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Graduate Spotlight -- New M.F.A. Class
This August, a new Master of Fine Arts class of graduate performers, designers and technical directors arrived. These sixteen students will be in residence for the next three years, and we are so happy to welcome them into our family. As a way of introducing them to you, we asked them to write a short paragraph about their background and plans here at U.Va. Drama. Drum roll please…here is our M.F.A. Class of 2011!
Jemmy Chen, Acting: Jemmy was born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan. She has a B.A. in Music from Trinity Western University and B.A. in Communications from Simon Fraser University in Canada. She is a pianist, a singer, a conductor and now working on becoming a better actor! Jemmy moved to New York two and a half years ago, had some training in musical theater and realized her true passion lies in acting. The most recent project she’s been a part of is an alternate reality game (ARG) called "Find The Lost Ring." The project was eight months long. Throughout the game, she got to record herself telling the story on camera and blog and e-mail with the players in character. It was a world-wide project with players from more than 100 countries, and approximately 2.5 million people have somehow been in touch with the game. The project wrapped up in Beijing, China this past August, and she got to do some filming on The Great Wall, The Temple of Heaven and be a part of the Closing Ceremony at the Olympics 2008. Jemmy is thrilled that she’s a part of this program and this company of actors, designers, technical directors and faculty. She is so lucky and can't wait to see how the next three years unfold.
Jessica Cloutier, Technical Direction
Andrew Cronacher, Acting: Andrew is originally from Ironton, Ohio, and is thrilled to be settling into Charlottesville. He graduated from Ohio State University in 2007 with a B.A. in Theatre and then spent a year working with the Phoenix Theatre Circle in Columbus, Ohio. Andrew is excited to begin exploring the world of theatre with such a dynamic ensemble and 'family' at U.Va.!
Alex Grubbs, Acting: Alex Grubbs comes from a small private liberal arts college in Jackson, Mississippi called Belhaven College. In addition to being involved in shows at Belhaven, he also had the opportunity to act with New Stage Theatre in Jackson and the Mississippi Opera Company. He is thrilled to be a part of a great graduate acting company. He and his wife are enjoying the Charlottesville area and look forward to three great years.
Christina Leinicke, Costume Design and Technology: Christina joins the U.Va. Drama Department after recently graduating from Illinois State University with a B.S. in Theatrical Design/Production. In August, Christina completed her fourth consecutive summer with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival having worked as a costume technician, wardrobe crew member, wardrobe supervisor and assistant costume designer. Though having spent the past four years in central Illinois, Christina is originally from St. Louis, Missouri where she was first exposed to the theatre arts. Currently, you will be able to see Christina's work this fall in the production of Oklahoma! on the Culbreth Stage, a co-design with her fellow Costume Design graduate student Caroline Varney.
Mickie Marie, Lighting Design: Mickie is from New Iberia, Louisiana, and he has been in theatre for seven years. His undergraduate degree is from Northwestern State University in Louisiana, and he’s been designing lights for four years. He looks forward to learning more about design at U.Va., and once he graduates he hopes to be able to make a living designing lights for theatre productions.
Dale Marshall, Lighting Design: Dale graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University in 2006 with a B.A. in Theatre. She has worked for the Sacramento Theatre Company and the Arundel Barn Playhouse as Lighting Designer since graduating. She is looking forward to the next three years and to learn and grow as a Lighting Designer. Her first exciting task is designing for Day of Absence with Theresa Davis.
Daria T. Okugawa, Acting: Daria received her B.F.A. from Carnegie Melon University in 1978. She was an M.F.A. candidate at PAPT (Professional Actors Training Program at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee) under the direction of Sanford Robbins in 1978/79, followed by performing in theatre and film in the Los Angeles area. She became a teacher of the Alexander Technique in 1982, obtaining her certification in London, England at the Alexander Technique Associates. She moved to Charlottesville in 1987 and has been director of teacher training for the Alexander Technique Training Centre for the past 21 years while performing locally at Live Arts, Heritage Theatre Festival and Four County Players. She now proudly enters the U.Va. Drama Department and is thrilled to have the opportunity to be once again immersed in the world of theatre.
Alan Perez, Technical Direction: Alan is 22, straight out of undergrad at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, where he received a B.A. in Theatre and English. He worked at several theatres of various sizes: he interned with Actor's Theatre of Louisville in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky from January to May of 2007, which included the Humana Festival; he was the TD at the Shawnee Summer Theatre in Bloomfield, Indiana in 2007; and he was a Carpenter during the Louisville Theatrical Association's summer season. He is looking forward to working on shows here of every size, and most looks forward to classes on mechanics and automation.
