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KU School of Music Collage Concert set for Sept. 19
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Music has announced that its annual Collage Concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Lied Center of Kansas. The concert, which is free and open to the public, will feature the artistry of the KU Symphony Orchestra, the award-winning Chamber Choir, a percussion group, Jazz Ensemble I, Wind Ensemble and others. The finale will include a performance by the Marching Jayhawks.

Exhibition ‘Thomas Mann: Democracy Will Win’ opening at KU on Aug. 14
LAWRENCE — The Max Kade Center for German-American Studies at the University of Kansas will host the touring exhibition “Thomas Mann: Democracy Will Win.” The exhibition, on display Aug. 14-Sept. 15, will focus on Mann — who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1929 — as a political thinker and his influence in America.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Fally Afani, School of Music, [email protected], @MusicKU
KU School of Music Collage Concert set for Sept. 19
LAWRENCE — Get ready for a musical extravaganza like no other as the University of Kansas School of Music presents its annual Collage Concert, taking place at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Lied Center of Kansas. The concert is free and open to the public.
The Collage Concert is a showcase that brings together the finest talents from the School of Music. This year’s concert will feature the artistry of the KU Symphony Orchestra, the award-winning Chamber Choir, a percussion group, Jazz Ensemble I, Wind Ensemble and others. One of the biggest draws for audiences is the grand finale – an electrifying performance by the Marching Jayhawks.
“The annual Collage Concert is a celebration of the remarkable talent and dedication of our students and faculty. It is an unforgettable evening that showcases the very best of the University of Kansas School of Music,” said Paul Popiel, interim dean of the School of Music. “We invite everyone to join us for this sensational event and experience the power of music in all its splendor.”
All proceeds from the concert benefit the Student Opportunity Fund, a resource providing essential financial support for KU music students participating in competitions, presentations and conferences throughout the country and beyond. Attendees can donate to the fund online.
Doors will open at 7 p.m., and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Contact: Wyatt Haywood, Department of Slavic, German & Eurasian Studies, [email protected]
Exhibition ‘Thomas Mann: Democracy Will Win’ opening at KU on Aug. 14
LAWRENCE — The Max Kade Center for German-American Studies at the University of Kansas will host the touring exhibition “Thomas Mann: Democracy Will Win.” The exhibition, on display Aug. 14-Sept. 15, will focus on Mann — who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1929 — as a political thinker and his influence in America.
Mann (1875-1955) was a native of Lübeck, Germany, but fled to the United States in 1939 when his critiques of Hitler’s regime made Germany unfriendly to him. Much of the exhibition focuses on the evolution of Mann’s political biography: from monarchist to powerful opponent of National Socialism and committed champion of democracy, according to event organizers.
The exhibition explores the trajectory of Mann’s political development in relation to the following categories: personal background, zeitgeist (spirit of the age), commitment, taking action and Responsibility. Viewers are asked to interrogate their own beliefs and paths alongside those of Mann. A series of film clips connects these five topics to ongoing debates and critical moments in contemporary history such as the 2017 Charlottesville riot, the Black Lives Matter Movement, climate change mitigation, and the global refugee and immigrant crises.
“The Max Kade Center is fortunate to be able to host this traveling exhibit that highlights the importance of understanding democracy as an active endeavor rather than a condition to be taken for granted,” said Marike Janzen, associate professor of German studies and director of the center. “Through its focus on Thomas Mann’s transatlantic and political journey, ‘Democracy Will Win’ echoes a central theme represented by the Max Kade Center’s collection, German emigrés’ commitment to democratic principles. Moreover, it shows the crucial role that artists play in keeping democracy alive.”
The exhibition will be available for viewing in the Max Kade Center for German-American Studies, 1134 W 11th St. Viewing will be available from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, 3-5 p.m. Wednesdays and 1-3 p.m. Thursdays. To arrange a class or special visit, please email [email protected].
There will be an opening reception at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 23 in 150 Joseph R. Pearson Hall. Janzen will give opening remarks, followed by Brad Allen, executive director of the Lawrence Public Library, who will speak on the role that public libraries and institutions play in local democracy. All are welcome to attend.
“Although the exhibit channels the intellectual ideas of Thomas Mann, his questions about democracy and democratization are nationally and globally relevant during this historical moment. It is hard to look at the war in Ukraine and not see it as a battleground for democracy, too,” said Ani Kokobobo, professor and chair of KU’s Department of Slavic, German & Eurasian Studies.
The exhibition is organized by Literaturhaus München and the Villa Aurora & Thomas Mann House and is realized with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.
The Max Kade Center for German-American Studies is part of the Department of Slavic, German & Eurasian Studies. The center aims to collaborate with the KU campus and community to promote the teaching and research of German-speaking peoples in the United States and beyond. The KU Max Kade Center houses significant collections of books, archives and artworks related to German Americans, including local history of the Lawrence Turnverein.

