ON THE HILL
Alumni panelists on campus to celebrate the new lab theatre space. L to r, top row: Robert O. Berdahl ’90, Cheryl Downey ’66, Peter Breitmayer ’87, Sara Brown ’01, Christian DeMarais ’11; l to r, second row: Britta Joy Peterson ’08, Nicholas Dillenburg ’09, Betsy Maloney ’97. Their credits include the Guthrie, the Met, the Kennedy Center, the Shakespeare Theatre Company, the Director’s Guild of America, and numerous movie, television, and Broadway productions. They are talented, and they are Gusties. “Talent will get you a ways, but being a good person will take you so much farther,” said Peterson.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | SUMMER 2020
INTRODUCING THE ROB AND JUDY GARDNER LABORATORY THEATRE
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It was a who’s who of notable Gustavus
and off,” he said. Britta Joy Peterson ’08
Many in the crowd had taken classes or
Adolphus College Department of Theatre
(Director of Dance, American University
performed with Gardner during his 36
and Dance alumni as supporters and friends
in Washington, D.C.) cited the support
years at Gustavus. After the name unveiling,
gathered in February to open the Rob and
of faculty members Michele Rusinko and
Gardner spoke warmly about his time at
Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre, the new
Melissa Rolnick even after leaving Gustavus.
Gustavus as well as the role Judy played: She
3,000-foot flexible space between Anderson
“I invested in my body, I invested in my
was present for every evening production.
Theatre and the addition to the Nobel Hall
mentors, and I invested in my craft,”
of Science.
she said. Peter Breitmayer ’87 (the TV
showing of You’re Invited! A New Creation
The evening kicked off with a panel of
The evening was capped by a special
series Fargo, the movies Fantastic Beasts
by the Moving Company. It was devised
alums from across the decades. Christian
and Where to Find Them and the Coen
by a team of students and the professional
DeMarais ’11 (Netflix series Maniac)
brothers’ A Serious Man) honored professor
theatre group, led by Steve Epp ’80.
talked about successes, failures, and the
emeritus Gardner, who gave him a sense of
importance of community instilled in him
stability as a student. “He was a professor,
support of Linda Gulder Huett ’66, whose
at Gustavus. “You can’t get through this
but he was also like a father,” he said.
generosity was instrumental in the creation
without people around you, both on stage
Rob and Judy were the stars of the event.
President Bergman recognized the
of the theatre.
