Newsletter Archives

Summer, 2003

Greetings, Friends!

As always, it is with great pleasure that I send you another Theatre Alumni Newsletter. Let's get right to the news: Let's get right to the news:

ACADEMIC YEAR & FESTIVAL PLAYHOUSE 02-03: Celebrating our 39th season, Festival Playhouse of Kalamazoo College offered three contemporary dramas by three of the most respected individuals writing for the theatre today - Caryl Churchill, Tony Kushner, and Lanford Wilson. Together, they made up a theatre season that highlighted the art of the
playwright: Contemporary Perspectives. We began in the Fall with TOP GIRLS by Caryl Churchill, directed by Professor Karen Berthel. The eight undergraduate actresses who performed in the play had a wonderfully organic rehearsal process. In the Winter, former K College Theatre professor Clair Myers returned to direct A BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY by Tony Kushner, an intelligent staging of a very difficult text. In Spring, we presented Lanford Wilson's, BALM IN GILEAD, with one of the biggest and most detailed scenic designs we've done in years (by Professor Lanny Potts) perfectly capturing the ambience of an all night diner in NYC. The show also featured stunning costumes and makeup by Costume Designer Sas Hanson (Sas also taught the Costuming & Makeup course in the Fall), and K alumna and recent graduate of the Northwestern University's MFA Directing program, Anjalee Deshpande (K'95) returned to direct. Anjalee was a huge hit with out students! In the Dungeon Theatre, we presented Samuel Beckett's ENDGAME, directed by guest artist Todd Espeland.
We had the usual varied and strong Senior Performance Series. We began in the Winter in the Dungeon with MUSIC & MYTH: THE FANTASTICKS by Harvey Jones & Tom Schmidt and directed by Anne LaTarte; and POLAROID STORIES by Naomi Iizuka, directed by Cassie Freeborn. Winter also saw a performance SIP on the Playhouse Stage: HUNTING BEARS, a one man show about Radiohead's Thom Yorke, written & performed by Timo Aker. In Spring, back in the Dungeon, ALONE ON STAGE consisted of NO EXIT by Jean-Paul Sartre and directed by Nicholas Kessler; and LAUGHING WILD by Christopher Durang, directed by Lynnette Polcyn.
We had one of the best years we have ever had in terms of bringing in guest artists! Dr. Von Washington, Director of the Multicutural Theatre Program at WMU, returned to teach our course in African American Theatre. Also as part of the African American Arts & Letters Initiative, we presented AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A HOMEGIRL by Yvette Heyliger, directed by Von in the Playhouse. Jennie Goodlander, (K'97) currently in the MFA Asian Performance & Directing program at University of Hawaii, visited the Asian Theatre class and also met with theatre arts students to discuss "Life After K." David Diamond, Artistic Associate at La MaMa Theatre in NYC & career consultant for professional artists, visited, as did Rich Hutchman, (K '91) who gave a workshop in Acting for the Camera. Wade Jackson, (K'90) former Broadway stage manager and Allen Krause (K'00), Executive Director, Tangerine Arts Group, Chicago, both visited our Senior Seminar class, as part of our continuing effort to make that course a "bridge" between academic and professional theatre.
Finally, on top of everything else this past year, the Theatre Arts Department underwent its first external review (as required by the college) since 1988! I'm happy to report that we passed with flying colors - so much so that we are seriously considering applying for NAST (National Association of Schools of Theatre) accreditation. More on this in a future newsletter, but I can't resist sharing one quote from the review: "… was consistently impressed by the intellectual ability, artistic sensitivity, and maturity of the students…they demonstrated the integrated, comprehensive mission of both Kalamazoo College and the Theatre Arts Department."

