Artistic Statement from the Director

In the fall of 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, the students in my Glendon Drama Studies 3205 class (Shadows and Fog: The Artistry of Technical Theatre) created an exhibition that we named “Reimagining Connection.” I provided the given circumstances: it would be presented in or around Theatre Glendon in December; the exhibit would be scenographic in nature but have no live performers; the theme would explore some aspect of our experience of living in lockdown; we would follow all health precautions and respect all restrictions. Everything else about the exhibit we developed collectively, and I can honestly say that all of the best ideas came directly from the students. 

I am very proud of the work we did, and it reaffirms my belief in the intrinsic value of collective creation. The whole of our ingenuity, reflection and energy was far greater than the sum of our individual parts, which is just as it should be. In the end, my greatest satisfaction was the rediscovery of the simple pleasure of connecting with the few people who visited our strange little show. Despite the masks, the distancing, the mud and early snow, the family, friends and colleagues who climbed our slippery hill created a brief bubble of connection as we chatted and gazed. No earth was shattered or mountains moved, but wasn’t it nice to gather carefully around a box of light in an otherwise dark night.

-Duncan Appleton, February 28, 2021