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TABLE of CONTENTS

 

School of Dance

School of Design & Production

School of Drama

School of Music

School of Filmmaking

Across the School of the Arts

Important Links

 

 

SCHOOL of DANCE

 

Two School of Dance alumni were among The New Yorker's "Ten Best Dance Performances of 2009": Karole Armitage '71 (Ballet), with the revival of her 1985 "Watteau Duets" at The Kitchen, and Mark Dendy '83 (Modern Dance), with his "Afternoon of the Faunes," performed at Fall for Dance by Lonnie Poupard Jr. and current UNCSA student Alex Deane Speedie.  Read The New Yorker article here.

 

Jonah Bokaer '00 (Modern Dance)'s "REPLICA" premiered in New York at the New Museum (www.newmuseum.org), December 10-18.  Jonah choreographed and designed the media for the piece, and performed it with Judith Sanchez Ruiz, to music by Alexis Georgopoulos and with visual design and scenography by Daniel Arsham.  "REPLICA" was commissioned by the Cultural Programs of the National Academy of Sciences (CPNAS) in Washington D.C., with support from the Harman Center.

 

Zane Booker '87 (Modern Dance) directed IN THE RHYTHM, a short film which tells the striking story of two black men growing, dancing, and learning in the upbeat rhythm of their lives.  The film premiered on August 10 on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and the website of the Smoke, Lilies and Jade Initiative, of which Zane is the founding artistic and executive director.  See the film at www.liliesandjade.org.

 

Bree Branker '05 (Modern Dance) has had a fun filled year, working with Cirque du Soleil's new creation "Viva Elvis!", dancing in City Center's Broadway bound production of "Finian's Rainbow," and appearing on the MTV VMA Side Story commercials dancing alongside Ne-Yo, choreographed by Wade Robson.  She also performed in Walnut Street Theatre's production of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" in Philadelphia.

Twinkle Burke '82 (Ballet) has a national American Express commercial airing, in which she is a baker who "works" with Warren Brown, of Cake Love.  She also just shot an industrial film for Bayer Institute, and had a role in AN ENGLIGHMAN IN NEW YORK with John Hurt.

Paloma Garcia-Lee '08 (Acting/Ballet) joined the Broadway national touring company of The Phantom of the Opera in August.  Paloma made her Broadway debut at age 17 in the New York company of "Phantom."  She is an understudy for the principal role of Meg Giry, and played Meg from September 30th through October 25th in St. Louis, Missouri.  For ticket information visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com then select "US TOUR."  Also see her website at www.palomagarcialee.com.


Kimberly Ann Gosnell '98/'99 (Modern Dance) and Jack Roland Yancey were married Saturday, May 16, 2009, at Revolution Mill Events Center in Greensboro.
 

Cara Hagan '02/'05 (Modern Dance) was this year’s North Carolina Dance Alliance choreography fellowship award recipient, and the grant she received helped her to create "Words Apart," which was premiered by 87 Dance Productions on October 24th at NCDA’s annual event.  The piece, a collaboration between 87 Dance Productions and the Storyline Project (www.storylineproject.org) of Winston Salem, features audio from stories told by women in our area.  The women touch on issues of equality, love, loss and friendship.  The 15 minute work can be viewed at www.vimeo.com/7645923.

 

Sara Henley '02 (Ballet) is currently working as an Assistant Manager of Development at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Randy Jones '75 (Ballet) and Mark Bego's book "Macho Man: The Disco Era and Gay America's Coming Out" was published last year by Praeger Press / Greenwood Publishing, and is available at Amazon.com and all other book outlets.  Randy also stars in THE GENTLEMAN, MY GUARANTEED STUDENT LOAN, A TALE ABOUT BOOTLEGGING (Best Feature Film at the 2008 Cinema City International Film Festival), and AGAINST THE WIND (in which he plays the President of the United States).  He continues to release singles from his 2008 album "Ticket to the World," the latest being the summer release of "Your Disco Needs You."  Randy has recently joined the Board of Visitors at the School of the Arts.  www.randyjonesworld.com.

 

Emery LeCrone '05 (Ballet), with the support of a generous grant from The Jerome Robbins Foundation's New Essential Works (NEW) Program, choreographed "Divergence" for Oregon Ballet Theatre's upcoming performance series "Duets," April 22 - May 2.  She spent December in residence with the company and will return in April for the world premiere of her work.  Emery's new piece includes music composed by Joby Talbot as well as original set, costume, and lighting design.  For reviews, video clips, and performance information please visit www.emerylecrone.com.  The program will also include works by George Balanchine, Twyla Tharp, and Christopher Stowell, as well as "Like A Samba," an homage to the music of Astrud Gilberto choreographed by fellow alumnus Trey McIntyre '87 (Ballet).  Emery will be performing with Miro Magloire's New Chamber Ballet (www.newchamberballet.org), February 5-6 at The New York City Center Studio 4 (on 56th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues), and will premiere her latest choreographic work on the program.  She will also be dancing in upcoming performances of "Turandot," "Aida," and "The Magic Flute" at The Metropolitan Opera.
 

Brittany Marcinkoski '99 (Ballet) is currently touring in the first national tour of the new Mel Brooks musical "Young Frankenstein."  For cities and dates visit www.youngfrankensteinthemusical.com.


Adam Miller '74 (Ballet) has been the Artistic Director of the Cirque Du Soleil show "Saltimbanco" (currently touring Europe) since July 2008, and has recently been appointed as the Artistic Director of the Cirque Du Soleil show "Kooza," which will be touring North America for the next year.  He is also the founder, director and choreographer of his own company, The Adam Miller Dance Project.  www.adammillerdanceproject.com.

 

Jessica Miller Tomlinson '03 (Modern Dance) was the Grand Prize winner of the A.W.A.R.D. Show 2009 Chicago.  She received a $10,000 grant from the Joyce Theatre Foundation to be used to create a new piece of choreography.

 

Sarah Murphy '06 (Modern Dance) is in her fourth year at Juilliard.  She recently received a Princess Grace Award in October, along with Gillian Murphy '96 (Ballet), who received a Statute Award.  Click on Awards winners at www.pgfusa.com, or read the press release here.

 

Darren Redick '86 (Ballet) has been promoted from weekend afternoons to full-time weekday afternoons on the UK's national rock radio station, Planet Rock.  After 13 years in the business, he may finally be an overnight sensation!  The radio station is streamed worldwide through www.planetrock.com and in the UK on DAB.

