Newsletter Archives

Summer, 2006

Greetings, Friends!

LAST SEASON: Our 42nd Season was a huge artistic success! The World is Our Stage: A Season of International Theatre exemplified the college’s commitment to the experiential, international, and multicultural dimensions of Kalamazoo College. We kicked off our international season in Fall Orientation Week with "Catch-86," a one man show about Chernobyl and the Ukraine, written and performed in both English and Ukrainian by Taras Berezowsky (K’05) and directed by Emily Campbell (K’04). A project that started out as a 2004 SIP, Taras and Emily returned to us as part of the Festival Playhouse Guest Artist Series. Our first mainstage show was  "Naga-Mandala (Play with a Cobra)” by Girish Karnad, directed by guest artist professional film and stage director from Calcutta, Suman Mukherjee. Co-sponsored by the Center for International Programs of Kalamazoo College, the play featured a beautifully exotic costume design by the late K.C. Kozminski, and also was the centerpiece of Celebrate India Week at Kalamazoo College, which featured dance, music, and lectures by Indian artists and scholars from Southwest Michigan. We began the new year by producing the World Premiere of "Phenomenon of Decline," a one-act play, by Joe Tracz (K’04), which had already won first place in the 2005 American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) Region III New Playwrights Program One-Act Play competition. Directed by Taras Berezowsky and featuring a traveling setting by Michael Sabourin (K’06) for his SIP, we were honored to be invited to perform the play as a participating production at ACTF at Illinois State University in January. Next up in February was a drama of love and racism in post-apartheid South Africa, "Sorrows and Rejoicings" by Athol Fugard. Co-sponsored by the African Studies Program of Kalamazoo College, this play also featured a senior designing for her SIP, a detailed and intimate setting by Jessica Stuenkel (K’06). We closed in Spring with “The Imaginary Invalid" by Moliére. This classic comedy of the French Renaissance has been delighting audiences for over three hundred years, and as directed by Professor Karen Berthel, was no exception here. In addition to the exceedingly well spoken cast delivering Moliére great wit, the production featured hilarious “over-the-top” costume and wig design by Elaine Kauffman, and a stunning proscenium arch, designed and constructed by new Director of Technical Theatre Jon Reeves, which included true to life imbedded “body casts” of over 30 individual students (the result of a hugely popular Saturday morning “casting party”)!

STUDENT DIRECTED PLAYS: In addition to the five plays in our Season of International Theatre, we produced eight student directed plays in our Senior Performance Series in the Dungeon Theatre (the most we’ve ever done)! Continuing the great tradition of our “best and the brightest” creating their own theatre were “Caryl Churchill Presents” directed by Lisa Ludwinski (K’06), “Homebody” by Tony Kushner, directed and performed by Lourin Sprenger (K’06), “The Flying Doctor” by Moliére, directed by Vann Lee (K’06), and “The Love of Don Perlimpin” by Lorca, directed by Zoë Marshall-Rashid (K’06) in Winter term. Spring term saw productions of  “Keep Tightly Closed in a Cool, Dry Place” by Megan Terry, directed by Trent Pancy (K’06), “Mud” by Maria Irene Fornes, directed y Jess Stuenkel (K’06), and “The Medea Project,” two different versions of Euripides’ tragedy, directed by Liz Goodson (K’06) and Lauren Russo (K’06).

GUEST ARTISTS: We had some great ones this past year! In addition to Taras Berezowsky, Emily Campbell, K.C. Kozminski, Elaine Kauffman, Suman Mukherjee, and Joe Tracz.in October, in conjunction with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the African American Arts & Letters Initiative, and the Black Theatre programs at Western Michigan and Wayne State Universities, we presented An Evening with Philip Rose, the famed Broadway producer of the original production of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun.” Also, in conjunction with WMU, internationally renowned hip-hop theatre artist, Will Power, returned for a workshop. In March, in honor of Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka’s visit to campus, (as part of the installation of Kalamazoo College’s 17th president, Dr. Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran), we presented a staged reading from Soyinka’s most famous play, “Death & the King’s Horseman.” The reading was performed in the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse and included a special invitation audience of Will Power, students, faculty, and members of Theatre Kalamazoo! and featured Dr. Von Washington, and the student cast of “Sorrows & Rejoicings,” and was directed bymyself. Also in Spring, Professor Jerry Cleveland (K’73) former Head of the Black Theatre program at Wayne State University and professional director and stage manager, returned to his alma mater to teach Introduction to African American Theatre. In April, Hollywood television producer John Davies (K’75) returned to the campus and visited several classes (Directing, Advanced Acting, and Documentary Filmmaking), met with several groups of students (Theatre Arts seniors, Media Studies Concentration, and Pre-Law) and gave a talk “Television Careers in Hollywood” in the new television studio as part of the dedication ceremonies of the Upjohn Library Commons.

