USC Callboard 2020-21

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

SCHOOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS |

COMING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY

The USC School of Dramatic Arts strengthens its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

2020/21

MESSAGE FROM THE INTERIM DEAN USC Callboard magazine is an annual publication of the USC School of Dramatic Arts for its alumni, parents, students and friends. interim dean Elizabeth M. Daley vice dean Lori Ray Fisher associate dean of communications Delphine Vasko editor in chief Stacey Wang Rizzo graphic design Christopher Komuro contributing writers Allison Engel, Phillip Jordan, Rickey Orr, Stacey Wang Rizzo © 2020 USC School of Dramatic Arts We’d like to hear from you, keep you informed and/or share your news in an upcoming issue of USC Callboard.

Please send correspondences to the SDA Communications Office at sdacomm@usc.edu or mail to: USC School of Dramatic Arts Attn: Communications Office 1029 Childs Way Los Angeles, CA 90089

#USCSDA

Welcome to the 20/21 issue of Callboard Magazine. The last six months have given me the extraordinary opportunity to see firsthand the incredible creativity, vibrancy and resiliency of the School of Dramatic Arts community — even virtually.

SDA’s community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and friends continue to keep the School and its training relevant to today — regardless of the seismic shifts happening in the industries around us. The search for the School’s next innovative leader is well underway, but until they arrive, it is a joy to work with Vice Dean Lori Ray Fisher, and all of the faculty and staff of SDA to continue to provide an enriching artistic training experience for our students that is both engaging in this very moment and meaningful for their entire careers.

All best wishes for 2021, Elizabeth M. Daley Interim Dean

We want to share your SDA memories!

For its upcoming celebration of over 75 years, the USC School of Dramatic Arts wants to hear from its community to share about their favorite moments, places and teachers from their time with the School!

Send us your story through words, images or video via dramaticarts.usc.edu/75stories or email at sdacomm@usc.edu.

Cover photo by Alexis Fauvet on Unsplash.

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P RODUCTION EXPER IE NC E S POTLIGH T

Photo courtesy of Sabra Williams.

In the fall, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the semester's production experience was adapted to fit the digital format. Along with new works and plays performed online by our acting students, our design and production students were challenged with creating their own virtual experiences, utilizing their knowledge and skills in a setting off stage. This oversized mailbox installation piece, an element for the production experience titled Empower the Vote, displayed throughout Los Angeles (pictured at the Mandarin Plaza in Chinatown) as a statement on this year's election. The project was hosted on an interactive website that guided participants through a virtual labyrinth of art pieces and information on voter suppression. Read about other ways the School has adapted during the pandemic on Page 10.

I N S I D E

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Moving Forward, Together

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The School of Dramatic Arts is strengthening its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion through new measures.

Plus, a recap of two annual events that focus on the artist, community and social change on Page 9.

Curtains Up on Support After Graduation

The Alumni Leadership Council serves the School in key ways for mentoring, programming and support.

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The Show Does Go On

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The Multi-hyphenate

Not Missing a Beat

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In a post-pandemic world, the School’s shift in the virtual space is equipping students with new opportunities and skills.

Director and professor John DeMita connects students and alumni to voiceover work with Netflix.

Actor, teacher and more, Edward Padilla BA ’05 shares about his many roles and his time at USC.

A Playwright Pays it Forward

Joan Beber MFA ’00 endows a playwriting award for the MFA in Dramatic Writing program.

Newest Board of Councilor Members 20 Alumni Marquee 22 Supporters of Dramatic Arts 19

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Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

In the wake of the police killings last spring of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others, the School of Dramatic Arts community has been soul-searching and strengthening its commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Starting in May 2020, four town hall forums were held, and in July, a “Commitment to Change” was published by SDA administrators that included eight action items “to assure a safe environment of authentic belonging and community for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) students, faculty and staff.”

By ALLISON EN GEL

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So where is SDA now with this work?

Anita Dashiell-Sparks, associate dean of equity, diversity and inclusion, who wrote the “Commitment to Change” with Vice Dean Lori Ray Fisher, says “a lot of wonderful work is happening.

“We literally have created equity, diversity and inclusion plans for each of our program areas and degrees within our school — including performance, production, design, dramatic writing — as well as for our administrative departments. We have never had that before,” she says. The School also has formed an Inclusion and Equity Committee of faculty, staff, students and representatives from the Alumni Leadership Council. The committee has been meeting monthly since September and facilitating open forums to gather input and feedback from the SDA community. The first three meetings focused on areas of greatest concern: casting for productions and representation; ways to report problems and accountability; and creating standards of professional practice and a code of ethics. [ CONTINUED ]

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The issues raised in the open forums and the work of the Inclusion and Equity Committee already has resulted in these tangible measures:

■ ACTION ITEMS for eight categories (mandatory EDI training, curriculum changes, reporting and accountability, casting and representation, support, faculty and student recruitment, code of ethics, career center and mentorship) have been defined and posted under a new EDI section on the School's website at dramaticarts.usc.edu/edi.

■ A NEWSLET TER sent weekly to students now includes regular updates on equity and diversity efforts, including events and ways to collaborate and participate in this meaningful work. One early event was the SDA Anti-Racism & Advocacy Challenge, a 30-day program of daily activities for individuals trying to become better allies. Starting in mid-September, the SDA community received prompts each day to act, watch, read, listen and advocate for anti-racism.

■ IN A FIRST FOR THE SCHOOL , a data analysis was made of the diversity in casting for undergraduate productions, showing how many students auditioned and were cast during the last three semesters. The figures were broken down by gender, year in school and ethnicity, and posted on the School's website. This data informs, and will continue to inform, changes to the casting process.

■ FUTURE AUDITIONS for productions will have an expanded number of individuals in charge of casting, including adding a representative from the Inclusion and Equity Committee. Also, students will be able to note on their audition forms if there are specific roles they would be interested in playing. Additional changes will continue to unfold as the School continues to re-imagine the casting process.

EDI AT SDA ■ DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEGUN on creating a system for the SDA community to report discrimination, harassment or bias incidents that could be reviewed and investigated within the School. This system would complement the work being done by university-wide entities such as the Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX. It is hoped the School could follow up on these issues in real time so they could be addressed and de-escalated quickly. In addition, Dashiell-Sparks says the School also is considering a way to offer mediation or a pathway to restorative justice so there could be reconciliation and learning after incidents are reported. “The intention is still to hold people accountable for actions and behavior and choices, but do it in a way that helps bring both parties and all the individuals involved to understand the dynamics of what happened,” she says.

■ NEW STANDARDS of professional practice and a code of ethics for the School are being written by the Inclusion and Equity Committee. This code of ethics will be posted widely throughout the School. “The language will address microaggressions, racism and bias previously identified by our students, faculty and staff,” the School’s action items document states.

■ CREATION OF A PHYSICAL SPACE where the School’s students of color can gather. “There could be programming — some formal, some informal — but it would be a place where students could just come and be,” says Fisher. A typical comment she heard in the town halls this past summer was: “I’m a Latino student and I go all day and I don’t see any other Latino people.” Fisher, a USC alum who was a first generation college student, sympathizes with that sentiment.

“When I started at USC, there weren’t many African American people here,” she says. “I understand what it felt like to want to have a space where you could go and connect.” Fisher says the space will begin virtually on Zoom, as soon as January, and then move to an actual office on campus.

■ THE SCHOOL’S BOARD OF COUNCILORS has developed an EDI Task Force to help support and advance the School’s EDI action plan. They identified actions board members can take that would have the greatest impact for the School. These include building the School’s scholarship funds for BIPOC students, recruiting industry leaders who represent BIPOC artists or other diverse communities for masterclasses or speakers series at the School, and help develop — and participate in — a mentorship program for students.

