MASTER OF FINE ARTS:

 

Eva Gil (MFA ’12) Eva received a FOET Grant to attend the Professional training program at the American Shakespeare Center where she took classes for three weeks in voice, rhetoric, text analysis, stage combat, Elizabethan dance, scene study, ensemble work, and original rehearsal practices all focusing on the Shakespeare canon. The last night was a presentation of scenes to an audience on the Blackfriars Stage.  She also took a Chekhov Technique workshop in Chicago with the Moving Dock Company.

Andrew Gorell (MFA ’12) Worked with the Oberlin Summer Theater Festival performing Don John in Much Ado About Nothing, Howie Newsome in Our Town, and Mr. Jenkins/Man with Red Eyes in A Wrinkle in Time.  He also taught Stage Combat for the OSTF Shakespeare Day Camp.

Dan Hendrock (MFA ’12) Spent the summer in NYC taking private Vocal lessons with Susan Eichhorn and a four week workshop, Simply Chekhov, with Ragnar Freidank on the Michael Chekhov Technique.

Michael Herbert (MFA ’12) A Counselor at summer Youth Camp in Texas.

Kim Krane (MFA ’12) Attended a workshop at Dell’Arte School, At the Crossroads: Where Dance Meets Theatre with Donlin Foreman (a principal dancer with the Martha Graham company for 20 years).

Kelli Ruttle (MFA ’12) Served as an Understudy for the Cleveland Play House Production of Bill W. and Dr. Bob and ultimately performed the role(s).  She did a print job for Philips Medical Corporation.

Yan Tual (MFA ’12) Back in Europe studying in a two week intensive Corporeal Mime workshops in Paris with Thomas Leabhart and in Barcelona at Moveo School, and lastly in London in a three week intensive Diction workshop at LAMDA.

Leigh Williams (MFA ’10) Since arriving in New York City last summer, Leigh has made a Dunkin Donuts Voice Over commercial and a National On-Camera Commercial for Pillsbury. 

Sarah Nedwek (MFA ’10) Following the Showcase she has signed with Phoenix Artists.

Zac Hoogendyk (MFA ’10) Along with auditioning, Zac directed What the Butler Saw for the Gallery Players in Brooklyn.

Tom White (MFA ’10) Currently working through Davis/Spylios Management auditioning

Lindsay Luen (MFA ’10) Busily auditioning and studying voice, and taking acting, stage combat, and Yoga workshops.

Tom Picasso (MFA ’10) Busily auditioning, working as a Reader for Elissa Myers auditions, and reconnecting to NYC.

AJ Cedeno (MFA ’10) Busily auditioning and getting acclimatized to NYC.

Tom Degnan (MFA ’08) Living and working and auditioning in New York City.  After doing an extended stint on a Soap Opera, Tom did a featured role on TVs The Good Wife, and also had a featured role in the major Indie Film Handsome Harry.  Now he’s added playing gigs with his band ‘Joy State’ that just recorded its first CD The Studio Six EP.

Amanda Duffy (MFA ’08) Was in ‘The Servant of Two Masters’ as Smeraldina at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and will be returning to the Metropolitan Opera in the fall of 2010 for ‘Les Contes d’Hoffmann’ and ‘Nixon in China.’

Nathan Gurr (MFA ’08) Living in New York City and working constantly on the soaps and doing his solo music gigs at various bistros and bars.

Deric McNish (MFA ’08) The past year he spent with The Metropolitan Opera performing in From the House of the Dead andHamlet.  He also made a number of short films, pilots, and appeared on the ill-fated soap The Guiding Light.  Starting this fall he will be a theatre instructor and doctoral candidate at The University of Colorado at Boulder.  He also received a fellowship as the 2010 recipient of the AFTRA Foundation Scholarship.

