November & December 2015 College News

production of Tender Rough Rough Tender , a new play created by the theatrical company Groundswell with the support of the Rude Mechs of Austin. Anne also designed HMS Pinafore for the School of Music. Bryan Poyser directed the pilot production of Comedy Central’s Overanalyzers . The show features Echo Kellum ( Ben and Kate, Sean Saves the World, Nothing to Report ), John Gemberling ( Broad City ), Jessy Hodges ( Hindsight ), Melana Vayntrub ( CollegeHumor Originals ) and Justin Chon ( Sin City Saints ). Neil Patrick Stewart performed Jean Genet’s Splendid’s at El Teatro Valle-Inclan in Madrid, Spain. Neil also performed in the production’s special engagement at the French Embassy in New York City. Jeremy Torres directed To Kill a Mockingbird for the Wimberley Players. Student Accolades Four MFA students presented sole-authored papers at the Seventh International Research Conference for Graduate Students in November. Sara Brooke Christian presented “Morning, Midnight, Spring and Summer: Expressionistic Techniques in Wedekind’s Spring’s Awakening and Kaiser’s From Morning to Midnight .” J. Robert Moore presented “The Bold, The Beautiful, The Bacchae : Camping up a Classic.” Amelia Bahr presented “The Hidden and The Given: Names, Authority, and Power in Susan Glaspell’s Trifles ” and T.J. Young presented “ Death of a Salesman and the Mentally Unstable Willy Loman.” Jordan Morille’s play Norma’s Rest is being published in The Best Short Plays of 2014-2015 . The departmental production of it has been invited to the KCACTF regional festival. Jordan is an MFA student in the Dramatic Writing program. Alumni Accolades Tracy Arnold (MA in Directing 2013) directed Other Desert Cities for the Wimberley Players and is scheduled to direct Bus Stop at City Theatre in Austin. Gabriel Bernal (BFA Musical Theatre 2015) will be doing a six-month Equity tour of Lightning Thief for Theatreworks after completing a run of A Christmas Story at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey. BFA Musical Theatre alum Gino Chaviano has been cast in the national tour of Junie B Jones for Theatreworks. Gino is a new member of Actors Equit y. Irving Dyson, Jr. , BFA Acting alum, is on the National Tour of Peter Pan , playing Tootles, the youngest of the Lost Boys. The production, which was directed by Thom Southerland and choreographed by Gypsy Snider (who assisted in the choreography of Pippin on Broadway), is in Dallas until the end of December when it moves to Arizona and then to L.A. More information can be found at peterpan360.com. BFA Musical Theatre alum (2014), Jennifer Foster , is starring in the musical Carrie in Los Angeles. Regan Goins (BFA Acting 2015) attended the Austin Premiere of My All American . The movie, written and directed by Angelo Pizzo ( Hoosiers, Rudy ), is based on the true story of UT-Austin’s Freddie Steinmark. Regan has a featured role in the film. BFA Acting Alum Jacquelin Guillen opened Judgment of Fools , written by Bernarndo Cubria ( The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, and Henry Danger ) at INTAR Theatre Company in New York City. INTAR is one of the nation’s leading Latino theatres. Danezion Mills (BFA Acting 2015) continues to work in Los Angeles with numerous auditions with casting director Meg Lieberman and NCIS . Phoebe Torres (BFA Acting Alumni) is in the new television series Flesh and Bone , a dark drama about a dancer in New York City trying to escape a dysfunctional family. Julian Verner (MFA 2014) directed a production of Naomi Wallace’s Trestle at Pope Lick Creek for the newly-formed Catalyst Theatre in Atlanta. Julian is a founding member of the company. Landon Zwick (BFA in Musical Theatre 2015) made his off-Broadway debut in Full House, the Musical . Department Accolades The Musical Theatre program was recently ranked #7 in the country by College Magazine : http:// www.collegemagazine.com/top-10-colleges- musical-theatre-majors/ The Department’s production of Evita played to sold out houses and rave reviews. Faculty participation in the production included choreography by Cassie Abate , musical direction by Greg Bolin , scenic design by Cheri Prough DeVol , lighting design by Sarah EC Maines , and costume design by Sheila Hargett . Evita was directed by MFA directing student, J. Robert Moore . The CTX Live Theatre review is here: https:// ctxlivetheatre.com/reviews/review-evita-by-texas- state-university/. The University Star review is here: https://star. txstate.edu/2015/11/19/evita-cast-delivers- commanding-performance/ Congratulations to faculty and students who are nominated for the 2015 Central Texas Excellence in Theatre Awards: Regan Goins – Best Actress in a Play (Streetcar - Texas State) Babs George – Best Actress in a Play (Steel Magnolias - TexArts) J. Robert Moore – Best Actor in a Musical (Peter and the Starcatcher – Zach) Christa Oliver – Best Choreography (A Christmas Carol – Zach) Liz Fisher – Best Original Play (Deus ex Machina – Whirligig Productions) Michelle Ney – Best Scenic Design (A View from the Bridge – Texas State) Sarah Maines – Best Lighting Design (Mr. Burns – St. Edward) Bill Peeler – Best Lighting Design (When the Rain Stops Falling – Different Stages) Philip Owen – Best Sound Design (Streetcar – Texas State) Outstanding Academic Theatre: Texas State University The entire list is here: http:// austinentertainmentweekly.com/2015/11/27/ announcing-the-nominees-for-the-2015-central- texas-excellence-in-theatre-awards/ Neil Patrick Stewart in Splendid’s Michaela Boissoneault as Evita; costumes by Sheila Hergett