COVID-19 adjustments
Due to unprecedented circumstances caused by the spread of COVID-19, the School of Performing Arts, and the College of Fine Arts (CFA), has determined that it will be safer to focus on smaller more student driven creative work that can be presented virtually. We will return to larger productions when appropriate safety precautions for students, faculty, staff and audience members can be met. The CFA will maintain a website with additional updates as circumstances evolve.
A Message from Linda Starkey, Director of the School of Performing Arts
July 21, 2020
Dear SPA Students,
We’re looking forward to seeing you at Wichita State when fall classes begin on August 17.
At this point in time, all classes are listed as "hybrid" which means some classes may be in-person with modified schedules, some may be online, and some may combine in-person class meetings supplemented with Zoom or other virtual delivery.
By August 3, all classes should be available to check on Blackboard for other information about each specific class you’ll be taking. There is also a link in this message to watch the faculty, staff, student Zoom “Questions and Answer” conversation held on July 14 and other programmatic information from each program that has been sent to students.
This is a very fluid situation that may change before August 17. Continue to check the WSU Website for updated information. There are several links below to help you find information important to you. Additionally, we've collected questions from you and supplied answers from faculty & staff.
As you prepare to come back to campus, please review safety precautions to you can protect yourself and others:
• Wash your hands frequently
• Wear a mask or face covering when on campus or in class
• Do not come to school if you are feeling ill
• Review symptoms of Covid-19
• Maintain at least 6’ of social distance from others
It’s up to all of us to protect each other as we move forward. University Administration, Faculty, and Staff are committed to your safety and to your academic progress. If you have additional questions, please contact me or Stacy. We're here to help you any way we can. You can find links to our emails on this page.
We want you to feel confident about returning to school. We’re excited to see what opportunities may be discovered as we explore alternative ways of learning and communicating our passion for our art form.
Stay safe and healthy and see you soon.
LINDA
COVID-19 FAQ's
We will continue to add to this list as needed. Please check back often!
July 14, 2020 Zoom Q&A with Students/Faculty/Staff
General
- Seek medical care right away.
- Call ahead before you go to Student Health Services (316-978-4792), doctor’s office or emergency rooms, and tell them about any recent travel and your symptoms. For WSU students, Student Health Services is open 8-5 Monday through Friday.
- SHS has COVID-19 testing available for symptomatic WSU students.
- Avoid contact with others.
- Do not travel while sick.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds to avoid spreading the virus to others. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Contact your faculty & instructors as you would normally when you are ill & may miss class.
The University has put together a list of questions that can be helpful for you. COVID-19 Response
You can also find information about specific classes here.
The season isn't cancelled. The fall semester will start out in a virtual or online format. Anything done in-person will be planned in a safe manner for all involved.
We will determine the format for the spring semester as we get closer.
TBD but most likely a little of both.
- We are working with the University to obtain the personal protective (PPE) equipment they are providing & then determining the additional PPE that we need.
- We have installed plexiglass shields that provide a barrier between people who may have to sit in areas where the 6 feet of social distancing is more difficult. They are currently in the Commons, the costume shop, the make-up classroom, both dressing rooms in Wilner. There will also be full length, moveable plexiglass shields in 204, 011 (Pit), C-9 (DFAC) & the dance studio in Heskett.
- We've ordered hand sanitizer stations for the Commons & 2nd floor of Wilner.
- Working on traffic patterns for safety with signage.
- We are removing furniture to allow for better safe social distance.
- Each classroom will have a small cleaning kit. Faculty & students will be responsible for cleaning classrooms after each use before the next class.
Yes. Everything will be listed as hybrid. Many classes will be held partially online & partially in-person. Each faculty is establishing what works best for them & to teach in the best possible way.
We will do as much in-person as we can in a safe manner.
It's not a one-size-fits-all answer because each class & classroom is different. It's important to check out the specifics for each classes at this link . Enter your course information: CRN, Course number, Course name, OR Instructor. Select “All Fields” in the drop-down menu or select specific fields to narrow your search.
Check each program section below for some specifics.
We may have to be very flexible with all these decisions as things change within each class.
TBD. If in-person juries are scheduled, they would have to be done before Thanksgiving break.
Please see each program for more specific information.
