Callboard Spring 2008

PAGE 5 School of Theatre Receives $70,000 Gift In Memory of Edwin Lester

PAGE 6 MFA Writing Festivals — Blueprints & Under Construction

PAGE 7 Professional Performance Opportunities Continue With Center Theatre Group Internships

SPRING 2008

Spring Is Bustin’ Out All Over With Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Musical Carousel

The new Technical Theatre Laboratory.

The School of Theatre Adds Two New Buildings State-of-the-Art Facilities Will Enhance Educational Programs

T

he School of Theatre is proud to

whose unwavering support was critical in

announce the addition of two new

realizing the dream of these two buildings and

buildings: the Technical Theatre

for the belief the university has in the School.

Laboratory and the McClintock

We also wish to acknowledge the hard work

Building. With state-of-the-art facili-

and assistance of: Curtis Williams, Vice President,

ties, both buildings will enhance all of our

(L. to R.) Carousel director Jack Rowe and choreographer Jonathan Sharp.

Capital Construction Development; Susan Lewis,

A

s our spring musical, we are proud to present a new production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic Carousel, playing April 3 –13, at the Bing Theatre. Directed by Associate

educational programs providing much needed

Associate Vice Provost for Planning and Design;

Dean and Artistic Director Jack Rowe, in his

space for classrooms and studios where vision,

Joe Back, Program Director, Capital Construction

School of Theatre musical directorial debut, and

imagination and craft are brought to fruition.

Development; Gary Allen, Project Manager,

with musical direction by Parmer Fuller and

Capital Construction Development; and Brian R.

choreography by Jonathan Sharp, Carousel is

Dean Madeline Puzo said, “The School needed

Bloom, Principal Architect for the McClintock

sponsored by Board of Councilors members

the additional space so that our new MFA

Building. Without them, we could not have

Bill & Lisa Barkett and Roger & Michele Dedeaux

programs would in no way inhibit the growth

accomplished our goal. We owe them all a

Engemann. The Barketts and Engemanns

and excellence of the undergraduate program.

debt of gratitude.”

generously sponsored last year’s spring musical, The Pajama Game, as well. We are extremely

Thanks to the support of the university, we are now able to move forward with undergraduate

The New Technical Theatre Laboratory

grateful to both couples for their continued

and graduate programs that will continue to

The magic of theatre comes to life as a

support of the School and all of our programs.

set the standard for theatre education and

collaboration among many artists. We often

training in the country.

focus on the actor and playwright in this

One of the finest musicals ever written,

mix, but the technical dimensions of theatre

Carousel is the ultimate story of love, loss and

The School wishes to thank first and foremost

comprise the critical mechanisms that support

redemption with a score full of timeless Rodgers

President Steven Sample and Provost Max Nikias

what we see on stage.

& Hammerstein songs, including If I Loved You, (continued on page 3)

(continued on page 2)

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

WE’VE JUST GOTTEN STARTED

S C H O O L O F T H E AT R E BOARD OF COUNCILORS

Lisa Barkett, Terry Berenson (Chair, USC School of Theatre Parents Council), LeVar Burton, Tim Curry, Charles Dillingham, Michele Dedeaux Engemann (Founding Chair), Robert Greenblatt, Susan A. Grode, Paula Holt, Sheila Lipinsky, Martin Massman, Madeline Puzo, Madeline Ramer, Andy Tennant, Joe Tremaine, Richard Weinberg (Chair) Dean Madeline Puzo

Carousel (continued from cover)

“Hard work pays off.” “Good work is rewarded.” Most of us were brought up on such wise maxims and if we eventually learn that they are not inevitably true, the principles remain true enough to be the best

You’ll Never Walk Alone, What’s the Use of

recipe we have for success and happiness.

