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Irene Ryan Nominees for “Lettice and Lovage” Congratulations! We wish you the best of luck at next year’s festival! |
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Save the Dates! On Friday, May 8, 2009 the St. Ambrose University Theatre Department will be hosting a farewell roast in honor of Michael Kennedy’s 40 years as a theatre professor. The roast will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Rogalski Center Ballroom. All are invited, and there are no tickets needed! |
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“Agnes of God” Hits the Studio Theatre Don’t miss this month’s Studio production! SAU Senior Seth Kaltwasser is directing John Pielmeier’s “Agnes of God” this month in the Studio Theatre. The story centers on Dr. Martha Livingstone, a court psychiatrist who finds herself stuck in a mystery when she becomes assigned to the case of a young nun, Agnes, who inexplicably became pregnant and is now accused of murdering her baby after the delivery. Agnes seems to have no memory of the child or the pregnancy. Dr. Livingstone’s task only becomes more difficult when she encounters the Mother Superior of Agnes’ convent who disapproves of Dr. Livingstone’s tactics and insists that Agnes is “blessed by God.” Kaltwasser says, “When I was looking for scripts to direct this time last year, ‘Agnes’ was actually one of the first scripts I read and it just stuck in my mind. I couldn’t get it out of my head. I love the smart dialogue it opens about the limits of science and faith. Also, I was excited to do a show that relied so heavily on three incredible actors. There’s not a lot of set or costumes; it should be a simple, but thrilling night in the theatre.” Auditions were held in early February. The cast of “Agnes of God” is as follows: Dr. Martha Livingstone – Katie McCormack (SAU Junior) With its three strong female roles and the soul-penetrating questions presented, “Agnes of God” is made for a space as intimate as our Studio Theatre. Don’t miss your opportunity to see this intriguing play! The production runs March 26-28 with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and a 3 p.m. matinee Saturday. All tickets are $6. To reserve, call the Galvin Box Office at 563/333-6251 or visit www.sau.edu/galvin. |
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“Sweeney Todd” Cast is Announced! Sweeney Todd will mark director Michael Kennedy’s last production before his retirement in May. Kennedy will be accompanied by music director Dr. Keith Haan and choreographer Shellee Frazee. With these three at the helm, this will not be a production to miss! SAU Senior Rachel Mayer will serve as Assistant Director and SAU Sophomore Josh Tipsword will be stage managing the production. The show will run April 17-18 at 7:30 p.m. and April 19 at 3 p.m. Tickets can be reserved by calling the Galvin Fine Arts Center Box Office at (563) 333-6251. The cast is as follows: Congratulations to all! |
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SAU Students Attend URTA Auditions in Chicago! Last month, two St. Ambrose Theatre alumni and two current theatre majors attended the University/Resident Theatre Association (URTA) auditions in Chicago, IL. Each winter, URTA holds a series of auditions and interviews in New York City, Chicago, and Las Vegas. Students from all over the country come together for a few days for the opportunity to audition for numerous graduate programs, as well as seasonal employment. Alumni Andrew Harvey ‘07 and Sean Tweedale ’08 and SAU Senior Seth Kaltwasser all went to audition for MFA programs in Acting, while SAU Senior Jovon Eberhart went in search of graduate school programs in scenic design. The designer interviews were held on the weekend of January 30-February 1. On that Saturday morning, Eberhart was provided a 6-foot by 22-inch table on which to set her display. She was in a big room with all of the other interviewing design students, and they all had one hour to set up their tables. Eberhart says, “I spent a lot of time over December and January preparing my portfolio, developing a web site, designing a resume, and sending emails to Kris with subject lines like ‘Questions 437-446.’” And all of that preparation paid off. “The day of the interviews was a wonderful experience,” says Eberhart. “Having the opportunity to meet with so many programs in a single day was tremendous. 15 minutes for an interview seems short, but it was long enough to discover which professors I connected with, and which programs fit my goals.” The acting auditions were held from February 1-4. For these auditions, students must go through a screening audition in order to be passed through to the final auditions, where representatives from all of the attending programs can watch their work. The screening auditions are very difficult to pass, and those that do not advance may still attend an “open call” audition the following day. Though Harvey, Tweedale, and Kaltwasser were not passed through to the final auditions, they still attended the open call auditions. Harvey, who also attended the auditions last fall, had a particularly strong year, receiving callbacks from two graduate school programs, and interviewing for a few others. “I got two callbacks: to the University of Florida and to Michigan State University,” said Harvey. “I also saw that the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama was there, all the way from Glasgow. I’d heard of the RSAMD and I respected the work of