The University of Miami Department of Theatre Arts’ fall season of productions is in full swing with two performances during November. “Godspell”—the second fall production of the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre and one of the most popular and successful musicals of the past 50 years—will be featured along with “Into the Woods” and its fairy tale storytelling.
“Based on the parables of the Gospel of Matthew, with a book by John-Michael Tebelak, and music by Stephen Schwartz, ‘Godspell’ is a story of tolerance, love, and kindness,” explained Maha McCain, director and senior lecturer.
Penelope Hinds, a senior musical theatre major who will be playing Gilmer, one of the eight disciples who follow Jesus throughout the show, is excited to get back on stage and perform live for the first time in almost two years.
“I've done theater my whole life, so not being able to perform due to the pandemic was tough. Now that we're back, I cannot wait to see all my friends and family in the audience,” she said. “There really is nothing like performing live, and I have so much fun with my castmates on stage. This is also an all-female production of ‘Godspell,’ which is traditionally done with both men and women, so I'm looking forward to sharing this unique version of the show with everyone at the U!”
Burton Tedesco, director and assistant professor, explained that the second production this month—“Into the Woods”—features iconic characters from several fairy tales questing for happiness while navigating wolves, giants, and the consequences of dreams coming true.
“People should go see this show because it has several fairy-tale stories that most people already know of—but this time with a twist. The music in the show is incredible and the storytelling that is being done by the actors really draws the audience in and will leave them on the edge of their seat,” said Johanna Loughran, also a senior musical theatre major, who will play Cinderella.
She is counting down the days to be able to get back on stage again. “It feels absolutely amazing,” she said. “After not being able to perform live for over a year, I cannot wait to be in front of a live audience again. There is nothing better than getting that feedback from the crowd each performance. I am so excited to see how the public reacts to the show.”
Loughran explained that these past few weeks rehearsing has been a great learning experience for her. “The biggest thing I have learned during this process so far is the importance of being flexible. We are just starting to get back into the groove of ‘normalcy’ in the theater but there are still some bumps along the way, and we just have to keep going with the flow,” she said. “Luckily, I have an amazing group of people working with me. The cast, creative team, and crew on this production are incredibly adaptable so when a problem arises, we can quickly adjust.”
Hinds, who will be performing in “Godspell,” has a message for the University community.
“Support the arts. Theater is just coming back after a long hiatus, and we'd love to have you back to enjoy it with us. The show is funny and quirky, while also being heartwarming and profound. I think it's a show anyone can enjoy, and we've got some fun surprises up our sleeves that we can't wait for you to see,” said Hinds.
“Godspell” will be performed at the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre with performances scheduled for two nights in November.
Saturday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m.
“Into The Woods” will also be performed at the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre the following weekend.
Saturday, Nov. 13 and Sunday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m.
Visit https://ring-theatre.as.miami.edu/box-office/index.html for more information.
The following are more arts-related events happening across campus.
LOWE ART MUSEUM
Tuesdays at 1 p.m.—Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Mindfulness with the Lowe
The Lowe’s Art of Mindfulness remote sessions take place on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. Each session will last approximately 40 minutes (a 30-minute guided practice with a 10-minute reflection and Q & A).
Registration is required to participate in these free virtual sessions. Visit the Lowe for more information.
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 5–7 p.m.
Fine Art of Health Care
The Lowe Art Museum, the Miller School of Medicine, and the School of Nursing and Health Studies will be holding a series of three, virtual interprofessional workshops using art to hone clinical skills.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Mikkael A. Sekeres, chief of the Division of Hematology, University of Miami Health System and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Register here.
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 4–6 p.m.
Resilience in Response to Political Adversity
This project is an effort to facilitate a vital conversation across disciplines during a time of political challenge and confirm how artistic expression and the creative process can contribute to greater optimism and overall well-being. This program is supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation CREATE Grants Program. Learn more.
Register here.
Friday, Nov. 12, 11 a.m.–Noon
Coffee, Tea, What Do You See?
Grab your favorite morning beverage and join the Lowe for a virtual interactive discussion about art from the museum's collection. Led by the members of the Lowe staff, participants will be asked open-ended questions about works of art to stimulate a group discussion.
Register here.
Thursday, Nov. 18, 5:30–6:30 p.m.
