In Blume Alumni Newsletter

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From left, Reneé Rapp, John Pope and Sean Mason

On The Rise RENEÉ RAPP

Even though she graduated high school only two years ago,

Blumey Best Actress Winner 2018

playbill.com/person/renee-rapp

@reneemj @reneemjrapp Renee' MJ Rapp

Reneé Rapp has wasted no time taking the

industry by storm. Best Actress winner in both the 2018 Blumeys and the 2018 Jimmys®, Reneé is currently starring as Regina George in Mean Girls on Broadway, which she booked after living in NYC for only two months! Known for her confidence and vocal ability, she performed at the 2018 Supergirl Pro Surf and Musical Festival and The Educational Theatre Foundation's Broadway Back to School event prior to her casting offer for Mean Girls. While growing up in Charlotte, Reneé began writing her own songs, taking inspiration from classic pop and R&B. This year, Reneé says her biggest goal is to launch her music career further.

Though his time at Blumenthal Performing Arts placed him on the theatrical stage,

John Pope

has now

transitioned to the big screen. His most recent release is A Deadly Legend, but this casting was connected to his work on an earlier project, She Came from the Woods. John is excited to attend an upcoming film festival tour that will also feature another project he has been working on titled Animal Heart. Not only is John acting in this 20-minute dark comedy, he is credited with writing and directing it as well. He said working as an actor has been invaluable for his spirit because “it teaches people patience, determination, self-honesty, and most importantly, how to listen to someone else.” John believes that all students deserve a chance to study and pursue things they are most passionate about and for those that do, "just keep going!"

SEAN MASON

Mary Doctor Scholarship Winner 2016 & Loonis McGlohon Young Jazz Artist Competition Winner 2014

www.seanmasonofficial.com

@_SEANMASON @SEANMASONOFFICIAL SEAN MASON TRIO

JOHN POPE

Mary Doctor Scholarship Winner 2013 http://imdb.me/johnpope

@itsjohnpope @imjohnpope @Imjohnpope

Having recently moved to New York City to follow his passions as a pianist and a composer,

Sean Mason

keeps very busy. He is studying at Juiliard, doing some “side man" work, and his jazz band, The Sean Mason Trio, has a residency at Smalls Jazz Club. Sean created this group so that he could play his own music about his experiences; one of his favorite pieces is “Southern Suite,” which addresses Southern culture. As an individual artist, Sean worked with his mentor Branford Marsalis on the soundtrack for the feature film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020). Sean’s most recent work has been as the musical director for Center Play by Vie Boheme. Sean’s goal in 2020 is to book his band for more live performances around the world and share the musical suites that he wrote to further enhance the lives of his audiences, impacting them in a positive way.


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Blumenthal Backtrack

SPOTLIGHT ON: ARTISTS & ADVOCATES Hannah-Kathryn Wall:

“HK”

is

a

sophomore

at

Western

1

Carolina

What is your favorite Blumenthal memory?

University and has already been involved in well over 10 theatrical events on campus — from main stage productions to student productions and

"Performing at the Blumeys!" —

auditions. This spring semester, she was cast in Hamlet as Polonius, and in February 2020, HK attended SETC, the Southeastern Theatre Conference. She really enjoyed the idea of unified professional auditions because she feels it has the performer's best interests at heart.

"Charlotte Squawks, haha!" —

Emily Kohn

Mark Nichols

"When I saw the helicopter used for Miss Saigon up close." —

Lexi Tooker

Blumey Best Supporting Actress Winner 2017 & Mary Doctor Scholarship Winner 2018 "Showing my portfolio for the Gordon Hayes Scholarship" —

Sophie Feher

"Watching the Barber of Seville" —

Jennifer Balaj

"Petting a tiger and a lemur in the news station, getting a tour of Snug Harbor at 9 a.m., and ending up in a Facebook Live video on press" —

Ryan McKeel:

Greensboro, Ryan spends a lot of time supporting those acclimating to university life in their identities as queer students. Part of Ryan’s research includes

how

Kitty Janvrin

In working with Queer Student Support Services at UNC

trauma-informed

art

therapy

can

benefit

the

healing

"When I took my older sisters to see The Lion King in 2018 for the first time!" —

Jennifer Tisdale-Gherardi

process of these students as they use their art form and art therapies to reclaim their stories and identities. One of Ryan’s goals in this field is to

"Mr. Beck meeting me and my mom for coffee to

bring a full-time art therapist to trauma and violence response centers on

discuss 'what I need to do to take his job.'”

campus.

On

the

horizon,

Ryan

hopes

to

achieve

a

Ph.D.

in

Cultural

Caitlin Herlihy

Foundations of Higher Education!

Blumenthal Intern Summer 2018

Getting to play with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra! - Veronica Leahy

Zane Nettles Theron: Zane

quickly

learned

Though he was first interested in sound design, that

his

passions

were

in

the

Baldwin

Wallace

University prop shop. Now, he has prop mastered over 15 shows! What he loves

most

about

working

in

props

is

finding

the

balance

between

detailing, while working on a wide breadth of objects and projects. Every day is a new challenge. After graduation in May 2020, Zane hopes to

#2020GOALS Apply to grad school -

Caitlin Herlihy

Learn a fourth language Travel to Europe -

return to the Williamstown Theatre Festival this summer.

Gordon Hay Scholarship Winner 2016

Amore Allen

Pass the N.C. Bar Exam -

Zeinab Caskey

Khalil Cabble

Write and record an album Make the Dean’s List -

- Sam Gatlin

Camillia Ligon

Get out of my comfort zone -

Abigail Brown

Volunteer at the local symphony Engage in local politics Get my writing out there-

- Ana Dell

Eric Figueroa Talia Buksbazen

Admission into the Teacher Education program -

Dequarius Jackson

Have an interesting story to share?

Send it, along with a photo, to

TPrudenti@blumenthalarts.org.


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