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Spencer Museum commissions new painting for KU Common Work of Art
LAWRENCE — The Spencer Museum of Art commissioned artist Fahamu Pecou to create “Parable of the Sower: Oya’s Dream” as the KU Common Work of Art for the 2023-2024 academic year. The painting is Pecou’s response to the KU Common Book, “Parable of the Sower,” by Octavia Butler. “Oya’s Dream” will be featured in the Spencer Museum’s fall exhibition “Black Writing,” which explores the power, politics and complexity of language in contemporary Black culture, on view at the Spencer Museum beginning Aug. 19.

Book expands on legacy of Nigerian women’s Islamic scholarship
LAWRENCE — “Winning the peace” through education — and the crucial role of women in this process — is the subject of a new book titled “Equals in Learning and Piety: Muslim Women Scholars in Nigeria and North America” (University of Wisconsin Press) by Beverly Mack, University of Kansas professor emerita of African & African-American studies.

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Contact: Elizabeth Kanost, Spencer Museum of Art, 785-864-0142, [email protected], @SpencerMuseum
Spencer Museum commissions new painting for KU Common Work of Art

LAWRENCE — The Spencer Museum of Art commissioned artist Fahamu Pecou to create “Parable of the Sower: Oya’s Dream” as the KU Common Work of Art for the 2023-2024 academic year. The painting is Pecou’s response to the KU Common Book, “Parable of the Sower,” by Octavia Butler.
The Common Work of Art depicts a pregnant Black woman reclining with a copy of Butler’s novel held over her face and a portrayal of the “orisha,” god or goddess, Oya balancing on her hip. The protagonist in the KU Common Book is named Lauren Oya Olamina.
Pecou further explains the painting’s symbolism: “Oya, the orisha of change and transformation, serves as a powerful symbol in Ifá cosmology. Through the character of Lauren, we witness the importance of mentally, spiritually and physically preparing for the storms of life. Oya teaches us that change is not something to be feared, but rather a catalyst for growth and evolution.”
This painting is part of Pecou’s “Trapademia: Lit” series, which juxtaposes Black bodies with famous literary works by Black authors. “Oya’s Dream” will be featured in the Spencer Museum’s fall exhibition “Black Writing,” which explores the power, politics and complexity of language in contemporary Black culture. The show is in partnership with the History of Black Writing (HBW), a research center at KU that specializes in the recovery and preservation of texts by Black writers.
“Black Writing” and the KU Common Work of Art will be on view at the Spencer Museum from Aug. 19 through Jan. 7, 2024. Pecou will give a talk at the Spencer Museum at 4 p.m. Nov. 30.
Resources for expanding conversation about the KU Common Work of Art are available online.

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Contact: Rick Hellman, KU News Service, 785-864-8852, [email protected], @RickHellman
Book expands on legacy of Nigerian women’s Islamic scholarship

LAWRENCE – The stereotype of Islam as patriarchal and averse to educating women misrepresents the legacy of the egalitarian leader of the Sokoto Jihad who reformed Islamic rule in early 19th century northern Nigeria. Not only did leader Usman ’dan Fodio approve of education for women, but he endorsed its promotion in his caliphate by his daughter Nana Asma’u through her outreach program called Yan Taru, or in English, the associates.

