CFA Gala 75: ROOTED program

“To know your future, you must know your past.”

— Philosopher and writer George Santayana

Leaf artwork by Art & Art History’s Edward Bateman

PROGRAM State of the Arts Address A look at what is happening in the arts at the U Welcome Erin Farrell Speer, Emcee Opening Remarks John W. Scheib Associate Vice President for the Arts and Dean, College of Fine Arts Special Guest Taylor Randall President, University of Utah Scholarship Impact Erin Farrell Speer and Jason Dreher Music ‘’Conga del Fuego Nuevo’’ by Arturo Marquez Performed by the Utah Philharmonia Arts Educator Award Presentation Georgiana Kennedy Simpson (MAT-FA) Art & Art History “The New Gittins Gallery” a film made with gratitude for the generosity of the Wheatley family in honor of their mother and artist Mary Lois Wheatley Theatre Finale from “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare Performed by theatre students Horizon Award Presentation Ewa Płonka (Music) Film & Media Arts “Game of Love” Written and directed by student Jacob Hagen Dance Movement from “A Choreographic Offering” Choreography: José Limón, Music: J.S. Bach Performed by dance students Legacy Award Presentation Marilyn Berrett (Dance) Closing Remarks Erin Farrell Speer

TONIGHT’S ARTISTS AND CREDITS MUSIC ‘’Conga del Fuego Nuevo’’ ByArturo Marquez Conductedy by Robert Baldwin Performed by the Utah Philharmonia Flutes Reuben Councill* Bryan Kiang* Siyoung Lee Piccolo Reuben Councill Bryan Kiang Oboes Karen Hastings* Anna Larson* English Horn Abby McMullen Clarinet Darrin Theriot* Christian Manley** Zane Jensen** Bassoons Jane Pugmire* Luke Pfiel Horns Ethan Young* Mya Scheib Brian Larson* Justice Nugent Trumpets Taylor Duby* Duncan Moore* Mariah Turner Trombones Kyle Larson* Kade Gordon

Bass Trombone Saila Briggs Tuba Isaac Anderson* Timpani Zach Clawson Percussion Ryan Hushaw* Brandon Lupus Madi Bowles Alec Godfrey Harp Whitney Jensen Violin 1 Kristen Olsen+ Lauren Peck, asst.+ Elizabeth Curtis Alina Baron Melanie Hansen Derek Blodgett Jewelia Spjute Paul Petersen Abby Morrell Joshua Lewis Cynthia Jensen Melodee Valentine Saya Zeleznik

Violin 2 Sidney Lofthouse* Sadie Swain Adele Clarke Emma Lamb Elizabeth Margetts Grant Durtschi Ethan Gardner Wen Rui Zhao Autumn Wood Elizabeth Gardner Violas Caitlyn Curry* Jack Johnson** Lydia Miller Celeste Adams Miriam Randall Myalee Smith Dallas Bitter Lillian Ault Stephanie Coleman Lauren Tian-Machado

+Concertmaster *Principal/Co-Principal **Assistant Principal

Cellos Milo Nieves* Karina Miner** Stella Wadsworth Debbie Hsu Kaitlin Booth Nicholas Kelly Lydia Mitchell Yasmine Abuelhija Julia Fiero Eden Wilson Nikei Bowen Sophia Warnas Siang-Qing Chen Bass Megan Hall* Brenna Kirby Graduate Conductors Brandon Horrocks Oswaldo Machado

TONIGHT’S ARTISTS AND CREDITS ART & ART HISTORY “The New Gittins Gallery” A film made with gratitude for the generosity of the Wheatley family in honor of their mother and artist Mary Lois Wheatley.

THEATRE Finale from “As You Like It” by William Shakespeare.

Original Music written and composed by Lilly Stone (2023 graduate) Company; Camden Barrett Caro Ciet Sandra Deitweiler Kassi Dobler Cade Freiermuth Nate Ginsberg Debora Ingabile Matthew Jabara Tyler Kline Isacc-Martinez-Trinidad Tobi Okhimamhe Audrey Pan Rachel Roetcisoender Emily Tatum Tyler Van Oostendorp Abyanna Wood

FILM & MEDIA ARTS “Game of Love” Written and directed by Jacob Hagen Starring Ava Kostia and Abhi Harikumar Produced by Bridger Roberts and Liam Bice Cinematography by Jet Whiting Edited by Jacob Hagen and Bridger Roberts

To learn more about the College of Fine Arts’ history and to read other stories about our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, check out Studio Magazine.

