Download Program 2005 - KCACTF Region 1

Rhode Island College’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance
Welcomes you to the
Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival XXXVII
Region I, January 25 – January 30, 2005
The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
is sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Education; Dr. and Mrs. Gerald McNichols;
The Laura Pels International Foundation; The Kennedy Center Corporate Fund;
and The National Committee for the Performing Arts.
KCACTF Region I Officers and Executive Committee
James T. Beauregard, Co-Chair
Myron L. Schmidt, Co-Chair
Thom Delventhal, Irene Ryan
Coordinator/Vice Co-Chair
Joshua Perlstein, Irene Ryan
Coordinator/Vice Co-Chair
Patricia Riggin, Playwriting Chair
Mark Evancho, Design Co-Chair
Hallie Zieselman, Design Co-Chair
Dan Patterson, Critics Institute & Past Chair
Kelly Morgan, Workshop Coordinator
National Selection Team
Rhode Island College Festival Hosts
Gregg Henry, Rebecca Hilliker, Harlene Marley,
Melanie Marnich, Catherine F. Norgren
Christopher Abernathy, Charlotte Burgess, John Custer,
Dr. P.W. Hutchenson, Russell Monaghan, Alan Pickart,
Dr. Jamie Taylor, Rose Weaver, William Wilson, Marcia Zammarelli
Festival Production Respondents
Gary Garrison, Joel Murray, Beate Pettigrew,
Aoise Stratford, Michael Swanson, Dana Yeaton
Festival Design Respondents
Gregory Pulver, Kip Shawger, Curt Trout
Regional Selection Team
James Beauregard, Scott Gagnon, Harry McEnerny,
Wendy Overly, Dan Patterson,
Patricia Riggin (Playwriting), Myron Schmidt
Irene Ryan Judges
Preliminaries: Dawn "Sam" Alden, Jeffrey Carpenter, Tami Dixon,
Ellen Kaplan, Julia Kiley, Benjamin Moore, Ilse Pfeiffer, Chris Potocki,
Greg Sims, Steve Stettler, Brigitte Viellieu-Davis, David Watson
Semi-Finals: Rozanne Gates, Michael Swanson
Finals: Daniel Stein, Kate MacGregor-Stewart
Festival Crews
Katie Baker, Tom Bently, Robert Ferland, Deirdre Galluzzo,
Mark Ketchen, T. J. Morris, Nicole Ratkoski, Katherine Rourke,
Chris Soley, Melissa Sparks, Melissa Taddeo, Shawn Tavares
Irene Ryan Stage Managers and Time Keepers
Molly Allendorf, Jennifer Aquafresca, Jessica Carlson, Maegan Fuller,
Freya Grunden, Jennifer Hedges, Jes Jesperson, Dan Lopez,
Brittney Louie, Jana Priestly, Chris Thompson, Jeffrey Virchow
Special Thanks to
Dr. John Nazarian, President, Rhode Island College,
Dr. Richard Weiner, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Sciences,
Rhode Island College, The Department of Music, Theatre and Dance
Administrative Assistant to the Co-Chairs
Jo-Ann McLaughlin
Irene Ryan Coordinator
Festival Website and Program Designed by
Jennifer Ouellette
Fervent Technology
1
January 26, 2005
On behalf of the faculty, students, and staff of Rhode Island College, I am pleased to
bid you a warm welcome to our campus. I know that the days you spend here will be
challenging, exciting and rewarding (not to mention exhausting), and I hope that
everything, including the weather, will go smoothly throughout the duration of
Region I’s Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
There will be some 600 students, faculty, and professionals here for this festival,
representing colleges and universities from Region I and beyond. This festival provides
an opportunity for the exchange of ideas and the exposure of new and exciting
concepts in the theatrical world.
This festival will send a small number of students and faculty to represent Region I at
the Kennedy Center National Festival. To these students and faculty, I would like to
offer my congratulations in advance.
In closing, may I say once again, welcome to Rhode Island College. May your festival
be the best ever!
Sincerely,
William Wilson
William Wilson
Department Chair, Music, Theatre and Dance
Rhode Island College
2
REGION I
KENNEDY CENTER AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATER FESTIVAL XXXVII
Rhode Island College Department of Music, Theatre and Dance
PRESENTS
REGIONAL PRODUCTIONS
Alternate Productions to the Festival
The Suicide
By Nikolai Erdman
Adapted and Directed by Wes Savick
Suffolk University
Thursday, January 27 – 12:00 Noon and 3:30 p.m.
Helen Forman Theatre
The Curious Savage
by John Patrick
Directed by Scott Gagnon
Emmanuel College
The Laramie Project
By Moises Kaufman
Directed by Wil Kilroy
University of Southern Maine
Thursday, January 27 – 8:00 p.m.
Roberts Hall Auditorium
Jasper Lake
By John Kuntz (Student Playwright)
Directed by Douglas Mercer
Boston University
Friday, January 28 – 12:00 Noon and 3:30 p.m.
Helen Forman Theatre
The Grapes of Wrath
By Frank Galati
Directed by Bryna Wortman
University of Rhode Island
Friday, January 28 – 8:00 p.m.
Roberts Hall Auditorium
November/December
By Christopher Gyngell (Student Playwright)
Directed by Thomas Power/William Steele
University of Southern Maine
Saturday, January 29 – 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Helen Forman Theatre
A Mouthful of Birds
By Caryl Churchill & David Lan
Directed by Patricia Sankus
Stonehill College
Saturday, January 29 – 8:00 p.m.
Roberts Hall Auditorium
Drakula, The Rock Opera
By Don Linke with additional material by Stephen Levine
Directed by Stephen Levine
Bridgewater State College
TEN MINUTE PLAYS
Saturday, January 29 – 5:30 p.m.
Jump
Alternate Ten Minute Plays
By Sarah Brown
Stupid Cupids
Boston University
By Asher Ellis
Colby-Sawyer College
Randall Smith
By Michael Buckley
Emmanuel College
The Road to Rockville
By John Busch
Boston University
Tattoo
By Donna Keegan
Boston University
Clam and Hershel
Go to the Market
By Crystal Gomes
Boston College
An Open Space
By David Moran
Boston University
A Life of One
By Nicholas Snyder
Colby College
1 X 2 PRESENTATIONS
Friday, January 30 – 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Swimming After Dark
By Emily Dendinger
Boston College
Real Estate
By Monica Bauer
Boston University
Alternate
Linda
By Donna Keegan
Boston University
Please note that all the 10 Minute Plays and One Acts are read by
three independent readers whose schools have no plays entered in
this year’s Region I festival. The plays are read blindly, that is the
readers see only the titles and do not know the names of the
playwrights or the schools they attend.
3
General Festival Information
Registration
Festival registration will be held in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the host hotel for the Festival. The hours for registration
are as follows: Tuesday, January 25 – 3:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 26 to Saturday, January 30 – 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Festival Headquarters – Crowne Plaza Hotel Lobby
A contact bulletin board to leave and receive messages will be available in the hotel lobby.
Nametags
Your registration nametag is your entry to all performances, events, and workshops. Ushers and workshop coordinators will
be checking for these. Please have your nametag with you at all times. If you have a question, look for someone who has a
nametag with a red ribbon. It identifies the person wearing it as a Festival Host member and he or she can help you with
any questions you might have.
Transportation and Parking
Rhode Island College has a strict parking code. All motor vehicles without proper parking stickers or visitor passes will be ticketed and/or towed during the Wednesday to Friday events. For the Saturday events, parking is permitted in Parking Lot B next
to the John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (see Rhode Island College map in the registration folder). Shuttle service
is provided from the Crowne Plaza Hotel to Rhode Island College. A separate shuttle service is available between the Holiday
Inn Express Hotel and the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The bus stop location at the hotel is outside the main lobby and the bus stop
location at Rhode Island College is outside the lobby of Roberts Hall Auditorium.
Shuttle Service Hours
On the Hour and the Half Hour
at both the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Rhode Island College
Thursday: 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Meals
Rhode Island College Donovan Dining Center Hours:
Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
A list of local restaurants is located in your registration folder.
Festival Hotels “Warning” Policy is in Effect
We are guests of the conference hotels and must be sure to respect their property and schedules. If hotel security,
management, or faculty must be called to your room due to any type of disturbance (i.e. excessive late-night noise, drinking,
smoking, etc.), you will be immediately evicted from the hotel and will lose the privilege to participate in the festival for both
the current year and the next. You and your school will be held liable for any damage that may occur. As the hotels obey
Rhode Island state law, drinking under the age of 21 is prohibited and will be strictly enforced.
4
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
KENNEDY CENTER AMERICAN COLLEGE THEATRE FESTIVAL XXXVII
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Festival Registration
Hotel Lobby
3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Irene Ryan Time Slot Assignments
Hotel Lobby
8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
“Mobiloxyschlock 53” with Thom Delventhal
Tiverton
Join this audience participation improve/variety phenomenon! We’ll repeat the “Pick-up Schlock” format used at last year’s festival
“Rumble in the Rotunda” - only this year, it’s in Tiverton. Come put your name in the hat or perform your monologues for a
warm-up or just watch.
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
7:30 a.m.
Irene Ryan Staff meeting
Newport
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Festival Registration
Hotel Lobby
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Irene Ryan Time Slot Assignments
Hotel Lobby
9:30 a.m.
Irene Ryan Judges Orientation
Newport
Room Assignments for all Rounds:
Room Assignments for all Responses:
Group A: Newport
Group B: Kingston
Group C: Greenwich
Group A: Elms
Group B: Belcourt
Group C: Wellington
9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Call and Orientation for Irene Ryan Rounds 1 & 2
Assigned Group Rooms
Candidates NOTE:
Observers NOTE:
The Atrium will be the warm-up area for all spaces.
Audience seating is available but LIMITED in each of the Irene Ryan Rooms!
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Irene Ryan Round 1: Groups A, B & C
Assigned Group Rooms
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Response Session for Round 1
Assigned Group Rooms
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Irene Ryan Round 2: Groups A, B & C
Assigned Group Rooms
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Response Session for Round 2
Assigned Group Rooms
12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
IR Judges Lunch Break
Parlor 632
1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Call and Orientation for Irene Ryan Rounds 3 & 4
Assigned Group Rooms
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Irene Ryan Round 3: Groups A, B & C
Assigned Group Rooms
2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Design & Tech Exhibition Set-up
Tiverton
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Response Session for Round 3
Assigned Group Rooms
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Irene Ryan Round 4: Groups A, B & C
Assigned Group Rooms
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Response Session for Round 4
Assigned Group Rooms
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Irene Ryan Judges Meeting
Parlor 632
5:30 p.m.
VIP Dinner
Remington’s
5
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 (continued)
8:00 p.m.
Note:
Welcome, Keynote Address
Paula Vogel
Grand Ballroom
Announcement of Irene Ryan Semi-Finalists and Semi-Finalists Drawing will take place at the
Opening Night Party.
11:00 p.m.
5 x 10 Production Meeting:
Writers, Directors, Designers, Stage Managers
Newport
11:00 p.m.
Hospitality Suite for Faculty and Guests
Parlor 632
11:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Opening Night Party
Plaza Ballroom
Thursday, January 27, 2005
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Festival Registration/Information
Hotel Lobby
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Auditions for 5 x 10s
Bristol A & B
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Workshop: PeggyRae Johnson & Wil Kilroy
“How to Become a Respondent”
Parlor 607
This workshop is designed to assist all who are interested in becoming a respondent to learn how the process works and how to
become a respondent. Participants will attend festival productions, meet during an assigned time after the productions and try out
the skills learned. All who complete this workshop will become eligible to respond to region productions.
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Critics Institute Session #1
Elms
The three-day workshop, January 27 – January 29, is open to all students from participating schools interested in developing their
critical eye and writing skills in a supportive yet challenging environment. Participants will see and write reviews of several festival
productions, plus attend lecture/feedback sessions. A finalist will be chosen from the workshop who will travel to Washington,
D.C. for the national festival in the spring and vie, with finalists from the seven other ACTF regions, for the O’Neill Theater
Center’s National Critic’s Institute Scholarship. The national winner will attend, all-expenses paid, the prestigious month-long
National Critic’s Institute held in July 2005 during the O’Neill’s National Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Conn. Regional
runner ups are offered half scholarships.
9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Design Exhibit Open to the Public
Tiverton
9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Workshop: Chris Potocki
“The Unscripted Comedy Workshop”
Bristol A
The universal trend these days in both film and TV is to develop a strong story-line and allow the performers to organically
approach the situation without the constraints of an iron-clad script. Such examples of this free-wheeling, seat-of-your-pants style
of acting include "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Office" and "Arrested Development. This high-energy workshop will give
performers a chance to experiment with this thrilling, improv-oriented type of free-style approach in front of the camera.
9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Workshop: Ilse Pfeiffer
“Voice & Body”
Greenwich
This workshop introduces the Fitzmaurice Voicework and its relationship to voice for the performer. We will use physical work to
open up the body, breathing and voice. Locate the support structure for your voice and deepen the vocal connection to your
individual text work. Please bring your monologues with you for this class.
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Workshop: Lee Rose
“Digital Sound Editing and Operation”
Kingston
Computer sound design can be a lot easier and less expensive to accomplish than you might think. With the graphically oriented
software now available, if you can word-process and have a decent ear, you can design and operate complex sound plots using
digital sound sampling, editing, and even cinematic Foley effects. In this hands-on workshop, we'll demonstrate various methods of
sound design and operation and learn to create and run some sound effects of our own.
6
Thursday, January 27, 2005 (continued)
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Workshop: Celine Perron
“The Sprayed Image”
Rhode Island College – Tech 228
The airbrush renders images using particular effects of color, tone, and texture. In this workshop, you will be introduced to the
media and materials attached to airbrushing. You will dissect the anatomy of an airbrush, and have the opportunity to learn and
practice basic airbrushing techniques. The workshop will conclude in demonstrating the specific application of the sprayed image
to the scenic art.
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Workshop: Gregg Henry
“Brainstorming Session”
Parlor 637
This session invites students to come and share ideas about the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival organization
and its future with the KCACTF Artistic Director.
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Workshop: Ellen W. Kaplan
Barrington
“Terrifying Beauties: Madness and Ecstasy in The Bacchae”
This 50-minute lecture/workshop will explore some of the themes in Euripides’ The Bacchae, a classical text that grapples with
possession, madness, creativity, the politics of ecstasy, and forces that are larger than ourselves. What can Dionysus – the god of
tragedy, god of wine, of intoxication – teach us about the work of acting? We will explore the central, archetypal figures of
Dionysus, Pentheus and Agave, through physical imaging, mask, and work with text. In the second part of the workshop, we will
re-visit the themes, actions and images of the text, and “re-invent” them, writing and performing brief scenes that explore the
central conflicts through a contemporary lens.
