This page is a repository for resources
for current Theatre & Dance students.
Other useful resources for Theatre & Dance Students are:
- The Theatre & Dance Subject Guide, from the Trexler Library, offering links to a wide variety of theatre and dance resources, including video, texts, databases, citation guides, and more.
- the Dance Program Blog, featuring information about courses, auditions, master classes, and performances.
- the Muhlenberg Theatre Association website, with information about all student-run theatre performances, ensembles, auditions, applications, and more.
Auditions: The Labyrinth of Desire
SIGN UP TO AUDITION
for 'The Labyrinth of Desire'
FALL 2023
THE LABYRINTH OF DESIRE
By Caridad Svich
Directed by Leticia Robles-Moreno and Troy Dwyer
AUDITIONS
Sat, April 22 & Sun, April 23
9 am – 12:30 pm — one-hour time slots
in Rehearsal House 201
collaborative group auditions
CALLBACKS
Sat, April 29 & Sun, April 30
times TBA — 1.5 hour time slots
INFO SESSION w/ Troy & Leticia
Thur, April 20
5:15-6 pm
Rehearsal Hall, Trexler Pavilion
Zoom option available for students abroad:
ZOOM LINK Meeting ID: 974 3662 1599 Passcode: 183235
PERFORMANCES
Sept. 28 – Oct. 1, 2023
Baker Theatre, Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance
The audition sign-up process has FOUR steps:
- Read this casting email carefully — also right here!
- Sign up for an audition slot here.
- Complete the audition information Google form! (two forms!)
- Read the script! Seriously, please read the script before you audition!
Audition Information
ALL AUDITIONS WILL TAKE PLACE AT REHEARSAL HOUSE 201. Please arrive at RH 15 minutes prior to your audition time to check in.
We are seeking 9 principal roles and 5-6 ensemble roles. The play will be cast from among current first-years, sophomores and juniors.
Students cast in the production will return to campus around Aug. 18 for a week of intensive rehearsals prior to the start of the semester. The department will cover meals for students involved in the process until meal plans begin at the start of the semester. Please note that OLs and RAs usually have full-time commitments before the semester begins, so this might conflict with our week of intensive rehearsals for Labyrinth.
Preliminary auditions will be in a workshop-style format in a group setting in which prospective company members collaborate to devise performance material related to the themes, characters and situations of The Labyrinth of Desire. This workshop will also ask prospective company members to invoke their life experiences, human perspectives and worldviews. Other than reading the full text of The Labyrinth of Desire, no preparation is necessary for the workshop-style preliminary audition. Just please come ready to work collaboratively. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, of plain colors. No jewelry, or constraining clothes or accessories. Bring a bottle of water and something to write on.
Students who are currently abroad / off-campus:
Students who are currently studying abroad or out-of-town should fill out the audition information Google form and send an email to both Leticia Robles-Moreno and Troy Dwyer by THURSDAY, APRIL 20 AT NOON ET to receive your prompt for online collaborative auditions. Students who don't fill out the Google form and/or don't communicate with the directors by the April 20 deadline will not be able to audition.
Show Information
CONTENT ADVISORY
The play starts with a melodramatic exclamation related to suicidal ideations, a rhetorical device that occurs a few more times in the play. Though no character appears seriously intent on self-harm, we acknowledge the impact that this topic has had and could have on LGBTQ audiences and ensemble members. Additionally, since the play deals with a societal preoccupation with binary gender, the character of Florela/Felipe is the frequent victim of microaggressions in which the world of the play asks them to “prove” that their gender either does or does not match traditional fixed notions of “woman” or “man.” The directors will work on generating networks of support to make space for grief and healing.
