encore 2003 1

Cuba: students explore arts and culture

encore

the ohio state university department of theatre

Adrienne Kennedy’sHonorary Doctorate

college of the arts

news from OSU theatreAutumn 2003

encore 20032

ear Friends of OSU Theatre,

When I characterize the year that just passed, three words come to

mind: awards, partnerships, and research. I am delighted that faculty, staff

and students have been acknowledged this year for their many

accomplishments. From the recognition of Ph.D. student Briggs Cormier’s

leadership role as President of the Council of Graduate Students, to Joe

Brandesky’s teaching award, Jim Knapp’s Distinguished Staff Award, to MFA

designer Brad Steinmetz’s selection by USITT as the Rose Brand Student

Scenic Designer Award Winner, to Joy Reilly’s recognition by the Educational

Theatre Association, the Department has had a distinguished year. We are

delighted that such recognition is both local and national.

Research continues to be a priority for the department and it is particularly

gratifying when it combines a variety of people and events. One of our

creative projects this year included our first time collaboration with the

Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design for our production of

Sleep Deprivation Chamber.  Not only did ACCAD students and faculty

discover new ways of working in the context of live performance, so too our

theatre team experimented with integrating interactive animation into our

co-production. Research continued with our Adrienne Kennedy Symposium

which attracted interest from around the campus and from scholars from

outside Ohio. Having Adrienne Kennedy here to talk about her work when

she received her honorary doctorate in June was one of the year’s many

highlights.

I am a firm advocate of theatre as the quintessential collaborative art form and

it is important for theatre’s future that we espouse this in a variety of ways. To

this end partnerships have become central to our process of making and

creating theatre. This year has been a rich one for new partners:

Department of Chemistry, the College of MAPS, and the Office of Research

co-sponsored our symposium on “Chemistry and Theatre”; the Department of

Dance with The Fire Still Burns, and the Department of Comparative Studies

and the Ohio Arts Council with the creation of our new course “Performance

and Culture in Cuba.

One of the unfortunate aspects of the last year is the shrinking economy

which has affected all of us with continued budget cuts. This has forced us to

reduce the size of Encore. Using our theatrical know-how, however, we will

continue to feature Alumni News and Faculty and Staff News on our newly

designed website which was launched in January 2003. So alumni and

friends, please keep sending us your news!

Sincerely,

(On the Cover)OSU students tour Havana during a10-day Cuba program in December2002. The trip was the culmination of anew course, Performance and Culturein Cuba, in which students exploredthe culture, arts and creative perfor-mances of the Caribbean nation.

(Inset Photo)Playwright and OSU alumna AdrienneKennedy received an honorarydoctorate from the university in June,marking the 50th anniversary of hergraduation. The Department of Theatrealso performed her play, SleepDeprivation Chamber, which sheco-authored with her son, Adam.

Dletterfrom

thechair

Left to right, ACCAD members FranKalal, Maria Palazzi, Matt Lewis, andJenny Macy ready the projector for aSleep Deprivation Chamber.

encore 2003 3

03– 04 2002-03 Season.................................................... 3

Season Review ...................................................... 4

Regional Campus Report ..................................... 6

Guest Artists .......................................................... 8

TRI Update ............................................................ 10

Spotlight On Undergrads ................................... 11

Theatre and Science ........................................... 12

The Alumni Return .............................................. 13

Adrienne Kennedy ............................................... 14

Cuba Program ...................................................... 16

Senior Theatre Festival ...................................... 18

Comparative Drama Conference ...................... .19

Dennis A. Parker ................................................. .20

London Theatre Progam..................................... 22

Alumni Update Form ........................................... 23

11111

33333

table of contents

Photographs from S-21,a Short Play by Catherine FillouxDirected by Lesley FerrisOctober 2-4, Roy Bowen Theatre

Jeffrey Solomon presentsMother/SON andSanta Claus is Coming OutOctober 9 -11, Roy Bowen Theatre

Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop ShoppingOctober 22, Thurber Theatre

The POSTman Delivers,Created and Performed by Robert PostOctober 31 – November 1, Thurber Theatre

Coming of Age, by Morrie BrickmanNovember 2, Faculty Club

The Rimers of Eldritch, by Lanford WilsonDirected by Bruce HermannNovember 5 – 22, Roy Bowen Theatre

Rashomon, by Fay and Michael KaninDirected by Maureen RyanNovember 18 – 25, Mount Hall Studio Theatre

When will the September roses bloom?,By Goat Island Performance GroupWork-in-Progress ShowingsJanuary 22 - 24, Roy Bowen Theatre

Pentecost, by David Edgar,Directed by Jonathan PutnamFebruary 25 – March 6, Thurber Theatre

School Tour: Rock ‘n’ Roles fromWilliam Shakespeare, by Jim LuigsDirected by Beth DekkerPublic Performances March 2 - 6

Candide, by Leonard Bernstein,Directed by Stephen C. AndersonJoint production of the OSU School of Musicand the Department of TheatreApril 23 – May 2 , Thurber Theatre

Fate of a Cockroach, by Tewfik al HakimDirected by Naila Al-AtrashMay 12 – 28, Roy Bowen Theatre

s e a s o n

encore 20034

OSU Season in R1. Twelfth Night

By William Shakespeare. Roy Bowen Theatre.Directed by Maureen Ryan. Scenic Designby Carla R. Chaffin. Costume Design by Melissa B.Bialko. Lighting Design by Andrew Ward. SoundDesign by David Atkinson and Eric H. Mayer. MusicDesigner/Director Igor Karacha and NatashaKaurin-Karacha. November 6-24, 2002.

2. Conduct of LifeBy Maria Irene Fornes. Mount Hall Studio Theatre.Directed by Peach Pittenger. Scenic Design byStacey E. Siak. Costume Design by Adam M. West.Lighting Design, Sound Design and Original MusicWritten and Performed by Jim Hutchison.November 19-24, 2002.

3. Comic PotentialBy Alan Ayckbourn. Roy Bowen Theatre. Directed byValerie Lucas. Scenic Design by Amanda J. Hart.Costume Design by Melissa B. Bialko. LightingDesign by Andrew Ward. Sound Design byStacey E. Siak. February 12-22, 2003.

4. OxygenBy Carl Djerassi and Roald Hoffmann. ThurberTheatre. Directed by Bruce Hermann. Scenic Designby Brad Steinmetz. Costume Design by Adam M.West. Lighting Design by Jim Hutchison. SoundDesign by Jim Knapp. Music Composed by RaphaelCrystal. February 26-March 8, 2003.

5. SueñoCreated and performed by Angeles Romero.Mount Hall Studio Theatre. Lighting Design bySean Hennessy. Costume and Prop Design byAngeles Romero and Julia Weiss. Scenography byAngeles Romero and Johannes Birringer. MusicComposed by James Croson. March 4-8, 2003.

6. K-nowhere to run, no-w-here to HideCreated and performed by Kenderick Hardy.Mount Hall Studio Theatre. Lighting Design byBrandon Lewis. Sound Design by Michael Buchman.March 4-8, 2003.

7. Sleep Deprivation ChamberBy Adam P. and Adrienne Kennedy. Roy BowenTheatre. Presented in collaboration with ACCAD andDesign. Directed by Lesley Ferris. Scenic Design byWho Jeong Lee. Costume Design by Adam M. West.Lighting Design by Mary Tarantino. Sound Design byStacey E. Siak. Director of Technology andComputer Control: Matthew Lewis. Director ofTechnology and Live Integration: Katie Whitlock. May 7-23, 2003.

