encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore encore eeeencoreee encorennnnn encoreccccc encoreooooo encore rrrrr eeencoreeee encore encore encoreeee encorennn encoreccc encoreooo encore rrr encoreeee encore Newsletter Publication of The Ohio State University Department of Theatre Autumn 2000 Volume 5 Number 1

Dear Friends of OSU Theatre,

One of the core characteristics of theatre is its collaborative nature. With this in mind we have been pursuing a range of partnerships this year, several of which will not come to fruition until sometime in the future. But within these pages there are several that I want to highlight for you. The Ohio Arts Council has been a supportive partner with our international initiatives, making it possible for the wonderful design work of twelve Czech artists to be seen here at the Riffe Gallery with the exhibit “Metaphor and Irony: Czech Scenic and Costume Design 1929-1999.” In addition to helping to support our first Czech artist Jaroslav Malina for an autumn 2000 residency, the OAC has asked the department to consider developing a The cast of the staged reading of The Night relationship with theatre artists in Cuba. As the first step towards this, Thoreau Spent in Jail, including members from Mary Tarantino and Dan Gray joined David Edelman from CATCO and Joe the original production, take their bows after a Martin from The Cleveland Playhouse in late June on an exploratory trip to successful performance. Read more about the meet Cuban theatre folk. Other partnerships include those being developed 30th Anniversary Celebration on pages 18-19. between Vari-Lite from Dallas, Texas and the Moving Lights Laboratory. And our successful grant from Teaching and Enhanced Learning Research (TELR) makes our first partnership with ACCAD possible as we develop the Roy Bowen Virtual Theatre for use in our Theatre 100 class. The Wexner Center for the Arts continues to make it possible for our students to talk to the various theatre artists they feature in their seasons. And we partnered with many of you, our theatre community, to present the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Lawrence and Lee’s The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. These pages are full a variety of our endeavors and achievements. I continue to be delighted to be part of the formidable collective strength found here in the Department of Theatre and I greatly enjoy my role as an advocate for both the department’s achievements and the individual successes of faculty, staff, and students.

From left to right, Sandy Harbrecht, friend of OSU Arts, and Judith Koroscik, Dean of the College of the Arts, congratulate Ted Lange during his residency with the department in Lesley Ferris January of 2000 (see story p. 7). Chair, Department of Theatre

Table of Contents 1999 - 2000 Season ...... 2 Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Alumni News ...... 30 Institute Update ...... 12 Awards and Recognition ...... 10 Regional Campus Report ...... 4 Behind the Mask Premieres at OSU ...... 7 School Tour ...... 6 Exhibits Around Town ...... 8 Spotlight on Undergraduates ...... 21 Faculty and Staff Notes and News ...... 25 Student Internships, Awards, Scholarships ...... 16 Guest Artists ...... 22 The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail ...... 18 1999 - 2000 OSU SEASON in review

1. Marriage by Nikolai Gogol. New English 2. Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika by version by Barbara Field. Roy Bowen Theatre. Tony Kushner. Thurber Theatre. Directed by 2 Directed by Guest Artist Anatoly Morozov. Scenic Lesley Ferris. Scenic Design by Matthew A. Kari. Design by Vicki A. Horning. Costume Design by Costume Design by Julia Weiss. Lighting Design Jean Najar. Lighting Design by Nan Zhang. by Mary Tarantino. November 10 – 20, 1999. November 3 – 20, 1999. 1

3. King Lear by William Shakespeare. Thurber Theatre. Featuring Equity artist Jon Farris as Lear. Directed by Sue Ott Rowlands. Scenic Design by Matthew A. Kari. Costume Design by Dennis Parker. Lighting Design by Guest Artist Martha Mountain. May 17 – 27, 2000.

4 3

4. Eudora Welty: Mississippi Stories 6 adapted and directed by Thurber 5 Playwright-in-Residence Gloria Baxter. Roy Bowen Theatre. Scenic Design by Nicholas H. Nold. Costume Design by Rebecca Graves. Lighting Design by Carrie Cox. February 9 – 26, 2000. 5. Barnum’s American Museum by MFA actor Michael Karp. Mount Hall Studio Theatre. February 1 – 5, 2000.

6. The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs by Simone Benmussa. Translated from the French by Barbara Wright. Directed by J. Briggs Cormier. Scenic Design by Matt Cherubino. Costume Design by Aimee J. Greer. Lighting Design by Jean Najar. May 22 – 26, 2000. 2 ENCORE 2000 STAGING THE WORLD7 AFTER WORDS

7. The Hostage by Brendan a post performance 7 Behan. Thurber Theatre. discussion Directed by Bruce Hermann. Scenic and Lighting Design nd by Robert Krege. Costume Following the 2 Thursday evening Design by Tatjana Longerot. performance an invited guest gives a brief February 23 – March 4, response to the play and then leads a 2000. discussion with the audience and the production team. This year we were fortunate enough to have the following individuals participate in After Words. 8. Viet Rock by Megan Terry. Roy Bowen Theatre. Directed by Joy Reilly. Scenic Design by Dan Gray. Costume Design by Jacqueline Shelley. Marriage Lighting Design by Kristopher Dr. George Kalbouss Jones. May 3 – 20, 2000. Professor of Eastern European and Slavic Studies, OSU

Angels in America, Part II 8 Dee Shepard former Artistic Director of Reality Theatre

Eudora Welty: Mississippi Stories Dr. Steven Fink, Associate Professor of American Literature, OSU

The Hostage Dr. Jon Erickson Associate Professor of English, OSU

Viet Rock William Hospodar 9 Director of Veteran Affairs, OSU

9. iphelOa written and performed by King Lear MFA actor Robin Gordon. Mount Hall Studio Theatre. February 1 – 5, 2000. Dr. Ulle Lewes Professor of English, Ohio Wesleyan University

The Afterwords Special thanks to Leslie discussions were and Abigail Wexner for supporting organized by our production of King Lear, and to Dr. M. Scott Jake Jakobson for supporting Jon Phillips, Farris’ guest artist residency with lecturer in our department. Theatre during 1999 - 2000.

ENCORE 2000 3 regional campus report LIMA 2000. The production was staged as production, written and directed by Dr. Theatre students were kept busy with chamber theatre at Dean Violet Meek’s Ignatieva, entitled The Prince and the performance and technical house and featured two local actors, Puppet (AU 2000), a puppet and responsibilities in three productions at Kathleen Light and Brian Keegan, as marionette performance by a German OSU – Lima this past year. Maria Mrs. Patrick Campbell and George guest artist, Gunther Sobiewski, (WI Ignatieva, Assistant Professor of Bernard Shaw, respectively. 2001) and Beth Henley’s Impossible Theatre, wrote and directed Once Upon Marriage, directed by Dr. Brandesky a Time in the World for the fifth annual OSU – Lima campus students kept (SP 2001). Theatre for Young Audiences busy in the shop and backstage for production. 3500 children from a ten on-campus tour performances of the Students were treated to the annual county area attended ten National Shakespeare Company’s end-of-year barbecue at the Brandesky performances by OSU – Lima production of Midsummer Night’s home and entertained by a sing-along students on the Lima campus in Dream (SP 2000) and the OSU touring instigated by Dennis Christilles. Three Autumn 1999. Dr. Ignatieva also show Sobering Thoughts (WI 2000). students were recognized with awards: directed an all-student production of Several student technicians were also Sarah Uetrecht was named the Arts All This and Moonlight in Spring 2000. called upon to work off-campus for Divisional Awards recipient for a Dennis Christilles, Associate Lima Symphony and Broadway Series second time while Erin Bode and Dave Professor of Theatre and Film from the performances at the Veteran’s Cook received the Theatre University of Kansas, served as guest Memorial Civic and Convention Center. Departmental awards. Sarah, Dave, designer for the production. Joe and Erin were joined by Kim Graham Brandesky, Associate Professor of The 2000-01 season schedule includes and Cory Barndt on the summer Study Theatre, directed Dear Liar in Winter a Theatre for Young Audiences Tour to London and York, and they also took a quick side-trip to Prague where they visited the Theatre section of the Academy of Performing Arts. Nine students were a part of the twenty-three member tour group. Study Tour participants saw Vanessa Redgrave as Prospero in The Tempest at the Globe Theatre, Hamlet at the National Theatre Right: Beyond Therapy, and Cycle Play performances in York OSU Newark, Autumn 2000. Minster. Joining Joe Brandesky as tour leader was Deborah Burks, Assistant Professor of English, a Below: Once Upon a specialist in Medieval and Elizabethan Time in the World, OSU theatre. Lima, Autumn 1999.

Right: Dear Liar, OSU Lima, Winter 2000.

4 ENCORE 2000 lima, mansfield, newark MANSFIELD Renaissance Theatre, where it was On July 25, the group left for Europe. The theatre program at OSU-Mansfield also performed. The spring production Stops included the Oberammergau continued to be very active, under the was the Neil Simon comedy The Star- Passion Play as well as travel through direction of Larry J. Evans, Associate Spangled Girl, which was double-cast. Italy and Greece, and an optional add- Professor of Theatre. The 1999-2000 The 2000-01 series will begin with The on to London, England. theatre season included three major Diary of Anne Frank, including two productions, all of which used a performances for the Mansfield Plans to improve the theatre facilities combination of students and Children’s Theatre Foundation. at Mansfield are in process, which will community talent. The fall production include lobby renovations and the new was The Crucible by Arthur Miller, The Theatre department and the scene shop and dressing rooms. It is which was entered in the Kennedy campus drama club (Ohio Eta Chapter hoped that construction will begin fall Center/American College Theatre of Theta Alpha Phi) worked together 2000. Festival. The winter production was on a number of special projects this the musical George M (with Associate past year: Professor of Music David Tovey as l presenting an original student- music director/conductor); this written musical Eternity. musical uses the songs of George M. l traveling to the American College Cohan to tell the story of his life, and Theatre Festival in Milwaukee. was co-produced with the Mansfield l sponsoring the spring theatre NEWARK banquet at which several awards In 1999-2000, Assistant Professor of were given, including the Gerry Rice Theatre at OSU-Newark Dave Williams Theatre Award to Kelly Daugherty directed three readings, and designed, and the James Lewis Technical lit, and directed three productions: Theatre Award to Michael Maxwell. Beyond Therapy, The Robber l sponsoring a touring performing Bridegroom, and an evening of eight group to earn money for the year one-act plays. For the 2000-2001 2000 European trip. The group season, Dr. Williams has chosen The performed 33 times, including two Gin Game, Rosencrantz and fall variety shows on campus. Guildenstern Are Dead, and Academia Income from this touring company Nuts. and from other donations has created a trip scholarship fund of over $15,000; in addition the Admissions and Scholarships committee agreed to pay $1,000 towards the trip for each participant Left: The Crucible, OSU Mansfield, Autumn who is an OSU-Mansfield student 1999. (amounting to an additional Below: The Star-Spangled Girl, OSU Mansfield, $10,000). Spring 2000.

Left: George M, OSU Mansfield, Winter 2000.

ENCORE 2000 5 School Tours The Education Outreach Program was In the Winter of 2000 Sobering Thoughts, valuable educational tool in the effort to initiated in the Winter of 1999 with the which deals with teenage drinking, toured communicate the dangers of underage touring production of Rock ‘N’ Roles From throughout area high schools. The drinking to high school students. Mrs. William Shakespeare. The show was an production provided a hard-hitting Taft attended the April 20, 2000, immediate success, with performances message for young audiences and was performance at Mifflin High School, which at some twenty high schools in the central lauded by Ohio First Lady Hope Taft as a was featured in a News Channel 4 “For Ohio region. This success allowed the Your Education” segment that same day. Department to expand the Program. All tour performances ended with actor/ During the 1999 – 2000 season, three audience talkback sessions, so young touring shows were sent out into the students could ask questions about the Central Ohio Community. In the Fall, the subject matter of the plays, performing, program entertained even younger and theatre. These question-answer audiences with two touring shows that sessions were always lively and visited elementary and middle schools. appreciated by both actors and student Roasted Shoes…Toasted Tootsies for audiences. In the end, over 9,000 central elementary age, and Roasted Shoes for Ohio students were impacted by the middle school age children, had full Department’s tours. schedules throughout the quarter, delighting and informing hundreds of Left: Roasted Shoes, Autumn 1999. From left to young audience members on the subject right: Laura Simpson, Julie Graham, Chris of substance abuse. Dickman, Ebony Wimbs, and Bryan Foley.

2000 - 2001 Tour Stops

Beery Middle School Briggs High School Buckeye Valley North Elementary Clintonville Academy Columbus Alternative High School Fort Hayes High School Frey Avenue Elementary School J. W. Reason Elementary School Leawood Elementary School Liberty Union Thurston Middle School Linmoor Middle School Above: Ohio’s First Lady Hope Taft (center), with Sobering Thoughts cast members Lindsay Madison Plains Middle School Casella (left) and Mark Rhodes (second from right), greets students after our performance at Marion Franklin High School Mifflin High School. Medary Elementary School Mifflin High School Mt. Olivet Christian Academy OSU-Lima OSU-Newark/Newark High School Perry Middle School St. Pious St. Brendan Middle School St. Matthews Middle School Right: Roasted Starling Middle School Shoes…Toasted Summit Elementary School Tootsies, Autumn Walnut Springs Middle School 1999. From left to right: Marieli Beltran, Weaver Middle School Greg Maier, Erin Worthington Kilbourne High School Osher, and Jim Creighton.

6 ENCORE 2000 Behind the Mask Faculty Club In January 2000, the Department design by Kristopher Jones. The staff The Department of Theatre of Theatre hosted the world of the Office of Minority Affairs, continued the “At the Club” Faculty premiere of Behind the Mask: An including Dr. Frank Hale, Professor Club performances this academic Evening with Paul Laurence Emeritus, and Dean Judith Koroscik year. At the end of November, Phil Dunbar. The play, about one of attended the first night and joined Sue Thompson directed a staged reading Ohio’s own African-American Ott Rowlands, Ted Lange and crew for of the poetry of V. Mayakovsky, At poets, was written and performed an opening night reception. In addition the Top of My Voice, in conjunction by Ted Lange (of Love Boat fame) to his residency and performances, with the Columbus Museum of Art and directed by Sue Ott Rowlands. Lange established his collection at the exhibit Spectacular St. Petersburg: In the first act of Behind the Mask, Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research 100 Years of Russian Theatre Lange portrays an optimistic Institute, which included scrapbooks, Design and OSU’s Dunbar at the start of his career. production of Marriage. In Act 2 he plays the more Expressing a central pessimistic, frustrated Dunbar who impulse of world had sunk into alcoholism the year Futurism, the before his death. performance also meant to capture Mayakovsky, Lange hoped to introduce younger the unashamed audiences to Dunbar’s work. “Paul revolutionary. Most of Dunbar is a forgotten poet,” he the poems were said. “Most young literature performed in English, but students – black and white – don’t parts were also done in know who he was. Only the ‘old the original Russian. timers’ of my father’s generation The performers included knew his poetry. I would like to Lindsay Casella, Jennifer Manvich, Phil Thompson looks on as undergraduate Eleni generate interest in his work and, Papaleonardos tackles the poetry of V. Olga Mogilevskaya, Eleni hopefully, a new generation of Mayakovsky. Papaleonardos, David Price, Regina young artists will discover the Rockensies, Phil Thompson and beauty of his poetry.” Tatyana Yassenov, Assistant Director and Translator for Marriage. Lange was in residency at OSU manuscripts, and complete At the Top of My Voice was repeated from the beginning of winter quarter documentation of his film of at the Columbus Museum of Art in through the run of Behind the Shakespeare’s Othello. early December. Mask, January 19 - 22, 2000. This show also featured scenic design Following the performances at OSU, On January 13, 2000, during the run by Vicki A. Horning, costume Lange took his play to San Jose State of Behind the Mask: An Evening design by Jean Najar and lighting University for an April performance at with Paul Laurence Dunbar, Ted the Music Concert Hall. The Lange gave a presentation at the performances were very well received Faculty Club. “Getting to Know Ted in San Jose. The front page headline Lange,” was a very laid back of the Spartan Daily read, “Audience discussion about the facts and Loves Lange: Actor rises above ‘Love’ fictions of “the business.” Lange reputation.” painted an aggressive picture of a political show business where everybody is eager to steal one’s ideas and make a buck. He also gave the students some useful Ted Lange as Paul Laurence Dunbar in the insight on how to negotiate world premiere of Behind the Mask, January contracts. 2000.

