Fewer students means more baby visits to the MTD’s departmental office. Clara Cunningham stopped by recently to demonstrate (with her father’s assistance) that she could fly. And Rowan Dantzler dropped in to show off his walking skills – something he’s now able to do all by himself. Rowan remains, however, just about the fastest crawler anyone in room 207 has ever seen.
Meanwhile we look forward to meeting more of the youngest members of the MTD family when their “rehearsal” period concludes in the next few months. Their debut performances are eagerly awaited.
And we continue to follow and be proud of the exploits of those already embarked on their post-MTD adventures – our alumni. Alexandra Zorn, who graduated in 2009, is appearing in her "dream role" as Maria in
West Side Story at the Gateway Playhouse in Bellport, New York, and she recently shared her excitement with Professor Fred Love. "I will never forget the moment I saw this and I just had to send it to you. Thanks for everything Mr. Love :) My first N Y Times review and it's a rave!! Yayyy!"
Read the review here.
Professor Karen Sheridan recently drew our attention to the "very nice review" that Christa Koerner received in
Encore Michigan. Christa designed the costumes for the production of
The Model Apartment at the Jewish Ensemble Theatre in West Bloomfield last month.
Read the review here.
Tom Mahard, special lecturer in acting, was part of the cast of
The Model Apartment. And a recently retired faculty member will also soon be seen on stage. Professor Michael Gillespie will appear in an upcoming production of
Glengarry Glen Ross, the inaugural production of Epicenter Theatre Group.
Several OU alums are connected with Epicenter: Marco Zaccagnini (2006), Stefan Mantyk (2007) Joel Trumble (2006), Steven O'Brien (2005), all Theatre Performance majors, and Marius Iliescu (2005) who doubled-majored in Dance and Theatre Performance.
Marco, president and one of the founders of Epicenter, says, “We asked Michael Gillespie to read for the part and he . . . was happy to work with all of us again. Michael directed the last show I was in [at OU]
The Cripple of Inishmaan and it has been a very nice reunion to work with him again.” When asked who in MTD has helped the fledgling theatre group, Marco wanted to thank Michael, Kerro Knox, and Muriel Mader.
Epicenter selected
Glengarry Glen Ross as their first production, because it offers a chance to reflect on Michigan’s current cut-throat job market and real estate crisis. Marco says, “We hope people will come and experience this dark comedy and feel the tension and utter desperation of
Glengarry Glen Ross’s complex characters.”
It will be performed in Varner Studio Theatre in June. MTD is co-sponsoring the production and Epicenter Theatre is supporting Actors ‘n’ Techies. Details:
http://www.epicentertheatregroup.org/
Just as Epicenter is seeking to establish a place for itself in Michigan’s cultural panorama, Eisenhower Dance Ensemble (EDE) will celebrate the culmination of its twentieth season with a performance in New York City at the Ailey Citigroup Theatre. They will perform “20/20" which includes a broad range of the company’s work, including recent and revived repertory works. The concert will open with a newer work, "Falling Out" by Brock Clawson and include several pieces by Laurie Eisenhower, including the heartfelt "Tom’s Songs," set to the music of Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, Eva Cassidy, and other folk and rock music legends. The initial concept for the dance took root in 2006 when Eisenhower’s husband, Tom McGray, a former folk and rock musician, passed away from cancer.
This project is supported with funds from an OU Fellowship grant and EDE will preview the concert at Varner Recital Hall on Wednesday, June 1st at 2 pm. This preview performance is free and open to the public. OU students and faculty are invited to attend.
For details about EDE's New York performance
click here.
Still in the dance world, Professor Greg Patterson recently heard from Rodney Brown who graduated with a BA in Dance in 2004 and is now Assistant Professor and Artistic Director of Dance at Santa Fe College in Florida. Rodney just received a commission to choreograph a new piece for Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) and recently danced at the all-male "Foster - Slade LIFT" project in Atlanta. He was selected as a National Association of Arts and Letters Choreographic competition finalist and is still in the running for the national prize. He’s also looking forward to traveling to Havana to work with the National Ballet of Cuba and to choreographing a new work to set on two soloists with American Ballet Theatre for the gala opening of Santa Fe College’s new Fine Arts Building.
Most recently Professor Brown has accepted a faculty appointment at the prestigious Governors' School for the Arts summer program at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.
Whatever you’re up to this summer we wish you a successful season. And please remember to send us your news!
Photos: Top: Brent Michael DiRoma as Tony and OU Alumna Alexandra Zorn as Maria in West Side Story at The Gateway Theatre, Bellport, NY.
Left: Professor Rodney Brown 