespians. Scenes from the following plays were presented: The Ransom of Red Chief, The Emperor’s New Clothes, The Curious Savage, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, and Louder, I Can’t Hear You.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed stage scenery for the new, Austin-based professional theatre company David Jarrott Productions in October. His design for Arthur Miller’s The Price was nominated for Best Scenic Design of a play by the BroadwayWorld Austin 2016 Awards Committee and also made the short list for the 2016-2017 B. Iden Payne Awards for Best Scenic Design. Austin Mueck, Class of 2018, served as Assistant Scenic Designer. All reviews applauded Roybal’s design. “Desiderio Roybal’s highly detailed set had an accurate scent. It was quite striking. Imagine any furniture-ridden attic or antique shop you’ve ever entered, and recall the nostalgic scent of old wood. That’s what filled the theater, and it laid the foundation for the recurring themes of age, time, and nostalgia that persist throughout The Price. Roybal clearly went the extra mile to ensure every square inch of the stage was utilized to some extent, decorating the intimate space with rugs, chairs, clothes, and walls of furniture that ensnare both the actors and the audience. And it remains the only set I’ve seen that offers a scent as part of the immersion,” Pearson Kashlak of Austin Entertainment Weekly said.

Professor of Theatre Paul Gaffney directed a production of Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit at the Unity Theatre in Brenham, Texas. Employing professional directors, actors and designers, primarily from the Houston area, the Unity Theatre is now in its 30th year of operation. In this production, recent theatre graduate Ally Oliphint ’16 made her professional acting debut in the role of Edith.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed stage scenery for Jarrott Productions, the newest non-profit, professional theatre company in Austin, TX. The Price, by Arthur Miller, is now playing through Oct. 22 at 901 Trinity Street Theatre. The design explored the themes of regret/failure/success/dignity all revealed through interpersonal/intergenerational family dynamics of the early 20th century. Austin Mueck, Class of 2018, was scene design assistant and assisted Roybal with stage properties and technical organization. Roybal’s stage design was a collaboration with freelance stage director Mary (Fritz) Ketchum, freelance lighting designer Rachel Atkinson, St. Edward’s University costume designer Susan Branch Towne, and freelance sound designer Craig Brock.

Professor of Theatre Paul Gaffney presented a lecture on Henrik Ibsen’s verse play Peer Gynt for the annual Georgetown Festival of the Arts on June 3, 2016, discussing its place as a source for Edvard Grieg’s beloved “Peer Gynt Suite.” He also performed the role of The Narrator in a festival performance of Lars-Erik Larsson’s lyric suite, “A God Disguised.”

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel presented on a panel entitled “Laboring in the Dark: Invisibility and Insufficiency in Academic Theatre” at the Association of Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) conference held this August in Chicago, Ill.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal recently designed scenery and stage properties for Penfold Theatre Company for the play Clybourne Park. The design and the acting were both credited as reasons for the play’s critically-acclaimed success. Southwestern Technical Director Justin Smith ’04 served as Technical Director for the play. His expertise and knowledge of scenic construction, rigging and installation were also important to the play’s achievements.

Southwestern students were also involved with this production. Austin Mueck ’18 served as scenic design assistant; Noah Kopit ’16, Brock Boudoin ’16, Brenna Nelson ’16, Christian Aderholt ’19, Kolton Noreen ’18 all served as stage carpenters and load-in crew.

Associate Professor of Theatre Desiderio Roybal designed “Clybourne Park” for the professional theatre company, Penfold Theatre. The show is now playing at the Long Center in Austin, TX. This is the second play Roybal has designed for Penfold Theatre in the last year.

Master Electrician Patrick Anthony won the 2015–2016 Austin Critics’ Table Award for Lighting Design for his work in “Year of the Rooster,” “Hunger,” “Terminus,” “Medea,” and “Marie Antoinette.”

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel worked with both Unity Theatre in Brenham, Texas and Main Street Theatre in Houston, Texas this Spring. Kerry designed the costumes for a production of Unity Theatre’s The Miss Firecracker Contest in February and designed the costumes for Main Street’s TYA production of Harriet the Spy, which opens on April 12, 2016. Both productions were completed under professional contracts with United Scenic Artists, Local 829.

Associate Professor of Theatre Kerry Bechtel designed a three-show summer repertory season of Chicago, Ring of Fire and Big Fish with the Alpine Theatre Project, Montana’s premiere regional theatre company in Whitefish, Montana. 

Desiderio Roybal, Associate Professor of Theatre, designed the stage scenery for the play, “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily” at the Austin Playhouse in Austin Texas. The show runs November 21 through December 21, 2014. He is also designing the stage scenery for “She Stoops to Conquer” at the Austin Playhouse in Austin, Texas. The show runs February 13 through March 15, 2015. 

Rick Roemer, professor of theatre, has been hired as a guest artist actor for the regional premiere of “Love and Information,” which will be performed at St. Edward’s University Sept. 25-Oct. 5. The play, which was written by Caryl Churchill, just had a smash hit run at the highly acclaimed New York Theatre Workshop. Read more here.

Three faculty members from Southwestern attended the 17th annual Mediterranean Studies Congress held May 28-31 at the University of Malaga in Marbella, Spain. Melissa Byrnes, assistant professor of history, presented a paper titled “Ramadan on the Rhone: Muslims and Christians in Secular France.” Sergio Costola, associate professor of theatre, presented a paper titled “London’s Venice and Shylock’s Rialto” and Eric Selbin, professor of political science and University Scholar, presented a paper titled “Mediterranean Mishpocha: The 2010-14 Uprising(s) of the Mediterranean Peoples.”