ANNUAL REPORT
2018-2019
THEATRE AND MUSIC AT UIC “2018-2019 was about gaining momentum. We welcomed extraordinary new faculty including Michael Stryker (music/jazz), Stephanie Cluggish (theatre/costume), and Erin Freeman (theatre/production). We launched a student exchange program with the National University of Ireland, Galway. We received a major gift from the Poetry Foundation. We supported the Theatre and Music Alumni Association (TMAA) as they raised funds for the Carl Ulaszek Fund. We participated in an international competition and selected the architecture team OMA/KOO, to build a new Center for the Arts at UIC. And, most importantly, we continued to welcome, teach, and support talented students from diverse backgrounds as they realize their dreams for the future.” - Christine Mary Dunford
Mission The School of Theatre and Music (STM) provides innovative, rigorous, and comprehensive academic and performance programs as part of our diverse, urban context. Our programs develop practical knowledge, cultural sensitivity, intellectual resourcefulness, and imaginative daring in emerging artists and scholars. We connect students to Chicago’s abundant, vibrant theatre culture, and to the city’s dynamic jazz and classical music networks.
OUR STUDENTS 204
Students
3%
Multi Race
4%
International
7%
Asian
15%
African American/Black
32%
Hispanic
38%
White
Student Enrollment
//
75
Music Degree Students
/
35
Music Minors
328 / Fall 2019 Applicants
//
129
Theatre Degree Students
15
/
Theatre Minors
NON-DEGREE
STUDENT PARTICIPATION 4,398 students from 91 majors across campus took a theatre or music general education course, a 13% increase from 2017-2018.
4,398
Gen Ed Student Degrees
4%
Criminology
4%
Accounting
4%
Finance
8%
Biological Sciences
9%
Computer Science
22%
Liberal Arts — Undeclared
49%
Other
GRADUATING STUDENT DEGREES 54
Graduating Students
6%
Bachelor of Music Jazz Studies
7%
Bachelor of Music Performance
7% 9%
Bachelor of Arts Theatre Design, Production and Technology Bachelor of Arts Music
13%
Bachelor of Arts Music Business
26%
Bachelor of Arts Theatre Performance
32%
Bachelor of Fine Arts Acting
PERSONNEL
//
Expenses
//
31
7
Full-time Faculty
Full-time Staff
Our largest expense is for our greatest asset — faculty and staff. This constitutes nearly 86% of our budget, or $2,890,393.
86%
//
29
Adjunct Theatre and Music Faculty
BUDGET Income
Type
Total
CADA
2,987,174
State Allocation $2,987,174
CADA Other
15,492
Course fees
207,725
Total Revenue $3,483,288
Donations
9,085.03
Earned income
209,353.90
Grants
6,958
In-kind
47,500
Total
3,483,288
Total Expenses $ 3,359,020.25 Salaries: $2,890k Public Programs: $152.9k Facilities & Equipment: $134.9k Youth Programs: $31.5k Research: $17.1k Administration Costs: $67.7k Marketing & Recruitment: 25.8k Other: 38.7k
Faculy and Staff
THEATRE PRODUCTIONS Our audience and students enjoyed contemporary takes of classic plays during the 2018-2019 theatre season. STM introduced the season with UIC’s first Latino production, Electricidad by Macarthur award-winning playwright, Luis Alfaro, and directed by Aguijón Theatre’s Marcela Muñoz. STM also welcomed the popular Jeff Award-winning guest directors, Q Brothers for an “ad-rap-tation” of Julius Caesar titled Rome Sweet Rome. Esteemed theatre faculty Derrick Sanders directed Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. Head of UIC Theatre and Steppenwolf Ensemble Member Yasen Peyankov directed Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters.