Wond’rin and June Is Bustin’ Out All Over. In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th

These thoughts came to me as I looked through this edition of Callboard and considered three seemingly

century, the story revolves around swaggering,

unrelated stories: the $70,000 gift given in memory of Edwin Lester, founder of the Los Angeles Civic

carefree carnival barker Billy Bigelow, who capti-

Light Opera, to support our musical theatre productions; the casting of four current School of Theatre

vates and marries the naive young mill worker,

students in the Center Theatre Group’s world premiere musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson; and the

Julie Jordan, only to have an unfortunate series

announcement that we have acquired two urgently needed new state-of-the-art facilities, the Technical

of events dramatically change their lives forever.

Theatre Laboratory and the McClintock Building.

On Sunday, April 6, the USC Associates – the I believe these three events have something in common: they are indicative of the increasing quality of

premier academic support group of USC – will

our programs and of the School’s growing reputation for excellence. And that excellence is the result

offer an exclusive matinee performance of

of years of hard and first-rate work by many, many people – faculty, staff, students, alumni, the university

Carousel for their members, followed by a

administration, and friends such as our Board of Councilors and yourself – dedicated to the goal of making

post-performance reception with the entire

the USC School of Theatre America’s preeminent theatre training institution.

cast in Queen’s Court. We are proud that the USC Associates have chosen our spring musical

While I do not have the space here to acknowledge all who have contributed to the School’s success, I do

as a special event for the third year in a row.

want to mention two indispensable figures: University President Steven Sample and Provost Max Nikias.

They have always encouraged our hopes for the School and have been unfailingly enthusiastic about what

For further information and to purchase tickets

we have achieved so far. And they have done much more: it was their support which made it possible for us

to Carousel, please call 213.740.2167 or visit

to acquire and equip our new buildings. Without these new facilities, the School simply would not be able

www.usc.edu/spectrum.

to grow or fulfill the artistic potential of our increasingly talented undergraduate and graduate students.

As proud as we all are of the School’s programs and growing reputation, there is still much more for us to do. And it is with an eye to the future that Chris Cook has joined our staff as Assistant Dean of Development. As Chris notes in the article about his appointment, his immediate focus will be to increase our Annual Fund, something crucial to the School’s future.

An analogy keeps coming to mind when I think of how far we have advanced in fulfilling our vision for the School. It’s as if we set out to scale the highest mountain and, after much determined effort, made it to base camp. We feel an exhilarating sense of accomplishment – but then look up the slope and see how much farther there is to go. Some people might find this discouraging but I feel the opposite. Our accomplishments are real and because of everything we’ve achieved so far, I feel more confident than ever that working together we will make the USC School of Theatre the institution that not only sets the standard for theatre training but advances the art in the century to come.

I can’t wait to get started.

Madeline Puzo Dean

Carousel sponsors Lisa Barkett (top photo, on right with BFA Acting student Devin Kelley) and Michele Dedeaux Engemann (bottom photo, in middle with BFA Acting student Catherine Farrington and USC Chief of Protocol Dennis Cornell).

2

New Buildings (continued from cover)

With nearly 8,000 square feet of space, the brand new Technical Theatre Laboratory is a primary teaching space, as well as studio area, for all of our students. Classes held here give the students the practical knowledge of stage craft which will inform their future work and provide them with a deeper understanding of what makes theatrical productions succeed, an invaluable resource to academic and artistic education and process, providing for a first-rate theatre education. In the lab, theory and practice are integrated to allow our students to create with vision, vigor and skill.

In addition, the Technical Theatre Laboratory houses our Scene Shop, where the sets, scenery and props for all of our main stage productions at the Bing Theatre, Scene Dock Theatre and Massman Theatre are built from the ground up.

According to School of Theatre Technical Director Duncan Mahoney, “The Technical Theatre Laboratory was built as an open space, with equipment for woodworking, welding and basic metal working, for all the Theatre Lab and Scenic Construction, Scene Painting and Properties classes. The new space is larger, cleaner and more convenient for students than our previous

Top photo: (L. to R.) Assistant Technical Director Michael Etzrodt and Technical Director Duncan Mahoney.

