Fall 2012

Newsletter

The

Stage

Door

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR OF BLUE WINDOW Craig Lucas wrote Blue Window in 1984 while living in New York

City and struggling with his own sense of loneliness and isolation.

Born in 1951, and found in an abandoned car in Atlanta, Lucas was

adopted when he was eight months old. This disconnect from his

birth parents has played a major role in his writing. In 1984 Blue

Window was a meditation on the yuppie angst played out in three

scenes before, after, and during a dinner party. The play’s action and

theme explored how we are all alike but so disconnected. We now fast forward to 2012, where Blue Window appears to be

even more relevant today. As I began to work on the play, the idea of

“social media” continued to raise its consciousness. I realized that

while we believe email, texting, tweeting, Facebook, and other social

media allow us to be “connected” and “social”, it is really just the

opposite. How can one be “social” without “face-to-face” communi-

cation? What is social about looking at a laptop and chatting on-line?

Where have we lost the ability to gather together in the same space

and make “connections”? With these thoughts in mind, I decided to move the action of the play

to Fall 2012. Because of the universality of the characters and

themes, this was an easy change. We have however introduced the

use of i-pads, i-phones, i-pods, and laptops to comment on the way

we “try” to stay connected today and yet these very devices lead to

isolation. While the action of the play still contains three scenes

(before, during, and after the dinner party), the action of the dinner

party amplifies how in 2012 we are even more disconnected than we

were twenty-eight years ago. So, be social! Come to the Highlander

Theatre and visit and laugh with your friends and colleagues. Share

in the live interaction of the actors on stage. And most importantly—

connect. The box office will be open for season ticket holders beginning

Monday, November 5 and for the general public, Wednesday,

November 7 from 9am-3pm weekdays. Tickets are $7 for students,

$10 for UCM faculty, staff and senior citizens and $12 for the gen-

eral public. All seats are reserved and children under the age of 5

years will not be admitted. This show is recommended for mature

audiences.

“Show Off” from The Drowsy Chaperone

October 3-7, 2012

“A comic moment

between Feldzieg

& Kitty”

from

The Drowsy

Chaperone

October

3-7, 2012

INTRODUCING OUR NEW

COSTUME SHOP MANANGER

CHRISTINA RAMOS. The Department

of Theatre and Dance would like to

welcome Christina Ramos to our staff as

Costume Shop Manager. She is a Texas

native with a BA in Theatre and Dance

from The University of Texas at Austin,

where she focused on Costume Design and

Technology. Christina joins us from New

York City were she was sewing for the

fashion label Celestino Couture. Ms. Ra-

mos recently served as the First Hand for

Ohio Light Opera in Wooster, OH this past

summer. She enjoys country dancing, Texas football and baking

cookies. She is delighted to be joining the UCM community.

Department of Theatre & Dance

MOURNING OUR LOSSES, CELEBRATING LEGACIES

Two Saturdays in August delivered the sad news that two stalwart

supporters of the UCM Department of Theatre and Dance, and legacy

builders within the university and Warrensburg communities had

passed away. Dr. Robert Ulrich and Dr. Charles Kuhn, Jr. both died

within a week of each other, August 19th and August 25th respectively. Robert Ulrich served part of his

UCM career as a professor and

Chair in the Criminal Justice De-

partment. He and his wife, Marion

were genuine lovers of the arts.

Having their daughter, Janet Ulrich

as a BFA Performance major in the

department only increased their

activity and support of UCM thea-

tre. Robert and Marion were con-

stantly hosting parties for the department and were instrumental in

their support of Central Missouri Repertory from its inception, often

making their home the official celebratory stop for CMR’s big fourth

of July party. Robert and Marion had a strong relationship with pro-

fessor emeritus David Peerbolte, and not long after Janet’s graduation,

they established the Janet Ulrich Technical Theatre Scholarship, a

gesture to not only honor their daughter, but Peerbolte’s work with

design technology students as well. Robert and Marion Ulrich re-

mained a part of the UCM theatre family long after Janet was estab-

lished in Chicago. They attended our end of the year banquet for dec-

ades, giving updates on Janet and presenting their scholarship to the

latest recipient. We offer our many thanks to Robert Ulrich, and his

wonderful wife, Marion for the generations they have impacted with

their love and support of our students and our program. In speaking with Chair emeritus Dr. Ed See, a

number of wonderful facts were unearthed

about Charles Kuhn. Charles received his B.S.

from UCM in 1951 and had an illustrious 30-

year teaching career from 1958 to 1988 in the

Harmon College of Business and Professional

Studies. When Ed See was an undergrad at

Central, Dr. Kuhn was the fraternity advisor for

TKE. From 1960-1962 the fraternity would put

on a talent show called “Tekes Night Out”. Ed

remembers writing the scripts in long hand

while Charles typed them. In 1976, the theatre department put on a

production of Hail to the Chief as a Reader’s Theatre production,

which Charles’ parents attended and reportedly had a wonderful time.

