UNCSA SECTION NAME
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
SUMMER 2014
Focus on
Us!
The Film School Turns 20 INSIDE:
Meet New Chancellor Lindsay Bierman Commencement Coverage Drama’s Mollie Murray: 45 Years of Dance SUMMER 2014
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
1
CONTENTS
University Commencement . . 2 High School Commencement . 3 News . . . . . . . . . . 4 Giving . . . . . . . . . 10 Meet the New Chancellor . . 14 Cover Story . . . . . . . 18 Faculty Profile . . . . . . 22 Alumni Notes . . . . . . 23
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO SUMMER 2014 1533 South Main St., Winston-Salem, NC 27127 336-770-3399 phone 336-770-3342 fax www.uncsa.edu Published by the Communications & Marketing Office, Advancement Division, of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts as a service to alumni, students, parents and friends of the school. Contributors include: Jim DeCristo, Interim Chief Advancement Officer decristoj@uncsa.edu Lisa Ransom ’92, Major Gifts Officer ransome@uncsa.edu Amy Werner, Annual Fund Manager wernera@uncsa.edu Jonas Silver ’98, Director of Alumni Affairs silverj@uncsa.edu Marla Carpenter, Director of Communications & Marketing, carpem@uncsa.edu Terri Renigar, Brand Marketing Manager renigart@uncsa.edu Lauren Whitaker, News Services Manager whitakerl@uncsa.edu Design by Lin Taylor Marketing Group Printing by Collinsville Printing Photographers include: Allen Aycock, Steve Davis, Brent LaFever, Rosalie O’Connor, Christine Rucker, and Jay Sinclair Cover Photo: Behind the scenes of student film VERNON LEAVES THE CIRCUS. This Photo: “Snow” from The Nutcracker falls during the Design & Production segment of University Commencement in May, as always prepared D&P students open their umbrellas. UNCSA is an equal opportunity, constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. Please mail address changes to: Advancement, UNCSA, 1533 S. Main St., Winston-Salem, NC 27127. Every effort has been made to avoid errors in this issue. Please notify us of any errors, and accept our apologies.
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
WELCOME
Friends Dear Friends,
These are exciting days at UNCSA! As you can see in the pages of this issue of UNCSA Magazine, we have completed a very successful year, earning honors and accolades across the country. We recently graduated 333 students in our high school, undergraduate and master’s programs, and we know they will continue to make us proud with their accomplishments in the arts or their chosen profession. We kicked off our 50th anniversary celebration with a festive breakfast for everyone on campus, and an evening gala that netted more than $207,000 to help UNCSA expand its reach and increase awareness of the university. As proud as we are to share these amazing developments, we are equally pleased to assure you that our best days lie ahead, and the 2014-15 school year promises to be nothing short of spectacular! First, we welcome our new chancellor, Lindsay Bierman, who brings with him a wealth of creative leadership and an abundance of infectious energy and enthusiasm.
Jim DeCristo
Interim Chief Advancement Officer; Director of Economic Development & External Affairs; Co-Chair, 50th Anniversary Committee
We also will welcome a new chief advancement officer. The search is under way for a successor for Mark Hough, who stepped down in March to pursue other opportunities. Our new chancellor is working with the search committee to find his perfect fundraising partner. During the year we expect to move into four new buildings that will enhance our ability to educate and train the next generation of artists, and will enable us to better serve our hardworking students. We will continue to celebrate the first 50 years of this wonderful institution, beginning with a Community Festival on Sept. 20, and culminating with a featured performance of Guys and Dolls in April 2015. Along the way we will pay tribute to our founders, to our steadfast supporters, and to countless retired faculty and staff members whose efforts paved the way for our current success. We cannot acknowledge our many accomplishments this past year without honoring James Moeser, who stepped in as interim chancellor and set the tone for collaborative progress. It has been my extreme pleasure to get to know James and to learn from his vast experience and his exemplary leadership. Thankfully, as he returns to his teaching post in Chapel Hill, he has promised to stay in touch, to assist Chancellor Bierman in his transition, and to continue his support of a school that he now loves. His support, and yours, is more important than ever as we embark on our next 50 years. We need to hear from you, and we need you to help us spread the word about this special place. We need our alumni to engage with us and to connect with each other so we can build a strong community of support in North Carolina, across the United States, and around the world. I hope to see many of you at upcoming performances and special events. It’s going to be a great year! Come celebrate with us! Sincerely,
Jim
Board of Trustees Chair Rob King, left, presents outgoing Interim Chancellor James Moeser with a sculpture during the April trustees meeting.
Jim DeCristo
SUMMER 2014
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
1
COMMENCEMENT
Kerner, surrounded by some of his film characters.
Provost David Nelson congratulates graduate.
Kerner Advises University Graduates:
Use Your Art to Change the World Hollywood producer and former UNCSA School of Filmmaking Dean Jordan Kerner – “as someone who cares passionately about our responsibility as artists to the world” – challenged the 206 UNCSA college graduates on May 10 “to become a citizen of this nation and our world. What are you trying to say to the world with every breath you take in your performance, with every pixel of your motion picture cameras in the films you make? “In my five years as dean of the School of Filmmaking I would often say to my students, no matter what you think or believe, your film will sit somewhere on a spectrum between denigration and elevation. … I am a believer that we must all compel our nation and the world to look carefully at their choices and their indifference. Use your artistry and your artistic work to this end. Please know that your work has effect, great effect culturally, morally and politically in every corner of the globe in which it plays. You need to risk much in your journey to find your voice. Do not leave any of yourself in a safe place, put every fiber you have into this quest to discover the foundations of your core beliefs. What you’ll discover will be yourself.”
2
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
Kerner also said the UNCSA grads are “among the luckiest graduating artists in the nation. You have received a very rigorous education from one of the most highly regarded arts schools in the world. Over the last decade each UNCSA school has risen to the top tier of our nation’s arts school rankings. A diploma in your chosen endeavor means more now than at any time in this school’s history. “You will be part of a new generation of artists,” Kerner concluded, “who test our nation’s cultural architecture with the ideas behind the plays you write, the musical notes you play, the modern dance moves you make, the theatrical worlds you paint and the films you create. …” Interim Chancellor James Moeser presided over the commencement ceremony, held on the stage of UNCSA’s Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem, as a packed house of family and friends snapped photos and captured videos. “I just realized I’m not in Chapel Hill,” Moeser quipped, referring to his eight years as chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill. Moeser was tapped as interim UNCSA chancellor last summer by UNC President Tom Ross. Moeser served until July 14, when he returned to UNCChapel Hill as chancellor emeritus and a member of the Music faculty there.
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
COMMENCEMENT
“Pickleina Pickleoma” auditions during skit.
Students take selfies.
Murphy Advises High School Grads:
Be Daring in Your Art, Compassionate in Life One of the brightest stars in ballet today, UNCSA alumna Gillian Murphy told the 127 UNCSA high school graduates in dance, drama, music and visual arts on the morning of May 17: “Be daring in your art, be compassionate in your life, and be true to yourself.” Interim Chancellor James Moeser and Board of Trustees Murphy Chair Robert L. “Rob” King III presented Murphy with an honorary doctorate during the high school commencement ceremony, held on the stage of UNCSA’s Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem. Murphy dedicated her remarks to the late Melissa Hayden, the legendary ballerina who coached and trained her while she was a student in the School of Dance at NCSA, and to the late Elena Shapiro, who graduated from the School of the Arts and went on to dance with Carolina Ballet in Raleigh. Murphy graduated from the high school program of the School of Dance in 1996. She has been with American Ballet Theatre since that year, first in the corps de ballet, then as a soloist, and as a principal dancer since 2002. She started off by quoting from some of her fiancé’s initiatives when he was dean of the UNCSA School of Dance: “embrace any challenge put before us” and
SUMMER 2014
“commit to reaching our full potential while helping those around us reach theirs.” Former Dean of Dance Ethan Stiefel, who served from 2007 to 2011, was known for the initiatives he brought to the School of Dance, under the motto, “We Will!” Murphy continued by imparting some of her own advice to the new graduates: • “You will make new friends, but you will really miss the ones you made here. … always make an effort to stay in touch … (with) all your fellow Pickles.” • “To the introverts … like myself, be aware when you’re stuck in your own head and … make an effort to be more social.” To the extroverts, she said, “thank you for the entertainment … and remember not to write off the quiet ones.” • “To not let the perfect be an enemy of the good.” • “Luck will play a role in your lives. … The key is to stay prepared and remain optimistic.” UNCSA School of Dance Dean Susan Jaffe paid tribute to Murphy during the advice she gave to the School of Dance Class of 2014. “I was fortunate to work with her at ABT for two years,” Jaffe said. Moser, who presided over the high school ceremony, said, “This is also my commencement from UNCSA,” referring to the post in which he has received great praise. “I will continue to follow you. I will always be a Pickle.”
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
3
NEWS
Construction Update A new environment for students’ learning and living is taking shape with four capital construction projects under way and nearing completion on the UNCSA campus at 1533 South Main St., Winston-Salem. We could only show you renderings in the first issue of UNCSA Magazine in the spring of 2013. Now, you can see (clockwise, from right) a new 73,000-squarefoot library (viewed from Ehle Drive and the circle) that dominates the landscape adjacent to the School of Music Complex; a new 9,000-square-foot police operations facility on Kenan Drive, across from the Drama Gym; a new 40,000-square-foot accessible inventory facility (aka central storage facility) on Sunnyside Avenue; and a new 30,000-square-foot film production design facility adjacent to the Film Archives. All of the buildings – collectively valued at nearly $46 million – will open during the coming school year.
4
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
NEWS
School of Drama moves to No. 6 on The Hollywood Reporter’s list; Drama high school program is No. 3 The School of Drama is ranked No. 6 in the world by The Hollywood Reporter, and its high school program is No. 3. The June 6 issue of the magazine ranked 25 college programs and 10 high school programs based on its poll of 60 top casting directors and agents. In 2013, UNCSA’s college program was ranked seventh in the world. In 2012, it was among the magazine’s first published list of 25 best programs. Schools that year were listed alphabetically and were not ranked. This is the first year The Hollywood Reporter has ranked high school theatre programs. “It is gratifying to be recognized for what we already know,” said Drama Dean Carl Forsman. “Both our high school and college programs are among the very best in the world. Our faculty are top notch, and that allows us to attract students who are very talented and have a passion for acting and directing.” The magazine noted that UNCSA accepts 28 out of 450 college applicants, that after its 2013 showcases, 17 of 25 grads landed an agent or manager; and 10 months after graduation, 13 have Screen Actors Guild or Equity cards. As notable alumni, it mentioned Mary-Louise Parker and Dane DeHaan. Alumnus Dikki Ellis teaches a high school drama class.
UNCSA is a “best value” according to Kiplinger’s UNCSA ranks second among the nation’s 10 best values in small colleges, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. The magazine also ranked UNCSA 10th on its list of 10 best values among public colleges in the Southeast and mid-South.
D&P to host inaugural SPARK! symposium UNCSA’s School of Design and Production will partner with the U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) to host the first SPARK! Entertainment Innovation Symposium Sept. 7-9 on campus. Visual Designer Tupac Martir of London’s Satore Studio will be the featured presenter.
The new rankings complement the magazine’s annual list of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges. That list of 100, announced in December 2013, placed the School of the Arts at 24, up from 31 the previous year.
SPARK! will bring together artists and engineers, designers and technicians to “spark” ideas for applying innovations like 3D holographics, new audio and visual software, and products like Google Glass in the entertainment industry. The symposium will feature small hands-on sessions for attendees to try out the new technology.
On the small colleges list, New College of Florida placed first. UNC-Asheville, ranked fifth, was the only other North Carolina college included. Among the public college best values in the Southeast and mid-South, UNCChapel Hill was first, and North Carolina State University was fifth.
Martir has provided production design, visuals and lighting direction for Elton John, Beyoncé, Sting and Jon Bon Jovi at Buchanan’s Forever, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood, and the Coachella music festival.
Interim Chancellor James Moeser said the new rankings affirm what UNCSA alumni, students, and their parents know. “There is tremendous benefit to having a career that you love, and that is what we make possible at UNCSA,” he said. “Our students are getting world-class education and training by faculty who are experts in their fields. A degree from the School of the Arts is a sound investment.”
Other presenters include Cirque du Soleil, whose Michael Jackson One show features a 3D hologram of the king of pop, and researchers field-testing Google Glass at live performances. Additional presenters, as well as attendance fees, will be announced as determined at www.usitt.org/spark14.