Re-Viewing American Impressionism: Images of the Changing Landscape
To celebrate the opening of “American Impressionism: Treasures from the Daywood Collection” (Nov. 18, 2021–Feb. 13, 2022) at the Lowe Art Museum, scholars Keri Watson and Keidra Daniels Navaroli will discuss paintings from the exhibition in relation to their forthcoming book “This is America: Re-viewing the Art of the United States.” Their book prioritizes underrepresented stories through the inclusion of marginalized makers (African American, Native American, LatinX, Asian American, LGBTQIA+, and People with Disabilities, etc.), diverse media (textiles, fashion, ceramics, etc.), and vast geographic regions (Alaska, the Caribbean, and Pacific territories). Breakout sections called “Contemporary Connections” feature work made by contemporary artists that illustrates the dynamic visual dialogue contemporary artists have with the past. Their presentation, “Re-viewing American Impressionism: Images of the Changing Landscape,” focuses on select works from the exhibition and pairs them with contemporary artworks to reveal the complexities of the later nineteenth century.
Register here.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Tuesday, Nov. 2, 1:30 p.m.
In/Tangible Pedagogies: Building an Interdisciplinary and Holistic Curriculum on Archival Studies
Join us for a series of presentations that has been specifically created to provide firsthand accounts to students exploring the field of archives and information science. The series will serve as part of a new and innovative course designed to give students hands-on interdisciplinary experience in critical archival studies using materials and resources from the University of Miami Libraries' distinctive collections—introducing them to the fundamentals of archival theory and practice used in libraries, archives, and museums.
Register here.
Wednesdays, 4–5 p.m.—Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24
Mindfulness at Richter
The University of Miami Libraries offers introductory mindfulness sessions for cultivating calm and focus. These 45-minute sessions introduce the fundamentals of mindfulness with periods of guided practice and opportunities for reflection and questions.
Register here.
Monday, Nov. 8, 4 p.m.
16th Biennial Ralph H. and Ruth G. Gross Endowed Lecture
Presented by Latha Chandran, M.D., M.P.H. Executive Dean for Education and Policy, Founding Chair, Department of Medical Education, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Chandran will discuss the holistic definition of wellness and practical ways to achieve a state of physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness despite the stresses of health professions and daily lives.
Register here.
Thursday, Nov. 11, 1 p.m.
Deep Dives with Special Collections—Pretty Pies and Scary Steaks: Food in Artists’ Books
Register here.
FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC
Monday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Landfall: The Frost Rock Ensemble—AND—RUCK: The Frost Hip-Hop/Funk Ensemble
Weeks Center for Recording & Performance, Clarke Recital Hall
Brian Russell and Steve Rucker, directors
Get ready to shake, rattle, and roll with Landfall’s original music and fresh arrangements of classic rock tunes. RUCK opens the program with hip-hop/funk inspired compositions and arrangements.
Get tickets here.
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Maurice Gusman Concert Hall
Intersections: Exploring Visual Art through Music—Frost Concert Jazz Band
John Daversa and Charles Bergeron, directors
The award-winning Frost Concert Jazz Band has been the Frost School of Music’s distinguished large jazz ensemble for more than 30 years. This innovative multimedia program explores the relationship between visual art and music. World premiere compositions by the Frost Studio Jazz Writing Program members are paired with works by local visual artists. The esteemed Frost Sextet opens the set.
Get tickets here.
Saturday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Maurice Gusman Concert Hall
Holidays on Broadway—Musical Theater Ensemble
Frank Ragsdale, director
Tonight, we celebrate the holidays through musicals. The Musical Theater Ensemble performs songs from some of the greats including, “White Christmas,” “Elf: The Musical,” “Holiday Inn,” “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” and “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Kick off your holiday season with this entertaining and exciting program!
Get tickets here.
CENTER FOR THE HUMANITIES
Wednesday, Nov. 10, 8 p.m.
Online Book Talk—with Lindsay Thomas, assistant professor, English, “Training for Catastrophe: Fictions of National Security after 9/11.”
Why would the normally buttoned-down national security state imagine lurid future scenarios like a zombie apocalypse? In “Training for Catastrophe,” author Lindsay Thomas shows how our security regime reimagines plausibility to focus on unlikely and even unreal events rather than probable ones. With an in-depth focus on preparedness (a pivotal, emergent national security paradigm since 9/11) she explores how fiction shapes national security.
Register here.
