Gratitude: Our Students and Staff Give Thanks

I am grateful for the kindness and appreciative nature of our performers. Backstage in the theater, we have a lot of posters from past seasons on the wall, and when our performers see all the famous names from over the years, they are really excited to see the history they have become a part of. I enjoy being able to share our distinguished history with them.

What are you grateful for?

We asked some of our students and staff. Here's what they had to say:

Erin Bannen, Marketing Intern:

I am grateful for the ghostlight on the stage at the Wisconsin Union Theater. I was having a rough day at work once and I walked out onstage and looked at the empty house and just thought about all the amazing things that have happened to me in that space. I thought about when I got to be a part of Vagina Monologues on that stage, and the support and love that a bunch of powerful tight-knit women can give to one another (specifically, the courage to talk about your Vagina in front of around 500 people.) I thought about when I saw Sweet Honey in the Rock and a baby in the front row started cooing at the singers and Ysaye Barnwell said, "That's right baby girl. We need your voice too." I thought about seeing my best friend (who is TERRIFIED of public performance) dancing with Bellydancing UW. I went back to work smiling, thinking, "Yeah. That's what you're working for."

Heather Good, Assistant Director for Development & Outreach:

I am grateful that I got to see Savion Glover perform on our stage. It was like watching a monk meditate…he wasn’t “doing” tap dance, he was “being” it. It’s not often that I get to see a performer that luminous.

I am grateful for this wonderful historic building. Participating in the design development process has been humbling. It has made me appreciate the strength of vision that our leaders had when they designed this place 70+ years ago. How can we design something that will serve us well for another 70+ years? I am grateful that my work at the theater allows me to ask the big questions, seek input and answers from many sources, and engage in countless conversations with people who love the theater for many different reasons.

I am grateful that my work gives me a window into all the amazing creative work being done on this campus. I am constantly in awe of our students, their energy and imagination, and the great things they produce.

Lindsay Hanson, Concert Series Coordinator

I am grateful for the incredible quality of performances we present at the theater. We are fortunate to be part of a community that is so supportive of the arts; a community that supports innovative as well as traditional programming. How many other places present such shows as Spring Awakening and Hilary Hahn on the same season, and have audiences who appreciate both?
I am also grateful for all the staff at the theater. I have learned so much from them in my short time working with them. I hope to be able to draw from all these experiences throughout my life.