New York in March (trip details)
Ted Paul Memorial on Sept. 13 and Theatre & Dance Reunion Sept. 26-28
Three of the 12 Minnesota State Mankato students participating in the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship competition at the Region V Festival in Lawrence, KS, Jan. 19-25, advanced to the Finals round after making it to Semi-Finals. In addition, many students and faculty earned other design awards. The three Finalist and six Semi-Finalists were the most from any school in the region.
THE COMPLETE LIST
Mollie Fischer (senior BFA), Irene Ryan Semifinalist
David Wasylik (junior BA), Irene Ryan Semifinalist
Micah Kronlokken (senior BFA), Irene Ryan Semifinalist
Lolly Foy (2nd Year MFA), Irene Ryan Finalist
Jared Oxborough (senior BFA), Irene Ryan Finalist
Andrew Umphrey (3rd year MFA), Irene Ryan Finalist
Jared Oxborough (senior BFA): Best Musical Theatre Actor in the Final Round
Andrew Umphrey (3rd year MFA): Best Musical Theatre Actor in the Semifinal Round
Andrew Umphrey (3rd year MFA): Best Classical Actor in the Final Round
Ben Inniger (2nd year MFA): National Barbizon Award for Sound Design for Hamlet (advances to Kennedy Center)
Allen Shannon (3rd year MFA): National Barbizon Award for Scene Design for Lysistrata (advances to Kennedy Center)
Allen Shannon (3rd yr MFA): 1st place in the Regional Scene Design competition for Hamlet
Grant E. Merges (3rd yr MFA): 1st place in the Regional Lighting Design competition for How I Learned to Drive
Jeff Smith (senior BA): 1st place in Poster Design for Cloud Tectonics
Christine Thompson (2nd yr MA): Runner Up, National Critics Institute
Christine Thompson (2nd yr MA): Runner Up, Dramaturgy for Lysistrata
Steve Smith (faculty) Region V National Teaching Artist Grant Award Nominee in Lighting Design
Nikki Swoboda (2nd yr MFA): Selected to participate in the SSDC Directing competition
Invited Showcase Scenes (but did not participate): Hamlet and Thoroughly Modern Millie
KCACTF Certificates of Merit (presented by Region V Responders):
David McCarl (faculty) for Costume Design for Hamlet
Ben Inniger (2nd yr MFA) for Sound Design for Hamlet
David McCarl (faculty) for Costume Design for Thoroughly Modern Millie
Paul Finocchiaro (faculty) for Direction/Choreography for Thoroughly Modern Millie
Nikki Swoboda (2nd yr MFA) for Asst. Direction/Choreography for Thoroughly Modern Millie
Eric Mayson (sophomore BA) for Musical Direction/Composition for Lysistrata
Allen Shannon (3rd yr MFA) for Scene Design for Lysistrata
Amanda Rozmiarek (senior BFA) for Scene Design for Harvey
Photograph courtesy of Daniel Dinsmore Photography (click on the image for more photos)
Guys (left to right): Jason Faust, Ben VanderSluis, Chris Kind, Perry Thrun, Chris Bell
Girls (left to right): Ellen Kvitek, Laura Yost, Angelyn Faust, Ashley Fitzsimmons, Nicole Kind
Angelyn Eve Faust married Christopher Arn Kind on August 18, 2007, and that caused a stellar gathering of MSU alumni, former and current theatre majors that even surpassed any Highland Summer Theatre season! The outdoor ceremony was rained out (but we needed that rain!) but it was raining tears from the moment Chris walked down the aisle--and they never stopped coming once Angie joined in. I have never seen such a large number of people laughing and crying at the same time. It was magic!
Laura Yost (in from New York City) was the Maid of Honor, while Ashley FitzSimmons (now of Seattle) was one of the bridesmaids. The Groomsmen included Perry Thrun and Chris Bell (both of whom currently reside in Seattle). Pre-ceremony singers included Renée Anne Roy (also living in Chicago), Bobby Gardner, Jackie Olson (our latest BFA graduate) and current student Jared Oxborough (all three hailing from the Twin Cities). Current student Claire Lloyd (who normally would be in South Dakota, but had to come back for school anyway) was the Personal Attendant. The co-hosts for the reception were Trick Danneker and Jason Harber (both now in Seattle).
