Happy Holidays to the UNCG Theatre family.  I've been fortunate enough this year to visit with numerous UNCG Theatre alums and friends and am excited to share the news of recent visits, news and information, and accomplishments of our distinguished faculty, staff, students, and alumni!

 

This autumn, I was able to see the Broadway revival of American Buffalo, directed by Bob Falls with alum Stephanie Yankwitt serving as Associate Director.  The revival featured Cedric the Entertainer, John Leguizamo, and Haley Joel Osmet during this past autumn.  Stephanie is busy again...working on a new Charles Busch play featuring Kathleen Turner and continuing to direct, cast, and teach at NYU.  She recently directed/coordinated a staged reading of alum Michael Ferrell's play Jersey Shore House in New York...with the support of many other UNCG'ers including Beth Leavel and DH Johnson.

 

Lisa Bowers Bohn and Tim Bohn welcomed their son, Elijah, on December 1, 2007--making Eli officially one year old this Christmas season as Tim and Lisa both settle into full time teaching positions at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro.

 

Nathan Anderson married his long time sweetheart Amber Irvin in an autumn ceremony and the two are currently living in New York.

 

I was lucky enough to visit with Kim Stauffer, Ginny Lee, and Gretchen Ferris in a November trip to the Big Apple.

 

Marc Williams and his wife, Melissa, are expecting their first child this early spring and Marc continues to teach a series of online 

courses at UNCG and work as a freelance director in both Greensboro and Raleigh/Durham.  Julee Baber said "I do" to long time beau, Ross Brooks in May of 2008.  They were married (where else) on the stage at Nashville Children's Theatre by none other than UNCG Alum Scot Copeland (and Rene Copeland attended as well!).  The couple married and then were whisked away to beautiful Ireland before (listen up you TYP'ers) jumping right back into summer drama classes.  Julee serves as the Education Director/Artistic Associate for NCT, Scot Copeland as the Producing Director of NCT, Rene Copeland as the Managing Director of the Tennessee Repertory Theatre and Ross is currently the Managing Director of The People's Choice Theatre in Nashville.  Talk about a mini-mafia!

 

On the homefront, we produced the first "home-grown" production in the newly renovated Aycock Auditorium this fall (you have to see it on your next visit) with John Gulley's beautiful and moving Big River.  Next on the season, was a Brown Building Theatre production of Philip Barry's Holiday, directed by alum and Head of the Department of Theatre, Jim Fisher.  And lastly, this semester saw an amazing and tremendously large production of The Revenger's Tragedy by alum Joe Sturgeon (who's living and working in NYC now) and UNCG Theatre Professor Jim Wren.  We did enter The Revenger's Tragedy into the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival as a "participating" entry and are still waiting to hear if we've been selected to move the 

show on to the regional festival.  And...on that front, UNCG Theatre is proud to host this year's Region  IV KC/ACTF...we hope to welcome home our many former students and now  colleagues at colleges and universities in the southeast.

 

Congratulations to Robyn Simpson and hubby Ryan Harwood welcomed little Maddox to the world in Spring 2008...and are happily adjusting to life with a little one.  Robyn recently completed her Masters degree in Social Work and was immediately placed/positioned in her new field.  Ryan continues to be the most amazing middle school science teacher~Congratulations, Harwood family!  I recently was in Milwaukee, writing a case study about the amazing company and facility at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre and happily spend some great time with Emily Vitrano.  Emily is currently producing traffic for a local NBC TV news station (although she was on-air for quite awhile during someone maternity's leave) and is also cast as "Lydia" in the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre's production of Pride and Prejudice this spring.  She has also become involved in a young playwright's group producing in Milwaukee and was recently featured in a play about the life and career of Vince Lombardi (hey--only in Wisconsin...right?).  She moved in to a new apartment last Sunday and is thrilled to be so close to her family (especially little niece Ella) AND still working professionally in theatre!

 

UNCG Theatre also says a big hello and welcome back to Hardy and Lori Koenig.  Lori is teaching in the Guilford County Schools system, Hardy is at SETC AND teaching part time with us again.  Minnesota is too cold and we are thrilled to have them back home!

 

Annalisa Mickelson is still in New York and currently applying to MFA programs in Theatre Management...she is happily married and looking forward to this new phase of Theatre Administration.  And...speaking of Theatre Admin, Triad Stage said a sad goodbye to alums David Byrd (General Manager) and Jay Putnam (Artistic Associate)...however, the opportunities for David and Jay provide a happy future!  David was just appointed as Director of Marketing for the American Dance Festival in Durham and his partner, Jeff Stanley, recently began a job in Chapel Hill at Playmakers as the new company manager.  Jay Putnam has accepted a teaching position at close-by High Point University and we are thrilled that he is still in the area.  Jay recently directed 

The Santaland Diaries at Triad Stage's UpStage Cabaret and continues to freelance direct as well as instruct at HPU.  Other good news within the mafia...is that alum Drew Barker took over the vacant Artistic Associate position at Triad Stage after several years of  teaching high school.

 

Joshua Reaves and Athena Cavallaro Reaves are in their last year of being separated for grad school.  Josh completes his MFA at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinatti this coming spring in lighting design.  Athena has remained in North Carolina teaching high school with well planned school visits/holidays/and summer vacations.

 

I was lucky enough to spend some time with UNCG'ers/former BFA Theatre Eds at Super Saturday and at NCTC this year...Renae Hubbard, Joanne Gleason, Linda & Chris Veneris, Justin Peavey (who was recently married!) Dan Treharne, Athena Reaves, and many others (forgive me.....memory is going on me!).

 

For my news...is pretty much same old, same old!  I recently created a new course on Theatre Entrepreneurship and that has allowed me to travel to various theatres to write case studies on companies and structures--and I have enjoyed that immensely.  Ellie is five and half now..behaving very well for Santa's impending visit and is loving Kindergarten.

 

I know there are so many other stories, babies, weddings, promotions that I am horrified to leave out... but at some point...you have to submit these things to Connie or she'll hunt you down!

 

Please respond to me at jody_cauthen@uncg.edu or 336-334-4601 if you have news to share or if I have majorly bumbled someone's news!

 

Much Love for a happy and healthy 2009!_