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Workshop: Benjamin Moore
“Using the Stanislavsky System of Improvisation”
Parlor 607
Using the Stanislavsky System of Improvisation to unveil the heart of action in a scene. Gives actors the ability to play action with
clarity and emotional power.
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Workshop: Steve Stettler
“Getting the Job: Tips on Auditioning for the Theatre”
Bristol A
An insider's look at the art of getting hired in the theatre, including types of auditions, do's and don'ts, and practical advice on
advanced training, agents, casting directors, going to New York, joining the union, etc. Optional "hands on" participation: bring a
polished audition monologue of no more than 2 minutes' length and a headshot and resume, if you have one, for coaching and
feedback. Actors planning to sing must bring an accompanist or recorded accompaniment on their own boombox.
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Workshop: Matt Andrews
“Building an Ensemble with Acting Games”
Greenwich
Acting games are used in the rehearsal room and the classroom to build unity and to strengthen acting technique in diverse ways.
Group acting games are fun, and they develop individual acting skills within a group context. This workshop will focus on games
that explore ensemble development, and whose success depends on collaborating and working together. The entirety of the
workshop will be spent doing – playing games and practicing skills for honest, creative and dynamic ensemble acting.
12:00 p.m.
PRODUCTION #1A
THE SUICIDE
Helen Forman Theatre
By Nikolai Erdman
Adapted and Directed by Wes Savik
Suffolk University
Note:
The Helen Forman Theatre has limited seating, not everyone will be able to see this production.
Seats are available only on a first-come-first-served basis.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Workshop: Brigitte Viellieu-Davis
“Audition Technique”
Barrington
Find monologues that will showcase you at your best, learn ways to make cold readings work for you, and explore ways of making
the audition process an adventure each time. Auditioning can be nerve wracking and exhausting, but with a simple change of
attitude, the audition process can be an on-going “game” that enhances your craft as an actor. Brigitte Viellieu-Davis has been an
actor, teaching artist and adjunct theatre professor for the past 10 years, as well as a consultant with one of New York City’s
leading casting offices. In this workshop, she will share her experience from both sides of the casting table. Come prepared with
at least one 1-2 minute monologue (classical or contemporary).
7
Thursday, January 27, 2005 (continued)
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Workshop: Tami Dixon & Jeffrey Carpenter
“Lines, Character, ACTION!”
Greenwich
This workshop, led by two working actors, will focus on the foundation of every script, ACTION. Without it you're dead in the
water (or boring), with it you have all the answers, we guarantee! Jeffrey Carpenter and Tami Dixon want to share with you the
tools to becoming a confident, successful actor. Acting is not guess work, it's not magic and it certainly isn't about luck, it's about
making choices and taking action. Join Jeff and Tami and discover the simple steps to understanding every script.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Workshop: Cathy Plourde
“Playwriting as Activism”
Kingston
If Brecht wanted to incite the revolution, and Augusto Boal encourages a rehearsal for revolution, what is an artist and activist to do?
Bring audiences beyond simple awareness of social justice issues and motivate them into action. Writing and activism merge in
this hands-on workshop designed to help artists and activists alike develop social issue- based scripts. What’s the difference
between a good play and an educational play and a play that motivates activism? What is the writer’s responsibility to their
audience? How do you work in collaboration with community support services? Can you still be creative when working within
artistic limits? How does an intended audience inform writing choices? Participate in discussions and writing exercises that
explore these questions with Cathy Plourde, a playwright who has been working in social change for over 10 years.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Workshop: Dawn “Sam” Alden
“Fundamentals of Stage Rapier"
Bristol B
Ever wanted to swashbuckle like Errol Flynn or Maureen O'Hara? This 90 minute class will teach you the fundamentals of the
cuts, thrusts and parry patterns for the stage rapier, plus teach a few simple fight combinations. Emphasis will be on safety and on
acting the fight, whatever your level of experience.
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Workshop: Julia Kiley
“Improv Roundup”
Bristol A
Workshop will include a variety of theater games focusing on both partner and ensemble work. Different theater games as well
as scripted material will be used as a means to quickly put actors in touch with impulse, not thought, as their primary source for
the work presented. Solid understanding of basic acting technique and its terms preferable. Areas to be covered: Impulse
warm-up, Free play of the imagination to inform and create original scene-work within context of specific improv games, Physical
work to increase body awareness and create physicalized presentation of scripted material, Partnering work with “neutral scripts”
which call upon actors to create all the given circumstances necessary to justify text.
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Gregory Pulver
“Costume Design from Inanimate Objects”
Rhode Island College - Tech 228
Learn the basic characteristics, tricks and skills to design costumes from inanimate object characters like a pencil, lipstick, Joshua
Tree, Ferris Wheel. Great for Children's Theatre and Fantasy Design. This is a hands-on workshop, so bring paper, pencils and color
media for sketching and final rendering.
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Gary Mitchell
“Acting Shakespeare Workshop”
Barrington
Hands-on workshop for students who want to turn Shakespeare’s prose and verse into a vital, living performance. The techniques
used to unfold the text and provide the actor with immediate visceral access were developed by Shakespeare & Company where
Mr. Mitchell has been a resident director and producer there for fifteen years. While at the Company, Mr. Mitchell worked
closely with Tina Packer (Artistic Director), Kristin Linklater (Freeing Shakespeare’s Voice), and many other talented master
teachers and artists. This material has been integrated into the work of many professional and student actors to great success.
Pre-requisite: 2 minute Shakespeare monologue or sonnet.
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
ETC Representative - David Empey
“Beginning Moving Lights”
Rhode Island College - Sapinsley
An entry level hands-on workshop, intended for people who are unfamiliar with the installation and operation of moving lights.
The history and types of moving lights will be discussed, as will the brands and fixtures available in the current marketplace.
Participants will follow along with the instructor and create several moving light cue sequences. Participation is limited to 12
people, but any number may observe.
8
Thursday, January 27, 2005 (continued)
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Workshop: Gregory Sims
“Acting in Spite of Emotion”
Bristol B
Working with practices outlined in A Practical Handbook for the Actor, by David Mamet, combined with his own experience as a
professional actor, Mr. Sims demonstrates a simple and extremely effective approach to the art of acting. “No matter what they're
feeling, an actor has to act.” Mr. Sims will guide students through this approach as it relates to monologues, scene work and
commercial auditions.
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Workshop: Beth Phillips
“Ensemble Basics: Devising”
Greenwich
In this workshop we will devise a ‘draft’ of an issue-based performance piece based on interview and improvisatory techniques.
Participants should wear clothing that will facilitate movement as there will be a 15-20 minute. Group limit: 10 students/faculty
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Workshop: John Devlin
Rhode Island College – Tech 228
“Scenic Design for Summer Stock: Survival Comes in Many Forms”
This presentation is hosted by John Paul Devlin, the resident designer at the Saint Michael's Playhouse in Northern Vermont for
the last three summers. He has 17 years of summer stock experience with four theatres, in four states-and he still has most of his
own hair. The session will include a presentation of various designs and creative solutions to design challenges.
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Workshop: Curt Trout
“Mask Making Intensive I”
Rhode Island College – Craig Lee 030
Limited to 12 active participants this workshop will meet for three packed sessions during the festival. Students must commit to all
three sessions to complete the project. Others are welcome to drop in and observe. The sessions will include sculpting, molding
in plaster, casting in neoprene, design and rendering techniques, decoration and finishing of the students original mask design.
Participants must wear shop clothes and have a willingness to get dirty! All other materials will be provided.
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
ETC Representative - David Empey
“Advanced Moving Lights”
Rhode Island College - Sapinsley
Intended as a follow-up to the introductory workshop, this class will focus entirely on creating moving light cue sequences using
primarily ETC fixtures and Consoles. Moving lights techniques taught will be tailored to workshop attendees. Participation is
limited to 12 people, but any number may observe.
3:30 p.m.
PRODUCTION #1B
THE SUICIDE
Helen Forman Theatre
By Nikolai Erdman
Adapted and Directed by Wes Savik
Suffolk University
Note:
The Helen Forman Theatre has limited seating, not everyone will be able to see this production.
Seats are available only on a first-come-first-served basis.
3:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Irene Ryan Semi-Finals
Orientation & Rehearsal
Rotunda
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
5 x 10 rehearsals:
1. Parlor 607
2. Greenwich
3. Kingston
4. Barrington
5. Parlor 637
Spaces as indicated
9
Thursday, January 27, 2005 (continued)
6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Design Faculty Informal Dinner at Local Restaurant
Meet in Crowne Plaza Lobby
8:00 p.m.
PRODUCTION #2
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
Roberts Hall Auditorium
By Moises Kaufman
Directed by Wil Kilroy
University of Southern Maine
10:30 p.m.
(or after show)
10:30 p.m.
5 x 10 rehearsals:
1. Parlor 607
2. Greenwich
3. Kingston
4. Barrington
5. Parlor 637
Spaces as indicated
Hospitality Suite for Faculty and Guests
Parlor 632
(or after show)
Friday, January 28, 2005
7:30 a.m.
Irene Ryan Manager’s Meeting
Rotunda
7:45 a.m.
Irene Ryan Semi-Finals Call
Rotunda
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Festival Registration (continued)
Hotel Lobby
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Response Session
The Suicide
Kingston
8:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.
Irene Ryan Semi-Finals
8:00 - 9:10, Round I, numbers 1-12
9:20 - 10:30, Round II, numbers 13-24
10:40 - 11:50, Round III, numbers 25-36
Rotunda
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
5 x 10 Design Studio Meeting
Newport
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Response Session
The Laramie Project
Kingston
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Workshop: Dana Yeaton
"Playwriting For Actors”
Newport
What do actors already know that can help them to write a play? Using a combination of writing and improv exercises, we’ll
explore how the fundamentals of acting relate to dramatic writing – not just how one writes a play, but why one might bother.
Ideally, each participant will leave with the beginning of a new ten-minute play.
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Design Response Session for National and Regional
Entries: Kip Shawger, Curt Trout and Gregory Pulver
Tiverton
Professional designers will respond to the student work presented for the Region One, Mehron, and Barbizon awards competition.
Student designers must be present at this response session in order to qualify for award consideration.
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Luke Workshop: Luke Sutherland
“To Unionize or Not To Unionize”
Greenwich
This is a lecture/discussion on the benefits of being unionized when working in technical theatre, film and television. Topics
covered are issues of pay scale, benefits packages, health & safety, as well as standards of quality & ethics one brings to work as a
union employee.
10
Friday, January 28, 2005 (continued)
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Workshop: Aoise Stratford
“Playwrighting: Distilling the Craft of Dialogue”
Wickford
What is the difference between dialogue and character’s talking and plot development...and in the process work out what makes
strong dialogue!
12:00 p.m.
PRODUCTION #3A
JASPER LAKE
Helen Forman Theatre
By John Kuntz (Student Playwright)
Directed by Douglas Mercer
Boston University
Note:
The Helen Forman Theatre has limited seating, not everyone will be able to see this production.
Seats are available only on a first-come-first-served basis.
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Irene Ryan Semi-Final Judges Meeting
Wickford
12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Critics Institute Session #2
Elms
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Larry Nye
“Creating Movement for Actors”
Newport
This participatory class will actively demonstrate ways to help you think beyond the basics in order to establish a richer
understanding of movement dialogue and motivating gestures. This workshop is designed to reveal ways to develop tools in order
create movement for actors. Force, dimension, levels and timing will all be explored through the use of colors, shapes, verbs and
the alphabet.
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Ilana Brownstein, Melanie Deas, Bridget Frey
“Dramaturgy Response Session & Discussion”
Greenwich
Along with LMDA (Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas) and ATHE (Association for Theater in Higher Education),
KCACTF is initiating a new award this year which will recognize a student for his or her achievement as a dramaturg in our region.
The respondents for this year’s award will respond to this year’s entries and offer a discussion on the responsibilities and duties of
a dramaturg.
1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Irene Ryan Semi-Finalists Feedback
Wickford
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Stuart Duke
Rhode Island College – Tech 228
“Lighting: Getting it on Paper: Developing a Working Lighting Design”
This workshop will involve a discussion of the factors (scenery, costumes, equipment limitations, budget, time, etc.) that impact the
progression of a lighting design from concept to execution including a practical approach to the question, "Where do I put
the lights?"
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Jackie Dalley
“Injury Makeup Demo/Workshop”
Rhode Island College - Craig-Lee 030
This workshop will be a demonstration of various makeup effects used to create bruises, wounds, burns, scars, etc. Using common
makeup materials such as latex, putty, spirit gum, and stage blood, as well as some household items not usually found in the
makeup kit, we will create an array of realistic-looking “injuries.”
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Response Session
Jasper Lake
Rhode Island College –
Merciniak Resource Library
11
Friday, January 28, 2005 (continued)
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Workshop: Daniel Stein
Kingston
“Dell'Arte Intl's Extreme Physical Theatre for the Actor/Creator”
The workshop addresses the Body of a Gymnast, the Mind of an Actor and the Heart of a Poet. Ensemble work as well as the
creation of new material. Students should come ready to move and use their brains at the same time. Dell'Arte International is the
North American center for the exploration, training and performance of the actor-creator. Established in 1974, the school now
offers both a one-year certificate program and a two and a half year MFA in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre. Located in an area
of unparalleled natural beauty on northern California's redwood coast, the school attracts an international student body and a
faculty of professional artists and master teachers.
3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Workshop: Jim Beauregard & Craig Handel
“Stage Combat”
Rotunda
Illusions of Violence – Get a hands on feel for the fundamentals of unarmed combat, then stick around for a demonstration of
advanced techniques in a variety of weapon styles.
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Workshop: Stuart Duke
“Lighting Roundtable:
Tips and Suggestions for Common Lighting Problems”
Rhode Island College – Tech 228
Bring your favorite lighting headache or question. The spirited discussion at this workshop has made it a perennial favorite!
3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Workshop: Curt Trout
“Mask Making Intensive II”
Rhode Island College - Craig-Lee 030
Limited to 12 active participants this workshop will meet for three packed sessions during the festival. Students must commit to all
three sessions to complete the project. Others are welcome to drop in and observe. The sessions will include sculpting, molding
in plaster, casting in neoprene, design and rendering techniques, decoration and finishing of the students original mask design.