ENCORE 2000 7 Bumper Crop of OSU PHDs Exhibits Around Town The Department of Theatre had its hands in many exhibits that traveled through The exhibit featured 40 costumes Land Jobs Columbus this year. To kick off the 1999 and 75 sketches from the ballet, They said it would happen and it academic year, the Wexner Center for the opera, and theatre. Brandesky divided has. Theatre faculty across the Arts opened with “Playing With Fire,” a the exhibit into five chronological retrospective of the career of Julie Taymor, th country are retiring en mass and “acts;” the imperial Theatre of the 19 which ran September 1999 through jobs are popping up. Our graduates Century; the World of Art movement January 2000. The installation featured that included designers such as (and current students) are the direct stage sets, puppets, masks, costumes, Diagilev and Benoix; experimental beneficiaries of this job boom! In drawings, set designs, video clips, theatre at the turn of the century; Soviet the last three months, the following photographic documentation and music realism; and the contemporary students have “hit the big time:” from Taymor’s key works, including The period. Following its Columbus run, Lion King, Juan Darien, and Stravinsky’s the exhibit moved to the McNay Evan Bridenstine has a one-year Oedipus. Costume Studio Supervisor Museum of Art in San Antonio, TX. appointment at Kent State Julia Weiss and MFA Costume Design University student Jean Najar were both active in “Metaphor and Irony,” an exhibit of Amy Taipale Canfield has a the restoration and mounting of Czech Scenic and Costume Design one-year appointment at Hobart costumes, puppets and masks for the 1920 to 1999, was on display at the and Smith in upstate New York exhibit. Also, Dr. Alan Woods was part of Ohio Arts Council’s Riffe Gallery from Joe Fahey has a three-year a Symposium held during the exhibition. July 27 to October 15, 2000. The 80- appointment at Case Western year span covered by “Metaphor and “Spectacular St. Petersburg: 100 Years Reserve University Irony” traced the influences of of Russian Theatre Design” could be European art movements and Roger Freeman has a three-year called “The Exhibition that Nearly Wasn’t!” philosophies on theatre artists in the appointment at the University of The exhibition which was supposed to Czech homeland. Georgia open in October 1999, opened one month Esther Kim has a tenure track later than scheduled because of a The exhibit was produced by the Ohio appointment at the University of pending lawsuit, regarding a debt (dating Arts Council with support from The Illinois, Champange-Urbana from the Russian Revolution) owed by the Ohio State University (Columbus and Vince Landro has a one-year Russian Government to the USA. The Lima campuses); the Marion Koogler appointment at Northern Illinois Russian Government delayed sending McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX., University the valuable costumes and designers’ and the Spencer Museum of Art, Michael Maudlin has a one- sketches for fear they would be seized in Lawrence, KS. The co-curators were year, renewable appointment at settlement of this debt. Shipment of the Helena Albertova of the School of Southwest Missouri State exhibits took place only following Applied Arts, Charles University, reassurance from the US Government University Prague and Joe Brandesky, Associate that this would not happen. Needless to Scott Phillips has a tenure track Professor of Theatre, the Ohio State say, this had Joe Brandesky, Associate University, Lima. appointment at Auburn Professor of Theatre, OSU Lima (the University Guest Curator for the exhibit), a tiny bit Jaroslav Malina, a prominent scenic Valleri Robinson has a one-year nervous. and costume designer and member appointment at the of the Performing Arts Academy of University of Arizona Prague, was showcased in this exhibit. Malina is the first professor to take part in the exchange agreement that has been set up between the Department of Theatre of the Ohio Julie Taymor: Playing with State University and the Performing Fire: Department of Theatre Arts Academy of Prague. Malina was Costume Studio Supervisor Julia Weiss and MFA Costume in residency during fall quarter, Design student Jean Najar (in preparing the stage design for the fall the group at the top) lend their production of Tennessee Williams’ expertise to the installation of Orpheus Descending. He also taught the exhibit. a master class in design for Department students.

8 ENCORE 2000 OSU Takes Over Columbus Arts’ Scene

OSU Theatre faculty, students in London in June. And many Rivera. Finalist, Jonathan and alums continue to be active received awards from Michael Putnam (MFA 1990), CATCO’s in Columbus area theatre – this Grossberg: Best Actress, The Anger in Ernest and past year we seem more Honorable Mention, Anne Ernestine. Best Supporting prominent than ever. Frank Hannon (MFA 1997), Irish and Actress, Finalist, Beth Kattleman Barnhart, from Act Out American Repertory Theatre’s (PHD 1999), Act Out Productions, was again elected Beauty Queen. Finalist, Robin Productions’ Tribes 2000. Best to the presidency of Theatre Gordon (MFA 2000), CATCO’s Supporting Actor, Jonathan Roundtable. Kathy Burkman Dead Guilty and Ionia Zelenka Putnam, CATCO’s Shorts took her production of Ashes to (Professor Emeritus), Senior Festival 2000. Ashes to the Pinter Conference Repertory of Ohio’s Fairfax

Left: Christy Stanlake, PHD student in theatre, and David Fawcett in Harold Pinter’s 1996 drama, Ashes to Ashes, a Women at Play production.

Left: Anne Hannon (MFA 1997, as Maureen Folan) and Bruce Hermann (as Pato Dooley) in the Irish Repertory Theatre’s March/April 2000 production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane.

Above: The publicity poster for Reality Theatre’s April/ May 2000 production of As Bees in Honey Drown. PHD student Tonia Krueger played the principal role and was supported by undergraduate student Laura Gale Simpson. The Contemporary American Theatre Company’s March/April 2000 production of A Mollie Levin (BA 1987) directed this comic success. Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. From left to right are Truman Winbush Jr. (Bobo), undergraduate student Ebony Wimbs (Beneatha Younger) and Sheila Ramsey (Lena Younger). ENCORE 2000 9 OSU Theatre: Awards and Accolades Without a doubt, the Department of coordinates the movement coaching Theatre (1991) written by Dr. Joy Reilly; Theatre was more visible in the of Jeanine Thompson and lighting the 1994 OSU production of The Columbus community this year than it effects of Kristopher Jones to an effect Imaginary Invalid and the 1998 Irish has been in the recent past. Maybe you that is both dramatically powerful and Repertory Theatre production of Molly saw one of our posters at a Barnes and politically pointed.” May 11, 2000, Sweeny, featuring Anne Hannon (MFA Noble? Maybe you got a handbill while Doug Hoehn, Columbus Alive 1997). attending a Gallery Hop? Or maybe you heard a promotional sponsorship on l “Well-housed and well-supported, l The Central Ohio Theatre Critics WCBE, 90.5 FM. Thanks to the addition the theater program of Ohio State Circle annually awards individuals and of a 25% time graduate student assistant, University leaves little to be desired. groups whose work promotes or Damian Bowerman, as well as a group A variety of classic and contemporary “expands the possibilities of theater.” of publicity lab students, we were able to plays, as well as original works by The Circle represents theater critics get the word out about our season. Did it African-American writers, come to life who work at area news media. On work? You bet. Attendance figures were on the two stages of Drake Union. The January 13, 2000, OSU was up, and the media coverage was technical wing of the theater recognized twice. Once for Marriage, tremendous. During the 1999 – 2000 department is among the best in the the award reading, “OSU transcended Season, department shows were country, with designer Dan Gray the language barrier with [its] reviewed a total of 19 times, appearing in winning deserved accolades, and the collaborative, innovative production of The Columbus Dispatch, The Lantern, production staff is ably backed by Gogol’s Marriage, adapted and staged Columbus Alive and The Other Paper. some outstanding theater scholars, by Russian director Anatoly We were also a feature news story 56 including Alan Woods. Under the Morozov.” The second award was different times. Not to mention the awards guidance of Chairperson Lesley given to playwrights Jerome from theatre critics and the community. Ferris, the department continues to Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, who offer the unusual. Recently, an received the Roy Bowen (yes, our Roy Here is a very small sample of what was ambitious production of Angels in Bowen) Award for Lifetime said about the Department. America graced the Thurber Theatre, Achievement for their illustrious half- proving that the department is not just century collaborations on Broadway l “Directed sensitively by OSU’s Sue a proving ground for technicians but hits such as Inherit the Wind and Ott Rowlands, Lange’s collaborator, also an artistic entity with a daring soul.” Auntie Mame. Previous lifetime the world premiere [of Behind the September 22, 1999, Doug Hoehn, achievement awards have gone to Mask: An Evening with Paul Columbus Alive, “The Big Ten of Russell Hastings, Chuck Dodrill, Ionia Laurence Dunbar] brims with Columbus Thespians.” Zelenka, Firman “Bo” Brown, Harold personality, humor and period Eisenstein and David Ayers. atmosphere on Vicki Horning’s l “On the Ohio State campus, the year library set . . .” January 21, 2000, did bring one additional source of l For our touring productions, the Michael Grossberg, The Columbus hope. Lesley Ferris, chairwoman of Department received a Certificate of Dispatch the theater department, made her Appreciation from Medary Elementary local directorial debut in February and School’s CHAMPS Extended Learning l “Shakespeare’s King Lear is a followed it up with last month’s brilliant Program, 1999-2000. challenge for the most mature, production of Tony Kushner’s Angels seasoned troupe. For Ohio State in America, Part Two: Perestroika. l At the end of July, Dispatch theatre University’s Theatre Department to Add the Wexner Center’s avant-garde critic Michael Grossberg handed out attempt—and succeed—with this offerings and Russian director Anatoly the 9th Annual Sunny Awards for the tragedy is an accomplishment indeed. Morozov’s fanciful production of past season’s best directors, actors [The actors] are comfortable and agile Nikolai Gogol’s Marriage, and you and designers. OSU was all over the in these roles and demonstrate a have clear signs of a theatrical place! Best Director, Anatoly Morozov, maturity and understanding of the renaissance at OSU. Richard Ades, Marriage; Honorable Mention, Lesley horror that is Lear.” May 19, 2000, The Other Paper, “The Best of 1999.” Ferris, Angels in America, Part Two: Nancy Gilson, The Columbus Perestroika. Finalist, Gloria Baxter, Dispatch And now some of our awards: Eudora Welty: Mississippi Stories. Best Actor, Runner-Up, Jon Farris, l “Under the direction of Joy Reilly, l In his millennium wrap-up (12/30/ King Lear. Finalist, Bruce Hermann, the large student cast lends [ Viet Rock] 99), Columbus Dispatch Theatre Critic Beauty Queen. Best Design, Runner energy and a sense of moral Michael Grossberg picked the “Best Up, Matt Kari’s (MFA 2000) set and earnestness. Reilly carefully Local Theatre” of the decade. OSU Mary Tarantino’s lights, Angels in integrates every aspect of theatrical was involved, in one way or another, America, Part Two: Perestroika and performance into her concept. A with most all of the productions, most Matt Kari’s set, Dennis Parker’s sequence in which three Vietnamese notably I Was Young…Now I’m costumes and Michael Karp’s (MFA women are killed by napalm Wonderful, Grandparents Living 2000) sound effects, King Lear.

10 ENCORE 2000 New York City Costume Tour, Spring 2000 Dennis Parker, Resident work created for Glenn Parker select fabrics for the Technology. No trip to New Costume Designer, and Close’s costumes for the department’s production of York City would be current MFA Costume film One Hundred and Two King Lear. The tour to New complete without attending Design students Rebecca Dalmatians, which was York also included attending the theatre. They all saw Graves, Jean Najar and shot in London and an exhibition of “Rock” OSU alum Eileen Heckart Jacqueline Shelley spent scheduled to open costumes at The in The Waverly Gallery as four days of Spring Break Thanksgiving 2000. While Metropolitan Museum’s well as Annie Get Your Gun, 2000 visiting costume visiting the many fabric Fashion Institute and an The Dead and Swing. resources in New York City. shops located in the exhibit about corsets and Rebecca and Jean ventured Professor Parker arranged garment district, the their influence on fashion at to the East Village to see the trip and led the students students helped Professor The Fashion Institute of the rock musical Hedwig on a tour of the major and the Angry Inch, and costume studios, fabric Jean had the wonderful shops, trim and millinery fortune of getting plastered shops. At the costume with the tomatoes that filled studios the students had out Hedwig’s bra. the opportunity to learn about the process each studio uses in mounting shows. The studios visited ranged from large unionized studios to small, Former OSU student Hugh Hanson independent operations. (right) shows current MFA students The highlight of the visit to Jacqueline Shelley, Rebecca Graves and Jean Najar photographs of Barbara Matera, Ltd. was some of the interesting costumes the opportunity to see some he has created at Carelli Costumes of the elaborate beaded for Broadway shows and films.

We’re Going to the Zoo Over the past year, Dan Gray and 3rd year MFA design students Matt Kari and Robert Krege worked in collaboration with members of the Columbus Zoo’s Education and Outreach Division to design a new environment for the Zoo’s bird show, Wings of Flight. Based on a collage of natural, animal habitat, this environment needed to support the many aesthetic and technical requirements of these avian performers. The Wings of Flight staff also needed to strike/set-up this world in about an hour! This past spring, the design was completed and realized as an individual study course in advanced, alternative production. This class included Matt, Robert, 2nd year MFA design student Vicki Horning, and undergraduates Jessica Secrest and Shauna Turner-Smith. The environment was loaded into the Zoo Pavilion on June 19th, 2000 and will serve this production through the 2005 season. Ironically, with the hundreds of viewers that see Wings of Flight every day over the summer From left to right, Vicki Horning, Shauna Turner-Smith, Jessica Secrest, season, this may be the most visible scenic design of and Matt Kari on the newly designed set for the Columbus Zoo’s Wings of these creators to be seen in central Ohio! Flight. ENCORE 2000 11 Lawrence and Lee Theatre The new academic year opened with 11, 1999. Dr. Alan Woods also with a new award in New York and a bang in Columbus, with a participated in a panel discussion on Nena Couch represented the spectacular exhibit at the Wexner Julie Taymor’s career. In addition to Institute. Bob discussed his work Center on the career of Tony-Award Dr. Woods, the panelists included Ken with the American Playwrights winning director/designer Julie Brecher, executive director of the Theatre, created by Lawrence and Taymor, “Playing With Fire.” The TRI Sundance Institute; Eileen Lee and headquartered at Ohio was closely involved with the Blumenthal, critic and Professor of State. Nena was able to spend educational component of the Theatre Arts at Rutgers University some time with Eileen Heckart at the installation. TRI also presented OSU (and author of the publication Julie celebration; Eileen and her son, alum Diane Wondisford, who Taymor: Playing with Fire that Luke Yankee, were thus both produced Taymor’s Juan Darien both accompanied the exhibition). present at celebrations honoring off and on Broadway and on tour, who major playwrights on the same lectured in Drake Union on November Nena Couch attended Rare Book evening, even if a continent apart. School at the University of Virginia, learning Encoded Archival Description It was a pleasure to welcome (EAD) to use in making TRI finding Lawrence and Isabel Barnett back to aids to collections available and Columbus, for the 2000 Barnett Arts searchable on the world wide web. and Public Policy Symposium; this She also attended a meeting of the year’s topic was “Going Global: Dance Heritage Coalition held at the Negotiating the Maze of Cultural Library of Congress, as well as the Interactions.” 2000 also marks the Theater Curators’ Roundtable hosted 50th anniversary of Isabel Bigley by the Harvard Theatre Collection, Barnett’s Broadway stardom in Guys Harvard University, where the TRI CD- and Dolls; the Institute cooperated ROM was very well received. with the Museum of the City of New York, which mounted a major exhibit Jerome Lawrence received a Lifetime to mark the event. Achievement Award from Theatre LA early in November, as part of the This summer the TRI featured the annual Theatre LA Ovation Awards. exhibit “Casting Discrimination Janet Waldo Lee, Lucy Lee, Jonathan Against Asians: A Time Honored and Niela Lee, and Will Willoughby Tradition on the New York Stage,” an helped Jerry celebrate; Alan Woods exhibit created by Randy Kaplan was able to represent the Institute at several years ago for the Association the ceremonies. Jerry’s award was for Asian American Studies annual presented by Beatrice Arthur, the conference. Randy thoughtfully original Vera Charles in the Lawrence donated the materials to the TRI last Above: An image from the Images of Asians on and Lee and Jerry Herman musical, winter. Graduate Associate American Stages exhibit: Laurette Taylor, as Mame. Also helping celebrate at the Jonathan Park put the exhibit up, Luana, a native Hawaiian girl, in The Bird of La Mirada Theatre was Luke Yankee. augmenting it with a few materials Paradise, 1911. Taylor was famous some thirty On that same night in early from other collections. years later for creating the role of Amanda November, the New Dramatists Wingfield in Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie. honored playwright Robert Anderson As a member of the Dance Heritage Coalition board, Nena Couch was busy with DHC business including the National Dance Heritage Leadership Forum, a three-part Right: “Tiger”: Scene Nine: the pursuit leadership initiative to develop an detachment and the agenda for dance documentation and militia set out for Tiger preservation for the next ten years. Mountain at lightning The Forum has brought together a speed, from Taking wide range of individuals active in the Tiger Mountain by Strategy, A Modern performing arts, humanities, and Revolutionary Peking technology to address a variety of Opera, published issues related to collecting, Peking: Foreign preserving, and documenting dance. Languages Press, The Forum will set forward issues 1970 12 ENCORE 2000 Research Institute Update concerning documentation and College of the Arts and the Libraries.” Fred Holdridge and Howard Burns preservation that must be identified as Since Robbins choreographed of Columbus donated well over one an integral part of our cultural policy. Lawrence and Lee’s first Broadway thousand programs and playbills, In June, Nena attended two separate show, Look, Ma! I’m Dancin’! in 1948, documenting their theatre attendance awards ceremonies in New York, the we’re delighted that the sketchbook on several continents over the past Theatre Library Association book has found a home in Columbus. fifty years. Both Fred and Howard are awards where Al Hirschfeld (many of past Presidents of the Board for whose drawings of Lawrence and Lee Denise Holland has sent a wonderful CATCO, Columbus’s professional productions reside in the Theatre collection of production materials from theatre company, whose archives are Research Institute) received an award the long career of her father, southern in the TRI. Thomas Minnick donated for his most recent book, Hirschfeld California stage manager Bill Holland. an oil portrait of Noel Coward. Both on Line; and the Sidney Kingsley/ Mr. Holland worked at the Music CATCO and the Columbus Madge Evans awards for outstanding Center in Los Angeles and at Children’s Theatre updated their contributions to the theatre given by numerous other theatres in the region archives. Alumna Anne Hannon the Dramatists Guild to a playwright and he stage managed the Los donated theatre books, while and an actress. This year’s awardees Angeles run of Lawrence and Lee and Columbus Dispatch theatre critic are Donald Margulies and Marian Herman’s Mame with Angela Michael Grossberg donated journals Seldes. Lansbury, among many others. Also and programs; Michael organized the from the Los Angeles area, Bill wonderful meeting of the American Nena and Alan were also busy moving Bushnell sent along close to one Theatre Critics Association in collections around, consolidating and thousand books, posters, programs, Louisville last Spring, and the TRI is making more space for the 14th floor and other materials from his long already benefiting from contacts with of Lincoln, now crowded with wonderful career, both as theatre artist and avid many of America’s working critics. research materials. theatre-goer, most notably at the Los Mary Bishop has donated another Angeles Theatre Center. Alvin H. batch of materials to her collection, The International Centre for Women Reiss sent the TRI a program from the focusing on theatre restoration and Playwrights agreed to establish Musicals Tonight! revival of Look, Ma, revitalization. Faithful donor Harold archives at TRI as well, and will I’m Dancin! Which played at the 14th Eisenstein not only donated more encourage its members to donate Street Y in March. The musical, with programs and materials, but he also copies of their work for the TRI music and lyrics by Hugh Martin, was donated time, making contact with a collections. ICWP Board member Lawrence and Lee’s first show number of Jewish theatre companies Linda Eisenstein, who’s been donating produced on Broadway (in 1948); across the United States and copies of her award-winning plays for Jerome Robbins choreographed, obtaining information about several years now, was instrumental George Abbott directed, and the show productions and seasons. Harold in getting the collection established. was Nancy Walker’s first appearance also helped with communicating Members Ludmilla Bollow, Carole in a starring role. information about upcoming audio Clement, and Cass Erickson recently described events in central Ohio with deposited manuscripts and published blind and texts of their plays. visually impaired TRI acquired a wonderful Alexander theatre-goers, Benois sketchbook for Giselle at an augmenting the auction in November, in large part service through the good help of our great coordinated friend and supporter, Paul Stiga, and through the TRI. Marina Henderson, a theatre dealer from London and friend of Paul’s, who bid for us. The sketchbook is from the estate of Jerome Robbins. As Nena Couch commented, “it fits in so nicely with our design holdings: we Left: An archival have a number of finished Benois shot from the designs in the Sylvia Westerman Department of Theatre’s Winter collection, and as a work that shows 2000 production of the process of design development, Behind the Mask, works beautifully with the Gerald now a part of the Ted Kahan collection purchased by the Lange collection. ENCORE 2000 13 OSU Arts Sampler On April 10 the Ohio State impact. Karen S. Bruns, Sampler made its way to leader of OSU CARES and Washington Court House. Outreach/Engagement A partnership between the received an email from a College of the Arts and OSU parent who said, “Thanks Extension, and supported you so much for providing by the Ohio Arts Council, my family a wonderful the Sampler is an annual evening of entertainment. event meant to bring the arts This is a great outreach to smaller OSU extension project. I wanted to share communities and to show my daughter’s thoughts them what is being after the program. She is Above: Regina Rockensies (left) and Jennifer Manvich (right) accomplished at the an eighth grader and has perform an excerpt from Final Placement, by Ara Watson Columbus campus. high aspirations. She has Department of Theatre MFA been considering only Notre acting students Naomi Dame and Ohio University. Hatsfelt, Michael Karp, Her comment after your Jennifer Manvich, Kathleen program was ‘You know, Gonzales and Regina Mom and Dad, I think I Rockensies performed better take a closer look at monologues and scenes Ohio State.’ Of course we which had been prepared for followed up with a their graduate acting class. resounding yes! This The performance was held example only emphasizes in the newly renovated to me the importance of auditorium of the these programs as an Washington Middle School. outreach for many reasons, The sampler was very well but especially a recruiting received by approximately tool. Thanks again for 200 community members, providing such a wonderful and a lasagna dinner was opportunity for the From left to right: Annie Malinova and her father, guest designer prepared for the participants Washington Courthouse Jaroslav Malina, along with Mary Trapp Gray, Joe Brandesky, and area.” Julie Otten, the Riffe Gallery’s Director of Education, at the July after the performances. The opening of the Metaphor and Irony exhibit (see story p. 8) Sampler definitely had an