8. The Fire Still BurnsDevised and directed by John Giffin. ThurberTheatre. Presented in collaboration with theDepartment of Dance. Associate Director JeanineThompson. Scenic Design by Carla R. Chaffin.Costume Design by Jocelyn R. Jurlina. LightingDesign by Kristopher D. Jones. Sound Design byDavid Atkinson. Videography by Janet Parrott.May 21-31, 2003.

1

2

5

8

7

encore 2003 5

son in Review 02– 03after wordsAfter Words – A Post-Performance DiscussionFollowing the 2nd Thurs-day evening performance,an invited guest gives abrief response to the playand then leads a discus-sion with the audienceand the production team.This year we werefortunate enough tohave the followingindividuals participate inAfter Words:

Twelfth NightDr. Kaara PetersonGuest Instructor,Department of English

Conduct of LifeDr. Jill LaneAssistant Professor,OSU Department ofComparative Studies

Comic PotentialDr. Katherine BurkmanProfessor Emeritus,Department of Englishand Artistic Director,Women At Play

The Fire Still BurnsDr. Neil Gordon JacobsAssociate Professor,Germanic Languages andLiteratures

3

4

5

6

encore 20036

Regional Campus RepOSU - LimaDr. Maria Ignatieva wrote and directedSpace Mystery for our eighth annualTheatre for Young Audiences produc-tion. Performances took place in theCivic Center, downtown Lima. Wepresented our first Winter Showcase inlate February 2003. Students from theActing and Directing classes presentedshort excerpts, scenes and improvisa-tions in a chamber setting. A SpringChamber Theatre production of MixedEmotions, directed by Dr. Ignatieva,was performed at Dean Violet Meek’shouse. It featured a performance byMartha Farmer, former OSU—Lima

Brandesky directed Moliere’s TheImaginary Invalid during Spring 2003.It was the last production to beperformed in Reed Hall Auditoriumprior to a major renovation and en-largement of the space, thanks to thegenerosity of Martha Farmer. Comple-tion is expected by February 2004.Czech scenographer Jaroslav Malina isslated to design the inaugural produc-tion of The Cherry Orchard in thenewly renovated theatre (Spring 2004).This will mark Professor Malina’s thirdproduction collaboration on the LimaCampus.

Our search for a tenure-line designer/technical director came to fruition withthe appointment of Brad Steinmetz(MFA 2003, OSU) to our faculty. Weare very happy to have Brad join us inLima and are already benefiting fromhis expertise regarding the ongoingrenovation/construction of ourauditorium.

Four students were recognized withSpring 2003 awards at OSU-Lima.Janera Torres received the ArtsDivisional Award (sponsored by the

Music and Theatre faculties) whileTheatre Departmental awards went toAnne Maag, Joshua Parker, and JaneraTorres. Several students receivedfinancial grants that enabled them totravel to the Prague Quadrennial:Janera Torres, Anne Maag, DanielleAxton, Chase Shreefer, and LauraMawhorr.

theatre professor, and was in part afarewell to Dean Meek and her resi-dence, site of several performancesduring her twelve year tenure as Deanin Lima. A delegation of Honors 100students, led by Dr. Ignatieva, traveledto Columbus to observe one of BruceHermann’s classes and meet with Dr.Lesley Ferris during the Spring. Dr. Joe Space Mystery. OSU Lima. Autumn 2002.

Dean Violet Meek ended her Limatenure with the successful Ohio and itsPeople, a Bicentennial Tent Show inJune 2003. Theatre students andalumni created and performed originalsolo pieces on the lives of famous Ohioresidents. Left to right: KenderickHardy as Jesse Owens, Tiffany Souleas Harriet Beecher Stowe, Lise Evansas Annie Oakley, and DamianBowerman as John D. Rockefeller.

The Imaginary Invalid.OSU Lima. Spring 2003.

encore 2003 7

pus Report 02– 03OSU - MansfieldThe theatre program at OSU-Mansfieldcontinues to be very active, under thedirection of Larry J. Evans. The 2002-2003 Theatre Season included threemajor productions, all of which used acombination of students and commu-nity talent. The fall production wasThornton Wilder’s Our Town, whichwas also scheduled for two perfor-mances for the Richland County

Children’s Theatre Foundation. Thewinter production was the murder-mystery musical Something’s Afoot(with David Tovey as music director/conductor). And the spring productionwas Philip Barry’s comedy ThePhiladelphia Story.

The theatre department and thecampus drama club (Ohio Eta Chapterof Theta Alpha Phi) worked together onsupporting the three theatre produc-tions and also sponsoring the springtheatre banquet at which severalawards were given, including the GerryRice Theatre Award to theatre majorKyle Sturts and the James LewisTechnical Theatre Award to GretchenAshbrook.

OSU - NewarkThe Newark Campus concludedanother successful season consistingof three readings and three stagedproductions. The year began with areading entitled “No in Thunder,” whichconsisted of short, pithy thoughts fromworld-class curmudgeons such asMelville, Poe, and Euripides.  The fallproduction was Dick Poston’sBurlesque Humor Revisited.

In the winter quarter, the reading was acondensed version of the most famousdrinking party in history, Plato’sSymposium.  The largely undergradu-ate audience enjoyed the presentation,and was perhaps inspired to turn itsown revels to a more philosophicallevel.  The production was The MoundBuilders by Lanford Wilson, whichachieved its desired goal of tappinginto local interest in the Native Ameri-can mounds in Newark. The year closed with one of the mostsuccessful readings ever staged:selections by one of America’s mostpopular humorists, Dave Barry.  Thecast of readers struggled mightily tomaintain a professional demeanor, butthe material was just TOO FUNNY atmoments! The final production was anevening of one-acts: ChristopherDurang’s Mrs. Sorken; David Ives’sEnglish Made Simple, Dr. Fritz, andSure Thing; and A.R. Gurney, Jr.’s TheProblem.  Mrs. Sorken featuredNewark theatre professor, DaveWilliams, in full drag as Mrs. Sorken, aperformance greeted by his studentswith gasps and giggles. 

The MoundBuilders.OSUNewark.Winter2003.

The Philadelphia Story.OSU Mansfield. Spring 2003.

Something’s Afoot.OSU Mansfield. Winter 2003.

encore 20038

Guest ArtistsThe Department of Theatre kicked

off a season of productive guestartist residencies by hosting

Actors from the London Stage Actors from the London Stage Actors from the London Stage Actors from the London Stage Actors from the London Stage inOctober 2002. Professional Britishactors Jason Baughan, Paul McCreary,Jamie Newall, Eunice Roberts, and JaxWilliams spent a week in the depart-ment teaching classes and performingone-person shows. The residencyculminated in public performances ofMuch Ado About Nothing, in which thefive actors played every role in thescript, with minimal sets, costumes,and scenery.

On October 16 actress Kate MulgrewKate MulgrewKate MulgrewKate MulgrewKate Mulgrew,best known for her roles as CaptainJaneway on Star Trek: Voyager andMary Ryan on Ryan’s Hope, dropped infor a visit with the Department of

Herman LeVerne JonesHerman LeVerne JonesHerman LeVerne JonesHerman LeVerne JonesHerman LeVerne Jones, an AfricanAmerican theatre specialist, gave apresentation on African Americantheatre to Anthony Hill’s two courses oncultural diversity and led an actingworkshop in October 2002. Mr. Joneshas directed, produced and performedin numerous productions throughoutthe United States and abroad. He ispresently Artistic Director and ChiefExecutive Officer of the HermanLeVerne Jones Theatre ConsultantAgency, Inc.