some of their alums, so I thought I would give their open audition a shot. The audition went well, and a few weeks later I got an email from them saying that I had been accepted and that a formal letter would soon follow (which it did). Now, I just need the funds!” Harvey is still uncertain about his plans for next year. He says, “I’m excited by how things went this year. I’m not sure which direction I want to take as I have also applied to MA/PhD programs in Theatre. I know that I want to teach at the college level eventually, but I also want to give professional acting a go.” About her experience, Jovon Eberhart says, “I’d encourage Ambrose designers and actors to participate because it’s an amazing opportunity. You’ll leave knowing what schools like your work and what professors you’d like to work with. And we’re so close to Chicago! The faculty and fellow students helped so much in my preparation process – it was hard work, but I had a strong support network!” Congratulations and best of luck to all of these students as they dive into work after St. Ambrose! |
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SAU Senior Earns Summer Internship
After auditioning in Iowa City, Westwood was given a position in this summer’s acting intern company. During the Shakespeare Festival, Westwood will be understudying professional actors as well as performing a role in “Richard III.” This is an internship with many opportunities and we congratulate Ryan on his success and wish him the best of luck this summer! |
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The Curtainbox Theatre Company Hits the Quad Cities Scene
It goes without saying that The Curtainbox has a special connection to St. Ambrose’s Theatre Department. Cory Johnson, Daniel Sheridan, and David Bonde (who has also has served as an adjunct professor for our theatre department) have now become company members. On its official web site, The Curtainbox Theatre Company states its mission: “The Curtainbox Theatre Company is committed to exploring the human experience by staging quality productions to enrich the arts community of the Quad Cities and providing employment opportunity for other artists in the area to cultivate their talents." Best of luck to Kim and Dave as they continue to produce superior theatre here in the Quad Cities! Next up for The Curtainbox? The will be staging a production of David Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross” in September 2009. For more information, visit their web site at www.thecurtainbox.com. | |
Hometown: Davenport, Iowa |
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Hometown: Urbandale, Iowa |
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Freshman Spotlight: Justine Petesch
Hometown: Aurora, Il |
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Theatre in the QCA This Month Show: “Ring of Fire: The Johnny Cash Musical” Show: ComedySportz Quad Cities Show: “Murder at the Howard Johnson’s” Show: “Doubt: A Parable” |
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SAU Theatre Newsletter Next Issue
Please use our convenient signup page to manage your subscription to SAU e-newsletters. Visit the St. Ambrose University Web site for more information about courses offered, degrees, events, and staff. And also check out the SAU Theatre Website for more information about the Theatre Department, or contact theatre chair Kristofer Eitrheim by email or by phone at 563/333-6255. |
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Department Chair: Kristofer Eitrheim - 563/333-6255
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Every summer, St. Ambrose theatre students are encouraged to use their breaks to find professional work in the theatre to get more experience and boost their resumes. Many attend summer stock and individual auditions and interviews in hopes of receiving a summer position either in onstage or offstage capacities. SAU Senior Ryan Westwood has recently earned an internship with the Riverside Theatre Shakespeare Festival. Riverside Theatre is Iowa City’s only resident, professional theatre company. The annual Shakespeare Festival has been a very successful venture for Riverside Theatre since its premier in June of 2000. The summer facility is a Globe-inspired Festival Stage which is located in City Park of Iowa City.
Eight years ago, SAU Theatre Alumnus Kimberly Furness ’96, along with four other company members, founded The Curtainbox Theatre Company in Los Angeles, California. The company spent three successful years producing plays in the LA area until Kim Furness and her husband SAU Alumni David Furness ’97, also a company member, relocated to the Quad Cities a few years ago. Now, after a brief hiatus, The Curtainbox is making headlines right here in the Quad Cities.
In 2008, the company made a big splash with some top-notch productions. In June, they staged their first Quad Cities production in St. Ambrose’s Studio Theatre. The show was “Three Viewings” by Jeffrey Hatcher and the cast featured Kim Furness, SAU Alumni David Bonde ’93, and SAU’s very own Dr. Corinne Johnson. The show was a spectacular success, earning glowing reviews and an excellent audience4 turn-out. Then, in late November, The Curtainbox staged a production of “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” by John Patrick Shanley starring Kimberly Furness and Eddie Staver III at The Village Theatre in Davenport. Both of these shows were directed by SAU Alum Daniel Sheridan ’05.
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