SUMMER 2014
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
5
NEWS
MFA recipient from D&P is Kennedy Center Intern Eliza Walmsley, who received an M.F.A. in performing arts management in May, spent spring semester in a prestigious internship at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Walmsley was an intern in capacity building programs for the DeVos Institute of Arts Management (DVIAM), a part of the Kennedy Center. She helped prepare for seminars by working with vendors, facilitating participants’ travel arrangements, developing content, and doing in-depth research for potential programs or clients. She worked with a wide range of arts and cultural organizations, industry professionals who serve as DVIAM advisors, and Kennedy Center staff. Walmsley
She was one of 36 interns selected from a candidate pool of 150 applicants. The Kennedy Center Internship program is recognized by the Princeton Review as one of the top 100 internships in the United States.
Visual Arts students earn 76 awards from Scholastic Students in the Visual Arts Program earned an unprecedented 76 awards in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation’s most prestigious program for recognizing artists in grades 7 through 12. UNCSA artists earned 11 gold keys, 36 silver keys and 29 honorable mentions. The winners from UNCSA are: Julian Barlow of Raleigh; Sara Behnke of Graham; Emerald Bender of Winston-Salem; Astrid Blurr and Madeleine Popkin of Chapel Hill; Mikaela Darnell of Shelby; William Greene of Salisbury; Elizabeth Huttman and Rachel O’Connor of Hickory; Virginia Li and Cassie Sun of Cary; Gabriel Luciani of Charlotte; Gabriel McGee of Wilmington; Hayley Vinson of Garner; and Jennifer Xiao of Concord. Visual Arts Director Will Taylor noted that students were recognized in a variety of arts media including drawing, painting, design, fashion, sculpture, printmaking, digital art, mixed media, and film and animation.
6
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
Ravelson
Valentino
Busnot
D&P students sweep USITT awards Three students in the School of Design and Production are the best in the nation in their fields, and a recent D&P alumna working in New York is a rising star in her profession, according to the U.S. Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT). Student winners were Kai Ravelson, the Makeup Design Award sponsored by Kryolan Professional Make-Up; David Valentino, the W. Oren Parker Undergraduate Scene Design Award sponsored by Stage Decoration & Supplies; and Alexa Busnot, the first Master Craftsmanship Award sponsored by Bernhard R. Works. New York sound designer Janie Bullard was named the 2014 Rising Star, awarded in conjunction with Live Design magazine. The awards were presented in March at USITT’s Annual Conference & Stage Expo in Fort Worth, Texas, where D&P students won the Tech Olympics for the seventh straight year, and members of the team swept the competition’s individual awards. Dean of Design and Production Joseph P. Tilford, who serves on USITT’s board of directors, said UNCSA students and alumni are honored year after year by USITT. “We are very proud to add Kai, David, Alexa and Janie to the list of students and alumni who have been honored over the years by USITT,” he said. “These awards are very meaningful testament to the talent and hard work of our students and the expert instruction and guidance of our faculty,” he added.
Accrediting agency removes public sanction The board of trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) has removed the University of North Carolina School of the Arts from a public sanction. The SACSCOC board removed UNCSA from “warning” – which is the lesser of two public sanctions (warning and probation) – and requested no additional information or report at its meeting in June. “I am pleased to report that we have received the best possible outcome with the board’s decision,” said UNCSA Interim Chancellor James Moeser. “It is gratifying to know that this significant issue has been resolved before I turn over the reins to a new chancellor.” Last summer, UNCSA was placed on warning for 12 months related to concerns over five of more than 80 standards that must be met for accreditation. At no point did SACS place UNCSA on probation or revoke its accreditation. UNCSA’s high school program was unaffected. VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
NEWS
Student film is finalist in contest sponsored by Sprite
Dancers compete in Youth America Grand Prix
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO, written and directed by Lucian Murphree and produced by Char-lay Douglas (pictured at left), was one of six finalists for the Sprite Films competition.
Darion Flores, who received his high school diploma in May from the School of Dance, competed in the New York Finals of the Youth America Grand Prix in April as a result of winning the Gold Medal in the Classical and Contemporary categories at the YAGP semifinals in Chicago in March.
The story of a graffiti artist who is driven to express himself in an unusual way, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO was among 135 films submitted from 23 colleges and universities throughout the country.
Flores, of Cary, is one of three dance students who won awards at the Chicago YAGP. Hannah Davis of Chapel Hill, who also graduated in May, won the Silver Medal in the Classical category. Flores and Davis also won the Silver Medal in the Ensemble category, for their classical pas de deux from Le Corsaire.
Murphree is a School of Filmmaking rising junior from Omaha, Neb. Douglas, of Conover, graduated from the film school in May. “This is a wonderful experience for these young filmmakers,” said Film Dean Susan Ruskin. “As a student, you want to take advantage of every opportunity to have your work seen by professionals in the industry. The feedback is immeasurable.” The six finalist films premiered at CinemaCon, the annual gathering of cinema owners and operators from around the world.
Opera students win in Met Opera National Council Auditions Opera students in the School of Music won a total of five awards at the Southeast Regional Finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council (MONC) Auditions, held in February in Atlanta, Ga. Tenor Jonathan Johnson won second place and three awards totaling $2,500. He received the W.K. Lomason Memorial Award, the Mrs. Gilbert W. Humphrey Award and the Southeast Region Award. Bass Daren Jackson won the Peg Gary Encouragement Award and the Atlanta Opera Guild Encouragement Award, totaling $1,000. Johnson, from Macon, Ga., studied with Marilyn Taylor. He received his M.M. from UNCSA in 2013 and a Professional Artist Certificate this year as a Fellow of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute. In April, he joined the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
A third student, rising senior Anha Lipchik of Shorewood, Wisc., was ranked in the Top 12 in the Classical and Contemporary categories. The students were coached by Misha Tchoupakov, who joined the UNCSA School of Dance faculty in August 2013. YAGP is the world’s largest student ballet scholarship competition.
High school graduate is Presidential Scholar A high school senior was named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts by the U.S. Department of Education, and four other high school students were recognized by the National YoungArts Foundation. Reagan Lukefahr of Houston, Texas, who Lukefahr received her high school diploma from the School of Drama in May, was named a Presidential Scholar. She will return to UNCSA in the fall as a first-year college student.
Jackson, from Wilmington, received his bachelor’s degree this year. He studied with Glenn Siebert.
The National YoungArts Foundation is the exclusive nominating agency for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts.
UNCSA swept the North Carolina District Auditions of the MONC, held in January in Charlotte. Johnson, Jackson and mezzo-soprano Kate Farrar of Hillsborough were equal first-place winners, which allowed them to advance to the Southeast Regionals.
Four UNCSA high school students were recognized by the YoungArts Foundation for 2013-14. Rachel Haas of Kissimmee, Fla., was named a finalist in theatre. Reynolds Duck of Winston-Salem received an honorable mention in theatre and a merit award in dance. Jennifer Xiao of Concord received a merit award in visual arts. Ryan McNally, from Charleston, S.C., received a merit award in ballet.
Farrar, also a Fellow of the Fletcher Opera Institute, studied with Marion Pratnicki and completed her M.M. in May. The MONC annually sponsors nationwide auditions to discover exceptional young talent.
SUMMER 2014
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
7
NEWS
Coelho with his flute studio
Tadeu Coelho, colleagues honored for excellence in teaching
Two employees honored by Staff Council Two staff members received Staff Council awards from Interim Chancellor James Moeser at the school’s recent Celebration of Excellence ceremony. Leslie Kamtman of Winston-Salem received the Staff Community Service Award, and Mary Graves of Kernersville received the Staff Professional Excellence Award. The Community Service Award recognizes a staff member who has shown exemplary understanding, empathy and devotion to the University community and to mankind. Kamtman, the music librarian, was honored as an active member and former president of the Washington Park Neighborhood Association. At UNCSA, she serves the Staff Council as parliamentarian, member of the executive committee, chair of the professional development committee, and representative for board of trustees committees. She is the Semans Library representative to the Faculty Council, and has served as its secretary for more than 15 years. Kamtman has worked at UNCSA since 1989. The Professional Excellence Award recognizes a staff member who demonstrates exceptional customer service, provides noteworthy assistance with pride and conscientiousness, and displays selfless acts of giving by providing extra help outside normal job responsibilities. Graves, who is business officer in the Division of Liberal Arts, is also active on the Staff Council as a member of the executive committee, chair of the membership and elections committees, and staff representative for the board of trustees finance committee. She has been at UNCSA since 2008. Each of the awards includes a $1,000 stipend. 8
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
Tadeu Coelho, associate professor of music at UNCSA, is the recipient of a 2014 Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. Coelho has taught flute at UNCSA since 2002. The UNC Board of Governors annually honors one faculty member from each of the system’s 17 campuses. Recipients receive an engraved bronze medallion, a stipend of $12,500, and are honored at their campus commencement ceremonies. “Teaching is the most important thing we do,” said Interim Chancellor James Moeser. “This is the University’s highest honor for doing it very well. Tadeu Coelho can take great pride in having won this prestigious honor, just as we take great pride in having him as a colleague.” At UNCSA, students, alumni and faculty are encouraged to submit nominations for the UNCSA Excellence in Teaching Awards. Five or six faculty members are honored with campus awards, and one of them is forwarded to the Board of Governors. This year’s recipients of the campus awards, in addition to Coelho, are Allison Gagnon from the School of Music, Caroline Kava from the School of Drama, Susan McCullough from the School of Dance, Nola Schiff from the School of Filmmaking, and Beth Thompson from the High School Academic Program.
Gagnon
Kava
McCullough
Schiff
Thompson
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
NEWS
Lees joins Music faculty as Orchestra conductor Music Dean Wade Weast has announced that award-winning conductor Christopher James Lees will join the School of Music faculty this fall as music director of the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra and associate professor of conducting. “Christopher James Lees’ star is quickly rising. He is an immensely talented musician and in high demand as a conductor all over the country,” Weast said. “I look forward to watching him inspire our students and thrill our audiences.” Recipient of a Gustavo Dudamel Conducting Fellowship with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Lees made his debut with the orchestra in April 2013. Recent guest conducting engagements have included performances with the Detroit, Toledo, Portland (Maine), and Kalamazoo symphonies, as well as with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Orchestra de Chambre de Paris, Aspen Philharmonic Orchestra, Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and at the Festival Internacional de Inverno de Campos do Jordao in Brazil, among others. After two summers of study with Robert Spano at the Aspen Music Festival, Lees was named winner of both the 2011 James Conlon Conducting Prize and the 2012 Aspen Conducting Prizes, respectively. In 2013, Lees returned for a third summer as assistant conductor for the Aspen Music Festival and School.
“Christopher James Lees’ star is quickly rising. He is an immensely talented musician and in high demand as a conductor all over the country.” Lees received a prestigious Career Assistance Grant from the Solti Foundation US and was previously showcased as one of six conductors selected for the 2011 Bruno Walter Memorial Foundation National Conductor Preview, hosted by the League of American Orchestras and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.
A pianist equally comfortable in the opera pit, Lees has been music director or assistant conductor on a wide array of operas, including Aida, Don Giovanni, Peter Grimes, John Harbison’s The Great Gatsby, Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Louis Andriessen’s De Materie, and Philip Glass’ the CIVIL warS.
Lees
A passionate advocate for music of our time, Lees has commissioned many new works, and collaborated closely with Pulitzer Prize-winning composers John Adams, William Bolcom, Joseph Schwantner, and Jennifer Higdon, among others. A native of Washington, D.C., Lees holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, where he was associate director of orchestras. Lees succeeds James Allbritten who, after 20 dedicated years on the faculty, will become the first general director of Piedmont Opera, where he has been artistic director since 2004. Allbritten served as interim conductor of the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra for the past four years.
Athletic trainer receives statewide award Laura Santos, the head athletic trainer for Student Health Services, was named Emerging Practices Athletic Trainer of the Year by the N.C. Athletic Trainers’ Association (NCATA). Emerging practices refers to work settings for athletic trainers that are outside the traditional field of intercollegiate and professional sports.
Santos
SUMMER 2014
Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs Ward Caldwell said that Santos is one of two athletic trainers who work closely with arts faculty and health care providers both on and off campus to keep students healthy and strong. “Our arts training programs are rigorous, and the physical demands are tremendous,” he said. “Our focus and commitment is teaching students how to be safe and to maintain their health and wellness. Laura is an outstanding example of the staff’s commitment to that goal.” The athletic trainer position was created nine years ago to treat students in the physically demanding arts disciplines.
