UTC Connections: Performing Arts
By Sidney McCarty, Americorps VISTA, National Park Partners 2020-2021
National Park Partners has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. From NPP’s recent spotlight on UTC’s archeology field school at CCNMP to collaborating on sharing Moccasin Bend’s cultural history, UTC Connections will celebrate the university's dynamic relationship with the park as a cultural, historic, and conservation partner. We are looking forward to catching up with many of the faculty and staff we’ve worked closely with over the years and telling their stories here.
UTC Connections kicks off with Jeannie Hacker-Cerulean, a Senior Lecturer in UTC’s Theatre Division, part of the Univerity’s School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Performing Arts. Hacker-Cerulean is an artist, activist, and long-time friend to National Park Partners.
Before joining the faculty of UTC, Hacker-Cerulean garnered a variety of experience as an Artistic Director, Director, and Playwright. She received her education at Louisiana State University and worked for some time in New Mexico as the Artistic Director of the New Mexico Nature Theatre.
Jeannie Hacker-Cerulean, a Senior Lecturer in UTC’s Theatre Division, part of the Univerity’s School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Performing Arts.
In particular, her experiences left her fascinated with participatory theatrical experiences, performances through which the audience is given agency and encouraged to carry that agency out into the world. While her interest in the convergence of theatrical expression and eco-activism has long been a prominent feature in her work, her return to Tennessee prompted in earnest a concern with the ways in which the environment was being treated. Her conviction that art is a powerful avenue for inspiring change inspired a variety of work that seeks to expand the ways in which audiences view the natural world, with the hope of prompting personal investment in supporting environmental change.
Hacker-Cerulean first became involved with National Park Partners following work with Climate Chattanooga. Already familiar with a number of environmental causes in Chattanooga, she was drawn to Moccasin Bend due to its long human history, as well as its biological richness. Working closely with the Friends of Moccasin Bend, she helped to plan and execute the Mocs Bend Fest: Nature, Art and Music in conjunction with UTC’s Performing Arts department and the UTC Office of Sustainability.
According to former Friends of Moccasin Bend director, Michael Wurzel, this event was inspired by a desire to connect communities near the Bend to the natural and archeological resources in their own backyard. Mocs Bend Fest was meant to draw in UTC students and residents of North Chattanooga, and help them feel connected to this National Park unit that is unusually close to an urban center and incredibly resource-rich. Local artists studied artifacts connected to the site and created work inspired by the rich history of the land. Visitors were educated on the importance of urban forests and were encouraged to engage with the park in a new and intimate way through numerous art installations, yoga classes, and drum circles.
These events culminated in a play written by Hacker-Cerulean herself, Robin, Coming to a Forest Near You. Hacker-Cerulean’s title character, Robin, wished to inspire people to “run the forest through the town,” a message which resonated with the Friends of Moccasin Bend’s desire to connect Chattanoogans to a park only minutes away from downtown. Ultimately, the event was a successful step towards introducing the larger community to Moccasin Bend, and the relationships forged between UTC students and NPP continue to be strengthened in a variety of ways.
The play Robin, Coming to a Forest Near You, was written by Hacker-Cerulean and performed in 2016 at the Mocs Bend Festival. The title character, Robin, wished to inspire people to “run the forest through the town.”
According to Hacker-Cerulean, one of the primary goals of UTC as an institution is to ensure that students graduate with real-world experience. Together, Hacker-Cerulean and NPP provided this opportunity at the Mocs Bend Fest, and hope to continue those opportunities in years ahead. For more info on one such opportunity, check out NPP’s blog on the archeology field school here.
The ongoing work at Moccasin Bend has also provided Hacker-Cerulean with topics to explore and debate in UTC Public Speaking classes, extending the influence of this partnership beyond strictly Performing Arts curriculum.
Ultimately, it’s clear that NPP’s relationship to UTC brings with it a myriad of opportunities. Over time, UTC and NPP have collaborated on numerous projects which benefit NPP, the National Park, and the University all in turn. We are grateful for Hacker-Cerulean’s collaboration on the Mocs Bend Fest and her advocacy in preserving nature and history. Through UTC: Connections, NPP hopes to celebrate her contribution to the organization, and the contributions of all those who have extended their reach from the University into our National Parks.