Participants must wear shop clothes and have a willingness to get dirty! All other materials will be provided.
1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Design Exhibit Open to the Public
Tiverton
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
1 x 2 Presentations
Rhode Island College - Sapinsley
SWIMMING AFTER DARK
By Emily Dendinger
Boston College
REAL ESTATE
By Monica Bauer
Boston University
Alternate
LINDA
By Donna Keegan
Boston University
3:30 p.m.
PRODUCTION #3B
JASPER LAKE
Helen Forman Theatre
By John Kuntz (Student Playwright)
Directed by Douglas Mercer
Boston University
Note:
12
The Helen Forman Theatre has limited seating, not everyone will be able to see this production.
Seats are available only on a first-come-first-served basis.
Friday, January 28, 2005 (continued)
4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
National Partners of American Theatre:
Updates and Brainstorming
Parlor 632
(formerly KCACTF Distinguished Alumni)
Come bend an elbow with NAPAT and hear about the big plans for this coming April in D.C. Also help us brainstorm priorities as
to how NAPAT should grow because growth is certainly in our crystal ball.
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Response Session,
1 x 2 One Act Plays
Rhode Island College – Sapinsley
5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
5 x 10 Rehearsals:
1. Newport
2. Wickford
3. Kingston
4. Greenwich
5. Barrington
Spaces as indicated
7:00 p.m.
Irene Ryan Finalists Posted
Hotel Lobby
8:00 p.m.
PRODUCTION #4
THE GRAPES OF WRATH
Roberts Hall Auditorium
By Frank Galati
Directed by Bryna Wortman
University of Rhode Island
10:30 p.m.
(or after show)
10:30p.m.
5 x 10 Rehearsals:
1. Newport
2. Wickford
3. Kingston
4. Greenwich
5. Barrington
Spaces as indicated
Hospitality Suite for Faculty and Guests
Parlor 632
(or after show)
Saturday, January 29, 2005
8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Festival Registration (continued)
Hotel Lobby
8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Irene Ryan Finalists Rehearsal
Rhode Island College – Sapinsley
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
5 x 10 optional Rehearsals:
1. Wickford
2. Kingston
3. Greenwich
4. Barrington
5. Bristol A
Spaces as indicated
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Response Session
The Grapes of Wrath
Newport
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Individual Portfolio Sessions:
Gregory Pulver and Kip Shawger
Tiverton
13
Saturday, January 29, 2005 (continued)
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Workshop: Chase Rozelle and Jim Dougherty
Rhode Island College - Scene Shop 156
“Skyhooks, Magic Glue, and other Custom Rigging Techniques”
Using basic principles of stage rigging, this workshop explores methods of making scenery fly, twist, turn and move as you will.
We’ll look at how to rig in spaces not designed for moving scenery, as well as how to use an existing rigging system to its fullest.
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Workshop: Curt Trout
“Mask Making Intensive III”
Rhode Island College - Craig-Lee 030
Limited to 12 active participants this workshop will meet for three packed sessions during the festival. Students must commit to all
three sessions to complete the project. Others are welcome to drop in and observe. The sessions will include sculpting, molding
in plaster, casting in neoprene, design and rendering techniques, decoration and finishing of the students original mask design.
Participants must wear shop clothes and have a willingness to get dirty! All other materials will be provided.
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Workshop: Michael Swanson
Kingston
“Punching, Whispering, Gliding, And A Grid:
Using Movement And Voice Games To Enhance Your Directing Creativity”
Some directors have found great inspiration for their visual and aural shaping of a production in standard voice and movement
exercises originally designed for actors. Come prepared, wearing loose fitting clothing, to go back to acting games to help you
find new twists and nuances for your production. If you also act and have prepared monologues, a printed or written copy of
those texts will be helpful, but not necessary. Limit: 18
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Irene Ryan Finals
Rhode Island College – Sapinsley
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Workshop: Melanie Marnich
“Your Show Must Go On: Building a Life as a
Playwright Before and After Graduation”
Wickford
This two-hour workshop starts with a frank, ask-the-playwright-absolutely-ANYTHING discussion about how to keep writing during
and after college. Young writers will learn skills to help stay productive-and help get produced-while carving out a place for
themselves in the world of theatre. Then, a series of writing exercises will help explore, expand and express an individual vision for
the stage.
12:00 p.m.
PRODUCTIONS #5A
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
Helen Forman Theatre
By Christopher Gyngell (Student Playwright)
Directed by Thomas Power/William Steele
University of Southern Maine
Note:
The Helen Forman Theatre has limited seating, not everyone will be able to see this production.
Seats are available only on a first-come-first-served basis.
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Workshop: John Devlin & Nathan Lee
“Portfolio and Resume Slam and Rebuilding”
Greenwich
This workshop will give feedback on portfolios, resumes and how to build and manage them. This will also help the student
prepare for the up coming USITT job expo at MIT in February.
12:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Critics Institute Session #3
Elms
12:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
5 x 10 Technical Rehearsals
Rhode Island College – Sapinsley
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Workshop: Gary Garrison, Maggie Lally
“What Have I Written: A Sketch or a Ten-Minute Play?”
Rhode Island College – TBA
In this workshop, Gary Garrison (National Playwriting Chair) will share the elements that define a strong short play as well as
what makes an effective sketch. If there is confusion as to why a certain ten-minute play may not have qualified as a play, or if
participants would like to try comedy writing and would like some clear and specific ideas on how to approach writing a sketch,
then this workshop would be ideal. Students must bring a notebook and writing utensil to this workshop.
14
Saturday, January 29, 2005 (continued)
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Workshop: Alex Zielke
“Staying Employed – Actors Behind the Scenes”
Wickford
Staring at a huge stack of headshots of people who look exactly like you can be daunting. So what do you do in the meantime?
What do you do while you wait for that big call? Is there life beyond waiting tables? Come hear how actors can work in the
theatre more continually by getting a little creative with the skills that are already there!
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Irene Ryan Finalists Feedback
Rhode Island College Marciniak Resource Library
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Marcia Joy Douglas
“Energy and the Actor”
Kingston
This workshop introduces the principle of Ki from Aikido and applies it to the movement and acting techniques. The purpose is to
discover old patterns of energy use and to introduce new ways to use personal energy. By learning to co-ordinate Mind and Body
the participant can gain access to their true creative potential. The content of the workshop is fun, concrete, practical, and
surprisingly simple.
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Emmanuelle Chaulet
“Energize! A Holistic Approach to Acting”
Newport
Reach higher levels of creativity and expression, deepen your character work, learn post-performance re-balancing techniques,
regenerate, rejuvenate, refill and RYSE! Based on RYSE (“Realizing your Sublimes Energies”) developed by Nancy Risley founder of
the Polarity Realization Institute, as well as using Michael Chekhov’s and Lee Strasberg’s acting techniques, Energize! Teaches
basic elements of energy awareness, helping actors access their personal power and further character development.
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Workshop: Rozanne Gates
“Entering the Profession – The Business of Acting”
Greenwich
This workshop is designed to give the student actor an insight into the commercial world of acting and a game plan from which to
begin a professional career. In addition, the workshop is designed to educate, motivate, and inspire actors so that they will have a
better chance at succeeding in having a lasting and productive career.
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Tech Olympics: Crystal Tiala
Rhode Island College - Scene Shop 156
All college and university students may sign up on site to participate in the Tech Olympics sponsored by New England Section of
the United States Institute for Theater Technology. Events will include: Hanging and focus of a lighting instrument, Drive a nail into
wood, Knot tying: Bowline and clove hitch, Reading a blueprint, Fast costume change and sewing. Winners will be determined by
their speed, accuracy and care. Judges will be comprised of professionals from the New England area. First prize is an award
certificate, 50 dollars and a package from Barbizon and second prize is a package from Barbizon.
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Workshop: TVI Representative
Newport
“ACTING and AUDITIONING in New York, LA,
and Chicago: Being a Professional Actor in Theater, Film & Television.”
The transition from academic theatre program to working actor is a difficult and exciting one. This seminar helps ease the
transition by giving students the confidence and skills to negotiate the fundamentals of the entertainment marketplace and realize
their goal of becoming a working actor. Whether the goal is New York, Chicago or Los Angeles, Film, TV or Broadway, this mult
media presentation is a great introduction to the ins and outs of the business of acting.
3:30 p.m.
PRODUCTIONS #5B
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER
Helen Forman Theatre
By Christopher Gyngell (Student Playwright)
Directed by Thomas Power/William Steele
University of Southern Maine
Note:
The Helen Forman Theatre has limited seating, not everyone will be able to see this production.
Seats are available only on a first-come-first-served basis.
15
Saturday, January 29, 2005 (continued)
5:30 p.m.
5 x 10 Presentations
Rhode Island College - Sapinsley
Jump by Sarah Brown (Boston University)
Randall Smith by Michael Buckley (Emmanuel College)
The Road to Rockville by John Busch (Boston University)
Tattoo by Donna Keegan (Boston University)
A Life of One by Nicholas Snyder (Colby College)
Alternates
Stupid Cupids by Asher Ellis (Colby-Sawyer College)
Clam and Hershel Go to the Market by Crystal Gomes (Boston College)
An Open Space by David Moran (Boston University)
Directors
Crystal Brian
Scott Gagnon
Patricia Hawkridge
Kelly Morgan
Jim Murphy
8:00 p.m.
Student Assistant Directors
Christopher Gyngell (University of Southern Maine)
Lola Cutter Hensel (Salem State College)
Nicole Kingma (Community College of Rhode Island)
Carolyn Marcotte (Southern Connecticut State University)
Aimee Sharp (Community College of Rhode Island)
PRODUCTION #6
A MOUTHFUL OF BIRDS
Roberts Hall Auditorium
By Caryl Churchill and David Lan
Directed by Patricia Sankus
Stonehill College
Awards Ceremony Immediately following “A Mouthful of Birds”
Roberts Hall Auditorium
(or after show)
11:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Closing Party
Helen Forman Theatre
12:00 a.m.
Hospitality Suite for Faculty and Guests
Parlor 632
10:30 p.m.
(or whenever)
Sunday, January 30, 2005
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
16
Response Session
November/December
Newport
10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 5 x 10 Feedback Session
Newport
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Response Session
A Mouthful of Birds
Wickford
11:00 a.m.
KCACTF Announcements
Hotel Lobby
11:30 a.m.
Region I Executive Committee Meeting
Wickford
Who’s Who at the Festival
Christopher Abernathy (Technical Director, Rhode Island College)
currently serves as Chairperson and Associate Professor for the
Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance at Rhode Island College.
He is entering his eighth year as a Professor of Theatrical Design
and Technical Direction. Other teaching credits are Scene Design
Professor at Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts and
Scene and Lighting Design at Forest Park Community College in St.
Louis Missouri. Chris’ lighting experience encompasses both architectural and theatrical lighting design. In addition to teaching Chris
has produced lighting fixtures for projects at Sea World of Florida,
Terrors of the Deep; and the Radisson Hotel in Cincinnati. He has
designed and built scenic and display elements for the St. Louis
Zoo, Dillard’s Department Store, Anheuser Busch, V.P. Fair (St.
Louis) and Tracker Marine. Since the inception of Abernathy
Lighting Design, Chris has collaborated on current projects such as
Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, Technology Center at
Coalbrookdale, Ironbridge, and the Green Bay Packers Hall of
Fame. Chris holds a MFA in Lighting Design from the University of
Missouri at Kansas City and a BFA in Stage Design from Webster
University. Chris enjoys guest speaking on design techniques and
has done so for the Educational Theatre Association and for several
area high schools. Chris is a member of the United States Institute
for Theatre Technology (USITT).
Dawn “Sam” Alden (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop
Leader, Fundamentals of Stage Rapier) is a Chicago stage actress
and fight choreographer. She was last seen at Victory Gardens in
Duet for One, and before that at the Goodman Theater in the world
premiere of By The Music of the Spheres. Before that, she was a
fighting chicken in About Face’s XenaLive 2: Xena Lives! – The
Musical. She has haunted Chicago stages for 12 years; favorite roles
include Antigone in Anouilh’s version of the play, Petruchio in
Taming of the Shrew, Herodias in Salome, Aphrodite in About Face’s
XenaLive: Episode I, the Police Trainer in Police Deaf Near Far,
Lysander in A Midsomer Night’s Dreame, Buckingham in Richard III,
Benvolio in Romeo & Juliet, and various roles in Warrior Queens and
Heroine: Rescued Voices with Footsteps Theatre. In her life as a fight
choreographer for the stage, Sam has had the distinction of being
the first female Resident Fight Choreographer in the Midwest (at
Footsteps Theatre), and has choreographed violence for theatre
companies all over Chicago and its suburbs. She is perhaps best
known for being the founder, artistic director and a performer in
Babes With Blades, Chicago’s all-female stage company, found on
the web at www.babeswithblades.org. Sam is also a member of the
International Order of the Sword and Pen and the author of many
articles and panels on the neglected martial history of women.
Matt Andrews (Workshop Leader, Building an Ensemble with
Acting Games) is an Assistant Professor of English/Theatre at Marist
College in Poughkeepsie, NY, where he teaches acting, directing
and dramatic literature. He received his MFA in Directing from The
University of Oklahoma and is a graduate of The National
Shakespeare Conservatory in NYC.
James T. Beauregard (Region I Co-Chair, Workshop Leader, Stage
Combat) is Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance, and Technical
Director of The Center for the Performing Arts at Dean College,
Franklin, MA. Jim’s Dean College directing resume includes:
Footloose, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, Pirates of Penzance, The
Crucible, The Three Musketeers, Much Ado About Nothing, Victims
of Paradise, Scapino!, My Father Never Prepared Me For This, The
Country Wife, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Jim is also Founder
and Director of Dean College Summer Theatre – Moliere productions include: Scapin the Schemer, The Doctor in Spite of Himself,
The Jealous Husband and The Flying Doctor. Stage Combat is Jim’s
specialty. During the 80s he toured and taught extensively with an
elite performing troupe and he continues to teach and choreograph
when his busy schedule allows. For ten years Jim was Artistic
Director and a principle performer at The Medieval Manor in
Boston. Along with Dr. Myron Schmidt, Jim is presently serving as
Co-Chair for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
(KC/ACTF), Region I.