The only water fountains that will be available is the style that will fill your water bottle. Please bring your personal water bottle and keep it away from others.
As a state university, Wichita State University must follow the protocols set forth by the state. We are under much stricter guidelines and mandates than businesses in town. There are two theatres open in town producing shows, please feel free to audition and secure work with them. Your level of safety and comfortability is totally up to you. However, if you choose to study at a State University this Fall just realize that our guidelines are required to be much stricter.
We would love to have you on campus or attending virtually. However, your health, physically & emotionally, is the most important thing. You need to make the best decision for you.
Your education will be just as good & just as solid. However, it will be different. You will have opportunities to engage audiences in different ways & perhaps engage with audiences we've never been able to engage with before.
It will be challenging but also exciting! You'll learn new ways to be creative & market yourself that will prepare you for your future in new & innovative ways.
Design work doesn't require being in front of an audience to do design. There are always design elements involved.
Everyone will still have design assignments, but it will function in a different way. The type of work will be different therefore the design work will be different.
The experience & education will still exist. There could be more opportunities for unrealized design work with faculty mentors.
There are different opportunities for applied learning in dance. See that section of the FAQ's.
- Stagecraft practicum will be working either remotely or will be able to maintain social distancing since there is only a small group in the practicum. The traffic pattern will be such that only one door will be an entrance & a different door will be an exit.
- Applied learning, special studies or directed studies will be offered either completely off-campus or in-person with online paperwork all depending on the comfort level of the students.
- Everyone will still obtain the applied learning but in a different format. Please contact your faculty member for specific answers to specific questions.
- Working in the costume shop, fittings & in the dressing rooms will follow strict safety standards pulled from the professional industry & applied to our work. This will apply to all the students working in the costume shop.
Yes. Terri Hall, VP for Student Affairs, recently sent out an email regarding this for current students. She said, "As you are purchasing your school supplies, don't forget to include face coverings, hand sanitizer and/or disinfectant wipes. There will be a limited supply of free cloth face coverings at the Shocker Support Locker, Ablah Library, Rhatigan Student Center Information Desk, Shocker Hall front desk and The Suites front desk. You can also buy WSU face coverings at the Shocker Store in the Rhatigan Student Center or at the Online Shocker Store."
The universitiy has posted the expectations regarding face masks & face shields here.
Regarding face shields, we are still investigating the safety, cost & if they will be allowed to use instead of face masks during classes. This is TBD as we receive more information.
There will be opportunities for sets, lighting & props.
Health & safety will guide our decisions & practices.
Human Resources (HR) has guidelines for employees who test positive. The details can be found here. This is a short version:
- If the employee describes having any coronavirus symptoms, they must be sent home and encouraged to contact their healthcare provider immediately.
- They need to call the Sedgwick County Health Department COVID-19 triage hotline at 316-660-1022 (or the employee’s local health department, if they are not a resident of Sedgwick County, KS), and follow any instructions given by appropriate public health officials and/or the employee’s medical health care provider.
- Someone from HR will be in contact with more information.
- There is a form the employees must fill out for the University.
- The employee will need to provide a list of locations & contacts for tracing.
- Details can be found here.
Similar information is being prepared for students as has been provided regarding employees.
We will post that here as soon as it's available.
Dance
- No COVID-19 symptoms for 14 days. If a dancer, dancer's family or friends have tested positive, they will need a doctor's note to return to the studio.
- 14-day quarantine for dancers who have traveled outside of WSU area.
- Wellness checks are expected.
- Dancers must stay 10 feet apart.
- Masks will be required in the studio at all times.
- No activities that require direct or indirect contact including: partnering, tactile cueing, direct floor work, touching the same equipment or traveling across the floor.
- Barres should be cleaned after each use.
- Floors & other areas touched by anyone should be cleaned before the next class
- Dancers must maintain social distance in the dressing rooms.
No. Due to social distancing guidelines, it will be cleared of furniture.
Dancers should arrive to the studios dressed & with only a small bag if needed. Bags may be placed in the studio in a designated space
Cubbies will be limited to only shoes.
The Heskett Center will have a traffic plan that we will work with in order to control the flow of traffic in and out of the building and specific areas.
Additional information and documents will be sent to you closer to the beginning of the Fall semester.
Classes will end early or start late in order to clean and sanitize the studios to prepare for the following class.
