A new partnership between Concord University and the Greenbrier Valley Theatre (GVT) in Lewisburg will offer students in southern West Virginia the opportunity to explore the world of professional theater and will be a means to promote theater education in the region.
Officials from the two groups signed an agreement on Apr. 27 in the President’s Office on Concord’s Athens campus.
Concord University President Kendra Boggess said the partnership is an example of the collaborations Concord undertakes with agencies and institutions to further the educational experiences of students.
“We are looking forward to this latest endeavor and the potential it holds for our students to sharpen their skills and gain real world experiences in theater,” she said.
GVT Education Director Courtney Susman said, “We are very excited about this new partnership and we look forward to expanding opportunities for Concord University students.”
Opportunities being discussed as part of the agreement include internships in set design and construction, costumes, lights, and sound with the theater’s professional designers and directors; attendance at final dress rehearsals for a reduced price; participation in Master Classes with professional actors and other personnel; performance of GVT shows on Concord’s campus in Athens; and, the opportunity to audition to serve as understudies to the professional company. Students cast as understudies would be eligible to apply for and earn credits in the Equity Membership Candidate Program (EMC) for Actors’ Equity Association membership.
The program will be open to all Concord students, not just theater majors, according to Karen Vuranch, an instructor at Concord who has been instrumental in developing the partnership between Concord and the GVT. She said that individuals who are seriously pursuing a career in acting could benefit from the opportunity to earn EMC credits.
Concord student Kilie Mullins calls the partnership an “exciting opportunity.”
I’m looking forward to what we can do with it,” she said. “I’m a freshman, so I’ll get the full experience of this agreement.”
To learn more about the partnership between the GVT and Concord, contact Karen Vuranch at kvuranch@concord.edu or 304-384-5317.
For additional information on the Greenbrier Valley Theatre visit www.gvtheatre.org
