Film and Visual Culture
- Department Theater, Dance and Film Studies
- Academic Division The College
Through the study of the practice and history of theater and dance, students develop aesthetic appreciation for art and culture, learn flexible problem-solving methods, acquire diverse communication skills and employ creative collaborative processes.
About the Department
Theater, Dance, and Film are essential forms of human expression that celebrate creative collaboration and critical engagement with our world.
The department provides a dynamic introduction to performance, production, history and literature. These academic and artistic tools and experiences will lead students to contribute their unique talent and training to the betterment of society and the arts.
Jordan Peimer Selected as Next Lenfest Center Director
The former executive director of ArtPower at the University of California, San Diego will begin his new role in July.
W&L to Host Free Screening of the Ghana Spring Term Films
The premiere event will be followed by a student-led discussion about their experiences and the creative journey in producing the films.
W&L Presents DeLaney Center’s Film Series
The first From Screen to Square event will take place on Monday, Nov. 7.
W&L Outcomes: Leah Jackson ’22
Leah Jackson ’22 always knew she wanted to pursue the health field. Thanks to summer internships and dedication, she heads off to Harvard this fall to follow her passion.
Lenfest Center Opens Ticket Sales for Upcoming Season
Tickets for the 2022 season can be purchased online using a credit card or in-person at the Lenfest Center box office beginning Nov. 30.
W&L’s Ramonah Gibson ’20 Awarded Fulbright
Ramonah Gibson '20 has received a Fulbright United Kingdom (U.K.) Partnership Award to complete her master's degree in creative writing scriptwriting at the University of East Anglia.
Faculty-Student Documentary Earns Festival Laurels
"Intimate Violence," a documentary about domestic violence by W&L professor Stephanie Sandberg and junior Nolan Zunk, has been recognized by three film festivals.
W&L’s Repertory Dance Company Presents ‘Dancing with the Camera’
The W&L Repertory Dance Company performance will stream for free online on March 25 and 26 at 7 p.m., March 27 at 6 p.m. and March 28 at 2 p.m.
W&L Hosts Jocelyn Bioh for Two Streamed Events in March
Bioh's hit comedy "School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play" will be screened online March 16, and a virtual talk by Bioh will occur March 18.
W&L Hosts Free Screening of Documentary ‘Intimate Violence’
The screening will be free and open to the public to view online. A discussion with the film’s creators will follow the screening.
Washington and Lee University Presents a Virtual Performance of ‘Tartuffe’
The performance will run Oct. 15-18, and it is free and open to the public to watch via livestream.
W&L Professor, Student Co-Direct Domestic Violence Documentary
Professor Stephanie Sandberg and Nolan Zunk ’22 co-directed “Intimate Violence,” which will be screened at Hull’s Drive-in to raise money for Project Horizon.
Meet the Faculty
At W&L, students enjoy small classes and close relationships with professors who educate and nurture.
Owen Collins
Professor of Theater
- P: 540-458-8003
- E: collinso@wlu.edu
Collins teaches courses on stage craft, special effects, performance design, 3D printing for theater, and scene painting/art. His research focuses on new media and technology in contemporary theater practice.
Jenefer M. Davies
Department Head, Theater, Dance and Film Studies; Professor of Dance and Theater
- P: 540-458-8281
- E: daviesj@wlu.edu
Davies teaches courses on contemporary European dance, dance composition, movement for actors and aerial dance techniques. Her research focuses on modern dance composition and the feminine aesthetic.
Liza Deck
Adjunct Instructor in Dance
- P: 540-458-8281
- E: deckl@wlu.edu
Deck earned her MFA in dance from Arizona State University after attending Hope College, where she received the Florence Cavanaugh Dance Award. She has performed and choreographed professionally with numerous organizations and is currently the head of City Modern Ensemble. She teaches Modern Dance and Musical Theatre at W&L.
Shawn Paul Evans
Professor of Theater
- P: 540-458-8014
- E: evanss@wlu.edu
Evans teaches courses on the fundamentals of theater, stage management, digital production, lighting and dance production. He has researched theater technology, including automation and motion control.
Jemma Alix Levy
Associate Professor of Theater/Acting, Core Affiliated Faculty, Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program
- P: 540-458-8005
- E: levyj@wlu.edu
Levy teaches courses on acting, directing, Shakespeare and theater history. She is a professional director with critically-acclaimed national and international credits, and for 10 years ran Muse of Fire Theatre Company.
Rob Mish
Director of the Lenfest Theater; Adjunct Instructor of Theater
- P: 540-458-8006
- E: rmish@wlu.edu
Mish, a W&L alum, is responsible for the management and operation of the Lenfest Center for the Arts. In addition, he teaches stage acting, Total Theater, Introduction to the Theater, Musical Theater, supervises student internships and will occasionally direct a main stage production.
Stephanie Sandberg
Assistant Professor of Theater/Film
Sandberg teaches courses on screenwriting, documentary filmmaking and an ethnographic study of modern-day slavery in Ghana. Her current research focuses on theater for social justice.