NEXT YEAR’S SEASON:  2006-07

“Stories Staged,” the 43rd season for Festival Playhouse: The Theatre Arts at Kalamazoo College, brings together The Secret Garden, a musical based on one of the most popular children’s books of all time, a return of our enormously successful Student Playwrighting Festival, and The Madwoman of Chaillot, one of the most popular and critically acclaimed French plays of the 20th century. 1. FALL 2006 “Stories for Children of All Ages”THE SECRET GARDENBook & Lyrics by Marsha NormanMusic by Lucy SimonNovember 9-12, 2006This musical adaptation of Francis Hodgson Burnett’s classic 1911 children’s novel, The Secret Garden, takes place simultaneously in India and Edwardian England. Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Marsha Norman won the Tony Award for Best Book for a Musical. A tale told with mystery, magic, and beauty, The Secret Garden combines themes of rebirth, yearning for the past, and the ultimate healing power of love.Musical Direction by Thomas EvansStage Direction by Ed MentaVocal Direction by James Turner2. WINTER 2007 “New Stories.”STUDENT PLAYWRIGHTING FESTIVALFebruary 22-25, 2007We are proud to present the second Student Playwrighting Festival with new stories:  “8 by 10” — two evenings of fully staged 10-minute plays and three performances of staged readings of one-act plays. 3. SPRING 2007 “A Storied Fable for Our Times”THE MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOTBy Jean Giradoux
May 17-20, 2007The Madwoman of Chaillot is a triumph of humor, satire, and fantasy, and resonates with current environmental and ecological issues.Directed by Guest Artist & Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow D. Ohlandt

SENIOR PERFORMANCE SERIES FOR 2006-07 ACADEMIC YEAR

This year, we have added juniors in addition to seniors in directing our student productions in the Senior Performance Series in the Dungeon Theatre.

WINTER 07

“Savage/Love” by Sam Shepard, directed by Tyler Greene (K’07)

“Splendor & Death of Joaquin Murieta” by Pablo Neruda, co-directed by Tim Krause & Andrea Visco (both K’07)

*Untitled, written, performed, and directed by Chris Froseth (K’07)

*This piece will be the showcase Saturday night performance of the Student Playwrighting Festival.

SPRING O7

“The American Dream” by Edward Albee, directed by Whitney Shattuck (K’08)

“Minnesota Moon” by John Olive, directed by Paul Whitehouse (K’08)

As always, Festival Playhouse gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Dorothy U. Dalton Foundation.

As you can see from the above, 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.

THE BIGGEST NEWS WE HAVE IS A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO LISA KRON (K’83)! In May, I saw the second to last Broadway performance of Lisa’s play WELL and it was riotously funny as well as truly moving. And I hope you all watched Lisa on the Tony Awards ceremony on June 11! In the Best Actress category, Lisa was competing with the likes of Vanessa Redgrave, Kate Burton, and Cynthia Nixon (and let’s remember that those folks didn’t write their own plays like Lisa did)! Lisa, we can’ begin to describe how proud we are of you and your work. Here is my (and Noah Goldsmith’s K’02) favorite quote from the multitude of positive reviews on WELL, from Ben Brantley of the NY Times: “Now that Spalding Gray is gone, Ms. Kron may well be the best stand-up memoirist of the American theatre.”

OK – let’s get to those K Theatre Alumni Network updates!