Virtual Theatre Grant In Winter 2000 the Introduction to Theatre class. Drake. The funding from this development and hopes to Department of Theatre The proposed solution: to grant enables the use the virtual theatre as a submitted a proposal develop a virtual theatre department to work with the cornerstone to distance entitled “Virtual Theatre interface which would be web Advanced Computing Center learning for this introductory Interface” as part of the accessible and designed to for the Arts and Design course. For more information Instructional Innovation Grant provide hands-on experience (ACCAD) to create the virtual on the grant proposal, visit: Program run by the Office of for these students. The theatre space. The grant http://www.cgrg.ohio- Technology and Enhanced department was delighted to supports two graduate state.edu/~kwhitloc/vtp/ Learning and Research learn that we were awarded research assistants who will index.htm. To view the ever- (TELR). The instructional $39,280.00 to pursue this work with ACCAD staff and changing prototype, see http:/ problem to be addressed project. The proposal calls for theatre faculty and staff to /www.cgrg.ohio-state.edu/ was to convey the interactive the creation of a virtual develop this innovative ~asomasun/ and practice specific nature theatre, a 3-D space teaching tool. Dr. Joy Reilly, UpdatedVirtualTheatre.html. of theatre to the large number constructed as a simulation head of the Theatre 100 of students who take the of the Roy Bowen Theatre in class, is delighted with this

14 ENCORE 2000 Graduate Degrees Awarded Comparative Drama Masters of Arts Matthew Owens. “An Examination of Midwestern Conference College and University Production Trends: 1991-2000.” (L. Ferris). The 24th annual Comparative Drama Conference took place at The Ohio State University April 27-29, 2000. Organized Masters of Fine Arts Acting by Conference Director and Department of Theatre faculty Caroline Bradac. “I Was Held Hostage: member Stratos Constantinidis, the three-day interdisciplinary Performance of the Role of Teresa in The Hostage by event was attended by 160 participants who discussed 120 Brendan Behan.” (S. Ott Rowlands). papers divided in 40 sessions. They also attended a keynote Robin Gordon. “iphelOa.” (J. Thompson). address “On Histories of Theatre and Theatre as Visual Michael Karp. “Struggles and Triumphs: Construction” by Professor The Creation and Performance of Barnum’s Juan Villegas (University of American Museum.” (J. Thompson). California, Irvine) which was Jessica Morgan. “Angel in America: A followed by a reception on the Documentation of the Preparation and 27th. Participants attended Performance of the Role of The Angel in CATCO’s Shorts Festival Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika.” 2000, and the conference (S. Ott Rowlands). ended with a lively round- Carole Russo. “Confessions of a Consort: table discussion. This first The Role of Meg in The Hostage by Brendan edition of the Comparative Behan.” (S. Ott Rowlands). Carney Gray Schuck. “Come Out You Drama Conference at The Black and Tans: An Analysis of the Ohio State University was co- Rehearsal and Performance for the sponsored by eleven Character Pat in Brendan Behan’s Play The academic units (including the Hostage.” (S. Ott Rowlands). Department of Theatre). Attendance was open and Masters of Fine Arts free to the faculty and Design students of all co-sponsoring units. Nine Matthew Kari. “Scenic members of the conference board, 25 Design for a Production of faculty members from the co-sponsoring William Shakespeare’s units, and six members from the King Lear.” (D. Gray). Department of Theatre (Professors Joy Robert Krege. “A Reilly, Anthony Hill, Joseph Brandesky, Scenic and Lighting Maria Ignatieva, David Williams, and Design Interpretation of recent Ph.D. graduate Kaizaad Kotwal) Brendan Behan’s The chaired the sessions. Lesley Ferris, Chair Hostage for The Ohio of the Department of Theatre, gave the State University welcome speech. The keynote speaker Department of Theatre’s was introduced by Professor Dieter Production.” (D. Gray). Wanner, Chair of OSU’s Department of Doctor of Philosophy Spanish and Portuguese. Professors Donald Larson and Joseph Fahey. “World Finders: The Progressive Ignacio Corona served as respondents. Ph.D. students Efforts of the American Delsartians in the Late Kristin Crouch and Eileen Krajewski presented papers and Nineteenth Century.” (T. Postlewait). so did alumni Michelle Cuomo, Brenda Laurel, Shauna Vey, Beth Kattleman. “Magic, Monsters, and Movies: Steven Weiss, and Anastasia Koumidou. The conference is America’s Midnight Ghost Shows.” (A. Woods). an international one and this year it was attended by many Esther Kim. “Asian American Theatre History from the university professors who traveled long distances to 1960s to 1990s: Actors, Playwrights, Communities participate in it — from New Zealand, Taiwan, Russia, and Producers.” (T. Postlewait). England, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada. Kaizaad Kotwal. “Variations of Virtual Reality in Theatre and Film: Truth and Illusion Via Art and Top: Juan Villegas delivers the keynote address on the opening day of the Comparative Drama Conference Technology.” (S. Constantinidis). Bottom: PHD student Eileen Krajewski presents her paper “Celtic Influences in Polish Romantic Drama”

ENCORE 2000 15 Internships Etcetera scholarships Damian Bowerman (2nd year MFA actor) Lake’s production of Guys and Dolls as a Gerald Black Scholarship Fund spent the summer of 2000 portraying John D. chorus member. Rockefeller as part of Ohio Chatauqua 2000: for Recognition for Excellence in Anthony Peeples (undergrad) spent winter Theatre, up to $1,000 Creating the 20th Century: Ohio Voices. The Ohio Humanities council and the Institute for and spring 2000 as part of the Ohio Company Jonathan Barnes Collaborative Research in Public Humanities at at the Cleveland Playhouse. He was in two Chester Harding Ohio State University presented this exciting Ohio Company productions (The Rain Will Greg Maier form of interactive literary entertainment based Come and The Arkansas Bear) and two Anthony Peeples on the Chatauqua legacy of the past. The Ohio Reading Company productions. He also played the role of the Clown in the Cleveland Sarah Uetrecht Chatauqua takes the form of a traveling tent show that presents history in its most Shakespeare Festival’s The Winter’s Tale. compelling form - first person historical Because of his impressive work with the Ohio Francis Davis Fellowship Fund characterizations. A troupe of five scholar/ Company, Anthony was cast in an Equity for Recognition for Excellence in performers each portrays a significant figure production the Playhouse did as part of their Theatre, up to $500 from Ohio’s past who serve as resident mainstage series, The Infinite Regress of Julie Graham scholars in the host communities, making Human Vanity by Murfey Guyer. Anthony was the only non-Equity actor cast in the play. Katy Hite evening presentations under the tent and Gordon Holey conducting daytime workshops in a variety of Valleri Robinson (PHD ABD) received $400 locations. Ohio Chatauqua 2000 introduced Eleni Papaleonardos from the Morrow Fund to conduct research in spectators to prominent figures from Ohio’s New York City and Cambridge, Mass. Christina Sidebottom past who played a major role in shaping the Laura Simpson country, including inventor Thomas Edison, Christy Stanlake (3rd year PHD) received Ebony Wimbs industrialist John D. Rockefeller, political $700 from the Morrow Fund to travel and reformer Victoria Woodhull, poet Paul Lawrence conduct research in London, England in June Robert Johnson Scholarship Dunbar, and Branch Rickey, the baseball to appear in a restaging of Harold Pinter’s 1996 entrepreneur who integrated the sport. drama, Ashes to Ashes, which Women at Play Fund for juniors and seniors in Performances took place in the communities of had produced at the OSU Hillel in the fall of Theatre, up to $750 Lancaster, Peninsula, Ashland, Wilmington and 1999. The production was directed by Anthony Peeples Marietta, Ohio, throughout June and July 2000. Katherine H. Burkman, who is artistic Laura Simpson coordinator of Women at Play and Professor The Journal of American Drama and Theatre Emeritus from OSU’s Department of English. published Mark Evans Bryan’s (3rd Year PHD) Kirby Kennedy Wyatt Fund for The production was presented at an article, “‘ENTER NEGROES’ The Rhetoric of international meeting at the Russell Hotel in Outstanding Work in Theatre Race and Slavery in an American Revolutionary London where some 70 people from 10 Design and Technology, $500- Era Drama: John Leacock’s ‘The Fall of British countries gathered to honor Harold Pinter, who $1,000 Tyranny’” in the Fall 2000 issue. turned 70 this past October. The performance, Kristen Kidd In Spring 2000 John Harris (2nd year PHD) which took place in the hotel on Saturday June Mollie Workman traveled to Boston, compliments of the Morrow 17, was warmly received and was followed Fund, to see the ART production of The Ohio by a lively discussion of the play. Roy and Addeleen Bowen Fund State Murders. John will direct our production Lauren Strasser (undergrad) was in two for Exceptional Talent in Theatre, of this piece in Autumn 2000.. shows with the Ohio Festival Theatre, an $220-$1,000 Katy Hite (undergrad) spent six weeks with outdoor summer repertory theatre in New Albany, playing Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and Julie Graham the English department at the University of the Minister in Hamlet, and Officer O’Hara in Katy Hite Bath, studying English literature. She visited the Globe, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Arsenic and Old Lace. Lauren has also been Gordon Holey Stratford, and Dublin, among many other places! commissioned to become part of the year- Eleni Papaleonardos Katy received the Wolfe Study Abroad round Positive Vision Theatre repertory group, Christina Sidebottom Scholarship to help pay for the trip! doing various vignettes to further HIV/AIDS Sarah Uetrecht awareness. Tonia Krueger (4th year PHD) and Karin nd Maresh (4th year PHD) were each awarded Nan Zhang (2 year MFA Lighting) received Steven Vrba Award for $1,200 in PEGS monies to further their a $1,500 PEGS award that allowed her to Outstanding Ability in Theatre dissertation research. Karin is writing on the accept an internship this summer at the KO Technology, $100 contributions of key women in the history of festival of performances, an annual summer theatre festival in Amherst, MA. The festival Mollie-Marie Workman the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Tonia is writing a biography of the career of Jessica celebrates multicultural collaboration and artistic Tandy. Both used the money to defray the ingenuity. She was the Stage Manger for the Michael Swink Fund for Talent in expenses of travel and research at archives. first show, The House Not Touched by Death Theatre Technology, $1,136 by the Pilgrim Theatre from Boston. She ran John Leahy John Leahy (undergrad) was hired as the part of the video projection and a hand-held Master Carpenter for the University of light as a tiny followspot (which meant she had to be dressed in all black and she physically Scarlet Mask Award for Wisconsin – Madison’s professional summer theatre. He supervised a staff of carpenters followed the performer in the dark) for 47 Distinction in Theatre and for the construction of three shows this Frames by the Cypher Collective from New Performance, $323 summer. York. For the final show, The Journey to Ebony Wimbs Heaven: The Shaker Way by the Pontine Blair McCourt (undergrad) was in Off the Movement Theatre from New York, she ran sound. 16 ENCORE 2000 Film and Video Ron Cannell Carney Gray (MFA 2000) and Jeremy With the assistance of Daniel Boord, Meier (1st year MFA) were the stars of Associate Professor in the “if(!Null){” [if not null], the MFA thesis Department of Theatre, several Retires exhibition of Wobbe F. Koning, a students from his Video Production I graduate student in Art and class officially began film careers Technology. Carney and Jeremy during Winter Quarter. After winning performed fragments of philosophy as a script writing contest sponsored by a coherent dialogue where no the College of Biological Sciences, questions are answered. The live action Ross Headly, a junior video was combined with computer communications major, worked with graphics sequences that commented students Jason Swank (Director) and on the live action, and provided David Gelb (Editor) to produce The contrast by complementing and DNA Files, a spoof on The X-Files. juxtaposing it. The perspective on The story is that of Todd, a high school reality and its representation shifts student whose science project is constantly. A viewing space was sabotaged. There are four suspects: constructed in the Hopkins Hall Gallery Lesley Ferris and Technical Director Mark the school bully, Todd’s project Shanda officially congratulate Ron Cannell so that all extraneous light was partner, the teacher’s pet and the for his years of service to the department. blocked out. In an effort to fully engulf school janitor. The “FBI” is called in viewers in the work, the two video to collect evidence and conduct On February 3, 2000, during the screens appeared to be floating in interrogations. Blood and hair traces quarterly department meeting, we all nothingness. This was the first fully left at the scene allow for DNA testing said goodbye to a good friend. After digital video work to be produced at and lead the agents to the guilty party. ten years of service as the scenic The Ohio State University. The work studio supervisor, Ron Cannell officially After the video is shown, the DNA retired. As many of you may know, Ron was shot and edited using the new DV workshop turns a high school has been battling a degenerative nerve (Digital Video) technology, and was classroom into a mock forensics lab disorder for several years and at the presented from two synchronized DVD and the 10th-graders become the beginning of the school year decided (Digital Video Disk) players. The scientists who solve the crime through to take disability retirement. By the time installation ran in the Hopkins Gallery DNA fingerprinting. Congratulations all of the paperwork was processed it May 15 – 19, 2000. Filming took place to co-producers Danielle Gavey and was February before we could express during chilly Winter quarter in the Brian Turner, and to the stars of the our proper appreciation for all Ron had Department’s Mount Hall Studio film: Laura Butler, Quinn Carlson, done for the department. Dr. Ferris and Theatre. Resident Technical Director Mark Dustin Fisher, Thomas Greer, Shanda presented Ron with a plaque Reginald Harper, Jordi Matsumoto, in recognition of his service to the Lauren Strasser, and Blythe Walker. students and faculty of the department.

