TRANSFER STUDENT
BIG/LITTLES PROGRAM
PART-TIME FACULTY FEATURE
STUDENT WORK
SPRING 2025
In the 6th edition of In the Round, we would like to feature the work of our students across the department.
Please celebrate with me their successes and dedication to their work throughout the fall semester.
Katie Wilson Chair - Department of Theatre & Dance
My major is Theatre Arts- Specialized Studies in Theatre with an emphasis in Lighting. I am in theatre because it gave me the power to voice my opinion and to be creative. I also love watching the process of a play come to life. The thought of mere words on a page becoming a full-on production with all the elements of the theatre is just mesmerizing. I want to be the student liaison to the department for multiple reasons. In fact, my main reason is to help build a community here. I came from a community college where everyone was united and knew each other. We were able to rely and depend on each other despite being technicians or actors. Whenever someone needed help there were multiple people who were willing to step in. Sadly, from my experience going to CSUF that is not the case yet. Do not get me wrong, everyone I have met has been helpful. However, the sense of community feels fractured and there is no “blending”. Another reason for wanting to be the student liaison is to help people feel like they are being heard. There have been rumors that nothing will get done if something happens. I have come to realize that is not true and it is extremely important for us to use our voice. We have to stand united and create the change that we deserve and want. My advice to other students’ is don’t lose your sparkle. It may be hard now, but the reward will be worth it! However, it is also okay to lose your sparkle, you can always add more glitter to it later.
I’m a Theatre BA with no specific emphasis or focus. I do, however, lean toward playwriting and comedy! I’ve been obsessed with Theatre for as long as I can remember. My mom told me as a kid we saw a production of Sleeping Beauty in the Park and I went up to every actor and complimented them (and they even brought me “backstage”). I couldn’t imagine myself not being surrounded by the company of other artistic people that allow me to express myself so freely & vulnerably. I love the chance to meet new people and show them the spaces & opportunities available to them on campus that I only discovered in my later years here. I want to encourage people to make the most of their time here: make memorias, make art, challenge yourself. I wish I had that kind of push and encouragement when I got here (the covid years boo) but I’m honored to be that person for others.
Are you a new or transfer student looking to connect with others in our department? Or are you a student leader interested in welcoming incoming students and sharing your experience?
Our new Bigs/Littles Program is here to help you build connections, find support, and make the most of your time here!
Complete the interest form HERE to be paired with a mentor (Bigs) or mentee (Littles). We’ll create opportunities to attend mixers, watch productions as a group, and other fun activities throughout the semester!
Fill out the form to get involved and be part of our community!
There will be a meetup once we collect responses, Cheers!
Part-Time Faculty Dr. Jessica Friedman was awarded Honorable Mention for the Cambridge University Press Prize at the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) Conference in November. This award is for the best plenary presentation given at the conference the previous year. Dr. Friedman won for her plenary talk “An Unrealized Hope: Pearl Primus’s Border Crossing Dance Theatre Troupe.” This research analyzes Black modern dancer Pearl Primus’s plans for a dance theatre troupe in the 1940s comprised of Black performers from NYC’s top stages and everyday Black Southern performers—those who sang in church, danced at local hangouts, or told stories on their front porches. This group would use their performances to protest racism. Dr. Friedman also received the Jessica Berson Dance Research Assistance Grant and David Keller Travel Grant from ASTR for this research last year. An extended version of Dr. Friedman’s talk will be published as an article in the upcoming issue of Theatre Survey journal.
My name is Makenna Tondro and I’m a fourth-year dance student. My piece for the fall dance concert explores human beings, human behavior, and the relationships we share with each other. I was inspired by the idea that we’ve evolved to become something quite artificial that often doesn’t align with our true nature as animals. To illustrate this, the dancers begin as plastic, mannequin-like figurines, and spiral into feral, frenzied animals. This was my first time choreographing a piece at this scale and it was incredibly challenging, but my wonderful cast made it so rewarding and I couldn’t be more grateful to have had this opportunity!
