Poo-Wá-Bah 2008-2009

Page 1

HOFSTRA DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA AND DANCE

NOVEMBER 2009, Vol. XVIII, No. 1

The Poo-Wรก-Bah 2008-09


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009

November, 2009 Volume XVIII, Issue 1

Footloose, Fall ’08

Photo by Rych Curtiss

In This Issue… 1

Greetings from the Chair

Greetings from the Chair

2

2008-2009 Drama

Season

4

2009 Drama and Dance Graduates and Awards

5

2008-2009 Dance Program

10 Spotlight on…

12

Alumni News

36 Faculty, Former Faculty and Staff

Jean Dobie Giebel What an amazing year we’ve had! The Department of Drama and Dance continues to grow and develop as the University provides us with new and exciting opportunities and challenges. The Presidential Debate and surrounding Debate ’08 series of events kept the entire campus buzzing. I know the students involved in our fall production of The Great White Hope will never forget being in rehearsal for a historic play that focuses on the battle against racism on the night President Barack Obama was elected. As chair, introducing the The Great White Hope Symposium the next day was one of my proudest moments. We’re really starting to feel at home in our new facilities, while still exploring ways in which we can optimize their use. The technology upgrade of the Emily and Jerry Spiegel Theater (previously known as the Little Theater) is set to begin in December 2009, and we are actively working with former Hofstra student Neil Miller (’77) on devising a full multimedia package to be installed in the Black Box Theater. Although the economic downturn has hit some of our families hard, enrollment for 2009-2010 is up and we are forging ahead. The past year was enriched by the return of several alumni to campus to participate in teaching. John Giampetro (’93) continues to teach Theater Appreciation and Acting Workshop, Andreas Tselepos (’04) joined us to teach some overflow classes as well. Andreas and I have had discussions about developing a study abroad program for Drama majors in Greece, and I hope to pursue that more in depth in 2010. John Leone (’85, B’way casts of Les Miserablés and Jersey Boys) also joined the faculty, directing a very successful 2009 Senior Showcase.

We welcomed new faculty member PeiChi Su, and with additional support from the Dr. Frank A. Calderone Endowment Fund we were able to again bring exciting special guest artists to campus including Director/Choreographer Brett Smock, Musical Director Jason Tucker, and Set Designer Jen Price. We were also able to bring in Equity Actor Damon Pooser as an acting and dialect coach on The Great White Hope. The Presidential Scholar program allowed us to bring playwright Luis Alfaro, MacArthur Genius Award winner, to campus to participate in rehearsals of his play Electricidad, as well as a number of other student-centered events. The dance program, again with support from the Calderone Endowment, invited guest artists Judith Moss, Curt Haworth, Jill Sigman, and Ed Winslow, and named the first Calderone Fellow, choreographer Trisha Brown. So it’s been another busy year, but I was able during the summer months to squeeze in a trip to the West Coast and thanks to Amy (Broder) Maimon (’02), was able to reconnect not only with Amy, but Dorian (Brown) Pham (’02), Jeremy Cohenour (’01), Joe Cocozza (’04), Jon Durante (’99), Kirsten Scoles (’04), Eric Wilson (’03), and Andrew Zimmer (’03). What a great day in LA! I’m gratified to know our alums are creating a network of support across the country, and that Hofstra has played such a positive role in your lives. Please take a moment to email us or call the office and make sure we have your up-to-date contact information, including current email address or webpage, and help us get in touch with lost alums if you can. We have plans to move the Poo-wábah online in 2009! Love to you all!

Jean 1


The Department of Drama and Dance

The 2008-2009 Drama Season Photographs by Rych Curtiss

The Drama Program opened an exciting season with a workshop production of Electricidad by Luis Alfaro, a retelling of Sophocles’ Electra set in the Los Angeles barrio. Electricidad was the recipient of a prestigious production grant from The Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays. During the rehearsal process, Mr. Alfaro was in residence at Hofstra as a Presidential Scholar. The production was directed by Professor Peter Sander, with fight choreography by Professor Robert Westley, and set design by Shop Manager Lynn Wheat, lighting and sound design by production manager James Hart, and costume design by student designer Electricidad, Fall 2008 Alexandra Rubin. In October, the Drama Program kicked off the new interdisciplinary Musical Theater Minor with a production of Footloose, based on the hit 1984 film, stage adaptation by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie, music by Tom Snow, lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and additional music by Eric Carmen, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Loggins, and Jim Steinman. The production was a featured activity during Parent’s Weekend, and brought in a team of special guest artists including director/choreographer Brett Smock, musical director Jason Tucker, and set designer Jen Price. Costumes were designed by costume shop manager Cheryl McCarron, lighting design was by Professor Rychard Curtiss, and sound design was by Charlie Greico (’99).

Footloose, Fall 2008

2

The fall semester closed with our production of The Great White Hope by Howard Sackler, produced in conjunction with the Hofstra Cultural Center Conference, “The Greatest: From Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali”.

The Great White Hope, Fall The Great White Hope tells the fictionalized story of boxer Jack Johnson (called “Jack Jefferson” in the play) who, in 1908, became the first African-American heavyweight champion of the world. Equity Actor Damon Pooser served as acting coach and technical advisor on the production, which took student actors to Gleason’s Gym for training. The production was directed by Professor Royston Coppenger and featured costumes by new faculty designer Professor PeiChi Su. Sound and multi-media were designed by Professor Rychard Curtiss. Student designers included set designer Sarah Reeb, and lighting designer Henraj Budhram, and the staff also included student musical director Stephanie Leke and student fight director Travis Youssef.


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 In addition to department shows, the students continue to fill every moment of their free time with creative projects, and sometimes the faculty get in the act! For example, at the end of fall semester, the long running Cabaret favorite, the serial On the Rocks: the Unsolved Mysteries of Jack and Sal written by seniors Louis Aquiler and Chris D’Amato had its final performance on the Spiegel Stage. The performance was attended by current students, alumni, faculty, and friends, and featured cameo appearances by Professors Peter Sander and Jean Giebel. Professor David Henderson’s sabbatical project, a film of Episode Two “The Rusty Trombone”, was screened in the Student Center Theater in the Spring, and is making the short film festival rounds.

student designer Alexandra Rubin. lighting design was by production manager James Hart.

The 60th Annual Shakespeare Festival opened with a production of The Tempest featuring Hofstra’s own Professor Peter Sander in the role of “Prospero”. The production was directed by Dr. James J. Kolb with set design by Professor David Henderson, costume design was by Professor Pei-Chi Su, lighting design was by production manager James Hart, sound design was by Professor Rychard Curtiss and featured choreography by student choreographer Samantha Amaral.

The Ghost Sonata, Spring 2009 The Drama Program’s production season was rounded out by a production of the modern classic, The Ghost Sonata by August Strindberg, considered one of the seminal plays of the last century. The production was directed by Adjunct Professor Edward Elefterion, winner of the New York Innovative Theater Award for Best Director, with costume designs by Professor Pei-Chi Su, lighting design by Professor Rychard Curtiss, sound design by Professor David Henderson, and set design by student designer Sarah Reeb. In addition to “such stuff as dreams The Tempest, 2009festival are made on…”Spring the annual performance of the Hofstra Collegium Musicum under the direction of Professor William E. Hettrick, the now annual Hofstra High School Shakespeare Touring Company performed Something Wicked: a one-hour Macbeth adapted by festival dramaturg Professor Maureen Connolly McFeely and directed by Professor Robert Westley who also provided fight choreography. The set design was provided by student designer Jenna Lyons, and costume design was by Something Wicked, Spring 2009

3


The Department of Drama and Dance

Senior Showcase Participants, May 2008-2009 Graduates B.A. in Drama: Louis Aquiler

Raphael Benoit

Jeremy Benson

Kyle T. Cheng

Lamar

Missy Dowse

Ariya

Lily Goodman

Lea Marie

Laura Henry

Rafael Benoit Chelsea Chrostowski Elyse Emmerling Kelly Long Jenna Lyons Kristine Murphy Laura Pennick Landeric Pierre Rebecca Powers Alisa Vogel

B.A. in Dance:

Casey Killoran

Jillian Lawton

Patrick Marran

Kristen Novak

Richard Pepio

Alexis

Charlie Rolphs

Kelly Wadler

Casey O’Keefe

And Alexandra H. Rubin, Directing/Costume Design Sarah Reeb, Scenic Design

Drama Awards 2008 - 2009 Outstanding FreshmanKaitlin Donel Outstanding SophomoreKeith Pinau Outstanding Junior Ashley Kotter Outstanding Senior Kyle Cheng D. H. Swinney Award

Sarah Reeb

Technical Awards

Rory Levin Kevin Harvel Elizabeth Nosewicz

Acting Awards

Casey Killoran Lamar Cheston Steve Spera Chelsea Fratti

B.F.A. in Theater Arts

Distinguished Service Awards Peter Fogel Richard Pepio Rebecca Powers Sarah Biesinger Laura Pennick Citation of Merit Rosenthal Award Noonan Award

Alexandra Rubin Steven Spera Alexandra Rubin

Dance Award 2008 - 2009 Dance Endowed Scholarship

4

Hanna Abdelhamid Autumn Dolan Nicola Duncan Cassidy Farrell Allison Finkelstein Brittney Gallima Maria Leto Kelly Long Katherine McNeely Amanda Rack Jenna Schroeder Emily Sewell Allison Sproat Nadia Swanson

Kristen Collins

Performance: Louis Aquiler Kyle Cheng Ariya Ghahramani Lily Goodman Lea Heller Laura Henry Casey Killoran Lillian Lawton Patrick Marran Casey O’Keefe Richard Pepio Alexis Rhiannon Charles Rholfs Kelly Wadler


Poo-Wรก-Bah, 2008-2009

The Year in Dance Through Photos: 2008-09 Dance Program Season

FALL 2008

THE CORNER CHOREOGRAPHER: DYANE HARVEY-SALAAM

BACH & FORWARD CHOREOGRAPHER: MAXINE STEINMAN

BLUFEET CHOREOGRAPHER: KARLA WOLFANGLE

5


The Department of Drama and Dance

ARC CHOREOGRAPHER: JUDITH MOSS

BOX FUGUE CHOREOGRAPHER: RACHEL LIST

NEW PLACES, NEW FACES CHOREOGRAPHER: TERESA PEREZ

6


Poo-Wรก-Bah, 2008-2009

SPRING 2009

LIMINAL WATERS CHOREOGRAPHER: CURT HAWORTH COMING OF AGE CHOREOGRAPHER: EDWARD WINSLOW

GALAXIES CHOREOGRAPHER: ROBIN BECKER

7


The Department of Drama and Dance

CANTO/PIANTO CHOREOGRAPHER: TRISHA BROWN

AMERICAN REDUX CHOREOGRAPHER : JILL SIGMAN

COMING DOWN CHOREOGRAPHER: ANITA FELDMAN

8


Poo-Wรก-Bah, 2008-2009

AHRC

DANCE EDUCATION

9


The Department of Drama and Dance

Spotlight on… Holly Christ Kearney (’91) by Anne Noonan “this was the big time” - nothing like her little high school drama club’s one play per year. Almost immediately, she took a job as an usher at the John Cranford Adams Playhouse, made friends, settled into the rigors of academia, and took an active role in the Drama Department.

By her junior year in high school HOLLY CHRIST KEARNEY (‘91) knew that she wanted to pursue a college career as a drama major. The only question was, “Where?” She wanted to stay in New York where she was born and raised and not be too far from home. After visiting many campuses, she fell in love with Hofstra. It was springtime and tulips were everywhere! She toured the drama department and the then-new dorms at Colonial Square. She could definitely picture making Hofstra her home for the next four years. She remembers getting her acceptance

Drama 55 was, for her, a great way to get immersed into the life of the department. One of her first big responsibilities was as props crew chief for the Shakespeare Festival. It was also Professor Peter Sander’s first year as department chair. Getting to know this new administrator and getting to know her way around the humongous prop room at the playhouse was “nothing compared to getting the money to buy fresh fish every week”, (a key prop in The Merchant of Venice), from Mrs. Noonan. “She was the most important person in that office (as far as I was concerned) and I didn’t want to make a mistake.” Holly had no idea how much fish cost or her way around Hempstead to buy them – and she worried abut asking “Mrs. Noonan who was always so busy”. But it turned out not too busy to tell her where to buy the fish in Hempstead. Eventully, in that office, Holly said “I would find my home

“This was the big time.” letter and going to the Drama and Dance Department before her first semester was to start. Prof. Van Wart was chairman at the time and was interviewing Holly and several of her soon-to-be new classmates. “I was so intimidated by him”. She remembers thinking

10

away from home” and – (as her own mother still refers to Mrs. Noonan) – my “second mother”. She soon became a student aide in the Department of Drama and Dance, took many dance classes and was a member of “Danceworks” club (she grew up

dancing at her mother’s studio on Long Island), was treasurer of Alpha Psi Omega , had minor roles in plays along the way but became more involved in the behind the scenes roles including stage managing Hamlet her senior year. “I loved it. It was hard work but tons of fun.” Peter Sander directed the play and “I had an amazing cast and crew to work with.” She says she learned so much that year, not only on the set but from wonderful teachers like Peter, Dr. Mason, and Dr. Kolb.

After graduation, Holly decided to give it a go in New York City with her friend, Rita McCaffrey (‘91). They shared an apartment and knew so many recent graduates who had moved into New York around the same time – close friend Jef Hall (‘91), Theresa Basani (‘91), Michael Surabian (‘90), Sarah Hartman (‘90), and Richard Omar (‘89). She had managed to work in retail by day and work as a stage manager by night in several shows during the time she lived in NYC. Her neighbor was a then


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009

off-off Broadway director who has since become a Broadway AD. She remembers introducing herself as a “stage manager” and he just happened to need one for a new show he was directing. She felt so lucky and was more than qualified to fill the role. The education she received from Hofstra had more than prepared her for NYC. “Compared to the Shakespeare festival, it was almost easy!” Having meaningful work and many nice friends made city life better, but Holly didn’t enjoy city living. Her family back

James were married in 1996. When she began teaching, she started in a high school at Syosset. The school was also looking for a choreographer for their senior spring musical. Having a background in dance and theater, she took on that role for three seasons. Her second year she taught an eleventh grade English honors class that was studying Hamlet, of all plays! She remembers thinking what a breeze it was. Years later, she still had every line practically

children. She loved it and decided to go back to school for a second teacher’s certificate in Special Education. She didn’t think twice as to which school to attend. Now living in Nassau County, Hofstra was a mere ten minute drive. “I used to visit Mrs. Noonan and Peter Sander on her way to post-graduate classes.” Today, Holly and her husband, James (who she met at a dance club a year after graduation) have two children – Nicholas who is eleven and Mary Sophia who is

“Jump right in and pursue you dreams…” on Long Island was moving, her sister and fellow Hofstra graduate Heather (‘91) was getting married and home was calling. She continued to work, commuting from Long Island for a while until she decided to go back to school for a Master’s degree in education. She worked summers at a day camp in Stony Brook teaching drama classes to children and directing plays for three years. It was during this time that she met her future husband, James. Holly graduated from Stony Brook University with her Master’s Degree in Teaching English in 1995, and she and

memorized from her stage management days at Hofstra. The English chair came in one day for a classroom observation and wrote Holly a letter of recommendation that included high praise for her mastery of the subject! After Syosset, she worked at a middle school in Lynbrook and also became the Drama Club Director. She was quickly realizing that having a background in theater arts made her a desirable teacher because schools were always looking for someone to work in their after school programs. While there, she worked with special needs

eight. She has been working for The Little Village School in Seaford, NY as a special education teacher for almost five years. “It is a very rewarding job.” Having summers off is “a great excuse to go back to camp life as a drama teacher and director at a local day camp to which I can bring my children, as well.” She also continues to teach dance classes at her mother’s studio once a week. “My daughter is one of my fantastic students!” Two careers later, she still utilizes her Bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts from Hofstra. Most recently, she taught a four week creative drama course at her daughter’s elementary school. She’s not sure who had more fun, her or the children! She continues to keep in touch with Anne Noonan and Peter Sander and gets to Hofstra when she can to see the latest Shakespeare festival. When asked for some advice for recent grads, Holly replied: “Jump right in and pursue your dreams. Figure out what is most important to you. And remember that having an education will benefit you for the rest of your life in ways that you may not realize today.”

11


The Department of Drama and Dance

Alumni News Class of ’41 Ruccione, Martha (Smith) deceased.

-

Class of ’55 See, Joan (Palmer) - has been a working actor since the late 50’s; has worked in television, theater and film and made over 200 commercials, on-camera and voiceover; founded and serves as Artistic Director of The School for Film and Television, NYC which is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre and specializes in training actors for film and television performances; the School is also a training studio for Hofstra’s BFA theater students; its studios also serve the professional casting community who use the space to cast major motion pictures, theater and television projects.

Class of ’56 Ingram, Dan - DJ for MTV, CBSFM; vice president, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists; freelance voice-overs.

Class of ’58 Hirsch, Howard - advertising executive who switched occupations a few years ago and built his own theatre, Park Road Playhouse, in West Hartford, CT; married with three daughters and six granddaughters (one of whom is a Hofstra drama grad).

Class of ’59 Oliansky, Joel screenwriter, LA.

-

deceased;

Class of ’60 Colby, Ronald producer/screenwriter, L.A. Coppola, Francis Ford - wrote original screenplay for movie, Tetro, released June ’09; directed film, Youth Without Youth (Dec. ’07); received the D.W. Griffith Award from the Directors Guild of America; three of his movies were

12

voted among the 100 best films by the American Film Institute; directed film version of John Grisham's The Rainmaker; director Godfather movies, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Tucker: The Man And His Dream; his Godfather Trilogy was released as a special edition DVD; executive producer of a new UPN show, Platinum, about hip-hop lifestyle in NYC,(his daughter, Sophia, is a cocreator); received a Golden Eagle film award (Russia’s version of the Oscar) from President Vladimir Putin (Feb. ’05); owns a winery in Napa Valley and is a partner in a small, old-fashioned pasta factory in Brooklyn; owns lodges in Belize and Guatemala where (according to an article in the NY Times) one can experience “being at a private club for experienced travelers hip to the notion of exploring, preserving and celebrating the indigenous culture without sacrificing laundry service and a wine list.” Kazan, Lainie (Levine) - singer, actress; appeared with fellow alum, Robert Davi, at Hofstra Playhouse (fall ’08); appeared on TV show Boston Legal (fall ’08); performed “old standards” at Adams Playhouse (June ’07); appeared in last episodes of King of Queens (spring ’07); appeared in TV movie, The Engagement Ring; played Fran Drescher’s mother on TV sitcom, Living With Fran (Feb. ’06); appeared in the film, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Rutheiser, Harvey - retired and living in Vermont where he has been performing at various venues: at the Old Castle Theatre Company in productions of A View from the Bridge and The Man Who Came to Dinner and at the Dorset Theatre in The Night of the Iguana.

Class of ’61 Contini, Anita - Vice President of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., the agency overseeing the renewal of Ground Zero and its memorial; in 1999 worked at Merrill Lynch as vice president for cultural sponsorships and global events marketing; in 1986, artistic director at the World Financial Center, bringing art downtown in the form

of free exhibits, performances and lectures; founding director of Creative Time, a non-profit organization that borrows unused or vacant New York spaces for public art projects. Koenig, Stuart H. - retired from teaching grades 5 and 6 after 35 years with the Bellmore School District. Lee, Peter - freelance writer, photographer and musician living in East Northport, LI.