Professor Walter Puchner, Professor Walter Puchner, Professor Walter Puchner, Professor Walter Puchner, Professor Walter Puchner, Chair of theDepartment of Theatre Studies at theUniversity of Athens, Greece, came tocampus in October to address the topicof Ancient Greek Drama. On October 28he gave a lecture entitled: “The Revivalof Ancient Greek Drama in Europe,” andon October 30 he led a seminar.Professor Puchner came to OSU as aSenior Visiting Scholar under theauspices of the University SeminarsProgram of the Alexander S. OnasisPublic Benefit Foundation (U.S.A.). Hislecture and seminar were co-sponsoredby the Department of Theatre and theDepartment of Greek and Latin.

Theatre and film producer Jeff SharpJeff SharpJeff SharpJeff SharpJeff Sharp,perhaps best known for the AcademyAward-winning Boys Don’t Cry, led adiscussion with students prior toscreening Boys in Thurber Theatre inNovember. Sharp also took time tospeak with theatre students about hiscareer as a producer. The event waspart of Student Affairs’ Late NightProgramming Initiative, and wasco-sponsored by the Department ofPhotography and Cinema AlumniSociety.

The five professional British actorswho comprised the Fall 2002 Actorsfrom the London Stage tour were, leftto right: Jax Williams, Paul McCleary,Eunice Roberts, Jamie Newall, andJason Baughan.

Theatre faculty, staffand students withKate Mulgrew (stand-ing, fourth from left),who visited the depart-ment in the fall.

Theatre students and faculty.  Mulgrew,whose husband Tim Hagan entered theOhio gubernatorial race in 2002, madea tour of schools throughout Ohio in theautumn.  She spoke about her historyas an actress, her experiences in bothNew York and Los Angeles, and hercurrent projects. Mulgrew was adynamic speaker with a distinctpassion for life and acting. She spentmuch of her time encouraging studentsto be confident and bold in pursuit oftheir careers. During the Spring of2003 Mulgrew performed off Broadwayin Tea at Five, a one-person show aboutthe life of Katherine Hepburn.

Jeff Sharp, film andtheatre producer, in adiscussion withstudents about hiscareer. Jeff’s talk andscreening of Boys Don’tCry received ravereviews from studentswho attended as part ofthe First Year Experi-ence program.

encore 2003 9

ts 02– 03

Playwright Tom DulackTom DulackTom DulackTom DulackTom Dulack visited TheOhio State University Department ofTheatre in November to discuss hisbook, In Love with Shakespeare:  ALiterary Memoir.  The book, publishedin 2001, is a humorous, irreverent andprovocative look at the various waysShakespeare’s plays are used – andabused – in today’s culture. Dulack, aprofessor of English at the University ofConnecticut, is the author of a dozenplays, including Solomon’s Child,Diminished Capacity, Breaking Legs,Capital Crimes, Bright Wings andCatherine.  His visit was co-sponsoredby OSU Libraries.

Bina SharifBina SharifBina SharifBina SharifBina Sharif, New York based playwrightand performer, visited OSU for a week-long residency in January 2003. Inaddition to visiting theatre and women’sstudies classes, Ms. Sharif offered aworkshop for theatre students. Ms.Sharif also performed her provocativeand timely solo piece, Afghan Woman,which explores the perspective of aburqa-clad woman in war-tornAfghanistan. Following the firstperformance of Afghan Woman,

Dr. FawziaDr. FawziaDr. FawziaDr. FawziaDr. FawziaAfzal-KhanAfzal-KhanAfzal-KhanAfzal-KhanAfzal-Khan, fromMontclair StateUniversity servedas respondent. Theresidencies were sponsored by theDepartment of Theatre in conjunctionwith the Coca-Cola Student ProjectFund, the Department of ComparativeStudies, the South Asian Initiative, theOffice of International Affairs, andWomen in Development.

Catherine Filloux Catherine Filloux Catherine Filloux Catherine Filloux Catherine Filloux was our annualThurber Playwright-in-Residence.Ms. Filloux has received a wide array ofnational and international awards forher work, which has been performed inthe U.S., France, and Cambodia, andincludes libretto and oral history as wellas plays. During her Winter quarterresidency she taught a course onplaywriting. Catherine was instrumen-tal in starting a group called “WomenCount Call for Equal Representation”which called upon all theatres in the

Playwright Tom Dulack visited thedepartment as part of our Autumn2002 Shakespeare Festival. Left toright: Alan Woods, Lesley Ferris,Tom Dulack, Nena Couch, andWilliam Studer, Director Emeritus ofOSU Libraries.

United States to produce plays thatreflect the diversity of our society,especially plays by women of all colors,and to hire more women directors, withthe goal that an average of half theplays produced in any given season bewritten by women, half directed bywomen. The TRI has been named asthe group’s archive.

During a post-show discussionmoderated byTed Ziter (left),guest artistBina Sharif(center) talksabout her draw-ings and workwith respondentFawzia Afzal-Khan.

Thurber Playwright-in-ResidenceCatherine Filloux (standing, center)with the company of The BeautyInside. Depicting a young Turkish-American lawyer who defends a victimof an attempted honor killing, thepiece was presented as a stagedreading in Winter 2003. Clockwisefrom bottom left: Mandy Fox, director;Joelle Joseph; Tyler Seiple; KristenCrouch; Megan Fellers; Amanda Berry.

encore 200310

UpdateThe TRI sponsored two exhibitionswith the first opening in October, inconjunction with Ohio State’s HistoricCostume & Textiles Collection. “Dress-ing the Part: On and Off the Stage” wason display through May, 2003, in theGladys Keller Snowden Galleries,located in the Geraldine Schottensteinwing of Campbell Hall. The exhibitincluded a number of renderings fromthe Daphne Dare, Toni-Leslie James,Gerald Kahan, Paul Stiga, and SylviaWesterman collections, and severalcostumes from the Twyla TharpArchive. Nena Couch co-curated theexhibition with Gayle Strege, curator ofthe Historic Costume Collection. ValPennington prepared the renderings forexhibition. Several of Dennis Parker’sdesigns from OSU Theatre wereexhibited and Dennis wrote one of thecatalog essays.

“‘Some Sort of Somebody’: OhioanElsie Janis on the Stage and in theTrenches,” a major exhibition curatedby Nena Couch and prepared by ValPennington, took place Januarythrough April 2003 in the Philip SillsExhibit Hall in the Thompson Library.Material from the exhibition was drawnfrom the Elsie Janis Collection of theLaura M. Mueller British and AmericanTheatre and Film Collections.  We’regrateful to Ms. Mueller for her generos-

ity in sharing her richcollections with all of us,and particularly forsharing her enthusiasmfor the life and career ofElsie Janis (1889-1956),the Columbus native whobecame an internationalsensation in vaudeville,on stage and screen, andas a writer, director, andsong writer. 