Bottom photo: Technical Theatre Lab dedication celebration.

facility, which was not located on campus. In addition, we can pre-assemble and store more scenery for our productions in the new space.”

The new Technical Theatre Laboratory was dedicated on January 11, 2008 and will soon be fully operational to meet all of the School’s expanding needs.

The New McClintock Building Scheduled for a major renovation to be completed by fall 2008 is the McClintock Building, located at one of the primary entrances to the USC campus on the corner of McClintock and Jefferson Blvd.

The renovation of the McClintock Building will

• A recording studio with classroom attached

provide the School with over 15,000 square feet

where we will teach “voice work” to our

of space that will include:

students enhancing both the graduate and undergraduate programs. Whether it is

• Five new studio classrooms – four for acting,

commercials, dubbing, books on tape, games

voice and directing and one larger studio

or other platforms that don’t yet exist,

for movement. These classrooms will serve

“voice work” is a very important and growing

the whole School – both graduate and under-

source of employment for actors.

graduate programs.

• A video reference library of performances.

• A 99-seat theatre where we will mount the

Our acting, writing and design students will

MFA Dramatic Writing workshops and the

now be able to see the vast range of excellent

MFA Acting productions.

work available in New York or London.

• A dozen new faculty and staff offices.

• A conference room.

• A new outdoor patio space where students can interact, collaborate on projects and share new ideas.

Artist illustration of the soon-to-be renovated McClintock Building.

3

USC FRIENDS OF THEATRE DONOR MARQUEE

The Annual Fund

The USC School of Theatre would like to recognize the tremendous generosity of the following individuals and organizations whose cumulative giving has exceeded $1 million. Their foresight and commitment to the arts and higher education have helped transform the School into one of the nation’s premiere theatrical training institutions.

VISIONARY CIRCLE Dr. & Mrs. Peter Bing and the Anna H. Bing Living Trust George N. Burns Trust Katherine B. Loker

The USC School of Theatre is grateful to those who have given wisdom, talent, time and financial resources to the benefit of the School. Our Donor Marquee recognizes those members have made pledges of $500 or more to the School between July 1, 2007 and February 22, 2008. We hope that you will consider becoming a member as well by joining these supporters. Please take a moment to return the enclosed reply envelope. All pledges received by June 30, 2008 will be included in the School of Theatre’s 2007 – 2008 Pledge Report. For more information about giving to the School of Theatre, please contact Chris Cook by phone at 213.821.4047 or by email at cc.cook@usc.edu.

SEASON SPONSORS Eric T. Kalkhurst & Nora K. Hui EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Lisa & Bill Barkett Roger & Michele Dedeaux Engemann Jean & Steve Hamerslag Sheila & Jeffrey Lipinsky Bruce Vanyo PRODUCERS Bob & Terry Berenson Gary & Karen Lask Richard & Diane Weinberg DIRECTORS Mitch & Bonnie Bloom Angela & Amir Bozorgmir John & Leslie Burns Tate Donovan Susan A. Grode Fred & Emily Nason Sally & Howard Oxley, In honor of Dean Madeline Puzo Sidney Stern Memorial Trust Iris & Matthew Strauss PATRONS Inger Armour Ong Lynne Davis Lasher Joe Tremaine

ANGELS Sherril & David Anderle, In memory of Thomas Costello Anonymous Eliot & Sheryl Barnett Barbara Cotler Gail & Jim Ellis David Emmes The Gale Family Foundation, In honor of Tina Barbato Jack Larson Julie Levin & Marc Daigle Alice & Filippo Masciarelli Debbie & Bob Myman Jacqueline & Harry Pappas Nancy Ritter Mark Rossen & Mary Gwynn Rick Silverman Nancy Sinatra, Sr. Catherine & Jeffrey Thermond Rebecca & John Walsh, In honor of Jordan Walsh Linda Yu

New Director of Development Chris Cook.