SHOW DESCRIPTION
An adaptation of Lope de Vega’s Spanish Golden Age comedy La Prueba de los Ingenios (1617), Caridad Svich’s The Labyrinth of Desire (premiering 2010, revised 2022) is both a loyal translation of Lope’s comedy of errors and a re-working that incorporates contemporary understandings of gender-queerness. Florela/Felipe is a central protagonist on a journey of self-discovery as a gender nonbinary person. Svich uses Florela/Felipe to turn Lope’s original convention of outrageous Twelfth Night-style disguises into a modern queer/feminist interrogation of assumptions about desire, love, and personhood. The play’s denouement riffs on the classical convention of tidy marriages, with some of the central lovers unpartnered, and several others paired in queer unions. The publication of the 2010 version, also offers this description: “Filled with clever deceptions and hilarious disguises, this who’s-who comedy of romantic intrigue explores the delightful and essential mystery of love. This stylish and contemporary adaptation proves that intuition and infatuation have long challenged the boundaries and fluidity and desire.”
BLURB
Have you ever thrilled to the over-the-top excitement of a telenovela? Spanish Golden Age playwrights like Lope de Vega were making equally outrageous onstage adventures four centuries before Univision hit the airwaves. In Caridad Svich's contemporary queer adaptation of Lope's comedy La Prueba de los Ingenios, high-stakes telenovela glamor meets Shakespeare-esque romantic calamity. An honest-to-goodness gender nonbinary romantic lead goes undercover, and gets way more than they bargained for! A ravishing heroine and a suave hero both learn that love and sex aren't as clear-cut as they thought! Intuition! Infatuation! Betrayal! And a sly challenge to the boundaries of fluidity and desire...
A NOTE ON INTIMACY
This play will require to work closely with ensemble members, exploring how (queer) love and desire create intimate bonds. We will work intentionally with an intimacy director to create a safe and humane environment on stage and in rehearsal rooms.
A COUPLE OF NOTES ON CASTING
Lope de Vega was Spanish, and Caridad Svich is Argentine-Cuban-Spanish-American. As a result, though the play imagines a modern world with room for every kind of person, it is very informed by perspectives of the global majority, particularly Latinx cultural contexts.
The highly stylized world of the play (plus its preoccupation with self-presentation) makes ample and equal space for actors of all races and ethnicities, actors of all gender identities and presentations, actors who are from countries other than the US, and actors with disabilities. To a great degree, the play invites the incorporation of any identity and identification into the characters. This means that every actor at Muhlenberg will discover characters in the play they can easily see themselves playing.
A NOTE ON GENDER PRONOUNS
The following character breakdown includes the characters’ pronouns as written in the play and envisioned by the directors. Actors of all gender identities and presentations are encouraged to audition. However, if you have questions about how your pronouns align with those of the characters, please feel free to contact Troy and Leticia to ensure equitable practices in casting.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN
FLORELA / FELIPE (they/them), spirited, impulsive, intelligent; on a journey of self-discovery as a gender-nonbinary person. The text implies this character was assigned female gender at birth, and presents as a young woman throughout much of the play. However, that changes.
RICARDO (any pronouns), steadfast friend to Florela and Alejandro; ready to help, ready to follow through, ready to fall in love
ALEJANDRO (he/him), Florela’s impetuous, somewhat neurotic, handsome fiancé; on the search for comfort and privilege
CAMACHO (any pronouns), a young man of quicksilver energy, a messenger, fool, and trickster; from “Nowhere and Everywhere,” but with a family originally from Spain, CAMACHO’s ethnicity is Hispanic or Latinx.
LAURA (she/her), confident, poised, intelligent young woman of slightly giddy, neurasthenic energy; not really ready to fall in love, unless…
FINEA (any pronouns), her plain-spoken confidante; propelled by energetic desire and playful freedom to love
PARIS (he/him), Laura’s charming, ardent suitor, a dandy in the Wilde-an sense with rockstar energy; used to win and be loved
ESTACIO (any pronouns), his loyal assistant; used to enjoy the fruits of PARIS’ wins, and to work hard to secure those wins
DUCHESS (of Ferrara) (she/her), LAURA’s mother, sly and elegant, a gracious politician; believes in the empowerment of younger generations
ENSEMBLE (any pronouns), joyful, stylized, melodramatic presences that entangle, and disentangle at the same time, the Labyrinth of Desire…
One more link to the script, which you should read
Theatre Course Worksheets for Fall 2023
Theatre Major Worksheets
for Fall 2023 course registration
Last revised: April 5, 2023
Dear Theatre Majors —
Here are some helpful documents for you to use as you prepare to register for courses for Fall 2023.
