After our wonderful April Alumni Reunion we have been keeping up with some of our former students.
As the summer progresses we would love to highlight them in our blog from time to time.
Today we introduce Court Watson, Theatre VCU 2003
he writes:
I am in Germany in tech for Hairspray, for which I am designing the scenery, which opens in Munich at the Deutschestheater on the 4th of July.
This Fall, I travel to Salzburg for two productions, Die Fledermaus, set design, and a new play, Wir gründen eine Bank, set and costumes.
Upcoming: Set Design for The Nutcracker at the State University of New York at Purchase, Scenery and Costumes for King for a Day at the Gimmerglass Festival, Costumes for Contes d'Hoffmann at the National Center for Performing Arts in Beijing, China, directed by Francesca Zambello.
Spring Awakening Opens Tonight at the newly renamed November Theatre.
The Virginia Rep has a great site about the show and some terrific videos of the rehearsals HERE
See this photo of the cast? ...
See those handsome guys?...
Theatre VCU students.
Every one.
In fact in the cast, designers and crew of Spring Awakening Theatre VCU is well represented:
Actors: Richard Chan(Otto) Dan Cimo(Hanschen) Kyle Cornell(Ensemble; u/s
Melchior, Hanschen, Georg) Josh Marin(Georg) John MincksVCU student, not Theatre VCU(Moritz)
Designers/Coaches: Brian C. Barker(Scenic/
Projection Designer) - BFA alumni Derek Dumais(Sound Designer/
Mixer) - BFA alumni Stacey Cabaj (Voice, Speech and
Text Coach) - MFA alumni
Patti just returned from the New Orleans Senior Theatre USA and she spread her energy to scores of seniors with dance every morning at 8:30 resulting in this great Dance Flash Mob that they are still talking about in The Big Easy.
She was good enough to share this video and a couple of great letters:
THANK YOU!!!
Patti, the conference was wonderful because you were wonderful. You quickly became the darling of the festival. My Dean referred to your Flash Mob Dance as being so inspirational to all involved. Board of Directors, Dr. Joy Reilly from Ohio State University joined your group and found herself stretching and moving in ways that she didn’t think possible. When I would pass your room and saw you in action, all I could do is smile thinking “right on.” Senior Theatre USA definitely needs your insight, so rest assured that we’ll continue to be in touch. Even though the New Orleans Senior Theatre USA will be the one to remember for a long time, I’m already focused on Senior Theatre USA 2014. I welcome your advice and support.
Again I thank you - Arne, President of Senior Theatre USA.
A THOUSAND THANKS!!!
Patti, I have been attending or managing senior theatre festivals for ten years, and without a single doubt, I would say that your "flash mob celebration" was the most successful offering I have ever seen. Everyone was raving, smiling, enjoying the heck out of it. And I cannot tell you how many people came up to me to tell me what an excellent teacher you are. Most choreographers are more performance than teaching oriented. People adored you for your enthusiasm, patience and ability to stir things up. Thank you so very, very much for your work with the New Orleans festival. I very much hope you will participate in the 2014 festival, perhaps in an even larger capacity. You bring such "spirit" to all you do. What a gem of an offering. Thank you....
Dolores
Vice President, Senior Theatre Association
We get to enjoy Patti's exuberance every day - I'm glad we had a chance to share the joy!
EIGHT THEATRE VCU
STUDENTS STAR IN ONE OF RICHMOND'S MOST REAL THEATRE PRODUCTIONS NOW PLAYING,
THAT YOU’RE NEVER GOING TO SEE…
…unless you are one of 3,000 incoming VCU students or their
parents.
Student Voices, directed
by Theatre VCU professor Barry Bell, is forty minutes of truth. Some stories are hard and scary, funny and uplifting, but all written and acted by students about real incidents from college life at VCU.
Featuring undergrads Anna Valiant Jones, Max Moore, Matt
Bloch, Liz Earnest, Ariel Shine, Jasmine Hammond, Dixon Cashwell, and grad
student Michael Hegarty, Student Voices will run for thirty six shows this
summer, as it has for the last five summers, for new students and their
families during class registration days.
Stories about independence, safety, identity, and stepping
forward to help a struggling classmate are brought to life with passion and
authenticity. “ This show presents real world situations and illustrates how
taking initiative can change your life.” Said Anna Jones, Theatre VCU second-year
student. Matt Bloch, graduating senior added, “Everything might not resonate
immediately for all of the audience, but it’s amazing how these lessons come up
throughout your entire time here as a student.”
Barry Bell, the director of all six seasons of Student
Voices wrapped it up this way,
"We offer this heightened reality of theatre to hopefully start
a dialogue between students and their parents. College is very different from
high school. We hope to make that transition a little easier, and make our
audience more aware of the dangers and rewards of this chapter in their lives.”
of two unique totally original and home grown works. . .
Beertown & Home for the Soldier
both feature some great Theatre VCU alumni -
Dog and Pony Ringleader
Lorraine Ressegger
Lighting designer Brittany Diliberto
and
Synetic
Company members Austin Brent Johnson, Dallas Tolentino, Tori Trunchie
Bertocci, and Joe Carlson
"Home of the Soldier" performance photo.
Featuring (left to right): Dallas Tolentino as Strikes, Matthew Ward as
Jackal, Joseph Carlson as Sarge, Vato Tsikurishvili as Son, and Austin
Johnson as Rev. Photo Credit: Johnny Shryock
"Home
of the Soldier" performance photo.
Featuring: Matthew Ward as Jackal, Vato Tsikurishvili as Son, Zana Gankhuyag as
Kid, Austin Johnson as Rev, Victoria Bertocci as Fixer, and Jessica Thorne as
Sauce.
Photo Credit: Johnny Shryock
After our wonderful April Alumni Reunion we have been keeping up with some of our former students.
