Edge - Winter 2012 by The University of the Arts

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edge

the magazine of edge

the university of the arts

the magazine of the university of the arts WINTER12

No. 6

WINTER2012

from THE PRESIDENT

from the archives

Jason CHEN

Over the past few decades, the field of dance has shown itself to be as fluid and dynamic as a dancer in motion. Innovators who were once upstarts — like Batsheva in Israel, Pina Bausch and Forsythe in Germany, Wayne McGregor in the U.K., and Bill T. Jones in the U.S. — have established themselves and their approaches as canonical, drawing audiences reliably and training a new generation of choreographers who push against or push forward the ideas of their mentors. At the same time, the forces affecting cultural organizations nationally and globally have altered the professional dance landscape radically, creating a vastly different environment for young dancers, choreographers, and companies than existed 25 years ago. Reduced state support for the arts in Europe and private philanthropy in the U.S. has put significant pressure on established and new companies alike; as a result, dance artists have become — have had to become — more entrepreneurial, constructing their careers instead of finding them. It is a heady and exciting time for dance — and a challenging one. Academe has only begun to adapt to these new conditions in the field. But it is critical that college and university dance programs prepare students for the real world of dance that they will enter — and equip them to navigate its complexities successfully. The University of the Arts’ new academic plan seeks to address head-on the fiscal, artistic, and technological shifts of the last few decades — which have been taking place not only in dance but in the other

creative fields as well. A key component of that plan is the bold new curriculum devised by our School of Dance, which puts the institution at the leading edge of those changing the way that dance is perceived, approached, and taught. As one of the stories in this issue of Edge puts it, the new UArts approach aims to graduate dancers who have not only “[the] physical skills and mastery of technique, but are fully realized artists… who can learn to grow, change and adapt to new circumstances in the professional dance world and in their own lives.” The curriculum was designed by the faculty of the School of Dance under the leadership of Director Donna Faye Burchfield, the former dean of the American Dance Festival. The curriculum breaks down the silos of traditional majors and allows dance students to connect and collaborate with artists in dance and non-dance disciplines alike, creating extraordinary opportunities for learning. You can read more about our new approach on page 10.

(this page, clockwise) Beloved Dance Academy teacher Jeri Packman works with the elementary-level children on Labanotation, circa 1955, with a book on the topic written by Nadia Chilkovsky. Packman’s daughter Hedra is the girl standing. Labanotation, created by Rudolf Laban, was a method for notating dances in the days before video became common. Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck (here with her hand on the child’s head) was a founding member of the New York modern dance company New Dance Group, and as a result knew many of the important early modern choreographers. In this photograph, the great Agnes DeMille signs copies of her book Dance to the Piper at the school surrounded by the students, December 10, 1964.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Edge. As always, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Three faculty of the Philadelphia Dance Academy, left to right: Lidia Kryzanowsky, James Jamieson and Phyllis Dersh Rudzitis. Kryzanowsky and Rudzitis graduated from the Dance Academy’s college program, which was affiliated with the Philadelphia Musical Academy (now the UArts School of Music). Jamieson was a champion Scottish dancer who assisted Agnes De Mille with the Scottish dancing in “Brigadoon.” All three taught ballet at the Academy.

Warm regards,

Sean T. Buffington President, The University of the Arts IMAGES COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS ARCHIVES

Philadelphia Dance Academy students Toni (Antoinette) Lowe, Jane Lowe and Linda Kloes on the rooftop of the Academy’s building at 1035 Spruce Street. The costumes are for Nahumck’s piece, “Rondo in Popular Rhythms.” This photograph was used on the November 1965 cover of Center City Philadelphian magazine.

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DANCE: EXPANDING THE CIRCLE Embracing change in the professional world

contentS 10

OUT TO THE STARS

DANCE: BODIES OF KNOWLEDGE

UArts revolutionizes the dance curriculum

Alums at the Franklin Institute

TECHNICALLY CREATIVE

make geek chic

Students build apps and move things with their minds

24 LEGACY: The impact of Illustration professor Robert McGovern

NEWS 22

Alumni notes 42

faculty/STAFF notes 38

in memoriam 59

ALUMNI NEWS AND EVENTS 40

FROM THE ARCHIVES 60

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STEVE BELOKOWITZ

Sean T. Buffington PRESIDENT Paul F. Healy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Carise Mitch MANAGING EDITOR

Jessica Frye BFA ’02, MAT ’03 ART DIRECTOR

Mac Branscom DESIGNER

James Maurer PRODUCTION MANAGER

Dana Rodriguez CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Steve Belkowitz Jason Chen BFA ’08 Fabiola Garcia ’14 Dave Jackson Carise Mitch Akiko Miyake Kevin Monko Jackie Newkirk BFA ’10 Nathan Novak ’14 Christy Pessagno Jackie Starker BS ’10 Lauren Villaneueva

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kyra Bromberg BFA ’08 Cassandra Gardner Mara Jill Herman BFA ’07 R. Griffin Kahn Sara MacDonald Carise Mitch Kristen Scatton Damien Shembel BFA ’07 Joanna Sung Lauren Villanueva

COVER IMAGE Judith Schaechter Adjunct Professor, Crafts Detail from The Floor, 2006, stained glass POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Edge c/o University Communications, The University of the Arts, 320 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102

EDGE, VOLUME 1, NUMBER 6 Edge is the magazine of the University of the Arts. Readers are encouraged to submit ideas for original articles about University students, faculty and alumni; advancements in arts and arts education; and visual, performing and media arts. The submission of artwork for reproduction is also encouraged. Please include contact information when submitting art. Unless requested, artwork will not be returned. Please send all comments, kudos and criticisms to Edge c/o The Office of University Communications, Letters to the Editor, 320 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102; or e-mail news@uarts.edu.

Corrections to Fall 2011 Edge: • Camille Paglia was misidentified as a member of the Liberal Arts faculty. She is the University Professor of Humanities and Media Studies. • An image of a work called “Hercules” was misidentified as the work of Joe Girondola. The work was by Regina Barthmaier. (above) AJ Luca BM ’11 (Instrumental Performance), MM ’12 (Jazz Studies) in the Caplan Center

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STEVE BELOKOWITZ

Sean T. Buffington PRESIDENT Paul F. Healy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Carise Mitch MANAGING EDITOR

Jessica Frye BFA ’02, MAT ’03 ART DIRECTOR

Mac Branscom DESIGNER

James Maurer PRODUCTION MANAGER

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T HE C IR CLE PROFESSIONAL DANCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

For most of the 20th century, a serious young dancer’s dreams were focused on joining one of a handful of top-level professional dance companies. The pinnacle of a dance career was the opportunity to immerse oneself in a single style of dance, to go deep into the masterworks of the great artists of the discipline. The names of the great companies still resonate — the New York City Ballet, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Twyla Tharp — but for tomorrow’s professional dancers, the dream is increasingly fragmented, challenging and harder to define than ever before.

CHRISTY PESSAGNO

EXPANDING “DANCERS NEED TO PUT DOWN MULTIPLE ROOTS... TO WEAVE THROUGH, MOVE ACROSS GEOGRAPHIES, TO SEE A BROADER WORLD.” — Donna Faye Burchfield, Director, School of Dance

“To be a professional artist in the dance world today is to be part of a much wider world,” says Brian Sanders BFA ’92 (Modern Dance), founder of the innovative dance ensemble JUNK and assistant dance professor at the University of the Arts. “It encloses a much wider circle. There are diversified opportunities. It used to be A, B or C. Now it is A to Z.”

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(above) Azja Greene ’12 (Ballet) Shelby Joyce BFA ’11 (Modern Dance) Choreography by Curt Hayworth

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T HE C IR CLE PROFESSIONAL DANCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

CHRISTY PESSAGNO

EXPANDING “DANCERS NEED TO PUT DOWN MULTIPLE ROOTS... TO WEAVE THROUGH, MOVE ACROSS GEOGRAPHIES, TO SEE A BROADER WORLD.” — Donna Faye Burchfield, Director, School of Dance

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(above) Azja Greene ’12 (Ballet) Shelby Joyce BFA ’11 (Modern Dance) Choreography by Curt Hayworth

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Donna Faye Burchfield, the director of the University’s School of Dance, concurs. “When I entered college in 1976, there were the specific dance companies and all you thought about was joining one of the big eight or big 10. Now the big name companies are shrinking in size and more students are training in BFA programs. Professional dancers are going to need a different set of skills.” A Paradigm Eroded The traditional model of a dancer working in one style for a single company for an entire career has been eroded by several factors. UArts Assistant Dance Professor Karen “KB” Brown was artistic director of the Oakland Ballet for six years, following a 22-year career as a principal ballerina for the renowned Dance Theater of Harlem. She attributes much of the change to two factors: the artistic needs of today’s arts organizations and economic necessity. “Most American dance companies today don’t perform in just one discipline,” she says. “So if you can hire someone who is fluent in the language of jazz, modern and ballet, you don’t have to hire three people — that one dancer is going to have much more opportunity.”

“WE NEED DANCERS TO thrive AS HUMAN BEINGS.”

Sanders believes that much of the change is driven by the needs of the artists themselves, who are more eager to cross the disciplinary lines than their predecessors were. “Look at [the television show] ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’” he says. “On that show, they perform in every possible style and it is just labeled ‘dance.’ Dance has become a kind of global fusion.” He sees that young dancers attracted to a professional career are less concerned about the “purity” of any particular genre of dance. “They can go online and see a Chinese circus, rhythmic gymnastics in Japan and an Indian hand dance. They get to see what they love. They get an enormous amount of visual stimulation. And they get to be their own aesthetic judges. It becomes harder to put their interests into a single box labeled ‘modern dance’ or ‘jazz.’” In addition, he says it is less expensive than ever for young dancers to produce and promote themselves, offering the opportunity for entrepreneurial dancers to form their own small companies or produce their own performances and to develop their own audience. ‘Getting a Life’ — An Artistic Advantage Traditionally, a young dancer joining one of the major dance companies would literally eat, sleep and breathe the studio. In the September 2011 issue of Dance magazine, Rachel Moore, the executive director of the American Ballet Theater, describes the traditional path of a young professional dancer as “…the notion that you’re entering a nunnery — that you

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should forgo every aspect of your personal life in order to strive for this great art form.” Today, many are questioning whether this is a healthy or appropriate path for a young person. Moore continues in the interview, “Now, we want dancers to have a well-rounded experience. We love the fact that the dancers…have a strong external network. It makes them more mature artists and, frankly, more stable human beings.” Burchfield agrees. “We need dancers to thrive as human beings. In order to do that, they have to know more than the inside of a studio — we have to bring the world to them and take them out of the studios into other kinds of experiences alongside dance.” The traditional training models, Burchfield says, segregated dancers into an all-encompassing focus on studio work in specific disciplines like jazz, modern and ballet. While the techniques that drive the disciplines are as relevant as ever, she believes that the contemporary professional dance world requires more emotional and intellectual flexibility than the traditional training models offer. Burchfield’s innovative new dance curriculum at UArts is designed to address this need for creative, flexible, independent and empowered young dancers (see story on page 10). “There will always be the students who are very focused. But more than ever, dancers will move from classical ballet to hip-hop and back again,” she says. UArts Associate Professor Jennifer Binford Johnson danced with Martha Graham, but her freewheeling artistic career has encompassed “industrial work” in commercials and movies to performing in operas and concerts. “For me, the varied dance lifestyle was more creative and interesting,” says Johnson. “That’s just how I personally needed to do things as an artist.” Sanders, too, was drawn to a varied career in dance. “I could never choose just one thing,” he says. “I was interested in everything. I did a lot of ballet, but then I went off and did so many different things.” Sanders’ career has included performing both nationally and internationally with the renowned company MOMIX; working as an assistant choreographer to MOMIX and Pilobolus founder Moses Pendleton; choreographing and performing for television, theater and video; and even choreographing a touring show that was featured at the 2006 Winter Olympics. With the erosion of the company model, young dancers need to be able not only to perform in several different styles, but also to be more self-directed. “We need to move away from thinking that we do things because ‘dance says,’” says Burchfield, “and to a place where ‘the dancer says’ — where the dancer has more of a sense of agency, of self-management.”

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The Fundamentals and the Mind-Body Connection As opportunities have fragmented, expanded and become global in nature, the dance world has begun to shift in some very specific ways back to fundamental, universally understood archetypes. “Now ballet is the common language of dance,” says Sanders. “With dance being so global, there is an even greater need to have everyone speaking the same language. Ballet is considered the fundamentals. The aesthetic is international — as an older art, it is distilled into the basic principles.” But he emphasizes that “somatics are equally important. They are the philosophies about how the body works. Yoga, tai chi, the somatic arts like Pilates and the Alexander technique all boil down to more cognitive awareness between your body and mind.”

“The idea is that you need more core, more fundamentals,” he continues. “You need the line and architecture of ballet, the idea of the mind-body connection from the somatic arts — and then from these basic ideas you can expand into a nearly endless universe of individual ideas of expression.” Burchfield references Nicolas Bourriaud, the curator of the Tate Triennial and the author of The Radicant, which describes artists’ cultural production as a plant whose roots are not static and buried like a tree, but mobile and above ground, like ivy. “Dancers need to put down multiple roots,” Burchfeld says. “They need to move in different directions and be productive, to weave through, move across geographies, to see a broader world.” “It’s just a bigger circle,” Sanders concludes. “The definition of dance has broadened. All the possibilities are still there.”

(above) Isaah Butler ’13 (Ballet) Shane Johnson ’13 (Ballet) Choreography by Zane Booker

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Tetsugo Hyakutake BFA â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06 (Photography) Nihonbashi 2

Djeneba Aduayom Photography

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A LEG UP ON THE COMPETITION JEFFREY PAGE BFA ’02

Jeffrey Page BFA ’02 (Jazz Dance) is not one to rest on his laurels. Or to rest at all, for that matter. One day the award-winning dancer/choreographer/ director/actor/singer may be in Toronto with the touring company of the Broadway musical “Fela!” The next he’s in L.A. to audition dancers for a new Beyoncé music video he’s choreographing and to meet with investors for a film project he’s developing. Then he’s back in his hometown of Indianapolis where he’s establishing a performing arts center for kids, and for good measure, there’s a return trip to the University of the Arts to conduct a master class at the School of Dance. “It gets a little complicated,” Page laughs, “but it’s working out pretty well. The name of the game is to decide whether you want to be in someone else’s schedule or your own.” Page has been setting his own schedule quite successfully since graduating from UArts. He won a 2011 MTV Video Music Award for choreographing Beyoncé’s video “Run the World (Girls),” was nominated for an Emmy Award for choreography for the 2005 NAACP Image Awards, is a resident choreographer on FOX-TV’s smash hit “So You Think You Can Dance” and spent the last couple of years on Broadway dancing in the Tony Award-winning musical “Fela!” He has served as an African dance instructor and consultant for Cirque du Soleil’s breathtaking show “O” and with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

“I have a lot of brothers and they’re all engineers; I’m the only artist in the family,” he says. “The traditional idea that ‘9-to-5’ means stability is pretty scary in today’s economy. For me, one of the scariest things today is being locked down to a 9-to-5 job fearing a pink slip every day. “It’s better to have control over your career. It is harder, though — you need discipline and creativity to find or create your own projects and to bring them to life.” Page credits the Dance faculty at UArts for helping him to find that path. “The professors were sticklers for real-world experiences, for really understanding what it takes to make it,” he says. “They give you the philosophy and theory you need to be a great artist, but the other stuff — how to market yourself, how to find a publicist or a manager, how to be strategic about your career — that helped me immensely. I’ve been an adjunct faculty member at a lot of schools and very few offer that.” Page had a leg up on other students by dancing professionally while in college, including a stint in a Debbie Allen production that required him to fly to Atlanta for performances and then back again for class. “The faculty pushed me to be open to all possibilities. Now I think, ‘Wow, I have a plethora of hats on the table — choreographer, director, actor, singer, Broadway — and I can pick them up and put them on at will.’ Who’d have thought that I’d be creating music for a film that people are interested in investing in? “Formulas are for computers. Throw your seeds to the wind and see where they pop up.”