■ A GROUP OF SDA STUDENTS is being trained to act as liaisons between the student body, the Inclusion and Equity Committee, and the SDA faculty and staff. These engaged students will share information and gather input and feedback on the various EDI initiatives and programs.

■ THE CO-HEADS OF UNDERGRADUATE ACTING, Kenneth Noel Mitchell and Dashiell-Sparks, have been meeting with faculty members and program directors to work on the diversification of curricula and methodologies. The expectation is that at least 25 percent of plays, readings and multimedia content will be by a BIPOC writer, artist or scholar. Time periods and playwrights for each BA progression class have been adjusted to include more BIPOC and female playwrights, and the SDA community has been made aware of an alternative canon of plays written before 1945 by global, multicultural and LGBTQ playwrights.

■ SDA’S OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS and Student Services has expanded outreach to underrepresented communities in its student recruitment efforts. Taking advantage of working virtually, the School has been able to participate in class visits and recruitment fairs in locations that it has been unable to attend in person.

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To learn more about the School's equity, diversity and inclusion efforts and actions, visit dramaticarts.usc.edu/edi.

Other actions in the works include inviting more BIPOC guest artists to the School; mandatory equity, diversity and inclusion training for all faculty and staff; raising more scholarship funds for BIPOC students; fundraising to hire more BIPOC faculty members; updating the School’s strategic plan to better reflect EDI concerns and issues raised in the town halls; and broadening the School’s Career Center offerings to encompass challenges faced by BIPOC artists.

So how do the most important constituents, SDA students, feel about the changes thus far?

Giovanny Camarena, a senior BA from Arlington, Texas, says he appreciates being asked to be on the Inclusion and Equity Committee because, as a Latino, he has fought for representation during his USC career. “Having professors notice that about me and feeling I could represent the student population and speak on behalf of those issues validates the work I’ve been doing.” Camarena says he is concerned about the lack of BIPOC students on the boards of student organizations on campus, and about roles meant for BIPOC actors being given to white actors.

He says he was encouraged about the School considering a mechanism for students to report incidents without going through a formal Title IX process. “Most students get uncomfortable with having to go through Title IX,” he says. “They say, ‘I’ll just let it go, it’s not that serious.’ They don’t want to be seen as problematic.”

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Spencer Claus, a junior BFA from Scottsdale, Ariz., has been critical of the School at times, but says he and other students can advocate for SDA while acknowledging its faults. “We want it to get better because we love it,” he says. “In order for something to get better, you have to analyze it critically.”

“It’s easy to say we’re going to make the environment better for our Black students, better for our students who come from low-income households, we’re going to make the School more accessible — that’s really easy to say, but it’s a lot harder to do. It’s so necessary that policies are actually put into place so that we can really get there.”

Claus says the discussions, suggestions for improvement and faculty willingness to change have been encouraging. “I love that we are at this point, and I honestly think it’s because we’re artists,” he says. “It speaks to the power of artists and what we can do when we come together to support a common cause. I’m very proud of the student population and I’m very proud of a lot of the faculty who have added their voices to the conversation, because it’s a hard thing to do. But it’s necessary, and a lot of people have stepped up.”  Allison Engel is an author and produced playwright, who has been an award-winning newspaper reporter and editor at national magazines. She has covered USC’s six arts schools, and Classical KUSC and KDFC radio stations.

“It speaks to the power of artists and what we can do when we come together to support a common cause.”

Empowering the Artist Two annual events encourage the School of Dramatic Arts community to connect their artistry with social change.

By RICKE Y ORR

POWER, PRIVILEGE AND POLITICS

BUILDING COMMUNITY

Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Elijah McClain — the names of these individuals and many more were spoken in unison as everyone unmuted their mics to say the names of modern-day victims of anti-Black violence during a powerful event in the fall.

It is not every day you have a virtual dance break with your professor — but on a special day in the fall, known as CommUNITY Day, School of Dramatic Arts participants did just that.

This was one of many significant moments from the second annual Institute for Theatre & Social Change (ITSC) conference, which took place virtually for seven weeks and explored the theme of MIS/TAKEN IDENTITIES: Power, Privilege, and the Politics of Art. Events ranged from workshops — like performing live during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital activism, and grassroots organizing for safe and equitable theatre — to a screening of the documentary Down a Dark Stairwell.

During the In the Blackness: Anti-Racism and Anti-Black Racism workshop, Associate Dean of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Anita Dashiell-Sparks emphasized the importance of remembering the aforementioned names in order to prevent others from suffering the same fate. “The power of understanding these different dynamics in the context of people — human being lives, Black lives — and that we say their names, that we see them, that we honor their legacy in that way is so crucial.”

During the conference, SDA Professor of Theatre Practice and Head of Theatre & Social Change Brent Blair shared: “Our battle as artists is to retell these stories. … Let’s use art, because it makes the revolution irresistible.”

At the School’s third annual event, students, faculty, staff and alumni took a moment to let loose to an upbeat rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” during a workshop about creating a welcoming climate for the LGBTQ+ community and allies.

CommUNITY Day is a dedicated day for the School to celebrate its community and get together for a wide range of workshops focused on uplifting equity, diversity and inclusion.

With this year's theme focusing on embodying empathy, participants learned about the role interculturalism has in performance; beginning the journey of anti-racism, allyship and advocacy; using identity to strengthen one’s career; among other events.

“Sometimes when you find yourself in a space in the industry where it feels like you don’t belong or shouldn’t be there, being as loud as you can be and saying ‘I can show you what I have to offer’ in this space [is essential],” said Briana Henry BFA ’14, a panelist for the Identity as Strength workshop.

Following the day’s events, the School participated in a 30-day anti-racism and advocacy challenge to build on the community's efforts in anti-racism, advocacy and allyship, as well as in fostering empathy.

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The USC School of Dramatic Arts sets new standards of excellence for dramatic arts education for a post-pandemic world.

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By PHILLIP JORDAN

All stories are, at their core, driven by conflict.

“Someone is always in pursuit of something and something else is always in their way,” says Laura Flanagan, head of voice and associate professor of theatre practice at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. “That’s a universal truth of theatre.

You want something and you can’t have it.” and faculty physically separated from the stage — and each other — during the COVID-19 pandemic, that universal truth is more acute than ever.

TODAY, WITH STUDENTS

Photo by Victoria Quirk on Unsplash

“In the virtual space, that conflict is ever present,” Flanagan says. “You’re trying to connect with someone that you literally can’t connect with. We’re not getting what we want.

It’s a hard truth and it’s emotionally taxing.

But for theatre makers — and actors, especially — it gives you this very palpable affirmation of the dramatic experience. And a great challenge to confront.”

Since March 2020, the School’s faculty and students have met this challenge head-on, devising countless innovations for teaching and learning the dramatic arts within a very

novel context. Classes and showcases have transformed online. Production and design students have learned to create a physical space from their virtual environment. Actors and directors have invented ways to pass an object, tie up a suspect and fight a foe — from one Zoom screen to the next.

“We’re trailblazers all over again,” says Vice Dean Lori Ray Fisher. “We’re finding new ways to use theatre to tell social stories. We’re reexamining our art and why we fell in love with it in the first place. In the end, what we’re doing now is the same as the Greeks did thousands of years ago. Theatre is a form of expression. No matter where or how it takes place, we’re still using theatre and the dramatic arts to reflect our world and tell our stories.” [ C ONTINUE D ]

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RISING TO THE MOMENT

“During this pandemic, we’ve had to pivot and see the glass as half-full.

Now, our charge is to fill it.”

The School’s virtual makeover continued in earnest this summer when faculty immersed themselves in a 12-week course — hosted by the USC Center for Excellence in Teaching — to rethink how to deliver their classes in this new medium for instruction.