Class of ’62 Serabian, Lorraine - received Hofstra Estabrook Alumni Award; starred in production of Hello Dolly! for Hofstra USA productions; starred in production of Master Class; Tony nomination for role of The Leader in Zorba; Helen Hayes Award for Show Me Where the Good Times Are. Wilgenkamp, Jr., Jan - Music Ed major but involved with Drama Department during his time at Hofstra; appeared in Hofstra USA’s summer productions. Zaback, Patricia (Nappi) Producing director, Broadhollow Theatre, LI.

Class of ’63 Lewis, Irene - Artistic Director, Baltimore Center Stage; directed production of The Skin of Our Teeth with John Goodman for the New York Shakespeare Festival, Central Park. Passuello, Al (Tank) - retired as Director of Playhouse Facilities at Hofstra. Persky (Rutkow) Diane advertising and marketing executive; own agency, P/R Associates; still active in theatre, has acted in several Equity showcases of original plays and in regional theatre. Schaub, Owen - MA, Indiana University ’68, PhD Kent State University, ’78; professor of theatre at Butler University, Indianapolis since 1980; prior to 1980 taught at colleges and universities in Hawaii, Canada and South Carolina. Sica, Carol - Assistant to the President, Director of Special Events, Manhattanville College.


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009

Class of ’64 Kahn, Madeline (deceased) starred with Bill Cosby in TV sitcom, Cosby, and in Mel Brooks’ film, Young Frankenstein. Michlin, Barry - Arm & Hammer Baking soda commercials for 9 years as well as film, TV and theatre; second career in photography - featured in Julia Childs' book Cooking with Master Chefs, work exhibited at Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Rubin, Don - living in Toronto; general editor of Routledge’s sixvolume World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre, which took 15 years to complete; the series includes volumes on Europe, The Americas, Asia/Oceania, The Arab World and the final volume is an International Theatre Bibliography; has traveled around the world the last dozen years lecturing on a range of topics; has been teaching Drama at York University in Toronto since 1969 and was chair of the Theatre Department for 4 years; spent several years as a theatre critic in New Haven and Toronto; founded and edited the Canadian Theatre Review from 1974-1982. Schulman, Susan - director, Broadway production of Little Women; directed A Connecticut Yankee at City Center and Time and Again at Manhattan Theatre Club; directed revival of Sound of Music at the Martin Beck Theatre, NYC and Man of LaMancha at Stratford, Ontario. Sullivan, Susan - appeared in TV show, Castle, on ABC TV (Sept. '09), starred in Buffalo Gal at Primary Stages, NYC (August ’08); starred in An Act of Love at Falcon Theatre, (March-April ’08); participated in a benefit reading (for the Drama and Dance Dept.) Of Agnes of God (March ’07); appeared in TV drama, Brothers and Sisters; TV sitcom Two and a Half Men; major roles in TV series Another World, Julie Farr, M.D., Falconcrest, Dharma and Greg (Kitty); performed in Off-Broadway production of The Fourth Wall; Emmy nominations for Rich Man,

Poor Man Book II and Julie Farr, MD; appeared in film My Best Friend’s Wedding; long-time Tylenol spokesperson; many stage performances on and off Broadway; makes ongoing contribution to the department by funding the Susan Sullivan Award which is given out yearly at the department awards dinner.

Class of ’65 Ludlam, Charles (deceased) founder and former artistic director of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company in Manhattan; in February ’05 Lincoln Center Library hosted a panel on him and his company. Mikulewicz, Bil - married to an architectural lighting consultant, Sara Schrager; they have two daughters; working at CBS as a computer/designer television person in Production Services where he “sits in front of a computer, and for once in my life know more about something than anyone else around”; spent most of his career as a television designer beginning with scenery for Capt. Kangaroo; worked at ABC designing mostly news and sports and esigned Milennium New Year’s Eve set; was the Production Designer for the World Wrestling Federation; also worked on soaps, morning shows, cable shows and as a union scenic artist.

Class of ’66 Bell, Richard - National Director, Young Audiences, NYC. Carine, Edwin T. - former Director of Admissions at Hofstra ('57-'66); was very involved with Drama Department; resides in Davenport, FL.; appeared in commercials, TV, film, and in many productions at Theatre Winter Haven in Florida, where he also wrote and directed the mystery play, Borderline; formerly practiced law in NYC as a public defender. Clark, Mort - Vice President, International Amateur Theatre Association; professor at Westchester Community College, Performing Arts Department. Repole, Charles - Chairman of the Drama, Theatre and Dance

Department at Queens College; past directing assignments include George M starring Joel Gray, Zorba starring Anthony Quinn, and Call Me Madam starring Leslie Uggams; appeared on Broadway in Whoopee (Drama Desk nomination) and Very Good Eddie (Tony nomination).

Class of ’67 Lawrence, William - retired high school drama teacher, Farmingdale, NY; has done work Off-Broadway, regional theatre, TV commercials and is a drama and literature teacher at Elderhostels in the south. McGuire, Deirdre - see faculty notes. Moore, Robert (Oscar E.) playwright whose work, The King’s Mare, was produced at the Caldwell Theatre Company, Boca Raton, Fl; co-wrote The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde, which was performed at the New York Musical Festival (Sept. ’05); has written Unwanted-The Very Ugly Duckling and Pig O’ My Heart for children’s theatre and, with his collaborator, Michael Aman, wrote Masada, A Musical Drama developed at the BMI Musical Theater Workshop; Antigone - a Musical Comedy Tragedy and Trish at 10:00. Pokrovsky, Alexis - living in Paris, France; United Nations diplomat, responsible for coordinating UNESCO’s educational assistance programs and projects in developing countries; previously worked in Ghana; was also managing performing arts programs and projects for UNESCO for 10 years; “theater is still in my heart and blood - indeed, I have written and produced a play here in France (Crabes a la Coco) and have ideas for others when I can find the time”; sends best wishes to the whole “playhouse gang”. Starr, Billy (Bo) (MA '69) freelance actor; Goodfellas, Born on the Fourth of July.

Class of ’68 Dennehy, Edward - directed Steel Magnolias at Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, L.I. ; director, Hofstra USA theatre offerings.

13


The Department of Drama and Dance Morgan, Tom - married (Terry) daughter (Heather - who is going to make them grandparents in October); retired as Senior Layout Carpenter for Showman Fabricators, a IA local 4 shop in Brooklyn working on sets for CNN, CNBC, NBC, CBS and ABC (worked with Pete Rosenberg); will be spending September in New Zealand and Australia; “I am enjoying retirement and enjoy seeing shows rather than building them. I highly recommend it.” Morton, Joe - TV and theatre performer, NYC; starred in Stealth with Jamie Foxx; appeared with Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman in John Woo’s Paycheck, Will Smith in Ali; Kevin Costner in Dragonfly and Gwyneth Paltrow in Bounce; appeared on episode of TV show, Boston Legal (May ’08); one of the narrators on the Ken Burns documentary, Jazz, and the eightpart Speed, Executive Decision, The Astronaut’s Wife, Blues Brothers 2000, m Tap with Gregory Hines, and Gary Sinese’s Of Mice and Men; Tony Award Nominee for Walter Lee Younger in the musical Raisin; played Serge in Art on Broadway with Judd Hirsch and George Wendt, and later reprised the role on the London stage; played Colin Powell in David Hare’s Stuff Happens at the National Theatre of London; TV includes starring roles in Equal Justice, Under One Roof, and Tribeca for Fox (for which he also directed an episode); recurring role on Smallville and multiple episodes of CSI: NY and the pilot for NBC’s E-Ring.

Class of ’69 Carnelia, Craig - composer, singer, pianist, cabaret performer with Maureen Silliman; wrote lyrics for Broadway production of Imaginary Friends; co-wrote with Marvin Hamlisch the score for Sweet Smell of Success; wrote numbers for new version of musical Studs Terkel's Working? for which he received a Tony nomination; was featured in a New York Times article entitled “Where Have All the Lyric Writers Gone”.

14

Dennehy, Sue Anne (Senff) teaches in BOCES (Magnet School System on LI; appeared in Steel Magnolias at Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts (Nov. ’07) Huber, Eugene - deceased. Rubin, Jason - PhD from NYU '91; teaching at Washington College in Chestertown, MD and Loyola College in Baltimore; freelance director and set designer. Silliman, Maureen - with Craig Carnelia, produced and recorded award winning cabaret show Pictures in the Hall. Trapani, Lou MPA, CUNY/Baruch College (’87); producing director and member of the Board of Directors of The Center for Performing Arts at Rhinebeck, a new $1 million facility dedicated to showcasing Hudson Valley playwrights, designers, directors, actors, opera singers, classical dancers, concert performers, symphonic orchestras, string quartets, jazz trios, rock and roll bands, and performance artists. Pilo, Carl - has been running the allvolunteer Actors Theatre Playhouse out of Brattleboro, Vermont for the last thirty five years, head quartered for the last twenty in a seventy five seat black box in the ballroom of a deserted Grange Hall just across the CT river in NH. Having way too much fun directing and producing just about anything he likes including Main Stage Productions, Staged Readings, One Act & Ten Minute Play Festivals and just generally exploring material with actors sitting around the office with Table Reads. When not engaged at the Playhouse, he enjoys a different class of people when he teaches Bocce Ball to the original Settlers, and plays Old Farts Softball (taught to him by the Techies...who can ever forget Dan Held's catch of Tom Morgan's long fly ball?) Loves seeing the 'old gang' whenever in NYC and hearing everyone's adventures. Drop a line at (ATP@sover.net)

Schwartz, Louise (VanBrink) completed the Harvard Institute on the Media and American Democracy, a seven-day program at Harvard taught by senior faculty and joined by a number of America's best known news reporters, editors, and media executives; was awarded a Fellowship from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation enabling her to attend the Institute tuition free; at Oyster Bay High School, is the advisor to the school newspaper, The Harbour Voice, which won second place for feature writing in Newsday's School Journalism Awards. Wagner, Thomas - freelance actor, New York.

Class of ’71

Class of ’70

Burstein, John - freelance actor, NYC; children's shows, PBS. Iacangelo, Peter - married, three children, living in California; appeared in movie, Fight Club, with Brad Pitt; recently finished writing his first book; appeared on Broadway in The Three Penny Opera, Blood Brothers; appeared in film, The Fight Club; on TV in recurring role on Hill Street Blues; supporting role in the HBO miniseries, The Rat; appearances in The Practice, Becker, The Drew Carey Show, St. Elsewhere, Cagney & Lacey, Night Court, Cheers, Murphy Brown and on Down the Shore where he worked with fellow alums Phil Rosenthal (writer) and Tom McGowan (Eddie); works as volunteer with Special Olympics since 1981. Johnson, Mel, Jr. - appeared in Venus at the Martinson Theater of The Joseph Papp Public Theater, NYC; living in LosAngeles. Lederer, Suzanne (Freilich) freelance actress, living in Santa Fe; several guest spots on TV. Peterson, Melinda - continues to do theatre at regionals around the country; performed on The Great Internet Broadcast, the first show produced for and performed live on the net.

Kearsley, Barry - deceased. Klausen, Ray - set design for Broadway musical, Brooklyn.

Class of ’72


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 Davi, Robert - TV and film actor; appeared as the villain Franz Sanchez in the James Bond film, Licence to Kill; appeared with fellow alum, Lainie Kazan, at the Adams Playhouse (fall ’08); participated in James Bond Conference at Hofstra (spring ’08); starred in NBC-TV show, The Profiler; appeared with Jamie-Lynn Di Scala in USA Network movie, Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fleiss; special agent Johnson in Die Hard; and the singing Fratelli brother, Jake, in The Goonies. Dunlop, Chris - international freelance company manager (with wife Josette Amato '76). Edwards, Susan F. - freelance actress, NY. Held, Dan - freelance regional theatre director, living in NYC; directs for Hofstra USA; Vice President for Creative Services for ADM Productions. Higgins, Joe - free-lance actor, San Francisco. McHugh, Jim - Head, McHughRollins - builds props for commercials, Broadway shows (The Phantom of the Opera), and movies. Pandolfo, Tony - working with the contestant departments of both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy on the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City, CA; continues to dabble in acting whenever possible. Schroeder, Heidi Kim - living in LA. Torre, Marian (Waller) - director, Broadhollow Theatre, Gray Wig, LI. Van Clair, Joyce - living on Long Island; teaching Drama, Public Speaking and English at Clarke Senior High School (East Meadow); active in community theatre, worked at Gateway Playhouse and Gaslight Dinner Repertory Theater. Voigt, Patricia (Markley) business degree; former Equity Stage Manager with experience in dinner theatre, regional theatre and opera productions; retired after 31 years with Kraft Foods (formerly Nabisco) career responsibilities ranging from salesperson to Director of Sales Communications; began working extensively with the Homeless in Cecil County, Maryland in an Emergency Shelter

sponsored by the local Churches; spent two weeks in Williamsburg, Virginia over Thanksgiving with family; 2009 began with two weeks in Aruba, more work with the homeless, and a return to Biloxi in March to continue the effort of rebuilding the Gulf coast area; spent a week in Orlando FL; primary caregiver for her parents (age 83 & 90) and keeps busy with them and our dog, Roxie; manage to travel extensively and keep busy with our church and volunteer commitments. von Zerneck, Francis - producer, film and TV, Los Angeles; produced Day of Destruction, made for TV movie; produced Scott Turow’s Reversible Error, with William Macy and Tom Selleck; The Mystery of Natalie Wood, directed by Peter Bogdanovish; Gracie’s Choice with Diane Lado, Kristen Bell and Anne Heche. Vourderis, Deno - working at the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island (and still doing Tony N' Tina's Wedding for fun).

Class of ’73 Bambino, Robert - paralegal, faculty Hofstra School of Continuing Education; Claims Manager/Loss Control Specialist with Wright Risk Management Co., Inc. Bona, Mercy - performed in productions at American Stage Festival, Milford, NH; former President of Heathecote Art Foundation. Budnick, Robert - professional musician, L.I. DeBella, John - Z Morning Zoo, Philadelphia's No. 1 DJ. Jordon, Edward - documentary film director and writer; writer/director of the indie feature film, Bollywood and Vine; his award winning documentaries have been screened at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the National Gallery of Art and the American Film Institute. Kaplan, Steven - Artistic Director of The Punch Line, LA; founder New York's acclaimed Manhattan Punch Line; taught at UCLA, NYU, Yale; created the HBO Workspace,

the HBO New Writers Program; taught 2–Day Comedy Intensive in NYC (April ’05). Porazzi, Arturo - Production Stage Manager; recent Broadway credits include The Dancer’s Life with Chita Rivera and Xanadu; also 42nd Street, The Triumph of Love, Victor/Victoria, Jelly's Last Jam, Me and My Girl, Singing in the Rain; for PBS: Liza Stepping Out at Radio City Music Hall and Sondheim, A Celebration at Carnegie Hall, as well as shows for the Office of the Mayor of New York City, Caramoor Music Festival, Carnegie Hall, HBO TV, ABC-TV; married to Debbie Fuchs ('75) - they have a 13 year-old daughter; also very active with industrials and special events; Arthur Ashe Kids Day for the USTA & CBS Sports; adjunct professor at Wagner College and has taught at Fordham University (Lincoln Center campus) and at UCSD. Ross, Judy (Rosenbloom) - runs Trails West Travel Agency, LI. Savage, Tom - wrote and composed music for Musical Chairs; author of Precipice and Valentine and under pseudonym T.J. Phillips wrote detective stories, Woman in the Dark and Dance of the Mongoose. Starr, Michael - freelance actor; appeared in pilot of TV show, Life on Mars (’08); played recurring role of “God” in TV series, Joan of Arcadia; appeared with Gene Wilder in Murder in a Small Town; also appeared in Jersey Girl, Miller's Crossing, Goodfellas, Born on the Fourth of July.

Class of ’74 Albrecht, Christopher -has been named partner at Forstmann Little and Co.; former chairman and CEO of HBO; was named “Showman of the Year” by Variety. Alterman, Lydia Gladstone --last appeared at Hofstra in January in Political Notes with Hofstra Entertainment; played 'Iowa Housewife' in Menopause, the Musical at the Rimsky/Landmark Theatre in Port Washington (summer ’09); upcoming: Mme. Pastia in Le Cabaret de Carmen at the music festival in Sardinia, Italy.

15


The Department of Drama and Dance Baldwin, Doug - writer/producer, continues to live in Portland, OR, where he is a freelance writer; has authored three full-length stage comedies, a bunch of one-acts and is working on a new play about 9-11; no recent stage appearances, but you can catch a glimpse of him on DVD in the independent film The Music Within; many appearances in New York theatres, including Playwrights Horizons and the late, great Manhattan Punch Line (which was co-founded by Hofstra alum Steve Kaplan); has also appeared in feature films and television shows, as well as in many national TV commercials; has won several literary awards and grants. Brodkin, Sandra - director of and teacher at The Off-Broad Street Dance Center, Bloomfield, NJ teaching creative movement, ballet & tap; married, one daughter. Chomo, Alicia Ann - independent voiceover artist for radio and TV, commercials and industrials; involved in community theatre in Wilmington, DE and on Board of Directors for the Children's Wing of the Wilmington Drama League. Ey Robert - Reference Librarian at WolfBlock LLP in Philadelphia and sometimes New York. Kraft, Ken - deceased. Willette, Annie - married to Christopher Albrecht.

Class of ’75 Brenner, Faye - currently the head of the International Baccalaureate Program at Robinson Secondary School, where she also teaches English; her son is a website designer in Manhattan and her daughter is a college student; currently resides in Old Town, Alexandria. Cassidy, Elayne (Nicholas) - MA (’76) - Associate Director Special Programs, Ithaca College; married Bob, two sons - Tom with Joffrey Ballet in Chicago and Ben at NYU/Tisch. Ellison, Cori - consultant for Lincoln Center's Art of the Song Series and Senior music Editor of Stagebill magazine; music journalist, lecturer, broadcaster and translator specializing in opera and vocal

16

music; contributor to The New York Times, Opera News, and BBC Music and books such as The New Grove Dictionary of Opera and The Compleat Mozart; Assistant Professor of Music at New York University School of Continuing Education; taught a distance learning course on The Operas of Mozart. Epstein, Gary - talent and literary agent (Epstein-Wyckoff and Associates) New York and Beverly Hills. Moran, John - insurance broker, investment consultant. Norcia, Patrizia - created onewoman show The World of Ruth Draper, recreating the great actress' monologues; married to theatrical sound designer Duncan Edwards. Porretto (Whalen) Susan - working as a caseworker for Adult Protective Services in Nassau County; involved in Biblical research and “theatregoing” as much as possible - all this in addition to being a full-time Mom. Randsman, Peter - opera singer; sang at New York City Opera; presently owns business as agent and manager for 50 opera singers (Randsman Worldwide Artists Management). Teitelbaum, Shari - worked with Jim Henson's muppets. Varon, Susan - co-creator and original cast member Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding, performing in NYC, LA and Japan; recurring role on Everybody Loves Raymond; appeared in Law & Order, SVU, AMC, Coach, Yes, Dear, 100 Centre Street, Down the Shore, as well as the Golden Glove winning HBO movie, Hysterical Blindness; was in Scorsese’s classic Good Fellas, and Changing Lanes with Sam L. Jackson; co-starred in the 2004 Sundance Festival, LBS.

