Aubria Battle

BFA-Dance, Choreography/Performance, Minor in Psychology

Hometown: Wake Forest, North Carolina

What was it that led you to pursue a life in the arts?

I’ve been an artist for the majority of my life, so it only made sense for me to pursue an education in the fine arts. During my childhood, I was exposed to music, dance training, piano lessons, and creative production. My journey as a dancer began at age four. I knew from an early age that I wanted to be a performer: there was something specifically about being on stage that felt like home.

Why did you choose UNCG’s College of Visual and Performing Arts?

The School of Dance at UNCG felt like the best of both worlds—conservatory training in a large, liberal arts setting, and that’s what I wanted as my college experience. UNCG has an essence like no other school, it felt like new beginnings and home all in one. I’ve always yearned for a space that was safe, open to collaboration, and diverse. UNCG and the School of Dance embodied these qualities.

You are also getting a Minor in Psychology. How does that fit with your Dance degree?

I connected on the mental health aspect of dance and how it can be used as a form of therapy. I noticed the correlation between mental health and movement whether it’s artistic—like dancing—or simply going for a walk. These observations inspired me to learn more about the psychology program at UNCG. In the future, I want to become a dance therapist who focuses more on the mental wellbeing of a person by giving access to people from other walks of life to connect with each other and themselves.

How was CVPA/UNCG a good fit for you?

My experience at the College of Visual and Performing Arts was one-of-a-kind. I am beyond grateful for the School of Dance. It was the very first dance environment where I felt valued and seen. The faculty supported me while challenging my ideas. UNCG has supported me by providing a variety of additional resources like counseling and adjustments for my learning disability (Attention-Deficit Disorder). I wouldn’t have made it this far without the collective effort in my undergraduate career.

What is your favorite thing about CVPA, UNCG, and/or Greensboro?

My favorite thing about UNCG is how diverse the environment is. I have encountered so many people with different backgrounds who have added value to my learning experience.

What are your future plans?

I have so many plans! I’d like to continue widening my scope as a multidisciplinary artist. I’m currently into lighting design and want to establish myself in the technical theater field. With that being said, I’m planning on having my own discography with my music, continuing the body of work through movement, and all of the unknown things that I have yet to discover about myself.

What is something you gained at CVPA/UNCG that you will take with you on your next step in your journey?

I have discovered the power of advocating for myself, asking questions, collaboration, conversation, and observation. As a creative artist, “the process” is everything, and these qualities have enriched my learning. My mentor, Christopher Fleming, would always ask his students “What did you notice today?” to take a step outside of yourself and into the world. To honor Chris’s legacy, I’ve integrated his daily question as a part of my process and will continue to carry the conversations and collaborations that I’ve made with all of my professors on my next journey.

What is your advice for current or future Spartans?

Trust the process and be okay with the unknown. You cannot predict everything. You will fail at things, and that is okay. It’s all part of the process. Your learning experience is yours and no one else’s. So, be open to change and give yourself space to grow because you are constantly evolving as an individual.

Story by Terri W. Relos

Photo credit: Brandon Demery

GRAMMY award-winning jazz trumpeter and composer Chris Botti will take the stage at UNCG Auditorium on Friday, November 3rd, for a spectacular start to the UNC Greensboro Concert and Lecture Series (UCLS). 

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD, When I Fall In Love, Botti has become the largest-selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music, and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum, and Grammy Awards. Botti’s album, Impressions, won the Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental.  

Trumpet Professor Garrett Klein says the concert will be a treat for the community: 

“Mr. Botti’s playing transcends genres and has broad appeal. I think everyone who is a music lover should go to this concert – there will be something for everyone. Don’t miss this concert!” 

In addition to public presentations, every artist in the concert and lecture series does important work with UNCG students, such as holding masterclasses and seminars, often just hours before performing on stage.  

Klein is excited for students to have the opportunity to learn from Botti: 

“His trumpet playing is just gorgeous He has one of the best sounds of anyone out there and his musicianship is something special. I know our music students are going to enjoy working with him and hearing what he has to say about how he built his incredible career.” 

Over the past three decades, Botti has recorded and performed worldwide with the best in music, including Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Yo-Yo Ma, Michael Bublé, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Andrea Bocelli, Joshua Bell, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, and even Frank Sinatra. Hitting the road for as many as 300 days per year, the trumpeter has also performed with many of the finest symphonies and at some of the world’s most prestigious venues from Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl to the Sydney Opera House and the Real Teatro di San Carlo in Italy. 

 School of Music Director Charles Young is thrilled that Botti is coming to campus: 

“The UNC Greensboro Concert and Lecture Series is one of the great treasures of the Triad.  As the longest running series of its kind in North Carolina, we bring world-class performers like Chris Botti to our stages to entertain, to educate, and to enlighten us all.” 

Chris Botti is appearing at UNCG thanks to the generous support of UCLS Sponsors: Presenting Sponsors Joseph M. Bryan, Jr. and the Cemala Foundation; Hospitality Sponsor Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels; Underwriting Sponsor Well-Spring; and Media Sponsor Our State Magazine. 