Ilana M. Brownstein (Workshop Leader, Dramaturgy Response
Session & Discussion) is the Literary Manager and Dramaturg at the
Huntington Theatre Company, where she also serves as editor of the
Limelight Literary Guide and producer of the Breaking Ground New
Play Readings Festival. She holds an MFA in Dramaturgy and Dramatic
Criticism from the Yale School of Drama, and a BA in Directing from
The College of Wooster. She has worked at Actors Theatre of Louisville
(full season and the Humana Festival of New American Plays),
Ensemble Studio Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, Yale Cabaret, Ohio
University’s MFA Playwrights Festival, the 52nd Street Project, the
Dwight Edgewod Project, Next Stages, and many other venues. Ms.
Brownstein is a member and Vice-President (Northeast Region) of
Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas.
Jeffrey Carpenter (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge & Workshop
Leader, Lines, Character, ACTION!) studied at Stella Adler
Conservatory through New York University’s Tisch School of the
Arts where he received the award for Outstanding Achievement.
Jeffrey spent the last ten years working in theater throughout the
east coast in companies in New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh,
Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill NC. He is currently Artistic
Director of Bricolage Theater Company in Pittsburgh, PA where he
has directed and performed numerous productions. This past year
he performed in Bricolage’s world premiere of David Turkel’s
Holler; was featured in the world premiere of Adam Rapp’s
Gompers at City Theatre; and developed and directed Rick
Schweikert’s un becoming Off-Broadway. Jeffrey can be seen on
Television in WQED’s new children’s show Brainfood (Mid-Atlantic
Emmy Award). Additionally, Jeffrey taught acting at Duke University
and Civic Light Opera’s New Horizons program for the physically
and developmentally disabled.
Emmanuelle Chaulet (Workshop Leader, Energize! A Holistic
Approach to Acting) has been presenting her workshops “Energize!
a holistic approach to acting” in Providence, Rhode Island, for both
the New England Theatre Conference and the American College
Theatre Festival 2004. This technique, which she teaches at USM for
the Theatre Summer session, is a unique approach that she has
developed since 1998, using RYSE, (Realizing Your Sublime
Energies), an advanced Polarity therapy modality, used primarily for
healing purposes and developed by Nancy Risley. With this new
tool, she teaches actors, musicians, and dancers, how to manage
their energy systems (charkas and aura) and how to place them in
order to achieve higher creative states, develop character work and
fully rebalance after performance. She also offers private sessions at
17
Who’s Who at the Festival
Holistic Pathways in Gorham. Additionally, she is an accomplished
director (Phaedra, El Cid) and an international film actress (Eric
Rohmer’s “Boyfriends and Girlfriends”, “All the Vermeers in New
York”, “Sundowning”).
Jackie Dalley (Workshop Leader, Injury Makeup Demo/Workshop)
is assistant professor of design at Boston College, where she teaches costume design, makeup design and elements of theatre production, and designs costumes for the university productions. As a costume designer, she has worked in academic and professional theater in Boston, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Pittsburgh, having
designed more than 150 shows. In Los Angeles she also was a
makeup artist for Earthquake Preparedness Week, where she
designed and executed makeup for “victims” of simulated earthquake disasters for the purpose of teaching earthquake preparedness and response to disasters. Ms. Dalley received her MFA from
Carnegie-Mellon University.
Thom Delventhal (Region I Co-Vice-Chair, Irene Ryan CoCoordinator, Workshop Leader, “Mobiloxyschlock 53”) was happily
ensconced in Pittsburgh where he had been teaching at Carnegie
Mellon for 10 years, but New England (the cradle of his youth)
called. He has been directing and teaching Acting, Voice and
Improv at Central Connecticut State University for 5 years. In
Pittsburgh he was named a best performer 4 times (Antony in
Antony and Cleopatra, Proctor in The Crucible, Jeffrey in Scrambled
Feet and Jacob Hummel in The Ghost Sonata) and “The Most
Memorable New Voice” for his play academia Nut! Thom has choreographed violence for The City Theatre, The Three Rivers
Shakespeare Festival, The Pittsburgh and Boston Ballet Theatres and
The Hartford Stage Company.
John Paul Devlin (Workshop Leader, Scenic Design for Summer
Stock: Survival Comes in Many Forms and Portfolio and Resumé
Slam and Rebuilding) is the Resident Designer and technical director at Saint Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont. He enjoys a
freelance design career in Northern Vermont, working with the
Saint Michael's Playhouse, Vermont Stage, Northern Stage, Lost
Nation Theatre and assisting several local community theatres.
Over the past 23 years, John has kept himself very busy: he has
averaged a show every four weeks as a designer and technician,
working with more than a dozen professional companies from
Vermont to South Dakota and numerous academic organizations.
He holds an MFA in Drama and an MA in History from Syracuse
University; and a BA in Communication Arts and History from
Allegheny College. He is a native of Deerfield, Massachusetts and a
graduate of Deerfield Academy. John lives in Bolton with his wife,
Carol, and children, Patrick and Katy, without whose support his
work would not be possible.
Tami Dixon (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge & Workshop Leader,
Lines, Character, ACTION!) is currently working on Unbecoming at
Primary Stages 45th Street theatre. Past productions include Frank
Basloe’s Linked with hypothetical Theatre Company, Winter
(American premiere) Chicks With Dicks, Bad Girls On Bikes Doing
Bad Things at the Kraine, co-wrote and performed in Unreal City at
the Chelsea Playhouse, starred in When We Dead Awaken and The
Master Builder for The Century Center for the Performing Arts, The
Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant off-Broadway at the Henry Miller
18
Theatre, Down The Drain at the Ohio Theatre, originated the role of
Pace in The Trestle At Pope Lick Creek at ATL’s Humana Festival, and
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn at the George Street Playhouse,
among others. Tami holds a BFA in Acting from Carnegie Mellon
University where she graduated with honors. She is currently training to be a Yoga instructor and is in the process of completing her
first musical.
James Dougherty (Workshop Leader, Skyhooks, Magic Glue, and
Other Custom Rigging Techniques) is the Associate Technical
Director and Properties Master at Middlebury College. He supervises much of the rigging for productions at Middlebury, including
working with Hall Associates Flying Effects on a simulated hanging
effect for a recent production of An Experiment with an Air Pump.
Marcia Joy Douglas (Workshop Leader, Energy and the Actor) is a
director, actor, and choreographer. She joined the faculty of
UMaine in 1999 where she teaches acting, improvisation, movement, and voice. She has an MA in Directing from the University of
Washington and an MFA in Acting from Southern Methodist
University in Dallas. In addition to directing, choreographing, or acting in such shows as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?, Guys and
Dolls, Lend Me a Tenor, Ghosts, The Importance of Being Earnest,
The Birds, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Glengarry Glen Ross,
Beyond Therapy, Hay Fever, and Cabaret, she has also taught workshops and Performed her one-woman improvisational show, Story
Soup/Myth Pie, around the US and abroad in Norway, Germany,
England, and Costa Rica. In addition to her work in Theatre she is
also a Reiki Master and has taught workshops on healing and energy since the early 1970’s.
Stuart Duke (Workshop Leader, Lighting: Getting it on Paper:
Developing a Working Lighting Design; Lighting Roundtable: Tips
and Suggestions for Common Lighting Problems) In a career spanning almost 20 years, Stuart Duke has designed lighting for theatre,
dance, opera and industrials. His extensive regional credits include
many of the country’s leading regional theatres including The
Huntington Theatre Company; Washington’s Shakespeare Theatre,
Ford’s Theatre and Studio Theatre; Goodspeed Musicals, American
Stage Company, McCarter Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre,
Buffalo Studio Arena, Paper Mill Playhouse, Philadelphia Theatre
Company, Coconut Grove Playhouse, GeVa Theatre, Portland Stage
Company and North Shore Music Theatre. Among his favorite projects are the world premiere of Night Seasons, written and directed
by Horton Foote; Frankie, written and directed by George Abbott;
and the Off-Broadway hits The Rothschilds and john and jen. His
lighting has been seen in several regional opera companies and he
designed concert lighting for Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall. He
has been nominated three times for the Helen Hayes Award and
twice for Miami’s Carbonell Award in lighting design. A member of
United Scenic Artists since 1981, he served on the exam committee for several years. In 1995 he “retired” from full-time designing to
teach lighting at Ohio’s Oberlin College and subsequently accepted a position as Managing Director of Vermont’s award-winning
Weston Playhouse Theatre Company. His duties include overseeing
design and technical areas and he continues to design lighting for
two Playhouse productions and one or two other professional
shows each year.
Who’s Who at the Festival
David Empey (Workshop Leader, Introduction to Moving Lights and
Advanced Moving Ligts) has worked for ETC for two years in the
position of Field Project Coordinator. He grew up in a theatre, and
has worked throughout the industry in capacities ranging from
Actor to Stage Crew to Designer to Box Office Manager.
Mark Evancho (Region I Design Co-Chair), Associate Professor of
Design at Middlebury College, VT; previously taught at Drew
University, NJ, and at Allentown College, PA. Mark has designed for
the National Shakespeare Company, NYC; New Jersey Shakespeare
Festival, NJ; Blue Light Theatre Co., NYC; Potomac Theatre Project,
MD; Olney Theatre Center, MD; Pennsylvania Stage Company, PA;
Bucks County Playhouse, PA; and The National Opera Co., NC. In
the New England area, Mark has designed for Vermont Theatre
Company, Burlington, VT; Creative Video, Concord, NH; Lyric
Theatre Co., Burlington, VT; and Lost Nation Theatre, Montpelier,
VT. Mark attended Lester Polakov’s Studio & Forum of Stage Design,
NYC; Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, PA; and graduated from
Western Illinois University, and Baldwin-Wallace College, OH.
Bridget Frey (Workshop Leader, Dramaturgy Response Session &
Discussion) has been Boston Theatre Works (BTW) Literary
Manager and Resident Dramaturg since 2002 and has served as
production dramaturg for Our Town, Coyote on a Fence, Antony
and Cleopatra, Conspiracy of Memory and Jason Southerland’s
upcoming production of Hombody/Kabul by Tony Kushner, and for
several local productions including The Maids (dir. Kathryn Walsh)
and The Cherry Orchard (dir. Jason Slavick). For the past three years,
she has been co-director of BTW Unbound, the annual new play festival, and in that time she helped to discover and present new works
from notable writers including Esquina by Michael Bettencourt, The
Exile by Mark Krause, and Hypochondria by Kyle Jarrow (now one
of New York’s hottest young playwrights and a recent Obie Award
winner). Her work in new play development has included tenures at
Trinity Repertory Company, American Stage Festival, and the
American Repertory Theatre. She holds a degree in English and
Theatre from Chatham College in Pittsburgh.
Scott Gagnon (Regional Selection Team) is Assistant Professor of
Performance Arts at Emmanuel College in Boston. He is a graduate
of Emerson College's postgraduate program in theatrical directing
and is pleased to serve as a respondent and member of the selection
committee for KC/ACTF. Scott's directed credits include productions
of Museum, 1984, Grease, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Merrily We
Roll Along, Our Town and The Curious Savage for Emmanuel, as well
as productions of Into the Woods, Damn Yankees, Dial M For Murder,
The Secret Garden, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wiz, The Children's
Hour and Nunsense (1 and 2!) for groups including Turtle Lane
Playhouse, Curtain Call Theater, Boston Theater Bridge (where he
serves as Artistic Director),and schools such as Emerson and MIT.
Scott teaches theater to mentally challenged adults through the
Natick, Mass. Recreation Department and has served as director for
the Turtle Lane Children's Summer Workshop. In 1995 his original
play Black Sox, a musical about t he 1919 World Series, was presented at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York. His next project is
Harry Frazee's No, No, Nanette for Emmanuel, in celebration of the
Red Sox at last breaking the dreaded curse and bringing the trophy
to Emmanuel's backyard.
Gary Garrison (National Playwriting Chair, Workshop Leader, What
Have I Written: A Sketch or a Ten-Minute Play?) is the Artistic
Director, Producer and a member of the full-time faculty in the
Department of Dramatic Writing Program at NYU’s Tisch School of
the Arts. He has produced the last sixteen Festivals of New Works
for NYU, working with hundreds of playwrights, directors and
actors. Garrison’s plays include Crater, Old Soles, Padding The
Wagon, Rug Store Cowboy, Cherry Reds, Gawk, Oh Messiah Me,
We Make A Wall, The Big Fat Naked Truth, Scream With Laughter,
Smoothness With Cool, Empty Rooms, Does Anybody Want A Miss
Cow Bayou? and When A Diva Dreams. This work has been featured
at Primary Stages, The Directors Company, Manhattan Theatre
Source, StageWorks, Fourth Unity, Open Door Theatre, African
Globe Theatre Company, Pulse Ensemble Theatre, Expanded Arts
and New York Rep. He is the author of the critically acclaimed, The
Playwright’s Survival Guide: Keeping the Drama in Your Work and
Out of Your Life (Heinemann Press), Perfect Ten: Writing and
Producing the Ten-Minute Play (Heinemann Press) and co-editor of
two volumes of Monologues for Men by Men (Heinemann Press)
with Michael Wright. He is a faculty member of Playwriting for the
Kennedy Center’s Summer Playwriting Intensive, the National Chair
of Playwriting for the Kennedy Center’s American College Theater
Festival and a member of the Dramatists Guild.
Rozanne Gates (Irene Ryan Semi-final Judge, Workshop Leader,
Entering the Profession - The Business of Acting) is an author,
teacher, and former New York agent. Her book, How to Succeed in
the Business of Show Business … or everything they don’t tell you in
acting school but I will is the textbook used in her classes at SUNYPurchase and Columbia University. Be teaching the business of acting at the university level, Rozanne hopes to create a new generation of business-savvy actors. She was a New York agent for over
twenty years. Her clients included Edward Norton, W.H.Macy,
Chris Noth, Joe Mantegna, Lynne Thigpen, John McDonnough (the
All-New Captain Kangaroo), Robert Prosky, Bronson Pichot, and
Howard Rollins. Both Edward Norton and Howard Rollins received
Academy Award nominations for their first film roles while represented by Rozanne. Her hand-on experience as an agent gives
Rozanne a unique perspective from which to teach young actors
about the business of show business and she welcomes the opportunity. Rozanne graduated with a BFA in Acting from SMU. She currently lives in Westport, Connecticut with her life partner, photographer Suzanne Sheridan.
Chris Gyngell (Playwright, November/December) is a junior theatre
major currently studying at the University of Southern Maine, and has
participated in acting most recently as the Fire Chief in a production
of The Bald Soprano, directing a production of Neil LaBute's The
Shape of Things, and writing a one-act called End of the World,
Missouri as well as the full-length November/December as part of the
'04-'05 Mainstage Season. He is also a published poet, plays keyboard
in a band, and is the webmaster for the Student Performing Artists at
USM. Thanks to everyone involved for their continued support.
