By Sue Suchyta Theatre and Dance at Wayne launches its 2022-2023 theatre season with the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Jonathan Larson rock musical “Rent,” which runs Sept. 23 to Oct. 2 at the Hilberry Theater. Set in 1989 in New York City’s East Village during the first wave of the AIDS crisis, “Rent” is about falling in love, finding one’s voice and living for today, as a group of diverse artists and friends struggle to follow their dreams. Director Michael Barnes said “Rent” has developed a large following. “In many ways, it was the first rock opera that was written about Generation X but it has continued to reverberate with young people because all the characters are 20-somethings,” he said. “The music would not sound out-of-place on popular radio today.” X. Alexander Durden, who plays Roger, said the show still resonates with audiences more than three decades after it debuted. “This show still rings true in its themes of wealth disparity, classism and following one’s passions,” he said. “I hope it inspires everyone to be the change they want to see and fight for the things all people should be granted as a right.” Jessica Annuziata, who plays Joanne, said the show’s music is filled with energy and passion. “’Rent’ is a story about really living live, striving to make the best out of bad news and being there for our fellow human beings,” she said.

By Sue Suchyta  Whether you prefer the rock musical “Rent” or Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” – or both – there’s an exciting round of shows ahead as Wayne State University launches its new season in anticipation of the opening of its new Hilberry Gateway Theater in late winter. Department chair Mary Anderson said she is both proud and humbled by the tenacity and creativity of the faculty, staff and students who have weathered the pandemic and developed a vision for the department’s upcoming season. “The 2022-2023 season will engage and enchant us with the beauty and power that only dance and theater can express,” she said. Anderson expressed appreciation for the community partners and patrons who have continued their support throughout the challenges of the last few years, amid a pandemic and the construction of the Hilberry Gateway. “We are building the Gateway together,” she said. “We are all entering into an extraordinary new chapter of collective creation.”  

By Kieron Monks  In the early days of the war, President Volodymyr Zelensky enjoyed a level of international popularity more associated with rock stars than politicians, as he delivered impossibly cool lines such as “I need ammunition not a ride,” and responded to Russian claims he had fled the country with a nonchalant night-time stroll around Kyiv. Zelensky’s appeal extended beyond governments to their publics, earning sky-high approval ratings and support for his cause. He set the tone for Ukraine’s wider public relations campaign, reflected by his ministers and social media channels: confident, urgent, and drawing a start picture of a battle between good and evil with apocalyptic stakes. But as the summer fades and gas bills rise, some of the shine is beginning to come off the golden boy, and support packages no longer pass unchallenged. Reports of dissatisfaction with Zelensky at the White House emerged after he dramatically fired two senior officials and old concerns about corruption in Ukraine have resurfaced. Ukraine is taking a risk by moving from its early, successful use of lo-fi messaging to more slick and stylized videos – such as a montage of strikes by HIMARS missiles set to a Metallica soundtrack – suggests Matthew Seeger, a crisis communications specialist at Wayne State University. “A lot of the initial social media was very authentic,” says Seeger. “It appeared to be shot on somebody’s cell phone. It was Zelensky walking and talking in his facilities. We had a lot of footage from drones. Making sure messages are coming across in an authentic rather than a staged way is important.” Striking the right tone presents a challenge as Ukraine seeks to generate enthusiasm for the war effort, while rejecting demands for peace negotiations that could the country dismembered. But Zelensky may ultimately need a new, optimistic message about ending the war to convince governments and publics that their contributions are not in vain. “He needs to start talking about what happens next,” says Seeger. “We need to have some sense that the conflict is going to end – not go on for the next 10 years – and that when that happens there will be an opportunity to rebuild the country and create a strong, resilient, technologically sophisticated, economically successful Ukraine.”  

Choreographer Biba Bell, assistant professor of dance at Wayne State University, and composer-director Joo Won Park, associate professor of music technology at WSU, premiered A DREAM IS A HOUSE for remembering the future, which was created specifically for the McGregor Memorial Conference Center in Detroit. The hourlong performance included 21 dancers, nine musicians and inside of architect Minoru Yamasaki’s prismatic jewel box of marble and glass, built in 1958. Taking advantage of the faceted atrium’s unusual acoustics, Park’s original score for electric guitar, percussion and eight laptop computers emanated from small amplifiers distributed throughout the skylit room. At one point, the entire ensemble of dancers rushed from one end of the space to the other. Every dance is site-specific in some sense, but, in a warming world changed by war, political upheaval and a pandemic, some choreographers forgo traditional venues entirely.  