There was a long and distinguished list of other alums who showed up for the festivities. This will mostly be a list but we are hoping that all of you will write in and give us updates as to what you are now doing (and there is a lot of great and exciting work being done by MSU alum out there!). Also, if we neglected to add you to this list, let us know--there were so many there, it was easy to lose track through all the tears!
Angelyn was in a class of three as our first BFA alums, joined by Ashley and the final member of that class, Hilary Winkworth (who just finished a movie in Spokane and is about to go on a national tour for Vee Corp).
Now in alpha order, we saw the following alums (in addition to all those listed above): Shawn Ashley (also know by Howland); Carla Bode (now married and a mom and teaching in Buffalo, MN); Katie Driscoll (now producing in Philly); Chris Kuisle (yes, he really did graduate!), Jason Krueger (still working with CLIMB); Amber Maser (who just finished wowing the suburbs as the Wicked Witch of the West); Patrick McIntyre (a spokesman for Ford); Toby Miller (who is our first-ever Musical Theatre BFA grad), Lou Olson (he's thinking about marriage!); Krystyn Spratt (always a stunner); E. J. Subkoviak (looking resplendent in a new suit that he got on his last commercial shoot).
And other current students included: Doug Castle, Matt Davis, Mollie Fischer, Micah Kronlokken, Ben Olthafer, Tristin Rupp, Jeff Smith, Kellie Stoltz and Kelsey Strong, Claire Wellin (and I know there were several more, I'm just more used to seeing these guys!).
And there were some non-student HST alums too. Who will ever forget the bride's father Doug Faust as Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar ; or the bride's brother Jason Faust as the stud Johnny casino in Grease ; or the bride's grandfather Claire Faust as the heroic Caesar Rodney in 1776; or that the bride's mother joined her daughter in Annie Warbucks? The groom's uncle Chuck Kind, appeared in the very first show in the Andreas Theatre, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. And remember Alan Just (oh, let's go all the way back to The King and I !)? Even though he wasn't a theatre major, he did just graduate from MSU! Then there was Mark Braun, who appeared in several HST shows but, most importantly (to me), starred in the MSU directorial debut of Hustoles (The School for Scandal )! And Al Wortman , the musical director of dozens of shows and the star of Pirates of Penzance was there too!
Dean Jane F. Earley joined the fun and Paul Finocchiaro was there (with Eddie) and I was there with Mary Jo. It was great to see everyone on such a joyous (albeit weepy) occasion. We are so proud of all the work that you are doing all over the country! Keep it up and keep in touch!
Paul J. Hustoles
Melissa "Missy" Peterman returned to Tony 'n' Tina's wedding for a few days in April. On April 27, several MSU graduates–and President Richard Davenport himself, who walked the bride down the aisle–enjoyed her performance. Above is a picture of Missy coming down the aisle with Tony's father. Below, she and other MSU Theatre graduates met for a question-and-answer session afterward (that's Dr. Davenport in the foreground).
Also in the production were (left to right): E.J. Subkoviak as Tina's ex-boyfriend, Mark Veldhuizen (incoming Theatre graduate student) as the photographer, Peterman, Greta Grosch as Thelma Black, Ken Rosen as Dicky Black and Eric Nelson.
Peterman hails from Minneapolis, Minn. After graduating from Minnesota State University with theater as one of her majors, she was cast as Madeline Monroe in Hey City Theater's production of Tony & Tina's Wedding. After more than 600 performances, she went on to work as a writer and performer at the improvisational comedy theater The Brave New Workshop which boasts such alumni as Louie Anderson, Peter Tolan and Al Franken. While with the Brave New Workshop, she also performed at the Chicago Improv Festival and the Big Stink Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. Find out more by visiting her WB cast page. Missy appears as Barbara Jean on the WB hit comedy Reba.
Her TVTome page
