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Improv with an impact
Two students

Seniors Philip Chen, left, and Meera Menon won the President’s Engagement Prize for The Unscripted Project, a nonprofit to bring improv classes to Philadelphia public schools in partnership with the Philly Improv Theater. 

Improv with an impact

With their President’s Engagement Prize, Wharton School seniors Philip Chen and Meera Menon plan to create The Unscripted Project, a nonprofit that will run 10-week improv courses in Philadelphia public schools, partnering with the Philly Improv Theater.
Seeing life through their eyes
African American person sitting in a wooden chair, feet up on a wooden table that holds a ball jar filled with sweet tea.

E. Patrick Johnson (above) stars in “Making Sweet Tea,” a 90-minute film about life as an African American gay man in the southern United States. The film, which was co-produced and co-directed by Annenberg Dean John L. Jackson Jr. and Penn doctoral student Nora Gross, is based on a book Johnson wrote, which then became a play.

Seeing life through their eyes

Through the voices and stories of seven men, a feature-length documentary co-produced and directed by Annenberg Dean John L. Jackson Jr. and graduate student Nora Gross illustrates what it means to be black and gay in the south.

Michele W. Berger

The Sachs Program announces 2019 grants, marks one-year anniversary
Common Press screening bags

Common Press screens bags at the 2019 Sachs Grant Awards event on May 2. (Photo: Dominic Mercier)

The Sachs Program announces 2019 grants, marks one-year anniversary

A year and 23 grant projects later, The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation is phasing into round two of its annual grant awards throughout eight categories that support the teaching, making, and presenting art.
Historic Philly playbills get modern-day crowdsourcing
Librarian examines several playbills spread out on wood conference table in a historic library room lined with bookshelves filled with books.

Laura Aydelotte examines some of the 19th-century Philadelphia theater playbills in the Penn Libraries collection that are included in a project that allows the public to help transcribe digitized copies. An upcoming conference at Penn will explore digital approaches to researching theater history. 

Historic Philly playbills get modern-day crowdsourcing

An innovative online crowdsourcing project led by Laura Aydelotte of the Penn Libraries allows the public to transcribe digitized 19th-century Philadelphia theater playbills. An upcoming conference will explore digital approaches to researching theater history.
Bloomers mark 40 years of edgy comedy
Performers-on-a-stage

Scene from the Fall 2018 production of “The Bachelor: Will You Accept This Show?”  Photo by ImageFlo

Bloomers mark 40 years of edgy comedy

Bloomers, Penn’s all-female comedy troupe, celebrated its 40th anniversary last weekend with an alumnae show that recreated routines from the 1980s and 1990s.
Exploring Shakespearian times in London
Globe Theater

Exploring Shakespearian times in London

During an intensive interdisciplinary five-week course this summer, undergraduate students traveled to the heart of Elizabethan theater to gain an in-depth appreciation for the works of William Shakespeare where it all began.
Theatre students perform on international stage
Penn Theatre Arts Curio Performance

Portraying conjoined twins from the 19th century, junior Duval Courteau (left) and senior Aria Proctor take the stage at Penn during a final rehearsal of the play “Curio” before traveling to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.

Theatre students perform on international stage

Portraying dual roles of conjoined twins from the 19th century and a pair of modern-day researchers, junior Duval Courteau and senior Aria Proctor took the stage at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland with the one-act play, “Curio.”
When Philadelphians just can’t get enough Fringe Fest here, they go to Scotland’s monster version

When Philadelphians just can’t get enough Fringe Fest here, they go to Scotland’s monster version

Rosemary Malague of the School of Arts and Sciences has taken groups of students to the Edinburgh Fringe festival for over 25 years. “It’s a tremendous learning opportunity for all of us – and we get to see some great shows,” said Malague.

Behind the Scenes
Penn student Nicholas Seymour in the Kelly Writers House recording studio.

Penn student Nicholas Seymour, Class of 2020, pictured in the Kelly Writers House recording studio where he has a work-study job. 

Behind the Scenes

Rising senior Nicholas Seymour is a summer intern at Philadelphia’s 1812 Productions, helping with all aspects of running a theater. The communications major has experience working on technical crews at Kelly Writers House and in student theater productions.