Elizabeth Stoycheff, associate professor of communication, wrote an article for The Conversation about the tendency of website browser cookies to make people more cautious online. Cookies are online surveillance tools, and the commercial and government entities that use them would prefer people not read those notifications too closely, she writes, as people who do read the notifications carefully will find that they have the option to say no to some or all cookies. “The problem is, without careful attention those notifications become an annoyance and a subtle reminder that your online activity can be tracked,” Stoycheff writes. “As a researcher who studies online surveillance, I’ve found that failing to read the notifications thoroughly can lead to negative emotions and affect what people do online.” Styofcheff explains what cookies are, how they work, how they affect you, and potential solutions for users.  

By Julie Hinds  Juanita Anderson, the head of media arts and studies at Wayne State University, knew from the start how important it was to make “Who Killed Vincent Chin?,” the 1988 documentary she executive-produced. But she couldn’t have predicted the acclaim it would receive, or how it has become what Anderson calls a “vital tool in understanding American history.” The recently restored version of the Oscar-nominated film aired on Detroit Public TV and other PBS stations across the country. The special airing marks 40 years since Chin, a 27-year-old automotive engineer, was assaulted by two white autoworkers on the night he was celebrating at his bachelor party in Detroit. He was beaten so badly that he went into a coma and died four days later. Anderson says it’s an honor to be part of “Who Killed Vincent Chin?” and is optimistic that this PBS airing will reach a whole new generation that turns to indie docs for in-depth reporting. In the midst of 2022, the documentary comes with “the tragic part of it still being relevant,” said Anderson, referring to the rise of anti-Asian hate in the United States fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I go back and look at the (the 1988 documentary) and look at the rhetoric at that time by government officials and how that kind of rhetoric from authoritative people had an impact on American society – and the same thing has happened around the COVID crisis.”  

By Jabari Young Dave Roberts, one of the most powerful executives at ESPN, is pushing for more diversity at the network. Roberts is the network’s head of studio programming who oversees NBA programming, including the NBA Finals. Roberts grew up in Detroit, and graduated from Wayne State University with a degree in mass communications before starting his career at a local Detroit TV station in 1978.

Theatre and Dance at Wayne, the producing arm of the Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University, has announced its 2022-2023 production season. Theatre and Dance at Wayne has curated a season of theatre and dance productions that will delight and inspire you with four plays, two musicals, two dance concerts, and four student-run productions. The season opens in September 2022 with Rent, the iconic musical about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again., opening in October 2022, is a wildly experimental and inventive new play that does not behave, is about the conundrums of being a woman in the 21st century. Fans of Shakespeare will be thrilled to attend his comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor in November 2022. 

By Kaitlyn Tiffany    The internet is a powerful machine for twisting the meaning of language. A new word gets pushed through various subcultures that use it for their own purposes, then out to broader audiences that will use it in whichever way they first hear it. ‘Doxxing’ is a special example, in that it originally referred to somewhat specific, dangerous, and unethical behavior — “dropping documents” — or making private information public and calling unfriendly attention to it. By naming that behavior, the word allowed for the development of shared norms against it on the nascent internet. But ‘doxxing’ has since been used to describe so many different situations – with varying degrees of sincerity and fairness – that its original utility has faded. Where the term once defined a category, it now expresses an emotion. Whoever feels doxxed will claim to have been doxxed. Any time a person’s information is “purposefully moved, lifted, and repurposed in other spaces” without their consent, that could be called “doxing,” according to Stine Eckert, an associate professor of communication at Wayne State University who has written about the history of doxxing. There is “usually an element of bad intentions,” she said.   

The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, a program within the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University, will present “Head Over Heels,” featuring songs by the Go-Go’s. Performances will run April 15-24.    

By Nidhi Prakash  As the world enters a third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Joe Biden said the U.S. is “moving forward safely” in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, painting a picture of cautious optimism about dealing with the virus in the coming months. In previous addresses to the nation on the pandemic, Biden took the opportunity to speak directly to those Americans who have resisted getting vaccinated against the virus. On Tuesday, he seemed to hit the message less directly. Matthew Seeger, a health and risk communication scholar and dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University, said that reaching those Americans is going to take more than a message from Biden or the CDC, given the lack of trust in official sources and scientific authorities among unvaccinated Americans. “I think that this is a much longer-term problem,” Seeger said.  

As co-directors of the Wayne State University Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Marcus Zervos, M.D., Teena Chopra, M.D., M.P.H., Paul Kilgore, M.D., M.P.H., and Matthew Seeger, Ph.D, share their perspectives on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. The experts discuss parallels between previous pandemics, exacerbated health disparities, a lack of response and resource coordination, the dangers of misinformation, and ways the public health system can better prepare for future pandemics. Together, the co-directors assert that if we learn from this pandemic, our post-COVID-19 world will be more resilient, health disparities will be reduced, and our public health system will become stronger.  