“Winning the peace” through education — and the crucial role of women in this process — is the subject of a new book titled “Equals in Learning and Piety: Muslim Women Scholars in Nigeria and North America” (University of Wisconsin Press) by Beverly Mack, University of Kansas professor emerita of African & African-American studies.

It is an exclamation point on a career’s work in bringing to light the contributions of women scholars in the region. Her 2004 book, “Muslim Women Sing: Hausa Popular Song,” explains the social importance of contemporary women poets and performers, but this, Mack’s fourth book that focuses on Nana Asma’u, extends to the legacy of the Yan Taru in the United States today, where groups of this women’s study program were established in the late 20th century.
“West African history has always been about the battles, the kings, the men in power, and Asma’u had been literally a footnote — maybe two footnotes,” Mack said. “Scholars have said, ‘She’s an exception.’ This book demonstrates that Asma’u is not an exception. She is one of many women scholars and students. Her Yan Taru program is indicative of regional women’s activism that was more widespread than has been acknowledged. In fact, Yan Taru teachers may be more responsible for the 19th century institutionalization of Sunni/Sufi Islam in northern Nigeria than any man or battle.”
This grassroots program in northern Nigeria and southern Niger continued to operate under the radar throughout the late 19th century post-jihad years, the first half of the 20th century during British and French colonization, during early years of the countries’ independence and into the present. Because it was self-maintained by local women and not tied to government structures, it was unaffected by political change and thus may continue to be operating in Niger, even in the face of the current coup.
Mack said that Usman ’dan Fodio was a member of the region’s minority Fulani tribe. Before his successful jihad, as a literate Muslim, he preached and sometimes advised local kings of the majority Hausa tribe. When the jihad was won, there remained the task of disseminating Sunni/Sufi reformations to local Islamic practices throughout the region. That required teachers who spoke the dominant Hausa language.
Led by Nana Asma’u, Yan Taru women undertook this social reform. As Mack has written in the current book and others about Asma’u’s poetic work, poems functioned as lesson plans for Yan Taru teachers, who taught women, who then taught their children, both girls and boys. For most, Yan Taru education was transmitted orally.
“Most women in the rural areas at that time were not literate, but literacy was not necessary for learning adab (Arabic), the Islamic concept of ethical behavior, morality,” Mack said. “These lessons were meant to educate women in Islam as a structure that could support the acquisition of knowledge as a means of moving closer to God and practicing right behavior towards others. It’s just that simple. It has nothing to do with Sharia or an eye for an eye, or any of that. It’s hard enough, just learning to be good in this world.”
The Yan Taru’s Islamic education program aims to prepare individuals to use their intellectual gifts to better understand the world and their place in it, to help them to move closer to God.
“The Quran consistently promotes the use of one’s reason, one’s intellect. The point of being human and having intellectual capabilities is to develop them by knowing everything that you can, depending on what your interests are. If you want to be a chemist, an architect, a journalist, that’s great. Pursue whatever your interest is, because the more you know about anything, the closer you get to knowledge of God, although spiritual knowledge ultimately is inexhaustible,” Mack said. “The lifelong pursuit of knowledge is a means of developing the spirit, so for anybody to deny someone the opportunity to develop their mind is, ultimately, to deny them the opportunity to deepen their spirituality.”
While the Nigerian Yan Taru program continues in the 21st century, it has diasporic links in North America today. The U.S. Yan Taru movement was started in the 1990s at the urging of an African American scholar, Sheikh Muhammad Sharif, who had learned about Asma’u when he studied among Fodio family scholars in West Africa. He asked Mack to speak to his Pittsburgh Islamic community when her book of translations of Asma’u’s poems was published in 1997, and he suggested to women there that they start their own Yan Taru chapters to take control of educating themselves and others. Mack said she has continued to consult with them since they organized.
“Now they have North American Yan Taru chapters in places as disparate as Los Angeles, Georgia, Florida. These Yan Taru chapters expand and contract, depending on demographic changes, but technology allows them all to stay in touch with the Pittsburgh chapter, the hub of North American Yan Taru activity,” Mack said. “Instead of having women go out to the villages on foot, women go out to the cities virtually, on Zoom, to teach. Local groups meet regularly in person or virtually, and the entire North American contingent can meet annually or biannually by Zoom, even when separated by time zones. It saves money, time and energy. I think that’s very cool. Asma’u was very practical. If she were alive today, she would be using Zoom all the time — without a mute button.”

