Here are some of the noteworthy developments that helped to define the 2007-08 academic year for the Theatre Department:
- in September, in a converted gym on the new Brighton campus, BC opened the new Brighton Dance Studio, providing a much-needed home on campus for dance and movement groups and classes;
- in September, renowned playwright, director, performance artist, and BC guest teacher Robbie McCauley performed her solo work-in-progress Pieces of Sugar as part of her fall term course "Ethnic Theatre Studies: Performing Race and Gender;"
- in October, as the centerpiece of Crystal Tiala's scenic design for Metamorphoses, Technical Director Ruth Conrad overcame the many challenges of building a 8-foot-by-18-foot reflecting pool that was 8 inches deep and held 540 gallons of water weighing 4500 pounds;
- in January, with the support of a Teaching Advising and Mentoring Grant, Crystal Tiala inaugurated Creating Social Activist Imagery, a new interdisciplinary course focusing on how to generate 'image events' that raise awareness of social and political issues;
- in February, BC students and faculty were recognized for special achievement at the Region One gathering of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival:
- the cast of Luke Jorgensen's production of Metamorphoses received the Outstanding Creative Ensemble Award;
- Sandra Brown ('08) was named "First Alternate-Meritorious Achievement in Stage Management;"
- Crystal Tiala was recognized for "Outstanding Service to Region I" for her work as Region One Chair of Design and Technology;
- in February, Scott T. Cummings directed the world premiere of Ashley's Purpose, an original ensemble play developed with seven students from the previous year's Composition and Performance Workshop and featuring music performed by Voices of Imani and video and projections designed by independent artist Andy Zimmerman;
- in March, New England Theatre Journal published a special issue edited by Stuart J. Hecht titled "August Wilson: Celebrated," based on an August Wilson conference organized by former part-time faculty member Heather Nathans at the University of Maryland's David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the African Diaspora;
- in April, Scott T. Cummings was awarded a fellowship for the 2008-2009 academic year from the George A. and Eliza Gardner Howard Foundation in support of his research towards a book on American playwright Maria Irene Fornes;
- in April, Paul Daigneault, BC alum ('87) and Producing Artistic Director of SpeakEasy Stage Company, directed the spring musical production of Urinetown;
- in May, Jeff Augustin ('08) received the J. Robert Barth, S.J. Award for Excellence in the Arts;
- in May, Costume Shop Supervisor Anna Light received her MFA in Costume Production from Boston University and took a teaching position at DeSales University in central Pennsylvania;
- in May, Crystal Tiala received a BC Teaching With New Media award for her use of online resources to support student group projects in her course on Creating Social Activist Imagery;
- in May, Lighting Supervisor Jeff Adelberg wrapped up a season as perhaps the busiest lighting designer in Boston, in which he designed sixteen productions including five musicals, one opera, three Shakespeares, and two "conceptual oddities" for ten different professional and academic producing organization in twelve different venues;
- in May, award-winning Broadway orchestrator and music supervisor Mary-Mitchell Campbell was named the first ever Rev. J. Donald Monan, SJ, Professor in Theater Arts, a newly endowed position for an esteemed guest artist established by a generous gift in memory of late trustee E. Paul Robsham, M.Ed.'83.