Katherine JohnsonWhen audience members settle into their seats for a theatrical performance, they are focused on the action on the stage, whether it’s unfolding drama, the fluidity of dance or the whimsy of musical theater.
They rarely think about the materials that went into bringing the production to life: the wood used for set pieces, material used for costumes, even the paper used to print the programs they hold in their hands.
In its 2024-25 season of offerings, the University of Kentucky’s Department of Theatre and Dance is putting a spotlight on reducing that level consumption. The schedule of five productions carries a theme, “Season of Sustainability.” Not only is the programming centered around the overarching theme of conservation, but behind the scenes, there will be efforts to minimize impact on the environment through practices like repurposing set pieces from previous productions, recycling costumes for materials and creating digital versions of what would ordinarily be printed programs for the audience.
Susie Thiel, newly appointed chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, said the idea for doing a season centered around sustainability originated with the former interim department chair Peter Allen Stone.
“He was really looking into sustainability and the second he brought it up, all the faculty jumped on board, and we talked about the different plays and ideas,” Thiel said.
