Spotlight On…
Charles Gilbert, Interim Director of the School of Theater Arts
The University of the Arts
The University of the Arts’ Charles Gilbert, Interim Director of the School of Theater Arts, has helped to developed the careers of some of theatre’s most talented young artists. He recently sat down with us to discuss his writings (the original idea for Assassins), his prestigious school and his passion for teaching.
Q: How did you get started in your theatre career?
A: I’ve been involved in theater since I did musicals in high school. I was able to design an undergrad degree at the University of Delaware that combined drama and music, and figured out that my passion was for creating new work as a director, writer and composer. Grad school at Carnegie Mellon gave me tools, opportunities (the Scotch ‘N’ Soda show) and friendships, all of which led to a gig right out of grad school as a small theater company started by a couple of my classmates. That’s where I wrote a musical called “Assassins” and worked as a director, music director and performer in a variety of new works. The teachers at UD gave me a big break when they invited me to apply for a teaching position there, and I’ve juggled careers in the academic and professional theater since then.
Q: Describe someone or something in the theatre community that has influenced you.
A: I’ve been lucky to have great teachers and mentors along the way. Dorothy Louise, my theater history teacher in undergrad school, was a living example of how scholarship, creativity and wit were all key ingredients in making theater; I’m happy to report that we’ve remained friends for more than thirty years. Another person who had an immeasurable influence on me was a friend and classmate from Carnegie-Mellon University, Bill Turner. Bill was one of the founders of the theater company I went to work for immediately after finishing grad school. I went to him a wacky idea I had about writing a musical about presidential assassins, and he said, “Let’s do it.” He directed the premiere of my musical “Assassins,” and the show eventually found its way into Stephen Sondheim’s hands and was the source of the idea for the musical that Steve and John Weidman wrote. It meant so much that Bill said “yes” to my crazy idea. Artistic innovation will only thrive in a culture of “yes,” and that’s become part of my philosophy as a teacher and academic administrator. Bill’s story also reminds me about the importance of the relationships that get formed during college days; though we only spend four years together in college, the people that we meet there are likely to be our future partners, collaborators, colleagues, even lovers.
Q: What is your favorite part about teaching at your school?
A: I love the experience of opening young artists’ eyes to the possibilities of a life in the arts. They arrive with passion and creativity, and I try to give them tools and challenge them to broaden their horizons and test their limits. I’ve been teaching long enough that I have former students who are directors, writers, producers, performers, critics… When I go to a professional show and see former students doing great work and earning acclaim, I’m filled with joy.
Q: What’s an average day for a student in your program?
A: We have four different programs at UArts — acting, musical theater, theater design and technology, and theater management and production — but the musical theater program is the one I’m most familiar with, since I headed that program for over 15 years. Musical theater students typically begin the day with a dance or movement class. Most days include an acting studio (3 hours) or maybe a musical theater performance class or master class. A typical day includes academic classes like theater history, musicianship and script analysis as well as liberal arts classes. A voice lesson or coaching session provides one-on-one instruction at least once a week. In the evenings, there’s rehearsal and crew for students involved in shows, and rehearsal with scene partners, work in the practice rooms and time for research and academic assignments has to be squeezed in too.
Q: What are some of the advantages of studying in Philadelphia, PA?
A: Philly is one of the top theater towns in the US. We have great relationships with many of the professional theaters in the city — the Walnut Street Theater, the Arden Theater, the Philadelphia Theater Company, the Prince Music Theater, and many more — and students are able to attend shows and work as interns and understudies. Some lucky students even earned their Equity cards working at these theaters. Our campus is in the heart of the “Avenue of the Arts”; many theaters and concert halls are close by, and world-class museums are just a short walk away. When you consider that we’re in a densely developed urban area, it’s amazing to see what an array of facilities we have: an 1800 seat Broadway touring house (the Merriam Theater was built around 1915 as the Shubert Theater); a 230-seat off-Broadway sized theater; a brand new 100-seat studio theater with flexible seating and state-of-the-art technology; a 60-seat theater for student directing projects that doubles as a lighting lab; an intimate cabaret theater (named in honor of Broadway legend Laurie Beechman); plus a scene shop, costume shop, practice rooms and classrooms, all arrayed along the Avenue of the Arts.
Q: What are some of the special programs you offer within your musical theatre department?
A: We pride ourselves on our commitment to new work, which is evidenced in many ways. We’ve produced workshops of more then ten new musicals, the most notable of which was the first workshop of Floyd Collins in the early 90’s; our faculty includes distinguished playwrights like Albert Innaurato and Jeffrey Sweet and original student work is featured in our “Equinox” festival each year. New play development is a key component of our curriculum in Theater Management and Production, a unique undergrad degree program for aspiring directors, producers, dramaturgs and stage managers.
We’re also nationally famous for our Stage Combat program, the only one in the country that offers four years of progressive training in stage combat, and our annual combat workshop attracts actor-combatants from throughout the region.
Q: What percent of applicants are accepted to your program?
A: All our programs are competitive, though our Musical Theater Program is the toughest to get into. We audition over 400 students for 20 slots in our Freshman class for Musical Theater. Overall, we see more than 700 applicants and admit about 70 freshmen in a typical year.
Q: Anything in particular potential students should prepare for or expect when applying to your school?
A: Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate skill, creativity and passion in their audition or interview. Auditioners are always impressed by the effort we make to make each applicant feel at ease and get to know every prospective student.
Q: What makes your program different from other programs out there?
A: The University of the Arts is the nation’s only institution of higher education devoted exclusively to training in the arts. That means we are a community of artists — faculty, students and, in many cases, staff too. It is a culture where creativity and artistic expression are core values. Students in our School of Theater Arts will have an experience unlike anything they’re likely to encounter at a traditional university. Also, because we’re located in a major urban theater center, most of our faculty are able maintain active professional careers in the theater; that’s something you’ll find on few other campuses.
Charles Gilbert is a composer, director, writer and educator; he has headed the Musical Theater Program at The University of the Arts since its inception in 1990, and currently serves as Interim Director of the School of Theater Arts at UArts. He is the President of the Musical Theater Educators’ Alliance and the creator of the SAVI System of singer-actor training, a method he has demonstrated at schools in the US and Europe. Recent adventures: Music and lyrics for Gemini the Musical (book by Albert Innaurato) at the New York Musical Theatre Festival (2007) and the Prince Music Theatre (2004). Additional music for The Velveteen Rabbit at Enchantment Theatre Company (songs by Don Sebesky and Gloria Nissenson, national tour, 2007-08). Sweeney Todd onscreen: Charlie played the Demon Barber in Kevin Smith’s Jersey Girl and was musical theatre coordinator for that 2002 film. Assassins on Broadway: Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s musical based on the idea of Charlie’s 1979 musical of the same name won seven Tony Awards in 2004. Notable directing assignments include Anyone Can Whistle (Prince Music Theater), Grand Hotel (Merriam Theater), Back 2 Back 2 Back (a trilogy of contemporary one-acts, Philadelphia Arts Bank) and Gertrude Stein and William Turner’s cubist lesbian romance A Lyrical Opera Made By Two (International Festival of Musical Theater, Cardiff, Wales). Three Barrymore nominations, including Outstanding Music Direction for Forum and Frog and Toad at the Arden and Outstanding Original Music for Gemini the Musical. www.chasgilbert.com