Upcoming UCLS events include singer songwriter Jewel, Jazz Musicians Marcus Printup and Tim Warfield, Photographer Lalla Essaydi, and Garth Fagan Dance Company. 

Tickets are still available at ucls.uncg.edu. All student tickets (regardless of school) are $7.50 each, and all UNCG faculty and staff may purchase tickets for $25 each. These student, faculty, and staff ticket prices are good for all UCLS events. 

Story by Terri W Relos

Photo courtesy of William Morris Endeavor Agency

The magic carpet has taken J. Andrew “Jordan” Speas (‘21 BFA Theatre) to hundreds of cities in the United States and Canada, and on October 31st it will bring him to the Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts in Greensboro, North Carolina.  Speas is on the North American Tour of Disney’s Aladdin, as standby for the roles of Sultan, Babkak, and Genie (which he’ll play in some of the Greensboro shows.) 

“To do the role of Genie is a dream come true. I always hesitate to say that because it sounds kind of schmaltzy. But this is a twirling, dancing, singing, acting role for a plus-sized man. And as a person who has loved theatre since he was 10 years old, being able to do this role and exist on stage in that character is honestly beyond anything you could ever feel or believe until you experience it. 

Genie really represents joy and light.” 

Anyone who knows Speas would say the same about him. His smile is big and bright, and a conversation with him is filled with warmth, thoughtfulness, and lots of belly laughs. He breaks out into one of those while describing what happens when Genie appears on stage. 

“I really get my cardio in! ESPN did a special on what your body goes through in this role, and they wrote that it’s like running five football fields. No one can quite conceive the rush it is to come out of the lamp. The energy that comes at you. The show starts with the song Arabian Nights and the audience is invited to the magical land of Agrabah and when Genie comes out of the lamp there is all this wind and you’re just at it for the entire rest of the show.” 

Speas has the energy for the physical aspects of Genie, and he says he also connects with the character’s personality and spirit. 

“What I love most about Genie is that he has the responsibility to aid in the journey of someone discovering how to be a better person. The Genie transcends so many things—race, barriers, ethical dilemmas that humans have in life, and he helps Aladdin see his faults and how to overcome them.  

“There’s really something so beautiful about being able to see potential in another human being, and to help bring that out. We can’t always see the forest for the trees, sometimes we need guidance, and Genie is that guiding light in the show.” 

There’s a bit of a parallel in Speas’ life—not a genie, but a professor at UNCG’s School of Theatre. 

“I remember sitting in Erin Farrell Spear’s office my senior year when I was cast as the Leading Player in our production of Pippin. That was the first time I felt like I was a star vehicle, a person who helps carry and guide the show. Erin and I were talking about that, and she said, ‘When you graduate, we’re going to get you in for Aladdin’s Genie.’ I thought I’m not sure I’m ready for that. But Erin did. She saw my potential.” 

Speas is from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He has been singing his whole life, and from age twelve, performed with the North Carolina Black Repertory Company. He started college at UNC School of the Arts studying Opera, then transferred to UNCG’s School of Theatre to pursue a degree that offered more acting training. Near the end of his college career, COVID shut down in-person auditions, and so his senior acting class was the first to do their Theatre Industry Showcase online. After graduation, he moved to New York. 

“It’s been a whirlwind,” says Speas as he ticks through the ten months between leaving UNCG and landing the role in Aladdin. “I graduated in May of 2021, and moved to New York in October. I booked my first tour, Spamilton, in January. While I was out on that tour, I got the call from Tara Reubin Casting to audition for Aladdin. Within 24 hours of that audition, I received a call back from the associate director and the music director for the Broadway company.” 

From there, Speas was sent to Genie bootcamp to see if he had the chops—and the stamina—for the role. In March of 2022, there was a final callback. 

“It was pretty daunting. There I am standing in front of Broadway Director and Choreographer Casey Nicholaw and the Disney team.  They were videotaping the audition, and they had to stop and offload the camera. So, I’m like what do I talk about in this downtime? Nerve-wracking! But when I did my Genie, I just gave them the real me. That’s one of the greatest things about this character is that I get to be a version of myself on stage. 

“I thought maybe as a standby my job would be to mimic the person who holds the role full-time.  Thankfully, I’m a great mimic, but they’ve given me the freedom to discover what my Genie is, and they really honor it. I would say I’m a very different Genie than others out there, and in a fun way. You know I’m a Southern man, with all the things that come with that.” 

During the audition process, Speas turned to professors at his alma mater. 

“When I got that associates call, the very first people I called were Erin, Dominick Amendum (Coordinator of the Musical Theatre Program), and April Hill (Voice) for coaching. We all got on Zoom—I was in my little New York apartment—and I said ‘Okay, here’s the material. What do I do with it?’    

“Even after graduating, UNCG still has your back. I feel like I could call any one of my professors, especially from the School of Theatre, and say, ‘I need your thoughts on something. I need to know what the next step is. Can you help me understand this thing? I know we talked about it like 5 years ago in class, but now it’s making sense and I’m using it.’” 

While Speas credits former teachers with seeing his potential, and like Genie, providing guidance, his brightest guiding light is his mother. 

“My favorite song in Aladdin is Proud of Your Boy. When I first started rehearsing the show I would cry every time Adi Roy (Aladdin) sang it.  It makes me think of my mom and all the rehearsals and auditions she would take me to and how she always made sure I had what I needed. You know my mom told me from the beginning that I should go to UNCG, and I’m glad I finally listened and wound up there. I’m just so thankful for my mother and for my community.” 

Aladdin opens at the Tanger Center on October 31st and runs through November 5th.

Learn more about UNCG Theatre here.

Story by Terri W Relos

Photo provided by J. Andrew Speas

If anyone knows how to embrace a theme it’s an artist, so you can bet there are Halloween happenings at UNCG’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. Here are some performances with varying degrees of chills and thrills to help you celebrate the Spooky Season.   

Night of the Living Dead 

October 27–29, various showtimes 

Sprinkle Theatre  

This performance presented by UNCG Theatre resurrects filmmaker George Romero’s cult classic, in which fallout from a satellite probe shot to Venus returns to Earth carrying a mysterious radiation that transforms the unburied dead into flesh-eating zombies.   

“It’s a campy homage to the first modern zombie film from 1968,” says the show’s Director and School of Theatre professor Jim Wren. “We’re having a blast both paying tribute to and parodying this creepy classic.” 

Wren is especially proud of the design team’s work in creating an entire black-and-white world on stage to replicate the movie. He adds that the cast has been working hard to take on the role of the undead. 

“Zombies (although, interestingly enough, they are never called zombies in the film- they use the term “ghoul”) will be taking over Sprinkle Theatre for the Halloween weekend.  We’re especially excited about the opportunity to perform a late-night show to get folks in the Halloween spirit. This will truly be an event!” 

Visit vpa.uncg.edu/theatre for showtimes and tickets. 

Collage Concert 

October 28th @ 8:00 pm 

UNCG Auditorium 

School of Music faculty and students are conjuring up a night of spine-tingling sensations for the 16th Annual Collage Concert in UNCG Auditorium.   

Conductor Carole Ott Coelho says it will be a night that is sure to get you in the Halloween spirit, with performances from spooky standards of the Western European tradition to newly composed music by composition faculty and students.   

“The choirs will perform a piece by Kristopher Fulton titled Medusa, which is two minutes of fierce serpentine music. There will also be phantoms, witches, zombies, skeletons, James Bond villains, and some surprises! Our new Director of Orchestras, Jungho Kim, will perform Selections from Phantom of the Opera with the University Symphony Orchestra, and will close the second half with the final movement of Carmina Burana with the orchestra and combined choirs. There will also be original work by students in the PopTech program.” 

Performers will be in various locations in the auditorium—many in costume—and the experience will be enhanced by special lighting. 

“I put together the flow of the concert, but it is truly a high energy collaboration among our many world-class faculty-artists, fantastic students, James Goins’ (Auditorium Production Manager) brilliant lighting design, and the whole auditorium staff,” says Ott Coelho. “We hope the audience will have fun with us, and we invite them to come in costume.” 

For tickets visit collage.uncg.edu

Organ Spooktacular 

October 30th @ 7:30 pm 

Organ Recital Hall 

Not to fear—your own organs will remain intact— but the School of Music organ pipes will be rocking with eerie tunes for this one. 

When the audience enters the hall, the lights will be low, and the traditional opening piece is Bach’s famous Toccata in D Minor.  

Organ professor Marya Fancey says the evening is fun for all ages. 

“The program is a mix of spooky music and regular organ repertoire that we can work into the theme. At the end, performers invite the audience to sing Halloween ‘carols’, and we give out candy at the end.” 

 Free to attend

 Story by Terri W Relos

“I want to teach my students to say ‘yes.’ Life will give you opportunities, and we need to be open to that. If you say ‘no,’ this is your path that you decided on from the start then you might miss the opportunities. If you say ‘yes,’ there might be a very surprising and rewarding life for you in a profession that gives you great joy as an artist.”

Hugh Hysell (’88 BFA Theatre) knows all about saying “yes.” A two-time Tony-award-winning Broadway producer, Hysell has held several theatre roles, including actor (stage and television), director, marketer, event planner, and during the pandemic, heading up Broadway’s COVID-19 safety team.  

Now he’s teaching School of Theatre students how to prepare for a variety of careers through a course that he created called “The Business of Show.”  

The class takes students through developing a resume, researching different areas of the industry, creating a professional profile and database, developing an elevator pitch, and doing mock job interviews. One of the assignments is to create a budget:  

“You move to a city, and you throw spaghetti against a wall to see what sticks because you really don’t know what it’s like to live there. I ask students to research one of the hubs of entertainment and to learn everything they can. Where do actors live? How much is rent? Where do I find audition notices? How long is the commute from home? All the things you must know to be financially healthy.”  

A second research project focuses on jobs that are not performance related and maybe not even theatre jobs at all but are “theatre adjacent.” For that assignment, Hugh draws on an impressive roster of guest speakers from a network of School of Theatre alumni:   (more…)