2009 encorenews from Ohio State Theatre In this issue: The Jerome Lawrence David Lander (B.F.A. Meredith Lark (B.A. Alan Woods steps down and Robert E. Lee Theatre 1987) nominated for Tony Student) performs in as Director of the Theatre Research Institute Award three musicals at CAPA’s Research Institute moves to the renovated Southern Theatre Thompson Library department of theatre Godspell, spring 2009 Photoencore by Doug2009 Moody1 Letter from the Chair Dear Friends: Welcome back to your annual opportunity to hear the good news about the numerous activities and accomplishments of our remarkable students, faculty, and staff of the Department of Theatre. As you work your way through this edition of encore I think you will once again be surprised by both the breadth and the depth of the many educational opportunities that we offer for our students. I also hope as you journey with us over the past year, you will also think back to your time on campus and celebrate your continued connection to the lively art of theatre. We once again offered a robust production season that met with both artistic and critical acclaim. Well over a thousand students participated throughout the year in various ways in bringing to life productions of Noises Off, Machinal, and Godspell; a new work from guest playwright Stephen Culp entitled Pangea; and multiple new works from the creativity of our students, ranging from the M.F.A. outreach production of Destinopolis, six undergraduate originals presented in a festival setting, to the ten solo projects of our graduating class of M.F.A. Actors. Many faculty and student accomplishments outside of the production program are also detailed in this publication. We particularly celebrate the selection of Assistant Professor Janet Parrott for the Alumni Distinguished Teaching Award and the naming of Professor Lesley Ferris as a Distinguished Professor of Arts and Humanities in Theatre! Please also consider the thousands of miles traveled and the many individuals touched by the scholarship of our department with the multiple papers, symposia, and guest residencies shared over this past year by our students and faculty. As a department we completed our university mandated program review that has now resulted in a blueprint for our future development. The university changes discussed in last year’s encore continue as we celebrate the hiring of a new Executive Dean for Arts and Sciences, Dr. Joseph Steinmetz, and refine daily our new college structure within the division of Arts and Humanities. The economic conditions make this a challenging time for all of us, but as you review our annual report, please consider making a donation of any size, large or small, to enable us to continue to best serve our students. Each of you serve as a partner in our educational mission and we could not achieve all that we do without your support. Enjoy! Mark Shanda Chair/Professor 2 encore 20082009 Contents 02 Letter from the Chair Ohio State Theatre 2009–2010 Season 04 2008-2009 Season in Review Palmer Park 06 Guest Artist and Scholars November 5 - 21 By Joanna McClelland Glass 08 Outreach and Engagement Directed by Maureen Ryan Roy Bowen Theatre 10 TRI Report Summer and Smoke 12 Spotlight on Students November 12 - 21 By Tennessee Williams 17 Regional Campus Reports Directed by Jimmy Bohr Thurber Theatre 19 Faculty and Staff Updates The Persians 24 Alumni and Friends November 8 - 20 By Aeschylus 30 Featured Faculty Awards Translated by Stratos E. Constantinidis Staged Reading Directed by Matt Vadnais 31 Year in Review Drake Performance and Event Center, Mount Hall Studio, Ohio State Faculty Club 34 Woods Steps Down as TRI Director Men in White February 18 - March 6 By Sidney Kingsley Directed by Woodie King, Jr. Roy Bowen Theatre O Pioneers! February 25 - March 6 By Darrah Cloud encore is the annual newsletter of Directed by Jeanine Thompson The Ohio State University Thurber Theatre Department of Theatre 1089 Drake Center A Song for Coretta 1849 Cannon Drive March 5 - 7 Columbus, Ohio 43210-1208 By Pearl Cleage Office: 614-292-5821 Directed by Lesley Ferris Fax: 614-292-3222 CAPA’s Lincoln Theatre The Three Sisters Editor-in-Chief: May 13 - 28 Mark Shanda Design/Layout: By Anton Chekhov Mikaila Hambel Editor: Adapted by David Mamet Damian Bowerman Written and researched by the Faculty, Based on a literal translation by Vlada Chernomordik Staff and Students of the Department Directed by Maureen Ryan Contributors: of Theatre. Joe Brandesky, Nena Couch, Joseph Fahey, Roy Bowen Theatre Lesley Ferris, Kiana Harris, Kayla Jackmon, All Alumni and Friends information is Charmel Joiner, Meredith Lark, Chris collected from alumni, friends, and other Matsos, Eric Mayer, Kyler Moor, Spenser readers; gathered and processed at the The Long Christmas Ride Home Morris, Gianna Pandolfi de Rinaldis, Robin Department of Theatre; researched, May 20 – May 28 Post, Tom Postlewait, Christopher M. Roche, edited, and placed