Annie Paul (MFA ’08) Living in New York City.  A Co-starring role in Martin Scorcese’s HBO Series Boardwalk Empire, Flora in The Wonder Years with The Queen’s Company, performed in a Staged Reading of Advanced Women with the Hudson River Theatre Company in NYC.  Also in NYC, a Staged Reading of Old Songs Remembered with Stage Plays Theatre Company.  She played in Bus Stop at The Gallery Players, NYC, and Susie Hendrix in Wait Until Dark at The Human Race Theatre in Cincinnati, Other television credits include: Mom in the Carmel Ice Cream Cakes commercial.  She’s also studying Improvisation with the Magnet

Elizabeth Davis (MFA ’06) She will be joining the Tony Nominated, Broadway production of “The 39 Steps” when it transfers to New World Stages as the female cover for the next six months. Performance dates to be announced; she starred in Emilyon Theatre Row and received a nomination for the 2010 Innovative Theatre Award; she performed in Starship Astrov: A Chekhovian Spaceship Comedy in the Midtown International Theatre Festival; she will be seen as Kay in Wolves – Off- Broadway; Abingdon Theatre’s Throne Series: A Rainy Night in Georgia and Expect the Unexpected; part of the 2010 TS Eliot US / UK Actor Exchange between The Old Vic and The Public Theatre performed Macbeth…Again on The Old Vic stage hosted by Kevin Spacey; performed in the Notes on a Page Musical Theatre Festival as Jess in Therapy Rocks; Commercially she has done a Trident – National Print campaign, a Crest – National network commercial, and a NationalSeroquel industrial campaign.  She has been a teaching artist in the Queen’s Theatre in the Park’s outreach educational program, Centre Stage, and she is developing a violin education program called PLAY: Form & Fun for the Fall.

Nicole Fitzpatrick (MFA ’06) Since the beautiful Gwen turned one year old Nicole is doing the role of Mrs. Prentice in What the Butler Saw for The Gallery Players in Brooklyn.

Joshua John McKay (MFA ’06) Living in New York City.  Performed in Almost, Maine and is working towards becoming a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.

Lelund Thompson (MFA ’06) Living in New York City. He was in the cast of A Raisin in the Salad; Black Plays for White People (part of the New York International Fringe Festival, 2010. Sweetback the Hood Opera – a new musical based on Melvin Van Peebles’ career making film from the 1970’s Sweet Sweetback’s Badass Song. This show was performed in Paris, France. Lelund has been working on the Broadway bound musical SuperStar alongside Jason Michael Webb and Moises Roberto Belazario. You can find out more about this show by going to www.superstarmusical.com. He produced the world premiere of The Doll Confessions a new play with music, with his own theatre company LDTG (Lelund Durond Theatre Group). The play was directed by Tony Award Winning Actress Trezana Beverley. For more details about the theatre company you can go to www.lelunddurondtheatregroup.com. Other regional credits include: Playmakers Rep. in Chapel Hill NC where performed in the 2 Man tour de force Blue Door (also directed by Trezana Beverley). He was also in Florida Studio Theater’s production of …and L.A. is Burning.

Jason Miller (MFA ’06) In Chicago he has performed with Second City and is the Musical Theatre program director for the Lake Forest Dance Academy on the north shore.  He also directs productions at the Dream Theatre in downtown Chicago.

Bailey Varness (MFA ’06) Currently living in L.A. and working on a web series that will be seen online soon; an independent film that will being shooting in the summer of 2010; working with a team that has been producing comedic videos for Normal View Productions, and she is currently signed with Midwest Talent Management.

Virginia Sommer (MFA ’04) performed in Theresa Rebek’s one-woman show Bad Dates at The Sandusky State Theatre.  Virginia also created and taught a summer acting conservatory in her hometown of Mankato, MN for kids aged 11-16.  She was married to the wonderful and talented Rich Sommer, and is currently a very happy newlywed living (auditioning, taking classes, freelancing with her commercial agent, and temping) in New York City.

Mary Gen Fjelsted (MFA ’04) Did a four-week theater residency in South Dakota working with women transitioning out of corrections.  She collaborated with a playwright exploring and promoting new forms of storytelling.  She is focusing on using theater as a tool for collective healing (Theater as service).  She has also been directing and will be performing Hedda Gabler in the fall.