TONIGHT’S ARTISTS AND CREDITS DANCE Movement from “A Choreographic Offering” First performed August 15, 1964, at the American Dance Festival by the José Limón Dance Company Choreography: José Limón Music: J.S. Bach Staging and Direction: Natalie Desch Rehearsal Assistant: Kimberly Fulmer Dancers Miriam Au Emilie Bishop Edie Clarke Sarah Conover Hui Emma Feddo Corinne Fellerhoff Meshayla Gardinier Addison Goan Sophie Greenwood Anouk Haffner Sophie Kane Hannah Kiers Maggie Maierle Clea Mathieu Sophie O’Brien Adelaide Pitcock Autumn Ryskoski Savannah Sherman Max VanNocken-Witmer Regan Wilkens This work is in memory of Doris Humphrey. It is based on movements from her dances, and contains variations, paraphrases, and motifs from: GIGUE, SARABANDE, WATER STUDY, DIONYSIAQUES, THE PLEASURES OF COUNTERPOINT, CIRCULAR DESCENT, HANDEL VARIATIONS, AIR ON A GROUND BASS, RUDEPOEMA, NEW DANCE, WITH MY RED FIRES, PASSACAGLIA AND FUGUE IN C MINOR, RUINS AND VISIONS, and INVENTION. Dance for Twenty – Ricercar (2a6) - Finale

©1996, José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. These performances of Suite from A Choreographic Offering, a Limónsm Dance, are presented by arrangement with The José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. and has been produced in accordance with the Limón Stylesm and Limón Techniquesm service standards established by The José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. Limónsm, Limón Stylesm and Limón Techniquesm are trade and service marks of The José Limón Dance Foundation, Inc. (All rights reserved) José Limón (1908-1972) electrified the world with his dynamic masculine dancing and dramatic choreography. One of the 20th century’s most important and influential dance makers, he spent his entire career pioneering a new art form and fighting for the recognition and establishment of the American Modern Dance. Born in Culiacán, Mexico in 1908, he immigrated to California in 1915, and in 1928 Limón came to New York and saw his first dance program. Limón enrolled in the dance school of Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman and, from 1930 - 1940, performed in works created by his teachers. In 1946, with Doris Humphrey as Artistic Director, Limón formed his own company. Over the following 25 years, he established himself and his company as one of the major forces of 20th century dance. Limón was a key faculty member in The Juilliard School’s Dance Division beginning in 1953 and continued choreographing until his death in 1972. Limón choreographed a total of seventy-four works, including The Moor’s Pavane, Missa Brevis, There is a Time, The Traitor, and Psalm.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Georgiana Kennedy Simpson Arts Education Award Living at the crossroads of artmaking and learning, Georgiana Kennendy Simpson is an award-winning arts educator dedicated to growing through the practices of making and the idea that education breeds opportunity. For nearly a decade, she has guided 7-12th graders in visual arts, student leadership, and academic excellence at Whitehorse High School in the Navajo Nation. Kennedy Simpson earned her BS in Business Administration/Marketing from University of Arizona (‘83) and her Master of Arts in Teaching – Fine Arts (’20). She owns a comedic arts business called Bluffoonery that supports development of local teenage artists and addresses other local needs, has written three books on indigenous artmaking practices, participated in a multitude of community arts projects, and lives in Bluff, UT with her husband and two dogs.

Ewa Płonka Horizon Award Ewa Płonka is an award-winning, internationally renowned pianist and opera star. Born in Poland, Płonka has degrees from The Academy of Music in Ponzań/Poland (‘07 BA and MM in piano performance), Oklahoma City University (‘09 MM in piano performance), the University of Utah (’14 DMA in piano performance), and The Juilliard School (‘16 Artist Diploma in Opera Studies). She has graced stages across the globe, with recent opera performances at Teatro Real Madrid (Spain), The Royal Opera House (England), Bayerische Staatsoper (Germany), or Arena di Verona (Italy).

Upcoming performances include the leads in productions at La Scala (Italy), Staatsoper Berlin (Germany), Zurich Opera (Switzerland) and the Washington National Opera at The Kennedy Center. Her signature roles include Turandot by Puccini, Lady Macbeth (Macbeth) by Verdi, Aida by Verdi, Abigaille (Nabucco) by Verdi or Tosca by Puccini.