The image presented shows a costume design done by Kayla Beining and JuanCarlos Arellano for their Intro to Costume Design class taught by Hyun Sook Kim.
Kayla Beining is a technical production design student. Kayla has the hopes to broaden her horizon about theatre and get to know the world of tech better.
JuanCarlos Arellano is a BFA Devised/ Physical Theatre student. JuanCarlos loves all things theatre and is specifically interested in learning more about the construction of costumes.
Line Wolkenhauer is a BA theatre major, specializing in stage management. They are an activist, an artist, and they love animals.
Rose Szczepanski is a BA Theater major, and enjoys reading, music, houseplants, and historical fiction films. We made a costume for a half-sized dress form (doll-sized) out of miscellaneous materials and sewing skills we learned from class.
THTR 375: Students (Riley Blackwell, Logan Cabiles, Jose Carlos, Lilly Hahn, Brooke Halliday, Keza Kananura, Breanna Lange, Yanira Loera, Kimberly Montiel, Mickey Narez, Garret Sullivan, Janene Uriarte, Robin White) in THTR 375, section 3 researched the millennium-old Indonesian shadow puppetry tradition, Wayang Kulit, and recorded a presentation performance of it to project on the Visual Arts Building D wall from 12/04-12/13. A video recording is available for department viewing upon request, thank to Eric Sheehan. These puppets were generously donated by scholar Ardith Betts. The students also created and displayed lanterns in the Grand Foyer to honor the celebration of Diwali, which reminds us that light will triumph over darkness. Ask the students about the haka protests in New Zealand ;) VIDEO LINK HERE
THTR 461: Dramaturgy students and instructors worked with the dancers in (DANC 423 Advanced Composition) for the first-ever dance dramaturgy projects—a successful collaboration we hope to continue in the future.
THTR 475: Students in THTR 475, sections 1 and 2 executed six student conferences on the topics of queer representation in theatre, race representation in theatre, ecodramaturgies, disabilities in theatre, border crossings and object performances, and political performance art. The conference respondents were guest scholars from Duke University, UC Riverside, Texas State University, Fairfield University, Southern Methodist University, and Royal Holloway, London, who all strongly commended the students’ thought-provoking presentations. The students will share podcast summaries of each conference for the department community on 12/13.
THTR 277-01 Introduction to Costume Design: Half-Scale Creative Costume Form Projects
My name is Ziggy Bozigian and I will be graduating with my Bachelors in Theatre after Spring. I’ll also be applying to the Theatre Teacher Credential program this month, which I’m really looking forward to. Besides education, I enjoy doing work in costuming, dramaturgy, and writing. I’ve worked on 5 productions at CSUF throughout my three semesters here and there’s more to come. Outside of school, I’m also an actor. Besides theater, my hobbies include record collecting, reading, watching horror movies, doll collecting, and spending time with my 14-year-old weiner dog named Kasper.
Creating my Titanic lessons has been an absolute joy and a powerful learning experience. I created these lessons for my Drama Across Curriculum class, taught by Dr. Amanda Rose Villareal. I’ve always had a passion for teaching and theater, so naturally, I’m on track to become a Theatre teacher. I firmly believe in reshaping the current education system and employing updated, versatile methods for students today. This is exactly what this class is about. Every week, we go through multiple lessons facilitated by students, for which we employ Drama-Based Pedagogy.
We use the pedagogy to create fun and effective ways of teaching subjects that aren’t the arts- so math, science, language, and history. From the start of the semester, I knew I wanted to do all of my lessons in history since that has the most opportunity for theater. I chose to do a series of Titanic lessons because I’ve always been very passionate about it.
Dear Theatre and Dance Faculty and Staff Members,
Just a short note to thank you for the lovely gift and card with so many of your lovely signatures on it.
I will cherish both and wish you all great things in the future for Theatre and Dance.
It has been a privilege to spend time with you and our remarkable students over the past 33-years.
Evelyn joins me in wishing you peace and prosperity.
- Jim Volz
Emeriti Professor