Class of ’76 Abatelli, Julie Halston - award winning comedy/cabaret performer and winner of four MAC Awards for her solo comedy performances; teamed with friend Donna Daley to write monologues for Show-Offs, a collection of 74 new actor-ready pieces; also reprised her role as Bitsy Von Muffling in the film

version of Sex and the City; did Chasing Manet at Primary Stages, NYC (March -May ’09); appeared in Shanghai Moon at Bay Street Theatre, LI (summer ’08). Amato, Josette - international freelance company manager (with husband, Chris Dunlop '72); works as a self-defense teacher. Bray, Thom - TV writer, Evening Shade and actor; appeared in TV programs Riptide and The District. Breslauer, Jeff (School of Communications) actor/puppeteer; performed with Gray Wig while at Hofstra; lives in Orlando, FL. Cohen, Robert - has directed, performed in, stage-managed and technically assisted productions of musicals in theatres and nightclubs in New York, New Hampshire, Washington, DC and San Francisco; worked in all aspects of theatrical production for New Playwrights Theatre of Washington, DC and in San Francisco Bay area; presently living in Bay Area of California and working at Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund which funds non-profit and cultural groups in San Francisco. Hults, Stephen - deceased. Rosenfield, William - director of Artists and Repertoire, Broadway Division, RCA Records, BMG; producer CD issues, Broadway catalogue. Rosenberg, Pete - Senior Layout Carpenter at Showman Fabricators, a IA local 4 shop in Brooklyn,; work includes sets for CNN, CNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC; since beginning of ’09 has been working at Fox Business supervising their new studio set installation; traveled the country for CNN's presidential debates, leading the set installations; in between debates, ran the installation of the new Fox Business Network studios on 6th Ave.; built exhibits for the Museum of Natural History. Salerno, Sal - high school English & Drama teacher, Calhoun High School, Merrick, LI; spent recent summers with Royal Shakespeare Company summer school attending seminars; brings his drama club to the Shakespeare High School Scenes


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 competition, and inevitably wins a prize; usually manages to have one of his students major in drama at Hofstra.

Class of ’77 Addis, Deborah (Madison) - Vice President at PNC Bank for Public Affairs and Corporate Events; married to child psychologist, Ron Madison; twins, Charlie and Emily. Abravenel, Wayne - musical director. Bases, Patricia - scenic artist/ technician. Bradbury, Pat - working in publishing in California. Braglia, Robert J. - President, American Financial & Tax Strategies, Inc., a registered investment advisory firm. Cannon, Kevin - stockbroker. Dagavarian, Michele (Miller) freelance actress living in Canada; Broadway shows include Joseph Papp production of Runaways; Fiddler on the Roof directed by Jerome Robbins; nominated for AMPIA (Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association) award for Best Actress in 1995 and winner of ITVA Golden Leaf Award for CPR video; married with three children: Ben and twins, Sam and Hannah. Handler, Lee - deceased. Holland, Ted - freelance actor, LA. Leeds, Lydia - Executive Producer, Cortes-Seidner, Corporate Communications productions. Miller, Neil - still in Las Vegas working on several projects: a corporate show for the largest video game maker, Blizzard Entertainment, for BlizzCom at their annual convention; working on project with the band Linkin' Park with feature film director of Terminator Salvation McG; Executive Producer of Hairspray, The Musical, for its Las Vegas run. Schultz, Jacquie - regular on As the World Turns. Tamburrelli, Karen (Karla) married, son John Ethan; working actor in TV and film in Los Angeles; worked on TV show Brooklyn South; on Board of Directors for SAG and co-chair of SAG Awards Show 2000.

Class of ’78 Anker, Warren - was story editor, Fox Network's Down the Shore. Bertolini, Michael - starred as Paul in the New York City revival of Carnival; also a leading baritone with the Light Opera of Manhattan and played the Pirate King in their Off-Broadway production of the Pirates of Penzance; has appeared on TV in One Life to Live and in commercials. Emberton, Heather (Weiler) - son, Matthew; teaches at Circle of Dance, on L.I. and Arts-in-Education in NY; choreographer for Broadhollow Theatres. Frazer, Hallie - played Beatrice Carbone in Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge with Ross Valley Players in the San Francisco area (spring ’09); started a theatre group out of a local church in Berkeley, called "Theatre of the Sacred Soul"; has directed several fully staged productions, the latest being Miller's The Crucible . Juli, Lonnie Lighting Designer/Director CBS News; primarily responsible for the following The CBS Evening News with Katy Couric; CBS News Special Events, which includes political campaigns, conventions, etc. Papal funeral, executions, disasters and their anniversaries; CBS News - Up to the Minute - the overnight news broadcast of CBS News; still resides in Brooklyn, NY with wife Debbie and two sons, Michael and Jonathan. Larsen, Liz - appeared in TV show, Law and Order; played the promiscuous Honey in Broadway production of Bingo, about which the New York Times said “ ... Ms. Larsen deserves credit for making audiences care about one of the oldest stereotypes: the dumb blonde... ”; Tony nominee, 1992. Pontillo, Larry - regional branch manager, Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Office, NYC; former Off-Broadway and Summer Stock producer; conceived production of Musical Chairs. Wackstein, Lynn (Krieger) - Vice President systems, Citigroup; now a

resident of the Big Island, Hawii and learning to be a Macnut farmer.

Class of ’79 Branum, Beverly - freelance actress, stage combat performer, NYC; married, 2 children. Colin, Margaret - TV, film and stage actress; married with two sons, Sam and Joe; appeared in the Public Theatre’s Hamlet, NYC; appeared in Old Acquaintance at the Roundabout Theatre, NYC; Defiance at the Manhattan Theatre Club; Triptych at the Irish Repertory Theatre, NYC; A Day in the Death of Joe Egg; appeared in film Blue Car; performed in Temporary Help at the Women’s Project Theatre; starred in TV drama, Now and Again; played title role in Broadway production of Jackie. Diamond, Harley - promoted to Chief, Anti-Narcotics Strike Force, New York City Housing Authority; played The Headmaster in The History Boys (Brooklyn) Heights Players (Jan. ’09); played Roger de Bris in The Producers (Bay) Ridge Chorale/Jeff Samaha Productions (March ’09). Eck, Scott - has been traveling around the globe with The Laughingstock Company performing his most recent play Ice Cold Courage: The Shackleton still Experience;

works regularly with Hofstra alums including Jill Keyishian, Owen O'Farrell, Bill McCauley, Michael Perlstein, and continues to give work opportunities to young actors everywhere; is in the process of writing a new show based on the Victor Frankel book Man's Search for Meaning, as well as a new show called Truth Against the World: The Vision of Frank Lloyd Wright; still relies on the input and advice of Professor Emeritus Dr. Richard Mason in all of his creative

17


The Department of Drama and Dance endeavors and is happy to report that after all of these years, Dr. Mason still gives him “notes”. Jud, Edie - earned Masters in Library and Information Science and is a library media specialist at IS78 in Bergen Beach, Brooklyn; has a house in south Freeport and still sees her core group of Hofstra friends with some regularity. O'Farrell, Owen - son, Owen; living in Westchester. Pagano, Joseph - drama teacher, P.S. 150, Queens; on the Mayor’s team for creating a cumulative theatre curriculum for K-12 grades; was on Broadway in Lolita by Edward Albee and performed with Albee in Another Part of the Zoo, originating the role of Jesus. Pakravan, Shahnaz - news anchor, CH 4 London; formerly host Network East, BBC, TV. Primack, Karen - has “a wonderful partner of 14 years named Joan”; they have 2 children, Emily aged 6 and Rebecca aged 17 months; has worked with the MTA, NYC Transit Authority as an attorney since 1994 where she was the Senior Director of Field Operations for the Office of Labor Relations; recently was asked to join a new MTA agency entitled the MTA Bus Company as its Director of Policy and Procedure, where she works with senior management on formulating and implementing policies ranging from ethics to compensation/benefits to availability issues. Samberg, Joel - is a playwright, author and journalist; his series of short plays, Six Tens from a Fifty,

Beckmann Theatre in 2008, presented by the Brief Acts Theatre Company; his third book, “Grandpa Had a Long One: Personal Notes on the Life, Legacy & Career of Benny Bell” was published in 2009, and he is currently at work on his fourth, which is about one of the first blockbuster musicals in Broadway history; his essays and articles have appeared in a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including the New York Times, New Jersey Monthly, Moment Magazine and others. He can be reached at joelthewriter@comcast.net. Simons, Hal - director and choreographer; choreographed original New York company of Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding as well as other cities’ productions; directed and choreographed West Side Story, Joseph, Dames at Sea for Gray Wig; choreographed Cabaret and Fiorello! for Hofstra USA; directed Follies, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Chicago for Musical Theatre Southwest; choreographed The Cherry Orchard for the York Theatre. Sullivan, Barbara (Drum) freelance actress, NYC. Tafler, Jean - free-lance actress, regional theatre and NYC; married to actor John Ahlin; regional credits include GeVa Theatre, Studio Arena, Stages Rep in Houston; OffBroadway credits include Philemon at the York Theatre and Opal and Pye and the Foolkiller at the Lamb's Theatre; co-directed Oliver Twist for Theatre Works. Theurer, Albert - sound engineer; head Althir Sound, NJ.

Class of ’80

appeared Off-Off Broadway at the

18

Ambrosio, Joan - married, two children, living in Pennsylvania. Bell, Risa - married to John DeVito ('81). Lermand, Barbara - Research Program Administrator for Leukemia Society of America; pursuing second Master of Arts in TESOL at Adelphi University; teaches English as a Second Language at LaGuardia Community College. Minutillo, Joseph - high school drama teacher, Hampton Bays, NY;

directed production of The Odd Couple at the Gateway Playhouse, Bellport. Nassar, Mark - wrote and performed in The Mayor’s Limo at the Kraine Theater, NYC; co-writer of the interactive play, Bachelorette Party, performed at the Culture Club, NYC; the original Tony of Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding (now plays Tony’s father). VanBenthuysen, Susan (Susan Van Allen) - lives in Los Angeles with her husband Jon Leifer; her first book, “100 Places In Italy Every Woman Should Go,” (Travelers' Tales) will hit the stands in September 2009. Weiner, Robert - working for estate of the late sculptor Donald Judd, NYC and Marfa, Texas.

Class of ’81 Bensen, Sonja - policy analyst living in Washington, DC. Blais, Lon T. - married; English teacher, director at Pasteur Jr. High School, Queens; bicycled across America to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in memory of his father. Brodesser, Dorothy - married; started a theatre company called A.C.E. (Actors Collaborative Ensemble) - its inaugural production was called In Pieces; directed a production of Alice in Wonderland for the Boston Public Library Summer Reading Program; owned and operated The Actors Center, a full-service resource center dedicated to meeting the real needs of actors; in Boston has performed on stage in many venues including The Huntington Theatre-Studio 210, The Boston Center for the Arts, New Repertory Theatre; appeared in movies, The Crucible, Good Will Hunting, Original Sins. Cassaro, Nancy - two children, John David and Alice; living in Pacific Palisades, CA; many TV spots, including Without a Trace; conceived and performed in Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding. DeGennaro, Judy - Advisory Programmer Analyst for Merrill, Lynch, NYC.


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 DeVito, John - prop master, Metropolitan Opera House, NYC. Karlya, Tom - appeared in New York production of Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding for 10 years; appeared in Exiled, NBC TV movie, The Bill Cosby Show, Spin City; wrote novel, Code 10-13, But They Don’t Fall Down; is Executive Producer of dLifeTV, which has garnered one Emmy Award nomination, 13 Telly Award wins and three Freddie Award nominations in the last three years; married with 3 children. Lerner, Robert - Detective, NYC Transit Police; married. Luckert, Lane - has appeared on stage in more than fifty productions, including True West, Beyond Therapy, The House of Blue Leaves and a critically-acclaimed thirteencharacter performance in The Baltimore Waltz; credits include writing, directing, radio, comedy and teaching, as well as management positions with numerous theatre companies; has enjoyed a ten-year association with Madison Square Garden where he has lent his talents to A Christmas Carol, The Wizard of Oz, and the Rangers, Knicks and MSG Network; co-founded the Nathalie Ackerman Theater Arts Scholarship at Hofstra. www.LaneLuckert.com McGowan, Tom - MFA, Yale; appeared in episode of Boston Legal; performed in Things Being What They Are at L.I.’s Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor; starred on Broadway in LeBete, for which he received a Tony nomination for Best Actor, a Drama Desk nomination and an Outer Critic’s Circle Award; received an OBIE for his role in The Food Chain; performed in Chicago on Broadway and Ivanov at Lincoln Center; played Kenny Daley for six seasons on TV sitcom, Frasier; also appeared on Everybody Loves Raymond and other TV shows including ER, Judging Amy, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hannah Montana; films include Birdcage, As Good As It Gets, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle; After the Sunset (with Pierce Brosnan); regular player on the online poker website www.hollywoodpoker.com.

O'Hare, Suzanne - married; graduated New York Law School (’05); working as Asst. District Attorney in Queens County, NY; in October ’07, was awarded the Hal Miller Weinstein Award by the Queens County District Attorney, one of only two awards ever conferred upon assistant district attorneys in that office; this award is given to the first-year assistant district attorney with the most spirit, enthusiasm and dedication to public service; is now assigned to the Homicide Investigations Bureau, where it is her job to 'see dead people'; performed in fellow alum Scott Eck’s company, Laughing Stock; member of comedy group, Bad Attitudes; performed for many summers at the Renaissance Fair, Tuxedo, NY. Rappazzo, Cindy - married, living in Houston. Rosenthal, Philip - appeared in movie, Splangish and on Curb Your Enthusiasm; wrote (with two other writers from Raymond) a new CBSTV pilot, Play Nice; creator/writer/ producer of Emmy-award-winning sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond; did benefit performance of Everybody Loves Raymond, Inside the Writers’ Room at Hofstra’s John Cranford Adams Playhouse, moderated by his wife, Monica; named Alumnus of the Year by Hofstra University (Oct. ’05); writer for TV sitcom, Coach; married to Monica Horan, two children, Ben and Lili; he and Monica give a $10,000 per year grant for a talented comic actor or writer from the department. Sigler, James - married, daughter, Erica Victoria; working at ABC-TV electric shop. Sprung, Bonnie - fine art and computer artist, photographer, set and scenic design, personal trainer, actor; living in Florida; owns businesses Uniquely Sprung Art Studio and Muscular Motion Gym; set designer for the JCC of Greater Orlando, Mark Two Dinner Theatre, Osceola Center for the Arts; Florida Children’s Repertory Theatre, SouthernWinds Theater; currently chapter president of the Women’s Caucus for Arts Florida Chapter and

on their National Board of Directors; check out www.sprungart.com Stegman, Richard - appeared in TV sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond. Steinman, Betty - graduated from the Columbia University School of Social Work in 1988 with a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work; went on to complete 4 more years of training in spiritual psychotherapy and energy work at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing; has a successful holistically oriented psychotherapy private practice in both Forest Hills, Queens and on Park Avenue in the city. Turchetto, Liliane - married; performed in New York company of Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding. Waldstein Karen (Wald) - married to Hofstra Communications alum, Matt Cohen; living in New York, worked on the TV show Spin City. Wilson, Moira - one of the creators of Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding; lives in Dallas with her son, Harrison; has appeared in numerous professional theater productions, TV spots and videos.; recently produced the OffBroadway production of Tuesdays with Morrie.

Class of ’82 Berbig, Ellen - Masters in Psychology, St. John's University; worked as teenage counselor in LI schools; married with two children; presently living in Maryland. Dennehy, Elizabeth - living in LA with husband, James Lancaster, and 2 boys, Jack (11) and Will (9); still working from time to time, most recently on an episode of the TV show, The Mentalist (April ’09); many TV commercials, including Campbell’s Soup. DiMemmo, Diane (Vecchiarello) married, two children; living in New Jersey. Dlugokencky, Paul - cartoonist whose work has been appearing in newspapers nationwide as well as in business, physics and new age journals; most recently had a fullpage spread of his cartoons (re wind farms off Jones Beach) in the Opinion section of L.I. Newsday; also has done movie storyboards and some voice work for radio; living in

19


The Department of Drama and Dance Centerport, NY; runs a website, aDailyCartoon.com. Karatnytsky, Christine - Master's in Library Science, St.John's University '84; Scripts Librarian in the Billy Rose Theatre Collection of the New York Public Library since 1984; lives in NYC and works often as a stage manager and production assistant; is always at the service of Hofstra faculty and students, should they need something from the NYPL. Kauffman, Kathryn (Seay) - lives in Dallas; produces reality shows, TV spots and videos for David Seay Productions with husband, David Seay; teaches acting and directs theater in Dallas; has served as a consultant on Jimmy Neutron. Monaco, Neil - acting coach; married to Leila Kenzle (of TV sitcom, Mad About You). Morris, Peter Charles writer/teacher; recent productions include Shout! The Mod Musical (tours in England, Korea, Japan); High Hair & Jalapenos (World Premiere, San Antonio); and Bring Me A Dwarf: The Songs of Peter Charles Morris (Players Theatre, NYC); most produced work: "Pancakes " (published in Best Ten Minute Plays for Two Actors, 2004); currently writing a new musical for NYC’s Vital Theatre; MFA in Theatre from Sarah Lawrence; MAT in English from Manhattanville (2008). Morrissette, William - wrote and directed Scotland PA, a movie based on Macbeth and starring his wife, TV star, Maura Tierney (ER); director at Sundance Film Festival; many TV commercials; appeared in TV-sitcom, Mad About You. Peros, Michael - appeared in production of The Good Doctor at Arena Players, Main Stage (Long Island). Sandler, Lyle - graphic artist, banking industry. Shapiro, Bruce - independent TV producer; living in East Meadow, L.I., married, two children. Sheehan, Judith ('82) - does onewoman comedy show in NYC; wrote an original comedy entitled A Carole Christmas, which was

20

produced at the Looking Glass Theatre in NYC. Sullivan, Frederick J. Jr.- has worked for over 20 years with Trinity Rep. Co. in Providence, RI where he has played over 50 principal roles, including Harold Hill, Oberon, Touchstone, Scrooge, and Peer Gynt; this season played Tyrone in Moon for the Misbegotten, Falstaff in Merry Wives of Windsor; taking a world premiere play to the Humana Festival in Kentucky; is “having a great time acting, directing, and teaching acting.” To, Tony - Asst. TV director, LA; one of the directors of HBO series, Band of Brothers. Turtola, Paul - teaching English at Joseph A. Foran H.S. in Milford, CT where he is also the drama and newspaper advisor; this past year did A Christmas Carol and Moliere’s The Miser. Van Albert, Janet (Replogle) lives in Bethesda, MD with her husband, Michael, and young son, John Michael; earned her Master's in Human Resources from the University of MD and is currently the Director of Human Resources for a local bank; in 2000, while pregnant, Janet and her husband created an award-winning production of Richard III; since then, theatre has taken a back seat to motherhood. Vogeley, Mark - technical director, Little Shubert Theatre, W. 42nd St.

Class of ’83 Butera, Anthony - MS Elementary Education, Hofstra '96; teaching kindergarten on LI and directing high school plays; actor, Theatre Three, Port Jefferson where he starred in The Mystery of Irma Vepp; daughter, Bianca. Caronia, Nancy - teaches body dynamics for actors in NYC. Davenport, Curtis - freelance actor, LI. DeGruccio, Nick - appeared in TV sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond; one of the leads in the film Time Warrior; national tour of City Of Angels; performed in L.A. company of Tony 'N' Tina's Wedding; long time member of the Colony Studio Theatre; living in Los Angeles.