Classes of 2024–27
- Theatre Major Tracker — all inclusive
- Theatre Scholarship, Cognate, and Special Topics Courses for Fall 2023
- CUE Offerings & Introductory Letter
- GAR Tracking Worksheet
Class of ’23
Students who entered prior to Fall 2020 will still complete the major requirements of the previous Theatre curriculum. This is true even if your official class designation might have changed. You should consult with your academic advisor to ensure that you meet all requirements.
Theatre Selection Process, 2023-24 Season
Theatre Season 2023-24
Season Selection Notes
Please refer to this document for updates on the season selection process for 2023-24 theatre productions.
Updates:
- Jan. 27: List of shows under consideration
Theatre Selection Committee:
- Oyinkansola Adebajo ’24
- Jess Bien, Director of Operations and Production
- Holly Cate, Associate Professor of Theatre
- AnnaMaria Fernandez ’24
- Rebecca Lustig, Director of the Co-Curricular/Production Program
- Beth Schachter, Professor of Theatre
- Carolina Sutton-Schott ’24
Proposal Guidelines:
(Proposals were due Jan. 17, 2023.)
The Theatre Season Selection group is happy to invite ALL members of the Muhlenberg community to propose projects for the 2023–24 production season! These are productions that will be directed by faculty and guest directors, but all — including students — may propose a production for consideration.
Preference will be given to proposals that include one or more of the following:
- Musicals written in the last 25 years
- Anti-racist and Feminist works, especially those that focus on intersectional identities
- Projects that seek to find new approaches to “old” plays
- Works that feature multiple roles for non-binary, trans and female identifying performers
- Non-realistic works, especially those that contain fantastical or supernatural elements
- Works that confront ableism, both through process and in production
At this time we are not considering proposals for student-directed works or student-written plays, but stay tuned for more information on student playwright opportunities!
Other factors that will be considered include:
- The number of available roles across the season
- The availability of performance rights
- The feasibility of production scale across the season
- The overall educational opportunities for students, both those involved in the production and those who will be audience members
Guest Artists — Spring 2023
Guest Artist
Masterclasses & Workshops
Spring 2023
Here's information about Theatre & Dance workshops and masterclasses this semester. The pages below will be updated as more information and signups become available.
Friday, Feb. 3: Masterclass & American Dance Festival Audition
with Sarah Procopio
2:30-4 pm in the DST
Find out more
Feb. 6-10: Dance Film Week
with Cara Hagan
Monday, Feb. 6: Films created by the Muhlenberg community
Submission deadline for films is Monday, Jan. 23
Tuesday, Feb.7: Muhlenberg faculty's favorite clips
Wednesday, Feb. 8: Muhlenberg students' favorite clips
Thursday, Feb. 9: Guest Artist's favorite clips
Find out more! (including submission guidelines for short films and favorite clips)
Friday, Feb. 10: Guest Artist Cara Hagan
Part of Dance Film Week
Screendance Workshop, 2-4 pm
Presentation & Talkback, 7-9 pm
Friday, Feb. 17: Theatre for Young Audiences Workshop
with Joshua Rashon Streeter
2:30-4 pm in the Empie Theatre
Find out more and sign up
Friday, Feb. 24: Flying Low & Passing Through Workshop
with Lily Kind
2-5 pm in the DST
Find out more
Tuesday, April 18: Aerial Workshop
with Bandaloop
5:30-7:30 pm at Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University
for Muhlenberg students
Find out more
Signing Out Studio Space
Signing Out Studio Space
updated Nov. 1, 2021
To reserve studio spaces for next week, please take the following steps:
- Read the first tab of this space schedule spreadsheet that explains "Everything You Need to Know About Reserving Spaces!" Maya will be sending weekly versions of this spreadsheet out every Friday.