AWARD-WINNING DANCER/CHOREOGRAPher/DIRECTOR/ACTOR/SINGER

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AIKIKO MIYAKE

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BODIES OF KNOWLEDGE

UArts LAUNCHES INNOVATIVE New Dance Curriculum > This is the second in an ongoing series of stories on the University’s ambitious new academic plan and its implementation. Ask School of Dance Director Donna Faye Burchfield about her hopes for what young dancers will gain from the innovative new Dance curriculum she’s implemented this year, and she lights up like a Christmas tree. “I want them to understand that being an artist is a thing in itself. Being able to access your imagination — that’s your work here as a dancer. We tried to create a curriculum that reflects that. We want them to be human beings first and be able to live powerfully in the world. “This doesn’t mean you dance less,” she emphasizes. “You still better believe that when Bill T. Jones says ‘lift your leg,’ you better be able to lift your leg,” says Burchfield. But if you aspire to one day be someone like Jones: a visionary artist, choreographer, director and dancer with a long and healthy career that has spanned ballet, jazz, modern dance and Broadway, “You are going to need to know how to do more than that,” she says. Training dancers who can do more — who not only have physical skills and mastery of technique, but are fully realized artists managing their own bodies and directing their continued training, who can learn to grow, change and adapt to new circumstances in the professional dance world and in their own lives — is the goal of Burchfield’s new Dance curriculum.

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“The new Dance program reflects the values of the University’s ambitious new academic plan,” says Kirk E. Pillow, Ph.D., UArts’ provost. “We are training excellent dancers through a program at the forefront of understanding how dancers learn, but we’re also training young artists to think deeply about their creative process.” The former dean of the renowned American Dance Festival, Burchfield took the helm of the UArts Dance program in the fall of 2010 and immediately began re-envisioning the 30-year-old curriculum, which had followed the traditional method of separating students into non-intersecting tracks for ballet, jazz, modern dance and dance education. “The old curriculum determined the classes you had to take,” she says. “Our new curriculum says you can take jazz, you can take ballet, you can take hip-hop. What I’m hoping is that we are going to start seeing a student who wants to be a different kind of dancer, who can go into these newly forming, newly shaping areas of dance. “What we are proposing is that there are intersections and variations (in dance) to those things that look very different than those traditional siloed majors,” says Burchfield. “We are encouraging a kind of portfolio major where you look at what you want to be doing and then design how you want to get there. For example, a dancer who wants to learn how to choreograph his or her own work could take a sculpture class and experience something very important about the materiality and the conceptual ideas of space.”

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The new curriculum divides into foundational courses in the freshman and sophomore years, followed by “research and portfolio” courses at the upper levels. Students beginning coursework in the fall of 2011 entered a new world of dance and intellectual exploration.

“We need to get away from ‘I learn a dance, I go perform on a stage, we’re done,’” says Burchfield. “We know there are all different places that dance could go. Creating conversations around the work encourages students to have more input, more ownership of their own potential.”

The studio classes, while as extensive and intensive as ever, have been reorganized. All freshmen take ballet each morning, four days per week, followed by a studio class of intensive study in traditional and contemporary techniques and styles of modern, hip-hop and jazz dance. Each class stays with one teacher for five full weeks, creating consistency, but also the opportunity to work deeply with teachers with varied approaches.

PODs, or Pedagogies of Dance, in the junior and senior years provide multiple ways for students to engage material, powered by a performative component. PODs are group works that can be proposed by students, faculty or outside artists.

“Ballet teaches them how to stand on their feet, how to move through space and time with architecture and line,” says Burchfield. “And the second class opens up to the other ways of moving and the other ways of thinking that are interwoven into the fabric of dance today.” Alongside the studio practice are innovative new classes designed to expand the horizons of young dancers, including Contemporary Art Practices (CAP), Expanded Field, Body Pathways, and Thinking, Making and Doing. CAP and Expanded Field are taught in tandem as a lecture-style class and an associated hands-on workshop. CAP connects the work of artists in other disciplines to the world of dance. Students attend a curated lecture series called “Knowing Dance More” that has brought prominent thinkers and scholars in the field of dance to campus. Expanded Field takes the ideas that are discussed in CAP and leads the students through imaginative and creative exercises. Students might do a handson project using technology to build a sound score (so they don’t have to rely on recorded music for their performances) and use that as a starting point for a discussion about composer John Cage and his collaboration with choreographer Merce Cunningham and visual artist Robert Rauschenberg.

(opposite, left) Patrick Cubbedge ’12 (Ballet) (opposite, right) Arianna Henry ’14 (Ballet)

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“The students have these great ‘aha’ moments where they make the connections,” says Adjunct Associate Professor Maria Urrutia BFA ’00 (Dance Education), who teaches Expanded Field. “They make them for themselves very quickly.” In the sophomore, junior and senior years of the curriculum, studio practice develops and expands alongside more sophisticated approaches to performance projects.

Also new to the freshman curriculum is Body Pathways, an innovative approach to dancer wellness and self-care, developed by Jennifer Binford Johnson, an associate professor of Dance who helped redesign the curriculum. Johnson holds a BA in exercise physiology and studied with Sally Fitt, the author of Dance Kinesiology. In the summer of 2011, Irene Dowd, an expert in anatomy and dance movement from the Julliard School, held workshops with UArts Dance faculty to help them develop a common language around physical alignment and placement. Armed with this understanding, the entire freshman Dance class was individually assessed for muscular imbalances, weaknesses and strengths, then divided into four sections and taught exercises for their specific body issues that aimed not only to give them an advantage in performance, but also to reduce injuries while teaching anatomy and kinesiology. “The idea is to infuse into the curriculum from day one that we want you to self-care, and we are going to empower you to do that,” says Johnson. “You will be able to analyze what you need. This has implications for enhancement training and performance. You will have the tools to build and protect your instrument — your body — and this will give you an edge in the professional world.” The new Dance curriculum is a reflection of Burchfield’s expanded vision of what dance is and might be. “Dance expands out,” she says. “It has all these possibilities beyond the steps that you learn. You learn how to work with others, to literally think on your feet. To think about time and space as it relates to decision-making. You are simultaneously adjusting and hearing what you are supposed to be doing; this is a cognitive skill. New learning happens in that process; those are moments of research that accumulate and become a body of knowledge. Dancers already do all these things. Our goal is to draw attention to it, to elevate how they see themselves and their own abilities.”

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Emi Savacool BFA â&#x20AC;&#x2122;09 (Crafts) Hive Queen

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Her path to “Wicked” did not exactly follow a nice, straight yellow brick road. Following her graduation from UArts in 2001, Patterson danced with several companies, then began working with nonprofits to promote the role of the arts in building communities. A master’s degree in arts administration followed — and then her career took an unexpected turn that eventually landed her on stage in the magical world of the Munchkins. “I ended up where I never thought I would — musical theater wasn’t on my radar. I had auditioned for a role in the Broadway production of ‘The Color Purple’ and was noticed by some casting agencies. I got an agent, was cast in the national tour of ‘Sweet Charity,’ then in ‘Wicked,’ and now I make a full-time living on Broadway.” Patterson says she had no idea what Broadway was like before she stepped on its stages. “I was surprised at how difficult it is to do the same thing every day; it’s physically challenging to maintain a top performance level 80 percent of the year. Concert dance seasons are challenging, but there’s layoff time and you perform on weekends. I’ve learned what I need to do to offset overuse injuries or muscle imbalances from the choreography.”

And, she says, she realizes how valuable her training at the University of the Arts was. “It was complete training, so I’m a well-rounded dancer. I felt secure whenever I went to audition, that I was capable of trying almost anything. The versatility of the program and the strong encouragement to take classes in other dance disciplines was critical. In the current dance environment, you have to be as versatile as possible.” Patterson is already planning her next act. “This is my ‘big aha’ — I’ve found that I’m in control of my own career. I’m doing commercials and voice-overs, and that work is allowing me to take risks in my choices. I have spent most of my career as a performer, a vessel fulfilling other people’s creative visions. In my eyes, my choreographic voice is underdeveloped and I have been avoiding exploring it for years, mostly out of fear. I am at a point now that I am ready to explore my creativity even if I don’t perform it publicly.”

MONTANA USA

For the past 1,216 performances, Rhea Patterson BFA ’01 (Modern Dance) has been living in the Land of Oz. The Virginia native is a member of the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical “Wicked,” the Broadway juggernaut based on “The Wizard of Oz” that has grossed almost $500 million since opening in 2003.

IN THE LAND OF OZ RHEA PATTERSON BFA ’01

She is collaborating with a cinematographer to create a film inspired by her mother, who has Parkinson’s disease and struggles to execute everyday tasks. “I am struck by the irony that what I do for a living — commanding my body to move through space with grace and ease — is exactly what she struggles with daily. In an effort to understand her struggle, I want to explore what is happening to her body through movement. My collaborator is going to follow me through what I anticipate will be a very emotional creative process.”

BROADWAY PERFORMER TONY AWARD-WINNING Musical “WICKED”

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Out to the Stars and Inside ‘Your Brain’ UArts Grads at the Franklin Institute

Part science lab, part artist’s studio and a whole lot of “Revenge of the Nerds,” the prototype shop at the renowned Franklin Institute, Philadelphia’s iconic science museum, sits at the crossroads of science, art, design and education. It’s a perfect setting for a resident team of recent University of the Arts Industrial Design graduates to send stars into space and change the way we think about how we think. Eric Welch BS ’08 (Industrial Design) interned at the Franklin Institute as a UArts student and was hired full-time in 2010 as the lead prototype developer. His mission: to develop the 50 plus prototypes for the cutting-edge interactive displays that will comprise the Institute’s new flagship permanent exhibit “Your Brain.” The 8,000-square-foot “Your Brain” exhibit will anchor the venerable science museum’s multi-million-dollar expansion, slated to break ground in 2012 and open in 2014. Joining Welch in bringing “Your Brain” to life are prototype consultant Brian Kelly BS ’08 (Industrial Design), software developer Kyle Stetz BS ’11 (Industrial Design) and graduate student intern Dan Streelman MFA ’12 (Museum Exhibition Planning and Design). “The process starts with the design department,” says Welch. “They do all the research on the subject matter, decide on the story that needs to be told and come up with content points. We then come up with ideas on how to present the contents.” Once a sample prototype is built, the Department of Evaluations brings in visitors to test them and reports are compiled on how to continue, develop or change the prototype.

The process is quite familiar to the recent grads. “It is actually incredibly similar to our education as Industrial Design students at UArts,” says Stetz. “As far as critiquing, what we are rated on, it’s a similar design process that we use here.” “We have a meeting every Tuesday called a ‘brain meeting’ where we go over where we are with the interactives,” adds Welch. “The whole team gives input, which is very much a critique in the way that it was in school. It can be very stressful, so it is a very good thing that it is a process we are very familiar with.” The team designs and tests a mix of digital and analog displays, from a video-game-like threedimensional travel into a brain scan, to a simple exercise for children to create faces on a magnetic screen using random items. “We have to create a story, which is much easier in a digital environment, but it is also important to have analog pieces,” says Welch. “When we create a digital piece, we have to make sure it is not something you’ll be able to do at home or on the Internet, so we have to create unique interfaces or approaches.” This year, the UArts grads have also been called upon to send their work into space. Chris Ferguson, the mission commander on this year’s final launch of the space shuttle, grew up in the Philadelphia area and like so many local children, was an avid visitor to the Franklin Institute. For the final mission, NASA allowed each astronaut to take a piece of memorabilia into space. Ferguson approached the museum’s chief astronomer, Derrick Pitts. Was

(opposite) Kyle Stetz, Brian Kelly and Eric Welch with the Franklin Institute’s telescope

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“It is actually incredibly similar to our education as Industrial Design students at UArts.” — Kyle Stetz BS ’11

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there something from the Franklin Institute that Ferguson could take into space? “I think we all raised our hands,” jokes Kelly. The selected piece would have to meet NASA’s strict shape, size and weight flight safety guidelines. The Institute chose to loan Ferguson a small five-pointed star made from the stainless-steel ceiling of the museum’s original planetarium, one of the first in the United States, which had been preserved when the planetarium was renovated. As a local student in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ferguson had sat under that dome, contemplating the stars. There were a few problems, however — the star was sharp and pointed, violating NASA’s safety guidelines. Pitts turned to the prototype shop to create a protective but nearly weightless case for the star. “You mean I get to make something that will go on the space shuttle? I think I cried,” said Welch. His solution: a 3D design for a super-thin, clear acrylic circular “sandwich” of plastic and steel. “Kyle was still a UArts student at the time, so we persuaded the shop manager there to let us actually laser-cut the acrylic there” on UArts’ computer-guided milling machine. Looking like a circular crystal jewel box, the three pieces are held together with five aluminum rivets. As an item taken into space by NASA, the star and its case will become part of the National Archives and will be returned for display in a place of honor at the Franklin Institute. “We get interesting odd jobs all the time here,” says Welch. “This one just happened to be going into space.”

(above and opposite page, top) in the Franklin Institute prototype shop (opposite bottom) the prototype shop and the “space star” in its case

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“You mean I get to make something that will go on the space shuttle? I think I cried.” — Eric Welch BS ’08

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Brett Kuri ’12 (Painting/Drawing) I’m Not In Love

COURTESY OF RICH PARK

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‘HUMBLE’ DESIGN FOR THE WORLD RICh YEONG-CHUN PARK BS ’87

Work by Rich Park BS ’87 (Industrial Design) may already be in your refrigerator. Or your tool shed. Or possibly even your bathroom. Today, he’s taking his Philadelphia College of Art (PCA, now the University of the Arts) approach to design solutions to young designers in Seoul, South Korea, as a founding member of the Samsung Art & Design Institute (SADI). A young school that fosters the development of creative students with an eye toward careers in design, SADI may teach students how to build a better mustard bottle or reshape a child’s toothbrush so it won’t slip out of tiny hands, two tasks that Park has already accomplished in a professional design career spanning three decades. “Art is about understanding how people live,” says Park, whose full name in Korean is Rich Yeong-Chun Park. “When you see other people’s cultures and think about what you can provide for them, you become more humble. You realize that different people have different needs, and you have to be considerate of all those needs. You realize you’re not the ‘only’ person you are designing for.” Among the items on his own resume are a Craftsman toolbox series designed for Sears, early ’90s redesigns of the packaging for French’s mustard and the creation of a Crest children’s toothbrush for Proctor & Gamble. He’s also created design solutions for clients as wide-ranging as Gerber, Gillette and Maybelline. Park was born and raised in Seoul, moving to the United States in 1980 at the age of 23. At PCA, teachers included Noel Mayo, then chair of Industrial Design, who Park

recalls would always remind his charges, “You need to be creative, but you also need to be practical and ready to answer any questions that could come from a client.” As Park visited people’s homes for the Craftsman project, he found that the average person had more than one toolbox because their hardware collections were large. His solution was to come up with something like a Russian nesting doll for the macho set. “We made not just a larger box, but a modular one, with a smaller standalone box that fit inside,” he says of the wildly popular Craftsman toolbox. Product packaging design presented a different set of challenges. Before Park got his hands on a bottle of French’s mustard, the container was totally round. He gave it a new shape, flattening out the front to allow more room for graphics, which in turn gave the product “stronger shelf appearance.” Park returned to Korea in 1995 to help found SADI, where he holds several titles, among them, chair of the Product Design department. After completing a three-year program, some SADI students go to work for Samsung companies; others work for design consultancies or begin their own firms. “Our goal is to educate designers who could think on their own with strategic minds for the world, but our design is very much practical,” Park says.