Craig Handel (Workshop Leader, Stage Combat) is a member of
Actor’s Equity and currently teaches at Salve Regina University,
University of Rhode Island and Dean College. He was Kathleen
Turner’s fight coach for Jewel of the Nile and was fight captain for
Kiss’s music video “All Hell’s Breakin Loose.” He has choreo-
19
Who’s Who at the Festival
graphed fights locally for Trinity Repertory Company. Craig also
directed Dean College’s production of Fifth of July, which appeared
at the Region I KCACTF in 2001.
Gregg Henry (Artistic Director of the Kennedy Center American
College Theater Festival) In addition to his KCACTF responsibilities he
is Associate for New Works and Commissions for Kennedy Center
Youth and Family Programs. He also coordinates the Kennedy
Center/Kenan Foundation Design, Acting and Directing
Apprenticeship Program. He is the co-producer of the annual Page-toStage New Play Festival, a free two-day event at the Kennedy Center,
featuring readings of new work by the theatres in the DC Metro Area
with a mission to nurture new voices in the American Theatre. For
these Festivals he produced readings of Lee Blessing’s The Scottish
Play in association with The Guthrie Theater, and Ken Ludwig’s
Shakespeare in Hollywood. In the fall of 2004 he directed Rahman
Turner’s Hatman & Skullcap for Young Playwright’s Theatre’s “Youthor-Dare” tour and the premiere of Norman Allen’s The Light of
Excalibur at the Kennedy Center. He recently directed Scaramouche,
by Barbara Field from the Sabatini swashbuckler for Washington
Shakespeare Company, and Field’s adaptation of Dreams in the
Golden Country from the Dear America Scholastic Books Series,
which played at the Kennedy Center Theatre Lab in Fall 2002 and a
national tour in Fall 2003. Other directing credits include Michigan
Shakespeare Festival: The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About
Nothing and The Merry Wives of Windsor; Oklahoma Shakespeare
Festival: Macbeth (also fight direction); Wisconsin Shakespeare
Festival: The Comedy of Errors and fight direction for Antony and
Cleopatra, Henry IV part 1, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar; Iowa
Shakespeare Festival Macbeth (also fight direction) and twenty-eight
productions while on the faculty of Iowa State University where he
was associate professor and director of theatre. He received his MFA
in Acting from the University of Michigan and began his KCACTF
association with an Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship nomination in
1979 while an undergrad at Rowan University.
Rebecca Hilliker (KCACTF National Committee Representative to
the National Selection Team) is the head of the Department of
Theatre and Dance at the University of Wyoming where she teaches dramatic literature and directing. She has published numerous
articles and reviews for such journals as Theatre Journal, Theatre
History Studies, Within the Dramatic Spectrum, New England
Theatre Journal, Nineteenth Century Theatre, and the Journal of
Popular Culture. She has directed over 50 productions during her
career and including a co-directed production of Susan Glaspel’s
Trifles for a symposium on “Susan Glaspel’s Trifles: Culture, Society
and the Law” that took place in Tel Aviv, Israel. The symposium
brought together lawyers and scholars from across disciplines and
from throughout the world to look at the issues of responsibility in
the play. Rebecca is former chair for the Kennedy Center American
College Theatre Festival Region VII. She is a strong advocate of supporting new student work and five years ago was responsible for
developing the one-act marathon of original student work that takes
place each year in Region VII. Her production of Acetylene written
by student Erik Ramsey was selected in regional competition as the
new student play national winner six years ago. It was later presented at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Rebecca assisted
20
Moises Kaufman in the development of the play The Laramie
Project and appears in the HBO movie of the production both as
an actor and character. She is the recipient of the prestigious
Horace Robinson Award from the Northwest Drama Conference
for her contributions to the region as director, educator and leader
and of the Kennedy Center Medallion for service.
PeggyRae Johnson (Workshop Leader, How to Become a
Respondent) is a freelance actor and director with more than 200
theatre and television productions, voice-overs, commercials, and
industrials to her credit. She received her undergraduate degree
from Eastern Illinois University where she triple majored in Theatre,
Speech, and English and her graduate degree in Theatre at the
University of Illinois, where she graduated summa cum laude.
Peggy Rae studied acting with David Knight of the BBC and voice
with Cicely Berry of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Additional
training includes Acting for the Camera, Michael Chekhov Master
Classes, Alexander Technique, Lessac, and Linklater Workshops,
and a Director’s Colloquium with Arvin Brown and Andrei Serban.
A past Associate Chair of Region I, she was awarded the Kennedy
Medallion and is a member of the KCACTF National Partners.
Peggy Rae teaches full time in the Theatre and Dance Department
at Keene State, and also teaches Voice & Diction and Oral
Interpretation at Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH.
Ellen W. Kaplan (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop Leader,
Terrifying Beauties: Madness and Ecstasy in The Bacchae) is
Associate Professor of Acting and Directing at Smith College. This
Fall she was a Fulbright Artist-in-Residence at the Chinese University
of Hong Kong; she has also been a Fulbright Scholar in Costa Rica.
Ellen has performed and directed internationally, in Israel at the
Khan, Sherover and Jerusalem Theatres and at Hebrew University.
In 2001-2002, she lived and worked in Jerusalem, teaching at Tel
Aviv University and working with intercultural theatre companies
around the country. Her extensive acting credits include Help
Wanted (film with John Collum), Inhabited 98, which won a prestigious BESSIE Award, and numerous other roles, including
Gloucester in an all-women version of King Lear with Kristin
Linklater. In 2005, she will direct After Mrs. Rochester by Polly Teale,
followed by Saul Bellow’s Stories on Stage at the Egg in Albany, NE,
in commemoration of Bellow’s 90th birthday. Ellen is also a playwright; her most recent play, Pulling Apart was a 2004 finalist for the
O’Neill Playwrights Conference, and will be produced in New
Have, CT in 2005. Her plays have been performed at Theatre
Matrix/Los Angeles, the Cleveland Public Theatre, Meredith College
in Raleigh, NC, in Northampton, MA, and internationally, in Galway,
Ireland; the Jewish State Theatre of Bucharest; and in Jerusalem. She
has produced two video documentaries, the most recent of which
is Mixed Blessings, about Jews and Gypsies (Rom) in Eastern
Europe; and, an interactive CD-ROM on the works of Juan Rulfo.
She is also active in theatre outreach activities, working with
Hampden County Correctional Institute with incarcerated mothers,
adolescents in Holyoke, MA, and a project with adjudicated teens
to create spoken work drams (plays, poetry, rap) for radio.
Julia Kiley (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop Leader, Improv
Roundup) a Connecticut native, left hearth and home at a tender age
to pursue an acting career in New York City. She studied for two years
Who’s Who at the Festival
at The Circle in the Square under Larry Moss, Michael Kahn, Moni
Yakim and Nikos Psacharopoulos, founder of the Williamstown
Theatre Festival. What followed were years of pounding pavement
and packing bags on the way to regional theatres around the country, notably The McCarter Theatre, The Asolo Center for the Arts, San
Jose Civic Light Opera and The American Players Theatre. In New
York City she had the good fortune to work with such luminaries as
Martin Charnin, John Weidman, Jerry Zaks and Stephen Sondheim.
For Mr. Sondheim she was an original company member of the musical Assassins, and went on to play Squeaky Fromme at the above
mentioned San Jose C.L.O. In 1990 she became associated with an
Equity Summer Stock theatre in Ivoryton, Connecticut, The River Rep.
This happy connection saw her first as actress and later as producer
and director as well. During her years there she has played roles from
Eliza Doolittle (My Fair Lady) to Bella (Lost In Yonkers) with a total of
forty-one shows to her credit at the end of last season. As director for
River Rep she has tackled Shakespeare (Midsummer), Inge (Bus Stop),
Gurney (Sylvia), Jones and Schmidt (The Fantasticks), Waldman and
Uhry (The Robber Bridegroom), and Simon (Laughter on the 23rd
Floor). In addition Julia heads up the Intern Company each summer,
teaching class to a dozen or so students from theatre programs
nationwide and directs these same students in a production presented at the end of each season. Other Connecticut appearances have
been with the Seven Angels Theater in Waterbury where she’s been
seen in The Irish and How They Got That Way, and Dancing at
Lughnasa and directed this season’s Oscar and Felix, Simon’s newly
updated Odd Couple. Her travels have also included completion of a
B.A. in English and Psychology at the City University of New York and
a Master of Arts in Theatre from Hunter College, New York City. She
lives now in West Hartford and serves on the theater faculty of the
Hartford Academy of the Arts where she directed last spring’s production of Evita. Other favorite jobs include wife to musician/husband
Joe Ganci and her favorite production ever, their five-year old son,
Patrick. Julia also won the 2003 CT Critics Circle Award for her role
as Sally in Follies with River Rep at Ivoryton, CT.
Wil Kilroy (Director, The Laramie Project, KCACTF Past Chair, New
England representative for the National Partners of American Theatre
(a KCACTF alumni organization), and Workshop Leader: How to
Become a Respondent) is currently a theatre professor at the
University of Southern Maine and previously taught at Santa Monica
College and the Michael Chekhov Drama Group in Los Angeles. As
an actor Wil has appeared in a variety of roles including Snowy Eagle
in Tammy and Billy-Bob’s Wedding which he co-created and directed, Michael in Tony ‘N Tina’s Wedding, Tom in the musical Pulp Alley
for New York’s West Bank Theatre, Philip in the Hollywood premiere
of Hotel Universe, as an alumni guest artist in Coppelia for the
University of Rhode Island, in Enroute with the Michael Chekhov
Drama Group in Los Angeles, the daytime serials All My Children
and As the World Turns, an alien in Babylon 5, and as the TV
spokesman for Maine Tax Amnesty in 2004. Credits as a director
range from The Boys Next Door to Nunsense to West Side Story.
Wil’s productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Everything Sprite,
and Purple Breasts were chosen for competition in the Kennedy
Center’s New England KCACTF festivals, with Sprite also chosen for
performance at New York’s Village Gate and Purple Breasts chosen
to perform in Washington, D.C. for the Breast Cancer Conference.
Wil has been a Kennedy Center scholarship recipient and studied at
the American Academy of Dramatic Art, Michael Chekhov Studio,
and National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York. He holds theatre degrees from the Universities of Rhode Island and Illinois, and is
a member of AEA, AFTRA, and SAG.
John Kuntz (Playwright, Jasper Lake) is the writer/performer of four
solo shows: Freaks, Glitterati (also known as Party Poopers), Actorz
with a Z, and Starfuckers; as well as six plays: Sing Me to Sleep, After
School Special, Emerald City, Miss Price, Jump Rope and My Life with
the Kringle Kult. He also co-authored the holiday comedy Spiked
Eggnog. Jasper Lake was part of the Breaking Ground Series at the
Huntington Theatre and was an official selection at this year’s New
York International Fringe Festival. He is a commissioned Playwriting
Fellow with the Huntington Theatre Company under the Stanford
Calderwood Fund for New American Plays, where Jasper Lake was
developed through readings and workshops. He is also currently pursing his Masters in Playwriting at Boston University where Jasper Lake
received immeasurable nurturing from Kate Snodgrass and Neal Bell.
John performed the title role in Richard III with Actors Shakespeare
Project at the Old South Meeting House last October and 40 roles in
The Lyric Stage Company’s production of Fully Committed last
November. Other recent acting credits include the title role in Scapin
and Estragon in Waiting for Godot (both at the New Rep.); the
writer/performer of Glitterati at Wellfleet Harbor Actors’ Theatre;
Fluellen in Henry V and Sir Andrew in Twelfth Night with
Commonwealth Shakespeare; Voice #1 in Betty’s Summer Vacation
with Andrea Martin at the Huntington Theatre Company; Sprinkles
Galore in the Boston premiere of Gip Hoppe’s Heart of Jade; the
world premiere of Shel Silverstein’s Shel’s Shorts at the Market
Theatre; Mrs. Daigle in The Bad Seed at the Ohio Theatre in NYC; and
as Tony in the long running Shear Madness. John is the recipient of
both an Elliot Norton Award (for Starfuckers,) and an IRNE award (for
The SantaLand Diaries), both for “Outstanding Solo Performance,”
and his short plays have been part of the Boston Theater Marathon
for the last five years. He performed Starfuckers at the 2002 New York
International Fringe Festival, where it received the “Best Solo Show”
award. It was later produced Off-Broadway at the Ohio Theatre. John
can be seen in the up-coming independent films The Red Right Hand
and Anathema (Best Actor Award – Festival Du Cinema du Bruxelles).
John appeared on “Survivors Guide to High School” on PBS last fall.
Maggie Lally (Festival Respondent, KCACTF Region II, Vice Chair)
is an assistant professor at Adelphi University. University directing
credits include: Stop Kiss, Refuge, Cloud 9, Top Girls, Antigone and
Lysistrata: The Sex Strike. She has taught and directed Short Forms
(cabaret) productions all over the country including NYU, Duke
University, in Fargo, North Dakota and currently at Adelphi
University, where she first learned the form. Maggie is a member of
the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers. She is Vice
Chair of Region II and is the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship
Coordinator. Maggie is most proud of Adelphi’s student involvement in all areas of festival production as well as regional faculty
involvement in the leadership task force.
Nathan K. Lee (Workshop Leader, Portfolio and Resumé Slam and
Rebuilding) is currently an Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at
Castleton State College. He has also worked at Arizona State
21
Who’s Who at the Festival
College, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and has
designed in New York, Hawaii, Oregon and St. Louis.
Harlene Marley (KCACTF Representative to the National Selection
Team) is Professor of Drama at Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio,
where she was the first permanent woman faculty member, the first
woman department chair, and the first woman to be promoted to
full professor. In addition, she served one year as (wait for it)
Kenyon's first woman Director of Libraries. She teaches directing,
playwriting, and voice/diction. She has directed more than fifty
plays at Kenyon, Central Missouri University, the Goshen Summer
Theatre, and elsewhere, including recent productions of
Metamorphoses, Master Harold and The Boys, Laramie Project, Boy’s
Life, Doll’s House and Othello. She as actively participated in
KCACTF for more than twenty years; she served as Region III
Playwriting Chair, and later as national Playwriting Chair. At one
time or another, she has judged Irene Ryan scholarship auditions,
responded to new plays and to festival productions in every region.
Both Region III and Region VI awarded her the Gold Medallion, and
KCACTF presented her with an award for distinguished service in
1997. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of NAPAT.
