Arts Explorer Initiative
The International Theatre Program’s Arts Explorer Initiative was created to help broaden students’ experience in the arts and increase their engagement with the Theatre Program. As a part of this initiative any student taking a theater class will be required to attend the International Theatre Program productions, and attend two approved community events.
Requirements
All students are required to attend both mainstage Theatre Program productions in the semester they are enrolled. Students can attend for free. See the box office for exact dates.
Students are also required to attend two outside arts events in the semester they are enrolled as part of their mandatory class requirements.
There is currently no funding for students to attend specific events. That being said, many (if not most) of the events that would be applicable to fulfilling this requirement are free.
A list of approved and suggested outside events may be identified on the UR Theatre Program Facebook Group and will have the "Arts Explorer Approved" symbol next to them. Some events that might fulfill this requirement are:
- A performance at the Rochester Fringe
- A performance at Geva Theatre Center
- A performance by the RPO
- A performance in Kilburn Hall (ESM)
- A visit to the Memorial Art Gallery
- A visit to see an exhibition at the George Eastman Museum
- A performance by Rochester City Ballet or Garth Fagan Dance
- Readings presented as part of the Plutzik Reading Series
- Lectures presented by the Humanities Center, that pertain to the Arts
- Guest workshops hosted by the Program of Dance and Movement, the International Theatre Program, or the Department of Art and Art History
Other events may also meet the requirements for an outside art event. All events that aren't preapproved require approval from the theater course instructor. Your instructor has final say over whether an event satisfies the requirement.
Events that do not fulfill the requirement include:
- Performances by student groups, including the Theatre Program’s One Act Play Festival
- Movies (exceptions might be made for specific movies or festival offerings at instructors’ discretion; please check with your instructor first)
- Holiday sing-a-longs and chorales
Exceptions
Students involved in a half-semester or two-credit course need only see one International Theatre Program production and one outside event. Students taking a class for one credit are exempt from these requirements.
Students who are enrolled in multiple theater classes should ask their instructor whether the outside events you attend for one class can be transferred to fulfill another class’s requirements, or whether separate outside events need to be attended to fulfill each class’s requirements.
Evaluation
Instructors will evaluate the nature of fulfilling these requirements. Some instructors might require students to write journal entries or papers based on their activities, or create a private Facebook group where students can post a short response to whichever event they attend.