 

Alexandra Sokol [nee Yanow] '75 (Modern Dance) has danced with Jose Limon Company, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, Dance Through Time (in San Francisco), and San Francisco Dance Theatre.  She also had her own modern dance company in Paris called MOVEMENTUM, was a choreographer for The Marin Ballet, and was Assistant Dean of Dance at Goddard College.  Alexandra became a media and event producer 18 years ago and currently has two companies, MemeStream Media (a media development company) and The IMBrand Group (a Brand Strategy/ Integrated Marketing Company).  She is also a script writer and producer, and worked with Alexandre Salkind (of Superman fame) in Paris in the early 1990's.  www.imbrand.biz.

Terence Troy Steiner '88 (Modern Dance) just published a three volume anthology of poetry, writings, musings, and self-portraits documenting his struggle with bipolarity, addiction, the disconnect from collective life, the inability to assimilate with gay subculture, the loss of artistic freedom and integrity, and a message of hope for moving forward.  It is entitled "above. below. inside. ~ the triune of the heart~."  It is available on the international market via bookbutler.com and is currently rolling out in the english speaking countries via amazon.com.  In 2005, he began working under the nom de plume, lazarus23.  He is currently working on a multi-media installation entitled "laz and the bipurple crayon" which is an audio-visual foray into the mind of mental illness and the true possibility for recovery, therein.  It is currently in production with the hopes of realizing it to stage in 2010.  He is also working on his fourth book: "breviarium illuminatus ~vespers for the modern mystic~."  He can be found in his publisher's catalogue or on Facebook.


Laura Swedenborg '91 (Modern Dance) has been performing since 2007 in Cleveland with MegLouiseDance (www.meglouisedance.com) and The Pith and Root of Sleep (www.myspace.com/matthewkiroff).

 

Terpiscorps Theatre of Dance made its Winston-Salem debut in July, by coming home to the School of the Arts to perform "The Recession Blues" and other works in the Agnes de Mille Theatre.  Founder and artistic director Heather Maloy '91 (Ballet), ballet master Timothy Rinehart Yeager '90 (Ballet), apprentice Julia Eisen '08 (Ballet), and lighting designer Erik McDaniel '88 (Lighting Design), along with several other Terpiscorps dancers and the Firecracker Jazz Band, presented works by Heather and former North Carolina Dance Theatre director Salvatore Aiello.  The performance was made possible in part to a grant from the Arts Council of Winston-Salem.  Be sure to check out the company at terpsicorps.org or on Facebook.

 

 

SCHOOL of DESIGN & PRODUCTION

 

Brian Sidney Bembridge '97 (Scene Design) was named one of the five "most prolific theater artists of the decade" by Time Out Chicago, for having designed the sets for over 100 Chicago productions in the last ten years.  He also appeared twice on their "best theater sets of the decade" list, for his 2004 design of Umalleniay Productions' "The Pool of Bethesda" at Live Bait Theater, and for the Victory Gardens Theater production of "The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity" in 2009.  The latter is headed to New York City this spring and will open at the Second Stage Theatre on April 27th (go to www.2st.com for tickets), featuring a retooled version of Brian’s set from the Chicago production.  Brian was nominated for a 2008/2009 Ovation Award in the Lighting Design for Intimate Theatre category, for "Battle Hymn" at Circle X Theatre in Los Angeles; he was previously nominated in 2006 for his lighting design of "The Brothers Karamazov," and again in 2007 for both sets and lighting for "Eurydice."  Brian received the 2009 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Scenic Design for "The History Boys" at Timeline Theatre Company, and was featured in CS Interiors.  His design for "Cabaret" at Drury Lane Theater was featured in Lighting and Sound America and Live Design.  www.briansidneybembridge.com.

 

Meredith Drum '88/'89 (Visual Arts)'s "Double," a single video projection, was on display in the Bronx Museum's annual "Living and Dreaming," a presentation of works by students in the Artists in the Marketplace preparatory program.  The show was reviewed in the New York Times on July 8.

Walt Dowling '93 (Lighting Design) has joined Altman Lighting as Regional Sales Manager for the Southeastern United States.  He is managing the specification and sales efforts of Altman Dealers and Representatives for Performance and Architectural Lighting products.

David Ellis '89 (Visual Arts)
is the founder of The Barnstormers, a collective of New York artists whose works and history were featured in an entire issue of Juxtapoz magazine (
www.juxtapoz.com/Current/welcome-to-december-juxtapoz-barnstormers-issue).  David's paintings are often recorded in digital time-lapse animation, a style he refers to as "motion painting."  He recently created "Combo," a collaborative animation with Italian artist BLU, in 10 days at the Fame Festival 2009 in Grottaglie - see the finished work at www.youtube.com/watch?v=uad17d5hR5s.  Davis had solo exhibitions in 2009 at New Image Art Gallery in Los Angeles and Webb's in Auckland, New Zealand, and also recently exhibited projects at The Huntington Museum of Art, ICA Philadelphia, and Rice University Gallery.  "Recollect," his series of wall sculptures constructed with record sleeves systematically arranged by color and theme, is on display at Le Poisson Rouge through February 12.  www.davidellis.org.

Julian Eubank '72 (Scene Design) is the new technical director of the Princeton Regional Schools Performing Arts Center, a state-of- the-art facility with a 771 seat auditorium and a black box theater.
 
Angela Friedman '09 (Costume Technology) moved to New York City in June and began work as a freelance corset-maker and costume technician. In October, she was hired at the New York City Ballet as Cutter/Draper, where she now heads the ladies' department, supervising a team of seven to produce all of the dresses and tutus for the season's productions, from remounts of Balanchine's ballets to brand new pieces of Peter Martins and Alexey Miroshnichenko. She has continued with freelance work as well. Some highlights include: evening gowns and children's clothing for Disney's "The 101 Dalmatians Musical," recurring work for fashion designer Barbara Tfank and Vogue Magazine style editor Alexandra Kotur, burlesque costumes, and custom corsetry for clients around the world.

