24 October 2014
Prof Jason Edward Hale, Dean of Music and Performing Art Department of Bilkent University, Turkey visited the Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) for four days during the Rising Artists’ Works event hosted by STA. During the visit, STA’s College of Continuing Education and Bilkent University’s Department of Music and Performing Art signed a framework agreement for the establishment of cooperation relationship between the two sides. STA’s Vice President Gong Baorong and Vice President Guoyu met with Prof Jason Edward Hale respectively for friendly talks.
Located in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, Bilkent University is Turkey’s top-ranking comprehensive university. Before taking up his teaching role in Bilkent University, Prof Jason Edward Hale taught at the New York University. He has over 20 years of industry experience and is a senior theatre director and actor. In 2012, the play “The Glass Menegerie” directed by him was staged at the Turkish National Theatre. The play was on show for two years continuously and won a number of national and international awards. On this visit to STA, he held the Viola Spolin Workshop on 19 October. Fourteen students from the Year 2013 and 2014 undergraduate programs in acting of STA’s College of Continuing Education participated in the workshop. The students interacted actively with Prof Jason Edward Hale and showed strong interest in his novel training techniques.
Apart from holding the workshop, Prof Jason Edward Hale also watched the performances of the Rising Artists’ Works event. He was deeply impressed by the Broadway classics performed by the students of musical theatre major. On the last day of his visit, Prof Jason Edward Hale went to the Traditional Chinese Opera School on STA’s Lianhua Road Campus where he watched the classes of a number of specialties including Peking opera, musical theatre and dance.
It is believed that the cooperation between STA and Bilkent University will bring more development opportunities to the students, teaching and administrative staff, teaching and research of both institutions.