Ron joined the department in the autumn of 1990, and immediately became a strong presence in the scenic studio. Under his direct Vari-Lite Partnership supervision over ninety productions were built, countless practicum Vari-Lite, Inc., a Dallas-based as they witness the results of the students each quarter learned construction techniques, and, most manufacturer of automated lighting and research through our productions. The importantly, no one was hurt. Ron’s related products, selected the Vari-Lite/OSU partnership provides an remarkable safety record, his friendly Department of Theatre as a research example of the integration of nature, and his laid-back attitude will partner for the development of a pilot corporate and university goals to be missed. In May, Ron moved from collegiate automated lighting program produce advanced educational and Columbus to a new apartment just valued at $1.1 M over three years. This research opportunities. For more outside Flint, Michigan, to be closer to partnership will provide our students information on this exciting his children, grandchildren and favorite with training on high end equipment partnership, follow the Vari-Lite link fishing spots. Although we will all miss by the country’s leading automated at the bottom of the Department of Ron, we hope that the fish are biting, that his health improves, and that he is lighting manufacturer. It will offer our Theatre’s web site: greatly enjoying this new time with his audiences the fruits of this collaboration http://www.the.ohio-state.edu/. family. ENCORE 2000 17 30th Anniversary The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail On April 21, 2000 the department and the Lawrence and Lee The event began with a reception and the performance Theatre Research Institute presented a celebration of the 30th followed. In addition to the three original cast members, the anniversary of the 1970 world premiere of The Night Thoreau performance included faculty, students, and friends of OSU Spent in Jail. The event was hugely successful, with more Theatre. After the performance, David Schooler, friend of OSU than 150 people present. The play more than held its own, Theatre, hosted a wonderful buffet for Roy Bowen and the and was met with enthusiastic applause. And the event raised original cast members at his home in German Village. over one thousand dollars for the Lawrence and Lee Theatre Research Institute and the Roy Bowen Theatre endowment Here’s the material printed in the program for the gala event. funds. We’re enormously grateful to all who participated, both The only disappointment was in the last minute difficulties in Columbus and from afar. And particularly to the original cast which made the presence of Jerome Lawrence and Janet members who reprised their original roles—David Ayers, Waldo Lee impossible; Janet was able to send her best Bronwynn Hopton, and Burt Russell. The years literally fell wishes, which are in the box to the right. away.

Right: David Ayers A Director Remembers (left) and Burton Russell (right) reprise their A play’s closing night is usually a gloomy event. original roles as Something that was alive is no longer breathing and Henry and Bailey. the people who created it will no longer be a working team. The closing of the original The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail was far more poignant than an ordinary closing.

After the heady excitement of final rehearsals with Lawrence and Lee working with us, after an opening night which brought audience cheers and excellent reviews, and after eight rewarding performances, we were faced with not only the play, but The Ohio State University itself, closing.

The oval was filled with demonstrating students and National Guard soldiers with guns and gas masks. An enduring memory to me is a student Below: From left to right, Nena Couch, Lesley Ferris, Roy Bowen, and th calling out to me, “How could you direct that play Alan Woods cut the 30 anniversary cake at a reception preceding the performance. and not be marching with us?” Then came the tragedy at Kent State and the OSU closing continued for three weeks.

For the opening of the Summer Season, we revived Thoreau. Costumes drenched with tear gas were cleaned - twice. A change of venue to Hughes Hall and some necessary cast changes did not prevent capacity audiences and standing ovations. After two weeks, this closing night was not a sad one. Already the American Playwrights Theatre had so many applications that the play became the most produced drama of the late 20th century.

Roy Bowen, April 21, 2000

18 ENCORE 2000 The Playwright Comments

Jerry Lawrence and Bob Lee considered creating Thirty years ago, Thoreau reinvented Civil Disobedience plays the greatest sport in the world. They wrote from on stages throughout the country for American their own passions about the things that made them Playwrights Theatre in a world still ringing with battles angry, about what inspired them, and what they would and bullets. In the years since, the play has found a global like to change, and Thoreau was a favorite work of audience at the Theatre for Young Spectators in Leningrad theirs. I had the good fortune to be present at the U.S.S.R., the prejudice ridden South Africa, and in initial production at OSU of Thoreau, and remember Cantonese at the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre in honor with much appreciation the wonderful performances of the students killed in Tianemen Square. of an exceptional cast. It makes me quite frustrated to miss seeing so many of the original cast again. David Today audiences are still finding on the printed page and Ayers was superb, also Burt Russell, Bronwynn the ever-living stage, Thoreau’s Formula for Freedom. His Hopton, and the inspired direction of Roy Bowen. answer to the needs of peoples minds is to join the march toward liberty for all minds. I’m sure Firman Brown will be an inventive and original Waldo; his direction of Auntie Mame in 1986 Jerome Lawrence, March 5, 2000 was wonderful. I wish I could witness the performances of all the new cast: John Crawford, Lesley Ferris, Phil Thompson, Earl Webber, Greg Maier, and of course, in one of my favorite roles as Lydian, Joy Reilly. How nice that she is already a part Left: of the Lawrence and Lee Family, having played Auntie Audience members Mame. Thanks also to the townspeople Harold enjoy a Eisenstein and Sue Ott Rowlands. Hope you all “have lobby a Banquet.” display of 30 years A special thanks to the wonderful and ever patient worth of Alan Woods, and the ever lovable Nena Couch. The Night Thoreau Thanks for your dedication and caring. My children Spent in Jail Jonathan and Lucy and I are heartbroken to miss this memorabilia, celebration of Thoreau and of Lawrence and Lee. We organized had unexpected circumstances which made it by the TRI. impossible for us to be there. But as Thoreau said, “It’s not necessary to be there in order to be there.” We thank you, we love you, and we embrace you all. Cheers! CAST Janet Lee April 21, 2000 NARRATOR Alan Woods WALDO Firman H. “Bo” Brown LYDIAN Joy Reilly MOTHER Lesley Ferris HENRY David Ayers* JOHN John Crawford BAILEY Burton Russell* BALL Phil Thompson ELLEN Bronwynn Hopton* SAM Earl Webb EDWARD Greg Maier TOWNSPEOPLE Harold Eisenstein Sue Ott Rowlands *Original cast member

Left: Professor Emeritus Bo Brown as Waldo, and Joy Reilly as Lydian.

ENCORE 2000 19 End of Year Festivities New Era On Wednesday, May 31, the Thoughts, the school tour, which Department broke bread together in featured Lindsay Casella, Eleni celebration of another successful year. Papaleonardos, Mark Rhodes, and for Drake Nearly 100 faculty, staff and students Ken Troklus with Ohio’s First Lady attended the second annual event, Hope Taft. The evening ended with the Despite our good facilities in which began with a warm welcome announcement of the undergraduate Drake, the Department of from Chair Dr. Lesley Ferris. Joy Reilly scholarship winners and graduate Theatre has always been presented the undergraduate majors student achievements and then crunched for space. When it who received their B.A.’s in 1999-2000 everyone headed to the Roy Bowen was clear that the Drake Union with a certificate of appreciation for the Theatre for the 2nd annual Live was no longer destined to be a sacrifices they made in pursuit of their Backstage ’00: An AIDS Benefit. A student union, Lesley Ferris degrees, including spending “$30,000 $5 donation was requested at the door worked with Michael Kelly at Wendy’s, Steak Escape and/or and proceeds were sent to the Bruce, Associate Dean in the Sbarro.” No theatre celebration would Columbus AIDS Task Force. Members College of the Arts and Betty be complete without a performance, of the Task Force were also available O’Brien (space coordinator for which to our delight was provided by in the theatre lobby to answer the college) to see if it was the DNA Files, created by Dan Boord’s questions. The End of Year possible to gain more space in students. This short video was created Celebration was a wonderful Drake. After months of in the style of the popular X-Files opportunity for the Department to meetings and negotiations with television series to supplement review the achievements of the 1999- Residence and Dining Halls Columbus Public Schools’ lab 2000 season. We look forward to (who took over Drake), sessions on DNA (see story page 17). another successful celebration next University Resource Planning Also screened was the Channel 4 “For year! and Institutional Analysis (the Your Education” segment on Sobering space people: Glen Funk and Ann Pensyl), the Department of Theatre gained much needed additional space! We are now Rocket Venues able to control the classrooms on the top floor that we were Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, is not venue at the Fringe Festival. Xela was previously ‘borrowing’ from only a beautiful city but also home to ably assisted by Ph.D. student Karin Drake Union. We also accrued the world’s largest theatre festival, the Maresh for the last two years. Over time additional space which includes Edinburgh Fringe Theatre Festival. Fifty- these “Rocket Venues” have grown into offices and the suite of four years ago four venues interconnected rooms on the the festival that top floor. Mark Shanda assisted began as an encompass this negotiation by providing alternative to six different necessary plans. As the result the performance of this change, we have moved International spaces. the Theatre 100 GTA’s and Theatre Other OSU Coordinator into much needed Festival that students office space and we will be would offer who worked moving our video teaching from opportunities for the Haskett Hall and Hopkins Hall for performers. Rocket to Drake. Finally, the suites will Every year Venues be developed into a New Works amateurs and were Chris lab for teaching performance professionals Dickman, and video. In our next issue of come from all Laura Encore we will report on these over the globe From left to right: Chris Dickman, Karin Maresh, and Jeff Farkas, space developments. For now, to participate Parise Cherie many, many thanks to those in the three- Gallinati, involved with this project! week event. Six years ago one of OSU’s Chester Harding, Jeff Parise, Maura own, Ph.D. student Xela Batchelder, Phelan, Jeff Rice, Drew Ward, and took on the task of managing a theatre Richard Wasito. 20 ENCORE 2000 Spotlight on Undergraduates The Undergraduates kicked off a very “All the Good Stuff’s Already Been Sullivan presented a stunning first active year under the leadership of Written” outside of the Wexner Center honors undergraduate recital. Greg Maier who brought much energy on October 27, during an all day Bookmarks and Blessings is an and many innovative ideas to the one- celebration of performance in autobiographical piece about growing year-old UTAC (Undergraduate Theatre conjunction with OSU Homecoming. up in Ohio that he wrote and presented Advocacy Committee). On the second The Undergraduate Display Case to the department in the Roy Bowen Sunday of the Autumn Quarter Take was inaugurated outside of the Main Theatre on April 8, 2000. Sean Back the Space was a gathering of Office near the entrance to the Drake. received a $4,000 scholarship from the The case spotlights the Honors committee to work on this ongoing activities of project which was developed over two Undergrads. Laura years with Joy Reilly as project adviser Simpson took over the and Esther Beth Sullivan as his honors management of the adviser. The year concluded with a case as the new very successful second annual Live undergraduate Backstage ‘00, an AIDS benefit that assistant to Dr. Reilly, was planned, written and performed by Chair of Undergraduate Undergraduate actors. This followed Studies. Laura was our second annual End of Year busy snapping Awards Celebration, where, among exuberant goings on the many awards handed out, the 2000 throughout the – 2001 undergraduate scholarship department. We winners were announced. We wish to Undergraduate Mollie Workman (left) and MFA Design student learned more about Matt Kari (right) ready their portfolios for display during the Skene. thank our alumni for contributing funds the behind-the-scenes to this worthy cause and invite any and after hours recent alumni to participate in creating students performing a variety of short activities of the Undergrads this way scholarships to celebrate their pieces in Browning Amphitheatre than we ever suspected. The display experience at OSU while helping to beside Mirror Lake. In the meantime, case also highlighted the support the education of outstanding The Writing Company (off to its accomplishments of second year of providing actors with graduating students an opportunity to write their own each quarter and materials such as short plays, scenes, introduced us to new songs, poetry, monologues, T.V. and faces in the fall. We films scripts, etc.) was hired by The inaugurated a Mentor Wexner Center for the Arts to program for incoming participate in its ArtVentures program new and transfer in conjunction with the Julie Taymor’s students. UTAC also exhibit at the gallery. The Writing organized the first Company teams of actors worked in Skene Exhibit, which hourly sessions throughout the quarter displayed the at the Wexner Center directing and impressive portfolios performing with visiting fourth grade and technical theatre students – creating their own African designs of performances. The actors had great undergraduate and Sean Sullivan performs his honors thesis Bookmarks and Blessings fun, gained experience for their graduate students as in the Roy Bowen Theatre. resumes, and were able to make $25 well as faculty. UTAC per hour per actor! By invitation of the also supported a variety of projects by current and talented incoming high Honors Homecoming committee, The the new Cinema and Video interest school students. Writing Company also created and group in the department. At the performed an expanded version of their beginning of Spring Quarter Sean

ENCORE 2000 21 Anatoly Morozov (left) and Tatyana Yassenov (right) work with Diane Wondisford (3rd from left) with graduate students Rebecca Graves, MFA actor Damian Bowerman during rehearsals for the Autumn Kristopher Jones, John Harris, Tatjana Longerot, Katie Whitlock, Regina 1999 production of Marriage by Nikolai Gogol.. Rockensies, and Jennifer Manvich after Diane’s talk on November 11. 1999 - 2000 Guest Artists