Ann Kristin Glenster '95 (Stage Management) has worked for the last ten years in film finance and development in Norway, France and the UK.  She has been the managing director of an Arctic film fund and been involved in several feature films.  She currently owns and runs two successful companies: Boiler Station (
www.boilerstation.net) and Green Film Practices Ltd (www.greenfilmpractices.com).  This year, she was appointed to the Board of Directors of Women in Film and Television UK, and named a Fellow at the Royal Society of Arts, one of the most prestigious arts institutions in Britain.  Ann Kristin holds Master’s degrees in dramaturgy from Columbia University in New York and in film producing from the Media Business School in Ronda, Spain, and is now pursuing an LL.M. in law at London University.

 

Joseph "Jody" Good '74 (Lighting Design), principal lighting designer with Salt Lake City-based Spectrum Engineers, was honored in May with his third international GE Lighting Award.  He received a 2008 GE Edison Award for Excellence in Environmental Design for his lighting design at Holy Family Catholic Church in South Ogden, Utah, which also earned an IES Illumination Award of Merit.  The GE Edison Award for Excellence in Environmental Design recognizes designs that demonstrate high-quality lighting, conserve energy, successfully integrate daylighting, ensure system durability and maintainability, control light pollution, or include other sustainability measures.  Jody's previous GE Lighting Awards were in recognition of his lighting designs for St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Draper, Utah, which was recognized with the 2003 GE Edison Award and a 2003 GE Lighting Award for Sustainability.

 

Brent "Mickey" Henry '94 (Scenic Arts) has left the revered halls of academia for the pursuit of profit.  He is now the project sales person for the Minneapolis office of Norcostco, Inc.

 

Kjersten Lester-Moratzka '96 (Costume Technology) was awarded tenure and promotion to Associate Professor and named an Associate Director of the School of Theater at Ohio University.

 

Angus MacLachlan '76/'80 (Visual Arts/Acting)’s play "Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts," commissioned by the Old Globe Theatre in La Jolla, California, will premiere at Burning Coal Theatre in Raleigh in April.  His newest screenplay, STONE, directed by John Curran and starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich, and Frances Conroy, with music by Jonny Greenwood of 'Radiohead', was shot just this past summer, and will be released later this year.

Johnny Milani '09 (Stage Management) just received his equity card three months after graduating from UNCSA.  He is currently working as the resident production assistant and sub stage manager at the Tony Award winning musical, "HAIR."  He has begun calling the show in addition to running the deck.  Aside from his everyday duties at "HAIR," Johnny also enjoys working as the assistant to the company managers on the new Broadway musical, "The Addams Family."  For ticket information to either show, please visit www.hairbroadway.com or www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com.

 

Tanase Popa '06 (Stage Management) has been promoted to Company Manager for the San Francisco sit-down company of "Wicked."  He has also worked on the Broadway companies of "Sweeney Todd," "Company," and "Gypsy," and the 1st National Tours of "Sweeney Todd" and "Wicked."


Tia Pulitzer '97 (Visual Arts)'s sculptures were on display at the "Superficiality and Superexcrescence" exhibition at the Otis College of Art and Design's Ben Maltz Gallery through September 12th.  The review at LA Times Blogs includes a photo of two of Tia's works, "On a Mission" and "It's Not Me, It's You."  Tia's work was also shown at "Rogue Wave '09" at L.A. Louver through September 19th.

 

Steve Snyder '86 (Technical Production) and Elizabeth Zompakos Snyder '86 (Lighting Design) celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary on June 10, 2009.

Yona Wade '04/'07 (Voice/Performing Arts Management) is the coordinator of the new of the Cherokee Central Schools’ Cultural Arts Center in Cherokee, N.C.



SCHOOL of DRAMA

 

Carol Aubrey '72 (Acting) published her first book, "FEARLESS THINKING: Moving Past the Obstacles to Personal and Social Evolution."  Visit her on her blog, www.FreeandFearless.com.

 

Neal Bledsoe '05 (Acting) appeared in 2009 on the CW's "The Beautiful Life: TBL" and "Gossip Girl" and ABC's "Ugly Betty."

 

Theodore "Ted" Brunetti '83 (Acting) is the creator and executive producer of a new FOX TV comedy pilot from Merv Griffin Entertainment called "Inside Jokes" starring Kevin Connelly.  Read the Variety article here.  Ted graciously helps produce the senior class actor presentation in Los Angeles each year at his acting studio, Ted Brunetti Studio at The Hollywood Playhouse Theatre Complex.

 

Paloma Garcia-Lee '08 (Acting/Ballet) joined the Broadway national touring company of The Phantom of the Opera in August.  Paloma made her Broadway debut at age 17 in the New York company of "Phantom."  She is an understudy for the principal role of Meg Giry, and played Meg from September 30th through October 25th in St. Louis, Missouri.  For ticket information visit www.thephantomoftheopera.com then select "US TOUR."  Also see her website at www.palomagarcialee.com.

 

Tim Guinee '85 (Acting) has just completed filming IRON MAN 2, in which he returns as Major Allen.  He has appeared recently in television episodes of "Nip/Tuck," "Numb3rs," "Three Rivers" and "Trauma."  Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Cooperstown Productions is producing the feature film THE WELL which Tim wrote and will direct.  Tim is in negotiations with Cooperstown to write another film for them about the civil rights movement.

Cooper Harris (Acting) stars in the upcoming disaster film for The SyFy Channel, METEOR APOCALYPSE, opposite Joe Lando.  The film premieres in February.  Cooper is currently in negotiations to sell her upcoming star-studded comedy series, "Squatters," which she produced, co-wrote, and stars in (www.SquattersTheSeries.com); the show will premiere in early 2010.  Cooper’s national spots for Dish Network are currently running, as well as her commercial for the new M Resort Spa Casino in Las Vegas.  www.cooperharris.net.

Carissa Johnson '95 (Acting)
completed her Ed.M in Arts in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2008, and is currently the senior program associate running the Global Youth Media and Arts Program for World Savvy in New York City.

Carlos Larkin '90 (Acting)
portrays the title character in the new zombie comedy GEORGE'S INTERVENTION (
www.georgesintervention.com), which premiered at Dragon*Con in Atlanta on Sept. 4-7.  Its first film festival appearance was at the Bram Stoker International Film Festival in the UK in October.

