Versenyi starts as dramatic art chair

Adam Versenyi arrived at UNC in 1988 for a one-year visiting appointment. Twenty-five years later, he’s now the University’s latest chairman of the department of dramatic art as of January.

Versenyi studied literature in English and Spanish at Yale College, and later dramaturgy and dramatic criticism at the Yale School of Drama. He was the dramaturg for PlayMakers Repertory Company in 1988 and was appointed to a regular tenure appointment the next year. He’s been teaching at UNC ever since.

Jeffrey Cornell, senior lecturer and department of dramatic art associate chairman, said Versenyi was a very logical choice for the position.

“(Versenyi) knows about publishing, he knows about fundraising, he knows about working with people and he knows about making theater happen,” Cornell said.

As an undergraduate, Versenyi did not immediately become involved in theater.

“I studied Latin American fiction and prose, and spent time studying Spanish in Mexico,” he said.

But it wasn’t until his first year at Yale School of Drama as a graduate student that he became interested in Latin American theater.

While at Yale, Versenyi had the opportunity to translate two Spanish plays which were being featured in the Center for Inter-American Relations’ festival in New York City.

“I fell in love with them, translated them, and then started to work on Latin American theater,” he said.

Versenyi spent time in Colombia as a Fulbright scholar, teaching at Universidad de Caldas in Manizales, Colombia, where he worked on a play with the graduate students in the school of fine arts.

Versenyi said he is fortunate to have had his international and intercultural experiences.

The many years that Versenyi has spent studying theater have paid off for his students at UNC.

“He is very, very, knowledgeable on so many aspects of theater, and because he is a ‘dramaturg,’ you can ask him anything about the plays,” said Annie Keller, a freshman music and dramatic arts major.

Keller, who had Versenyi as a professor in the fall, said she admired his responsiveness to the needs of the class and his passion for theater.

“He’s a very enthusiastic teacher — you can definitely tell he loves what he’s doing and that communicates to the class,” Keller said.

Cornell said Versenyi, like all department chairs, cares about his students and faculty, especially considering his familial ties at UNC.

“He has a daughter who just recently graduated, so he is especially invested, knowing that his own children are students, as well,” Cornell said.

“That’s not unique, but it certainly makes him realize how important what we do is, because he can see how it impacts his own family.”

After being the chairman for a month, Versenyi said he is interested in strengthening the dramatic art profile of scholars and artists at UNC, as well as trying to further internationalize the class offerings within the department.

“There are very few places in the country where you can be in the department where you have one foot in the academy and one foot on the stage,” he said.

“I think all of that combined to make (UNC) an excellent place for me.”

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