She received an NEH Summer Fellowship to Princeton and an
AAUW research grant. A graduate of Oklahoma City University and
Carnegie Mellon University, Ms. Marley has also studied at Tulane,
Indiana, Harvard, and the Universita per Stranieri in Italy. She will
retire from Kenyon in May, 2005.
Melanie Marnich (KCACTF Representative to the National
Selection Team) is an award-winning playwright whose work has
been produced at regional theaters and universities around the
country, and in Europe. Her play Blur premiered Off-Broadway at
Manhattan Theatre Club in 2001. That same spring, her play Quake
premiered at the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s Humana Festival of
New American Plays. Both Blur and Quake were subsequently presented by universities in past KCACTF Festivals. Most recently, her
play Tallgrass Gothic, an adaptation of the Jacobean tragedy, The
Changeling, premiered on ATL’s mainstage during the 2004
Humana Festival, directed by artistic director, Marc Masterson. Her
first full-length play, Beautiful Again, was the first play to win first
place in UCLA’s Samuel Goldwyn Writing Competition. Her other
plays include Season, The Sparrow Pro-ject, Dive and Cradle of Man
which recently opened Florida Stage’s annual reading series. Her
awards include two Jerome Fellowships and two McKnight
Advancement Grants from The Playwrights’ Center, the Francesca
Primus Prize (Denver Center Theatre), The Selma Melvoin Award
(Northlight Theatre) and an Ohio Arts Council Grant. She’s also
taken part in The Bay Area Playwrights Festival, The Public Theater’s
New Work Now Festival, Geva Theatre’s American Voices Series,
US West Theatrefest, and Portland Center Stage’s Just Add Water
Festival. Her plays have also been produced or developed at The
Guthrie Lab, London’s Royal Court Theatre, Dallas Theater Center,
Arena Stage, The Magic Theatre, Cherry Lane Theatre, Rattlestick
Theatre, Mixed Blood Theatre, American Theatre Company, Salvage
Vanguard Theatre, Hyde Park Theatre and Hypothetical Theatre
Company. She’s received commissions from the Guthrie Theatre,
Arena Stage, Mixed Blood Theatre, Northlight Theatre, The
Cincinnati Children’s Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse and The
Playwrights’ Center. Her plays have been published by Smith and
22
Kraus, TheatreForum and Playscripts, and translated into French and
German. She received her MFA in playwriting from the University
of California, San Diego. She lives and teaches in Minneapolis,
where she is a Core Member of The Playwrights’ Center.
Harry McEnerny (Regional Selection Team) is Associate Professor
of Theatre Arts at Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont. He
has directed several productions in Vermont and Virginia. Some of
his favorite directorial credits include Cyrano de Bergerac, Hair,
Oleanna, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Doctor Faustus, and The
Rocky Horror Show. He is a founding member of The Middlebury
Actor’s Workshop in Middlebury, Vermont.
Kate Mcgregor-Stewart (Irene Ryan Finals Judge) is a Yale School of
Drama graduate. Kate is a veteran of 4 Broadway shows (including
Christopher Durang's Beyond Therapy and Tom Stoppard's
Travesties) and 25 feature films, (including School of Rock, Father of
the Bride and In and Out,). Most recently, she was a guest star on
HBO’s award-winning show “Six Feet Under.” Kate has been teaching actors for 28 years in New York, Los Angeles, and Vancouver.
Her private coaching clientele include Nicole Kidman, Marisa
Tomei, James Gandolfini, Woody Harrelson, and Oprah Winfrey.
Her studio clientele include Dreamworks, Fox, Sony, Disney and
Paramount Pictures. You may view a more extensive list of Kate’s
credits on www.imdb.com.
Douglas Mercer (Director, Jasper Lake) is delighted to be able to
present this wonderful new play Jasper Lake to ACTF audiences and
considers it an honor to continue his collaboration with John. Doug
is based in New York City where he remains the artistic producer of
The Hawk & Handsaw Production Company. His favorite New York
directing credits include: The Taming of the Shrew (OOBR award,
Hawk & Handsaw), Jasper Lake by John Kuntz (New York Fringe
Festival) The Lover (Hawk & Handsaw), Romeo and Juliet (The
Acting Co), As You Like It (Expanded Arts), and Delivering Dad
(ATA). Doug is a 2004 graduate of the MFA directing program at
Boston University. His thesis was the 2004 hit production of David
Mamet’s Boston Marriage at The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.
Boston credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (CSC), Jasper
Lake (Boston Playwright’s Theatre), The Misanthrope, Company, The
Hothouse, Dealer’s Choice, An Ideal Husband, and Museum
(Boston University). In Minneapolis, Doug directed the 2001, 2003
and 2004 Guthrie Experience showcases with scripts by Melanie
Marnich, Bridget Carpenter, Carlyle Brown, Tracy Wilson and Tanya
Barfield. Doug has also served as an assistant director on The Pirates
of Penzanze, Twelfth Night, Summer and Smoke, Blithe Spirit (The
Guthrie Theater), Tartuffe, Arms and the Man, London Assurance
(The Roundabout Theatre Co), Ah, Wilderness (Lincoln Center
Theatre), A Madhouse In Goa (Second Stage), Marty, Betty’s
Summer Vacation (The Huntington Theatre Co), The Magic Fire (The
Old Globe Theatre) and was the 2000-01 Staff Repertory Director
for The Acting Company. He is a proud member of the SSDC.
Gary Mitchell (Workshop Leader, Acting Shakespeare) earned a
B.A. from State University of New York at Plattsburgh and an M.F.A.
from Boston University. Mr. Mitchell was the Managing Director at
the Barrington Stage Company for the 2001 season and has been
Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare & Company, where he
directed Richard II, Macbeth, Much Ado about Nothing, Women of
Who’s Who at the Festival
Will (a performance and discussion of Shakespeare’s heroines),and
Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth and Kerfol. He also adapted Kerfol
(Ghost Story), Souls Belated, Mission of Jane, and The Stage
Managers from Wharton for performance at Shakespeare &
Company. His own plays, Fortune and Misfortune, based on the
writings of Anton Chekhow, and Alagazam premiered there. Mr.
Mitchell was Literary Manager and Artistic Assistant at the
Huntington Theater Company in Boston and worked for Public
Broadcasting System’s American Playhouse in New York. His play El
Dorado Bound was a finalist in the Weissberger Competition at
New Dramatists in New York. He has written feature films and documentaries and is a member of the Dramatist’s Guild and the
Writers’ Guild of America. His screen play Hell’s Acres is in pre-production with Wilder productions and Danny Aiello III. The documentary on Alaskan Scenic Railroads for which he was the associate Producer can be seen on PBS and through Reader’s Digest
Films. Mr. Mitchell has written, produced, or directed over a hundred theater or video productions. He is an Associate Professor at
Simon’s Rock where he recently directed Alice’s Adventures
Underground, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and
co-directed numerous productions including Spring’s Awakening.
Benjamin Moore (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge & Workshop
Leader, Using the Stanislavsky System of Improvisation) is an actor,
director, and teacher living in New York City. He received his training at the Moscow Art Theater School and Carnegie Mellon
University. He has taught acting, voice, and movement at universities and theaters throughout the United States and Europe.
Kelly C. Morgan (Region 1 Workshop Coordinator and
Founder/Executive Producer of The AmeriCulture Arts Festival and
Professor of Theater at Fitchburg State College) has served as Artistic
Director/Founder of the Mint Theater in New York City and The
American Deaf Play Creators Festival in Rochester, New York. He has
served as Artistic Director of The Champlain Shakespeare Festival in
Burlington, Vermont and Artistic Associate at The Riverside
Shakespeare Company in New York City. He has appeared on the
stages of the New York Shakespeare Festival, Cleveland Playhouse,
and Syracuse Stage and at various Broadway and Off-Broadway
Theaters and on film and television soaps and prime-time series such
as NYPD BLUE and LAW & ORDER. He has directed at such respected regional theaters as Steppenwolf Theater with John Malkovitch
and Gary Sinese, Cleveland Play House, Yale Repertory, Lost Tribe
Theater and is currently directing Austin Pendleton in the classic, The
Master Builder, that will open Off-Broadway next spring. He has
served as Master Teacher of Acting at SUNY/Fredonia, Chair of
Performing Arts at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, Chair
of the Graduate and Undergraduate Theater Programs at Case
Western Reserve University, and the faculties of Princeton University
and the University of Vermont. He has received the National
Endowed Chair of Excellence in the Arts from The Center for
Excellence, the Massachusetts Commonwealth Commendation from
the State Senate for the creation of the AmeriCulture Arts Festival
and service to Massachusetts. Most recently he received the prestigious MASTER TEACHER designation from the Los Angeles Film &
Stage Institute.
Joel Murray (Chair of the National Playwriting Program, Region VI)
has written, directed, and acted in approximately 200 stage, film,
and prime time and daytime television productions--including
national commercials. He has been a member of numerous theatre
groups, such as the MET Theatre with actors such as Ed Harris,
Holly Hunter, and James Gammon; and Padua Hills Playwrights
with Murray Mednick, John Steppling, and Sam Shepard. He has
won various best actor, playwright, and director awards, including
Drama-Logue Awards and KCACTF National Recognition, and has
received multiple grants and fellowships for his directing and playwriting. Joel has also presented over 60 papers on acting, directing,
playwriting, and theory and criticism at national and regional conferences, and has published many papers in international, national,
and regional journals. Further, he has sold and optioned screenplays
and published play scripts. He is currently Chair of the University
Division for the Southwest Theatre Association.
Catherine F. Norgren (National Chair of KCACTF) is a member of
United Scenic Artists, local 829, and has designed costumes for the
Alabama Shakespeare Festival; the Kennedy Center's Youth &
Family Programs; Virginia Stage Company; the National
Shakespeare Company; Vermont Stage Company; Studio Arena
Theatre, Buffalo; Pennsylvania Center Stage; the Arden Theatre of
Philadelphia; Indiana Repertory Theatre; the North Carolina
Shakespeare Festival; and Interlochen Summer Arts Camp. She has
been a Visiting Artist at Villanova University, Gannon University, &
Juniata College, in PA; at Iowa State University; and the University
of Evansville, IN. Cathy’s costumes have been to the Kennedy
Center twice, as part of KCACTF productions from the University of
Evansville, as long ago as Festival XX. She is an Associate Professor
in the University at Buffalo’s Department of Theatre & Dance. She
is currently working on the costume design for two shows at the
Humana Festival of Actors Theatre of Louisville.
Larry Nye (Workshop Leader, Creating Movement for Actors) is currently an Assistant Professor of Children’s and Musical Theatre and
Dance/Movement at Southern Connecticut State University and
the Director of Dance at Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training
Center in New York. He has also taught at Coker College in South
Carolina, Dekalb High School for the Arts in Georgia and The
University of Oklahoma. Larry received his M.F.A. in Dance (modern) from The University of Oklahoma and his B.F.A. in Dance (ballet) from The University of Arizona. Larry also attended The
University of Michigan, Kellogg Community College and North
Central Michigan College where he studied drama, musical theatre,
music and art. He has been a member of Actor’s Equity Association
performing in productions of Sugar Babies, A Chorus Line, Evita as
well as others. He has directed and choreographed Cabaret,
Chicago, Pippin, Sweet Charity, Grease, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar,
Anything Goes, 42nd Street, Oklahoma, Fiddler on the Roof and
many others. As a choreographer he has collaborated on productions of The Will Rogers Follies, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,
Aspects of Love, Annie Get Your Gun, Paint Your Wagon, Guys and
Dolls, She Loves Me, Hello Dolly and many more of your favorites.
Larry has worked with several academic, community and professional organizations in Michigan, Florida, Arizona, Oklahoma, New
York, Pennsylvania, Georgia, South Carolina and Connecticut. In the
past, Larry has instructed for both the American College Theatre
and Dance Festivals presenting successful workshops in creative
movement and choreography.
23
Who’s Who at the Festival
Jennifer Ouellette (Irene Ryan Co-Coordinator) Jennifer graduated
Summa Cum Laude from Central Connecticut State University with
a B.F.A in Theatre. Following graduation in 2000, she studied at the
British American Drama Academy in Oxford, England. In addition to
working part-time as a University Assistant and Irene Ryan CoCoordinator in CCSU’s Department of Theatre, she directs plays in
schools across Connecticut, teaches Theatre Makeup, designs
makeup for productions, and is an accomplished stage actress.
communication at UMKC, Longview Community College, Emporia
State University, and Johnson County Community College. At
JCCC, she has twice been the recipient of the Lieberman Teaching
Excellence Award for Adjunct Faculty. Beate is also the VicePresident of the Barn Players, a community theatre in Kansas City.
She has directed over 50 productions, including Measure for
Measure, Othello, House of Yes, Violet, Top Girls, Criminal Hearts,
Baltimore Waltz, Private Eyes, The Three Sisters, and Uncle Vanya.
Dan Patterson (Region I Past Chair, Critics Institute Leader) has
directed over thirty productions at Keene State College in the last
twenty-four years including the Premiere Series; a new play competition that he founded in 1989. His productions of Terra Nova, The
Servant of Two Masters and Next Time by Fire (a Premiere Series production), have been performed at the Region I Festival. Professor
Patterson received his BFA and MFA degrees from the University of
Texas at Austin where he studied directing under the tutelage of Dr.
Francis Hodge. In 1975 he was one of the co-founders of the THEATREWORKS company at the University of Colorado at Colorado
Springs which has received numerous awards (including the Colorado
Governor’s Award for Artistic Endeavor) for its “Playwright’s Forum”
new play series and the THEATREWORKS Shakespeare Festival.
Professor Patterson has acted in numerous Shakespeare companies
around the country and currently performs in the summers with the
Actors Theatre of West Chesterfield, NH. Dan is also proud of the
Kennedy Center Medallion that was awarded to Keene State College
for hosting the Festival four times in the mid 1980’s.
Ilse Pfeifer (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop Leader, Voice
and Body) is certified in Fitzmaurice Voicework, teaches weekly
Fitzmaurice Lab classes, and works with private clients of theater,
film and television in New York City. Ilse taught at the Freie
Universitate Berlin, the Berliner School of the Performing Arts,
Germany. New York University Playwrights Horizons, The Actors
Center, Gate Acting Conservatory NYC and has held workshops in
several Universities around the country. She also assists in the teachers training for the Fitzmaurice Voicework. Graduate diplomas from
the Royal Academy of Dancing and Imperial Society of Teachers of
Dancing London, England.