 

Jim Lauderdale '79 (Acting) has again been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album, for his new release "Could We Get Any Closer?".  This is the 5th time Jim has been nominated for this prestigious honor, which he has won twice: last year with "The Bluegrass Diaries," and in 2002 with "Lost in the Lonesome Pines."  In addition, Jim sang harmony vocals on Elvis Costello's "Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane" (nominated for Best Contemporary Folk Album), and wrote songs on George Strait's "TWANG" and Lee Ann Womack's "Call Me Crazy" (both nominated for Best Country Album).  The Grammy Award will be held on January 31 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and telecast live on CBS at 8 pm.  Jim returned to the School of the Arts on Saturday, January 9, for a performance in the "Something for Everyone" series at the Stevens Center.  www.jimlauderdale.com.

 

Angus MacLachlan '76/'80 (Visual Arts/Acting)’s play "Southeastern Center for Contemporary Arts," commissioned by the Old Globe Theatre in La Jolla, California, will premiere at Burning Coal Theatre in Raleigh in April.  His newest screenplay, STONE, directed by John Curran and starring Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich, and Frances Conroy, with music by Jonny Greenwood of 'Radiohead', was shot just this past summer, and will be released later this year.

Corey Madden '79 (Acting) directed "Creature From the Black Lagoon," a new musical comedy produced by Marc Routh and Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park.  In 2008, she won a Rockefeller Multi Arts grant for the physical theatre work "Rock, Paper, Scissors," a silent comedy which was produced at Childsplay in Phoenix, AZ, and ran for six months after receiving glowing reviews.  This past summer, Corey was a Lucas Fellow (artist at the Montalvo Center for the Arts in Saratoga, CA), and an artist in residence at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, working on her new musical "Surf Orpheus," written in collaboration with her husband, composer Bruno Louchouarn.  She is currently on fellowship as a second year graduate student in dramatic writing (stage and screen) at USC, where she is also teaching writing to undergraduates.  Updates are posted regularly to her website at
http://web.mac.com/cbmcorey.

 

Josh Manning '98 (Acting) established Jericho 7 Films and just recently finished producing a feature film in Europe called THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS, soon to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.  Josh also plays the lead role, pursuing his sister's killer across Europe on a motorcycle (provided by BMW Motorrad).  The film was shot in Italy (Amalfi Coast, Rome, La Spezia), Monaco (Monte Carlo) France (Cannes, Paris, Lyon), and England.  David Prowse, the man who played Darth Vader in all three of the original Star Wars movies, plays Josh’s father, and Pete Conway, the father of pop star Robbie William, plays the leading lady's father.  www.jericho7.com.


Maggie Marlin '03 (Acting) received her MFA in Theatre Movement Pedagogy from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.  She recently played Millie in "Thoroughly Modern Millie," directed by Patti D'Beck at the Barksdale Theatre (www.barksdalerichmond.org).

 

Wendy McClellan '96 (Directing) directed the world premiere of Liz Duffy Adams’s "Or," with Kelly Hutchinson, Andy Paris and Maggie Siff, October 29 – November 22 at the Julia Miles Theater in New York.  www.womensproject.org

 

Marilyn McIntyre '72 (Acting) appeared as Mrs. Norman in a special 30th Anniversary production of "Children of a Lesser God" by Mark Medoff, directed by Jonathan Barlow Lee at the acclaimed Deaf West Theatre (www.deafwest.org) in the NoHo Arts District, North Hollywood, CA.  She then performed in Lee Blessing's new play "Moderation," directed by Oz Scott as part of the new play series "Hothouse at the Playhouse" at Pasadena Playhouse, and also played Harry Dean Stanton's wife in a quirky short film ON HOLIDAY.   Marilyn continues to coach and teach at the Howard Fine Acting Studio in Hollywood and at Cal State-Northridge, and is a workshop coordinator/teacher and producer with the SAG Hollywood Conservatory associated with and located at AFI.  www.MarilynMcIntyre.com

 

Mark Monday '78 (Acting) serves as Head of the MFA Acting Program at Kent State University and recently appeared as Meeker in "Inherit the Wind" at The Cleveland Playhouse.

 

No Rules Theatre Company will present its first production, Neil LaBute's "Some Girl(s)," March 4-21 at The H Street Playhouse in Washington, D.C.  The show is being produced by third-year Performing Arts Management student Anne Kohn and directed by Joshua Morgan '09 (Acting), and will feature Brian Sutow '09 (Acting) and Emily Simoness '07 (Acting).  www.norulestheatre.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robyne Parrish '98/'05 (Acting) played Paquette in the Quantum Theatre production of "Candide" in Pittsburgh this past fall, as well as Delphi/Nola in "Weird Romance" at the Theatre Factory in Trafford, Pa.  Robyne is currently completing her MFA at the Conservatory for the Performing Arts at Point Park University, while teaching freshman acting there and assisting Janet Feindell in the voice and speech department at Carnegie Mellon University.  She will direct "Mercy Seat" by Neil Labute this spring at Off The Wall Theatre in Washington, Pa., March 5-20.  www.robyneparrish.com.

 

Elizabeth Henry Power '71 (Writing) is a co-investigator in the NIH/NIMH research grant "Improving Communication between Primary Care Providers and Their Trauma Patients" at Georgetown University.  The R34 grant, in the department of Psychiatry/Research, focuses on the application of the Sidran Institute's model, "Risking Connection."  The core elements of this federally recognized promising practice for people working with survivors of traumatic experiences focus on relational process and constructivist self-development theory.  Elizabeth's firm, EPower & Associates, Inc., has worked as program development and replication specialists for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the Children’s Institute of Los Angeles, and with the Sidran Institute.  As a professional educator, the focus is on the application of evidence-informed learning and education to help reduce the time, trauma, and cost of healing for all involved.  In her work with Sidran, Elizabeth serves on the leadership team for Risking Connection, delivering the program and related trainings nationwide.  Her work as co-investigator focuses on educational design, delivery and evaluation.  EPower & Associates, Inc. is establishing a Nashville presence for Risking Connection as evidence continues to point to the effectiveness of the program in mitigating the impact of traumatic experiences on skilled helpers and survivors.  www.epowerandassociates.com.

 

Will Rogers '04 (Acting) and Henry Vick '03 (Acting) join the cast of Lincoln Center Theater Company's upcoming "When the Rain Stops Falling" by Australian playwright Andrew Bovell, best known for the screenplay LANTANA and Baz Luhrmann's STRICTLY BALLROOM.  The production is directed by David Cromer (off-Broadway's hit revival of "Our Town") and begins previews at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater on Feb. 11 (opens March 8).  Read the BroadwayWorld article here.