either in our encore By Paula Vogel Terry Schoone-Jongen, Beth Josephsen publication or the Alumni page of Simon, Marlerie Tabern, Greg Varner, encore on our website: Directed by Beth Kattelman Dave Williams theatre.osu.edu Thurber Theatre encore 2009 3 2008-09 season in review Noises Off Godspell By Michael Frayn. Thurber Theatre. Conceived and Originally Directed by Directed by Maureen Ryan. Set Design John-Michael Tebelak. Music and New by Corinne Porter. Costume Design by Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Originally Marysha Sarris. Lighting Design by Matt Produced on the New York Stage by Hazard. Sound Design by Dan Mayer. Edgar Lansbury, Stuart Duncan and Stage Manager Brandon Curtis. Special Joseph Beruh. CAPA’s Southern Theatre. thanks to Dr. Bill Childs, Professor, Directed by Mandy Fox. Set Design by Ohio State Department of History, for Sarah Sugarbaker. Costume Design by sharing his knowledge and insights at Elisa O’Neal. Lighting Design by Anthony “AfterWords,” our post-performance Pellecchia. Sound Design by Dan Mayer discussion for Noises Off. and Adrianne Varwig. Stage Manager October 30 – November 9, 2008 Brandon Curtis. April 16 – 19, 2009 Pangea By Stephen R. Culp. Roy Bowen Theatre. M.F.A. Actor Solo Performances Directed by Jimmy Bohr. Set Design Nothing to Declare by Kal Poole. Thel by Julie Ann McMillan. by Victor E. Shonk. Costume Design by Trust: A Fairy Tale by Kiana Harris. Frankenstein Tonight by Elisa O’Neal. Lighting Design by Mary Scott Wilson. The Comet by Dwayne Blackaller. Prince Albert’s Tarantino. Sound Design by Dan Shifflet. Guide to Life by Jessica Podewell. The French Film by Bruno Stage Manager Lindsay Beery. Lovric. Shafted: Oxytocin, Vasopressin & Other Love Stories by November 13 – 23, 2008 Virginia Logan. Black/Anger by Raymond Caldwell. Frijoles by Johamy Morales. Roy Bowen Theatre. Coordinating Direction Just Like Us by Jeanine Thompson. Lighting Design by Jarod Wilson. Sound Design by Michael Lillie. Production Stage Manager Eric Mayer. By Craig Sodara. Mount Hall Studio May 7 – 10, 2009 Theatre. Directed by Kiana Harris. Set Design by Sarah Sugarbaker. Costume Design by Shae James. Lighting Design Undergraduate Sandbox by Alex Kyle-DiPietropaolo. Sound Design Fourth Room by Liam Cronin. Directed by Andrew Blasenak. by James Knapp. Stage Manager Costume Design by Loren Varvarosky. Lighting Design by Kevin Alyssa Ellis. Duchon. February 6 – 8, 2009 Or Forever Hold Your Peace by Kiley Morgan. Directed by Destinopolis Melissa Lee. Costume Design by Ashley Wills. Lighting Design by Alex Kyle-DiPietropaolo. By M.F.A. Acting Class of 2009. Roy Bowen Theatre. Directed by Maureen The Dreamers Upstairs by Angela Henderson. Directed by Ian Ryan. Set Design by Corinne Porter. Pugh. Costume Design by Loren Varvarosky. Lighting Design by Costume Design by Cat Schmeal-Swope. Alex Kyle-DiPietropaolo. Lighting Design by Jarod Wilson. Sound Design by Dan Shifflet. Stage Manager God Forbid by Erika Hanes. Directed by Megan Corbin. Kiley Morgan. Costume Design by Catrina Bush. Lighting Design by Kristin February 19 – March 1, 2009 Jones. Morality Day written by Kevin O’Rourke. Directed by Matt Machinal Vadnais. Costume Design by Catrina Bush. Lighting Design by Michael Hesmond. By Sophie Treadwell. Thurber Theatre. Directed by Lesley Ferris. Set Design by Constance by K.C. Novak. Directed by Jonathon Boyd. Costume Elli Loomis. Costume Design by Shiree Design by Ashley Wills. Lighting Design by Amy Witherby. Campbell. Lighting Design by Anthony Pellecchia. Sound Design by Dan Mayer. Roy Bowen Theatre. Coordinating Direction by Jessie Glover Stage Manager Samantha Sharkey. Boettcher. Sound Design by Michael Lillie. Stage Manager February 26 – March 6, 2009 Doug Davis. May 28 – 31, 2009 4 encore 20082009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Photos 1 Noises Off 2 Pangea Godspell 3 Just Like Us 4 Destinopolis “Making the Southern productions 5 Machinal even more special for students is 6 Godspell the fact that college productions of rock musicals are not all that 7 MFA Solo Performance common in Central Ohio.” 8 MFA Solo Performance -Richard Ades, Columbus Alive 9 The Undergraduate Sandbox 10 10 The Undergraduate Sandbox encore 2009 5 Guest Artists and Scholars By Kiana Harris (M.F.A. Acting Student) Award winning Playwright Stephen R. Culp work- Chief of the Theatre Collection National Museum of shopped, rehearsed, and produced the world-premiere Prague Vlasta Koubská visited in winter to speak of his new play Pangea, a Sloan Foundation Award with students. The National Museum is the biggest Recipient, in the Roy Bowen Theatre. Culp worked museum in the Czech Republic and is the central State closely with director Jimmy Bohr, faculty and student museum with collecting, scientific, educational and designers, and a cast of graduate and undergraduate methodical functions. actors in the fall. Penny Farfan was a keynote speaker in the winter E.