Theater Professor Kelly Morgan broke down the workload and expectations for his Playwriting course during the first meeting of the semester. This course is designed to teach students the craft and art of playwrighting for the stage. The aim of the course is to foster and augment the student to engage in the writing of new theater works in the professional arena.

At the onset of his Writings in Aesthetics course, Dr. Robert Carr read an excerpt from A More Beautiful Question to illustrate how questioning can help with making decisions, sparking creativity, strengthening relationships, and transforming business. Located at the interface between theory and production, this course is a writing intensive Communication Studies course that capitalizes on this vantage point to critically examine the professional arts comprising our curriculum, namely film, video, graphic design, photography, interactive media, and professional communication. Through weekly readings and writings, seminar discussions, presentations, and a term length qualitative research project, this writing intensive course bridges the theory/production dichotomy. 

Students in Theater Professor Mary Vreeland's  Acting 1 class work on their final scenes in Weston Auditorium last week. This course is an introduction to professional stage performance techniques. Students learn how to build a character using techniques such as playing actions, status, physical transformation, improvisation, relaxation and script analysis. Students perform monologues and scene work for the class and analyze and develop them.

Graphic Design Professor  Donald Tarallo demonstrates how to mount and cut out typeface examples on foam core to his Font Design Students before they prepared their own works which will be on exhibit. The student's work can be viewed here at the Fitchburg State University Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library December 13, 2023 - May 5, 2024, and the Worcester Public Library January 3 - 31, 2024. The work will be displayed on the first floor of both locations.

Students in Professor Kevin McCarthy's Multi-Camera Television Production course, which has taken place at at Fitchburg Access Television (FATV) all semester, worked on their final production yesterday morning. This production encompassed all of the multi-camera studio skills they learned throughput the semester. 

Students in Assistant Professor, Film and Video, Rachelle A. Dermer'sShort Film Story Development course prepare for the upcoming Screenplay Table Reads event featuring screenplays by students in Writing the Series & Short Film Story Development this Wednesday, December 20, 2023, 6 PM to 9 PM in the Ellis White Lecture Hall. Jonah Pishkin, with the help of fellow students playing various roles, conducts a table read of his script. Jonah is currently performing in  It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at the Wallace Theater for the Performing Arts in the McKay Complex.

Beginning this evening, the Communications Media Department will present its production of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at the Wallace Theater for the Performing Arts in the McKay Complex. Written by Joe Landry and directed by Fitchburg State Professor Kelly Morgan and student Allison Thompson, the classic movie is retold as a charming 1940s-themed radio show, including a live Foley operator for sound effects. Experience the impressive vocal range of the actors as they play multiple characters "over the air." Learn more about the production and when to see it here.

Students assist Technical Theater Professor Jo Nazro and continued building the  set for the upcoming production of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at the Wallace Theater for the Performing Arts in the McKay Complex . Local Theater Professional David Allen Prescott was on hand to assist with the stage buildout. Learn more about the production here.

Communications Media Professor Kyle Moody hosted an information session, along with fellow Communications Media Professors J.J. Sylvia IV and Randy Howe remotely, to discuss the MS in Applied Communication with students interested in perusing an advanced degree. 

Students in Professor M. Zachary Lee's Lighting course work together to recreate a scene in the TV Studio. The course provides an introduction to the techniques of lighting, both on location and in the studio. Topics covered in the class include the use of lighting instruments, lighting control media and devices, location lighting techniques, studio lighting techniques, camera movement, composition, metering, the use of lenses, electrical and safety considerations, grip techniques and equipment. Learn about our Film/Video Production Program here.