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School Spotlight
tion can become intimately connected
with all aspects of the work.
It’s also important for students to know,
Winn says, that when they come here as
an undergraduate, they will get valuable,
real-world work experience and “won’t
just be a grunt for a grad student.”
It is not uncommon for Winn or other
faculty members to hire students as assistants
for projects they are involved in
outside Iowa. He trains them to be electricians,
lighting programmers, “whatever is
needed, because the industry’s evolving
every day,” and wants them to have the
necessary skills not only to get a degree,
but to put it to use after college.
“I’m training them for the entertainment
industry, but there are many different
paths they can take, and I want
to make sure they have an idea of all
the opportunities that await them out
there, from opera to dance to corporate
events — whether car shows or campaign
kickoffs — to architectural lighting,” Winn
says. “I want to make sure students know
how to feed themselves when they graduate.”
Working together and taking care of
each other are themes not always found
in theatre-training programs, with fierce
competition and tender egos taking center
stage. But the sense of community
and feeling of family are palpable in the
halls of the UI Theatre Building, says John
Cameron, the department’s head of acting.
“I’ve taught at several different universities,
and theatre programs can be
fairly contentious places. Here, people
are very generous, very supportive of
each other. It makes Iowa an extremely
positive place and a healthy working
environment. It’s very unique.”
A moment from Versailles, conceived
and directed by David Schweizer
www.stage-directions.com • April 2008 21