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Hip-hop’s 50-year influence on musical theatre revealed in new book
LAWRENCE — It was 50 years ago this summer that DJ Kool Herc used two turntables to entertain friends and family at a Bronx neighborhood party, thus kicking off hip-hop’s gradual rise toward being a pillar of pop culture. But this musical style and culture also began immediately influencing the musical theatre scene. A University of Kansas professor’s new book, “Hip Hop in Musical Theatre,” offers a historical look at the movement’s effect on acting, dancing, singing, design and music.

KU school announces new undergraduate certificate in name, image and likeness
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences, part of the School of Education & Human Sciences, has created a new program — the first of its kind to be offered at a Power Five university — to train students as leaders in the rapidly growing area of athletics name, image, and likeness (NIL).

KU nominates student, alumna for Rhodes international scholarships
LAWRENCE — A recent graduate and a current student at the University of Kansas will compete for prestigious Rhodes Scholarships specifically for international students to pursue graduate study in the United Kingdom. Alumna Aylar Atadurdyyeva, originally from Turkmenistan, has been endorsed for the Rhodes Global Scholarship, and senior Navya Singh, from Chandigarh, India, has been endorsed for the Rhodes India Scholarship.

KU Theatre & Dance announces 2023-24 performances
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Theatre & Dance has unveiled its 2023-24 performance season, offering a diverse array of theatrical genres and dance forms featuring student performers. Highlights include the Tony Award-winning “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” A new student ticket endowment fund will aid KU and Haskell Indian Nations University students needing assistance to attend shows.

Full stories below.

