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NEW SCHOOL DRAMA NEWS THE NEW SCHOOL FOR DRAMA Fall 2010 woken’glacier theatre company in a development workshop of Matthew Paul Olmos’ ‘04 the nature of captivity Photo: A. Sayeeda Clarke well as from the instructors at Drama, and allows them to develop important and long- Drama Graduates’ lasting relationships. Collaboration is basic to the curriculum at The New School for Drama—and is also Theater Companies: It’s key in starting a theater company, as many Drama alums have discovered. “The New School’s program prepped us in that we All About Collaboration learned—as writers, directors, or actors— Collaboration is an essential part of the together to bring plays to the stage. that theater is a collaborative art form,” MFA program at The New School for All three disciplines are represented in explains Matthew Paul Olmos ’04, co-founder Drama. Playwrights work on their scripts rehearsals or in the CoLab classes at and artistic director of woken’glacier theatre in rehearsal and benefit from hearing Drama, giving students a glimpse of what it company (www.wokenglacier.org). “When and seeing their work performed, while takes to develop a new play. This crossover we started our company, we approached directing and acting students work closely enables students to learn from their peers as it as a group of theater artists. We learned Continues on page 3... ALUMNI NEWS Message from Send news about your latest achievements to [email protected]. Read more the Director news about your fellow alumni on the Class Notes page at www.newschool.edu/alumni. ROBERT LUPONE 1998 Since I arrived at The New School for Drama, John Gazzale appeared in John Pollono’s one of our goals has been to promote new, Illuminati as part of The Network One-Act original plays. To that end, we’ve supported Festival in New York City. emerging playwrights and their writing 1999 with full-length productions, which we Robert LuPone Photo: Matthew Sussman successfully instituted in last year’s New Leslie Maslow’s short story “Mum” won the Voices Playwrights Festival. The large number institution in New York City that has such a 2009 Open City Short Fiction Contest and of Drama graduates who have become artistic committed and professional faculty. I also take was published in issue 28 of the magazine. directors and producers, establishing their great pride in our students, who exhibit talent 2000 own theaters and developing work in New and skill and professionalism every single day. York City and around the country, bodes well As alumni, you remain an invaluable part of Behold, a new play by Tom Cavanaugh, for playwrights and other theater professionals our community. I welcome you to explore the was selected for development by the Utah who create and develop new works. Our latest news about your alma mater: The New Shakespearean Festival’s New Playwrights students and graduates have championed new School for Drama. Development Program. projects in programs such as the New York Coy Middlebrook directed the musical International Fringe Festival, the Midtown Nobody’s Perfect, which toured under the International Theatre Festival, the Strawberry auspices of the Kennedy Center’s Theater One-Act Festival, and the Old Vic/UK for Young Audiences on Tour series. Exchange, which we told you about in the last alumni newsletter. Bob LuPone 2001 The New School for Drama scored Director, The New School for Drama Polly (Mildred) Lee appeared off-Broadway another success this past year at the annual in Graceland with Lincoln Center’s LCT3 at Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short The Duke in New York City. Play Festival. Once again, you couldn’t throw a Playbill without hitting Drama Jason Odell Williams appeared in Steven students and alumni! Twelve members of Dietz’s Yankee Tavern with the New Jersey our community participated as playwrights, Repertory Company. directors, or actors. Of the 40 plays selected 2002 for presentation as semifinalists, five were by Drama students and alumni. The Bear The Encounter by Jorshinelle Taleon- (A Tragedy), written by E.J.C. Calvert ’10 and Sonza was performed as part of Diverse directed by Mason Beggs ’10, was chosen as City Theater Company’s Pearl Project one of the six winners for publication. For Theater Festival. more information on the festival, see the 2003 feature on page 6. This year, I’m excited to welcome a John Patrick Bray’s play Hound has been wonderful artist to The New School for published by Next Stage Press. Drama: award-winning director Joe Mantello. Elizabeth June (Sewer) wrote, produced, A consummate professional, he will serve as and performed in Jitters, a film short that the 2010–2011 artist-in-residence at Drama, was named an Official Selection in the where he has graciously consented to lead 2010 Texas Black Film Festival in Dallas. master classes as well as conduct a town hall during the school year. I’m