Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
Mandell Professionals in Residence Project (MPiRP)
A Department of Performing Arts collaborative program bringing theatre and dance professionals on to the Drexel campus for performances, production and instruction.
Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company
Photographer: Par Tangjaitreng
The Mandell Professionals in Residence Project, which is supported in part by a grant from the Samuel P. Mandell Foundation is an ongoing collaboration with the professional theatre and dance communities of Philadelphia and Drexel University. Members of the Drexel University community will be enriched by the high quality of dance and theatrical productions being offered through MPiRP in the Mandell Theater. In addition to receiving discounted tickets for MPiRP performance events, students will benefit from workshops and opportunities to gain hands on experience with established professionals.
"It's great to be able to get a professional credit to our name at such a young age, and the fact that they (the professional artists) are so willing and so happy to share this with us. It's been a really great experience." Rachel Semigran, Junior - English
"Its completely changed the way I work seeing how they carry themselves in a rehearsal atmosphere and how they carry themselves in performance and I think that it has brought all of us to the next level." Jeremy Toll, Freshman - Music Industry
Click here to hear more about what students and professionals have to say about MPiRP
Philadelphia is fast becoming one of the most important places in the country for innovative and exciting theater and dance. MPiRP will provide valuable space for some of these up and coming performing arts organizations and artists. Drexel hopes to be an artistic home and fill a void for quality performance space in the Philadelphia performance community.
The Pig Iron Theater Company
Residencies vary from a single artist (actor, playwright, director, choreographer, designer) to a full company in residence. The specifics of each residency vary depending on the needs and talents of the particular partners. Each unique collaboration is designed to benefit both Drexel and the professionals with the goal of giving students a unique educational experience and offering the professionals in residence the resources and diverse talents that Drexel has to offer. Professional residencies have full use of the Mandell Theater complex including rehearsal space, along with limited use of scene and costume shops and a 400+ seat proscenium stage with a fly system (Theater Specs).
Current Residency Events:
Theater
- Philadelphia Premiere of the Award-Winning Show: PROM, May 1-11th. - Conceived and Directed by Whit MacLaughlin and New Paradise Laboratories. Presented by the Mandell Professionals in Residence Project (MPiRP) in the Mandell Theatre at Drexel University.
See the right of passage celebration that is everyone's high school prom turned inside-out at breakneck speed by New Paradise Laboratories with Drexel students involved in many areas of the production. Staged by NPL as a sporting event, students vs. chaperones, PROM is a bittersweet, wickedly funny, and thoughtful barrage of questions and open-ended answers set to a fantastic wall of music and outrageous imagery. PROM is a compelling journey for those looking forward and those looking back - and those not sure where to look.
PROM was originally created and produced at the Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis. MPiRP is supported in part by a grant from the Samuel P. Mandell Foundation.
Tickets: $20 general/$10 students/$7 Drexel students with ID
For Tickets or information call 215-923-0334 or visit www.newparadiselaboratories.org
Current and past MPiRP participants
- The Pig Iron Theatre Company
- New Paradise Laboratories
- Siobhan Davies Dance & Carl Paris - Dance Lecture
- Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company
For more information or to apply to be considered for a residency please email Nick Anselmo