By Linda Solomon  For a third winter, many are staying home to stay safe, and Americans are quitting work in record numbers. The pandemic has prompted large numbers of people – particularly those with years of work already behind them – to reassess not just their careers but also their lives. This feature story examines the experiences of 4 metro Detroiters who found the courage to ask: If not now, when? Included in the story is Duffy Flynn Wineman of Bloomfield Hills, who is at 68 taking five courses this semester at Wayne State University and intends to graduate one week before her 70th birthday. A mother of three sons and eight grandchildren, Wineman has spent decades acting in community theater and Wayne State has given her the opportunity to achieve her dream of earning a theatre degree. “My Wayne State academic adviser is so incredible. They were so inviting. They were so supportive. They encouraged me to get my degree and said, ‘you need to do this!’ And they walked me through everything. They showed me how to do my application and how to obtain my college transcripts from almost 50 years ago…” Wineman said. 

By Stephi Wild  The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University, is proud to present “Fairview,” the 2019 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for drama by Jackie Sibblies Drury. The production is directed by Billicia Charnelle Hines, associate professor of theatre and assistant chair/artistic director of the Black Theatre and Dance Collective, and performs live on-stage from February 25 through March 5.   

By Bella DePaulo  The number and proportion of people living single has been on the rise for decades, both in the U.S. and around the world. In the U.S., the proportion of Black women who are not married is higher than for Latinx, White or Asian American women. Wayne State University assistant professor of communication Jessica D. Moorman’s research explores Black women’s agency in their single status, noting that while external forces are a factor, sometimes Black women choose to be “strategically single” and lead purposeful lives pursuing their own goals.  

The twists and turns of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Fairview” will take center stage Feb. 25 through March 5 at Wayne State University’s Hilberry Theater. The play, written by Jackie Sibblies Drury, won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and examines family dynamics and the insidious impact of racism. Directed by Billicia Charnelle Hines, associate professor of theatre and assistant chair/artistic director of the Black Theatre and Dance Collective at Wayne State University, the play begins with the planning for a “perfect” birthday party, which is challenged by family drama. The play brings the United States’ long-standing racial tensions to the forefront by overlapping different viewpoints of reality on the stage. It will leave audiences with questions and conversation-starters, and confront privilege and power as well as frustration and rage, as the play travels from familiar stereotype to chaos and discord. Tickets are not available; Covid-19 protocols require proof of vaccination, completion of a health screener, and a mask.  

The Snow Queen opens this weekend at The Hilberry Theatre to bring magic and fun for the holiday season to Detroit. The play runs from Nov. 19 to Dec. 11. "The Snow Queen is a really love adaptation of the fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson. In it, we follow Gerda as she goes on a quest to find her friend Kai, who has been taken by the Snow Queen," said director Michael J. Barnes. "It shows how the innocence of a child is able to overcome hurdles to renew a love and friendship that can last a lifetime after it has been taken by the adults.  

By Elizabeth Stoycheff  When Facebook was down for most of the day on Oct. 4, 2021, did you miss it, were you relieved or some of both? Social scientists have compiled an expansive body of research that shows how people have come to develop a love-hate relationship with the social media giant with nearly 3 billion users. Many users have felt their relationship with the platform devolve into a messy codependence, mired by ambiguity and mistrust. For others, reliance on the platform is taken for granted, if occasionally appreciated in moments of pandemic isolation. And then there are the revelations that the company has been lying about applying its rules differently to important people, knowingly harming teen girls and having a big vaccine misinformation problem. Adding insult to injury, Facebook locked its keys in its car and didn’t show up for over five hours. In short, Facebook is a hot mess. All this leads to an extremely high-maintenance relationship, leaving users to wonder whether they should just move on with healthier friends. But it wasn’t always like this. 

By Karen Doheny  Not so long ago, Heather Simpson of Dallas was known as the anti-vaccine mom who dressed as "the measles" for Halloween. She painted red spots on her face and posted her photo on Facebook, joking: "Was trying to think of the least scary thing I could be for Halloween … so I became the measles." It went viral with the anti-vaccine crowd. But between that Halloween and today, a series of “aha” moments transformed Simpson's attitudes toward vaccines. In January 2021, one of those moments involved her daughter, now 4, who was scratched by a feral cat, raising concerns about tetanus. Her daughter had been bitten by a dog when she was just 1, and Simpson turned down advice then to get a tetanus shot. "I was convinced the tetanus shot would kill her faster than the tetanus." After the cat incident, the anxiety was so exhausting, she listened to the nurse practitioner at the clinic, whom she trusted. The nurse gently reassured Simpson that the shot was less risky than the possibility of tetanus -- but did not bombard her with statistics -- and that won over Simpson and triggered an overall rethinking of her vaccine stance. "People develop negative attitudes [about vaccines] by accessing alternative sources of information, anecdotes, and personal stories," says Matthew Seeger, PhD, dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts and co-director of the Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases at Wayne State University in Detroit.