  

Chris Schilder '08 (Directing) is assistant director on the Horton Foote trilogy "The Orphan’s Home Cycle," currently playing off-Broadway at Signature Theatre Company's Peter Norton Space.

 

Briana Venskus '05 (Acting) has been cast this season as the new med student on FOX's hit series "House M.D."

 

Erika Walton-Sitzberger '97 (Directing) is the Artistic Coordinator at Ravinia, which throughout its 2009 season is presenting "Mystic Chords of Memory," a Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration which pulls its name from a quote made by Lincoln during his first inaugural address.  The festival began with an Illinois tour of the Lincoln Trio in the spring (www.ravinia.org/lincoln), featuring music by Lincoln contemporaries Brahms and Mendelssohn as well as music by the winners of Ravinia’s first composition competition; this program included UNCSA composer-in-residence Lawrence Dillon's "Better Angels of Nature," which was again performed in September at Ravinia as part of "Concert Dance, Inc." with choreography by Venetia Stiffler.  The season also included the world premiere of "Fondly Do We Hope… Fervently Do We Pray," a Ravinia-commissioned work by the Bill T Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.  Leah Cox '94 (Ballet) is the rehearsal assistant and education coordinator for the company, and Clarissa Sinceno '87 (Voice) was the vocalist for the piece.  www.ravinia.org.

 


SCHOOL of MUSIC

 

Tanya Benard '95/'99 (Clarinet) is a guest faculty member at the Glenn Gould School (the professional training division of the Royal Conservatory of Music), where she is delivering an ongoing workshop in the Alexander Technique that she developed.  Tanya is also a frequent presenter on the Alexander Technique, appearing at many local, provincial and national conferences.  In addition, she maintains a private practice as a teacher of the Alexander Technique in which she works with many musicians.  www.alexandertech.ca.

 

Erin Benim '96/'98 (Violin) and her band, Quartet Rouge (Kathy Marshall, violin, Darcy Rindt, viola, Rachel Turner Houk, cello) were thrilled to be a part of "American Idiot," the new musical featuring music by Green Day, at the Berkeley Repertory Theater (www.berkeleyrep.org), September 4 - November 15.  Directed by Michael Mayer, and produced by Tom Hulce '71/'74 (Acting) and Ira Pittleman, the show featured many cast members from the hit "Spring Awakening" as well as an onstage band performing the entire Green Day album "American Idiot."  Quartet Rouge’s original arrangements transition from lyrical rock melodies to groove with ease, featuring music by artists rarely heard together: The Police, Megadeth, Black Eyed Peas, Joss Stone, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Coldplay, Amy Winehouse, Justin Timberlake, Queen, Tower of Power, Seal, and Bjork.  They also perform original compositions and are available for touring, recording, and the composition of original string arrangements.  Quartet Rouge has played live shows with Mary J Blige, Jay-Z, Donna Summer, Josh Groban, Tommy Lee, Olivia Newton-John, Peter Cetera, Diana Krall, Smokey Robinson, Ian Anderson, Il Divo, and Devotchka, among many others.  Visit www.quartetrouge.com for more information and sound clips, and follow them on Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter.

 

Haley Dreis '07 (Violin)'s debut album, "Beautiful To Me," was independently released on CDBaby.com last summer (www.cdbaby.com/cd/haleydreis) and is also available for download on iTunes.  10% of the album proceeds will go to the Sierra Club and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  Haley performed at the Bitter End in New York City on June 21 and July 12 to celebrate the release of her album.  She was also awarded $2,675 as a 4th place winner on Yobi.Tv, an online singing and songwriting contest, and was a top 10 finalist in the 2009 USC Idol competition.  Haley is a double major in music and journalism at the University of South Carolina.  Find her online at www.haleydreismusic.com, www.myspace.com/haleydreis, and on Facebook.

 

Lisa Gold '80 (Voice), co-founder of the networking and educational studio Actors Connection in New York City, has launched her new company, Act Outside the Box (www.actoutsidethebox.com).  Turning her attention to leading seminars on the business aspect of the entertainment industry, Lisa offers workshops on topics like "How to Get and Keep an Agent," "Branding and Defining Your Product" and "Being Your Own CEO."  She also hosts bi-monthly industry networking parties for actors, casting directors, agents producers, and other industry guests.  In October, she and fellow alumnus Randy Jones '75 (Contemporary Dance) of Village People fame hosted a "Be True to Your School" fundraising event, with a raffle for prizes such as free headshot sessions and other actor-related services and products; the proceeds from the raffle were donated to a number of selected schools, and Lisa and Randy graciously named the University of North Carolina School of the Arts as one of the beneficiaries.

 

Orlando Haddad '79 (Music Composition), who came to UNCSA from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is married to Patricia King '79 (Voice), and they have been living in Philadelphia for the last 25 years.  Orlando and Patricia started the Brazilian jazz musical group Minas in 1978 while studying at UNCSA.  With 7 CDs to its credit and having performed in such prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center, and in Rio de Janeiro, Minas is celebrating 25 years in Philadelphia with a series of concerts, including the release of "Bossa Nova Day," the first recording featuring just the duo (Orlando on guitar and vocals, Patricia on piano and vocals).  "BND" features 10 original compositions by Haddad/King.  Orlando received two Master’s degrees in Philadelphia, the first from Drexel University in Arts Administration, the second from Temple in Music Composition.  Patricia earned a Master’s in Jazz Piano Performance from the University of the Arts, also in Philadelphia.  Orlando has been on the faculty of The University of the Arts, where he teaches Brazilian Jazz and Brazilian Percussion.  He also conducts clinics around the country on both subjects.  Orlando and Patricia continue making original Brazilian-oriented jazz, in Portuguese and English.  They have two children, Nicole, 29, and Jordan, 21.

 

Lindsey Herndon '03 (Clarinet) married Christopher A. McGuire in Asheville, North Carolina on October 17th, 2009 and travelled to San Francisco, California for five days after. Pictures are available at http://pictage.com/763699.  They are now living in their home in Asheville, and working together on their joint businesses, www.greenbean-store.com and Cooper's Cookies Co.  Please feel free to contact at mcguirelandc@gmail.com.


Tyler Kinnear '03/'07 (Percussion) of Cullowhee, NC, graduated from the University of Oregon in June, earning a Master of Arts degree in Musicology.  He is now working on his Ph.D. in Musicology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada.

