Henry Bial and Heather Hoy spoke about the proud history and many accomplishments of the University of Kansas Department of Theatre and Dance. Bial is Chair of Kansas University Department of Theatre and Dance and his academic expertise is in performance theory, religious performance, Jewish popular culture and theatre historiography. He has advanced degrees from Harvard and New York University. A Speech and Drama Department was established in 1923 and benefitted from strong leadership from the start. Performances were held in various community venues in the early years. The completion of Murphy Hall provided an excellent performance space which includes a revolving stage. Since 1923 there have been over 1000 productions and numerous national and international tours. The Department boasts a distinguished and productive faculty and has conferred over 1500 theatre degrees. Famous graduates include Charles Buddy Rogers, William Inge, Lorenzo Fuller and Marj Dusay.
Heather Hoy is on the Board of Friends of Theatre which is a support organization for faculty, students and staff. The group provides funding for a variety of professional development opportunities. Hoy has served in several different arts positions in Lawrence. She spoke about next production; Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a Musical Thriller.
