Marc and Blust: Alumni Journal journal journal alumni » Edinburgh FringE FEstival TePT M eS LadieS giVe ShakeSPeare new SPin Two yearS ago, Six friendS STUdying draMa aT The To prepare for the fringe, the group rehearsed the physically globe Theatre in London through Syracuse University abroad demanding production during the spring 2010 semester in alumni.syr.edu realized they had more than just theater in common—they all new york City, where five of the actors were studying as part had a passion for Shakespeare, and they wanted to perform of the department’s Tepper Semester immersion program, his work using their newly acquired techniques. Today, the and then in Syracuse in July. friends—now known as the Tempest Ladies—can consider They also handled the many Follow the Tempest Ladies on their themselves veterans of one of the world’s greatest theater logistical issues connected blog, thetempestladies.blogspot. showcases: the edinburgh fringe festival in Scotland. to performing at the fringe, com, and on Twitter, The Ladies—Stella Berg, Laura Borgwardt, dana Clinkman, including applying to the @TempestLadies. holly hart, Sarah olbrantz, and Jana Stambaugh—are all 2010 festival; finding and applying graduates of the department of drama in the College of Visual to a venue; arranging travel and rehearsal schedules; and Performing arts (VPa). with the help of stage manager advertising; and costume, set, and prop design. with the help Chelsea Jennings ’11 and faculty advisors felix ivanov and of the office of VPa dean ann Clarke, they secured college Timothy davis-reed ’84, they performed their self-produced funding for the majority of the trip, and SU abroad provided and -directed, all-female version of Shakespeare’s The Tempest assistance with travel and living arrangements. august 9-14 at edinburgh’s Quaker Meeting house. “our time once in Scotland, the group experienced the joys of at the fringe was incredible and a massive learning experience,” performing and the challenges of marketing a production Borgwardt says. “it was absolutely worth every drop of blood, at what is considered the world’s largest arts festival— 1-800-SUALUMS (782-5867) sweat, and tears—literally, we shed a bit of each—that went a 25-day extravaganza that featured 40,254 performances into this production.” of 2,453 different shows in 259 venues. “i felt really encouraged The Tempest Ladies first mounted the play at SU during the and satisfied by the response we got from our audiences spring 2009 semester. in addition to performing all of the roles as well as the motivation it gave us as a young group of and directing, they decided to handle their own costumes, set, artists,” Stambaugh says. “everyone was especially impressed props, and lighting. Choosing a simplistic concept, the group by our use of the text, our physical inventiveness, and the donned blue leotards with black capri pants and changed hats way we included the audience without making them feel to denote each character. uncomfortable.” 44 Syracuse University Magazine Photo by Steve Sartori Published by SURFACE, 2010 1 Syracuse University Magazine, Vol. 27, Iss. 3 [2010], Art. 11 » Emmy AwArds o range aLUMni Shine in PriMeTiMe More Than 20 yearS ago, adam Mazer ’89 produced a 35-minute senior thesis film at the newhouse School based on the suicide of his close friend. “Creatively, it was very meaningful,” Mazer says. “especially now, knowing that i was going to come to La and pur- sue a career in the enter- tainment business.” for Mazer, it was a stepping-stone into the field he loved: dramatic screenplays. This sum- mer, Mazer reached a career milestone when he received an emmy award for outstanding The Tempest Ladies (left to right): holly hart, writing for a miniseries, Stella Berg, dana Clinkman, Sarah olbrantz, movie, or dramatic special for his work on You Don’t Know Jack, the hBo film Jana Stambaugh, and Laura Borgwardt. based on the true story of dr. Jack kevorkian, the physician known as “dr. death” for his efforts to legalize physician-assisted suicide. fellow orange according to Borgwardt, they also glenn rigberg ’88, a whitman School of Management graduate, was nomi- learned a lot about the art of “fliering”— nated for an emmy for his role as an executive producer of the film, which col- the popular promotional tactic of passing lected a total of 15 nominations. out fliers. “we found that wearing our costumes and hats and playing drums while Mazer and rigberg weren’t the only alumni giving an orange glow to the red making our way down the royal Mile [a carpet at the 62nd Primetime emmy awards. all told, five alumni received historic street popular with tourists] got us nominations—and three collected emmys. other emmy recipients and the most attention,” Borgwardt says. “also, nominees included: having two-for-one