2005-2006 Activities and Accomplishments for Theatre Faculty/Staff

Adam Zonder: During Adam’s summer, he was the Production Manager for the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY. While he was there, they did 5 mainstage Equity shows: All in the Timing, I Am My Own Wife (Regional Premiere), As You Like It, Rough Magic (World Premiere), The Wiz. They also did 5 children’s theatre shows: The Little Prince, Beauty and the Beast, Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse, Ming Lee and the Magic Tree, The Phantom Tollbooth; and 9 experimental shows: The Hairy Ape, Mickey Mouse is Dead (World Premiere), Dreaming of Chekhov (World Premiere), The Thicket of the Lame (World Premiere), Blue Eyes Black Hair, School of Devils (Regional Premiere), DNA (World Premiere), Hamlet First Person Singular, The Laramie Project. They also mounted and performed a school tour, Hansel and Gretel (World Premiere). They did a number of special events, including Chris Holder the Storysinger, Moreland the Magician, Beauty and the Beast Storytellers. They also produced Kiddplay: Staged Readings of kids’ plays grades 4-12 and the annual 2005 Summer Gala.

Andi Lyons:
• Designed lighting for Looking Over the President’s Shoulder at Capital Rep

Arthur Sainer:
• Play “Jews and Christmas in the End Zone” was played at the Hilton Center 5/5-5/7/2006 and directed by Justin Tracy

Eileen Schuyler:
• Performed in “Play by Play”, the annual short-play festival at StageWorks/Hudson in four very different roles
• Performed in a variety of excerpts from new Jewish plays for the annual meeting of Association of Jewish Theatre, at the New York Jewish Community Center
• Performed scenes from a new play about the legendary acting teacher, Stella Adler, in the Berkshires
• Eileen Schuyler is performing a leading role in You Can’t Take It With You at Capital Repertory Theatre. Nov 18-Dec 18.

J. Kevin Doolen:
• Directing “Play by Play” for Stageworks in Hudson, also click on link for more accomplishments http://www.albany.edu/main/features/2004/06-04/1audition/audition.htm

Jackie Roberts:
• Completed FRAP grant, which involved interviewing the mayor and the Somali refugee community in Lewiston, Maine
• Finalist in the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Festival for her play, Lick ‘O the Knife
• Performed in “What I Heard About Iraq” - a multi-media staged reading
• Jackie Roberts is serving the Provost’s Difficult Dialogues Committee

Janet Sussman:
• First Look Theatre Co. TISCH NYU Goldberg Theatre 2006 Festival of New Works
• Janet Sussman is designing for “Play by Play” at Stageworks in Hudson (Kadie Ertel is Janet’s Design Assistant)

James Farrell:
• Taught Playwriting at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts Dramatic Writing Program
• Worked as literary advisor/dramaturg on Stageworks Hudson Theatre Company’s production of Under the Lintel
• Served as literary advisor/dramaturg on Stageworks Hudson Theatre Company’s production of Jesus Hopped the A Train
• Selected as playwright for Studio Ensemble Theatre in NYC
• James has a script of his performing in “Play by Play”
• James has readings of “A Believer In Those Things Which Cannot Be Proven To Be True” and “Transplant” at Ensemble Studio Theatre Playwrights Unit in NYC

Ken Goldstein:
• Set Designer for Aida at Seaside Music Theatre
• Set Designer for Moby Dick at Seaside Music Theatre. This was the first major U.S. production of the show and received some noteworthy press, including Playbill online.
• Set Designer for I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Saint Michael’s Playhouse
• Set Designer for Isabelle and The Pretty-Ugly Spell at Lion Theatre, New York City—Part of the New Music Theatre Festival, which goes up in September
• Set designer for Isabelle and the Pretty-Ugly Spell in NYC
• Designed project in WI

Leigh Strimbeck:
• Communications Coach at the New York State Defender’s Institute with Mark Dalton
• Taught Literacy and the Arts workshop at a teachers’ conference
• Yoga workshops

Mark Dalton: In June, Mark Dalton directed the performance component of the New York State Defenders Association's Basic Trial Skills Program (NYSDA BTSP). In addition, he served as part of a faculty of trial lawyers and communications experts chosen from around the nation. The program's goal is to prepare members of New York's public defense bar for better trial advocacy.

A centerpiece of the NYSDA BTSP is a set of exercises during which lawyers practice with actors playing clients and witnesses. This year, Mr. Dalton selected and trained all participating actors.

The 26-member acting company included 15 performers who trained in acting at U Albany. Several are current students.

U Albany actors:
Justin Alvis, '04
Kamar Elliot, '05
Chris Rickett, '05
Justin Tracy, '05
Ben Bunce, Senior
Adam Zurbruegg, Senior
Laura McCormack, '02
Amy Romeo, '03
Angela Ryan, M.A. '04
Richshara Knight, Senior
Nahal Navidar, '05
Tiffany Scaringe, '01
Ilana Landecker, Senior
Neal Benoit, Non-Matriculated Student
Michael Rosenthal, '99, Adjuct Professor

Marna Lawrence:
• Directed Visiting Mr. Green at Curtain Call Theatre, which ran for four weeks this summer

Michael Rosenthal:
• Participated in New York State Defender’s Institute training workshop, where he played the role of Detective Wasilewski
• In July, he participated as a Tennessee Williams Scholar in the Sewanee Writers’ Conference at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. While at Sewanee, he workshopped The Breakroom, a new work in progress. He also gave a reading from another full-length, Feste San Gatti, which was very well received.
• In August, he was cast in the role of Officer D’Amico in Stageworks/Hudson’s production of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Jesus Hopped the A-Train, which goes up in September. Jesus Hopped the A Train, by Alum Stephen Adly Guirgis, at Stageworks Theatre in Hudson is directed by Danielle Skraastad, who graduated in ’97 (?). Mike Rosenthal is acting in the production.

Terry Rabine:
• Terry Rabine, as well as former student Aaron Enfield are in the cast of You Can’t Take It With You at Capital Repertory Theatre.

Yvonne Perry-Hulbert:
• Performed in Oldcastle Theatre Company’s production of Picnic at the Bennington Center for the Arts in Bennington, VT.
• Performed in Humble Boy by Charlotte Jones at Theater Voices Steamer No. 10 Theatre, 500 Western Ave., Albany. (Where Madison and Western fork) - An astrophysicist returns home for his father’s funeral only to find that his mother has been carrying on an affair with a neighbor. Directed by David Baecker; With:John Nickles as Felix, Leigh Strimbeck as Flora, Phil Lance as George, Yvonne Perry as Rosie and Judy Spevack as Mercy
• Performed in “What I Heard About Iraq” - a multi-media staged reading. December 7, I directed the staged screenplay reading of The Short Life of Barry Cummings (also at the Saratoga Arts Center). Our show was at 7:30 PM and starred several current students, alumni and faculty. These included: Griff Dubois, Justin Tracy, Jennifer O'Connor, Ben Bunce and Leigh Strimbeck. These are/were two separate shows. Other completed professional work this semester included: 2 spots for SEFCU (Radio)
2 spots for Greylock FCU (Radio)
6 spots for TAFT Furniture (On-camera TV commercials/spokeswoman)
2 spots for the Times Union (Radio)
1 spot for First Gaurantee Mortgage (Radio)
1 spot for the Gazette (Radio)
• Yvonne Perry was recently seen in NYSTI’s production of Inalienable Rights: Denied