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Davis ’01 Gives ‘Encore’ as Guest Director at VU

Davis ’01

Valparaiso University’s 2007-’08 theater season opened this past fall with Chicago alumnus Zachary Davis ’01 reprising his role as guest director.

Since earning his bachelor’s degree in theater from Valpo in 2001, Davis has been a director in Chicago. He most recently com­pleted “The Laramie Project” at Act One Studios and “Rosen­crantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” at the Piccolo Theatre Company. The latter was included in Daily Herald newspaper critic Barbara Vitello’s list of best produc­tions of 2007 in the Chicago area.

In 2003, Davis served as guest director for Valpo’s production “Beckett Works.” This past fall, it was “A Phoenix Too Frequent,” which retells “the faithless widow” story that originally appeared in the Latin satirical romance novel “Satryicon” around 60 A.D.

“It’s rewarding to be back among former professors who are now colleagues will­ing to help make my vision of a play become re­ality,” Davis says. “I’m also able to work with students and help them hone their craft, and learn more about myself in the process.”

As a theater major at Valpo, Davis learned all the components that com­prise the profession: acting, writing, lit­erature, drama­turgy, lighting, costumes, scenery, sound design, technical, stage manage­ment and directing.

He also cites the classes he took in Christ College as helping to develop his writing and communication skills. And he’s grateful for the support he received from VU faculty members.

“I chose to be, as the faculty dubbed me, the ‘Zac of All Trades,’ and it seemed wherever I turned to next in my theater educa­tion, they were there to help in that next step.”

Valparaiso University, Institutional Advancement, Office of Communications