Instagram story viewer> @utkmfaacting> Posts

University of Tennessee MFA Acting

@utkmfaacting

498

followers

275

following

🔸Our program has consistently been ranked among the world’s top acting schools.
🔸Our alumni WORK: TV, film, Broadway, and more!
🔸Student-run account.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Wishing a very Happy Closing to 2nd Years @katlee.jpg, @thaynofcawdor, @thomasntetterton, and the rest of the talented cast and crew!

📞 A jealous husband. A flawless plan. One deadly phone call.

Join them for their FINAL PERFORMANCE of DIAL M FOR MURDER, directed by Melissa Maxwell at the Clarence Brown Theatre! 🔎 You still have a little time left! I promise you don’t want to miss this 🎭

Originally written by Frederick Knott, this special adaptation by Jeffrey Hatcher opened our 2026–2027 season!

Visit www.clarencebrowntheatre.com/shows/dial-m-for-murder/ to learn more! by @utkmfaacting

3

0

24 days ago

🎉CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2026🎉
They’re off to Great Places !
Yashashvi, Gabj, Develyn, Denzel, Sammy and Clay.
🧡🤍🧡🤍🧡🤍

#mfaacting #utktheatre #mfa2026 by @utkmfaacting

3

4

5 months ago

Join us for a special reading of alum @zackmfine ‘s GULLIVER’S TRAVELS Sunday the the Lab. Featuring current @utkmfaacting students and faculty. @ladysmatter by @utkmfaacting

16

0

8 months ago

Happy Holidays from our MFA team!
May your days be merry & bright and this season bring you rest, warmth, and space to simply be.
We are beyond grateful for the work, the risk, and the people we get to share this incredible experience with. 🎄❤️🎉

Classes MFA ‘26 and ‘28 with our one and only Head of Acting Katie Cunningham @alternativekatemckinnon taken in University of Tennessee, Knoxville by @utkmfaacting

109

2

10 months ago

EMMYBearer! 🏆🥇
Tramell Tillman MFA ‘14 Alumnus makes history as the first African American man to win Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards!
We are beyond proud and happy for Tramell! Very much deserved, his role in Severance made us, and the whole world, sit at the edge of our seats. We cannot wait to see his upcoming projects ! taken in University of Tennessee, Knoxville by @utkmfaacting

3

0

a year ago

If you got to see the show you know T’s go-to song ! 🔥
And if you haven’t, well that’s on you. You could write a petition to our Artistic Director and maybe we’ll bring it back.🤡🎈🧯❤️ The Team is ready.

Here a few words from Sammy aka Chris Bean: “This show was a double gift. First, to get to work on material as hilarious and challenging as THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG, but then to get to tackle it with the home team, a group of people that come from and live in the same creative community, and serve that same home community. We were welcomed into the theatre every night with hundreds of Knoxvillians ready to laugh out loud and go on that journey with us, and it reminded me that laughter truly is a great unifier.“

Ph. Ella Marston for @clarencebrowntheatre
Actors: Steve Sherman, David Alley, LB Wells, Yashashvi Choudhary, Gabriela Bulka, Molly Brennan, Sammy Pontello, Denzel Dejournette taken in University of Tennessee, Knoxville by @utkmfaacting

3

1

a year ago

With Hunter Foster at the helm, The Play That Goes Wrong's company brought audiences to tears - of laughter, that is.

@clarencebrowntheatre
Directed by Hunter Foster
Scenic Design Sophie Smrcka
Costume Design Alex Heder
Lighting Design Todd Wren
Sound Design Allison Bucher
Fight Director Jeb Burris
Voice and Text Director Katie Cunningham
Production SM Patrick Lanczki
SM Sadie DeSantis

LB Wells as Tina; Steve Sherman as Max; Denzel Dejournette as Robert; Gabriela Bulka as Sandra; Sammy Pontello as Chris; Yashashvi Choudhary as Joanna; David Alley as Dennis; Molly Brennan as Annie taken in University of Tennessee, Knoxville by @utkmfaacting

3

0

a year ago

The Play that Went Well.
We heard some people came to see it 5 times, the run was sold out, so it didn’t really go that wrong? Everybody closed the show alive with only a few bruises, guess we can call it a success. What an absolute BLAST it was!💥

Actors: David Alley, Gabriela Bulka, Yashashvi Choudhary, Denzel Dejournette, Sammy Pontello, Steve Sherman.