NEXT YEAR'S SEASON: We celebrate our 40th Season with Tribes & Rituals. We begin in the Fall with MACBETH, directed by Professor Karen Berthel. Working with students on Shakespeare's text is a specialty of Karen's and, amazingly enough, to our knowledge, this is the first time MACBETH will ever be performed by Kalamazoo College! In Winter, we present A SENIOR PERFORMANCE CELEBRATION: TWO WEEKENDS OF STUDENT DIRECTED PLAYS IN
ROTATING REPERTORY. For the last few years we have been featuring the work of senior directors and designers in the Dungeon. This year, we will feature the work of our "best and the brightest" on our mainstage, supporting the great tradition we have of students creating their own theatre. In the Spring, guest artist African American musical theatre scholar and director Dr. Calvin McClinton returns to direct HAIR . In addition, in spring we will present Harold Pinter's OLD TIMES, in the Dungeon directed by myself. As you can see, we continue to strive to make the theatre experience at the center of the liberal arts environment: an intersection of knowledge, creativity, and education for our entire community.

Finally, A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE, A SAD FAREWELL, AN EXCITING NEW INITIATIVE FOR K THEATRE, AND A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!
1. Vinnie Liff (K'73) passed away on February 25, 2003. As I'm sure most of you know, Vinnie, co-director of
the Johnson-Liff agency, was a longtime Broadway casting director who worked on such hits as CATS, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, and LES MISE. Not only was he extremely successful, he was one of the most beloved members of the New York theatre community. For more details on Vinnie's remarkable life and career, I refer you to the extensive obituary published in The New York Times of February 26. In a twist of fate, Vinnie's passing was the day before we opened the Winter play at K, which happened to be directed by former K Theatre professor Clair Myers (Vinnie remained a devoted friend to both Clair and Nelda K. Balch throughout his life). Even though I am not the best source on Vinnie (I came to the college in 1986 but we had met a few times), I asked Clair's permission if I could say a few words about what he still means to those of us at K:
Vinnie Liff represents the best of the dedicated spirit of all theatre students at Kalamazoo College, not just because he went on to incredible success in this most competitive of professions, but because he embodied the incredible energy of our theatre students when he was here - doing EVERYTHING in the theatre - acting, directing, and stage managing at K, doing internships in NYC, Foreign Study, and a SIP in England working with the Royal Shakespeare Company (of over 250 pages - quite an undergraduate thesis)! We mourn his loss, but celebrate his life.

Contributions in Vinnie's name may be made to:
The Fund for Parks & Recreation
Justine Liff Emerald Necklace Fund
C/o Boston Parks Department
1010 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
Or
The Brain Tumor Foundation
1350 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1200
New York, New York 10019

2. Patience Vaughan, longtime costumer of the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre and Costume Shop Mgr. for the last several years for Festival Playhouse has left Kalamazoo and moved back East. It's hard to describe how much we'll miss Patience (although we did try at a farewell reception in Spring). Suffice it to say that she touched so many different people in her long artistic life in Kalamazoo, and she taught us not only about theatre, but also about life. You may write to Patience at her new address: 42 Greene St., Milford, CT, 06460.

3. As part of our growing Service Learning Initiative with The Ark, Kalamazoo's only teen crisis center, Improv class students taught a weekly workshop for Ark clients. Also, in collaboration with The Ark, and with the college's Institute of Service Learning, there were two Theatre SIPs in which the K seniors trained a high school improv troupe at Hackett High School, resulting in the troupe traveling to area middle schools, using Activating Theatre techniques to bring awareness to teen issues such as peer pressure, and underage drinking.

4. Finally, a TREMENDOUS congratulations to Lisa Kron (K'83) who is the recipient of the 2003 Kalamazoo College Distinguished Achievement Award! YAY, LISA! It would be impossible to list all of Lisa professional accomplishments as a writer, actor, and performance artist since she left K so here's just a few: her solo piece 2.5 MINUTE RIDE which premiered in NY at the Public Theater/NYSF in 1999, received an Obie Award, LA Dramalogue Award, GLAAD Media Award, as well as Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations (she also performed it to a thrilled and packed Playhouse here at K in Spring of 2001)! Lisa's work has been included in several anthologies, and a volume of her plays was published by TCG in 2001. Lisa describes her current piece, WELL, as "a solo show with five other people in it." WELL had a workshop production at Dixon Place in May 2002 and will premiere at the Public in 2004. COME TO HOMECOMING - Oct. 10-11, 2003 to see Lisa receive this honor! More details can be found by logging onto http://www.kzoo.edu/aluminfo/hc.html#hc2003.

