From LA to London: New Screen Acting Degree Spans the Globe
野狼社区 University, in partnership with the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, will offer a new master鈥檚 degree in screen acting in two of the world鈥檚 entertainment capitals beginning in January.
The Master of Fine Arts in Screen Acting is a highly specialized two-year program that will be taught in Los Angeles and London. The program starts with hands-on learning in Los Angeles鈥� historic Culver City, complete with internships at LA film studios. During the second year of the program, students will study in London at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.
Master class faculty members include Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth (BM Musical Theatre 鈥�91, MM 鈥�93, HDHL 鈥�13), who will conduct master classes at least once a year for OCU MFA students in LA. The OCU School of Theatre鈥檚 Los Angeles location is near Amazon Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Apple+ Studios, HBO Studios, Jesse James Films, and others.
The program will prepare graduates to work professionally in film, television, and other recorded media venues.
鈥淪tudents will learn how to develop, pitch, and produce their own content,鈥� said OCU School of Theatre Dean Mark Parker. 鈥淭he program will offer invaluable experience working alongside, and networking with, actors, directors, casting directors, agents, and producers in both LA and London.鈥�
Along with the foundational study of acting technique while studying in LA, students will engage in multiple digital media projects of their own, a range of workshops and events with industry professionals, and a research project on an aspect of screen history or film\/TV theory. Students also will screen a film project and participate in a pitching session to industry professionals. In London, students will study specific technical skills in voice, movement, stage combat, and improvisation. The program culminates with a thesis production project.
For more information, contact [email protected] or visit okcu.edu\/mfa-screen-acting.
Masterclass with a Star
Take it from a Broadway star鈥攕ometimes you gotta improvise. Chenoweth gave two masterclasses during the spring semester for OCU students via the Zoom platform while sheltering in place in her Manhattan home.
Chenoweth accepted an appointment as artist-in-residence at her alma mater in early March, weeks before the pandemic moved all classes online. She agreed to be in residence at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at least once a semester, working with students in masterclasses, lessons, and workshops and leading ongoing conversations on the business of Broadway and Hollywood. Even in the midst of the pandemic, Chenoweth kept one of Broadway鈥檚 most enduring ideals: The show must go on.
鈥淲hat a wonderful session and what a kind and generous heart,鈥� Mark Parker, dean of the Bass School of Music, said after the first session. 鈥淜ristin Chenoweth was real, she was encouraging, motivating, and most of all, she showed all 44 of us on this call that she is committed to these students for the long haul.鈥�
Nursing School Donates PPE to Local Hospitals
Soon after the pandemic began, 野狼社区 University answered the call to support the metro area鈥檚 medical community by donating critical personal protective equipment to SSM Health St. Anthony and INTEGRIS in response to increased needs prompted by COVID-19.
The Kramer School of Nursing donated 8,375 gloves as well as hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes to St. Anthony for health care professionals treating patients on the front lines of the pandemic. The Physician Assistant program donated an additional 2,000 gloves and 150 masks.
The nursing school also donated supplies to INTEGRIS including gloves, hand sanitizer, and bleach wipes.
鈥淎fter our students transitioned to online learning last spring, we saw the opportunity to give back with PPE we knew was much needed,鈥� said Lois Salmeron, dean of the Kramer School of Nursing. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity not only for our school and our students to pay it forward to the profession they will soon enter, but also for us to demonstrate the value of servant-leadership we promote among all OCU Stars.鈥�
Serving the Community
野狼社区 University Police Chief Dexter Nelson was appointed to Mayor David Holt鈥檚 (JD 鈥�09) Law Enforcement Policy Task Force, which was created in response to community concerns about law enforcement policies.
The task force will revisit and revise the 野狼社区 Police Department鈥檚 de-escalation policy as well as the structure in place designed to provide credible and independent accountability back to the community, a responsibility currently belonging to the police department鈥檚 Citizens Advisory Board.
According to the city, the task force may also consider other policies if they are necessary to accomplish improvement in the two priority areas. The task force will recommend changes to the city council and city manager for potential adoption.
Dean Hired for Law Recruitment
Michelle Gunter was appointed the new assistant dean of admissions for the OCU School of Law. Gunter filled the position left vacant upon the retirement of Associate Dean Laurie Jones.
鈥淲e are very excited to welcome Michelle Gunter,鈥� Dean Jim Roth said. 鈥淗er experience in recruiting will be the perfect continuation of the work of Dean of Admissions Laurie Jones. Dean Jones has been instrumental in growing our law school with her passion for bringing in a talented and diverse student body, and we know Dean Gunter will build upon the foundation she has laid. I look forward to the next class of bright law school students who will become a part of our OCU Law community.鈥�
Gunter began her career in higher education at Spelman College as a member of the housing and residence life staff, moving next to student affairs at Paul Quinn College. Prior to joining the staff of University of North Carolina School of Law, Gunter served as an attorney for survivors of sexual assault with Lone Star Legal Aid and as an admissions recruiter for Texas A&M University School of Law.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to working with Dean Roth and the exceptional team at OCU Law,鈥� said Gunter. 鈥淭he school truly grows the next generation of leaders, and I鈥檓 proud to have a part in that process.鈥�
Online Work Leads to Theatrical Innovation
Each year, 野狼社区 University awards a grant to facilitate Creative Activity, Inquiry, Research, and Scholarship and promote 鈥渃ritical thinking, creativity, and the ability to think holistically and across disciplines of study.鈥� Associate professor Kate Brennan and undergraduate student Avery Bruce proved to be the perfect pair to receive the grant鈥攄espite having to collaborate remotely in a field where doing so is an extreme challenge.
鈥淎cross disciplines of study鈥� doesn鈥檛 begin to describe Brennan鈥檚 and Bruce鈥檚 鈥淚lluminate鈥� project. The endeavor is categorized as a myriodrama, a collection of scenes and songs that can be assembled in any order, with any number of ensemble members, and shared in any medium. 鈥淚lluminate鈥� is the third installment of the overall work, The Infinity Trilogy.
鈥淓ach scene and song operate as a unique 鈥榗ard,鈥欌�� Brennan explained. 鈥淭he deck can be dealt in any order, in any amount.鈥�
The artists worked with Ignition Arts, a nonprofit arts organization that encourages 鈥渃ollaboration across all genres of art and change-making.鈥� Brennan and Bruce worked with Ignition Arts Executive Director and former head of OCU鈥檚 Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance Gregory DeCandia to create the new type of performance format.
鈥淲e were scheduled to develop 鈥業lluminate鈥� with Ignition Arts at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma in May,鈥� Brennan said. 鈥淲hen the pandemic shuttered theaters, Ignition Arts moved the development online to keep everyone safe. In doing so, we created not only a new theatre piece but a new way of creating a theatrical piece.鈥�
Bruce said: 鈥溾�業lluminate鈥� is a story where a linear progression of time is not important, but rather time鈥攆uture, past, present鈥攃an be interwoven to present a universal message that illuminates important themes in all of our lives.鈥�
To learn more about myriodrama and preview the project, visit ignitionarts.org\/illuminate.