“I think that spark of creativity was reignited for a lot of professors,” Fisher says. “As the whole theatre world learns how to adjust to this climate, our faculty are motivated by the challenge of who’s going set the new standards of excellence.”

Faculty also used the summer to hear what students were most interested in exploring through a virtual setting.

By the fall semester, classes were preparing plays for Zoom, becoming more confident with virtual auditions and expanding the very boundaries of what constitutes theatre online.

In one example of that boundarypushing, Bachelor of Fine Arts students in design and production created a series of interactive experiences that would live online, each influenced by this historical moment in time. For instance, one was a virtual and theatrical labyrinth depicting voter suppression methods that many Americans face at the ballot, while another reimagined Karel Čapek’s prophetic play, The White Plague, within the coronavirus pandemic.

For each project, students worked collaboratively to create an online infrastructure for their production, meet deliverable dates and master new tools to bring their visions to life.

Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging

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“There was a lot of discomfort at first and a lot of people had to take on different roles for these virtual productions,” says

Elsbeth M. Collins, head of production and associate professor of theatre practice.

“At some point, everyone involved had a moment of complete and utter confusion, which, for learning’s sake, is great. It led to a lot of new skills and confidence being developed.”

Even though students weren’t allowed on campus, they still designed physical set pieces, configured lighting and built special effects thanks to virtual collaborations with the School’s technical staff. Students sent prototypes and plans to the School’s shop, then consulted with technical directors and props managers as their designs took shape. Finally, via Zoom, the students directed remote photo and video shoots of the physical set pieces, which they then incorporated into their digital productions.

“It’s mind-blowing what our students and faculty were able to achieve,” Collins says.

“Some of these innovations turned out really, really beautifully.”

The School’s acting students have come up with similarly inventive ways to advance their craft. In a Master of Fine Arts in Acting production, designers created a virtual room in which three actors tied up another character — seamlessly passing objects back and forth from each of their Zoom windows in the process.

Meanwhile, actors in Edgar Landa’s popular stage combat class filmed fights one move at a time to recreate a sequence of physical acting. One student would fire off, say, a front snap kick, then send the clip to their partner.

Their partner would film himself or herself absorbing the blow, then respond with a strike of their own. Eventually, the partners edited the elements together into a full action sequence.

ANTICIPATING THE POST-PANDEMIC LANDSCAPE

Exercises like these offer a glimpse of the entertainment industry to come.

“As much as we mourn the pre-pandemic world, there are going to be things we learn now that we like and we keep,” Fisher notes. “Elements of the old world will come back but we won’t be returning to the same profession and the same learning environment as before.”

Virtual productions will continue to increase. So, too, will virtual auditions, even for live theatre. At the School, showcases will continue to be recorded, enabling talent representatives to watch performances on their own time and see how students’ work translates onscreen.

And the camera will become a more frequent teaching and learning tool both in the classroom and on the stage.

“During this pandemic, we’ve had to pivot and see the glass as half-full. Now, our charge is to fill it,” Fisher says.

“To treat Zoom and online learning as something we have to tolerate for a little while is shortsighted and a disservice to our students. The world is changing and that includes the world of theatre. We, as a school, must continue to ask ourselves: ‘How do we craft new tools that will add to our students’ skill sets and serve them when they graduate?’ No matter what the world looks like by then.” 

EMERGENCY SCHOLARSHIPS Inspired by USC President Carol L. Folt and supported by the leadership and generosity of the School’s Board of Councilors, an SDA Student Emergency Fund was created to help support students who are facing critical shortterm needs as a result of COVID-19.

TO DONATE, VISIT dramaticarts.usc.edu/giving.

CONVERSATIONS AND CONNECTIONS This fall, the SDA brought in more industry professionals and working alumni for online conversations through the Spotlight@SDA and CareerSeries@SDA programs. Recent speakers have included Emmy Award-winning actor Jane Lynch, Spirit Award-winning actor Aubrey Plaza, Tony Award-winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and Tony Award-winning actor Leslie Odom Jr.

Phillip Jordan is a writer, editor and communications professional based in Los Angeles. He has extensive experience in writing about higher education, along with a background in journalism and nonprofit communications.

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By STACE Y WAN G RIZZO

Not Missing a Beat

Associate Professor of Theatre Practice John DeMita loops students and alumni in with his Netflix directorial projects.

STEP INTO THE booth of a recording studio with Associate

Professor of Theatre Practice John DeMita and you’ll soon realize that well-dubbed voiceover work is an artform that takes a tremendous amount of skill.

“The dubber must not only honor the choices of the actor on screen, but also create a completely natural and personal performance of their own. It is very much the balance of intuition and technique, just like any form of acting on stage or screen,” he explains.

A seasoned voice actor, as well as a screen and stage actor and director, DeMita has lent his voice to hundreds of television series, films and video games, while teaching and directing at USC. His most recent role, however, is serving as a voice director for Netflix International Originals.

For Netflix, DeMita works Angie Sarkisyan BA '19 and John DeMita in studio with original before the pandemic. Photo courtesy of John DeMita. talent and local voice actors to create English language dubs for films and television shows worldwide. Projects include films My Happy Family (Georgia), The Resistance Banker (Netherlands); and television shows Bordertown (Finland) and My Holo Love (Korea); among others.

During a typical recording session, DeMita shows the voice actor the scene in the original language while their lines scroll at the bottom in English. He then discusses major events of

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the scene, with a particular attention to transitions and beat changes, and other details like the distance between actors and background noises.

“Successful voice acting involves breath and articulation control, textual and rhetorical analysis, rigorous focus, and fearless improvisation,” says DeMita, citing that all of these as invaluable skills students learn at the USC School of Dramatic Arts. That’s why the professor looks to alumni and students when he is casting for voiceover work.

“While the job is matching someone else’s voice, there’s so much more than just the voice that goes into creating any performance. So being able to feel out another actor’s physical experience while voicing the English words is helpful,” Connor Kelly-Eiding BFA ’11 says.

The alumna — who auditioned and landed the English dub role for lead character Lea on Netflix’s We Are the Wave — has found her theatre training helpful in this line of work.

At USC, she not only refined her ability to cold read, and maintain focus and presence, but also found that “there is a bodily awareness instilled by theatrical training that definitely comes in handy [with dubbing].”

While a student at SDA, Evan Macedo BA ’20 was cast in the Spanish melodrama Elite as the English dub for principal character Ander, as well as voice work for We Are the Wave.

“John’s voice class taught me all the skills, vocabulary and mindset to be able to confidently walk into any booth and understand what is expected of me,” he says.

For Angie Sarkisyan BA ’19, working with the familiar presence in a professional setting allowed her to excel.

“Going in, I knew I was in good hands even though I was really nervous. It was John’s talent as a director and the love he has for the art that really helped me to get out of my head and do my best,” says Sarkisyan about her voice work as Zazie on We Are the Wave. She also worked with DeMita on a second Netflix project, the recently premiered Brazilian drama Good Morning, Verônica.

With COVID-19 altering the process, DeMita now works from home to limit the number of people in studio. His office looks a lot like NASA mission control, he says, with numerous mics and monitors. In one of the bedrooms, he even has a recording booth set up.

While directing the show, DeMita spent his evenings directing an Asian American voice cast in the dub of the Korean film Time to Hunt. “It was an intense period, working 10-hour days, trying to make up for the lost time due to the first weeks of COVID,” he says.

For the German series Dark, all of the actors recorded from home — including Associate Professor of Theatre Practice Laura Flanagan, who was cast as a new character in the series. Some were equipped with professional booths, while others recorded from their bedroom closets.

Being a professor and a practitioner of the craft, DeMita has kept a busy schedule, to say the least, but both have kept his career fulfilling.

