Check out the inside scoop on faculty, students, staff, and more. See the Alumni Spotlight page for news on alumni.

Mason Gross School of the Arts
Area Update May 1, 2006

Faculty Activities and Accomplishments

Visual Arts

Hasan Elahi had work in an exhibition entitled Unauthorized Access at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia in April.

Hanneline Rogeberg and Joan Semmel (retired faculty) have work in a group exhibition at PS122 Gallery, New York City.  The exhibition closed on April 23.

Martha Rosler is part of an exhibition at the Bertha and Karl Leubsdorf Art Gallery at Hunter College, New York, NY. The exhibition is entitled The Early Show:  Video from 1960-1979. The exhibition will close on May 6.  Professor Rosler also has work in a group exhibition entitled FALLOUT Cold War Culture at Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York City.

Peter Callas (Part-time Lecturer) was an invited guest for a Japanese Ceramic Symposium at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA in April.

Stephen Westfall (Part-time Lecturer) has work in an exhibition at the Lennon, Weinberg Chelsea Gallery in New York City.   An example of his work and write up on his work appeared in an article entitled “Hints of Disorder Within Grids and Stripes by David Cohen in the New York Sun.   Also in the April issue of the Brooklyn Rail, John Yau interviewed Stephan Westfall.

Dance

Jeff Friedman’s book chapter titled Fraction Action: Theoretical Framework and Case-studies for Oral History-based Performance was published in the Oral History Research Handbook (Altamira Press, 2006).  His media review of British oral historian Toby Butler’s CD-ROM work Drifting was accepted by the Oral History Review for publication this Spring 2006.   Professor Friedman also submitted a book review of Della Pollock’s text Remembering; Oral History/Performance to Oral History Review.  He presented a scholarly paper titled Embodied Narrative: Theoretical Framework for Oral History at the European Social Science History Conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in March.  His oral history program LEGACY received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts Dance Program to support a second year of the Dance Icons of the West project. Dr. Friedman completed a two-year study with the Performing Arts Library staff at Douglass Library to enhance text and media materials in dance, anticipating the development of the MFA degree.  $10,000 of internal funding was generated to purchase major collection of video materials from “Eye on Dance” in New York City.

Paulette Sears taught a workshop at the 2006 Northeast Regional American College Dance Festival held at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey.

Music

Stanley Cowell was the featured piano soloist with the Philadelphia Sinfonia Orchestra in the Philadelphia premier of his Family Suite for string orchestra and jazz trio at the Perelman Theatre, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts on March 29. Mason Gross graduate jazz students Tom DiCarlo and Chris Brown were the bassist and drummer, respectively, in his jazz trio.

Patrick Gardner, conductor, and the Rutgers University Glee Club received a standing ovation at their appearance of the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division Convention, St. Thomas Church, New York City, New York, in February.  Professor Gardner conducted the Rutgers Glee Club at the State Convention of the New Jersey Music Educators Association (NJMEA) and presented a lecture on Technique for the Young Male Voice.  Professor Gardner prepared the Rutgers University Kirkpatrick Choir and the Riverside Choral Society to perform the Shostakovich No. 2 with The Kirov Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater under the direction of Valery Gergiev on March 12 at Avery Fisher Hall of Lincoln Center, New York City.  Professor Gardner prepared the chamber choir of the Riverside Choral Society in Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Virgil Thomson’s Fours Saints in Three Acts for performance with the Mark Morris Dance Company on the occasion of the MMDG’s 25th anniversary in March, and he conducted the Stravinsky Cantata, which was presented at “Wall to Wall Stravinsky,” Symphony Space, New York City, also in March.

Min Kwon gave a solo piano recital at Carnegie Weill Recital in New York City on April 3 as the recipient of Korea Music Foundation Recital Award.   Professor Kwon’s program included the world premiere of Gerald Chenoweth's Prelude, From the Ashes, and Schubert's Sonata D. 850, Scriabin's Poem and Preludes, and Liszt's Reminiscences de Don Juan.  In March, she gave recitals and master classes at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and the National University of Singapore, and undertook a tour in Australia and South Africa.  Professor Kwon also received the Crystal Cruises' 2005 Classical Artists of the Year Award. 

Frederick Urrey was tenor soloist in J.S. Bach's Cantata 147 with the Bach Choir and Orchestra of Bethlehem, in a performance at the Central Moravian Church in Bethlehem, PA, on February 14 and with the Voices of Ascension in New York City in a delayed broadcast of a live performance on NY radio station WQXR on February 20. He was featured as tenor soloist in J.S. Bach's St. Matthew Passion with Musica Sacra of New York in Carnegie Hall on March 22.  Professor Urrey was described as a "clarion tenor" in a review by critic James Oestreich in The New York Times on March 24. He was featured as tenor soloist in Cosmos Cantata by Seymour Barab/Kurt Vonnegut with the Manhattan Chamber Ensemble at Trinity Church in New York City on April 6.

