Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company | Education & Outreach

About Woolly/UM

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and the Department of Theatre of the University of Maryland have created a unique alliance between the two institutions begun in the spring of 2005. Woolly/UM, envisioned as a blend of working professional artists and developing undergraduate and graduate student artists, is designed to capitalize on the unique strengths of each institution: Maryland, with its outstanding theatre program, one of the fastest-growing in the country, housed in the beautiful Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center; and Woolly Mammoth, with its 25 years of expertise and experience in producing edgy new work for the American stage. The latest production as part of this partnership is The Distance from Here by Neil LaBute, which ran from February 15 – March 3, 2007. Actors, designers and technicians from both institutions combined their talents to present this production, which featured University students along with professional actors.

Previous Woolly/UM projects have included Curse of the Starving Class by Sam Shepard and Savage in Limbo by John Patrick Shanley.

Mission

Woolly/UM emerged from a common mission to forge the future of the American theatre through the University of Maryland Department of Theatre's work in cultivating new theatre artists and Woolly's nationally recognized efforts in the development and production of new plays. The partnership gives Maryland students the opportunity to form direct relationships with seasoned professionals through master classes and mentoring relationships with Woolly Mammoth cast members and other Woolly-affiliated artists. It also offers Woolly Mammoth company members the opportunity to teach in a highly respected theatre program at a major public university. "This relationship is unique because we've created specific curriculum to give a greater context to the work," says Daniel MacLean Wagner, chair of the Department of Theatre. "It is also unique in that both institutions are specifically looking for plays that allow students to have featured roles, not simply minor walk-on parts, which often happens with professional/student productions."

"We have been impressed by the quality of the students coming out of the University of Maryland Department of Theatre program for a long time," says Howard Shalwitz, Woolly Mammoth's Artistic Director. "University of Maryland students are employed as highly skilled stage managers; scenic, costume and lighting designers; actors and directors all across the area." For more information about the University of Maryland Dept. of Theater, visit www.theatre.umd.edu/.