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
9
GIVING
50th Anniversary Kick-Off Gala is a rousing success
Nearly 300 guests turned out for UNCSA’s 50th anniversary Kick-Off Gala on May 5 in the School of Filmmaking Studio Village. Guests arriving at the event were treated as actors on a 1960s studio backlot, with “extras” milling about, prop and wardrobe crews racing between buildings, paparazzi snapping photos, and studio bigwigs barking orders. The evening began with a 1960s-inspired cocktail hour on one of the sound stages, followed by a dinner on Stage 6. Following dinner, students entertained the guests with a production of “A School is Born.” Set in the mid-1960s, the performances included a musical number written by Drama Dean Carl Forsman to depict the “Dial for Dollars” phone-a-thon that brought the School of the Arts to Winston-Salem, as well as performances from shows in production during the ‘60s. Music alumnus Richard Ollarsaba ‘12 sang “The Impossible Dream” from Man of LaMancha and “Toreador Song” from Carmen. Students also performed “The Telephone Hour” from Bye Bye Birdie. The finale was a musical number from Guys and Dolls, performed by Drama students as announcement of the featured performance planned for April 2015. During the performance, selected guests – including actress Rosemary Harris and UNC System President Tom Ross – read excerpts from the school’s historical documents. Drama alumnus Peter Hedges ’84 (pictured at left) served as the enthusiastic host for the evening. A special auction, led by animated auctioneer and retired Drama Assistant Dean Robert Beseda, raised more than $15,000 for student scholarships. The gala evening netted more than $207,000 in essential funds to help UNCSA expand its reach and increase awareness of the university. In addition to income received through tickets sales and table sponsorships, the school received approximately $30,000 in gift-in-kind donations. Corporate sponsors were: Wells Fargo (presenting sponsor), Reynolds American, Hanesbrands, Bob King Automotive Group, Aramark, BB&T, Arbor Investment Advisors, Kilpatrick Townsend, Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, with Gift-In-Kind sponsors Excalibur Direct Marketing, Aladdin Travel & Meeting Planners, The Brookstown Inn, Dewey’s Bakery, and The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Aqua Hotel. 10
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
GIVING
Pruitt receives Giannini Award Former Chief Academic Officer (now provost) Elaine Doerschuk Pruitt received the 2014 Giannini Society Award at University Commencement on May 10. One of the school’s most prestigious honors, the Giannini Society Award is given in recognition of meritorious service to UNCSA. Previous recipients include founders, board members, alumni, volunteers and former chancellors. “We are so fortunate to her as a friend, supporter and advocate,” said Interim Chancellor James Moeser in presenting the award and recognizing her “extraordinary allegiance to the school.” During her 35-year tenure at UNCSA, Pruitt served as a teacher, administrator and executive. She came to the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1975 to teach history and social studies. In 2003, she was named dean of General Studies. During 2003-04, the Division of General Studies was separated into a high school division and an undergraduate academic division and she was then named associate vice chancellor for Undergraduate Academic and Graduate Programs. In 2006, she was named chief academic officer. She initially retired from UNCSA in July 2009, but came back for eight months as chief academic officer in 2010. Upon her retirement the UNCSA Board of Trustees granted her the status of faculty emeritus. Pruitt continues to be involved with the school, serving on the boards of The Associates volunteer group and the UNCSA Foundation as well as serving on the Giannini Advisory Committee and the Kenan Excellence Scholarship Selection Committee. She is also co-chair of the 50th Anniversary Committee at UNCSA, and is currently writing a book detailing the school’s history since 1985.
Kenan receives University Award from Board of Governors UNCSA Trustee Emeritus Thomas S. Kenan III is a recipient of the 2014 University Award, the highest honor awarded by the Board of Governors of the 17-campus University of North Carolina system. UNC President Tom Ross and Board Chairman Peter Hans presented the award to Kenan at a Board of Governors event in Chapel Hill in April. In the 1960s, Kenan was a strong and convincing advocate for the creation of the North Carolina School of the Arts (now the UNC School of the Arts). He served on UNCSA’s board of trustees from 1969-85 and continues to serve as an honorary trustee. A member of its Board of Visitors since 1985, he also is a member of UNCSA’s Giannini Society and Founders Society and served for many years on the UNCSA Foundation board. Thomas S. Kenan III
Today, Kenan remains one of UNCSA’s most dedicated and generous supporters. Kenan, who lives in Chapel Hill, is chairman and director of Flagler System, Inc. He was formerly chairman of the board of Kenan Transport Company, a petroleum transport business, until the company’s sale in 2001. Kenan was born in Durham. He received his B.A. in economics from UNC-Chapel Hill, where his family has a long and enduring history of connections. The Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at UNCSA, established in 1993, was named in his honor.
SUMMER 2014
New Gillian Murphy Endowed Scholarship created in Dance The School of Dance at UNCSA has announced the establishment of the Gillian Murphy Endowed Scholarship. The four-year scholarship is named for UNCSA alumna Gillian Murphy ’96, a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. “Gillian remains a steadfast supporter of the School of the Arts,” said School of Dance Dean Susan Jaffe. “She is a great ambassador for us, and a wonderful role model for our students.” Dean Jaffe announced the first recipient of the scholarship is Florrie Geller of Savannah, Ga. The scholarship was offered at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) Finals in New York in April. Thanks to the leadership of Board of Visitors member and dance supporter Ralph Womble, donors in North Carolina and New York raised more than $160,000 in just a few weeks to fund the scholarship. By the end of May, total contributions to the scholarship reached $300,000, halfway to the goal of $600,000 for full endowment. An anonymous donor provided the operational funds to begin awarding the scholarship until the endowment is reached. If you would like to contribute to the Gillian Murphy Endowed Scholarship, please contact Lisa Ransom at ransome@uncsa.edu.
Scholarships at UNCSA A named, endowed scholarship can be established at UNCSA with a minimum gift of $25,000. The school distributes a percentage of interest income annually (usually 5 percent) for the purpose set forth by the donor. Additional earned interest goes to the principal to increase the endowment corpus. A fully endowed, named scholarship covers the cost of tuition, room and board for one student. The minimum gift to establish this type of scholarship is $600,000. Earned interest above the costs of tuition, room and board goes to the principal to increase the endowment corpus. A named, annual scholarship can be established with a minimum gift of $2,500 per year. These are provided on a yearly basis, and the scholarship remains in effect at the discretion of the donor.
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
11
GIVING
Devinron Ready in King Hedley II
The Associates of UNCSA establish Endowed Scholarship Each year, The Associates spend countless hours volunteering around campus, serving as host families to high school students who are from out of state (or even other countries), baking cookies for students at exam time and introducing UNCSA to new friends in the community. Last year alone, they donated more than 1,500 hours of their time to UNCSA.
Hamlin Scholarship
Founded in 1983, The Associates support and encourage the development of the students and the school. Their mission is to promote positive community awareness of the school and assist UNCSA wherever appropriate.
“a life-changing opportunity”
In addition to volunteering, The Associates have made a commitment to providing financial support to a student in need. At the beginning of 2012-13, they created an endowed scholarship, hoping to reach the $25,000 minimum by the end of the year. With help from an anonymous donor who matched the first $12,500 in donations, not only did they meet their goal, they surpassed it! More than 100 Associates members and other supporters have brought the endowment to nearly $35,000, and it continues to grow. The first Associates Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to a student entering in the fall of 2015. Please contact Amy Werner at wernera@uncsa.edu for more information.
Wallace Carroll Endowed Scholarship in Piano John Carroll and his sister, Patricia Carroll, pose with Wallace Carroll Endowed Scholarship in Piano Scholarship recipient Xueer Chen of China. Chen met with the children of Wallace Carroll when they were in WinstonSalem for the 50th Anniversary Kick-Off Gala and played a Beethoven cadenza for them. Pulitzer Prize-winner Wallace Carroll wrote the famous front-page Winston-Salem Journal editorial, “Give Us the School,” that got the city and the location selection committee excited about the new arts school nearly 50 years ago.
12
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
By Amy Werner Many students at UNCSA wouldn’t be on campus if they didn’t have some kind of financial aid. That is especially true for minority students who come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. But one special scholarship at UNCSA has been helping to ease that financial burden since 2008. The Larry Leon Hamlin and Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin/Winston-Salem Urban League Endowed Scholarship honors the life and legacy of Larry Leon Hamlin, founder of the National Black Theatre Festival. It is given annually to a first-year undergraduate student, alternating between the schools of Design and Production and Drama, and is aimed at fostering the tradition of diversity in the arts by recruiting and nurturing young artistic talent that will bring a cultural breadth and enrichment to UNCSA. Students who receive the scholarship are evaluated on the strength of their audition, community service, leadership capabilities and academic achievement. Recipients intern or perform special projects with the National Black Theatre Festival and the North Carolina Black Repertory Theatre. “This scholarship represents a life-changing opportunity for those who receive it,” said Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin, executive producer of the National Black Theatre Festival and wife of the late Larry Leon Hamlin. “Hamlin Scholars come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds,” she continued. “Most will be the first in their families to attend college and pursue a professional career – made possible in part because of financial assistance provided by the Hamlin Scholarship. This is their chance to excel based on their amazing talents and not be limited by their finances.” Currently, the scholarship covers part of the students’ costs, but a volunteer fund-raising committee is nearly halfway to its goal of a $300,000 endowment to cover full tuition for a first-year student. Six students have received Hamlin Scholarships to date. The first recipient, Shanomie Blackwood (D&P ‘13), works with Cirque du Soleil on La Nouba in Orlando, Fla. Other recipients include: Devinron Ready (Drama ‘14); Aundria Brown (Drama ‘14); Rosio Medina (D&P ‘15); Samaria Nixon Fleming (Drama ’16); and Julia Rodriguez (D&P ‘17). The Hamlin Committee includes Mary and Andrew Perkins (co-chairs), John Gates, Brenda Latham-Sadler, Pam and Mark Oliver, Bernadette and Dan Miller, Patricia Sadler, Cyndi Skaar and Ernest Fackelman. For more information or to contribute to the scholarship, please contact Lisa Ransom at ransome@uncsa.edu. VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
GIVING
April 28 event commemorates historic “Dial for Dollars” On April 28, several faculty, staff, students, and loyal UNCSA friends gathered in Eisenberg Hall of Hanes Student Commons to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the phone-a-thon that brought the School of the Arts to Winston-Salem. Exactly 50 years before, more than 200 volunteers participated in the 48-hour “Dial for Dollars” campaign, raising $850,000 to convert the vacant Gray High School building into classrooms for the proposed arts conservatory. But this year, the volunteers weren’t asking for money. They were saying “thank-you” to donors, alumni, parents, current and former board members, and anyone else who has supported the school in the past half century – including those who manned the phones back in 1964. “It was just to say thanks,” said Annual Fund Manager Amy Werner, who coordinated the phone-athon. “The number of supporters is astounding. We appreciate everyone, even those we didn’t get to call.” Because of the sheer volume of supporters, the volunteers did not make it through the stacks of call sheets. Werner said the school is especially grateful to one of its most faithful supporters, Bingle Lewis. “She was one of the volunteer callers 50 years ago, and she came back this year to make calls,” she said.
Lewis
“We are in Winston-Salem because this community wanted us here, and they worked hard to make it happen,” said Interim Chief Advancement Officer Jim DeCristo. “This community continues to show its support, and it is important that we express our gratitude.”
In Memoriam Helen Copenhaver “Copey” Hanes
Ruth Myers Pleasants
School of the Arts founder and longtime supporter Helen Copenhaver “Copey” Hanes (Mrs. James Gordon Hanes) died in December. She was 96.
Mrs. Ruth Myers Pleasants, an avid member of the arts community in Winston Salem and lover of opera, died in March. She was 100.
“She was one of a kind,” said UNCSA Founder and Trustee Emeritus Thomas S. Kenan III. “Irreplaceable.”
She was a longtime Giannini Society supporter and established the Ruth Myers Pleasants Endowed Scholarship in Opera in the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute.
Mrs. Hanes’ husband, the late James Gordon Hanes, served as a state senator during the 1960s and introduced the legislation that established the North Carolina School of the Arts in 1963. In 1964, Mrs. Hanes and other volunteers helped to organize Copey Hanes a phone bank that called almost every phone number in Winston-Salem, raising more than $850,000 to ensure that Winston-Salem would be the future home of the School of the Arts. Mrs. Hanes served on the UNCSA Board of Trustees as a UNC Board of Governors appointee from 1989-93, and was a founding and longtime member of the UNCSA Board of Visitors and an emerita member at the time of her death. She was a charter lifetime member of the UNCSA Giannini Society, and was a member of the Founders Society, the Encore Society, and the Chancellor’s Circle at the school. She also served on Giannini Society gala and Stevens Center gala opening committees. Mrs. Hanes received an honorary degree from UNCSA in 2003, and she and her husband (posthumously) received the Giannini Society Award in 2006.
In 2010, she was the first recipient of the Katherine Reynolds Johnston League Legacy Award, given for lifelong achievement in volunteer service and leadership.
Maya Angelou One of the most renowned and influential voices of our time, Maya Angelou died in May. She was 86. Hailed as a global renaissance woman, Dr. Angelou was a celebrated poet, memoirist, novelist, educator, dramatist, producer, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. She was the Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University, and served as an honorary trustee for UNCSA from 2008 to 2010.
SUMMER 2014
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
13
FEATURE
Lindsay Bierman
takes reins as eighth chancellor “Wild card” plans to shine light on UNCSA talent By Lauren Whitaker
Lindsay Bierman is accustomed to heavy lifting. A self-described hardcore enthusiast of the CrossFit exercise regimen, he has set a personal goal of mastering the squat-snatch-anddeadlift maneuver with twice his body weight this year. As UNCSA’s eighth chancellor, he will carry a heavy professional load as well, working on several strategic goals while getting to know the campus and the community.
14
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
FEATURE
“It’s no secret that we must dramatically ramp up our fund-raising capacity and raise our profile beyond the usual circles,” he said. He also plans to help the school more fully engage its alumni, and he wants to nurture entrepreneurial thinking. But Bierman says he is not alone in shouldering the challenges UNCSA faces. “The Executive Council (provost, chief operating officer, chief advancement officer, director of external affairs and executive director of Kenan Institute for the Arts), deans and many others have done an outstanding job of moving us in all the right directions,” Bierman said. “I want to accelerate their momentum, and build on the great work Interim Chancellor James Moeser has done in his short time here.” Elected by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors on April 11, the editor in chief of Southern Living magazine was described by UNC President Tom Ross as an “out-of-the-box” choice, and by UNCSA Trustees Chair Robert L. “Rob” King III as a “wild card candidate.” Bierman decided early on to own those descriptions. “I’ve never doubted the relevance of my skills and experience to the demands of the position,” he said, adding that his unusual combination of visual acuity, business acumen, branding experience, and flair for storytelling will serve the school well. “I don’t think the school would benefit from having the spotlight on me as an artist,” he said. “It’s my job to brighten and focus that light squarely on the extraordinary talent we have in every discipline on this campus.” As an editor for Time Inc. publications (Southern Living, Coastal Living, Cottage Living and Southern Accents) for more than a decade, Bierman has built, led and nurtured creative teams, driven strategic brand development, and
SUMMER 2014
built media relations as the brand’s top spokesman. But it wasn’t the career he envisioned. “I always tell young people in my office who get antsy and hung up on mapping their ‘career path’ that none of us, no matter our current circumstances, can predict where our passions and experience will eventually take us,” he said. “I’m a case in point.”
“I don’t think the school would benefit from having the spotlight on me as an artist. It’s my job to brighten and focus that light squarely on the extraordinary talent we have in every discipline on this campus.” Bierman studied history and French at Georgetown University, thinking he might have a career in diplomacy. But as a young writer fresh out of college, he interviewed renowned architect Robert Stern and was immediately star-struck. “Turns out he needed a ghost writer, so after a couple of years working on his books, lectures and presentations, I decided to get my master’s degree,” Bierman explained. With a master’s in architecture from the University of Virginia, he returned to Robert A. M. Stern Architects in New York as a designer, and he continued to write. In 1997, Bierman made a bold move, relocating to Alabama as founding design editor of Coastal Living Magazine. “Bob (Stern) wasn’t too happy about that,” Bierman said, adding his mentor told him, “I hope you’ll continue to raise a voice for art and architecture and not just report on pillow fluffing.” Stern, says Bierman, has blessed the move to UNCSA, unexpected though it was.
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
15
FEATURE “When I was at Georgetown, I never imagined I’d be an architect. When I was in architecture school at Virginia, I never dreamed I’d rise through the ranks of the magazine industry. As an editor, I never thought I’d helm one of the largest, most beloved, and most iconic media brands in the business. So I certainly wouldn’t have believed back then that I’d be here today.”
getting into the barbershop quartet in The Music Man.” Bierman says he still sings “Lida Rose” in the shower, but that puberty put an end to his singing career. Still, his experience on stage was life-altering. “I can honestly say I learned my first big life lessons in high school stage productions,” he said.
In college, Bierman turned to visual arts, taking Bierman’s family and up drawing and painting, and volunteering at friends might have been Sotheby’s and the National Gallery. While surprised by his interest in working as a young editor in New York, he higher education, but not spent weeknights at Parsons The New School by his passion for the arts. for Design, doing figure studies. Deep creative “I have a deep understanding roots, he says, have always led him to cultivate and appreciation for the universal truths of art, beauty and humanity. creative process, and have taken great pride in “A foundation in the arts can serve you in any celebrating and supporting With Student Government Association Chair Zach Saffa number of careers, throughout your life,” he the work of photographers, says. “We have to instill a clear sense of that in writers, chefs, designers, architects, artisans and artists of all every graduate of UNCSA. There is no better place to learn kinds,” he said. the value of teamwork, master complex logistics, manage Creativity and love of the arts came naturally from parents who regularly took him to concerts and plays in downtown Detroit, and signed him up for saxophone and piano lessons. Bierman learned to appreciate music of all genres from his father, who played saxophone and flute in perfect
“A foundation in the arts can serve you in any number of careers, throughout your life...” harmony with some of the greatest recordings in jazz history, part of his vast collection of records and CDs. “Our living room was his stage, the turntable was his ensemble, and the music was an escape from his day job at Ford.” In high school, Bierman joined the drama club and discovered he could act and sing. “My claim to fame was
16
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
costs, meet deadlines, and face a tough audience.” Those are challenges Bierman has faced – and conquered – over two decades in the corporate world. Facing a milestone 50th birthday, he began to examine his life. “I had achieved what I set out to do in the publishing industry, and with 25 working years still ahead of me, I began to think about my second act,” he said. Considering another bold career move, Bierman sought the advice of friends and family. His parents grilled him about the position at UNCSA, and they agree it plays perfectly to his creative leadership experience and to the family’s continued commitment to the arts. Ron and Nowell Bierman now live in San Diego, where Ron writes reviews of local productions. Both parents lead Advocates for Classical Music, a small volunteer organization that supports young musicians and builds future audiences for classical music by teaching kids how to listen.
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
FEATURE
With (l-r) George Burnette, Rob King, and Charlie Lucas
With Staff Council Chair Dolores Watson
With UNC President Tom Ross
“Seeing my dad play sax on a street in San Diego for a group of at-risk youth, or awarding $1,000 to teenage musicians on stage at Copley Symphony Hall, and knowing how a child can be saved or healed or empowered by the arts motivates me every day,” he said. That motivation will come in handy when Bierman starts the new school year, after arriving on campus in July. In a schedule likely to be filled with administrative meetings and trips to cultivate donors, he plans keep his finger on the pulse of campus by attending classes and performances, meeting with students, and hanging out as often as possible in the Pickle Jar. “I thrive on creative energy,” he says. “I always have.” While he looks to his father for motivation, Bierman says his mother keeps him grounded. “Mom’s advice: just be yourself,” he said. “As I have grown older, I’ve learned to let my guard down and just speak from the heart.” Another bit of good advice comes from a longtime friend who is a psychiatrist: Take responsibility for your own boredom. “We can’t wait around for our managers, parents or anyone else to hand us opportunities or make us feel valued. Our light must shine and our power must come from within,” Bierman explained. “I’ve always found that I experience the most growth and find the greatest joy when I take the initiative to move outside my comfort zone, and take on even more responsibilities that expand my mind. “Like right now, for example.” Like deadlifting twice your body weight … or supporting the dreams of thousands of young artists.
SUMMER 2014
Six things you should know about Lindsay Bierman
1 2
Heroes: “Ordinary people who make extraordinary efforts to help others” Hobbies and pastimes: “I love to eat and cook Paleo (a diet that consists mainly of plant-based foods, along with wild-caught fish and free-range, prairie-fed animals), and go stand-up paddle boarding on still waters at dawn or dusk. I can’t resist a good tearjerker, be it a great movie, symphony, opera, play or great performance.”
3
Favorite movie: Woody Allen’s MANHATTAN. “I’m still so seduced by that vision of New York. Back in the day, I’d rollerblade down 5th Avenue with ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ playing on my Walkman. Seriously.”
4 5 6
Favorite author: Walker Percy (“The Moviegoer,” “The Second Coming”) Favorite color: “The green on a magnolia leaf. It’s deep and intense, like great artists and some of my closest friends.” Pet peeve in the workplace: “Negativity. I’ve always tried to surround myself with a team that projects optimism and enthusiasm. In my experience, it trickles down through the whole organization. If you have a problem, don’t just call to complain – bring me a solution and let’s work through it together.”
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
17
COVER STORY
UNCSA’s School of
Filmmaking Turns 20 By Lauren Whitaker
When Susan Ruskin looks out her office window, she can see the future. As dean of the School of Filmmaking she has presided over a very successful 20th year for the film school, and has enjoyed her front row, center stage view of the new film production design facility under construction. During 2013-14, the film school made The Hollywood Reporter and Variety’s lists of top 25 film schools in the world. UNCSA filmmakers won two Independent Spirit Awards, three Directors Guild of America awards, two Cine Golden Eagle awards, six film festival best of category awards, and a Society of Camera Operators award. Fifteen second-, third-, and fourth-year films screened at 15 festivals. More than 30 alumni had their work screened in 10 films at Sundance. Alumni worked on three films that were nominated for Academy Awards. And the school’s newest building has risen from the ground. Ruskin sees the construction site outside her window as a beacon for the future of the film school and as a testament to the brief but impressive history of UNCSA’s fifth arts school.
18
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
“To think that none of this was here 20 years ago, not the buildings, or the faculty or the students, it boggles the mind,” said Ruskin, who became dean in May 2013 after serving for a year as interim dean and teaching producing at UNCSA since 2009. “It is truly remarkable how far this program has come.” Chancellor Emeritus Alex C. Ewing agrees. He led the School of the Arts from 1990 to 2000, and oversaw the creation of the School of Filmmaking. ACE Exhibition Complex, which includes three state-of-the-art motion picture theatres and BB&T Lobby, was named in his honor. “The idea (of creating a film school) had been around for a while,” said Ewing. “It was not revolutionary.” But while others had only dreamed of the possibilities, Ewing set out to make the film school a reality. “I thought it was imperative to complement the training of the students, particularly those in Drama and Design & Production,” Ewing said. “And there was a strong possibility of students getting jobs in film.”
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
COVER STORY
BEAR
TITLE FIGHT
“To think that none of this was here 20 years ago, not the buildings, or the faculty or the students, it boggles the mind.”
Ewing embarked on his pet project in the spring of 1991 by consulting renowned author and School of the Arts founder John Ehle, who referred him to film producer Borden Mace. A North Carolina native, Mace had produced the film based on Ehle’s novel “The Journey of August King.” He had also founded the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham. Ewing coaxed Mace out of retirement to lead the creation of the film school. In 1992, the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina approved the idea of the School of Filmmaking. “They said we could plan it, but we weren’t authorized to actually create it,” Ewing said. Ewing, Mace and their quickly assembled board of advisors began looking for a dean to lead their school, and they advertised for students. Those actions earned them a
SUMMER 2014
scolding from C.D. Spangler, who was president of the UNC system and Ewing’s boss. “He told us we were on a short leash,” Ewing remembers. But they persevered, hiring Sam Grogg as the first dean. Grogg had been president and chief operating officer of Apogee Productions and Magic Pictures Inc. and had produced films including KISS OF THE SPIDERWOMAN and THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL. “Sam was amazing. He is the founding father of the film school,” Ewing said. “We had no money, no space, no model. We had a concept, and we had Sam’s vision. He got us off the ground.” In September 1993, the School of Filmmaking opened in the barely renovated, sparsely equipped Pearce Building, a
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
19
COVER STORY one-time diaper laundry that had most recently housed elements of the School of Design and Production. Five faculty members were on board to teach 58 students. In 1993, the N.C. General Assembly appropriated $7.9 million for construction of sound stages, production facilities and exhibition spaces. Another $7 million was approved by taxpayers that year as part of the state’s largest-ever bond package. The school broke ground on the Film Studio Village in October 1995, and the new buildings were dedicated in April 1998. Meanwhile, in May of 1997, the school graduated its first class. Grogg left in 1998, and Dale Pollock, producer of 13 feature films including SET IT OFF and MRS. WINTERBOURNE, became dean in 1999. He was dean until 2006, when he stepped into a faculty role, teaching directing and cinema studies. “Dale Pollock was just the person we needed at that time,” Ewing said. “He provided a more structured approach that was important for the school to continue.” The third dean, Jordan Kerner, served from 2007 to 2012. A veteran Hollywood producer (THE SMURFS 1 and 2, CHARLOTTE’S WEB, and FRIED GREEN TOMATOES), he reimagined the manner in which film, animation, gaming and other new media are taught at UNCSA. He also advocated for the funding of a film production design facility, which is currently under construction adjacent to the Film Archives. Ruskin hopes they will move in this fall.