Theater Arts

Lee Blessing is the winner of the annual 2006 Steinberg New Play Award for outstanding new plays produced around the United States, outside of New York City, placing a focus on regional works not often included in the numerous New York based awards. The prestigious Steinberg/American Theater Critics Association New Play Award was presented at the annual Humana Festival of New American Plays on April 1 for Lee Blessing’s play A Body of Water, which received its world premiere in June 2005 at the Guthrie Lab.

J. Allen Suddeth announced the launch of his new program in fight instruction Action Film Workshops in residence at North Carolina School of the Arts in August 2006.  The program offers instruction and practical experience in action film directing, stunt coordination, acting and post production in a new and exciting format.  Students receive training through multimedia classroom instruction, camera studio exercises and hands-on location production work.

Student Activities and Accomplishments

Music

Brad Hougham, D.M.A. candidate in voice, has accepted a three-year contract as Assistant Professor of Voice at Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY.  Mr. Hougham was part of a national search and joins a distinguished faculty at a private institution justly famous for its music education and performance programs.

Anna Urrey, B.M. candidate in flute, made her Carnegie Hall debut as alto flute soloist in Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and flute soloist in Ravel's Piano Concerto No.1 with the New York Youth Symphony on February 26.

Anthony Carrone, B.M. candidate in bassoon, made his Carnegie Hall debut as principal bassoon with the New York Youth Symphony at Carnegie Hall on February 26.

Theater Arts

The M.F.A. class of graduating actors presented their Los Angeles showcase Rutgers M.F.A. Actors 2006 from April 23 to 25 at El Portal Theater (Forum Space) in Los Angeles.  This presentation is for industry professionals.

Dance

B.F.A. ’06 dance majors, Megan Hebert and Blair Ritchie were both awarded the distinction of having their work performed in the Gala Concert held in Memorial Hall at the 2006 Northeast Regional American College Dance Festival held at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey on April 1.  Their work was selected from over 55 adjudicated dances and were two of the eleven dances selected for this event.

Academic Programs

Theater Arts

The final play of the Rutgers Theater Company’s 2005-2006 season is the world premiere of Peace Prize by MFA III playwright and Emerging Artist Sharon Farrell runs thru April in the Philip J. Levin Theater.  Ms. Farrell who took a year from her undergraduate studies to intern at the International Red Cross in Geneva, brings Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, and Henri Dunant, whose social activism was the basis for the International Red Cross and the first Geneva Convention together in a fictional crossroads of nonfictional lives. Through interspersed scenes that move forward in time for Nobel and backward for Dunant, Farrell connects the two men’s paths at the 1867 Universal Exposition in Paris The play Guest artist A. Dean Irby directed the play.  The production features MFA I actors Nick Farco, Nathan Robinson, James Shalkoski, Jr., Gregory Singleton and Agnes Woloszyn as well as MFA II’s  Beth Wittig and Rico Rosetti.  The set was designed by Jessica Kosky, lights by Shawn E. Boyle, and costumes by Joyce Yoon, all B.F.A. IV design students.   The sound design was by faculty member Shane Rettig.  Becky Lynn Dawson (M.F.A. I) is the stage manager. 

The Jameson Project’s April offerings began with An Evening of One Act Plays directed by M.F.A. I directing candidates.  The plays ran from April 4 to April 9. 

Approaching Lavendar by Julie Beckett Crutcher was directed by Reggie Phoenix.

Imagining Brad by Peter Hedges was directed by Jeff Stanley.

The Jameson Project New Work Festival featured four new one-act plays written by Mason Gross MFA Playwrights ran April 24 to April 30. 

Baby Boom by Lia Romeo (M.F.A. I) was directed by William Pellegrini (M.F.A. II).

The Trash Bag Tourist by Brett Williams (M.F.A. II) was directed by Michole Biancosino (M.F.A. III).

Hoops by Demetra Kareman (M.F.A. I) and directed by Doug Hall (M.F.A. III).

Beautiful American Soldier by Dano Madden and directed by M.F.A. alumni Charles Goforth.

John Peter, drama critic for the London Sunday Times, spoke to a gathering of M.F.A. and B.F.A. Theater Arts students on Wednesday, April 19 in the New Theater.  The topics discussed were Trends in Theater, Playing Shakespeare followed by a question and answer period.

Grants and Fundraising Activities

Visual Arts

Thomas Nozkowski donated Untitled, 2000 to the 25th Anniversary Benefit Dinner and Auction for Bomb Magazine on April 10.

