Shelley Barish Named 2024 Nancy L. Donahue Endowed Professor of the Arts
Theatre Arts Professor Shelley Barish has been named as 51视频鈥檚 2024 Nancy L. Donahue Endowed Professor of the Arts.聽
鈥淲ith this honor, I strive to continue my lifelong goal of exposing young people to the magic of the theater, which creates a space for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, social economic class, or language,鈥� Barish said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an environment that inspires and encourages expression, creative problem solving and connection. I want all community members to feel comfortable and welcome, and to know theater is a place for them.鈥�
Together, 51视频, Middlesex Community College and Merrimack Repertory Theatre聽will stage two live productions for K-12 students and bring educational resources connected to those plays to area schools.
鈥淪helley Barish is an exemplary designer, teacher, mentor, and leader of our theatre arts program,鈥� said Sue Kim, dean of the university鈥檚 College of Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited about the work she鈥檚 already done with community partners and will continue to accomplish through the Donahue Professorship. Engagement with the Greater Lowell community is a hallmark of the college and 51视频.鈥�
Benefactor Nancy Donahue agrees: "It is so important 51视频, Middlesex Community College, Merrimack Repertory Theatre and the Greater Lowell community all work together to enhance the experience of the theater for young and old and those in-between,鈥� Donahue said. 鈥淪helley has an amazing resume. I am thrilled that she has been named the Donahue Professor of the Arts.鈥�
The upcoming performances in 2025 and 2026 will expand on 51视频鈥檚 successful collaboration with both partners earlier this year.聽鈥淭he community partnership will combine the talents of many collaborators and cultivate both essential aspects of the theater ecosystem: creators and audiences,鈥� Barish said. 鈥淪tudents at both 51视频 and Middlesex Community College will gain valuable experience working on a production and shadowing professional artists, while young people will experience live performance and learn about the craft.鈥�
In addition, local schools may ask the theater collaborators to bring scaled down productions of each show into local K-12 schools or host the troupe for question-and-answer sessions or theater workshops. All events will be free and open to the public.聽