Alumni websites

Wouldn't it be great to have one location with all the websites of the artists and performers who graduated from Salem State? I invite you to post yours here! To get us started,

Check out theatre grad Julie McNiven, from Class of 2003. She has recurring roles on Mad Men and Supernatural and is putting together a great acting career! http://http://www.juliemcniven.net/home/index.php?location=home

Or see what Danny Swain's contemporary dance company is up to-- upcoming events and classes: http://www.dannyswaindance.org/

And how about this gorgeous wedding photographer? Jill Person, Art grad from the Class of 2003: http://www.personkillian.com/

Check them out and add your own in the comments section.

Artistic Development Grants: Or! How I Spent My Summer Vacation

The Center for the Arts has lots of friends and alumni who donate to support programs and scholarships in the arts. This year, with donor support, we offered up to 5 summer artistic development grants to students with innovative artistic projects proposed for summer 2010.

Jesse Mangan '12, who majors in multimedia design and dance, earned a grant to spend two weeks training, rehearsing, eating, living and performing with the PUSH physical theatre company of Rochester, New York http://pushtheatre.org/ . It was an intensive re-defining of dance, and what is possible within the fusion of dance and theatre and other physical artforms.

Jesse describes the experience: "My mornings training in modern dance, gymnastics and contemporary mime. Afternoons were spent working with non-traditional partnering, contact improvisation and Anne Bogart's viewpoints as students were guided to understand how structured movement explorations could be used to create new works. Our evenings were spent critiquing videos of mimes, dancers, actors and comedians and engaging in discussions on the history of contemporary mime, the evolution of modern dance, the survival of performance art in the digital age and the place of spirituality in the arts. While at PUSH the lines began to blur, I began to look at all of the different disciplines in the performance arts not as a series of separate definitions, but as one big conversation, I stopped thinking about the technique that I lack and delved into the emotion, physicality and stories that I have."

Student Profiles: Rachel Alexander, BFA '12

Each week, we'll profile a student in the arts at Salem State! Meet Rachel. (seen here in Burning the Barn, as Lexi.)

Rachel Alexander is working toward a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance, 2012.

Q: What did you do to stay creative this summer?

A: I performed in two shows, one in Boston: Burning the Barn by Bea Wissel (photo above), and one in New Hampshire: A Picture of Dorian Gray by David Preece. I also worked as business coordinator for the Center for the Arts to see behind the scenes of Summer Theatre at Salem.

Q: One of your shows was an original production. How was that different from other productions you've performed in?

A: We had a lot more freedom to do what we wanted with script, editing, adding, with lots of close contact with the playwright. We knew we were acting out her vision, getting support from the playwright.

Q: What is something you would want other people to know about Salem State?

A: Don't think we're underrated. We have great faculty, great funding support for the arts, and even though we're a state university we are totally on par with private universities with what we have to offer.

Q: What advice would you give to a new student this fall?

A: Stay motivated and push yourself, because you will exceed expectations and get more opportunities because of it. Do the work!

Things to know if you're new to Salem State Arts!

Welcome to Salem State to all you new artists of all types on our campus! I hope you get to know us and get to know each other to create some fabulous art of all kinds. Here's some info to keep you connected.

Follow Salem State Arts on facebook. Be sure to follow the University page, not the old college page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Salem-MA/Salem-State-University-Center-for-the-Arts/136924023013308?ref=ts

You'll get upcoming info on art, theatre, dance, art and music there, plus info on scholarships, grants, contests, alumni updates, etc.

Want the whole calendar for the semester? Download a pdf of Artsview, the twice-yearly arts newsletter. It's on the Salem State website: http://www.salemstate.edu/arts/2362.php

Do you know where performances are held? Give yourself an arts orienation and visit Callan Studio Theatre (90 seat black box) in the basement of Sullivan Building, the Recital Hall, (165 seat, 6 year old music hall) on Central Campus, off the dining commons behind the Bertolon, and the Mainstage Theatre-- you've been there, right? 700 seats on Lafayette Street. The Winfisky Gallery has new exhibits almost every 6 weeks. It's located on the first floor of the Ellison campus Center, and usually open from 10 am - 2 pm Monday through Friday. And dance studios are at the O'Keefe Center, on the first floor. Take a class and try them out! Or, head over to the Enterprise Center behind the bookstore, and on the first floor you will find SSU's Glassworks Studio, where you can watch a glassblowing class, or take one. That's just the beginning, so browse around and join in!