FOUNDING MEMBER SAMSUNG ART AND DESIGN INSTITUTE | SOUTH KOREA

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Carise Mitch

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Technically

Creative

DR. SlavKo Milekic’s Classes PUSH THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN ART AND TECHNOLOGY

When student creativity meets cutting-edge technology, there’s a whole new way of looking at the world. In the classes taught across the curriculum by University of the Arts Professor of Cognitive Science and Digital Design Dr. Slavko Milekic, UArts students are making connections that go far beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. Ben Farahmand MID ’12 (Industrial Design) wears a simple headset that might be for playing a video game or taking a call over Bluetooth, but in fact it is creating a direct connection between his brain, the laptop in front of him and masterworks of art from a museum database. A graduate of UCLA in aerospace and philosophy, he is participating in the graduate industrial design studio, working closely with Dr. Milekic. A medical doctor and holder of a Master of Science in neuropsychology as well as a Ph.D. in cognitive science, Dr. Milekic’s original research includes digital design and the psychology of human/computer interaction. He is a nationally recognized expert in creating digital interactive displays for museums that combine virtual information with tangible physical experience, and holds patents for using gazetracking for interacting with a visual display and for an original way of interacting with a touch-sensitive visual display. “The new technology is taking programming out of the hands of the coders and presenting it as a tool for the creative thinkers,” says Milekic. “You don’t need to understand how to make the underlying code any more than you need to build an elevator to ride one. But there is no end to what the creative mind can do with these tools.” As images of paintings flash in front of him, Farahmand registers positive or negative mental responses (“I like that” or “I don’t like that”) without ever touching a keyboard. He even moves the slide show forward just by the movement of his

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eyes. Using “electrofolksonomy,” he is participating in a unique research project that uses facial muscles, brain activity and eye movements to “tag” and categorize content that can create a path through databases of images and measure human interaction with works of art in a museum or gallery setting. As Farahmand’s flickering eyes create responses to the images in front of him, the software records responses and represents his responses graphically. “The software and hardware have a ‘training’ process,” Milekic explains. “It adjusts to the individual’s brainwaves and facial expressions, just as your iPhone learns your typing style.” As part of the studio, Farahmand wrote the software program that specializes the system for use in an arts or museum setting. “There are applications for the special needs community, for K-12 education, for museum and gallery engagement,” says Milekic.

“You can post it to Facebook,” DeGregorio says helpfully. “It’s just meant to be funny, but people really seem to like it.” With variations of the app in the works like “SexyTime” (featuring different sounds and a pair of large, sexy lips), DeGregorio and Valeno are continuing to work together outside of the class. Like their classmates, they are finding the new technology is presenting endless opportunities for creative thinking to turn into entrepreneurial opportunities. > Update: “The Original Toilet Timer” went live on iTunes on June 13. As of November 27, it had been downloaded 762 times from as far afield as Brazil and Australia.

Students in Milekic’s “Designing iPhone and iPad Apps the Easy Way” class mined their own interests and passions to create their own apps for these devices. Open to all majors, the class attracted Dance and Music majors as well as students from the College of Art, Media and Design. Nick DeGregorio ’12 (Multimedia) and Bob Valeno ’14 (Music) took the project furthest, submitting their app to Apple’s iTunes and receiving feedback that they will use to improve their game, with the goal of resubmitting the project for acceptance into the app store and eventual sales. Called “Toilet Timer,” the game is well, just like it sounds, incorporating a timer and some amusingly rude noises.

(top, left to right) Nick DeGregorio and Bob Valeno Wang Ting Chang MID ’12 (Industrial Design) Ben Farahmand (opposite) Dr. Slavko Milekic

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DESIGNPHILADELPHIA 2011 Celebrating the ‘Workshop of the World’

DesignPhiladelphia, in partnership with the University of the Arts, once again highlighted the city’s vibrant creative community, which counts among its members many UArts alumni. More than 120 events brought together the creative disciplines — from architecture to interior design, fashion to product design, multimedia to graphic design — across 10 days of programming, from provocative talks by national and international design visionaries, to open-air performances, hands-on workshops, studio tours and the innovative re-use and re-imagining of public spaces. The many events around the city played to rave reviews in the media. The influential design site Core77 said, “Philadelphia is quickly proving itself to be one of the up-and-coming design capitals of the world. DesignPhiladelphia helps showcase the role that design has played historically in Philadelphia, the ‘workshop of the world,’ but — most importantly — showcases the city as a hub for innovation and design.” This year’s celebration featured the first annual “Design Champion” award, presented to Philadelphia’s Mayor Michael Nutter by DesignPhiladelphia’s founder and executive director Hilary Jay, who lauded the mayor for his efforts to help Philadelphia’s design community “soar.” UArts alumni were front and center at DesignPhiladelphia, showcasing the creativity that is making the city a dynamic place to work and live. PlayPhilly, a project of grads Giacomo Ciminello BFA ’99 (Graphic Design), MID ’11 (Industrial Design) and Kristin Freese MID ’11 (Industrial Design), created “Big Chalkers,” where children and adults used oversized crayons to play and draw in public spaces like Dilworth Plaza, on the doorstep of Philadelphia’s City Hall. “Not a Vacant Lot” energized an empty space on Broad Street with performances and projections and an eye-catching design by Industrial Design students. Biello Martin Studio, the creative sanctuary of interdisciplinary artist Michael Biello BFA ’73 (Ceramics) and composer Dan Martin, hosted an open house with special installations and surprise performances. Jaime Salm BS ’01 (Industrial Design), founder and creative director of the design practice MIO Culture, delivered a “Dialogues on Design” lecture on his journey in developing some of the best practices in sustainability. BlueRedYellow, a project of Elissa Myers BS ’10 (Industrial Design) partially funded by a grant from UArts’ Corzo Center, presented a hands-on dye workshop on using plant material to create naturally dyed fabrics. Programming coordinator Jackie Starker BS ’10 (Industrial Design) and a team of intrepid UArts interns worked tirelessly to make sure this year’s DesignPhiladelphia was bigger, better and more beautiful than ever. They’re already looking forward to designing new experiences in 2012.

(opposite) 1. Letterpress workshop at Anthropologie with photo by Jackie Newkirk BFA ’10 (Photography) 2. “Big Chalkers” 3. “Not a Vacant Lot” design 4. Biello Martin Studio 5. Pop-up bike basket from MIO Culture 6. Fabric dyes from BlueRedYellow

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3 MILO CULLIRE

JACKIE STARKER

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courtesy blueredyellow

KEVIN MONKO

JAMIE NEWKIRK

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LEGACY

“GOOD TEACHERS ARE VERY SPECIAL; THEY GIVE OF THEMSELVES AND EXPECT NOTHING IN RETURN.”

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COURTESY OFOF ROBERT MCGIVERN IMAGES COURTESY UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

MISA MARTIN

— Aileen McCormack McGovern

(top to bottom) McGovern’s Committee In Action Peter Solmssen Karen Saler Fabian Ulitsky

LEGACY

robert mcgovern

THE LEGACY OF

alumnus and long-time ILLUSTRATION PROFESSOR LEFT AN INDELIBLE MARK The legacy of late Professor Emeritus Robert F. McGovern DIPL ’56 (Illustration) can be seen in churches throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, the Pope Pius XII Center in Rome, various museums and institutes in Philadelphia, and in the work of the thousands of students he influenced in his 43 years as an educator at the University of the Arts.

he faced. At age 16, McGovern suffered a crippling attack of polio that left him dependent on leg braces and crutches for mobility for the rest of his life. “He never once used his handicap as an excuse for not doing something that was difficult even for the rest of us,” says Saler. “He never whined, complained or shirked his responsibility.”

“Bob McGovern left a tremendous trail of knowledge and many accomplished and grateful students behind him,” says retired professor Karen Saler BFA ’64 (Printmaking), who was a student of McGovern’s before joining the faculty in 1979. “Those many practicing artists today are a big part of his legacy.”

His physical handicaps never hindered his creative process, either. McGovern specialized in wood carving, sculpture, printmaking and painting, with a focus on religious artwork, although he did not necessarily consider himself a religious artist.

An alumnus of the school who taught freshman drawing, design and printmaking and served as co-chair of the Foundation department, McGovern passed away in April 2011 from complications from leukemia.

“For me, an apple is religious. It is a gift, something that transcends the moment,” he said in an interview with Villanova University in 2003, when the school held a retrospective of his work.

During his tenure, McGovern was a driving force within the College of Art and Design’s Foundation program.

“He found inspiration everywhere. He was just creative, and loved what he did,” says Mrs. McGovern. “Even when he was ill, he was still working; he worked until the day he died.”

“Over the years his input changed every single course that we had in the department,” says Saler. “There were some things, like the addition of working from observation in a color course, where rather than just learn the color theories, he had students actually make paintings that allowed them to put the theory into practice.” Such a technique was “revolutionary” at the time, she says. McGovern also found time for playfulness while enhancing the school’s curriculum. During meetings, it became his pastime to sketch small portraits of his fellow faculty members. “He used to say to me, ‘How many committees can you participate in without doing something to amuse yourself?,’” says his wife, Aileen McCormack McGovern. By his retirement, he had amassed a large collection of sketches, titled “Meeting Notes,” which he donated to the University in 2010. Part of what made McGovern an inspiration to his students and fellow faculty were the personal challenges

The pieces he left behind are solid reminders of the man described as “a person we could all respect and revere.” The legacy he leaves behind at UArts may be less tangible, but is no less significant. “Good teachers are very special; they give of themselves and expect nothing in return,” says Mrs. McGovern. “And that’s what Bob did.” “I think he was a very hard taskmaster — A’s were not something he gave easily,” she continues. “But he was very committed to his students. He always saw the good in people and in situations, and he was always very encouraging.” Saler agrees. “Inspiration, dedication, devotion and plain old-fashioned hard work were expected and were the norm in his classes,” she says. “Everyone always did their very best. He encouraged and expected it from us, and we could not disappoint him.”

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UARTS LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE DESIGN BY ALUMNUS-LED GLOBAL BRANDING FIRM On September 12, 2011, the University of the Arts launched a new website (uarts.edu) designed to offer a dynamic user experience to current and prospective students, parents, alumni, faculty and other key audiences. The site was designed by New York-based global branding firm Siegel+Gale, led by chief creative officer and co-CEO Howard Belk BFA ’81 (Graphic Design), in consultation with the University’s Graphic Design faculty. The redesigned website delivers a compelling user experience through its emphasis on improved navigation and dynamic multimedia content. As the central communications vehicle for the University, the new site illustrates the creativity of its community while effectively communicating its brand promise of inspiring, educating and preparing innovative artists and creative leaders. The striking Studio Spotlight portion of the website is the centerpiece of the new community-generated content. Students, faculty and alumni are encouraged to post their work to the site using a simple upload page that is similar to many popular social media sites. The result is an evolving and ever-growing repository of visual art, performances and music that focuses attention on the diverse and talented artists who make up the University of the Arts community. “This new site will provide a platform to showcase the University of the Arts’ innovative new approach to educating artists in the 21st century,” said Sean T. Buffington, the University’s president. “It was critically important to us that the website reflect our new academic plan, which envisions an academic community in which creative people of all kinds can work collaboratively, challenge traditional disciplinary boundaries and devise their own pathways to become the artists and creative leaders they want to become.” “A number of Siegel+Gale’s best and brightest are graduates of the University of the Arts,” said Belk, “and I humbly count myself among them. It was a labor of love to craft a digital experience that conveys the University’s prominent presence among arts institutions and its unique educational approach.”

uarts.edu homepage (top and bottom right) and the Studio Spotlight page (bottom left)

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uarts.edu homepage (top and bottom right) and the Studio Spotlight page (bottom left)

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UARTS JOINS DISTINGUISHED UNIVERSITY CONSORTIUM WITH MULTI-YEAR GRANT

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CONTINUING STUDIES AND THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

BRING THE ARTS TO NEW CLASSROOMS The Professional Institute for Educators (PIE) at the University of the Arts, a program in the University’s Division of Continuing Studies, was awarded a multiyear $300,000 grant from the Library of Congress’s Teaching with Primary Resources Program to develop a curriculum for educators to learn to use the performing and visual arts to illuminate classroom subjects from social studies to science. UArts will be the first university in the program’s consortium to offer a focus on using primary sources in the performing and visual arts. “The courses will leverage the strengths of the UArts faculty and expertise to provide teacher training in four areas: dance, poetry and literacy, photography, and music,” said Erin Elman, dean of the Division of Continuing Studies. The Teaching with Primary Resources Program at the Library of Congress works with colleges and other educational organizations across the country to deliver professional development programs that help teachers use the Library of Congress’s rich reservoir of digitized primary source materials to design challenging, high-quality instruction. Primary sources accessed by the new UArts program would range from images of photographs and paintings to historic films, as well as poetry, theater, music and dance performances.

The Library of Congress grant will enable PIE to create a curriculum for teachers that accesses the enormous wealth of digitized primary resources of the Library of Congress (over 19 million) and encourages integration of the visual and performing arts into primary and middle school subject curricula. A new website funded by the grant and developed by educators at UArts will share Library of Congress and other resources with teacher participants, course instructors and the public. “We’ll use a three-pronged approach,” said Elman. “It will combine the work of a primary resources specialist, a content expert such as a photographer or a musician, and partnerships with some of Philadelphia’s worldrenowned arts and cultural institutions. Teachers will also get to take advantage of a studio component, for example, trying out a percussion workshop or learning basic composition on music software.” Beginning in the summer of 2012, the one-week intensive courses will be free to teachers, who may audit without earning credit. The courses will also be available as credit-bearing classes, for a fee.

(left, top) Erika L. Gehringer MAT ’05 (Visual Arts) at the Professional Institute for Educators ArtsWeek (left, bottom) An educator enjoys professional development classes.

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Assistant Dance Professor Karen “KB” Brown has received a New York Dance and Performance Award, better known as a Bessie Award, for her work from the 2009 – 2010 season with Paradigm, Dance Legends in Concert, where she has been a dancer since 2008. The awards ceremony took place at the famed Apollo Theater in Harlem. Prior to joining UArts, Brown was artistic director of the Oakland Ballet Company in California, following a 22-year career as principal ballerina, featured artist, master teacher and lecturer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Brown currently serves as a board member for Dance USA, the Smoke, Lilies and Jade Arts Initiative in Philadelphia, and as an advisory board member for Contemporary Ballet Theatre in the Bronx.

COURTESY OF SETH KRAMER

COURTESY OF KARREN BROWN

DANCE PROFESSOR HONORED WITH BESSIE AWARD

Film Alumnus Garners Third Emmy Nomination for Documentary Seth Kramer BFA ’96 (Film) was nominated for a 2011 Emmy Award in Outstanding Business and Economic Programming for his most recent documentary, “The New Recruits.” Airing on PBS, “The New Recruits” follows three business students turned social entrepreneurs who travel to Pakistan, India and Kenya and struggle to use market principles to tackle global poverty. Kramer is a writer, producer, director and a principal in Ironbound Films, Inc., a documentary and new media company. His film “The Linguists,” funded by the National Science Foundation, was nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Science and Technology Programming in 2010, and in 2003, Kramer was nominated for Outstanding Historical Programming for “Resistance: Untold Stories of Jewish Partisans.”

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The American Society of Media Photographers selected UArts’ Photography faculty member Barbara Proud’s documentary project “First Comes Love” as one of its “Best of 2011.” “First Comes Love” is a collection of black and white portraits that celebrate the long-term relationships of same-sex partners. The work also earned Proud the Adjunct Scholarship Award from the Society of Photographic Educators’ MidAtlantic chapter. The project was partially funded by a 2009 University of the Arts Faculty Enrichment Grant and a 2010 B.W. Bastian Foundation Grant.

Faculty, Alumni Take Top Honors at 2011 Barrymore Awards

Carl Clemons-Hopkins BFA ’09 (Musical Theater), Alex Keiper BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) and Sarah Van Auken BFA ’11 (Acting).

