Now Playing: New Thespian and New Dancer Showcases
This weekend, the School of the Arts and the Joan Phelps Palladino School of Dance at Dean College are featuring the talents of our first-year Theatre and Dance majors in two unique performances: the New Thespian Showcase and the New Dancer Showcase.
The New Thespian Showcase is an informal showing of monologues, scenes, songs and theatre works brought to the stage by first-year Theatre majors, while the New Dancer Showcase is an informal showing of dance works created by upperclassmen and performed by first-year Dance majors.
Musical Theatre major Alaina Rothwell ’26 is performing in the New Thespian Showcase, while Kaleigh Hall ’26, a Dance and Exercise Science double major, will take the stage in the New Dancer Showcase. As they prepare for their performances, both Kaleigh and Alaina have been rehearsing, collaborating with their peers and participating in tech week to put together the production elements, costumes and run of show.
“Once a week I meet with my vocal coach to clean up the number I wanted to perform,” Alaina said. “I practice on my own time as well to work on choreography and finding the character I want to portray.”
“I’ve been going to rehearsals and working with all different people, which has helped me really feel a part of this college, as I get to know so many people who share the same passions as me,” Kaleigh explained.
In particular, the New Dancer Showcase is an opportunity to work with upperclassmen Dance majors, who provide the choreography for the performance.
“Working with both first-year students and upperclassmen is such a cool experience,” Kaleigh added. “I really enjoy collaborating with everybody and seeing everyone’s different ideas. Working all together to bring the choreographer’s vision to life, from the first rehearsal to the final performance, is surreal. I am so thankful to be able to participate and be part of the process.”
This is the first time both Alaina and Kaleigh will perform on a Dean College stage, and they’re both excited for the experience.
“My favorite part of the New Thespian Showcase is getting to perform with my fellow cast mates for the first time ever at Dean,” Alaina said. “I’m so excited for the audience to see how every student is a showstopper!”
“I’m really excited for the audience to see all our first college performance debuts,” Kaleigh agreed. “I think all of the dancers are ecstatic to show everyone what we have been working on these past few months. Stepping out on that stage for the first time, with the lights, music and all our new dance friends, sharing our work, is so exhilarating and I can’t wait!”
The New Thespian Showcase will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 1 and Saturday, December 3, 2022, while the New Dancer Showcase will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 2 and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, 2022. Both productions will take place in the Main Stage in the Dr. Paula M. Rooney Student Center at Dean College, 109 West Central Street, Franklin, MA. To learn more about the performances and to purchase tickets, visit the Dean College Box Office.