THE CALLBOARD: THEATER ARTS AND ALUMNI NEWS
Theater Arts News
"The History Boys" extended thru June 22nd - buy tickets
- starring: Sheldon Best ('08), Mohit Gourisaria ('09), Samson Kohanski ('08)
- "The History Boys" gives Brandeis Top Honors
Brandeis 2008 winners include:
- "The Clean House" for Outstanding Production by a Midsize Company, New Repertory Theatre, featuring Cristi Miles (MFA '05)
- "A Marvelous Party: The Noel Coward Celebration" for Outstanding Musical Production, American Repertory Theatre, directed by Scott Edmiston (Director of the Office of the Arts)
- "Mauritius" by Theresa Rebeck (MA '83, MFA '86, Ph.D. '89) for Outstanding Production by a Large Company, Huntington Theatre Company
- Larry Coen (BA '81) for Outstanding Actor in a Small/Midsize Company, various productions including "Miss Witherspoon" and "The Taming of the Shrew"
- Jon Lipsky (director of the Brandeis Theater Company's "Dream Project") for Outstanding Director of a Small/Fringe Company, "Coming Up for Air: An AutoJAZZography" and "King of the Jews"
Alumni News
MFA
J Hagenbuckle ('08) composed the music and designed the sound for "The Caretaker" running May 22nd-June 28th at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. He will be doing sound design and original music for Commonweath Shakespeare Company's production of "As You Like It" July 18th-August 10th.
Malik El-Amin ('02) is nominated for a NAACP Theatre Award for his role in "A Lesson Before Dying." The awards ceremony will be held at the Kodak Theatre on June 30th. He starred in the world premiere of "Prove it to Me" at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood.
Brittany Burgess ('04) and Matthew Jasizcek ('04) (alias: Matthew J. Nichols) are engaged! They are the founders of Zootopia Theatre which is putting on its second show "Still the River Runs" at Center Stage, NY June 19th-July 6th, directed by Matthew.
Lindsey McWhorter ('08) will play Hymen in Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of "As You Like It" July 18th-August 10th.
Hannah Wilson ('08) is playing Nina in The Publick Theatre's production of "The Seagull" July 3rd-September 7th.
Robert Serrell ('08) will be performing in two plays this summer with The Publick Theatre. He will play Trigorin in "The Seagull" July 3rd-September 7th, and Sandy Tyrell in "Hay Fever" July 30th-September 14th. He is slated to play Bassanio in "The Merchant of Venice" for the Actors Shakespeare Project this fall.
Matthew Crider ('08) will be a Professor of Voice and Movement at the University of Wisconsin: Stevens Point this coming fall. He will be teaching Suzuki, Stage Combat, and Dialects among other classes.
Abbie Killeen ('05) is teaching at Bowdoin College during the 2008-2009 school year.
Jennifer Lafleur ('04) is the Artistic Producer of Grid Theater in NYC. She recently finished filming the Sony Pictures Classics/ Duplass Brothers film "The Do-Deca-Pentathlon" due out in 2009. She was in the world premieres of Norman Lasca's "Dogs" and Jesse Kellerman's (MFA '03) "Things Beyond Our Control." She is currently directing an original theater piece at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Laura Wickens ('02) is a company member of Blessed Unrest and an adjunct faculty member at Manhattanville College. "Nick," Laura's contemporary translation and adaptation of Chekov's "Ivanov," will premiere in NYC spring 2009.
Anthony Stockard ('08) performed in Classic Stage Company's "Old Comedy." He is cast in "The Surrogates" (2009) in a scene with Bruce Willis.
Andrew Eisenman ('90) starred in "Last Call on Bourbon Street," part of Living Image Arts' festival of one act plays. He made his NY theater deput with Ma-Yi Theater Company and subsequently served as Associate Director of Ma-Yi for five years. He has worked with various theater companies over the years. andreweisenman.com
Ramona Alexander ('08) performed in "Intimate Apparel" at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre.
Stephanie Dorian ('99) starred in New Jersey Repertory Company's production of "Women Who Steal."
