Regent Backstage

UnCovering Katie Cheely

2012-01-23T09:54:00.000-08:00

Katie Cheely, MFA '10

(from the Regent Alumni Newsletter)

A native of Chicago, Katherine Cheely was thankful to be back in her hometown for the holidays, where she and her family usually enjoy some of their annual holiday traditions: an old-fashioned caroling party with friends and family who go around the neighborhood ringing doorbells and singing Christmas favorites on doorsteps. They also usually collaborate on an annual Christmas Day dinner adventure inspired by a different country for its theme. This year, however, was dramatically different.

Two weeks before Christmas, the family suffered the excruciating heartbreak of the sudden and unexpected death of Katie's two-year-old nephew. Living and suffering through this mystery brought new dimensions to the existential questions of the human condition—which have always been important to theater—and how the Christian message is really the only answer to the most profound needs of mankind. Although Katie and her family had to spend a lot of time with God contemplating these questions over the holidays, Katie’s schedule remains very full. As an actor, singer, teacher and playwright, she's a busy woman forging a future in an industry not often open to Christian values. Despite having a lot on her plate, Katie seeks to handle just one thing at a time. “If I think of too much at once, I get overwhelmed, and feel like staying in bed!”

While at Regent, where she graduated in 2010 with an MFA in Acting, Katie and some fellow graduate students started the UnCovered Theatre Company, a collaborative team of artists (actors, directors, playwrights, and teachers) who have produced works across the United States. The company's founders have come together with a common desire: create thought-provoking and artful theatre that challenges, enlightens and entertains. Uncovered’s mission is “To offer hope, shed light on the human condition, and uncover goodness, truth and beauty.” In uncovering truth, UnCovered Theatre reveals life for what it is. “We never deny the pain and suffering in life," Katie says. "But we show that hope and redemption can always be found in the midst of it.”

Since she was an undergrad, Katie wanted to start a theatre company. But she never found the right people to share her vision. Because of their dynamic work environment and how they all met, Katie considers it a blessing to be where she is, doing what she is doing with the people she now considers family. When asked what is most rewarding about her job, Katie replies, “Hearing how our work is resonating with audience members, how they value and appreciate our work and are inspired by it in different ways, how it prompts them to think about life, people, situations [and] their faith in new and deeper ways. Also, I love working together with people, all of us using our unique gifts to create something beautiful for God, that we hope will touch others subtly with His Spirit.”

Not only did Regent provide lifelong friends for Katie, but it was also a place where she found support to dream big and grow in her confidence and faith, knowing that she could indeed reach those dreams. One specific dream of hers is to “have a theatre company focused on producing artistically excellent productions that offer hope.” For Katie, the fact that her colleagues are excellent artists with a deep love for God, committed to developing their talents and to following His will is priceless.

Advice comes in many forms, but for Katie, one key piece of advice she would like to pass along is: “Do what you can, and give it to God. Trust that He will take care of the rest and will take care of you in the way that is best. Also, love and help those around you.” Despite facing hardships and rejection within the industry, Katie trusts in the fact that God can do anything. As unique as each School of Communications & the Arts alumnus is, all are a part of a brotherhood from which they can draw a little encouragement to continue to strive in the race. Despite struggles, they can find joy, humor, hope, and love in them. “If we focus on trying to follow His will, and try to love Him and our peers each day, He will fill in the rest." Katie adds, "He can make anything happen. Pray for increased faith, hope, and trust. and don’t get discouraged. God knows how small and humble we are.”

In ten years, Katie “hopes for her company to be more established—producing work that encourages, provokes deeper thought and discussion, entertains and inspires, plants seeds of hope in audiences that there really is a wonderful meaning, purpose and joy in life, [which is] available to everyone.” Regent is extremely excited about Katie’s future and that of the UnCovered Theatre Company. We wish them all continued good health and success in their endeavors. If you want to learn more about UnCovered, please visit their website.

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Catch an UnCovered Production...

UnCovered's next production will be the Chicago premiere of The Disorientation of Butterflies, by Regent's own artists, Christy Vance (MFA, 2010) and Nathan Schmidt (MFA, 2011). The Disorientation of Butterflies, an original six-person musical drama, was produced at Regent's own lab space in 2010 AND at the 2011 NYC International Fringe Festival, a production of The Present Company.

Disorientation's main character struggles with a powerful obsession: death. No one understands why; including her math teacher-husband, her loving mother, her type-A twin and even herself. The musical boldly lifts the veil on depression and probes the mystery of death.

The Disorientation of Butterflies will be performed at Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago from Jan. 24 - Feb. 19, 2012. The cast includes three Regent alumni: Adam Hurst (MFA, 2007), Kelly Helgeson (MFA, 2008) and Katie Cheely (MFA, 2010). It's directed by Kelly Levander (MFA, 2009).

Jennifer Martin accepts new job at Studio Center

2012-01-19T08:09:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Martin (MFA ’08) has recently accepted a position at Studio Center as the On-Camera Talent Director. Since graduating from Regent with an MFA in Acting, Jennifer has worked in professional theatre in California, Indiana, Massachusetts and Virginia. She and her husband Derek Martin (Head of Regent’s Undergraduate Theatre program) recently established Americana Theatre Company, a professional summer theatre in Plymouth, Mass.

Studio Center, which is just a few miles from Regent’s campus in Virginia Beach, is the largest, fastest growing production company of its kind in the area, and one of the first production studios to specialize in broadcast advertising. A number of Regent students have had opportunities to audition for and work with Studio Center over the last several years. Chad Rasor (MFA ’10) has done voiceover work in markets like Jacksonville, Fla., where he is the primary voice for the Jacksonville Zoo. He has also provided voice for several other commercial spots. Other students and alumni have booked on-camera commercials with Studio Center. Ryan Clemens (MFA ’10) has filmed ads for auto sales, bath fixtures, and a Virginia Lottery commercial that ran statewide. Jeff Fazakerley (’12) has filmed two commercials and also booked a live appearance at a local event. Other Regent students and alums who have booked work through Studio Center are Kaja Dunn (MFA ’10), Brittany Baird, Ashley Dakin, Mike Salsbury and Andrew Wilson.

As the new On-Camera Talent Director, Jennifer’s responsibilities include recruiting new talent, submitting actors for projects, negotiating wages, taping and coaching auditions, and booking new projects. She acts as a talent agent, casting director and salesperson, which may sound daunting, but Jennifer says, “…as Studio Center is highly professional and very organized, this is easy to do. The reasons why people should use Studio Center are apparent…from our super talented actors (including Regent students) to our hassle-free service.”

Jennifer’s advice for current students is to keep your eye on the future, even while you are still in school. She states, “Actors are fabulous at being in the moment…this is a blessing and a curse. The MFA program is so wonderfully demanding that it is very easy to make it your whole world for three years. But how will they open up employment in the future if they are only focused on the present? Students must discipline themselves to be future-minded. A gainfully employed actor will possess the skill to balance being in the moment and chasing opportunities for the future…Audition everywhere and look for the open door. Every Regent MFA student should step foot on campus thinking ‘what’s next?’ Dream big and do the work.”

There are many Regent students who have auditioned for Studio Center multiple times but have never booked a job. It can be easy to grow discouraged when this happens. MFA Jeff Fazakerley suggests viewing each audition as an opportunity to practice your audition skill-set, and that if a booking happens to view it as a lovely surprise.

Jennifer adds, “The people that book are SUPER prepared. They have rehearsed over and over…I would say prepare like you are performing, not auditioning…Your agent will learn to trust you and when they can cast projects themselves, they will remember you and book you.”

To contact Studio Center, call (757) 286-3080 or email Jennifer at Jennifer@studiocenter.com

Derek Leonidoff's Super Bowl Hopes

2012-01-17T08:18:00.000-08:00

Regent Adjunct Professor Derek Leonidoff not only demonstrates a great rapport with students in his Improvisation classes, and with audiences as leader of the V.I.P.s (Varsity Improv Players) but also with an imposing Great Dane in his new commercial “Man’s Best Friend.” Derek’s commercial can be seen here, but he hopes you’ll do more than just watch it! “Man’s Best Friend” is a finalist in the Doritos sponsored “Crash the Super Bowl” contest, and he needs your votes to help him win.

When asked about the process of shooting the commercial, Derek said, “The commercial was shot over the course of just three hours. Jon Friedman, the creator of this spot, is a director I've worked with before on a couple of independent films. Having worked with me before, he thought of me to play the role in this spot, and gave me a call. The most difficult part of shooting was working with "Huff" the Great Dane. He's a good dog, but not "Hollywood" trained or anything. The few seconds he's sat still in the commercial are literally the only few seconds he was still during the shoot. The Doritos contest is in its fifth year, and we were up against over 6,000 other commercials submitted from around the country. We figured that if it didn't make it – ‘Hey, it's no big deal. We had some fun working together, and it'll look good on our reel.’ Then, right before Christmas, we got a call that we’d been chosen as a finalist. It was killing me because we signed a non-disclosure agreement, and I wasn't allowed to tell anyone!”

Here’s how the contest works: From the fan votes, two out of the five commercials will be chosen to air during Super Bowl XLVI. The one with the most votes will be deemed the grand prize winner and go on to create another Doritos commercial with guys from "The Lonely Island" (From Saturday Night Live.) In addition, if Derek’s ad is chosen to air, AND it makes it into the top five of the USA Today ad-meter after the Super Bowl, there’s a chance they could win up to one million dollars. Yes, that's competing against all the other great commercials during the Super Bowl, but last year, "Pug Attack," another Doritos fan submitted spot, was the Grand Prize winner, and came in first on the ad-meter, so they won the million. It can be done.

Derek adds, “If you go to our website, there are links to where you can vote, a blooper reel, a ‘Huff pick of the day,’ and you can even sign up for daily reminders.

It's exciting. You know - I went to college with Jon, I've known him for a long time, and here we are, years later on the verge of a big break with a national commercial spot. You never know who you might be working with right now that could prove to be an advocate of your work later. Even the smallest opportunity today, could prove to be your big break later on.”

You can vote for "Man's Best Friend" here. Come back every day and cast a vote for Derek!

"If I Were You" premieres at Palm Springs Film Festival

2012-01-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

Mark Paladini

Regent Theater Professor Mark Paladini is in Palm Springs, CA this week, attending the world premiere of If I Were You, of which he is the co-executive producer. Mark teaches in both the Department of Theatre Arts and Department of Cinema-Television, specializing in screen acting, auditioning, actor coaching and the Uta Hagen approach to acting. A renowned film and television casting director, he is currently the co-executive producer of several internationally produced independent feature films.

Mark began his professional training as an actor in New York, studying with the highly influential acting teacher Uta Hagen and appearing in the world premiere of Ain Gordon's End Over End. His entry into the casting world involved directing hundreds of commercial auditions for a group of innovative New York commercial casting directors in the 1980s. His casting credits include major motion pictures such as The Mask, Spy Hard and Mortal Kombat. Television credits include Babylon 5 and Beverly Hills, 90210.

If I Were You is getting lots of buzz at the 23rd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival which, according to Richard Chang of the Orange County Register, signals the start of the yearlong film festival circuit and – as a precursor to the Golden Globes and Academy Awards – the unofficial beginning of movie awards season. Chang also writes, “Because of its proximity to Hollywood, Palm Springs attracts celebrities of all stripes, as well as a bevy of film industry insiders. This year's guest list includes Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Gary Oldman, Charlize Theron, Glenn Close, Michelle Williams, James Franco, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Marcia Gay Harden, Aidan Quinn and Octavia Spencer. About 187 films from 73 countries are scheduled, including two world premieres, 22 North American premieres and 36 U.S. premieres.”

The film was written by Joan Carr-Wiggin and stars Marcia Gay Harden, Aidan Quinn and Spanish actress Leonor Watling. In an interview with Bruce Fessier of The Desert Sun, Harden commented, “The theme of the movie is that people switch places…Do we always do what's best for us when we're only looking from our own perspective? She's looking for something different but she's not seeing the reality of what's in front of her. Through this young girl, beautifully played by Leonor, she's able to break out of this betrayal that's there in the marriage and find something in herself.”

Leonor Watling (left) and Marcia Gay Harden in “If I Were You.” Courtesy Photo

If I Were You is about a woman who sees her husband having a romantic dinner with a pretty young actress, Lucy. Harden, as Madelyn, follows Lucy out of the restaurant to a liquor store, where she watches her order a rope. She follows Lucy to her apartment and then prevents her from hanging herself, which prompts Madelyn to befriend her husband's lover without revealing her true identity.