00s: LET'S START WITH OUR RECENT GRADUATING CLASS of06: Ashley Brenke has a job at AT&T in Chicago …Kent Chadwick will spend the next two years in Israel working for the B’hai Church... Lizzy Courtois will be working with Americorps in Berkeley doing a Childhood Matters radio forum… Mike Glista has been accepted to a combined MD/PhD program in Health Sciences at the University of Chicago.... Liz Goodson was recently hired for the yearlong acting apprenticeship at the BoarsHead Theatre in Lansing, MI… Christine Grodecki has been hired for the yearlong technical theatre internship at the Kalamazoo Civic...Hilary Lake (who gave a great sermon at People's Church in Kalamazoo last month) has been cast in THE FROGS at the University of Detroit-Mercy Classic Greek Theatre program in Greece this summer… Jakarra Nichols is “setting up some pretty cool gigs” with Keys of Life in the Detroit area… Trent Pancy has been hired for an administrative internship at Second City in Chicago...Mike Sabourin is currently the ATD at The Barn Theatre in Augusta, MI... Lourin Sprenger has just been hired by NBC to be a Studio page, working with nightly programs such as SNL, Conan O’Brien, and Dateline… Jess Stuenkel has been hired as a scenic design intern at PCPA Theatrefest in California 05: Mark Becker is the Production Coordinator and Technical Director at Club Med in Mesa, AZ… As you can see from above, Taras Berezowsky was a Guest Artist here at K last year to perform his one-man show CATCH-86, and to direct PHENOMENON OF DECLINE. But he also performed CATCH-86 at the Ukrainian Museum in the East Village on the 20th anniversary of Chornobyl, performed in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre, and is currently finishing up an internship at TCG…Diane Blumenfeld is currently in the Summer Training Congress at ACT…Betsy King directed a very successful production of INTO THE WOODS at Chelsea High School (just happened to be her comps play)!… Rachael Weisman is just beginning the M.A. Program in Performance Studies at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU… Steve Yeun is doing lots of improv with both Stir-Friday Night and Second City in Chicago…04: Ali Beauvais runs the new rep. support team for Northwestern Mutual McTigue Group in Chicago, and also has picked up freelance work as a model and actress (including extra work in the new Clint Eastwood film, FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS)...What a year for Emily Campbell!  In additionto directing Taras Berezowsky’s CATCH-86 for us in Fall, she was a personal assistant to Lisa Kron on the Broadway production of WELL, was also hired to work on the Tony Awards, and has just been hired to assistant direct to Leigh Silverman (director of WELL) on the new Eve Ensler play at The Barrow Group! … Jack Cardinal currently works as a legislative assistant to the Michigan House of Representatives… Max Cherem begins the doctoral program in Philosophy at Northwestern University come the Fall… We welcome Marla Hahn to K-TAN, where she is beginning the MFA Dance program at the Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia (see what happens from all that time with Frelon, Marla?!)… Ryan Hatch had a great first year in the doctoral program of  English and Psychoanalytic Theory at SUNY-Buffalo (it was fabulous that Ryan was so loyal in coming to see some of our plays this past year)!… Nora Hauk worked a second year in Korea on her Fulbright, continuing her language studies and volunteering at theater festivals …It’s wonderful to have Carla Kaiser in K-TAN! After  a year with the Lutheran Volunteer Corps in Minneapolis, Carla now works for Wellstone Action, the prestigious organization that runs camps all over the country in community organization activism, candidacy, and campaign management. Way to go, Carla – we need Wellstone badly!…  Shena Mathew currently is in the Masters of Education program at University of Michigan… Matt Pieknik worked as a naturalist/teacher this past year for the Glen Helen Ecology Center at Antioch College… A treat to have Brian Ruby visit our campus this Spring. Brian tells me he’s “getting back into theatre” after some well-deserved time away from it. Chicago, watch out!..  Another great year for Chicago playwright Joe Tracz! We performed his play PHENOMENON OF DECLINE at both K and ACTF, plus he dramaturged Chuck Mee’s BIG LOVE in LA, had his play CONTENTS MAY BE HOT, a site specific piece, performed at a coffee shop in Chicago, and his play ALISON SHIELDS was chosen for workshop and a staged reading by the New Theatre Collective!…Danny Ward had a staged reading of his new screenplay, CLEVELAND, at the Sally Johnson Studio in Manhattan in December…Lanie Weiland is now living in Berkeley, works in the specialties dept. for Whole Foods, but still plays with papier mache, using what she learned last year at Bread and Puppet!… 03: After performing and stage managing at the Ensemble Theatre of Cleveland, as well as acting in a Japanese Noh play at Case Western Reserve University, Timo Aker will begin the prestigious Actors Apprenticeship program at Actors Theatre of Louisville in Fall… Lisa-Marie Bleyaert is now Audience Coordinator at Late Night with Conan O’Brien… Justin DeLand reports that he had a great first year in the MFA Design program at the University of Hawai’i – Manoa, already doing one scenic design, one puppet design, and two lighting designs…P. Alex Dodge had a great 2nd year in his PhD program at Indiana University where he also teaches a course in Composition, runs an improv group called Full Frontal Comedy, and somehow managed to find time to organize an improv festival at IU (to which he generously invited the K Improv group, Monkapult)… Wa-Louisa Hubbard was just offered a position to manage the box office and do group sales for the Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea, MI… …Nicholas Kessler is now in Portland, OR, where he worked as Marketing Coordinator for The Sojourn Theatre, works as a “Mad Scientist” (a performing company that specializes in teaching science to elementary schools), performs with two improv groups on the weekends, and just began his 3rd season with Oklahoma Shakespeare Festival, where he will act, assistant direct, and serve as Education Director!