The University of California San Diego takes the stage in many programs — its Department of Theatre and Dance easily commanding the spotlight. Ranked among the top five acting programs in the world by Hollywood Reporter, the department’s students graduate well-prepared for the theater profession. Cast with experience — due in part to a dynamic partnership with its acclaimed neighbor, La Jolla Playhouse — UC San Diego graduates consistently take the lead in television, film and stage careers. Proof positive are three recent Tony Award nominations earned by alumni Michael Greif (MFA directing, ’85), nominated for Best Direction of a Musical, “Dear Evan Hansen;” Jefferson Mays (MFA acting, ’91), nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, “Oslo;” and Paloma Young (MFA, costume design, ’06), nominated for Best Costume Design of a Musical, “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.”
The diversity and talent of graduating University of California San Diego artists is currently highlighted in “A Step Away: Artists from the M.F.A. Program at UC San Diego,” an exhibition showing through May 29 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego (MCASD).
On May 22, the institute hosted 150 high school students and 50 UC San Diego undergraduates as part of a San Diego regional program to excite students about fast-growing job opportunities in the region.
A sampling of the works from artist Ted Meyer’s intriguing Scarred for Life series will be on display, beginning May 15 through September 1, 2017, in the Biomedical Library Building breezeway. The exhibit and an opening reception on May 15 are a collaboration between the UC San Diego Library and Oceanside Museum of Art, which is holding a major exhibition of the artist’s work—Ted Meyer: Scarred for Life— from May 27 through September 17, 2017.