November & December 2017 College News

Augustine Frizzell, who Variety magazine named one of 10 directors to watch in 2018. The film, about two high school dropouts down on their luck but determined to find time for a little fun, will premiere in the Midnight Section of the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in January and at South by Southwest in March. Matthew Holcomb (BFA ’13) also has a supporting role. Brody Thrash (BFA ’18) spent this summer as the Assistant Stage Manager for The Wizard of Oz with Zilker Theatre Productions. Audrey Webb’s (MFA ’19) play, Buried , has been chosen for a reading at Theatre Southwest’s Twelfth Annual Reader’s Theatre Matinee in Houston. Her play is one of ten selected out of 295 submissions. ALUMNI ACCOLADES Emily Ash has been promoted to Travel Coordinator for an untitled AMC project being filmed in Austin. Amelia Bahr ( MFA ’16) is a faculty member at Brigham Young University – Idaho, acting as Assistant Production Manager and Supervisor for stage managers. Curtis Barber is now a high school theatre teacher in Houston; his free-lance directing credits include a 2016 production of All Shook Up at Pearl Theatre. Blane Barton (MFA ‘17) recently returned to the annual Texas Thespians Festival (fourth year) (TTSF). This year’s festival had over 8,000 registered delegates ranging from middle school to high school students. At the festival, Blane served as Events Manager for the “All Festival” Events at the festival and the Stage Manager for this year’s first All State Cast featuring Broadway’s Mamie Parris. Maggie Bera (BFA ’17) is understudy for Christine in Phantom of the Opera at the Fireside Theatre. Michaela Bolt (BFA ’17) is lead singer on The Holland America Cruise line. Joel Britt (BFA ’14) was Lighting Design Assistant to Designer Howell Binkley on Summer: The Donna Summer Musical at La Jolla Playhouse in California. Michael Burrell (BFA ‘17) is playing the lead role in Amazing Grace , currently running in Washington DC. Kat Carson (BFA ’15) was the Production Stage Manager this summer for Zilker Theatre Production’s The Wizard of Oz . She recently completed a tour with The Champions of Magic (a U.K. based illusionist variety production) as their stage manager. Gabi De La Rosa (BFA ’17) spent this summer as a Co-Producer for The Wizard of Oz with Zilker Theatre Productions. She is now in her fourth month at Actors Theatre of Louisville as a Festival and Events Management Apprentice and is currently acting as the Interim Festival and Events Manager. Geoffrey Douglas (MA 2011) earned his Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance Studies from the University of Georgia in 2017. He is currently serving as faculty at Armstrong State University in Savannah GA. Rebecca Ehle (BFA ’14) just completed Drinking Habits at The Georgetown Playhouse. She also works with The Scottish Rite Theatre. Jennifer Foster (BFA ’14) is in the ensemble for FOX Live’s A Christmas Story , starring two-time Tony Award- winner, Matthew Broderick. Crystal Franz (MA ‘13) directed Pride and Prejudice at the Emily Ann Theatre in Wimberley. She has been working as adjunct faculty, teaching directing at Texas State University. Laura Garza (MFA ‘13) is Artistic Director for Teatro Audaz in San Antonio. Spencer Hansen (BFA ’17) is playing Schroeder and acting as Musical Director for the National tour of A Charlie Brown Christmas . AMC’s The Son is filming in the Austin area. Former BFA students, Alison Hatfield , Kristy Kyle , Cayla Cox , Learda Skhurti , Stacy Rice , and Tiffany Cinco are working on the series. In addition, Chelsie Urban has been hired as a day player in the Art Department. The Cowgirl Mary Old West Puppet Theatre Show , written and directed by Rocky Hopson (MFA ’16) played the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Terissa Kelton , VP of Development and Production at Rehab Incorporated, is currently developing an animated 20 | November & December | College News