Reflecting on the case of Cyntoia Brown: Talking with the director of Murder to Mercy
USC Annenberg’s Dan Birman directed the documentary that led to Cyntoia Brown walking out of prison after serving 15 years of a life sentence for murder.
Can you teach ceramics and theater on Zoom? Yes, and here’s how
Architecture, drama and other hands-on courses may be tough to teach remotely, but these USC professors are making it work.
Hamilton choreographer pays a virtual visit to USC musical theater class
USC students were floored when three-time Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler stopped by an online class to teach them a few subtle moves.
USC senior dance students show off their choreography on Instagram
When COVID-19 caused the cancellation of USC Kaufman’s spring performance, the school’s seniors turned to social media for one last dance.
USC design students provide artistic outlets for Skid Row community during the pandemic
Students from the USC Roski School of Art and Design are helping to produce care packages for Skid Row residents who’ve lost their arts programming.
When USC’s TV station halted production, students and faculty moved their shows to Zoom
Some students literally wept when they found out Trojan Vision was shutting down. Then they started flexing their creative muscles and figuring out how they could get back on the air.
Now in isolation, USC acting students practice stage combat by fighting themselves — and we have video
Watch these Trojans wage solo battles in a fight choreography and acting course taught remotely on Zoom.
Drama students come together when a routine rehearsal becomes a final performance
The cast and crew of the USC School of Dramatic Arts’ The Secret Garden reflect on the last in-person gathering of their company amid increasing COVID-19 restrictions — and how they pulled off one last performance.
Through a Bill Withers tribute video, USC music professors spotlight how to perform remotely
Faculty in the Popular Music Program collaborated virtually on a musical eulogy aimed at lifting up their students — and themselves.
After production is canceled, cast turns to online workshop with playwright
Director Rena Heinrich — an assistant professor in the USC School of Dramatic Arts — finds that life imitates art (in this case, the play Fuente Ovejuna: A Disloyal Adaptation).
Huge USC Games Expo to grow even further — by going completely online
The largest university-sponsored gaming and esports event in the world is set for mid-May.
USC School of Cinematic Arts faculty teach students — and themselves — how to edit from home
Nancy Forner and her team at the film school have fought through initial complications to bring her editing classes to life online.
Through technology, USC’s museums and galleries keep people connected to the arts
For the first time in its more than 80-year history, the USC Fisher Museum of Art has closed its doors. Yet the museums and galleries of USC remain conduits to the arts for many.
Community shares thousands of masks, gloves and more at USC Pacific Asia Museum’s drive
The Pasadena museum turned its parking lot into a drive-thru donation center to protect Keck Medicine of USC health care staff on the pandemic’s front line.
USC music professors learn how to teach from a distance
Faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music are rethinking their curriculum to maximize opportunities for musicians practicing social distancing.
One Trojan’s perspective: Life, and learning, at home during the coronavirus
A USC School of Cinematic Arts student and his parents share their experience as he transitions to taking online classes from the family living room.
Los Angeles Philharmonic, KUSC and KDFC team to present At Home with Gustavo
The special on-air and online series — which has been created in response to COVID-19 — features selections curated by the noted conductor plus personal reflections on the music that keeps us together, even when we’re apart.
Former child actor has been recast as an assistant professor at USC
A child actor who played Julius Rottwinkle in the movie Matilda, Leor Hackel has joined USC Dornsife as an assistant professor of psychology.
Repairing instruments keeps USC Thornton alums around the music they love
Though instrument repair isn’t always lucrative work, it can be a satisfying way to make a living beyond the symphony hall. Meet some Trojans who have done just that.
USC playwright pens new ensemble piece for third-year acting students
Boni B. Alvarez, an adjunct lecturer at the USC School of Dramatic Arts, wrote Guarded specifically for a group of nine MFA Acting students.
A game show champ and USC Dornsife alum makes his mark on Hollywood
Early stints on Jeopardy! and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire fed Ken Basin’s love for Hollywood, where he now oversees business affairs for Paramount Television Studios.
New course on acting for video games explores the technical side of performing
The exclusive USC School of Dramatic Arts class — hosted in a production studio in Encino — focuses on gaming-centric specifics like facial capture and battle chatter.
Stand-up comedy lecturer reassures students that failure is part of the routine
As both a comedian and a teacher, Judith Shelton encourages her students at the USC School of Dramatic Arts to take risks and celebrate their imperfections.
Rod and Elsie Nakamoto endow new fund to support USC Kaufman student travel
A gift from the USC trustee and his wife will fund travel opportunities for students at the USC Kaufman School of Dance.