All the World's a Stage: Drama Studies program

Drama Studies (1975-present)

The production and staging of dramatic works on campus long preceded the establishment of the Drama Studies program. The teaching of drama became more formalized in 1975 with the appointment of Arthur Motyer (1925-2011) as the first director of drama.

When appointed, Motyer had proposed and received Senate approval for the creation of an area of concentration in the dramatic arts. As the years progressed further improvements and additions were made. In September 1976, David Moe was hired as technical and administrative director as well as a faculty member, teaching the newly created course Drama 3010: “History of the Theatre”. While in that position he designed the clown-face logo which continued to grace Windsor Theatre for many years. Moe remained for two years and in 1978 was replaced by Ian Gaskell who became technical and administrative director and taught Drama 3010. Another academic course was introduced in 1979, Drama 3050: “Principles and Methods of Theatrical Interpretation”, taught by both Gaskell and Motyer. Drama 3050 stressed the practical aspects of the process of theatrical interpretation so that Windsor Theatre was put to even more use by students who were required to mount a production each term. Gaskell resigned on short notice in July 1985, leaving Motyer little time to find a suitable replacement. No one could be found who was qualified to teach drama at the university level. In September 1985, Lesley Preston, B.A. in Theatre from Dalhousie University, was appointed technical and administrative director with Paul A. Del Motte as her assistant. Preston remained until the autumn of 1988 when Del Motte succeeded her and the positions were redefined. In part because of budget cuts, a resident designer, Ruth Howard, was hired for thirty-three weeks a year. Subsequent budget cuts have meant that designers were for a time hired on an ad hoc basis. In 1993, Decima Mitchell was appointment Windsor Theatre's resident designer. She stayed in this position for 25 years, designing sets and costumes for more than 120 productions.

Additional courses were gradually added to the program with the aim of merging academic theory and practical theatre. This has prepared students to go on to professional careers in the theatre or in teaching at the secondary and post-secondary levels ever since.