Newsletter Archives

June 18, 1999

Dear Friends:

At the risk of "staying-in-touch" overload, I am writing to you one more time this year to update you on two very important developments in our Theatre Program.

1. As you know, Festival Playhouse is producing a VERY special event this summer: a new play written by Emeritus Professor Nelda K. Balch. RETURN ENGAGEMENT: DOROTHY U. DALTON IN KALAMAZOO. We see this project as a way to honor Dorothy U. Dalton, a way to contribute to our community knowing its own history, and most of all, as way to welcome Nelda back to the K stage. The play will be directed by Robert L. Smith, designed by our very own Prof. Lanny Potts, costumed by Ms. Patience Vaughn, and will feature a cast that includes (among others) Ms. Sharon Williams, Don Flesche, Mark Thompson, Abe Ash (K'61), John Hooker (K'74), some of our current students, and even Clair Myers!

We want you to be a part of this very special "homecoming" for Nelda. On opening night, Friday July 16, after the play, we intend to honor Nelda (if she'll let us, so please don't tell her!) with a brief citation and a toast (we figure that's as much as she'll let us get away with)! After this, there will be a dessert reception for the entire audience and cast - and a chance for you to catch up with Nelda and other old friends. Please join us as it will means so much to her and us.

Remember, as a K theatre alum, you can use your Lifetime Pass for a complimentary ticket to any show, including this one. Just please let us know by calling Theatre Administrator, Ms. Munselle Pientka at 616-337-7130 (summer hours 10am-3pm). The play also repeats Saturday, July 17, also at 8pm.

2. As some of you may have heard, Professor Adrianne Krstansky resigned to teach acting in the graduate program at Brandeis University. We are very sad for us, but very happy for Adrianne who gave us two wonderful years as an acting teacher and director. I've never seen a teacher who made her students feel as special as Adrianne did. I'm also especially happy that Adrianne had a chance to perform the leading role in THE GOOD PERSON OF SETZUAN in her last term. That was a real honor and treat for us. We send her East with our best wishes and undying love.

We will conduct a tenure track search for the acting teacher position next year, but meanwhile we are VERY lucky to have a number of exciting professional guest artists helping us next year. First, our very own Lowry Marshall returns in the Fall to direct FUENTE OVEJUNA and teach acting. In Winter, professional director Debbie Falb will visit to stage GETTING OUT. And Ms. Karen Pruis and Ms. Patricia Daniels will also be teaching acting classes for us as well. Talk about turning a negative into a positive!

Finally, the K Theatre Alumni Network is up and running. We humbly thank those of you who have elected to participate. We've enclosed a copy of what we are making available to juniors and seniors. You may be hearing from some of them soon! So that's all for now, except we hope to see you at Nelda's show this summer and PLEASE SEND US YOUR NOTES ON YOURSELF.

90s: John Schmitt (K'99) after commencement immediately left to study and perform in the Classic Greek Theatre Program in Athens... Jamila Gaskins (K'98) recently gave a reading of her work at the WOW Cafe in NYC ... Megan Carney (K'92) is a playwright and director for Scrap Mettle theatre Company in Chicago which helps communities write and perform their own stories. Megan is currently assisting one of our current students with her SIP... Lisa Farago (K'91) married Drew Dumsch on June 21 in Maine.

80s:Laura Livingstone-McNelis (K'89) and her husband Peter proudly announced the arrival of their son Vincent in May... Ross Ambrose (K'86) is Sales manager for Fletcher Chicago, a company specializing in high end electronic field production... Casey Stousland Audrain (K'83) worked for several years in production at Wisdom Bridge, The Goodman, and Steppenwolf, but is now at stay-at®home mom and loves it! She reminds us that we shouldn't just showcase those who have important titles and positions, but that our theatre classes prepare folks for life, not only careers. We could't agree more, Casey.

70s: Elizabeth Cohen (K '79) is a Clinical Social Worker at the Ob/Gyn Clinic at West Virginia University... Jill Cochran (K'78) is a Speech-Language Pathologist at IntraCostal Systems in FloridaÄHugh Broder (K'77) is Director of Broadcast Production at BBDO Advertising in Detroit... John Davies (K'75) is currently a sitcom writer for Castle Rock and UPN in Hollywood after years of producing and developing various programs and documentaries such as BIOGRAPHY, INTIMATE PORTRAIT, and THE AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL... Susan Coon (K'74) is Dean of the Office of University Life at Duke University... Nancy Honeysett (K'70) teaches English at Portage Northern Middle School.

60s: Chris Holder (K'69) has been a self-employed singer/storyteller in the NY State schools for 23 years and also happily married to Rebecca (Bloomquist) Holder for 29 years!... Barbara Rockelmann Keefe (K'67) is a self-employed draftsperson and property manger in Wilmette, IL... Marilyn Benuska (Szpiech) (K'61) is Vice President of Marketing & Development & Executive Director at the Jane Addams Hull House Foundation.

50s: Jerre James (K'56) is the retired Artistic Director of Ballet Arts Ensemble here in K'zoo. In 1997, he was awarded the Community Arts Award!... Nannette Maggee (K'51) is a Speech Therapist and Project Instructor at Drexel Univ. in Philadelphia.

40s: Clark Bouwman (K'41) is now a retired Sociology Professor but notes from his St. Petersburg home that "All good teachers must have some "ham" in their system!"

30s: Fern Persons (K'31) appeared last year in episodes of EARLY EDITION and ER. Fern is retired now from the National Board of SAG after 20 years but is still active in the Chicago Boards of both SAG and AFTRA.

That's all we have room for now - weêve had such a great response , itês impossible to get you all in, but we'll keep trying. What will help is if you would send you alumni notes (form enclosed) to Ms. Munselle Pientka, Theatre Administrator care of the Theatre Dept. address or you may email her at mpientka@kzoo.edu.

One more thing: THANK YOU to all of you who sent in the Theatre Alumni Information Form. If you did, enclosed is your Lifetime Pass for all Festival Playhouse of Kalamazoo College Productions. If you gave us your permission, you may be hearing from current students regarding internship opportunities this summer. If you haven't sent in the info form, enclosed is another. Please take a few minutes to fill it out and return. We want you, ALL of the Theatre alums, to know you are always welcome back here. You have a permanent artistic home here, because you are the ones who have helped make it what it is.

Sincerely,

Ed Menta Professor and Director of Theatre Arts

Office: 616-337-7126 email: menta@kzoo.edu

Hope to see you at Nelda's show this summer and if not, we'll be looking especially for the Classes of 94, 89, 84, 79, and 74 to celebrate part of their Homecoming Weekend with us this fall at the 2pm Saturday, Oct. 16 Theatre Alumni reception!

*If you've already sent back your Theatre Alumni Information Form (yellow sheet), but want to update or share anything on your recent activities or those of a fellow alum, please scribble a few notes below and return this page to Dr. Ed Menta, Director of Theatre Arts, Kalamazoo College. Kalamazoo, MI 49006.