NU Theatre: Expect the Unexpected

by Joshua Maloni
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, December 24, 2003
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, December 27, 2003

"Theatre has played an important part in the life of Niagara University ..."

- NU Web site

Over the course of Niagara University's 148 years, perhaps no department has been as acclaimed as that of theater studies and fine arts. In its nearly 40 years, more than 1,700 students have been involved in campus fine arts programs. Many of those students have gone on to earn national attention, through Broadway, movies, television and an assortment of productions across the world. Not to mention the influence and ability of a certain Bro, Brother Augustine Towey, C.M., who has opened the door to national touring opportunities through his own highly regarded body of work.

Today, the department is working on the unification of the university's cultural centers, drawing together the Leary Theatre and the Castellani Art Museum for special performances. In addition, this year's selection of performances includes April's controversial "Spinning Into Butter," which interim theater director Brendan Powers hopes will lead to campus discussions on racial issues and political correctness.

In all, NU theatre offers a wide variety of educational and entertaining works.

"If there's one thing we want students and audiences to come away with as a unifying theme, it's that there is endless variety in theater," Powers said. "We try to create a season that is varied to the point where you have some very classic pieces, you have some more lesser known pieces, you have some brand new pieces that have just come out."

Of course, to draw in the audiences, there has to be not only a worthy selection or performances, but capable actors as well. Theater majors have long been considered the hardest working students, as often they take on dual majors, while actively working in multiple stage shows across Western New York and abroad.

"We have approximately 130 majors right now," Powers said. "In order to go through this program, it's a rigorous, rigorous program, you need people who are motivated to the point where they're going to go that extra mile to stay right in this wave.

"(There are) lots of students who have not only been involved with Niagara theater, but are also involved with Buffalo theater, and surrounding theater. They're active. I think that's what we find, that our students have a lot of energy, and a lot of enthusiasm. I think that's what sort of has to get you through. If you don't have that, I think you get swallowed up here, because it's just moving so much."

Of the theater students, there are some who have graduated into bigger and better things.

"We have very recent alums ... who already we're hearing so and so is on national tour, so and so is on a cruise line, so and so is off-Broadway. That has continued," Powers said. "And, that's what sort of also fuels our current students. We try to post as many of those things as we can to remind these kids that this could be you. If you get out there, there's opportunities out there."

There are also students who haven't quite become household names yet, but who find other joys in theater.

"I would say, without putting words in their mouths too much, I would say that any student that walks through this department wants to perform," Powers said. "They want to perform. Whether that means on stage, in a cabaret situation, on film, anything, they want to perform. As they get to their senior year or so, usually by that point a lot of them have made a decision: I really want to pursue film; I really want to pursue stage; I want to pursue singing; and stuff like that. So, I think obviously what draws a student here, a young performer, is the ability to get that training. That extensive training in all these areas.

"I think you always think of stardom. That motivates you to some degrees. You want to be big, and when you see fellow alums who are doing stuff like that, it kind of gets you excited even more."

That excitement carries over into well-crafted theater productions, and a fun couple of hours for theater goers.

NU Theatre presents 'One-Act Plays'

Niagara University begins the spring theatre season with two weekends of student-directed "One-Act Plays" at the Leary Theatre on the NU campus.

The university's senior theater students, under the guidance of Tim Ward, associate director of NU theatre, take on the role of director for this series of plays, which are chosen by the students themselves. These popular, traditional and sometimes avant-garde plays are on stage from Jan. 23 through Feb. 1, 2004.

For more information contact the Niagara University Theatre Box Office at 286-8622.