CoFA
CONNECTIONS
Department of
Theatre 2015-16 Viewbook
College of Fine Arts Office of the Dean Davis Hall, Station 6663 Montevallo, AL 35115 205.665.6663
September - October 2015 FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS EMILY GILL EMILY GILL designed costumes for two professional productions in Bimingham: Hedwig and the Angry Inch with the Dane Peterson Theatre Series and Peter and the Starcatcher for City Equity Theatre.
MARCUS LANE MARCUS LANE directed Hedwig and the Angry Inch for the Dane Peterson Theatre Series in Birmingham.
ALUMNI NEWS STEVEN HOUSE designed sets at a summer theatre in Iowa and continues to teach as a visiting Instructor at Northern Arizona University. RACHEL REHOME DOZIER-EZELL continues to work as a freelance costume designer in NYC and as resident designer for the New School Theatre Program. She also designed costumes for PEDRO PAN, an original musical written by UM alumni that was presented in the recent NYC International Fringe Festival. REBECCA APARICIO and STEPHEN ELKINS wrote the book, lyrics and music for the musical PEDRO PAN, which was presented for several performances throughout the prestigious NYC International Fringe Festiva. Aparicio also directed the show and various other UM alumni worked on it in production capacities. LYNSEY BUCKELEW and MEGAN STEIN appeared in the film SHITBIRD directed by UM alumni BO MAGUIRE, presented at the recent Birmingham Sidewalk Film Festival. Theatre alumni Stephen Elkins also composed music for the film. MARY KATE MCLAURINE continues to perform as a touring actor with Missoula Children’s Theater. TRENT LOGGINS is working as an actor and in arts administration at Seaside Music Theatre. LINDSEY BRISTOL completed a tour with the Jim Henderson company and performed in several musicals in a professional summer theatre in Colorado and recently returned to NYC, where she resides.
Dean Peters presents David Callaghan with the keys to the department’s first truck
MICHAEL WALKER MICHEAL WALKER is the most recent addition to the faculty of the UM Theatre Department. He obtained his BFA in Theatre from the University of Alabama and his MFA in Acting from Rutgers University.
KEL LAEGER KEL LAEGER designed sets and lights and KYLE MOORE designed sound for a new play about Tallulah Bankhead that was part of a city wide festival in Jasper, AL.
DR. DAVID CALLAGHAN DR. DAVID CALLAGHAN did pre-production work for his project directing Next To Normal for the Red Mountain Theatre Company in Birmingham in February, 2016. He also chaired and participated in two panels at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) conference in Toronto; and continued work as a member of the Editorial Board on a new peer reviewed section of the magazine published by the Society of Directors and Choreographers (SDC) in NYC. David chaired and presented papers on two panels in Montreal, July 2015, at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education conference.
HANNAH JEAN FERRIS completed her season as an Equity Stage Manager at Alabama Shakespeare Festival and recently too a new position at Playmakers Rep Theatre in NC. EJ WILSON continues to work on the Beatles LOVE! show with Cirque du’ Soleil in Las Vegas. JASON STYRES continues to work on many projects as a NYC Casting Director with Jay Binder Casting, including the upcoming Broadway revival of DAMES AT SEA. Recent UM Theatre graduates BARRINGTON MCQUEEN, KATIE RAULERSON, JALEN BROWN and HUNTER BROWN are acting and touring with Birmingham Children’s Theatre for the 2015-2106 season. JULIAN ROBINSON and JEFF SPEETJENS continue to direct and produce various film projects in Los Angeles, and Speetjens recently directed a commercial for Microsoft (he also performs as a puppeteer for the “Bootsy Bellows” nightclub in Beverly Hills). CAMERON WATSON recently directed a critically acclaimed production of William Inge’s PICNIC for the Antaeus Theatre Company in Los Angeles. LEAH LUKER continues to direct and coordinate production for Birmingham Children’s Theatre. BLAIR DYSON and ERIC BROWNE continue to teach the next generation of theatre students at Prattville and Baker High Schools, and Browne is active as a director of several recent acclaimed productions in Mobile. JARED WRIGHT, a junior Musical Theatre major, performed the role of Robinson the Butler in the professional production of MARY POPPINS for Red Mountain Theatre company this past summer, performing along side UM theatre alumni NICK CRAWFORD, AMY JOHNSON and BARRINGTON MCQUEEN.
November 2015 FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In partnership with Red Mountain Theatre Company, UM Theatre brought Broadway star EDEN ESPINOSA to campus where she worked with 12 musical theatre students on audition technique. Ms. Espinosa is best known for the role of “Elphaba” in Wicked on Broadway and presented a concert in Birmingham after the workshop on 10/23 and 10/24.
EMILY GILL presented the progress to date of her certification in Transformational Reconstruction draping technique, supported by a 2015 T&L Grant at the T&L Forum in Carmichael Library in October.