THEATRE ALUMNI NEWS: 00s: Nicholas Kessler (K'03) was hired to act several major roles in the Summer/Fall season at Festival Theatre of St. Croix, WI. How about that? A full-time acting job right after graduation!…Sue Semaan (K'03) came up with two after graduation jobs, not just one: Arts Administration Assistant at TCG in NYC this summer and a similar position at The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington DC come the Fall…Liza Bielby (K'02) spent the year in China on her Fulbright Scholarship studying Sichuan Opera at the Sichuan Provincial Opera Academy. She is also organizing an international conference in the Fall to celebrate the Academy's 50th anniversary… Noah Goldsmith (K'02) is in NYC studying at the Atlantic Theatre Company, worked on a show at Primary Stages, among others, and also managed to meet David Mamet in a class at ATC….Joe Hamlin (K'02) had a VERY successful year as Assistant Technical Director at Northern Stages in Vermont. Joe is also the ATD this summer at Barrington Stage Company in MA…Jessica Hoff (K'02) is now Managing Director of TAG (Tangerine Arts Group) in Chicago and among many other things, assistant directed ELOISE & RAY at Roadworks…Adam Karell (K'02) is in LA where he has been doing some stand-up (beyond open mics), acting in student films, and is currently playing Claudio in the Long Beach Shakespeare Festival production of MUCH ADO…Kelly McDonald (K'02) did a summer working props at Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, then was Props Master at Northern Stages in Vermont, and now has another summer gig as Props Master at a theatre in Morgantown, WV. And a history major yet! Go figure…Mark Piebenga (K'02) is in Chicago and worked for Project Yes at Americorps last year and house managed at the Settlement House Theatre, as well as immersing himself in several projects in the Chicago Improv scene…Kristala Pouncy (K'02) had an excellent first year in the graduate program at Northwestern. She acted in several plays (including Caryl Churchill's VINEGAR TOM) some student films, and did such a great job last summer as the first ever Creative Drama Director at the Lakeside School in Kalamazoo that of course they’ve asked her back for this summer…Jim Wardzinski (K'02) spent part of the year working as lighting technician for Club Med and wound up in the Bahamas!…Gretchen Beesing (K'01) directed THE WHISPERS OF SAINTS at the American Theatre of Actors in NYC (former K student Danny Ward was a cast member)… Margi Cangelosi (K'01), now in Chicago, has stage managed at The Goodman, The Writers Theatre, and The Northlight Theatre…We hear Sarah Huckabay (K'01) moved back to Chicago and is teaching Spanish at the Waldorf School, but recently performed in DRY HUMP, a sketch comedy show at the Chopin Theatre … Sarah Hancock (K'01) just completed a successful first year in the Masters of Theatre Education program at Emerson College in Boston and currently has a summer gig in Italy teaching English through Drama and Music. Sarah also told us she's become a devoted Sox fan, hanging out at Fenway!… Cassandra Johnson (K'01)just completed her first year of graduate school at St. John's in Santa Fe, NM. She's also teaching 11th grade American Lit at the Santa Fe Indian School and writing scripts…Jordan Klepper (K'01) is now teaching improv at Second City in Chicago, he's also performing on a new house team at Improv Olympic, & he and Rocky Russo form the two person improv group "The Joe Benigno Way" which performs regularly at Frankie J's Methadome Theatre, plus he, Rocky, and Mark Piebenga are members of the improv group American Dream which will perform in July at the Del Close Improv Festival in NYC…As Executive Director of the Tangerine Arts Group in Chicago, Allen Krause (K'01) guided TAG to a wonderful second year of existence with a series of plays, concerts, CD recordings, and other fundraising events (this summer they will host a family arts camp). Check out TAG on the web at http://www.tangerinearts.org/ … Jeff Lung (K01) spent his second year in Beijing, China (Jeff is the founder of the K Theatre Arts Fulbright Scholarship in China Comedy Group) working as production manager and Line Producer for Vertex International Animation Company and then freelanced teaching improv workshops to animation teams. He also says that he had to stay up all night in order to watch the World Series…We hear Rocky Russo, (K'01) is terrific in a leading role in JOURNEY'S END in Chicago… Justin Thomas (K'01) had a wonderful first year in the MFA Lighting Design program at the University of Maryland, designing shows both on and off-campus, and also serving as a TA for several classes…Among many other projects, Devin Brain (K'00) conceived & directed a critically well-received "interactive arts carnival performance piece" PHANTASIA & WYRDS SYBARITIC SHADOW SHOW at the Berger Park Coach House in Chicago (produced by TAG). Devin will also direct 3 SISTERS in Fall…Felicity Hesed (K'00) acted in several Chicago shows, including an improv Chekhov parody (I'm trying to imagine that) and also taught at the Frances Xavier Warde School …Simone Lutz (K'00) has now been in NYC almost two years and is a member of the Chicago City Limits Improv group, will be touring with them, and also acted in THE SEA …Megan Martin (K'00) still resides in NYC, but has spent a good deal of the last year traveling to Mexico, Arizona, & Canada …Congratulations to Sarah Ovink (K'00) who married Eric Sindelar on August 9, 2002!…Joe St. Jean (K'00) is now in Otsu, Japan teaching English to the teachers as well as 1st -7th grades at Omi Juku school…Jen Waldman (K'00) completed a successful year internship at Round House Theatre in DC.

