UMW Theatre

Beyond the Classroom Endowment Brings the World to UMW Students

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University of Mary Washington senior Nathaniel Huff ’24 attended 19 professional theatre performances in the span of three weeks – more than most patrons see in a year – on the UMW Theatre in London trip last summer.

A theatre major, Nathaniel grew up in a small town with limited access to his chosen field. He said that going abroad exposed him and his classmates to a wide variety of plays and musicals, including several world premieres.

“There is no doubt that the productions I witnessed are influencing my work and giving me ideas on how to engage with the creative process,” said Nathaniel, who is currently directing a play he discovered at England’s National Theatre for his senior project.

UMW senior Nathaniel Huff received the Beyond the Classroom Education Abroad Scholarship to go on the UMW Theatre in London trip last summer. Alumna Mary T. Bradley MacPherson ’71 has sponsored a challenge, which will unlock $10,000 for study abroad if 200 gifts are made to Beyond the Classroom in the month of November. Photo courtesy of Nathaniel Huff.
Nathaniel (back row, third from right) saw 19 productions during the three-week trip, including the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Maggie O’Farrell’s ‘Hamnet’ (a fictional account of Shakespeare’s son) in Stratford-upon-Avon. Photo courtesy of UMW Theatre.

Nathaniel’s participation in the six-credit course, which also took students to the Globe Theatre and other Shakespearean sites, was made possible by UMW’s Beyond the Classroom Endowment (BtC). The initiative, founded three years ago, supports experiential learning such as study abroad, undergraduate research, internships, and travel to academic conferences. Now, the Beyond the Classroom Education Abroad Scholarship, first awarded last year, has given students like Nathaniel the funding to study overseas.

“BtC was started to provide access to those learning experiences that make such a critical difference in the education and lives of our students,” said College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Keith Mellinger. According to UMW’s Center for International Education, one in three students study abroad while attending Mary Washington. “These opportunities set our students apart from others in a very crowded and highly competitive work environment,” Dean Mellinger said.

Generous donors have raised more than $600,000 for the initiative, which is already being used by UMW students. The long-term goal, Dean Mellinger said, is creating a $1 million endowed fund, which will generate tens of thousands of dollars for students each year.

Mary T. Bradley MacPherson '71 (right) with President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputová. Photo courtesy of Mary T. Bradley MacPherson '71.
Mary T. Bradley MacPherson ’71 (right) with President of Slovakia Zuzana Čaputová. Photo courtesy of Mary T. Bradley MacPherson ’71.

Mary T. Bradley MacPherson ’71 has sponsored a challenge, which will unlock $10,000 for study abroad if 200 gifts are made to Beyond the Classroom in the month of November. The timing coincides with International Education Week, Nov. 13-17. Donations made on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 28, will also count toward the total.

“It’s enriching to see how other cultures live and to be exposed to different perspectives,” said Mary, who majored in American Studies at Mary Washington. Her liberal arts education prepared her for a career promoting organizational capacity building, educational exchange, and entrepreneurship, which brought her to 45 countries across the globe. Since 2010, she led the Slovak-American Foundation, strengthening business partnerships between the two countries, until the nonprofit ceased this year after reaching its final goals.

Mary T. Bradley MacPherson, as a junior at Mary Washington, in the Battlefield Yearbook. Photo courtesy of UMW Special Collections and University Archives.
Mary T. Bradley MacPherson, as a junior at Mary Washington, in the Battlefield Yearbook. Photo courtesy of UMW Special Collections and University Archives.

A longtime CAS Advisory Board member, Mary has supported BtC since its inception and said she hopes her challenge will inspire her fellow alumni to give. “A small amount of money goes a long way in helping students have life-changing experiences.”

That’s true of sophomore Grace Gower ’26, a historic preservation major who went to France last summer for a course taught by UMW Professor of Historic Preservation Andréa Livi Smith and offered through the MICEFA consortium of French universities.

A Paris native, Dr. Smith led Grace and her classmates through the urban and architectural history of the City of Lights, touring museums, cathedrals, city parks, catacombs and world-famous sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles, which Grace captured through photography.

“The Beyond the Classroom Endowment helped pay my tuition fees for the course when my family was in a bit of a rough patch,” said Grace, who plans to pursue a career in historic preservation and urban planning. “I’m very grateful that it relieved some of the costs so I could take advantage of this unique opportunity.”

UMW sophomore Grace Gower (fifth from left) received the Beyond the Classroom Education Abroad Scholarship, which enabled her to go on a faculty-led UMW in France trip to study historic preservation in Paris. Here, she and her classmates visit the gravesite of Eliza Monroe Hay, daughter of President James Monroe. Hay was born in Fredericksburg and died in Paris. Photo courtesy of UMW Professor of Historic Preservation Andréa Livi Smith.
Grace’s photo of the Musee d’Orsay, an art museum in Paris housed in a former train station. Photo by Grace Gower.
Grace’s photo of the Cité de l’Architecture, an architecture museum in Paris. Photo by Grace Gower.

