January & February 2016 College News

Faculty Accolades Cassie Abate presented at the Musical Theatre Educators’ Alliance Conference in San Diego on a panel entitled, “Technology: the Lost Playground.” The focus was on the effects of technology on students’ learning and mental wellness. Greg Bolin has been commissioned by the Music Teachers National Association to write a new opera that will premiere in Montana fall of 2016. Kiira Schmidt Carper performed at the 50th Anniversary Roundabout Theatre Gala in New York City. Tom Dugdale was commissioned by La Habra Theater Guild, a youth theater group in Fullerton, California, to write a new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol . Tom’s version employed a meta-theatrical spin: a penniless company struggles through a shoddy production of the play until inspiration and vastly elevated production values f ly in from above— the magic of theatre, and Christmas. In December 2015, Tom Dugdale’s stage adaptation of Lars von Trier’s cult film, Breaking the Waves , was performed as part of a showcase commemorating 25 years of the current artistic leadership at the Hungarian Theater of Cluj, a major national theatre of Romania. Kevin Gates served as a judge for the Central Texas region of the English Speaking Union’s National Shakespeare Competition. In November, Gates played Atticus Finch in a production of To Kill a Mockingbird in Wimberley (directed by faculty member Jeremy Torres ). He is also directing Arden of Faversham at City Theatre in Austin. True Colors Theatre Company in Atlanta has selected Eugene Lee’s East Texas Hot Links for the summer slot in their 2016-17 season. Eugene will direct the production. Sarah EC Maines was the lighting designer for A THEATRE Tribes theatre production at Zach Theatre in Austin.