Students travel abroad to immerse themselves in British life and theater
Over the summer, a group of theater students spent two weeks traveling the United Kingdom including London, Sussex, York, and Stratford. Throughout this trip, they attended formal and self-guided tours, visited museums, and explored the culture of English life.
The centerpiece of the trip was the lineup of nine theater productions, which allowed students to reflect on the socio-political impact of theater, differing aesthetic viewpoints, and more. Along the way, students documented what they saw and how they felt to remember how their creative engagement abroad not only supported their studies but helped them grow as artists and people.
See the trip through their eyes by clicking into the gallery.
Click the photo to view the entire gallery. | Photo by Lillian Hayward
Photo by Lillian Hayward | The highly decorated stage and set for the play “Much Ado About Nothing” at Shakespeare’s iconic Globe Theater in London. The set, designed by Grace Smart, was described by Hayward as “a lush and romantic setting of one of [her] favorite Shakespearean comedies.”Photo by Mariah Kiefer | Another angle of The Globe Theater, which opens to the sky. Kiefer said that experiencing theater at the Globe demonstrated “the importance and longevity of the art of theater.” Photo by Skylar Staebler | The marquee for re-imagined Greek tragedy “Hadestown,” described by Staebler as “a lyrical passionate narrative of love and human connection.” The West End production of “Hadestown” that students saw features a diverse cast and incorporates theatre and musical history throughout.Photo by Skylar Staebler | Robert Indiana’s “LOVE (Red Blue Green)” is a sculpture in the York Sculpture Park that stands for inclusivity and positivity, sat at the start of the 500-acre, 90 sculpture park. Staebler says the grounds pushed her “to explore how art is ingrained within nature.” Photo by Hailey Wurz | Taken at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wurz said this building spoke to her and marked one of her spots on the trip. Speaking broadly of the England trip, Wurz said British culture helped her “gain a new perspective on life.”Photo by Terris Robinson | The marquee of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End. Robinson described the show as a standout along the trip as he had become familiar with the show while researching it for a dramaturgy research project at PSOA.Photo by Alex Erickson | Clifford’s Tower in York was one of Erickson’s favorite stops along the England trip: “I loved how you could stumble upon old architecture such as this tower in the middle of the city.”Photo by James Vining | Taken of Vining and classmates on a boat tour of River Thames in London. With amazing views and history throughout, it was a spectacular part of a journey that Vining said “helped [him] grow as both an artist and as a human being.”Photo by Tyler Stauffacher | Taken during an evening spent in York crossing over a bridge. Stauffacher described how the clouds reflection off the water and the peacefulness of York were “notably beautiful” to him.Photo by James Vining | Taken in the sculpture section of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, which is free to the public. Vining noted how the “history and art in this building were amazing to behold.”