The film takes its name from a deal Lucy and Madelyn make in which each woman must follow the other's advice. That allows Madelyn to surreptitiously advise her rival on how not to pursue a relationship with her husband.

Congratulations, Mark!

Tartuffe coming to Studio Theater

2012-01-09T09:33:00.000-08:00

Tartuffe, a religious imposter, has set his sights on the wealthy Orgon in a scheme to steal all of his worldly possessions. This fast-paced comedy is a race to the finish as the family attempts to unmask the con artist before it's too late.

January 27 - 29, February 2 - 5

Communication Building - Studio Theatre

Adult - $16.00 Regent Student - $8.00 Senior - $13.25
For tickets call the Box Office at 757.352.4245

Want to know more about Moliere's comedy? Here are some notes from Tartuffe Director, Scott Hayes.

Tartuffe premiered for King Louis XIV in 1664. Although favorably received by the King, the play was banned from public performance after influential church leaders considered the play an attack on the very foundations of religion. After many revisions, the ban was lifted in 1669 and Molière enjoyed the most successful public run of any of his plays. Tartuffe is considered to be Molière’s masterwork and one of the great dramas of western literature.

We are presenting the play with period costumes, properties, hairstyles, etc., yet we do not posit the play is merely an object lesson from an important event in history with no contemporary relevance. Cleante, the “voice of reason,” encourages Orgon (and us) to cultivate true devotion, sincere commitment and humble faith. According to the following snippet by George A. Scranton, Moliere’s personal theology is revealed in his works:
“Molière’s comedy reveals us in our distorted incompleteness, our ‘brokenness,’ our sinful and limited finiteness. Laughter is often the mirror, whip and gift that reveals, castigates and allows for transformation of the characters, and us as we see ourselves revealed in the characters of his dramatic comedy. Molière is always jarring us with the evidence that we are no better than other people, and always comforting us with the knowledge that most other people are no better than we are. It makes us more critical but it leaves us more tolerant.
Molière’s version of dramatic comedy is not just a light humorous play that happens to have a happy ending. It is ‘a way of surveying life so that happy endings must prevail.’ This fortunate happy ending, most often brought about by plot twists ‘beyond human knowledge and control’ may be understood theologically as the miraculous intervention of God on humanity's behalf. The spirit and structure of Molière’s dramatic comedy seem to demand a hope-filled inclusive eschatology in which everyone is invited to the final happy ending. Only those who actively refuse that rebalanced or resurrected community are not present, and hope is often held out for even them.

This final community is seen as a rebalanced society, and for a moment frozen in time we can experience community in microcosm as it ought to be, based on love and mutuality of persons. In that respect such a community may represent (and in any given production even may be) an adumbration of that community of God that is among us, and not yet among us in its fullness. - Love and Lovers: Mutuality, Sin, Grace and The Future In Molière’s Vision Of Comedy

Theatre student reminder!

2012-01-04T12:42:00.001-08:00

Reminder to all theatre students - grad and undergrad: There is a mandatory Town Hall meeting tomorrow (January 5th) at noon in Screening Room A! See you there!

Until I Return - Fall Lab Show opens Friday!

2011-12-07T11:01:00.000-08:00

Until I Return, an original dramatic one-act play, is based on the true story of Helga and Clara Estby. These two remarkable women walked across America in 1896 in an attempt to win $10,000. The story was adapted from the book Bold Spirit, by permission of the author, Linda Lawrence Hunt.

"Desperate. Determined. Unwaveringly confident. In 1896, a Norwegian immigrant named Helga Estby dares to cross 3500 miles of the American continent to win a $10,000 wager. On Foot.

A mother of eight living children, she attempts to save her family's homestead in Eastern Washington after the 1893 depression had ravaged the American economy. Fearing homelessness and family poverty, Helga responds to a wager from a mysterious sponsor, casts off the cultural corsets of Victorian femininity, and gambles her family's future by striking out with her eldest daughter to try to be the first women to travel unescorted across the country: independent, audacious, alert, and armed with a Smith-and-Wesson revolver." (From Bold Spirit website. For more information, check out http://boldspiritacrossamerica.com/)

Written by MFA Amy Dunlap, and directed by MFA Whitney Rappana, Until I Return is an inspiring and challenging story suitable for the entire family.

Performances will take place in Regent's Theater 128 Lab space on Friday December 9th and Saturday December 10th at 7:30pm and Sunday December 11th at 2:30pm. Admission is FREE but space is limited.

MFA Kristi Meyers plays Helga, MFA Michael McLendon plays her husband Ole, B.A. Sarah Grice plays daughter Clara, and MA John Scritchfield plays all the other male characters in the story.
Don't miss this opportunity to see the debut performance of an original work by Regent students!

Alum Update: Kaja Dunn

2011-12-05T09:18:00.000-08:00

Kaja Dunn (MFA ’10) is featured in this article for her work at California State University San Marcos. She is directing two plays in the Telling Stories: Giving Voice to Former Foster Youth program.

Congratulations Kaja!

http://playwrightsproject.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/csusms-new-play-festival-highlights-foster-youth/

Regent Theatre to Explore Shaker Culture

2011-11-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

By Rachel Judy

The religious order of Shakers—often known for their quality furniture craftsmanship and an intense work ethic—is the subject of the latest offering from Regent University Theatre. Arlene Hutton's As it is in Heaven is set to open on Friday, Nov. 18, at the Communication & Performing Arts Center.

The play tells the story of a group of Shaker women confronted with a spiritual revival in their midst. Sparked by an outsider who joins their group, the revival forces the women to question the traditions they cling to.

The play's director, theatre instructor Derek Martin, is hoping to convey the simplicity of the Shaker life through the dialogue, the sets and, yes, even the Shaker songs and dances incorporated into the production.

"The audiences can expect to see a simple production that deals with complex themes, which are some of my favorite productions," Martin explained. "The play moves fast; scenes move seamlessly from one to the next." Also, he adds, "the audience will see the Shakers doing what they are famous for—shaking."
The Shaker name came from the ways members would shake during services. Martin and his actors are attempting to recreate the unusual movement.

Ultimately, Martin explains, the play is about much more than the historical retelling of a religious order's practices. "A young shaker begins to see visions and the older shakers don't believe her because they think if God was going to reveal Himself, He would first visit the elders," Martin said. "This theme speaks to Jesus' commentary about the Pharisees of His time. We see, at times, that this still plagues the church and I believe this play speaks right to the heart of it. The play is saying to us, 'Don't miss God!'"

MFA in acting students Diana Coates and Madeline Ranson will perform their thesis roles in this production.
As it is in Heaven runs Nov. 18-20 and Dec. 1-4.

Purchase tickets through the Regent University Box Office.

A Word from Derek Martin - Director of As It Is In Heaven

2011-11-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Derek Martin - Director

What an exciting adventure this year is for the Regent Theatre. It is a marvelous feat to see all of our Mainstage plays examine the role of spiritual faith in our daily lives. The play I have been blessed to direct, As It Is in Heaven, has been labeled with the slogan “Faith Transformed,” and I couldn’t think of a more appropriate perspective on this compelling drama.

As It Is in Heaven is about an interesting and often enigmatic religious sect that still exists in America, the Shakers. As I began my research into this group, I questioned whether the group was best categorized as a cult. I found that there were many communities of the Shaker faith that perhaps did become such. However, mainstream Christianity shares much with these hardworking believers who have committed their “Hands to work, and hearts to God.” That saying is the Shaker credo, coined by their matriarch Mother Ann Lee.

The story at the heart of this play presents a challenging perspective on our own faith. It is about the transforming work God is always doing within us and how we must be careful to not miss where He is moving in our lives. How many times in history have we had our eyes closed to the incredible works of God because of our traditions, our limited perspectives, our fears, our need to belong, our frustrations, our pride, or our need to control? I know there have been times in my own life when I have missed God for just such reasons, and what a shame that is.

This play ultimately questions our ability to see clearly the hand of God. We watch the Shaker women deal with the possibility that God might be showing up in a most unconventional way. We will be challenged as they are challenged to put our beliefs on the line and ultimately be transformed in faith and in life.

I welcome you to take the challenge. Be transformed. Examine both the questions and the answers. After you leave this auditorium, keep your eyes open. God often moves in ways we least expect.

As It Is In Heaven runs from Nov. 18 - Nov. 20 and Dec. 1 - Dec. 4 in the Studio Theater.
Call the Box Office for tickets at 757.352.4245

Alumni Update: Kevin Stidham

2011-11-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

Kevin Stidham, MFA '09

Kevin Stidham graduated from Regent's MFA program in 2009, and currently lives in LA with his wife, Amy. For any actors considering moving to LA, Kevin stresses the importance of using ActorsAccess.com and NowCasting.com. He says he uses both of these sites everyday to check the breakdowns that are listed to the public and to submit himself for things he's right for. Using these sites led to the booking of Kevin's first play, The Hasty Heart. Shortly after that, he booked a second play, War at Theatre Banshee. From that play, he was invited to join their theatre company. Since then he has performed The Crucible and The Walworth Farce with Theatre Banshee.

Kevin has also done some "extras" work, including becoming a photo double on the FOX show Bones. This is his second full season doubling for actor T.J. Thyne. Basically, all the "inserted shots" of his hands, shoes, shoulders and elbows....that's Kevin.

Kevin recently finished a run of his first Equity production, Honus & Me, just outside of LA. Here's a link to a review of the production,where critic Kim Kautzer states, "As the play opens, we take an immediate liking to the fresh-faced, wide-eyed underdog Joey Stoshack, played by Kevin Stidham."

http://www.stageandcinema.com/2011/10/08/honus-and-me/

Kevin says, "Good theatre is alive in LA, you just have to seek it out. It's been almost two and a half years since my wife and I moved here and I can report that all steps...small, though they may be....have been in a positive direction."

Kevin Stidham as Joey Stoshack
in Honus and Me

Second Stage Production Offers Political Drama

2011-10-31T09:29:00.000-07:00

by Rachel Judy

Chris Bookless and Debbie Wright
Photo courtesy of School of Communication & the Arts

Regent University Theatre opens its first show of the 2011 Second Stage season with the Pulitzer Prize-winning political drama, Two Rooms. The show runs Oct. 28 - Nov. 6 with both evening and matinee performances.

Based on true events, Lee Blessing's Two Rooms tells the riveting fictional story of a woman named Lainie whose husband Michael is taken hostage in Lebanon during the Beirut hostage crisis. As he waits blindfolded in a prison cell, she struggles with an icy representative from the government and a pushy journalist. When she finally takes her efforts public, complications arise triggering the tragic series of events that brings the play to its startling conclusion.

Though written in 1988, the issue of terrorism is clearly still relevant. "Islamic extremism took on a whole new meaning for us in the United States after September 11, 2011. It's one thing for us to hear about terrorism overseas," commented guest director Hannah Graham '11 (Communication & the Arts). "It's something completely different for us to experience it first-hand."

The play examines moral questions concerning the ethics of war and the value of human life. "I think people will find it extremely thought-provoking and surprisingly relevant," said Graham. "It's a tough story but one that needs to be told," adding that the intimate performing space of Theatre 128 lends itself well to the difficult subject matter and the small, four-person cast.

The play earns it title from the two rooms of its location: the room where Michael is being held hostage, and the room where Lainie fights to free him. "The rooms serve a two-fold purpose," Graham explained. "In reality, Lainie and Michael are both isolated in their respective rooms. In the end, however, you realize they aren't so far from each other after all."

Hannah Graham returns to the Regent stage after graduating this past May with a directing concentration from the MFA in Acting program. "I've always been proud of the caliber of our productions at Regent, so being asked to direct here is both humbling and challenging," she said.

Two Rooms features the acting talents of both Regent's undergrad and graduate students. Senior English major and theatre minor, Debbie Wright, takes on the role of the show's protagonist. Her counterpart and husband in the show, played by Chris Bookless, is a second-year MFA in Acting student. Undergraduate theatre majors Dan McGary and Tianna Downey complete the cast.

Two Rooms will be performed in Theatre 128 Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 3-5 at 7:30p.m., and Oct. 29-30 and Nov. 5-6 at 2:30 p.m.

Purchase tickets from the Regent University Box Office.

Alum Update - Kendal Tuttle

2011-10-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Kendal Tuttle, MFA 2006

Former Regent student Kendal Tuttle recently completed shooting a film with Zac Efron, called The Lucky One. Read more about what Kendal has been doing since graduation!

After graduating Regent in 1997 with an MA in Communication/Performing Arts and teaching at Emmanuel College in Georgia for 6 years, I decided it was time to step out, get more training and pursue a professional career in the Industry. In what aspect I wasn't sure, but I felt the Lord once again leading me back to my ol' stompin ground. In 2002, I met with Gillette Elvgren who told me about the new MFA program in the works at Regent. I returned to Regent as a member of the first MFA cohort, graduating in 2006 with an MFA in Theatre Directing. During those 3 years, however, I acted in a few films and absolutely fell in love with the film process. Though I was still planning a move to N.Y. upon graduation, Mark Paladini (a new artist-in-residence at Regent and casting director in Hollywood) encouraged me to consider pursuing film. I listened to him, and headed west in August of 2006.

My season in L.A. was exactly what it needed to be, though I still consider it to be my very own "best of times, worst of times." I survived by working background acting gigs on Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, Medium and a few others. I also had a great experience playing Norman Bates at Universal Studios (Hollywood) shortly after I arrived in 2006. My "rent" however came from doing P.A. gigs for various commercials, as well as working part-time at U.S. Airways and a charter school called Options For Youth. Six months after arriving in L.A., I got called to come back to Virginia for 7 months to play Captain John Smith in a new outdoor production called 1607: First Landing, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement. I collaborated on this production with former Cohort A graduate Chris Nelson, who directed the production while asking me to also be the Fight Choreographer. We finished First Landing in September of that year, and I immediately headed out to San Diego to co-direct a feature-length film called Escrow, the Musical, a fun and quirky project I had been co-writing with two other Regent alumns, Joshua Tucker and Joseph Frost. But then the writer's strike happened and as a new member of SAG, I showed my solidarity and hit the street corner. But then SAG began talking about their own strike, so things weren't looking so good.

Once 2008 rolled around, I was praying about direction and provision. Eric Harrell gave me a call to see if I'd consider coming back to Regent on a one-year appointment to help lay a foundation for their new B.A. program. So for the 2008-2009 school year, I had the privilege of returning to Regent to teach, thinking I'd just head back out to L.A. once the year was finished. By that time, however, the economy had tanked, affecting everything, including the Industry. So I stayed in Virginia, reconnected with my agent, Sylvia Hutson, and began doing some local and regional film work.

The Lucky One

In October 2010, I learned that I had a call-back for a Warner Brothers film, the latest Nicolas Sparks adaptation called The Lucky One, starring Zac Efron as Logan Thibault. I flew out to New Orleans and auditioned for director Scott Hicks. Three weeks later I learned that I had booked the role I auditioned for, "Aces" (Drake Green), brother to the heroine with whom Logan falls in love. The role is small in screen time, but significant in story-line. I die while fighting in Iraq, and my family (namely, my sister Beth Clayton) is left to deal with my death, causing serious crises in the love story.

Though my character will be seen in pictures and flashbacks throughout the film, my only scene is at the very beginning of the movie (so don't be late to the theatre!...haha), as Aces and Logan come face-to-face nearly firing on one another while clearing a building.

Training Sessions for The Lucky One

Because the scene is short, they had only scheduled me for one day of shooting. But I learned later that they were bringing me in for military training. Director Scott Hicks wanted everything as authentic as possible, so I came a week early to get a crash course boot camp. Our training unit had us learning all the guns, how to hold them, shoot them, even how to walk and stand. The training culminated in learning what we were to be doing in our scene -- "taking" or clearing an enemy-combatant building. Zac joined us in training on most days, which is where we all gained some cohesiveness. We were all very professional, but it was nice when we got to relax and be a little crazy. I was relieved to find Zac as nice and approachable and professional as he was. Also, some days were lighter than others, giving us all plenty of time to tour New Orleans.

Kendal with Director Scott Hicks

Working with Scott Hicks was a pleasure. I had always loved the movie Shine (1996), which he directed. I also loved knowing his history as a photographer. During meals, he always invited me to take a seat at his table, introducing me as "my Aces." His wife Kerry is a sweetheart, too. He directed our scene with precision, even re-working our lines to flow better and consulting our "military experts" on the tiniest detail. I also loved that when he had a personal note, he always came to you, up close and personal. Though being "my Aces" during the shoot, it was nice to hear him refer to me as Kendal when I went to L.A. for my ADR sessions.

Kendal with Zac Efron

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While on the set of The Lucky One, I got to hang with a good many of the tech crew, all having traveled in from L.A. and N.Y. for this movie. But they were talking about all the work moving out of the larger markets and into the Southeast and that they were thinking seriously about changing zip codes. I flew back to Georgia from New Orleans with a clear vision of giving the Southeast and more specifically the Atlanta market my full attention. I grew up in a small town in N.E. Georgia, so my decision to move back to the Peach state made my family very happy. Besides a two month trip out to L.A., I have been back in Georgia getting things established. I auditioned for all the big agencies in Atlanta, and was blessed to get offers from all of them. I ultimately went with People Store and they have been great. Just recently, I shot a regional commercial for O'Charley's and co-starred in a episode of Tyler Perry's House of Payne. Upon moving back to Georgia, I also met my soon-to-be wife, Bree Dawn Shannon. We will wed on November 13, 2011. God is so very good!

A Message from Hannah Graham - Director of Two Rooms

2011-10-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hannah Graham

Originally written in 1988, Two Rooms examines the Beirut Hostage Crisis of the 1980s. About one hundred American and European citizens were abducted and held hostage in the prisons of Lebanese terrorists over the span of a decade. Some were executed, some died in prison, and some were eventually freed.

In light of September 11, 2001, Blessing’s play still rings as shockingly relevant. Still, we fight terrorists. Still, we have hostages overseas. Still, we worry for the well-being of our nation, as we grow increasingly unpopular in the Middle East. Though penned in ‘88, Lee Blessing boldly examines this uncomfortable issue, bringing to light a perspective all too often unacknowledged.

In addition to our foreign policy, however, Blessing also examines the morality of good intentions and the ethical dilemmas of war. Two Rooms asks the question, what happens when our best isn’t good enough? How valuable is one human life? If terrorists do what they believe is right and honorable, are they justified? What does that mean about our own beliefs? These are questions that we would all do well to consider. Particularly as Christians, it is important to take time to ponder what it means to be human, and reflect on what or on whom we rely for support.

Two Rooms is a play about survival. Yes, it’s about politics, but it’s primarily a love story driven by determination and fortitude. It’s about facing fears and making tough choices. It’s about success and failure. It urges us to hope when there is none, refusing to settle for less. This is not a play for the weak at heart. It’s a story for fighters.
So the next time your best isn’t good enough, return to your mat. You just might find someone there listening.

Two Rooms opens this Friday, and runs through Nov. 6th. Showtimes are 7:30 on 10/28 - 10/29, 11/3 - 11/5 and 2:30 on 10/29-10/30 and 11/5-11/6. Call the box office for tickets at (757) 352-4245.

Please be aware, there is a content advisory with this show. The production contains mature content, including adult language, and is not appropriate for children or audience members who may be sensitive to such material.

Redeeming Love adapted by Scott Hayes

2011-10-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

“I want you to love me. I want you to trust me enough to let me love you, and I want you to stay here with me so we can build a life together. That's what I want”
― Francine Rivers, Redeeming Love

Scott Hayes, Associate Professor of Theatre and head of the MA Theatre program, is currently rehearsing a production of Redeeming Love, an adaptation of Francine Rivers’ novel of the same name. The book is extremely popular, having sold over a million copies, and Scott was thrilled to have the opportunity to adapt it for the stage. He states, “I was able to contact Francine Rivers through her writing agency. I expressed interest in adapting the novel, and send my resumé to her. Up until that time, apart from a one man play I wrote for a college project and some short drama sketches for churches, I had very little playwriting experience… Francine granted me the rights to adapt the novel, and told me later that many requests had come before mine. I was amazed, and clearly saw this approval as a work of God. Francine only had a couple of stipulations. First, that I remain faithful to both her novel and the book of Hosea that the main female character was a prostitute. Second, that I faithfully dramatize Angel's conversion to Christianity. Because of my strong identification with the novel I had no problem with either of the stipulations.”

The play was produced in a workshop setting a few years later, and was a major success. Since that initial staging, the play hasn’t been produced again, until now. A local area church, New Life Providence, recently chose the novel Redeeming Love for a women’s reading group. The pastor, Tina Davis, heard of Scott’s adaptation and contacted him, asking him to present a couple of scenes for the reading group. Scott says, “The response was fairly overwhelming. Women were crying with identification, there was quite a bit of prayer, and repeatedly we were asked when we would produce the entire play. A few months later, I was working on other things, assuming that Redeeming Love was once more back on the shelf. Out of the blue, Tina Davis called me and asked if the church could commission a production of Redeeming Love."

Redeeming Love is based on the story of Hosea in Bible, who marries a prostitute named Gomer. Although she is repeatedly unfaithful to him, he continues to pursue her and call her back to being his wife. The story is a picture of God’s relationship to the Church, and how His unconditional love always calls us away from our sin and back to him. The novel is set in “California’s gold country, 1850. A time when men sold their souls for a bag of gold and women sold their bodies for a place to sleep.” The prostitute named Angel meets a man name Michael Hosea. “A man who seeks his Father’s heart in everything, Michael Hosea obeys God’s call to marry Angel and to love her unconditionally. Slowly, day by day, he defies Angel’s every bitter expectation until, despite her resistance her frozen heart begins to thaw. But with her unexpected softening come overwhelming feelings of unworthiness and fear. And so Angel runs. Back to the darkness, away from her husband’s pursuing love, terrified of the truth she can no longer deny: Her final healing must come from the One who loves her even more than Michael Hosea does…the One who will never let her go.” (Excerpts from Francine Rivers’ website: http://francinerivers.com/books/redeeming-love)

The story had a very personal connection for Scott. He says, “A couple of years before reading the novel I had been delivered from an addiction cycle, and that deliverance came when I finally accepted my identity as a Christian - adopted by the Father as an heir, because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Angel, the prostitute, was struggling against her relationship with Michael Hosea because she couldn't accept she was good enough, she couldn't separate herself from her past sin. Redeeming Love wasn't just a romance novel, or a woman's novel, it was my story.”
The company for this production is made up of Christopher Graham, a graduate from Regent's MFA in acting program; Brittany Baird, Marilyn Schappacher, and John Scritchfield, all current M.A. theatre students; and Elizabeth Litwak, Alicia Bonham, and Justin Winters, current MFA students.

Elizabeth Litwak has enjoyed the challenge of working on another original script (she was previously cast in Disorientation of Butterflies, written by MFA alum Alaska Reese Vance, which premiered this summer at the New York International Fringe Festival). She says “Working with Scott has been so amazing, because he’s taken this story, primarily viewed as a woman’s novel, and interpreted it from a man’s point of view, which gives a lot of life and color to the story. It’s a great challenge because Scott can do whatever he needs to do to shape the story. His specific point of view brings cohesion and a definite through-line to the script.” Beth also identifies with the universality of the story. “It’s a true story of redemption – raw and real, not sanitized like many Christian stories tend to be. The message is pertinent to everyone today – that redemption that’s available to us all.”

MA student John Scritchfield agrees. "I think more people than we realize struggle with grace. This play tells the story of undeserved and unexplainable love...I have had to take a look at my personal relationship with Christ and admit that, like Angel, I've fled from the open arms of love. I have sold myself short. It's wonderful to know though that this love will always take you back. In the love of Christ, you always have a home."

MA Marilyn Schappacher enjoyed the experience of using theatre in a ministry capacity. She states, "I intend on using my training and knowledge of theatre for Christ and to raise the spirit of excellence in the theatre ministry community and craft. Many souls can be led to the amazing God that we serve and that is where my heart is at the end of the day."

The production of Redeeming Love is to be the culminating event for New Life Providence's DNA Conference, an annual event for young women. The conference is on October 21. There will be one additional performance the next night as part of New Life's Arts Cafe series. For more information, contact Tina Davis at mailto:tina@newlifeprovidence.com.

Three Musketeers Promo Video

2011-10-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

Check out this amazing promo video for Three Musketeers. You don't want to miss this show!
http://youtu.be/RseUXLZWDmE

Three Musketeers runs Oct. 14 - 23 in the Main Theater. Get your tickets today! Call the Box Office at 757-352-4245

Michael Hill-Kirkland, Director of Three Musketeers

2011-09-28T07:21:00.000-07:00

Dr. Michael Hill-Kirkland

Read what Dr. Kirkland has to say about this special upcoming production!

It is April, 1974. An eighteen year old aspiring actor sits, totally enthralled, in a darkened movie house in Fullerton, CA, excitedly grasping his high school sweetheart’s hand. He is watching actor Michael York, as D’Artagnan, in Richard Lester’s film adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers, featuring fights arranged by William Hobbs. I sat on the edge of my seat (as if you hadn’t already guessed it was me), my heart racing, a smile on my face, and no little sense of envy as I observed D’Artagnan fighting off several of the Cardinal’s Guard as he attempts to gain entrance to the Royal Ball, and save Queen Anne from a fate worse than death. As the images flickered across the screen I whispered to my girl, “I’ve got to learn how to do that!” And so began my life-long love affair with theatrical swordplay. So you may have already guessed at this point--this one is personal.

I took my first sport sabre class in the fall of 1975 and somehow managed to struggle my way onto the Cal State Fullerton sabre squad. A semester later I was competing at the regional level. The following year would find me competing at the national level. After all those years of baseball and football, I had found my sport! My final competitive bouts were fenced in 1980, at UC Berkley, where I and my teammates on the Salle du Grenadier sabre team would win the Pacific Coast Championships mere months before I would enter graduate school. Unfortunately, working summers as a professional actor precluded attending the Society of American Fight Directors National Stage Combat Workshop until 1990. Once there, I found excellent instruction, a philosophy to undergird the art form, and lifelong friends and associates--one of whom, Richard Ryan, would later become Master at Arms for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, until a burgeoning career as a cinematic fight director would force him to relinquish the position. I was honored when, upon occasion, Richard would invite me to teach his RADA students. I always learned something new when working with him. Eventually, he found himself staging fights for such prestigious films as Troy, Stardust, The Dark Knight, and Sherlock Holmes 1 & 2. In each case he exhibited an uncanny ability for developing a unique martial style which served as a natural extension of character—very much like William Hobbs had achieved in Richard Lester’s The Three Musketeers. There was the naïve, enthusiastic style of D’Artagnan. Then there was the dark, explosive rage of Athos and the playful, devil-may-care approach of Porthos. And finally, the religious gravity of Aramis--offering last rights to fallen opponents. And so it is we come full circle to that darkened cinema in 1974. How so? One of Richard’s earliest mentors was William Hobbs, Fight Arranger for the Richard Lester’s Musketeer films. He learned well. And now, nearly twenty years after rooming together at the SAFD Teacher Training Workshop, Richard and I have teamed up to bring you this recent adaptation of Dumas’ classic tale as re-imagined by farceur Ken Ludwig. (You might be interested to know Richard staged the fights for the premiere production at the Bristol Old Vic, in the UK.) It has been a joy to collaborate with him on this production. And, as always, I have learned from him.

I have always loved Dumas’s story of love, honor, and revenge with a singular passion. It is a story bursting with themes: faith, brotherhood, friendship, loyalty, courage, patriotism--and above all, a swashbuckling spirit of adventure that has always appealed to the little boy in me. In Ludwig’s script, Constance playfully teases D’Artagnan, “You remind me of a little boy from Gascony with a wooden sword shouting 'Death to the King’s enemies!'”

My wife, who sat in that same darkened cinema with me thirty eight years ago, would tell you that Constance has my number. I have a feeling she may have yours as well. And now, mesdames et messieurs, please travel back with us to a time when love was pure, honor was everything, and sons were told by their fathers to “fight for justice and make courage your watchword.” Indeed, a time when friends not only knew but lived John 15:13,

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

A time when friends would say, and back it up with their lives:

“All for one--and one for all.”

Three Musketeers opens October 14 and runs through October 23 in the Mainstage Theater.

Featured MFA: Britain Willcock

2011-09-26T08:09:00.000-07:00

Britain Willcock is a third-year MFA in Acting student who is currently immersed in rehearsals for his thesis role - Porthos, in Ken Ludwig's adaptation of The Three Musketeers. The Three Musketeers is being directed by Dr. Michael Kirkland and features the work of Hollywood Fight Director Richard Ryan. Britain is excited for the role for many reasons, not the least of which is the opportunity to use some of the extensive combat training he's received since coming to Regent. Here's what Britain had to say about it:

"When I began my M.F.A. experience here at Regent University little did I know that a passion would be unearthed in me by Dr. Michael Kirkland. One of the unique aspects of Regent University's M.F.A. program is its emphasis in stage combat due to Dr. Kirkland's affiliation with the Society of American Fight Directors. Utilizing his training as a Certified Teacher, he has integrated required stage combat classes into the curriculum. Through three semesters of combat (Unarmed, Rapier and Dagger and Broadsword/Quarterstaff) I developed a deep love and passion for this 'illusion of violence' within the theater. It combined my love for sports and physical fitness with the creative world of the theater. Under Dr. Kirkland's tutelage I have attended two Regional SAFD events (Virginia Beach Bash) and tested in all four weapons to achieve 'Actor Combatant' status with the SAFD. My new-found passion then drove me to seek out further training. At the 2011 Virginia Beach Bash I met Fight Master Richard Ryan who opened my eyes to the National Stage Combat Workshop and advised me to consider attending.

Britain at the National Stage Combat Workshop

So, on June 19th, 2011, I left for Winston-Salem, NC to study for three weeks with some of the best Fight Choreographers in the world. The workshop can only be described as a stage combat boot camp as the Advanced Actor Combatant section worked six days a week from 9 a.m. till about 10 p.m. The first week was spent performing SPRs (Skills Proficiency Renewals) in which each day we found a new partner, learned a fight, found and memorized a scene and performed that very evening. The following two weeks allowed us to learn three new weapons (Knife, Smallsword, Sword & Shield) in which we tested on July 8th. While Fight Master Richard Ryan was the head of the Advanced section, we had the pleasure of also working with Fight Masters K. Jenny Jones, Allen Suddeth, and David Wooley. At the end of the workshop I had earned the status of 'Advanced Actor Combatant', had tested in 7 of the 8 weapons receiving a 'Recommended Pass' in 5, and had won the National Stage Combat Workshop award for 'Best Fight Scene.' Ultimately, the experience was an incredible exploration into the world of acting conflicts. Not only has this experience motivated me to become more physically fit and to seek out further training, it has also had a great impact on my acting. Exploring the motivations and actions that lead to physical conflict has clarified my understanding of 'being in the moment' and the idea of being 'made to do' something (concepts set forth in our Meisner-based actor training.)

I feel honored to have studied here at Regent with Dr. Kirkland and am forever thankful for his passion for the world of stage combat and his students. Thanks to him I have become a better actor, athlete, and have found a new love that I plan to pursue further in the future."

Come experience the stage combat technique of Britain and the other accomplished actors in The Three Musketeers, which runs on the Main Stage from October 14 - 23. Call the Box Office for tickets (757) 352-4245.

Great Review for Beau Jest!

2011-09-23T08:25:00.000-07:00

Full article can be found at http://dailyrunneronline.com/?p=1074

The Regent Theatre Company lights up the stage once again!

By: Paul Baker

Opening night for Regent’s delightful comedy, Beau Jest was a sight to behold. Not a seat in the small, studio theatre was empty. If you didn’t get your tickets early, you were bound to miss out. Although the set was simple–a dining room table with six chairs and a sofa, the circular stadium seating made you feel as if you were sitting at the table with the actors – right in the middle of a hilarious romp that will keep you laughing in utter hysteria!

Whitney Rappana, brought down the house as Sarah Goldman, a young Jewish woman who tries to avoid her mother’s ploy to fix her up with “nice Jewish boys.” She hires an actor to play the perfect Jewish boyfriend at the family dinner table.

There’s only one problem. He’s not Jewish! Sarah’s real boyfriend, Kris Kringle, played by Chris Bookless, does not carry one Jewish bone in his body. And Jeff Fazakerley’s riotous portrayal of the stand-in actor beau, Bob, will leave you gasping for breath from his hysterical attempts to be Jewish enough for Sarah’s parents.

Beau Jest just gets funnier as the story continues to unfold. You cannot help but laugh from Amy Dunlap’s flawless portrayal of Miriam, the annoyingly perfect Jewish mother, or Michael McLendon’s hilarious rendering of Abe, the stubborn Jewish dad. Even Andrew Wilson lit up the stage, playing Joel, the intelligent but somewhat oblivious brother.

Each scene builds as Sarah eventually falls in love with Bob, the actor–whose lack of Jewishness gradually unravels before her family. By the end of the play everybody wants to know “What are you going to do Sarah?”

Get Your Tickets Now!

Beau Jest is one family dinner you don’t want to miss! You will find yourself rolling in your seat and wiping tears from your eyes at the same time.

Heartwarming Comedy Kicks Off Theatre Season

2011-09-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

By Rachel Judy

What happens when a young woman is afraid to take her boyfriend home to meet the parents? Audiences will find out in Beau Jest, the season's first Mainstage Theatre production at Regent University, opening on Friday, Sept. 16.

Written and set in 1989, James Sherman's play tells the story of Sarah Goldman and her traditional Jewish family eager to see Sarah settled down and married. The only trouble is, she's afraid to introduce them to her boyfriend because he's not Jewish. Rather than tell the truth, Sarah hires an actor to play the man she introduces to her parents.

"No one writes comedies like this anymore," observed guest director Marianne Savell. "This is a truly funny play with great writing. It has a sharp truth to it that will be very moving to the audience and yet the play doesn't have a mean spirit. It's sweet and it sneaks up on you."

MFA in Acting students Whitney Rappana and Amy Dunlap will perform their thesis roles in Beau Jest as Sarah Goldman and Miriam Goldman respectively.

Returning for a third year as a guest director at Regent, Savell has previously directed Dancing at Lughnasa in 2009 and Our Town in 2010.

Savell credits the theatre faculty and students as the main reason she keeps coming back. "The faculty are fantastic. They are real artists, and they have the skills and passion to pass on their knowledge and experience to the students," she said. "The students are serious and focused."

Similarly, Eric Harrell, chair of the theatre department, is excited that the students can work with Savell. "As an educational theatre, it is important for us to bring working professionals to campus to interact with our students," he explained. "Savell represents the crème of the crop. She has both an impressive resume as a union actor and director, but she also has the heart of an educator. She is a shining example to our students of how one can succeed in a challenging profession while maintaining a positive Christian witness."

Marianne Savell

Savell is an adjunct professor at Vanguard University, an associate artist with Taproot Theater Company and a member of Directors Lab West. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois and has been a guest artist at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She served as producing director of Actors Co-op in Hollywood and on the advisory board of Provision Theater Company in Chicago and was invited to the prestigious New Harmony Project to direct Margaret Hunt's new play And the Ravens Feed Us in 2008.

Purchase tickets for Beau Jest at the Box Office.

Phone: (757) 352-4245

Website: www.regent.edu/tickets

E-Mail: boxoffice@regent.edu

What We Did This Summer!

2011-09-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

We're back in school now, but Theatre Artists don't take summers off! Check out what our students and faculty were up to this summer!

Whitney Rappana, Jared O'Dell, Ashley Manning and
Michael Hill-Kirkland in Blackbeard and Calico Jack

Dr. Michael Hill-Kirkland wrote, produced and appeared in an original pirate show at the Oceanfront called Blackbeard and Calico Jack. The show also featured Ashley Manning (MFA), Whitney Rappana (MFA) and Jared O’Dell (B.A.)

Scott Hayes appeared at the Oceanfront in the historical presentation Naval Airpower Legacy. The show was produced and directed by adjunct professor Derek Leonidoff, assisted by Sarah Grice (B.A.)

MFAs Andy Geffken, Tabitha Ray, Zachary Bortot, Amy Dunlap, Britain Willcock, Chris Bookless, Diana Coates, Marji Peters, Kristi Meyers, Ashley Manning, Jeff Fazakerley, Chad Rasor, Nathan Schmidt, and B.A.s Stephanie Graybill, Jared O’Dell and Alicia LeBlanc presented a Regent Shakespeare Company production of Romeo and Juliet, directed by Scott Hayes.