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Contact: Jon Niccum, KU News Service, 785-864-7633, [email protected]
Hip-hop’s 50-year influence on musical theatre revealed in new book
LAWRENCE — It was 50 years ago this summer that DJ Kool Herc used two turntables to entertain friends and family at a Bronx neighborhood party, thus kicking off hip-hop’s gradual rise toward being a pillar of pop culture. But this musical style and culture also began immediately influencing the musical theatre scene.
“When we think of theatre as a vehicle to talk about the human condition, hip-hop is a part of that story,” said Nicole Hodges Persley, a professor of American studies and African & African-American studies at the University of Kansas.
Her new book titled “Hip Hop in Musical Theatre” offers a historical look at the movement’s effect on acting, dancing, singing, design and music. It is part of the “Topics in Musical Theatre” series published by Methuen Drama/Bloomsbury.
“The impetus for this book is to say, ‘Let’s go back even further to some of the early musicals and see when hip-hop is rising in the American soundscape,” she said. “We start to see it impact artists, choreographers, musicians and writers in ways where they want to bring those strands into their work.”
Also vice provost for diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging at KU, Hodges Persley is one of a small group of scholars in the U.S. who focuses on hip-hop’s musical and cultural influence in theatre.
“While looking at the 50-year history of hip-hop, it’s interesting to see it not only impacting music and society writ large in our country, but globally. This is an art form that has been adapted and translated across cultures around the world – and it started right here in the United States. Like blues and jazz, hip-hop is part of that continuum.”
Her book chronologically traces musicals from the 1970s such as “The Wiz” (right as hip-hop music and culture were emerging in underground New York) to lesser-known contemporary examples such as “Holler If Ya Hear Me,” Broadway tourist shows “SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical” and acclaimed international hit “Hamilton.” With each entry, she attempts to “decode the sights and sounds of hip-hop culture” within the sociological context in which these musicals were produced.
“Many people think ‘Hamilton’ was the first time we saw a hip-hop connection in theatre, but there were other artists who wanted to bring this groundbreaking music and culture to their artistry and use it as texture in their work,” she said. “Sometimes they used it successfully, sometimes in a commodified way. So if you look at ‘Starlight Express,’ with folks awkwardly rapping and roller skating, it’s like, ‘What is happening right now?’ and ‘Why is this happening?’”
Despite acknowledging some criticisms about “Hamilton,” she said it remains “the most famous hip-hop theatre musical ever.”
She added, “Lin-Manuel Miranda’s success in bringing visibility to the impact of hip-hop — and Black and Latinx music in general — on the American theatre is pretty substantial.”
In addition to her analysis, Hodges Persley provided a Spotify playlist for each section she discusses. She said she intended for the reader to appreciate the aural landscape present in popular culture at the historical moment these musicals were being created.
As for her own breakthrough hip-hop moment, Hodges Persley said it was in the late 1970s when she heard some of the genre’s early pioneers.
“The Sugarhill Gang was probably the first record I was introduced to by my brother. We were just mesmerized by the storytelling, and we wanted to memorize it. It was funny and very theatrical. There’s storytelling in it. There are sketches of the way people interact and a lot of things we witness in Black life,” she said.
A Detroit native, Hodges Persley came to KU in 2009, where she honed her expertise in African American theatre and hip-hop performance. Her recent publications include “Breaking It Down: Audition Techniques for Actors of the Global Majority” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021), “Sampling and Remixing Blackness in Hip-Hop Theater and Performance” (University of Michigan Press, 2021) and “Black Matters: Lewis Morrow Plays” (Methuen Drama/Bloomsbury, 2022).
Ultimately, Hodges Persley said she hoped “Hip Hop in Musical Theatre” serves as a reminder that artistic barriers of accessibility can be lifted by even a seemingly small event … like an unknown DJ at a house party.
“This is a call to action for us to open up access to the American theatre. We don’t need to wait any longer for another ‘Hamilton’ to surface. I’m happy it’s made history. But we should ask what has it opened for not only long-serving artists who still haven’t broken through in this space but emerging artists who are just starting their careers?” she said.
“If we don’t run to really support artists of color in the American theatre, we’re going to be extinct. And that is a tragedy when we think about the amazing impact artists of color have had to shape this institution. I want this book to help bring awareness that global majority artists are here, and we impact all aspects of the American theatre landscape.”
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Contact: Aspen Grender, School of Education & Human Sciences, [email protected], @KUSOEHS
KU school announces new undergraduate certificate in name, image and likeness
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Sciences, part of the School of Education & Human Sciences, has created a new program — the first of its kind to be offered at a Power Five university — to train students as leaders in the rapidly growing area of athletics name, image, and likeness (NIL).
The Undergraduate Certificate in Name, Image, and Likeness is a 12-hour program designed for students interested in careers or gaining expertise in the emerging NIL field – the fastest-growing area for new positions in college athletics. The certificate serves both students who are interested in working in the name, image, likeness space as well as student-athletes at KU looking for training on how to manage their name, image and likeness. The curriculum, which consists of four courses, will include curriculum focused on sport management, athlete and personal branding, content creation and more.
“There is perhaps nothing more important in the modern college athletics space than name, image and likeness,” said Jordan Bass, chair of the Department of Health, Sport and Exercise Sciences. “We are excited to leverage the unique expertise of our faculty in our department, and at KU as a whole, to be a leader in this space.”
The program was developed in response to rising, wide-spread interest in the NIL area due in large part to 2021 legislation that allowed collegiate athletics to profit off their name, image and likeness, a monumental shift from the previous infrastructure that required collegiate student-athletes to be amateurs.
The program will begin during the fall 2023 semester.
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Contact: Erin Wolfram, Academic Success, 785-864-2308, [email protected]
KU nominates student, alumna for Rhodes international scholarships
LAWRENCE — A recent graduate and a current senior at the University of Kansas will compete for prestigious Rhodes Scholarships specifically for international students to pursue graduate study in the United Kingdom.
Recent graduate Aylar Atadurdyyeva has been endorsed for the Rhodes Global Scholarship, and senior Navya Singh has been endorsed for the Rhodes India Scholarship. Both awards provide funding for one to three years of study at the University of Oxford. Regional panels review applications for both programs, and finalists are invited to participate in interviews between September and November.
The Office of Fellowships, a unit of Academic Success, coordinates KU’s endorsement process and supports candidates with their applications. Students interested in applying for these awards in future years are encouraged to contact the office by email at [email protected]. Depending on other eligibility requirements, students may apply for these awards as graduating seniors or recent graduates.
KU students have previously won 27 Rhodes Scholarships.
Navya Singh is the daughter of Suman and Raju Singh. She is a senior in biochemistry on the pre-medicine track. An international student from Chandigarh, India, Singh’s academic interests include drug development, global health and medicinal chemistry. She plans to focus her graduate studies on the intersection of drug development and public health. At KU, Singh has served as the president of the Association of Indian Students, bringing together more than 200 students for each of the organization’s events. She also served as a student ambassador for the Center for Sexuality & Gender Diversity, where she performed research to write a history of the center while organizing initiatives to increase affordable health care access for queer and trans students. Additional leadership roles include being an honors seminar assistant and ambassador, vice president of Global Jayhawks, director of service for Honors Community Advocates and academic chair for alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority. Singh has also conducted significant research including designing hyaluronic acid-deferoxamine hydrogels for local treatment of bone regeneration and analyzing mating behavior of Drosophila suzukii flies.

