Shades of Green Shades of Green
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SHADES OF GREEN News From Our Classmates... knowledge of theatre history and genres – these are all important skills in theatre. artmouth has long been a leader in Dintegrating the arts into the collegiate When I think of Dartmouth, I generally think experience, from the establishment of one of the Hopkins Center. I spent so much time of the nation’s first campus-based perform- there that it is almost difficult to visualize oth- ing arts centers to the commissioning of er locations at Dartmouth. In fact, I met my new work and promotion of artist-in-resi- husband (Andreas Deibel ’84) in Center The- dence programs on campus. Dartmouth’s ater – now called the Moore Theater. While 2012-13 Year of the Arts is designed to reaf- at Dartmouth, I worked in the scene shop as firm and deepen its commitment to the arts a work-study student and also on the crew for through a yearlong series of special pro- Spaulding Theater. I have a son at Dartmouth grams, events, and initiatives that highlights now, Class of ’14, but he has managed to avoid the centrality of the arts as an indispensable the theatre so far. component of its educational experience. Jay Caldwell ’85 writes: In honor of the Year of the Arts, we asked The Caldwell Gallery, founded by my father fellow classmates to tell us how the arts Joe (D’51, Tuck ‘52...and still at his desk most have impacted their lives at Dartmouth and days) is celebrating our 40th year. I’ve been since, and here is what we heard back... at the gallery since 1985. How I got into the arts...well, I didn’t really have any other life Lisa Andersen ‘85 writes: planning in place in 1985, so we decided to I was a drama major at Dartmouth (modi- give it a 6 month trial, and here I am almost fied with French and art history). My 28 years later....qualified to do nothing except interest was in technical theatre and I went being a private art dealer. And all private art on to become a stage manager. I moved to dealers seem to be members of a special club the Minneapolis and St. Paul area where where we die with our boots on at age 94 or I worked at the Guthrie Theater and the so. I wish! Minnesota Opera, along with other smaller companies. I greatly enjoyed my work Recent sales activity include major works sold although I did not always appreciate the to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Yale Uni- working hours. I “retired” from this profes- CLASS OF 1985 versity Art Gallery, and the Hunter Museum sion when I had my children and am now a of Art in Chattanooga, TN. full-time parent to five kids. You can find us at www.caldwellgallery.com; My Dartmouth education was certainly Facebook – Caldwell Gallery; helpful during my working years. The abil- Twitter – https://twitter.com/TheCaldGall ity to read and analyze a script, to be able to And I blog for the gallery: http://caldwellgal- set priorities and anticipate problems, lery.wordpress.com 1 Besides buying and selling art, I spend a significant I still love to travel, and my husband (an architect) amount of time skiing, and pursuing year-round and I travel as much as our professional lives allow. outdoor fun with family at our place near Sugar- Being a graphic designer by trade, traveling is one bush, VT. This past ski season I’ve clocked about 60 of the spaces I create for inspiration. We’re just back days so far, with many of those being stellar powder from a cycling trip in Northern Thailand with a days. Tuckerman turns await. And mountain biking short stop over in Bali, and ah, there was inspiration starts up soon. on so many levels. I’m still writing crappy screenplays for fun, and For me the meaning of living a life in the arts is collecting modern art and mid-century modern about being fulfilled by creating and seeking beauty. furniture and objects. Leah still deems me marriage I use the word beauty as in transcendent beauty, worthy. Eldest Nate is 14, and 6’1” already. Ben is 12 inspiration that transports us and connects us to and poised to sprout. Youngest Avery, 8, continues our best inner and outer worlds. I believe a sense of to be the blue-eyed blonde she-devil that runs the fulfillment in life is easier to achieve when you strive house. to connect with your inner world, to your thoughts, Life is good! your dreams, and the things that don’t get expressed in other ways. In a sense, in the arts you are tapping Noel Danforth ’85 writes: your inner light. It’s wonderful to see Dartmouth celebrating the arts. Here’s a little bit about my life in the arts... Here’s to the arts and to light. I majored in French at Dartmouth. I never had any James Evans ‘85 writes: intention to teach or seek a higher degree in French The arts have been and remain a big part of my fam- after Dartmouth, but I enjoyed the process of learn- ily’s life. My Dad was an actor/Drama Professor, ing languages. Not to mention it allowed me to my mother a theater producer, my brother Rob ‘79 travel overseas for both FSP (french) and LSA (ital- is a muralist, and after short stint in management ian). I took getting a liberal arts education seriously consulting, I found my way into the music business and probably more to heart than most as upon in 1989. There I joined classmate Chris Herrmann graduating I had no particular career goal beyond ‘85 as marketing director of WHJY/WHJJ in Provi- doing something I loved, something fulfilling. dence, Rhode Island. After a couple of other jobs at various record labels, I Ianded at Interscope Records “living a life in the arts is about in 1995 in Santa Monica. The job evolved over the being fulfilled by creating and years. Now I’m the Director of Rock Radio Promo- seeking beauty...transcendent beauty...” tion at Interscope/Geffen and A&M Records. I’ve had the pleasure of working with U2, Beck, Sheryl AND I was a slow starter getting into the arts, I Crow, Sting, Counting Crows, Weezer, Imagine took a couple art classes at Dartmouth which I Dragons, Feist and many others. loved and a number of film studies courses, but it wasn’t until 1991, six years after graduating, that Dartmouth did nudge me in this direction. I hired I decided to go back to school for graphic design. bands both local and national for The Collis Center I attended the Massachusetts College of Art and and Alpha Theta . Many of the musicians remain Design at night and worked in publications at friends to this day (multiple members of the Esoter- Harvard’s Graduate School of Design (Architec- ix and Minimum Standards were at my wedding!). ture) during the day. Completely raptured by the One such member, Chris Herrmann ‘85, is now the experience I have never looked back. These days I program director at WXPK in New York and we are work out of my home studio and have developed each other’s clients. Last summer we collaborated a graphic design practice working with a variety on putting on a show with The English Beat which of clients from institutions of higher education to was a blast. I’m just about to celebrate my 5th wed- individuals starting businesses. ding anniversary with my beautiful wife Briana and 2 we have an effervescent 18 month old daughter, Lia. school, where I integrate my theatrical skills into Santa Monica has been home for the last 14 years. my therapy. I also choreograph the school musicals and teach musical theatre classes at a local studio. Sarah Fortna ’85 writes: I keep my own vocal and acting chops in shape by I was a theatre major at Darmouth and spent most singing at fundraisers and events, performing in lo- of my four years at Dartmouth acting in plays in the cal theatre productions and gigging with a jazz trio Hop. My favourite teacher was Peter Saccio, and now and then. my first theatre course was modern British theatre. Little did I know that I would end up living in Lon- I sang with the Decibelles in college and believe it don, the most exciting place for theatre in the world. had huge impact on my development as a singer, Last spring Professor Saccio returned to London to musician and performer. Much to my regret, I did attend a performance of Private Lives at the Noel not do theatre at Dartmouth. I was way too caught Coward Theatre, and I was thrilled to hear his in- up in becoming a yuppie, which I tried for two spiring lecture again after the performance. years and hated. It was all part of the crazy jour- ney which has brought me to where I am and will “...it was at Dartmouth that hopefully continue to take me further down the I learned the joy of collaborating path of creativity, expression and self-discovery! and creating with others...” Chris Herrmann ’85 writes: After graduating from Dartmouth I worked in two I can’t say my BA in Biology set me on the path I’ve small theatres in Washington, DC and taught drama chosen, but my hours at 99Rock (WFRD-FM) sure in a small school. I discovered I loved teaching even did.