3,227 Theatre Season Attendance
10% Audience Growth from 17-18 Season
PERFORMANCE VENUES Chicago is our campus with public performances and access to masterful musicians at venues across the city. • Ambassador Public House • Benito Juarez Performing Arts Center • James Stukel Tower Auditorium • Jazz Showcase • Logan Center for the Arts • Midwest Clinic (McCormick Place) • Notre Dame de Chicago Church • St. Francis of Assisi Church • UIC Mainstage • UIC Pavillion • UIC Recital Hall • UIC Student Center West
MUSIC ENSEMBLES STM is proud to produce free public performances led by our student ensembles, an invaluable asset to the campus and community. The UIC community can enjoy music by our various ensembles: • Chamber Choir • Chamber Music Ensemble • Jazz Combo • Jazz Ensemble • JazzWorkshop • Mariachi Fuego • Orchestra • Pep Band • Percussion Ensemble • Pop Rock Band • Summer Wind Ensemble • Symphonic Band • University Choir • Vocal Jazz Ensemble • Wind Ensemble • Women’s Choral Ensemble
2,890 2018-2019 Concert Season Attendance
71% of the performers in our ensembles were non-music degree students.
OUR DEGREES BFA Acting
BA Music
BMUS Jazz Studies
Students gain conservatory-style training in a liberal arts setting through our BFA in Acting, working closely with world-class faculty from Tony Award-winning theatres. Students take six semesters of voice for the actor and six semesters of movement for the actor. Eight semesters of acting culminate in a semester-long audition class taught by casting directors from the Goodman Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
Students study music while developing a strong liberal arts foundation. They take core music courses and four terms of private instruction while playing in music ensembles and taking advantage of over 200 other disciplines at UIC. BA students may pursue a double degree.
Students develop the tools for a professional career in jazz and related fields of contemporary music. They receive weekly coaching from top Chicago jazz musicians, jazz-centric coursework in theory, and arranging, and performance opportunities both on and off campus.
BA Music Business
Jazz Festival
Students combine music study with courses from UIC’s College of Business Administration in accounting, marketing, and finance. They complete up to two internships in Chicago’s music industry and develop essential business and music knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in this ever-expanding field.
Every year, UIC hosts over 300 high school students from around Chicago to work with
BA Theatre and Performance Students take advantage of a wide range of courses across the discipline and focus study through three tracks: general, performance and authorship. The flexibility of the program allows for a broad study of theatre, and in some circumstances, a dual degree.
BA Theatre Design, Production, and Technology Students develop a strong foundation in theatre through core courses then deepen their study in the area of design that interests them. Courses are offered in acting, scenic design, lighting design, costume design, make-up design, set construction, costume construction, stage management, directing, playwriting, and contemporary performance. All students graduate with a portfolio.
BMUS Performance Students pursue advanced study in piano, voice, guitar, and orchestral instruments. Students have access to Chicago’s most outstanding artist-teachers and develop their musicianship through regular master classes with acclaimed guest artists, and multiple performance opportunities with the many ensembles.
our faculty in clinics and master classes at the annual UIC Jazz Festival. An integral element of the Jazz Festival is the guest artist who joins the UIC Jazz Ensemble for the final performance, which provides an invaluable learning experience and inspiration for our jazz students. Grammy-nominated guitarist, Mike Stern was a guest artist at the 2019 Jazz Festival. A prolific recording artist, conductor, composer and educator, Stern is a consummate musician.
YOUTH PROGRAMS We serve students from 130+ Chicagoarea schools annually through youth programs and performances. Fostering theatre and music practice and appreciation inspires and teaches youth while they learn, and builds and broadens their sense of community. Our Youth Programs: • August Wilson Monologue Competition • A Day in the Life Theatre Camp • Band and Orchestra Festival • Honors Band Festival • Jazz Festival • Symphonic Band Camp • Chicago Youth Shakespeare
FACULTY AND ALUMNI NEWS Our faculty and alumni are influencing the performing arts in Chicago and abroad. Read some of their many exciting accomplishments this year.