Donaghy, Tom - playwright whose works have been collected and published by Grove Press under the title The Beginning of August and Other Plays; his new adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard was done at the Atlantic Theater Company, NYC. Kalinowski, Charles - MS, Brooklyn College; teaching science at Automotive High School, Brooklyn; completing a school administrator certification program; lives on Long Island. Keats, David - did NY Theater and independent film acting; recently moved to LA and was cast as the intern discovering Jet Li’s true identity in The One; won an Ensemble Acting Award from the LA T heater Critics for his starring role as Herbie Stemple in Night and Her Stars. Kelly, Dee-Dee - spokesperson (Nestle's, et al) former co-host, Lifetime cable network show Attitudes. Layer, Michelle - news anchor, National Public Radio station and elementary school teacher, Buffalo, NY. Nelson, Wendy married three children; keyboard player and vocalist for rock/pop/cover band, Rock Garden; volunteer for Scouts and PTA; currently working on benefit for the Long Island Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program. Ruekberg, Brad - living in Dallas; married to alum Penny Taylor ('84), ten year old daughter, Isabella who loves acting, singing, piano and ballet; has become president of Channel 3 Productions, and has continued to grow the company’s corporate and commercial accounts, as well as serving as director and DP on several direct DVD releases.

Class of ’84 Baker, Jane - living in Vermont with partner, Sharon (a lawyer) and son, Sam; teaches at Putney School. Barbell, Elyse (Rudolph) - two daughters; Deputy Director, Literacy Assistance Center (NYC). Butler, Valencia - works for Broadway Video and is a freelance milliner.


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 Horan, Monica - married to Phil Rosenthal, two children living in LA; (with fellow alum, Kevin Kane), recently visited Hofstra drama students, spoke to them and answered their questions; received Alumni Achievement Award from Hofstra at the annual awards dinner (Sept. ’08); moderated benefit performance of Everybody Loves Raymond, Inside The Writers’ Room which featured her husband, Phil on the John Cranford Adams stage at Hofstra; TV credits include playing Amy on Everbody Loves Raymond, Coach, Down The Shore, In Living Color and General Hospital; created the character "Madilyn Monroe" for Tony 'N' Tina's Wedding; other NY/LA theatre credits include Vampire Lesbians Of Sodom, And Then There Was Nun, American Splendor. Kane, Kevin - MFA (Dance Choreography) UCLA; with Monica Horan, visited and spoke with Hofstra students in fall ’08; on faculty at UCLA in the Department of World Arts and Cultures, teaching Ensemble Performance in which he creates original dance theater pieces with his students, who then go on tour to area high schools; dancing/performing with the Los Angeles Modern Dance and Ballet Company; co-wrote a screenplay with fellow alum, John Hoffman, for the film, Northern Lights, starring Diane Keaton; wrote and directed infomercials and promotional videos; choreographer and member of the Board of Directors for Ballet Folklorico del Pacifico; teaches English, Drama and Dance at the high school level. Katzman, Hal - living in NYC; working for a recording studio in Manhattan. Mancuso, Vincent - deceased, fall '94. Marco, Jerry - living in NYC; MFA in Acting, University of Texas ('96); currently working as a corporate trainer for Reuters; appeared in production of Twelfth Night, NYC; wrote a one-man show about Edgar Allan Poe. Miller, Mary Jane - Director of Organizational Partnerships, University of Nevada @ LasVegas.

Shatraw, David - married; MFA Theatre, Asolo Conservatory, Florida State U.; appeared in new USA TV show, The Starter Wife with Debra Messing (fall ’09);appeared in TV show, West Wing; major role in TV sit-com, Titus; appeared in NYPD Blue ; appeared in TV show, One on One; numerous commercials and voice overs in NYC, including TGI Friday’s, Norelco, Rogaine, Bayer Cold Relief, and Nabisco cereals. Spiotto, Robert - MFA Directing, Catholic University, '88; artistic director, Community Arts Programs, at Hofstra and executive producer, Hofstra Entertainment (formerly Hofstra USA Productions); had appeared in and directed many Hofstra productions since 1990; recent directing/creative projects include: the world premiere of a new musical review I'm The Greatest Star, based on the book of the same title by Hofstra alumnus Robert Viagas;

also directed several original pieces exploring such varied topics and subjects as the history of the suburbs, Jorge Luis Borges and Sholom Aleichem; continues to appear in one person shows about Danny Kaye, Harry Warren, Michelangelo, Primo Levi and Henry Clay Folger. Tarmin, Gregory - living in NYC; has PR firm, Tarmin Communications, which has a variety of clients from financial services to theatre. Taylor, Penelope (Ruekberg) living in Dallas, TX and married to Brad Ruekberg ('83); 10 year old daughter, Isabella; copywriter at O'Connor, Maccioli advertising agency and freelance actress. Terry, Alan - doing pre-press photo work on publications such as National Enquirer, Soap Opera

Magazine, South Florida Magazine and other regional publications. Williams, Denise beauty consultant for Mary Kaye Cosmetic company; living in Westchester County, NY.

Class of ’85 Bruffee, Matthew - Administrator for Dancers Respond to Aids, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, NYC. Hellman, Ira - works in public relations at Money Magazine. Leone, John - teaches the Meisner Technique in NYC; appeared in Broadway production of Jersey Boys; TV show, Law and Order; in Broadway production of Les Miserables. Rosenberg, Ellen – “a little OffBroadway, a little stand-up comedy”; asst. manager of a professional photo lab in NYC. Roy, Robin - played Laura in The Glass Menagerie at The Northeast Theatre in PA; did a staged reading with New York Theatre Workshop; married with pets, lives in Jackson Heights, NY. Wark, Jonathan - MLS ('93) University of Rhode Island; living in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina where he is Director of Dare County Libraries. Weston, Joe - moved back to New York from Holland; directed production of Doughboy at the Henry Street Settlement Experimental Theater, NYC; starred in live talk show, On the Spot, in NYC.

Class of ’86 Balfour, Tracy - has been working in industrial advertising and also involved with publishing children's stories; living in Pennsylvania with husband, Tom, and two children. Canestraro, Michael ('86) Productions of See How They Run and Brigadoon were nominated for eight STARS Awards (Local TONY Awards) winning four including the prestigious Innovation in Theatre Award for Outstanding Theatre Department. Returned to Cape Cod for his ninth season with the College Light Opera Company to stage Lady,

21


The Department of Drama and Dance Be Good! and The Most Happy Fella. Upcoming productions include Ah, Wilderness! and in association with the Rodgers and Hammerstein Theatre Library the restored 1938 original version of Rodgers and Hart's The Boys From Syracuse. Costigan, Kelly - completed MPhil in Shakespeare Studies in London; appeared in film Shakespeare In Love as a theatre-goer; worked on Tim Burton’s film Sleepy Hollow; living in Stratford upon-Avon with her partner, a lecturer in English at the University of Birmingham’s Shakespeare Institute in Stratford. DiCandia, Denise - moved to Los Angeles with her photographer husband; pursuing a music career. Hoffman, John - living in LA and working in television; played Mad Hatter on Disney Channel series Adventures in Wonderland; costarred in TV shows, Fortune Hunter and Courthouse; played Jeff Gilooly in Showtime movie "Tonya: The Battle of Wounded Knee; costarred with Diane Keaton in Disney Channel presentation of the film, The Northern Lights, which he cowrote with fellow alum, Kevin Kane, based on a play he wrote and performed on both coasts, also directed by Kevin Kane; as a screenwriter, was given a twopicture deal with Touchstone Pictures. Houck, Mark - freelance musician, NYC. Kopie, Jeffrey - works for estate of the deceased artist, Donald Judd, in NY and Marfa, TX. Lewis (Moritz) Elizabeth (Betsy) living in Westchester County NY; daughter Sarah is 17 years old, son Christopher is 15 years old; on several Theater Boards throughout the tri- state area and has done several local films and tons of local theater. McCrane, Barbara - freelance actor, NYC; teacher of the Alexander Technique; regional work at Pittsburgh Public Theatre, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival; some soap and commercial work; married to Paul Rale, daughter, Hannah.

22

Nadler, Emily (Klein) - married; played Eva Peron in EVITA at the Airport Playhouse, LI; singer and freelance actor, LI. Parent, Matthew Artistic Director, American Stage Festival, Milford, NH. Rebecca, Laura - Master of Science in Education, University of Southern California ('94); high school English teacher; was middle school English/Drama/ESL teacher in Los Angeles ('90-'94); teaching high school on Long Island; brought her students to Shakespeare High School Scenes competition. Ruvolo, Mary - completed three year national tour of Grease and joined the Broadway company for ten weeks; appeared in National Touring Company production of Wizard of Oz. Scheinbaum, Laura - married; M.S. Ed. in speech-language pathology, married to college sweetheart, Dan Dembling; they live in Albany, NY, raising their 2 talented boys.

Class of ’87 Arianas, Marcus - living on Long Island; son, Michael. Cucco, Dawn - since graduation, has acted in over 20 productions in LI theatres. Dall, Robin - MA in Literature ('93); working as a Career Advisor at the University of Michigan College of Engineering. Dugal Kevin - teaching at Bishop Kellenberg High School, LI; married; performs in community theatre. Eskelson, Dana - plays the mother in multiple Ikea TV commercials; appeared in A Perfect Couple at the Women’s Expressive Theater, Inc., NYC (summer ’08); appeared in After Ashley (with Anna Paquin and Kieran Culkin) at the Vinyard Theatre, NYC; appeared in episode of TV drama, Law and Order: Criminal Intent. Mahone, Sloan - finished doctorate in Social History of Medicine at Oxford University, England; did postdoctoral work at Washington University in St Louis in African Studies and History. Moynahan, Tom - Director of Creative Projects for the Shubert

Organization; current projects include the Broadway productions of Passing Strange and the revival of Equus; residing in NJ with his wife, Liz McCartney, and daughters Megan and Keira. Natoli, Deborah - married since '95 to Illustrator/Writer Jim Keefe, (he is currently teaching at Hofstra's Young People’s program on Saturdays); twins Sophia and Leonardo age, daughters Tessa and Anna; living in Long Beach, NY. Pino, Catherine - married, two daughters; VP and administrator for computer company in NYC. Pisarra, Drew - conceived and directed a performance explosion, Colonus at Roulette Theatre, NYC ; directed and adapted Yes is for a very young man featuring fellow alum, Diane Hasser (Cluck). Rick, Geri (O'Keeffe) - copy editor for medical publishing company; married. Sullivan, Richard - MFA ('92), Professional Actor Training Program, Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee; Off-Broadway, understudied/performed the role of Alexander in Larry Kramer's The Destiny of Me; has served on faculties of the Harwich Junior Theatre, the Academy of Music and is currently chairperson of the Drama Department at the Academy of Performing Arts.

Class of ’88 Barbour, James - received Hofstra Estabrook Alumni Award; played Sydney Carton in Broadway production of A Tale of Two Cities; appeared in Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates (LosAngeles); played Thomas Jefferson in PBS’ American Experience profile of Thomas Jefferson; played the role of Leon Czolgosz in Broadway production of Assassins; appeared as Officer Lockstock in Broadway production of Urinetown; starred in Broadway production of Jane Eyre; played the "Beast" in NY production of Beauty and the Beast with Toni Braxton and Meshach Taylor; appeared in movie with Sally Kirkland called Twinkle Toes; played Billy Bigelow in Lincoln Center's production of Carousel; TV credits include The


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 District, Just Shoot Me, The Game, with appearances in Sex and the City. Caplette, Pam (Spaulding) lives with husband, Scott, in Amsterdam, Netherlands; works in the Corporate Insurance Risk Management Department of ING. LaFrennie, Lisa - living in NYC; appeared in Guiding Light, Law and Order and has performed in many Off and Off-Off-Broadway productions. McCaffery, Claire - lives in Northport with husband Chris and operates an antique shop. Moerk, Arne - freelance actor, NYC. Rubeo, Chris - still in Los Angeles; currently writing a feature script for producer Michael Sellers (an envirothriller set against a backdrop of illegal logging and the destruction of the rainforest in Indonesia.); spent his twenties very much like a plane circling an airport never landing, then set down in LA in 2003. Why? A little film called Hale Bopp that he wrote and directed in Chicago in 2001. When digital video hit in the late nineties, he started shooting and editing a lot, then rolled all his experiences with women into a single character, wrote the script and made the commitment to make the film. With the festival and critical response he moved to LA. (Read all about the film at www.haleboppmovie.com.) Now, he lives in Hollywood and does the whole writing/schmoozing/ filmmaking thing. He can happily say he’s living in pursuit of exactly what he wants (crubeo@aol.com) Scibetta, Stacy - living in Brooklyn and working for Warner Brothers Record Company, Contemporary Music Department, NYC. Smith, Laura K. - freelance actress and producer, Portland, Oregon. Souveroff, Michael (Suvorov) married; freelance actor, NYC. Tibbits, Stephanie (Gomez) living in central Massachusetts; studying and performing dance in Boston with a group of choreographers, while working as a sales representative for a national packaging company.

Class of ’89 Brownlee, Johnathan - MFA, Brandeis '93; actor, certified fight choreographer; married; son, John Edward Akers-Brownlee; received Leo Award for Best Host in an Informational Series; his series, Johnathan Brownlee’s at Home has been acquired for broadcast throughout North American on DirecTV satellite, Dish Newwork, Time Warner Cable and others; it will also be airing in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands. Enck, Elizabeth - Assoc. Producer, Business News Area, CNN. Fallica, Carlene - exercise/dance specialist practicing in L.I. Johnson, Michael - working as a probation officer and participating in community theatre. Lavin, Sean - he and his wife now live in Los Angeles; working as head of production for Waterland Entertainment Group, which produced a weekly national cable television show, In The Cellar, a half hour program similar to a TV news magazine show exploring anything and everything that has to do with wine. Lewis, Cheryl - danced in Peter Pucci’s new Pucci: Sport at the Joyce Theatre, NYC. Monti, Valerie - living in England with her husband and two children, Samuel, and Emily; received MA degree; directed and produced a production of Tartuffe. Omar, Richard - performed in Bunbury at The Connelly Theatre, NYC (May ’07) Phillips, Edward - freelance actor, stage manager, NYC and regional theatre. Proto, Steven - living in Los Angeles where he wrote and directed a documentary film, The Shoe Store, starring Billy Wilderwhich was part of the Long Island Film Festival. Resinski, Rachel (Evans) - MFA in Directing, University of Pittsburgh ('94); married to choreographer, John Evans and living in New Brunswick, NJ; currently Assistant Professor in the Theatre Department at Kean University in Union, NJ , where she works in the Theatre

Education program which provides pre-service student teaching, training, and certification for prospective drama teachers and theatre educators; continues to design costumes for her husband’s pieces; provides audio-description of theatrical performances for blind and visually impaired audience members; before leaving the School of Performing Arts where she had been teaching for 5 years, Rachel brought her students to two Shakespeare Scenes Competitions at Hofstra, winning an award both times. Scott, Paul - under stage name of Paul Megna starred in the independent features Swerve and Serpent’s Breath; featured in independent feature Muscle Car, starring Catherine Bach; performed in the Season’s Theatre Group production of The Group and Afterwards at the Ensemble Studio Theater; held staged reading of his full length play, Skin the Sun, at New York Performance works. Simon, Patricia (Raifer) - married to Scott since 1996; daughter, Hope Melissa born in 1999; son Benjamin Paul born 2002; stay-at-home mom.

Class of ’90 Berrios, Michael - freelance actor, NYC; married to fellow alum, Karen Gonzalez; they have three boys, Thomas, Noah and newborn, Daniel. Bonadio, Janice - teaching dance in NYC. Dorr, Michael - Editorial Director and Vice president, Cooper Square Press, NYC. Downs, Robin - living in Amarillo, TX with husband Monty and son. Economou-Conlin, Elaine married, living in Ann Arbor ; works at the Musical Society at the University of Michigan; choreographing and performing there and in Chicago University of Michigan. Engstrom, Kurt - living in North Hollywood, CA; played Security Guard on Lifetime TV game show, Debt. Falzoi, Jill - working toward Master's degree in Arts Performance at NYU.

23


The Department of Drama and Dance Hartmann, Sarah MFA, Professional Actor Training Program, U. of Delaware; performed in Bunbury at the Connelly Theatre, NYC (Mayu ’07); spent five seasons with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival; performed with the Texas Shakespeare Festival; spent three years as an adjunct faculty member at the Theatre Program at Roosevelt University in Chicago teaching acting and dialects; has done many commercials, industrials and print jobs; in Chicago worked at Northlight, About Face, Shattered Globe and Chicago Shakespeare Theatres; did national tour of Master Class as stand-by for Maria Callas; married to actor-director, writer, Tom Fiscella. Katz, Lisa - MFA in Lighting Design, University of CincinnatiCollege Conservatory of Music; living in Los Angeles. Knowles, Suzette - married to a musician and living in Tulsa, OK; is considering film school and would love to come back to NY; worked as a television producer and is now writing and performing music with her husband at area cafes and making an album. Lazarus, Norman - left Walt Disney World Entertainment in 1997 after six years and continued to work in corporate events; during early spring 2001, he went to Dubai with Air Dimensional Design to work on the ground breaking ceremony for the Dubai Festival City; living in Pennsylvania. Santoro, Linda (Cummings) married, living in New Jersey; runs a dance program for Montgomery Township. Scher, Cara - graduate student at Roosevelt University, Chicago (clinical psychology); performed at new Chicago dinner theatre in Gangster Town; performed for governor of Illinois. Silver, Marisa attending University of Chicago Medical School. Steuer, Juliette - freelance actress, NYC. Surabian, Michael - MFA, Professional Actor Training Program, University of Delaware;

since

24

graduating,

he

has

worked regionally as an actor, director and writer at the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, the Texas Shakespeare Festival and a number of off-Broadway and off-off Broadway theatres, including The Accidental Theatre, SoHo Rep, the Metropolitan Playhouse, and The Jean Cocteau Rep, where he spent seven years as a member of the acting company; plays that he was privileged to participate in at the Cocteau included Winterset, The Merchant of Venice, Small Craft Warnings, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Wild Duck, Oedipus and Dona Rosita, The Spinster; is thrilled that Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, of which he is a founding member and co-artistic director, is getting ready to enter its fifth season; was a panel member at the Hofstra alumni gathering (March ’08). Tilghman, Kim - teaching dance and working for an entertainment company in New Jersey. Vazeos, Larry - living in lovely Toluca Lake, Ca with his fish, Steve; did a 7 week tour of Canada where he performed hundreds of jokes for thousands of loggers and their friends; does regular stand up comedy at LA Improv and LA Comedy Store.

