The Standing Strong: The Adams State University Equality Project and the 2015 Faculty Lecture Series presents, The Art of Making a Difference: Theatre and Social Change, by Dr. John H. Taylor, professor of theatre, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, in the Xperimental Theatre, located in the Adams State Theatre Building – please note the special location.
From its earliest days in ancient Athens through today, the theatre has always been more than a form of entertainment. Through the ages, it has asked big questions about society, challenged the status quo, and worked to create social justice.
In his lecture, The Art of Making a Difference: Theatre and Social Change, Taylor will present an overview of theatre as a transformative force within society.
"Theatre can be so many different things. It can be comedies and musicals, but it can also be an act of transgression. And in being so, it becomes a force for change," said Taylor.
In his 17th year as a faculty member at Adams State, Taylor received the ASU Presidential Teacher Award for outstanding teaching in 2009. And in 2010, he was chosen by students along with Dr. Marty Jones, emeritus professor of chemistry, to deliver the "Last Lecture" in the ongoing campus series. From The Laramie Project to It’s a Wonderful Life, he has directed sixteen Main Stage theatre productions at Adams including this fall’s Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays.
In his years at Adams, Taylor has created seven community based theatre projects including the ASU Dead Man Walking Theatre Project, the ASU Fahrenheit 451 Project funded through a Big Read grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the R and J Theatre Project.
This fall, he has worked with faculty, staff, and students across campus to create Standing Strong: The ASU Equality Project which celebrates efforts to create a more inclusive society by dismantling barriers to equality.
"I believe that art matters and theatre can have a real and lasting impact. In my work, one of my goals is to explore the ways in which theatre can be a catalyst for community engagement. The stage should be at the forefront of efforts to examine our personal beliefs and the major societal issues of the day."
All ASU Faculty Lectures in the series are free and open to the public. Complimentary light refreshments will be offered. For further information on the series of lectures, contact Dr. Kristy Duran, associate professor of biology, at 719-587-7767, or klduran@adams.edu.
