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The Laramie Project opens in the Tornabene Theatre on Thursday, Oct. 12. The deeply moving production delves into the aftermath of the 1998 murder of university student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. Drawn from real interviews with Laramie’s residents, the play is a portrait of a regular American town challenged to confront itself.

“We grew up in a very divisive world ... and I think that one of the questions that we have to ask ourselves is ‘how did we get here?’” says cast member Isabella Santoni. “The Laramie Project ... helps, at least me, start to get a better handle on how we got here today, and I think that’s also what makes the play so continually relevant.” Isabella joined fellow cast members Leland Ho and Taylor Swingle and director Greg Pierotti in a recent interview about the play for KCRB Outbeat Radio in California. Listen to the full interview: www.outbeatnews.com/show-notes-news/.

‘The Laramie Project’ will run from Oct. 7 - 22 in the Tornabene Theatre. Visit theatre.arizona.edu for tickets, more information on the production, and a special Oct. 19 companion event featuring Matthew Shepard’s parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard.

FREE TICKETS to this production are available for all college and high school students. For details, visit azart.fyi/freetftvtix.

Rehearsal photos by Tim Fuller. ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

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We can’t wait!

As a cast member of a former production of The Laramie Project, this is a powerful work and incredibly relevant.

School of Theatre, Film & Television's Professor Beverly Seckinger recently sat down with KXCI Community Radio to discuss the 30th anniversary of Lesbian Looks, the venerable showcase presenting cutting edge features, shorts, documentaries, experimental films, and new media works.

Seckinger has directed Lesbian Looks since 1993. It was the first public screening program of the fledgling Institute for LGBT Studies at the University of Arizona, and since then Lesbian Looks has presented over 250 films to audiences drawn from campus and the Tucson community. Lesbian Looks also features panel discussions on topics ranging from breast cancer to homeless youth to Israeli-Palestinian politics, LGBTQ refugee resettlement, trans identity, borders and immigration, and queer history.

"It's been so interesting watching the LGBTQ+ movement evolve over the years" Seckinger reflects. "When we began Lesbian Looks thirty years ago, there was very little media made by and for this audience - there were the occasional 'special episodes' on television shows like LA Law, Designing Women and The Golden Girls, and only about a dozen feature films. So from our first event, Lesbian Looks was a film screening that was also a grass roots community-building event. It's still that. Over time, everything has changed enormously. Films have become more accessible and diverse, and the subject matter has grown from your basic coming out story to every other kind of subject matter imaginable."

To kick off anniversary celebrations, Lesbian Looks will present a screening of Alexandria Bombach's It’s Only Life After All on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 7pm at The Loft Cinema. The screening, a love letter to the massively beloved folk-rock duo Indigo Girls, will be free to attend. More information is available here: lesbianlooks.org/its-only-life-after-all

You can also listen to the full interview at KXCI: kxci.org/podcast/beverly-seckinger/ ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

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Prof. Beverly Seckinger makes an announcement before a Lesbian Looks screening. From an Arizona Daily Wildcat feature circa 2000. Photo by Amy Bohme.

Congrats on an incredible run!!

congrats! 👏👏👏

Monika Treut Su Friedrich Megan Rossman Michelle Memran Michelle Citron Sandra Schulberg Jan Oxenberg Jen Gilomen Greta Schiller LeAnn Erickson Sheila SchroederC Melinda Matney Levin Jean Carlomusto Esther Newton Liz Kennedy Janet Jakobsen Lidia Szajko Kate Stilley Steiner Barbara Hammer lesbianlooks.org/

🌟 Congratulations, Babacar! 🌟The 2023 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Student Production Awards took place this weekend, and Babacar Ba (BFA Acting, '24) collected the award in the category of Outstanding College Talent Performer, marking a first-time Acting win for the University of Arizona!

Ba was awarded for his leading role in DESERTED, the short film directed and co-written by Ryan Ramsey (BFA Film & Television, '23) and produced by Kaila Hines (BA Film & Television, '23). DESERTED debuted earlier this year at I Dream in Widescreen, where Ba's portrayal of a rock climber fighting for his life earned the Monte Ralstin Award for Excellence in Acting.

