The School of Dramatic Arts changed the Bachelor of Arts students’ fall production, historically a fully produced play, to a staged reading of “Antigone X” following budget constraints at the school. The B.A.s will have two spring productions, “The Laramie Project” and “The Gods Are Not to Blame”; only the latter is a full-scale production. 

While staged readings vary by production, most do not involve lighting, audio or props. Costuming tends to be minimal, and actors will normally stand in one place for the duration of the show and have their script on hand.

In a statement to the Daily Trojan, SDA Dean Emily Roxworthy wrote that financial constraints forced SDA to reconsider the production of the upcoming season and “reimagine” how SDA approaches dramatic arts education.

“Like all schools and units across the university, we were asked to reassess our entire budget allocation in light of current financial considerations,” Roxworthy stated. “This led us to reconsider how theatrical productions had traditionally been structured and to explore new formats that could enhance rather than limit the student experience.”

Kaylin Xie, a sophomore majoring in dramatic arts, said she had done a staged reading at a community college and learned a lot from the experience. However, she said she preferred full productions where she got to act in costume on a set with sound and lighting design, both for the experience and the larger audiences that full productions attract. 

“I hope [SDA] can put some lighting, and maybe sound and blocking into [the staged reading]. Every staged reading varies, but you can really tell a story through lighting and sound,” Xie said. “I’ve also seen stage readings. I think it’s a great way to get to know plays and find monologues, but I don’t know the output. People normally don’t show up for stage readings.”

B.A. students acting in “Antigone X” will work with guest director Sabra Williams as well as with “Antigone X” playwright Paula Cizmar, according to Roxworthy’s statement. The staged reading format will also prevent the production and design students, who make up “only 12%” of SDA’s students, from being overworked. 

“The staged reading format not only allows for a sustainable workload for our production and design students but also offers educational advantages for our acting students,” the statement read. “It will allow acting students to focus intensively on script analysis and character development, while meaningfully engaging with complex, socially relevant material.”

Isabella Lobaina, a sophomore majoring in musical theater as well as public relations, said she had recently done a staged reading produced by USC CommUnity Arts Collective, and viewed them as similar to the early stages of a fully produced play when actors are getting feedback and early reactions from a preview audience. While she was still trying to “wrap her head around” SDA’s decision to pivot to staged readings for the B.A.s, Lobania said she hoped SDA allowed the audience to participate in the show.

“A really big thing I hope SDA takes away from [the staged reading] is getting the audience involved in some way,” Lobania said. “I do hope they really dive deep into the dramaturgical aspects of it or the historical parts of it, and really have the audience be engaged with [the show].”

Lobania said she felt the switch to primarily staged readings for the B.A. students reflected SDA’s dismissal of the B.A. class. Lobaina also said tensions occasionally arose between B.A. and Bachelor’s of Fine Arts students regarding which cohort had the better actors or did the most extracurricular activities, a divide which Lobaina said the shift away from fully produced plays for the B.A.s might exacerbate.

“It’s a bummer, mainly because so many of the B.A.s are so incredibly talented,” Lobaina said. “They probably could make it into the B.F.A. if they decided to audition, but people want to keep their options open.” 

Xie said she was worried that fewer students would audition for the staged reading than they would for a full-scale production, and that the switch to staged readings might limit the B.A.’s opportunities to perform for a full theater. 

“I feel like [B.A.s] already don’t have that much opportunity through SDA. The B.F.A.s are guaranteed shows, the master’s students are guaranteed shows. [B.A.s], we can audition for some of their shows to be smaller parts, but then we have to register for their classes, and normally those class times conflict with classes we have to take,” Xie said. “I feel a little robbed.”

Disclaimer: Isabella Lobaina formerly served as a staff member on the Daily Trojan’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee and social media (TikTok/Reels) section in Fall 2024. She is no longer affiliated with this paper.