Around the World revival of the Philip Grecian radio adaptation of the Frank Capra classic, Itβs a Wonderful Life. This spring, for the fourth consecutive year, he directed and performed in the annual short play festival at the Katharine Cornell Theatre. He continues in his fifth year of presenting a series of classic jazz appreciations with new compilations of piano and Broadway jazz, and the greatest jazz performances of works by Gershwin. King Lear and The Miracle Worker will run in repertory at the Globe Theatre in Odessa, TX, with Night Sky by Susan Yankowitz β68. Susan writes: βIβve just appeared for the second time as the answer to a clue in the Times Literary Supplement crossword puzzle!β (see Bookshelf, p. 48)
70s
..............................
The Perfect Moment recently enjoyed a 12-week run in Los Angeles. Co-written by Chuck Bartlett β90 with his partner Jack Cooper, the play first ran six weeks at the NoHo Arts Theatre in North Hollywood then moved to the Victory Theatre in Burbank for another six weeks. The play has four original rock and roll songs by 60s /70s songwriter, Sky Keegan. The story centers on four middle-aged band members who get a chance for a comeback. Bruce Katzman β88 performed one of the roles, with assistance and support from Walt Klappert β79. Steve Mendillo β71 was in an
earlier reading of the play. Susan Blatt β76 tells us that an authorized biography is being written about her friend and classmate, Wendy Wasserstein β76 and she is helping the author gather photos of Wendy during her YSD years (1973β1979). If YSD alumni have any photos and would like to share with Susan, please email her at suse330@gmail.com. She is particularly interested in a photo of the 1976 graduating class! The Cumberland County Playhouse celebrated its 45th anniversary in summer 2010. Jim Crabtree β71 celebrated his own 40th season with the theatre that was founded by his family and the rural Tennessee community of Crossville in 1965. Recent original musicals rooted in rural America performed at the playhouse include Flight of the Lawnchair Man, Duck Hunter Shoots Angel, A Homestead Album, Tinyard Hill and Captains Courageous. The company produces over 425 performances and presents 1,400 classes each year, in a town of 12,000, in a county of 50,000, in the area between Knoxville, Nashville, and Chattanooga. Marc Flanagan β70 tells us that he has been spending a great deal of time in Ireland this year, where he participated in the Dingle Film Festival at the invitation of the festivalβs founder and the Irish Film Board. While there Marc appeared on several panels and gave a workshop in writing comedy for the screen. He is now a sponsor of the festival and looks forward to the upcoming presentation in
Patricia Heaton, Barnett Kellman β72, and Marsha Mason.
52
YSD 2010β11
China
Stephen R. Woody β76 has begun his first year in Beijing as the Language Learning Director at one of the first four English language schools to be opened by Disney English in Beijing. Photo by Allan Li.
spring 2011. He is writing a screenplay that takes place in Ireland about an American in his forefathersβ homelandβThe Quiet Man meets Local Heroβand is hoping to do a sitcom for Irish television. He enjoyed mingling with the 2010 acting class and alumni at the home of Sasha Emerson β84 in early May. Since he retired as Chair of Bucknell Universityβs Department of Theatre and Dance, Bob Gainer β73 has appeared in Bloomsburg Theatre Ensembleβs production of The Playboy of the Western World. Bob also performed with the Bucknell Dance Company in 2009β2010 and provided the narration for Tubby the Tuba. He has also served as a director or coordinator for select performance events. After he left YSD and later earned an MFA from Carnegie Mellon, Stephen Goldman β71 went to work at South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, CA. He recently became Executive Director of the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, MI. Since autumn 2009, Robert Gulack law β78, β91 has been teaching English and Creative Writing at the State University of New York Rockland. His comedy, Mark Antony Entertains, with music by Emmy Award-winning composer Larry Hochman, had two staged readings last year. He lives with his wife, Zdena, his son, Darrow, and his daughter, Anna, in Fair Lawn, NJ.