People give to make good things possible. Donors to the USC School of Theatre are no exception. They believe that theatre offers performer and audience alike a necessary joy and fills the heart and soul with understanding, perspective, insight and grace. People give to the USC School of Theatre because they believe there is beauty in what our students create, will create and, indeed, must create.

Ninety-five percent of the revenue for the School of Theatre’s annual budget comes from tuition.

The Annual Fund provides approximately $350,000, which amounts to only 2.5% of our total budget. That is why it is crucial for individuals like you to become involved. The mission of the School is to set the national standard in theatre education. Your support allows many things, including the creation of much needed student scholarships, the ability to hire the most talented faculty from around the world and to construct and refurbish state-of-the-art facilities for innovative teaching and research.

Each and every gift is important and appreciated whether it supports the Dean’s Strategic Initiative Fund, scholarships or a project of special interest. Your gift to the School of Theatre pays extraordinary academic and societal dividends. Whether it’s in the classroom, the laboratory, the studio or on one of our four stages, our students, faculty and staff share high ideals and a powerful commitment to make a difference in the lives of those around us. Your gift will fuel the School’s move from excellence to greatness.

To help us in this phase of fundraising is our new Assistant Dean / Director of Development, Chris Cook. Chris joined our staff right before the holidays and has already set in motion innovative plans to help build our Annual Fund.

Dean Puzo said, “I am very pleased to welcome Chris to the School. He is an experienced fundraiser with a deep love of theatre. This is a critical time for us; we have achieved a great deal at the School in the last few years but still have a distance to go. I am confident that with Chris on our team, and with your help, we will reach our rightful destination.”

Chris is a seasoned fundraising professional who is thrilled to be returning to his roots having graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. Most recently, he spent six years at the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation as their Director of Annual Giving taking their budget from

BENEFACTORS Gisela Brodin-Brosnan Beth Corets & Alfred Gough Andrea & Fred Fenster Doyle Gray Ann Landrum Masako & Kazumi Maki Jerry Neill Irene & Andy Robinson Aurie Salfen Charles & Pamela Schroeder Jennifer Thibault

$4.5 million to $11 million. Besides raising money in the non-profit sector, he has overseen political and capital campaign fundraising as well. After graduating with his theatre degree, Chris worked in the entertainment industry for producer & director Norman Jewison, working closely with playwrights in adapting their plays for the big screen and ultimately producing feature films, cable and television movies.

Chris stated, “I’m very excited to be working with Dean Puzo and the incredibly talented faculty, staff and students. One of the most exciting opportunities and the largest priority for the School right now is our Annual Fund. We invite our friends and supporters – individuals, corporations, foundations and non-profit patrons of arts, education and research – to join us in building on the excellence at the School of Theatre. Thank you in advance for taking the time to make a pledge

We have taken care to list names and gift designations accurately. If you believe there has been an error or omission, please contact development assistant Vanessa Tuverson by phone at (213) 821-4262 or send her a note via email addressed to vtuverso@usc.edu.

commitment in support of us by returning the enclosed gift envelope.”

If you would like to contact Chris directly, he can be reached at 213.821.4047 or at cc.cook@usc.edu.

Thank you for your support.

4

A Special Staged Reading of The Importance of Being Earnest Held at the Scene Dock Theatre The School of Theatre held a special staged reading of Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy The Importance of Being Earnest on Saturday, January 26, in the Scene Dock Theatre, as an appreciation to our friends and family for their support throughout the year. Directed by USC Chief of Protocol and SOT alum (M.F.A., 1981) Dennis Cornell, the reading featured theatre students Brian Jordan Alvarez, Stephanie Barnes, Ross Bautsch, Clay Elliot, Catherine Farrington, Patrick Leslie, Devin Kelley and Julia McIlvaine.