thrilled to have him not only because of his accomplishments but also because of his unshakable commitment to the art and beauty of theater. Drama continues to refine the curriculum and provide our students with the highest- quality training, which is reflected on stage by our productions. I can think of no other 2 | THE NEW SCHOOL FOR DRAMA ... Continued from cover enough about one another’s craft while in 2004 school to allow us to look at our work from Richard Hollman appeared in Complete multiple points of view.” Olmos, co-founder Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) in Nichol Alexander, and founding members Beth Hartford, Connecticut, with alums Sean Joe Mantello Photo: Matthew Sussman Manspeizer, Michael Billingsley, Eriko Ogawa, Harris and David Salsa. Ronit Muszkatbilt, and chantel cherisse lucier Moti Margolin performed the title role (all class of 2004) began working together of Macbeth with The Frog and Peach while in school and went on to establish Theatre Company in New York City. Joe Mantello Is their company. The group has presented more than 15 original productions and Kari Morris’ short film, Two, which Drama’s 2010-2011 has been nominated twice for a New York she executive produced, wrote, and Innovative Theatre Award. The group appeared in with Moti Margolin, was Artist-in-Residence recently collaborated with Theatre Arts Japan selected for both the Rhode Island on the U.S. premiere of Hideo Tsuchida’s it International Film Festival and the DC is said the men are over in The Steel Tower and Shorts Film Festival. Award-winning director Joe Mantello is worked with Olmos on his play the nature of Drama’s distinguished artist-in-residence for Seth Rabinowitz (see 2010) captivity during his residency with Mabou the 2010–2011 academic year. For Drama Mines theater company. students, this is a remarkable opportunity to 2005 While working on her thesis production, work closely with a theater professional in an Niketa Calame appeared in the Jake Lipman ’04 got her first taste of educational setting outside of the classroom. musical Women of Brewster Place with production. “My thesis partner, Kristen Rogers Mantello will address the entire student body Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles. ’04, and I agonized over every detail: casting, in a town hall meeting this semester. He will scenic design and props, script analysis, also conduct master classes and seminars 2006 and dramaturgy,” recalls Lipman. “It lit a specifically for directing students. Draw the Circle, a solo piece by Deen fire in me to make my own opportunities.” “We’re excited that Joe has made his (formerly Shireen Deen), was performed Her enthusiasm led her to create tongue in incredible talent, critical insight, and elegance at Dixon Place in New York City. cheek theater productions (www.tictheater. available to The New School for Drama,” com), for which she serves as artistic director Eileen Reardon is directing Finding said Drama director Robert LuPone. “His and producer and Brian W. Siebert ’04 serves Mabel, a documentary about the devotion to the theater and professional as associate producer. Lipman has utilized Dirty War in Argentina and a woman’s experience make him a superb mentor and Drama’s talents over the years, casting Sarah search for one of the 30,000 that priceless addition not only to the Directing Michelle Bickwheat ’06, Aaron Black ’06, Brynne disappeared. Department but to the entire school.” Kraynak ’09, and Joel Peterson ’05 in tongue in Mantello’s directing experience includes cheek productions. 2007 Wicked, Assassins, and Take Me Out, the last Speranza Theatre Company (www. Isabel Aerenlund appeared in Euridice two of which earned him a Tony Award. speranzatheatrecompany.com), is lead by artistic by Sara Ruhl at the Teatro Helénico in He also directed the Broadway production directors Heather Wahl and Rachel Cornish Mexico City. of Three Days of Rain, starring Drama alum (both class of 2008), who wanted to continue Bradley Cooper ’00, Julia Roberts, and Paul Xanthe Elbrick appeared as Miss working together after graduation. Speranza Rudd. As an actor, Mantello earned a Tony Proserpine Garnett in Irish Repertory produced The Awesome Dance by Nick Starr nomination for his performance in Angels in Theater’s production of George Bernard ’08 at The Cherry Pit in New York City this America, which also starred faculty member Shaw’s Candida. past September. The play starred Cornish, Ron Liebman. Mantello has received Outer Julie Cavaliere ’08, Dileep Rao (Avatar, Robin LeMon appeared in a principal Critics Circle, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel, Inception), and Caitlin Talbot. It was directed role on CBS Television’s The Good Wife. Helen Hayes, Clarence Derwent, Obie, by Malinda Sorci ’08, who founded theNEST and Joe A. Callaway awards. Mantello is a Adam Kee appeared as Mr.

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