Class of ’91 Bassani, Theresa - stand-up comic working comedy clubs, NYC. Bennett, Dawn (Giovi) -married; MBA from Adelphi University; currently Global Head of Human Resources for GlobeOp Financials, Inc.; living in Smithtown, LI. Blayne, Stacy (Lane) - Manager of Theater Facilities, Hofstra University, was a Communications major (film/television production) and Drama minor while she was a student at Hofstra; is also the Associate Producer for Hofstra USA

Productions; she and her husband, Keith, are the proud parents of Marissa and Shannon. Christ, Holly (Kearney)- MAT in English ('95) Stony Brook University; special education teacher, Little Village School; summer theatre director at Long Island Day Camp; married, two children. See spotlight article. Jef Hall (Flavin) - Associate Director of the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC.; directed The Broken Heart by John Ford at The Shakespeare Conference, NYC; has been the Resident Assistant Director, having worked with Michael Kahn on Cyrano, Bill Alexander on Henry IV, and Mark Lamos on Midsummer; next season will direct As You Like It for the Kennedy Center in a co-production with the Shakespeare Theatre; formerly, artistic director of Outward Spiral Theatre Company in Minneapolis; worked for the Guthrie Theater, where he directed a newly commissioned play,The Stuff of Dreams. which toured the mid-west for three months. Hogan, Steven - freelance actor living in NYC. Inabinett, Theresa - freelance dancer/actress; appeared in Al Pacino's film, Carlito's Way. Levine, Elliott - received graduate degree in Performance Studies from Hofstra ('03); has been named K-12 segment manager for HP Personal Solutions Group (PSG)-Americas; he provides strategic planning for HP’s solutions for school districts nationwide, including desktops, workstations, notebooks and their new HP Mini-Note PC; former local K-12 school administrator and adjunct professor at Hofstra and Nassau and Suffolk Community Colleges; has won more than 60 state and national awards in educational journalism and school public relations; has also authored more than a dozen articles for educational publications; as the Education Strategist for Hewlett Packard, meets with education leaders across the Americas understanding the changing role of technology in schools (both K-12 and colleges); spends a lot of time


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 giving speeches around the country; appeared in episode of It Takes a Thief (Discovery Channel '07); Hofstra Entertainment produced his play, The Remembered (about the 25th Anniversary of the Vietnam Memorial) in the Playhouse (fall '07) - the play was also done at the Town of Oyster Bay’s traveling Vietnam Memorial in June ’08, in which Elliott played a part; had another production in November at Guild Hall (Hamptons, NY); married to Stacy, an attorney; daughter, Sierra . McCaffrey, Rita - MFA in Acting, Carnegie-Mellon University. McLaughlin, Sue - dresser for Broadway production of The Lion King. Pittman, Alan (Stuart) - Director of Theatre Facilities, Hofstra University. Sarchiapone, Josephine - freelance copywriter; happily living in Westchester with her husband, Michael, two daughters, Hannah and Katie, and dog, Max. Shinick, Kevin - actor, writer, director; recipient of Hofstra’s Young Alumni and Estabrook Awards; has performed in over half a dozen Broadway plays; wrote and directed Spider-Man Live! at Radio City Music Hall and spent two seasons as the host of the Emmy winning series, Where In Time Is Carmen Sandiego? – a popular sci-fi quiz show that landed him in Teen magazines, onto trading cards and into his own action figure;

collaborated with George Lucas and Seth Green on Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II, for which he received a 2008 “Annie Award” for Best Writing in An Animated Television Series; guest starred on TNT’s Trust Me opposite Erik McCormack and Tom Cavanaugh and also as a Zombie in VH1’s comedy, America’s Next Top

Zombie Idol; working with DC Comics as a writer on Batman and other titles; lives in L.A. with his wife, writer Eileen Myers. Stowe, Dennis - appeared in the ensemble of the Broadway revival of The Apple Tree for which he received Equity’s Gypsy Robe ( Dec. ’06) - the Gypsy Robe is given to the cast member with the most chorus credits; also participated in a benefit performance of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas , and was a replacement member of the cast in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels . Tedford, Mary - freelance actress, NYC. Timp, Patricia ('91) - working toward master's in Dance Therapy at Hunter College.

Class of ’92 Baecker, Kristin (Sparro) Assistant Director of Education at New York City Ballet; married; performed at ACDFA in Boston. Beaudin, Jim - freelance actor, NYC. Cocciole, Christa - did contact improv call with Stormy and Robin at Hofstra; living in Berlin; lived in Austria where she worked with a touring dance company which presented a political piece about Bosnia. Cuenin, Carla - freelance dancer, NYC. DeMontreux, Debbie - Manager of Packaging and Production for Bravo Cable Network and Independent Film Channel; voice-overs for Bravo and Cablevision. Elmore, Amy - married, living in Chicago; sales manager at Showtime Networks. Hampton, Lynn Anne - living in Reno, NV with husband, Roger and daughter, Justine, born in October 2001; is a stay-at-home mom and volunteers her time as a Children’s Advocate through Legislative Reform. Kleiner, Sarah - married; living in New York. Mafale, Jay - freelance actor, stage manager and light board operator, NYC; paralegal for large NYC law firm.

Melonopoulos, Alexa - Master's Degree in Dance in Higher Education and Administration, NYU '(94); Director of Dance and Arts Department Chair at Miss Porter's School in CT; on Board of Directors of the Connecticut Dance Alliance; still dancing professionally; member of the Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble (Hartford) since ’97; married Ron Fleury and living in Farmington, CT; “keeping the Poowa-bah tradition alive - my students and I do our “Poo-wa-bahs” before every performance!”; 3 year old daughter, Thea Elaine. Mooney, Maureen - received MFA (stage management emphasis) from the University of Delaware Professional Theatre Training Program; living in Takoma Park, MD with five-year-old daughter, Maeve Catherine Mooney; currently Production Manager for the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center working as liaison for the academic units and the various shops; recently worked as Production Manager for Opera at Delaware and Associate Production Manager at the Williamstown Theater Festival; prior freelance Equity Stage Manager throughout the U.S. Nieporent, Amy - working as a Producer at NBC news in the documentary division; worked in documentary production for ESPN, The History Channel, CBS and Home Box Office; Steering Committee member for Brooklyn Dreamers, a fund raising group for Theatre for a New Audience, a company presenting Shakespeare and Classical Drama in NYC. Noda, Irene - attended Hunter College School of Social Work. Pagano, Alfred - attending Hunter College in the fall for a MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL); after graduation will most likely teach at the high school level. Reimer, Joie - graduate student in Dance Therapy in Washington, DC. Robinson, Heather -member of Ensemble Studio Theatre, NYC; appeared with fellow alum, Kevin Shinick, in sketch comedy show, Wanna Eat This?

25


The Department of Drama and Dance Rose, Brian - Associate Professor Performing Arts, Adelphi University; thousands of performances at American Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre of Louisville, Classic Stage Company, Three Rivers Shakespeare, Manhattan Punchline, other Theatre Row theatres, Public Theatre, Kennedy Center, dozens of stock and regional productions; guest artist at Ithaca College, Trinity (San Antonio), U. Of Pittsburgh; two hundred media jobs for markets on five continents; MA, PhD; author of ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ Adapted (Greenwood); former lecturer at Cornell, Queens College and Adelphi University. Szostak, Anita - graduate, Colorado Institute of Art; freelance graphic designer/art director. Vaeni, Kara-Lynn - received her MFA in directing at Yale, where she won the Kaufman Directing Award; directed I Know Why the Aliens Don't Land (June ’07), written by her brother, Jeremy Vaeni and starring Jason O'Connell (’93); directed and taught at Hofstra (fall ’04). Williams, Tammy - appeared in The Mystery of Edwin Drood with The St. Bart’s Players, NYC (April ’05).

Class of ’93 Arcuri, Vincent James - writes and produces “Hollywood Confidential”, a nationally syndicated radio program hosted by TV/Radio personality, Leeza Gibbons; is also a freelance writer and performer; his critically acclaimed one man show, Becoming Butch, premiered in Los Angeles to sold out audiences in March 2009; also writes his own column of personal essays also titled Becoming Butch, which appears monthly in Frontiers In L.A. magazine; for more info, log onto www.BecomingButch.com Baker, Jennifer - freelance actress, Los Angeles. Bosco, Donna Marie - married, living in New Jersey; owner of Donna’s Gotta Dance, Inc., Staten Island.

26

Chaiet, Whitney - lead understudy in touring production of The Rose Of No Man's Land; working with the About Face Theatre Company, NYC as assistant to the Artistic Director. Cohen, Jonas - MFA, Professional Actor Program, University of Nebraska; will be appearing in the musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood and in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night first at Idaho Shakespeare Festival and then at the Great Lakes Theater Festival- both shows will be in rotating rep from June November ’09; has been appearing as an actor/musician in a series of roles including the musical play Love Jerry (New York Musical Theater Festival's award for Outstanding Ensemble) and most recently in the play Glorious! as Cosme McMoon at the Fulton Theater in Lancaster, PA; recently worked as the piano accompanist for Lake George Opera at Saratoga's young peoples’ outreach program; can currently be seen on local TV, buses, and subways in a 9/11 health campaign ad; directs and teaches Acting, Auditioning, and Styles at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Crouch, Traci - freelance actress, Boston. Cutrona, Todd - MFA Theatre Management, Columbia University; new artistic director for the Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre in Providence, RI; previously worked for Richard Frankel Productions, New York City. Falciano, Stephanie - professional Ballroom and Latin dancer/competitor, U.S. Latin top six finalist; planning to study in London with world champions; freelance actor in NYC; completed one year program at the School for Film & Television. Hurley, Gregg - married with two children; Assistant Director for Sight and Sound Theatres (religious plays) in Lancaster, PA, the #3 destination in the nation for theatrical tour groups. McCormick, Jean - Currently at Tokyo Disneyland in the Broadway revue, Encore. Leek, Richard - living in Boston doing a lot of technical theatre work;

Assistant Stage Manager on the Boston production of Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding; electrician for Boston Chamber Theatre. Loughead, Amy - actress living in NYC; starred in ‘Night, Mother at the TBG Arts Center, NYC; appeared in The Fear Project at The Barrow Group (www.barrowgroup.org), an awardwinning Off-Broadway theatre company in mid-town Manhattan: a reviewer from Backstage called her "glib" and a critic from Theatremania said her performance was played with "kooky charm"; also runs the professional acting school at The Barrow Group. O’Connell, Jason - performed in The Lifeblood, the Last Days of Mary Stuart, Connelly Theatre, NYC, (Feb. ’08); does stand-up comedy in NYC. Previti, Annette - living in Brooklyn; actor, artist and teacher; currently teaching drawing, painting and jewelry making, along with Shakespeare monologues and Scene Study at after school program of St. Lukes School and Mini-Masters PreSchool Academy; started new art program for children in Brooklyn (summer ’09). Sato, Chika - returned to Japan to open a Dance Studio. Scheele, Stephanie - married; teaching creative movement and preballet classes to children in the Metro Washington, DC area. Scott, Ivan (Scott MacDougall) completed a Master's degree in theology at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in May 2007; studying for a Ph.D. in systematic theology at Fordham University; he and Bartleby, his Toy Fox Terrier, live in Manhattan amid piles of books. Sternberg, Fern (Glazer) - married, living in Brooklyn; works for The Alliance for the Arts, where she edited a guide for the New York Times Arts & Leisure section entitled “Cool New York”; freelance work includes “History Roadshow”, a piece on preserving family history when moving from one home to another, which appeared in Who, What, Where Magazine; also did another piece on audio/video/film


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 preservation for Magazine. Urschel, Tanya –

Family

Tree

MBA San Jose State University; works in San Jose at PayPal in the marketing department; still sings in Stanford University choirs; went to China summer ’08 with Stanford Choirs and Symphony, where she sang at the Shanghai Oriental Center, Great Hall of People and Beijing Opera house (National Center for the Perfoming Arts); visited NY in March ’09 caught up with Hofstra alumni and faculty; enjoys occasional round of golf. Vesper, Jennifer (Wagner) -

spending her 12th year in the Florida sunshine, her 8th year at Tampa Theatre and her 3rd year as a mom. Woehling, Cristy Ann - received her PhD in Composition and Rhetoric at Miami University (Oxford, OH); currently teaching in the Composition Studies Program at the University of New Hampshire (Durham); married to Larry and mother to Jackson.

Class of ’94

Aderman, Shelli - currently the administrator for Congregation Tehillah, in Riverdale, NY; will also be stage managing the Flaming Idiots this winter at the New Victory Theatre.; her partner, Narda Alcorn, is an associate professor of stage management at SUNY Purchase and is an active Broadway stage manager; Shelli and Narda are the proud parents of Malka ,who will be 4 in December, and new baby brother, Noah Matan, born Nov. ’08. Berman, Fred - still in NYC with his wife and son, Benjamin, who just turned one in March.; appeared OffB'way in Bury The Dead with The Transport Group; won an AudioFile Earphone award for the audio book, Broolyn Bridge. He and Steve Lavner still run ZipthunkSound which records voice-over demos for actors. www.zipthunksound.com; Filming a role in the new feature film, Twelve Thirty, and “I'm still a better actor than Dan Matisa.” Boring, Zannie - stage name Zannie Kendrick, living in LA; appeared in movie, Metal God. Burrows, Ann (Adkinson) - will be moving to the Kitsap Peninsula of Washington State in summer ’09; entering final year of seminary, expected graduation May 2010; married to Austin Adkinson.. Camps, Carolina (NiNi) - playing guitar and singing with groups such as The Acoustic Girl Circle; also performs with her band, Love Pie up and down the East Coast; has recorded two CD’s; is part of ModMusic Records which consists of several artists and projects, one of which is the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Benefit CD, which is a compilation CD of singers/songwriters/bands from the northeast. Canestro, Joe - free lance actor, Long Island. Cassell, Kim (McGuire) - is having a great time being a stay-at-home mom to her two adorable girls Megan (2 ½) and Katelyn (1); currently lives in Germantown, MD. Coleman, Destin -free lance actor, NYC .

Cooper, Robin - Director of Sales Development, Ticketmaster Corp; living in Los Angeles. Ingalls, Megan - MFA, Scenic Design, Northwestern University ’97); freelanced and taught in Chicago; lived in New York City working as a scenic painter; toured as a production coordinator with Natalie Merchant, Ricky Martin and The Dave Matthews Band; married lighting designer, Jason Boyd in 2001; now resides in High Falls, NY and teaches and designs at Ulster Community College. Jefferson, Nate - has small dance company in NYC; first show produced in November ’03. Keigwin, Lawrence - received a BA in dance; founded KEIGWIN + COMPANY in 2003, and as Artistic Director, has created 12 groundbreaking dances and led the company as it has performed at theaters and dance festivals throughout New York City and across the country, including The Joyce Theater, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, New York City Center, American Dance Festival, the Vail International Dance Festival, and more;

Larry and K+C returned to the Joyce Theater in June ’09 and will participate in Works & Process at the Guggenheim in September, presenting the world premiere of a new dance, set to a commissioned score by composer Steve Reich; in October ’09, K+C will also perform for the first time at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.; in addition to his work for KEIGWIN + COMPANY, Larry has created Keigwin Kabaret, a fusion of modern dance, vaudeville, and burlesque acts presented by the Public Theater at Joe's Pub and by Symphony Space, where in April

27


The Department of Drama and Dance ’09, Keigwin Kabaret was presented over three weekends. Kleen, Jenny - Master’s in Special Education, Fordham University; married Greg Keigwin in June; teaching in New York City. Minardi, Victoria - Master’s in Teaching, Montclair University; married to Joshua Reed in 2005 and “living happily in Hackettstown, NJ”; is a Drama teacher at Sparta High School (she and her students attended a high school matinee of The Tempest, March ’09); performed in a production of the play, Rabbit Hole at the Black River Playhouse in Chester, NJ (March ’09). Oberman, Brett - has worked professionally as an actor, director, choreographer, musical director, composer/lyricist, stage manager and designer; resides in NYC where he works at Keith Sherman & Associates, an entertainment PR company located in Times Square, whose notable accounts include the Antoinette Perry “Tony” Awards; has been staging musical numbers with the NYC Gay Men’s Chorus at Carnegie Hall. Pearse, Jennifer ('94) Haran married to John Haran, two sons, Patrick James and John (expecting 3rd child in June ’09 (it’s a girl!!!); working at DDB advertising, NYC. Reser, Carolyn - reading specialist, Valley Stream Elementary Schools, LI where she is also involved with the Drama Club. Smith, Julie Evan - Actors Theatre of Louisville (Pride & Prejudice); Old Globe Theatre (MFA; The Pavilion); Dallas Theatre Center (The Importance of Being Earnest); Hangar Theatre (All In The Timing); Great Lakes Theatre Festival (As You Like It; Love's Labour's Lost); Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis (As You Like It); "All My Children"; "Law & Order: Trial By Jury"; lives in NYC and is getting ready to transition to LA. Wooster, Nikki - was contestant on TV show, Shipmates; married, living in New Hampshire

Class of ’95 Artese, Dorie - married to Scott Mehling.

28

DelVecchio, John - wrote and performed in Veins and Thumbtacks at The Producers Club, NYC. Eramo, Peter - after 10+ years of concentrating on writing and

directing for the theatre, returned to acting as Bernard in Boeing, Boeing at Arena Repertory Theatre and played the lead role in the dramatic thriller Earth and Sky at the Broadhollow Theatre; currently writing a film adaptation of Kafka's The Trial for Telic Pictures and Abject Films, Ltd.; looks forward to doing more stage work and going back to teaching theatre and directing productions for students; still residing in Long Island. Jones, Robert - performed in production of Seussical; performed in production of The Wild Party with Columbia Stages Productions at the Riverside Church; did improv show, Sherpa w/ The Future Mrs. Goldman & Rouge Elephant, at Under St. Marks Theatre, NYC; has worked extensively in regional theatres. Lindsley, Meredith - attended Emerson College in Boston. Matisa, Daniel - company member with two professional regional Shakespeare companies: the Vermont Shakespeare Company, in North Hero, Vermont, and the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre, in Conway, Arkansas; has worked with many New York companies as well, including the Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, alongside fellow Hofstra alums Jason O'Connell, John Giampetro, and Michael Surabian; has performed with Tennessee Rep, Florida Studio Theatre, Pennsylvania Centre Stage, Nebraska Shakespeare Festival,

American Stage, Asolo, and many more; circled the globe performing the one-person play Fully Committed on the Crystal cruise ship line; earned an MFA from the Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory graduate acting program, where he was honored to have worked with the legendary Jose Quintero; has appeared on television, and last year, appeared in his first feature and industrial films; has been happily living in the Astoria section of Queens, NYC, since 1999; his family (including his two wonderful nephews!) lives in Dan's hometown of Iselin, New Jersey, and he visits them often; has extremely fond memories of Hofstra, and still keeps in touch with many of his Hofstra friends. Dan is the real mother of Fred Berman's child. Mikoloski, Alicia - Supervisor at a National Broadcast Media buyer at Zenith Media Services; engaged to Brian; living in NYC where she still takes dance classes. Mueller, Catherine-as Co-Artistic Director of The Glass Contraption, spent a month in Paris with two company members studying Bouffon with Philippe Gaulier also co-produced and performed in The Amazing Ted Show, which the company toured to South Africa, performing at the National Arts Festival (where it was declared one of the Ten Best of the Festival), and for schools and community centers throughout the region; during those two months, the company was also in residence for a month with the Topsy Center for Children Living with HIV, performing and leading arts residencies, and teaching ukulele lessons!, and in CapeTown for 10 days, working with SIYAYA Music Theater in Guguletu, a township outside of CapeTown; after returning to NYC, The Amazing Ted Show performed as part of the NY International Clown Festival and at Ars Nova; attended the Arts and the One world Conference at Cal Arts( January’08); the company is working on its next show, for which it received a development grant, preparing for its 3rd Annual


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 Kickball Tournament and Company Picnic, and for a 10 day visit in June from SIYAYA Music Theater, for whom we have arranged a series of performances and workshops; for details, please visit www.glasscontraption.org, a short South African slide show is visible on www.myspace.com/theglasscontrapt ion; will begin Teacher Training this Spring with Master Teacher Christopher Bayes, the head of physical theater at Yale; also trained in the Viewpoints with the SITI Company; as Co-Executive Director of In the Company of Women (www.itcowomen.com), coproduced and facilitated two citywide events for women, on Sexuality and Creativity, and ITCOWomen's 15th Discussion Group Session; for more details, please visit www.itcowomen.com; continues to work closely with the 52nd Street Project and to book television commercials and voiceovers, thank God! Roman, Angela - living in Miami, FL since 1997; appeared in production of West Side Story; was featured dancer in productions of She Loves Me, Milk & Honey, Jesus Christ Superstar, Steel Pier, and most recently A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; working with an agent to do videos and industrials for FILA; previously was a dancer for the Regent Rainbow Cruise Line and the Naples Dinner Theatre in Florida; lectured and demonstrated for elementary and high schools throughout New York area. Roth, Judy (Wagner) - living in NYC; married, son Noah. Vatavuk, Anita - freelance actress, NYC. Wright, Amy - is a proud business owner! In June 2008 she and two partners opened Classic City Arts,

an organization dedicated to producing the classics on stage; CCA also produces musicals as well as non-classical works, but its dedication is to bring the classics back to the mainstream; CCA's first production, Moliere's The Bourgeois Gentleman opened in April 2009 and was a huge creative success; rehearsals are currently underway for Shakespeare's Measure for Measure as well as a Cole Porter revue and The Who's Tommy In Concert; in addition to theatre, also partner with Thrillahill Productions, an independent video production company, to provide actors, directors and writers with more opportunities via different varieties of media. Check us out at www.classiccityarts.com or find us on Facebook! Wysoczanski, Kim - married; dancing in Beauty and the Beast at Walt Disney World's MGM Studios; performed in The Merry Widow with the Orlando Opera Co.; dancing in conventions shows; modeling for NIKE.

