Duke Theater Centennial: telling the story of past and present

The Department of Theatre Studies will hold a special performance Oct. 19 in Reynold Industries Theater from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to celebrate Duke’s centennial and highlight the history of theater at Duke. By bringing together past and present Duke talent and having them perform pieces that center Duke, Durham and North Carolina, the show will highlight the long history of Duke Theatre and its bright future.

The idea behind the project dates back a few years, according to concert organizer Ryan Donovan, Assistant Professor of Theater Studies at Duke University, to when the department began to brainstorm centennial events. Rather than celebrating just the department, Donovan sought to find a way to celebrate theater at Duke while showcasing the results of 100 years of Duke history.

The result was an ambitious plan to bring together nearly two dozen performers, including four alumni active on Broadway: Heidi Blickenstaff (T’94) of Broadway’s “The Little Mermaid” and “Jagged Little Pill,” Kerry O’Malley (T’91) of David Fincher’s “The Killer” and Broadway’s “Into the Woods,” Martavius Parrish (T’14) of Broadway’s “Into the Woods” and “Once Upon a Mattress” and Grammy-nominee Brian Charles Rooney (T’99) of Broadway’s “Threepenny Opera.” By pairing these performers with students from Hoof n’ Horn, Duke Players and Duke Chinese Theater, Donovan hoped to show the past, present and potential future of Duke theater talent.

Donovan chose to showcase pieces that reflected the diversity of Duke Theater, including selections from past and upcoming student performances, pieces about Duke and the surrounding area. Donovan also wanted to create a show that spanned mediums, including everything from traditional performance to songs to puppetry. They also tied back to the history of the returning performers, with one alumnus, Martavius, singing a piece he previously performed while an undergrad at Duke.

Even the location itself is a piece of Duke theater history. Reynolds Industries Theater is one of the newest performing venues on campus, built in 1982, and remains one of the main locations for large, on-campus performances.

Currently, Professor Donovan is helping run Duke in New York: Creative Industries. This, combined with the already busy schedules of the alumni performers, made assembling the entire cast in one place nigh-impossible. Instead, Donovan extensively planned out the performance while he was at Duke, and set it up so the different groups are able to practice their parts individually. Once the different parties are all on campus, they will have a few days to put the finishing touches on integrating everything into one, smooth show.

Though the alumni may have more experience than the students they’ll be performing alongside, the show is designed to highlight all groups while also exposing current undergrads to experienced performers who they can learn from and observe. It will also provide the alumni with a chance to meet with the rising generation for insight and inspiration. Donovan explained that he designed the project to be a “rising tide” that would lift “all boats,” rather than something that would only benefit some of the performers or the audience.

Zach Finacchio (T’25), the president of Hoof n’ Horn, seconded this, saying that he saw no reason to worry and knew that the commitment of Hoof n’ Horn to high quality and highly-skilled performances means they would be able to capably perform alongside talented alumni. He was also happy with the choice to include Hoof n’ Horn and other student groups in the centennial, as they are an integral part of Duke theater history.