Top: The cast with Dean Puzo and director Dennis Cornell (back row center) and School of Theatre supporter Mrs. Katherine B. Loker (front row on right). Bottom Left: Brian Jordan Alvarez and Stephanie Barnes. Bottom Right: Julia McIlvaine and Clay Elliot.

School of Theatre Receives $70,000 Gift in Memory of Theatre Impressario Edwin Lester subscribers, the LACLO had no choice but to close up shop. After a long period of soul-searching, the trustees determined that the most appropriate use for its remaining assets was to dedicate them to the support of the rising success of the USC School of Theatre as a tribute to Edwin Lester’s great lifetime contribution to the culture of California in the field of the performing arts.”

One of the most influential figures in 20th century musical theatre, Edwin Lester founded the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera in 1938. He created the organization to present high-quality stage musicals – to present “light opera in the grand opera manner.” With the inaugural production, Blossom Time, starring John Charles Thomas, Edwin Lester

Lester commanded attention and showed that big Broadway-style entertainment could succeed

he USC School of Theatre has received a

The gift was given to the School by the three

in Los Angeles. By partnering with a colleague,

T

Angeles Civic Light Opera, Edwin Lester.

James E. Ludlam, Dr. James Loper (who is also

book their shows in both L.A. and San Francisco.

The gift to the School’s endowment will

Executive in Residence for the USC Annenberg

Because of this successful partnership, Broadway

help support our annual musical production.

School of Communication) and Peter J. Musto.

producers saw, for the first time, that it could

generous gift of $70,000 in memory of

remaining trustees of a foundation funded out

San Francisco-based Homer Curran, Lester was

theatre impresario and founder of the Los

of Los Angeles’ former Civic Light Opera: Mr.

able to offer artists and producers the ability to

be profitable to extend the route of touring Dean Puzo stated, “The School’s spring musical

Mr. Ludlam said, “After it became evident that

Broadway shows west of the Rocky Mountains.

is our most popular – and in many ways our most

the marketplace of blockbuster super-musicals

important – production of the season. This gift

had succumbed to the impact of increased costs,

The Los Angeles Civic Light Opera was a

will be instrumental in focusing attention on

so that it would be no longer possible for the

major partner with Mrs. Norman Chandler in

our School and the work of our very talented

CLO to assemble, from New York or elsewhere,

the development, design and financing of the

students and will ensure that we will continually

an annual array of musicals of the quality

Los Angeles Music Center. For decades, the

offer high-quality productions.”

and appeal that would satisfy its loyal annual

Los Angeles Civic Light Opera presented annual (continued on page 6)

5

Edwin Lester

WRITING FESTIVALS

(continued from p.5)

seasons of first-class musical theatre engage-

Blueprints

ments at the Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Ahmanson Theatre, some of

The MFA in Dramatic Writing Playwrights Workshop

which were locally produced by Mr. Lester and many of which were local engagements of big Broadway tours with their original casts, including Yul Brynner in The King and I, Katharine Hepburn in Coco, Angela Lansbury in Mame,

April 11 – 27, 2008 | Massman Theatre

Mary Martin in South Pacific and Ethel Merman

Presented over three successive weekends,

in Gypsy. Among the shows he produced or

this workshop features the exciting and diverse

co-produced that went on to great success

new works by School of Theatre second-year

on Broadway were Song of Norway (1944),

MFA in Dramatic Writing students:

Magdalena (1948) Kismet (1953), Peter Pan (1954) and Gigi (1973). The LACLO became the most successful musical theatre subscription

Alexander the Greatest

by Forrest Hartl

Julie Oni, Forrest Hartl, Alexis Roblan

organization of its kind. He retired as general

Directed by Michael Keenan

director and producer of the companies in 1976

Friday and Saturday, April 11 & 12, at 7 pm, Sunday, April 13, at 2:30 pm

but continued on their boards. The SFCLO ended

Genesis

a revival of Cabaret starring Joel Grey, in 1987.

in 1980 and LACLO presented its last production,

by Alexis Roblan Directed by Robert Bailey

Lester was born in New York City and had brief

Friday and Saturday, April 18 & 19, at 7 pm, Sunday, April 20, at 2:30 pm

careers as a child singer and as a pianist. In the late 1920s, he staged spectacle prologues for Sid

nat&EM

Grauman at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood

by Julie Taiwo Oni

and then became a manager of performers. In

Directed by Luis Alfaro

1935, he started producing light-opera festivals

Friday and Saturday, April 25 & 26, at 7 pm, Sunday, April 27, at 2:30 pm

to provide job opportunities for singers, which led to the Civic Light Opera. Lester died in 1990 at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 95 years old.

Under Construction

LEGACY CIRCLE PROVIDING FOR THE FUTURE

The Master of Fine Arts Play Project

The USC School of Theatre established the Legacy Circle to honor and recognize benefac-

May 27 – 31, 2008 | Scene Dock Theatre

tors who express their commitment to the arts

A festival of plays by the three graduating

by including the School in their financial and

playwrights of the MFA in Dramatic Writing

estate plans. These gifts provide a lasting

program. The readings, which will each have two

legacy for the School and the arts community.

public performances, will be presented concert

We invite you to join other members of the

style with professional actors and directors:

Legacy Circle by considering a planned gift.

Mayank Keshaviah, Brian Jones, Donald Jolly

During your lifetime, a bequest is private,

Rangoon

changeable at any time and does not deprive

by Mayank Keshaviah

you of the use of assets or income. Whatever

Tuesday, May 27 & Friday, May 30, at 8 pm

your needs or situation, careful planning of your will can improve financial security for

Artist Exchange Program

yourself and your family.

by Brian Jones

Planned gifts to the USC School of Theatre

Wednesday, May 28, at 8 pm & Saturday, May 31, at 2 pm

can offer a wide variety of benefits for you:

Baby Eyes

• Annual income for you and/or a beneficiary

by Donald Jolly

• Avoiding capital gains on appreciated assets

Thursday, May 29 & Saturday, May 31, at 8 pm

• Enjoying significant tax savings • Creating a permanent legacy at USC • Membership in The Legacy Circle

Admission is free and will be available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis.

For additional information, please contact

For more information, please call 213.740.2167 or visit www.usc.edu/spectrum.

Chris Cook, 213.821.4047, or cc.cook@usc.edu

6

Professional Performance Opportunities Continue With Center Theatre Group Internships

T

he School of Theatre’s partnership with

skills as triple threats – having to act, sing and

Center Theatre Group, one of the nation’s

dance – as they played multiples roles in this musi-

leading resident theatre companies that

cal retelling of President Andrew Jackson’s humble

operates the Tony Award-winning Mark

beginnings to his rough presidential tenure.

Taper Forum, the Ahmanson Theatre

and the Kirk Douglas Theatre, continues to offer

Here’s what the interns had to say about

students internships with hands on experience

their experience:

and training in a variety of departments, from marketing and publicity to development and

“It was a truly enlightening experience…

casting to production and performance.

An awesome opportunity for any aspiring actor.”

— Zack DeZon

Begun in 2005 with the casting of 14 students in the Ahmanson Theatre’s production of Dead End,

“Working on ‘BBAJ’ has provided me with the

this professional association has proved to be an

opportunity to do exactly what I want to be

invaluable opportunity for our undergraduate

doing after graduation. It is the ultimate intern-

students to work with and learn from acclaimed

ship opportunity for a future working actor.”

theatre artists and administrators. In the last two

— Patrick Gomez

years, over 50 students have benefited from this unique relationship.

Clockwise from Back Left: Jimmy Fowlie, Patrick Gomez, Zach DeZon, Kristin Findley.