Alex Bechtel BFA ’08 (Musical Theater) won Outstanding Music Direction for “My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra” and Michael Doherty BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) was named Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

Created in 1994, the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theater are the Greater Philadelphia region’s only comprehensive theater awards program, recognizing artists for excellence and innovation while increasing awareness of the richness of the local theater community.

UArts Brind School Professor Aaron Cromie was also a Barrymore winner, taking home the honors for Outstanding Choreography/ Movement (with Waldo Warshaw) in “The Lieutenant of Inishmore.” He also received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance in “The Flea and the Professor.”

2011 Musical Theater Grad Lands Title Role in ‘Shrek: The Musical’ National Tour

Other nominated alums included two nominations for John V. Bellomo BFA ’94 (Theater), as well as nods for Jennifer Childs BFA ’90 (Acting), Megan Nicole O’Brien BFA ’05 (Applied Theater Arts), Ryan Touhey BFA ’09 (Musical Theater),

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B. PROUD

‘first comes love’ photo project is BEST OF 2011

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Lukas Poost BFA ’11 (Musical Theater) didn’t get to enjoy much of a post-graduation vacation. He was quickly tapped for the title role of everyone’s favorite ogre in the national tour of the hit Broadway show “Shrek: The Musical.” The production began touring in the fall of 2011. Poost graduated with honors and in his final year performed the song “Who I’d Be” from the musical as part of his senior showcase.

(opposite, top to bottom) Karen “KB” Brown Seth Kramer (with camera) (above) image by Barbara Proud Harvey and Kevin with Evan, 21 years

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Theater Alumna Wins Pew Grant to Explore Women in Comedy 1812 Productions, led by Artistic Director Jennifer Childs BFA ’90 (Acting), received a 2011 Theater Initiative Grant from the Pew Center for Arts and Heritage. The $138,000 grant will create the two-year “Women in Comedy Project,” combining storytelling, music and clowning. The project will include “generational labs” with groups of female performers organized by age to explore comedic stereotypes, from the diva to the batty old lady. The resulting script aims to upend stereotypes and create a sense of community through shared laughter. Childs is also a senior lecturer in the University’s Ira Brind School of Theater Arts.

Animated Video by Multimedia Junior Showcased in Public Art Display

COURTESY OF JENNIFER CHILDS

The rooftop LED lights of Philadelphia’s iconic PECO building featured “Dancers,” an animated video by James Simpson ’13 (Multimedia). The video, on view every Friday night throughout the month of September 2011, was selected as part of Art in the Air, a digital art initiative designed to utilize the energy company’s Crown Lights system in a new and different way and to provide recognition to local artists working in a digital format. The 21-year-old UArts junior was also featured in an article about the project in The Philadelphia Inquirer, saying, “The most incredible part for me was just watching something that I pieced together in my makeshift home studio be on display in such a massive way.”

COURTESY OF JASON CHUONG

Music Alum Appears with President Obama, Makes U.S. Department of Education Video

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Jason Chuong BM ’08 (Percussion), MAT ’09 (Music Education) wore his UArts lapel pin proudly as he appeared next to President Barack Obama on television screens around the world as the President presented the American Jobs Act. Choung, who teaches instrumental music in the Philadelphia public schools and is a senior lecturer in UArts’ Music department, was selected to attend the speech by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. He has received widespread acclaim for his work in creating alternative music ensembles on little to no budget in the public schools, inspired by his undergraduate experiences as part of “Rumble,” UArts alternative percussion ensemble. His work is featured in “Keeping the Beat: A Teacher Talks About Schools, Music Education and the American Jobs Act,” a video on the Department of Education’s website (ed.gov) that was featured on the White House Twitter feed.

(above) Jennifer Childs (left) Jason Chuong

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Melissa Guglielmo BFA â&#x20AC;&#x2122;11 (Crafts) Homegrown I

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Caitlin McCormack BFA â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10 (Illustration) Respite

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“The State Department for a long time was good at broadcasting, getting our message out on TV and newspapers and so on, but we didn’t listen very well,” Krape says. “With social media, we can get a much better sense of what people are thinking, their reactions to U.S. policies. On a smaller scale, there’s a lot of attention being paid to the conversations taking place.” Krape paired his Multimedia degree from the University of the Arts with a MA in Communication, Culture and Technology from Georgetown University. Before joining the State Department, he worked for a variety of non-profit and intergovernmental organizations, then as a web coordinator with the World Bank, where he oversaw web management for the World Bank Institute. In his role with the State Department, Krape has learned that new media may be global, but mastering the techniques needed to drive communication in various countries requires local knowledge and creative approaches. As a rule, the U.S. government uses sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as local blogs to reach new audiences abroad and to better the quality of its back-and-forth communications with that audience.

The State Department operates nearly 200 Facebook sites, 50 Twitter feeds and 42 YouTube sites, according to the Foreign Service Journal. While a Facebook campaign may work in Indonesia, which is second only to the U.S. in number of Facebook users, it won’t work in parts of Africa, where people are more likely to use SMS text messaging as a primary form of networking. Devising innovative communications using texting requires applying some serious creative thinking. During the President’s trip to Sub-Saharan Africa in 2009, Krape oversaw a campaign focused on mobile communications. They urged residents to send in a text message with a question for the President, who answered the questions in a podcast, and that audio was distributed to radio stations across the continent. “It was actually President Obama’s words and voice answering those questions,” notes Krape, who credits his University of the Arts education with helping to nurture the flexibility and creativity essential to his job. “What’s important,” he continues, “is to go where the audience is. We can’t force them to come to us.”

COURTESY of DARREN KRAPE

An “advance man” for the new millennium, Darren Krape BFA ’04 (Multimedia) uses his digital know-how to engage foreign audiences in President Obama’s foreign travel. As a new media specialist in the State Department’s Office of Innovative Engagement, his role includes teaching U.S. Embassy staff how to use networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to improve two-way communications between the United States and the rest of the world.

WORLD COMMUNICATOR DARREN KRAPE BFA ’04

Just last November, Krape was in Egypt helping embassy employees to develop a social media strategy, well before the socalled “Twitter Revolution” that would overthrow the Mubarek government. “When I was in Cairo, I met with a lot of activists, and those are the same people who are now working to rewrite the constitution,” he says. “It really is important to reach out to the people who may not be in power today, because they could be in power tomorrow.”

NEW MEDIA SPECIALIST UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Scene from “Made by Two,” the Author played by Brendan Dalton ’12 (Musical Theater)

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SCHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT

The Lillian and Albert Noren Foundation Scholarship at the University of the Arts supports two students each year: one student enrolled in the School of Dance and one student enrolled in the School of Music.

Nathan Novak

A longtime lab technician and researcher at Jefferson Medical College, Lillian Noren was an avid supporter of the arts in Philadelphia. Whether volunteering her time as a docent at the Philadelphia Museum of Art or attending concerts at the Philadelphia Orchestra, Noren dedicated much of her time to the arts. She regularly and enthusiastically attended dance and music performances at UArts.

The Lillian and Albert Noren Foundation Scholarship

Although not a trained artist herself, Noren was dedicated to making an education possible for students in need. After her husband passed away, she worked with her tax advisors to include significant support for students at the University of the Arts in her estate plans. She formed the Lillian and Albert Noren Foundation, with the University of the Arts as a beneficiary. Noren’s close friends, Dr. Barry Kotler and Mrs. Barbara Kotler, along with their son Michael Kotler, serve as the trustees of the Noren Foundation and ensure that her passion for music and dance is carried on through the support of talented arts students in need of scholarship monies. The Noren Foundation has provided annual generous scholarship contributions to UArts since 2007. Lillian Noren once said, “Share your fortune, it will help you achieve immortality.”

ValuesCreativityVisionPlanning UArts Legacy Society

There are many creative ways to support UArts and future generations of art students. If you’ve included UArts in your estate plan, please let us know. When you inform us that you have included UArts in your will, you automatically become a member of our Legacy Society. If you’re considering including UArts in your estate plan, but haven’t done so already, feel free to call Katie Adams at 215-717-6147 in the Advancement Office or speak with your planning advisor.

Dr. and Mrs. Kotler recently returned to Philadelphia for a visit and had the opportunity to connect with the talented student musicians and dancers supported by the Lillian and Albert Noren Foundation Scholarship. The Kotlers are thrilled to help support the dreams of talented students and be “part of the energy” of UArts. For more information about making a scholarship gift to the University of the Arts, please contact Katie Adams at 215-717-6147 or kadams@uarts.edu. (above) Dr. Barry Kotler and Mrs. Barbara Kotler carry out the dream of their friends Albert and Lillian Noren to support the education of young artists.

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COURTESY of DAVID GRAHAM

FACULTY/staffnotes

María Teresa Rodríguez BFA ’98 (Illustration), adjunct associate professor of Media Arts, was one of 18 documentary film fellows selected by the Sundance Institute to participate in the eighth Documentary Edit and Story Lab and ninth Composers + Documentary Lab. Her film “¿Dónde Están?” documents the search for children who disappeared during the Salvadoran civil war.

COURTESY of KATHY ROSE

COURTESY of JUNE JULIAN

Illustration Senior Lecturer Joe DiDomenico BFA ’93 (Illustration) was interviewed about animation careers and his company Applehead Factory in the July 8, 2011, issue of Animation Career Review.

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Liberal Arts Professor Jack DeWitt’s novel, Old Wounds: A Varian Pike Mystery, is now available at Barnes&Noble. com and Amazon.com. Photography faculty members Vincent Feldman, Julianna Foster, David Graham BFA ’76 (Photography), Anna Norton and Jeannie Pearce were featured in “Take Five,” a photographic exhibition at Philadelphia’s Salt Art Gallery. Art and Design Education Professor June Julian was featured in “Inked Up” at the Arsenal in New York City, an exhibition showcasing 47 prints inspired by the city’s park system. She also presented the paper “Designing Exhibitions in an Educational Virtual World” at the 2011 International Journal of Art and Design Education (iJade) Conference in England. The paper, coauthored by Julian Glynn Crooks MA ’11 (Art Education), represents their ongoing research in their Educational Media Center in Second Life. Rachelle Smith BFA ’02 (Photography), UArts media resource specialist, was recently featured in Out In Jersey magazine talking about her project, “Speaking OUT: Voices of Queer Youth,” a work in progress highlighting a collec-

tion of photographs of LGBT youth and their personal messages, which she is compiling into a book. She was also interviewed in Philadelphia magazine about her participation in the recent Gender Reel Festival, a new festival that seeks to change the way we look at gender through art. Liberal Arts Professor Nancy Heller is one of five co-editors and one of 13 contributors to a new book, Imaging Dance: Representations of Dance and Dancers, published last summer by Olms based in Hildesheim, Germany. Authors hail from around the globe and the volume discusses paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs of people dancing in different countries, from the middle ages to the late 20th century. Media Arts Master Lecturer and PreCollege Instructor Kathy Rose BFA ’71 (Photography) recently had six videos screened in a travelling fashion film festival titled “A Shaded View on Fashion Film,” which launched at Centre Pompidou in Paris. In addition, her video installation, “Vortex,” was screened during the 10th annual Motion Pictures mini-fest presented by Philadelphia Dance Projects. “Visions Four,” an exhibit at the Villanova University Art Gallery showcasing the diverse work of four artists, included Foundation faculty members Elsa Johnson, Kristine Marx and Diane Pepe, as well as retired professor Karen Saler BFA ’64 (Printmaking). Crafts Adjunct Professor and stained glass artist Judith Schaechter presented “Surviving Your Creativity,” the 2011 Page Hazlegrove Lecture in Glass Art at the MIT Glass Lab in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Her work was also featured in the exhibition “Cute & Creepy” at the Museum of Fine Arts at Florida State University.

FACULTY/staff NOTES

The Continuing Education Program at the University of the Arts received the program development award from the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) Mid-Atlantic Region for the Teaching Artist Program led by Rob Craig, Continuing Education coordinator, and Pearl Schaeffer BFA ’79 (Dance), chief executive officer of the Philadelphia Arts Education Partnership (PAEP).

Longtime UArts Liberal Arts Professor Toby Zinman was recognized by American Theatre magazine as “one of the nation’s most influential theater critics” for her work with The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia City Paper. She is also the regional reviewer for Variety, a regular contributor to BroadStreetReview.com, and has written for the London Times and The New York Times. Zinman is a professor of English at UArts, where she was awarded the prize for Distinguished Teaching. She has published widely and lectured internationally on contemporary American drama and was a Fulbright professor in theater at Tel Aviv University. She has received five grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her third book, Edward Albee, was published by University of Michigan Press in the Spring of 2008, and her newest book on Arthur Miller’s play, “All My Sons,” was published in June 2010.

MISA MARTIN

University Professor of Humanities and Media Studies Camille Paglia was a panelist at the New York Film Festival, discussing the career and legacy of film critic Pauline Kael. The occasion was the publication of a new biography of Kael plus an 800-page selection of her work by Library of America. She also conducted an onstage dialogue about gender and sexual orientation in Bollywood movies with film scholar Priyadarshini Shanker at the Rubin Museum of Art in New York.

Joseph Gonzales, Ph.D. was named the director of the University of the Arts Museum Communications program. Prior to his appointment, Gonzales served as the manager of research and community engagement strategies for the Fleisher Art Memorial. Dr. Gonzales has 20 years of experience in the museum field in Philadelphia, Texas, California and Washington, D.C. He has served as a member of the board of directors of Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas and Taller Puertorriqueno and program chair for the American Association of Museums’ Committee for Diversity in Museums. Gonzales is the current president of the Museum Council of Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley.

JASON CHEN

Writing for Film and Television Associate Professor Jeff Ryder has been appointed associate dean of the newly formed College of Art, Media and Design (CAMD). Professor Ryder will continue as interim coordinator of the Film program.

(left, top to bottom) Work by: David Graham June Julian Kathy Rose (above, top to bottom) Camille Paglia Toby Zinman

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2011

Members of the Alumni Council were on hand to welcome the class of 2015 and their parents at New Student Orientation in August. Students learned a little bit about the UArts experience from council members and signed a class banner, which is now prominently displayed in the dining hall in Solmssen Court.

JOANNA SUNG

ALUMNIEVENTS

FALL Orientation

An Evening at the Media Theater

Lauren Villenueva

Alumni from the Philadelphia area and faculty from the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts gathered in Media, Pa., for a performance of “Chicago” at the Media Theater. Several UArts alumni were featured in the production, including Justin Guarini BFA ’01 (Musical Theater), runner-up in the first season of “American Idol” who was recently featured in “American Idiot” and “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” on Broadway, Matthew Mastronardi BFA ’07 (Musical Theater), Jessica Troiani BFA ’10 (Jazz Dance) and Virgil Gadson CER ’07 (Dance).

(above) Alumni Council member Harriet Feinstein DIPL ’62 (Fabric Design) greets a new student at Orientation. Graduates pose with theater faculty following the performance of “Chicago”: Lisa Oster BFA ’99 (Dance Education), Rosie Hay, Richard Stoppleworth, Matthew Mastronardi, Charlie Gilbert, Nancy Kantra MFA ’79 (Ballet), Justin Guarini and Patricia Raine.

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ALUMNI EVENTS

“Making IT,” a juried exhibition of works by recent alumni, was on display October 20 – 30 in Hamilton Hall’s Solmssen Court and Gallery One (320 South Broad Street). More than 200 works were submitted by graduates from the classes of 2001 through 2011, including art by both undergraduate and graduate alumni. The 43 works that were selected created a coherent and innovative exhibition, showcasing the excellence and artistic diversity of our recent alumni. The “Making IT” jury included FLUXspace’s Nike Desis and Warren Miller; theartblog. org’s Roberta Fallon and Libby Rosof; alumna Christy Blanca Gonzalez BFA ’01 (Painting), MA ’09 (Museum Communication); DesignPhiladelphia’s Hilary Jay; and Christopher Sharrock, newly appointed dean of the College of Art, Media and Design at the University of the Arts.

Fabiola Garcia ’14

Making It: Recent Alumni Works 2001 to 2011

Family and Alumni Weekend was held in late October and provided an opportunity for alumni, parents and families to connect — or re-connect — with the UArts community. The weekend was filled with special events, including the President’s Reception, Young Alumni and Golden Arts Reunions, student performances and faculty workshops, and the opening reception for the “Making IT” alumni exhibit.

(above) Sun Young Kang MFA ’07 (Book Arts/Printmaking)

Fabiola Garcia ’14

Family and Alumni Weekend

(right, top to bottom) S. Tiernan Alexander MFA ’09 (Ceramics), exhibited in “Making IT” (from left to right): At the President’s Reception: Jazmine Brown, Shannon Cheadle, Paul Miller ’13 (Animation) Annette Miller, Renee Brown

Dance alumni celebrate at the Young Alumni Reunion at Triumph Brewing Company (from left to right): Katie Jackson BFA ’01 (Dance), Michael Courtney BFA ’01 (Modern Dance), Leslie (Frye) Maietta BFA ’02 (Modern Dance), Kelly (Ankney) Cardillo BFA ’01 (Dance), Eva (Andell) Parisi BFA ‘01 (Dance), Meredith McGovern BFA ‘01 (Dance).

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Lauren Villenueva

Tom Miles BFA ’75 (Sculpture) and Jeannie Pearce at the President’s Reception during Family Weekend

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alumninotes

1940s

Marie Ulmer CERT ’41 (Illustration) and Marie Blazic were honored with an artwork showcase at Michael’s Decorators in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood. The showcase, “First Ladies of Fishtown and Kensington,” featured a lifetime of work. Ulmer was in attendance at the September 2 opening, which was covered by the Northeast Times. UArts Professor Irene Sfakianos, who curated the exhibit, said of Ulmer, “She’s just a remarkable artist. She never stopped painting, drawing, silkscreening, making jewelry, ceramics.” The owner of Michael’s Decorator, Michael Tonuci, said of the artists, “They’re 94 years old, and when I heard that age, I just couldn’t resist. They’ve been doing art most of their lives and deserve to have their own show like this.”

1950s

(above) George Harkins from 9/11: The World Speaks

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George Harkins BFA ’56 (Illustration) created a visual diary of his experience of the September 11 attack and its aftermath. He writes, “My wife and I live less than a thousand feet from Ground Zero and were witnesses to all. The full visual diary consists of 75 pen and ink plus watercolor works and an essay. You can see 13 of these works and the essay featured on artline.com. The Jane Haslem Gallery in Washington, D.C., represents his work there and is one of the founders of the website. Five of his diary artworks and an essay were included in the fall issue of Phat’itude magazine, printed in black and white. A different set of five artworks (in color) are included in 9/11: The World Speaks, published by the Tribute WTC Center and available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Herb Snitzer BFA ’57 (Photography) is a freelance photographer, author and writer. Recently published was his sixth book, Glorious Days and Nights: A Jazz Memoir, which includes his own personal experiences in his 50-year-long jazz photography career. Snitzer promoted his book as a featured author at The St. Petersburg Times’ 19th Annual Reading Festival on October 22, 2011. He also had an exhibition at the Tampa Museum of Art from January 29 to June 26, 2011.

1960s

Jane Boyd Carr BS ’61 (Industrial Design) is retired but still working daily in her studio painting, printing and sculpting. Dan Schuffler BFA ’63 (Sculpture) is a retired associate professor at West Chester University. He’s currently participating in Art of the State in Harrisburg, Pa., as well as the Berks Art Alliance. Schuffler received the Reading Museum Honorable Mention award. Francine Shore BFA ’65 (Fabric Design) exhibited at the Lawrence Gallery at Rosemont College. The exhibit, “A Retrospective: From Figure to Place,” ran from September 29 to October 27, 2011. Shore said, “‘Figure to Place’ happened when I started painting out everything that wasn’t essential, that seemed like an overstatement. I begin with an idea, not a plan. This allows me to explore the possibilities until something seems right.” The recipient of several awards for her work, Shore’s honors include a Ford Foundation Grant, the Benton Spruance Award for printmaking and the TV Guide Award for painting. Her exhibitions have been featured at Aaron Gallery in Washington, D.C., and 3rd Street Gallery in Philadelphia, among others. She did graduate work at LaSalle University and the University of Mexico and has worked as an instructor for Main Line Art Center in Haverford since 1986.

Jerome N. Margolis BM ’66 (Composition) retired in 2006 after 40 years as music director of Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles where his students included more than 20 major figures in the music, film, television and conducting fields. Prior to 1970, he lived in Millbrook, N.Y. He and his wife have now relocated to the Blue Ridge, Va., area where he has a studio. He remains active as a composer, arranger, orchestrator and keyboardist. Margolis and his wife, Ann, have four young granddaughters and a new puppy. In 1987, he earned his Ph.D. and is currently seeking a publisher for his book Creative Instincts - A Natural Affinity for Artistic Expression. A representative 160 tracks of his music is accessible at ReverbNation.com. In October, the Roanoke Chamber Orchestra performed his works and he is looking forward to the Roanoke Symphony’s March 2012 concert. Ellen Chuse BFA ’67 (Sculpture) is a member of the 440 Gallery in Brooklyn, N.Y., (440gallery.com) and has a solo show of recent paintings opening in January 2012. She continues to work as a childbirth educator and pregnancy and birth counselor in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Doris Lane Grey BFA ’67 (Fine Arts) and Kay Wood BFA ’75 (Illustration) have worked together with Michael Silverstein to create “Coot Avengers,” a mini-comic that describes “how four older Americans in their sixties found America’s Golden Age Dream eroding under their feet.” “Coot Avengers” became the subject of a WHYY Public Radio feature, has drawn very strong support on Kickstarter and was featured in the oprah.com blog. William G. White BFA ’67 (Illustration) had a solo exhibition at Hollins University’s Eleanor D. Wilson Museum in Roanoke, Va., from September 29 to December 10, 2011, titled “Empathy and Engagement.” White explored interior and exterior landscapes and form and color merge to delineate furniture, plants, windows, balconies and bridges. White is a professor emeritus after 39 years at Hollins University.

SAVE THE DATE The FOURTH annual ART exhibition and sale to benefit the Sam S. McKeel Promising Young Artists Scholarship Fund Preview Party

APRIL 11, 2012 â&#x20AC;¢ 5-8 PM my.uarts.edu/artunleashed

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ALUMNI NOTES

Joe Dante BFA ’68 (Photography) opened the ninth MoMA International Festival of Film Preservation, “To Save and Project,” with a newly digitized version of his film from the late 1960s, “The Movie Orgy.” This year’s festival comprised over 35 films from 14 countries and ran from October to November. Michael Pedicin BME ’68 (Composition) released “Michael Pedicin Quartet/ The Brubeck Project” in April 2011, followed with a European tour. His 10th CD, “Ballads...A Search For Peace,” was released in October 2011. The CD is dedicated to brilliant drummer and life-long friend Jim Paxson BM ’75 (Percussion), a fellow UArts alumnus and drum instructor who passed away last year. Pedicin also accepted a position as associate professor of Music and coordinator of Jazz Studies at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

1970s

Mary C. Bangs BFA ’70 (Painting) resides in Brooklyn, N.Y., and cocreated the book Biosphere Extension: Solar System Resources for the Earth. For a more detailed resume, visit cbangs.com. Robert E. Buchanan BFA ’70 (Illustration) has been teaching for 30 years at the Art Institute of York, Pa., in the Graphic Design department. Julia Ruth Claus BFA ’70 (Crafts) and Mandy Stapleford BFA ’88 (Ceramics) had their work exhibited as part of “Seed 3,” a continuing art exhibition inspired by the beginning of everything. The show ran in October 2011 at the Stables Gallery in Taos, N.M.

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Tom Hachtman BFA ’70 (Illustration) had three pieces included in “Seeing Gertrude Stein” at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. This show will be at the National Portrait Gallery from October 2011 to January 2012. More info at 3dwstudios.com. Suzanne Martinez BFA ’71 (Painting) received her MFA from Pratt Institute in 1979 and opened a fine art atelier, Water Street Press, that same year. She printed etchings and lithographs for many artists until 1989 when she closed the shop. Martinez also worked at Liz Claiborne Inc. from 1990 to 2011 as a director of print and art production. She is currently launching her own website, IvyMap.com, and learning a great deal about Internet marketing and social media. Joseph A. Nicholson BFA ’71 (Industrial Design) completed design of the gallery space and exhibits for the Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) Energy and Environmental Center in Salem, N.J. He was recently named the 2011 recipient of Mary S. Irick Drexel Award from Goodwin College at Drexel University and was named trustee emeritus at Woodmere Art Museum in Philadelphia. Nicholson is currently working on a lobby and reception area renovation, new interpretive exhibits and wayfinding signage for the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Md. He is also serving as museum planning consultant to the architectural team designing the Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. J. Stacy Rogers BFA ’71 (Illustration) has returned to the fine arts, painting people and regional landscapes. He previously had a very long career in the “commercial” arts. Rogers’ studio is in Lambertville, N.J., just across the river from New Hope, Pa. His work is in three area galleries and regularly wins awards at important juried art exhibits. He had been invited to submit seven new paintings for the

upcoming Hunterdon County (N.J.) Cultural and Heritage Show. You can view his paintings at jstacyrogers.com or join him on plein air painting excursions posted on his Facebook page. Michael Biello BFA ’73 (Crafts) began workshopping his new musical “Marry Harry,” with a reading in July 2011 at New York Stage & Film’s Powerhouse Season at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Biello wrote the lyrics to this romantic comedy set in an East Village restaurant. He continues to work as a sculptor and decorative artist, with his pieces found in magazines, boutiques and homes throughout the Philadelphia area. Scott Alan Krol BFA ’73 (Illustration) retired in 1994 from being owner and creative director of Creative Graphic Solutions, Inc. in Nyack, N.Y. He is a co-founder and owner of the recently closed Origins Gallery in Stockbridge, Mass., selling and providing African and other primitive art to collectors worldwide since 1996. He is sharing rural domestic life with his female companion (since 1968), four dogs, four cats, one vole and 14 chickens. Fred Prost BFA ’73 (Photography) is in retirement but is still photographing and always looking to reconnect with classmates. Marilyn Manno BFA ’74 (Illustration) is on the road promoting “Brain Freeze,” a DVD by her husband, John Kawie (a former stand-up comedian and actor), about his stroke and how it affected his acting career. Manno designed the DVD cover and the website (brainfreezedvd. com) and also helped produce the hour-long show. According to Manno, “It was a dream of John’s to do this since he had his stroke in ‘97.”

ALUMNI NOTES

Jaime De Jesus BFA ’75 (Illustration) has been living in Oahu, Hawaii, for the past six years, after living in the greater New York metropolitan area since graduation. He has been working as a freelance illustrator for over 30 years, primarily doing romance, mysteries and historical mass-market paperback book covers. De Jesus is represented in New York by Peter Lott (lottreps.com). He is still married to his wife of 36 years, Mary, and has two daughters, Jenny and Julie. Richard Roland BFA ’76 (Sculpture) is the president and CEO of NEO Products, Inc. He is an award-winning designer in a wide variety of professional areas including Best Neon Artist in the U.S. in 1993 for the Lizard Guitar. NEO now has offices in L.A. where it continues to provide product services for its national client base. All of his instrument designs, including the new DV60 violin, are at tonalinstruments.com.

(opposite, left) image from Joe Dante’s “The Movie Orgy” (opposite, right) Marilyn Manno’s DVD design (above) Michael Rogalski’s Masterpuppet Theatre (right) book cover by Ann Marie Dominik-Harris

Laura Bertin BFA ’78 (Sculpture) was one of the top 50 in sales at Waiora Health and Javita Coffee. This year, she was one of the interviewed distributors across the country to be featured in the national monthly “Top Performers” company newsletter. Bertin has been a professional mime artist and performer for over 30 years and has been leading “Group Motion” dance and movement workshops on the Main Line for 11 years. John Carlano BFA ’78 (Photography) had a solo exhibition, “Women and Men 2000 + 2010: Views of a Decade,” at the Crane Arts Building in Philadelphia in October 2011. Bruce R. Iacono BFA ’78 (Graphic Design) studied financial planning at NYU’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. He finished the

Anne Fine Foer BFA ’80 (Crafts) had her collage work showcased at the nationally juried American Landscapes exhibition at the Maryland Federation of Art, curated by Jack Rasmussen, director of the Katzen Art Gallery at American University.

program in September 2011 and sat for the Certified Financial Planning Board’s certification exam in November. Michael Rogalski BFA ’78 (Illustration) is the creator of Masterpuppet Theatre: The World of Shakespeare at Your Fingertips, published by Quirk Books of Philadelphia. Designed to provide a “hands-on experience of the world’s greatest theatrical dramas,” the boxed set consists of 60 cardstock fingerpuppets featuring illustrations of Shakespeare’s characters, a dozen scenic backdrops, and a folio of selected scenes, dialogue and soliloquies from the plays. In November 2010, Rogalski was among 99 authors signing books at the National Press Club Book Fair and Authors’ Night in Washington, D.C. In May of 2011, Masterpuppet Theatre was named a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards Gift & Specialty Books category. Rogalski is the principal of Eyewash, a graphic design firm in Havertown, Pa., providing visual communications solutions to publishers, corporations and institutions.

Robert Hambly BFA ’80 (Illustration) was a keynote speaker at the University & College Designers Association (UCDA) Annual Design Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., in October 2011. Hambly’s talk, “Curiosity — The Designer’s Secret Weapon,” takes a closer look at curiosity and how it can be nurtured and encouraged rather than feared and undervalued. UCDA hosts the only major design conference in North America specifically created by and for designers working in education. Hambly is the creative director of Hambly & Woolley Inc., a Toronto-based, multidisciplinary graphic design firm he co-founded with his partner, Barbara Woolley. Over the past 20 years, the firm has received over 350 national and international design awards.

Lynda Ambraham BFA ’79 (Printmaking) is an art/resource teacher at the Wesley Spectrum Highland School. She received the 2010 and 2011 PA Special Needs Art Educator of the Year award and received grants from the Andy Warhol Museum over the years. She is currently working with the Andy Warhol Museum on a pilot project dealing with facial recognition with children who are on the spectrum of autism. Carlene Esterly BFA ’79 (Dance) is currently the artistic director for Glens Falls Ballet and Dance Center in Queensbury, N.Y.

1980s

Pamela R. Bennett BFA ’82 (Illustration) is a freelance calligrapher now and obtained her master’s degree in library science from Drexel University in 2008.

Janie Pisano Camarca BFA ’80 (Graphic Design) is always working on design projects part time. She is also working as an office manager for her husband’s home-based construction company, while raising four children.

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Scene from “Les Liasons Dangereuse,” Marquise de Merteuil played by Amanda Kearns BFA ’12 (Acting)

ALUMNI NOTES

Maria Martinez-Cañas BFA ’82 (Photography) is a visiting artist at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. Her exhibition at the college’s William Center Gallery features work that brings a sense of her own Cuban heritage, as well as her fresh and experimental attitude. Over the last 30 years, she has used virtually every photographic medium in realizing these ideas. This exhibition was part of Lehigh Valley Photography Month. Olabisi Odubanjo Owen BFA ’82 (Graphic Design) went on to receive her MA in 1984 in publications management and design at the University of Baltimore. She was recruited from school to work for The Daily Record in Baltimore and then worked as a creative director for an advertising agency. She started her own graphic outfit in 1989 called DEZINE inc., which eventually started doing more publication and production work. In 2001, the company changed its face and identity to become a publishing company, Elohiym House Inc., a Christian publishing house, for which she serves as CEO/publisher. The company publishes books, magazines, adult and children’s curriculum, comics, and graphic novels. Daniel P. Walsh BFA ’83 (Painting) was featured in The Paris Review Daily blog in July 2011 where his Williamsburg studio and artwork is visited and praised. See for yourself at theparisreview.org/blog/2011/07/05/ dan-walsh.