Also present at the awards ceremony were Film & Television Production students Rene Marcelle and Fiona Paskoff, nominated in the category of College Fiction Short Form for their dark comedy OPENING NIGHT. Joining them were their film's costumer/make-up artist Rachel McClemons (BA Film & Television '24) and BTS photographer Kat Kones (BFA Film & Television ‘24).

"First of all it’s just an honor to even be nominated by the NATAS," said Babacar. "I want to once again give a huge shout out to Ryan and Kaila for the opportunity to be part of their spectacular film DESERTED! As for the awards ceremony itself, the energy at the Tempe Center for the Arts was so amazing! Everyone was so passionate and excited to be there. I was very happy to represent UA School of Theatre, Film & Television alongside my fellow nominees Rene and Fiona. This award is truly an honor and l want to again thank the Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards." ... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago

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So amazing!!!! Congrats!!!

Congratulations 👏👏👏

Excellent! So proud!

Couldn’t be more proud!! Congrats Babs!! ❤️⭐️⭐️

This week Asst. Prof. Greg Pierotti and Acting students Ray Cuevas (BFA, '24) and Lily Wilson (BFA, '25) discussed 'The Laramie Project' for a BroadwayWorld story.

TFTV's production will mark the 25th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard, the university student whose murder in Laramie, Wyoming, became one of the highest-profile hate crimes of its time.

Pierotti, co-author and an original cast member of 'The Laramie Project,' will direct the play. "I pitched this play because it’s the 25th memorialization of Matt’s death," says Pierotti, "and between the time I pitched it and now, the onslaught of anti-trans legislation has come out across the world. It’s a political agenda because people don’t understand Trans. It’s a great way to stoke fear and anxiety in people. So you can see this kind of national approach to legislating that exists to stoke fear of 'the other' and of somebody who’s different. Suddenly, I feel like this play is back on the map. It couldn’t be a better time to be doing this play."

Read the full interview, including Lily and Ray's reactions on first reading the script, here: tftv.arizona.edu/news/prof-greg-pierotti-and-students-ray-cuevas-and-lily-wilson-talk-the-laramie....

The Laramie Project will run from Oct. 7 - 22, 2023 in the Tornabene Theatre. Visit theatre.arizona.edu for tickets, more information on the production, and a special companion event featuring Matthew Shepard's parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard. ... See MoreSee Less

3 weeks ago

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🎟✨ ON SALE NOW

Single tickets for all of our 2023/24 Theatre Season performances are now on sale!

• The Laramie Project: Oct.7 - 22, 2023
• The Thanksgiving Play: Oct. 8 - 22, 2023
• Jesus Christ Superstar: Nov. 12 - Dec. 3, 2023
• Sweeney Todd: Feb. 25 to Mar. 17, 2024
• New Directions Festival: Mar. 21 - 31, 2024
• Argonautika: Mar. 24 - Apr. 7, 2024
• Much Ado About Nothing: April 14 - 28, 2024

Get your tickets at tickets.arizona.edu! Subscriptions for the season will remain available throughout the year.

Are you a student? You get in for free! We're excited to announce that we will offer free student tickets on a first come, first serve basis on the day of each performance for all of the above theatre productions. More info is available at azart.fyi/freetftvtix.

We can't wait to see you at a show! ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago

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We're thrilled to share that Rene Marcelle and Fiona Paskoff have been nominated for the 2023 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Student Production Awards for OPENING NIGHT! Their hilarious film, which debuted at Magic Hour last spring, is nominated in the category of College Fiction - Short Form.

Written and directed by Marcelle (BFA Film & Television), with direction and cinematography by Paskoff (BFA Film & Television), the film follows an ego-driven actor who teams up with a neurotic stagehand after a body is found backstage on the opening night of their musical. The film stars TFTV talent Alex Simpson (BFA Acting), Lisitte Mora (BA Theatre Arts) and Haiden Pederson (BFA Musical Theatre).

"We’re so honored our dark comedy is nominated for the NATAS award," said Marcelle and Paskoff. "It's our love letter to bad musicals, terrible people, and even worse Boston accents. We want to thank our cast and crew for all of their hard work, and the team at Centennial Hall for giving us the opportunity to bring our film to life!"

The awards will be announced at a ceremony in September. Congratulations to Rene and Fiona and the entire OPENING NIGHT team! ... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago