Volume II, Issue 1
October - 2002
New Faculty Member
Tom Murdock joins the KCKCC Theatre Department as a full-time member of the Acting faculty this fall. Tom, originally from the Chicago area, comes to us with a ton of experience in film, television, and theatre gathered in New York and Los Angeles. He is a member of Actors' Equity, the Screen Actors' Guild, and the Association of Television and Radio Artists, a former policeman, and an M.F.A. graduate of New York's New School-The Actors' Studio. He makes his debut as a KCKCC director with December's Inspecting Carol and heading up our new Forensics Program in Speech. Welcome, Tom!
2002 Graduates
Last May brought the matriculation of the KCKCC Theatre Department's class of 2002: Billy Brame, Jasmine Jackson, Ric Jefferson, Andre' Oden, Annie Premis, Wayne Springer, Robert Steele, Clint Velazquez, and Chassidy White. We are proud of their many accomplishments. We are sorry to see them go, but know they have bright futures ahead of them. Here are a few of the highlights-David Ruis earned a scholarship to Stephens College and just finished his first production there-The Rimers of Eldritch. Jasmine Jackson received a scholarship to Northern Arizona University where she plans on double majoring in theatre and zoology (watch out Joan Embry!). Clint Velazquez, another scholarship winner, is busy taking dance classes from David Ollington, former KCKCC theatre adjunct and choreographer, at Kansas State University. Billy Brame is on scholarship at Columbia College in Chicago. Chassidy White will join him at Columbia in January. Ric Jefferson and Maria Tate begin the actor-training program with scholarships to the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in New York City in February. Closer to home, Robert Steele is continuing his theatre studies at the University of Kansas.
London Calling
Last March, eight students and three faculty members took the trip across the Atlantic Ocean for an exciting Theatre Trip to London. They visited all the historic sights they could possibly squeeze in: the Tower of London, the reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theater, Windsor Castle, St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, the National Theatre, the Savoy Theatre (the first public building in London to use electricity and where Gilbert and Sullivan's major works premiered), the West End, Piccadilly Circus, the British Museum, Carnaby Street, Covent Garden (where Eliza Dolittle sold flowers to Henry Higgins), Leicester Square (with thousands of other people on St. Patrick's Day), and Stratford-on-Avon. And of course, a full round of theatre-going including This Is Our Youth, Blood Brothers, Cats, Mother Clap's Molly House, Iolanthe, The Woman in Black, and Lady Windermere's Fan. Jasmine Jackson (on a twisted ankle) and Wayne Springer even made a pilgrimage to Abbey Road. Make plans now to travel with us when we return in the spring of 2004.
KCKCC Faculty News
October promises to be one of our busiest months ever offering a variety of multi-cultural theatre experiences for all ages.
Tintypes (October 10-13 at 8 p.m. and October 13 at 2 p.m.)
Latins Anonymous makes a return engagement on October 18. They perform at noon in the upper level of the Jewel Center as part of the Hispanic Conference. Admission is free.
Kachina Drums (October 23 at 10 a.m.) StoneLion Puppet Theatre will be making a special appearance on the KCKCC campus as a warm up to their engagement at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. StoneLion will use a variety of puppetry techniques focusing on Native American folklore as interpreted by KC playwright Phillip Blue Owl Hoosier. The performance is free to patrons, but call ahead for reservations as space is limited. Call the Theatre Office at 913-288-7106.
Gary Mosby (adjunct instructor-technical theatre) directs his first KCKCC production, our fall musical, Tintypes. In addition to his duties teaching and designing at KCKCC and head of Design Production Services, Gary entered into the M.F.A. program at UMKC in August and is designing the set for the Unicorn Theatre's winter production of Batboy-the Musical. Apparently Gary felt he had too much time on his hands.
Charlie Leader (Theatre Department program coordinator) was elected the President of the KCKCC Faculty Senate. This summer Charlie returned to the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival acting the roles of Peter Quince in Midsummer Night's Dream and Baptista in The Taming of the Shrew.
Teresa Truman is our new Administrative Assistant in the Humanities and Fine Arts Division. She succeeds Becky Pinter who retired in October. We will miss Becky, but are delighted to have Theresa.
Return to the Big Apple
The Theatre Department students are already busy raising funds to take a trip to New York City next spring. They have conducted car washes, worked the opening of Cabella's, and manned the concession counters over the NASCAR weekend at the new racetrack. They are also milling around Kansas City taking orders for cheesecakes and candy. We will be traveling to New York on March 18 of 2003and returning on March 23. Among the activities planned are acting workshop at the Actors' Studio, a backstage tour of The Lion King, visits to the Empire State Building, the Metropolitan Museum, the Statue of Liberty, Radio City Music Hall, and Ground Zero. By popular demand Wendy Thursby will again conduct her famous shopping tour to Canal Street. The highlight of the trip, as always, is on much theatre-going including Tony Award winners Thoroughly Modern Millie, Urinetown-the Musical, Metamorphosis, and (at Dean Fugate's insistence) Hairspray. If you would like to come on along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway with us, call the Theatre Office at 913-288-7106 soon for details.
First Nighters Ride Again
Last year, Janice McIntyre began a support group for the Theatre known as The First Nighters. The mission of The First Nighters is to gather at an area restaurant for dinner before each opening night of a Theatre production at KCKCC. It is a great way to meet old friends and make new ones. For further information, call Janice at 913-288-7176. Bon a petit!
Sweet Nelda Returns
If you have been hankering for some of Nelda Heath's delicious cookies and pastries all summer long, your wait is near an end. Nelda has once again volunteered to bake her popular culinary treats served during our intermissions. She will also be providing the infamous cakes the students raffle off every show. All profits from the sale of Nelda's baked goods go towards Theatre students' fundraising projects. If you can't wait for intermission or wish to increase your chances of winning simply call Nelda at 913-334-2229 and order your very own cake today.
- Dr. Charles Leader