(right) poster image from Ruth Leitman’s film “Wildwood”

David Bryant BM ’84 (Piano) and Janine Cappello-Bryant BFA ’86 (Modern Dance) traveled to the United Kingdom as part of a choir and dance tour in summer 2011. They were part of the American Celebration of Music in Britain as well as the Edinburgh International Arts Festival. David had several original choral compositions performed and Janine came out of retirement to perform at Cannongate Kirk in Edinburgh and Cardross Parish Church, near Glasgow. David is the associate chair of the Music department

its fourth album “Today We Sail.” Aside from writing songs for the band, Otto plays bass guitar, acoustic guitar, ukulele and sings. He also creates most of the band’s artwork.

at Eastern University, St. David’s, Pa., and Janine is a professor of Dance and Education at Eastern University. Janine also joined the dance faculty at Montgomery County Community College last fall. Both David and Janine are active at Eastern University producing original works every year.

Christopher Gee BFA ’89 (Graphic Design) joined London-based creative social engagement agency Splendid Communications as managing director of the NYC office in August 2011.

Ruth Leitman BFA ’84 (Photography) has produced, directed and shot several music videos, independent experimental films and public service announcements since she graduated. Her early work as a photographer includes several album covers and magazine cover shoots, featuring artists such as the Black Crowes, Indigo Girls, Jermaine Dupri and Outkast. Leitman has made five independent documentary features, noticed by film festivals, the Director’s Guild of America NYC, “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” Most recently, Leitman was working on the documentary “Tony & Janina’s American Wedding,” a film following the Wasilewskis, “a Chicago Polish Immigrant family being torn apart by our broken immigration system.” Leitman teaches filmmaking at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Columbia College Chicago.

Carolyn Dawn Good BFA ’88 (Painting) decided on a different art form after several solo shows in Eugene, Ore. “The Medicine Dreamer” tells stories that teach about inner choice, inner power and self-acceptance. Follow along her eight-month journey on her Facebook page, “The Medicine Dreamer.” It will be an illustrated book by the end of the eight months. Contact her at rhiah@me.com.

Anne Marie Dominik-Harris BFA ’85 (Illustration) has illustrated a children’s book about a true story, Cat and Crow: An Amazing Friendship. The story of a stray kitten and the heroic crow that adopted and saved her has been enjoyed by millions on YouTube and seen on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” National Geographic, Animal Planet, Lifetime and “Miracle Pets.”

Andrea Dinmore Mower BFA ’88 (Acting) performed in the original production of “O Night Divine the Musical” off Broadway in December 2010. She portrayed the mother of Mary in Act I and a comedic role in Act II as the Innkeeper’s wife. Mower was excited to perform in an original musical and to spend time in NYC. She still performs in her husband’s magic act and most recently, his hypnosis act.

Jeff Otto MA ’87 (Art Education) returned to his love for composing and performing after 20 years as a working visual artist. When not working as a department chair and academic director of Media Arts & Animation at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, he is usually touring with his band Boris Garcia, which has just released

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1990s

Charles Barrett BS ’90 (Industrial Design) is the founder and owner of FZ Media Design, Inc., specializing in new media design, predominantly web and mobile media. They are located in Yardley, Pa., in the historic Yardley Gristmill. They have a staff of 10 and are always looking for new talent in the area. Gary Joseph Cohen BFA ’92 (Photography) recently had documentary photographic work published in the Amsterdam literary journal VERSAL and a poem included in Euphony (Chicago). In addition to his media and foundation arts teaching posts at the Calhoun School, he also serves as 12th grade coordinator for the 2011/2012 school year. James Gilmore MA ’92 (Museum Exhibition, Planning and Design) claimed the $1,500 first prize at the West Coast Biennial Juried Art Show. Gilmore’s winning piece, “Emmett and Baby Gramps,” is a 30” x 40” pigment ink photograph. Emily McNulty Scripter BFA ’92 (Painting) is the development systems coordinator at Bitch Media and recently finished a private commission for a pair of hand-enameled-fused glass windows (collection of Bill and Sandy Thomason in Forest Grove, Ore.). Rebecca Hoenig MFA ’93 (Book Arts/Printmaking) is currently employed as a museum educator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Her son, Max, will be 16 in November and is a student at the Girard Academic Music Program in Philadelphia. More info at rebeccahoenig.com. Ana Ortiz BFA ’93 (Theater) is now a proud mother of two. The former “Ugly Betty” actress and her husband, Noah Lebenzon, welcomed their second child, Rafael Lebenzon, on September 24, 2011. The baby boy weighed in at 7 lbs., 7 oz.

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Christopher T. Farr BM ’94 (Saxophone) is currently touring and recording as a member of Jill Scott’s band. Thom Brady BS ’95 (Industrial Design) started a new position as well as returning to his hometown of Bethlehem, Pa. Mid-Atlantic Packaging is investing in new systems to stay on the leading edge of display and packaging design. Brady is currently involved in “light weighting,” reducing the amount of fiber in container board to stay competitive and pass on savings to customers. Deborah Pang Davis BFA ’95 (Photography/Film) has accepted a tenure track faculty position at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She will begin teaching in January 2012 and will be assistant professor in the Multimedia Photography and Design department. Davis is relocating from Portland, Ore., where she has been running her own web, print, marketing and design studio for the past six years.

Tiffany (Weigel) Bartok BFA ’97 (Musical Theater) just launched an IndieGoGo campaign to complete her feature film “Tiny Dancer” starring Daphne Rubin-Vega and Katherine Crockett. The project is also a collaboration with Desmond Richardson of Complexions. Aaron Meicht BM ’96 (Trumpet) is composing the score. Help them reach their goal at indiegogo.com/finishingtinydancer. Hannah Tsapatoris Macleod BFA ‘97 (Musical Theater) has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for her company’s original play “The Orphan Tree,” in which Jackie Ruggiero BFA ’94 (Acting) is collaborating.

Mark Dietz BS ’95 (Industrial Design) is currently a business development manager in the communications industry, consulting with elevator companies and their customers to find a cost-effective solution for their emergency communications needs. Christian Patchell BFA ’95 (Illustration) authored a book titled I Put the Can in Cancer: A Journey Through Pictures. He has been working on the book for two years and it contains more than 150 images. The book’s upcoming release, lectures, signings and art shows will go through 2012. I Put the Can in Cancer was made possible with the assistance of both a UArts Faculty Enrichment Grant and a UArts Pre-College Programs Professional Development Grant. Seth Kramer BFA ’96 (Film) was recently nominated for his third Emmy (see page 30). He lives in Red Hook, N.Y., with his wife, Kristen, their daughter, Lillian, and their pit bull, Celia.

Janet Marcavage BFA ’97 (Printmaking) was recently a visiting artist at the Hubei Institute of Fine Arts in Wuhan, China. At the institute, she exhibited her work and her students’ work, taught lithography classes and lectured about her work. She also had a solo exhibition at the Zhi Guan Gallery in Wuhan and currently has work in exhibitions in Seattle and Tacoma,

ALUMNI NOTES

Wash., where she lives. She is an associate professor at the University of Puget Sound. Becky Minor BFA ’97 (Animation) writes, “I have one novel and two short story compilations in the fantasy genre that are going to be published over the next several months. The cover art for each is being painted by Christina Hess BFA ’98 (Illustration).” Kristin Narcowich BFA ’97 (Modern Dance) writes, “I have recently danced in liturgical solo and ensemble work at the Pecos Monastery in New Mexico, near Sante Fe, as well as in churches in Philadelphia, Austin and Delaware. Also I have performed with LEMAY Dance Theater ensemble as part of the NY Butoh Dance Festival, as well as presenting original work at CAVE (Brooklyn). I also performed with the Texas Choral Consort, Philadelphia Chorus, First Night Austin, Dappin Butoh (Seattle) and at Masaki Iwana Butoh performance in Reveillon, France. I also performed with Ausdruckstanz, directed by Brigitta Herrmann.”

(opposite, left) Ana Ortiz (opposite, right) Christian Patchell reading his book I Put the Can in Cancer (right) Anah Klate

Cher Schneider BFA ’97 (Painting/ Drawing) is currently the special collections conservator at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and has previously worked at the Art Institute of Chicago in the department of Prints and Drawings. Schneider was the lead conservator for the “Belligerent Encounters and Windows on the War” exhibit that opened in the Chicago area. The shows housed over 600 posters from WWI and WWII. Schneider also co-authored the second chapter of the exhibit catalog on stenciling techniques and materials. David Fehr BFA ’99 (Theater) and Kathryn Bartholomew announced their engagement in September 2011. They met in Kansas City, Mo., where they each earned their Master of Fine Arts degrees in Acting and Directing at the University of Missouri – Kansas City campus. Fehr and Bartholomew are currently working with various

Anah Klate BFA ’01 (Musical Theater) is a Broadway theater manager, primarily responsible for the August Wilson Theater, currently home to “Jersey Boys.”

theater companies in Chicago. Fehr also teaches Theater, Writing, Literature and Speech/Debate at the Josephinum Academy in Chicago. They will be married in March 2012 at the President Hotel in Kansas City.

Daniel Mandell BFA ’01 (Theater) is deep into production on season two of the television series he co-created, “Dan Vs.,” on Hub Network.

Cornelius Jones, Jr. BFA ’99 (Musical Theater) is performing in “The Lion King” in Las Vegas. He is about to publish his very first book, Shadows & Lights: Scenes Through Verse and Soliloquies. His poem “Still Swimming (I remember...)” was awarded third place and publication in The Writers Place Poetry Review.

Katherine McNamee BFA ’01 (Musical Theater) is currently assistant company manager for “The Phantom of the Opera” on Broadway. She has previously held the same position on “Wicked” (Chicago Company), “Legally Blonde” (Broadway Company) and “The Wiz” (Encores!). She worked for years in general management on many Broadway shows and national tours. In addition, she is a committee member of the Broadway Green Alliance, an organization working toward making Broadway and national tours more eco-friendly.

Clif Walker BFA ’99 (Musical Theater) is currently an arts educator in the field of early childhood education. He regularly leads and develops workshops to train early childhood educators in the creative arts. Most recently he finished the Washington Savoyards successful production of “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” where he received rave reviews for his role as Ken. One reviewer simply called him “absolutely hysterical.” He is currently developing his own solo show, which he hopes will have its first reading in the spring.

2000s

Meg Clifton Mitchell BM ’01 (Voice), MM ’02 (Jazz) performed with Matt McClosky MM ’02 (Jazz Studies) on September 15, 2011, at the Please Touch Museum’s Memorial Hall After Dark event that offered a behind-the-scenes look at the Centennial Exhibition’s Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park.

Murad Ainuddin BFA ’01 (Illustration) works at Activision as a lead character and weapons artist. He worked on “Call of Duty: Black Ops.” He currently resides in L.A. Michael “RAS Mikey C” Courtney BFA ’01 (Dance) is the co-founder and director of education of F.I.V.E. Productions and has recently joined the faculty in the Dance department at the University of the Arts teaching African Dance in Diaspora. He is happy to return and share with the UArts community.

Wi-Moto Nyoka BFA ’01 (Musical Theater) started out the fall season in the wonderful city of Budapest. Her band has already shot and released its second video (and second installment in the story) for “Hero How To,” which is available on YouTube. The band is also moving forward with its campaign to raise funds for the second episode of “The Last Days of Kartika.” You can show your support at duskydiana.com and view upcoming show dates at communityedu.net.

Christopher Haig BFA ’01 (Acting) was hired as the prop master at the Arden Theatre Company for its 20112012 season. More info at chrishaigdesigns.blogspot.com.

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Erin Brese Paglia BFA ’01 (Acting) is currently writing about her return to acting for “Backstage Unscripted,” found at unscripted.backstage.com/ erin-brese. Thomas Rainey BFA ’01 (Musical Theater) appeared in the New York Musical Theatre Festival production of “Time Between Us” as the Man. Anna Bogatin BFA ’02 (Painting/ Drawing) had a solo exhibition of her work at Larry Becker Contemporary Art Gallery in Philadelphia from October 15 to November 19, 2011. Michael Drolet BFA ’02 (Musical Theater) is performing in “Wicked” on national tour. Chip Klose BFA ’02 (Musical Theater) returned to UArts to direct a reading of a musical he developed titled “Nine Wives.” The two-week workshop featured fellow UArts alumni Jamison Foreman BFA ’09 (Musical Theater) and Abigail Grenda BFA ’11 (Musical Theater) and culminated in an invited presentation of the show at the Caplan Studio Theater. Klose also set a ballet

titled “All Things Change in Time” as part of Synthesis Dance Project’s Summer Concert series in New York. Steve Messenger BFA ’02 (Painting/ Drawing) had his works shown in Philadelphia’s Muse Galley in September 2011. The show, titled “Black and White,” included five wall-sized drawings based on his own photos and over 20 works based on the sequential photos of Edward Muybridge. Becky Byers BFA ’03 (Jazz Dance) was nominated for a New York Innovative Theatre Award (IT Awards) for Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role for her work in “Dog Act,” which was produced by Flux Theatre Ensemble. Stephen Costello BM ’03 (Voice) sang the role of Lord Percy at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in the company’s first production of Donizetti’s “Anna Bolena.” Among the highlights of Costello’s 2011-2012 season is singing the role of Alfredo in Verdi’s “La Traviata” at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and his debut at Los Angeles Opera, where he will sing Rodolfo in Puccini’s “La Bohème” alongside his wife, Ailyn Pérez. He also returns for a second season at the Vienna State Opera, where he will perform Nemorino in Donizetti’s “L’elisir D’amore.” Tyler Gordon Davidson BFA ’03 (Musical Theater) was married to Hilary Lauren Burt in July 2011 at Kirkland Manor in St. Michaels, Md. Davidson became a special education teacher at PS 141 K, a public middle school in Brooklyn, after receiving his master’s degree in Special Education at Pace University. Christina DeLia BFA ’03 (Writing for Film/Television) was invited to read at the Kelly Writers House at the University of Pennsylvania for its “LIVE at the Writers House” series. “LIVE at the Writers House” was taped in front of a live audience on September 26, 2011.

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Sienna Freeman BFA ’03 (Photography) had several shows in the Fall of 2011, including a show in Belgium in September. In November, she had a group show titled “Ouija” in San Francisco and a group show in New Jersey. More info at siennafreeman.com. Pamela Otterson BFA ’03 (Jazz Dance) is currently in the Broadway ensemble of “Follies,” starring Bernadette Peters. Fred Ross BFA ’03 (Musical Theater) has been working with composer/ lyricist David Friedman on his show “Listen to My Heart: The Songs of David Friedman” in Tampa, Fla., over the past few months. “Listen to My Heart” is currently playing at StageWorks Theatre in Tampa and is scheduled for tour dates and a return to an off-Broadway theater in early 2012. Ross will stay with the show throughout the tour cities and the return to NYC. Ross was also cast as Joe/Jerry in “Grey Gardens,” which is being produced by freeFall Theatre in St. Petersburg, Fla. Dionne C. Stone BFA ’03 (Theater) is very proud to announce that she will be directing her first stage play entitled “The Matriarch Mess” at the Adrienne Theater. Billy Bustamante BFA ’04 (Musical Theater) workshopped two new musicals at Sundance Theatre Lab with Chita Rivera. During the summer of 2011, he assistant choreographed/performed in “Miss Saigon” at the Walnut St. Theatre. He also performed the role of Luke in “Anything Goes” at Sacramento Music Circus and choreographed “Suites By Sondheim,” an all-Sondheim benefit concert at Lincoln Center starring Tony winner Lea Salonga. Nima Dabestani BFA ’04 (Acting) currently has two national commercials running. He is represented theatrically by KSR and commercially by SBV and recently had a few meetings at ICM for potential representation.