“It was a constant challenge, negotiating internet speeds and ambient noises, but with the help of an excellent mixer, the show sounds great,” DeMita says.

“In [their] senior year, my students focus on developing a deep understanding of why they have chosen to be artists. That answer for me has always been a need to help others tell their stories. Teaching has allowed me to do that for my entire career and I am very grateful.” 

Curtains Up on Support After Graduation

By RICKE Y ORR

THE ALUMNI LEADERSHIP COUNCIL plays a key role in connections, mentoring and programming for students and fellow alumni.

TRANSITIONING INTO THE REAL world after graduating

college can be a frightening and unknown time for many.

Fortunately, the Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) is one key component to calming those fears for School of Dramatic Arts graduates.

“We are constantly evaluating how to better connect alumni of all ages and interests,” says Tomm Polos BFA ’10, ALC co-chair. “Whether an alum is interested in career development, community organizing or just being social — we can direct those who want to become more involved to the right committee, community or party.”

Established in 2016, the ALC serves as a connection between the School and its alumni by providing counsel on communication, engagement and fundraising efforts.

With a mission of connectivity and storytelling, the ALC is charged with being a “siren of good news” and being there for all alumni who are interested in getting involved, Polos says.

The ALC has been instrumental in bringing guest artists, talent and alumni volunteers to the School for conversations, workshops and events for the community, as well as widening services for the alumni population. And despite this unprecedented time of COVID-19, the council has helped to deliver stellar programming and engaging experiences.

“We’ve hosted professional development webinars (for actors, designers and voice artists), had impressive virtual visiting artists, and invited industry guest speakers to chat with current students about a changing industry and navigating the current pandemic,” shares Devin Kelley BFA ’08, ALC co-chair.

The ALC also plays a role in the School’s Inclusion and Equity Committee, providing representation and counsel on behalf of the alumni population to ensure a “safe, compassionate space where artists of all backgrounds can come together to learn, grow, catalyze and create,” says committee member Kelley. “At the end of the day, we are all a part of the Trojan family and everyone — of every race, religion, gender, discipline and degree — should feel at home here.”

Career Mentoring Program In 2018, the ALC established the School’s Career Mentoring Program, which allows alumni to engage one on one with current students who will soon be transitioning into the industry. Alumni, as mentors, are tasked with helping students navigate post-college life — as well as help usher their mentees into the vast alumni network: the Trojan Family.

As a mentor, ALC board member Adrienne Visnic BFA ’14 sees volunteering in this capacity as the greatest way to donate her time. She serves as a sounding board to her mentees’ professional interests and goals. “Once I have the pleasure of getting to know them, I can share my own professional experiences in the industry that relate and then further connect them to fellow SDA Trojans,” she says.

The Career Mentoring Program hones in on the unique benefit of being a Trojan. “Our alumni are an important resource for SDA, and are an essential part of the School’s advancement,” says Director of Alumni and Annual Giving Alfred Magallanes.

“They represent the success that students can achieve from a particular degree or program offered by our School.”

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A L U M N I P R O F I LE

By ALLISON EN GEL

The Multi-hyphenate

From teaching, producing, volunteering and beyond, Edward Padilla BA ’05 shares about his continued connection to USC and his many roles outside of acting.

Center: Edward Padilla BA ’05, Courtesy photo. Clockwise from top left: Cheryl Hines and Edward Padilla, right, as Javier, in Suburgatory, Photo courtesy of ABC/Richard Cartwright; Padilla, right, as Ali Hakim in the 2003 USC School of Dramatic Arts production of Oklahoma!, USC School of Dramatic Arts/Photo archive; Padilla, as Jaime Escalante, in the Stand and Deliver staged reading for the Pasadena Playhouse, Photo courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse; Padilla, left, and Shabnam Kalbasi in LA Opera’s The Marriage of Figueroa, as part of its Saturday Mornings at the Opera series, Photo by Taso Papadakis.

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IMAGINE HAVING AN acting teacher who is a talented singer;

a character actor who appears on stage, film and television; directs and produces plays; and has years of experience as a voiceover artist. And, from time to time, this teacher works as a casting director, giving a boost to the careers of students.

This multifaceted artist is Edward Padilla BA ’05.

Padilla has been teaching since 2006 at CASA 0101, a theatre and arts organization in Boyle Heights in East Los Angeles that showcases and develops the work of Latino artists. Even more notably, Padilla has volunteered his time all these years, as he also did when he served as the theatre’s artistic director from 2006 to 2009. (In fact, during his first year, he personally bankrolled most of the productions.)

He currently is president of CASA 0101’s board of directors — another volunteer position.

“Edward really wants you to succeed,” says Adam Torres, a USC School of Dramatic Arts sophomore who took three years of classes from Padilla when he was in high school. “He’s still acting and he has all this background that he brings to life. He knows so much and is passionate about sharing it.”

then I booked Mr. & Mrs. Smith. It was mostly because those casting directors were either USC alums or they really respected USC training.”

Today, 15 years later, he can vividly recall USC teachers who made an indelible impression: Marilyn McIntyre, Paul Backer, Stephanie Shroyer, Joe Hacker, Kelly Ward and others. While playing the role of Ali Hakim, the Persian peddler, in Ward’s production of Oklahoma!, he had an early career highlight.

At the end of one performance, he was in the Bing Theatre lobby where the cast was mingling with the audience. A man came up to him, said he played the same role when he was a student at USC and had seen Oklahoma! multiple times since, but Padilla’s performance of Ali Hakim was far superior to them all. It was only later that Padilla was told he had been speaking to alum LeVar Burton.

“USC was really the pinnacle of my training and opened an immense amount of doors for me.”

On television, you may have seen Padilla as the recurring character Javier on three seasons of Suburgatory, co-starring on Will & Grace (Reunited), Jane the Virgin, The Shield, Bones, King of Queens and many other shows. He’s been on stage at the Geffen, La Jolla and Pasadena playhouses, and in the musical Zorro in workshop productions in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. He also has credits on films, both independent movies and blockbusters.

At USC, he was a Presidential Scholar, received the David Coleman Dukes Memorial Scholarship for acting and is an active volunteer with the Latino Alumni Association. Prior to coming to USC, “I spent many years knocking on doors, taking a commercial acting class and doing community theatre,” Padilla says. “I worked for about 16 years at the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, doing classical Spanish language theatre in English and Spanish. It was the best training program for an actor, but USC was really the pinnacle of my training and opened an immense amount of doors for me.”

He already had an agent, who suggested that he add a line to his resume saying he was studying at USC. “All of a sudden, I was getting auditions for films,” Padilla recalls. “I had never been invited to a film audition. I’d never had a pilot audition before. And all of a sudden, I booked Spider-Man 3. And

Padilla has held corporate jobs while acting to provide a counterbalance to the life of an entertainer. “I found it essential to have that type of regular work so I feel sane,” he observes. For many years, he’s been a billing specialist for a global human resources consulting firm, with an arrangement that allows him to leave for auditions and bookings. “I love this job,” he says. “It’s been a blessing.”

Although CASA 0101 is currently closed for performances during the COVID-19 pandemic, Padilla says that development work is continuing with new productions: Arena: A House MUSIC-al — based on a legendary L.A. nightclub, and Masao and the Bronze Nightingale — “a beautiful heritage piece about the intersection of Latinos, Africans and Japanese in Little Tokyo.”

Padilla teaches both adults and children at CASA 0101, and takes particular care to explain to parents about the psychological pitfalls performing can create for children.

“What happens when we get on stage or on camera is that it releases endorphins,” he says. “We get this amazing high from it. But as soon as it’s over, it’s not a gradual stop, it’s like turning off a switch.” A good parent will understand that after a production, they need to have a conversation about coming back to normal life, and plan activities to wean children off the high they were getting.