Class of ’96 Belonzi, Elizabeth - recently played Portia in Merchant of Venice, NYC. Bleiweiss, Erin (Barry) - appeared in the Dante Project, Inferno: A Journey Through Hell.

Couba, Gregory - Assistant to the Director of the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the New York Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center; performed in Free To Be Me, a cabaret benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Daly, Christopher - completed Masters in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU; with his brother, has started a technology focused political consulting company, Daly & Partners; the short film he produced, Jagged, won several awards at the 2000 New York International Film Festival; continues to collaborate with friends in the New York City area on a number of upcoming film and theatre projects; he can be reached at chris@dalyandpartners.com dePiggot, Jay - attended the University of Southern California's graduate program in CinemaTelevision Production. Farid, Riham - graduate, Hofstra Law School; married. Goldberg, Jamie (Jamie Karen) appeared in Broadway production of Man of LaMancha. Hurley, James - living in Los Angeles; produced and performed in a new play, Exact Change, at the Elephant Performance Space, Hollywood. LaPorte, Jennifer - pursued Master's degree in Health Administration at Hofstra. Lindemann, Dawn (Alger) employed at Goodspeed Opera House, Haddam, CT (’96-’99) house manager at The Bushnell, Hartford, CT (’03-’05); office manager, architecture firm, Bristol, CT; former member of Hartford Chorale; current member of Greater Middletown Chorale; chorus member of Evita; participates in local community theater. Lombardi, Linda - lives in Seattle; works in marketing for Intiman Theatre and is a freelance director. Malan, Season Applelget - lives in Richmond, VA with her husband Mathew and 9 month old son, Carter; stays in touch with friends and fellow Hofstra alum Christopher Daly (Drama), David Milowitz

29


The Department of Drama and Dance (Dance), Liza Fiorentino Griswold (Dance), David Nelson (Drama) & Eddie Duran (Drama). Pace, Giacinta - (aka Gia/aka G) works at NBC News in Rockefeller Plaza. She is a Digital Journalist and produces a webpage for MSNBC.com called Cause Celeb about celebrities and the causes they support. Check out one of her most recent interviews with David Alan Basche, Tracie Thoms and Blythe Danner: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/2941 0137/. She regularly writes other pieces for MSNBC.com's charity page and can occasionally be seen as a correspondent on NBC Mobile's News2Go. For the second year in a row, Giacinta enjoyed helping coordinate NBC Universal's presence at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas which featured late night newcomer Jimmy Fallon. She is still a performer at heart and spends summers improving at The New York Renaissance Faire with other Hofstra Alums; Robin Flannagan, Jim Mundy and Emma Servant. Giacinta is THRILLED to be reconnecting with all of her fellow Hofstra Alums on Facebook, so feel free to friend her or e-mail her at gia.pace@nbcuni.com. Reilly, David - Master's in Education, Queens College; tenured teacher in Bellmore, LI; received the highest honor the PTA can award an individual (The Life Membership Award); also received an award from the school district's teachers' union (Bellcore Faculty Organization), the President's Choice Award; “I love my job!”; lives in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Stith, Nathan - married to Sarah, daughter, Zoe, 1 year old; will be moving to Colorado to attend Master's program at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Theatre (fall ’09); plans to continue working in regional theatre as an actor, director and dramaturg during breaks from school and after graduation.

Class of ’97 Accardo, Lauren Ann - married to Nicholas Novellino and living in

30

Queens; appeared in an evening of dance entitled Eye Candy at the Merce Cunningham Studios. Capitulo, Valerie - performed in Eye Candy, an evening of dance, at the Merce Cunningham Studios, NYC. Chorney, Taryn - worked at Long Wharf Theatre as a directing intern and production assistant; currently teaching at Pomperaug High School in Connecticut and acting and directing for several companies in New Haven. Cluck, Diane (Hasser) - appeared in Yes is for a Very Young Man at the Gowanus Arts Exchange, Brooklyn. Crosby, Christopher - appeared in Gray Wig’s presentation, Tess, the Musical; performed at the Cultural Arts Playhouse, Bethpage, in a show entitled Songs for a New World; appeared in Tim Robbin’s movie, The Cradle Will Rock; appeared in The 24 hr Woman with Rosie Perez. deLuise, Danielle - married to Aaron Fix; living in Tucson where she works for Paciolan, a company that designs and implements automatic ticket sale programs. Dickens, Denise - living in NYC; married to James Nunzio Incognito. Edwards, Vanessa - working for Jeff George Photographic; directed a short film entitled Little red ...Or Grandma likes pie; acted in an independent film called Fear of the Dark shot on DVD. Harger, Heidi - “still plugging away at her acting career though temporarily on a detour through nursing school so, hopefully, she can later afford to continue being a healthy, fed, and clothed actress”; in August ’08, she had the pleasure of playing Sister James in an Equity production of Doubt with the Emerson Theater Collaborative in Mystic, CT; continues to work with Broadway Kids in East Lyme CT, a music theater school. Kaiser, Amy Joyce - Director of Operations for the Yale Alumni Chorus Foundation, whose mission is to promote harmony through the universal language of music through international choral events, outreach, and supporting the creation of new choral work

is (www.yalealumnichorus.org); excited to be singing again and have the opportunity to travel internationally, especially since she can’t seem to stay in one place for any length of time; prior to the chorus, spent a year as the Managing Director of the Orlando Shakespeare Festival and 5 seasons with The Pearl Theatre Company in NYC, ending her last 2 ½ years there as the Managing Director. Kakiya, Nami - dancing with Rod Rodgers Dance Company. Kaplan, Leslie - completed professional writer's program at USC. Lavner, Steven - living in New Jersey with his wife - coming up on 7 year anniversary; co-founder of ZipthunkSound, a Voice Over production company with Fred Berman. Lawless, Jessica - appeared in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in South Florida. McKeon, Sean - appeared in commercials; models for Cosmopolitan and New York Magazines; appeared in Edward Norton, Ben Stiller film; works for gourmet caterer in NYC. Mallard, Taryn - married to Tim Reid, living in Providence, RI with their two children, Tyler and Taya; most recently starred in Evita at the Margaret L. Jackson Performing Arts Center about which Theater Mirror wrote “…a sensational Evita. This girl can sing, act and dance circles around anyone I’ve seen...”; performs with Tim in the music act, Tim & Taryn “Live Acoustic Duo”; they can be contacted at their website: www.timandtaryn.com Meckler, Amelia - living in Seattle; played Maxine in production of The Night of the Iguana; stage manager, The Last Night of Ballyhoo; directed The Merchant of Venice all for Greenstage. Nelson, David - living in New York; in San Francisco played Timber Tucker in An American Daughter; played Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice; and performed in a production of Roberto Zucco: A Portrait of a Serial Killer at the Theatre Rhinoceras.


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 Norland, Chris - living in Madison WI; pursuing a Master’s degree in Educational Policy Studies at University of Wisconsin. Paolantonio, Ray - works in Daytime Programming at CBS; played the lead in production of Wilhelm Reich In Hell! with the Son of Semele Ensemble, which was featured in issue of American Theatre Magazine as one of the 12 hot young theatre companies in the U.S.; helped organize the Hofstra Comm School So Cal Alumni Chapter; is an active member of the L.A. Theatre League and the Actor’s Alley at the El Portal Center for the Arts; email – lattore@yahoo.com. Reid, Tim - lives in Providence, RI with wife, Taryn Mallard (’97), and their two children, Tyler and Taya; created theatre studies program at Hendrickan High School, where he has directed and choreographed several productions; Tim has performed in productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, and The Crucible (Danforth); Tim and Taryn perform acoustic music throughout New England; contact them through their website: www.timandtaryn.com Ruppert, Coleen - graduated Seton Hall Law School (May ’02); worked for a year clerking for a criminal court judge; now an Assistant Prosecutor with the Union County Prosecutor’s Office in Elizabeth, NJ; “my true claim to fame is being a student of the Honorable Terrence Flynn (aka John Flynn’s, ’95) dad”; traveled to London last year; her email address is opusnlou@hotmail.com Schachtel, Tara (Sands) - living in Los Angeles and hosting the television show Fridays on the Cartoon Network; performed OffBroadway in The Counsellor-AtLaw ('05); voice-overs for radio and television commercials, video games, books-on-tape, and cartoons. Smith, Eric - living in San Francisco, where he appeared in a new play, Key West. Werner, Jeannie (Dunkel) - MS Education in Counseling, Hofstra (’02); married Christopher Dunkel in October ’04; proud mommy to

Ethan Vincent, born July ’06; teaching dance at a dance studio in East Northport, LI; choreographing and directing two of the studio’s tap companies for students age 7-12; also choreographing tap pieces for the Studio’s competition team, working with students ages 8-11; in 2006 her students won a High Silver at the national level; taking dance classes when she can.

Class of ’98 Cabballero, Evelyn - married to Thomas O’Donnell; had principle role on an episode of Law and Order. Clifford, Jennifer (Ruffner) moved to Chicago, where her husband, Joe, is working as a stage manager for Second City; she stage managed a show for them in Novi, MI called Deface the Nation that played during the election season; daughter, Isabella turned 3, and they are expecting their second child on Sept 19. Cohen, Stacy teaching Gyrokinesis at the Universal Force Healing Center; performed with Liz Buehler/Gritty Cherries at the Atrium Theater. Collins, Jacqueline - Radio City Music Hall Rockette; also tours USA with the Rockettes. D’Andrea, Jennifer -working as a dance instructor in upstate New York; also worked as adjunct dance faculty at Orange County Community College. Hakim, Rodney - is a freelance actor, director, producer, and acting coach working throughout New York; recent directing credits include highly regarded productions of Henry V and Shining City; is recently married, and living on Long Island; www.rodneyhakim.com Keller, Heather - recently married; wrote and produced two plays: Bodice Rippers and Bizarre; starred in a new play called The Socialization of Ruthie Shapiro; was married on Broad Beach in Malibu, CA on May 2, 2009 to Brian McCarthy, a writer, produce; bought a home in Los Angeles in November 2008; currently working on a book of essays.

Kelly, Lisa - played “Cassie” in A Chorus Line in Pensacola, FL. Ortiz, Lisa - doing animation voiceover work, including work on Pokemon, Slayers; appeared in production of Jungle of Cities. Segrete, Leslie - married and living on Long Island; carpenter, designer on TLC’s hit series While You Were Out and Trading Spaces; recently awarded the Girl. Scouts’ highest honor, The Juliette Low Award of Distinction; designs, builds and executes projects to please the participating families and millions of her fans every week; also appeared frequently as a contributor for the Today Show; co-host of radio program The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home improvement radio program heard on over 200 radio stations around the nation; named to Talks Magazine’s prestigious Heavy Hundred list of the “100 Most Important Talk Show Hosts in America; featured in House Beautiful’s Weekend Shopper Column; www.lesliesegrete.com Voutsas, Theodora - living in Greece where she worked with her father in a contemporary Greek comedy, did some TV and produced a movie; produced Boogie Nights at a Club in Athens. Williams, Alia Faith - directed her original play, Making (Up) History: Searching for Annie Moore, as part of the 2007 Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, DC; played role of Arlene in Marsha Norman’s Getting Out, in Washington (August ’07).

Class of ’99 Bagaglio, Sylvia - PA for Voices From The Hill at the Connelly Theater, NYC; performed at the Stockwood Renaissance Faire in Hurley, NY. Blyskal, Bethany -married to Steven Affelt; teaching high school chorus and general music for first and second grade in the East Islip School District (Long Island); serves as co-director and pit orchestra conductor for the East Islip High School musical productions, where she hopes to incorporate some theater courses in the curriculum;

31


The Department of Drama and Dance still continues to perform with the Broadhollow Players. Canese, Brian - married, son, Aaron; working backstage at the Playhouse. Capers, Kara - performed in the The Hoarde with the Vissi Dance Theatre, NYC. DiLeonardo, Melissa (Missy) MFA, Acting, Goodman School of Theatre, DePaul University, Chicago (’07); worked at Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia Theatre Company/Young Plawright's Festival, Delaware Theatre Company, Hunger Theatre and Thread Company; living in Chicago. Dunatov, Lara Jane - starred in oneact musical, Desiree of Beverly Hills (NYC); still with sketch comedy group called spurn with own production company called spurn Productions of which she is one of the founding members; produced short films and other theatre projects as well as their sketch show; producing a musical that is in the Fringe Festival this year called Genius Famous in which she will appear; was on Wheel of Fortune and dabbles in Hand Modeling from time to time; is a licensed real estate agent working in Manhattan. Durante, Jonathan - living in Los Angeles, working as a Private Banker for Wells Fargo; married to Corrinne; appeared in movie, LaLinea, with Andy Garcia; made Diet Dr. Pepper TV commercial; appeared in several indie movies; played role of Graziano in The Merchant of Venice which won critical acclaim in Back Stage West. Hernandez, Selina - performed in a solo-cabaret entitled This is Me at the Triad, NYC; working on fall ’08 production of Brunch, the Musical, NYC. Kaalund, Zakiya - originated and continues to direct UNIA (Unique Naturally Innovative Achiever’s) Dance School at a PAL center in Roosevelt, LI which she started as a senior project while at Hofstra; the program has more than tripled and has become a permanent program at the PAL; is also teaching at High School of the Humanities and the Arts in Queens; dancing for the Underground Dance Project which

32

performs regularly at Tribeca Performing Arts Center, NYC; plans to begin attending NYU for master’s degree. Mancuso, Don - performed in Cosa Nostra, a live piece about mafia films and directors such as Scorcese, Coppola and DePalma where he did scenes from Scarface, Goodfellas and the Godfather Part III; taking classes with Arthur Mendoza. Marcello, Linda - after a successful career as a Broadway, off-Broadway and touring stage manager on shows including Jesus Christ Superstar, Dinner With Friends, Time and Again, Seussical, The Lion King and The Producers, Linda has found a new passion in the wine business! In addition to buying and selling for Cabrini Wines in Manhattan, took classes at The Culinary Institute’s Wine Studies Center in Napa, CA and was a student at the International Wine Center in NYC. Miserandino, Christine - works in marketing but spends most of her free time volunteering for the Lupus Foundation of LI/Queens; still involved in theatre and enjoys stage managing and performing regionally; married in December ’03 to Vincent Coviello, a NYC firefighter; would love to hear from anyone: Christine@miserandino.com Polk, Erin - telecommunications financial analyst, call routing analyst at 1-8-- Flowers; appeared in The Tempest at New York Institute of Technology resident theatre, A Small Company in America; appeared in Gray Wig’s production of An Inspector Calls. Saylor, Shawn - married to Christine; worked at Hofstra for several years after graduation as Manager of Audio Visual Services. Thomas, Makeda - Artistic Director and Choreographer of Roots & Wings Movement, which has performed in cities from Maputo to Port of Spain; has presented work at Brooklyn Academy ofMusic, Chicago Women’s Performance Arts Festival, Teatro Africa (among others) and as a Cultural Envoy for the U.S. Department of State; as a performer, toured internationally

with Urban BushWomen, Rennie Harris/ Puremovement; has conducted artistic residencies in Hawaii, research projects in South Africa and The Netherlands, and NYC Department of Education. Volpe, Kim (Casalino) - earned a Master's in Musical Theatre Performance from NYU; left her job as University Director of Public Relations at Long Island University to pursue her theatre career full time; living and working in Manhattan; performed off-Broadway in Back in Pictures, a revue of songs from classic movie musicals; played Gertrude in a regional production of Seussical (opposite fellow alum Robert Anthony Jones); and created the role of Amy in the East Coast premiere of a new Bacharach musical, Love Sweet Love; married to Pete Casalino.

Class of ’00 Collins, Jennifer - directed John Katsberg in the Samuel French OffOff Broadway One-Act Festival, NYC (June ’07); married to Isaac Rathbone. LaRussa, Salvatore - created his own dance company, Salvatore LaRussa Dance Theatre; children’s movement workshops for NYC public Schools (Dec. - April ’07); performed at Ranblo and Lady Fag’s Wedding (June ’07); did workshops in Dallas, TX and set two new solos for performer, Delilah Buitro’n. Lowenthal, Joshua - Assistant Company Manager of Lincoln Center production of A Man of No Importance. MacDonald, Emilee - marketing director at Hippodrome State Theatre, Gainesville, FL. Moses, Rachel - married in May 2009 to Jesse; actor and Licensed Massage Therapist; living in NYC. Prince, Angel - lives in Hawaii with her husband, James where she teaches dance in Honnokaa and Waimeia. Rathbone, Isaac - appeared in Queens Players One-act Festival, LIC, (Jan. Feb. ’08); directed Jon Katsberg and wrote and directed There’s Always a Band at the S. French Off-Off One Act Festival


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 (June ’07); married to Jennifer Collins (’00). Vogt, Allison - working in internet banking, European American Bank. Walter, Nicole (Scalfani) - after graduation attended American Dance Festival on scholarship; performed with Dina Denis at the Mizel Museum in Denver, CO (April ’09); has danced with Now Dance and Oscar Valazquez (dancer/choreographer from Mexico); currently dancing with Robin Becker; married and living in Queens.