West Side Story

The Regent Summer C.A.M.P.’s production of Suessical, Jr. was directed by alumna Kaja Dunn with music direction by MFA Alicia Bonham. West Side Story was directed by alumna Hannah Hughes with music direction by MFA Whitney Rappana. B.A. Beka James choreographed both productions. Tianna Yentzer and Courtney Conger stage managed. Ashley Manning , Ash Ragghianti, Nathan Schmidt, Zach Bortot and Britain Willcock all served as instructors. Dave Foster was the Scenic Designer and Technical Director for both camp productions.

Seussical, Jr.!

Derek and Jennifer Martin toured productions of And Sarah Laughed and Private Lives to Massachusetts as part of their Americana Theatre Company. The casts also featured alums Andy Geffken and Hannah Hughes.

MFA Britain Willcock attended the National Stage Combat Workshop and achieved Advanced Actor Combatant Status while also winning the National Award for "Best Scene."

Brad Archer, Marji Peters, Chad Rasor

Marji Peters and Rochelle Cheeks Archer

Katie Fridsma

MFA Alums Alaska Reese Vance and Nathan Schmidt took their original musical The Disorientation of Butterflies to the New York International Fringe Festival where the production ran for two weeks. The cast included a mix of current students and alumni: Brad Archer, Rochelle Cheeks Archer, Katie Fridsma, Beth Litwak, Marji Peters and Chad Rasor. Alaska Reese Vance received the Festival's 2011 Excellence in Directing Award. Congratulations, Alaska!

Zachary Bortot (MFA) worked on fight direction for the Reno Little Theater production of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure.

C.J. Hill as Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd

Costume Shop Manager C.J. Hill played Mrs. Lovett in the Theatrrix production of Sweeney Todd. Mike Salsbury (MFA) played Judge Turpin and Micaela DeLauro (MFA) was in the chorus.

Diana Coates (MFA) partnered with the Virginia Stage Company to develop a five week theatre camp for the Achievable Dream Academy in Newport News. Over sixty students participated in the various workshops and rehearsals and final performance. She continued her efforts of raising support for the Miracle Mansion Project, a theatre and entertainment complex set to open in 2014.

Hal Prince with MFA A.J. Lease

MFA Andrew (A.J.) Lease met famed producer/director Hal Prince (Sweeney Todd, Fiddler on the Roof and West Side Story.) Below is a sample of the interview…

AJ: What is the most important musical of all time?

Hal Prince: Company...it has the most important book since Sallinger wrote his novels...

AJ: What is the best musical of the last decade?

Hal Prince: The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown

AJ: Who is the best composer out there today?

Hal Prince: Jason Robert Brown

AJ: Finally, what would a short list of musicals be for undergraduate students to be familiar with before they graduate?

Hal Prince: Mostly...the classics- Oklahoma, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Gypsy, Fiddler on the Roof, and Sweeney Todd...I say that instead of Company (the most important) because Company was a concept musical after all.

Michael Mclendon (MFA) and Marji Peters (MFA) taught a Shakespeare workshop at Princess Anne Middle School. Michael was also the editing teacher for Regent's Film C.A.M.P.

Mike Salsbury (MFA) played a blind rabbi in the Endowed Student Film, a re-telling of Bernard Malamud's short story "The Silver Crown."

Erin Fossa (MA) performed at the Mystery Dinner Playhouse Theatre here in Virginia Beach.

Marilyn Schappacher (M.A.) with Dancing Waters Drama Group in The Blessing Tree and with Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre (CAT) in Pirates of the Chemotherapy. Her cast was nominated for the Best Ensemble Award for the Richmond Theatre Awards, the Artsies.

Sarah Brierly (B.A.) spent six weeks working at Ligonier Camp and Conference Center as a counselor in training (CIT) and assisting in both the theatre activities as well as working in the kitchen. For the remainder of the summer she helped a local production of Wizard of Oz.

Matt and Tiana Downey started a new theatre company called The little BIG Theatre Company. They produced their first performance Runaway Cinderella. The company seeks to change the way people look at faith-based Christian theatre and seeks to change the community for the arts. They are currently preparing for the next show, William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, directed by recent MFA grad, Chad Gilliland. Runaway Cinderella also featured Mike Salsbury (MFA), Kristi Meyers (MFA), Diana Coates (MFA), Alicia LeBlanc (B.A.), Margaret Beasley (B.A.) and Dan McGary (B.A.) and was Stage Managed by Tianna Yentzer (B.A.).

Andrew Schappacher (B.A.) participated in Ballet Magnificat’s four-week dance intensive in Jackson, Mississippi.

Rachel Migliore (B.A.) spent her summer interning at Airmid Theatre Company, a professional theatre located on Long Island that is dedicated to bringing classic plays written by women back to the stage. She performed in a production of Jack and the Princess Who Never Laughed, and managed wardrobe for the world premiere of A Little Betrayal Among Friends.

Debbie Wright (B.A.) directed Disney's Beauty and the Beast for a local Richmond children's theatre group, Alpha Theatre and Arts Company. She also worked with a student-run theatre guild (Thursdaenite Players) to produce Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in which she directed and played Lady Montague.

Check back often to see what Regent Theater is up to next!

Alumni Take Production to Festival in NY

2011-05-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

By Rachel Judy

Regent University alumni Alaska Reece Vance '10 (Communication & the Arts) and Nathan Schmidt '11 (Communication & the Arts) met in 2008 when a mutual friend suggested they collaborate on a script for a play. That collaboration resulted in The Disorientation of Butterflies, a musical that was recently accepted into the New York International Fringe Festival, one of the largest multi-arts festivals in North America, with more than 200 companies from all over the world performing for 16 days in more than 20 venues in New York City.
The Disorientation of Butterflies will be performed during the festival, scheduled for Aug. 12-28, 2011. Regent Communication & the Arts alumni Bradley James Archer '10, Katie Fridsma '10, Elizabeth Litwak '07 and Hannah Hughes '11, and current MFA in Acting student Marji Peters will perform in the musical.

"The Disorientation of Butterflies is a musical story of a young woman struggling with depression, suicidal thoughts and thoughts of death," explained Vance, who wrote the script and lyrics for the music. "It also deals with the lives of her mother and sister and how they deal with the mysteries of life and death."

Vance's theatre company, The Drifting Theatre, will produce the musical.

Schmidt, who composed the music for the show, acknowledges that tackling such a serious topic in a musical is a challenge. "The Disorientation of Butterflies is about death and suicide and how you use your time. It's not a musical in the light fluffy sense," he said. "Theatre is always about the story ... rather than the music. The music is another tool that comes along to undergird the story and tell it better."

"I hope this production will speak to anyone who has ever questioned existence or struggled with depression, anxiety or thoughts of suicide, as well as those with loved ones dealing with these issues," Vance added. "As a writer, I have something I want to say to the world, and any opportunity to have people listen is a blessing and an honor."

Both agree that the topics are intense but extremely relevant to today's audiences. "Reading [Vance's] script really helped me to understand more of what people who struggle with [depression] face—what exactly they're dealing with ... the issue of control, the burning desire to understand why things happen in life," Schmidt said.

The show debuted in 2010 at Regent as a lab production, and Vance and Schmidt hope to return to the university for another performance before they take the show to New York.

Theatre Season Finale Offers Timeless Musical

2011-04-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

By Rachel Judy

Conrad Birdie (Andy Geffken) and Kim McAfee
(Whitney Rappana) try to escape the paprazzi

In its final production of the 2010-11 season, Regent University Theatre tackles one of the most beloved Broadway musicals—Bye Bye Birdie. The show runs April 29 - May 1 and May 6-8.

Bye Bye Birdie tells the story of fictional singer and teen icon Conrad Birdie who travels to a small Ohio town to make his last television performance and kiss his biggest fan before he is drafted. The original Broadway production won four Tony Awards, ran for more than 600 performances and resulted in a movie adaptation starring Ann-Margret, Janet Leigh and Dick Van Dyke.

While the musical is set in the 1960s, director Scott Hayes believes Bye Bye Birdie has a timeless element audiences of all ages can relate to.

"As I began analyzing the script, I realized the musical had been written so the audience would recognize a spoof on current events—rock 'n' roll as a new genre and that genre's effects: the cult of celebrity and a growing chasm between the teenage fans and their parents," Hayes explained. "The male rock celebrity is an enduring American tradition. Right now my pre-teen daughters are outgrowing Justin Bieber and, before that, the Jonas Brothers. A generation prior screamed for the Backstreet Boys, and the list goes back in time ... Bye Bye Birdie is at once nostalgic and current, spoofing the past and the present."

Bye Bye Birdie features music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams.

Purchase tickets at the Box Office.

Bye Bye Birdie Opens This Week!

2011-04-25T09:07:00.000-07:00

When 1960s heartthrob Conrad Birdie is drafted into the Army, a lucky fan will give him "One Last Kiss" on The Ed Sullivan Show in this Tony Award-winning musical and audience favorite.

Here are some reflections from Scott Hayes, director of Bye Bye Birdie!

It seems as if every person in the theatre has some experience with Bye Bye Birdie. Birdie’s own beginnings were incredibly humble. Composer Charles Strouse and producer Edward Padula worked on the musical Saratoga, where Padula told Strouse he had an idea for a teenage musical. Strouse teamed up with lyricist Lee Adams with whom he had written weekly revues for an Adirondack summer camp called Green Mansions. In fact, “Put on a Happy Face” came from one of those revues. An actor in a tragedy mask would come out and complain about the world, and another actor with a comic mask would sing the first few stanzas of what would become one of the most recognizable songs in music theatre. Together Strouse, Adams, book writer Michael Stewart and yet-unknown director Gower Champion toiled along without a fully realized concept until 1958, when Elvis Presley was drafted into the Army. When it was announced Presley was to give a “last kiss” to a specially chosen Women’s Army Corpswoman (WAC), the musical creators had a concept for their show.

The musical’s title character was originally named Conway Twitty. Strouse claimed the production team had no idea that there was an actual Conway Twitty until Twitty threatened a lawsuit, and the name was changed to Conrad Birdie.

The musical had fairly successful out-of-town tryouts, yet arrived in New York with only $245 in advance box office sales. One of the reasons for the poor advance sales was the lack of recognizable stars. Chita Rivera had excelled in West Side Story butwas no box office draw, and her leading men, Dick Van Dyke and Paul Lynde, were almost completely unknown. The production was a surprise hit, winning four Tony Awards, running for more than 600 performances and spawning the movie version with Ann-Margret and Janet Leigh. Strouse, Adams and Champion (not to mention Rivera, Van Dyke and Lynde) became music theatre royalty, creating other musicals such as Golden Boy, Applause, Nick and Nora, Rags, Hello, Dolly!, I Do! I Do!, and for Strouse —Annie .

When I was asked to direct Birdie in the spring of 2010, I was personally and nostalgically thrilled. I had been introduced to acting during a high school production of Birdie in 1983. However, as I began analyzing the script I realized the musical had been written so the audience would recognize a spoof on current events—rock and roll as a new genre, and that genre’s effects: the cult of celebrity and a growing chasm between the teenage fans and their parents. Our contemporary audience would not be looking at the musical as it was intended.

Last July I was leading a panel for a Christians in Theatre Arts conference during which I asked the creators of the musical spoof Altarboyz if they thought the demise of boy bands would hurt the show’s appeal. They made the point that the male rock celebrity is an enduring American tradition. Right now, my pre-teen daughters are outgrowing Justin Bieber and, before that, the Jonas Brothers. A generation prior screamed for the Backstreet Boys, and the list goes back in time—Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, the Bee Gees, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles and, yes, Elvis. Bye Bye Birdie is at once nostalgic and current, spoofing the past and the present.

Bye Bye Birdie runs April 29-May 1 & May 6-8 in the Main Theater

Contact the Box office for tickets today!
757.352.4245 or www.regent.edu/theatre
Adults: $15 — Discount*: $12 — Employees**: $10 — Regent Students: $7

*Includes military, senior, student, alumni and child (age 5-18).
**Includes Regent and CBN employees.

Virginia Beach BASH 2011!

2011-04-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Photos by Craig Lawrence

Virginia Beach BASH '11

The clash of steel, the crack of whips, the grunts of dozens of eager students being punched in the stomach...all sounds you may have heard if you were on Regent's campus from March 25th - 27th. The weekend was a great success thanks to Fight Masters Ryan, Jones, and Chin as well as special guest, director Richard Clabaugh, Certified Teachers Noyes, Male, Kirkland, Kaleba, Lloyd, and Collin Bressie and his merry band of Interns. Over 70 students participated in this year's BASH and they had a lot to say about the experience!

