On Thursday, June 9, we celebrated the graduation of our class of 2016: 34 bachelors of arts, 1 master of fine arts, and 1 doctor of philosophy. Congratulations to all! Marya Sea Kaminski, associate artistic director of Seattle Rep and MFA '04, gave the keynote address. Other program highlights included Caitlin Goldbaum, undergraudate advisor, singing "Move On" and a performance by Emma Broback, Sylvia Kowalski, and Simon Tran. Our heartful thanks go out to the friends and family who were able to join us in celebrating these fearless artists and scholars—and for their support during the course of their student's education. Thank you!
Each year, thanks to the generosity of our donors, the School of Drama is able to distribute financial awards to hardworking undergraduate and graduate students who exemplify what it means to be a scholar-artist. These students represent seasoned veterans entering their senior year, as well as students who have just completed their first year at the University. The 2016–17 Scholarship & Award Recipients are:
Gabrielle Boettner—The Glenn Hughes Memorial Scholarship
Michael Monicatti—The Glenn Hughes Memorial Scholarship
Elizabeth Halliday—The Glenn Hughes Memorial Scholarship
Lindsey Crocker—School of Drama Award & The Jenna Lee Ulrich Memorial Award
Amanda Bell—School of Drama Award
Eli Gallagher—School of Drama Award
Jake Lemberg—School of Drama Award
Alyssa Karounos—Donal Harrington Memorial Scholarship
Anna Saephan—Martha M. Ackerman Scholarship
Andrew Forrest—Holliday Family Scholarship
Matthew Webb—John Asby Conway Memorial Scholarship
Alice Hofgren—Michael Quinn Writing Award
Congratulations to all!
Students, facutly, and staff keep busy in the summer months too! Check out the work being done outside of Hutchinson Hall.
Tré Cotten (PATP) can be seen in the world premiere of Daisy at ACT Theatre, originating the role of Clifford Lewis.
Matt Webb (MFA Lighting) is assisting Robert Aguilar on Wedding Band and is the lighting designer for Priscilla Queen of the Desert at ZACH Theatre in Austin, TX.
Karen Hartman (Senior Artist-in-Residence) is workshopping her play Project Dawn at People’s Light, outside Philadelphia, where it will be produced in June 2016. She will also do a reading of Good Faith, a work-in-progress, at Yale Repertory Theater and enjoy some family travel to Italy and Greece!
Val Mayse (costumer specialist) will be spending the summer making the costumes for the Chamber Dance Company.
Emma Broback (BA ’16) will spend August traveling abroad in Edinburgh with the School of Drama, seeing over 30 shows and expanding herself as an artist and scholar. She...
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From Judy Shahn:
I have crossed the threshold. I am now officially retired from the School of Drama after 26 years. Actually, “retired” isn’t really accurate. As some wise friends coined it, I am “L.A.” (Leaving Academia).
If you know the School of Drama, you know Sue Bruns. Sue is the Graduate Programs Advisor and lucky for us, she can advise on many other things we need on a daily basis. Evidently, she added up that I have taught 251 actors during my time in the PATP (Professional Actor Training Program)! Here are some of the things I look back on:
- Over the years, besides teaching the graduate actors, I had the pleasure of occasionally teaching undergrad classes in Voice, Shakespeare, and Dialects.
- I was a guest lecturer for Drama 101. Since I don’t lecture, I remember getting the room of 250 students to do text from Greek plays in a chorus!
- I directed six productions: a Noel Coward, two contemporary Canadian plays (although one was based on Richard III), two Shakespeare (As You Like It and Othello), and one devised work called Humor Me.
- I had the pleasure of acting in three productions: Mephisto (directed by Susan Finque long before she was a student), The Last Witch, and this season’s The Cradle Will Rock.
I was hired in 1990 on a one-year contract to replace Betty Moulton, who had gotten...
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Newly minted alums Hannah Schwendeman andSimon Tran were gonfalonieres at the UW Commencement on June 11.
David Morden (PATP '93) is the voice/text coach for Santa Cruz Shakespeare this summer, as well as directing the intern production of Orlando.
Tina Polzin (MFA '15) is producing and directing Blood Wedding/Bodas de Sangre, which will be performed at Ballard Commons, Othello Park, Roxhill Park, and Duwamish Waterway Park in Seattle during the month of August. It will be performed in Spanish and English with live music and dance.
Ben Gonio (PATP '05) will be participating in the next phase of ACT Theatre's workshop ofThe Tale of the Heike, beginning this August.
Moises Castro and Claire Fort (PATP '16) performed in Milton-Freewater, OR in the fourth installment of PearlDamour's Milton project.
Rachel Perlot (BA ’16) is currently serving as the Acting Managing Director of The Seagull Project.
Intiman Theatre Festival's...
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