Patrick Jones (MFA ’04) Recently relocated to San Francisco in the fall of ’09.  Since then he’s been teaching at Redwood High School, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and StageWrite (play writing program for inner city kids). In the fall he begins teaching for CalShakes working with incarcerated youth.  His onstage work has consisted of Staged Readings for the SF Playhouse and The Playwrights Foundation, a theater-for-young-audiences show called Animal Vs. Animal at the Marin Theater Company, and this past summer played Henry in The Real Thing at Livermore Shakespeare Festival.  In the meantime he shot a national commercial for Sprint, and in August he’ll be working for TheatreWorks in Palo Alto in their New Works festival in a play called Variations on a Theme.  In early 2011 he will be doing TYA show at Marin andTaboos at Stanford by Carl Djerassi (inventor of the birth control pill).

Emily Klingensmith (MFA ’04) Living in the San Francisco, Northern California area.  She is busy raising her lovely family and teaching, directing, and doing commercial work on the side.

Simon Kendall (MFA ’04) He returned for a third season to McCarter Theatre for Christmas Carol as Fred and the Undertaker, performed in the Emerging Artist Theatre’s Spring EATFest (a festival of new plays), became an associate artist with the theatre group “The Pack” (part of Packawallop – a downton theatre company), performed with Project Shaw (alongside Brian Murray and Marian Seldes), doing Voiceovers and Industrials for Ralph Lauren’s Purple Label clothing, and he will be performing at The Actor’s Theatre of Louisville as Seward in their production of Dracula.

Rich Sommer (MFA ’04) Completed his third season of AMC TVs Mad Men as series regular Harry; played the Lead in NBC TVs mini-series, The Storm; Guest Starred in Law & Order, in Ugly Betty, as well as Burn Notice.   Rich won a 2009 SAG Award for Best Dramatic Ensemble.  Other than all of this he spends his free time lurking in the halls at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Hollywood, and sometimes even stumbles onto the stage.

Ross Williams (MFA ’02) In 2010 he founded the New York Shakespeare Exchange, a non-profit theater dedicated to exploring new ways Shakespeare can interact with audiences and with contemporary theater.  Our first production was The One Man (Two Man (not quite)) Hamlet. The show ran four weekends at HERE Arts in NYC’s SoHo and received glowing reviews.  In the fall of ’10 the company will present a reading series of new plays and Shakespeare focusing on comedic styles through various periods of history.

Kevin Brewer (MFA ’02) Wrote and performed the world-premiere of The One Man (Two Man (not quite)) Hamlet for the New York Shakespeare Exchange, New York City, in the early summer 2010.

Erik Andrews (MFA ’02) teaches at the CW Post campus of Long Island University, and was featured in various roles on CBS soap opera Guiding Light, played Noah Joad in Ford’s Theatre production of Grapes of Wrath, and appeared in Venus at the Potomac Theater Project.

Laura Caslin (MFA ’02) recently received her Masters in social work from the University of Texas at Austin in May of 2009 and is working as a counselor in the community working with adults and adolescents with issues of trauma, depression, domestic violence, relationship issues, etc.  She has continued when possible to act and direct with local companies a couple of shows in the community with City Theatre and Austin Shakespeare festival.  As much as possible she is combining her theatre experience with her social advocacy work.

Suzanne Mignanelli Blair (MFA ’02) Acting and Directing Children’s Theatre.

Erin Claire Hurley (MFA ’02) Currently the Education Director for the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.

David Eshelman (MFA ’99) completed his PhD from the University of Missouri/Columbia, and will be starting a job as assistant professor of speech at Arkansas Tech University.  He is married to Erin Clair (BA ’94).

Steve Horvat (MFA ’99) and Katie Jay (MFA ’99) were married in Tuscany, Italy, and planning to move to San Francisco in December.

Joe Hickey (MFA ’99) appeared as Mr. Marks in the 2006 Cleveland Play House production of Intimate Apparel.

Ted Rodenborn and Martha Libman (both MFA ’99) are the proud parents of a new baby daughter.  Martha will be starting at Columbia Law, and Ted is still working and auditioning.

Tim Perfect (MFA ’97) is currently Associate Artistic Director and Casting Director at Pigs Eye Theater in the Twin Cities.  He is the co-founder and former Executive Director of the Cleveland Shakespeare Festival, and is appearing as Freddy in Picasso at the Lapin Agile and directing Henry V  at Pigs Eye in 2004, and Taming of the Shrew for Gremlin Theatre in 2005.