“I’d love to go back to USC eventually and do a master’s and write something about this,” Padilla says. “I’d like to mix a master’s in the School of Dramatic Arts with some type of psychology. I think it’s important for someone to address.” 

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By PHILLIP JORDAN

D O N O R P R O F I LE

A Playwright Pays it Forward

The Joan Beber Playwriting Award JOAN BEBER MFA ’00 remembers well the drive it took

to earn her Master of Fine Arts in Dramatic Writing at the age of 67. The tests. The late-night writing sessions. And, yes, the actual drive itself: traveling the 405 freeway three times a week between USC and her home in San Diego.

“I was knocking myself out a little,” Beber, now 87, concedes. “But there are always sacrifices. I’ve always been serious about what I’ve studied. I was going to do whatever I had to do to get that degree.”

Beber credits her time in the MFA program with sharpening her writing, making her art more inclusive and emboldening her to reach out to others in the playwriting community. Twenty years after earning her degree, Beber remains a working playwright, as well as a poet, pianist and composer. Family dynamics are a frequent source of inspiration in her plays; her most recent off-Broadway production, Dear Jane, (2017), explored her fractured relationship with her twin sister.

The playwright thinks often of her USC family, too.

She established the Joan Beber Playwriting Award, to be given annually to an MFA in Dramatic Writing student who best fulfills the program’s mission — someone developing their craft and engaging society in a meaningful way.

“We’re so grateful that Joan created this award to support emerging playwrights as they prepare to transition into the profession,” says Velina Hasu IN PHOTO:

Second-year MFA Dramatic Writing student Katrina RiChard is the first recipient of the Joan Beber Playwriting Award. Before coming to USC, she spent 12 years in Chicago as a high school history teacher and professional stage actor. As her acting career progressed, she became frustrated by a scarcity of engaging and challenging roles, especially for women of color.

“I just got tired of seeing the same old things on stage,” RiChard says. “There weren’t a lot of roles that were nuanced, layered and complex, especially for Black women. So it became a charge to myself: If you want something different, you better write it.”

She fell in love with playwriting and eventually dedicated herself fully to the craft. RiChard entered the dramatic writing program in 2019. She says earning the Joan Beber Playwriting Award felt like a validation of her decision to pursue artistry full-time.

“Just the fact that they read my work and found value in it, that’s so affirming,” RiChard says. “As artists, it’s not about the awards themselves. It’s the affirmation.

It’s knowing that someone else besides me gets what I’m

Joan Beber MFA ’00, left, with Velina Hasu Houston in 2019 at San Diego Repertory Theatre.

Photo by Allan Havis.

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Houston, who is a USC distinguished professor, director of the MFA in Dramatic Writing, head of undergraduate playwriting and resident playwright at SDA. “I particularly love that this award takes into account how one pursues their art to contribute to society in some way. In our rush to create fine artists, we sometimes leave behind the humanity of the artist. This award recognizes both aspects of the theatre maker.”

USC CALLBOARD

The USC School of Dramatic Arts welcomes Kourosh Gohar and Lois Robbins as the newest members of its Board of Councilors. They have joined a distinguished group of industry and community leaders who provide counsel, knowledge and support as the School continues to grow as a top-ranked institution for dramatic arts education.

Kourosh Gohar

This award takes into account how one pursues their art to contribute to society in some way. trying to say. As artists, we make up these characters in our minds that talk to each other, we see colors and pictures that don’t yet exist, listen to these voices in our heads. So when someone outside of your mind — outside of this creative world you’ve imagined — says they see it, says they get it, that’s the affirmation we need.”

Winning the award also provided her with something just as valuable — financial peace of mind. As a first-year student, RiChard had three jobs: substitute teaching, driving a USC bus and working the graveyard shift as a picker at an Amazon warehouse.

The award enabled her to drop the Amazon job, giving RiChard more time and energy to advance her craft.

“I’m so thankful Joan Beber created this award,” RiChard says.

“The fact that she did this as an alumna shows that she knows the value of this program. This award speaks to the character of Joan Beber, of course, but it also speaks to the excellence of the MFA and what our faculty are doing here.” 

Gohar currently runs PopPay, a facial recognition payment platform, and is an active investor in early stage startups.

Prior to PopPay, he was the founder and CEO of several technology companies — including reminders platform Pijons, online events platform Beautify and online scheduling platform Kuyam; and built Equitable Companies from an idea to $100+ million of managed portfolios. He has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, acting as a vice president and business client manager at Bank of America, among innumerable other roles. At Tuesday Laboratory, he served as artistic director and producer of a number of plays — such as Faust is Dead, The Architect, Early Morning and other British playwrights’ works in Los Angeles. He is also on the advisory board for the Boys and Girls Club's Kollab program, which aims to provide career opportunities and guidance to Southern California youth. Gohar earned his BFA in theatre from the USC School of Dramatic Arts in 1995 and his MBA in entrepreneurship and marketing from the Marshall School of Business in 2002.

Lois Robbins

Robbins is a film and stage actress — best known for her roles on daytime television, including One Life to Live, Loving, Ryan’s Hope and All My Children. On stage, Robbins has starred in world premiere musicals My History of Marriage and A Time for Love, and her oneact play L.O.V.E.R. She has starred in productions at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, Goodspeed Opera, Trinity Repertory — as well as Studio Arena, Rubicon, Schoolhouse and Roundabout theaters. On the silver screen, she was in Town and Country, The Screammaker, Hudson River Blues and Motherhood.

Additional television credits include guest shots in Sex and the City, Law & Order, Kingpin, Once and Again, Law & Order SVU and Blue Bloods, and a recurring role of Penelope on Younger. Film credits include The Aspern Papers; Kingfish; starring in Shepherd and One Nation Under God; as well as starring in the independent films Blowtorch, Juvie and Ithaca. Robbins is actively involved with Evelyn H. Lauder’s Breast Cancer Center, the Plastic Pollution Coalition, Alzheimer’s Drug Foundation and the Lung Cancer Research Foundation.

BOARD OF COUNCILORS

Michele Dedeaux Engemann Founding Chair Joshua B. Grode Chair

Patrick J. Adams Chris Andrews Lisa Denton Barkett Lorrie Bartlett Todd Black Connie Britton Michael Chiklis Megan Colligan Michael Felix Brad Fuller Lori Furie Kourosh Gohar Donna Isaacson Gary Lask Alex LoCasale Michael Meyers Dr. Steven Nagelberg Byron Pollitt Rik Reppe Lois Robbins Linda Bernstein Rubin Rik Toulon Blair Underwood Noelle L. Wolf ALUMNI LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Adam Blumenthal Kate Cannova John Coffey David Fickas Jaclyn Kalkhurst J.P. Karliak Devin M. Kelley, Co-Chair Sean Lask Alex LoCasale Henry Martone Deanna Morgan Tomm Polos, Co-Chair Mona Raffle Michael Schwartz Pranav Shah John Villacorta Adrienne Visnic

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Alumni Marquee Jeff Parker BFA ’89 appeared as David, the Duke of Windsor, in the North American premiere Andy Tennant BA ’77 directed the film The Secret: of The King’s Speech — by David Seidler Dare to Dream. He also received two Emmys and directed by Michael Wilson at Chicago at the 41st Annual Sports Emmys for E: 60 Shakespeare Theater.

Hilinski’s Hope and E: 60 The Squad: 44 Years, 41 Allegations, both on ESPN. C L A S S O F 1 990s CL ASS OF 1 9 70S

CL ASS OF 1 9 80s Todd Black BFA ’82 produced the film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. He is also a producer for the film adaptation of the comic book The Kaiju Score and is the executive producer for the upcoming Peacock limited series Dr. Death.

