October 6th fires off the 22nd season of Davis-Waldorf Performing Arts Series, or DWPAS, beginning a promising-looking season for the 2022-2023 academic year. The line up for this year includes the talents of Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, Ryan & Ryan, Nilaja Sun, and Ashwini Ramaswamy. 

Diversity is the name of the game with DWPAS. This includes Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre a diverse, multitalented group of artists that specialize in heritage culture and identity. Ryan & Ryan, a father-son piano duo, strives to make music that inspires all who listen. Nilaja Sun, an actress, playwright, and teacher who is best known for her award-winning one-person play, ‘No Child…’. And lastly, Ashwini Ramaswamy, a highly rated choreographer performing Bharatanatyam, a type of South Indian dance. With such a diverse line up, there is bound to be a show for everyone to attend. 

To fund this annual series, DWPAS and the USAO Foundation are putting on a Casino Night Sept. 15th from 7pm to 9pm in the ballroom. Students 18 years and older can attend for $20 a ticket, while adult tickets are slightly more expensive at $40. With one ticket, you receive $30 in chips to gamble, along with two punches for drinks at the bar. Those under 21 must order nonalcoholic drinks. At the end of the night a raffle will take place with prizes for some lucky participants. 

Founded in 2000, DWPAS is determined to make the performing arts accessible and affordable for everyone. By bringing these performers to USAO, the students and residents of Chickasha are offered an experience many of them have never had. Those who attend these events come out with a better perspective on how arts and culture can help achieve a well-rounded life, especially for those in the process of obtaining a degree in a liberal arts environment. 

There will be two diverse acts in the fall trimester and two acts in the spring trimester. Along with performing for the audience, the artists will be each giving back to the community of USAO, and in extension Chickasha, in some way. For example, Nilaja Sun will be doing a master class for those interested in acting and playwriting. For more information on these unique experiences keep an eye out for emails from Katie Davis, executive director of the DWPAS and head of the theater department. 

Davis is the reason much of this is happening in the first place. After being asked to take over this position, Davis got in contact with many agencies to help bolster the roster. A year ahead of time, she works hard to match up schedules and decide what she believes the students of USAO would really want to see. Davis is most excited this year for Nilaja Sun, as she is an Adobe award winning actress with years of experience and someone who she has taught about in her classes for many years now. Additionally, she really wanted to emphasize the importance of signing up for a ticket as a student. 

“I really want students to sign up for a season ticket, even if they don’t think they’ll go to everything,” said Davis. “Picking up the tickets, having the tickets in hand, planning to have some of these events be apart of their college experience, is really important to me.”  

It is clear that without Davis, the theater community at USAO and the DWPAS program would not be the same. 

Bea Bourland is a first-year Environmental Science major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.