The Department of Theatre Arts and Cinema at Virginia Tech kicks off the main stage theater season this week and will host its first performance in its new Theatre 101 building with “Made in Taiwan,” a one-woman performance Tech alumna Michelle Krusiec created.
The acclaimed show has been performed off-Broadway in New York City and around the rest of the country.
“Made in Taiwan” explores the life of a young Asian-American woman and the relationships she has with her family.
“The show originated at Tech,” Krusiec said. “I was writing about my relationship with my mother in this one class, and I ended up developing the story into an honors thesis. Because I was a theatre major I decided to turn it into a performance piece.’’
Krusiec continued to refine the show postgraduation after she found early success. “Made in Taiwan” impressed HBO enough to begin to develop a television pilot that did
not ultimately come to fruition, she said.
“Since then I’ve been performing it at various workshops,” Krusiec said. “I did it once before at Tech, but this time I’m coming back with a fuller show.”
“Made in Taiwan” is a comedy with some heavy dramatic elements. The blend of these elements plays to the actress’ strengths and creates a richer emotional experience, Krusiec said.
“I think life is a series of parallel moments where on one side of it, things are very funny and on the other they can be tragic and painful,” Krusiec said, “but when you are going through life, if you approach things with a sense of humor they are much easier to handle.”
Krusiec has enjoyed success in television and independent film. But her return to Blacksburg is marked by changes in Tech’s vision for the arts, said Susan Sanders, spokeswoman for the School of Performing Arts and Cinema.
“Made in Taiwan” is the first public performance in the new Theatre 101 building on College Avenue.
“As part of our grand opening, this is sort of kicking it off,” Sanders said.
Theatre and cinema alumni have been invited back for the opening of the new theater, and Krusiec’s return is intended to be the centerpiece.
“We want to create this all-encompassing view of the program and what people have gone out and been able to do,” Sanders said.
The theatre department chose “Made in Taiwan” to inaugurate the new theater for several reasons.
“We wanted it to be a contemporary piece because it’s a very modern space,” said Patty Raun, director of the School of Performing Arts and Cinema. “We wanted it to be something that would link our past with our future, so we wanted an alumni performer.”
Theatre 101 is the first building at Tech to be constructed solely for use in the arts, Raun said. The building is used for theater classes and public performance.
The 8,000-square foot theater will be able to seat 80 to 120 people.
Theatre 101 is meant to offer a link between the Blacksburg community and the arts at Tech. In addition to “Made in Taiwan,” the theatre department will be holding an open house on Saturday to strengthen that connection.
“When I was there, I don’t remember a lot of funding for the arts,” said actress Michelle Krusiec. “I’m excited to hear they are finally doing that. I’m glad, in the end, that I get to be a part of it.”
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place on Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. Guests will be invited to tour the building and explore the space.
The 8,000 square foot theater is a state-of-the-art performance space will seat anywhere from 80 to 120 people depending on the needs of a particular show.
The theater will be open to the public this week, but it has been in constant use throughout the semester for classes, rehearsals, and performances.
Theatre 101 is the first building at Virginia Tech to be constructed specifically for the arts, said Patty Raun, director of the School of Performing Arts and Cinema.
In addition to be a versatile performance space, the building is also environmentally friendly. It is the first structure on the Tech campus to be registered with the U.S. Green Building Council. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation means that Theatre 101 was built with green initiatives in mind from the beginning.
Theatre 101 was always intended to be a new link between the Department of Theatre Arts and Cinema and the Blacksburg community.
“When we were in the Performing Arts Building it was hard for people get up the courage to find us,” Raun said. “Could it be in that creepy old Victorian building? Now we’re downtown on College Avenue and we have a face.”