Forest Whitaker to be honored as USC School of Dramatic Arts celebrates 75 years
The school will host a hybrid benefit celebration on Sept. 9 honoring five of its most committed and illustrious alumni, including the Oscar-winning actor.
Sacrifice Zone: Los Angeles uses theater and media arts to explore climate change in the community
USC’s Paula L. Cizmar harnessed theater arts to explore the stories at the heart of sacrifice zones — areas blighted by environmental contamination.
Arts become a tool for climate action in the hands of USC students
The first round of 12 Trojan grant winners will pursue storytelling projects on sustainability and environmental justice through the Arts and Climate Collective.
Environmental scholars guide students telling stories of ecology and conservation
Scientists at the USC Wrigley Institute are collaborating with students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts to convey scientific research through creative outlets like video games, animation and screenplays.
2 USC faculty members named Guggenheim Fellows
Art historian Lisa Pon is recognized for exploring Renaissance artist Raphael’s collaborations, while composer Nina C. Young is known for her genre-defying work.
Netflix’s big bet on foreign content and international viewers could change how people see the world
TV and movies are one way that people make sense of the world, USC Annenberg’s Paolo Sigismondi notes — but they can be inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.
Student helps teens build relationships with their grandparents — by documenting them on film
After seeing the distance between kids and their elders in his own Jewish community, Ethan Kurzrock developed the Haggadah Project for L.A. middle schoolers.
Why Christianity put away its dancing shoes — only to find them again centuries later
The tradition of Christian dance did not happen overnight. For the first five centuries of Christianity, the church opposed dancing. But as time went on dance continued to be integrated into Christianity.
Honoring the life of Sandy Reed through student and alumni programming
The Sandy Reed Endowed Professional Development Fund, created in honor of the late alum, will endow professional development programming at the USC School of Dramatic Arts.
Predicting the future of the entertainment industry after COVID
While film productions paused and movie theaters shuttered entirely, streaming services grew by leaps and bounds. USC experts examine what this means for all things entertainment.
Godzilla vs. Kong: A functional morphologist uses science to pick a winner
In the epic battle between the giant reptile and the giant primate, each would have relative biological advantages and disadvantages.
USC professor lends his voice acting talents to Netflix
John DeMita of the USC School of Dramatic Arts looks to both students and alumni when casting voices for his Netflix directorial projects.
Nomadland and The Queen’s Gambit win USC Libraries Scripter Awards
The prize, in its 33rd year, honors the author and screenwriter of the year’s best adaptation of the printed word into film and episodic television.
How a Hollywood hitmaker-turned-professor brought virtual filmmaking to USC
Gail Katz has produced smash successes like Air Force One and The Perfect Storm. Now, she’s helping students at the USC School of Cinematic Arts embrace a new era of filmmaking.
When Health Workers Fight Exhaustion, USC Musicians Soothe Their Souls
Artists send uplifting tunes that provide moments of relief during the pandemic — and you can watch and hear some of them on video here.
Animator Yoo Lee shines in stop motion
After 20 years in the fashion industry, Lee began making DIY stop motion music videos to entertain her young daughter. Now Lee is a standout film student.
Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship advances equity and diversity in musical theater
Funded by the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, this endowed award is a first for the USC School of Dramatic Arts’ Musical Theatre program.
Annenberg Inclusion Initiative releases study of representation in Netflix original productions
The streaming service generally receives high marks, though the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities rarely see themselves reflected on screen.
Two stars are born: New documentaries feature musical theater students
USC School of Dramatic Arts students Alana Bright and Nia Sarfo star in HBO Max’s Homeschool Musical: Class of 2020 and Netflix’s Giving Voice, respectively.
Celebrating Black history: Trojans create art inspired by social justice
More than 100 participants of all artistic skill levels attended “Black History in the Making” and enjoyed an evening of communal expression.
USC students gather to tell the story of the African diaspora
The ambitious virtual collaboration brings together artists from across the university to share a more complete history of the African American experience.
Shift to online learning allows Trojan to balance biology studies with a ballet career
Gabriella Schultze has been dancing with a company in Salt Lake City by day while pursuing her USC Dornsife studies at night.
USC School of Dramatic Arts announces new Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
The office will offer programming and serve as space to empower collaborative and cultural innovation.
From a distance, USC Thornton upperclassmen find a way to welcome new students
Unable to throw their usual welcoming party due to the pandemic, students in the Popular Music program organized a game night to embrace the latest members of the Trojan Family.