The facility includes up-to-date hardware and software, especially for digital design, gaming, animation and visual effects – areas that Ruskin sees as the future of filmmaking and crucial for the training of her students. “We are training students through the whole process of being a filmmaker, from inception through distribution,” she said. “Students leave here and can walk onto any film set whether it is a digital environment or not and understand how it works. For that to continue, we must maintain state-of-the-art facilities and equipment.” Ruskin looks forward to bringing the building on line, but says it is the programs that matter. “As filmmakers, we are storytellers. We use technology to tell our stories. Our faculty are working in the industry, utilizing the most up-to-date technology. This facility allows them to bring that expertise to our students.” As its fourth dean, Ruskin has big plans for the film school, including the addition of graduate programs and the creation of a fully digital sound stage in High Point. Ruskin has been working with Provost David Nelson to plan Master of Fine Arts programs to provide “in-depth training to commercial film and television producers and screenwriters so they can launch their own companies and become the job creators of tomorrow. “Our program is not for those who want to study production – our undergraduate program does that – but for those who want to be entrepreneurs in the filmmaking industry,” she added. Reaching further into the future, Ruskin envisions joint graduate programs – Master of Science or Master of Business
Timeline
1991
Spring Alex Ewing and Borden Mace begin plans to create a film school.
June Jean Picker Firstenberg, director of The American Film Institute, agrees to serve as chair of board of advisors of the proposed School of Filmmaking.
1992 Sam Grogg is hired as the founding dean of the School of Filmmaking, a role he plays until 1998.
Sept. 16 The School of Filmmaking opens as fifth arts school at UNCSA, with 58 students enrolled.
1993
1995 The School of Filmmaking introduces its first graduate-level program
in Film Music Composition. It originates as a joint program with the School of Music.
October The school breaks ground on the Film Studio Village, transforming a parking lot and playing field. 20
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
1997
May The first graduates of the School of Filmmaking receive bachelor’s degrees. Among them is Beth Petty, who will become director of the Charlotte Regional Film Commission.
1998
April 16-19 Dedication
ceremonies held to celebrate School of Filmmaking’s new $15M “Studio Village.” Filmmakers-inresidence include: Elmer Bernstein, Donn Cambern, Dino and Martha De Laurentiis, Elliott Kastner, Ted Tally and Robert Wise. Motion Picture Association Chairman Jack Valenti speaks to legislators and corporate friends. Filmmaker Robert Wise, actor John Ritter, and PBS journalist Charlie Rose also attend.
May David Gordon Green and Danny McBride
graduate. Two of the school’s most well-known alumni, they would collaborate through the years on film projects including BLACK JACK, YOUR HIGHNESS, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and the television show “Eastbound and Down.”
Ewing, Grogg
1999
Dale Pollock becomes the second dean of the School of Filmmaking.
2000
Nov. 9-12 The School of Filmmaking in collaboration with the Kenan Institute for the Arts hosts “Cinethics: A National Conference on Ethics in Filmmaking,” which draws faculty and students from 17 film schools across the country. Panelists include Armyan Bernstein, producer of AIR FORCE ONE; Sarah Pillsbury, producer of DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN; film critic Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times; and U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson.
2002 October Dean Dale Pollock announces the RiverRun International Film Festival will move from Brevard and Asheville to WinstonSalem in April 2003. Films on Fourth Series also begins in collaboration with Winston-Salem Cinema Society.
McBride, Green VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
COVER STORY His special effects credits include 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, and THE TREE OF LIFE. He directed SILENT RUNNING and BRAINSTORM.
U-666
“It does not get any better than exposing students to the expertise of industry leaders like Doug Trumbell,” Ruskin said. “He is brilliant. His work has awed generations of movie-goers and inspired countless young filmmakers.” Ruskin takes pride in the expertise of her faculty, which has grown from the original five to more than 30, and includes such well-known artists as Peter Bogdanovich (director, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, PAPER MOON, MASK), Ron Roose (editor, THE WANDERERS, STAR TREK VI and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP), and Thomas Ackerman, A.S.C. (cinematographer, BEETLEJUICE, JUMANJI, and THE LEGEND OF RON BURGANDY.)
WINGS
Administration degrees – offered in conjunction with other UNC campuses. Also on Ruskin’s agenda is turning a vacant film studio that the school owns in High Point into a turnkey, fully digital film stage. The facility would have the potential for gaming, digital design/effects, and 3-D, and would be available for incubating new projects and rental by the film industry. “It would be unique in this area of the country,” Ruskin said. “It is a very exciting project because it would potentially create jobs for our graduates and internship opportunities for our current students.” For help with the project, Ruskin plans to bring in film director and special effects supervisor Douglas Trumbell.
2007
Jordan Kerner is appointed the third dean of the School of Filmmaking. He serves until 2012, when he resigns to return to filmmaking full time.
The dean is also enormously proud of her students and the school’s alumni, including such notables as David Gordon Green (director of YOUR HIGHNESS, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS and the HBO series “Eastbound and Down”), Jeff Nichols (writer/director of MUD and TAKE SHELTER), Martha Stephens (writer/director of LAND HO!) and Will Files (sound designer for THE SMURFS, TAKE SHELTER and TREE OF LIFE). “These alumni – and many more – have found their footings in the film industry. They are making very good films that people want to see, and they are hiring other alumni for their crews and putting students to work as interns. That’s what we call the UNCSA film mafia.” Ruskin says the reputation of the faculty and alumni is what draws smart and creative students to the program. “That is why we have come so far in such a short period of time,” she said. “And that is why the sky is the limit.”
September Zach Seivers ’06 wins an Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming for his work on GETTYSBURG (History Channel).
2010 March The School of 2012 April UNCSA announces it has raised $120,000 Filmmaking announces that Hollywood for upgrades to the Film Scoring Stage from donor Michael icon Peter Bogdanovich, director of such films as THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, WHAT’S UP, DOC?, PAPER MOON and MASK, will join the UNCSA faculty.
May TAKE SHELTER, a film
2011
by Jeff Nichols ’01, wins the Grand Prix at the 50th annual Critics’ Week at the Cannes Film Festival. Nichols also takes the Best Screenwriting Award from the Society of Dramatic Authors and Composers at Critics’ Week.
Tiemann and Fidelity Foundation of Fidelity Investments.
July Summer Shelton ’08 is named the first Bingham Ray
Producing Fellow by the Sundance Institute.
Fall UNCSA breaks ground on a 30,000-square-foot film
production design facility.
2013
February Mark Freiburger ’05 wins the Doritos Crash the Super Bowl Contest with his TV film “Fashionista Daddy,” which airs during the Super Bowl. May Susan Ruskin is named the fourth dean of the School of Filmmaking.
June The School of Filmmaking mourns the loss of
Daniel George McKinny, a founding member of its faculty. He was 66.
July PACIFIC RIM, with a screenplay by Travis Beacham ’05 (based on his New York Times best-selling graphic novel) opens nationwide. The 3-D science fiction film earns more than $400 million worldwide. August Eighty-four students enroll as college freshmen in the School of Filmmaking. Comprising the Class of 2017, they will be the school’s 20th graduating class.
August School of Filmmaking is ranked 12 on The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural list of the 25 best film schools in the world. SUMMER 2014
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
21
FACULTY PROFILE
Mollie Murray: Can’t Stop Dancing By Lauren Whitaker When Mollie Murray was a 10-year-old girl in New Jersey taking her first class in tap dance, she never dreamed she would be able to dance through life, but that is exactly what she’s done.
With Greg Walter at Commencement
“Dancing is my great passion. I can’t imagine having a life without it,” said Murray, who retired in May after teaching movement for 45 years in the School of Drama, the longest career in the school’s 50-year history. She’s taught under nearly every dean of Drama, and seven chancellors. “I’ve loved it,” she said of the career that led her to Broadway, television, and a World’s Fair before depositing her at an upstart arts conservatory in North Carolina, where she taught hundreds of actors not only how to dance, but how to move in character. Her students and colleagues have loved their association with Murray, and have endowed a scholarship and named a studio on campus in her honor. The endowment was a labor of love for fellow faculty member Greg Walter, who raised $26,000 in about 10 days.
Walter said he immediately connected with Murray because of her exuberance and positive energy. “She has such a cute, non-pretentious way,” he said. “Such a bubbly personality.” Murray
Murray said when she learned about the endowment and the studio during University Commencement exercises, her heart stopped. “It’s quite an honor,” she said. As she talks, Murray fingers a delicate gold necklace embedded with 12 diamonds, one for each faculty member in Drama. The necklace was a gift from the colleagues who hate to see her go, but love to see her happy. Dean Emeritus Gerald Freedman admires her forthright approach to life. “Mollie was always straight with you,” he said. “She never beat around the bush. You always knew where she stood on something.” Dean Carl Forsman agreed. “From the moment I arrived Mollie told me what she thinks,” he said. “She speaks her mind, freely and with great care, because she loves the students, and puts their advancement before everything else. She says what’s in her head, and in a field where there’s so much fear and cautiousness, her frankness is invaluable.” Current and former students are eager to praise her as a teacher and mentor.
Murray, front center, in Gems of the Music Hall, circa 1977
“She taught me style,” said Lindsay Carter, who will be a senior in the fall. “From the way she pops her head at the end of an 8-count to the way she says her name, Mollie Murray teaches, by example, what it is to be a poised, dignified, and thoroughly gorgeous woman.” Alumnus Dikki Ellis, a member of Big Apple Circus, said she is an amazing teacher and friend. “There are two kinds of great teachers: the ones who know how to do something from experience and can pass it along, and the ones who show you the way by example,” he said. “Mollie was both. She expected you to bring your best every time and never asked for more than she was willing to bring herself.” Murray herself studied with some of the greatest in the business, including Fred Kelly and Gene Kelly, June Taylor, Ginger Rogers, Duncan Noble, George Foster and Buster
22
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
ALUMNI NOTES Brown. She also spent 40 years with Luigi, who created the world’s first standard technique for teaching jazz and musical theatre dance. She still quotes him to her students: “If you want to dance put your hand on your heart and feel the rhythm of your soul.” Murray had her first offer to work on Broadway at the age of 16, in a show called Packaged in Paris. The show was canceled when the composer died. Murray headed to New York straight out of high school and was cast in the chorus of the original Music Man. She also performed on Broadway in Jennie and The Unsinkable Molly Brown, performed the original choreography of Flower Drum Song on tour, danced in summer stock productions, at the New York World’s Fair in 1964-65 and on television’s Ed Sullivan Show from 1960-63. She was a member of the Matt Mattox Company from 1960-63. And then her first husband, an actor, answered an ad in Theater World Magazine, to teach at a new school in North Carolina. She was taking time off from Broadway, caring for a toddler and an infant. They packed up and moved. “When we got here I found out they were looking for a professional dancer to teach movement, and there I was,” she recalled. For Murray, her years at UNCSA have been the best of her life. “It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of love,” she said. “I’ve raised my kids here.” She also met and married her second husband, Assistant Dean of Drama Robert Francesconi. They’ve shared an office in the School of Drama for 35 years and have been married for 28. One of Murray’s sons is an actor who heads the theatre department at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, and the other is a stage hand on Wicked in New York. Murray said the time is right to retire and “let life come as it may.” Paris is definitely on her bucket list, along with London. She looks forward to revisiting old hobbies, like painting watercolors and training dogs. Another goal for retirement: ballroom dancing. “I told Bob (Francesconi) I wanted to learn ballroom dancing, but he has to go with me. He said he wouldn’t dance, so I said all he has to do is stand there and I’ll dance around him.” Mollie Murray just can’t stop dancing.