…Anne LaTarte spent the last year in NYC as a Program Director for Teach for America, supporting and encouraging 55 teachers in Harlem and Washington Heights…Great to see Vaughn Preston in NYC when I saw Lisa Kron’s WELL. Vaughn told me that within 3 weeks of moving to NYC, he was hired full time by Playwrights Horizons…Saw Sue Semaan in the sameNYC visit, where she is loving her position as Theatre Operations Assistant at New Victory Theatre in Times Square 02: Liza Bielby after almost four years in China studying Sichuan Opera, and working on various cross-cultural projects in China and the U.S., will enter the MFA Acting program at the Dell’Arte School of International Theatre in California… It’s outstanding to finally have Bill Cassidy on K-TAN! Bill is currently a stagehand at the newly opened Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, but has also done a national tour of Dragon Tales Live, and has freelanced at many theatres in the Twin Cities – including the Penumbra, Minneapolis Children’s Theatre, and the Tony-award winning Theatre de la Jeune…  Noah Goldsmith continues to act and produce in NYC (and in between obtained his SEC license and became a trading partner). His latest project is producing Tennessee Williams’ first play CANDLES TO THE SUN which will premiere at Actors Theatre of Louisville this summer, and then be poised for a NY production next season!…We hear Joe Hamlin had a great second year in the MFA program in Technical Direction at Yale… Jess Hoff had another busy year as Executive Director of Tangerine Arts Group (TAG) in Chicago, Especially successful was the Tangerine Family Circus, which she produced and played to over 1500 people … When Eddie Parker visited last September, he told me he’s doing really well with the lighting work in Portland, OR, plus he recently shot a new film, RATTLESNAKES, featuring Rocky Russo & Jordan Klepper …Had just the best time in the world in a much too brief cup of coffee with Mark Piebenga who was visiting about a month ago from Ballyvaughan in Western Ireland. Mark told me it wouldn’t be long before he’s acting there! …. Kristala Pouncy recently returned from teaching a summer workshop with the Birmingham (AL) Children’s Theatre and is now back in Chicago where she teaches drama to elementary school children, and is currently preparing for a performance with the Barrel of Monkeys for Theatre on the Lake and Collaboraction 6th Annual Sketchbook 01: Dana Ambrose hopes to arrange a K externship next year…Gretchen Beesing had a great first year in the MSW at NYU… Margie Cangelosi might be the busiest stage manager in Chicago (she’s certainly the best)! Just two of her projects this past year include DISGRUNTELD EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK at Second City, and FENCES at The Court Theatre … Frank Church notes that he’s “working pretty much 80 hrs a week – no joke – as a ‘funny cook’ in NYC – Restaurant Associates, Lehman Brothers Corporation, and Lehman Exec. Dining Room”…  We hear Anna Fleury had a great first year of her two-year stay in Costa Rica, teaching English at an international school (and of course, helping with the theatre program)… Sarah Hancock checked in with a lovely holiday card from MA… Kim Henderson welcomed her daughter, Emma, to the world on Feb. 19, 2005 – YAY KIM – hands down winner of the most adorable holiday card I received!… Sarah Huckabay & Aaron Lipke continue to report from their one-year trip around the world (and I continue to read every single email and look at all the pictures). Here’s a quote from Sarah in April: “ My 27th birthday was about 10 days ago and proved to be one of the more interesting ones….woke up at sunrise after an all night sail… got into Kota Kinabalu later that day ,,, realized I have more relatives in Sabah than Illinois!” … Cassandra Johnson is now Assistant Editor at TGC Books in NYC (I continue to read her great stuff in American Theatre)!… Jordan Klepper continues as a member of the Second City touring team, which performs all over the U.S. (including Chicago), performs at Improv Olympic and teaches Sketch Writing at Second City… Allen Krause is in NYC as a personal assistant to Nina Zagat, “1/2 of the team behind the Zagat Survey, those ubiquitous burgundy books detailing dining in most major cities.”… Nice to hear from Veronica Minard, currently in Grand Rapids … Rocky Russo was back in Chicago and got rave reviews from the Sun-Times, the Tribune, and every other press for the major role he played in ST. SCARLET at the American Theatre Company (the play was nominated for a Jeff Award). Also a great feature (and photo) on Rocky in the March 23, 2006 Kalamazoo Gazette! (can’t find the link, Rocky, sorry)!… Justin Thomas completed his MFA in Lighting Design last December at University of Maryland and hasn’t stopped working since (without sending out a single resume)! Justin will light three shows at the RoundHouse Theater next year, plus he’s been made the Lighting Director of their Silver Spring Space 00: Devin Brain directed his own adaptation of Gozzi’s THE SERPENT WOMAN for the Tantalus Theatre Group in Chicago. Other projects included directing original pieces for the Abbe Hoffman Festival,  and Around the Coyote … Even though it’s year-old news, I have to share a few thought son the beautiful wedding of Felicity Hesed  to Drew Hunzeker last June in St Louis. Not only were Felicity and Drew absolutely inspirational in their vows, (as well as all of the testimonials from their friend and families), I have NEVER seen a more sensational first dance than Felicity and Drew’s acrobatics! It’s really something for an old geezer like me to able to witness such truly joyous events of former students (not to mention the wonderful time Tina and I had at the K table with Jessica Hoff, Aaron Lipke, Megan Martin, and Sarah Ovink)!  In September, Felicity and Drew both starred in the Tangerine Family Circus for the Tangerine Arts Group in Chicago, and as I write this, she is directing her own adaptation of THE TEMPEST for TAG and the Actors Gymnasium…It was great to see Simone Lutz at Homecoming this past year, giving some quick mentoring to current Monkapult team members! Simone is still touring with Chicago City Limits Theatre, the famed improv company in NYC… Megan Martin juggles her emerging radio career, producing pieces for Poetry Magazine, Weekend America, and various podcast projects, with her new Improv Group in NYC, Big Black Car (which was invited to perform at the recent Chicago Improv Festival)… Lia Moore  performed a leading role in the musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS at Toledo Repertoire Theatre and received excellent reviews from the local presses… We welcome Sarah Ovink to K-TAN!  Sarah and Eric Sindelar (also K’00 and also of Monkapult fame) will be married 4 years in August and live in the Bay Area, where Sarah just finished her Masters in Sociology at UC-Davis and is working on Ph.D. Sarah and Eric both “get to work from home a lot and love their dog, Kupo, who likes to take turns sleeping next to each of us as we work.”  …Jen Waldman had a good first year in the  library science masters program at UNC-Chapel Hill, and also passed the MLIS course at Wellington in New Zealand

