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• The More Things Change by Wil Eplett

The More Things Change

Auburn University Theatre and Dance (AUTD) is a renowned performing arts program. I know it, you know it, otherwise it wouldn’t be ranking in the top five of all performing arts schools in the state of Alabama every year for several years. Now, with this claim to fame has come an increase in the number of students coming into the department. My class, the freshman class of 2023, numbered nearly thirty. The year after mine was similarly populous, a huge increase from previous classes. 

To prevent the building from bursting at the seams with student activity, Auburn has been employing several strategies to improve the department’s internal structure and versatility. For example, new positions have been created, and semester scheduling of classes has shifted. However, in my opinion, the renovations are what take the cake.

Room 228, the Movement Studio, has long been an anything-goes space. Prior to the construction of the Black Box and Dance Studio wing of the Telfair B. Peet Theatre, 228 served as the host for the majority of the dance classes. Afterward, it became a nebulous space, sitting in the back corner of everyone’s mind but without a clear purpose. The good news is, over the summer of 2024, the Movement Studio was given a dream makeover session.

“Having my own office and a beautiful teaching space has greatly improved my workflow,” said Charlotte Lee, one of Auburn’s professors of practice in applied voice and music theory. “Before the renovation, faculty shared offices, which meant I had to transport any books or materials I needed and had limited flexibility in scheduling lessons.”

Now, in her new office, Lee gets the space to stretch out and really make her corner of the Peet her own. She also had much to say on Auburn’s commitment to benefitting the student experience.

“The investment has made such a difference,” Lee said. “Now it works beautifully for voice lessons, but it has also become a great spot for rehearsals and even student self-tapes. It’s been exciting to see how much more the students can do with it.”

That said, she also cautioned that with the way Auburn continues to grow, the department is going to have to stay on its toes, imagining future improvements and expansion are not simply a possibility, but a necessity.

The students using the room also had much to say about the renovations. Olivia Beland, a fifth-year senior and double major in musical theatre and speech, language and hearing sciences, agrees that “the movement studio pre-renovations felt like potential space.” Now, “with its new white walls and accessibility for students to reserve every day of the week, it has been the most helpful resource when filming those virtual auditions that are so popular in the industry nowadays.” From obscurity to utility, the movement studio has certainly seen an uptick in use since the renovations made its purpose clear.

Another new addition that some people don’t think of is the updated green room furniture. Spring of 2024 dawned the end of the green room’s plethora of cracking black leather chairs and worn but homey green couches. They were comfortable, sure, but definitely on their last leg. (As I’m writing this, my friend and fellow junior, Catherine Govignon, is mentally bracing herself to think about the condition those couches were in. It was that bad.) Thankfully, in the spring of that year, the Harold D. Melton Student Center started undergoing some updates of their own. AUTD arranged for extra couches and chairs to be brought to the theatre and spruce up the failing upholstery. 

Getting the furniture in the building was the worst part. Someone thought it would be a good idea to pile the new furniture into the room with most of the old furniture still taking up the space. It was a madhouse playing Tetris with 20 other students to arrange the new couches into something warm and inviting. At the end of the day, however, it was certainly worth it. The cushions were cushy, the seats could be sat in, and suddenly, no one was complaining about cricks in their necks after a mid-afternoon nap.

Though the green room, with its blue walls, blue couches, and dark blue chairs, may exist in conflict with its own name, it’s safe to say these changes have helped new students acclimate to the environment of the Peet theatre. Andrew Lynch, assistant professor for the department’s sound, props and other design courses, has reportedly referred to the green room as a sacred student space.

“Culture is a critical element of any community, but it can be a bit mysterious and difficult to cultivate,” said Lynch. “I sense that there is a strong and supportive culture among the students of the theatre and dance department, and from my perspective the magic of the green room is a necessary ingredient in that success.”

While I still have yet to be convinced that the green room is holy ground, I do agree that it's nice to know the Auburn Theatre and Dance department is looking out for its students. I guess we’ll have to see what new changes await us in the future.

Tags: Theatre and Dance