This Hail to the Chief anecdote would be one told by Charles at the

UCM Department of Theatre and Dance banquet for years to come,

and was one of the reasons he wanted to establish a scholarship in his

parents’ name. Charles was a true philanthropic pioneer at Central.

Before the establishment of three different scholarships in his parents’

name in business, theatre and music, there was no history or tradition

of endowed scholarships at the university. Originally from Carroll-

ton, MO, Charles Kuhn was instrumental in bringing CMR’s traveling

children’s show to his community. He hosted a pizza party in his

home after each Carrollton performance. Charles had been coming to

our banquets since the late 70’s and had not missed a banquet since

establishing his parents’ scholarship in the 80’s. There will be 2 nota-

bly empty chairs at our banquet this April. We offer our deepest

thanksgiving to both Robert Ulrich and Charles Kuhn, patrons of the

arts, friends to our faculty and students, family to us all.

The Stage Door

MERIDITH HARMON SAUER GUEST ARTIST SERIES 2012-

2013 SEASON. Again this year, the “Guest Artist Series” will

bring in nationally and regionally recognized theatre artists and

educators to work hand-in-hand with our students and faculty.

Margaret Spare, was lighting designer

for The Drowsy Chaperone, October 3-7. Margaret holds a MFA in Theatrical Light-

ing Design from the University of Missouri

-Kansas City and a BFA in Design and

Technology from the University of Central

Missouri. She has served as lighting design-

er for Ballet North and Wylliams/Henry

Contemporary Dance Company, assistant

lighting designer for Lyric Opera of Kansas

City and light board operator for Kansas

City Repertory Theatre.

Broadway star Tituss Burgess

originated the role of “Sebastian

the Crab” in the musical “The Lit-

tle Mermaid” in 2007 and went on

to play Nicely-Nicely Johnson in

the revival of Guys and Dolls in

2009. His Broadway and Regional

Theatre credits include The Jersey

Boys, Good Vibrations, The Wiz

and Abelard and Heloise. Tituss

will present a Musical Theatre Workshop in February 2013.

Melissa Larsen, Choreographer for

Louder Than Words, March 8-9, 2013 A

member of Actor’s Equity Association,

Melissa has performed in the National

Tours of Grease and Hairspray. Her Re-

gional credits include Cinderella, Beauty

and the Beast, 42nd Street, Sweeny Todd,

The Music Man, and Nunsense. Melissa

has had extensive training in ballet, tap

and jazz and will choreograph one of the pieces for the spring concert.

Jason Bohon, Acting Coach Street Scene,

April 24-28, 2013. Jason received his MFA

in Physical Theatre from the London Interna-

tional School of Performing Arts-Naropa

University. As an actor, Jason specializes in

classical material and has performed many

roles in the works of Shakespeare, Moliere,

Sophocles and Feydeau. Jason created his

own company 3 Sticks Theatre in Minneap-

olis, MN and currently tours as a performer

with Split Knuckle Theatre Company

throughout Brussels, the Netherlands,

England, France, Greece and Germany.

FROM THE GREENROOM: Angie Benson is playing piano in

the band for The Unicorn’s production of Bloody, Bloody, Andrew

Jackson . . . her husband, Assistant Professor Michael Benson

will be the Scenic Designer for The Hound of the Baskervilles at

The American Heartland Theatre, going into production mid-

December and starring Professor John Wilson as Sherlock Holmes

and many other roles . . . Tyler Mullen is a stage management in-

tern at The Julliard School in New York . . . Jacob Randall just got

a job as an emcee with Radio Disney. He will be traveling around

the Denver area hosting promotional events—promoting Disney

(and other companies) working with children . . . Chuck Ad-

amson accepted an Assistant Professor of Theatre position at Mon-

mouth College in Monmouth IL . . . Kristen Wiles was chosen to

join the New York City Teaching Fellows Program. She started

attending Long Island University this past summer pursuing a Mas-

ters Degree in Special Education and began teaching in NYC in

September 2012 . . . Deanna Mazdra is playing the role of Natalie

in Next to Normal at Just Off Broadway Theatre in Kansas City. It

opens November 2nd and runs for three weekends! . . . Jeff Hylton

Simmons is the new Lead Sound Engineer at Bunk Bar in the Port-

land, Oregon area . . . Trevor Belt is producing Art, beginning No-

vember 10 at State Fair Community College in Sedalia. Our stu-

dents were working this summer! Angie Benson worked with Cen-

tral Missouri Repertory in Hula Heart and was a conductor for Mu-

sic Man with Musical Theater Heritage in Kansas City . . . Trent

Reese had a directing assistantship with Berkshire Theatre in Pitts-

ville, MA . . . Bob Wearing was an Administration Intern with

Heart of America Shakespeare Festival in Kansas City and worked

at Starlight Theatre in the Box Office . . . Kayla Lopez was a

Wardrobe Manager with Theatre by the Sea in Warwick, RI . . .