 

Michael Kinney '94 (Piano and Music Composition) performed in July with the CLSI (Le Cercle pour la Libération du Son et de l'Image) at the Karlheinz Stockhausen summer festival in Kurten, Germany.

 

Julie Laurence 'Wilson 75 (Voice) moved back to Winston-Salem in 1991, and has been a Real Estate Broker with Prudential Carolinas Realty since 1998.

Wayne Leechford '95/'97 (Saxophone) is the saxophone instructor at North Carolina State University and musician contractor for the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, NC.  He is also a North Carolina Arts Council "Touring Artist" with the band Children of the Horn for the 2008-2010 season.  He has recently accepted an interim position playing baritone saxophone with the New Century Saxophone Quartet for the 2009-2010 season, alongside fellow alumni Stephen Pollock '82/'91, Chris Hemingway '96, and Michael Stephenson '82/'86.

Dr. John Mangan '91 (Guitar) of Philadelphia has been appointed as the new alumni representative on the UNCSA Board of Trustees, for a two-year term beginning July 1, 2009.  John was appointed in March as the new vice president and dean of The Curtis Institute of Music.  He oversees the academic, musical studies, and performance curricula, as well as all areas relating to students and faculty.  For the last seven years, John has held administrative and teaching posts at Yale University, most recently as assistant dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and lecturer in the Department of History.  Prior to that, he worked in undergraduate academic and student affairs at Yale as dean of Jonathan Edwards College, long regarded as Yale’s music and arts residential college.

 

Cheryse McLeod Lewis '02 (Voice), mezzo-soprano, holds degrees in voice performance from Carnegie Mellon University (BFA), The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (MM), and The AJ Fletcher Opera Institute at UNCSA (Professional Artist Certificate).  An accomplished performer in opera, recital, and concert, Lewis has been commended for her "stunning vocal power" (Asheville Citizen Times) and "rich lyric mezzo sound" (Opera News Online).  She has performed principal roles with Asheville Lyric Opera, Connecticut Opera, Greensboro Opera, Houston Ebony Opera, Opera Carolina, The Opera Company of NC, and Piedmont Opera.  When she is not singing, she is a private voice teacher, model, actor, and voiceover artist.  Cheryse joined her talents with fellow vocalist and long time friend Rhiannon Giddens in 2003 to create the classical vocal duo Eleganza, which performed on Saturday, November 21, at 7:30 pm at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Greensboro, NC, to celebrate the release of their debut CD, "Because I Knew You…".  The concert program and CD contain an eclectic mix of sacred, spiritual, operatic, art song, and musical theatre duets.  CDs are on sale at www.eleganzamusic.net.

Quinton Morris '02 (Violin) recently debuted "William Grant Still’s Suite for Violin and Orchestra" with the Thalia Symphony, performed a solo recital at Seattle's Town Hall and presented lecture recitals for the Seattle Chamber Music Society and Global African Studies Department at Seattle University.  In addition, he served as music director and concertmaster for the Opus Prize Awards held in Seattle.  He and members of the Seattle Symphony premiered the string quartet "Be the Change" by American composer Michael Milkulka at the ceremony.  Last summer, Quinton presented master classes to talented violinists at the Sydney Conservatory of Music in Australia.  His string octet, The Young Eight, continues to perform concerts across the globe.  Next season, he will present his concerto debuts with the Tacoma Youth Symphony and Orchestra Seattle and present another recital at Seattle's Town Hall.

 

Brent Roman '98 (Percussion) joined Cirque Du Soleil in 2007 as percussionist on the touring big-top show "Alegria," touring with the show throughout South America.  He then later joined the big-top touring show "Dralion" as percussionist and Drum Captain, and has spent the last 2 years touring throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico.  He is an endorsed artist with LP Percussion.  Brent is also a founding member of the band Mucca Pazza, which was nominated this year for the 29th Annual Chicago Music Awards in the category of Most Outstanding Band or Group.

 

Michelle Trovato '03 (Voice) was selected as one of twenty semi-finalists to compete in the 10th Annual Marie Kraja International Opera Competition in Tirana, Albania, where she won the 3rd prize of 2000 Euros. The competition performances with the Symphonic Orchestra of Tirana, under the baton of Maestro Claudio Buechler, were broadcast live by the Albanian National Public Television and via satellite in Europe and the U.S. The judges for this competition included representatives from La Scala (Italy), Gran Teatro del Liceu (Spain), Opera Europa and Opera Theater Netherlands. Other recent honors for Michelle include an Opera Index, Inc. Encouragement Grant Award, as well as the opportunity to represent the U.S. in the finals of the Concorso Internazionale di Canto Lirico in Alessandria, Italy. Upcoming performances include the title roles in "Lucia di Lammermoor" with Center Stage Opera in California and "Anna Bolena" with Opera Manhattan. This summer, she will return to Utah Festival Opera to cover the role of Violetta in "La Traviata."
 

Felix "Tex" Ventouras '07 (Music Composition) was commissioned to write the score for a new site-specific "Dracula" at historic and atmospheric Belcourt Castle, which was presented by Newport’s resident contemporary ballet company, Island Moving Co. (www.islandmovingco.org), in October.  Artistic Director Miki Ohlsen developed the libretto for this new.  Tex’s score was performed live for the six performances, incorporating string quartet, percussion, Belcourt’s 1891 Steinway grand and its ballroom’s historic pipe organ.  Tex, a keyboardist and composer, has worked with dancers at Jacob’s Pillow, Los Angeles Ballet, Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Ballet Adriatico in Italy.  His music has been premiered at the Music Festival of the Hamptons, New York’s National Arts Club, Clark Studio Theater at Lincoln Center, and Joyce SoHo, and in August 2008 a piece he helped compose and arrange for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team was played during the Beijing Summer Olympic Games.   He has enjoyed the honor of performing as keyboardist with the late Texas blues guitarist Jack Morgan, and at the Bluemont Concert Series with "Boogie Man" Daryl Davis.