MICHAEL WALKER recently offered a workshop in devised theatre and will offer a class in devised theatre during May Term 2016, culminating in an original public performance.
STUDENT NEWS Under the mentorship of David Callaghan, aspiring BFA Directing student CHRIS PATILLO will be directing a series of short scenes this year to explore different theatrical styles and provide acting opportunities for UM Theatre students. 19 students attended his first “interest” meeting!
MARCUS LANE is offering a summer class in performing a staged concert version of a Golden Age era musical. Both classes are new initiatives and part of our efforts to create additional performance opportunities for our students.
DR. DAVID CALLAGHAN and adjunct accompanist/Musical Director JENNIFER HARTSELL recently attended casting sessions for Next To Normal at Red Mountain Theatre Company. David is directing the production and Jennifer is the Musical Director. It will run in February 2016 in Birmingham. AMY MURPHY conducted a 3 hour Master Class on musical theatre audition techniques for all musical theatre students in anticipation of the 6th Annual NYC Musical Theatre Intensive in January 2016, by the Amy Murphy Studio.
Musical Theatre students in the advanced dance styles class have been working with Fosse, Hip-Hop and Ballroom dance styles each week. The cast of the ROCKY HORROR SHOW has been doing a 30 minute workout to “get fit,” led by fitness coach and UM adjunct instructor Jen Lane before each rehearsal.
ALUMNI NEWS SARA LARSON (2012) worked as a Production Assistant on the motion picture 99 Homes starring Andrew Garfield and directed by Eli Roth. The movie opens this month. DIANA DOUGLAS (2014) is the Production Office Coordinator at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, marking her 9th year of involvement with ASF! ELISE KELLER (2015) starts a new position at the Public Theatre in New York City (within 36 hours of moving in!) after a summer spent working as an Assistant Stage Manager at Mountain Playhouse in Pennsylvania. After a number of years in Los Angeles as an actor, CHRIS SAMS is back in Birmingham for a period of time and performing the role of “Frank N’ Furter” as a guest artist in our production of THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW directed by Marcus Lane. KATIE RAULERSON, (BFA Musical Theatre 2015), is performing with Birmingham Children’s Theatre and guest choreographer on our fall musical THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW. TRENT LOGGINS (BFA Musical Theatre) continues to perform and work in various production capacities including casting at the Seaside Theatre in Florida. JAMIE SCHOR (BFA Acting) is in his 2nd year of the MFA Arts Administration Program at the University of Alabama.
December 2015 FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS DR. MARCUS LANE directed The Rocky Horror Show in November. The production held a first-ever “midnight performance” (which sold out in 2 hours) on Friday, the Thirteenth. UM alumni and professional actor Chris Sams (BFA 2005) returned to play the lead role of “Frank n’ Furter” and Katie Raulerson (BFA 2015) (currently performing professionally for Birmingham Children’s Theatre) was choreographer.
ALUMNI NEWS MEGAN STEIN recently directed a segment in the Upright Citizens Brigade “Cram III” Film Festival, NYC. RACHEL DOZIER-EZELL recently designed The Seagull for The New School in NYC where she is resident Costume Designer, and continues to design costumes for the Classical Theatre of Harlem, NYC. STEPHEN FRAUSTO is the Assistant Technical Director at North Carolina State University. HANNAH JEAN FARRIS recently started a position as an AEA (Actors Equity Association) Stage Manager at Playmakers Repertory Theatre, NYC. MELISSA LAWLER is performing in A Christmas Carol at Dollywood, TN. LINDSEY BRISTOL is a NYC based actor and recently signed with the JC William Agency in NYC. JASON STYRES continues his work as a casting director at Jay Binder Casting in NYC and recently cast the Broadway production of Dames At Sea.
The final Saturday performance of The Rocky Horror Show featured CoFA’s first “Back Stage Pass,” a panel discussion in response to the production and themes of the play. UM Mass Communication alumni and local News Anchor Mike McClanahan moderated the conversation with the audience and panelists: UM Sociology Professor Dr. Steve Parker; Samford University English Professor Dr. Julie Steward; and Jonathan Fuller, Head of Theatre at Alabama School of Fine Arts and Co-Founder/Artistic Director of City Equity Theatre.
DR. DAVID CALLAGHAN
CARL DEAN (McAdory HS), BLAIR DYSON (Prattville HS) and ERIC BROWNE (Baker HS) all recently competed in the District Trumbauer Festival Competitions and will be bringing students to the state competitions, as well as directing various productions at their schools. CAMERON WATSON, Los Angeles, recently directed a production of La Ronde for the UCLA Theatre Department. JOSEPH WESOLOWSKI is studying improvisation at the famed Second City in Chicago while also working for various Chicago Theatre companies. LEAH LUKER is currently directing Suessical for the Birmingham Children’s Theatre.
hosted an auditions workshop for UM Musical Theatre students led by legendary Broadway singer Eden Espinosa. Espinosa was the second performer to play “Elphaba” on Broadway and either understudied or performed the role for 7 years (she is also know for Brooklyn and playing Maureen in the final cast of Rent on Broadway which was filmed by HBO). Espinosa coached 12 musical theatre majors on their audition pieces and also answered questions about pursuing careers in musical theatre and the arts.