Class of ’01 James Brigman - is still “living the dream” in the big apple; was recently promoted to the General Manager of Becco Restaurant on restaurant row, NYC; still living with fellow Hofstra alum, Lauren Walker, and has recently moved to Murray Hill; will be spending the summer in Illinios as John Smith in Run for Your Wife and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. Cohenour, Jeremy - appeared in TV show Criminal Minds (1/08); working in voice-overs and commercials since moving to LA in ’01; did a stage reading of Sunset Blvd. at the Hollywood Bowl; studying at Lily Kahn & Co. (Film/TV acting school). DeJesus, Erica - starred in An Occurrence Remembered, a modern dance and dark electronic musical at the Washington Square United Methodist Church, NYC; danced with Robin Becker and Company. Engle, Deborah (Baum) - performed in The Baby Dance at BroadHollow Theatre, LI; also Buried Child , at Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows and The Good Daughter, at the New Jersey Repertory Theater. Kaufman, Heather - working at ad agency, NYC. Mogavero, Vincent - wire clerk for brokerage firm on the American Stock Exchange; performed at various Long Island community theatres, including playing Stanley in Neil Simon's Broadway Bound; stage manager for NYC Dance Theatre's production of Nutcracker.

Morley, Jennifer - works with The Figments Dance Ensemble, an educational program for children. Pioreck, Tom - working for Barnes & Noble at the Hofstra bookstore. Pizzolato, John - performed in the Flea Theater’s production of a new musical comedy, JABU, NYC; appeared at Fez Café, NYC; appeared in an evening of original one-acts with the Emergence Theatre Group, NYC; performed original music at Cat Club on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood; appeared in Shadowboy at CSV Cultural Centre; still recording/performing original music, living/working between NYC and LA and working sometimes as Marketing/PR Rep for Guido New York. Rodgers, Adrienne - danced with Robin Becker and Company (Feb. ’03). Thomas, Heather - attending graduate school in Illinois to become a drama teacher. Toth, Jonathan - appeared in Danton’s Death with the Prospect Theater Company, NYC.

Class of ’02 Bordwell, Michael MS, Secondary Ed, Hofstra; currently a full-time English teacher at JHS 113 in Brooklyn, NY; has performed with several improvisation troupes at Don't Tell Mama and the Instant Shakespeare Company; performed in Macbeth for the Arena Players and the World Premiere Staged Reading of The Lost Boy. Broder, Amy - living in California; performed in Times Flies and Others by Ives, NYC; has appeared on Saturday Night Live, the Disney Channel and in several independent films; married to Mark Maimon . Brown, Dorian - playing female lead in ABC Family show, Roomates; other TV credits include Psych, Las Vegas, NCIS and Cold Case; married and living in California. Denis, Dina - graduated from New York University (’07) with her Master's in Dance Education; is teaching dance to grades 6-12 at the East Bronx Academy for the Future; is the Founder & Artistic Director of Dina Denis Dance / Dance Into Light, Inc. which has been operating since 2003. Check out our web site DinaDenisDance.org; the company held their first annual networking event “Art and Business Alive in Queens” on June 23, 2009; Dina Denis Dance received a space grant from LaGuardia Performing Arts Center for a performance on November 14; the company is excited to be invited back to the Hofstra stage to celebrate their 25th anniversary in November 2009; Dina continues to perform with Dina Denis Dance and also performs throughout the U.S. in collaboration with visual artist Siona Benjamin. Drake, Juliet - married to Shawn Hossain; finished tour of In My Grandmother's Purse with Childsplay; then moved from Phoenix to San Antonio, where Shawn began his Air Force Psychiatry Residency; worked for the city teaching basic computer skills to seniors; now is working in a longterm industrial as a Standardized Patient for UT, enacting specific symptoms for the training and

33


The Department of Drama and Dance examinations of medical and nursing students; also diligently working on her online greeting card boutique; www.julietsbalcony.com. Johnson, Jessica - appeared in short film, Wannabe; was casting director for Off-Broadway play Andy and Edie, in which she also performed. Jones, Lauren - did an under 5 (featured role with under 5 lines) on Guiding Light, (August ’08); married to David Wenzel, who works with partner, Joe Valenti, at Valenti Vision Films. Maco, Yves - teaching dance at Nassau, Suffolk Community College. Mandarano, Donna - stage manager for The Cascade Falls, NYC (Aug. -Sept. ’07) Miller, Julie - stage manager for Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of Sarah, Sarah; company manager for New York Stage and Film at Vassar; stage management work with fall tour of David Copperfield with Weston Playhouse; Story Salad Productions national tour of Tikki, Tikki Tembo. Myer, Heather - sound design for production of The Altruists at the Access Theatre, NYC. Redmond, Rebecca - MFA Costume Design, University of California, Davis; designed costumes for the musical Tom Sawyer at the Woodland Opera House (spring ’08); designed costumes for Mrs. Warren's Profession at Shotgun Players in Berkeley (the first theater in the country to run on all solar power!); will be designing their production of Macbeth directed by Mark Jackson later this year; hired as adjunct faculty at Folsom Lake College; worked on A Number with Capital Stage (Apr. ’08) voted Sacramento's best professional theater company of 2006; married Joel Erb in 2004. Servello, Gina (Piggott) - is a dancer and performer for Disney Cruise Line on the Disney Magic; married to fellow performer David Piggott in 2005; recently purchased a house in Orlando. Vaughn, Megan - performed in Beyond Therapy, NYC at Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex, NYC;

34

studying Interior Design at Hunter College.

Class of ’03 Bellissimo, Tina - appeared in The Good Doctor at Main Stage Theatre, LI. Cohen, Adam - wrote The Cascade Falls which was performed in NYC; appeared in Truth Be Told, a workshop collaboration by Oracle Theatre, Inc. in Brooklyn; played Bob Dylan in the play Andy and Edie in NYC. Craig, Lisa - performs with Saint Michael’s Warriors Dance Company, NYC. Curran, Nicole - pursuing Master's in Social Work at Columbia University; living in NYC with husband, John. Hemphill, Ryan - directed play The Cascade Falls, NYC; appeared in Figaro Gets A Divorce, Access Theatre, NYC; loan officer, Universal Mortgage, NYC. Kelly, Jennifer - toured with ARTSPOWER in The Little Engine That Could ; married. Kwanza, Kim (Huber) - married August ’08 to Brian Huber; teaching drama and English at Wantagh Middle School (L.I.), coaching a dance team, and directing the school musical. Leduc, Lindsey - member of Giordano Jazz Dance, Chicago, touring the globe and nationally; teaching and choreographing for Giordano Dance Center, Dancenter North and Stephanie’s Academy of Dance; soon to be married to Pedro Brenner. Rapp, Jennifer - living in Los Angeles; principal role in Broken Flowers (starring Bill Murray) winner of Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Film Festival; principal role in Spinning Into Butter starring Sarah Jessica Parker; currently attached to two features (supporting role in each) slated to start production later this year. Skolnick, Marci - stage manager for production of Waiting for Godot at Center Stage, NYC. Tucci, Paul - living in L.A. with his college roommate, Andrew Denio; performed the lead role in the L.A. stage premiere of Blood is My

Legacy; had a supporting role in a pilot for Nickolodeon. Wilson, Eric Emmanuel - living in Hollywood; busy working in the “Soap World” and always taking class and auditioning. Yusavitz, Sarah - Director of Development for Pig Iron Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA.

Class of ’04 Bozzone, Laura - appeared in The Tidings Brought to Mary with the Blackfriars Repertory Theatre, NYC (March-April ’09). Davis, Chris (Keveney) - appeared in The Shaughraun at The Storm Theatre, NYC (Jan.-Feb’08). Denio, Andrew - living in California, where he is studying for a second B.A. in Physics. Doerflein, Barbara - “is living the dream” - performing at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. Favorite roles include Pirate Wench in the Magic Kingdom Halloween Parade and an Elf in the Holiday Castle Show. Each Spring, Barb also works for the Magic Music Days program as a Guest Talent Coordinator. Douthit, Kim - Abingdon Theatre Co. (NYC) held a reading of her play, Business as Usual,; appeared in Hamle (an abridged version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet) at the Actors Chapel at St. Malachy’s Church, NYC. Hartford, Emily - appeared in A Rope in the Abyss, NYC (April ’08); also appeared in Night of Nosferatu, and in Land of the Undead, NYC. Maleos, Alex - appeared in Hamle (an abridged version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet) at the Actors Chapel at St. Malachy’s Church, NYC. Mills, Patrick - full 100% transition to directing; during the past year directed over a dozen shows for many different NYC companies; some of the more exciting credits include The Flea Theatre, Diversity Players of Harlem, Noor Play Festival @ The Wings Theatre, The Midtown International Theater Festival @ The Mainstage Theater, Manhattan Repertory Theater Company, and American Theater of Actors; this summer, producing and directing a full length production for


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 the MITF again!; also has real estate license and working under a NYC broker. Monroy, Nicholas - appeared in Beyond Therapy at Arena Players, LI. Newman, Adam - appeared in oneact festival, Queens Players, LIC (Jan.-Feb. ’08); appeared in movie, Leave Me Behind (Aug. ’07). Paludin, Jessica - stage managed production of All for Love at the CenterStage/NY Theatre; was Assistant Director/Stage Manager for Wonder of the World with the Core Theatre Company, NYC. Scoles, Kirsten - appeared in Hamle (an abridged version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet) at the Actors Chapel at St. Malachy’s Church, NYC (June ’06); now living in Hollywood; keeping very busy with lots of film/tv work. Tselepos, Andreas - completing MFA in Theatre Directing at The New School for Drama (Actors Studio Drama School); in September ’08 started teaching DR59A and DR1 at Hofstra Drama and Dance Department; appeared in Off-Off Broadway show, Prime Numbers, part of the New York Independent Theatre (NYIT) Awards (April ’09); will direct a new off-off Broadway One Act The Immigrant; ha and three of his MFA degree friends have started a theatre company in the City called The Nest - a Harlem-based nonprofit theater company committed to the development of contemporary and innovative theater dedicated to playing an active role in the artistic education and expression of the community through progressive youth programs that foster the next generation of theater practitioners

Class of ’05 Briggs, Kenny - appeared in and worked on music for movie project, Leave Me Behind. Claire, Felicity - appeared in production of Merrily We Roll Along, 45th Street Theatre (summer ’05). DiConzo, Mark - international Broadway tour of The Producers (’08); Blue Man Group (NYC

Training); starring in his first fulllength independent feature, New York Lately, due to be released in October; was featured in two episodes of 6 Degrees on ABC; various commercial print and spokesman roles; started his own production company: M.R.King Productions,

www.mrkingproductions.com Harris, Andrew - appeared in production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest , NYC (May ’09). Panepinto, Dana - participated in the Shotgun Theatre Festival at the Gene Frankel theatre where her play, Roomies, won their evening and took third place overall; currently taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade. Pioreck, Katie - working in Group Sales at New York City Opera. Sandella, Jennifer - acting, writing, directing and producing in NYC; founding member of Token Collective NYC and directing their production of Nesting, premiering September '09; planning to attend the MA program at Kings College London/RADA, fall '09 Smith, Melissa Haley - appeared in Queens Players One-act Festival, LIC, (Jan. Feb. ’08); appeared in movie Leave Me Behind (Aug. ’07).

Class of ’06 Allen, Angela - AEA stage manager; stage managed production of The Tales of Custard the Dragon (May ’08) at the Algonquin Theater, NYC. Donelan, Amanda - appeared in The Long Christmas Ride Home at the 78th Street Theatre Lab, NYC (March ’07). Dotti, Kieran - produced movie project, Leave Me Behind (summer’06). Haggerty, Kyle - featured roles in TV shows, Kings and Cupid (fall ’09). LaSala, Kristen - worked on crew of movie Leave Me Behind (Aug. 07). Morris, Sara - living in San Jose, CA and “doing a lot of theatre out here”; played Marie in Incorruptible at Broadway West Theatre Company ( fall ’08); played

Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Tabaqui in The Jungle Book, and Simple in Merry Wives of Windsor (summer ’09) all through the repertory Shakespeare company, Festival Theatre Ensemble. Rice, Dan - appeared in movie Leave Me Behind (Aug. ’07). Stover, Stephanie - is finishing up her last year of the scenic artist training program at Cobalt Studios; since graduating from Hofstra she has been working as the resident Charge Artist for The Secret Theater, an off-off Broadway theater in LIC, Queens; has also spent her summers painting across the country, most recently as the Indoor Scenic Charge for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival; this summer she will make her way to California to join the staff of Summer Repertory Theater in Santa Rosa, before finally settling down into the freelancing life of NYC; on October 10, 2009, Stephanie and Rich Ferraioli (05’) will be getting married after 6 wonderful years of dating.

Class of ’07 Heverin, Kat - living in California and taking play writing classes; studying Shakespeare with Mary Lou Rosato; doing Tai Chi, performd at REDCAT in October (’08); performed in Erik Ehn’s new play, One Eye Gone; in spring ’09 played the mother in Equus; cast in UCLA’s production of Medea starring Annette Benning to be performed in September ’09. Mack, Lindsay - performed in production of Hamlet at the Secret Theatre, LIC (Apr. ’09). Perlin, Sarah - worked as the Deck Lead/PA for Palm Springs Follies in California, Deck Manager for North Shore Music Theater's summer stages, Deck Manager and 2nd ASM for 3 of Opera Boston's productions, one of which was the New England Premier of The Nose; was the ASM for West Virginia Public Theater's holiday show of Wizard of Oz and is also the Production Stage Manager for Brown University's New Plays Festival where MFA playwrighting students get their works produced;

35


The Department of Drama and Dance freelances with a lighting event production company and is a freelance photographer; was also a Production Assistant on the film New York City Serenade that starred Freddie Prinze Jr and Chris Klien

The Ghost Sonata, Spring ’09

36

and was a PA on Santa Clause in Bagdad. Ricchiuti, Leanne - assignment editor, Capital 9 (Albany), a 24 hour Time Warner News channel.

Class of ’08 Lanzarone, Megan - appeared in Treasure Island with Literally Alive Children’s Theatre, NYC (May ’09), about which the NY Times said “...(she) makes a delightful hero."

Photo by Rych Curtiss


The Department of Drama and Dance

Faculty, Former Faculty and Staff Estelle Aden (Voice and Speech) retired; moved to Gainesville, FL where she has been doing community theatre; Estelle Aden Alpha Psi Omega scholarship awarded each year at the T.A. Dinner. Sherrie Basile (Department Secretary) started out as the parttime secretary in 1999 and returned in 2005 to fill Anne Noonan’s position as full-time secretary upon her retirement;. Kelly McTigue, her youngest sister, works on campus as well in the Saltzman Center; Sherrie and her husband Ronnie are members of the Rockville Centre St. Patrick Parade Committee; the parade’s goal is to choose three charities yearly, fundraise until the day of the parade and then divide the proceeds between them; since its inception in 1996 the parade has raised over $360,000. Robin Becker (Dance Program Modern and Ballet, Choreography) was a principal dancer with the Eleo Pomare Dance Company; also performed with Martha Graham Dance Company, the Pearl Lange Dance Company and as a guest artist with the Denishawn Repertory Company; is the artistic director of her own company which performs nationally and in New York at such venues as the Joyce Theater; was selected to be a choreographer at The Yard, a colony for performing artists in Massachusetts, and at Southold Dance Theater in South Bend, Indiana; has been on the faculty of American Ballet Theatre, Fiorello LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts in NYC and has taught master classes at universities across the country; also leads workshops on improvisation and the creative process and has been both a New York State and New Jersey State Artist-in-Residence. Stacy Blayne ('91) (Lane) (Manager of Theatre Facilities) was a Communications major (Film/Television Production) and drama minor while a student at Hofstra; is also Assistant Producer for Hofstra USA Productions;

36

married to Keith Lane and parents of Marissa and Shannon. Stormy Brandenberger (Modern, Choreography and Dance) was the choreographer for O, Yes I Will .. (written and performed by Deb Margolin) presented at Dixin Place in NYC - ended up as a performer- played an eighty year old male anesthesiologist; created four nightclub acts for Chez Duckie, a London based performance company and represented Hofstra Dance Program in Philadelphia at the National High School Dance Festival. Jonathan Cantor (Acting for NonMajors, Introduction to Theatre) is returning to Hofstra after a successful run last year in the premiere of Lee Blessing's Whores at NJ Rep and Playwrights Theatre of NJ; is also on the faculty at Adelphi University. Royston Coppenger (Play Analysis, Styles, Directing) directed The Good Woman of Setzuan in the new Black Box Theater (spring ’07). Rychard Curtiss (Lighting and Sound Design) is the Director of Lighting at Hofstra University; teaches light design, sound design, drafting and stage management; recent Hofstra credits include lighting designs for The Skin Of Our Teeth, Footloose, and Ghost Sonata, sound for The Tempest, and sound and multimedia design for The Great White Hope; has an MFA in Theatre Design & Technology from Northern Illinois University and a BA in Art History from Eastern Connecticut State University; professionally, his designs have been seen in NYC offBroadway and at a variety of regional theatre companies around the country; recent professional credits include Stage Manager for Brave New World’s Celebrate Brooklyn production of Fahrenheit 451 and lighting design for the Bronx Opera’s production of The Two Widows; is a member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Stage Managers Association.

Christopher Dippel (Acting, Play Analysis) adjunct assistant professor teaching Play Analysis, Acting, and Modern Drama; this year directed a senior practicum; attended the Providence Improv Festival with his theatre company, The New York Neo-Futurists, where they performed their awardwinning signature show, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, now in its fourth year in New York; also taught performance art workshops at Carnegie-Mellon University and the Broadway Training Center. Edward Elefterion (Acting for Non-Majors, Biomechanics) is the Artistic Director of Rabbit Hole Ensemble, a Brooklyn-based notfor-profit theatre company; he has directed over thirty productions of classics, new plays, and ensemblecreated works including the critically acclaimed Nosferatu: The Morning of My Death and Land of the Undead, both of which have been picked-up by the Wellfleet Harbor Actor's Theatre in Cape Cod; other productions include: The Transformation of Dr. Jekyll at Fringe, NYC 2006, The Siblings at the Midtown International Theatre Festival 2006 In the Jungle of Cities, The Misanthrope Macbeth, Ghosts, the New York premiere of Figaro Gets a Divorce and the world premiere of Neal Bell’s Therese Raquin; is a member of New York Theatre Workshop’s artistic community (The Usual Suspects) and has received an annual production assistance grant from NYTW since 2001; is a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab; received his BFA from NYU’s TISCH School of the Arts and his MFA from Indiana University. Timothy Fehmel (Former Asst. Director, Playhouse) Facilities Manager and Director of Studio Operations, Hofstra School of Communications; married, two children; received MBA from Hofstra.