Josh Perlstein (Co-Vice-Chair & Irene Ryan Co-Coordinator) directed last years’ Festival production of Lebensraum and Keely and Du
the year prior. He received his BA from Brandeis University and his
MFA in Directing from UMass, Amherst. He worked as a professional actor in Boston from 1979-1985 and started teaching in 1987. He
has held his position at Central Connecticut State University since
1992 where he teaches acting and directing. His special interests
are in Theatre of the Holocaust and more recently created the
InYoFace touring ensemble, which tours pieces on social issues.
Céline Perron (Workshop Leader, The Sprayed Image) is currently
Professor of Theatre and Dance at Keene State College. Over the
past twenty years, she has gained national and international recognition for her work in scenic and lighting design. Her set designs
have been featured in more than 40 theatrical productions staged
throughout the United States and Canada, in venues such as The
Provincetown Theatre Company, Theatre d’la Vielle 17, the Milton
Academy and the University of Las Vegas. Her lighting designs have
enhanced no fewer than 30 productions of theatre and dance. In
addition, She has served as Design Chair for the Kennedy Center/
American College Festivals region I.
Beate Pettigrew (Festival Respondent, Regional Chair for KCACTF
Region V) currently lives in Lenexa, Kansas where she teaches theatre and speech communication at Johnson County Community
College and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She received a
BFA and BSE from Emporia State University, an MA in Theatre from
the University of Kansas, and graduated magna cum laude as a
Hallmark Fellow from the University of Missouri-Kansas City with an
MFA in Theatre Direction. Beate has taught theatre and speech
24
Beth Phillips (Workshop Leader, Ensemble Basics: Devising) recently earned her M.A. in Drama and Theatre Studies at the National
University of Ireland, Galway. In New York she studied acting with,
among others, Kelly Morgan, Jim Bonney, and Edward Burke, and in
London at the Royal National Theatre Studio. She has performed
extensively in New York City and at the AmeriCulture Theater
Festival in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. At the Market Theater in
Cambridge she originated the role of Mother/Professor in Ping
Chong and Michael Rohd’s devised piece, Reason. She is currently
an artist-in-residence for the AmeriCulture Theater Program at
Fitchburg State College, where she also teaches Speech.
Cathy Plourde (Workshop Leader, Playwriting as Activism) is based
in Portland, Maine yet traveling nationally, is a playwright focusing on
works for social justice, and is the executive director of Add Verb
Productions Arts & Education. Her plays The Thin Line and You the
Man have been to 26 states with AVP. After a long hiatus from acting, this year she began performing and touring Cookin’ With
Typhoid Mary, a one-woman show on the infamous Mary Mallon.
For her work using theatre for social change, she won the Maine
Women’s Fund Award this past fall. She has been working with youth
and communities, facilitating the development of collaborative,
issue-based performance. Over the last few years she’s offered sessions for ACTF attendees. Crash Course on Being a Teaching Artist:
Creating Collaborative Performance; Developing and Creating the
One-Person Show. Cathy is a member of The Dramatists Guild of
America, the Assn. Of Theatre in Higher Education, an Honorary
Artist in Residence at the University of Southern Maine, and has volunteered for KCACTF Region I since 1999.
Chris Potocki (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop Leader, The
Unscripted Comedy Workshop) Over the past year Chris has co-created and developed programs for MTV, FUSE and AMC. Currently
his unscripted comedy The Princess is in development with
Endemol, USA and has agreements to develop programs with New
Line Television and True Entertainment, respectively. Chris has
recently written and produced all six episodes of AMC's original
Who’s Who at the Festival
comedy series, "Filmfaker's" and is currently developing its second
season. He has written and produced, created and developed
numerous other TV projects for FUSE, MTV and several production
companies. As a performer, Chris has appeared in both features and
on television. TV credits include Late Show with David Letterman on
CBS, All Access on VH1, The Ultimate Fan Search on TV Land and
MTV’s F%#k Ups. Feature film roles include the epic Gods &
Generals and a featured role in the 2004 release Spider-Man 2.
Thomas A. Power (Director, November/December) is a senior
member of the Theatre Department of the University of Southern
Maine where he teaches Acting, Directing and play writing. As past
artistic director of the nationally recognized Children’s Theatre of
Maine, he authored many plays performed by that professional
company and collaborated with Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in a re-write of
Vonnegut’s, Happy Birthday, Wanda June. Winner of the 1990 Moss
Hart Award for his musical, Grannia, Power writes and acts for The
Rocky Coast Radio Theater and is a member of the Dramatist Guild.
Gregory Lawrence Pulver (Workshop Leader, Costume Design
from Inanimate Objects) is currently the Assistant Professor at
Western Washington University in Costume Design. He teaches
courses in Beginning Costuming, Costume Design I & II, Costume
History, Millinery, Introduction to Design Communication, and
Puppetry. Mr. Pulver holds an MFA in Costume Design and
Choreography from Humboldt State University, CA. He is the 1993
Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National
Costume Design Winner for his work on Three Penny Opera.
Patricia Riggin (Region I Playwriting Chair) teaches acting and voice
in the theatre program at Boston College. In addition, she has
taught at Emerson College, University of Maine, Circle-in-theSquare, Hunter College, and Amherst College. She is a designated
Linklater teacher and is fortunate to have spent many years studying
Meisner technique with William Esper in New York City. As a director, Patricia has staged numerous academic productions and has
directed professionally for the Bar Harbor Theatre, Boston
Playwrights, Maine Shakespeare Festival, Penobscot Theatre
Company, Portland Stage, and Contemporary Theatre of Syracuse.
In New York City she has staged productions off-off-Broadway and
“workshopped” numerous new plays. As a member of Actors’
Equity, Patricia performed in New York City and in regional theatres, including Syracuse Stage, Portland Stage, and the Kennedy
Center. Patricia Riggin received her undergraduate degree in theatre
from Cornell University and her M.F.A. from Brandeis. She has
worked with KCACTF for the past eight years as a respondent and
on the selection team that plans the Region I festival. Patricia is currently the Playwriting Chair for KCACTF Region I where she loves
nurturing the works of New England’s playwrights, running the 5x10
Play Festival, and the new 1x2 One Act Event.
Lee Rose (Workshop Leader, Digital Sound Editing and Operation)
is Assistant Professor and Director of the Theatre Program at the
University of Maine at Machias. He received his MFA in Theatre
from the California Institute of the Arts, his BA in English Literature
from Union College, and served on the theatre faculties of Tulane
and Fairleigh Dickinson Universities and at Union College. Lee's
directed productions of The Moonlight Room, Lips Together Teeth
Apart, Babes in Arms, Spike Heels, Top Girls, Crimes of the Heart,
Burning Bright, Baby with the Bathwater, and Primal Time among
many others and designed sets for Annie, Anne of Green Gables,
and the upcoming Carousel with The Downriver Theatre Company.
Lee stage managed Off and Off-Off-Broadway including The
Importance of Being Earnest with Cherry Jones and Julie Taymor's
The Taming of the Shrew and ran sound at the Public and WPA
Theaters, on Theater Row, and for the original Off-Broadway production of The Foreigner. A member of AEA and SAG, Lee's acted
in New York, on national tours, and England performing on stage
and in music videos, television, and film. At UMM, he teaches classes in all aspects of theatre. His most recent projects include a videoenhanced Twelfth Night, a pop-up book with sound Rhinoceros,
and performing in WNET/Thirteen (NY)'s Slavery and the Making of
America, King Lear starring James Gammon, and Hook in Peter Pan.
Mr. Rose's original comedy Agency premiered in November 2003.
Chase Rozelle (Workshop Leader, Skyhooks, Magic Glue, and other
Custom Rigging Techniques) is an Assistant Professor of Theatre and
Technical Director at Eastern Connecticut State University in
Willimantic, Connecticut. His most recent rigging challenge was a
highly-ornate, magically-floating, deconstructionist door frame that
had to safely disassemble itself during the performance of Eastern's
successful run of Electra 2004. He has solved a number of other
equally mind-numbing rigging challenges while serving as Technical
Consultant for The Nevada Shakespeare Festival and during his time
as Assistant Technical Director at The Goodspeed Operahouse in
East Haddam, CT. Chase is an active member of the United States
Institute of Theatre Technology (USITT) and will be serving as a
judge for the ACTF Region I Tech Olympics this weekend.
Patricia H. Sankus (Director, A Mouthful Of Birds) began her studies at the University of New Hampshire at Durham, and did graduate work at Yale and Tufts University. After teaching in the Boston
area for some years, she joined the faculty at Stonehill College in
1980 where she developed its theatre program. Several of her productions, including Machinal, Il Campiello, Ghetto and Dandelion
Wine, have been seen at previous regional festivals. Dr. Sankus is also
the Artistic Director for Chamber Theatre Productions, a national
touring company based in Boston that brings dramatic adaptations
of classic short stories to students across the United States.
Wesley Savick (Director, The Suicide) has directed over fifty professional productions and has written the book and libretto for an
opera based on the life of Liberace as well as theatre pieces based
on Edgar Allen Poe, the medieval mystic Margery Kempe, and former U.S. Ambassador George F. Kennan. Wesley has directed
Suffolk Student Theatre’s Boston premiere of Len Jenkin’s Pilgrims of
the Night, Peter Brook’s The Conference of the Birds, Thornton
Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, and and his own adaptation of
Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco. He has also directed Boston
Playwright Theatre productions of Kate Snodgrass’ The Glider,
Ginger Lazarus’ Matter Familias, Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott’s
Walker, Payne Ratner’s Infestation, Ronan Noone’s The Blowin’ of
Baile Galle, (Elliot Norton Award for “Best New Script”) and Russel
Lees’ Monticel. He recently directed Glitterati by John Kuntz at
Wellfleet Harbor Actor’s Theatre. He acted in the BPT premiere of
Haymarket by Zayd Dohrn and directed the premiere of Shel
Silverstein’s Signs of Trouble at the Market Theatre and the touring
25
Who’s Who at the Festival
production of Friendship of the Sea at North Shore Music Theatre.
Wesley has served as Artistic Director of Theatre X in Milwaukee
and Artistic Associate of the Organic Theatre in Chicago and as
Interim Artistic Director of the Drama League of New York’s
Director’s Project. He was also artist-in-residence at the
DARTS/Subaru Theatre in Tokyo and has recently been named
Artistic Director of Coyote Theatre in Boston. He holds degrees
from Dartmouth College, Marquette University and an ABD at
Northwestern University’s Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Theatre. He is a
graduate of the American Repertory Theatre’s Institute for
Advanced Theatre Training and the Directors Project of the Drama
League of New York. Wesley received an Individual Artists Grant
from the Japanese Ministry of Culture, enabling him to live in Japan
for a year to study noh and kabuki theatre techniques as well as
nagauta shamisen, takebue and nohkan. He is especially interested
in new plays and play development, the avant-garde, intercultural
performance, and post-modern interpretations of classical theatre.
Myron L. Schmidt (Region I Co-Chair) is Professor of Theatre and
Department Chair of the Communication, Visual and Performing
Arts Department at Dean College, Franklin, MA. He received his BA
in Speech and Drama from Valparaiso University, an MA in Theatre
Education from Emerson College and an Ed.D. in Higher Education
Administration from Vanderbilt University. Presently completing his
30th year at Dean College, he has been involved in over 60 productions as director, producer or designer. He most recently directed
The Laramie Project, A Chorus Line, Don’t Drink the Water, Hair,
42nd Street, Pippin, The Boys From Syracuse and Gypsy. In addition to
serving as a faculty member, he has also served as the Assistant
Dean of Academic Affairs and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Recently, he performed the role of Louis Morris in 1776 at the
Orpheum Theatre, Foxboro, MA. Last year, he performed the role
of Martin Vanderhoff in You Can’t Take It With You, a role he also
performed his senior year in high school.
David C. (“Kip”) Shawger, Jr. (Festival Design Respondent) is the
Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival National Design
Vice Chair. A native of New Jersey who received a B.S. degree in
Drama from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a M.F.A. degree in
Design from Bradley University he is an award winning designer with
over 300 design credits and 30 years experience in education, community, professional theatre, television and film. Currently he is
Associate Chair and Head of Design, Department of Theatre and
Dance at Ball State University. He emphasizes a strong commitment
to KC ACTF, of which he is an active member and serves on the
Executive Committee for Region III. In 2001, he received the Kennedy
Center Gold Mediallion of Excellence for his work with ACTF. He has
also worked on a Kennedy Center Fellowship with Ming Cho Lee.
Professionally, his credits include designs for the Actor’s Conservatory
Theatre in San Francisco with the late William Ball, American
Entertainment Productions, and Carnival Cruise Lines out of both the
Los Angles and Miami ports-o-call. In 1990, he designed the award
winning New York production of PELLEAS AND MELISANDE at the
Schapiro Theatre directed by Maggie Mancinelli. A recipient of exhibition and purchase awards such as the Prague Quadrennial and United
States Institute for Theatre Technology Biennial Showcases, Kip has
been cited for excellence by the National Endowment for the Arts.
26
Gregory Sims (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop Leader,
Acting In Spite of Emotion) is a professional actor, teacher and
Artistic Director of the Invisible Theater Company. Highlights as an
Actor - Television/Film- The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show - Fox, The
High Life - HBO, Spoils of Victory - Showtime, Astoria - Lifetime; NY
Theater - The Brothers Karamotzov - The Culture Project, Oedipus The Met, After The Rain - Theater Four; Regional - Machinal - Two
Rivers Theater, Shepards Bush - Eureka Theater, Flight of Angels Emmerlin Theater; Commercial - Budweiser, Dr.Scholls, Molson
Golden, MCI, Earthlink etc...
Kate Snodgrass (National Vice Playwriting Chair) is the Artistic
Director of Boston Playwrights' Theatre at Boston University and the
Elliot Norton Award-winning Boston Theater Marathon. She is the
2001 recipient of the prestigious “Theatre Hero” Award from
StageSource, Inc., in Boston, which lauded her “vision, leadership,
and inspiration.” Kate is the author of the Actors' Theatre of
Louisville's Heideman Award-winning play Haiku, and her short
plays Que Sera, Sera and Critics’ Circle were seen at Boston Theater
Marathons. Her full-length play Observatory Conditions is the winner of the 1999 IRNE Award for “Best New Play” and of the
Provincetown Theatre Company’s Playwriting Award Competition.
As an actor, Kate studied at Kansas University, Wichita State
University, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Act, and in
NYC. Kate is the incoming National Chair of the Playwriting
Program at KCACTF and has taught at Boston University, the
Harvard Extension School, Wellesley College, Brandeis University,
The American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.), and Wichita State
University, among others. She is a member of Actors' Equity,
A.F.T.R.A., and the Dramatists' Guild.