Fabio Polanco (MFA ’97) worked at Berkeley Rep, St. Louis Rep, Hope Summer Rep, and Porthouse Players before becoming chair of the theatre program at Willoughby Fine Arts Association.  He played Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Beck Center for the Arts and appeared in the national tour of Les Miserables as the Innkeeper, Thenardier.  He is now on the faculty of Kent State University.

Debz Sperling (MFA’ 95) is one of the leading voice-over talents currently working in New York.

John Paul Boukis (MFA ’95) is co-founder and Executive Director of Kalliope Stage in Cleveland Heights.

Joe Russo (MFA ’95) and his brother Anthony won the Emmy for best directing for Arrested Development and were the producers of NBC’s series LAX. Joe had his film, Welcome to Collinwood, premiere starring George Clooney, and they are perhaps best known for now helming the Captain America films.

 

BACHELOR OF ARTS:

 

Leah Munsey (BA ’09) will begin a season internship in Costuming and Wigs at the Goodman Theater, Chicago.

Emily Demko (BA ’09) is now living and working as a performer in Chicago.

Margo Chervony (BA ’09) is in Chicago working as an actor.

Jill Smith (BA ’09) attended the University of Arkansas’s creative writing program.

TJ Gainley (BA ’08) is on the faculty at the Hawken School, after completing his MFA from the CWRU/CPH Acting Program.

Andrew Fixell (BA ’08) completed a teaching certification and works as an educator in New York.

Ryan Santa (BA ’08) is living in Chicago and is working a performer.  He received certification in massotherapy.

Tim Koch (BA ’08) lives in New York, and has worked in New York, Los Angeles, and London as a director and assistant director on major West End, Broadway, and LA productions.

Erin Barnes (BA ’07) is a Los Angeles-based actor.

Brittany Janis (BA ’07) works in not-for-profit development in San Francisco.

Chris Delgado (BA ’06) is a master of the German Wheel, and has performed with circus groups in Chicago and New York.

John DiAntonio (BA ’06) completed his MFA from the National Theater Conservatory at the Denver Center, and is a company member at the Creede Repertory Theatre.

Meg Wuerderman (BA ’05)  is living in NYC and is a Reading Specialist for the NYC School System.  She will be married in August, 2010.

Susannah Handley (BA ’05) is now in Minneapolis, auditioning and working as a nurse.

Peter Nalepa (BA ’05) and Maria Phillis (BA ’05) were married in the summer of 2010.  After completing her JD from the University of Chicago, Maria was assistant county prosecutor for Lake County, Ohio.  Peter completed this Masters in Education at John Carroll University.  He and Maria now live in Baltimore, where Maria is attending medical school at Johns Hopkins University.

Bart Keyes (BA ’05) is an attorney in Columbus and he and his wife, Katie (BSN ’05) have a year old son.

Michael St. Clair (BA ’05) has been awarded a major research fellowship as part of his studies in the Ph.D. program in dramaturgy at Stanford University.

Meg Wuerdeman (BA ’05) is attending New York University, pursuing a MA degree in theater education.

Maria Phillis (BA ’05) completed law school at the University of Chicago.

Tom Kondilas (BA ’04) has spent the past year as a Great Lakes Theater Festival actor/teacher.

Tom White (BA ’04) will be entering the MFA class of 2010.

Meagan Prahl (BA ’03) completed the MFA program at Brown University/Trinity Rep.

Geoffrey Hoffman (BA ’03) is a company member with Convergence-Continuum, a theater company in Cleveland.

Nancy Browning (BA ’03) is in law school at Boston College.

Tom Parrish (BA’ 00) is Executive Director at the Merrimack Repertory Theatre and a recent recipient of the NAACP Theatre Award for Best Producer for his production of Intimate Apparel.

Ben Needham (BA ’99) recieved an MFA from the University of Georgia, and is now the Resident Designer/Technical Director at Willoughby Fine Arts.  Ben is the founder of www.digitalsquirrel.net, a digital design company. He also continues to design scenery and lighting for productions in the Cleveland area.

Rachel Fink (BA ’96) attended Yale University School of Drama for management and is currently the Administrative Director at Berkeley Rep’s Theater School.