Faculty Lydia Diamond, Clinical Associate Professor, had the world premiere of her play Toni Stone at the Roundabout Theatre in New York. Toni Stone received rave reviews by the Wallstreet Journal and a Critic’s Pick on The New York Times. Derrick Sanders, Associate Professor, was honored with a Tribute Award at the 2019 League of Chicago Theatres Annual Gala. Professor Sanders was recognized for his work in organizing the annual Chicago’s August Wilson Monologue Competition for high-school students which celebrated its 10th year anniversary in March. Julie Koidin and Zvonimir Tot, music faculty, were invited to participate in the prestigious Fulbright Specialist Program. The Fulbright Specialist Programis a unique opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week consultancies in a range of disciplines at host institutions in over 150 countries worldwide. Yasen Peyankov, Associate Professor and Head of Theatre, appeared in two productions at Steppenwolf Theatre in the spring of 2019. Peyankov performed in A Doll’s House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath and The Children written by Lucy Kirkwood. Marc Mellits, Associate Professor of composition and theory of music, was
featured on the New Music Chicago’s Concert Series at the Chicago Cultural Center, with select performances of “Titan” for bass clarinet and string quartet (2018); “Agu,” for solo piano (2004); “Max,” for violin and piano (2013). Rachelle Palnick Tsachor, Assistant Professor of movement, was a recipient of the University of Illinois system’s Arts and Humanities funding initiative along with College of Education colleagues Maria Varelas, Nathan Phillips, Rebecca Woodard, Rebecca Kotler, and Hannah Natividad. Their project “Young People’s Science Theater” was awarded $145,000. UIC Theatre faculty involved in this project include Lydia Diamond and Christine Mary Dunford. Ari Brown, Teaching Associate, was named the Chicagoan of the Year for being a living symbol of the great Jazz Music genre by the Chicago Tribune. Professor Brown has contributed his saxophone talents to more than 75 albums in his lifetime.
Alumni Eréndira Izguerra, BMus Performance 2016, was featured on the Chicago Tribune for founding Chicago’s very first all-female mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Sirenas. Izguerra is also a member of the Sones de México Ensemble, a two-time Grammy nominated Mexican folk music ensemble.
Patrick Agada, BFA Acting 2014, received rave reviews from the Chicago Tribune, Third Coast Reviews, New City Stage, and Rescripted for his role in Jackalope Theatre’s Dutch Masters. Mykele Deville, BFA Acting 2010, was recognized on the Chicago Suntimes for his latest album “Maintain.” “Maintain” enjoyed a sold out show at the popular venue Lincoln Hall in early March 2019. Meggy Huynh, Music Business 2018, after her internship with Lollapalooza Music Festival, and receiving high recommendations from Executive Director at BMI Music Inc. was offered a position with the Jazz Institute of Chicago. Andrew Neftalí Perez, BFA 2017, appeared on FOX TV drama Empire, Chicago P.D, and The Chi. Neftalí has also been nominated for a Jeff-Award for supporting role in Richard Montoya’s Water & Power.
NEW AND EXCITING Center for the Arts In April of 2019, the College of Architecture Design and the Arts held a public forum to present design proposals from three architectural teams OMA/KOO, Morphosis/ STL and Johnston Marklee/UrbanWorks for the new Center for the Arts. In May of 2019, interim Dean Walter Benn Michaels announced OMA/KOO as the architectural team to design the Center for the Arts. The Center for the Arts will be an architecturally significant building on Chicago’s Near West Side that serves as a gateway and bridge between UIC and the world, and as a destination for innovative arts and cultural production.
Poetry Foundation Grant The 2018-2019 theatre season received a $35,000 grant from the Poetry Foundation to support the production of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire. The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture, and is based right here in Chicago. Learn more at poetryfoundation.org
UIC Music Convocation and Forum A Music Convocation course was reimagined to help students launch their career in
music after graduation. At weekly meetings, concerts, and presentations students engage with a wide variety of musical styles and artists, from jazz, classical, and extending out to other genres, including folk music, rock, and musical theater. Music forum puts students in touch with music industry professionals, wellness professionals, solo artists, small ensembles, large ensembles, instrumentalists and vocalists.
