March 2021 College News

College of Fine Arts and Communication | 15 1 Te CW network show Walker, Texas Ranger featuring work from student Sophie Misercola and alumni B.K. Frizell 2 Alumni LaDon Drummon Serafni in the 2015 flm entiled My Boy 3 The Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance streamed live event In Arabia, We’ d All be Kings 14 | March | College News THEATRE Acting, Musical Theatre, Per formance and Production, Teacher Certif ication in Theatre, Technical Production, & Theatre FACULTY ACCOLADES Natalie Blackman , lecturer in the Department of Teatre and Dance and head of the B.F.A. in Performance & Production, received the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in Service. Acting faculty Lauren Lane will be performing in a new play, Block Association , for the Humana Festival at Actors Theatre Louisville. The Humana Festival is one of the nation’s prominent festivals of new works. Performance dates are April 22-May 2, Thursday - Sunday, with two performances on Saturday and Sunday. Film lecturer Bryan Poyser was selected to serve as a mentor on flmmaking to attendees of the 2021 SXSW Online Conference and Festival, occurring March 16-20. STUDENT ACCOLADES Current student Jada Adams whose stage name is Jada Jay recently fnished flming a movie called American Underdog starring Dennis Quaid, Anna Paquinn, and Zachary Levi. Jada also recently booked a Famous Footwear shoot. Sophie Misercola is working full-time on the CW network show Walker, Texas Ranger . [ 1 ] Texas State Students dominated at the KCACTF region 6 festival with fve out of six ten-minute slots going to Texas State students, two of three one act spots going to Texas State students, and one of two full length spots going to Texas State students. At the regional festival third year M.F.A. Dramatic Writing Candidate Vic Shuttee was named a regional fnalist for his play Free Tickets for A Live Taping of the New Government Funded Sitcom Icebox , Zach Masso was named a regional fnalist for his ten minute play Crescendo , and Madison Miller was named a national fnalist for her play Spencer . ALUMNI ACCOLADES Texas State Musical Teatre Alumni Nick Eibler dropped the frst season of his podcast Queer Queeries which is now available on all streaming services. Film Concentration Alumni B.K. Frizell is currently working full time on the CW network show Walker, Texas Ranger . [ 1 ] Teatre and Dance Alumni LaDon Drummon Serafni has a small role in the new movie Senior Moment with William Shatner and Jean Smart. LaDon received praise for a flm she did in 2015 entitled My Boy directed by her husband Giorgio Serafni. [ 2 ] Teatre Alumni (class of 2013) Joey Marie Urbina appeared in the FX series Snowfall . DEPARTMENT ACCOLADES The Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance showed a limited streamed live event In Arabia, We’ d All be Kings by Stephen Adley Girgus on March 23rd and 24th with a Zoom webinar on the 27th. Tere were talkbacks after each showing hosted by faculty members Eugene Lee , Nadine Mozon , Jerry Ruiz , and Dean John Fleming . Te show was directed by M.F.A. directing third year Aaron Sparks in fulfllment of his thesis. Te show featured undergraduate cast members Diego Huazano , Tanner Berg , Jordan Gregson , Mia Azuaje , Whit Flowers , Yasha Alaniz , Rose Childress , Logan Berger , Elizabeth Belfast , Chris Frey , Josh Vetter , and Hank Johnson . [ 3] The Texas State Department of Theatre and Dance opened their production of Bunco State by third year dramatic writing candidate Vic Shuttee in fulfillment of his thesis. The show was directed by second year directing candidate Martin J Asprey and featured an all-student design team. The cast of undergraduate actors included Parker Dial , Liz Catchings , Vivian Noble , Hailey Thomas , Britain Stibora , and Tach Gutierrez . OEDIPUS THE KING Te Texas State Department of Teatre and Dance opened their production of Oedipus the King in late February. Te production was directed by faculty member Yong- Suk Yoo and included undergraduate cast members Connor Lewis , Lila Perlman , Max Otremba , Anyae Reed , Reese , Delan Crawford , Jackson Cosgrove , Josh Kok , Taylor Aronson , Ava Jane Baker , Wallis Brown , Ethan Carpenter , Evan Hays , Devon Khalsa , Ricky Lozano , Miranda Marquez , Peter Ongolo , and Matthew Vo .