Ashley Manning attacks a fellow student

Ashley Manning, a first-year MFA in Acting student attended the BASH for the first time this year. Having had very limited combat experience in the past, she had a lot to learn! Ashley took a variety of classes, including Apache Knife Fighting (with our own Dr. Michael Kirkland), Battle Royale with Martin Noyes from Savannah College of Art and Design, and Swashbuckling with Furniture, taught by SAFD Certified Teacher Casey Kaleba.

Reflecting on her experience, Ashley notes, "I would totally recommend attending the BASH to my peers. Physical confidence is something a lot of actors need but are missing. On top of that, having some combat experience could be the deciding factor between whether you or someone else gets cast in that next role. We have great resources here at Regent. MFAs are required to take this twice but I would feel remiss if I didn't take advantage of it all three years. Some scholarships are even available if money is tight."

Hannah Hughes crosses swords

Hannah Hughes is a 3rd-year MFA who attended her second BASH this year. Hannah also served as a Journeyman for the BASH. As a graduating MFA, Hannah's taken three semesters of combat classes, including Unarmed, Rapier & Dagger, Broadsword, and Quarterstaff. A couple of Hannah's favorite classes were Cell Block Tango and Laban and Stage Combat - both taught by Jenny Male, from Howard Community College. She says Cell Block Tango was great "...because it creatively integrated unarmed combat into dance. It also gave us the opportunity to choreograph some things on our own...The Laban Class was really interesting and fun because it took combat beyond technique and into acting. It was fun to explore how different Laban properties affect the dynamics of a fight...and opened my eyes to another realm of kinesthetic discovery in combat....I’d love to see more classes like Cell Block Tango and Laban. Learning correct technique is important, but it isn’t everything. Balancing technique classes with other forms of movement would be a great direction to take the BASH. I have a feeling that would appeal to an even broader range of people as well."

Cell Block Tango
Micaela De Lauro (2nd Year MFA) AJ Lease (1st Year MFA) and Tabitha Ray Strong (3rd Year MFA)

Jared O'Dell - it only looks painful!

Jared O'Dell, a junior Theatre Arts major, attended the BASH for the third time this year. All of his combat experience comes from previous years at the BASH. Jared believes many more people should attend the BASH because "...it is a great opportunity to learn as well as meet people from all over. Forming relationships is what theatre is about and this was a great chance to practice that. I would love for more undergrads to come out and get some training. These opportunities don't come often and are rarely in the same city let alone the same campus as you live. The training and people are fantastic."

Both Jared and Ashley enjoyed the Scrappy Unarmed fighting class with Fight Master k. Jenny Jones. Jared says, "...Jones just revolutionized how I think about stage combat with that class and she is a fantastic instructor." And Ashley added "...I learned how geometry plays into the way fights should be choreographed. Her style is slick and completely believable. I've never before seen a stage slap that works from any angle - the illusions she was able to create were remarkable."

Fight Master k. Jenny Jones and Intern Amie Root

2nd-year MFA Zach Bortot attended the BASH for his second time this year. He has also been trained in Unarmed, Quarterstaff, Broadsword and Rapier and Dagger through Regent's MFA Acting program. This year, Zach participated in Skill Proficiency Tests (SPTs) in three weapons, having earned a recommended pass in the Unarmed test last year. He passed in Quarterstaff and Broadsword, as well as earning another recommended pass in Rapier and Dagger. Due to the number of weapon styles he's passed, his status is now “actor-combatant.” Zach took a variety of classes this year including Shaolin staff, Roman sword, broadsword, rapier, small sword, and knife. Zach says "...I would definitely recommend the BASH to any of my peers – stage combat isn’t just about choreographing fights. It is about telling stories, and as such, the BASH provides ample opportunities for actors to condition their instruments to be put to the best use for professional storytelling. Your body, mind, and spirit will be put to test as you learn choreography, analyze story structure and choices, and work to employ all of this knowledge to action."

An exciting addition to this year's BASH was the integration of CTV students in the Roman Sword for the Camera classes. A fight was choreographed by Fight Master Richard Ryan, whose credits as Fight Coordinator include Sherlock Holmes I and II, Gullivers Travels, The Golden Compass, Dark Knight, and Troy. Students then performed the fight while it was filmed by CTV students under the direction of Richard Clabaugh, cinematographer for The Prophecy and director of Python and Eyeborgs. The short films were then edited by CTV and presented for the BASH attendees on the final day. One of these fights, featuring Zach Bortot and fellow MFA Britain Willcock, is shown below.

Fight Master Richard Ryan

The students who attended this class raved about what an amazing experience it was. Hannah Hughes enjoyed the class "...because we not only got to work personally with Richard Ryan and Richard Clabaugh, but also because we got the experience of fighting on camera. It was really fun to go back and watch our fights after they had been edited together with sound effects and music....I learned the process of filming a fight on camera, and the importance of selling each moment. I also realized that, as opposed to fighting on stage, you don’t have to get the entire fight correct from start to finish. As long as you have at least one good take of each move, that’s all you need."

Zach add, "I loved it because it really gave us an idea of how the process of developing combat sequences for film and television differs from that of the stage. Fight Master Ryan is a pleasure to work for. He is clear, concise, kind, honest, and very detailed in his instruction. It was humbling to work with someone who is such an expert in the field, and it also forced us to work at the ultimate height of our potential in an effort to meet his expectations...I’ve seen how there is now a greater partnership with the cinema and television department at Regent...I think this is a great learning experience for both groups of students, actors and directors alike. It leads to greater mutual understanding, and overall awareness of expectations in the professional world. I think this growing partnership will only open up more opportunities as it progresses, and could become a very unique feature not offered anywhere else."

Certified Teacher and Regent Professor Dr. Michael Kirkland,
Fight Master Richard Ryan
Cinematographer and Director Richard Clabaugh

Virginia Beach BASH '11 was an exciting and unique experience. Don't miss out on the action! Make plans now to attend Virginia Beach BASH '12!

Roman Sword Fight

This video features a Roman sword fight choreographed by Richard Ryan, performed by Regent University MFA Actors Britain Wilcock and Zach Bortot. The video was shot and edited by Regent Undergrad Cinema and Television student Tim Kay under the guidance of director Richard Clabaugh.

2011 SHORTS! Festival

2011-03-29T08:31:00.000-07:00

The SHORTS! Festival is a potpourri of short plays, sometimes called 10-minute plays, which is the culminating project of the Advanced Directing 2 class. Six graduate student directors had the opportunity to choose plays and work with actors and student designers to bring their vision to the stage. Faculty Advisor Scott Hayes says “The SHORTS! Project has a great synergy between the graduate directing students and two distinct groups of theatre undergraduate students – student designers and student actors…The directors are in a perfect position to shepherd those younger actors…Both the directors and designers also learn valuable lessons in collaboration, management, budgeting, and deadline planning – all vital components of professional work that are beyond the scope of a traditional classroom experience.”

The directors were given an opportunity to share some of their feelings about the pieces they’ve chosen.

Kristi Meyers, a first year MFA student, is directing The Stronger, by August Strindberg. She says, “The Stronger is an interesting challenge for two actors. One of the characters does all the talking, but what the other character does or doesn't do is so telling that the other character has an amazing revelation. I wanted to work on this piece because it is a maze begging to be explored.”

Diana Coates is a second year MFA, directing Bagel Club. Diana “…chose this particular piece because although it's definitely a fun piece and seemingly light, it deals with people who form an organization with positive goals in mind and allow the little things to get in the way of their original purpose. We have so many examples of this in our society today and Bagel Club is just a little reminder of the consequences of such actions.”

Whitney Rappana is also a second year MFA student. Her piece is called Not Enough Rope. Whitney says, “I chose this piece because of the wonderful, ironic humor. It has a nice balance between a serious issue, while still making people laugh.”

Also directing a comic piece is Jeff Fazakerley, a second year MFA. His piece, Mustache and a Mattress “...is a delightful short comedy about a man with a mustache who needs to sell a mattress and a girl that needs a mattress who’s obsessed with mustaches. Through a lot miscommunication and sexual innuendo, we see two delightful people’s lives changed in your run-of-the-mill ghetto mattress store, but not before we’ve had a few laughs in the process.”

Second year MFA Mike Salsbury moves in a more serious direction with Foul Territory. He explains, “God makes man responsible for his choices: if we flee our responsibility for those choices, we are left with hopelessness and despair. Foul Territory is a quirky, fun little show has a very serious point to make in its humor, which is why I chose it as my selection for Shorts!...I hope the audience comes away embracing the validity of hope over any sort of fatalistic understanding of life. If nothing else, I hope these ten minutes inspire dialogue and discussion about its underlying ideas.”

AJ Lease is another first year MFA student. He chose to direct The Best Daddy “… because Shel Silverstein was one of my favorite authors when I was a little boy. I rediscovered his work this year and saw that he also had written some one-act plays. After I read the show… I was hooked again and wanted to get the audience back in touch with their inner child.”

Come out and see some innovative and creative work, and support our student directors, actors and designers!

SHORTS! Will be performed in Theater 128

April 1st and 2nd at 8:00 pm

April 2nd and 3rd at 3:00pm

April 7th, 8th and 9th at 8:00pm

April 9th and 10th at 3:00 pm

Tickets are $7.00, general admission. To reserve your seat, call the Box Office at (757) 352-4245

NOTE: Mike Burnett also serves as Faculty Advisor for the undergraduate designers

Greek Classic Comes to Stage

2011-03-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Zachary Bortot as Jason and
Tabitha Ray Strong as Medea

By Rachel Judy

The story of Medea has been told over and over again for hundreds of years. Considered the classic tale of a woman scorned, Medea tells the story of a woman's revenge when her husband leaves her for another woman. Out of pain, anguish, and hatred, she goes on a rampage to destroy everything dear to her husband, including her own children.

The classic Greek tragedy comes to the Regent University stage March 11-13 and 17-20.

Regent's production seeks to combine traditional "Greek Style" of play acting with a more modern interpretation. "This story is told in a highly theatrical way," explained Derek Martin, director of Medea and an instructor in the School of Communication & the Arts. "There is dance, quarterstaff fights and intense character physicality that have all contributed to a highly stylized, movement-oriented type of storytelling."

As Martin also notes, the story goes from one emotional extreme to another as audiences follow Medea's transformation from a loving wife and mother to a woman capable of harming her children. "How can a human being flip to such extremes? This is one of the questions our unique production explores," Martin said.

"This is a tale about a wife who has been betrayed by her husband. Because of his actions, Medea gets plunged into a downward spiral of sin and hate, and she ends up doing the unthinkable," Martin continues. "The theme I chose for this production is how the death of the sacred is the birth of the profane. This statement begs the questions, 'What are the consequences of breaking a sacred oath or vow?' and, 'What is the responsibility man takes for even the simplest of his actions?'"

The Medea cast features a number of graduate and undergraduate theatre students. Tickets may be purchased through the Regent University Box Office.

MEDEA opens March 11th

2011-03-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

Medea is a force to be reckoned with as she rises from the ashes of a broken marriage. As declared by the Los Angeles Times, this Greek tragedy "taps into primal emotions that frighten and fascinate." It is the classic tale of a woman scorned.

STUDIO THEATRE performances are:

March 11 & 12 and 17-19 at 8pm

March 12 & 13 and 19 & 20 at 3pm

To purchase tickets, call 352.4245 or visit the Box Office during office hours, Monday-Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For further information or to purchase tickets online, visit us at www.regent.edu/theatre

Derek Martin

Here are some thoughts from Derek Martin, Director of Medea...

You are about to embark on a journey that was first performed almost 2,500 years ago. The Greeks believed that their tragedies were put forward in order to better the human experience; that through catharsis, a person would identify with the plight of the protagonist and therefore change his or her own ways so that he or she wouldn’t fall victim to the same iniquity.

Medea is considered the classic tale of a woman scorned. Her husband Jason (of Jason and the Argonauts) leaves her and their children to marry the daughter of the king in order to provide his family with position so that they will want for nothing. Medea, out of pain, anguish, hatred and revenge, goes on a rampage to destroy everything dear to Jason. Finally, she trespasses on the vilest immorality by killing her own children.

As a Christian I was left to ponder the justification of the action, and I found myself bankrupt for an answer. But as I looked deeper, I realized this story presents serious and important moral quandaries: “What are the responsibilities of our own actions, even the most seemingly harmless?” “What are the consequences of destroying the sacred ?”