Alan Woods and Nena Couch repre-sented the TRI at the annual MargoJones Medal presentation in thesummer of 2002.  The Medal went toMel Gussow, longtime New York Timescritic and theatre writer.  The presenta-tion took place at the Eugene O’NeillCenter in Connecticut where formermedalist James Houghton is nowartistic director.

Under the auspices of the DanceHeritage Coalition with funds from theNational Endowment for the Arts andthe Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation,Jessica Tupa (who was project archivistlast year for the Bebe Miller Collection)received a fellowship in dance docu-mentation and preservation, trainingfirst at the Institute, and then workingat BalletMet of Columbus, developing aplan to establish and maintain anarchive of that professional dancecompany’s work

As a consequence of the InternationalSenior Theatre Festival, senior theatrecollections and activities have blos-somed at the Institute. Senior theatrecompanies around the world are nowsending programs, and the Institute isthe official archive for Columbus’s ownFootsteps of the Elders and SeniorRepertory of Ohio (Grandparents LivingTheatre).

The Eileen Heckart Drama for SeniorsCompetition, established to honor theactress and to encourage more writingfor senior theatre, generated a greatdeal of interest: 470 plays weresubmitted in the three categories (full

length, one act, and ten minute plays),and were read by a large number ofvolunteer judges. Winning plays wereannounced on July 2, 2003, andreceived staged readings at the ShortNorth Playhouse at the end of July inassociation with Red Herring TheatreEnsemble, Footsteps of the Elders, andSenior Repertory of Ohio TheatreCompany/Grandparents LivingTheatre.

We are very excited to report that therenovation of the Main Library ismoving ahead, and the current plansinclude moving the Lawrence and LeeInstitute and the Cartoon ResearchLibrary into the renovated WilliamOxley Thompson Library to join thespecial collections already there, RareBooks and Manuscripts and theHilandar Research Library.

The Institute’s collections continue togrow.  For more details on this year’sacquisitions please visit our web site(www.lib.ohio-state.edu/triweb/).

The Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. LeeTheatre Research Institute

Columbus native Elsie Janis onthe cover of The Theatremagazine.

The family of composer and musicprofessor Irwin Spector donated amajor collection of material connectedto the pioneering work of musiceducation innovator Emile Jacques-Dalcroze. The impressive gift hasbecome the centerpiece of the newlyfounded Dalcroze Research Institutewhich is now part of the TRI. In theInstitute Reading Room: Jerry Spector,Arlene Spector, Harlan Spector,George Spector, Jane Spector (seated),Alan Spector, Judith Spector. Displayfrom the Irwin Spector Collection inthe case.

encore 2003 1 1

UndergraduatesSpotlight on

The Undergraduate program has morethan doubled over the last few years!Dan Boord continued as the Director ofUndergraduate Studies. Departmentaltraditions continued with the WelcomeBack Pizza Party, Take Out Theatre,Backstage Live, the Writing Company,and the undergraduate productions ofArkansaw Bear and Comic Potential.At the end of Winter Quarter, theWriting Company, an on-going supportgroup for actors who like to write,presented a performance of theiroriginal works.

At the 2003 Richard J. and Martha D.Denman Undergraduate ResearchForum, Lindsey Carr tied for first placein the Arts/Architecture category for

At the End of Year Celebration, whichhad its largest turn-out ever, theDepartment recognized variousundergraduates, graduates, faculty andstaff for their achievements. At theclose of the Celebration, over $11,000in scholarships were awarded tomembers of the undergraduate body.Following the Celebration, an under-graduate ensemble of writers andperformers presented the fifth annualBackstage Live. The evening was ablend of emotional and comedicmoments as the fifteen memberensemble presented monologues,musical numbers, and parodies.

The Department of Theatre was wellrepresented at this year’s commence-ments – over fifty students receivedtheir Bachelor of Arts in Theatre whileanother twenty graduated with aTheatre minor!

New and returning undergraduates getthe 2002-2003 year off to a great startat our annual pizza party. Standing, leftto right: Allyson Morgan, Joey Schultz,Dan Boord, Joe Maloney, JillianBurgos, Chris Dickman, Karen MichelleFriedman, Jonathan Barnes, BonnieMilligan, Nicholas Redinger, Amy Kern.Seated, left to right: Peter Schwartz,Chis Lee, Jodi Genter.

Left to right, Doug Avery, Colin Sweet,and Aiyana Marcus in The ArkansawBear, our Winter 2003 school tour.

The company of Backstage Live 2003performs a scene about Camp Sunrise,the summer camp program in Ohiothat caters specifically to the needs ofchildren affected by HIV infection andAIDS. All proceeds from this year’sBackstage Live benefited CampSunrise.

Congratulations, Class of 2003! Pictured here are a few of our record number of2002-2003 graduates! Kneeling, Eric Mayer, Megan Fellers. Standing, left toright: Amy Kern, Casey Burns, Rebecca Rhinehart, Peter Schwartz, LindsayRehage, Sarah Reese, Laura Butler, Jennifer Bach, Sarah Brinker, Dean Evans,Jodi Genter, Heather Burley.

her honors project titled StagingNontraditional Theatre in a TraditionalCommunity. Also representing theDepartment with honors projectsbased in the Arts/Architecture cat-egory were Allyson Morgan, LeahReddy, Joey Schultz, and AmyTzagournis.

encore 200312

Undergraduate Scholarships 2003

The 2003 Undergraduate Scholarship Winners. Left to right, back row: JohnKirkman, Jonathan Barnes, Katie Miller, Josh Patton, Chris Langer, ElizabethPandora. Middle row: Jilian Burgos, Lindsay Carr, Susan Wismar, AmyTzagournis, Kristan Oelbracht, Wesley Vermilyea. Front row: Westie Grosh,Nicole Heinlein, Allyson Morgan.

On March 6, 2003, in a symposiumentitled Theatre and Science: Combin-ing Elements, theatre practitioners andscientists met to discuss the interrela-tions of their fields through OSU’sproduction of Oxygen.

The Wexner Center’s PerformanceSpace was full with standing room only.Moderated by OSU Professor ofPhilosophy Allan Silverman, thesymposium touched on a variety oftopics, including the state of the field ofscience, women in the field, and thegenesis of the play itself.

Other distinguished panelists included:

Dr. Gideon Fraenkel,OSU Professor of Chemistry

Dr. Susan Olesik,OSU Professor of Chemistry

Bruce Hermann,OSU Assistant Professor of Theatreand director of Oxygen.

Special guests were the playwrights ofOxygen:

Dr. Carl DjerassiStanford University Professor ofChemistry and inventor of the birthcontrol pill

Theatre and Science: Combining Elements Symposium

Th

AboutThe Fire Still Burns“The show . . . is richly texturedwith the sounds, sights and ideasof the period. The evocative scenedesign by Carla Chaffin andauthentic costuming by JocelynJurlina help establish the realistictone. . . . Fire comes across as adocumentary brought to life . . .”

Barbara Zuck,The Columbus Dispatch5/23/2003

Dr. Roald HoffmannCornell University Frank H.T. RhodesProfessor of Humane Letters andNobel Laureate.

Prior to the symposium all participantssaw the department’s production ofOxygen, and earlier on the day ofMarch 6, designers had a privatepresentation of their work for theauthors.

Roald Hoffmann presents background research materials for Oxygen duringthe Theatre and Science: Combining Elements symposium. The panel for thesymposium included (left to right): Allan Silverman, Susan Olesik, playwrightsCarl Djerassi and Roald Hoffman, Gideon Fraenkel, and Bruce Hermann.

The symposium was co-sponsored bythe College of Mathematical andPhysical Sciences, the Department ofChemistry, Honors/Scholars Program,the Wexner Center for the Arts, theDepartment of Theatre, and the Officeof Research.

encore 2003 13

This year several of our alumnianswered the call to reconnect withthe department and our students.

John Fields (MA 1960s) John Fields (MA 1960s) John Fields (MA 1960s) John Fields (MA 1960s) John Fields (MA 1960s) appeared asAlbert Soady in CATCO’s production ofEscanaba in da Moonlight, alongsidealum Damian Bowerman (MFA 2002).Damian Bowerman (MFA 2002).Damian Bowerman (MFA 2002).Damian Bowerman (MFA 2002).Damian Bowerman (MFA 2002).After graduating from OSU John wenton to a distinguished professionalacting career, playing nearly all of themajor Shakespearean roles.

In January of 2003 Toni-Leslie JamesToni-Leslie JamesToni-Leslie JamesToni-Leslie JamesToni-Leslie James(BC 1979)(BC 1979)(BC 1979)(BC 1979)(BC 1979), one of Broadway’s busiestdesigners, took time to chat withcurrent MFA design students duringtheir trip to New York City. The trip wasarranged by Dennis Parker.

While visiting Columbus to receive anaward from Westerville High School inMay, Ohio native Gigi Rice (BFA 1987)Gigi Rice (BFA 1987)Gigi Rice (BFA 1987)Gigi Rice (BFA 1987)Gigi Rice (BFA 1987)took the opportunity to talk withTheatre faculty, staff and students. Ms.Rice’s most famous role was as Carlyon The John Larroquette Show whichran for four seasons. She was also aregular on Frasier. She has a newcomedy called Do Over in which sheplays the mother Karen. She is marriedto actor Ted McGinley and lives inLos Angeles.

Brenda Laurel (PHD 1986)Brenda Laurel (PHD 1986)Brenda Laurel (PHD 1986)Brenda Laurel (PHD 1986)Brenda Laurel (PHD 1986) deliveredthe annual Lawrence and Lee Lecturein May.  Brenda’s been at the cuttingedge of the theory, practice, andaesthetics of computer assistedvirtuality for over two decades - eversince she convinced Professor Don

The Alumni Return

Outside the Wexner Center, after theAnnual Lawrence and Lee TheatreResearch Institute Lecture in May2003. Brenda Laurel (center) lecturedon Computer Technology and InterfaceDesign. She discussed her career as a“techno diva.” Laurel, author ofComputers as Theatre and UtopianEntrepreneur is one of the world’sleading theorists and visionaries ofcomputer technology and interfacedesign. She is pictured with PhDstudent Katie Whitlock and ProfessorAlan Woods.

Alumna Gigi Rice (center) with under-graduates Joe Maloney, AllysonMorgan, Heather Burley, and AiyanaMarcus.

Professional costume designer Toni-Leslie James takes time to visit withMFA design students and alumniduring their January 2003 trip to NewYork City. Left to right, Linda Pisano,Melissa Bialko, Toni-Leslie James,Adam West, Carla Chaffin, JocelynJurlina.

Glancy that looking at the waystheatrical theory applied to computertechnology was a terrific topic for herdissertation.  Brenda’s most recentbook is the fascinating UtopianEntrepreneur; more information aboutit and her current work/activities at herwebsite, www.tauzero.com/Brenda_Laurel/

Kris Jones (MFA 2002) Kris Jones (MFA 2002) Kris Jones (MFA 2002) Kris Jones (MFA 2002) Kris Jones (MFA 2002) returned to thedepartment to design the lighting forour Spring quarter production of TheFire Still Burns.

For more information please visit:www.the.ohio-state.edu. If you’d liketo share your expertise with thedepartment, we’d love to have you!Feel free to contact Laura Sipe, AlumniLiaison, at sipe.9@osu.edu or614-292-8241.

encoreis an annual newsletter ofThe Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Theatre1089 Drake Center1849 Cannon DriveColumbus, OH 43210-1266 (614) 292-5821fax (614) 292-3222

Editor-in-Chief:Lesley Ferris

Editor:Laura Sipe

Design/Layout:Kevin Keiser Design

Written and researched by theFaculty and Staff of the Depart-ment of Theatre.

All Alumni and Friends informationis collected from Alumni, Friends,and other readers, gathered andprocessed at the Department ofTheatre, researched, edited, andplaced either in our encorepublication or on the Alumni pageof our website (http://www.the.ohio-state.edu/).

About SleepDeprivation Chamber “Imaginative staging andinnovative projections reinforcethe dreamlike power of Ohio StateUniversity’s Sleep DeprivationChamber . . . Director Lesley Ferrishas adapted the Roy BowenTheatre into an amazing—virtuallyunrecognizable—space fortheatrical transformation.”

Michael Grossberg,The Columbus Dispatch5/22/2003

encore 200314

Adrienne Kennedy

Plans to celebrate AdrienneKennedy’s work and career in thetheatre began over three years

ago with a committee that worked onnominating her for an HonoraryDoctorate.  Alan Woods wrote theinitial nominating letter and supportiveexternal letters came from EdwardAlbee and Margeret Wilkerson.  TheOSU team that worked on the nomina-tion came from two colleges: theCollege of the Arts and the Collegeof Education

Since June 2003 marked the 50thanniversary of Adrienne Kennedy’sgraduation from Ohio State, the

The OSU Connection:

Alan Woods led acclaimed playwright and OSU alumnaAdrienne Kennedy through a candid conversation about herlife and work when she visited the department to receive anhonorary doctorate in June.

keynote speaker Paul Jackson fromMiami University.  Other featuredspeakers included Margaret Lynch,Cleveland-area writer and programmerof the Great Lakes Theatre FestivalAdrienne Kennedy events in 1992;Caroline Jackson Smith who directedKennedy’s Funnyhouse of a Negroduring the retrospective of Kennedy’swork by the Signature Theatre Com-pany in 1995; and Maurice E. Stevensfrom OSU’s Department of Compara-tive Studies.  The design team pre-sented material on the visual aspects ofthe production and three people servedas respondents: Valerie Lee, Chair ofOSU’s Department of English, RubyC. Tapia, OSU Department of Women’sStudies, and John Harris from OSUTheatre.  

Adrienne Kennedy returned to thedepartment on June 12 when shespoke to students, faculty, staff andfriends in a “In Conversation withAdrienne Kennedy.”  The last time shevisited the department was in 1989—her first visit back to campus since hergraduation—which sparked memoriesthat resulted in her award-winning TheOhio State Murders.  On Friday, June13 Adrienne Kennedy received theHonorary Degree Doctor of Literature. In September 2003 she received anadditional honor: the Anisfield-WolfLifetime Achievement Award.

Adrienne receives the hood of herhonorary doctorate during the SpringCommencement. Adrienne laterdescribed the ceremony as one of thehighlights of her life.

committee decided to focus on spring2003 for a variety of activities.  Thedepartment with its first time collabo-ration with the Advanced ComputingCenter for Art and Design (ACCAD)produced her play Sleep DeprivationChamber which was co-authored withher son, Adam P. Kennedy.  Connectedto the production was the AdrienneKennedy Symposium on May 9 whichtook place at the Wexner Center’s Film/Video Theatre.  Anthony D. Hill con-vened the symposium which featured

Alan Woods gently

kept encouraging me

to come back to

Ohio State, and I’m

really glad that he

did that, because it’s

definitely fulfilling

a circle.

–Adrienne Kennedy

encore 2003 15

Associate Dean Charles Hancock presents AdrienneKennedy with the College of Education Hall of Fame awardduring a luncheon held in her honor.

Playwright Adam Kennedy with the cast of SleepDeprivation Chamber on their closing night perfor-mance: May 23, 2003.

People from across campus and the nation came tothe department to hear Adrienne Kennedy’s talk onJune 12. Pictured here are: (standing, left to right):Lesley Ferris, Anthony Hill, incoming PHD studentMonica White, June Antoine (president ofCleveland’s Adrienne Kennedy Society), KenderickHardy, Alan Woods, Joe Kennedy, Eitra Kennedy,and Adrienne Kennedy (seated).

During the President’s dinner for the recipients ofhonorary doctorates, Adrienne (seated) and her son JoeKennedy (standing, right) meet Vice Provost of MinorityAffairs Mac Stewart and his wife Tena.

Adrienne Kennedy chats with MFA Acting studentKenderick Hardy, who played Teddy Alexander inthe department’s Spring 2003 production of SleepDeprivation Chamber, during a book signing onJune 12. Margaret Lynch shows images of the Cleveland of

Adrienne Kennedy’s childhood at the symposium in herhonor.

encore 200316

The Department of Theatre’sunique international collabora-tion with the Ludwig Foundation

of Havana, Cuba made major stridesduring the 2002-03 season. For thefirst time in OSU history, a group ofstudents participated in an officiallysanctioned, study abroad program inCuba! The class ”Performance andCulture in Cuba“ was developed inlarge part by Co-resident Director JillLane (Comparative Studies) inconjunction with Co-resident DirectorDan Gray (Theatre).

The course was divided into twosections. The first was a ten-weekoverview of performance and culture inCuba presented through a series ofbooks, articles, films, performances,guest lectures, student presentationsand discussions. Featured in thecurriculum were: a residency byCuban/American performance artistLeandro Soto that included his perfor-mance of E Pluribus Unum and anexhibit of his work at the Hopkins HallGallery; a lecture by Coco Fusco, aplaywright and NY based interdiscipli-nary artist (Fusco also moderated theAfterwords that followed Soto’sperformance); and a trip to the Cincin-nati Playhouse to see EduardoMachado’s play Havana is Waiting.This would serve as preparation for theten-day intensive “in-country” portionof the course developed and offeredthrough the Office of InternationalEducation.

The 16 students, two resident direc-tors, Lesley Ferris (Chair), MaryTarantino (Resident Lighting Designer),Michela Shigley-Giusti (OIE) and MaryGray (OAC) departed December 13th for

sunny Havana. The 10-day tripincluded many highlights for ourculture-hungry group. Among themwere: lectures, workshops and discus-sions with prominent artists andscholars; touring the historic areas ofHavana’s old city, attending suchtheatre performances as the Cubanversion of Vagina Monologues; a visitto the National Gallery with its vast andcomplex collection of Cuban Art; aprivate screening of Fernando Perez’sfilm Life is to Whistle followed by aconversation with the film maker; a tripinto the heart of Cuba to visit theinfluential theatre artists of TeatroEscambray and experience a taste oftheir communal work and life; andexploring the colonial city of Trinidad.This was indeed a trip that will neverbe forgotten.

Performer and designer Leandro Sotodiscusses his work with leading CubanAmerican performance artist CocoFusco. Leandro donated his multime-dia piece, Liborio Wants to Escape, tothe TRI during his residency with thedepartment in Autumn 2002.

The research and planning that wentinto this educational opportunity waspossible because of funding support

from the Ohio Arts Council and itsInternational Program.

Cuba Program Update:

encore 2003 17

The OSU students

were the most

prepared and

intellectually curious

of any students we

have hosted in

the past.– Fernando Saez,

Ludwig Foundation,Havana, Cuba

(Left) On the set for Leandro Soto’s EPluribus Unum, Leandro (right) andCoco Fusco (center) discuss the piece.This Afterwords discussion followed aperformance and was moderated byLesley Ferris (left).

The Cuba study abroadgroup on an observationtower of an 18th-centurysugar plantation near thecity of Trinidad. Clockwisefrom center: Jill Lane,Mike Holmes, MelissaBialko, Emily Alexander,Abbey Rose, Lise Evans,Lindsey Bucher, EmilySanders, Beth Josephson,Ben Sullivan, Dan Gray,and Brad Steinmetz.

One of LeandroSoto’s paintings,featured in anexhibit inHopkins Hallduring hisAutumn quarterresidency withthe Departmentof Theatre.

(Above) Leandro discusses his workand portfolio with MFA design stu-dents. Left to right: Leandro Soto,Brad Steinmetz, Betsy Cutler,Jim Hutchison, Megan Kimball.

a

encore 200318

After three years of planning, the firstInternational Senior Theatre Confer-ence and Festival in the USA washosted at Ohio State as a collaborationbetween Theatre and the School ofMedicine’s Department of Geriatrics/Gerontology. Joy Reilly, who served aschair of this event, had been theoriginal U.S. delegate to the firstEuropean World Congress of Theatreand Aging in 1991 in Cologne, Ger-many. At that time, the Germangovernment invited Reilly to presenther original musical I Was Young, NowI’m Wonderful performed by Grandpar-ents Living Theatre. Since that firstcongress, the USA had organized threenational conferences at the Universityof Nevada in Las Vegas and in 1999with Walt Disney World in Orlando.

The Conference and Festival took placein Drake on August 18-22, 2002. It had200 delegates, and performances byseven overseas companies fromAustralia to Holland. A team of confer-ence planners, including representa-tives from Geriatrics/Gerontology, theOhio Agency on Aging, Senior Reper-tory of Ohio (formerly GrandparentsLiving Theatre) and Footsteps of theElders, received funding from the OhioArts Council to develop a Conferenceof workshops, masterclasses, guestartists and academic papers andpresentations about Theatre and Aging.The Native American companySpiderwoman headlined, performing anew work using their technique ofStoryweaving, and taughtmasterclasses. OSU’s Health Sciences

physicians taught workshops oncutting edge research about healthyaging. Main stage performances wereheld in the Thurber Theatre and RoyBowen Theatre — one of the highlightsbeing a new dance theatre piecepremiered by Karen Bell, Dean of theCollege of the Arts and Vicky Blaine,emeritus professor and past chair ofthe Department of Dance. Excitinginterdisciplinary experimental workwas demonstrated each hour in theintimate New Works Lab. On the thirdafternoon a festival of new award-winning mini plays encourageddelegates to create inter-globalproductions that demonstrated (again)that theatre crosses all boundaries.

Probably the most significant outcomeof the Conference was the ratificationof the new Senior Theatre League ofAmerica (STLA), an official nationalassociation to be administered by the75-year-old Educational TheatreAssociation (EdTA), which has addedlifelong learning to its umbrellaorganization. In addition, the Lawrenceand Lee Theatre Research Institute isnow the home of the Senior TheatreCollection, as well as the EileenHeckart Drama for Seniors competi-tion. As a result of the event, thegrowing senior theatre movement, theConference, and the Department wererecognized in American Theatre and inTime magazine. The next conference isJanuary 2004 in Las Vegas. You canvisit the STLA senior theatre website atwww.seniortheatreleague.org

Senior Theatre League of America Conferenceand Festival 2002

The cast of CATCO’s autumn 2003production of Escanaba in theMoonlight, featuring OSU alumniold and new. Left to right: DamianBowerman (MFA 2002), Mark Mann,Tony Roseboro, John Fields (whograduated in the 1960’s with an MAfrom OSU Theatre), and MichaelStewart Allen.

The 27th Comparative Drama Confer-ence took place on April 24-26, 2003 indowntown Columbus with StratosConstantinidis serving as the Confer-ence Director. The keynote speakerwas Biodun Jeyifo from CornellUniversity whose paper was titled“Drama and the Formations ofPostcolonial Studies.”  Kenneth Goings,Chair of the Department of African andAfrican American Studies, presidedover the keynote address with OSUfaculty John Conteh-Morgan andFrancis Abiola Irele responding. The conference ended with a roundtable discussion entitled “AmericanTheatre and the African Diaspora” thatwas chaired by Harry Elam fromStanford University.  Discussantsincluded Anthony Hill (OSU), DavidKrasner (Yale), James Hatch (NYU),Samuel Hay (Lafayette College), TishJones (University of Iowa), EileenMorris (Kuntu Repertory Theatre) andSandra Richards (Northwestern).

Comparative DramaConference

About Twelfth Night“Inventive, playful, silly, sexy andswooningly romantic. DirectorMaureen Ryan’s beguiling productionof Shakespeare’s gender-bendingromantic comedy brims with color,personality and eclectic wit.”

Michael Grossberg,The Columbus Dispatch - 11/14/02

Joy Reilly (6th from the left) and a group of Senior Theatre Festivalparticipants enjoying themselves on the banks of the Olentangy River.

encore 2003 19

Joe BrandeskyJoe BrandeskyJoe BrandeskyJoe BrandeskyJoe Brandesky, Lima Campus, washonored by the United State Institutefor Theatre Technology with the 2003Herbert D. Greggs Award for writingexcellence for his outstanding article“Spectacular St. Petersburg:  100 Yearsof Russian Theatre Design” publishedin the Spring 2002 issue of TheatreDesign and Technology magazine. Asecond honor came to Joe as he wasalso selected as one of the 10 facultymembers to receive the 2003 AlumniAward for Distinguished Teaching.Teaching award recipients are inductedinto the Academy of Teaching, whichprovides leadership on improvingteaching at Ohio State. Joe joins JoyReilly as the second faculty in ourdepartment to be honored in thismanner. 

J. Briggs Cormier (PHD) J. Briggs Cormier (PHD) J. Briggs Cormier (PHD) J. Briggs Cormier (PHD) J. Briggs Cormier (PHD) received theOffice of Student Affairs and OhioUnion Outstanding Graduate StudentAward, as well as the Graduate SchoolLeadership Award in recognition of his

Awards and Accolades!

Joe Brandesky accepts his teachingaward during a ceremony in theMershon Auditorium. Left to right:Provost Ed Ray, President KarenHolbrook, Joe Brandesky, and AlumnininininiAssociation president Dan Heinlein.

annual citations included: “The Interna-tional Senior Theatre Festival andConference produced by Joy Reilly andSenior Repertory of Ohio (formerlyGrandparents Living Theatre) at OhioState: for helping to raise central Ohio’svisibility with the first internationaltheatre festival in Columbus historyand for promoting the growth oftheatre devoted to the experiences andconcerns of older adults.”

Brad SteinmetzBrad SteinmetzBrad SteinmetzBrad SteinmetzBrad Steinmetz (MFA 2003)(MFA 2003)(MFA 2003)(MFA 2003)(MFA 2003) wasrecognized by the United StatesInstitute for Theatre Technology as the2003 winner of the Rose Brand Awardfor Scene Design at the 43rd AnnualConference and Stage Expo held inMinneapolis.  The Rose Brand award isone of ten awards for Designers andTechnicians which are given by USITTto those just completing their degreeprograms who demonstrate excellencein a specific area of the performingarts.  The award includes a cash prize,recognition at the annual conference,and an opportunity to meet with theaward sponsors.  In addition Brad alsowas selected for the highly competitiveYoung Designer’s Forum .

two consecutive terms as President ofthe Council of Graduate Students. Bothare leadership awards intended torecognize graduate students who haveproven themselves as leaders andexcelled at service within the OhioState community. These two are thehighest recognitions of service andleadership for graduate students atOhio State.

Jim KnappJim KnappJim KnappJim KnappJim Knapp was one of 12 staff mem-bers from throughout the OSU campusto be selected for the 2003 Distin-guished Staff Awards. This awardincludes a cash prize, an addition to theindividual’s base salary, and a crystaltrophy.  Jim’s excellent service tostudents, faculty and staff as ourresident computer guru, productioncoordinator, theatre technologyteacher, and assistant technicaldirector all combined to bring hisnomination to the top of the list of theseventy-two other nominees fromthroughout the sixteen thousand staffmembers.  All of us who have had thepleasure of working with Jim know ofhis devotion to helping students andhis tenacious problem solving abilities,and now the university at large hasrecognized these talents.

Joy Reilly Joy Reilly Joy Reilly Joy Reilly Joy Reilly received two major awardsfor her work in establishing the SeniorTheatre League of America andproducing the International SeniorTheatre Festival in the summer of2002. The Educational Theatre Asso-ciation, the largest educational theatreorganization in America, granted herthe Presidential Award for helping“steer the course through the establish-ment of the Senior Theatre League ofAmerica and its culmination in this pastsummer’s Senior Festival.” The CentralOhio Theater Critics Circle’s ninth

President Karen Holbrook (left) andExecutive Vice President Ed Ray (right)congratulate Jim Knapp.

Michael Hogan, Dean of the Collegeof Humanities (and now the newExecutive Dean of Arts and Sciences),congratulates Wayne Lawson (right),Director of the Ohio Arts Council andOSU Theatre alum. Wayne received theCollege of Humanities’ DistinguishedAlumni Award at their Spring Bacca-laureate in the Fawcett Center.Faculty Emeritus Charles Babcock(center) looks on.

J. Briggs Cormier (right) leads thegraduate students at Spring Com-mencement.

encore 200320

Dennis A. ParkerOn May 23, 2003 over 150

friends and colleagues gath-ered in the lobby of the Drake

to view the exhibit “Teaching byDesign” which celebrated the thirty-year teaching and design career ofDennis A. Parker.  Parker joined theOSU faculty in the fall of 1985 and hasserved as the Resident CostumeDesigner ever since.  In addition,Dennis was the acting chair of thedepartment in the interim periodbetween former chair Kathleen Conlinand current chair Lesley Ferris.  OnJune 30, Dennis officially retired fromthe university and is just now begin-ning to enjoy his retirement years. 

”Teaching by Design” featured eightyframed costume renderings, twelvedressed mannequins, and hundreds ofunframed renderings highlightingDennis’ prolific costume design career. The exhibition also featured a sale and

auction of all of this impressive body ofwork with proceeds to benefit the RoyBowen Theatre Fund.  Over $6000 wasraised by this most generous gift fromDennis.

The theatre bug bit Dennis in 1962 in atheatre course at Port Huron JuniorCollege.  He played Tom in a productionof The Glass Menagerie and later thatyear saw his first professional stageproduction, a tour of Gypsy staringEthel Merman.  He then sought anundergraduate degree in design and arteducation from the College of Architec-ture and Design at The University ofMichigan.  After a three-year stint as ajunior high school art teacher, Dennisreturned to the University of Michiganseeking his Masters Degree with anemphasis on Design. 

During these years Dennis wasexposed to some of the best regionaltheatre in the country with the resi-dency of the Association of ProducingArtists at Michigan, as well TheStratford Ontario Shakespeare Com-pany. Zelma Weisfield, longtimecostume designer at Michigan was hismentor, and he was assigned Camelotas his thesis production.  The costumebudget for the show was $2000 and itwas 1968! (Our costume thesisproductions today often have $2000budgets.)

Teaching by Design:

His first academic position was as anassistant professor and residentcostume designer at Eastern MichiganUniversity.  He followed his appoint-ment there with an appointment as thefaculty costumer at Boston University. At BU, he worked with several profes-sional directors including Ward Baker,Michael Howard, and Alan Schneider. After four years at Boston, Dennisjoined the faculty of Mount HolyokeCollege for Women in Massachusetts. 

Joy Reilly with the costume she worein the Department of Theatre’sproduction of Mame. Hers was one ofthe realized costumes showcased inthe Teaching by Design exhibit.

Speech! Speech! Dennis Parker takes the stand to offerhis remarks at his retirement celebration.

Alumna Gigi Rice and Dennis Parkerwith the costume for Reno Sweeneythat Gigi wore in our production ofAnything Goes in Spring of 1986.

encore 2003 21

In 1978, Dennis passed the entranceexam for The United Scenic Artists ofAmerica in the costume designdivision.  Although he really lovedHolyoke, in 1981-82 Dennis returned tothe University of Michigan to completethe now available Master of Fine ArtsDegree to get the credentials heneeded to teach at the graduate level.

With his MFA complete, he was hiredas the founding costume designer forthe fledgling Master of Fine Artsprogram at the University of Maryland.Despite promises of new facilities andextended recruiting money, thedeveloping program was very slow toget started.  After three years, Dennisdecided to join a more established MFAprogram, and was hired as the Resi-dent Costume Designer for Ohio State.

Throughout his academic career,Dennis has maintained an activeprofessional career as well. Dennis’costume designs have ap-peared on the stages of The NebraskaRepertory Theatre, Players TheatreColumbus, The Contemporary Ameri-can Theatre Company (CATCO) ofColumbus, and the Asolo TheatreCompany in Sarasota, Florida.  Hiswork has frequently been exhibited atthe USITT regional and nationalconferences as well as the 1987Prague Quadrennial InternationalScenography Exhibition.  In addition,he is a seven-time Peggy Ezekiel Awardwinner for Outstanding Achievement inCostume Design and was named TheFred and Howard Artist of the Year atCATCO for their 2001-02 season.

After sixty-three university costumedesigns, twenty-nine professionalproductions, twenty-three productionsas costumer, and eight productions asproducer, Dennis is more than deserv-ing of his anticipated rest. Dennis saysthat his plans for retirement are“sleeping in,” but after he gets “tired ofall of that” he plans to return to OhioState to occasionally teach the stagemake-up course. CongratulationsDennis, Ohio State is a better placebecause of your work here!

Teaching byDesign: anexhibit of therenderings,photographs,and personalmemories ofDennis Parker’s30-year career inacademictheatre.

For his designs for CATCO’s production of The Importance of BeingEarnest, Dennis received the Fred and Howard Artist of the Year Award!

encore 200322

London ’03

The 2003 London Program participants. Back row, L to R:Jonathan Nawn, Nick Dekker, Mandy Hart, Laura Sipe,Bruce Hermann, Eric Keitel, Kristen Hilkert. Second row,L to R: Anjeanette Stokes, Christina Ritter, ShawnaFancher, Melissa Bialko, Beth Dekker. Third row, L to R:Valerie Lucas, Kristan Oelbracht, Peach Pittenger.Kneeling, L to R: Lesley Ferris, Westie Grosh, Amy Long,Lane Scarberry, Wesley Vermilyea.

Jo Towne (center, pointing), lighting designer, and alumnaDiane Borger (standing, right), Managing Director, take thegroup on an in-depth tour of the Royal Court Theatre.

Playing Fire and Ice in theMahogany Band of the NottinghillGate Carnival. Standing, left toright: Nick Dekker, Beth Dekker,Melissa Bialko, Westie Grosh,Mandy Hart, Amy Long. Kneeling,Shawna Fancher, Jonathan Nawn.

Mahogany Mas ArtisticDirector Clary Salandy demon-strates an “Ice” costume withthe help of Amy Long.

On a guided tour of the Globe Theatre.

Professional scenographerPamela Howard presents hercostume designs during anin-class conversation.

In the summer of 2003 Lesley Ferris, assisted by Bruce Hermann,led 17 students on a whirlwind 5-week trip to London. Duringtheir stay they attended classes on American and British theatre,saw 25 shows at theatres like the National and the Royal Court,learned all about famous landmarks and quiet neighborhoods onpersonalized guided tours, and met with leading British theatrepractitioners. Have a look at some of the highlights - and markyour calendar for summer 2005, when the program will travelagain!

For more information on the London Theatre Program, visit:http://www.the.ohio-state.edu/1_academics/level_3_academics/international/london/london.htm

encore 2003 23

We want to hear from you!Please fill out the form below and return it to us byJune 1, 2004. Information received by that datewill be included in the 2004 issue of encore!

Name:___________________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________

City: ______________________________State: ______________

Zip Code:_____________________________________________

Phone:_______________________________________________

E-mail:_______________________________________________

Degree(s)/Year(s):______________________________________

Current Activities: _______________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

Comments or Suggestions: ________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

theatre alumnitheatre alumnitheatre alumnitheatre alumnitheatre alumni

I would like to make a contribution to theDepartment of Theatre.Enclosed find my contribution to the:

❐ Friends of OSU Theatre ❐ Roy Bowen Theatre Fund ❐ Eileen Heckart Memorial Scholarship Fund ❐ ___________________ Scholarship Fund

Please make checks payable to:The Ohio State University

Alumni Relations, Department of Theatre1089 Drake Center,1849 Cannon Dr.Columbus OH 43210-1266 (614) 292-5821FAX: (614) 292-3222E-mail: theatre-alumni@osu.edu

For a list of our scholarship programs, visit:http://www.the.ohio-state.edu/1_academics/level_3_academics/funding/dept_scholarships.htm

encore 200324

encoreThe Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Theatre1089 Drake Center1849 Cannon DriveColumbus, OH 43210-1266

02800-011000-61801Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDPAIDPAIDPAIDPAIDColumbus, OHPermit No. 711

Honoring ParkerAnd KennedyThis year the department celebrated theretirement of esteemed ResidentCostume Designer Dennis A. Parker,and a very special homecoming forrenowned playwright Adrienne Kennedy.

Anthony Hill (left) and Lesley Ferris (center), withplaywright Adam Kennedy (right), in front of the displaycreated for our Spring 2003 production of SleepDeprivation Chamber. This play was part of ourcelebration of the 50th anniversary of AdrienneKennedy’s graduation from Ohio State.

Giulietta, Act II, From The Tales of Hoffman,1978 Dennis Parker’s USAA Union Exam Project.