Baylor Theatre Students are Sharing their Faith and Opening Doors in India

This past summer, Baylor theatre arts majors took part in a groundbreaking cultural exchange, sharing their talents and Christian faith in India. As part of the inaugural University-sponsored field trip called “Baylor Theatre in India,” students and faculty traveled to Christ University in Bangalore to take the first steps in building a relationship between the schools.

“While Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing has done much great work in India in the field of healthcare, neither the College of Arts and Sciences nor any other academic unit from the main campus has had a formal relationship with an academic institution in India,” said Dr. Stan Denman, chair and professor of theatre arts.

Denman said Christ University was chosen as a partner because the school — a private university with Catholic ties that is ranked among the top private universities in India — has an outlook much like Baylor’s.

A highlight of the trip was when 18 Baylor theatre arts majors performed with their Indian peers from Christ University in a series of scenes from American plays and musicals. The two-hour performance garnered spirited applause from a packed house of more than 600. The performance was directed by Denman and two other Baylor faculty members— John-Michael Marrs, assistant professor of acting, and Guilherme Almeida, lecturer in musical theatre.

“The opportunity to establish institutional relationships with partners such as Christ University provides our students and faculty with the means to build personal and professional relationships across cultures that will help to shape their lives and careers,” said Dr. Jeffrey S. Hamilton, vice provost for global engagement and The Jo Murphy Chair in International Education.

The partnership continued to gain momentum during the fall semester as a dozen Indian students spent time on Baylor’s campus during October and November. They rehearsed with their American counterparts and performed during an East Meets West dance recital.

“Theatre faculty now have a standing invitation to go over to Bangalore, India, and work with our colleagues there,” said Denman. “We are already looking forward to our next trip.”

Story originally posted on the Arts and Sciences blog.