APSU 2013: A Year in Review
December 23, 2013
Clarksville, TN – When future generations look back on the history of Austin Peay State University, the year 2013 will likely be remembered as a pivotal time in the University’s development.
In the last 12 months, the campus has changed tremendously, both in terms of its layout and its notoriety. New, state-of-the-art buildings are welcoming new students, and even the President of the United States is talking about APSU.
As the University community looks ahead to another big year, here are some of the top stories that defined Austin Peay in 2013.
2013 at APSU
Austin Peay State University Area of Theatre and Dance to present Lysistrata April 17th-21st
April 11, 2013
Clarksville, TN – Around the year 410 B.C., the Greek comic playwright Aristophanes wrote a play that caused many in his audience to blush.
When Darren Michael, Austin Peay State University associate professor of acting/directing, reread “Lysistrata” earlier this semester, he realized little has changed in the last two thousand years.
APSU Area of Theatre and Dance to present Lysistrata
Acclaimed playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis to speak at APSU March 22nd
March 19, 2013
Clarksville, TN – In 2011, playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis created a Broadway sensation when his new play, staring Chris Rock, debuted at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater.
It was the title, with its use of profanity, that caught most people’s attention. Here, we’ll simply refer to it as “The Mother with the Hat.”
Stephen Adly Guirgis
Austin Peay State University Dance Program expands Reputation
February 26, 2013
Clarksville, TN – In 2005, Austin Peay State University developed a dance minor program with one faculty member and a handful of students. Seven years later, the program has three full-time faculty members and several graduates enrolled in Master of Fine Arts programs around the country.
The name “Austin Peay” is also becoming more familiar in collegiate dance circles, with the school having choreographed pieces selected two years in a row to be performed at the American College Dance Festival gala performance.
APSU assistant professor of dance Margaret Rennerfeldt, associate professor of dance Marcus Hayes and chair of the APSU Area of Theatre and Dance Brian Vernon inside one of the APSU dance studios.
Austin Peay State University Annual Dance Concert February 27th through March 3rd
February 21, 2013
Clarksville, TN – The Austin Peay State University dance minor is only seven years old, but from February 27th through March 3rd, the program’s faculty and students plan to unveil just how far they’ve come in the last few years.
At 7:30pm throughout that week, and at 2:00pm on that Sunday, the APSU Area of Theatre and Dance will present its annual dance concert, “Out on a Limb,” in the Trahern Theater. [Read more]
APSU Area of Theatre to present A.R. Gurney’s comedic play “Sylvia”
January 28, 2013
Clarksville, TN – Sylvia is a dog. A labradoodle to be exact. Sometimes on walks she speaks English, discussing philosophy and the universe with her human companion, Greg. More often, she runs excitedly around a New York City apartment, doing dog things such as chewing up books and annoying Greg’s wife, Kate.
“The dog becomes a bone of contention,” Dr. Sara Gotcher, Austin Peay State University associate professor of theater, said. “It becomes a problem between the husband and the wife, and it’s taken to a ludicrous extreme.” [Read more]
Acting Workshop to be held January 26th at Austin Peay State University by Two noted Character Actors
January 22, 2013
Clarksville, TN – Sean Whalen might not have a household name, but chances are you’ll recognize his face. Since 1990, the popular character actor has appeared in more than 90 films and television shows, ranging from “Men in Black” and “That Thing You Do” to “Scrubs” and “Cold Case.”
The same can be said for actor Christopher Darga. You probably know him best as a viking from the Capital One Visa commercials, but he’s also appeared in the TV series “Dexter” and the 2003 Jim Carey movie “Bruce Almighty.”
Austin Peay State University opens Theatre and Dance Season November 14th with Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
November 2, 2012
Clarksville, TN – There’s a small book on Darren Michael’s desk filled with black and white images of shorthaired flappers and young jazz musicians from the 1920s. Earlier in the semester, the Austin Peay State University associate professor of theater flipped through the book to find the right look for his new adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”
“We’re setting it in the late 1920s in the coastal Carolina and Florida area,” he said. “There’s a lot of art deco going on. There will be a lot of early blues and early jazz music playing through it. It’s a lot of fun.” [Read more]
APSU alum developing drama programs for children with autism
August 20, 2012
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville, TN – When W. Riley Braem (’10) first arrived at Arizona State University to pursue a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, the school’s faculty challenged him to look deeper within himself to discover what he really wanted to do with his degree.
Braem immediately thought about Camp MARC, a summer camp for the mentally and physically handicapped where he has volunteered every year since he was 13. [Read more]
APSU invites alumni and friends to Alumni University
June 20, 2012
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University alumni who would like to come back to campus to see all the many changes that have occurred in the years since they graduated are invited to Alumni University on Saturday, July 28th.
Alumni University also is open to friends and supporters of APSU. Cost is $30.00 per person or $45.00 per couple. Tuition includes all course offerings, activities, transportation, tours and meals during the event. [Read more]
