Film and Visual Culture

Department Theater, Dance and Film Studies
Academic Division The College

A camera operator

Through the study of the practice and history of theater and dance, students develop aesthetic appreciation for art and culture, learn flexible problem-solving methods, acquire diverse communication skills and employ creative collaborative processes.

Home Academics Areas of Study Film and Visual Culture

About the Department

Theater, Dance, and Film are essential forms of human expression that celebrate creative collaboration and critical engagement with our world.

The department provides a dynamic introduction to performance, production, history and literature. These academic and artistic tools and experiences will lead students to contribute their unique talent and training to the betterment of society and the arts.

Jenefer Davies

Department Head

P: 540-458-8485
E: daviesj@wlu.edu

Sophia Kocevar

Administrative Assistant

P: 540-458-8002
E: skocevar@wlu.edu

News

The former executive director of ArtPower at the University of California, San Diego will begin his new role in July.

The premiere event will be followed by a student-led discussion about their experiences and the creative journey in producing the films.

Stackhouse Theater seating

The first From Screen to Square event will take place on Monday, Nov. 7.

Leah Jackson ’22 always knew she wanted to pursue the health field. Thanks to summer internships and dedication, she heads off to Harvard this fall to follow her passion.

Tickets for the 2022 season can be purchased online using a credit card or in-person at the Lenfest Center box office beginning Nov. 30.

Ramonah Gibson '20

Ramonah Gibson '20 has received a Fulbright United Kingdom (U.K.) Partnership Award to complete her master's degree in creative writing scriptwriting at the University of East Anglia.

Professor Stephanie Sandberg and Nolan Zunk '22 at Hull's Drive-in, where their documentary "Intimate Violence" will be screened to raise money for Project Horizon.

"Intimate Violence," a documentary about domestic violence by ��ֳ� professor Stephanie Sandberg and junior Nolan Zunk, has been recognized by three film festivals.

The ��ֳ� Repertory Dance Company performance will stream for free online on March 25 and 26 at 7 p.m., March 27 at 6 p.m. and March 28 at 2 p.m.

Bioh's hit comedy "School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play" will be screened online March 16, and a virtual talk by Bioh will occur March 18.

The screening will be free and open to the public to view online. A discussion with the film’s creators will follow the screening.

The deluded Partriarch Orgon (Samuel Womack ’21), the wit and sass of Dorine the servant (Mackie Benson ’21), and the crafty con of Tartuffe (Finn Connor ’23).

The performance will run Oct. 15-18, and it is free and open to the public to watch via livestream.

Professor Stephanie Sandberg and Nolan Zunk '22 at Hull's Drive-in, where their documentary "Intimate Violence" will be screened to raise money for Project Horizon.

Professor Stephanie Sandberg and Nolan Zunk ’22 co-directed “Intimate Violence,” which will be screened at Hull’s Drive-in to raise money for Project Horizon.

Sample Courses

At ��ֳ�, we believe education and experience go hand-in-hand. You’ll be encouraged to dive in, explore and discover connections that will broaden your perspective.

FILM 121

Script Analysis for Stage & Screen

The study of selected plays and screenplays from the standpoint of the theater and screen artists. Emphasis on thorough examination of the scripts preparatory to production. This course is focused on developing script analysis skills directly applicable to work in production. Students work collaboratively in various creative capacities to transform texts into productions.

THTR 220

Playwriting

An introductory workshop in creative writing for the theater that focuses on traditional forms of scene and script writing. Opportunities for collaborative writing and devised theater may be included.

THTR 251

Intro to Performance Design

An introduction to the history, fundamentals and aesthetics of design for theater and dance with an emphasis on the collaborative nature of the design disciplines.

THTR 336

Lighting Design

A study of the practice of stage lighting, focusing on styles of production, historical methods and artistic theory. Culminates in a light design for a public theatrical production.

POL 292

Politics & Film: “Mad Men”

This class uses episodes of the Emmy Award–winning television series “Mad Men” — famous for its depiction of shifting understandings of gender and race relations in the United States in the 1960s — as a basis for exploring the culture of race and gender shared/challenged by the show’s 21st-century audience.

THTR 253

Digital Production

Digital technologies and multimedia interaction are increasingly utilized to produce, enhance and innovate theatrical production. Students examine and experiment with various digital technologies as they relate to theater and dance performance. Students create digital audio, video, design rendering and animation projects for theatrical performances.

Meet the Faculty

At ��ֳ�, students enjoy small classes and close relationships with professors who educate and nurture.

Owen Collins

Professor of Theater

P: 540-458-8003
E: collinso@wlu.edu

Collins teaches courses on stage craft, special effects, performance design, 3D printing for theater, and scene painting/art. His research focuses on new media and technology in contemporary theater practice.

Jenefer M. Davies

Department Head, Theater, Dance and Film Studies; Professor of Dance and Theater

P: 540-458-8281
E: daviesj@wlu.edu

Davies teaches courses on contemporary European dance, dance composition, movement for actors and aerial dance techniques. Her research focuses on modern dance composition and the feminine aesthetic.

Liza Deck

Adjunct Instructor in Dance

P: 540-458-8281
E: deckl@wlu.edu

Deck earned her MFA in dance from Arizona State University after attending Hope College, where she received the Florence Cavanaugh Dance Award. She has performed and choreographed professionally with numerous organizations and is currently the head of City Modern Ensemble. She teaches Modern Dance and Musical Theatre at ��ֳ�.

Shawn Paul Evans

Professor of Theater

P: 540-458-8014
E: evanss@wlu.edu

Evans teaches courses on the fundamentals of theater, stage management, digital production, lighting and dance production. He has researched theater technology, including automation and motion control.

Jemma Alix Levy

Associate Professor of Theater/Acting, Core Affiliated Faculty, Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program

P: 540-458-8005
E: levyj@wlu.edu

Levy teaches courses on acting, directing, Shakespeare and theater history. She is a professional director with critically-acclaimed national and international credits, and for 10 years ran Muse of Fire Theatre Company.

Sandra Meythaler

Adjunct Instructor

P: 540-458-8281
E: meythalers@wlu.edu

Rob Mish

Adjunct Instructor of Theater

P: 540-458-8006
E: rmish@wlu.edu

Mish, a ��ֳ� alum, is responsible for the management and operation of the Lenfest Center for the Arts. In addition, he teaches stage acting, Total Theater, Introduction to the Theater, Musical Theater, supervises student internships and will occasionally direct a main stage production.

Stephanie Sandberg

Assistant Professor of Theater/Film

P: 540-458-8004
E: sandbergs@wlu.edu

Sandberg teaches courses on screenwriting, documentary filmmaking and an ethnographic study of modern-day slavery in Ghana. Her current research focuses on theater for social justice.

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