nights is a must—we had nearly full houses on those nights.” » david rockwell ’79, a School of architecture graduate who won an emmy By the time The Tempest’s run at the for outstanding art direction for variety, music, or nonfiction programming. fringe ended, it had received rave online rockwell worked as production designer for the 82nd annual academy awards reviews from Venue 40 (“hugely inventive broadcast. and wonderful”) and The Stage (“a » danny Zuker ’86, a newhouse graduate who was honored as a writer and spellbinding performance”) as well as from producer for Modern Family, which won outstanding comedy series. the audiences. davis-reed documented the trip on video, which the group hopes » Evan Weinstein ’84, a College of Visual and Performing arts alum who was to present along with a book to VPa so recognized for his role as co-executive producer of Amazing Race, which was that other drama students can learn from nominated for outstanding reality competition program. their experiences. “we received so much for Mazer, the emmy validated years of hard work and sacrifice. when he began support and appreciation for our project, his career in La, he spent nearly five years working as a production assistant and although sometimes audiences were and logging time as a waiter before selling his first screenplay. although the quiet, they were always very loving,” Berg movie never made it to the big screen, he says that was his “big break”—and says. “we were called back on stage, we hasn’t looked back since. “That was something i learned a great deal from,” were thanked, we were encouraged, and we Mazer says. —Sierra Jiminez were congratulated. Personally, i couldn’t have asked for more.” —Erica Blust Photo by REUTerS fall/winter 2010 45 https://surface.syr.edu/sumagazine/vol27/iss3/11 2 Marc and Blust: Alumni Journal a CULTUre of classnotes PhiLanThroPy New s from SU aluMni » Se nd us nEWs oF o range CenTraL waS your accoMplishMEnts. a celebration of everything To submit information for Class Notes via the Internet, go that’s good about our alma to syracuse.edu/alumni/ and register with the SU Alumni mater. it was a time to re- Online Community. Items will appear in the magazine and new friendships, applaud the in the Class Notes section of the online community. Items accomplishments of fellow can also be sent to Alumni Editor, Syracuse University alumni, and acknowledge Magazine; 820 Comstock Avenue, Room 308; Syracuse, NY 13244-5040. SU’s growing culture of philanthropy. on one end of the spec- trum, the orange Circle awards recognized alumni who have in the United States and abroad made their mark through philanthropic activities, and on the and teaches public speaking at other, the Class of 2011 began its philanthropic journey by 30s Mount St. Mary’s College, Los launching the Senior Class giving Campaign. Donald Waful ’37 (a&S), G’39 angeles. The tradition of the Senior Class gift was revived in 2009, (Max) was inducted into the Syracuse Baseball wall of fame Jack Cavanaugh ’52 (a&S), and last year, the Class of 2010 raised $11,845 through 150 at a special pregame ceremony professor at the Columbia individual donations. This year, the seniors are emphasizing at alliance Bank Stadium in University graduate School of Journalism and veteran New York even greater participation. anyone on the Quad that Satur- Syracuse in august. he was honored for his 38 years of Times sportswriter and Pulitzer day morning before the SU-Pittsburgh game saw seniors Beth service as president of the Prize nominee, wrote The Gipper: anne kieft, Marc heintzman, and Jon Barnhart out there pro- Syracuse Chiefs baseball team. George Gipp, Knute Rockne and moting gifts of $20.11. in return, contributors received an “i’m the Dramatic Rise of Notre Dame Football (skyhorsepublishing.com). a Class act” game day rally towel. all who wish to join their he lives with his wife, Marge, in effort can make an online gift at classact.syr.edu. Contributors wilton, Conn. will receive an official “i’m a Class act” pin and recognition in 40s Patrick McCarthy ’48 (a&S) and Dick Purtan ’58 (Sda), G’60 the “registrar of graduates.” his wife, Patricia, were honored (new) of west Bloomfield, The spirit of philanthropy is flourishing on campus in other with the oneida rotary Club’s Mich., is a board member of the ways, too. Louise and howard Phanstiel ’70, g’71 gave one roses to the Living award, Barbara ann karmanos Cancer of the largest gifts ever made to Syracuse, designating it for which recognizes individuals institute, one of the nation’s top for their years of service and 10 national Cancer institute- middle-class scholarships (see page 30). and helene kahn contributions to the oneida, n.y., designated comprehensive ’10, an associate in SU’s development office, has organized a community.