Aylar Atadurdyyeva is the daughter of Abdyrahym Atadurdyyev and Bagty Atadurdyyeva. She is a recent graduate in microbiology, global & international studies, political science and Slavic languages & literatures with minors in German studies and psychology. An international student from Turkmenistan, Atadurdyyeva plans a career in global public health to develop health research and apply it through education and policy interventions. Atadurdyyeva’s primary interests involve understanding and combating antimicrobial resistance, particularly in Central Asia and other regions in which health outcomes are impaired by social factors like policy and health access. She was selected as a Key into Public Service Scholar by the Phi Beta Kappa Society and has won the RWJ Scholars Award, Mai Anh Do & David Nguyen Foundation Scholarship and Laird Essay Award. In addition, her record of service to KU and the Lawrence community has been widely acknowledged through her work with the KU Homecoming Steering Committee, International Student Association and University Honors Program, for which she served as an ambassador and seminar assistant. Atadurdyyeva was also the executive director of The Big Event and director of finance and partnerships of Student Union Activities. Additionally, she was named the KU Student Employee of the Year as well as the State of Kansas Student Employee of the Year in 2022 for her work in the Office of Graduate Studies. Most recently, Atadurdyyeva was one of two students to receive the KU Class of 1913 award, and she was recognized as the 2023 Outstanding International Woman Student.