90s:99: Michael Haedicke’s doctoral research in Sociology at UCSD is on the development of the organic food industry in the US, “from the perspective of the sociology of culture.” Sounds fascinating, Michael!… Ben Imdieke’s holiday card was from NYC , where Canasta (the all K alum band which also features Matt Priest, John Cunningham, and Colin Sheaf) was playing that night … Jasmine Presson was invited to be an Apprentice Artist in the Astoria Music Festival in Oregon this June. She will sing a small role in the American premiere of Mozart’s DER STEIN DER WEISEN… 98:Heard from Jamila Gaskins in LA that she produced her first feature length documentary…Always great to get the annual holiday card from Lizzie Kostielney and her husband Paul in Chicago … Aaron Lipke & Sarah Huckabay continue to report from their one year trip around the world. Here’s a quote from Aaron in March: “China is the best…The pandas are cute enough to deserve every bit of attention they get. The gardens and parks deserve every bit of reverence for the past and poetry of their time.” …  Liz Lowery did costumes for the Tangerine Family Circus for TAG in Chicago, but also had a very successful first year in the Masters in Education program at DePaul…Wonderful to have Lena O’Rourke with us on K-TAN! She’s Director of Government Affairs at Families USA in DC, and still does improv. But the big news is her wedding in May! Congrats, Lena!…  Nikki McIlroySteeves welcomed her daughter Gwendolyn on September 16, 2005!Congratulations, Nikki! …97: Tom & Gail Bourguignon celebrated a unique wedding on June 21, 2007 near Pictured Rocks in the UP! I’m still sorry I couldn’t make it, Tom …In May, Patrick Burlingham had a show of his paintings at 24 Prince in Manhattan…After a packed year of full-time teaching (IndianaUniversity of Penn), directing (ALADDIN at IUP, AUTOBAHN at Trollwood Performing Arts School) and research (Bharatnatyam, the Bloomsburg Noh Theatre Project, and a paper at the South Atlantic MLA Conference), in Fall,  Jennie Goodlander will begin the doctoral program in Interdisciplinary Arts at Ohio University… Nicole Paoletti says that things are really going well in her position as Ticket Services Manager at the University Musical Society in Ann Arbor, as they busily prepare for the residency of Patrick Stewart and the RSC in the Fall!…Jeff Patterson continues to act and produce in LA (recent projects include WHAT LOVE IS with Cuba Gooding for Jeff’s production company Big Sky Motion Pictures  plus a small, but hilarious role in KALAMAZOO?THE MOVIE). But the big news for Jeff is the birth of his daughter Ciel Inez on October 1, 2005. Congratulations, Jeff!…Mat Priest keeps on cooking in Chicago, with his band Canasta (the all K alum band which also features Ben Imdieke, John Cunningham, and Colin Sheaf)… Betsy Spess now lives in Bangalore, India, where she runs an NGO, which delivers free primary health care to children… 96: Kassia Barney reports that she is incredibly busy with husband Robert son Magnus, and daughter Satinka (now in pre-school) That’s the best kind of busy, Kassia!…Andrea LaLonde is now Project Manager and IT Manager for Structural Steel Contractor in Eastpointe, MI… Terrific to welcome Cheo Ramsey to K-TAN! Cheo is freelance producer/director/editor/videographer in Metropolitan Detroit. In addition to his own many projects, Cheo’s worked on a documentary of The Funk Brothers, plus feature films like EIGHT MILE…Stacy Shafer Peterson and her husband Kevin are still in Chicago, and Stacy is still doing a great job as Associate Development Director at Rush Neurobehavioral Center, but Stacy was most proud of running the Chicago Marathon this year, especially since she’s  been involved with American Red Cross RUN RED for so long!   … 95: Anjalee Deshpande Nedkarni had a 3rd  great year teaching and directing at LeMoyne College, but even more important, she and Kedar welcomed their son Akash (Koosh) Nadkarni into the world on May 24, 2005 – YAY ANJALEE! … Screenwriter/playwright Ivana Ivkovic has an MFA in playwriting from USC and has worked for various executives at Fox Studios, & now assists an exec producer in TV, and is finishing up her fourth screenplay, a romantic comedy… Kristie Lang has re-located to Detroit. She and husband Christopher Bohan recently celebrated their first wedding anniversary …Jennifer Rae Moore really helped us by sponsoring a student stage manager through the K externship program, while she was stage managing the recent new musical BERNARDA ALBA, at Lincoln Center (directed by Graciela Daniele and featuring Phylicia Rashad and Daphne Rubin-Vega) … Jasen Schrock reports that he’s formed a folk/rock trio with his younger brother, Andy, and his dad, Mark, and they call themselves The Schrock Brothers (is that cool or what? 94: Kristen Chesak had a tremendous first year as Managing Director of the Kalamazoo Civic Theatre. Of course, Kristen immediately began strengthening the ties between the Civic and her alma mater. She has joined the K externship program, and next year, the Civic will produce an evening of 10-minute plays from K student playwrights as part of the new Theatre Kalamazoo! Staged Reading Series … Brad Harbaugh’s is now an Equity actor in Chicago, He and his wife Julie continue to run a summer drama camp for kids, and their daughter Dorothy Jean will turn 3 in August! Brad also generously presented his great workshop “The Business of Acting” to our senior seminar this past year…Jody Wilson is a Videographer, Editor, DVD authorer, and Motion Graphics Designer (“You could call me a Post Production & Marketing Specialist”) at Falcon Studios in San Francisco…93: Nice to hear from Mary Frey Bennett in Jacksonville FL… As of last year, Arminda (Mindy) Bepko passed the NY state bar and became an officially licensed attorney and was about 1/2 way through her clerkship for a federal district court judge in southern NY, which she described as “an incredible experience.” Mindy also published two law journal articles last year (which she sent to me and I actually read – very impressive Mindy)!… HelenMontgomery is an LCSW at Chicago Lakeshore Hospital… Man, it was so good to hear from Tobin Rothlein, now (with his wife) co-head of Miro Dance Theatre in the Greater Philly area, where he produces, directs, designs, films, etc. Tobin also recently did a fellowship at Opera North in London, and also does a lot of freelance video design for opera and dance …92: Kate Warner had a good first year as Artistic Director of Dad’s Garage Theater in Atlanta and also joined our externship program. Kate was the Festival Curator of THE BIRDS & THE BEES, “Atlanta’s “most dangerous short play festival,” (and which received raves from the Atlanta press), featuring a new Lisa Kron script commissioned by Kate!.…91: As always, we received a lovely holiday card from Lynda Berge … Marnie Gucciard checked in from Chicago and  suggested we play some theatre games in the Playhouse during our Homecoming receptions. What do you folks think?… Rich Hutchman did a great production of the 2 person play, EDEN, at Buzzworks Theatre in LA (which he and wife Andrea direct)_ and just acted in the new Tony Scott/Denzel Washington movie as well as the Michael Bay film THE ISLAND    … Kevin Lock wrote an incredibly detailed (and eye-opening) report from Iraq, where he is stationed for the US Navy working with the 1st  Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division in Baghdad (the Navy helping the Army successfully integrate systems operations). Kevin, those of us who deal in illusions for a living are in awe by the reality of what you do. Godspeed for a safe return to your lovely family.… Brian Timmer continues to send great holiday photos of wife Beth and son Noah, from Queens ….90: Kristi (Biershcbach) DeFrasne and her husband Jean-Marc were blessed with the birth of their third daughter, Tess Paulette Defrasne on January 29, 2007… It’s thanks in great part to alums like Katy Stahl Loebrich, who has been arranging externships for current K students at her TV station in Durham, NC for the last 3 years, that we are able to expand the externship to other KTAN folks! … It’s always special to me when Dr.Alisha Rohde checks in from Columbus to update me on her writing!… Remember Dominic Smith from Australia who spent one year at K in 89-90 (and acted in FANSHEN AND MOTHER COURAGE)? Well, he now lives in Austin, TX and his first novel came out in February, 2006! Check out www.dominicsmith.net …Cheryl Tomblinson was in Detroit in January, as Production Coordinator for ATK, the audio company for halftime at the Super Bowl!