William Steele (Director, November/December) is Professor of
Theatre at the University of Southern Maine. He is the author of
four books on theatre and film, a recipient of the Valley Players'
Vermont Playwrights’ Award and the Communicator Crystal Award
for Radio Drama Writing, and a professional actor with hundreds of
national and regional film, industrial, commercial, and television
credits. His most recent books include Acting in Industrials: The
Business of Acting for Business, and Stay Home and Star: A Step-ByStep Guide to Starting Your Regional Acting Career, both published
by Heinemann Educational Books. He has played feature roles in
the following films and television series: “Mermaids,” “The
Defection of Simas Kudirka,” “Against the Law,” “America’s Most
Wanted,” and “Miller’s Court.”
Daniel Stein (Irene Ryan Finals Judge, Workshop Leader, Dell’Arte
Intl’s Extreme Physical Theatre for the Actor/Creator) has just completed serving his five year rotation as School Director, and now carries the title of Projects Director of The Dell’Arte International
School of Physical Theatre where he also teaches “Generating New
Materia” and “Poetic Dynamics”. After studying in the Professional
Actors Training Program at Carnegie-Mellon University, he then
went to Paris to study with Etienne Decroux, and subsequently
made his home in Paris for 20 years. Daniel started his professional
career as an actor with the French National Theatre. His solo performances have now toured in more than 25 countries. He had his
own school in Paris for 15 years and has taught master classes
Who’s Who at the Festival
throughout the world at institutions such as Juilliard School of
Drama, New York and The Institute of Dramatic Arts, Tokyo. Daniel
has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the
United States/Japan Commission, the Pew Charitable Trust, and has
been named a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow.
Steve Stettler (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop Leader,
Getting the Job: Tips on Auditioning for the Theatre) is Resident
Producing Director of the Weston Playhouse, Vermont’s oldest professional theatre, where his directing credits include Proof, Floyd
Collins (Moss Hart Award for Best Production in New England),
Candide and New England Tours of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
Are Dead, David Copperfield, Master Class and Dancing At
Lughnasa. He has directed productions and workshops regionally
(Denver Center, Portland Stage, McCarter, Merrimack Rep), in New
York (Circle Rep, Theatre Row) and internationally (including the
Norwegian Premiere of A Clockwork Orange, and Carousel at the
Norwegian State Theatre in Oslo). Prior to moving to Vermont, he
was an Artistic Director of the Obie Award winning TNT/The New
Theatre of Brooklyn, directing the New York Premieres of works by
Ingmar Bergman, Michael Frayn and Tom Stoppard. A longtime
instructor of acting for the O’Neill Theater Center’s National
Theater Institute, he also coached acting for Catholic University’s
Hartke Conservatory. A respondent and frequent adjudicator for
the American College Theater Festival’s Irene Ryan Acting
Scholarships and the Vermont Drama Festival, he has been a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, the Vermont Arts
Council and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Aoise Stratford (Festival Respondent, Workshop Leader, Distilling
the Craft of Dialogue) is a playwright who has won several awards
and has been produced throughout the USA, in Italy, Canada and
Australia. She was the finalist for the Humana Festival’s Heideman
Award for Ten Minute Plays, and her full-length Somewhere In
Between received an American Theatre Cititics’ Association New
Play Award nomination and was a silver medalist in the 2004 Pinter
Review Prize for Drama. She has twice been a writer in residence at
the Byrdcliffe Arts Colony and spent three years as Artistic Director
of Three Wise Monkeys Theatre Company. She’s a member of the
Dramatists’ Guild, and serves on the advisory board of the
Playwrights Center of San Francisco.
Luke Sutherland (Workshop Leader, To Unionize or Not to
Unionize) is Technical Director and Set Designer at the Community
College of Rhode Island. For the past 19 years, has worked professionally in Film, Opera, Television, and Theatre throughout the
country. As a Set Designer for IATSE Local 52 in NYC, his work can
be seen in The Siege, The Corrupter, Shaft Returns, Music From the
Heart, Mickey Blue Eyes, Summer of Sam and the first seven
episodes of Law and Order SVU, and others. Luke’s Opera and
Theatre credits range from working at the Spoleto Festival USA in
Charleston SC, Virginia Opera, La Jolia Playhouse, Paper Mill
Playhouse, and Trinity Rep, to name only a few. He continues to
work in NYC in film and TV, as well as working periodically in theatres in the New England region. In addition, Luke is a member of
New England Theatre Conference Board of Directors, College and
University Theatre Division. He is also an active respondent for the
Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival Region 1.
Michael Swanson (Festival Respondent, Chair of KCACTF Region
III) Michael teaches acting and directing at the University of
Arizona, and is teaching theatre history online this term at Western
Illinois University, his Region III connection. Previously he taught at
Western Illinois and, for fifteen years, at Franklin College in Indiana.
At Franklin, he developed the college’s theatre major, the growth of
which during his tenure there led to the college’s new fine arts
building. In KCACTF, Michael has served as vice-chair and Ryan
coordinator in Region III; judged the Ryan competition in Region II
and will judge this year’s Region VIII Ryan final round; and has
served as festival respondent in Regions II, IV, and VIII. Swanson
received his BA from Hamline University in St. Paul; his MFA in
directing at Wayne State; and his Ph. D. in theatre from The Ohio
State University. He was co-founder and co-artistic director of
Shakespeare & More, a professional outdoor Shakespearean troupe
in Indianapolis. Among the more than 50 shows he’s directed are
two U.S. premeieres of Canadian plays, The Real World? and Yankee
Notions. {hope you can change titles to italics) He serves as national president of the theatre honorary Theta Alpha Phi.
Crystal Tiala (Region I Vice Design Chair, Workshop Leader, Tech
Olympics) Crystal is the Assistant Professor of Design at Boston
College, Chair of the United States Institute of Theater TechnologyNew England Section and Advisor for the Ballard Institute and
Museum of Puppetry. Crystal has designed scenery for many regional
theaters and universities which include the Barter Theater, Merrimack
Repertory Theater, The Boston Conservatory, StageWest, The
SpeakEasy, Worcester Foothills Theatre, Boston College, The Boston
Conservatory, Two Rivers Theater, the Riverside Theater, The American
Stage Festival in New Hampshire; the Connecticut Repertory Theater,
Connecticut Opera, Trinity College, the University of Hartford and the
Rybinsk Theater in Russia. Crystal has a Master of Fine Arts in Scene
Design from the University of Connecticut and is a member of United
Scenic Artists local 829.
Curtis Trout (Festival Design Respondent, Workshop Leader, Mask
Making Intensive) is a Professor of Scene Design at Illinois Wesleyan
University in Bloomington, IL. Since his tenure there starting in
1990, Curt has accomplished over eighty designs in scenery, lighting, costumes and sound for IWU and professional venues. His
designs for The Triumph of Love and an original play, Front, were
recognized by KC/ACTF, Region III for Meritorious Achievement.
His professional designs have been seen at Studio Arena Theatre,
Candlewood Playhouse, the Augusta Ballet, Tri-Cities Opera,
Lexington Children’s Theatre, and the Lincoln Amphitheatre. His
renovation design for the interior of St. Patrick Catholic Church in
Decatur, IL was chosen by the American Institute of Architects (AIA)
for award at the highest level in a Biennial Design Award ceremony.
Brigitte Viellieu-Davis (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge, Workshop
Leader, Audition Technique) was most recently seen in the world
premiere of Portland Stages’ Women & the Sea directed by Anita
Stewart. She has also played Off-Broadway premiere roles in
Sweepers and Mother Lolita. Other stage credits include: Capital
Rep, Primary Stages, The Public Theatre, Urban Stages, The Drama
League, Manhattan Theatre Source, Assembly, Creative Place, 24
Hour Plays, Gorilla Rep, Irondale Ensemble Project, Montreal’s
Arbat Theatre and the Moscow Art Theatre. In December 2002 she
27
Who’s Who at the Festival
premiered Unreal City, her stage adaptation of 7 autobiographical
stories from the New York Times. Brigitte is the founder of LIVES, an
intergenerational theatrical collaboration with The Actors’ Fund
Homes. She has been a consultant with Anna Deavere Smith and
the Institute on the Arts & Civic Dialogue at Harvard, Educators for
Social Responsibility and Bernard Telsey Casting. Television credits
include Guiding Light and Sex & the City. Brigitte currently works
with the improvisational/experimental ensemble company Strike
Anywhere. She holds an M.F.A. in Acting from Carnegie Mellon
University/Moscow Art Theatre and a B.A. from Purdue University.
Paula Vogel (Playwright, Keynote Speaker) Her play, How I Learned
to Drive, received the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Lortel,
Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and New York Drama Critics
Awards for Best Play, as well as winning her second OBIE. It has been
produced all over the world and her screenplay has been in development for HBO. Her other plays include The Long Christmas Ride
Home, The Mineola Twins, The Baltimore Waltz, Hot ‘N’ Throbbing,
Desdemona, And Baby Makes Seven and The Oldest Profession.
Theatre Communications Group has published two anthologies of
her work, The Mammary Plays and The Baltimore Waltz and Other
Plays. Her play, The Long Christmas Ride Home, will be published by
TCG this fall. Ms. Vogel won the OBIE for Best Play in 1992, the
Rhode Island Pell Award in the Arts, the Hull-Warriner Award, the
PEN/Laura Pels Foundation Award, the Pew Charitable Trust Senior
Award, a Guggenheim, an AT&T New Plays Award, the Fund for
New American Plays, the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center
Fellowship, several National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, the
McKnight Fellowship, MacDowell Colony residencies, the Susan
Smith Blackburn Award, and the American Academy of Arts and
Letters Prize in Literature. Paula is the Adele Kellenberg Seaver
Professor of Creative Writing at Brown University, where she directs
the MFA Playwriting program.
David Watson (Irene Ryan Preliminary Judge) is currently on the
faculty of The Hartt School Theatre Division at the University of
Hartford serving as Assistant Professor of Acting. David has served
as director, actor, teacher, and mask maker for sixteen years. He has
been active in the professional theatre for over twenty-five years. He
most recently directed The Spitfire Grill at the Majestic Theater in
West Springfield. His directing credits at The Hartt School include:
The Crucible, A New Brain, SUBURBIA. New York acting credits
include: A Night of Pity, Pvt. Wars, The Doctors (NBC.) Hartford
Stage credits: A Christmas Carol, Richard III, The Greeks, Kean,
Antony and Cleopatra.
Bryna Wortman (Director, The Grapes of Wrath), heads the
Acting/Directing Tracks at URI Theatre where, since 1999 she has
directed eleven productions including plays by Chekhov and
Shakespeare, Fiddler on the Roof, Top Girls, The Laramie Project,
Anouilh’s Antigone, and An Ideal Husband. For some twenty years,
Bryna has embraced a dual career as an educator and professional
stage director in New York City and around the country. She is very
proud of her productions of Othello at Brooklyn College CUNY, premieres of Lavonne Mueller’s Little Victories starring Linda Hunt and
Jimmy Smits and The Only Woman General starring the late Miss
Colleen Dewhurst off-Broadway at the Women’s Project and
Productions and of The Cherry Orchard, twice-extended at The Actors
Studio, New York City. Bryna has taught and/or directed at The
28
American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Juilliard, NYU Tisch School of
the Arts, Marymount Manhattan College, and The Universities of
Iowa and Wisconsin. She engaged intensely in new play development
on an NEA Directing Grant at Circle Repertory Company, NYC, at
NYU Tisch School of the Arts as Artistic Director of their New Plays
Festival, and at the University of Iowa Playwrights Workshop and
Festival. In Rhode Island, she founded the Island Theatre Company
winning kudos for her direction of The Seagull and a mini-Shaw
Festival: Jerome Kilty’s Dear Liar and Shaw’s Candida. Bryna holds a
BA in English Literature and Criticism from Barnard College, Columbia
University and an MFA in Theatre from Brooklyn College, CUNY. She
is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers
(SSDC), The League of Professional Theatre Women, and The
Women’s Project & Productions. Bryna looks forward to directing The
Diary of Anne Frank for URI in Spring 2005 and, with her Grapes of
Wrath Company, is honored to participate in the Kennedy Center
American College Theatre Festival 2005.
Dana Yeaton (Workshop Leader, Playwriting for Actors) is the recipient of the 2002 “New Voice in American Theatre” award from the
William Inge Theatre Festival. He is winner of the Heideman Award
from the Actor’s Theater of Louisville and the Moss Hart Award from
the New England Theatre Conference. His recent professional productions include The Big Random, Mad River Rising and Midwives,
which he adapted from the New York Times best-selling novel by
Chris Bohjalian. Midwives is scheduled for production this season at
the Clarence Brown Theatre and at North Carolina Stage. Dana has
received three fellowships in playwriting from the Vermont Arts
Council and two from the Shenandoah International Playwrights
Retreat. His plays in print include Alice In Love, Men In Heat, Helen
At Risk, Midwives and Mad River Rising. He teaches playwriting at
Middlebury College, the University of Vermont, New England Young
Writers Conference, and the Vermont Governor’s Institute on the
Arts. He is Playwright-in-Residence at Vermont Stage Company and
Founding Director of the Vermont Young Playwrights Project.
Alex Zielke (Workshop Leader, Behind the Scenes) is thrilled to
return for her third year with ACTF Region 1. Having participated as
a student while attending New England College, she has now taken
part as an Irene Ryan Preliminary judge and workshop leader. After
receiving her MFA in Theatre from the University of Illinois Urbana
Champaign, she returned to the Boston area, where she ran the
High School Theatre program in Belmont for three years. Having
spent last season at Northern Stage as their Company Manager,
Alex has returned to the Boston area where she has acted and stage
managed with such companies as the Devanaughn Theatre, New
Rep Theatre, and Gloucester Stage Company.
Hallie Zieselman (Region I Co-Design Chair) is thrilled to be at this
year’s festival. Professional credits include work with Chicago
Scenic Studios, the College Light Opera Company, Yale University,
Brown University, Clubbed Thumb, Inc., The Late Show with David
Letterman, the Blue Hill Troupe, Ltd., Olney Theatre Center and
Vermont Stage Company. Currently she is a Scenic and Lighting
Designer in the Theatre Department at Middlebury College in
Vermont, and a studio assistant to theatre and opera designer, Peter
Wexler, in New York. Hallie holds an A.B. from Brown University
and an M.F.A. from Northwestern University. She is also a member
of United Scenic Artists Local 829.