ALUMNI NOTES

Whitney Zahar MA ’04 (Museum Education) has been teaching English abroad for the past two years in South Korea and Taiwan. She currently resides in Taiwan with her husband and 1-year-old son, Preston. Nikki Curmaci BFA ’05 (Musical Theater) played the role of Cindy Lou in “The Marvelous Wonderettes” with Caitlin Reilly BFA ’06 (Musical Theater) as Suzy, who also choreographed the production. It ran from September to October 2011 at the Beck Center for the Arts in Lakewood, Ohio. Kathleen Eastwood BFA ’05 (Painting/Drawing) had a painting included in “The Future Is Now” exhibit at Sonoma State University. The show ran September 8 - October 16, 2011. Trudee Hill BFA ’05 (Crafts) is the manager at the Facere Jewelry Art Gallery. The Tacoma Art Museum in Tacoma, Wash., acquired her brooch, “Antifaschistischer Schutzwall Propaganda,” for its permanent collection of studio art jewelry. Rosalie Kenny BFA ’05 (Film/Digital Video) is working as a development associate at the United Hospital Fund in New York City.

(opposite) Steve Messenger at work (above) Sharif Pendleton in Grid magazine

Joseph T. Michaels BM ’05 (Music Performance) is the recipient of the Waverly Community House 2011 F. Lammot Belin Arts Scholarship. The scholarship was established in 1964 to provide financial assistance to artists of outstanding aptitude and promise in the fine arts and to further their development into professional artists. Since 2002, Michaels has been working as a professional musician based out of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He has performed with Grammynominated artists as well as world-re-

Majors, Musical Theatre Styles Voice Lab and Marketing/PR at San Diego State University, where she is also serving as production dramaturg and playing Dulcie in “The Boy Friend.” More info at katidonovan.com.

nowned artists. In addition to being a full-time musician, Michaels currently teaches bass, theory/ear training and jazz studies to students young and old at his home studio. Jordan Baumgarten BFA ’06 (Photography) completed his MFA in Photography at the Rhode Island School of Design in Spring 2011. He and his girlfriend Anne Erickson BFA ’07 (Photography) moved back to the Philadelphia area at the end of summer 2011. Erickson completed her MA in Art Education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in spring 2011.

Paul Hahn BFA ’06 (Graphic Design) is currently living in Los Angeles and is a senior designer at Possible Worldwide (possibleworldwide.com). He attended the Sade / John Legend show at Staples Center in August 2011 to check out his friend and former classmate Clayton Reilly BM ’06 (BM Trumpet) perform in John Legend’s band! Tetsugo Hyakutake BFA ’06 (Photography) sold four of his prints to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. (see page 8).

Jeanette Berry BM ’06 (Voice)’s lead single, “Love Stomped,” from her debut EP, “Peace, Love and Music,” was recently featured on an episode of VH1’s hit new series, “Single Ladies.”

Christine Leggio BFA ’06 (Painting) and Julia Hall BFA ’07 (Painting/ Drawing) participated in an international exhibition this past fall called “ASSORTED in Philadelphia,” which included 29 artists from around the globe working in media ranging from performance, installation and painting, to sculpture and music.

Laura Catlaw BFA ’06 (Musical Theater) works at the restaurant and juke joint the Twisted Tail in Philadelphia and wants to spread the word about its party space. The venue recently hosted an opening night party and fundraiser for 11th Hour Theatre Company. Keep the space in mind for new readings of plays, album release parties, special work dinners, holiday/ birthday parties and more.

Sharif Pendleton BFA ’06 (Multimedia) had his products featured in the September 2011 issue of Grid magazine, the October 2011 issue of Philadelphia magazine and the November 2011 issue of Good Housekeeping. He was also accepted to sell his products — with a partial sponsorship through etsy.com — at the One of a Kind Show and Sale in Chicago (Dec. 1-4, 2011), featuring artisan handmade products. See Pendleton’s houseware products at mastersofnone.com.

Joseph Daniel BS ’06 (Industrial Design) has worked as an imagineer at Disney since graduation. He has 13 patents to date and his patent on a flooring system that simulates features of natural surfaces was recently featured in PC Magazine. Kati (Lyles) Donovan BFA ’06 (Musical Theater) presented at the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) 2011 conference this summer, where she was elected the Music Theatre/Dance Graduate Representative for ATHE 2013. Her “Carousel” paper was just published in the journal Studies in Musical Theatre Volume 5, Issue 3, and will serve as a chapter in her master’s thesis. Donovan is currently teaching Acting for Non-

Colleen Roscher BM ’06 (Voice) recently did the sound design for an original musical about breast cancer. A portion of the net proceeds from the debut performances will be donated to nonprofits in the metropolitan D.C. area that are serving people in treatment for breast cancer with essential services. “Breast In Show” debuted in October at the JCC Theatre in Rockville, Md.

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Jayne Surrena BFA ’06 (Painting), MAT ’11 (Visual Arts) works as a researcher at Schlesinger Associates. She was featured at Art Basel Miami in 2009 and recently on Artist a Day (artistaday.com). More info at jaynesurrena.net. Elyse Ault BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) is living in the amazing city of Los Angeles. She finished her time in Arizona on a bang, filming her first commercial for Cable One Business, which should air in the next few months. Ault is currently working two full-time jobs out in Santa Monica; the first being head of Client Services of New Hat Production and the second being the good old waitin’ tables. Kelli Barrett BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) closed “Baby It’s You!” on Broadway in September and wrapped episode 5 of “A Gifted Man” in the leading guest star role of Rachel Lewis. Within the episode, she has many scenes with Patrick Wilson and Emmy winner Margo Martindale as well as Faith Prince, who plays her mother. Barrett booked the role of Oona in a workshop of “Becoming Chaplin.” She was also in a presentation for Roundabout Theater Company in October in “A Piece of My Heart,” a show Barrett has been a part of since its inception two years ago.

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a handful of storytelling and comedy events, separately and together. Their work was featured in Philadelphia Weekly. Fountaine hosts a storytelling series at the Dive in South Philly. Morales helped produce Philly’s firstever queer-centric comedy festival along with Philly Improv Theater. Mara Jill Herman BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) is finishing up her Bermuda run with Holland America’s Veendam after six months of traveling between New York and Bermuda on sevenday voyages. The next leg of the contract sails down to South America and Antarctica. She continues to perform in “Showroom at Sea” on a weekly basis and is also pleased to announce that her first book is being published – a “How To” guidebook for students interested in the performing arts with the tentative title, Superstar. This labor of love is co-authored by Ted Michael and Nic Cory and has a celebrity introduction by Lea Salonga. The book will be published by Running Press KidS in December 2012. More info at MaraJillHerman.com.

Elle Chyun BFA ’07 (Dance) is performing with cakeface, a New York City-based dance and performance art company, which she has been dancing and collaborating with since September 2008. She is also pursuing her Master’s of Science in Communications Design at Pratt Institute while working as a junior designer at teNeues Publishing.

In addition to her Barrymore nominations (see page 31), Alex Keiper BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) closed “Kimberly Akimbo” at Theatre Horizon. In November-December 2011, she played the role of Deb in 11th Hour Theatre Company’s production of “Ordinary Days.” In January 2012, she plays Catherine in the Walnut Street Theatre’s production of “Proof.” Then Keiper will play Young Woman in “Tulipomania” at the Arden Theatre Company in late May/early July 2012. She is still living with Matthew Mastronardi BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) and is honored to have such a great season ahead.

Jaime Fountaine BFA ’07 (Writing for Film and Television) and Alejandro Morales BFA ’07 (Writing for Film and Television) stayed in Philadelphia after graduation when they decided not to leave town for Hollywood. Four years later, they host and produce

Jeremy Lardieri BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) was with the Greater Ocean City Theatre Company in New Jersey this past summer, performing and serving as dance captain in productions of “The Music Man” and “Cats.” He finished recording a duets album and

is beginning work on a double-disc sophomore album. Lardieri is proud to be directing and choreographing “Footloose” in his hometown of Middle Village, Queens, in March 2012. He continues to teach and choreograph at St. Joseph’s College of Brooklyn and other dance studios in the New York area. He also still serves as an acting/vocal/lyrics/ tap dance coach and a hip-hop/pop music producer in Queens and Brooklyn.

Matthew Mastronardi BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) played the Master of Ceremonies in “Chicago” starring Justin Guarini BFA ’01 (Musical Theater) at the Media Theatre. He also understudied the role of Mary Sunshine. Mastronardi appeared with the act Sumptuous Singing Sisters in “Your AtTENtion Please! The Vaudeville Experience of the Century.” The show, comprising 10 Vaudeville-style acts, also featured alumni Alex Keiper BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) and Michael Doherty BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) at the Ruba Club in Philadelphia. Throughout the fall, Mastronardi taught at the Walnut Street Theatre and the Arden Theatre Company.

ALUMNI NOTES

Matt McKenna BFA ’07 (Acting) is living in Brooklyn, N.Y., and involved in many films. Roles include Caucasian Inmate in “The Tombs,” directed by Jerry LaMothe, premiered at the LA Shorts Film Festival; Mark in “Senseless,” directed by Brandon A. Smith, premiered at the NYC 48 Hour Film Project; Bartender in “Welcome to the Bates Motel,” directed by Byron Turk; and Matt in “North/South,” directed by Brandon A. Smith. “Leave It On the Floor,” a movie musical by Andre Myers BFA ’07 (Musical Theater), was screened at international film festivals in Toronto and Long Beach, winning Best Feature Film at Long Beach. Myers continues to work hard on his clothing line, Nine Menswear. You can purchase select pieces, some modeled by Elyse Taylor BFA ’07 (Musical Theater). Myers’ pop album will be available online shortly, so look out for Prince Adium! More info at andredarnellmyers.com. Kerri Rose (Jenkins) BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) recently appeared in “Aspects of Love” at the Walnut Street Theatre. She is also recording house music on the side and still dancing in Atlantic City at various casinos. Visit her website at kerrirose.com.

(opposite) Andre Myers as Lil’ Wayne on “The Seven” (right) Alex Keiper as the Cannibal Princess with Scott Greer in Arden’s Children’s Theater Production of The Flea and The Professor

Damian Shembel BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) has been busy doing readings, cabarets and several web series. Most recently, he played Phil with fellow alumna Kyra Bromberg BFA ’08 (Musical Theater) in “Celebrities” and was featured as Devon in the series “Hot Mess,” soon to be coming to the web. He has also been involved in some photography projects in NYC. Brett Stoelker BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) performed in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes in November and December 2011. He toured Durham, N.C., and Boston, Mass., as one of the male singers. Heather Woodward BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) has moved to L.A. She is pursuing all areas of the industry and is

excited to reconnect with UArts alumni on the West Coast. She is also eager to make new connections with alumni she has yet to meet, so please drop her a line at hrwoodward@gmail.com. Shawn Beeks MFA ’08 (Painting/ Drawing) had an exhibition opening at Slingluff Gallery in October 2011 titled “Dick: A Story of Whaling and the United States.” Kyra Bromberg BFA ’08 (Musical Theater) will be joining the company of the Village Playback Theatre for its 2011-2012 season, bringing the art of Playback Improv to underserved and socially underrepresented communities in NYC and beyond. Season 1 of “Celebrities,” in which Bromberg played the role of Kaleidoscope “Kelly” Jones, is slated to premiere online in January of 2012.

cusing on an adult brand of comedy. He is the creator and director for the successful and ongoing sketch series “Happy Ending,” which just celebrated its third run as a musical. He can be seen performing in “Missed Connections,” an improv/sketch show based off of the craigslist missed connections ads around town and for various companies throughout the city. Brian has served as assistant education director for the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and currently works for the League of Chicago Theatres.

Richard Cerato BFA ’08 (Musical Theater) is now in Macau, China appearing as Goodman “Goody” King in “Fame: The Musical.” Brandon Cox BFA ’08 (Printmaking) currently resides in New York, where he has been awarded a fellowship at the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop in Times Square, served as juror for the BRIO Award on behalf of the Bronx Council on the Arts, and has been in numerous solo and group exhibitions nationwide. Cox’s work is also featured in the International Print Museum in Southern California and the Museum of Paper & Watermark in Fabriano, Italy. In October 2011, Cox returned to UArts for his first solo exhibition in Philadelphia titled “PAID.”

Emily (Kirkwood) Hopkins BFA ’08 (Musical Theater) is back to work as Sarah Connor at the “Terminator 2” live stunt show at Universal Studios Hollywood. Lauren Miller BFA ’08 (Musical Theater) is continuing her year as the Actors Company Theatre’s (TACT) directing fellow. She assistant-directed “Canaries Sometimes Sing” in the Salon Series at TACT, directed by Stuart Ross, as well as “Children” by A.R. Gurney, which previewed at Theatre Row on October 18, 2011. Miller is also the associate producer of the newTACTics New Play Festival, which is presenting a reading series in June 2012. Finally, Miller assisted Barry Satchwell Smith, a lead producer on “Bonnie & Clyde: The Musical,” which opened on Broadway this season. Miller is the associate producer of the “Behind the Scenes” documentary for “Bonnie & Clyde.”

Brian Gore BFA ’08 (Acting) moved to Chicago after graduation to accept a slot in Second City Theatre’s improv conservatory. He has since graduated from the program and gone on to perform in various plays, sketch shows, improv shows and special events around Chicago. In addition, he started his own production company, [something clever] Productions, which produces four to five shows a year fo-

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George Schwab BFA ’08 (Graphic Design) writes, “I’m living in Baltimore, Md. I just finished a post-baccalaureate certificate program in fine art at MICA. I’m involved in the start-up of a new studio and gallery space called ‘brickhaus’ in Baltimore. I recently got engaged to Amanda Williams BFA ’08 (Photography) and am applying to MFA sculpture programs. To make ends meet, I design portfolio websites for other artists and work as a carpenter on the historical restoration of a late 19th century brownstone.” Alee Spadoni BFA ’08 (Musical Theater) is in rehearsals for “The World Over” by Keith Bunin at the State Theater in Chicago. Sara Brophy BFA ’09 (Dance) is part of an independent musical film titled “In the Night” (inthenightthemovie. com), which was submitted to several film festivals. Brophy also played Kathy Selden in “Singin’ in the Rain” at Beef and Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianapolis, Ind., running September 1 - October 8, 2011. Nick Ciardelli BM ’09 (Trumpet) has been in touring performances playing lead trumpet all over the U.S., Canada and Japan with musicians such as the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Artie Shaw Orchestra, the Harry James Orchestra and the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra. He has performed with the National Tour of “The Rat Pack is Back!,” the Philadelphia Orchestra, Aretha Franklin, Senator Condaleezza Rice, Ronald Isley of the Isley Brothers, as well as performing for their summer show “From Broadway to Hollywood.” He also took part in the 2009 and 2010 Montreal Jazz Festival. Deborah Dias BFA ’09 (Painting/ Drawing) married Adrian King on October 16, 2011, at the Artesano Gallery in Manayunk (Philadelphia). Shane Donovan BFA ’09 (Musical Theater) is on tour as Lt. Joe Cable in “South Pacific.” The tour opened on September 27, 2011, in Donovan’s

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hometown of Boston, earning him some great “local boy makes good” press. His interview with the Taunton Gazette is available online at tauntongazette.com. Maricha Genovese BFA ’09 (Crafts), Kaitlin Kerr BFA ’09 (Crafts), Emi Savacool BFA ’09 (Crafts) and Mallory Weston BFA ’09 (Crafts) were featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer, which chronicled their unique relationship with comedian Patton Oswalt. The alumnae would listen to his stand-up routines on CD during late nights in the studio as students, but when Oswalt met them at his show and heard their story, he started commissioning jewelry pieces from them. So far he has commissioned a memory box for his wife, a biscuit tin and a ring. The alumnae find the work fun and challenging and enjoy the opportunity to work together. Aubrey Grant BFA ’09 (Musical Theater) is performing in off-Broadway’s “Naked Boys Singing.” Brad Greer BFA ’09 (Musical Theater) performed as a member of the Broadway Boys at Birdland Jazz Club, both in their solo concert and as guests for YouTube sensation Miranda Sings. He also just started singing back-up for Nick Blaemire and the Hustle. Stephen A. Oteri BFA ’09 (Film) spent time working on a few small independent productions, directing and editing an episode of the Internet comedy “The Channel X News Team.” After that, Oteri started doing some freelance work with Chickie’s and Pete’s for the Play2 brand, making online promotional videos and multimedia content. He’s teamed up a few times with Fractal Circus, a production house comprising fellow UArts alumni, but is currently working for Ticketleap.com, making online promotional videos and multimedia content for its website. Kelly Turner BFA ’09 (Modern Dance) was a Rocky Award recipient. The

Rocky Awards celebrate outstanding achievement in a production, a performance, a set design, or other accomplishment in Greater Philadelphia’s dance community. The Rocky Awards are presented in collaboration with the Live Arts Festival/Philly Fringe with support from Dance/UP. Ambe Williams BFA ’09 (Musical Theater) was cast in the national tour of “Encore” with Chamber Theater Productions. “Encore” is 19th-century literature adapted to the stage and brought to different theaters around the country for middle and high school students.