80s:89:Laura Livingstone-McNelis and her husband Peter now own and manage the famous Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo as a Bed and Breakfast!… Annie Wagner is now a K-TAN member and continues to act at The Conspiracy Theatre in Fort Myers, FL and also acted in the indie film, CANVAS… Trish Wagner is teaching at the Monteverde Friends School in Costa Rica…88: Dan Brinker is now the Technical Director of the Michigan Opera Theater and the Detroit Opera House…And yetanother great holiday card from  Sarah Delia Mack. Children Jason and Rebecca look absolutely beautiful, Sarah & Frank!…87: Wow! It was great to hear from Michael Cansfield! He now runs the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Series, a weekly recital series broadcast live on WFMT and presented by the Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs… And double wow! We heard from Michael Shutt, (another great holiday card plus an informative email), managing Director of Moving Arts Theatre in LA! Michael also recently acted in the Ghost Road Theatre Company production of DUCT TAPE SOUP…86: Ross Ambrose not only continues to work with Karst Productions and documentary filmmaker Wes Skiles (their current project took them to the Everglades), but Ross also generously agreed to host a K externship… Jim Bunzli is now a tenured Associate Professor of Theatre  at Loyola College in Baltimore…Tom Meyers and his wife Caroline Keeney Meyers continue to send great cards of their children, Rebecca and Sam. Tom, could this be the Tigers’ year?… … Cam MacMartin is the new Operations Coordinator of the famous Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in the Berkshires… Cathie Laurent Schau noted that, with all the publicity about Lisa Kron, that she had fond memories of being Lisa’s dresser in EL GRANDE DE COCA COLA! Cathie is a freelance editor in the Kalamazoo area, and also a student of message therapy at Kalamazoo Center for the healing Arts (she also writes some of the most perceptive Viewpoints and letters to the Kalamazoo Gazette)… 85:Mary Ryan-Karges (K’85) her husband Chris, and children Lily, Michael, and Will continue to sustain the longest record of creative holiday photos from Seattle!  … 84: We hear that Sarah Peck Beiting’s (K’84)  daughter is quite the high school actress (hope she applies to K, Sarah)!… Roxane Lie writes that she’s  “still living in Portland (OR) and still loving it! … 83: What else can we add to the Fabulous Story of Lisa Kron’s in this past year?Not only did WELL open on Broadway to incredible critical acclaim (including a rave from the NY Times), she was also nominated for a Best Actress Tony. Earlier in the year, The Five Lesbian Brothers opened their first show in 8 years, OEDIPUS IN MIAMI. After such an amazing year, we hear Lisa is taking a well-deserved rest – with a trip to Pakistan… 81: Marian Heller performed at “Don’t Tell Mama,” the club on Restaurant Row in Manhattan in June… It’s always a thrill to see West Nelson as we did at the installation of K’s 17th president, Dr. Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran (so far, a great loyal fan of our plays!) For those of you who may not be aware, West is a  member of the Board of Trustees for K! … Karen Selby had a great first year as Chair of the Education program at Medaille College in Buffalo. Karen says she plans to attend her 25th in October, 06!