Pop-Rock Ensemble STM now offers a Pop-Rock Ensemble course. The Pop-Rock Ensemble introduces students to popular music with a repertoire spanning from The Beatles, Lenny Kravitz, The Bee Gees and many more. The Pop-Rock Ensemble is a gateway to the many music offerings at UIC.
What’s Up?! Lecture Series The What’s up?! Lecture Series features conversations with theatre and music faculty on projects they are currently working on. Students and faculty learned about Music Business Professor, Robert Difazio’s work with creating algorithms for spotify and music streaming platforms. Theatre Professor Lydia Diamond gave a lecture on the development of her play Stickfly from Broadway to HBO.
Project STAGE Last May, students from CPS schools debuted their performance at UIC School of Theatre & Music in a play titled Pollution and its Impact on Communities as part of Project STAGE. Project STAGE, or Science Theater for Advancing Generative Engagement, is a joint initiative between UIC faculty in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, UIC School of Theatre and Music, and Chicago Public School (CPS) teachers, that empowers young science learners in CPS classrooms with a platform to develop and communicate their thinking around science ideas and social change. The three-year-old interdisciplinary collaboration between the colleges and the Chicago Public Schools is designed to support elementary and middle school students’ engagement with science concepts and practices through performing arts exploration.
The War That Made Today In November, UIC School of Theatre and Music participated in The War that Made Today, an 11-day, campus-wide collaboration, led by the Honors College, to commemorate the anniversary of the end of WWI. The commemoration program included performances of music, letters, and poetry from the period, as well as deeply felt personal reflections and appreciations
performed by School of Theatre and Music alumni, faculty and students.
My Mother’s Sin at UIC In December, the General Secretariat of Greeks Abroad — Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hellenic Republic Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organization selected the UIC School of Theatre and Music to present the culturally significant production of My Mother’s Sin by G. Vizyenos. The performance was presented at Harvard University, Yale University, and Columbia University and closed at the UIC School of Theatre & Music as part of a national university tour.
Ongoing Partnerships Bella Voce Chicago Philharmonic Society Eolia Conservatory of Dramatic Arts Goodman Theatre Grant Park Music Festival Apprentice Hubbard Street Dance Chicago International Exchange with National University of Ireland Galway League of Chicago Theatre Lookingglass Theatre Company PianoForte Chicago Steppenwolf Theatre Company
LEADERSHIP COMMITTEES Advisory Committee Stephen Burns Founder and Artistic Director Fulcrum Point New Music Project Sheila J. Chapman Arts Volunteer, Steppenwolf for Young Adults Alumni Board Member Silk Road Rising
Nancy Plax Director of Community Outreach Connecting4Communities Nick Rabkin Arts Research and Consulting Scott Silberstein Co-founder and Executive Producer, HMS Media, Inc.
Paula E. D’Angelo Consultant
Janet Carl Smith Former Deputy Commissioner Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
Meredith Dincolo Dancer Master Teacher & Coach/ Artistic Consultant
Willa Taylor Director of Education and Community Engagement, Goodman Theatre
Ginger Farley Executive Director Chicago Dancemakers Forum
2019 Theatre and Music Alumni Association
Betsy Ingram Producer Director of Finance & Operations, KoboTech Inc. Donna Milanovich Executive Director The Chicago Philharmonic Society
William Raffeld Founding member at large Navy Pier Attendee, 1955
@uictmaa Follow Theatre and Music Alumni Association (TMAA) on Facebook!
Mary Jo Papich Co-Founder/ Past President Jazz Education Network; Retired, Fine Arts Director, D219 Skokie
Rendering of the Center for the Arts provided by OMA/KOO.
For more information visit: www.theatreandmusic.uic.edu
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