Assembly LVII: The Performing Arts at Yale
Thursday, October 26 through Saturday, October 28, 2000
Sample Club Report
Rosalind T. Maiden, MAT ‘60
Yale Club of Bergen County and Vicinity

Susan S. Addiss, ‘69 MPH, ‘69MUrS, set the enthusiastic tone of the weekend as she introduced the Fall Assembly. Multi-talented herself, as a musician and as a professional in Public Health, Dr. Addis well represented the participants who followed her.

The opening panel, “A Retrospective on the Performing Arts at Yale,” included Professor David Chambers of the School of Drama; Professor Thomas Duffy, Director of University Bands and Deputy Dean of the School of Music; and students Graham Norris ‘03 and Alexander Timbers ‘01, of the Yale Dramatic Association. Professor Chambers pointed out that the School of Drama, now celebrating its 75th anniversary, represents Yale’s uniqueness, in that it was specifically designed to provide conservatory training in the theater, an emphasis unheard of in 1925. Then as now, it remains unique in that it consistently places the text of the play at the center of its study ( rather than technique, as with many other drama schools.) As Professor Chambers provided a walk-through of some of the history, he reminded us of some of the great names in playwrighting associated with Yale’s School of Drama: Fugard, Guare, Wilson, Parks. Producing 60 performances per year, the school embodies its belief that the way to learn is to do.

Professor Thomas Duffy was assisted in his presentation by a brief live performance of the Yale Precision Marching Band, led by Betsy Golden, drum major. He traced the history of music at Yale from its strictly religious origins to its huge variety, both extracurricular and curricular, today. Today’s graduates know of the many singing groups that have been added to the early famous Whiffs, but not many knew that between 1947 and 2000 Yale composers have won 30% of the Pulitzer prizes in music.
The Yale Concert Band performed Friday evening in Woolsey Hall; some delegates were able to fit part of the performance in after Friday’s dinner.
The student panelists from the Dramat told us how the group had begun in 1900 as a rebellion against current puritanical laws against theater going. They proudly shared with us the Dramat Century Book, signed by all inducted into the Dramat. The many famous names are all there!

Delegates then followed individually chosen tours of the various performing arts spaces such as the Yale Cabaret Theater, the Music Library, the costume shop of the Drama School, the Collection of Musical Instruments, and the New Theater at the Holcombe T. Green, Jr. Hall on Chapel Street.

Dinner and performances with students spread the delegates all over campus at various colleges. Among the wide variety of performances reported were an improv, (too short, complained the enthusiastic reporter, who wanted more), a musical performance (also given a rave review), and a full-length production of Anouilh’s Antigone, which left its audience breathless.

Friday’s breakfasts included the opportunity for third year delegates to hear from the Board of Governors how enthusiastically they enjoy their ability to serve Yale. Maureen Doran,’71 MSN, Chair, explained how the group works: meeting at Yale four times a year, each member functions as a part of four committees, working closely with Yale to provide opinions, feedback, and suggestions. This Board of Governors was outstanding in its unalloyed pleasure in its commitment to Yale. Spring delegates will vote for seven new members, each of whom will serve three years.

Professor Murray Biggs of English and Theater Studies led Friday morning’s panel. He introduced Leon Plantinga, Chairman of the Music Department; Marc Robinson, Director of the Theater Studies Department; Robert Blocker, Dean of the School of Music; and Stanley Wojewodski, Dean of the School of Drama. Dean Blocker stressed the need to educate musicians broadly, and eloquently touched on the theme resonant throughout not only this convocation but all recent assemblies: Yale’s aim to educate her students “to improve the quality of their world through their art.”
Professor Plantinga echoed another of Dean Blocker’s concerns, a need to increase scholarships in order to be competitive with other great schools of music. Even the most gifted students know that they cannot count on a career in music. Double majors are a normal expectation; music is so popular at Yale that at any given time about one quarter of the student body is formally enrolled in some aspect of music study.
Dean of the School of Drama Stanley Wojewodski added to this refrain his own note: that even the most successful of School of Drama graduates cannot hope to repay the debt (average $40,000-$60,000) they incur to study at Yale because their starting salaries are often below $20,000. Creative debt forgiveness was thus added to the list of issues to consider for the future. Dean Wojewodski explained how the School of Drama functions according to department and how its commitment to learning by doing creates 65 productions every year.
Director of Theater Studies Marc Robinson noted that undergraduate participation in Theater Studies has grown since curricular restructuring. Sixteen faculty members teach in the department, some shared with other departments.