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Contact: Lisa Coble-Krings, Department of Theatre & Dance, 785-864-5685, [email protected], @KUTheatre, @KUDanceDept
KU Theatre & Dance announces 2023-24 performances
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Theatre & Dance has unveiled its 2023-24 performance season, which engages talent within the University Theatre, University Dance Company, School of Music and Department of English, among others. Guest artists from professional theatre and dance companies will also contribute to the season’s offerings.
The season offers a diverse array of theatrical genres and dance forms featuring student performers. Select students will produce, choreograph, direct, design, dramaturg and work the box office this season.
“It’s a consistent emphasis on student-centered creativity and well-rounded development,” said Markus Potter, artistic director and professor in the department. “Our lineup has been carefully selected for its potential to captivate audiences, its pedagogical value and its ability to foster a broad range of knowledge sharing to instill an appreciation for cultural and global diversity. At the same time, these productions, through the narratives they convey and the collaborative process they require, challenge our students to consider and uphold ethical integrity and social responsibility, an especially important step as they move toward their professional careers.”
Theatrical works will explore themes of social inequalities, belonging and community. Humor and satire will unify several works. Audience members will have opportunities to witness improvisation, cheer on original student-created works and participate in discussions and receptions.
“This year’s season offers lively and relevant takes on the way we live and work together in tumultuous times,” said Henry Bial, professor and chair of the department. “We are grateful to our Friends of Theatre and Dance nonprofit organization and to all the other members of our community who have continued to support our students, and we are excited to welcome audiences back to Murphy Hall as we mark the 100th anniversary of theatre education at KU.”
The fall season opener, “Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties,” is a dark comedy and provocative exploration of self-expression by Jen Silverman. It will be directed by Marzi Ashrafian, doctoral student in theatre, and will feature puppet design by KU graduate, puppeteer and puppet fabricator Spencer Lott and by painter, sculptor and illustrator Grace Townley. Together they operate Simple Mischief Studio, a company they founded.
The University Dance Company Fall Concert will follow, taking on the theme of “mythos” and featuring ballet, hip hop, contemporary and tap works by faculty members and guest choreographer Logan Pachciarz. He is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Moving Arts and previously performed with Twyla Tharp, Boston Ballet and Kansas City Ballet. Additionally, a repertoire concert of select senior dance majors work will comprise the Fall Senior Showcase.
The fall schedule will conclude with the new musical and comedic critique “Milking Christmas,” which was composed by Ryan McCall, KU lecturer and accompanist, and written by Friend Dog Studios. Michelle Miller, lecturer in theatre, will direct, with McCall as musical director.
The spring season will open with a vengeful narrative and feature the KU Symphony Orchestra. The University Theatre’s production of the Tony Award-winning musical thriller “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler is staged in collaboration with the School of Music.
Following the opera will be a gritty portrayal of working class struggles in “SWEAT” by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. That drama will be directed by award-winning playwright Darren Canady, who is also professor of English at KU.
The University Dance Company will present its Spring Concert featuring high-energy and exceptional work by faculty and select senior dance majors, and the season culminates with the Jayhawk Performance Lab/Spring Senior Showcase, an initiative that underscores the department’s commitment to student-driven work and fosters an environment where they can examine and question societal norms and grow as creators. The season finale also celebrates diverse dance forms and narratives.
Individual tickets and season subscriptions are available for purchase online at kutheatre.com, by calling 785-864-3982, or in person at the box office in Murphy Hall, noon-5 p.m. weekdays starting Aug. 23. KU Theatre & Dance offers discounted tickets for KU faculty, staff, students and retirees as well as groups. The Jack B. and Judy L. Wright Student Ticket Endowment is a resource for KU and Haskell Indian Nations University students needing assistance attending shows. Contact Jim Dick, managing director, at 785-864-3985.
KU Theatre & Dance Calendar:
1. Oct. 6, 7, 8*, 10, 11, 12, 2023 – “Collective Rage,” William Inge Memorial Theatre
2. Nov. 3, 4, 5*, 2023 – University Dance Company Fall Concert, Crafton Preyer-Theatre
3. Nov. 18, 19, 2023 – Fall Senior Showcase, Elizabeth Sherbon Blackbox Theatre
4. Nov. 30, Dec. 2*, 2, 3, 4, 6, 2023 – “Milking Christmas,” William Inge Memorial Theatre
5. Feb. 16, 18*, 20, 22, 2024 – “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” Crafton Preyer-Theatre
6. March 22, 23, 24*, 26, 27, 28, 2024 – “SWEAT,” William Inge Memorial Theatre
7. April 5, 6, 7*, 2024 – University Dance Company Spring Concert, Crafton Preyer-Theatre
8. April 25, 26, 27, 28*, 2024 – Jayhawk Performance Lab/Spring Dance Showcase, Elizabeth Sherbon Blackbox Theatre

Showtimes: 7:30 p.m., *2:30 p.m. matinee. All dates subject to change.
The University Theatre and University Dance Company are production wings of the KU Department of Theatre & Dance, offering six public productions throughout the academic year. The University Theatre and University Dance Company productions are funded in part by KU Student Senate, and the theatre’s season is supported by Truity Credit Union.
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KU News Service
1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
Lawrence KS 66045
Phone: 785-864-3256
Fax: 785-864-3339
[email protected]
http://www.news.ku.edu

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, director of news and media relations, [email protected]

Today’s News is a free service from the Office of Public Affairs