Theatre Research Projects and Awards

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national awards 

HWS Theatre students have garnered national recognition for their theatre history scholarship. Many HWS Theatre students have earned a spot on the Mid-America Theatre Conference Emerging Scholars Undergraduate Panel or won the Southeastern Theatre Conference Young Scholars Award. Winners include:

  • Berit Schönegge "Between Colonial Imposition and Native Christianity: Nahuatl Theatre ‘under?’ the Influence of Spanish Occupation and Catholic Mission” (SETC Young Scholar Award, 2022)
  • Grace Ruble '21 "Dionysus in Crisis: The Dangerous Environments of Dionysus in 69” (MATC Emerging Scholar 2019)
  • Jacqueline Fisher '18 "Nethersolian’ Expression and Societal Suppression: The Censorship of Sapho” (MATC Emerging Scholar 2017)
  • Will Conrad-Mally '17 "Towards a New Theatre: Edward Gordon Craig and the Durable Drama” (SETC Young Scholar Award 2017)
  • Loren Hiser '15 "Sex Sells Some but Abstinence Advertises More Attractively: Spring Awakening, Sex Education, and the Persistence of Hypocrisy” (MATC Emerging Scholar 2015)
  • Nicolas Shannon '15 “Women’s Theatre Group: Disrupting the Patriarchy Since 1973” (SETC Young Scholar 2015)  

summer undergraduate research fellowships

HWS Theatre students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty through funded Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships. Students have partnered with community organizations and theatres to conduct archival research, intern with theatre companies, create original performance scripts, lead public tours, and present and publish their work. 

  • From Beyond: Staging Geneva's Unheard Voices (2021): Anthony Bray '23, Samari Brown '24, Sal Fabio '22, and Christina Roc '24. Students researched the history of African Americans in Geneva to create the world premiere production From Beyond: Geneva's Unheard Voices, in partnership with Historic Geneva. Students garnered two awards for this project: Civically Engaged Students of the Year (presented by CCESL) and the inaugural Geneva Storytellers Award (presented by Historic Geneva).
  • Smith Opera House 125th Anniversary (2018): Gretty Hollister '20 and Austin Jennings '19. Students conducted archival research to create a blog and building tour, culminating in a world premiere site-specific, immersive theatre event, in partnership with the Smith Center for the Arts.
  • From the Ground Up (Sills Family Fellowship) (2017): Shaamar Samuel '19, Jesse Singleton '18, Christopher Clayton Williams '19. Students conducted research into contemporary playwrights, interned for the Quick Silver Theater Company's Playwrights of Color Summit, and created original solo performances exploring mental health and identity that were publicly performed in the summer and remounted in the fall.