New York Times theater critic Mel Mr. Morozov taught a master class for MFA Gussow opened the brown bag lunch actors. This was quite an table series for 1999 – 2000 on October accomplishment, since he speaks very 7, 1999, with a discussion of his little English. He was aided by Tatyana biography of Edward Albee, entitled Yassenov, who served as translator and Edward Albee: A Singular Journey. Assistant Director. Mr. Morozov considers Gussow talked about his history with theatre not simply a function of words and Albee and then related a few interesting actors, but a combination of music, stories about Albee’s life. Gussow also movement, color and lights, and his use answered questions from those of dance and movement has become a attending and reflected on theatre at the trademark of his directing style end of the 20th Century, sharing his thoughts on the major American Performance artist Tim Miller was in playwrights. Columbus in October 1999 to perform his autobiographical one man piece, Shirts & On October 14, 1999, Dr. Lisa Merril, Skin. The two performances were co- from Hofstra University and author of sponsored by Act Oct Productions and the When Romeo Was a Woman (University department. While at OSU, Tim conducted of Michigan Press, 1999), spoke before a residency with undergraduate and Esther Beth Sullivan (left) and Lisa Merrill a large crowd of faculty and students on graduate actors. (right) after Lisa’s discussion of the actress her research into Charlotte Cushman’s Charlotte Cushman. performance of breaches roles, most OSU alumna Diane Wondisford spoke on notably Shakespeare’s Romeo. Sharing Thursday, November 11th, in the River Den some of the available textual and visual at Drake Union. A good mix of faculty and Research Institute and cosponsored research, Merril discussed how students attended her presentation, by the Wexner Center for the Arts and Cushman negotiated success in these “Getting to New: Making New Music the Department of Theatre. roles, focusing on how audiences in Theatre in America,” which was preceded London and New York perceived similar by a reception. Diane is managing director In late October Eartha Kitt was in performances differently, based on of Music-Theatre Inc., for over twenty-five Columbus to see the Opera/ slightly different notions of gender, which years a major source of experimentation Columbus’ premiere performance of were influenced in part by the English in musical theatre. She produced Julie Vanqui, a 20th century African American assumptions about Americans. Taymor’s Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass opera. While in town, Ms. Kitt joined in New York, both off Broadway and for its students and faculty for “A Anatoly Morozov, an award-winning Tony-nominated Broadway run, and has Conversation with Eartha Kitt” at the Russian director from St. Petersburg been instrumental in fostering the careers Wexner Center for the Arts. The and the current Artistic Director of the of such innovators as Martha Clarke, Columbus Association for the Belgorod Drama Theatre in Russia, Sidney Silverman, Charles Mee, Anne Performing Arts (CAPA) issued an directed the Fall 1999 production of Bogart, Richard Foreman, Stanley invitation to OSU Department of Theatre Gogol’s Marriage. Mr. Morozov holds a Silverman, Eve Ensler, John Kelly, Richard to attend the performance and Dr. degree in theatre directing from the Peaslee, Cornelius Eady, Dierdre Murray, Lesley Ferris and the cast of Angels in Russian Academy of Theatre Arts in and many others. Her talk was presented America, Part Two: Perestroika took up Moscow. In addition to directing Marriage by the Lawrence and Lee Theatre the invitation. 22 ENCORE 2000 Zbynek Ondrich, the Administrative Recognitions of Baxter’s work in script career and his approach to acting Director of the Archa Theatre of Prague, adaptation and stage direction include Shakespeare. was in residence during the latter part of a first place award at the Edinburgh the autumn quarter, visiting Columbus International Theatre Festival and Martha Mountain served as the Guest as part of an ArtsLink fellowship, which featured presentations of her work at the Lighting Designer for the Spring 2000 dovetailed nicely with the Department’s Albright-Knox Modern Art Gallery in New production of King Lear. Martha and new connections with the Academy of York, the Smithsonian, the Museum of Lear’s director Sue Ott Rowlands worked Performing Arts in Prague. While in the Modern Art of the City of Paris, the United together on The Chemistry of Change at US, Zbynek attended theatre and arts Nations, and the International Faulkner the Round House Theatre in management classes and he delved into Conference in Oxford, Mississippi. Her Washington, DC, last fall. Martha issues such as budgeting, financing and original stage adaptations have also designs extensively for the John F. fund raising with local theatre production been invited on tour to Canada, England, Kennedy Center Education experts. He led a discussion with France Belgium, Scotland, and Wales. Department’s Youth and Family students and faculty entitled “Theatre After she was commissioned to do Programs. She has a BA in Theatre and Archa: the Wexner Center of Prague.” In Mississippi Stories, Baxter visited Welty, Drama from the College of William and addition to visiting the Department of who recently turned 90, in Jackson, Mary and an MFA in Stage Design from Theatre, Zbynek also visited the Wexner Mississippi. “Welty is one of the greatest Northwestern University. She teaches Center, and toured theatres in Cleveland, voices of Southern writing and kind of lighting design at George Mason Chicago and New York. One apparent like a national treasure,” Baxter said. University and is a member of United difference Zbynek saw between Czech “She gave her blessing to the project Scenic Artists, Local 829 (IATSE). Some theatre and American theatre is the after we talked about approaches to it.” of her upcoming projects include A division of responsibility. He found it Stephen Sondheim 70th Birthday interesting – and valuable – that local In April 2000 Sergei Tcherkasski of the Concert at the Library of Congress, theatre groups willingly share the various St. Petersburg Theatre Arts Academy Monteverdi’s L’incoronatione di Poppea tasks in preparing a performance. attended and presented a paper at the for the Wolf Trap Opera Company, and “That’s good practice,” he said. Comparative Drama Conference held in Ibsen’s The Lady from The Sea for “Everybody can do everything and Drake Union. While he was here he gave Theatre of the 1st Amendment. While in everybody wants to. It’s not that way in a special talk for the Department entitled the Department of Theatre, Martha Prague, where an actor is only an actor, “Stanislavski and Method Acting in the Mountain attended Sue Ott Rowlands and a stage manager is only a stage USA.” This talk came on the heels of the Theatre 610 class, Advanced Directing, manager.” Department’s production of Marriage by where she talked to students about the Russian author Nikolai Gogol, and the director/designer relationship from the Gloria Baxter, a professor of drama at Columbus Museum of Art exhibition designer’s point of view. the University of Memphis, spent part of Spectacular St. Petersburg: 100 Years her sabbatical this year as the 2000 of Russian Theatre Design. Thurber Playwright-in-Residence. During her stay, as well as teaching a Jon Farris, a distinguished local Equity Above left: From left to right, David Citino, seminar in script adaptation, she staged actor and the chair of the Department of professor from the MFA Creative Writing the Winter Quarter show Mississippi Theatre at Denison University, joined the Program at OSU; Donn Vickers, Executive Stories. This piece is her adaptation of department during Spring Quarter to play Director, Thurber House; Thurber Playwright- two stories by fellow-Southerner and the title role in our production of King in-Residence Gloria Baxter; and Charlie Cole, Pulitzer prize-winner, Eudora Welty. Lear. Jon received many glowing reviews Thurber House Board member. Baxter was originally commissioned by for his portrayal, including being named the American Embassy in Paris to create runner-up for Best Actor in Michael Above right: Eartha Kitt (center) speaks with a show for a 1994 tour of France and the Grossberg’s annual awards for the undergraduates David Price (left) and Anthony inauguration of the Eudora Welty Columbus theatre season. During the Peeples (right), and MFA actress Naomi Hatsfelt Research Center in Dijon, France. quarter Jon also led a discussion on his during her visit to the Wexner Center in October. ENCORE 2000 23 OSU Theatre’s British Invasion By Kristin Crouch, 2nd Year Ph.D. Student Summer 2000 saw the first year of the London Other hands-on workshops included a Clearwater at the Barbican, Dr. Ferris Theatre Program. Eighteen undergraduate Shakespeare workshop with Royal arranged for us to have an opportunity to and graduate students gathered in London Shakespeare Company actor Stephen Simms talk with the cast and the director, most of for an intensive five-week immersion into the in Stratford-upon-Avon, where we spent a who were from Trinidad. London theatre scene. Housed in the halls of few days seeing Royal Shakespeare University College London in Camden Town, Company productions and touring the theatre During most evenings, we attended the students had convenient access to all the and the town itself. PHD student Kristin theatre! We experienced all forms of London theatres, pubs, clubs, restaurants, and Crouch had the opportunity to interview theatre, from the larger, subsidized tourist attractions that central London has to actors David Tennant and Alexandra Gilbreath institutions such as the Royal National offer. regarding their performances in the RSC’s Theatre, to the smaller, intimate spaces of a latest production of Romeo and Juliet. Back fringe or pub theatre. The list of shows Not just for actors, this program also attended is long: House, Garden, All My attracted directors, designers, PHD Sons, Ken Campbell (National Theatre); students, a journalism student and even Orpheus Descending (Donmar an electrical engineer! Students had Warehouse); Antipodes and The the opportunity to take classes such Tempest (The New Globe); The Comedy as Theatre 367.01: Self-Images of of Errors, Romeo and Juliet, Henry IV, America On Stage, Theatre 674: Pt.1 (Royal Shakespeare Company); The Contemporary British Theatre, and Pirates of Penzance (Regents Open Air Independent Research projects. Some Theatre); Mr. Peter’s Connections of the independent topics pursued this (Almeida); Clearwater (Barbican); My summer included: Notting Hill Carnival; Zinc Bed (Royal Court); Martin Night Audience Engagement Techniques of (King’s Head Pub); and The Witches of Street Theatre Performers; Eastwick (Theatre Royal Drury Lane). Collaborative and Devised Works; We were privileged to see many Movement Theatre and British previews, opening nights, and even Movement Training; Comparative British The participants in the inaugural London Theatre world premieres. Some of the casts and American Lighting Design; British- Program: (seated) Mayura Bisineer, Jennifer Pettibone, included well-known actors such as Asian Theatre; Jessica Tandy’s London Katie Whitlock (1st row) J. Briggs Cormier, Stacey Brown, Helen Mirren, Julia Ormond, Catherine Career; Expanding the Costumer’s Role Vicki Horning, Tonia Krueger, Kristin Crouch, Tera Cozart, McCormack, Julie Walters, Tom nd in Theatre; Comparative British Design Rebecca Graves, Tatjana Longerot, Kari Geppert (2 row) Wilkinson, Steven Macintosh, and Greg Maier, Grace Marion, Kris Jones, Allyson Rosen, Spaces; and documenting the Shared Vanessa Redgrave! On nights off, many Carie DeVito, Deborah Titus (3rd row) Lesley Ferris Experience Theatre Company. students chose to attend performances such as circuses, street theatre, or A typical day of the London program included in London, we had a Shakespeare workshop musicals. theatre coursework in the mornings, and of a different sort at the New Globe. At the guest speakers or theatre workshops in the Globe we learned many fascinating It was a successful inaugural year and if early afternoons. Dr. Valerie Lucas spoke on techniques of the original staging of plays in there is continued student interest, we hope Contemporary Shakespeare in British Shakespeare’s London. Later in London, we to offer the program again in Summer 2001. Theatre, and Dr. Patrick Campbell spoke on also had a visit from Trestle Theatre Company. The program is co-sponsored by the Office Live Art. Tim Etchells, Artistic Director of the One of the company members led our of International Education. provocative company Forced Entertainment, students in an entertaining mask workshop. spoke about the process of devising theatre. Participants also heard about acting from All over London, we had the privilege of Robin Soans, one of the cast members of touring the backstage of various theatres, the Royal National Theatre’s production of and Dr. Ferris arranged for many influential The London Cuckolds. David Gale showed managers and directors to speak to us about intriguing footage of the work of his company, the inner workings of the theatres. We Lumiere and Sons. Ruth Tompsett shared her toured the British Theatre Museum in Covent expertise in the area of the Notting Hill Garden, the Royal National Theatre at the Carnival. Ms. Tompsett provided a behind- South Bank. At the Royal Court, not only did the-scenes peek when participants took a we get a tour, but we also got to talk to the trip to the Mahogany Mas Camp to see the Managing Director (OSU alumna Diane amazing carnival costumes being put Borger), the Literary Department, and the together. We saw the costumes in action as head of lighting Joanna Trane. At the we participated in the unforgettable National, several of the designers also had excitement of Notting Hill Carnival, where the opportunity to talk with Mark Jonathan, Diane Borger, Managing Director of the Royal several students traveled with and danced head of lighting, and learn more about Court Theatre and OSU alumna (center), with the Mahogany Mas band itself! comparative Lighting Design in Britain and answers questions after leading students on a the United States. After the performance of tour of the Royal Court’s facilities.

24 ENCORE 2000 Faculty and Staff News Joe Brandesky spent Autumn ‘99 and English in 22 Academic Disciplines Stratos is currently working on a Winter ’00 working as Guest Curator for During the Twentieth Century (Lanham & research paper on the technological the “Spectacular St. Petersburg: One London: Scarecrow Press, 2000) is a 687- infrastructure that supports the ideology Hundred Years of Russian Theatre page volume that contains 3,908 of melodrama. In his spare time, he is Design” exhibit. It opened at the annotated entries. The second one, rethinking and revising passages of his Columbus Museum of Art in November Greek Film, is a 227-page special issue translation of Aeschylus’s Prometheus 1999 and in late January moved to the of the Journal of Modern Greek Studies Bound. (May 2000) published by the Johns Hopkins University Press. It is the first As a member of the Dance Heritage volume of this or any other journal Coalition board, Nena Couch was very published in English to be dedicated in busy with DHC business including the its entirety to the study of Greek film in the National Dance Heritage Leadership twentieth century, and it reflects the Forum, a three-part leadership initiative various ways Greek film is perceived and to develop an agenda for dance discussed internationally at the end of this documentation and preservation for the century. Stratos also corrected the galley next ten years. The Forum has brought proofs of his translation of The New together a wide range of individuals active Woman for Oxford University Press. The in the performing arts, humanities, and New Woman is a four-act play written by technology to address a variety of issues Kalliroi Siganou-Parren, and was first related to collecting, preserving, and produced in Athens in 1907. Stratos finally documenting dance. The Forum will set made up his mind and signed a contract forward issues concerning for his book, Theatre Without Sex? which documentation and preservation that must Nikolai K. Kalmakov’s costume sketch for he completed last year. One of his be identified as an integral part of our Women from “Khelperic,” 1913, one of the doctoral students, Kaizaad Kotwal, cultural policy. With Dr. Alan Woods, Nena many theatrical designs featured in the finished his dissertation in the spring of attended the American Theatre Critics Spectacular St. Petersburg exhibit. 2000. Association meeting in Louisville, Stratos presented three Kentucky. It was a big spring for awards: McNay Museum of Art in San Antonio, TX, research papers this academic year. The In April Nena attended the William Inge where it ran through March 2000. first one, “Performances of Provincialism Brandesky gave gallery tours and lectures in Germany: Victory by Loula at both sites during the year. The CD- Anagnostaki,” he presented at the MLA ROM catalog developed by Brandesky for Annual Convention in Chicago on the exhibit was published by the December 27, 1999. The second one, Columbus Museum of Art in November “How to Edit an International Annotated 1999. He served as Co-Curator for Bibliography with a National Focus,” he another exhibit, “Metaphor and Irony: presented at the Symposium of the Czech Theatre Design 1920-99,” which Modern Greek Studies Association at opened on July 27, 2000 and ran through Princeton University on November 4, mid-October. The OSU – Lima Campus 1999. Stratos was also invited to give a Study Tour to London and York was co- talk on “Ways of Show-casing Modern led by Brandesky in July 2000. He chaired Greek Culture Beyond the Classroom.” Associate Professor of Film and Video Dan a panel for the Comparative Drama The Ministry of Culture of Greece Boord (left) with Dean Emeritus Don Harris Conference held at OSU and also sponsored his presentation and it took (right) for The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail attended the 2000 Barnett Arts and Public place in the Old University of Athens in anniversary celebration. Policy Symposium “Going Global: Greece on March 17, 2000. Negotiating the Maze of Cultural Stratos served as the Director Interactions” during the Spring quarter. of the Comparative Drama Conference Festival in Independence, Kansas, where Brandesky designed the lights for the (see story page 15). He was elected to the OSU-administered Margo Jones Autumn 1999 production of Once Upon a serve as the editor of the journal Text & Medal and Award was given to George Time in the World and directed the Winter Presentation, the journal devoted to the Keathley of the Missouri Repertory 2000 chamber theatre production of Dear conference proceedings, for the next four Theatre. In June, she attended two Liar. He was named OSU – Lima years. Stratos Constantinidis completed separate awards ceremonies in New Campus Outstanding Faculty Scholar for his three-year term on the Faculty York, the Theatre Library Association book 1999-2000. Congratulations, Joe! Concerns Committee of the College of awards honored Al Hirschfeld and the the Arts, which he chaired for the past two Sidney Kingsley/Madge Evans awards for Stratos Constantinidis saw two of his years. He was also elected to serve on outstanding contributions to the theatre research projects appear in print this the OSU Faculty Senate. He was elected given by the Dramatists Guild to a academic year. The first one, Greece in to serve on the Executive Board of the playwright and an actress, where Donald Modern Times: An Annotated Modern Greek Studies Association of Margulies and Marian Seldes were Bibliography of Works Published in America and Canada for the next three honored. Nena was on research leave years. ENCORE 2000 25 this summer, working on several projects History symposium that is part of the on eighteenth-century dance. MidAmerica Theatre Conference in St. Louis. There were over 40 papers given Last summer Larry Evans directed and during this busy conference which was choreographed productions of A Grand titled “Theatre and the Community of Night for Singing and The Music Man at Strangers.” She was also invited to the Renaissance Theatre in Mansfield, become a co-editor of the anthology of and taught Ed T&L 633. This summer at plays entitled Types of Drama: Plays and the Renaissance Theatre was director Contexts for its 8th edition. Other editors and choreographer for Sing for Your include Sylvan Barnet (Tufts University Supper and Oklahoma!. Richard Keith and the original creator of the textbook) continues as technical director/scene and Gerald Rabkin (Rutgers University). designer, and also designed the scenery It is published by Addison, Wesley, and for the summer Renaissance Longman. She also spent time on productions in Mansfield. various grant proposals for the department and helped spearhead the Thurber Playwright-in-Residence Gloria Baxter Joseph Fahey spent the year as the first London Theatre Program co- directs MFA actor Jonathan Park (standing) Administrator for Theatre 100, while he sponsored by the department and the and undergraduate Jim Creighton (seated) diligently finished his dissertation. Office of International Education. She during a rehearsal of Eudora Welty: Mississippi worked with Alan Woods to plan the 30th Stories. Lesley Ferris began the year preparing Anniversary celebration of The Night for directing Angels in America, Part Two: Thoreau Spent in Jail. In April she The Beauty Queen of Leenane for the Irish Perestroika for the fall season. She was attended the NAST Conference in and American Theatre Company; was in able to miss a few days rehearsal when Albuquerque, New Mexico. the ensemble for CATCO’s 2000 Shorts she flew to St. Louis in October for the Festival in the spring and played Milo opening of the exhibit “Masks: Faces of Dan Gray had another busy year! After Tindle in Sleuth, their summer production. Culture” at the St. Louis Art Museum. returning from the Prague Quadrennial in In the fall of 1999 he directed the two fall Lesley served as the Western theatre June, he began working in earnest on touring shows, Roasted Shoes and consultant for this major exhibit which David Nixon’s adaptation of Dracula for Roasted Shoes…Toasted Tootsies and in features over 150 masks from all over BalletMet Columbus. Dracula opened to the winter of 2000 he directed the high the world. She helped the curators to glowing reviews on Halloween and will school touring show Sobering Thoughts acquire various masks for the theatre become part of the BalletMet repertory for and the Thurber Theatre production of section of the exhibit and she wrote an years to come. Besides the Department’s production of Viet Rock, Dan also The Hostage. designed The Last Night of Ballyhoo for The Human Race Theatre in Dayton, A Anthony D. Hill spent the summer of 1999 Raisin in the Sun for CATCO and Stephen revising the two courses he teaches on Sondheim’s Passion for the ProMusica cultural diversity. He supports several Chamber Orchestra at the historic community arts committees. He is a Southern Theatre. He continues to work member of several organizations outside on developing a CD ROM for use in his the University, including the Play Selection Decorative Arts class. Dan also looks Advisory Board at the King Arts Center and forward to his SRA during spring 2001 Dreambuilders Playwriting Contest which will allow him to begin working in Committee, Cincinnati, Ohio. digital 3D modeling. At this years Design Anthony presented a paper at a Expo at the National USITT conference in conference on ethnic diversity in Seattle, Denver, Dan’s scenic design for the Washington. He received an SRA during Department’s 1999 production of Feral spring quarter 2000 to work on his second From left to right, David Edelman of CATCO, Music was selected from over 90 entries book The History of Theatre in Seattle Joe Martin from the Cleveland Playhouse, Mary Washington. Tarantino, Fernando Saez, and Dan Gray. With to be featured in the Expo Catalog As a co-founder of “Hit The the help of the Ohio Arts Council, these five met published in the upcoming issue of TD&T in Havana, Cuba during the summer to discuss (USITT’s national publication). In June, Ground Running,” a Columbus based the possibility of future partnerships. Dan took an informational trip to Havana, African American theatre company, he Cuba. As a member of an OAC-OSU continues to work with Sheila Middlebrook sponsored initiative with the Ludwig on original scripts. He directed Ms. Middlebrook in a production of Report to essay, “The Mask in Western Theatre: Foundation in Havana, he saw mucho Duty, a play on the contributions of African Transformation and Doubling” for the teatro and explored many possible American’s during WW II presented at the book that accompanied the exhibit, also international exchanges with artists from Ohio Historical Society Museum as part titled, Masks: Faces of Culture, published Ohio and Cuba. Needless to say, Dan of the 1940s retrospective series. by Harry N. Abrams in 1999. The exhibit looks forward to the exciting potential of He did three radio interviews traveled to Houston, Texas and the Field this project for OSU and our students. (WOSU), one with Woodie King, play Museum in Chicago. In March 2000 producer/director; another with Sheila Lesley co-chaired (with Les Wade from Bruce Hermann was active performing Middlebrook, co-founder of the “Hit the Louisiana State University) the Theatre in Columbus. He appeared as Pato in Ground Running Theatre”; and the other

