Theatre at UBC Blog

Ready – set – and “go” book your tickets to our first Extra Event of the 2009/10 Season from Theatre at UBC. It’s the final week of production for the alumna founded company shameless hussy productions’ professional presentation of Frozen by Bryony Lavery at our Dorothy Somerset Studio Theatre.

The Somserset aka “The DSS” is cleverly disguised as an former engineering shed – but enter the doors to this newly renovated facility and discover the sexiest performance space in all of UBC. It’s the kind of venue Vancouver artists and patrons are continually crying out for, an intimate little black box theatre that features state of the art equipment and seating for up to 120.

Right: Dorothy Somsetset Studio Theatre

shameless hussy company members, including myself, have taken time out from saying the same things over, and over, and over (aka rehearsing) to pitch the opening of Frozen for Simon Ogden’s The Next Stage Magazine on YouTube.

The Dorothy Somerset Studio was first opened in a location below the Frederic Wood Theatre to honor Theatre at UBC’s first and founding department head Dorothy Somerset. Generations of theatre artists cut their teeth in the Somerset including Brent Carver, Goldie Semple, Nicola Cavendish, Eric Peterson and many others – along with our current department head Jerry Wasserman.

It’s a great privilege to return to perform in this historic venue for the first time since it’s been relocated, and to open this play that I love so much under the banner of the Department of Theatre’s very beloved founder, Miss Dorothy Somerset.

Speed Dating: Imagine your Theatre & Film Major!

Ask not for whom the bell tolls – it tolls for you at the Department of Theatre & Film’s Speed Dating advising event!

On behalf of the UBC Department of Theatre & Film I dreamed up an Imagine Day event called “SPEED DATING: Imagine your Theatre and Film Major”. A lot can, and did happen in 5 minutes.

Students signed up for 4 rounds of 5 minute “speed dating” style mini advising sessions, held with 6 different representatives of the UBC Department of Theatre and Film. Theatre at UBC’s Player’s Club representatives Brendan Albano and Amanda Konkin were on hand posting auditions for their upcoming show and spreading the Player’s Club love. Established by UBC students along with Professor Frederic Wood in 1915, the club is UBC’s very first student club and it’s open to all students at UBC.

Huge kudos for bringing the day “Imagined” to life, particularly to Jenn Suratos our hostess with the mostest, 4th year MFA Design candidate Maria Fumano who rang our bell and finally our magnificent faculty, staff and students. UBC’s Imagine Day is a new Student Services initiative designed to help students understand all the opportunities for learning within each department.

Everyone knows the Department of Theatre & Film host the best parties and here’s documented proof – see more photos on our Flickr site.

Welcome back everybody, I look forward to all the exciting work that will unfold during our new 2009/10 theatre season!