Delegates then divided into small groups of their choosing and spread around the campus to observe different performance workshops: a working scene rehearsal from the Yale School of Drama under the leadership of Professor Murray Biggs; a conducting workshop led by Professor Leighton Smith; a dance choreography session led by Assistant Professor Nadine George-Graves; or a demonstration of work in digital music creation by Matthew Suttor.

Now re-divided according to various Yale affiliations, delegates enjoyed small group lunch conversations in different locations around campus. This format maximized the interaction between delegates and Yale administrators.

Afterwards, participants reassembled for a panel discussion of “The Future of the Performing Arts at Yale.” Yale fellow and trustee of the Yale Corporation
Roland Betts ’68 shared with the audience his fascinating career movement from teacher to author to attorney to producer. Diana E.E. Kleiner, Deputy Provost for the Arts, reported the vast renewal plans for Arts at Yale: As reflected in the Yale Daily News:
…an ambitious $250 million plan to renovate and expand University arts facilities centered around Chapel and York streets. The announcement comes just as the University reveals a donation of $20 million made months ago by Sid R. Bass ’65, which is earmarked for the overhaul of the Art & Architecture Building.
Under the planning of Duncan Hazard ’71 of the firm of James Polshek and Partners, Yale will redesign many of the facilities of the graduate schools of Art, Architecture and Drama, as well as the Yale University Art Gallery and the undergraduate arts departments….In addition, the YUAG will undergo substantial change and expansion. Its exhibition space will grow to include Street Hall and a new facility to be constructed within walking distance of the current gallery. The University Theater and The Yale Repertory Theater will also experience complete overhauls. …
Dean Richard Brodhead, accenting the Arts’ function as the opening of self-awareness, reminded the audience of the overlap of the curricular and extracurricular immersion in the arts experienced by Yale students. He noted that the more Yale accommodates the increased demand for performance spaces, the more the demand increases—a good kind of problem to own.

A “world premier performance of a new choral group” directed by former Director of the Yale University Glee club, Fenno Heath, stunned the delegates with its talent, not to mention its identity: themselves. “Fol de rol de rol rol rol” has seldom sounded better; nor has time and change prevailed upon the undimmed talents of Professor Heath.

Dinner in the University Commons highlighted the work of outstanding alumni volunteers and featured an address by one of Yale’s distinguished alumni, Joseph Polisi ’73 MusM,’75 MusAM,’80 MusAD, President of the Julliard School.

Saturday, Maureen Doran reported for the AYA Board of Governors and introduced President Richard Levin ‘74PhD. President Levin detailed the Arts renovation and expansion plans and updated the assembly on progress elsewhere on campus. The Medical School has a new research building. A new chemical research lab will open in the autumn of 2001. The Class of ’54 Environmental Science Center will be so named because the creative class of ’54 started an investment fund in the 80’s whose seed money of $400,000 will become $70 million on maturity.
The blooming of Yale science has contributed to the blossoming of the New Haven economy, with some public markets already spun out of Yale research. These developments and the hope of more have encouraged private real estate developers in New Haven. The close relationship between Yale and New Haven is now a given and consistent factor in all Yale planning for the future.
Electronic learning is at the beginning stages, with alumni as the targeted optimal test market. We are famous for offering our candid opinions!

The last formal meetings divided Graduate and Professional School Alumni into one discussion group and Yale College Classes into another. Once again, this focused approach provided a high level of interaction between the panelists and the audience.

Football fans headed off for Coxe Cage. Delegates who could remain enjoyed the Saturday evening performance of their choice.

All look forward to Assembly LVIII, April 19-22, “300 Years of Creativity and Discovery.” This assembly will differ dramatically from others in that it will include Alumni leaders from all aspects of Yale, a probable total of 1500 participants. Based on the great success of the huge undertaking of October 21 weekend, when Yale opened herself to 30,000 people in celebrating the tercentennial, participants can feel confident that the competent Yale staff is well equal to the task of organizing this mammoth undertaking.