26 ENCORE 2000 with Tom Nealeigh, Cultural Coordinator spring he designed the costumes for the Education. His major task has been to at the Ohio Historical Museum. Also at department’s production of King Lear. He renegotiate the publishing contracts with The Theatre Research Institute, he also was asked to present a lecture to Johns Hopkins University Press for interviewed Woodie King and Ted Lange the History of Art class, HA 450, entitled Theatre Journal and Theatre Topics. He during their residencies in the “Artistic Materials and Techniques.” is also completing a term on the Executive Department. Immediately following the closing of King Committee of the International Federation Lear he had a cataract removed from his for Theatre Research, heading a couple Maria Ignatieva wrote and directed Once right eye. He now sees everything more of committees. In November 1999 he ran Upon a Time in the World for the annual clearly! a seminar on theatre autobiography and Autumn Children’s Theatre production at biography at the annual meeting of ASTR. OSU-Lima. She also directed All This and Scott Phillips has completed a one-year In March 2000 he was invited by the Moonlight in the Spring. She published appointment to the HLC faculty, Department of English, Tel Aviv University, the survey of 285 years of St. Petersburg temporarily replacing Beth Sullivan who to deliver the prestigious Porter Lectures. theatre history in the CD-ROM catalog of has been serving as Associate Dean in He focused on issues in English the exhibit “Spectacular St. Petersburg” the College of the Arts. In addition to his Renaissance theatre historiography. He that was at the Columbus Museum of Art regular teaching load, Scott supervised has completed an essay (“London November 1999 – January 2000. Maria dramaturgs and coordinated the Theatre, 1895-1918”) for volume three of also published a review on Laurence AfterWords post-show discussions. the Cambridge History of British Theatre. Senelick’s book The Chekhov Theatre in During the academic year Scott continued During summer 2000 he “finally” wrapped Theatre History Studies 2000, volume 20. his freelance work as a theatre critic for up his book on theatre historiography, At the Comparative Drama Conference, which Cambridge UP will publish. He Maria chaired a panel. Maria received a also continues to serve as editor of the research grant from the OSU-Lima award-winning book series, “Studies in Research Committee supporting Theatre History and Culture,” at the research in Finland, which she combined University of Iowa Press. Four new Iowa with her participation in the VI International books appeared this last year, ranging in Congress of Slavic and East European topics from Cliff Ashby’s study of classical Studies in Tampere, Finland. Greek theatre to Anat Feinberg’s biography of the director/playwright Jim Knapp continues his responsibilities George Tabori (a major figure in as the Production Coordinator. He was contemporary German theatre). the Technical Director for the 1999 – 2000 Professor Postlewait’s “free time” is Jim Knapp (right) enjoys a moment’s rest with productions of Marriage and The committed to seeing – in reverse order of undergraduate John Leahy, alumni Michael Jon emotional involvement – film, theatre, Hostage. He has been constructing a Washer, and Robert Voorhees at our Winter opera, and grandchildren who live in new web site for the Department and this Quarter departmental meeting. fall he updated the computer lab. Boston, Seattle, and Italy. He already has his tickets for the Seattle Opera Dennis Parker, Resident Costume the Columbus Dispatch and presented a production of Wagner’s Ring in 2001. And Designer, has had a busy year mentoring paper on working class theatre and his extended family will have a reunion in the four current students in the MFA music-hall audiences for the Mid-America Seattle next summer. Not bad – opera, Design program who are specializing in Theatre Conference in St. Louis. Scott’s family, and the beautiful northwest. costume design. His creative work summer was a busy one - spent included designing two costumes that preparing to move to Alabama where he Joy Reilly continued for a second year as were featured in the Contemporary Music accepted a tenure-track position as Director of Undergraduate Studies and Festival 2000 sponsored by the School of assistant professor in the Department of directed the all-undergraduate show – a Music in February. In January, he Theatre at Auburn University. revival of the first rock musical Viet Rock designed the costumes for the highly created by Megan Terry and her ensemble successful production of The Anger in Thomas Postlewait, professor of theatre of actors with Joe Chaikin at the Open Ernest and Ernestine at CATCO. His history, continues to serve as director of Theatre in 1965. As there was no score costume renderings for the Fall 1998 Graduate Studies. He is currently directing for the music, and Joy’s production production of The Cherry Orchard were four dissertations. Two of the students, included a live rock band, Megan Terry exhibited at the American College Theatre Esther Kim and Joseph Fahey, completed suggested that Joy create a new score, Festival in Milwaukee at the beginning of their doctoral study in the summer of which she did, hiring singer, composer, winter quarter. In March, he exhibited work 2000. For the new OSU humanities writer, and dancer Brian Granger of the in “The Skene,” an exhibition of design institute, Professor Postlewait submitted English Deparrtment’s Creative Writing and technical work from the department, a proposal, “The Performance of Culture/ Program. Undergraduate student Sam sponsored by the Undergraduate Theatre The Cultures of Performance,” which was Friedman served as Music Director and Advisory Committee. During Spring Break selected as the scholarly theme of the brought in the rock band, Quanah Parker. he organized a study-tour for costume Institute for 2000-2001. He was then The ensemble was choreographed by design students in New York City. While selected as a Fellow of the Institute, Jeanine Thompson, who served as there, he had the opportunity to meet with spring 2001. Beyond the campus, Movement Director on a clever set by Dan Brian Russman and Ross Manning, Professor Postlewait keeps equally busy. Gray that included the band on stage in a former students who are actively engaged He is completing his term as Chair of jeep. It was a very emotionally charged in costume design and construction work Research and Publications in the and exciting piece that played for three for Broadway and Off-Broadway. This Association for Theatre in Higher weeks during May. An exhibit that focused

ENCORE 2000 27 on the Kent State shootings and OSU exhausting thing I’ve ever done” but it is in Boardman, Ohio. In January, Mark footage was prepared by Dramaturgs also the most rewarding new work I’ve served as one of the Adjudicators on the Maura Phelan and Matt Owens. Joy was written.” Design Exhibition that was central to the thrilled that Megan Terry invited the Kennedy Center/American College Department of Theatre to send in a digital Sue Ott Rowlands, Associate Professor Theatre Festival for Region III held at the videotape of this production to be her of Theatre and Head of the Acting/ Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee. In March, he official archival copy of Viet Rock as the Directing Area, directed Marlane Meyer’s once again led the Ohio State crew in 1965 production could not be filmed. A new play, The Chemistry of Change, for setting up the Prague Exhibit for its final copy is available to be viewed in the TRI Round House Theatre in Washington, DC showing at the USITT National and Joy has kept a copy. in September of 1999. In January of 2000, Conference in Denver. Also, while at that In October 1999, Joy was invited she directed L.A. actor Ted Lange (best conference, Mark presented a master to attend the first World Congress of known for his role as Isaac on the Love class on “Interviewing Skills for the Boat television series) in a new one-man Interviewee” to an overflow crowd. Mark play, Behind the Mask. Based on the life is also at work on planning for the 8th of Paul Laurence Dunbar, Behind the Biennial Theatre Technology Exhibition in Mask was developed and premiered by Long Beach, California in March 2001. He the OSU Department of Theatre as a also will see both Cedarville and national touring production. The play Boardman open in the fall and has begun subsequently had a run at San Jose State work on the Mansfield Playhouse University in April 2000 (see story page renovation study as his next architectural 7). In spring, 2000, Sue directed the challenge. Department of Theatre production of King Lear starring Equity guest artist Jon Farris Beth Sullivan spent an active first year as as Lear. Chair of the Department of the Associate Dean in the College of the Theatre at Denison University, Jon worked Arts. While the faculty, students and staff with Sue in Nixon’s Nixon at CATCO in greatly miss seeing Beth in Drake on a 1998. During the summer Sue regular basis, she has been a wonderful Sue Ott Rowlands (right) with King Lear guest collaborated with Jaroslav Malina over advocate for theatre at the college level. lighting designer Martha Mountain designs for the fall production of Orpheus She is in charge of research and faculty Descending. She was awarded a development, technology initiatives, and Department and College development coordinating departmental and college Senior Theatre held in the cultural arts grant to travel to London to see Helen grants that go forward to the university. center in Cologne, Germany as a guest Mirren in Orpheus Descending at the She has done a marvelous job of keeping of the German government. Joy’s Donmar Warehouse. An associate Arts faculty informed of various research production of the musical I Was Young, member of the Society of Stage Directors and grant opportunities. She still Now I’m Wonderful, performed by and Choreographers, Sue continues to managed to find some time to co-chair a Grandparents Living Theatre, (directed by serve as Artistic Director of the Cleveland seminar (with Charlotte Channing, Nancy Nocks) was one of the highlights Women’s Theatre Project. Unversity of Texas, Austin) at ASTR in of the week-long conference that featured performances by over 350 performers Joe Scharrer made his from 20 countries. Joy also represented annual pilgrimage to the the United States on a panel for the Welt Stratford Theatre Festival in Alten Theater Festival 1999 and Stratford, Canada where he Conference on the Image of Aging in the managed to see nearly their Media. Joy is currently planning the first entire season. He also international Conference and Festival in attended the League of the USA to be hosted in August 2002 at Historic American Theatres OSU. conference in San Columbus Children’s Theatre, Francisco, August 1 to 6, a 36-year-old company in Columbus, 2000. commissioned Joy to write its first musical for a world premiere August 7 at Mark Shanda’s biggest the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to be news of the year is his Performance artist Tim Miller (center) teaches a masterclass for performed by its Young Adult Company family’s new home, which faculty and students during his residency with us in October. (ages 16-21). The Druid Tree (the first he, Ginny, Ann (11), and Kay Druid musical - “a Celtic myth, with ancient (5) moved into on June 12, and modern archetypes, explores our 2000, as a way to really celebrate the end November, entitled “Spacing Out: relationship with nature, friendship, and of the school year! During the year he Feminism between Space and caring for the environment”) was created kept himself busy serving as Technical Performance.” As well, she remains out of Joy’s background and interest in all Director for King Lear, Angels in America, active advising graduate students and things Celtic. The musical had three and Mississippi Stories. In addition he working with the University Honors and weeks of previews in Columbus and then continued his consulting work on the new Scholars Program. went to Scotland with seven OSU students Center for Student Life Theatre on the involved as actors or musicians. Joy never campus of Cedarville University, and the The 1999-2000 season brought a range stopped re-writing. She says “it’s the most new Boardman Performing Arts Center of projects for Mary Tarantino, beginning

28 ENCORE 2000 with a lighting design at the Wexner Party Much Ado About Nothing at the Cincinnati Plays presented in the York Cathedral, the Barn for the celebration associated with Playhouse in the Park. He then worked Abbey, the Oberammergau Passion Play, the New Albany Classic. In addition, Mary on the second production of their season the Teatro Olimpico, La Scala, and the designed Vaud-Villities 2000 at Vets The Glass Menagerie. During the same Drottningholm Court Theatre. He also Memorial, Stephen Sondheim’s Passion quarter, Phil worked on OSU’s production attended performances in England, for ProMusica with colleague Dan Gray at of Angels in America Part Two: Ireland, France, Germany, and the lovely Southern Theatre, and a new Perestroika giving voice and dialect Scandinavia. In addition, he is working work with Durham, N.C.’s “Archipelago” assistance as well as choreographing the on an article for the Dictionary of Literary company. The piece, entitled Snow, was fights. He repeated this trick on a grander Biography, and is in the planning stages developed by the entire ensemble scale in the Spring, coaching text and of a book on Asian-American drama on (including designers), and led by choreographing fights for King Lear. This campus. psychotherapist Nor Hall and Jungian summer, Phil has returned to the Utah analyst Robert Bosnak. For the Shakespearean Festival – this year’s In May 2000, Alan Woods interviewed department, Mary designed Angels in recipient of a Tony Award as best Maya Angelou for several hours. Dr. America, Part Two. Most recently Mary Regional Theatre. Phil actually got to hold Angelou was scheduled to deliver a major returned from an exciting trip to Cuba, the award. It’s fairly heavy and the address at Ohio State, and Alan supported through the Ohio Arts Council. conducted a telephone interview with her. While there, she participated in The lecture was cancelled due to many discussions with theatre a strike at the University, so Alan directors, actors, playwrights, drove to Cincinnati; Dr. Angelou designers and technicians, and was generous with her time, and had the opportunity to view a wide with her rich memories of her year range of theatre performances as a member of the Robert Breen (imagine The Crucible in production of Porgy and Bess. In Spanish). In a continuing a strange combination of events, relationship with the a reporter from Miami called Nena Schottenstein Center, students in Couch the same week, checking Mary’s advanced lighting course on the truth of a claim by an elderly developed and presented a man she’d interviewed in a dynamic scenic and lighting homeless shelter, who claimed to proposal for the off-spring have been Sportin’ Life. It turned commencement activities, under out to be Earl Jackson, who consideration, in the campus Mary Tarantino guides MFA lighting design student Kris Jones indeed toured as Sportin’ Life for arena. During the spring Mary during an automated lighting demonstration for the College of the last two years of the production. worked hard to develop a research the Arts’ meeting in the Roy Bowen Theatre. The wedding of Jackson and partner proposal with Vari-Lite of Helen Thigpen in Moscow was Dallas, Texas. The proposal, entitled medallion really spins. widely featured in the press in 1956, and “Automated Lighted Education he’s prominently remembered by Dr. Assistance Pilot Program,” was a detailed Late last summer and into the fall Angelou in her second volume of account of how the Moving Lights Costume Shop Supervisor Julia Weiss memoirs, Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Laboratory could be developed. Her hard had the opportunity to work with the Merry Like Christmas. Dr. Woods also work paid off: Vari-Lite awarded their Wexner Center and assist with the returned to the stage as a performer this partnership initiative to Ohio State (see installation of the exhibit “Julie Taymor: spring – three times, no less! He and page 17 for more details). Playing With Fire,” a retrospective of Ann Alaia Woods played roles in a staged Taymor’s work. Julia helped restore and reading of a new play for a collective of Jeanine Thompson provided Viewpoints mount many of the costumes. She worked women writers, Dramathena, in April, expertise for Angels in America in the fall, with many of Taymor’s collaborators and when he also appeared in the staged creating movement motifs for the Angel met several times with Julie Taymor reading of The Night Thoreau Spent in and the street people. She herself. Julia will be assisting with the Jail, recreating Corwin Georges’s role as choreographed the movement mounting of the exhibit in its additional a drunk passerby (see story p. 18). And sequences in Viet Rock in the spring. venues of Washington, D.C. and Chicago, he did a voiceover series of slogans for During the winter she supervised two MFA IL. In the fall, Julia designed the costumes Joy Reilly’s production of Viet Rock done students - Robin Gordon and Michael for the Department’s production of Angels originally, according to playwright Megan Karp - on their new works performances. in America Part Two: Perestroika. This Terry, by Joseph Chaikin. He plans to rest She invited solo artist Robert Post to work summer she went to Thailand, to visit with on these laurels for a few years. He was with these students. She is preparing to family. also the dramaturg for the CATCO take her newest solo work, Breaking the production of Sleuth, which opened in July. Current, on tour and has developed her David Williams’ book Misreading the publicity material for that. Jeanine also Chinese Character was published by worked on bringing Marcel Marceau to Peter Lang, Inc. in February, and in May, Ohio State again for an extended he presented a paper in Malaga, Spain, residency in spring 2001. on the history of Asian-American drama. In the summer, he went on a tour of the Phillip Thompson began the 1999 – 2000 great theatres of Europe. He saw the academic year coaching a production of reconstructed Globe, the York Mystery