Opera magazine, “Das Opernglas,” described her prowess as rightfully earning “frenetic applause.” When she’s not performing internationally, she splits her time living in New York City and Côte d’Azur (France) with her husband.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Marilyn Berrett Legacy Award It was when Marilyn Berrett was 4 and she saw her cousin dance the way a seashell made her feel that a lifelong love affair with dance began. Though opportunities to do so were not always easily accessible, Berrett’s perseverance and ability to garner support catapulted her from being a Virginia Tanner mentee at the Children’s Dance Theatre to an Elizabeth R. Hayes Scholarship recipient at the University of Utah, to an award-winning Professor Emeritus at Brigham Young University, an independent dance artist, and master teacher in modern dance, choreography, Graham technique, creative dance for children, and pedagogy.

Berrett earned her BA in modern dance at the University of Utah (’79) and went on to receive her MA in Dance from BYU (’84) and still collaborates with dance colleagues around the globe presenting at conferences, guest teaching, and choreographing at schools, universities, and dance companies. Berrett treasures her “roots” at the University of Utah and feels humbled and honored to receive the 2023 College of Fine Arts Legacy Award.

EMCEE Erin Farrell Speer (she/her) | Erin is a director, choreographer and theatre educator. Originally from Los Angeles, Erin’s career has taken her from coast to coast, working both on and off Broadway, at regional theaters and in film and television. Her directing mentors include both Susan H. Schulman (Tony nominated director for “The Secret Garden”) and Christopher Ashley (Tony award winning director for “Come from Away”).

Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Utah this Fall, Erin co-founded and developed the curriculum for the BFA in musical theatre at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. There she received multiple awards for excellence in teaching. She has also taught in the musical theatre programs at Penn State and Florida Southern College.

Most recently she directed “Rock of Ages” at UNCG, “The Bridges of Madison County” at Elon University, “The Scarlet Pimpernel” in Cape Cod, and assisted on the world premiere of “Stardust Road” at Off-Broadway’s York Theatre.

Erin earned her BFA in Acting from the University of Michigan, and her MFA in Directing for the Musical Theatre Stage from Penn State University. She is an avid college football fan, proud Wolverine and Nittany Lion, and is delighted to join the faculty at Utah. Go Utes!

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Jason Dreher started playing music at age 11, receiving private music tutoring after school on the trombone. He picked up the guitar at age 14. After high school he moved from his home state of Wyoming to California to study for 2 years at Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. Jason has played many styles of music throughout the years including jazz, country, rock, gospel, and classical. Jason is currently a senior at the University of Utah pursuing a bachelors degree in jazz guitar performance.

MEET SOLTERRA An all-electric Subaru Rooted in innovation

media lab

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MEANINGFUL FILMS THAT PACK A PUNCH.

Lori Tolbert Catering loritolbertcatering.com

Nancy Peery Marriott Alice & Kevin Steiner

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Kyle Treadway & Greg Pedroza Steiner Foundation Dinesh & Kalpana Patel

CFA 75TH ANNIVERSARY PLANNING COMMITTEE Denise Begue / Senior Director of Advancement Edward Bateman / Art & Art History Melissa Bobick / Dance Kevin Hanson / Film & Media Arts Julie Wright-Costa / Music Andra Harbold / Theatre Andrea Ashdown / Dean’s Offrice Blake Bratcher / Dean’s Offrice Marina Gomberg / Dean’s Offrice

THANKS TO THE ENTIRE CREW Producer / Gary Vlasic Associate Producer / Karen Domer Stage Manager / Jacquelynn Potts Lighting Designer / Cole Adams Graphics Operator / Derek Rood Camera Operator / Jennifer Humphreys Operations Director / Aja Vogelman Production Manager / Ashley Behunin Master Electrician / David Braithwaite Audio Engineer / Jacob Martinez House Stage Manager / Steve Wimmer Video Production / TWIG Media Lab Catering / Lori Tolbert Catering Event Logistics / Blake Bratcher Alumni Relations / Emeri Fetzer Donor Relations / Denise Begue and Devon Barnes Communications & Marketing / Marina Gomberg

We are filled with gratitude for where we have been and anticipation for where we’re headed.

Your gift in honor of this monumental landmark – no matter the size – fuels dreams taking root in the College of Fine Arts.

Thank you for investing in our future.

All gifts tonight will be generously matched 1:1 up to $7,500 by Merit Medical.

Find your voice.

Fuel your passion.

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