Thursday, June 11, 2009
Theater The End of Drama Majors in Pullman
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 10:27 AM
The Washington State University Department of Theater and Dance will not survive the budget ax by merging with the University of Idaho program in nearby Moscow.WSU Provost and Executive Vice President Warwick Bayly said Tuesday the department, which has 105 students and was listed for elimination in a preliminary budget last month, will be cut.
Maybe what the world needs now is a long, detailed essay about the history of the drama department in Pullman—famous rivalries, famous parties, famous love affairs, an investigation into where its graduates ended up. Soap operas? Other drama departments? NASA?
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1
the drama dept in Moscow is hanging by a thread as it is. The power is in Boise and they have systematically eviscerated the UI program and moved it to BSU.
In order to merge with Idaho they need to go to Boise.
In order to merge with Idaho they need to go to Boise.
3
Great idea for an essay. Why not have regressive taxes that fall on poor people to pay an artist in residence $40,000 to take such an oral history of the drama folks, since they are so special and fascinating and we could all benefit from knowing the details of their drama filled lives?
5
@4, why stop there? Does every country need to have a culture? Why can't we just be a full-on militaristic slave state? Why do we need all this faggy ARTS and DRAMA crap, which does nothing to MAKE MEN STRONG FOR WAR? Goddamn universities should be teaching these people how to do pushups, goddamnit. And pick cotton.
6
To be quite frank, I'm shocked it lasted as long as it did.
But, sadly, not having drama majors means less spending in the local economy.
But, sadly, not having drama majors means less spending in the local economy.
7
@5 you are using GWB Bush argument techniques. Everything is a war, your opponents are evil, etc.
Reductio ad absurdem is just like wrapping yourself in the flag -- it's a refuge of scoundrels.
Reductio ad absurdem is just like wrapping yourself in the flag -- it's a refuge of scoundrels.
8
if Wazzu wasn't in the middle of nowhere this wouldn't have happened. so i blame the gullible legislators of 100 years ago.
Spokane is where Wazzu should have been put in the first place. Hell, Ellensberg or Yakima would have been a saner choice.
Spokane is where Wazzu should have been put in the first place. Hell, Ellensberg or Yakima would have been a saner choice.
10
It will take something away from the school and the students. Without a dance and drama department, there will probably be less push for live arts programming at the school, which is responsible for most if not all of the contact the kids there will get with theater and dance during their years at college.
Drama courses taken by non-majors help with public speaking and experiencing dramatic literature as it was meant to be experienced.
Is it the end of the world? No. But WSU just got a little worse.
Drama courses taken by non-majors help with public speaking and experiencing dramatic literature as it was meant to be experienced.
Is it the end of the world? No. But WSU just got a little worse.
11
My first day on campus in pullman I was approched by the drama department. My rep was already known from a few high school friends that were going there. I might be more upset if I had actually been involved.
12
My best time on campus in pullman was trying to get wasted on 24 packs of 4.5 percent alcohol beer on a college field trip.
Man, that was fun.
Man, that was fun.
13
It's a huge loss. Not only for students, but for the community. I saw my first play at WSU when I was three years old. I performed in shows there when I was a teenager (in their summer stock program), I took classes there when I was in high school. WSU theater was a refuge for creatively interested kids growing up in Pullman. And these experiences were enough to eventually warrant me a theater scholarship when I moved away from Pullman to go to college elsewhere.
Sad sad sad.
Sad sad sad.
14
I'm trying to place a single one of my friends/acquaintances from four years on campus in the Theater and Drama department and I can't. Hmm.
That said, it's pretty awful to lose a huge chunk like that. Especially since the Communications school is such a focus there and you need your practice in those departments to do well.
I'm watching the evolution of WSU in a fascinated fashion. My senior seminar class was on the history of WSU so any sorts of changes like this natrually interest me.
I wonder what they will do in lieu.
That said, it's pretty awful to lose a huge chunk like that. Especially since the Communications school is such a focus there and you need your practice in those departments to do well.
I'm watching the evolution of WSU in a fascinated fashion. My senior seminar class was on the history of WSU so any sorts of changes like this natrually interest me.
I wonder what they will do in lieu.
17
Sorry, but drama is deader than the newspaper. The corpse is propped up by old, wealthy, white people who are presently very busy dying and/or losing their fortunes.
Movies and TV killed it like the internet killed newspapers. Broadway = Colonial Williamsburg.
Not every public university needs a drama department. I say that as a BFA from a large public university.
Movies and TV killed it like the internet killed newspapers. Broadway = Colonial Williamsburg.
Not every public university needs a drama department. I say that as a BFA from a large public university.
18
After having read through these comments I would have to say I am not suprised by aome of these near sighted comments.
Does every University need a theater department?
No.
Does every University need a Math department?
Also, no.
In truth, we don't need much more than food, shelter, and, arguably, clothing. But higher education is not simply about our survival, it is about an expantion of the mind and soul. I think that some of these commentors have forgotten that.
Does every University need a theater department?
No.
Does every University need a Math department?
Also, no.
In truth, we don't need much more than food, shelter, and, arguably, clothing. But higher education is not simply about our survival, it is about an expantion of the mind and soul. I think that some of these commentors have forgotten that.
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