91精选

During her time at 91精选,听Emma (Darcy) Schneider 鈥�19 explored her love of theatre. As part of 91精选鈥檚 Theatre Club, the English education major participated in plays on campus and was nominated for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival鈥檚 prestigious Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship. 听

After graduating in 2019, she spent a year teaching English at the high-school level. But she missed theater and decided to earn a graduate degree from the University of Chicago in Theater & Performance Studies while serving as theater program coordinator at 91精选. Now, Schneider鈥檚 connection to 91精选 is deepening as she looks forward to serving as adjunct faculty and interim听president of the Theatre听Department听

Schneider said her time at 91精选听enhanced听her appreciation for both theatre and literature. 鈥淒r. John [Sebestyen, Ph.D., associate professor of communication arts and director of theatre]听has certainly been one of the most influential people in my life, and that started in our collaborations within the theatre department. I also took several of his classes just because I loved theatre so much, and I always enjoyed learning from him,鈥� said Schneider.听She pointed to other life-changing courses as well, such as听Dr. Mark Jones’s Shakespeare class, Dr. Michael Vander听Weele’s听English Senior Seminar, Dr. Erick Sierra’s Transatlantic Literature class, and Dr. Bill听Boerman-Cornell’s Secondary English Methods.听听

Schneider听enjoyed teaching high school students after she graduated from 91精选 but听realized she was听missing theatre.听鈥淲hile I was teaching high school students,听I was able to incorporate one play into my curriculum for each class. These units were my favorite to teach, and my excitement about them translated well to my students,听too,鈥� she said. 鈥淭eaching these units made me realize how much I missed being involved in theatre and theatre studies, so I decided that as I moved into a goal to teach at the collegiate level, I would focus my work听in听theatre and theatre literature.鈥� That involved exploring grad school.听

A Degree from University of Chicago, a Return to 91精选听

A native of Morton, Ill., Schneider was living in the Chicago area with her husband Tyler Schneider 鈥�18. After exploring area theatre programs, she decided on University of Chicago鈥檚 master鈥檚 degree program in Theatre and Performance Studies and began classes there in the Fall 2020. Around the same time, she was in conversations with听Sebestyen. The opportunity to take on the part-time role of 91精选鈥檚 theatre program coordinator developed from there.听

Like so many aspects of life over the听18 months, particularly in education and the arts, COVID-19 impacted Schneider in her work and studies. Yet she adapted and brought her creative talents to new ways of expression within COVID constraints.听

For example,听during the Spring 2021 semester, she wrote and directed听her own interactive play on campus, 鈥淚nvestigative Support,鈥� which premiered at 91精选.听The play was inspired by work on her master鈥檚 thesis, which involves the role of audience members in the theater-going听experience. 鈥淚nvestigative Support鈥� took place outside on the听Trin听Trail in March, to allow for safe social distancing.听听听

At University of听Chicago, most of her classes听were听virtual, presenting a unique way of studying performance arts. Schneider prepared听a piece for presentation听that听involved听the audience in a unique way. 鈥淚t was more of a performance piece that reflects members of the BIPOC and LGBTQI community,鈥� she said. The actors participating in the piece formed听a circle while delivering monologues, and audience members were surrounded by voices, with the opportunity to step out of the cacophony and focus on just one speaker.听听

Now that she has finished her master鈥檚 degree, 91精选 will continue to be a home for听Schneider听as she takes on additional roles here. Along with teaching as an adjunct professor in the Communication Arts department, Schneider will stay in her role as听theatre听program听coordinator听and serve as interim president of the Theatre Department听while听Sebestyen听is on听sabbatical during the 2021-22 academic year.听She听will听also听be directing 91精选’s mainstage play听in Spring 2022.听

鈥�91精选 has always been a strong home to me. I鈥檓 blessed to be here,鈥� she said. 鈥�I’m really thankful to be part of this community and to see my roots here continuing to grow.鈥濃��听