Dr. Robert Vodnoy '66/'68 (Music Composition) is in his fifth year as the director of the Aberdeen University/Civic Symphony and Northern State University associate professor of strings.  Last summer, he completed his tenth season as music director of the Whiting Park Festival Orchestra.  The WPFO is a professional summer festival orchestra in northwest Indiana (20 minutes from Chicago) which performs from mid-July through Labor Day.  While in Indiana this summer, Robert also taught a graduate course on Shakespeare's "Macbeth" at Valparaiso University, which included study of operas based on "Macbeth" composed by Shostakovich, Bloch, and Verdi.  In May 2009, he guest-conducted the Huron Symphony Orchestra and was subsequently appointed the orchestra's new conductor for the 2009-2010 season.  In February 2009, the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, under music director Delta David Gier, performed the South Dakota premiere of Robert's orchestral composition "Heart of Fire."  Robert is President-Elect of the South Dakota chapter of the American String Teacher Association.  
www.northern.edu/Robert.Vodnoy/index.html

 

Yona Wade '04/'07 (Voice/Performing Arts Management) is the coordinator of the new of the Cherokee Central Schools’ Cultural Arts Center in Cherokee, N.C.


 

 

 

 

 

SCHOOL of FILMMAKING

 

Clint Buckner '09 (Film Production), Mallory Holloway '09 (Film Production Design), Alaina McManus '09 (Cinematography), Chelsey ManWaring '09 (Film Production Design), Alex Sablow '09 (Cinematography), Jared Threatt '09 (Cinematography), and current Film student Daniel DePaola all interned on GET LOW, a feature film starring Robert DuVall, Sissy Spacek, Bill Murray, and Lucas Black which was chosen to be the Salt Lake City Gala Premiere film at the Sundance Film Festival this year. Sony Pictures Classics picked up GET LOW after the Toronto Film Festival and will distribute the film theatrically in the summer of 2010.

Mark Freiburger '05 (Film Directing) is producing a film that he co-wrote called THE TRIAL, based on a novel by Robert Whitlow.  Production wrapped in November in Charlotte, N.C., and Mark is currently in negotiations with 20th Century Fox about the release.

 

Jennifer Haire '02 (Film Production) was the production coordinator for THE STONING OF SORAYA M. (www.thestoning.com), now playing in select theatres.  The film premiered at the 2008 Toronto Film Festival and won for Best Narrative Feature at the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival.  Jordan Melograna '03 (Film Directing) worked on the film's production staff.  Jennifer and Jordan also work on TNT's "The Closer," which airs Mondays at 9 PM.  Sheelin Choksey '01 (Film Directing) is one of the show's producers.

Bruce Kiesling '08 (Film Music Composition) was recently named the new artistic director and conductor of the Tulare County Symphony in California.  He composed the score for WESLEY, a feature film about John and Charles Wesley and the founding of the Methodist movement.  The movie, produced by Foundery Pictures in Lewisville, NC, was filmed in Old Salem and Bethabara Park in Winston-Salem.  He also did the score for the short film CADENCE, winner in the Best Film and Best Score categories at the 2008 Greensboro 48 Hour Film Festival.  Bruce is the music director and conductor for the Greensboro Symphony Youth Orchestra, which in recent years he has led to performances at Carnegie Hall and the Spoleto Festival, and is artistic director and conductor of the Choral Society of Greensboro.  
www.brucekiesling.com

Gilana Lobel '05 (Film Production) is currently a location coordinator for Paramount Pictures’ MORNING GLORY, being produced by JJ Abrams and Guy Reidel in anticipation of a summer 2010 theatrical release.  The film will star Rachel McAdams, Patrick Wilson, Harrison Ford, Jeff Goldblum, and Diane Keaton.  Gilana has also worked this year as a production secretary for the NBC pilots "Mercy" and "Off Duty," and as a producer on the music video for Sally Shapiro’s "Miracle."

 

Aaron Mazze '98 (Film Music Composition) is launching WorldArts, a new platform designed for professional creatives around the world to showcase their work, collaborate and gain exposure.  WorldArts offers members a professional space to build and manage their portfolio, tools to network and collaborate with other artists, and opportunities to gain exposure on an international level.  The site will be launching to the public later this year; if you would like a personal invitation to have an early look, please contact Aaron at aaron@worldarts.me.  Beta testers get VIP treatment while providing feedback that helps us grow together.  http://worldarts.me.

 

Kim Planert '07 (Film Music Composition) continues his primetime success with the 2009 fall season, composing for ABC's "Castle," a hit dramady about bestselling mystery author Richard Castle (Nathon Filllion), who assists NYPD detective Kate Beckett (Stana Katic) with murder investigations; and FOX’s "Lie to Me," a drama series starring Timothy Roth and inspired by the scientific discoveries of a real-life psychologist.  Shortly after Kim’s score for NEST OF THE SPIDERS won the Gold Medal of Excellence at Utah’s 2007 Park City Film Music Festival, Kim began collaborating with Robert Duncan, writing daily for the CBS drama "The Unit."  Other recent scores include the feature film INTO THE BLUE 2 (additional music), directed by Stephen Herek, and the feature film THE LAST PASSPORT (original score), a drama directed by David Smith and David Temple.  www.kimplanert.com

 

Steven Rambousek '06 (Film Production Design) has been working as the lead designer of a key attraction for Universal Studios Singapore.  The brand new theme park and first of its kind in Southeast Asia is due to open this spring.  The project is based on the Dreamworks animated film MADAGASCAR.  For the last two years he has been leading a design team to coordinate and integrate set and scenery construction, audio and video systems, special and lighting effects, ride mechanisms and animatronic figures.  Working for KHS&S contractors, a world leader in themed design, he has spent equal amounts of time in Los Angeles and Singapore.

 

Mandate Pictures has signed a two-year deal with Rough House Pictures, a new comedy production venture by School of Filmmaking alumni David Gordon Green '98 (Film Directing), Jody Hill '99 (Screenwriting) and Danny McBride '99 (Film Directing).  The company takes its name from David's first short film, WILL YOU LATHER UP MY ROUGH HOUSE?  In other news for the trio, their "Chapter 1" episode of the HBO series "East Bound and Down" has been nominated for a Writers Guild of America award for Episodic Comedy.  David’s film YOUR HIGHNESS, in which Danny stars opposite James Franco and Natalie Portman, recently wrapped production in Northern Ireland and is slated for an October release by Universal.  Danny also stars as Jim in UP IN THE AIR, which has received six Golden Globe nominations.


Paul Schneider '98 (Film Editing) plays Charles Armitage Brown, friend and foil to 19th-century poet John Keats, in Jane Campion’s film BRIGHT STAR, which arrived in theatres on September 16.  Paul was interviewed by the New York Observer and the Tribeca Film Festival about the film, and returned to North Carolina to attend screenings in Raleigh and his native Asheville.  Paul is also a regular on the NBC sitcom "Parks and Recreation," which is in its second season; and his last film, the quirky comedy AWAY WE GO starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, has been released on DVD and Blu-ray.