70s & 60s:  Nice to hear from Dianne Barclay (K’79) currently Managing Director at TAG Associates LLS in NYC… We hear that Pam Marsden (K’78) is now a producer of animated features at SONY Pictures in LA … Holly Hughes (K'77) was tenured this past year at the University of Michigan as Associate Professor of Art and Design, School of Art and Design and Associate Professor of Theatre and Drama, School of Music. Congratulations, Holly!… It’s wonderful to have  Paige Simpson (K’78) on K-TAN! As you know, Paige is an independent film producer in LA, who executive produced the Oscar winning film LEAVING LAS VEGAS. She is currently shooting I, LUCIFER in London, but we arranging for Paige to visit K at Homecoming 2006!… We’re also hoping to have Teresa Tucker-Davies (K’76) back on campus sometime. Teresa has taken a sabbatical from her full-time job in order to write a YA novel in the tradition of HOLES (which Teresa produced for Disney). She is also championing another film project, a screenplay inspired by the life of Lady Godiva  … and speaking of campus visits, it was just spectacular to finally have John Davies (K'75) here! As you can see from the Guest Artist report above, John made an incredible impact on our campus (in fact, we’ve never had a visiting artist speak to as many classes and groups of students as John did in a little over 24 hours!) In his real life as an independent television producer, John also had another terrific year – creating and Executive Producing the hit MTV series RUN’S HOUSE< a hip-hop reality series, which John co-produces with Sean “Diddy” Combs and Russell Simmons. John also worked with Simmons on the recent Court TV Special, HIP-HOP JUSTICE… Debra Orselet Marsteller (K’75)  had the best reason in the world for not making it to the last Homecoming – she was at Parents’ Weekend for her son’s freshman year at college!… Great to hear from Paul Guenette (K’74), now Senior Manager at Emerging Marketing Groups Ltd in the DC area… It’s also great to be corresponding with Barbara Uhlig Ostroth (K’74) who sounds incredibly busy  with “her responsibilities as  the mom of a varsity soccer play and as a trustee on the Teaneck (NJ) Board of Education (Not to mention my real estate career with Coldwell Banker)!”… As also I said above in the Guest Artist report above, it was outstanding to have Jerry Cleveland (K’73) back on campus this Spring to teach Intro to African American Theatre. I watched Jerry teach and there’s no question our students were thrillingly affected by his dynamic teaching energy and dedication! Jerry also found time to give a workshop to our students on careers in professional directing and stage management… John Bolin (K’65) wrote that he was “still teaching full-time at Berea College, but no longer directing (my choice!)”…When I was in St. Croix, WI last summer, wished I could have gotten together with Penny Britton Kollof (K’64) and her husband at their home in Eau Claire (to which they will retire this year). Penny is Associate Professor Emerita in the College of Education at Illinois State University… William Vincent (K’60) checked in from Lansing that he’s been writing film scripts and appearing in low budget films, which have been released on DVD: TERROR AT BAXTER UNIV, THE INVITATION, and DEAD END ROAD (all of which Bill either wrote, co-wrote, and acted in)!