Alex McCale was an actress with Crane River Theatre in Kearney,

NE . . . Alisha Morris was a Teaching Artist with the Lexington

Children’s Theatre in Lexington, KY . . . Chris Lohkamp was the

TD/ATD with Emporia State Summer Theatre, Emporia, KS . . .

Taylan Wilcoxson was a ATD/Shop hire with Emporia State Sum-

mer Theatre in Emporia, KS . . . Joe Reece was a Summer Shake-

speare Participant at the Stella Adler Studio in New York, NY . . .

Joe Burkard was the ATD with Shenandoah Musical Theatre Co.,

Winchester, W. Virginia . . . Betsy Ripp was the Prop Master/

Assistant Stage Manager/Scenic Painter/Carpenter with Weath-

ervane Playhouse in Newark, OH . . . Courtney Robinson was the

Assist. Costume Designer/Wardrobe Manager and Stitcher with

Wagon Wheel Theatre in Warsaw, IN . . . Mark Jacobsen was the

Master Electrician for Theatre in the Park in Kansas City . . . Let us

know what you’ve been up to! Submit your information on our

website at www.ucmo.edu/theatre/alumni.

CONGRATULATIONS GO OUT TO:

Greg and Amanda Owen on the birth of Maxwell

Carter . . . Chris and Heather Taylor on the birth of

Leila . . . Dustin and Carolyn Blakeman on the birth

of Melody . . . Chase and Amy Ashurst on the birth

of Laiken . . . Julie-Rose and Will Tedrick are expect-

ing twins in February, a boy and a girl to be exact! If

you have a new bundle of joy in your life congratula-

tions to you too!

SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS ATTEND NEW THEATRE

GUILD MEET AND GREET FOR MARION ROSS.

The New Theatre Guild has been a long-standing scholarship provid-

er for the University of Central Missouri Department of Theatre and

Dance. They support 4 separate scholarships for the department and

on Monday, October 22, 2012 the current recipients were invited to

the Guild’s meet and greet honoring Marion Ross, soon to be appear-

ing in the New Dinner Theatre production of The Game’s Afoot, the

newest farce to come from the acclaimed pen of Ken Ludwig.

Chair Emeritus and Immediate Past President of the Guild, Dr. Ed

See, Professor John Wilson and scholarship students Justin Barron

(BFA Performance), Matt Elliott (BFA Design Technology), Mark

Jacobsen (BFA Design Technology) and Miranda Powers (BFA Per-

formance) were all in attendance for the event. Scholarship Chair-

woman, Judy Horn introduced Professor Wilson who said a few

words of thanksgiving to the Guild before introducing each UCM

student and allowing them to speak their own words of appreciation

as well as update the Guild on their current artistic projects.

A number of fun anecdotes can be recalled from the evening, not

least of which Professor Wilson shared with the close to 50 guild

members and guests in attendance. Said Wilson before introducing

the scholarship recipients, “I have to admit being a little star-struck

right now. I nervously introduced myself just moments ago to Ms.

Ross and told her, ‘I know you must hear this all the time, but I liter-

ally grew up watching you’, to which she replied while placing her

hand warmly against my cheek, ‘oh honey, I remember you. I came

into your room many a-nights.’”

After a wonderful introduction from Ed See, (which served as its

own mini-stand up routine) Marion Ross then spoke for nearly 15

minutes to a captivated audience about her rise to stardom. Especial-

ly affected by her years of wisdom were our four students who lis-

tened with rapt attention and enjoyed one-on-one conversations with

her afterwards. Marion Ross, 84 years of age, is performing 8 shows

a week in The Game’s Afoot from November 8 to January 20, 2013.

L-R: Justin Barron, Matt Elliott, Mark Jacobsen,

Marion Ross, Miranda Powers, John Wilson

The Stage

Door

Martin 113 Warrensburg, MO 64093-5042

Non-Profit Organization

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Warrensburg, MO 64093

Permit No. 102