SUMMER 2014
Alumni Notes
1970s
Ira David Wood III ’70 directs America’s oldest outdoor drama, The Lost Colony, for the second year in a row this summer on Roanoke Island, N.C. He also adapted, directed and starred in Theatre In The Park’s production of A Christmas Carol in Raleigh. He played Ebenezer Scrooge in the Dickens classic cited as “... one of the most successful shows in North Carolina theatre history.” The show has toured to both England and France, playing to sold-out houses and standing ovations. A former member of UNCSA’s faculty, Mark Pirolo, designed the scenery and drops for the production, and Tim Ruffin ‘85 was technical director. Chris Coan ’72 is in his 14th year as the dean of students at Ex’pression College in Emeryville, Calif., and has added responsibility for the college’s alumni association, which he founded two years ago, and for the college’s career services and information technology departments. Coan recently completed a two-year term as chairman of the board of the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce and received a commendation from the California General Assembly for his service to the City of Emeryville. Marilyn McIntyre ’72 recently completed work on the independent feature 30LOVE, opposite Brenda Vaccaro. She took part in her fourth Around-The-Clock Play Festival at Rogue Machine Theatre in Los Angeles, and she appears as Ed Asner’s lady friend in the short film AUTISM AND CAKE. Elain Rinehart ’73 is part of the cast of Sunny Afternoon by Christian Levatino
at Theatre Asylum. The play about Lee Harvey Oswald is set in the Dallas, Texas, police station.
Stephen Geiger ’74 is the lead scenic artist for the Netflix drama “Orange is
the New Black.”
Gina Hecht ’75 closed Broadway Bound at the La Mirada Theatre, located just outside of Los Angeles. The show had rave reviews and a stellar cast including Ian Alda, Brett Rybeck, Allan Miller, John Mariano, and Cate Cohen.
1980s
Robert Mellette ’81, ’82 recently had his short story, “The Last Performance of the Neighborhood Summer Theatre Festival,” published in the anthology “The Fall: Tales from the Apocalypse,” which is available for download and print on demand. He serves as associate director for the Dances With Films Film Festival. Joe Mantello ’84 directs the new musical The Last Ship, with an original score by Sting, at Bank of America Theatre in Chicago. It will move to Broadway in September 2014. Earlier this year, he directed Tony Best Play Nominee Casa Valentina, written by Harvey Fierstein. He also directed Steppenwolf Theatre’s premiere of Airline Highway by Lisa D’Amour.
Sean Murray ’89 recently directed Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest and Tom Stoppard’s Travesties for San Diego’s Cygnet Theatre, where he is artistic director. Jordan Miller ’04 appeared as Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest and as Henry Carr in Travesties. Patrick McBride ’95 played James Joyce in Travesties. Chris Parnell ’89 is noted as “one of the most familiar alumni from UNC
School of the Arts – and one of the most prolific…” in the Winston-Salem Journal. He has appeared in ABC’s Suburgatory, FX’s Archer, Cartoon Network’s Rick and Morty, and PBS’s Wordgirl.
1990s
Paola Hartley ’92, principal dancer of Ballet Arizona, is a member of the faculty for the Shreveport (La.) Dance Academy’s Summer Intensive. UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
23
ALUMNI NOTES Brian Coats ’93 appeared in The New Brooklyn Theatre’s critically acclaimed site-specific production of Edward Albee’s The Death of Bessie Smith at the Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Daniel Alfred Wachs ’94 conducted the Orange County Youth Symphony
Orchestra (OCYSO) on a highly lauded eight-day tour of the United Kingdom. Highlights of the tour included concerts at Southwark and Bristol Cathedrals, where one reviewer wrote, “The young players gave an excellent performance and earned the tremendous ovation they received.”
In addition to creating the graphics, Matt McNeil ’98 directed the segments for CBS’s “The 14th Annual At Home for the Holidays,” which featured Rascal Flatts, Matchbox 20, Melissa Etheridge, Phil Phillips, and Rachel Crow. It was a music special sponsored by The Dave Thomas Foundation and Children’s Action Network to raise awareness for adoption.
Kristina Mola ’98 opened Arete Dance Center (ADC) in Los Altos, Calif., in 2012. ADC is a full service studio that specializes in teaching ballet, jazz, bollywood, ballroom, and Latin dancing to adults.
Jeremy Webb ’94 appears in the world premiere of Theresa Rebeck’s Fool at Houston’s Alley Theatre, with voice and text work by Barney Hammond, former head of voice at the School of Drama.
Matthew Donnell ’99 is the new director of UNCSA’s Preparatory
William “Billy” Funderburk ’96, who resides in Asheville, worked for the
Burning Man Project nonprofit and sits on the board of Transformus, North Carolina’s regional Burning Man event. He also teaches private music lessons.
of Dancing Water in Macau, China. The largest water-based theatrical spectacle in the world, it is a production by Franco Dragone, creator of Cirque Du Soleil’s O, Saltimbanco and Las Vegas’ La Reve.
Frequent UNCSA guest director John Langs ’96, directed Chekhov’s The Seagull Project in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for A Contemporary Theatre (ACT) as part of the Ilkhom Theatre’s International Festival. Langs is associate artistic director of Seattle’s ACT, the first U.S. theatre ensemble to perform at the Ilkhom.
2000s
Anthony Mackie ’97 starred in this year’s blockbuster hit, MARVEL’s CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, as Falcon.
Terence Archie ’98 “packs a mean punch” as Apollo Creed in the Broadway show Rocky, says Theater Mania.
Alumna Amy Crum gives back Amy Poole Crum ’97 discovered UNCSA through her sister Sarah. Both majored in stage management in the School of Design and Production. After four wonderful years at UNCSA, Amy left with her arts diploma, one class shy of earning her bachelor’s degree. She had plans to finish after a three-month internship at Disney World in Florida. Crum “I blinked and six years had gone by,” she said. At Disney and Universal Studios, Amy planned events and conventions, but eventually felt the need to return to North Carolina to be closer to family and to open her own business.
Amy said the skills needed to be a successful stage manager – organization, timeliness, working with a myriad of personalities – are easily transferrable to owning a business. She said she was drawn to stage management because of her Type A personality and because she’s “an organizer of artists.” Now, Amy lives in Raleigh with her husband and son (and usually a foster child or two) and works in the annual fund office at Duke University. In 2013, she made the commitment to become a Giannini Society supporter of UNCSA with an annual gift of $1,500. “I received financial aid when I was at UNCSA,” she said. “I didn’t know where that money came from and never realized it may have come from an alumnus.” Her decision to give at the Giannini level “really came down to the math. When you break it down, it’s $30, or two lunches, per week, and I knew I could do that.” After 17 years, Amy is completing her bachelor’s degree. It is important because of a promise she made to her dad. He passed away in 2001, but she vowed to finish for him and to help further her career. Amy said lessons learned at UNCSA have served her well. “It’s the foundation of my adulthood and who I am now,” she said. “I can still hear the voice of my advisor in my head, and I regularly use his advice in my personal and professional development. Thanks, John Toia!” 24
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
Dance Program.
Chad Leslie ’99 has been promoted to artistic director of The House
Mike Abbott, Jr. ’00 recently co-starred as the son of Burt Reynolds in the
feature film comedy ELBOW GREASE. Shot entirely in Oconee County, S.C. the film was written and directed by Jason Shirley ’98 and was produced by Paul Papadeas and Matt Zboyovski ’01. Other alumni on the production include Jennifer Haire ’02 as UPM, Chris Riddle ’00 as 1st Assistant Director, Clint Buckner ’09 as production consultant, Callie Moore ’10 as 2nd AC, Chuck Lewis as gaffer, Andrew Gillis ’98 as still photographer and behind the scenes, Heather Jessup ’13 as costume designer, Lenual Mukai ’08 and Douglas Ligon ’01 led the Art Department. Julianna Sosa ’12 was also part of the cast. Recent graduates David Harris ’14 and Michelle Shiraziefard ’14 interned on the grip and lighting crew. Mike recently wrapped production on A SHRIMP’S TALE, a short film drama written and directed by Andrew Robert Swisher, scheduled for release in 2014.
Derek Baird ’00 graduated USC’s SMPTV program in 2012. He is living in Los Angeles and composing for several documentary projects, including WILD THINGS, and several recent environmental commercials featuring Robert Redford. He is also scoring an upcoming film on Haitian art, narrated by Annie Lennox. Tarah Despain ’00 is part of the cast of BURNOUT, a dramatic feature that was chosen to premiere at the Cucalorus Film Festival, Nov. 13-17 in Wilmington, N.C. The movie stars Tarah with Chad Hartigan ’04. Sean McElwee ’04 was cinematographer. Mel Lewis ’00 completed music for AFGHANISTAN RISING, a documentary about the Afghanistan Army, as well as TRIANGLE, an Ethiopian narrative by Theodros Teshome, founder of Sebastopol Entertainment in Ethiopia. Mel and his wife, Natalia, welcomed Ripley Victoria Lewis to their family on Nov. 24, 2013. Josh Manning ’00 has been acting in movies and TV commercials in the
Philippines. He completed voice over work for a Modess Feminine Pads TV commercial. He was also part of the cast of the feature film THE MUSES, completed in the Philippines.
Aubrey Deeker ’01 played the celebrated title role in The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
Jamie Hall ’01 is serving as director and director of photography on CBS’s “Lucky Dog,” hosted by motion picture animal trainer and “Shark Week” alum Brandon McMillan. The series is produced by Jane Bloom ’04 and kicks off CBS’s Saturday Morning Dream Team block. Jamie also served as producer and camera operator on the Discovery series “Turn & Burn.” In addition, Jamie produced, directed and photographed WEIRD TALES 6: THE DESERT’S LOST RIVER OF GOLD, which premiered at the Weird Tales Festival in Ridgecrest, Calif. Jamie also produced and hosted his annual 3D Music and Comedy event BLOUZE-O-WEEN LIVE 3D at the Jon Lovitz Comedy Club sponsored by Panasonic. Jamie was director of photography on Max Landis’s Animal Fighting Championships presented by Nerdist. He appeared in front of the lens in Machinima’s Super Power Beat Down: Predator vs.Wolverine as “The Predator.” VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
ALUMNI NOTES And Jamie served as camera operator on the feature-length documentary EDC The Movie, under veteran IMAX Director of Photography Reed Snoot.
Dan A.R. Kelly ’01 wrote SUSIE’S HOPE, produced by Film faculty member Laura Hart McKinny and line produced by Michael Garret ’08. Drama
faculty member Dale Girard is stunt coordinator. The film is available on demand and was released on DVD on Aug. 1. In addition, Dan and Xoey Kelly ’00 welcomed their second daughter, Lillian Fauna Kelly, on Dec. 9.
UNCSA well-represented at Sundance Once again, UNCSA had considerable alumni representation at the Sundance Film Festival this year. They include: •• Camp X-Ray: Peter Sattler ’01 as writer/director, Emmy Ellison ’02 as executive producer, Adam Stone ’99 as Second Unit DP, Richard A. Wright ’99 as production designer/2nd Unit director, Alex Bickel ’04 as colorist, Jim Pierce ’01 titles.
Jim Pierce ’01, along with Rachel Fowler ’12 animated the main titles for THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY. Pierce also designed the main and end titles for Peter Sattler’s ’01 CAMP X-RAY, which was in the Dramatic Competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival. In addition, Jim was on the set design team for the West Coast premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The show premiered at Sacred Fools Theater in Los Angeles.
•• HELLION: Jeff Nichols ’01 as executive producer.
Jonathan Melville Pratt ’01 is the musical director and composer for The
•• I’M A MITZVAH: Sing Howe Yam ’08 as director of photography.
Brothers Size at The Old Globe Theater in San Diego. He also performs all of the live music.
John Halbach ’02 is co-executive producing and starring in a new web series called “EastSiders” which debuted this past December at www.eastsiderstheseries.com. Fellow alumnus Tom Sawyer ’04 is doing color correction.
Taylor Roberts ’02 appeared opposite Rob Lowe in National Geographic’s
adaptation of “Killing Kennedy.” The movie, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Nelson McCormick, aired last November on the anniversary of President Kennedy’s assassination.
•• DIFRET: Justin M. Davey ’08 as sound designer, Zach Seivers ’06 as sound designer.
