Arts and Culture / Magazine Feature / People

Alumna shares love of theater with new generation of students

When Allison Horsley (BA ’94) was an undergraduate at DU, she had no idea how she’d combine her love of Russian with her love of theater.

But now, as an assistant professor of theater at DU, Horsley has found a way to do it all. She translates and adapts Russian plays, teaches six theater classes a year and develops special events at DU.

“It didn’t occur to me that there could be a field in which I could do that and get paid for it,” Horsley says.

As a student, she took theatre courses because she enjoyed researching plays and roles, not because she wanted to act in them. After DU, she became a professional dramaturg and helped launch the Broadway smash, Jersey Boys.

A dramaturg provides context, history and feedback for a production. While dramaturgy jobs are rare, Horsley has brought recognition to the position through her work on Jersey Boys, a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical about the 1960s rock group, The Four Seasons. Horsley had role in launching the musical during her time as the literary manager of the La Jolla Playhouse. She helped select the musical and became the production’s dramaturg as it moved to Broadway and then on to London, Toronto and Las Vegas.

“They fly me in for a few days at the beginning of rehearsal to give each new group of actors the same background and context,” she says. “It’s a kind of quality control to help every production get started off on the right foot and give cohesion to the cast.”

One of her dramaturgy colleagues, Jim Magruder, is currently working on Broadway with the production of Guys and Dolls. He taught Horsley when she was a dramaturgy student at Yale.

“She’s gone from student to valued colleague,” Magruder says. “I’ve sought her out for advice. She is a credit to her profession and the graduate program she came out of.”

In addition to her continued work in Jersey Boys, Horsley is translating Russian plays by Chekhov for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and promoting new works by DU students.

“I want more student work to be produced by the school,” Horsley says. “Our students have great talent and it should be showcased.”

Horsley created N.E.W. (New and Evolving Work), a week-long event promoting student works April 15–19. The readings and performances are free and open to the public. For more information, call 303-871-2518.

Performance Schedule

April 15 7 p.m. Margery Reed Hall Little Theatre Readings: “The Home” and “Famed Director Mr. Miles Finneas Wallace’s Last Movie.” Discussion to follow.
April 16 7 p.m. Margery Reed Hall Studio Theatre Performance: “Dark Play or Stories for Boys” and Discussion
April 17 7 p.m. Margery Reed Hall Little Theatre Readings: “The Home” and “Famed Director Mr. Miles Finneas Wallace’s Last Movie.” Discussion to follow.
9 p.m. Margery Reed Hall Studio Theatre Performance: “Dark Play or Stories for Boys” and Discussion
April 18 7 p.m. Margery Reed Hall Little Theatre Readings: “The Home” and “Famed Director Mr. Miles Finneas Wallace’s Last Movie.” Discussion to follow.
9p.m. Margery Reed Hall Studio Theatre Performance: “Dark Play or Stories for Boys” and Discussion
April 19 2 p.m. Margery Reed Hall Little Theatre Readings: “The Home” and “Famed Director Mr. Miles Finneas Wallace’s Last Movie.” Discussion to follow.
4 p.m. Margery Reed Hall Studio Theatre Performance: “Dark Play or Stories for Boys” and Discussion

[Editor’s Note: Times have been adjusted since this story was posted.]

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