Yes. The adjusted schedule (on average) tries to allow level 2 and level 3 / 4 students to have 3 days face to face (with enough time in between classes to potentially leave campus) and two days remote. Level 1 students may have multiple days in a row but the amount of time in the studio is reduced.
***If you are concerned about any face to face contact due to heath reasons for you or your family, please let your instructor know so a remote/online only plan can be created.
DANC 130V – Hip Hop – Remote (Potentially face to face one day per week – TBD)
MW 2:00 – 3:00
TR 2:00 – 3:00
F – 4:00 – 5:00 – (Face to face)
DANC 140 – Art of the Dance – Remote & Online
DANC 150 – Dance Workshop – *Please refer to the class you will be participating in
DANC 150 A – Latin Ballroom - Remote (Potentially face to face)
TH – 7:00 – 9:00pm
DANC 180 E – Performing Arts seminar- TBD
F – 10:30 – 11:20
DANC 201 – Modern 1- Face to face
TR - 9:30 – 10:50
DANC 210 - Ballet 1 – Face to Face and remote
MW - 9:00 – 10:20 - Split in 2 groups (A and B)
Group A – Face to face Monday/Remote Wednesday
Group B – Face to face Wednesday/Remote Monday
DANC 215 – Improvisation – Face to face (Potentially remote certain weeks)
W - 11 – 1pm (8/17 – 10/7)
DANC 235 – Jazz 1 – Face to face
TR 12:30 – 1:50
DANC 240 – Tap 1 – Face to Face
MW 11:00 - 12:20
DANC 301 – Modern 2 - Face to Face and remote
M-TR – 1:30 – 3:00/F – 1:00 – 2:20 (3 cr hrs) & MW – 1:30 – 3:00 (2 cr hrs)
Face to face Monday
Remote Tuesday
Remote Wednesday
Face to face Thursday
Remote Friday
DANC 310 – Ballet 2 - Face to Face and Remote
M-TR – 9:00 -10:30/F – 1:00 – 2:20 (3 cr hrs) & MW – 9:00 – 10:30 (2 cr hrs)
Face to face Monday
Remote Tuesday
Face to face Wednesday
Remote Thursday
Remote Friday
DANC 332 – Music Theatre Dance 1 – Face to Face
TR 11:00 – 12:20
DANC – 335 – Jazz 2 – Face to face and potential remote/split
TR – 11:00 – 12:30 - Split in 2 groups (A and B)
Group A – Face to face Tuesday/Remote Thursday
Group B – Face to face Thursday/Remote Tuesday
DANC – 381 – Dance Somatics - Remote
DANC – 401/501 – Modern 3 & 4 -Face to Face and Remote
M-TR – 1:30 – 3:00/F – 1:00 – 2:20 (3 cr hrs) & MW – 1:30 – 3:00 (2 cr hrs)
Remote Monday
Face to face Tuesday
Face to face Wednesday
Remote Thursday
Remote Friday
DANC – 410/510 – Ballet 3 & 4 Face to Face and Remote
M-TR – 9:00 -10:30/F – 1:00 – 2:20 (3 cr hrs) & MW – 9:00 – 10:30 (2 cr hrs)
Remote Monday
Face to face Tuesday
Remote Wednesday
Face to face Thursday
Remote Friday
DANC – 415 – Dance Kinesiology - Remote
DANC – 490 – Dance Audition Technique - Face to face (Potentially remote certain weeks)
W – 11:00 – 1:00pm (10/8 – 12/3)
DANC – 505 – Choreography 3 -Face to Face
***TIME CHANGE***
T 3:30 – 5:30 (Contact Cheyla ASAP if there are any time conflicts)
DANC -580 – Capstone Project – Remote
Yes
For the Kansas Dance Festival, Sabrina, Denise & Nick are working on some pieces for the virtual event. There will be some small dance films to give dancers experience working individually with all 3 faculty members then the film will be put together into a longer film.
"She Moved the Prairie" is a grant-based opportunity (with paid student positions) available for any SPA student as long as they have had one semester of an intermediate technique class. 7 dancers & a stage manager/film director positions.
"Kansas Lineage" is another grant-based opportunity (with paid student positions) available for any SPA student. 6 dancers, 1 female voice over theatre & 1 film editing position.