Leah Luker and Chris Sams working together on Suessical.
January - February 2016 FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS DR. EMILY GILL won the Broadway World Birmingham Best Costume Design of a Local Play or Musical for Peter and the Starcatcher at City Equity Theatre last summer. Program alum and frequent guest artist Carl Dean won Best Choreographer for The Producers at the Virginia Samford Theatre.
DR. DAVID CALLAGHAN ,theatre faculty and Chair, is directing the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Next to Normal in February for the Red Mountain Theatre Company, playing at their cabaret space in downtown Birmingham (the cast includes local and NYC professional actors). UM Theatre’s staff accompanist Jennifer Hartsell is serving as the show’s Musical Director.
STUDENT NEWS Eight Musical Theatre majors attended the Amy Murphy Studio’s 3 day musical theatre workshop in NYC in January. The students worked with industry pros including casting directors ; Broadway choreographer Randy Skinner; and the conductor and actors from the musical Gentlemen’s Guide To Murder on Broadway. The workshop culminated with them presenting one of the songs at the legendary “Don’t tell Mama” cabaret in the Theatre District. NYC casting director Tina Marie Casamento-Libby will be working with theatre students on campus for an audition workshop in February 2016. Tina Marie is also the librettist for the musical Chasing Rainbows (about Judy Garland) that will run at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut next year before an intended transfer to Broadway.
Cabaret was also nominated and placed 2nd for Best College Musical. May 2016 graduates HUNTER BROWN, JALEN BROWN and Senior JAMES POWERS were nominated in the Best Actor in a Musical (college category) for their work in Cabaret and High Fidelity.
ALUMNI NEWS Program alum and frequent guest artist CARL DEAN won Best Choreographer for The Producers at the Virginia Samford Theatre. Theatre alumnus JULIAN ROBINSON recently edited a large portion of the documentary about Marvel comic superheroes that aired on ABC television this week. Julian received his MFA in Film Directing from Columbia and resides in Los Angeles.
The Birmingham Broadwayworld.com awards were finalized and senior musical theatre major SHELLEY MCMOY won the Best Actress award in the local College category for her performance as Sally Bowles in Cabaret.
March 2016 FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Red Mountain Theatre Company’s professional production of Next To Normal featured CHRIS SAMS and former Visiting Instructor CHAN HARRIS in the cast. Theatre alumni JIM GIBBS (1996) was stage manager and RICKY UMSTEAD, senior Theatre major, was the lighting board operator for Next To Normal. Clybourne Park, by Bruce Norris and directed by MICHAEL WALKER, is a savagely funny and provocative play that highlights the difficulties we continue to experience in our conversations about race. Walker says, “This production has proved to be an eye-opening experience for everyone involved and has provided the actors and myself the opportunity to explore topics such as white privilege, the evolution of civil rights, and discrimination in a way that we never had before.” This Mainstage production will include a Backstage Pass for audience members on Saturday evening with panelist Courtney Bentley and others. For show times and ticket information, call 205-665-6200.
ALUMNI NEWS
LINDSEY BRISTOL (BFA Musical Theatre) recently signed with an agent in NYC and is actively auditioning for productions.
EMILY GREENE continues to work for Laika productions, designing sets for their new film Kubo And The Two Strings (their follow up to Boxtrolls).
RACHEL REHOME DOZIER-EZELL is designing costumes for the upcoming production of Julius Caesar for NYC’s Classical Theatre of Harlem. JALEN BROWN and BARRINGTON MCQueen are performing in and touring Tuxedo Junction for Birmingham Children’s Theatre.
April - May 2016 FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS DR. DAVID CALLAGHAN is directing, Tony Nominated musical Spring Awakening with a score by Duncan Sheik and book by Steve Sater, with Musical Direction by Jennifer Hartsell. As with High Fidelity last spring, audiences will be seated on stage in Reynolds Theatre opening 4/14/16 for a two weekend run.
STUDENT NEWS JOE WESOLOWSKI is currently performing in the musical The Fantasticks in Chicago.
MASON SHELL will be working as a professional lighting intern this summer.
WILL HICKMAN is a professional actor in Los Angeles where he also teaches part-time at Pasadena City College.
SHELBY MAYS returned to the Serenbe Playhouse in Georgia where she will work as the Company Manager. MARY KATE MCLAURINE continues to perform on tour with Missoula Children’s Theatre,