December 2012 Newsletter

Where Theatre Lives! Vol. 2, Issue 3

Alumni Spotlight: Lisette Rodriguez starts dance company

Life after graduation can be intimidating; students may struggle to find careers in their field, and they may have fewer opportunities to do the things they love. For alumni Lisette Rodriguez, Jamie Hayden and Kristen Baron, NIU served as a stepping stone to their professional dance careers. Rodriguez, who graduated from NIU in 1994, is now the artistic director of her dance company, Rodriguez Dance Theatre. Rodriguez earned a degree in health and doubleminored in dance and physical education, all of which she said led her to where she is now with Rodriguez Dance Theatre. When I went to NIU, I think it prepared me so much for what I was going to do in my future, Rodriguez said. She built connections with teachers and, through her various focuses, learned the artistic, technical and pedagogical sides of dance. After she graduated, she danced with other freelance companies like Emergence Dance Theatre and, later, the Baltimore Chicago Contemporary Dance Theatre. Through her experience in professional companies and her time in grad school at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Rodriguez took notes in her head about what she would or wouldn't do if she had her own company. I think I always knew I was going to be an artistic director, Rodriguez said. When the Baltimore Chicago Contemporary Dance Theatre folded, the dancers wanted Rodriguez to artistically direct. She did for a year but ultimately decided it wasn't a good fit. So I decided to completely branch off and do my own thing, she said. She wanted to give dancers in the Northwest Suburbs the opportunity to practice and perform in a professional environment. There's no place in this area where you can take a modern dance class, she said. You have to go to the city to do it. She said her company fills that void. Rodriguez said many of her dancers over the years have come from NIU. Currently, NIU alumni Jamie Hayden, who graduated in 2003, and Kristen Baron, who graduated in 2006, dance in Rodriguez Dance Theatre. Hayden dabbled in dance during her childhood, but in 5th grade focused more on sports. When she came to NIU, she found herself with extra free time since

Lisette Rodriguez graduated from NIU in 1994. She is now the artistic director of Rodriguez Dance Theatre.

she didn't have practice every day. She filled that void with dance, and, although she did not major or minor in it, she discovered her passion. The impact that NIU left on me was significant enough that I felt inspired to continue to pursue an art that gives me a feeling of happiness and achievement, Hayden said. Baron transferred to NIU from the University of Iowa, where she was studying dance. When she came to NIU, she was introduced to a new style that has stuck with her. Here I was introduced to Horton for my first time by Karen [Williamson] and Judy [Chitwood], Baron said. They had such a passion for Horton Modern, and it grew to become my favorite style of dance still to this day. All three alumni plan to continue their work with Rodriguez Dance Theatre. The company will have a showcase called Moments of Sentiment at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 26 at 2121 S. Goebbert Road in Arlington Heights, Ill. Rodriguez Dance Theatre is always looking for a variety of interns, including people interested in marketing, art direction, choreography, lighting, set design and more. For more information, visit www.rodriguezdance theatre.com. SoTD

Third Onion productions meet more success

Northern Illinois University's Third Onion series is making a comeback. With the success of two Third Onion productions in particular this semester, An Infinite Ache and the completely studentproduced Variations, the School of Theatre and Dance's studentinitiated production scheme is growing in popularity. Last spring, sophomore communications major Becca Pearce wrote Variations to be performed in the Corner Theatre. The play is unique in that the script and score for Variations were written entirely by students. We had complete creative and artistic control over the project, which is something that does not typically happen in a college environment, Pearce said. We didn't have to report to or check in with any faculty, though we did seek advice from several members of staff for help. Pearce and the rest of the cast and crew of Variations had less than a month to put the show together. We started rehearsals on November 4 and opened on November 29, Pearce said. We made our own schedule, worked through three separate versions of the script and designed the set, blocked and designed the lights and costumes. Pearce said she plans to write more plays for the Third Onion in the future, especially after the success of the series' productions this past semester. I'm proud to say that our production and An Infinite Ache have revitalized what it means to do a Third Onion and raised the standards, Pearce said. It still feels a little unreal to me that this project went from an idea in my head to a script on the page to a full-blown production in under a year. SoTD

A Bright Room Called Day first production of spring semester

A Bright Room Called Day, based on a play by Bertolt Brecht and adapted by Tony Kushner, draws comparisons between Reagan and Hitler, but its ultimate question is: What are your personal definitions of good and evil? The play will run January 31 through February 3 and February 6 through 10. A Bright Room Called Day focuses on a German actress and her friends in the early 1930s. A subplot is introduced when Zillah, a 1990s New Yorker, interrupts the 1930s scenes to offer her perspective on the politics in Germany. She flees to Germany to escape what she believes is a dangerous American government. The play is directed by Alexander Gelman, who said the point of the play is to ask questions about individual limits in regard to society and politics. Wheres my personal line that I will not cross? he said. We all have different places where that line is drawn, and usually we dont actually discover it until were there, and thats how we know who we are. SoTD

School of Theatre and Dance Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, IL 60115