Laura Rikard, Acting: Laura was born and raised in South Carolina. She received a B.A. in Theatre from the College of Charleston and continued her training with the Masters/postgraduate acting program at Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts in England. She was trained in Commedia by Antonio Fava in Italy. As a performer, she has appeared on stage in New York as Lala in The Last Night of Ballyhoo; Lady Macbeth in Macbeth; Woman in Dario Fo's One Was Nude and One Wore Tails and many more. As a teacher, she has taught Commedia dell'Arte for The Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts, New Perspectives Theatre, Attic Salt Theater and Laughing Gravy Theatre. Most recently, Laura assistant directed and commedia coached The Cherry Orchard with New Perspectives Theatre Company and also commedia/movement coached their production of The Ritual. In March 2008, she was a guest speaker on Commedia dell' Arte at the Employability and Creativity Conference in England. This past summer, she portrayed Juliet/Hermia/Kate/Viola in Food of Love at the Hampton Shakespeare Festival/Spitfire Theatre.
Justin Smith, Technical Direction: Justin Smith is a native Texan who did his undergraduate work at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas. While there, he earned his B.A. in Drama but also developed a real passion for scenic construction and production. That passion is what brings him here to the University of Virginia. By the time he is finished with the program, he hopes to develop a well rounded technical skill set and become a valuable asset to any campus as a Technical Director and a resident professor. GO HOOS!
Napoleon Tavale, Acting: Napoleon is 24 years old and was born in the South Pacific on the island of Samoa. He and his family made a move to St. Paul, Minnesota when he was two years old, and this became his home. Napoleon recently moved to Charlottesville from Los Angeles where he finished his undergraduate at Whittier College in 2007 with a B.A. in Theatre Arts. He is proud to be here at U.Va. to continue his studies, make progress and work with great and enthusiastic people. He sends a thank you to the faculty and looks forward to collaborating with his company as well.
Tashi Thomas, Acting: This past May, Tashi completed her undergraduate studies in Pre-Medicine and Theatre at the University of Notre Dame. In 2003, Tashi won the title of Miss Teen Long Island after competing against thousands of young ladies from Queens, Brooklyn, Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York. This enormous role as Miss Teen Long Island led to her performing many hours of community service for the Town of Hempstead, which involved working with Mayor Garner, Town Clerk Mark Bonilla and Trustee Max Rodriguez. Some of Tashi's other achievements and accolades include scoring a perfect score on the National Latin Exam, being featured on the CD Summertime which sold internationally and being ranked statewide and nationally for dramatic interpretation in speech and debate. Tashi still remains a positive role model for girls in her community. She is hoping that U.Va. will be a place where she can hone her theatrical skills. This will enable her to continue living by her mother's golden rule, "Be passionate about the gift God has given you and care about everyone fate allows you to share it with."
Caroline Varney, Costume Design and Technology: Caroline has been studying fine arts from age six and eventually procured an interest in theatre. After applying for both school and study abroad scholarships, she differed her admission to SUNY Purchase and spent a year living with a family in Germany. Caroline did a post-graduation high school year at a German high school. Upon returning to the States, she enrolled in the Conservatory of Theater Arts and Film, in the concentration of Design (Costume)/ Technology. After two years, she left in good standing and transferred to Ithaca College. During her second semester there, she changed majors to Sociology with a concentration in Gender and Sexuality. Caroline has spent the last three summers working at the Santa Fe Opera in New Mexico. She was encouraged by the costume shop manager at Ithaca College to attend U/RTAs and to feel out the possibility of going to graduate school for theater. It was there she met Gweneth West and became interested in attending U.Va. for her M.F.A. She looks forward to learning all she can in both costume design and technology. She hopes to do great things incorporating innovative silhouettes and designs that allow for the evolution of character. Caroline wants her character's designs to reflect decisions the characters would make based on their place in the society they are a part of. She wants the costumes to reflect the "world" of the play, and the character’s position in it.
Jeremy Weing, Technical Direction: After earning a B.S. at Radford University, Jeremy worked for a year at Hillberry Rep. in Detroit, Michigan. In 2007, Jeremy was the acting production manager and adjunct faculty member at Washington and Lee University's Lenfest Center for the Arts.
Randall C. Wilkerson, Acting: Randall is 22 year old male from Little Rock, Arkansas. The youngest son of Charles and Patricia Wilkerson., he has an older brother, an older sister and a twin sister. He is also happily engaged to Ms. La'Shawn Davis. Randall received his B.A. in Drama from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. There, he experienced many great and exciting things in the world of Theatre. He became a member and president the Iota Mu Cast of Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society, played Walter Lee in Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun and got the chance to travel to the Kennedy Center for the American College Theatre Festival. Randall auditioned for graduate school through University/ Resident Theatre Association in Las Vegas. He was introduced to the University by Ms. Betsy Tucker. Randall is very excited to be here at U.Va. and looks forward to what the next three years will have in store.
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