90s: Jasmine Presson (K' 99) never stops doing projects in at the WOW Café in NYC! Last year, she conceived, produced, and performed in LE CIRQUE DE BEL CANTO, and also acted a leading role in SPIES IN THE STACKS … Congratulations to John Witzke (K'99) who was married on November 9, 2002! … Jennie Goodlander (K'97) had a pretty busy year in the MFA Asian Performance and Directing program at the University of Hawaii. In addition to finding time to come back to K and lecture to my Asian Theatre class, Jennie also directed PEER GYNT in Hawaii, THE BACCHAE (using Randai dance techniques) at the Lookingglass Theatre in NYC, plus toured China in a Kyogen piece. We think Jennie's in Japan this summer studying Noh Theatre… Lizzie Kostielney (K'97) among other things, works for TAG in Chicago. She and her husband Paul moved into new digs this past Fall (incidentally, we had a FANTASTIC time with Lizzie, Paul, and others at our annual September alumni baseball outing in Chicago)…Liz Lowery (K'97) is also back in Chicago, also worked for TAG this past year, and also made that ballgame a treasured memory…Nicole Paoletti (K'97) is Ticket Services Manager of the University Musical Society at U of M in Ann Arbor…Jeff Patterson (K'97) was in LA this past year, making the rounds during pilot season and pitching his screenplay, THE LAKE EFFECT, about growing up in SW Michigan … Betsy Spess (K'97 had a great first year of graduate school in the M.A. International Education program at Columbia…In addition to returning to K to direct the Spring production of BALM IN GILEAD, Anjalee Deshpande (K'95) successfully workshopped her Indian-American adaptation of THREE SISTERS, TAMASHA, in Chicago with her new South Asian American Theatre Ensemble, RASA CHICAGO. Anjalee will begin her appointment as Assistant Professor of Theatre at LeMoyne College in NY in Fall, but the biggest thrill I had with Anjalee this past year was seeing her marry Kedar Nadkarni on Sep. 14, 2002 - an incredible Hindu wedding!…We hear Jenn Moore (K'95) was the stage mgr. on tour with Martha Clarke's VIENNA LUSTHAUS…Megan Carney (K'92) Artistic Director of About Face Youth Theatre in Chicago, completed a very successful workshop series with professionals working with young artists and also scheduled 56 outreach events involving 22 schools, 9 community groups, and 7 conference workshops, plus toured to Palm Springs with Gay Associated Youth…One of the biggest disappointments I've had in years was when I missed Ulric Dihle's (K'92) visit in April. But we hear he's acting in Seattle…Amidst another very busy year at Theatrical Outfit in Atlanta, Kate Warner (K'92) directed KING MACKEREL & THE BLUES ARE RUNNING…Lynda Berge (K'91), now in NYC, performed in YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY (by Charles Busch) in Norwalk, CT …Rich Hutchman (K'91) had another incredibly busy year, acting up a storm in LA. With about 30 national commercials under his belt, numerous films, and TV movies, Rich still found time to do a leading role in the first West Coast production of the new Patrick Marbler play, DEALER'S CHOICE, come to K and do a TV acting workshop, plus contribute immeasurably and unselfishly to the well-being of the Menta family. Thank you forever, Rich…Joe Stoltman (K'91) is now at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, MA (and had to put up with Andrei Serban on PERICLES)…From France, Kristi Bierschbach Defrasne (K'90) and her husband Jean-Marc proudly announce the birth of their daughter, Ella (Dinah's little sister) on April 22, 2003. YAY, KRIS!…Wade Jackson (K'90) made the big move with his family from NYC to Tennessee!