•• LAGGIES: Dylan Arnold cast as Patrick. •• LAND HO!: Aaron Katz ’04 as co-writer/co-director/editor, Martha Stephens ’06 as co-director, Alex Bickel ’04 as supervising colorist, Andrew Reed ’06 as cinematographer, David Gordon Green ’98 as executive producer, Dylan Conrad ’10 as 1st Assistant Camera, Karrie Crouse ’04 as Ellen, Nathan Whiteside ’06 as digital imaging technician, Ryan Billia ’96 as supervising sound editor. •• LIFE AFTER BETH: Dane DeHaan ’08 cast as Zach Orfman, M. Ryan Traylor ’03 as 1st AD.
Vanessa Smith ’02 published her first novel, “Fatshionista,” under the pen name Vanessa McKnight. It is available in eBook and paperback from Amazon.com.
•• LITTLE ACCIDENTS: Clint Smith ’02 as supervising dialogue editor, Matt Verschelde ’08 as key grip, Matt Walkowski ’11 as production assistant, Summer Shelton as producer.
Lucas Hall ’03 played Karl Hupka in David Grimm’s Tales from Red Vienna
•• RUDDERLESS: Tyler Jackson ’05 as co-producer.
at the Manhattan Theatre Club.
Jenn Lyon ’03 co-stars with George Lopez as “his all-American ex-wife” in the FX primetime series Saint George, which premiered March 6.
M. Ryan Traylor ’03 worked on the web series “Childrens Hospital” Season 5 as 1st AD. Ryan also served as Key 2nd AD on “NewsReaders” Season 1, which is currently airing on the Cartoon Network. He also serves as 1st AD for the upcoming Yahoo! web series “Burning Love” Season 2. Matthew “Smokey” Cloud ’04 was the first assistant sound editor for THE WOLVERINE as well as RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.
Dane DeHaan ’04, ’08 appears as Harry Osborne in THE AMAZING SPIDER-
MAN 2. Dane was nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Awards Rising Star Award. His film LIFE AFTER BETH, co-starring Aubrey Plaza, John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
Trieste Kelly Dunn ’04 stars in the indie film LOVES HER GUN, written, directed and produced by Geoff Marslett, selected as a New York Times Critics’ Pick. She also appears in two TV series: “Banshee” and “Believe.” Jerzy Gwiazdowski ’04 appeared in the world premiere of Rebecca Gillman’s “Soups, Stews & Casseroles: 1976” at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.
Andrew Honeycutt ’04 and Joe Isenberg ’06 appeared in Washington, D.C., at the Wooly Mammoth Theatre Company’s We Are Proud to Present by Jackie Sibblies Drury. Helen Hayes Award-winner Isenberg also doubled as fight choreographer.
Jordan Miller ’04 played “Dean” in Maple and Vine, which ran Jan. 18Feb. 16 at Cygnet Theatre in San Diego. Igor Goldin ’87 directed the show for Cygnet, which is run by Artistic Director Sean Murray ’89. Katie Abel ’05 is an assistant editor on the hit TV show “Nashville.” Last August, the third independent film directed by Denton Adams ’05 (aka Adam D. Smith), DYING CITY: THE STENCH OF SEX, premiered at E. Street Cinema in Washington, D.C. Denton wrote, directed, produced and stars in the film. Michael Anthony Huggins, Jr. ’04 was the cinematographer and Renaldy Smith ’06 also stars in the film. SUMMER 2014
•• THE GUEST: Jennifer Haire ’02 as additional photography production coordinator. •• THE SKELETON TWINS: Alisha Gaskins ’13 intern, Gabie Lui ’13 intern, Gilana Lobel ’05 as production coordinator, Jeremiah Cullen ’14 intern, Kesleigh Jones ’14 intern, Zach Coker ’12 as director’s assistant, Zach Turner ’14 intern.
Travis Beacham’s ’05 film PACIFIC RIM was nominated for a British Academy of Film and Television Arts award for special visual effects.
William Connell ’05 and Jon Hudson Odom ’08 appeared in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at Baltimore’s Center Stage.
Brett Haley’s ’05 feature film I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS stars Blythe
Danner and Martin Starr. Haley is director, editor and co-writer for the project which involves a host of fellow Film alumni. The film is produced by Rebecca Green ’01 and features cinematography by Rob Givens ’05. Jennifer Haire ’02 serves as UPM. David Dean is additional editor. Other support comes from UNCSA alumni at vendor houses: Stewart Carrico ‘02 assisted with the location permitting process and Brandon Zachary ’07 aided the camera package rental. Drama alumnus Kevin Wheatley ’02 is part of the cast. In addition to her work on I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS, Jennifer Haire ’02 served as production supervisor for the Chris Evans feature film A MANY SPLINTERED THING.
Ryan Hunter ’05 co-wrote and co-illustrated his second book, “Coloring for
Grown-Ups Holiday Fun Book” which arrives on shelves Sept. 24 from Penguin. His first book, “Coloring for Grown-Ups,” came out last year, and was a New York Times recommended item in its 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. Jenn Lyon ’03 was a co-contributor on the sequel.
Krystal Marshall ’05 was featured in an episode of the Kiefer Sutherland TV drama series “Touch,” which aired March 22, 2013 on FOX. BEHIND YOU, a film shot by Matthew Skala ’05, won best film at the Carnival of Darkness Film Festival with the Thrill Ride Award. The competition included a Guillermo Del Toro (HELLBOY, PAN’S LABYRINTH) executiveproduced short. Written, produced, and directed by Benjamin Freiburger, UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
25
ALUMNI NOTES BEHIND YOU is the story of a woman hunted by a ghost she can only see in reflections. It stars Susie Bracken.
17-track music album titled “The Ninja Club.” Additionally, he wrote, directed, produced and starred in his SAG-Aftra independent horor film CA$H.
Gaye Taylor Upchurch ’05 directed Our New Girl at the Atlantic Theater
Matt Crossett ’07 was the production coordinator on the recently wrapped Season 2 of “A Model Guru with Yogi Cameron” for Veria Living TV. He was also the 1st AD for “The Difference is Clear,” a Claritin commercial with BrookeBurke Charvet for This is Just a Test Productions. The commercial was produced by Scott Kyger ’07. Cara Brown ’06 served as 2nd AD and Alyssa Hill ’07 was the art director. Many of Matt’s projects were shot by Will Elder ’11 and he consistently hires UNCSA crew. Matt is also producing music and tour promo videos for the artist Mac Miller of Rostrum Records. Matt and Brandon Frazier ’07 are currently field-coordinating on “Celebrity Wife Swap.”
Company. The play featured dialect coaching by former Drama faculty member Ben Furey, and sets by D&P alumnus Timothy R. Mackabee. She also directed Crimes of Passion: The Ruffian on the Stair and The Erpingham Camp, two one-acts, at New York City’s Red Bull Theatre featuring fellow alumni Quincy Dunn-Baker ’05 and William Connell ’05.
Mark Freiburger ’05 recently shadowed Michael Bay and worked with the
VFX team on the set of TRANSFORMERS 4 as part of his winning package from the Doritos commerical contest.
Steven Rambousek ’06 is currently the design manager for all show sets and special effects for “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Shanghai Disney Resort, due to open in 2015. Andrew W. Robinson ’06 worked as production note coordinator for “Cosmos: a Spacetime Odyssey,” the hit 13-episode series on FOX. Celia Rowlson-Hall ’06 recently choreographed several scenes for the HBO
show “Girls” as well as publicity work for FOX’s “The Americans.” Celia was also the Choreographer of the Moment for Vogue magazine in January. Her work can be seen on Vogue.com, with “Girls” creator and star Lena Dunham dancing to “Covergirl.”
Zach Seivers ’06 and Justin Michael Davey ’08 of SNAPSOUND have just partnered with a post-production company in Soho to bring SNAPSOUND to New York City. Andy Strong ’06 is in the process of building a landmark entertainment
venue in San Francisco. His theatre company, Pianofight, will have a full bar and restaurant with a cabaret stage, 40- and 90-seat theatres, three rehearsal/workshop spaces, an open office space, and a film suite. The venue will encompass more than 8,000 square feet of creative playground. They have partnered with an improv troupe that will be teaching classes in the space. Once open, they hope to fill the space with UNCSA Alumni talent!
Aaron Gonzalez ’07 recently was production designer for “Ghetto Klown” on HBO in collaboration John Leguizamo and Fisher Stevens, following a very successful run at the Lyceum Theatre, a U.S. tour, London tour, and Colombia tour. He recently closed the U.S. tour of Billy Elliot as resident director. Shane Andries ’07 is writer, director and producer for the short film
Blake Cooper Griffin ’07 recently guest starred as “Ross De Koning” on ABC’s primetime series “Castle.” He co-starred as “Eric” in DJ Caruso’s film, STANDING UP, starring Val Kilmer, which premiered last August and released on DVD in October. Blake co-starred with Cuba Gooding, Jr. in LIFE OF A KING, which premiered at the LA Film Festival last summer; the film also stars Lisa Gay-Hamilton and Dennis Haysbert. In addition, Blake recently shot the pilot presentation “Flipside,” and filmed a supporting role in RIDE, directed by and starring Helen Hunt. Mike Martin’s ’07 debut novel, “The End Games” (HarperCollins), hit shelves May 7, 2013. Booklist named it the best Young Adult zombie novel ever and novelists including R.L. Stine (author of the “Goosebumps” series) have offered praise. The book hit the Top 10 on Amazon’s Teen Horror list, making it an Amazon.com bestseller. Joey Vigour ’07 has designed a new board game, Chaosmos. Chaosmos is a space-themed board game set in a collapsing universe, where players assume the roles of aliens on the hunt for a rare artifact that will save their race from impending doom. Other alumni involved in play testing and artwork include Cameron Riddles ’07, Dominic Smith, and Danny Vigour. Joey is currently working on “Bar Rescue” for Spike TV, and just finished work as producer and editor of PAULY SHORE STANDS ALONE, a completed feature documentary that premiered in March. Matthew Brookshire ’08 performed his original music onstage with Keely
Garfield Dance in the Bessie-nominated Twin Pines at the Joyce Theater in New York, as part of Focus Dance 2014. Matthew’s day job is managing the Actors Fund Arts Center, a performance and rehearsal venue in downtown Brooklyn.
WHATEVER SUNLIGHT REMAINS, accepted into the New Filmmakers New York Film Festival. It played in New York City in May at the Courthouse Theatre at the Anthology Film Archives.
Tyler Cook ’08 began a new job as lead editor on “The Originals,” which is
Eddie Barbash ’07 played with the Jon Batiste Stay Human Band this past
Five-0,” which aired this past September. He also can be seen in Episodes 7 and 8 of the new Showtime Series, “Masters of Sex.”
February at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, Carolina Theatre of Durham, and High Point Theater and Exhibition Center.
Ryan Carr ’07 is featured as a stuntman and actor in the new Kate Winslet
movie DIVERGENT and as a dangerous EMT in the gritty new Dick Wolf series “Chicago PD.” Ryan was assistant coach to Natalya Yurchenko at the Lakeshore Academy of Artistic Gymnastics. He also has released his first-ever
a spinoff of “The Vampire Diaries.” It airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. on The CW.
Logan Fahey ’08 was in Episode 5, “Kupu’eu,” on Season 4 of “Hawaii Ciera Payton’s ’08 is on USA Network’s “Graceland,” which airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. Her one-woman show, Michael’s Daughter, was accepted into the 2013 United Solo Theatre Festival in New York City. The show performed for one-night-only on Nov. 23, 2013.
Campus Sightings Bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba D&P alumnus Paul Tazewell ’86 presented two workshops for costume design students ’11, ’12, performed at the school’s 50th last December. anniversary kickoff gala on May 5.
26
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
ALUMNI NOTES Kim Planert ’08 is scoring Season 6 of the ABC primetime drama “Castle.” He also recently completed the score for the feature film A REASON, which was recorded with a Los Angeles orchestra, featuring vocals by Lisbeth Scott (AVATAR, NARNIA). When the film is released, a score album is planned to be released as well.
Sing Howe Yam ’08 is repped as a director of photography with Partos
Agency. Sing has been actively shooting music videos and his recent cinematography work includes collaborations with many alumni. He shot Justin Timberlake’s “Tunnel Vision” video with A Cam 1st AC David Leb ’10, B Cam 1st AC Spencer Goodall ’11, B Cam 2nd AC Grace Preller Chambers ’12 and gaffer Greg LeFevre ’09. He also shot Timberlake’s “Take Back The Night” and Rihanna’s “What Now” music videos with colorist Alex Bickel ’04.
