IU Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance Will Present Online Performance Series

A new biweekly series from the Indiana University Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance will showcase the department's students, faculty and alumni through performances, interviews and more.

"IU Theatre Thursdays!" episodes will be broadcast May 28 to Aug. 6 on the department's Facebook page and YouTube channel, where they will be archived. Each episode will last 45 minutes to an hour. Richard Roland, head of the department's musical theater program, is the producer and director.

"Having canceled the IU Summer Theatre 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, we wanted to create another channel to share our students', faculty's and alumni's creativity on a regular basis this summer," Roland said.

"The episodes will feature students performing songs, monologues, dances and poems; interviews with alumni and retiring or incoming faculty and staff; and segments that highlight the design and technical elements of theater. Also, the Summer Theatre 2021 season will be announced during an episode in July."

Danielle McKnight, who earned her BFA in musical theater in 2020, will participate in "IU Theatre Thursdays!" McKnight said the online series builds upon skills she honed at IU, including being flexible in unusual circumstances.

"In the world of live theater, mistakes and changes are normal, and being a good performer means learning how to adapt to new situations," McKnight said. "So instead of doing staged plays, right now we do plays on Zoom. We learn new skills so we can keep performing and creating even if our medium has changed.

"I'm so excited to see the amazing creativity that will flourish from 'IU Theatre Thursdays!' and I can't wait to be part of the magic."