Honors Students Pursue Passion for Theatre

The School of Theatre & Music at The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is one of the strongest programs at UIC, consistently producing engaging work that showcases the talents of its students. UIC theatre students are able to pursue their passions for the performing arts and get experience learning from theatre professionals, while also making high quality and relevant theatre accessible to all members of the UIC community. 

The Honors College has many theatre students who have played major roles in UIC Theatre productions. This fall, the UIC Department of Theatre produced the play Electricidad by Luis Alfaro, a modern day reimagining of Sophocles’ Electra through the lens of East Los Angeles. The production alone featured the work of three Honors College students: Shaina Toledo, Rose Mozier, and, lastly, Karla Corona in the role of La Connie. 

Karla is a junior at UIC working towards her Bachelor’s in Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre. While she first auditioned for Electricidad because it is a requirement for all BFA students to audition for UIC productions, she was immediately drawn to this particular piece and the story it presented. As a Latina individual, Karla has experienced first hand how hard it can be to find roles that reflect her identity. Today in the theatre world the majority of roles continue to be written for white actors to play white characters, so it is even more powerful for young actors of color to find roles that allow them to honor their identity and culture. The emphasis on producing diverse plays is one of the aspects that Karla most appreciates about UIC and its theatre department. 

When she auditioned for Electricidad, as is the case when auditioning for all UIC productions, Karla first prepared a monologue that could apply to any of the characters in the play. She then received a callback, a second and more selective round of auditions, where she performed several monologues and scenes from the play. She was finally cast in the role of La Connie, one of the neighbors who make up the Greek chorus that support the story through background information and humor. Karla felt especially connected to this character, an older woman who offers advice and support, because she is an older woman in the community who offers advice and support because she has had women like this in her own life who she could draw on for inspiration for her performance. 

Throughout her time at UIC, Karla has come to greatly appreciate both her place in the Honors College and the Department of Theatre. Although they may seem different from one another at first glance, she found several similarities between the two areas. They are both small communities that are able to closely support their students in their academic and extracurricular endeavors, and play important roles in  their students’ careers at UIC. However, Karla sees opportunities for more collaboration between the Honors College and the theatre, as well as other departments within the College of Art and Design on campus. Many of the Honors College students, regardless of their major, are interested in theatre and other forms of art. One of the aspects of the Honors College that Karla has enjoyed the most are the various Honors cores and seminars offered on a wide variety of topics. She believes that offering even more Honors College courses focused on theatre, and other areas in the arts, would be a very effective and fulfilling way to get more Honors students involved in creative endeavors.

Karla is one of many students who have made the most of their opportunities at UIC, engaging in two of the richest and most important parts of this university’s culture. The work she and others have put into productions such as Electricidad illustrate how much great work is produced by students across campus.