“The ability to work on the world premiere of “What’s great about this internship is that it

a new play with the top theatre company in

helped me learn the ropes of the theatre indus-

L.A. is an unbelievable experience. Working

In January of 2008, four theatre students were

try. I have been able to observe professional

with professionals and completing a one-month

cast in the world premiere rock musical Bloody

actors and get great tips preparing for roles,

run is the kind of education you can’t really

Bloody Andrew Jackson at the Kirk Douglas

as well as receive amazing advice on how to get

get in a classroom. I am so grateful to the

Theatre: Zack DeZon, Kristin Findley, Jimmy Fowlie

started and succeed in this business. Right now

School of Theatre for setting this up. Thank you

and Patrick Gomez were required to hone their

I am living my dream.” — Kristin Findley

so much!” — Jimmy Fowlie

Tim Robbins, Christine Lahti and David Edgar Visit SOT In our ongoing effort to further enhance the educational experience that our classes provide, the School continues to invite a wide range of visiting artists throughout the year, including some of the most distinguished talents from stage, film and television, to meet, interact and work with our students. This past fall was no exception as Academy Award-winning actor Tim Robbins spoke to our MFA Acting and Dramatic Writing students about breaking into and maintaining a career in the entertainment industry; Emmy Award-winning actress Christine Lahti taught a master class in acting to our undergraduates; and Tony Award-winning playwright David Edgar presented a lecture on “Free Speech, Censorship and Self-Censorship in the Post-9/11 World” in Intellectual Commons and worked with the cast of our production Clockwise from top left: Tim Robbins, David Edgar, Christine Lahti.

of his play Pentecost at the Bing Theatre.

7

MARQUEE

F O C U S O N F A C U LT Y

ALUMNI NEWS

Angus Fletcher

Shiri Appleby (2001) can be seen in the Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts’ film Charlie Wilson’s War. John Ashton (BA, 1973) was recently seen in the Ben Affleck directed Gone Baby Gone, playing opposite Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman and Ed Harris.

Adam Blumenthal (BFA, 2007) is the Lighting Designer for the world premiere of the Milt Larsen/Dick Sherman musical Pazzazz! in Santa Barbara.

LeVar Burton (1976) appears in the upcoming Reach for Me with Seymour Cassel and Alfre Woodard.

Gary Campbell (BA, 1961/MFA, 1991) recently retired as head of Design for Arizona State University’s Opera and Musical Theatre Program. He was also named “Professor Emeritus” at ASU’s Herberger College of the Arts. He has joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra’s “Speakers Bureau” and continues as a contributor to Arizona Opera’s website.

Tate Donovan (BFA, 1985) stars in the upcoming drama American Primitive.

Ryan Eggold (BFA, 2006) guest starred in multiple episodes of the FX TV show “Dirt” and Cartoon Network’s “Out of Jimmy’s Head.”

Shiloh Goodin (BA, 2006) recently joined the national tour of Camelot starring Lou Diamond Phillips.

An Assistant Professor of Critical Studies, Angus Fletcher specializes in theatre history, particularly Shakespeare and the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. His research focuses on the impact of theatre upon political science, psychology, ethics, and even biology. He has published nearly a dozen articles in journals such as Modern Philology, English Literary History, Studies in English Literature and The Journal of the History of Ideas. His most recent article, forthcoming from Comparative Literature, argues that Machiavelli’s theory of democracy is indebted to his fascination with the slaves of Roman comedy. He is also working on a book entitled The Ethics of Doubt: Skepticism, Tragedy, and Community in the Age of Hamlet. His research has been supported by grants from the Huntington, the Clark Memorial Library, the Beinecke, and the Bodleian. Angus received his PhD from Yale and taught for three years at Stanford before coming to USC. He has received teaching awards from all three institutions. In addition to lectures on theatre history, he also teaches upperlevel seminars on dramaturgy and script analysis. Since coming to USC, Angus has become interested in the potential of theatrical approaches to plot and narrative to enrich cinema and television. He has mentored several undergraduate collaborations between the School of Theatre and the School of Cinematic Arts, and this summer, he received a Panavision grant to shoot a small feature film on the experience of U.S. aircrews serving in Saudi Arabia.