Zach Seivers '06 (Film Editing and Sound) created Snap Sound, a post-production sound editing company in North Hollywood, as a unique alternative for independent filmmakers.  He and Justin Davey '08 (Film Editing and Sound) co-supervised and mixed the sound for ADAM and NO IMPACT MAN, which both screened last year at the Sundance Film Festival; ADAM was released in select theaters last summer by Fox Searchlight, and NO IMPACT MAN was picked up by Oscilloscope Pictures for a domestic theatrical release in major cities in September.  Zach also recently finished a FUNNY PEOPLE comedy special for HBO and Judd Apatow, the behind-the-scenes DVD and Blu-Ray for a Fox kids film ALIENS IN THE ATTIC, and the Jason Bushman film HOLLYWOOD JE T'AIME, which was screened last summer at the Los Angeles Film Festival, San Francisco International LGBT Film Festival, Philadelphia QFEST, and Outfest 2009.  
www.snapsound.tv


Michael Sledd '01 (Film Production) was the unit production manager on HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE, one of the sixteen feature films screening in the dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Michael also served as a mentor for current Film student Shakim Coleman, who interned as a set production assistant on the film.
 

David Speck '01 (Cinematography) was one of this year’s winners of the 2009 ICG Emerging Cinematographer's Award.  The award is presented by the International Cinematographer's Guild every year to up and coming Directors of Photography.  A screening and awards ceremony was held on September 13, 2009 at the DGA.

Craig Zobel '99 (Film Directing)'s film CANARY was selected for the Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab, January 15-20, 2010 at the Sundance Resort in Utah.  The Screenwriters Lab is a five-day writers' workshop that gives independent screenwriters the opportunity to work intensely on their feature film scripts with the support of established writers in an environment that encourages innovation and creative risk-taking.  Through one-on-one story sessions, fellows engage in an artistically rigorous process that offers them indispensable lessons in craft, as well as the means to do the deep exploration needed to fully realize their material.  CANARY, one of twelve feature film projects to be chosen for this year's Lab, is the story of a small West Virginia coal mining town, whose residents intersect and affect one another in surprising, often humorous ways as their lives are inextricably shaped by their surroundings.  In 2008, Craig won the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director for GREAT WORLD OF SOUND, his debut feature as a writer/director, which was distributed by Magnolia Entertainment.  The film was selected as one of the Top Ten Independent Films of the Year by The National Board of Review, and was nominated for Best First Film and Best Supporting Actor at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards.

 

 

ACROSS the SCHOOL of the ARTS

 

The six 2009-2010 William R. Kenan Jr. Performing Arts Fellows at Lincoln Center Institute presented their work in a series of free performances to the general public, January 22-24 in the Clark Studio Theater.  Emile Blondel '96/'00/'07 (Piano)’s Folk Roots Remixed features solo piano music composed using folk melodies and rhythms of Eastern Europe and South America as its source of inspiration.  This program highlights the diverse textural possibilities that are unique to the modern piano and includes works by Béla Bartók and Alberto Ginastera.  The World Within is a collaborative project shared between Elisa Friedrich '06/'07 (Violin) and Laura Gutierrez '09 (Modern Dance), influenced by the artists' experiences while traveling the world.  In discovering new ways music and movement can affect each other, this journey is a deep exploration of the many means of travel through space, body, mind and sound.  Community:Ratio is a dance work for six females and one male by Mari Meade Montoya '06/'09 (Modern Dance) and Gregory Miles Hoffman '07/'08 (Music Composition), which explores the tension between an individual’s obligation to the community and duty to oneself.  It examines the notion of altruism within a super-organism, and asks where the primary responsibility lies when self-assertion is at odds with the interests of the group.  Rachel Perkins '07/'09 (Violin)’s Postcards from Brazil, performed with Mikael Darmanie '09 (Piano), is an exploration of early twentieth-century Brazilian music.  The program includes works by Brazilian composers Heitor Villa-Lobos and M. Camargo Guarnieri, and looks at how European visitors heard Brazilian music and what they brought to it in their reinterpretations of the original idiom.  For more information about the performances, the fellows, and the fellowship program, see the full release at www.uncsa.edu/pressreleases/Releases2009/Dec09/LCIJan.pdf.

 

Three alumni performed in the 32nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors, held on December 6 and broadcast December 29 on CBS.  Gary Beach '70 (Drama), who played Roger De Bris in both the original Broadway cast and the film version of "The Producers," was featured in a musical tribute to Mel Brooks, singing "Heil Myself;" T. Oliver Reid '93 (Voice), currently appearing on Broadway in "Mary Poppins," was also in the ensemble for the Mel Brooks tribute; and Dan Brubeck '72 (Percussion) performed in the tribute to his father, jazz legend Dave Brubeck.  Additionally, four large monolithic scenery pieces for the production (two proscenium and two rolling reveal/closedown units) were built by Akers Theatrical, which has also provided sets recently for the Country Music Awards and Hip Hop Awards; Akers Theatrical is owned and operated by Andy Akers '71/'74 (Drama/D&P).

 

The 2009 production of UNCSA’s The Nutcracker, December 5-13 at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., featured new choreography by Ethan Stiefel, Dean of the School of Dance and Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theater, as well as three other members of the School of Dance faculty, Nigel Burley, Warren Conover and Susan McCullough '69 (Ballet).  Featured guest artists included several other renowned members of the American Ballet Theatre: Principal Dancer Gillian Murphy '96 (Ballet), Soloists Sascha Radetsky and Maria Riccetto '99 (Ballet), Corps de Ballet member Blaine Hoven '03/'06 (Ballet), and Resident Lighting Designer Brad Fields '87 (Technical Production), who created the dynamic new lighting for this year’s production.  New scenery for the show, including a spectacular 26-foot tall Christmas tree, was designed by School of Design & Production faculty member Howard Jones.  And, for the first time in 40 years, the immensely popular Tchaikovsky score was performed by the student orchestra of the School of Music, under the musical direction of faculty member Ransom Wilson '69 (Flute).

 

 

IMPORTANT LINKS

 

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If you believe any of the news reported here to be in error,
or if news that you submitted prior to this issue does not appear here,
please let us know at
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