Musical Theatre
Our goal is to see our students in person as much as is safely possible. However, in order to do that, courses have to be in “hybrid” format. There are strict guidelines that we need to follow in order to adhere to State, University and Industry standards. Such as mask wearing, social distancing especially while singing and dancing (aspirating) and limiting the amount of human contact per week.
Half of the class will meet on Tuesday and the other half will meet on Thursday. On the day you do not come in person you will Zoom the class from your home. Amy will be teaching the same material on Thursday that is taught on Tuesday so when you “Zoom” it will be more for reinforcement.
There is a large number of students who will be singing (aspirating) so we also have to be extra careful. We will break the class into three days, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. That amounts to about five students on each day, which is really all we have time to coach each day anyway. On the days you do not come in person to be coached and mentored on your audition/repertoire book you will Zoom and write down one “take away” that you learned from watching us coach your peers each class period. I would like to utilize face shields and/or full body shields in this course in order to see your face/acting better. More on face shields as it gets closer to August…
Due to the restrictions of staying 10 feet apart, wearing facial coverings, not traveling across the floor and limiting the amount of human contact per week, it would be very hard to adhere to all these restrictions and rehearse a large-scale musical.
Project wise, the focus in the Fall will be on working on a virtual Senior Concert for our 17-18 graduating Seniors.
In a perfect world in the Spring, we work on [title of show] and also a Musical Theatre Cabaret showcasing scenes from Musical Theatre Lab and Scene Study as well as a Freshman and Transfer Showcase.
Theatre
- The health and safety of our students, staff and faculty are of the first importance to us and will guide all of our actions.
- We will work more deeply with all students on the specifics of process and craft through exploration, experimentation and research.
- We will provide substantial learning experiences – regardless of current events – for all students studying in the performing arts.
- We will engage in the design and production process with the educational and professional interest of all students in mind.
- At this time when we cannot invite people into “our house” we will take this opportunity to send our Theatre beyond our walls, into the community.
Yes, but classes will also be taught online. Our teaching and learning will happen both in person and online and will be richer and more focused than in the past. Due to the fact that theatre offers a variety of classes there is not a one-size-fits-all plan of instruction.
Faculty have submitted the specifics for their classes on the Wichita State University Covid-19 website. To find out the specifics follow this link and enter your course information: CRN, Course number, Course name or Instructor. Select “All Fields” in the drop-down menu or select specific fields to narrow your search.
Seating capacity for classrooms across campus including Wilner have been adjusted to follow social distancing guidelines, and some classes have been moved to other rooms including the Auditorium.
The rooms will be cleaned after each class.
If classes are meeting in person students will be expected to wear masks while in class and in the buildings.
Yes. However, that has opened up our ability to explore and experiment with new avenues of production. We believe it will be exciting and offer new experiences.
We have made slight adjustments to our theatre season to better enable working in our current environment.
- We’ll produce our playwriting competition winner The Monty Hall Problem. The show will release in October.
- We’ll shoot our theatre film, Rule of 3.
- Stagestruck Audio Theatre will record and release the 3-episode series Gumshoes.
- We are excited to announce that we will be presenting a brand-new piece of theatre: Our Spaces, Our Voices which will be created by you.
- We’ve postponed She Kills Monsters to the following year.
Yes. We hope to reach out to our design, technical and stage management students in the next few weeks to discuss your projects/assignments.
They will be done through self-tape submission for projects except the audio show; for that it will be an audio submission.
You can find specific information regarding these auditions here.
Callback information will be announced at a later date.
If you have any questions regarding these auditions please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Yes. Discussions are on-going as to what exactly will be needed.
TBD. Each faculty will need to determine what works best for the students & class.
It may happen in-person or by submitting them digitally.
This year will enable us to go more in-depth on the processes that we've been practicing than ever before without being so focused on just production.
The opportunities haven't been cut down.
While "She Kills Monsters" has been postponed, there will be a new original work called, "Our Spaces, Our Voice", which will enhance their opportunities because students will be creating their own work. This will allow students to create something brand new.
Empty Space Theatre will also be launched this year where students can find other opportunities.
The dance production, "Brave New World" will also have performance opportunities available.
We are in the process of determining that right now. They are working on putting a system in place so creation can happen.
A more formal announcement will be coming in August.