ENCORE 2000 29 Alumni News Hollis Huston (PHD 1975) continues his active Before 1960 hadn’t dropped out of the Georgia production, Steve and Dave would have played the same career: most recently, in a major supporting role – the Shakespearean actor, Henry. Steve role in The Treatment, a Beijing Television and Harry G. Carlson (MA 1955, PHD 1958) just played in Funny Money, a British farce. Film Arts Center production about a Chinese continues to be a major scholar of Steve noted that he used his theatrical training family living in America. It will open in China in contemporary Swedish theatre, which began often in the military, having attended Ohio State December, then be distributed in the U.S. in with his dissertation at Ohio State 42 years on a University Musical Theatre Scholarship 2001. Hollis was in Selkie by Laurie Brooks ago. The current issue of Western European awarded in large part because of Dr. Roy Gollobin at First Stage Milwaukee in December Stages is devoted to Swedish theatre, and Bowen’s support. 1999; last spring, he was in Karim Alrawi’s A includes three articles written (or co-written) Gift of Glory at Meadow Brook Theatre in by Harry, who’s also the co-editor of the Joanne Rohrbough Parady (BA 1964) and Rochester, Minnesota, directed by Debra Wicks. journal, published by the Martin E. Segal her husband Ron Parady (MA 1970) are And he was spokesman for Deere & Co. in Theatre Center at the City University of New currently living in Connecticut, with Joanne’s their live farm show presentations last summer York. children Elizabeth and Nathanial. Joanne is and fall. the Director of The Movement Center, which offers creative movement and music classes Toni-Leslie James’s (BFA 1979) costume and activities for infants, toddlers and parents. designs brighten the Broadway version of The Joanne has also done work in New York on Wild Party, produced by the NY Shakespeare stage, television, and with a number of regional Festival; she’s also designed the costumes for theatres. Ron is an actor (AEA/AFTRA/SAG) August Wilson’s King Headley II in its various and has worked all over the country. His regional theatre productions (most recently at career highlights include Candida, on the Goodman, Chicago), and will do the Broadway, with Joanne Woodward and the Broadway run. national tour of Death of a Salesman with Hal Holbrook. He has also been on numerous T.V. Appalachian State University presented Frank shows, including Law and Order, Hill Street Mohler (BA 1965, MA 1969, PHD 1976) with Blues, and As the World Turns. He has worked its top research award, the 100 Scholars at the Goodspeed Opera, The Goodman Research Award. The award recognizes a Theatre, Yale Repertory, and the Cleveland faculty member’s record of research/ Playhouse, among others. scholarship/creative activity that has made, and continues to make, a significant contribution to Cynthia Shore Robins (MA 1969) began his/her field, and supports an on-going project life after OSU (in 1969) making $2.25 per hour or new initiative. Frank was cited both for his writing entertainment publicity. This brought creative activities as a set and lighting designer her to the attention of an editor at the Columbus and his research activities including the Dispatch. In 1973, she was hired as a TV log creation of a web site. It is the first time that an “girl” and rock critic. Within six months, she Appalachian State arts faculty member has became the paper’s TV columnist. In 1977, received a major named award from the The marquee for the off Broadway production she was hired by the San Francisco graduate school. He received five other of The Waverly Gallery, starring Eileen Heckart. Examiner. In the course of her career, Cynthia awards: UNC Board of Governors’ Excellence has been the designated celebrity interviewer, in Teaching Award; College of Fine and Applied a TV critic, the society columnist and she is Arts Outstanding Faculty Award; United States Eileen Heckart (BA 1942) earned rave now the Fashion Editor. Cynthia has written Institute for Theatre Technology - Southeast - reviews for her starring turn in The Waverly four books and is in the process of writing two Outstanding Educator Award; United States Gallery off Broadway, plus she was featured more that should be published this year. She Institute for Theatre Technology – Herbert in an article in the New York Times on April 2, has two sons who live in Columbus. Harlan is Greggs Merit Award. He was also awarded a 2000. Her performance also garnered her a a partner with the law firm of Baker and University Research Council Grant and an Drama Desk award for Best Actress in a Play. Hostetler. Daniel is married, the father of two, International Travel Research Grant. Frank and At the 2000 Tony Awards, Eileen received a and a financial planner. special Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre. Congratulations Eileen! We’re deeply saddened to report the death of Connie Wilson, wife of M. Glen Wilson (PHD 1960s 1957) in Greenville, North Carolina, in June. Alan and Ann Woods visited Connie and Glen last year in their wonderful retirement home, Steve Conrad (BA 1969) reports that he’s and enjoyed the bounty of the enormous resumed his acting career after almost three garden carefully nursed by Glen and decades in the military (he retired recently as deliciously exploited by Connie. Connie and a Colonel) – and he has come nearly full circle. Glen spent many years in St. Paul, Minnesota, The first play he did after high school was at when Connie taught voice and performed, while the Players Club in Columbus, Ohio, when Glen was on the faculty of Macalaster College Professor Emeritus Dave Ayers directed Take Her, She’s Mine. Steve just performed Students in Alan Woods’ “Extending the Human in The Fantasticks in Augusta, Georgia – and 1970s Form: Experimentation with Puppetry” course Dave Ayers was in The Fantasticks at CATCO demonstrate their final projects outside the in Columbus. If the first actor cast as Huckleby Porter Anderson (MFA 1970s) is now a Drake. features editor with CNN.com, based in Atlanta. 30 ENCORE 2000 he taught Acting, Voice & Speech and acted as a guest Equity artist in the department’s theatre season. In the fall of 1999 he began a tenure- encore track appointment, teaching at Marymount Manhattan College. He’s teaching four levels is an annual newsletter of of acting: Sophomore/Modern Realism, Junior/ The Ohio State University Language and Styles (Chekhov, Wilde, & Department of Theatre Shaw), Senior/Shakespeare, and an acting elective called Beyond Naturalism, which 1089 Drake Union explores scene study through the works of 1849 Cannon Drive postmodern playwrights such as Mac Wellman, Columbus, OH 43210-1266 Charles Mee, Naomi Iizuka, Holly Hughes and (614) 292-5821 others. The class also explores the elements fax (614) 292-3222 of solo performance and the final project is a 10 minute solo performance piece. Kevin Editor-in-Chief: recently directed the Tony Kushner play Dr. Lesley Ferris Reverse Transcription, and he will direct Darrah Cloud’s O Pioneers! next spring on the Editor and Layout/Design: main stage. Rachel E. Barnes Laura Sipe Trish Cosgrove (MFA 1984) is now with HBO.com in New York. written and researched by the Faculty and Staff of the Varlo Davenport (MFA 1988) is teaching at Department of Theatre. the Uintah Basin Campus of Utah State University. His one-man show John Wesley All Alumni and Friends Powell: The Last American Adventure recently won the Tributary Theater’s Western States information is collected from Two of the intricate costumes featured in the Alumni, friends, and other Nottinghill Gate Carnival parade. The Carnival was one part of the itinerary for the inaugural readers, gathered and London Theatre Program (see story page 24). processed at the Department of Theatre, researched, edited and placed in Encore. If you are a satisfying years in theatre (locally with CATCO), Catherine and Ken have retired to graduate of the Department of “real life.” They spend their evenings driving Theatre, a former faculty the girls to classes, auditions, rehearsals, and member, or a friend of OSU performances. Theatre, please direct your attention to the questionnaire John Campbell Finnegan’s (MFA 1988) book, The Web Page Workbook: An HTML on the back cover. Primer, was published in October from Franklin From left to right, Mary Tarantino, Phil Beedle and Associates. Thompson, Robert Post, Zbynek Ondrich from wife Claudia took a research trip to the Czech Theatre Archa, Prague, Jeanine Thompson, and Anne Hering (MFA 1986) is the Executive Republic in the summer of 1999 and spent a Lesley Ferris. Ondrich was in residence with the Producer of Orlando Theatre Project, a week surveying the theatre at Cesky Krumlov. department in Autumn 1999. professional theatre company in residence at They also visited the court theatres at Litomysl Seminole Community College. Anne acts, and Mnichovo Hradiste and spent a week at directs and teaches for both OTP and SCC. the Prague Quadrennial where they Playwriting Contest. He assisted in the encountered several OSU students who had development and writing of the musical Mary Illes (BFA 1984) was in the cast of the helped build the US exhibit. Congratulations, CASSIDY: The Mostly True Story of Butch successful revival of The Music Man recently Frank! Cassidy and the Wild Bunch, which played on Broadway. outdoors in Utah last year. Varlo and (wife) Carolyn O’Donnell (MFA 1971) is a Professor Andrea have 5 kids, Hannah (9, going on 39) Randy Kaplan (PHD 1986) has donated of Theatre at Rowan University, Glassboro, Ian (8), Zoe (7), Phoebe (5) and Alec (3). materials from an exhibition on the stereotyping New Jersey, where she teaches acting, of Asian characters in American drama and speech and directs mainstage productions. Catherine Cryan Erney (BFA 1981) lives in theatre that she curated several years ago. She is the former Artistic Director of Columbus and is a Manger in Marketing and This summer, these pieces were included in Stageworks Touring Company (1983 – 1997), Research for NAI Welsh (Commercial Real an exhibition in the Theatre Research Institute’s which she founded in 1983. Stageworks Estate). Her husband Ken (took acting classes) reading room. specializes in creating plays from the oral is a paralegal with the law firm Havens Willis. histories of local people. She now teaches Catherine and Ken have two daughters, Eleanor David Lander (BFA 1987) was the lighting this technique at Rowan University. (10) and Rosalynd (8). Both girls attend designer for the off-Broadway show, Dirty Immaculate Conception School. Eleanor sings Blonde, and got a rave review from Variety with the Columbus Childrens’ Choir and sang when the play opened in January 2000 at the 1980s with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra at the New York Theatre Workshop. The show Holiday Pops concert last December. Rosalynd moved to Broadway in the spring and received Kevin Connell (BFA 1987) finished a two- is a dancer and performed two dance numbers 5 Tony nominations. year appointment at Cornell University where at the 1999 Festival of Trees. After many

ENCORE 2000 31 Tracy Rhoades Manley (BFA 1989) has been Opportunities for Directors and a film. He spends the winter as part of a kids busy moving around the country and she finally Choreographers, edited by David Diamond and touring show traveling the greater Chicago ended up in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tracy Terry Berliner and published by Theatre area. graduated from Florida State in 1993 with a Communications Group. Stephen’s new book, graduate degree and she is proud to report Theater in Cyberspace: Issues of Teaching, Mardia Bishop (PHD 1993) and Kevin Reeder she has been working ever since. She lived in Acting, and Directing, was published by Lang have a new son: Matthew was born in June Orlando for three years working at Nickelodeon in November. He continues to teach at the 2000, joining his older brother, Jack. Mardia Studios as a Scenic Artist. Now, her husband University of Charleston in West Virginia. presented Ronald Mielech’s (PHD 1974) and his partner own a company, S&M Display play, The Dancers of Canaan, at Ohio (the two last names, Stanley and Manley…it David Schulz (MA 1989) has been a web Dominican College early in April, with great kind of suits Las Vegas) that does sets, props, producer for Microsoft since May of 1999. He success. Ron’s play was premiered at the etc. for the entertainment industry as well as completely re-designed his web site – take a Horse Cave Theatre in Kentucky. After heading lots of industrial shows. look at http://www.speakeasy.org/~dvschulz/ the Theatre program at Ohio Dominican College . David’s smiling face, which graces ads for in Columbus, Mardia and family moved to David “Spike” McClure (MFA 1985) spent the Metro in Paris, is also now featured in Georgia Tech this fall. the 1999 holiday season playing Bob Cratchitt Columbus Alive, the local weekly paper, in in Christmas Carol at the McCarter in advertisements for the personals section. Princeton, New Jersey. His wife was in David’s “The Architecture of Conspicuous previews for the Broadway revival of The Consumption: Property, Class, and Display at Music Man. Spike is also doing voiceover work Herbert Beerbohm Tree’s Her Majesty’s and raising young Henry. Theatre,” was the lead article in the October 1999 issue of Theatre Journal. Chris Merrill (BA 1977, MA 1981) has relocated to Chicago, where he’s now Keith Shannon (BA 1989) received an MFA designing web sites. He designs for an in Performance from The School of the Art organization that maintains job-search related Institute of Chicago, Spring 2000. He created web sites and he also does independent sites. a video installation FIVE POINTS, which was He recently launched a site for last year’s exhibited at Gallery 2, Chicago, and The runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize in Chicago Art Open in December 1999. He Photojournalism, Allan Detrich. Take a look at: recently produced and acted the title role in http://www.allandetrich.com/ the original play Johnny Valentine for The Navy Pier International Art Show, Chicago. Previous Emeritus professor Roy Bowen chats with theatre critic Todd Neal (MFA 1980) accepted the new work included performing with Goat Island Michael Grossberg during The Night Thoreau Spent in position of Director of Musical Theatre Summer School (by invitation) including a Jail celebration. Performance at Western Michigan University showcase at Gallery 2 and 1926 Halsted in Kalamazoo, where he is responsible for Gallery/Performing Space, Pegasus Players, teaching four courses, and directing two Live-Bait Theatre, Light Opera Works and the mainstage musicals. Todd left his post in the Lyric Opera of Chicago. Keith can be reached Evan Bridenstine (PHD 1997) had been on Department of Fine Arts at Rutgers University- at [email protected]. the faculty of Ashland University in Ohio since Camden to move to Kalamazoo. August 1999. This fall, he returned to his Michael (PHD 1991) and Juli Swanson (MA undergraduate alma mater to begin a one-year Annette Reid-Shamell, now Crump (BC 1988) produced the second summer of their appointment at Kent State University. 1985) is now working and living in Tokyo, in Shakespeare & More Theatre Company of Project Management with Walt Disney Central Indiana at Indianapolis’s Marian College After finishing coursework, Amy Taipale Imagineering, building the new Tokyo (the director of theatre there is co-artistic Canfield (PHD ABD) moved to the Rochester, DisneySeas Theme Park, adjacent to Tokyo director, with Michael) and Franklin College. New York area. She and Ken Canfield (MFA Disneyland. Annette is in Project Management Michael directed The Comedy of Errors, in 1995) were married in Hiram, Ohio on July 24, Planning and Scheduling, while her husband which Juli played Dromio of Ephesus. Juli is 1999. Amy is currently teaching part-time in Chris is an Art Director on Arabian Coast, one also Managing Director of the company. The the Theatre program at Hobart and William Smith of the highly themed Lands in the park. After it Indianapolis Star called Errors “very funny,” Colleges in Geneva, New York and is also opens in the fall of 2001, Annette and Chris while NUVO, Indy’s main arts/news weekly, tutoring for the Monroe County schools. She will return to California to work on the next big called the play “great theatre.” Michael and Juli is hoping to finish her dissertation soon. Theme Park project, whatever that is! continue in their 12th year at Franklin College, where Michael is Director of Theatre and Ken Elston (MFA 1996) was elected to the Lori Robishaw (BA 1981) took a position with Associate Professor of Fine Arts (theatre) and board of the Illinois Theatre Association, and Americans for the Arts (the national arts Juli is a long-term adjunct faculty member in named chair of the University and College advocacy organization). She moved from Los Fine Arts (she teaches acting and speech). division. He is currently an Assistant Professor Angeles, where she was on the development Michael directed How I Learned to Drive last and Head of Stage Movement at Western Illinois team at the Mark Taper Forum, to Washington, fall and Clue: The Musical this spring. Juli University. Ken teaches classes in stage and is now living in Alexandria, Virginia. directed W. S. Gilbert’s comedy Engaged, combat, mask characterization, mime, period perhaps not staged since Michael directed it in styles, improvisation, general stage movement Rob Roznowski (MFA 1989) is participating the Thurber Theatre in fall 1985. and sensory awareness. The freedom of in the workshop of Kander and Ebb’s/Terence Western’s curriculum in experimental classes McNally’s new musical based on The Visit with has allowed Ken to create two new courses: 1990s Angela Lansbury and Philip Bosco. Physicalizing Shakespearean Text and Improvisation for the Actor. At Western Illinois, Stephen Schrum’s (MA 1983) essay, Jon Arndt (BA 1998) is alive and well in Ken has choreographed Tommy, Big, and “Computer Applications and Resources” Chicago. He arrived there summer of 1999 Godspell (which he also directed); he appears in the New Media chapter of the and started doing a great deal of auditioning, appeared in You Can’t Take it With You, and recently released Stage Directors Handbook: which finally paid off. In March 2000 he began he directed Look Homeward Angel. Before

