Drama Rephotography
This digital exhibition presents drama photography from the Notre Dame of Maryland University Archives with rephotography from Spring 2022.
During a research sabbatical in Fall 2019, Professor Kate Bossert, working with Jennifer Kinniff, Head of Archives and Special Collections at Loyola Notre Dame Library, located records of an outdoor production of Shakespeare's As You Like It, performed by Notre Dame's students in June 1923. These records are among the earliest references to Shakespearean performance on Notre Dame's campus and part of a tradition of outdoor campus theater in the early 20th century. This tradition inspired Professor Bossert and director Ann Turiano to produce a 99-year anniversary revival of the play outdoors in April 2022.
Below, the 2022 cast of As You Like It appears next to what is likely an image of the 1923 production.
Left image: Likely Notre Dame's production of As You Like It, 1923. Right image: Cast of Notre Dame's production of As You Like It, April 2022, photographed by Kwame Shaka Opare. From L to R: Matthew Gamerdinger, Alex Perry, Anisah Khattak, Hermione Riggs, Chris Cotterman, Audrey Schlamp, Anne-Marie Feinkeng, Angelina Moree, Taryn Comizio, Robin Riha-Lopez, Brianna Malkus, Bethany Jessee, Mary Kate O'Callaghan, and Lucius Robinson.
Prof. Delanoy and Sr. Theu Nguyen work on the shot while Prabina Ale Magar holds the reference image.
In March 2022, Professor Geoff Delanoy and students in his digital photography course collaborated with members of the As You Like It cast and crew to rephotograph versions of this early image. The project celebrated the Spring show and also allowed students to explore changes at the University and its surroundings, as well cultural shifts.
Sr. Theu Nguyen captures an image.
Professor Delanoy invited students to explore rephotography as an artform that can communicate the passage of time through the juxtaposition of historic and contemporary photographs. Students could choose to reproduce the original image as closely as possible or blend new and historical elements inspired by the original.
For this large group shot, Sr. Theu Nguyen and Morgan Gause scouted campus locations to capture the woodland scene.
Photograph by Theu Nguyen. L to R: Sophie Rotmark, Ashiara Freeman, Audrey Schlamp, Bethany Jessee, Alex Perry, Mary Kate O'Callaghan, Kelsey Bialozynski, Aniyah Plumer, Brianna Malkus, Korie Alexis Sharp, and Hermione Riggs
Photograph by Theu Nguyen.
Photograph by Morgan Gause.
Mary Johnson as Pan, 1918.
In addition to the As You Like It image, students rephotographed some of the earliest images of outdoor theater preserved in the Notre Dame archive.
Here, Mary Johnson poses as Pan in 1918, with an unidentified actor in the background. Pan, the Greek god of shepherds, was a frequent figure in many of the pastoral pageants performed outdoors at Notre Dame in the early decades of the 20th century. The actor plays pipes, representing Pan's link to music.
Janiell Johnson and Aniyah Plumer collaborated on rephotography with actors Angelina Moree and Anisah Khattak. Using a landscaping rock between Fourier and Meletia Halls, they recreated the platform in the original.
Photograph by Janiell Johnson and Aniyah Plumer. L to R: Anisah Khattak and Angelina Moree.
Angelina Moree as Pan, 2022. Photograph by Janiell Johnson.
Photograph by Aniyah Plumer.
Photograph by Aniyah Plumer.
Photograph by Janiell Johnson.
Catherine Welsh and Agnes Lyons, 1925.
"A Forest Masque" was one of the early pastorals performed outdoors in 1925. According to the pageant's synopsis, a Prince of Fairyland falls under a spell of melancholy. Many at court attempt to cheer the Prince with dancing and festivity, but only Pan can help. Pan summons the Tree Spirits who, in turn, bring a Fairy Princess to break the spell. Here, the Fairy couple poses near Meletia Hall.
Sophie Rotmark consults with Korie Alexis Sharp and Ashiara Freeman.