Seth Cover BFA ’98 is the CEO of Mycotoo, Inc., a global leader in themed entertainment, live events and immersive brand experiences — including studio theme parks (Motiongate and Bollywood Parks) and award-winning brand experiences (SXSWestworld Experience and Game of Thrones).

Karen Zarish Covell BA ’80 is producing a feature James Lesure BFA ’95 is a series regular in the film, a game show and writing her third book.

ABC TV series Rebel, scheduled for 2021.

She is the current head of the PGA Event Committee. She runs a non-profit called The Mykle McCoslin BA ’96 Hollywood Prayer Network that mentors young was elected President female producers and supports the Hollywood of the Houstoncreative community.

Austin SAG-AFTRA local and represented Tim Dang BFA ’80 directed a production of The her members as a Joy Luck Club by Susan Kim at the Sierra Madre convention delegate Playhouse last fall and is featured in a new at the 2019 SAGvideo game called Ghost of Tsushima. He is also AFTRA National the arts and culture leader of the L.A. County Convention in Los Economic Resiliency Task Force.

Angeles.

Cynthia DeCure BA ’88 is now an assistant professor of acting at the Yale School of Drama, teaching speech and dialects. Also, she co-edited Scenes for Latinx Actors: Voices of the New American Theatre, which was published in spring 2019 by Smith in Kraus.

Beck Bennett BFA ’07 was seen in the film Bill & Ted Face the Music. He voices Austin Van Der Sleet in the upcoming Marvel animated series M.O.D.O.K. and is a cast member on SNL. Charl Brown BA ’01 starred in The Doo Wop Project: Live In Your Living Room, a theatrical concert tracing the evolution of Doo Wop. Ray Chase BA ’09 voices characters in an English dub of Pokemon Journeys: The Series Part 2 on Netflix and voices a character in a Fall Guys animated parody called Fall Guys: The Anime.

Chastity Dotson BFA ’04 founded the initiative “300 for 300” to empower 300 young women of color in Louisville, Kent.

Marja Harmon BA ’05 has performed as Angelica in the San Francisco company of Hamilton as part of the And Peggy tour.

Eric Ladin BA ’01 co-stars in Disney+'s The Right Stuff and has a recurring role on Bosch.

Kelli McNeil BA ’03 was featured in Literary Death Match for the first-ever kids edition.

Nick Rutherford BA ’06 is one of the producers of Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty. The show received its Creative Arts Emmy Award for Timothy Omundson BFA ’91 starred in the NBC Outstanding Animated Program for the episode Peacock television film Psych 2: Lassie Come Home. “The Vat of Acid Episode.”

Jennifer Sarvas BFA ’06 founded a resume coaching business called “At Your Sarvas” that helps entertainment workers communicate their Anthony Sparks BFA ’94 was one of the honorees transferable skills and find new opportunities during the pandemic. at the 2020 Television Academy Honors. He is developing a scripted series, Choir, based on the Peter Vack BFA ’09 is a series regular on HBO Detroit Youth Choir.

Max’s Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick. He Tate Donovan BFA ’85 narrated National appears in the Netflix anthology series Social Danny Strong BA ’96 serves as writer and Geographic’s special Expedition Everest and is in executive producer for the upcoming Hulu series Distance. the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect.

Dopesick, and was executive producer of and Deborah Ann Woll BFA ’07 is in the upcoming featured in the series The Right Stuff.

Grant Heslov BFA ’85 produced the Netflix film film Ida Red. Midnight Sky. Michael Uppendahl BFA ’98 directed and Steve Hoefer BA ’85 directed Henry Danger the executive produced of the FX TV series CL A S S OF 201 0s Musical for Nickelodeon. He has directed the Impeachment: American Crime Story.

Claire Adams BA ’15 moved to New York in pilot episodes and series for iCarly, Victorious, Robin Veith BFA ’96 is developing the upcoming January 2019, where she participated in the Sam & Cat, Game Shakers and Henry Danger.

Tommy Awards that year. After that, she played true crime TV series Candy for UCP. Other series include Drake and Josh, All That, Snow White/Ensemble in the star-studded Zoey 101, Jesse and Boy Meets World. He started Into The Woods at the Hollywood Bowl and C L A S S O F 2000s in television, working production for various performed as Lauren in Kinky Boots at the series that included The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Patrick J. Adams BFA ’04 stars in Disney+'s The Gateway Theatre in New York.

Coach, Charles in Charge and others.

Right Stuff.

Nichole Bloom BA ’11 guest stars on season 3 of Marguerite MacIntyre BFA ’84 serves as Boni B. Alvarez MFA ’07 had the 2019 production Disney XD’s Big Hero 6 The Series, voicing the showrunner, writer and executive producer of his play America Adjacent livestreamed with character Olivia. for the Stampede Ventures TV show Aftercare Skylight Theatre Company.

Instructions.

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USC CALLBOARD

J. August Richards BFA ’95 is in the film Pearl and the television show Council of Dads.

McKinley Belcher III MFA ’10 is a series regular in Showtime’s miniseries The Good Lord Bird, which stars Ethan Hawke and Daveed Diggs.

Amelia Brookens BFA ’15 was awarded The 2019 Madeleine Ginsburg Grant by the Associations of Dress Historians for her work at Shakespeare's Globe Library and Archive in London. She catalogued the archive files containing fashion history research by costume designer Jenny Tiramani (2014 Tony Award).

Christopher Hawthorn MFA ’16 was in When They See Us. Bella Hicks BA ’16 performed in a drive-thru theatre experience called Secret Cinema in downtown L.A.

Alison Jaye BFA ’18 played the recurring role of Nicole on Netflix’s Unbelievable and the recurring guest star role of Julia on Showtime’s Shameless.

She was in two national Kara Connolly BA ’14 made the first-round ballot commercials for Verizon and Jiffy Lube, and did for the Grammy Award's Best Pop Vocal Album voiceover for the video game Apex Legends. for her album Life in Rear View. The music video “Other People” was nominated for best Corey Johnson MFA ’14 was in the comedy Independent Music Video at the Hollywood feature Greener Grass.

Music in Media Awards and her song “Nice Guy” was nominated for Best Message Song/ Moronai Kanekoa MFA ’13 was a guest star on Social Impact. She is currently writing for Teddi Bosch.

Gold’s second EP and her own follow-up album.

Courtney Lloyd MFA ’17 co-established a virtual Inda Craig-Galván MFA ’17 had one of her new protest: the #ArtForGeorgeFloyd project. works presented as part of Primary Stages’ Kat Meister BA ’14 successfully Living Room Commissions. Her play Welcome transitioned to stage to Matteson! received a staged reading at the managing online and worked Orlando Shakes PlayFest and was part of The with the CA Democrats for Passage Theatre’s virtual season of play readings. their DNC Fest in August, as well as for Election Day events and Veterans Day celebrations. In addition, they have also worked Allen Darby BA ’12 with the Center for Constitutional Rights in continued their third year their online activism work and celebrations — of training at American including "Justice Beats" and "From Stonewall Conservatory Theater’s to Minneapolis," which included a conversation MFA program in the fall. with Miss Major.

Scott Felix BA ’16 has directed shows at Shia LaBeouf ’s Slauson Rec Theater School. He also created Sunflower Pictures, a production company that focuses on independent short films. His poetry book, Mediocre Sunflower, was published by Barnes & Noble.

Kyle Fitz BFA ’16 performed in a drive-thru theatre experience called Secret Cinema in downtown L.A. Amin El Gamal MFA ’11 had a recurring role in the TV series Good Trouble.

Briyana Guadalupe MFA ’19 was cast as a series regular in The Ms. Pat Show for Hulu.