80s: Trish Wagner (K'89) has been doing a lot of theatre work in Seattle, combating sexism and racism and will begin a Masters in Educational Theatre at NYU… By the time you read this, Becky Soderna (K'88) should be finishing up her second M.A. (this one at Michigan Tech). She also traveled to South Africa and Botswana in January… Cam MacMartin (K'86) is the Operations Manager at Chamber Theatre Productions in Boston, a national touring company which brings literary adaptations of classic stories to schools.

70s: Holly Hughes (K'78) was recently appointed Associate Professor at the University of Michigan. Holly was in Ann Arbor on a two year residency teaching Performance Art and writing, but of course, they loved her so much they wanted to hire her on a more permanent basis! I saw the most recent piece she created with her students, AFTER A FASHION - superb!…Theresa Tucker Davies (K'76) produced the Disney hit film, HOLES. Wow! I saw it - it was great! (My daughter, Anna, especially loved it.)

HEY, WHAT ABOUT THE FACULTY?! Karen Berthel will take over teaching Improv next year, bringing the Activating Theatre techniques of Augosto Boal and Michael Rohd to the course. In fact, Karen will take a special workshop with Rohd this summer…Lanny Potts will present at a Design session at the American Theatre in Higher Education conference in NYC this summer…As for me, I had a WONDERFUL TIME on my Fall 02 Academic Leave - participating in the La MaMa International Directors Symposium in Italy and visiting Japan for the first time. I actually managed to write a few articles which are upcoming in Shakespeare Bulletin & New England Theatre Journal, but the biggest thrill was having my 10 minute play, MUSHROOMING, accepted for a reading at the New Playwrights Development Workshop in NYC.

That’s it! PLEASE send your notes to me either in hard copy or via email otherwise I don’t know what you’re up to -I WANT TO PUT YOU IN THIS NEWSLETTER BUT I CAN'T IF I DON'T HEAR FROM YOU, especially you grads from the 70s and 80S! As always, we want to share the good things that are happening to us, because we consider you folks, who have given so much to this program, to have had a strong hand in making it the success it continues to be for our students. Remember that you are always welcome back here – as artists, and as people.

Yours,
Ed Menta, Ph.D.
Kurt D. Kaufman Professor & Director of Theatre Arts
Email: menta@kzoo.edu

Please notify us of address changes, especially email!