Michele Greene (1983) recently guest starred in an episode of “Cold Case.”

Natsuko Ohama

Marja Harmon (BA, 2005) plays the title role in the national tour of Elton John’s musical Aida.

Shannon Lucio (BA, 2002) recently filmed Fireflies in the Garden starring Julia Roberts, Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe and Hayden Panetierre.

Timothy Omundson (BFA, 1991) returned to the Los Angeles stage in the play Grand Delusion. Omundson is also a series regular on the USA TV show “Psych.”

Paulie Rojas (BFA, 2007) co-stars in the upcoming horror film The Last Resort.

Janine Salinas’ (MFA, 2007) play, Las Muejeres Del Mar, was recently featured in Watts Village Theater Company’s staged reading series “Black Words on White Pages.”

Stark Sands (BFA, 2001) stars in the thriller Day of the Dead with Nick Cannon, Mena Suvari and Ving Rhames.

Ally Sheedy (1984) just finished filming Harold starring opposite Nikki Blonsky and Cuba Gooding Jr. Jonathan Silverman (1985) stars in the upcoming film Jekyll.

James Snyder (BFA, 2003) is currently on Broadway playing the title character in the John Waters film-based musical Cry-Baby, a role he originated at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Eric Stoltz (BA, 1981) directed episodes of the internet series “Quarterlife” which was recently picked up by NBC. Andy Tennant (BA, 1977) directed the film Fool’s Gold starring Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey and Donald Sutherland.

T.J. Thyne (1977) co-stars with Jada Pinkett Smith in the upcoming film The Human Contract.

We’d like to hear from you, keep you informed and share your news in an upcoming issue of Callboard.

Please mail this completed form to: USC School of Theatre, Attn: Tony Sherwood, Childs Way, DRC 104, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0791, or fax to (213) 821-4051.

Full name Telephone (

Degree/year

)

A Lecturer teaching performance, Natsuko Ohama is one of the premier voice teachers in the country. Trained under legendary Master Kristin Linklater at the Working Theatre, she is a founding member and permanent faculty of Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, Mass., and senior artist at Pan Asian Rep in New York. She has taught at numerous institutions all over the country including the NYU Experimental Theater Wing, CalArts, Columbia University, the Sundance Institute, New Actors Workshop, the Stratford Festival, and was the Director of Training at the National Arts Center of Canada. She also has an extensive workshop and private teaching practice. A Drama Desk-nominated actress, she has portrayed roles ranging from Juliet to Lady Macbeth from Hamlet to Prospero (Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company) from action films to the cult series “Forever Knight” and American Playhouse on PBS. She has been seen on screen in Pirates of the Caribbean 2, and on stage at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Dogeaters as Imelda Marcos.

As a director, she and USC actress Chastity Dotson mounted Little Book of Battles at the New York Hip Hop Theater Festival at the Public Theater, and Ms. Ohama’s play Geisha of the Gilded Age-Miyuki Morgan, was staged at the Ventford Theater in Massachusetts.

Last year, she portrayed Angustias in The House of Bernarda Alba for NATTCO, directed

by Chay Yew, had a recurring role on the television series “In Case of Emergency” and was certified as a Joy of Phonetics teacher trained by Louis Colaianni in New York. Most recently, she directed the USC Visions and Voices presentation of The Press, in conjunction with playwright Professor David Lloyd and Brent Blair, co-directed Othello at Boston Court in Pasadena for L.A. Women’s Shakespeare Company, and appeared on stage as Mom in Luis Alfaro’s Hero for Playwright’s Arena, where she will be honored on May 6th.

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