UNM Participates in the Asia Theatre Education Centre (ATEC) Theatre Festival in Beijing, China

The ATEC Theatre Festival, founded in 2005, is a bi-annual event that brings together plays from top theatre schools across Asia. With 17 member schools, such as LASALLE College of the Arts in Singapore, the National School of Drama in India, Mongolian State University of Arts and Culture in Mongolia, Chungwoon University in South Korea, and more.

UNM is honored to be the sole U.S. member school since 2010. This year, UNM students and faculty traveled to Beijing, China to participate in cultural exchange through performances, tours, and workshops with theatre artists from across Asia.

UNM’s 2024 entry, Sink, by MFA graduate Katie Farmin, garnered an exceptional reception. The play, which originally premiered at the Fall 2023 Linnell Festival of New Plays, was directed by Rhiannon Frazier (UNM alumnx in Theatre ’15) and starred Theatre majors Jayla Franklin-Sullivan, Hannah Miles, and Wolfram Maikranz. The production was praised for its delightfully disturbing exploration of alternate timelines and multiverses, with fellow theater artists highlighting its innovative approach to physical storytelling and thematic depth.

From an ATEC participant: “…brilliant! …combines everyday life scenarios with extraordinary horror and sci-fi elements, breaking conventional perceptions. It delves into deeper discussions about human connections, time, and the universe. … my favorite!”

UNM students and the creative team also participated in a post-show talk where the audience was able to dive deeper into the world of the play. The performance was incredibly well-received, and one audience member expressed an appreciation for seeing Asian theatre forms present in the writing and the play itself. UNM’s participation in ATEC’s programming was both a significant educational experience and a moment of artistic accomplishment for these young artists.

http://atecnet.org/en/about/639.html