Ellen Haun BA ’10 co-authored a humor book Cinderella and the Glass Ceiling and Other Feminist Fairy Tales with Laura Lane (Annenberg ’07), which was published by Seal Press/ Hachette in March 2020. They ran a sketch comedy show called Femme Fairy Tales at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York, then sold the sketch show as a book.

James Morosini BA ’14 was the grand prize winner for the 2020 ScreenCraft Comedy Screenplay Competition for his screenplay I Love My Dad.

Elmira Rahim MFA ’15 and the Élan Ensemble, which comprises mostly of USC alumni, were the recipients of a Stage Raw Theater Award for best adaptation in 2019 — as well as nominated in multiple categories, including best production at the Stage Raw Theater Awards and LA Drama Critics Circle Awards.

Madhuri Shekar MFA ’13 received the Dramatists Guild of America’s Lanford Wilson Award, which is presented annually to a dramatist based primarily on their work as an early career playwright.

Calahan Skogman MFA ’19 plays Matthias Helvar in the upcoming Netflix series Shadow and Bone.

Karan Soni BA ’11 co-stars in Miracle Workers and voices the character Riff in the film Trolls World Tour.

Madigan Stehly BFA ’14 was nominated this year for two Emmy Awards — including Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Special for his work on the 62nd Grammy Awards and Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series for FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance. He has previously won two Emmy awards and two Emmy nominations.

Dee Dee Stephens MFA ’14 co-established a virtual protest: the #ArtForGeorgeFloyd project.

Sabina Zuniga Varela MFA ’11 starred in Associate Professor Luis Alfaro's Mojada, which is currently presented on demand by Center Theatre Group in partnership with the Getty Museum. She was also in Madam Secretary.

Gideon Wabvuta MFA ’19 is the new literary manager at Echo Theatre Company.

Charlotte Mary Wen BA ’13 has performed in the cast of Hamilton in San Francisco for the And Seira Murakami BFA ’19 was the stage manager for the world premiere of Defenders at Pandelia’s Peggy tour.

Canary Yellow Company. The play ran at the Colin Woodell BFA ’14 is a series regular on Broadwater Black Box Theatre.

HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, starring Kaley Cuoco. He recently starred in Disney's Jonathan Muñoz-Proulx BA ’11 was the director Call of the Wild, opposite Harrison Ford and for the production Toyota Symphonies for Youth: Copland’s America in collaboration with the LA Dan Stevens, and performed on stage in the Philharmonic at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. off-Broadway production of Dying City at the Six USC alumni were in the cast and performed Second Stage Theatre. in and choreographed for the production.

Meredith O’Gwynn BFA ’16 has been the stage manager for the Jabbawockeez at the MGM Grand Casino and Resort, the assistant stage manager for O by Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio Casino and Resort and a supervisor for the Bevertainment Program at the Rio All Suites Hotel and Casino.

Gabriela Ortega BFA ’17 starred in Associate Professor Luis Alfaro’s Electricidad, presented by Center Theatre Group and the Getty Center.

A RE Y OU A N A LU M OF THE SCHOOL? Tell us what you’ve been up to and we’ll feature it in Callboard !

Email the SDA Communications Office at sdacomm@usc.edu.

DRAMATICARTS.USC.EDU

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Supporters of Dramatic Arts The USC School of Dramatic Arts would like to recognize the generosity of the following individuals and organizations who have supported the School over the past year towards core programs such as professional development, scholarship and the Dean’s Strategic Fund. We recognize at the visionary level those donors whose tremendous generosity has reached the cumulative giving level of $1 million+. Their extraordinary commitment has built the foundation for our continued ascent and future achievements.

VISIONARY CIRCLE

SEASON SPONSORS

DIRECTORS

ANGELS

Anonymous* (2) Dr. & Mrs. Peter Bing and the Anna H. Bing Living Trust Lauren & Mark Booth* George N. Burns Trust Roger & Michele Dedeaux Engemann Katherine B. Loker Martin Massman Trust Alice, Teresa & Byron Pollitt

Anonymous (2) Christine & Gabriel Dassa* Scott & Deborah DeVries* Kristin & Warren Geller* Vida & Kourosh Gohar Perry C. Hoffmeister & Hilary C. Hoffmeister* Pamela & Mark Litvack* LoCasale Consulting, Inc.* Michael & Melissa Meyers* Carla & Bill Pelster* The Polos Family Melissa Posen & Lawrence Hirschhorn* Rik Reppe & Shauna Torok Reppe Karyn & Paul Staubi* Jeff & Cathie Thermond

Chris & Jennifer Andrews Anonymous Randolph & Ellen Beatty Joel & April Feffer —In Honor of Robert G. Feffer Brad & Ally Fuller Eugene & Wendy Garcia Bradley Haas & Jill Ritchie Christine Marie Ofiesh Rik Toulon Richard & Diane Weinberg Noelle Wolf

Craig & Sarah Antas —In Honor of Maura L. Antas Theodore V. Arevalo Lorrie A. Bartlett Thomas Bresn Michael & Michelle Chiklis Craig & Kristin Donato Freddie & Andrea Fenster Allison & William Hill-Edgar David & Debra Jensen J.P. Karliak Meg & Lawrence Kasdan Devin Kelley Alexander Macnicoll Adam Nee Dr. Willa Olsen Madeline Puzo—In Honor of Prakash Shirke Mona & Benjamin Raffle Pranav Shah Rick & Jeanne Silverman Abe & Annika Somer Jane & Robert Toll Ruth Tuomala & Ernest Cravalho John Villacorta Linda Yu

DEAN’S CIRCLE

Anonymous* Rama Backer* Steve & Veronica Braverman* George & Dyan Getz* Kathryn & John Gilbertson Michael P. Huseby Family* Brian & Dianne Morton* Steve & Jerri Nagelberg* PATRONS OF TRIBUTE

Albert & Bessie Warner Fund Joan Beber Grant Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation* The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation The Auen Foundation Lionel F. Conacher & Joan T. Dea* Michael & Debbie Felix* Marilou & Mark Hamill Family* Peter M. Jarowey II & Constance M. Jarowey* The Lederer Family* Linda Bernstein Rubin & Tony Rubin* Erika Helmuth Saunders & Brian Saunders —In Memory of Evan Helmuth James & Leslie Visnic*

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EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Anonymous Adam Blumenthal* John D. and Leslie Henner Burns Family Foundation* The California Wellness Foundation Regina K. Eremia Trust Alexander & Megan LoCasale* The Leon Lowenstein Foundation – John Bendheim Sally & Howard Oxley Adrienne Visnic* Drs. Kellie Yoon & Stephen Treiman PRODUCERS

Anonymous (2) Arkay Foundation Todd S. Black & Ruth Graham Black Sumner & Angela Erdman Lori & Simon Furie JP Conte Family Foundation Cindy Kahn & Steve Marker The Kalkhurst Family Jeff Kribs Gary & Karen Lask Lois Robbins & Andrew Zaro The Phil Allen Mentorship Scholarship

USC CALLBOARD

PATRONS

Patrick Adams & Troian Bellisario Clara Y. Bingham & Joe G. Finnerty III Connie Britton Megan Colligan & Mark Roybal Emanuel Bachmann Foundation —In Memory of Emanuel O. Bachmann Lynn Hunt-Gray & Robert Gray Melvin & Doris Hughes Professor Victor Albert Regnier & Judith Gonda J.W. Woodruff & Ethel I. Woodruff Foundation

Charles L. Swick & Linda M. Reilly-Swick, —In Honor of Sara Fousekis Peter & Nancy Tuz Yingping Zou & Hok Yau CHAMPIONS