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 Anita Feldman (Director of the Dance Education Program; teacher of Kinesiology for the Dancer, Tap Dance I and II, Introduction to Dance Education, Technology for Dance Education) designed and directed the new BS in Dance Education, which began in fall ’08 with a class of ten dance education majors; the first graduating class will be in 2011; choreographed a new modern tap dance work for the 2009 Spring Dance Concert titled Coming Down for fifteen tap dancers and three percussionists from the Music Department, with music by Hofstra music graduate Kathryn Hylton; presented a paper titled Best Practices: Collaboration Between Music and Dance Programs at Hofstra University at the National Dance Education Organization National Conference, in New York City(June ’09); was one of the tap artists featured in a new documentary by Jenai Cutcher, titled Thinking On Their Feet: Women of the Tap Renaissance which premiered at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio in April 2009; is featured on the new website Sole Stories: a tribute to the power and beauty of female tap dancers; beginning in 1983, gained an international reputation as a leading innovator of tap dance, choreographing pieces in collaboration with new music composers that incorporated electronics and the patented "Tap Dance Instrument," a wood and brass multi-timbre floor; her company of musicians and dancers, Anita Feldman Tap, performed in the U.S., Japan and Germany at over 100 universities and festivals in both dance and new music venues, including the Colorado Dance Festival, the Boston Dance Umbrella, Dance Theater Workshop, the Whitney Museum, the American Dance Festival, the Village Gate, the Smithsonian, the Kitchen, the 92nd Street Y, Seibu's Studio 200 in Tokyo, Podewil in Berlin; and performances and radio and television appearances in Frankfurt, Hamburg and Bremen, Germany; her work has been supported by numerous grants,

including six N.E.A. Fellowships, six NYSCA grants and two New York Foundation Fellowships; her book Inside Tap: Technique and Improvisation for Today's Tap Dancer is published by Princeton Books. Liza Gennaro (Drama Program Choreography for the Theatre; Dance Program - Tap, Dance) returned to the St. Louis MUNY Opera this summer for her 10th consecutive season; this year she choreographed My Fair Lady and High School Musical; during the 2007-2008 academic year she taught in the dance department of Barnard College and is currently working with New York Theater Ballet on a recreation of Agnes de Mille’s 1938 work, American Suite; in April she presented her paper Agnes de Mille and Jerome Robbins: Integration and the Decline of Dance in the Broadway Musical at the Cuny Graduate Center's Music in Gotham musical theater conference. . John Giampetro is the principal director and a founding member of The Accidental Theatre Company. He has directed several of the company's productions including Joan of Lorraine, Love's Labour's Lost, Miss Julie, and Toby Badger's Southpaw Swing. John has directed for Actors Theatre of Louisville, Vermont Shakespeare Company, Galatea Theatre, and Vineyard Haven Theatre among others. Most recently he served as artist-inresidence at Yale and taught master classes at Chautauqua Institution (summer ’08). He is co-Artistic Director of the Reading Series at Joe's Pub @ The Public Theatre, participated in benefit readings for the new Phoenix Theatre Ensemble, directed his adaptation of Winesburg, Ohio for Emory & Henry College, directed a radio adaptation of The Tragedy of Tragedies, Tom Thumb the Great in which he played every character, and is currently developing and directing a musical for Broadway based on the life and music of Glenn Miller called At Last!

Jean Dobie Giebel (Department Chair, Acting) previously Associate Director for The Mint Theatre and Riverside Shakespeare Company in New York; appeared OffBroadway, Off-Off-Broadway and in Regional theater; her New York directing credits include productions at the New 42nd Street Theatre, The Mint Theatre, Pulse Ensemble Theater, and Riverside Shakespeare Company; she administered the Harold and Marilyn Cohen Playwriting Competition and directed several Cohen Award winning plays for the Annual Samuel French Original Short Play Festival; serves as a mentor in the Leadership Institute for the Association of Theatre in Higher Education; recent Hofstra University productions include The Skin of Our Teeth and References to Salvadore Dali Make Me Hot; her chapter “Significant Action: A Unifying Approach to Acting” appears in Method Acting Reconsidered: Theory, Practice, Future (St. Martin’s Press, 2000); current projects include The Smoking Diary, a new OffBroadway show set to open August ’09 www.thesmokingdiary.com ; lives in Levittown with her husband Tim and her very best production: Amelia Louise, who is now in High School! James P. Hart, Jr. (Production Manager/Technical Director) the ’08-’09 school year is Jim’s third season with Hofstra University; hails from Southern California; where he received his bachelor's degree from Whittier College; received a Master of Fine Arts degree in Lighting Design from the University of South Carolina, Columbia; has worked as the Technical Director for such theaters as Flat Rock Playhouse, The State Theatre of North Carolina, Porthouse Theater, Ohio, and the Summer Theatre of New Canaan in Connecticut; has worked as the Technical Director/Resident Lighting Designer for such theaters as The Burt Reynolds Institute, in Tequesta, Florida and Pirate Playhouse on Sanibel Island, Florida; has held positions at other

37


The Department of Drama and Dance academic institutions including Whittier College, Kent State University, University of Central Florida, and Salisbury University. David M. Henderson (Director of Scenic Design) M.F.A. in Costume and Scenic Design, Carnegie Mellon ’94; this past spring spent his sabbatical shooting a short film: On The Rocks, The Unsolved Mysteries of Jack and Sal. Episode 2: The Rusty Trombone, written by two recent drama alums, Louis Aquiler and Chris D’Amato; in the spring he designed the scenery for The Tempest and sound for Ghost Sonata. Dyane Harvey-Salaam (Modern Dance) has danced with such renowned African-American dance companies as the contemporary Chamber Dance Company, Fred Benjamin Dance Company, and Eleo Pomare Dance Company; her performance experience ranges from dance companies to Broadway, OffBroadway, film and television; has performed in the Paris production of Your Arms Too Short to Box With God; Timbuktu!, the Broadway and touring company, and The Wiz, Broadway and feature film; her television experience has included CBS specials, Black Expressions, Story of a People and Ailey Celebrates Ellington; has been a recipient of a National Endowments and New York State council on the Arts Residency Grant for her work at City Center's Educational Outreach Program; on teaching faculty of Manhattan Community College and Lehman College. James J. Kolb, Phd, (Chair, Dramatic Literature, Theatre History) directed the spring 2009 production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, presented in the John Cranford Adams Playhouse with colleague Peter Sander as Prospero; lectured extensively (more than 60 occasions) on Long Island on a variety of theatre, opera, and musical theatre topics; presented an American Musical Theatre seminar for Honors College in fall 2008, and will begin to offer it as a course for the department’s Musical Theatre minor beginning in fall 2009; will

38

direct Bernstein, Comden and Green’s musical, On the Town, in fall 2009. Diane Lichtenberger (Dance Program - major and non-major ballet)- retired May ’07. Rachel List (Dance Program ballet) continuing teaching at Hofstra, Queens College and Peridance; choreographed a piece for the Hofstra students fall ’08 called “Box Fugue” for which her husband, Michael Sansonia, wrote the music. D. J. Markley (Design, Technical Theatre) retired after doing 135 shows in 35 years in the West End Theatre; member of SMPTE, USITT, THS and CMB (Circus Model Builders); with his wife, Pattie Voigt (’72), living in Maryland in the colder months and in the Adirondacks during the summer; began working extensively

with the Homeless in Cecil County, Maryland in an Emergency Shelter sponsored by the local Churches; spent two weeks in Williamsburg, Virginia over Thanksgiving with family; 2009 began with two weeks in Aruba, more work with the homeless, and a return to Biloxi in March to continue the effort of rebuilding the Gulf coast area; spent a week in Orlando FL; primary caregivers for Pat’s parents (age 83 and 90) and keep busy with them and our dog, Roxie; manage to travel extensively and keep busy with our church and volunteer commitments. Richard Mason, PhD, retired.

Cheryl McCarron (Costume Shop Manager/Costume Designer) for Hofstra, has designed costumes for Iolanthe, Tartuffe, The Confederacy and many faculty dance concerts; other recent costume designs include: Half & Half (Penguin Repertory Theatre), All For Love, Artist Descending a Staircase and Anna Christie (Boomerang Theatre), Isabelle and the Pretty Ugly Spell (New York Musical Theatre Festival), On the Town and Sprang Thang (Amas Musical Theatre), Tom Jones (Dorset Theatre Festival) and the offBroadway musical, Tails; earned her MFA from Brandeis University. Maureen Connoly McFeely (Theater Appreciation, Theater Today) serves as dramaturg for Shakespeare Festival productions; continues to teach Shakespeare on campus and off, and to see and review as many Shakespeare productions as she can. Deirdre McGuire ('67) (Costumes & Set Design) retired spring ’07; doing freelance design work. Carl Morris Professor Emeritus (deceased). Jean Morris retired as Box Office Manager of the Playhouse after 27 years at Hofstra. Anne Noonan (Department Secretary) retired in 2005 after 27 years at the Drama and Dance Department; was a union representative for Hofstra clerical workers; continues (from home) to be editor of The Poo-wa-bah; member of 9to5, National Association of Working Women, Women on the Job Task Force and a founding member of the Long Island chapter of the national association, CLUW (Coalition of Labor Union Women); she and her husband, Walter, traveled again to Aruba in the winter, where they spent time with DJ and Pattie Markley; will be traveling abroad the Queen Victoria on a trip from Southampton, England to Norway, Sweden, Denmark and St. Petersburg, Russia in August; delights in spending time with her 4 grandchildren ; enjoys playing golf, doing some volunteer work and going to shows and museums in


Poo-Wá-Bah, 2008-2009 Manhattan; in case you miss it elsewhere, her home email address (for PWB updates or just to keep in touch) is ADNPWB@AOL.COM Harriet Peters retired in December, '96 but still active in the affairs of the Department. Ilona Pierce (Voice & Speech) M.F.A. in Voice and Speech Coaching and Training from the National Theatre Conservatory in Denver, with internships at The Juilliard School and Yale School of Drama; her BFA in Musical Theatre is from Ithaca College; has taught on the theatre faculties of The Hartt School at the University of Hartford and Ithaca College, and as associate faculty for the Canadian National Voice Intensive; roles as an actress include: Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest, Julie in Julie Johnson, Rosalind in As You Like It and Bette Davis et al in the one-woman version of Me and Jezebel; as a voice/dialect coach, has worked for Manhattan Ensemble Theatre, The Denver Center Theatre Company, Aspen Theatre in the Park and The Hangar Theatre; she and her husband, Erik, have two children: Maya and Dash. Peter Sander (Acting, Play Analysis) had an exciting, rewarding and fulfilling year; at the end of the fall semester 2008, he traveled to Vermont where he directed The Glass Menagerie at the Lost Nation Theatre in Montpelier; he was able to cast Laura Bozzone (BFA ’04) as Laura and Jeremy Benson (BA ’09) as the Gentleman Caller; Amanda was played by another former student of his from Ohio University; at the end of the summer, he directed three original one-acts for Turtle Shell Productions at their theater on West 43rd Street; in the fall he directed the East coast premiere of ELECTRICIDAD, an L.A. barrio version of Sophocles' ELECTRA by Luis Alfaro, a MacArthur "genius," whom Jean was able to bring to campus as a Presidential Scholar; during a two-day visit, Alfaro spoke at a symposium, attended both classes and rehearsals where he inspired all those who heard him; spent his free time (such as there

was) learning lines for the role of Prospero in The Tempest which he performed with students for the 60th year of the Hofstra Shakespeare Festival; it was exciting to connect with them on a different level, a treat he had not experienced since 1989 when he played Shylock in The Merchant of Venice for Hofstra Shakespeare Festival #40; he has also found lots of satisfaction (whenever possible) in seeing our students perform in productions in the New York area. Howard Siegman - Professor Emeritus (deceased). Beth Soll, PhD (Dance History) choreographer, dancer, and teacher; with her company, which was formed in 1977, she has performed in the United States, Europe, and Asia; her work has been supported by seven choreography fellowships and many dance company grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, grants from several Massachusetts state and civic agencies, and funding from numerous corporations; has performed with dance companies in the Midwest and in Boston and with many choreographers in New York City and Boston; taught dance at the University of Wisconsin, Boston University, the Harvard Summer Dance Center, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, UC Santa Barbara, Hofstra University, the Usdan Center, Manhattanville College, the Joffrey Ballet School/New School University, and numerous private organizations; is currently performing in New York City and teaching History of Dance and American Literature for foreign students at Hofstra University and ESL classes at the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation; in 1999, earned a Ph.D. in the History and Theory of Modern Dance from the University Professors Program at Boston University; her dissertation, Will Modern Dance Survive? Lessons to be Learned from the Pioneers and Unsung Visionaries of Modern Dance, was published in 2002. Maxine Steinman (Modern) received her undergraduate degree from Adelphi University and her

graduate degree from Teachers college, Columbia University; appeared in the companies of Eleo Pomare, Denishawn Repertory Dancers, Mafata Dance Company, Robin Becker & Friends, Regina Larkin and Sue Bernhard; her choreographic work has been seen in such venues as The Joyce SoHo, Dance Space, Montclair State University, the Dumbo Arts Festival, New Dance Group, The 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center, The Urban Artworks IV Choreographers Showcase, The Field, and in Taiwan, Brazil, Spain and Japan; in 1994 under the sponsorship of the American Consulate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, she performed a section of Dances for Isadora by Jose Limon under the direction of Carla Maxwell; since 1999 she was a 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center space grant recipient; she is the director of LINKS (Limon Institute Nurturing Kids), an outreach program for high schools; also teaches at the Ailey School, Montlcair State University and New York University. Pei-Chi Su (Director of Costume Design) M.F.A in costume design from Carnegie Mellon University. Designer for International Culture Lab at NY 59E59 Theater, Off Broadway Pan Asian Repertory, The Repertory Theater of St. Louis, Theater Rampe /Germany, Galway Arts Festival/ Ireland and more than 75 productions in Pittsburgh. Donald Swinney ("DOC") deceased; former drama professor and Director of the John Cranford Adams Playhouse. Miriam Tulin Professor Emerita (retired) living in Massachusetts. James VanWart Professor Emeritus living in Orlando, Florida, where he continues to freelance as an actor, teacher and director; still traveling as much as he can; recently went on a small expedition down the coast of Central America and Peru; was instrumental in contributing information as to the origins of Poo-wa-bah for the article elsewhere in this edition. Kirk Vichengrad (Non-major Acting) - left Hofstra and New York for Los Angeles where he has

39


The Department of Drama and Dance directed and taught a class at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts; shot a student film of the Mamet play Speed the Plow. Lance Westergard (Director of Dance Program-ballet)- continued as head of the dance program. Robert Westley has performed, directed, choreographed movement and staged violence for theatres, opera houses and film companies across the country and for the past fourteen years has worked professionally as an actor and physical performer for stage and screen; recent choreography credits include the New York City premieres of Second Stage Theatre’s production of Butcher of Baraboo, directed by two time Tony Award winner Judith Ivey, DiCapo Opera Theatre’s Dangerous Liaisons and premieres of The Screams of Kitty Genovese, The Salacious Uncle Baldrick and Waiter, Waiter; other premieres include The Bigger Man at Los Angeles’ Circle X theatre and Gabriel’s Daughter for Central City Opera; his most recent theatre productions include the New York Theatre Workshop’s Thing of Dry Hours and the Keen Company’s Tea and Sympathy in New York City, Boston’s New Repertory The Great White Hope, Fall ’08

40

Theatre’s A Skull of Connemara, and The Huntington Theatre Studio’s productions of Hot House, and Polaroid Stories; additionally Robert’s work has been seen at such venues as National Lyric Opera of New York, Chautauqua Opera, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Lost Colony, The Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the New York Fringe Festival; he has worked on theatrical productions of Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, West Side Story, The Fantasticks, Private Lives, Moon Over Buffalo, Noises Off, The Indian Wants the Bronx, Othello and Company, and the operas Tosca, I Pagliacci, Les Contes D’Hoffmann, Romeo et Juliette and Carmen. Film credits include The Key Man starring Hugo Weaving and Brian Cox, Eyeborgs starring Adrian Paul and Fall Down Dead with David Carradine and Dominique Swain. Has taught and coached acting, theatrical movement and stage combat both nationally and internationally and has instructed at Boston University’s Theatre Conservatory and Opera Institute, the North Carolina School of the Arts, Denver Center for Performing Arts, Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, The Asolo Theatre Conservatory, the

Manhattan School of Music, the University of Alabama, Temple University and numerous workshops and intensives in America and Great Britain. Robert is a recognized Fight Director and Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors and a member of both the Screen Actors Guild and North Carolina Stuntmen’s Association; he holds a Master of Fine Arts from Boston University’s School of Theatre Arts Professional Theatre Training Program and a Master of Arts in Theatre Studies from Northern Illinois University; currently, is the Artistic Director of GoodFoot Movement Productions which he co-founded.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Again many people helped compose, edit and contribute to this issue of the Alumni(ae) Newsletter, Special thanks go to Anne Noonan for assembling and researching the multitude of entries and for following up leads, persisting and finally typing the text. Finally, thanks to all the faculty, staff and alumni(ae) who provided information about their colleagues and classmates. Photo by Rych Curtiss


DRAMA ALUMNI UPDATE (Keep us informed!) You heard from us. Now let’s hear from you. What’s up? What have you been doing? How about letting us know? How about telling us about other alums? It’s really easy. Just do one of the following: E-mail Anne Noonan at adnpwb@aol.com OR complete the form below and fax it to (516) 463-4001 OR complete the form and snail mail it to: Department of Drama and Dance 112 Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 11549-1180 ATTN: Anne Noonan OR if you want to hear a human voice, call (516) 463-5444! If you want to be added to our alumni email list for news and announcements, e-mail David Henderson at drmdzh@hofstra.edu News:

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY DANCE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 2009 Membership Application The purpose of the Dance Alumni Association is to maintain the relationship that alumni have with their alma mater. This may be accomplished through social, educational, cultural, and career-oriented activities. The association will provide a forum for dance department alumni to communicate and maintain professional relationships. In addition, they will establish a relationship with the current dance department student population to provide career guidance and networking opportunities.

Annual Membership Fee: $25 Membership Benefits Include: Email circles which provide information on jobs, performances, workshops and other dance-related issues Dance Alumni Newsletter for networking opportunities and other alumni news Discounts on admission to all alumni events To become a member of the Dance Alumni Association, complete this form return with payment to: Dance Alumni Association Libby and Joseph G. Shapiro Alumni House 150 Hofstra University Hempstead NY 11549 (Phone) 516.463.6636  (Fax) 516.463.5897 Your Membership donation is 100 percent tax-deductible.

Contact Information: Name

Class of

Address City/State/Zip Phone (H) Phone (W) E-Mail

Payment Information: Enclosed is a check in the amount of $ for my annual membership dues. (Please make checks payable to Hofstra University; Memo: Dance Alumni Association). I prefer to pay by credit card (circle one): Visa 

MasterCard  American Express

Amount $ $25) UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS:

Credit Card Number Exp. Date

Name Name of Cardholder (Please print.) Address

Billing Address City/State/Zip City/State/Zip E-mail

(Minimum


DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA AND DANCE

2009-2010 SEASON FA L L 2 0 0 9

SPRING 2010

NICKEL AND DIMED

HOFSTRA 61ST ANNUAL SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

By Joan Holden Based on Nickel and Dimed, On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich Directed by Cindy Rosenthal October 2 through 11 Black Box Theater, New Academic Building, South Campus

ON THE TOWN

Music by Leonard Bernstein Book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green Book based on an idea by Jerome Robbins Directed by James J. Kolb October 23 through November 1 John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus

THE WHITE DEVIL

By John Webster Directed by Royston Coppenger November 13 through 22 Black Box Theater, New Academic Building, South Campus

FALL DANCE CONCERT

A Celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Hofstra Dance Program November 19 through 22 John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus

TWELFTH NIGHT By William Shakespeare Directed by Peter Sander March 11 through 21 John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL MUSICALE The Hofstra Collegium Musicum William E. Hettrick, Director and THE IDES OF MARCH A one-hour Julius Caesar By William Shakespeare Adapted by Maureen Connolly McFeely March 13 and 20 John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus

INTIMATE APPAREL

By Lynn Nottage Directed by Jean Dobie Giebel April 16 through 25 Black Box Theater, New Academic Building, South Campus

SPRING DANCE CONCERT

April 22 through 25 John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus

For more information, please call (516) 463-6644, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., or visit hofstra.edu/drama.


Department of Drama and Dance Hempstead, New York 11549-1120

The Poo-wรก-bah Hofstra Department of Drama and Dance 2008-2009 Alumni Newsletter

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Hofstra


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.