2008 Woodie Awards
The lights of Georgetown stage
Four students who have had a lasting impact on GU theater
Kelsey Shannon
Issue date: 4/30/03 Section: Arts and Entertainment
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Georgetown University is not widely known for its theater. Nonetheless, many students have been adding to the Georgetown experience as actors, directors, stage managers, cast or crew since their arrival at the school. Here are a few:
Drew Courtney (COL ‘03) has participated in 14 performances during his time at Georgetown, in roles ranging from director (Oedipus Rex) to master electrician (Arcadia). He also wrote plays for both the 2001 and 2002 One Acts Festival, and even served as the master electrician for Arcadia.
What has been your most rewarding experience in Georgetown theater?
That would have to be the One Act festival from this year. We were able to expand the festival from two shows (which had been done in the past) to three mainstage shows, plus a midnight theater performance, a reading at Uncommon Grounds and a reading of an Off-Broadway play by an alumnus who came to the reading and spoke afterwards. Producing original scripts is one of the most important things we do at Georgetown. I was very pleased to see the One Acts grow so much this year and I hope that it will continue in the future.
What is the best part about theater at Georgetown?
Theater here is really independent. It is really amazing to have four different theater companies on campus, all with separate, all-student boards that oversee what they do. As a result we have four cool, vital organizations on campus that people take a lot of ownership of.
What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in putting on a show?
For the One Acts this year, we had three shows in rehearsal plus set construction all going on at the same time. One of the shows in particular had a huge amount of trouble with rehearsal space. The classrooms we booked had issues and just a few days from the opening of the show, we had trouble getting them.
How do you see the future of theater at Georgetown shaping up?
I think that it is going to be bright. The performing arts center and the University's new focus on the theater major both mean that theater is going to be getting more attention on campus. Also the synergy between the theater department and the student-run organizations should produce some really exciting stuff over the next few years.
Drew Courtney (COL ‘03) has participated in 14 performances during his time at Georgetown, in roles ranging from director (Oedipus Rex) to master electrician (Arcadia). He also wrote plays for both the 2001 and 2002 One Acts Festival, and even served as the master electrician for Arcadia.
What has been your most rewarding experience in Georgetown theater?
That would have to be the One Act festival from this year. We were able to expand the festival from two shows (which had been done in the past) to three mainstage shows, plus a midnight theater performance, a reading at Uncommon Grounds and a reading of an Off-Broadway play by an alumnus who came to the reading and spoke afterwards. Producing original scripts is one of the most important things we do at Georgetown. I was very pleased to see the One Acts grow so much this year and I hope that it will continue in the future.
What is the best part about theater at Georgetown?
Theater here is really independent. It is really amazing to have four different theater companies on campus, all with separate, all-student boards that oversee what they do. As a result we have four cool, vital organizations on campus that people take a lot of ownership of.
What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in putting on a show?
For the One Acts this year, we had three shows in rehearsal plus set construction all going on at the same time. One of the shows in particular had a huge amount of trouble with rehearsal space. The classrooms we booked had issues and just a few days from the opening of the show, we had trouble getting them.
How do you see the future of theater at Georgetown shaping up?
I think that it is going to be bright. The performing arts center and the University's new focus on the theater major both mean that theater is going to be getting more attention on campus. Also the synergy between the theater department and the student-run organizations should produce some really exciting stuff over the next few years.