THE SEARCH is on to find long-lost graduates of the University of Warwick’s Theatre and Performance Studies courses to help celebrate the department’s golden anniversary.
With the department turning 50 this year, an appeal has been launched for former students to come home and help mark the milestone.
Since opening its doors in 1975, the department has grown into one of the UK’s most distinctive creative communities, and helped shape the careers of acclaimed alumni including director Dominic Cooke, playwright Alecky Blythe, Gavin and Stacey writer and actor Ruth Jones, and actor Alex Jennings.
Assistant Professor David Coates has extended an invitation to all Warwick’s theatre alumni to reunite on campus for a major reunion event on June 28 and help celebrate the department’s 50th birthday in style – and to reconnect, share their stories, and contribute to the department’s living legacy.
Assistant Professor David Coates said: “We’ve lost touch with many of our graduates, particularly from the 70s, 80s and 90s.
“We want to hear where their lives and career trajectories took them, in the arts, creative industries and beyond.”
He said the department’s alumni were its best advocates and inspiration for future generations of students – and invited them them to get back in touch via the university’s website.
He added: “The event will bring together alumni from across the decades to re-connect, celebrate our history and contemplate our future.
“We have a full programme of nostalgic taster seminars, practical workshops and alumni discussion panels that are all bookable online, as well as campus tours led by current Theatre and Performance Studies students that will visit old haunts and showcase some of our fantastic new facilities.”
As part of the anniversary, the department is also working to expand the University archive.
“Our Theatre Studies archive is currently too formal, and we would like more colour and character,” added Prof Coates.
“We’re appealing for photos, programmes, module notes, flyers and any other memorabilia material that can help capture the spirit of student life in the department over our five decades. If you’re interested in contributing, please do get in touch.”
