CloseUp Theatre Troupe Performances
2021 CloseUp MLK Show and Discussion
Saturday, January 16, 2021, 7 - 9 p.m.
This event will premiere on EMU's Facebook page.
We the People Speak: No Justice No Peace
Scenes
- We the people speak
- Ally Airlines
- What's past is not gone
- Final score
- Black joy as a form of protest
- How to make a proper protest
- Furies
- 8:46
- No justice, no peace
Closeup Discussion
The CloseUp MLK Show will be followed by a brief discussion and question and answer period with the two Co-Directors of the troupe, Heather Utsler-Smith and Hananiah Wiggins.
History
CloseUP Theatre Troupe was founded in the Spring of 1997 as university-wide collaborative creation between three university areas: Communication & Theatre Arts Department, University Health Services, and Campus Life. CloseUp Theatre Troupe’s main mission is to be an educational tool to explore health and social issues relevant to student life through theatre and follow-up dialog. It has been used as a medium to speak on social issues locally and globally and relate them to the student experience. On and off-campus health and social resources information is provided to all audience members who attend CloseUP performances. The Troupe presents both information and ideas to audience members in a theatre skit format that embraces humor, satire, realism, music, dance, and poetry. CloseUP simultaneously performs and services the student body. Its’ material is educational; it does not preach or moralize social issues. Instead, scenes and performances are open-ended in order to encourage questioning and dialog among audience members.
Troupe Members
- Matt Arnett
- Sarah "Bunny" Ericksen
- Jennifer Holdstock
- Katie Lane- Waters
- Eva Long
- Zachary Morgan
- Kennadi Phillips
- Sarah Serene
- Joshua Smith
- Linise Washington
- Paige Wendt
- Olivia Wood
Troupe Co-Directors
- Heather Utsler- Smith, Communication, Media and Theatre Arts
Heather is a third year Master of Fine Arts (MFA) student in the Applied Drama and Theatre for the Young Program at Eastern Michigan University. She also serves as a graduate assistant for the TYA tour and accessibility design for the School of Communication, Media and Theatre Arts.
- Hananiah Wiggins, Communication, Media and Theatre Arts
Hananiah is a second year graduate student in the Interpretation and Performance Studies Program at Eastern Michigan University. They also serve as a graduate assistant coach for the EMU Forensics team.
Special Thanks to:
- Josh Smith
- Kathy Stacey
- Decky Alexander
- Cassie Page
- Cedric Charles
- David Liskow
- The Curry Family of Chicago