Anonymous Ann Dowie James Fousekis Sara Fousekis & Greg Derelian Kristine & David Frank Michael & Antoinette Garrett—In Honor of Brett Landin Cheryl Geremia & Richard Schulsohn Collie & Charlie Hutter Mark McNabb Cathleen & Paul Melamed David & Pamela Patch­ ­—In Honor of Kimberly A. Patch Steven Peterman & Susan Duffy Peterman Anne Preven Paula & James Shaw James Sie James & Elizabeth BENEFACTORS Solomon Mohammed & Elizabeth Eliot Stahler Beverly Suzuki & Anis—In Honor of Adrian Lopez Serena Ayesha Anis James J. Wen Edward Barlow & Laurie Hom Wen Stacy & Robert Bauer Cynthia Williams Sandrine & & James George Jr. Keith Bernstein Scot & Wendy Claus FRIENDS Lillian Collins Suzanne Elizabeth Sean Abley Doran & Peter Abrams Durrell & Ian Scott Harry Abrams McIsaac John J. Adams Louise Firestone & Babtope & Morolake Joseph Pizzurro Adedara John D. Fulton Shola Adewski Catherine & Burnett Anthony & Angelle Hansen Albright Margaret & Thomas Helen & Larry Albright Kittle-Kamp Philip G. Allen —In Memory of Hugo Alvarado Donald Hagen Michael & Anna Archer Scott S. Mullet & Jenelle Tina Archer Anne Marsh-Mullet Aris Mark & Sandra Nelson Karen Avery Yelena Podkolzina & Richard Chapman Michael Charles Solomon Jane & Brian Bascle Rob Bergman

Allyse Besne Mark Hastings Bevan Michael & Janet Beyries Debbie & Melvin Biediger Briana Nicole Billups Amanda Bodak Yvonne M. Bogdanovich Dr. Julie R. Brannan Debbie Brendel & Barron Wall Danny Breslin Margaret & Matthew Breslin Janine Brown Jeffrey & Suzanne Buhai Robin & Robert Burg Andrew R. Caddes Hunter C. Cain Kate & Joe Cannova Michael Cantor Gregory Carlson Kelli & David Cheever Marcia & John Cohen Joan & John Cole Kristin Condon Alexis & David Daly William & Nancy Dannevik Eduardo Deanda David Dickerson Elena Dole Mary Dryden Megan Elischer Sarah Epstein Linda E. Ewing Christopher Fager & Corie Brown John & Elizabeth Fallon Terry Feingold Jonathan & Cheryl Feinstein Donald B. Fields & Myla Lichtman-Fields —In Memory of Dr. Herbert M. Stahl Samuel N. Fischer Jill & Jonathan Fisher Lori Ray Fisher Clare Foley Marcus & Sonya Forman Paula Sue Forrest Christopher Freeman Madgel Friedman Tiffany & Brad Friedman Lili Fuller & Joe Sofranko Ryan Gardner Valorie George Johnny & Marie Gillespie Jason Ginsburg Maryellen Gleason & Kim Ohlemeyer Jeannette Godoy Marissa Gonzalez Kristine Goode

Andrew J. Goodman Matthew Goodman Nicole Gordillo Cynthia & James Gray —In Honor of Michelle LaMoure Richard & Susan Gurman Thomas Gustafson Megan Lewis Guthrie- Wedemeyer Danielle R. Hamrick James Hardy Lauren Harris Roxanne Hart & Philip Casnoff Raymond & Helen Hartung Kyle T. Heffner Barry Henley Andrew Henry Charles Hess Alan Higgins Morgan Hill-Edgar Rose E. Howell Felisa Ihly Michelle Jackson Jasmin Jenkins Brittany Julian Zachary Kanner

Mitchell T. Kaplan Bennett Kaspar Roeban Katz Barnet Kramer Kellman Dylan C. Kenin Kristin Korkunis Stephen LaBarre John Landecker James R. Lane & Jill Reusch Lane Camille Langston Christine E. Laskero Dennis Lawler Deanne J. Lebowitz Patrick & Elisabeth Ledwell Robbie M. Lee Rose Leisner Marissa Lessman Joseph Lewis Mary Lewis Lincoln Gap Productions Penelope Lowder Stephen M. Lowe Roger A. Lowenstein Karan Lyons Jennifer Mackley Motoko Maegawa & Chad Goeser

Alfred Magallanes Edward Manning & Laurie Anne Wood-Manning Michael Mantell Ehrin Marlow Richard F. Martin Nicholas J. Masi, Jr. Stephanie Matsunaga Denise Matthey John V. McCarthy Ahmad McCutcheon Murray McElveen Diana McFarlane Chris McGowan Maura McGuinness Stephen W. Mendillo David & Jennifer Mitchell—In Honor of Matthew Mitchell Marva Mitchell Pamela Monroe Seira Murakami Professor Carol Anne Muske-Dukes Kathleen Dunn-Muzingo Linda Rose Myers Alexander Tri Minh Nguyen

Laney Norber Christopher Obenchain Dean Ogren Ronke Ogunleye Natsuko Ohama Sergio Ortiz Mary Reveles Pallares Jeffrey Parker Timothy James Pauer Jason Peck Bruce & Ann Pember Leslie Ann Pittman Jeffrey Polsky Alexandria Poole Michael Provart Craig Questa Stephanie & Henry Reed L’Cena Rice —In Honor of Rik Reppe & Shauna Torok Reppe Philip & Christina Ronstadt Virginia Ross Rossen Family Trust Paul Rubenstein Amanda & Daniel Sanderson Donald Schmidt & William Purves

Heather Schmucker Angela Scott Nicole Sevey James D. Shanahan John & Jennifer Shepphird William Simmons Judy Sindecuse Ashley K. Singh PJ & Amrinder Singh Elfreda Skidmore Skin Aesthetic Medical, Inc. Michael J. Skloff Robert J. Smith Erin Soares Catharine & Jeffrey Soros Alexander Sovronsky Norman Stephens & Tracy Fairhurst Emma Stone Thomas Stone Margaret & Robert Stratford Natsuki Takano Michael Torres Alix & Gary Troast

Eleanor E. Vade Bon Coeur Trevor VanAuken Joy Vandervort-Cobb & John Cobb Leonar & Frank Vargas Jeniffer Velazquez Mindy Verson Kathleen Vicario Marisol Vidal Bonnie Waltch Vernee Watson Kyle Matthew Weinreb Kevin Wibberley Lauren Willems Catherine Lockwood Wimberg Grace E. Wright Ross M. Wyngaarden Guiyan & Xinwen Xue Lisha Yakub & Andrew Savanian Cindy Yoon Jesse C. Young Construction David W. Zucker Stephen Zuckerman *Represents multi-year pledge

WE HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER.

For more information about giving to the School of Dramatic Arts, please contact Sara Fousekis at 213-821-4047 or fousekis@usc.edu.

OUR NEXT ACT NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS More than ever before, scholarships are opening doors for a diverse array of students to realize dreams of a dramatic arts education.

Pave the way for the most talented students to find their place at SDA, regardless of their financial backgrounds.

ACADEMIC SUPPORT In an ever-changing world, the need for academic support has never been more crucial.

Enhance our technology and faculty needs to expand our performance-based and online learning environments.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT Students need to gain the relevant skills, context and training to meet the everchanging demands of the industry. Support professional development activities for students and alumni to gain hands-on industry experience!

Photo by Craig Schwartz

For more information on making a charitable gift, please contact 213-740-4634 or visit ignite.usc.edu/drama.

Or you can simply make your gift by texting the keyword “SDA” to 71777.

DRAMATICARTS.USC.EDU

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Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS

Los Angeles, CA 90089-0791

dramaticarts.usc.edu

Join the USC School of Dramatic Arts as we Celebrate Over 75 Years of Academics and Artistry.

Sav e t he Dat e • S ep t ember 9 , 2 0 2 1

Photo by Craig Schwartz

PAID

University of Southern California