These questions lead us to my central theme, “The death of the sacred is the birth of the profane.” We can see that Jason’s act of breaking the sacrament of marriage plants a seed of destruction deep within Medea. She allows pride, hatred and evil to squelch the love in her heart and, ultimately, the consequence of his actions drive her past madness into an almost demonic possession in which she destroys the very things she holds most dear.

We don’t agree with her choices; we abhor them in the realization that she is acting in pure evil. However, we must turn the story around on ourselves and ask if we are quite sure that our actions are truthful and pure at all times. The Bible reminds us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25). This verse shows us we must be on guard and take responsibility for our actions and words. Furthermore, it is a sober reminder that we are not the highest authority of what is good. The story of Medea illustrates the wreckage left by unatoned sin.

Below is a history of Jason and Medea—the myth from which Euripides pulled this excellent piece of tragic work. Please ponder the themes in this piece. May the difficult things presented in art change us and teach us so that we will not make the same mistakes.

The Myth of Medea

Medea was one of the great sorceresses of the ancient world. She was the daughter of King Aeetes of Colchis and the granddaughter of Helios, the sun god. Jason and the Argonauts were sent to Colchis by his uncle Pelias to obtain King Aeetes’ most valuable treasure, the Golden Fleece. Medea loved Jason and used her magic to help him obtain the Fleece through a series of almost impossible tasks. In return, Jason promised to marry Medea.

Jason fled in the Argo with Medea and her brother, Absyrtis. King Aeetes pursued them. To delay the pursuit, Medea cut Absyrtis into tiny pieces and threw him into the sea. King Aeetes stopped the pursuit in order to gather up pieces of his son for proper burial.

When they arrived back in Iolcus, Pelias would not give up his throne to Jason, even after promising he would if Jason obtained the Fleece. Medea had Pelias’ daughters cut their ill father up into pieces and boil him in a broth. Medea told them that this would heal their sick parent. Jason and Medea fled to Corinth where they had two sons. There, King Creon offered Jason the throne and his daughter Glauce’s hand in marriage. Jason accepted, and Medea got revenge for Jason’s abandonment by killing the king and his daughter with poisoned garments. Medea fled Corinth in her grandfather Helios’ dragon-pulled chariot, taking the bodies of her two sons, whom she murdered to cause Jason further pain.

She took refuge with Aegeus, King of Athens, and bore him a son named Medus. When Theseus, Aegeus’ long-lost son returned, Medea tried to trick Aegeus into poisoning him to secure the throne for Medus. Unsuccessful, Medea fled with Medus from Athens to another land where Medus became king and that land was later called Media.

Source referenced: "Medea." Encyclopedia Mythica from Encyclopedia Mythica Online

Special Presentation by Regent Alums

2011-02-21T11:49:00.000-08:00

Ever been curious about the process of writing an original musical? How about how you fund and produce your work once it's written? Come to Screening Room A on February 26th at 7:00pm and find out!

Join us for...

Bruce and Michelle Long will be talking about the process of writing and producing By Grace, and will be available for Q & A after the hour-long presentation.

Synopsis of the musical:

It is 1956 and the world is abuzz with the news of actress Grace Kelly’s impending wedding to Prince Rainier III of Monaco. From the seamstresses at MGM studios creating the wedding dress to Catholic schoolgirls living vicariously through the plentiful tabloid rags, everyone is consumed by the media frenzy. No one is more intent than Grace Kelly’s family and friends who are grabbing their fifteen minutes of fame regardless of the cost to her reputation or happiness. Those surrounding the bride-to-be become more and more consumed with the attention they glean by association. Yet once the nuptials have concluded, and interest in their involvement wanes, the sudden finality of the wedding brings a slap of reality as they taste firsthand the fickleness of celebrity and the loneliness that only fleeting fame can bring.

About the Presenters:

Bruce Long and Michelle Hoppe-Long are both Alumni of Regent University. An accomplished writer and director, Michelle Hoppe-Long has worked in film, television and theatre for the past twenty years, garnering over fifty awards for her outstanding original work, creative design, and exceptional talent in both stage and screen venues, including a 2008 Crown Award for her screenplay adaptation of The List with Malcolm McDowell, released by FOX.

A member of the Dramatists Guild she has received CITA outstanding new play of 2009. Michelle was also co-creator and writer of The Knock Knock Show, a children’s television program airing on the Fox Family channel. She has directed across the country, garnering best director nods from the Southeastern Theatre Conference, and from the North Carolina Theatre Conference for the past seven consecutive years.

Michelle has used her vast experience at both the professional and educational level, investing in the future of the arts as a board member of CITA and NCTC. She works additionally as Director of Fine Arts at a private college preparatory school in Charlotte, North Carolina, her work at which, won her the honor of North Carolina K-12 Educator of the Year for 2009-2010.

Bruce is a stand-up comedian, also involved in producting feature films and theater.

For more information about By Grace, go to

http://www.bygracethemusical.com/

Theatre Students Use Laughter for Fundraiser

2011-02-18T07:11:00.000-08:00

By Rachel Judy

For Regent University's third-year MFA in acting students, Saturday, Feb. 12, was a night full of laughter and music and doing what they do best—entertaining an audience. The group presented a musical cabaret titled "Love Actually," which featured what they described as "an evening of musical numbers chronicling the comedy, drama and stages of relationships."

The low-key production was designed as a fundraiser for the group of actors who are planning a trip to New York in the spring. The trip will give the new graduates a chance to showcase their talents in front of industry professionals.

Third-year performers included Sean Cowan, Sharon Eyster, Andy Geffken, Chad Gilliland, Hannah Hughes, Nathan Schmidt and Tabitha Ray Strong. Schmidt provided musical accompaniment on piano.

"The New York showcase is an annual event where our third-year MFA in acting students showcase scenes for industry professionals in New York. Every year we've raised the profile of Regent University in New York with last year being our most successful showcase," explained Mark Paladini, professional-in-residence in the School of Communication & the Arts.

"As far as the musical cabaret this past weekend, we chose to use it as a fundraiser mainly because it was fun. It was a fast, easy and fun way to entertain an audience," explained Gilliland. "As we began to discuss the format of the show, we knew we wanted to perform the weekend of Valentine's Day. This led to us settling on our "Love Actually" theme, and we were on our way. We all thoroughly enjoyed the creation of this project, and we were ecstatic that the audiences loved it."

Saturday's performance also featured the Varsity Improv Players (V.I.P.), who entertained the audience with improvisational comedy games. The group is led by School of Communication & the Arts adjunct professor Derek Leonidoff.

Local Theater Company Features Regent Alums

2011-02-11T10:20:00.000-08:00

The New Theater of Chesapeake is producing You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, featuring Regent MFA Alums Katie Fridsma as Lucy and Christopher Graham as Charlie Brown!

Below is a list of the shows dates and times. If you call the office at 288-0653
you can purchase a ticket voucher mailed to you to be redeemed at the box office for the show of your choice.
The Linda P. Overton Theater at Oscar Smith High School (1994 Tiger Drive, Chesapeake)

February 18th 7pm and February 19th 2pm

TCC The Roper Center for Performing Arts (340 Granby Street, Norfolk)

February 25th 7pm

February 26th 2pm,7pm

February 27th 2pm

One free child per adult (12 and under)

$5 Additional Children

$15 Students

$30 Adults

"Painted Rain" - A Play In One Act

2011-02-09T10:41:00.000-08:00

Spring Lab Show - Painted Rain

Directed by Britain Willcock

This is a beautiful play about two orphans and their struggle to find a sense of normalcy in their already shattered world. When their social worker informs them that one of them is going to be adopted, their worlds are turn upside down as they try to embrace what they have before its gone.

Featuring:

B.A. Jessica Myers as Barbara, B.A. Gloria Powell as Brooke and B. A. Gabrielle Davison as Sammy

COM 128 (The Acting Lab)
Friday Feb. 18th and Saturday Feb. 19th at 8:00 p.m.
Sun. Feb. 20th at 3:00pm

Seating is lmitied, first come first serve, and admission is free.

Regent alum to appear in Musical Reunion

2011-02-07T09:31:00.000-08:00

"Reunion: A Musical Epic in Miniature" runs Feb. 9 through March 6, 2011, at Meadow Brook Theatre, on the campus of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, featuring Regent MFA alum Rob Arbaugh as Tom Trudgett.

“Twenty-five years after the assassination of President Lincoln, a traveling group of actors and singers tells tales of the Civil War and our nation's struggle to remain together. Actual journal entries and letters from eyewitnesses, along with multimedia images of events, combine with songs of the period immerse the audience in the struggle to keep the Union together.”

Congratulations, Rob!

Read more: http://detroit.broadwayworld.com/article/Meadow_Brook_Theatre_Presents_REUNION_2936_20110202

Graduating MFA's present...

2011-02-02T11:39:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 12 at 8:00pm - February 13 at 3:00pm

Regent University Library Lecture Theatre

1000 Regent University Drive

Virginia Beach, VA

FREE ADMISSION!!

COME LAUGH, CRY, AND CELEBRATE (or berate) THE JOYS AND TRIALS OF RELATIONSHIPS

Who: Cohort C, The Graduating MFA in Acting Class at Regent University

What: An evening of musical numbers chronicling the comedy, drama, and stages of relationships.

When: TWO SHOWS:

8:00 PM- Saturday, February 12, 2011

3:00 PM - Sunday, February 13, 2011

Why: To begin the fund-raising drive for our trip to New York City to perform in a Showcase for industry professionals.

List of Performers include: Sean Cowan, Tiffany Evans, Sharon Eyster, Andy Geffken, Chad Gilliland, Hannah Hughes, Nathan Schmidt and Tabitha Ray Strong

Courtroom Drama Takes Center Stage

2011-01-28T10:16:00.000-08:00

Andy Geffken as Father Rivard and Ashley Manning as Sister Rita

By Rachel Judy
Regent University Theatre's latest offering—The Runner Stumbles—is inspired by a 1919 murder trial in Michigan. As Father Rivard stands accused of murdering a nun in his parish, this suspenseful courtroom drama explores faith and forbidden love in the play The New York Times describes as "absolutely fascinating."

The Runner Stumbles runs Jan. 28-30 and Feb. 3-6.

Playwright Milan Stitt—himself a Michigander—grew up hearing with talk about the "tragedy" at the Holy Rosary Church in Isadore, Mich. "He took one part history and combined it with two parts imagination, and the result was The Runner Stumbles," explained the play's director, Dr. Michael Kirkland, MFA in theatre department head and professor in the School of Communication & the Arts.

Audiences will certainly see the quality that is a trademark of Regent's theatre productions as The Runner Stumbles explores a crisis of faith in two church leaders. "It tackles the issues of faith and passion head on," Kirkland said. "In this particular instance, we have a nun and priest who are both totally devoted to maintaining their vows of chastity. Nevertheless, they find themselves drawn inexorably toward each other. This precipitates a crisis of faith in both parties and, tragically, a subsequent act of violence."

Also, adds Kirkland, "the play puts strong themes front and center: faith, love, chastity, commitment, devotion to the law—both secular and religious. The play examines such thorny issues as the tension between rigid, dogmatic rules and the all too human needs of the sinner. Under what conditions can, or should, the rules of the church bend to administer compassion?

"As always, I have sought to highlight what is redemptive in the piece, and there is little doubt in my mind that ... what is revealed in the final moments of The Runner Stumbles will not only touch upon the truth, it will reinforce one of the greatest truths of all: Though we be great sinners, Jesus is a greater Savior."

MFA in Acting students Andy Geffken, Gene Gray and Sharon Eyster perform their thesis roles in this production.

Purchase tickets through the Regent University Box Office.

Congratulations, Marianne Savell!

2011-01-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

Regent Theatre offers congratulations to Marianne Savell for her Los Angelos Drama Critics Circle Awards nomination! She has been nominated for Best Director for Wit. Marianne was the guest director of Our Town and last season's Dancing at Lughnasa here at Regent.

Marianne is an accomplished actor, director and teacher from Seattle and Los Angeles. She is an adjunct professor at Vanguard University, an associate artist with Taproot Theater Company and a member of Directors Lab West. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois where she graduated with highest honors and was a guest artist at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London.

We're very proud of Marianne and wish her the best of luck! To read more about the nominations, click here.

MFA Auditions, Spring 2011!

2011-01-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again, and the professors are getting ready to hit the road.