- View the space specific tabs of the space schedule spreadsheet for the upcoming week and make note of what spaces are available at the times you are interested in. A white, blank rectangle means that a 30 minute time slot is available.
- Email Maya at [email protected] with your space request at least 24 hours in advance of when you hope to occupy a studio. Include the time frame (or frames), date, and spaces you are hopeful for.
- You will be good to go when Maya confirm the reservation with you and plug it into our weekly spreadsheet! Instead of waiting for an email response, you can always visit Maya at her new office hours (explained below!) for an instantaneous confirmation.
For the current spreadsheet, please go here.
Maya's office hours for the rest of this semester will remain as follows:
Mondays: 10 am - noon
Wednesdays: noon - 2 pm
Fridays: 2 pm - 4 pm
Any other time the box office window is open
Prop & Costume Requests
Dance Costume Loan Requests
1. Choose your items
2. Pay your deposit
3. Get your stuff
4. Use the stuff
5. Bring it back
Deposits
Prop Loans
Costume Loans
Lockers in the Box Office Lobby
Lockers in the Box Office Lobby
For the Spring 2021 semester, the lockers in the Trexler Pavilion box office lobby will be available ONLY to students who are taking class in the Dance Studio Theatre.
Please watch this charming instructional video, featuring our own Gianna Neal!
Instructions:
- Choose a locker!
- Remember the location!
- Lift the handle to open the locker.
- Place your items inside the locker and lift the handle to close the door.
TO LOCK:
On the keypad:
- Press the C button
- Choose and enter a 4-digit code. (Choose something you will remember!)
- Press the “key” button
The lock will then engage with a beep, and the indicator light with flash red. Your items are then secured until you choose to unlock the unit.
TO UNLOCK (the same process as locking):
- Press the C button
- Then enter the 4-digit code you chose
- Press the “key” button
The lock will disengage and you can lift the handle and open the unit.
Some things to remember about the lockers:
- The lockers are NOT overnight, indefinite storage. They are for use during classes and rehearsals. Items should not be left overnight or for extended periods of time.
- The staff will open ALL of the lockers following the master classes on Friday afternoons to prevent folks from taking over the lockers indefinitely.
- Staff will periodically AND FREQUENTLY unlock all units and remove all items — especially during breaks.
- Please avoid placing ANY open containers or any particularly smelly items in the lockers.
- Should you spill ANYTHING in a locker, it is your responsibility to clean it up immediately and if you need assistance, please seek assistance at either the box office or the administrative office upstairs.
If you forget your code, you can seek assistance in the Theatre and Dance office between the hours of 9 am AND 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
How to Get Places — a Video Tour
These videos give you a first-person look at how to get from point A to point B in the world of Theatre & Dance. Thanks to Mia Shmariahu '19 for the video assist!
- Baker Center for the Arts —> Trexler Pavilion
- Empie Theatre
- Baker Theatre
- Studio Theatre (Black Box)
- Box Office
- Trexler Pavilion —> Baker Center for the Arts
- Box Office
- Studio Theatre (Black Box)
- Baker Theatre
- Empie Theatre
- Brown Dance Studio
- CA 226 — The Tap Box (Center for the Arts)
- Dance Wellness Center & Pilates Studio
- Hillside House & Rehearsal House
- Lav Lounge / Lavender Lounge / Green Room
- Theatre & Dance Offices
- Scene Shop & Environs
- Scene Shop
- Damon Gelb's Office
- Eric Covell's Office
- Loading Dock
- Dumpster
- Other Tech Locations in the Center for the Arts
- the Vault (electrics)
- Paul Theisen's Office
- Prop Storage
- Bonus Round! The Baker Closet
Performance & Production Policy (Erstwhile 'Two-Rule')
Performance & Production Policy
(formerly known as 'The Two-Rule')
MTA members enrolled in any number of studio courses may be involved in only one production of any classification (except for Performance Ensembles) per semester, on or off campus. A member who is not enrolled in a studio course may be involved in up to two productions of any classification per semester, on or off campus. Members may be involved as designers in up to three productions of any classification, on or off campus.