Learn more about Beyond the Classroom or make your gift. For information, please contact Jeremy Vaughn ’08 in the Office of University Advancement at jvaughn@umw.edu or 540-654-2063. Visit UMW’s Center for International Education to learn more about study abroad opportunities at Mary Washington.

Article by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04 

Why I Give: Shaun McBride ’22

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Shaun McBride set the stage, saving up for his generous gift weeks before the University of Mary Washington’s Giving Day last year. Shaun, then a senior at Mary Washington, woke up that morning, grabbed his credit card, and donated $1,000 to UMW’s Department of Theatre and Dance.

Shaun McBride '22
Shaun McBride ’22

“I was nurtured by our incredible faculty and staff,” said Shaun, a theatre major and arts administration minor who mastered aspects of his craft at Mary Washington, including acting, running the box office, and managing the house.

Shaun’s donation contributed to the more than $55,000 that UMW Theatre raised that day through its Take the Stage With Us Challenge. He hopes to inspire others to give to the theatre department, and other areas across the University, on the sixth annual Mary Wash Giving Day, which will be held on Tuesday, April 4. With a theme of #TogetherUMW, the entire Mary Washington community is invited to take part in the 24-hour event, raising funds to support students and programs.

“We see Mary Wash Day as a celebration of who we are, what we do, and what we can achieve together,” said Jon Reynolds ’07, UMW Theatre’s director of marketing and audience services.

Shaun served as the narrator in UMW Theatre's production ofThe Rocky Horror Show in November 2022.
Shaun served as the narrator in UMW Theatre’s production of
The Rocky Horror Show in November 2022.

Making the gift was a “pay-it-forward” moment for Shaun, who earned the Albert R. Klein Memorial, Edward Alvey Jr., and Lee Wingate Pappandreou ’40 scholarships, which helped cover the cost of tuition and made his future more attainable, he said. An aspiring theatre teacher, he’s now pursuing a master’s degree and PreK-12 licensure through UMW’s College of Education.

“Shaun’s curiosity and joy are an inspiration,” Theatre Department Chair Gregg Stull ’82 said. “His passion, skill, and empathy will create an amazing space for his students to learn and grow.”

Shaun’s penchant for performing began in Amherst, Virginia, where he appeared in school pageants, community theatre, and show choir. “I had teachers who encouraged me to break out of my shell and pursue a career that I loved,” he said.

At Mary Washington, he found the same kind of support from classmates and faculty members like Stull, Helen Housley, and Cate Brewer. He also served as a resident assistant and joined PRISM and UMW’s NAACP chapter.

Cast as Friar Francis in Much Ado About Nothing, Shaun prepared to take the stage for the first time in college, but even rehearsals couldn’t have prepared him for the production’s online pivot due to the pandemic. Still, UMW Theatre persevered, and so did he, embracing new technologies, virtual classes, and pertinent projects. “It gave me the motivation and optimism to keep moving forward,” he said of his role in organizing UMW Theatre’s archives.

Live performances returned for Shaun’s senior year, giving him the chance to be involved in all four productions, including serving as assistant to the director for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. “It made my heart happy,” Shaun said. “It was truly gratifying.”

So was his decision to make his Giving Day donation, Shaun said. “I want to help other students have the same incredible experience at UMW that I did.”

Shaun on UMW Theatre's New York City trip in 2022.
Shaun on UMW Theatre’s New York City trip in 2022.

Q: What would you say to encourage donors to give to UMW Theatre on Giving Day on April 4?
A: Your gifts can help the Department of Theatre and Dance continue to offer students the same supportive atmosphere that I found at Mary Washington. UMW students know they can always call on a faculty or staff member for advice, to seek their opinions, or even for just a laugh. You can help students by funding scholarships, internship assistance, production opportunities, and much more.

Q: What’s your favorite place on campus?
A: I’ve made so many happy memories at Klein Theatre. But the new theatre (set to break ground in 2024) will offer better accessibility and empower the feeling of community on campus. It’s important that those who create art have facilities that support student growth.

Q: What’s your most meaningful Mary Wash memory?
A: The opening of the first show I ever directed in Studio 115. The play was White, by James Ijames, about a white gay artist who hires a black actress to portray the creator of his painting so that the work will be accepted into a prestigious exhibit featuring artists of color. I had the immense pleasure of working with talented students to design, act, and produce this show in our black box theatre. It was an unforgettable experience that will help define my career.

Learn more about Mary Wash Day.

This story originally ran in the Advancing Mary Washington newsletter and was written by Assistant Director of Advancing Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04. 

Theatre Alum and Scholarship Recipient Creates Costumes For Hit Shows on Hulu, HBO

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Alicia Austin ’16 had never even attended a play before coming to the University of Mary Washington. But after her first costume design course, she realized theatre was the perfect fit.

Alicia Austin '16 earned a bachelor's degree in theatre at Mary Washington and an MFA at Yale University. She has recently worked on the costume design teams for remakes of HBO’s 'Sex and the City' and Steven Spielberg’s 'West Side Story,' as well as the Hulu hit 'Only Murders in the Building.'
Alicia Austin ’16 earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre at Mary Washington and an MFA at Yale University. She has recently worked on the costume design teams for remakes of HBO’s ‘Sex and the City’ and Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story,’ as well as the Hulu hit ‘Only Murders in the Building.’