32 ENCORE 2000 landing in Illinois, Ken was in New York City. University in Chicago after a decade at church. They also ran a production of Beowulf While there he directed (including the premiere Northern Illinois University. in May 2000. of A Vow of Silence at the Jewish Rep and See You Next Tuesday for New Playwright’s Michael Karp (BFA 1990, MFA 2000) Wakeso Peterson (BA 1999) married his Workshop), acted (including Measure for completed his MFA, the highlight of which was college sweetheart and is living in Toledo. Since Measure at the Raw Space and various small his thesis performance, Barnum’s American graduation, he has been teaching 1st grade. film and television roles), produced (for both Museum. He has also taught several acting classes for cabaret and the Broadway stage), teenagers and has been doing choreography choreographed (both dance and stage Beth Kattelman (PHD 1999) successfully for different shows. Most recently he was combat), and worked to reactivate the Oberon defended her dissertation, “Magic, Monsters the Assistant Director for the Christmas musical Theatre Ensemble, with his wife Molly Piper and Movies: America’s Midnight Ghost Shows,” Black Nativity. Elston (BA 1996) and other OSU alums. just before Thanksgiving, and received her Regionally Ken has choreographed Joseph and doctorate at the Autumn commencement. Beth M. Scott Phillips (PHD 1998) spent 1999 – the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and How continues to manage one of the major Border’s 2000 teaching for the Department of Theatre, to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Bookstores in the Columbus area. stepping in when E. Beth Sullivan was appointed Associate Dean of the College of Roger Freeman (PHD 1998) has accepted a Vince Landro (PHD 1997) moved across the the Arts. Scott has accepted a tenure track position at the University of Georgia, Athens. state of Illinois. After spending one year at position at Auburn University, Alabama. Southern Illinois University, he has accepted a Corey Frey (BA 1992) is still teaching English job at Northern Illinois University, replacing OSU Brian Rose (PHD 1993) was a Visiting in mainland China. alum Chris Jones. Professor of Performing Arts at Adelphi University. He also taught for Cornell University, Mary Beidler Gearen (MA 1990) directed a J.B. Lawton (PHD 1998) and his wife Nina Queens College and NYU and he has been a Broadway tryout/remount of her production of Webb-Lawton became the proud parents of a Guest Artist at Ithaca College, the University of Alexandra Billings’ one-woman show Before I baby girl, Maura Caroline, seven pounds, nine Pittsburgh, and Trinity University (San Antonio, Disappear in September at Boston Center for ounces, born on May 4, 2000. TX). He is the author of Jekyll and Hyde the Arts’ The Theater Offensive “Out on the Adapted (1996, Greenwood Press), in which Edge Festival.” The show was originally Kim Lenz (MA 1992) is now in Japan teaching he investigates how a single text, adapted developed in 1996, and produced in Chicago English. many times in the past century, can serve to at Bailiwick Repertory Company, and enjoyed elucidate certain shifts in cultural attitudes. three extensions and rave reviews. Mary also Brian has had a twenty-year acting career assisted Warner Crocker in the direction of that spans three media and five continents. Pegasus Players’ The Kentucky Cycle, which garnered 10 Joseph Jefferson Citations Kerry Shanklin (PHD 1991) was Beulah Levy including Best Director. Other directing projects in The Last Night of Ballyhoo at Weathervane in Chicago include a revival of Women of the Playhouse this summer. Classics at Bailiwick, and Jesus Christ Superstar, Man of LaMancha, South Pacific, Michael Steinberg (MFA 1998) lives in New and Godspell at Archbishop Quigley York City with his dog, Nash, who just Preparatory Seminary. A veteran actress of celebrated his first birthday. Michael is a perma- Bailiwick, Mary was awarded two consecutive lancer (permanent freelancer) with Jack Morton Chicago After Dark “Outstanding Achievement Worldwide (formerly Caribiner International, in Acting” Awards for her origination of the before being bought out by Jack Morton), a roles of Naomi in the new Chris Moore musical Undergraduate and graduate lighting students brand communications agency, in their technical Son of Fire, and Ellen Dean in a new stage display their proposal for a lighting design for services department. He is currently assisting version of Wuthering Heights. She also commencement ceremonies in the Schottenstein Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer on the enjoyed playing Martine in Chris Moore’s Pope Center. upcoming Broadway production of Jane Eyre. Joan at Bailiwick, and again in the Michael Butler (Hair)-produced remount. Mary directed Lone Jeff Stephens (PHD 1995) returned to his Star at Bryant Lake Bowl Theatre, through Christina Markham (MFA 1996) directed A roots in August, having accepted an offer from October 1999. Company of Wayward Saints and Len Jenkins’ Oklahoma State University. He’s just completed Dark Ride this year at St. Louis University, a stint at Dakota Wesleyan University. Anastasia Koumidou Hathaway (MFA where she is on faculty. This past spring, she 1997) and her husband Kirk are now the proud appeared professionally as Sally in Hothouse Mia Tagano (formerly Michelle Sprinkles, parents of Aris Hathaway, born October 22, Theatre’s A Lie of the Mind. BA 1993) went on to the University of 1999 at 5:13 p.m. Aris weighed in at 8.25 Washington and received an MFA from their pounds. In April 2000, Amastasia presented Megan Mateer (MA 1999) started the “professional actor training program” in 1997. at the Comparative Drama Conference. doctoral program at Bowling Green State That same year she moved to New York City. University in the fall, staying firmly in Ohio! In 1998, she was fortunate enough to work Michelle Huskey (BA 1996) has been for seven months at the Lincoln Center doing a working as a stagehand in Las Vegas since Nikki Ebright Peters (BA 1995) has a new play by A.R. Gurney called Far East directed August 1996. She’s done union and non-union son: Cameron Robert Peters was born on by Daniel Sullivan. Mia spent the spring and work, conventions, concerts, production June 1, 1999 in England. Not content with being summer of 2000 at the Denver Center for the shows like EFX, and a touch of Broadway a mother, Nikki reports that she’s a member of Performing Arts rehearsing Tantalus written tours. Recently, Michelle applied to and was the local amateur dramatics society called by John Barton and directed by Sir Peter Hall. accepted by the William S. Boyd School of Law ALEC (Aldbourne Light Entertainment Club). At Tantalus is a 10 hour epic, a retelling of the at the University of Nevada Las Vegas and the first meeting she joined the committee, at Greek Myths and has an international cast she will begin classes Fall 2000. the second she volunteered to be the Assistant (from Britain and the USA). They began Director for a millennium project staging of rehearsals in March 2000, previewed in Chris Jones (PHD 1990) moved to DePaul Godspell, which was staged in the village September and opened in October. A European

ENCORE 2000 33 tour is planned for 2001, beginning at the Royal television or in films before you know it. In July, school include teaching English and theatre as Shakespeare Company and hopefully, she landed the role of Julia in an independent well as directing the school plays. To offset culminating in Greece. Nothing is set in stone feature length film of Shakespeare’s Two the low salary, the school is giving the Owens’ though...it’s a pretty big production and all of Gentlemen of Verona. a rent-free house near campus. the funding is not yet secured. More info on the production can be found at Lindsay Casella (BA 2000) received an eight- Carole Russo (MFA 2000) moved back to www.denvercenter.org. show contract with Climb Theatre of New York after graduation and immediately Minneapolis for 2000 – 2001. She will be started rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet at a John Taylor (PHD 1994) adjudicated High performing in touring productions of children’s new Shakespeare Company in Suffolk County. School and Community Theatre Acting theatre. Competitions at the Rocky Mountain Theatre Association’s Festival in Utah this winter. John Jim Creighton (BA 2000) spent the summer did so well that he was elected Treasurer of taking classes at the Circle in the Square theatre the RMTA Board of Directors. The Adams State in New York City. In the fall, he returned to Theatre Department production of Arcadia was Columbus to be in Closer with Laura Simpson featured – John did dramaturgy work on it. at Reality Theatre.

Michael Jon Washer (BA 1994) was the Robin Gordon (MFA 2000) was Lala Levy in Scenic Studio Supervisor for the Department The Last Night at Ballyhoo at Weathervane of Theatre during the 1999 – 2000 season. Playhouse in June/July 2000. She will spend This summer he served as the House Electrician the 2000 – 2001 season as an acting intern at at Polaris Ampitheatre. In the fall of 2000, he hit CATCO. the road and toured with Pokemon! . Aimee Greer (BA 2000) was hired as the Steven Weiss (PHD 1994) Steven joined the Wardrobe Head for the summer season at faculty at Coe College in Iowa this fall after a Porthouse Theatre, which includes Biloxi short stint at the University of Toledo. Blues, Henry IV, and Ain’t Misbehavin’ .

Mark Winchester (PHD 1995) continues his Joseph Fahey (PHD 2000) accepted a three- Alumni Michael Jon Washer supervising the research activities on behalf of the TRI, year visiting professor position at Case Scenic Studio during the 1999-2000 year. inventorying the papers and files of Robert E. Western Reserve University. Lee in Southern California. In his day job, Mark is a Senior Analyst for Marketing and Sam Friedman (BA 2000) directed Stephen Carney Gray Schuck (MFA 2000) has a Communications of GATX Capital Corporation Schwartz’s Godspell this Summer, through the contract with the St. Croix Festival Theatre in in San Francisco. Actual Reality Theatre Company (ArtCo) in Wisconsin. In December 2000, he will play the Cleveland. Since his graduation at the end of Scrooge role in Inspecting Carol. the Spring Quarter he has been employed as 2000s the full time artistic director at ArtCo. FRIENDS Edna Mae Berkey (BA 2000) joined Giles Matt Kari (MFA 2000) designed the set for Davies (MFA 1999) and Jeremy Dubin (MFA Grease at Sleepy Holly Theatre in Bismark, Amy Eddings is now a reporter with the public 1999) at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival North Dakota after receiving his degree in June. television station WNYC in Manhattan. after graduation. She has a full season contract In the fall, he returned to Columbus and designed Unexpected Tenderness at Gallery Linda Eisenstein’s one acts, A Rustle of Players and Charlotte’s Web at Otterbein. Wings and Pretzels & Longing, were performed in mid November by Love Creek Productions at Esther Kim (PHD 2000) accepted a tenure the Creative Place Theatre in New York. track position at University of Illinois Champagne-Urbana. She will be teaching Trish English was accepted into the theatre and Asian American studies. University of Delaware’s PTTP program. In September she will begin to earn an MFA in Robert Krege (MFA 2000) became engaged Stage Management. while on a trip to Ireland, his graduation present from his future in-laws. Robert relocated to Don Handfield played Robert Duvall’s son in Chicago where he hopes to find lots of work Deep Impact, and recently finished production as a designer. on a series of commercials - he directed the MFA students who graduated in Spring 2000. first spot for igogolf.com which aired on CBS From left to right: Jessica Morgan, Carney Gray Michael Mauldin (PHD ABD) produced The during the Kemper Open and can be seen on Schuck, Carrie Bradac, Carole Russo, Robert Bacchae at SW Missouri State. Sometime very AdCritic.com: http//www.adcritic.com/content/ Krege, Matt Kari, Robin Gordin, and Michael soon, Michael swears, he’ll be announcing the igogolf.com-golfclub-graveyard.html. He also Karp. completion of the dissertation. directed some spots for a new student study service, Study24-7.com, which can be seen Jessica Morgan (MFA 2000) was Sunny at: http://www.adcritic.com/content/study24- (July 2000 to July 2001). She started as a Freitag in The Last Night at Ballyhoo at 7.com-lock-up.html. Don’s company’s web site Stage Manger and was promoted to Company Weathervane Playhouse this summer. In the is http//www.fogpilot.com. Manager. She also hopes to assist the Artistic fall, Jessica moved to Cincinnati. Director, and possibly do some assistant John Jacobson is currently line producer for directing. In August, Matt Owens (MA 2000) and his a movie tentatively titled Driven that stars wife DeAnn moved to Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Sylvester Stallone. Carrie Bradac (MFA 2000) moved to LA after Matt accepted a teaching position at Wayland graduation. She swears you will see her on Academy. His responsibilities at the boarding Cynthia Ohanion directed a workshop of 34 ENCORE 2000 Paul Knopf’s new musical, Signals, at the Kairos stage by Paul Becker, a close personal friend Theatre Company off-off Broadway in August of Ginger Rogers, and Robert Kennedy, of 1999; a full production was planned for Ginger’s personal manager for the last 15 years December. She also directed a staged reading of her life. 2000 - 2001 Season of Kevin Scott’s Blame It on the Bossa Nova in November, under the auspices of the Stage Carl Skorepa has been named Production Directors and Choreographers Foundation and Manager at the Cain Park Summer Theatre in You’re a Good Man, the Creative Arts Project (CAP 21). Cleveland Heights. He will be directly responsible for producing Damn Yankees and Charlie Brown

Dana Rowe and John Dempsey’s The Violet, and for assisting guest artists on the Autumn 2000 School Tour Witches of Eastwick opened on the West End summer’s other shows. at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Tuesday, July 18; previews began June 24. Ian McShane Bruce Vilanch’s one-person show Almost Rever-Ber-Berations (of Lovejoy fame), Lucie Arnaz, Maria Friedman Famous opened in New York on May 11, 2000, Presented by Spiderwoman Theater and Joanna Riding star in this musical based at the Westbeth Theatre Center. Charles October 20-21, 2000 on the John Updike novel and the Warner Isherwood, of Daily Variety called the show Brothers motion picture. The Witches of “as deliciously funny as you’d expect.” The The Ohio State Eastwick is the next London West End show first act chronicles his odd and somewhat by Cameron Mackintosh, the British producer unlikely rise to fame, from a charming child Murders known for a string of hits including Cats, Les model (“chub division”) to child actor, to by OSU Alumna Adrienne Kennedy Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera and Chicago Tribune journalist, to working with October 31-November 17, 2000 Miss Saigon. Bette Midler. In According to the second act, Dempsey, who he answers Orpheus Descending wrote the book questions from Scenery by Jaroslav Malina, Prague and lyrics for this the audience and November 8-19, 2000 musical, “In the gives good dish tiny New England on lots of medium town of and big celebrity Roasted Shoes. . .Toasted Eastwick, Rhode names, including Tootsies Island, three Paul Lynde, Winter 2001 Tour to Elementary Schools modern day Michael Jackson, witches Calista Flockhart, innocently plot Tallulah SOBERING THOUGHTS and conjure over Bankhead, and Winter 2001 Tour to Middle and High Schools a heady brew of Sophie Tucker. weak martinis and peanut butter Luke Yankee The London Cuckolds brownies. But directed John February 7-24, 2001 when their The dedicated group of undergraduates who wrote, Davidson and longings are produced, directed, acted, designed, and stage managed Morgan Fairchild made flesh in the Live Backstage 2000, a fundraiser for AIDS. in a political Alchemy of Desire / arrival of one comedy, High Darryl Van Horne, Infidelity, which Dead-Man’s Blues all hell breaks loose. Quite literally.” You can opened in early August off-Broadway, at the by Thurber Playwright-in-Residence follow the production process along at http:// Promenade Theatre. Also, Luke and his partner, Caridad Svich www.witchesofeastwick.com. Witches Don Hill, have set up a website for rare musical February 13-17, 2001 racked up a lot of rave reviews, especially for theatre posters and photographs - Yankee Hill Dana and John’s score. Many critics praised Collectibles! You can check it out by visiting the show for breaking the long hold of the http://www.imall.com/stores/yankeehill. It PEER GYNT ‘”sung-through” musical, and returning with includes an amazing range of posters from the Co-produced with the fresh vigor to musical comedy. Long Beach Civic Opera, from the sublime to Columbus Symphony Orchestra the ridiculous. March 2-4, 2001 Randy Skinner directed Abby’s Song, the 1999 holiday offering at the City Center in New York, where it played November 14-28th. Paul Marcel Marceau in Sorvino (Law and Order, among others) was Performance the guest star. Check out its website at April 6-8, 2001 www.abbyssong.com. Jackie Angelescu, who played Abby, has a journal on the web page, which talks a great deal about Randy’s Thirty Three Swoons::: rehearsal process. In May, Randy choreographed and appeared as Fred Astaire in Ginger, the Broadway-bound developmental Four Farces by Chekhov musical about the life of Hollywood star Ginger May 8-19, 2001 Rogers at Otterbein College, which also starred Donna McKechnie as Lela Rogers and Nili Bassman as Ginger Rogers. Ginger is based WIT on the autobiography, Ginger – My Story, May 2-19, 2001 written by Ginger Rogers. It was adapted for

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