2010s

Scott Bartell BFA ’10 (Ballet) is currently holding auditions for his newly formed dance company Jeffrey & The Artists. The company currently seeks professional contemporary and hiphop dancers for future projects. Bartell also choreographed a piece for the dance program at Wayne State University titled “the message.” Bartell also choreographs for many high schools whose works are presented locally and nationally. As a professional dancer, Bartell was a member of Spectrum Dance Theater in Michigan. Kamilah Benjamin BFA ’10 (Graphic Design) is working as a designer at Siegel+Gale, a global branding firm in New York. Mark Bonfiglio BFA ’10 (Animation) is currently working as a purchasing agent and a freelance video editor for

ALUMNI NOTES

clipik.com. He is also currently working as a freelance animator for Kenny Mack Entertainment. He just finished doing the coloring for the company’s graphic novel and is now working on making it a motion comic, which is in the works to be picked up by Cartoon Network. Michael Justin Cook BFA ’10 (Writing for Film and Television) writes, “I have been head of public relations for Breaking Glass Pictures since October 2009, and we are launching our first wide theatrical in November 2011, ‘Five Star Day,’ starring Cam Gigandet and Jena Malone.” Jeanette “Jet” Landis BFA ’10 (Illustration) is the lead artist and animator for the game “Office Riot.” She led the new game design through the New Jersey-based video game developer Dreamkind. The game lets you pilot despicable CEO Xavier Potts in his swivel chair as he traverses an office hallway and attempts to dodge all manner of staplers, laptops and other blunt objects being thrown by angry employees. It can be purchased through any iPhone or iPad. Mariel Letourneau BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) was recently cast in the leading role of Maggie, the Whore in the new musical “Seduction: A Rock Opera.” Letourneau also musically directed and choreographed the musical “13” this fall at Nazareth Middle School, as well as taught hip-hop, jazz and tap at “That’s Dancin’,” a competition dance school in Trexlertown, Pa. Letourneau is also working on a demo CD with producer Larry Edoff.

(opposite) Maricha Genovese’s Bling Necklace (right) Jim Tierney’s cover design

Michael Linden BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) appeared in the regional premiere of “Spring Awakening” in the role of Georg at ReVision Theatre (revisiontheatre.org) in Asbury Park, N.J. Linden was cast in one of his dream roles as Seymour in “Little Shop of Horrors,” also at ReVision Theatre, which ran through October 2011.

Jeffrey Sousa BFA ’10 (Ballet) is a cast member in the national tour of “West Side Story.” He plays the character Bolo and is an understudy for the character Bernardo.

Leigh Metzler BFA ’10 (Photography) has been accepted into the Liberal Studies graduate program at the New School for Social Research. Greg Nix BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) will make his Walnut Street Theatre debut in “The Buddy Holly Story” in spring 2012. He is now writing for 1812 Productions’ annual political revue, “This Is the Week That Is,” as well as completing work on a new play with Alex Bechtel BFA ’08 (Musical Theater).

Samantha Stoltzfus BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) finished her run in “The 39 Steps,” a Hawaii state premiere, playing the female role of Annabella/ Pamela/Margaret.

Daniel O’Neil BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) works in the Admissions office at UArts and is in charge of all of the theater-related recruitment (thespian festivals, audition clinics, etc.), as well as coordinating the auditions. He also assistant-directed “Kimberly Akimbo” at Theatre Horizon, which featured Corey Regensburg BFA ’11 (Musical Theater) and Alex Keiper BFA ’07 (Musical Theater) in the cast. Chris Pappas BFA ’10 (Musical Theater) completed scene work with the MFA directors at Columbia University and is looking forward to playing Peter in “Romeo and Juliet” at the Shell Theater in Manhattan. Pappas made his Magnet Comedy Theater debut on October 23, 2011, in a free night of storytelling hosted by Adam Wade. More info at ChrisPappasOnline.com.

Jim Tierney BFA ’10 (Illustration) designed and illustrated the cover page for the Arts & Entertainment section of the Sunday edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer on September 11, 2011. The theme was “Around the Arts in 111 Days” and featured reviews on various events and shows around the Philadelphia area.

Nancy G. Ring MFA ’10 (Painting) and Martha Ferguson MFA ’10 (Painting) were two of the three artists featured in “Pale Language” at the New Jersey Arts Incubator (NJAI) in October 2011. Ring curated the show and also holds professional development workshops at NJAI. Ring explained, “This exhibit of works is in response to the culture around us that is dominated by spectacle. We wanted to present something that talks about the power of subtlety and the value of introspection.”

Karen Joan Topping MFA ’10 (Sculpture) will be a commentator for the project District of Columbia Arts Center Decathlon (dcartscenter.org). The exhibition will culminate in a medal ceremony. During the six-month runup to the exhibition, Topping will cover the progress of a decathlete as he or she creates the work for the show, such as blogs, interviews, commentaries, photographs and/or video.

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Andrew Rodman Walker BFA ’10 (Painting) is creating a sculpture for the Kimmel Center commemorating all the donors for their large pipe organ and the many ways that we give to one another, such as donating organs of the body. He is also working on a project titled Renewed Urban Studio Tent (RUST), a collaborative project with sculptor and fellow alumnus Andy Heisey MFA ’10 (Ceramics), creating an artist studio made primarily of recycled material in the parking lot of 313 S. Broad Street. RUST is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2012. Walker is also employed as a head teacher at the Perelman Jewish Day School. Vinny Celeiro BFA ’11 (Musical Theater) made his NYC stage debut as an original cast ensemble member in the off-Broadway musical comedy “Little House on the Ferry.” The show ran November 2 - 20, 2011, at American Theatre of Actors at the Chernuchin Theater. April Field BFA ’11 (Crafts/Metals) is currently living in Philadelphia and working at Jubili Beads and Yarns in Collingswood, N.J. Kelly Floyd MFA ’11 (Museum Exhibition Planning & Design) is a designer at Layman Designs. She helped with the exhibits at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, the redesign of the New York Historical Society, the new exhibits at the Hellenic Museum in Chicago and the Propaganda exhibit at the Holocaust Museum in D.C. (developed and designed for travel). Floyd also spent time volunteering as the environmental brand manager for Chicago Ideas Week.

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Kate Foust BM ’11 (Vocal Performance) is the vocalist for the band Lady. Philadelphia’s City Paper described the group’s music as “a mix of cosmopolitan country, trembling torch and flash-dancing soul, with vocals so clear, cutting and emotive you could cry.” Lady includes bassist Jim Scanlan BM ’11 (Composition), guitarist Ryan Belski, violinist Liz Zook and drummer James Dudas BM ’08 (Percussion). Michael Guyer BFA ’11 (Graphic Design) is currently working as a full-time graphic designer for a pharmaceutical company in New Hope, Pa. He designs various interface structures and information graphics, as well as creating style guides for branding materials that will be sent out and sold to clients. Adam Hostler BFA ’11 (Musical Theater) was cast as the title role in the show “Lyle: The Crocodile” at Childsplay Theatre in Tempe, Ariz. (childsplayaz.org). The show ran from October 18 through December 24, 2011. Benjamin Jewett BFA ’11 (Multimedia) writes, “I have been accepted to the Peace Corps and will be departing June 2012.” Michelle Killmer BFA ’11 (Graphic Design) is currently interning with the Onion in New York City, freelancing and looking for a graphic design job. Caitlin Leary BFA ’11 (Dance) writes, “Towards the end of my senior year, I was working with Brian Sander’s dance company JUNK. We continued working after I graduated and my plans were to work with Brian as much as possible and then move to NYC to check out the modern/ contemporary dance scene, as well as audition for musical theatre jobs. About three weeks after graduation, I received a phone call and was offered a position in the national tour of “Beauty and the Beast” and they

needed me in Memphis in four days! I basically dropped everything I was doing, took the job and left. I learned all eight female ensemble tracks in about two and half weeks and I performed all of them in less than two months. I finished out the end of the original cast tour and began the new tour September 25, 2011, in Cincinnati, Ohio. I am employed with them till August 2012. We will actually be coming to Philadelphia’s Academy of Music in spring 2012, so make sure you look out for us!” Marie T. Marks MA ’11 (Art Education) has been employed as an acting and assistant director at a local Children’s Creative Learning Center (CCLC) and initiated an Arts Exploration series in summer 2011 to extend the young learners’ experiences beyond their classrooms and into the arts-rich city of Philadelphia. In her free time, Marks is a pastel artist whose work is inspired by music. At the moment, her studio work is focused on the past and present musical energies of New Orleans. Nina C. Marrero BFA ’11 (Graphic Design) accepted a position as an art director at Aspen Marketing Services in Morristown, N.J., working on print, digital and web design. Clients include AT&T, Brawny, GovPayNet, Hertz, Tourism Ireland and Purex. Besides working, Marrero’s catching up and spending more time with family and friends, continuing to take classes for Book Arts, which was her minor in school, traveling as often as possible, cooking and trying to relax.

(left) April Field’s Gorgonian Collar

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Jay Hardman BFA â&#x20AC;&#x2122;04 (Sculpture) Philadelphia Cake: View 2

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Jayne Surrena BFA ’06 (Painting), MAT ’11 (Visual Arts) Gaze

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IN MEMORIAM

in memoriam Virginia Wells Maloney CERT ’35 (Interior Design), 98, a sculptor and volunteer who was active on the local social scene for 60 years, passed away of pneumonia on July 5, 2011, at Beaumont, a retirement community in Bryn Mawr, Pa. Maloney was a member of the Women’s Committee of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for over 50 years and served more than 45 years on the board of the Charlotte Cushman Foundation, a residence in Philadelphia for actresses on tour. For 30 years, she served on the board of Appleford, a historic mansion, arboretum and bird sanctuary in Lower Merion. She helped organize Appleford garden parties featuring displays of vintage cars. Maloney was also a patron of the Alice Paul Institute in Mount Laurel, N.J., and took pride in her involvement in the campaign to preserve the Philadelphia Waterworks. After graduating from the University of the Arts, she worked for an interior designer until her marriage in 1936. She and her husband moved in 1947 to Bryn Mawr, where they raised two children. In her 50s, Maloney took up sculpting and studied with the artist Leon Sitarchuk. Walter “Wally” Neibart BFA ’51 (Illustration), 86, of Elkins Park, Pa., passed away of a heart condition on September 1, 2011. For over 60 years, his illustrations appeared in magazines including Playboy and Philadelphia magazine, and in local newspapers, books, advertisements and billboards. Neibart was a Navy veteran and a dedicated fisherman and had a number of boats. He nurtured hundreds of aspiring artists over the years and taught drawing for 38 years at the University of the Arts, and for six years at Moore College of Art. After graduation, he opened his Center City studio, which he had for 39 years, and began doing commercial work for advertising agencies and business firms. Neibart is survived by his wife, son, daughter, sister and grandson.

Bernadine Kaminski Cohen-Basile BFA ’61 (Art Education), 71, longtime Philadelphia resident and retired professor of Art History at Towson State University, Baltimore, Md., passed away suddenly on February 23, 2011. She was the wife of the late Raffaele Basile and Alan Cohen, stepmother of five and grandmother of 10. John M. Pavlochik DIPL ’61 (Illustration), 73, of Allentown, Pa., passed away May 23, 2011, in Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest. He was the loving husband of Arline (Blaney) Pavlochik for 43 years. After attending the University of the Arts, he attended the Visual School of Art in NYC. He served in the U.S. Army during the Cuban Crisis from 1961 to 1963. Pavlochik was employed in NYC as a graphic designer for Holt, Rinehart and Winston Publishing Co. designing book covers. He also worked for J.W. Thompson Advertising Agency, where he handled the Pan American account. Pavlochik was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Allentown. He was a talented fine artist. He enjoyed cultivating wildflowers and provided a habitat for hummingbirds. He also enjoyed attending WWII air shows in Reading, Pa. Connie Coleman, a longtime adjunct professor of Animation, passed away in October 2011 after a long battle with cancer. A pioneering video artist, her collaborations with her husband, Alan Powell, were shown at the Kitchen, the Alternative Museum, the Museum of the Moving Image, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Musee d’Arte Moderne in Paris, and were broadcast on the Learning Channel and PBS.

Howard Schechtman BFA ’11 (Illustration) Concept Art

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from the archives

FROM THE ARCHIVES by Sara MacDonald Public Services Librarian

The Philadelphia Dance Academy:

A VISUAL LEGACY

Of all the University of the Arts predecessor institutions, the Philadelphia Dance Academy undoubtedly has the largest photographic record. Nadia Chilkovsky Nahumck (1908-2006), who founded the Philadelphia Dance Academy in 1944, was a tireless promoter of her school and a careful record keeper. As a former professional dancer and a published author, she understood the importance of publicity and of documentation. UArts holds hundreds of photographs from the Dance Academy, many of which can be identified and dated through two large scrapbooks full of photos, clippings and newsletters. In 1977, the Philadelphia Dance Academy merged with the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts (PCPA, itself the result of a 1962 merger between the Philadelphia Musical Academy [founded 1870] and the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music [founded 1877]) and became the PCPA School of Dance. PCPA merged with the Philadelphia College of Art (founded in 1876 as the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art) in 1985, and made one final name change in 1987 to the University of the Arts.

(left, top to bottom) This photo appeared as part of an article on the Academy in the April 24, 1960, issue of The Philadelphia Inquirer Magazine. Sharon Ginsberg is sketching, Lidia Kryzanowski is on pointe in the tutu and David Swenson is partnering. The Philadelphia Dance Academy began as a children’s dance theater group and performed a number of times with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The writing on this photo says “Nadia Chilkovsky Dance Theatre and Junior Group on stage at Academy of Music after performance of ‘Newsreel’ with the Philadelphia Orchestra. January 1950.” Photo by Adrian Siegel. The Philadelphia Dance Academy participated in a television series, “Exploring the Fine Arts,” that aired on WPTZ between March and December of 1954 and was produced by the Philadelphia Board of Education. Although this piece is unidentified, the first dance performance on March 17 was “Suite for Youth” choreographed by Nahumck and accompanied by the Curtis Instrumental Ensemble. The Academy had also participated in the Board of Education’s “Operation Blackboard” film project.

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from THE PRESIDENT

from the archives

Jason CHEN

I hope you enjoy this issue of Edge. As always, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Warm regards,

Sean T. Buffington President, The University of the Arts IMAGES COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS ARCHIVES

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