“It was so interesting to me that I changed my major,” said Alicia, who planned to study psychology but found elements of that in her new field. “I discovered that costuming could be a visual language to express each character’s personality.”

Now she’s putting those sartorial skills to work. After earning a bachelor’s degree in theatre from Mary Washington – and the UMW Performing Arts for the Community Scholarship and Rosemary Ingham Scholarship in Theatre – Alicia completed an MFA at Yale University. Graduating just before COVID shuttered Broadway, she made a leap from stage to screen, joining design teams for remakes of HBO’s Sex and the City and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, as well as the Hulu hit Only Murders in the Building, which just began its second season.

It’s a success story she’s been stitching together a little at a time.

“I grew up sewing out of utility, because it was cheaper to buy fabric and make clothes myself,” said Alicia, who began coursework at Mary Washington, but took a break from her studies to open an upscale consignment shop in downtown Fredericksburg. “I’m not someone who goes around saying ‘I love fashion,’ but clothing always held a deeper meaning for me.”

She sold funky jackets and floral frocks, designer jeans and buttery leather boots at Madeline Ruth and later Forage. With a prime location in a college town, her small secondhand business was booming. But she still wanted to earn a college degree, so she returned to Mary Washington.

At Mary Washington, Alicia designed costumes for Leslye Headland’s workplace satire, ‘Assistance.’ In the photo: Madeleine Dilley ’17. Photo by Geoff Greene.
Alicia also designed costumes for UMW Theatre’s production of Bryony Lavery’s chilling drama, ‘Frozen.’ In this photo: Jackie Filicko ’16 and Jake Crowley ’16. Photo by Geoff Greene.
Alex Newton ’17 and Lauren Frautschi ’18 in UMW Theatre’s production of Leslye Headland’s ‘Assistance,’ wearing costumes designed by Alicia Austin ’16. Photo by Geoff Greene.

Choosing from an ensemble of electives, Alicia discovered fabric modification, patterning and costume design. She had no idea what these courses entailed, she said, “but they sounded very cool.” So she reached out to Department of Theatre and Dance Chair Gregg Stull about switching majors and fast-tracking the next two years of her degree.

“Alicia brought both intention and passion to everything she did – every class, production and project,” Professor Stull said. “She’s a remarkable and gifted artist, and I’m eager to see the great work in her future.”

Though she continued to operate her shop, Alicia said the UMW Performing Arts for the Community Scholarship and Rosemary Ingham Scholarship in Theatre were the key to helping her flourish in college.

“The financial freedom they provided allowed me the time to focus on my classes and work on productions,” she said. “Receiving these scholarship awards gave value to my academic and artistic pursuits.”

Running her own business also helped Alicia set the stage for the pressures of doubling up on classes, while creating costumes for UMW Theatre productions like Frozen and Assistance.

“The caliber of education I had at Mary Washington prepared me to seek the same level of academic experience at Yale,” Alicia said.

After UMW, Alicia earned an MFA at Yale School of Drama, where she designed costumes for theatre productions like William Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest.’
Alicia also designed costumes for regional theatre productions such as Baltimore Center Stage’s production of Noah Diaz’s ‘Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally.’ Photo by Teresa Castracane.
At Yale School of Drama, Alicia showcased the skills she developed at UMW, designing costumes for Em Weinstein & Michael Breslin’s ‘Arden,’ an adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It.’ Photo by T. Charles Erickson.

She thrived in the notoriously rigorous three-year theatre program at the Ivy League school, earning the prestigious Princess Grace Award, for budding theatre, dance and film artists, in 2019.

Now based in Brooklyn, Alicia still loves the stage, but her work on Only Murders, a streaming show about three amateur podcasters who attempt to solve a homicide in their fancy New York apartment building, allows her talent to reach a wider audience.

“The caliber of education I had at Mary Washington prepared me to seek the same level of academic experience at Yale,” Alicia says.
“The caliber of education I had at Mary Washington prepared me to seek the same level of academic experience at Yale,” Alicia says.

Her team’s dapper designs – including Selena Gomez’s marigold faux-fur coat, Martin Short’s royal purple attire and Steve Martin’s dashing fedora – have landed in the likes of Elle, InStyle and Buzzfeed. But Alicia says the real stars are the leaders of the all-female costume crew.

“They’ve taught me so much about the kinds of clothes you put on characters to represent who they are,” said Alicia, who might not have captured her current role without the education and scholarships she received at Mary Washington.

“If you’re ambitious and can figure out what you want,” she said, “there will always be someone at UMW to guide you and help you reach those goals.”

– Article written by Assistant Director of Advancement Communications Jill Graziano Laiacona ’04. Betty Emrey of Mindpower Inc. contributed to the reporting and writing of this story, which originally ran on the UMW news site. 

For information on endowing scholarships at the University of Mary Washington, please contact the Office of University Advancement at advance@umw.edu or 540-654-1024.