📸Ella Marston for @clarencebrowntheatre taken in Knoxville, Tennessee by @utkmfaacting

3

4

a year ago

The Two Gentlemen of Verona aka 2Gents or TGV
🎭7 shows
🎪7 locations
📍5 cities
🇺🇸3 states
We got to perform in so many different places and bring the story to various audiences. From the opening night at Elmaro Winery to the closing performance at the Knoxville Museum of Art. From Winona to Knoxville. Outdoors, indoors, heat or rain, we were unstoppable.

Thank you to our partners, sponsors and hosts ! This would not be possible without tremendous support from Head of Acting Prof Cunningham and Great River Shakespeare Festival 💙🧡
@utktheatre @grshakes @clarencebrowntheatre
@elmarovineyard @twofathomsbrew @nationaleaglecenter @foragerbrewery @hiwirebrewing_knx @knoxvillemuseumofart

photos Mindy Cooper, Pablo Figueras
dir. Katie Lupica
SM Rachel Winenger
Costumes by Matthew Carl
Sound design Matthew Tibbs
Music dir Clay Cooper
Intimacy dir Kara Eggers
Fight Dir Doug Sholz-Carlson
Voice and Text coaching Katie Cunningham and Stephanie Lambourn
Set/Props Rachel Winenger

Cast:
Gabriela Bulka - Speed, Pantino, Thurio
Yashashvi Choudhary - Sylvia, Lucetta, Outlaw
Clay Cooper - Proteus, Outlaw
Denzel Dejournette - Valentine
Develyn Jayan - Julia, Outlaw
Sammy Pontello - Antonio, Launce, Duke, Host, Eglanour, Outlaw taken in Knoxville, Tennessee by @utkmfaacting

3

0

a year ago

Winona bound 2025! GRSF + UTK = 🔥
A summer for the books! ☀️🎭😎
Our MFA program has launched a wonderful new partnership with Great River Shakespeare Festival. The Class of ’26 spent 2 months in Minnesota rehearsing and performing the green show, understudying and shining in Main Stage shows, and bringing The Two Gentlemen of Verona to life in wineries and breweries. Some of them truly rose to the occasion, stepping in to save the show with stellar performances. Denzel nailed Romeo and 2nd Merchant in Comedy of Errors, Develyn shone as Luciana in CoE, Clay delivered as Paris/Benvolio in RJ and Goldsmith in CoE, and Sammy rocked Prince in RJ.

Photos from the Comedy of Errors Green Show.

📸 @pedropof.figueiredo for @grshakes taken in Winona, Minnesota by @utkmfaacting

3

0

a year ago

The graduate actors from University of Tennessee Knoxville are bringing big energy to a bold, 80-minute The Two Gentlemen of Verona — and you’re invited!

✨ Love, laughter, betrayal, and one unforgettable dog 🐶
🎟 Performed by six dynamic young actors
📍 Part of this summer’s Great River Shakespeare Festival

Come see Shakespeare’s first comedy like you’ve never seen it before — fast, funny, and full of heart.

📅 Check showtimes and grab your tickets now here: https://grsf.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/patronticket__publicticketapp#/events/a0SUO0000042hub2AA

#twogentlemenofverona #shakespeare #theatre #winonamn #andywarhol by @utkmfaacting

96

4

a year ago

Denzel said that “being able to work on this play was a masterclass on how to act without using dialogue and language, but by simply being.”

Inherit The Wind
Actors: Denzel Dejournette as Tom Davenport, Terry Weber (Faculty Emeritus) as Matthew Harrison Brady, Jed Diamond as Henry Drummond, Clay Cooper as Bart Cates, and Company of Actors of undergraduate students and community members.
Photo: Ella Marston for CBT @clarencebrowntheatre by @utkmfaacting

3

0

a year ago