The 20/20 Artist Fellowship exists to support artists creating community-centered and asset-based solutions to the systemic and structural disadvantages that are facing artists of color and Native artists in Minnesota.
Students of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program receive nationally-ranked training among one of the country’s most established arts communities. The program aims to train actors with an emphasis on excellence and individuality while providing an inspirational foundation for each student’s life-long journey of learning and artistic expression.
Namir Smallwood, an alumnus of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program, shares stories about his experiences as an actor in theatre and on television. “The thing that I keep with me from my training is to do the work and trust the work. Just tell the story,” he says. “If you do the work, the work will eventually take care of you. Your only charge is this: Trust the process!”
“Every detail of a costume tells the audience something specific about the person wearing the costume,” says 2018 MFA costume design graduate Brandi Mans. She reflects on her thesis for Sarah Ruhl’s In the Next Room, in which she navigates the visual language of clothing to tell historical narratives of medical practice and female sexuality.
Recent graduate JT Weaver calls framing his dance major in a liberal arts context “game-changing.” His well-rounded education equipped him to explore ideas through movement and to create dance pieces that are thoughtfully crafted ideas of creative research. “The biggest takeaway from my time at the University is my level of awareness in all facets of my life,” Weaver says. “My years at the U instilled an approach to life that is highly thoughtful and perspective-driven.”
“Theatre makes me a more engaging teacher, and teaching makes me a more thoughtful actor.” Theatre arts & dance alumna Allison Witham combines her two passions to connect to the world around her.
"When you work on a play with a group of people, you’re working on math ideas and spatial relationships. They might not recognize that.” Lisa Channer, associate professor of theatre arts and dance, knows the value of a liberal arts degree but worries that many students might not. By focusing on career readiness in her class assignments, she makes sure students can explain what they can do.
Herb Johnson III is a leader in the classroom and the greater dance community. Here he discusses his interest in dance, from his early life to being a teacher.