Scott Barrow ('00) is the Director of Education for Stages on the Sound. He wrote and directed "The Birthmark" for the Hawthorne Festival.
Chris Faith ('00) has been nominated for three Barrymore Awards given for excellence in theatre. He has performed at the Wilma Theater, the Arden Theatre Company, the People's Light and Theatre, and the Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center. Chris and his wife own Dance Arts Collaborative, a children's performing arts school.
Michael Jarett ('07) was awarded the prestigious Gilbert Hemsley internship at Lincoln Center, where he assisted with lighting for the New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, and the Lincoln Center Festival.
Angie Jepson ('05) starred in Douglas Carter Beane's "The Little Dog Laughed," produced by SpeakEasy Stage Company.
Karla Kash ('99) is on tenure track at Drake University in Iowa.
Debbie Lamedman ('96) has written and edited multiple acting books including her latest Laying the Foundation for a Successful Acting Career. debbielamedman.com
Tanya Marten ('90) recently had a leading role in a film at the Chashama Film Festival. She performed in the Off-Off-Broadway premier of her play "Euphoric Tendencies" with Actors Repertory Theatre where she is the Managing Director. She continues working with the WorkShop Theater Company in NYC.
Celli Pitt ('03) has done several shows with the experimental company Blessed Unrest. She is participating in the reading of Laura Wickens' (MFA '02) adaptation of "Ivanov."
Ed Vassallo ('94) toured Japan as a member of a Japanese theater company. He has recently been funded to make a full length documentary of his experience.
Lainy Weaver ('02) (alias: Laiona Michelle) was nominated for the 2007 IRNE Awards for her performance in Merrimack Repertory Theatre's "Dinah Was."
Undergraduate
Sheldon Best ('08) is currently starring in SpeakEasy Stage Company's New England premiere of "The History Boys" running through June 22nd.
Samson Kohanski ('08) is currently starring in SpeakEasy Stage Company's New England premiere of "The History Boys" running through June 22nd. He will be in the Ensemble of Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of "As You Like It" July 18th-August 10th.
Jenny Paul ('07) is currently starring in "No More Waiting" from May 30th-June 29th. She is slated to perform as Dolly Tate in "Annie Get Your Gun" this August.
Becky Webber ('08) will play Audrey in Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of "As You Like It" July 18th-August 10th.
Larry Coen ('81) will play Touchstone in Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's production of "As You Like It" July 18th-August 10th.
Eli Schneider ('06) will be playing Orlando in Boomerang Theatre Company's production of "As You Like It" July 19th-August 10th. He recently finished his second run of "When the Lights Go On Again" at the Triad Theater in NYC. The show won the 2008 Backstage Bistro Award for Outstanding Revue.
Josh Mervis ('08) is training with SITI Company at their summer theater workshop, and is an Artistic Associate for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company.
Bill Folman ('98) recently released his first novel The Scandal Plan. billfolman.com
Eli Matzner ('08) will be a lighting design intern at the Huntington Theatre Company during their 2008-2009 season.
Dev Bondarin ('01) recently directed three pieces for Prospect Theater Company's 2007-2008 Dark Nights Series, which she curated and produced.
Jaime Carrillo ('98) has been a company member of The Classical Theatre of Harlem since 2003. He has performed abroad in Dublin and Winnipeg.
Julia Davis ("04) is a founder of Highwire Theatre.
Zack Foulkes ('05) is a member of a sketch group.
Evan Greene ('04) is a founder of Highwire Theatre.
Wayne Henry ('98) made his Off-Broadway debut with a leading role in David Bell's "The Play About the Naked Guy."
Janet Kim ('04) is a member of Mud/Bone Lab in the Bronx.
Jill Landaker ('04) is a founder of Highwire Theatre.
Rachel Peters ('99) recently scored "Stretch (a fantasia)" which she also conducted and played the typewriter for. She composed the music for Tisch School of the Arts' "Only Children."
*To add information to The Callboard please contact Alyssa Avis.*