Eastern Connecticut State University

Several local Eastern Connecticut State University students recently participated in the Willimantic Screen Project in partnership with Thread City Development, Inc., the town of Windham, CT, and the Willimantic Brewing Company. The "Green Lights" project promotes recognition of the Last Green Valley, a National Heritage Corridor located in eastern Connecticut and south-central Massachusetts.

A group of Eastern Connecticut State University students attended the Region 1 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) from Jan. 29 - Feb. 2. The event was held in Hyannis, MA.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Percussion Ensemble performed in Shafer Hall on Eastern's campus on Dec. 8.

Ten Eastern Connecticut State University students recently participated in a poster project as part of Visual Arts Professor June Bisantz's Eastern Design Group course. The students designed posters for the Windham Hospital Auxiliary's 17th Annual Autumn Gala, which was held recently at the Marriott Hotel in Hartford.

The Theatre Program at Eastern Connecticut State University presented the Neil Simon autobiography, "Biloxi Blues," in Harry Hope Theatre in Shafer Hall. The play was performed on Oct. 18-24 with admission opened to Eastern students, faculty and staff, as well as the general public.

One of the approximately 70 student clubs and organizations at Eastern Connecticut State University is Eastern's Drama Society. The purpose of the Drama Society is to help support the operations of the Eastern Theatre Program. This includes, but is not limited to: payments for scripts, royalties, production supplies and equipment; running costs for performances; special projects and events related to theatrical or dramatic activities as determined by the Drama Society executive board.

Local Eastern Connecticut State University students were recognized at the annual Region I Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival (KCACTF), held at Fitchburg College in Fitchburg, MA, in late January.

The Eastern Concert Chorale performed a concert at the Cathedral of St. Patrick in Norwich on Nov. 22. The chorale was joined by the Concert Choir of Northeastern Connecticut and the Norwich Diocesan Choir and sang Franz J. Haydn's "Te Deum" and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Coronation Mass."

The Eastern Connecticut State University Concert Chorale performed a special concert at Carnegie Hall on Nov. 13 as part of the Mid America Production Concert Series.

The Theatre Program and Drama Society in the Department of Performing Arts at Eastern Connecticut State University presented "The Island," their first major production for the 2011-12 season, from Oct. 27 to 30 and Nov. 1 and 2.

The Theatre Program and Drama Society in the Department of Performing Arts at Eastern Connecticut State University presented "The Island," their first major production for the 2011-12 season, from Oct. 27 to 30 and Nov. 1 and 2.

Students from Eastern Connecticut State University's Performing Arts Department performed "Ring Around the Bottle" as part of the Phoenix New Play Series on Oct. 8.

Students from Eastern Connecticut State University's Theatre Program performed "Echoes: Voices from the Church Farm" on May 6 and 7 at the Church Farm Center for the Arts and Sciences which is located in Ashford.

Eastern Connecticut State University's Theatre Program presented "Working, the Musical," April 12-17 in the Harry Hope Theatre in Shafer Hall.

Students from Eastern Connecticut State University's Performing Arts Department performed shorts from the Phoenix New Play Series on March 12. This year's new play consisted of three short plays.

June Bisantz, professor of digital art and design at Eastern Connecticut State University, and Harrison Judd, photographer and digital archivist to Maurice Sendak, produced "The Screen Project," Connecticut's first Urban Screens event, on Feb. 11-21. The event was held at five locations on Main Street in Willimantic. The ECSU Design Group, a team of 10 student artists from Eastern Connecticut State University's Digital Art and Design program who designed promotional materials and billboards for the event, also exhibited.

Eastern Connecticut State University theatre students and their productions were recognized at the annual Region I Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), held at Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, MA, from Jan. 25-30.

On Feb. 10, students in Eastern Connecticut State University's Theatre Department performed "Fab Fables," the culminating project of the fall 2010 Children's Theatre class, which was taught by Ellen Faith Brodie, professor and director of theatre. "Fab Fables" included two short plays that focused on American tales and magical themes. The short play entertained audience members with 18th-century Connecticut folklore. The other featured short play, "Wiley and The Hairy Man," took audiences deep into Louisiana.

Local Eastern Connecticut State University students recently participated in the Drama Society production of "Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead" on March 18 and 19.

On Dec. 5, Eastern Connecticut State University's Percussion Ensemble performed a collection of percussion pieces in Shafer Auditorium.

On Nov. 21, students from Eastern Connecticut State University's Jazz Ensemble performed "An Evening of Jazz." Joe Tomanelli, adjunct professor in the Performing Arts Department, directed the performance in collaboration with Anthony Cornicello, assistant chair of the Performing Arts Department.