LIVE PERFORMANCE | INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL IMMERSION | EDINBURGH

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Dates and Deadlines

Term:

Summer

Start Date

8/5/2023

End Date

8/20/2023

Deadline

5/1/2023

Note from Advisor:

2023 Program Rolling Admission Starting November 1st, 2022

Information

Area of Study:

Dance, Design for Performance, European Studies, Fine Arts, Media Arts, Theatre

Program Type:

Faculty-Led

Language of Instruction:

English

GPA:

Language Prerequisite:

No previous language experience required (classes offered in English)

Advisor Name:

Sara Gutierrez

Faculty Name:

Dominika Laster

Advisor Email:

flip@unm.edu

Faculty Email:

dlaster@unm.edu

Overview

Course Objectives:

Live Performance takes the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the International Theatre Festival in Edinburgh as its classroom. The course immerses students in the most cutting-edge alternative theatre being created today. Students are exposed to a wide variety of performances including original writing, devised work, physical theatre, dance, participatory and immersive theatre, shadow puppetry, and new media—among others. Beyond experiencing incredible formal diversity, students encounter theatre artists and ensembles from all over the world including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Before their arrival in Edinburgh, students complete four units over the course of four weeks. They complete online reading, viewing, and writing assignments on topics such as the festival history, theatrical forms, documentary theatre, devised performance, and the audience in preparation for the festival. In Edinburgh, students participate in formal and informal discussions with the faculty and their colleagues, and submit five short performance responses. The students also keep a log of performances they see throughout the festival. After Edinburgh, students submit a final reflective essay in which they synthesize and analyze their festival experience.

Program Leader:

Dr. Dominika Laster is Assistant Professor and Head of Theatre at the University of New Mexico.

Questions? Contact: dlaster@unm.edu

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Academics

The primary objective of this study-abroad course is to expose students to the most interesting and innovative live contemporary performance.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

demonstrate knowledge of contemporary performance forms and trends;
analyze and critically interpret works of contemporary performance;
identify key figures and ensembles within the contemporary performance scene;
define important terms and discuss key issues related to contemporary performance;
deploy diverse critical strategies for the analysis of performance.

No prerequisites.

UNM credit will be granted for participation; Course numbers: THEA 465 | 565: Live Performance

Location

Edinburgh, Scotland

Housing

Students will stay in one of two spacious apartments on Torphichen Street, in central Edinburgh. The apartments are next door to each other, with bedrooms that sleep between 2-5 students. The apartments are within walking distance of all Edinburgh venues. The apartments have linens, towels, a kitchen, television, washing machine, ironing board, and Wi-Fi.

Costs

Program Costs

Program Costs: $ 2,125

Included:

Instructional costs and materials
Shared apartment accommodation
Tickets for 12-14 performances
Edinburgh City Walking Tour
All-day Scottish Highland Tour
First and last night dinners

Not Included:

Tuition (approx. $1,000 for 3 crdit hours)
Airfare (approx. $650-1,000 east coast; 1,000—$1,400 west coast)
Meals and Incidentals ($400)
Additional Theatre Tickets ($250)
Medical insurance ($25)
UK Phone card ($25)
Covid-19 tests

A $500 non-refundable course deposit fee is due no later than February 15, 2023. Accepted students are not guaranteed a space in the course until their deposit is received.

Non-refundable final program fee of $1,625 is due May 1, 2023

Please make checks out to "UNM Theatre and Dance" and add your name and "Edinburgh Course Fee" on check.

Program Reviews

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the most incredible thing I have ever experienced. It was wonderful to be surrounded by theatre and live performance all day, everyday. I am also so grateful that UNM partnered with UMass Amherst because I made lots of lifelong friendships with theatre students from across the country.

-Rose Meizlesh, Summer 2018