September 2015 College News

Faculty Accolades The department’s spring production of Kiss Me, Kate took home four Austin Critics Table awards, including Best Musical and Best Choreography for Cassie Abate . Steve Grair worked as the technical director for Opera Saratoga’s summer season, taking with him five Texas State students ( Justin Beets, Devin McFarland, Robert Ortiz, Keenan Brooks, and Jacourtney Williams ). Kaitlin Hopkins recently starred in Andrew Lippa and Jules Feiffer’s new musical The Man in the Ceiling at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto, CA. Eugene Lee has been nominated for a Best Actor Award in Atlanta for his work in How I Learned What I Learned (http://www.suziawards.org/ page/1160/2015-Nominees#.VeXEDWP5BA0. gmail) and in Chicago for Stop. Reset. (http:// entertainment.suntimes.com/music/black-theater- alliance-awards-announces-nominations/#. VeXGKbENK70.gmail) Dr. Sandra Mayo served as consultant and coordinator for Austin’s Bob Bullock Texas History Museum’s project, Texas Readers Theatre Series, in conjunction with two exhibits celebrating the 150th anniversary of Juneteenth. The project included two invited talks, one on her book, Acting Up and Getting Down: Plays by African-American Texans , and another on her play, Frederick Douglas: Reflections on a Struggle for Freedom . Michelle Ney designed costumes for Mothers and Sons at ZACH Theatre in Austin. Phillip Owen designed the sound for Stage Kiss at Stark Naked Theatre in Houston and the world premiere of Common Enemy at Triad Stage in Greensboro, NC. THEATRE