Sophie Rotmark re-photographed this image in the original campus location with Korie Alexis Sharp and Ashiara Freeman.
As You Like It director Ann Turiano assists Korie Alexis Sharp with costuming.
For this image, costumes from Drama stock approximated the originals. Students also contributed costume elements from their personal collections.
Photograph by Sophie Rotmark. L to R: Korie Alexis Sharp and Ashiara Freeman.
In another image from "A Forest Masque," members of the Fairy court appear with a Jester on the steps of Meletia Hall.
"A Forest Masque," 1925.
Morgan Gause captures the image.
Morgan Gause worked with Nez Blaho (Loyola University), Angelina Moree, Farida Danladani, and Alex Perry to recreate and capture the original pose.
Photograph by Morgan Gause. L to R: Nez Blaho, Angelina Moree, Farida Danladani, and Alex Perry.
Chantel Curry and Sr. Theu Nguyen collaborate on setting up the shot.
The full cast of "A Forest Masque" also appears on the steps of Meletia Hall in the original photography. The synopsis identifies a Jester (far left) and members of the Fairy court, including French peasants, Swedish folk dancers, Italian dancers, and a bear-keeper (top step), along with the Fairy Princess and Prince (front row). The archive preserves two versions this image, captured in front of one of Meletia's iconic lampposts.
Two extant versions of the cast picture for "A Forest Masque," 1925.
Theu Nguyen and Morgan Gause review images with Prof. Bossert.
Chantel Curry, Morgan Gause, and Sr. Theu Nguyen collaborated to capture different aspects of the originals.
Photograph by Chantel Curry. Back Row L to R: Angelina Moree, Alex Perry, Nez Blaho, Audrey Schlamp, Bethany Jessee, Sophie Rotmark, Hermione Riggs, and Kelsey Bialozynski. Front Row L to R: Brianna Malkus, Korie Alexis Sharp, Ashiara Freeman, and Aniyah Plumer.
Photograph by Morgan Gause.
Photograph by Theu Nguyen.
The group prepares the shot.
M. Seiler, E. Brachen, and R.M. Noonan, 1942.
Students also rephotographed images from early campus Shakespeare productions, including images from two productions of Romeo and Juliet. In these images from 1942 and 1977, actors portray Romeo and Juliet with Friar Lawrence.
Diane D'Aiutolo, Michael Lanzi, and Don Sakers, 1977.
Records indicate that 1977 Romeo and Juliet production was a collaboration between Notre Dame and Loyola University Maryland Drama programs. Fittingly, the 2022 production of As You Like It also featured Loyola students, including cast members Anne-Marie Fienkeng, Mary Kate O'Callaghan, and Audrey Schlamp, who posed for the new Romeo and Juliet images.
Prof. Delanoy works with Kritika KC on interior lighting.
Kritika KC and Farida Danladani scouted new interior locations to recreate the original images.
Photograph by Kritika KC. L to R: Audrey Schlamp, Mary Kate O'Callaghan, and Anne-Marie Fienkeng.
Photograph by Farida Danladani. L to R: Anne-Marie Fienkeng, Anisah Khattak, and Mary Kate O'Callaghan.
Photograph by Farida Danladani. L to R: Audrey Schlamp, Mary Kate O'Callaghan, and Anne-Marie Fienkeng.
Romeo and Juliet play program, 1977.
Ashiara Freeman and Sophie Rotmark reimagined a sketch from the play program for the 1977 production of Romeo and Juliet.
Photo editing by Ashiara Freeman, source photos by Sophie Rotmark.
Photo editing by Ashiara Freeman, source photos by Sophie Rotmark.
Sophie Rotmark captures Ashiara Freeman and Korie Alexis Sharp next to Fourier Hall.
Thank you for exploring this digital collection. Please visit our program pages for more information about the Photography and Drama programs at Notre Dame of Maryland University.
