Manhattanville Provost Christine Dehne’s Work Hits the Stage at New Victory Theater

Photo courtesy of the New Victory Theater, credit: Mitchell Zacks.

Christine Dehne, Provost and Executive Vice President of Manhattanville College, contributed to two Spellbound Theatre productions, recently produced and performed at the New Victory Theatre in Midtown Manhattan.  

Spellbound Theatre is one of the few theatre organizations dedicated to creating work for children ages 0 to 5. Using storytellers, puppeteers, musicians, visual artists, and physical theatre performers, Spellbound has become well-known for its innovative and often immersive productions. The New Victory Theater is located in the heart of New York’s Theatre District and is dedicated to producing family-friendly shows targeted at young audiences. Run by New 42, New Victory has been nationally recognized for its leadership in arts education and youth development. 

In addition to her role at Manhattanville, Dehne is an active multimedia artist. With Spellbound, Dehne has been awarded residencies at the New Victory Theater and Miranda Arts, and grants from the Westchester Arts Council, Brooklyn Arts Council, and Jim Henson Foundation. She was the artist/co-creator of the show The World Inside Me, which was co-produced with the Chicago Children's Theater and staged at the Chicago Children's Theater, Miami Theatre Center, and then in the New Victory Theater in New York City. 

This season, Dehne was responsible for the animations in “Wink,” a show inspired by Eugene Field’s 1889 poem “Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.” “Wink” is a more traditional theatre experience with a focus on shadow puppetry and tells the story of a young girl and her teddy bear as they adventure across land, sea, and air. A preview of Dehne’s animations was posted on New Victory and Spellbound Theatre’s Instagram Reels. 

Additionally, she was a devising artist for “Shakespeare's Stars,” a multisensory experience that incorporates many of The Bard’s famous lines about the stars. The show is staged in the theater’s lobby area and is designed to be an open and safe space for children to express themselves. “Shakespeare’s Stars” has been created specifically for the toddler age group and is designed to be an exciting introduction to theatre.  

"I’m thrilled to be associated with these projects, which provide quality entertainment to young children and their caregivers,” says Dehne.  “The goal is always to encourage exploration and play, and in addition to capturing the attention of young children we strive to make sure their caregivers are equally engaged and delighted." At Manhattanville, Dehne oversees Academic and Student Affairs and is a senior member of the President’s Cabinet.  She is currently working with teams of staff, faculty, and students on curriculum revisions as well as designing student-centered approaches to processes. 

 

About Manhattanville College 
 
 Manhattanville College is a small, private liberal arts institution dedicated to academic excellence, purposeful education, and social justice. For two years in a row, the U.S. News and World Report has ranked Manhattanville the number one private, non-profit institution in New York among Top Performers of Social Mobility in Regional Universities North. Located 30 miles from New York City on a 100-acre suburban campus in the heart of Westchester County, Manhattanville enables easy access to entertainment offerings, educational resources, and business opportunities for its primarily residential and diverse student body. The college serves more than 1,500 undergraduate students and nearly 1,000 graduate students from more than 44 countries and 33 states. Founded in 1841, the college offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate areas of study in the arts and sciences, education, business, and creative writing, as well as continuing and executive education programs. Graduate students can choose from over 70 graduate and certificate programs. Extracurricular offerings include more than 45 clubs and 20 NCAA Division III teams. 

Manhattanville has also been recognized by “U.S. News and World Report” for Ethic Diversity. The college has earned a designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education which has allowed it to recruit more Latinx students. For the sixth consecutive year, Manhattanville has been named to the Colleges of Distinction list which recognizes colleges that excel in student engagement, great teaching, vibrant communities, and successful outcomes. This year, the college is also among those that have earned the Equity and Inclusion badge from Colleges of Distinction, while continuing to be recognized for excellence with Business, Education, and Career Development badges. The school is also one of the few to offer an undergraduate certificate in design thinking, giving students a leg up with employers looking for critical thinking skills.  

To learn more, visit www.mville.edu.  

Contact:  
Cara Cea, cara.cea@mville.edu, 914-323-1278 or 914-906-9680. 

 

Facebook @Manhattanville 
Twitter @Mville_College 
Instagram @Manhattanville_college 
LinkedIn  @Manhattanville College  
TikTok @Manhattanville_college