Conferences, Seminars, Other Events

Visual Arts

Hasan Elahi was a guest lecturer at Elon University, North Carolina on April 7.  He also lectured at the Jersey City Museum of Art on April 23rd.

Thomas Nozkowski lectured on his work at Drew University, Madison, NJ on April 19.

Hanneline Rogeberg and poet Genine Lentine collaborated on a project (ten drawings interspersed with text) for the May issue of NINTH LETTER magazine. Professor Rogeberg was a visiting artist and critic at Colby College, Me on April 11and 12.

Music  (Music Performances)

May 9 – Music of Peace and Love, Rutgers Jazz Combo, Conrad Herwig, soloist and director, St. Bartholomew’s Church, Manhattan, 7:30 pm

Other (e.g. new appointments, Alumni Relations, Staff Activities, New Websites)

Visual Arts (Alumni Relations M.F.A.s)

Elizabeth Bonaventura, ’99; Susan Deseyn, ’01; Cornelia Hediger, ’00; Ellen Lesperance, ’99; Jennifer Mazza, ’01; Jeanine Oleson, ’00;  are all participants in an exhibition entitled Bearings:  The Female Figure at PS122 Gallery, New York City.

Wayne Hodge, ’01; Lucas Kelly, ’04; Jeanine Oleson, ’00; Clifford Owens, ’00; Erin Thurlow, ’03 and Zach Rockhill, ’03 all performed at the Fivemyles Gallery, Brooklyn, NY on April 8.  

Wes Sherman, ’03; has work in a two-person exhibition at the Baumgartner Gallery, New York City. The dates of the exhibition are April 15-May 10.

Frank Webster, ’93 has an exhibition of his work at Bespoke Gallery, New York City.   The exhibition is entitled Metamorphoses and the dates were April 6-26.

Music (Alumni Relations)

Randy Tinnin (D.M.A. in trumpet 2005) won the North American Brass Band Association Solo Cornet Competition, a national event.  Mr. Tinnin won with the Hüe Premiére Solo, a piece originally prepared with Professor Scott Whitener for a recital of French cornet music as part of his DMA program.  Mr. Tinnin is Assistant Professor of Music at the University of North Florida. He will also direct the Festival of Trumpets at the International Trumpet Guild Workshop in June. Professor Whitener will also make a presentation at this event with doctoral student Travis Heath.

Bryan Appleby-Wineberg (D.M.A. in trumpet 2001) was the third-place winner in the North American Brass Band Association Solo Cornet Competition. He is Assistant Professor of Music at Rowan University.  Mr. Appleby-Wineberg is the conference host for the International Trumpet Guild workshop in June.

Theater Arts (Alunni Relations)

Pamela Sabaugh (M.F.A.) appears in Theater By The Blind’s production of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Directed by Ike Schambelan, the play runs from May 16 to June 11 at Theater Five in New York.

April Yvette Thompson  (M.F.A.) premiered her one-woman show Liberty City on April 6 at Salon 651: Theater-in-Development. She co-wrote the play with Jessica Bland who directed the piece.  With the backdrop as Miami, a place where colonized people from the African Diaspora have gathered, intermarried, bought homes, raised families, vote and still see themselves as immigrants, Ms. Thompson embodies all the characters that made up and shaped her childhood.
 
Elisa Shultz (M.F.A.) appears in a new short film Delusion, which screened this April at Three on Thursday in Santa Monica, CA.  The film appeared at the Palm Beach Film Festival and the Beverly Hills Film Festival. 

Don Carter (M.F.A.) wrote Coming to the Table, which was published in Plays and Playwrights 2005.  Last year, he wrote, produced, directed and acted in a collection of short plays titled Four for the Office and in 2004 he produced a solo show Finding Pieces for the Midtown International Theatre Festival.

David Miller (M.F.A.) is the Associate Director on Sideways Stories that runs April 20 - May 21 at The Philip Coltoff Center Main Stage in New York.

Derek Sonderfan and Bryan Fenkardt appeared respectively at Caroline’s and The Improv in New York on April 17.  

Rosemary McLaughlin’s (M.F.A.) work was read with two other Drew University faculty members on an evening of poetry, drama, and fiction reading on Tuesday, April 18 in the Wendel Room, Mead Hall,  Drew University.

David Crespy (B.F.A.) who heads the Playwriting Program at the University of Missouri had a concert performance of his play Men Dancing at the Edward Albee conference in Omaha, Nebraska and a production of his play Beshert, Or The Jewish Dating Cycle performed at First Run theatre in St. Louis.

Stephen Balantzian (M.F.A.) appears in a national Papa John's commercial, for the new Kong sized pizza.

Dance (Alumni Relations)

Gretchen Weber, B.F.A. ’03, a member of Leanne Schmidt and Company, performed at Chashama Performance Window in New York City on April 18.  Performances continue until May 12.