HEY- WHAT ABOUT THE FACULTY? Karen Berthel had a great research leave in the Fall, appearing in THE TAMING OF THE SHREW for the Queens Company (the women’s company devoted to classical theatre that she co-founded) in NYC and was singled out for her performance in the NY Times! In addition, this Spring, on very short notice, Karen , performed the role of The Fool in the Queens Company’s workshop production of KING LEAR at the Public Theater, featuring Myra Lucretia Taylor. … Lanny Potts not only did a great job in his first year as Associate Provost, he also managed to serve as Production Designer and Lighting Director for the Willow Creek Leadership Conference in Braunschweig, Germany! LP also designed lights for THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL for Portage Central High School… No only did our new Director of Technical Theatre Jon Reeves also design at nearly every single performing company in Kalamazoo (this is not an exaggeration), Jon also was the Production Designer and acted the role of “Crazy Bob” in the new horror movie shot in K’zoo, THE DREAD, produced by Shoreline Productions in partnership with Safe Harbor productions…As for me, PRIVATE LIVES at the Festival Theatre in St. Croix, WI went well and I also visited Spain for the first time, where at our Study Abroad Center in Cáceres, I gave a talk on Classical Japanese Theatre (in English, with simultaneous translation in Spanish via headphones)!

Finally, we pass on a fond farewell to Mary Vowell. After seven years as Theatre Arts Administrator, Mary leaves the college to seek other opportunities. We can’t thank her enough for all of her hard work in that time, and especially for making the Theatre Arts Office a friendly home to so many guest artists, alums, and, of course, students. You can contact Mary at mary.vowell@gmail.com. As I write this we are just beginning the task of finding the best-qualified candidate to replace Mary.

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! 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.

Professor & Director of Theatre

Email: menta@kzoo.edu           

Please notify us of address changes, especially email!