Blogs
This fall the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center was filled with music, dance, theatre and important ideas in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.
Read selected highlights of the semester's press coverage from newspapers like The Washington Post, public radio stations such as WAMU-FM and student news outlets like The Diamondback. See what the critics said about the fall’s performances from the UMD School of Music, the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies and the Clarice Smith Center Visiting Artist Program – and let us know if you agree with them!
This blog post is by Emily Schweich, a sophomore Broadcast Journalism major.
As a member of the UMD Concert Choir, I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate Benjamin Britten’s centennial with a performance of his War Requiem with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Peabody Children’s Chorus. Two and a half months of long rehearsals culminated in two performances at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and one at the Music Center at Strathmore. I knew that this would be the apex of my musical career so far, but I had no idea how valuable this experience would be.
Performing the War Requiem the week of Veterans Day made me realize the work’s universality; Britten’s message of peace is especially resonant today.
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Five emerging choreographers from the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies have been selected to participate in the 31st Annual Choreographers’ Showcase, which is presented by the Clarice Smith Center Visiting Artist Program and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. The performance will be held in the Dance Theatre of the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 3PM and 8PM.
Due to inclement weather, the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center is closed on Tuesday, December 10.
All events in the building today are cancelled, including rehearsals and recitals. The ticket office and the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library are also closed.
Stay safe today!
Due to inclement weather, our ticket office will close at 7PM on Sunday, December 8, 2013.
We apologize for any inconvenience. Tickets may still be purchased online through this website.
Update: Maintenance has been completed and our website's back up — hooray!
Due to maintenance, our website may be inaccessible this weekend between Saturday, December 7 at 10PM and Sunday, December 8 at 4AM.
If you have any questions or concerns while our website is down, please email tickets.claricesmith@umd.edu and we will address your concern when our ticket office opens on Sunday, December 8 at 11AM.
School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS) faculty and alumni will take part this weekend in the African Continuum Theatre Company's benefit cabaret "J's Jook Joint," a modern-day twist on the historical "jook joint" experience. TDPS professor Scot Reese will direct the production, and TDPS alumna Thembi Duncan (BA Theatre ‘09) is the Artistic Director.
This post is by Lisa Driscoll, a Junior Vocal Performance and Broadcast Journalism double major. You can read more of her writing on her blog.
It seemed for a moment as if everyone was holding their breath. Several minutes of silence passed until a woman slowly walked out onto the stage with her cane tapping next to her and a big smile on her face. “We’ve come this evening to bring you joy, happiness and positive vibrations,” she said.
Staples’ musical journey started 63 years ago, launching her career with the family group The Staple Sisters. The music of the Staple Sisters and her solo music have shaped American culture and had particular impact during the Civil Rights Movement.
This post is by Lauren Burns, a sophomore Multiplatform Journalism and History double major.
The audience of the School of Theatre, Dance, and Perfomance Studies’ production of Molière Impromptu will not only be exposed to the classic comedic works of Molière, but also the Commedia dell'arte style of masked theatre. Kara Waala, an MFA Design student crafted all of the masks worn by the performers in the play. Kara talks to me about the history of Commedia dell’arte and also shares a bit about the work that goes into bringing such beautiful, communicative masks to life.
The mask design for Molière Impromptu was inspired by marrying traditional Commedia dell'arte masks with the powdered courtly facade of Versailles through makeup and paint.
With great excitement we share with you that by September of 2014, the DeVos Institute of Arts Management will relocate to the University of Maryland, College Park, joining the College of Arts and Humanities’ robust portfolio.
The institute will continue its work in collaboration with the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, one of the nation's leading arts incubators.