Alyssa Wilmot is a visiting associate professor of theatre and dance this year, filling in for Kim Tritt, who is on sabbatical for the 2010-11 academic year.† While new to teaching at Wooster, Wilmot is familiar with the school and the campus, having graduated from the college in 2000 with a major in Philosophy and a double minor in Political Science and Theatre/Dance.
After graduating from Wooster, she went on to Mills College in Oakland, California and received her MFA in Dance Choreography and Performance.
In a recent interview for the Theatre and Dance Department alumni newsletter Wilmot defined herself primarily as “an artist ó a conceptual choreographer and an action artist” and regarded dance as “a natural extension of her being.”† Her dance is an intricate combination of post-postmodernism, formalist, Fluxus, Dada and anarchism.† She claims her dances are “moving geometric sculptures” and, as thematically all-encompassing her style may be, she insists that she is ultimately “interested in and dedicated to causing thoughtful trouble and to being a conscious rebel artist.”
This year at Wooster, Wilmot will be both directing and producing the fall and spring dance concerts.† The fall show will feature student choreography and dancing by The College of Wooster Dance Company on Nov. 19 and 20.
The spring show will similarly showcase student choreography, as well as include the work of a well-known guest artist.† Wilmot herself also plans to showcase her own work in both shows.† Furthermore, The College of Wooster Dance Company will be attending the American College Dance Festival Association, which will be held at The University of Akron this spring.† Wilmot will be taking dance pieces and students to the festival to represent The College of Wooster.
Wilmot also hopes to bring in several master guest dance and performance artists to the College and plans to implement and create a performance series on campus that will “happen in unpredictable locations.”
The Theatre department is planning for a busy and exciting year as well.† The fall theatre production “Iphigenia and Other Daughters” is underway, with auditions already held.
The play serves as a contemporary feminist retelling of five Greek dramas: “Iphigenia at Tauris” and “Iphigenia at Aulis” by Euripides, and the three versions of the “Electra” plays by Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles.† The traditional stories are reconfigured to focus from the point of view of the women of the fallen House of Atreus.
The play is written by Ellen McLaughlin and directed by Season Ellison, and the production dates are Oct. 28 to 30.
Other theatrical opportunities this semester include a staged reading of Dr. Shirley Huston-Findley’s new play “Past Meeting.”† The College of Wooster’s Student Theatre Group, Shakspeariments, will produce “Much Ado About Nothing” in October, and Effie’s Players will produce their annual 10-Minute and 24-Hour Play Festivals.†† The 10-Minute Plays, while typically held during second semester, have been moved to the fall this year.
The group is currently looking for directors for the plays, and the applications are due this coming Tuesday, Sept. 7.
The actual performance dates for the plays will be Oct. 1 and 2 at 8:15 p.m. in a venue to be determined.