Osler's Razor

Yesterday was the first day of Criminal Practice class. For the past few years I have collaborated with Dr. DeAnna Toten Beard, who turned me onto what may be the best play ever about criminal practice, Susan Glaspell's "Trifles." I have to say, I was somewhat scared when I learned that DeAnna is a "dramaturg," but it turned out that just means a scholar of theater history. And she is an excellent dramaturg.

For the session, DeAnna had something really great in store-- she somehow roped her colleagues into actually doing a dramatic reading of the play for the class. It made the story meaningful in a way it hadn't been to me before, and the theater professors did a great job with it. We really had an outstanding cast, too:

1) Stan Denman, Chair of Baylor's Theater Department, whose acting was described by the New York Times as exemplifying "economy and grace."

2) Lisa Denman, who is well-known as a teacher, actor, and director.

3) Thomas Ward, an award-winning playwright who is also an accomplished actor and member of Actor's Equity. Intriguingly, he is a "recognized actor/combatant" by the Society of American Fight Directors, certified in unarmed combat, quarterstaff, and rapier/dagger. I think next time I will have him bring and use his quarterstaff.

4) John-Michael Marrs, an actor and director who did a wonderful job as the D.A.

5) Sherry Ward, a teacher and actress about whom one reviewer gushed "The power that the actress (Sherry Ward) had in making the audience feel for her was so overwhelming that just her stating two words would give me goosebumps."

That's a lot of talent, and we were very lucky to borrow them for the day. Too often, we forget the benefits of being part of a larger university that offers up chances for collaboration if we choose to seek them out.

One more thing about the Baylor Theater Department... they know their way around Youtube: