APRIL CALLBOARD – 2021
The department is so excited to share our theatre-film hybrid production of SPRING AWAKENING! Originally planned as part of the 2019-20 mainstage season, the production had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our students and faculty have put so much love into creating this virtual version of the angsty rock musical. Streaming May 5th-16th, alumni tickets $8!
Das Frank (Ben Elliot BFA ’02) made this piece in honor of George Floyd after his murder in May of 2020. All profits from the poster sales were donated to the Richmond Community Bail Fund here in Richmond, Virginia and the Vegas Freedom Fund in his current hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. He shared the image again after Derek Chauvin’s recent conviction.
Frank Alfano Jr (BFA ’08) is one of the SAG/AFTRA Stunt Persons teaching a new Fire Stunt Seminar in Multiple Burns including prep, set up and safety in the New York area. Participants receive footage filmed by a cinematographer at multiple angles for their stunt reel. The next workshop is May 1st and 2nd—Last day to sign up is April 29th, 2021.
Susan Marie Gardner (BFA ’98) has been awarded the Outstanding Field Instructor Award by the VCU School of Social Work, for her work with both the Masters and Bachelors degree interns, providing them with clinical supervision.
Congratulations to Virginia Lillian Rector (BFA ’05) for being named COO of Luke’s Lobster, the Maine based fast-casual restaurant. She will now oversee all of the Luke’s Lobster shacks in the US.
Rhonda Keyser (MFA ’93) acted in a short zoom film in January 2021 called Validation which has been accepted into three North American online festivals, Direct Monthly Online Film Festival, Alternative Film Festival, and Couch Film Festival. In two festivals the film is nominated as Best Drama and Rhonda is nominated for Best North American Actress in the Alternative Festival’s Short Film Category. Best Wishes and Good luck.
Meg Allan Cole’s (BFA ’02) documentary film on her struggle with Endometriosis entitled Blood and Guts: Exposing Endo has premiered online. You can view it below. The film exposes the dark world that patients living with Endo have to endure with many doctors dismissing patients pain and physical problems allowing a delay for the progressive whole-body disease which affects each patients life.
Das Frank (Ben Elliott BFA ’02) has announced the he has two large pieces commissioned for the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. One piece is of Evel Knieval entitled “The Last Gladiator “ and the second is of Vicky Vegas of the infamous Glitter Gulch. Ben was honored to be asked to use his work to honor Las Vegas history.
Danny Devlin’s (MFA ’08) production company Kerrigan and Lowdermilk announces their current musical Party Worth Crashing will play at Bismark State College Theatre streaming live over BSCTheatre.com on April 16, 17 18 in North Dakota.
Skip Badonsky (BFA ’87) is starting a new position with La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Springborn Ohio. They are restarting their 2020 season which was previously designed, and he will join as Scenic Artist hoping to design for 2021.
Tony Hostetter (BFA ’96) has written his second Holocaust play titled Girl in the Striped Dress: the Holocaust Story of Rosalie Lebovic Simon, who was forced into Auschwitz at the age of 12. Rosalie is still alive and the script uses her own testimony to describe life there. This is part of a five play series of one-woman Holocaust survivor scripts.
Lorraine Shackelford-Giddens (MFA) announces that her bonus daughter, Rhiannon Giddens, has a new album out – They’re Calling Mgidde Home (with Francesco Turrisi). If you are in New York I hear there is a huge billboard in Times Square . Congratulations.
Stefan Sittig (MFA ’97) is directing Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de lune for Metro Stage Off Broadway. It will stream online April 21 – April 25 at 7:30 on WWW.Metrostage.org.
Micki Seay O’Carroll (BFA ’77) is showing her artwork all over Richmond this Spring. If you get a chance to attend outdoor art shows look for her at Spring Fling, Saturday, May 8, 2021 in Bon Air, VA; at Boho on Broad on May 2, 2021, 4924 West Broad Street; and at Ginter Park Garden Stroll on Saturday May 15 obviously Ginter Park, Richmond.
Keep us posted! Share your news with your fellow alumni!
Life changes.
Awards and recognition.
New casting or job.
Also, feel free to suggest any fellow grads for a profile in upcoming issues!
Email Jerry Williams (jerry@tvjerry.com) or Liz Hopper (elizhopper12@gmail.com).
Compiled by Liz Hopper, professor emeritus, and Jerry Williams (BFA ’71) for the April 2021 Theatre Alumni Newsletter.