Ro Boddie ’09 played John in Matthew Lopez’s post-Civil War drama The Whipping Man at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
Clint Buckner ’09 served as Key 2nd AD on Kevin Smith’s film TUSK,
Dutch National Ballet as the associate lighting designer for its production of Firebird. Both pieces are being replicated from alumnus Brad Fields’ ’87 designs for American Ballet Theatre.
Zach Kashkett ’11 served as editor on the feature film GREENCARD WARRIORS (originally CROSSTOWN), which stars Vivica A. Fox and Manny Perez. Eric Barker ’11 was assistant editor and additional photography was done by alumnus Will Elder ’11, and Dan Satinoff ’12 served as gaffer on the additional pickup days. Patrick Osteen ’11 and Danny Yoerges ’09 bring the horse to life in the national tour of War Horse. Mathew Horvat ’12 has been named the business manager of the Division of Advancement at UNCSA. Matt had been a staff accountant at the Charlotte Symphony. Maddie Jo Landers ’12 played “Vanda” in David Ives’ “Venus in Fur” at the Kitchen Theatre Company in Ithaca, N.Y., earlier this year.
starring Justin Long and Michael Parks. Clint is also an additional 2nd AD on the television shows “Homeland” and “Banshee” and is a member of the Directors Guild of America.
Chris Moore ’12 and Nina Scholl ’13 are currently producing a comedy web series called “The American Dream,” scheduled for release this fall.
Ben Gunderson ’09 is the dance and fight captain for Les Miserables at
and has been with the cast since it premiered in Atlanta in the fall of 2013.
the Imperial Theatre on Broadway. He is also a swing in the company.
John Maynard ’09 had two films released: SHORT TERM 12 and BAD
MILO! The second is available on VOD now and began limited theatrical release last October. John served as production sound mixer for both projects along with boom operator Daniel Kloch ’09.
Hayley Treider ’09 appears in Season 2 of “Orange is the New Black.”
2010s
After 500,000 views, great critical response and a “Best Actor in a Comedy Series” award at the 2012 LA Web Series Festival, Joe Flanders ’10 and his team are gearing up for Season 2 of his comedy series, “Average Joe.” The show was created by Joe and features alumni John Maynard ’09, Graham Bowlin ’09, Hallie Cooper ’11 and Lindsay Atwood ’08.
Scott Freije ’10 has been promoted at Artist View Entertainment to manager, Sales & Acquisitions.
Charles Osborne ’12 is part of the cast of Barry Manilow’s “Harmony” Samip Raval ’12 was assistant director to Keith Baxter for The Importance of Being Earnest at the Shakespeare Theatre of Washington, D.C., earlier this year.
Ben Rush ’12 was named technical director for The Flea Theater. The
Flea recently released that it broke ground on a new theatre complex in lower Manhattan. Since February, Austin Smith ’12 has been transcribing jazz solos for the Music Minus One group, based in New York City. In March, Austin was hired to write theme music for “The Scotty Jo Podcast”; he also joined the podcast founder, Scott Nicholson ’12, for an interview about film music. In April, Austin completed post-production on a promotional film for Coastal Home Care, Inc., out of Savannah, Ga. Most recently, two films Austin scored, THE SCARIEST MONSTER and TRUSTWORTHY, directed by Gerik Gooch ’12, screened and won awards at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival. TRUSTWORTHY walked away with the Platinum Remi Award for Independent Dramatic Shorts. On June 8, TRUSTWORTHY screened at the Emerging Filmmakers Forum in Beverly Hills.
Mia Vallet ’13 has joined the cast of NBC’s “Believe” as “Dani.”
Earlier this year, Alex Hoeffler ’10 played “Daniel” in Nina Raine’s Tribes in a co-production between The Philadelphia Theatre Company and The Pittsburgh City Theatre. Tribes was directed by Stuart Carden.
Allan K. Washington ’13 appeared in A Man’s a Man by Bertolt Brecht, with music by Tony Award-winner Duncan Sheik, at the Classic Stage Company earlier this year.
Victoria Tinsman ’10 joined the hair and make-up team for Broadway’s
Jamar Williams ’12 appeared in the world-premiere staging of Witness
production of Rocky, playing at the historic Winter Garden Theatre and directed by Alex Timbers.
Jon Goldman ’11 is in Boston as the associate lighting designer of Boston Ballet’s Close to Chuck. Jon also traveled to Amsterdam to work with the
Singer T. Oliver “Tim” Reid ’93 gave a master class for Music students last December.
SUMMER 2014
Uganda at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Mass., earlier this year. The play was directed by Tony-winner Diane Paulus (Pippin) and won the 2013 Edgerton Foundation New Plays Award and the 2012 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theater.
Drama alumni Neal Bledsoe ’05, left, and Billy Magnussen ’07 returned to campus in January for an event to honor retiring Drama Assistant Dean Robert Beseda, and stayed for a “Q&A” moderated by Dean Carl Forsman.
UNCSA MAGAZINE
|
27
ALUMNI NOTES Taylor Aldrich ’13 and Dave Thomas Brown ’10 appeared as “Melchior” and Wendla” in the spring production of Spring Awakening at San Diego’s Cygnet Theatre. The play was directed by alumnus Sean Murray ’89, artistic director of Cygnet Theatre. Megan Gerth ’13 and Taylor Shepherd ’12 performed in Untold Stories last February with Emotions Dance Company in Orlando. Julie Koegl ’13 is writer and director of WHAT REMAINS, a 2013 fourth-year film that was a finalist for a Student Academy Award. Steven Kopp ’13 was assistant director for the off-Broadway revival of John Van Druten’s I Remember Mama at the Transport Group.
Molly Ann Nordin ’13 appeared in a new play, Remission, written by Ashley
Minihan and directed by Sherri Barber, and presented as part of the Columbia New Plays Festival. Performances were held this past spring at the Signature Theatre.
Bridget Van Dyke ’13 has been working with Aurora Productions since
September assisting production management on numerous Broadway shows. This season’s projects have included No Man’s Land/Waiting for Godot at the Cort Theatre, Bronx Bombers at Circle in the Square, and A Raisin in the Sun starring Denzel Washington.
Earlier in 2014, Jacobi Howard ’11 appeared in Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children starring Kathleen Turner at Washington, D.C.’s Arena Stage.
Erin Peters ’05 was an assistant editor on the miniseries “The Assets,” which aired on ABC through February.
Richard S. Robinson’s ’01 short film THE GRAVEYARD FEEDER was invited to screen at the 2013 Telluride Horror Show. The project was shot over the course of three days in Snow Camp, N.C. In addition to writing and directing the film, Rich co-produced the project with Jeff Stepp ’02 who also served as director of photography. Josh Chase ’00 (TAKE SHELTER, ABC’s “The Middle”) did the sound design. Cooper Harris ’06 has sold a half-hour, scripted dramedy to a major studio production company. She will remain on board the project as an executive producer and the lead female character in the show. She appeared last fall as Shirl Claude on “The Young & the Restless.” The independent feature film THE REPUBLIC OF RICK shot this past spring in Los Angeles. The crew consisted of many UNCSA alumni. Keenan Jackson ’10 served as line producer, Matt Skala ’05 was the director of
Lincoln Center Kenan Fellowship recipients present final projects In January, Lincoln Center Kenan Fellowship recipients Ryan Pater (Drama ’13), Lauren Haug (Dance ’13), Cain Bergeron (Music ’13), and Andrew Harper (Dance ’13) presented their
final projects at Lincoln Center’s Clark Studio Theater.
Also appearing were fellow alumni Aslan Rolston (Dance ’13), Samuel Allen Taylor (Music ’04), Joshua Waldron (Music ’06), David Palmer (D&P ’13), Rachael Gass (D&P ’13), Julia Boyes (Dance ’12), Nancy Cantine (Dance ’11), Leslie Williams (Dance ’11), Naomi Greenberg (Dance ’03), Adrienne Westwood (Dance ’03), Andrew Wells Ryder (Drama), Ari Itkin (Drama ’12), Betsey Brown (Drama ’13), Devon Diffenderfer (Drama ’13), Jackie Renee Robinson (Drama ’12), Molly Ann Nordin (Drama ’13), and Timothy Thompson (Drama ’13). As a result of his appearance, Ryan Pater appeared in The New York Times. photography, John Maynard ’09 made up the sound department, and Andrew Gorrell served as gaffer. Additional day player crew consisted of Emma George ’12 as the line producer assistant, Dylan Gravely as 2nd AD, and Walker Forshee ’13 and David Misterek ’00 shared the role of DIT during the shoot.
Jason Brown’s ’99 feature film FALCON SONG had its world premiere at the 29th Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The whimsical, 1980s style contemporary Western was directed and produced by Jason through Corgan Pictures. The film stars Rainey Qualley (Miss Golden Globe 2012, daughter of Andie Macdowell), Gabriel Sunday (ARCHIE’S FINAL PROJECT), and Martin Kove (KARATE KID, RAMBO II), and includes music by The Moody Blues and Kate Bush. Many alumni were involved in the project, including: Jeter Rhodes ’02 as associate producer, Jennifer Haire ’02 as UPM/line producer, Bruce Francis Cole ’00 as DP, Matt Vershcelde ’08 as key grip, Justin “Chuck” Lewis ’10 as gaffer, Daniel Satinoff ’12 as 2nd AC, Grady Welch ’08 as 1st AC, Will Elder ’11 as best boy electric, and Eric Billman ’02 shot additional photography.
Send us your note or those of fellow Pickles to silverj@uncsa.edu, or update your information at the Pickle Portal at https://uncsa.thankyou4caring.org
In Memoriam Calvin Hunt ’76 died April 8. He graduated from the School of Dance and moved to New York to pursue dancing, but eventually switched his focus to backstage. Calvin began his career as the stage manager for the Dance Theatre of Harlem. At Alvin Ailey’s invitation, he joined the Ailey company’s production staff where – over the next three decades – he became a crucial part of the troupe, working closely with Judith Jamison, Ailey’s former artistic director, and Robert Battle, currently at the helm. Patricia “Pat” Winkleman Land ’81 died April 19 after a brief illness. A graduate of the School of Dance, she was a mime, modern dancer, arts administrator, wife, mother and consummate horsewoman. She is survived by her husband, alumnus Mark Land ’78, and two children.
28
|
UNCSA MAGAZINE
Dr. Kevin Mitchell Milam, who studied in the School of Dance
from 1977 to 1981, died June 15 at his home in Huntington, W. Va., following a brave battle with ALS. He was a member of the El Paso (Texas) Ballet from 1983 to 1985, and was artistic director the Performing Arts School of Worcester (PASOW) in Massachusetts from 1988 to 1995. He received a B.F.A. from the University of Massachusetts in 1998 and graduated in 2002 from Marshall University School of Medicine, where he completed his medical residency in family practice in 2004. He provided primary medical care to underserved populations in southern West Virginia until illness forced him to retire in November 2013.
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER TWO
Donate to UNCSA’s Annual Fund and make dreams come true.
Photography by Allen Aycock, Drew Davis, Donald Dietz, Peter Mueller, Christine Rucker and Jay Sinclair
The Annual Fund provides vital support for the school’s core artistic and academic programs, wherever the need is greatest. Scholarships, equipment and materials, professional development, and guest artists are just a few of the essential programs the Annual Fund supports.
DONATE ONLINE AT WWW.UNCSA.EDU/DONATE. For more information, contact Amy Werner, Annual Fund Manager, at 336-770-3203 or wernera@uncsa.edu.
Non Profit Org. US Postage Paid Winston-Salem, NC Permit No. 1 University of North Carolina School of the Arts 1533 South Main Street Winston-Salem, NC 27127
Community Festival:
Let’s get this party started!
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts will host a 50th Anniversary Community Festival on Saturday, Sept. 20. Community Festival 2014 – the first in many years – will be a way of saying “thank-you” to the residents of Winston-Salem, the Piedmont Triad, and all North Carolinians for half a century of support. Festivities will take place on the campus at 1533 South Main St. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will include remarks from the new chancellor, Lindsay Bierman. Visitors may choose from among family-friendly activities such as performances and presentations by each of the five arts schools, presentations and displays about the school’s revitalized international programs, face painting, a balloon artist, a musical petting zoo, and circus skills exhibitions. Refreshments will be available for sale by local food truck vendors, and a birthday cake will be offered free of charge. UNCSA will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary throughout the year, with events such as a speaker’s series, an exhibit and performances at the New Winston Museum, and a featured performance of Guys and Dolls and gala in April 2015. Watch our website for details, and come celebrate with us!
Photos courtesy of UNCSA Archives.
Birthday Pickle by Kyle Webster