'French Theater: Behind the Scenes'

By Nick Barberio, Office of Communications on Nov. 5, 2012, noon

Princeton students rehearse scenes and talk about the French Theater workshop led by Senior Lecturer Florent Masse.

The stage is a classroom for Princeton students honing their skills in French and acting. Since 2001, students have developed their fascination for French language and culture by learning and performing classic French plays under the guidance of Florent Masse, a senior lecturer in the Department of French and Italian.

French theater troupe L’Avant-Scène marks 20th anniversary with shows, guest speakers .

The troupe draws undergraduate and graduate students from across academic disciplines.

Part 1 — From script to stage: French theater in Paris and Avignon .

Fifteen Princeton undergraduates embarked on a journey from the heart of Paris to the countryside of Avignon to immerse themselves in the rich tradition of French theater from the historical to the contemporary, and from the practical to the conceptual in the PIIRS Global Seminar "French Theater Today: Practice and Performance in Paris and at the Avignon Theater Festival." This feature is Part 1 of a two-part series, "A Tale of Two Countries," focusing on new study abroad courses Princeton offered this summer.

FACULTY HONOR: Masse receives French cultural honor .

Florent Masse, senior lecturer in the Department of French and Italian and the director of the French student theater ensemble L'Avant-Scène, has been named Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France's minister of culture Audrey Azoulay for "his attachment to French culture and action in favor of its promotion in the United States." The Order of Arts and Letters (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) was established in 1957 to recognize eminent artists and writers, as well as people who have contributed signi

Valedictorian Staude shines in the classroom and on the stage .

On his first day of classes as a freshman, Holger Staude received an unexpected invitation. Florent Masse, the instructor of his advanced French course, took Staude aside after class and -- impressed with the German native's command of the language -- urged him to join the University's French theater workshop. Staude had never considered acting. Yet, just as he did in deciding to attend Princeton, he accepted the challenge and thrived.

'Sharing the Stage: Science and Art at Princeton' .

Princeton seniors Anna Wuttig and Gary Fox talk about how they pursue their passion for creativity as they combine their interests in science and the arts.

In other words: Valedictorian Chow finds connection, purpose in language and life at Princeton .

Jin Yun Chow's studies in Latin, German and Old Irish, as well as literature classes in Chinese and French, have taken the Princeton senior to the top of her class. A comparative literature major, Chow is the valedictorian of the Class of 2017.