Next week, Eric Harrell will be headed to Houston, Texas to audition actors for our next year’s MFA Acting class. Auditions will be held at the Hyatt Regency on January 28-29. These auditions are concurrent with the annual conference of the Texas Educational Theatre Association where Eric will be teaching a workshop on the integration of voice and movement.

The following week, Eric will be in Chicago, IL during the URTA National Auditions, holding auditions at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown on February 6-7.

On February 26, Mark Paladini will be at Vanguard University in Los Angeles, CA, holding auditions and teaching a workshop on auditioning for television and film.

Mark Paladini, Michael Kirkland and Scott Hayes will all offering workshops at the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) this year in Atlanta, GA. They will see students at the unified auditions and hold private appointments on March 4-5.

Finally, any students wishing to combine their audition with a visit to Regent’s campus in Virginia Beach are invited to the University’s Spring Preview, where auditions with the full performance faculty will be held on March 11.

To schedule an audition at any of these locations, contact recruitment coordinator Jennifer Martin at 757-352-4228 or email auditions@regent.edu, and feel free to stop by and chat about Regent with our professors if you're in the area!

Hope to see you there!

http://www.regent.edu/acad/schcom/theatre/home.htm

The Runner Stumbles Opens January 28th

2011-01-14T08:13:00.000-08:00

Father Rivard stands accused of murdering a nun in his parish. Based on a true story, this suspenseful courtroom drama explores faith and forbidden love in the play The New York Times describes as "an absolutely fascinating play."

Location: Communication Building - Studio Theatre

Cost: Adult-$15 Discount*-$12 Regent Employee-$10 Regent Student-$8

Call the Box Office for reservations at 757.352.4245

Want to know a little more about this intriguing production? Read the following notes by director Michael Hill-Kirkland!

August 23, 1907 is the day she disappeared. To this day, the mention of this date to residents of Isadore, Michigan often elicits a terse, “We don’t talk about that,” or a silent, accusatory stare followed by a dismissive huff and precipitous departure. To quote reporter Mardi Link in her 2009 book, Isadore’s Secret,

“Today in Isadore they refer to the crime as ‘the tragedy’—if they refer to it at all…One elderly woman pointed a bony finger at me and rasped, ‘You should be afraid of the evil eye.’ A force still feared in Isador.” (xiv)

In the mid-1980s, as a graduate student at the University of Michigan, I often heard Milan Stitt’s name touted as a prominent UM alum. Stitt was, after all, a proud native Michigander. Therefore, it should surprise no one that he had grown up hearing hushed whispers about the popular nun whose bones had been found under the woodpile at Holy Rosary Church, in Isadore. Isadore was (and remains) a small, isolated, primarily Roman Catholic, Polish-immigrant community. Located on a peninsula, surrounded by woods and swamp, on the north-western shore of the state. In “the tragedy,” the young playwright recognized all the criteria necessary for a fabulous pot-boiler; murder, intrigue, forbidden romance, and high drama culminating in a courtroom trial. He took one part history, mixed it with two parts imagination, and the result was The Runner Stumbles.

In 1974 a mutual friend, Joe Mathewson, put the play into actor-director Austin Pendleton’s hands. According to Stitt’s obituary in the March 12, 2009 edition of Playbill.com,

“Pendleton took the play to Lynne Meadow, artistic director of the then-young Off-Broadway company Manhattan Theatre Club, who liked it. Mr. Stitt, who once contemplated becoming a priest, sweated over several new drafts and the play opened in December 1974. Reviews were encouraging and the run proved popular with audiences. Two audience members, Del and Margo Tenny, were in the middle of starting their own theatre company in Stamford, CT, and they decided to put The Runner Stumbles in their first season. The production was a huge hit for the Hartman Theatre, as it was called, and a producer named Wayne Adams decided to take a chance and bring it to Broadway. It opened at the Little Theatre (now the Helen Hayes) on May 18, 1976…the play ran for six months.”

Dr. Michael Hill-Kirkland

Since then, the play has enjoyed several prominent revivals, including a film adaptation, directed by Stanley Kramer, starring Dick Van Dyke and Kathleen Quinlan as the ill-fated priest and nun. On the strength of The Runner Stumbles and other works to follow, Stitt would go on to head up the play development program at Circle in Square Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York.

So join us as we travel to April, 1911. It is four and half years since Father Brian Rivard walked away from his responsibilities as parish priest of Holy Rosary Church in Solon, Michigan, and into the ether. The scene is a small, rural courtroom and its adjacent cell. For you see, Brian Rivard has returned to Solon—where he is to stand trial for the murder of Sister Rita!

Regent Alum in Original Play

2011-01-12T10:05:00.000-08:00

Looking for something extra special to do this Valentine's Day? Why not travel up to Richmond to see an original performance by Regent Alum Anna Koehler (MFA '10)?

Monday, February 14 · 7:30pm - 10:00pm, see the original play Cold Showers (written by and featuring Anna Koehler) which takes a funny and honest look at life through the eyes of a young woman named Sam.

DJ Epoc will also be there spinning some tunes, as well as photogapher Sam Allen.

Coffee and dessert will be served; door prizes will be given away to two lucky people; tickets are $10, and can be purchased in advance starting in January and at the door on the night of the event.

MFA '10 Alum Anna Koehler

For questions, contact lisa@commonwealthchapel.com.

The Robinson Theater 2903 Q. Street, Richmond, Virginia 23223

Great Review for "Ballyhoo"!

2010-12-09T07:22:00.000-08:00

The Last Night of Ballyhoo received a glowing review in the Virginia Beach Beacon. Congratulations cast and crew!
http://hamptonroads.com/2010/12/regent-mounts-solid-production-ballyhoo?cid=srch

Regent Educational Theatre Tour

2010-12-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

Were you aware that the School of Communication and the Arts has its very own touring company? Initiated this year by Producer/Director Nathanael Fisher (2nd year MFA student) the Regent Educational Theatre Tour is up and running. Nathanael was inspired to start the company while taking a writing class with Professor Gilette Elvgren. Dr. Elvgren is the founder of Saltworks Theater Company in Pittsburgh, PA. His play I Am The Brother of Dragons, a piece about chemical abuse and peer pressure, has been touring the Eastern seaboard for over 20 years. Nathanael said Dr. Elvgren inspired and challenged the class to be proactive and make opportunities for ourselves and others, which led him to the idea of touring I Am the Brother of Dragons to the Hampton Roads community.

Under the advisement of Dr. Elvgren and Professor Scott Hayes, who also has professional experience with educational touring groups, Nathanael drafted a proposal for Regent Educational Theatre Tour and presented it to the Dean.

With the support of the School of Communications and Arts Admissions Department, Nathanael put together a cast of undergraduate theatre students and began rehearsals for the tour. The cast includes John Mark Bowman, Daniel McGary, Juliette Romano, Lily Wilson, Tianna Yentzer and Brad Ziegler. Already this year, the group has performed for Mount Lebanon Baptist Church in Chesapeake and Tallwood High School in VA Beach. Upcoming venues include Faith Christian Center Norfolk, Crittenden Middle School in Newport News, Calvary Christian School in Norfolk, Light of Life Christian Center in Virginia Beach, Great Bridge Baptist Church in Chesapeake, and two special performances for the Regent community in COM128 on December 10 and 11.

When asked about the biggest challenges facing the new company, Nathanael and the cast had varied reactions. For Nathanael, the biggest challenge has been marketing. He says that even though the show is being offered free of charge to local schools, getting the word out has been difficult. For cast members Tianna Yentzer and Dan McGary, some of the biggest challenges have been scheduling and memorization. Tianna and fellow cast member Juliette Romano add “This process of touring theatre has proved to be a greater challenge than I had anticipated…it’s both fun and frustrating at times because they (high school audiences) are constantly responding to the story and talking at us.”

However, all agreed that the rewards outweigh the challenges. Juliette found “that God is using this show to reach out to some kids. It has been such a reward to hear that our show has pulled some walls down for kids dealing with the stuff we are portraying.” Cast member Lily Wilson enjoys the question and answer portion at the end of the performance, and appreciates being able to get the audience’s point of view. For Nathanael, it’s all about the impact the performance can have on students. He says, “I had a youth pastor tell us that his students were deeply impacted by I Am the Brother of Dragons. The show brought to life some very real issues that his youth were dealing with. He said that the show was so effective he was going to spend the next 3 weeks following up on the issues raised by the show. Others have said there were students in attendance that are currently dealing with substance abuse and addiction. They have been thankful that Dragons shows where the path of addiction can end. If these students are being affected by the play, if someone makes a choice to step away from substance abuse, then that is a great reward.”

Regent’s Educational Theatre Tour will soon be adding an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to their repertoire. This production will feature fight choreography by 2nd year MFAs Zachary Bortot and Britain Willcock.

To find out more about Regional Educational Theatre Tour, come see one of their performances on Dec. 10th or 11th, at 8:00pm in COM128. The performance is free, but seating is limited.

To schedule a performance contact Nathanael Fisher at 757-955-3957 or nathfis@regent.edu

Holiday Happenings

2010-12-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

Do you love Christmas? Do you love theatre? Want to find a way to celebrate both? Check out what current and former Regent Theatre students are up to this holiday season:

In the Hampton Roads Area:

Christopher Graham, Derek Martin and Jennifer Martin (all MFA Alums) – Featured performers, Holiday Melody, Virginia Musical Theatre, Dec. 3 – 5

Derek and Jennifer Martin (MFA Alums) – Choreographers, White Christmas, Theatrix, Dec. 3 – 5 and Dec. 10 – 12

Beka James (B.A.) – Dancer, A Storyland Christmas, Masterworks, Regent University, Dec. 3-5

Sean Cowan (MFA), Ryan Clemens (MFA Alum), Jared O'Dell (B.A.) and Derek Leonidoff (Adjunct Professor) – Improv Comedy, Nobody Loses, The Actor’s Place, Dec. 4th and 11th

Elsewhere:

Rachel Arbaugh (B.A. Alum) – Belle, A Christmas Carol, Meadow Brook Theatre, Rochester, MI

Katie Fridsma (MFA Alum) – Martha Cratchit, A Christmas Carol, Nebraska Theatre Caravan (tour)

Eric Snodgrass (M.A.) - The Gifts of the Magi, The Telemachus Society, Claremont, CA

Justin Anderson (M.A.) – Director, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Synchronicity Theatre, Atlanta, GA

If you know of other members of our Regent family who are involved in theatre this Christmas, feel free to post in the comment section!

Theatre Explores Faith and Family

2010-11-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

Nathan Scmidt as Peachy and Tabitha Ray Strong as Lala

By Rachel Judy

Set in 1939 Atlanta, The Last Night of Ballyhoo tells the story of an upwardly mobile German-Jewish family searching for a way to find acceptance within their southern community. Regent University's theatre puts its own spin on the semi-autobiographical play beginning on Nov. 19.

Written by Alfred Uhry, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Driving Miss Daisy, the story takes place during the Christmas season. The Freitag family is struggling to blend in with their community until a transplanted Yankee from Brooklyn, Joe Farkas, arrives on the scene. The idea of rejecting religious beliefs in order to blend does not sit well with Joe, but he's enamored with one of the Freitag girls. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Play of 1997, The Last Night of Ballyhoo combines a pre-World War II romance with Uhry's exploration of a society on the verge of change.

Following the extended Freitag family in America's isolated days prior to World War II, Uhry's work attempts to showcase the last days of innocence for a generation. But, that innocence is overshadowed by the play's exploration of the intercultural bigotry that existed between German and Eastern European Jews.

Mark Paladini, theatre department artist-in-residence and the director of The Last Night of Ballyhoo, explains the term "ballyhoo" and how it relates to Uhry's story: "Ballyhoo was a three-day event created by German Jews in the South as an attempt to copy the cotillions held at restricted country clubs in the South," he said. "Alfred Uhry's father was involved in the organization of Ballyhoo according to programs found by students researching the play. Students also found pictures of Alfred Uhry with his Christmas tree as a child, which drove home the fact that many elements of the play evolved from Uhry's own experiences (and those of his parents) growing up in the South."

The story of a generation on the brink of war also hits home for Paladini. "Knowing what happened to the ancestors of my wife and children (and through marriage, my family), I can't help but be moved by the plight of Joe Farkas," he explained. "My goal is to share my warm feelings about this family with our audiences and to create a common bond of love for all those who attend this very special production."

In Regent's production, MFA in Acting students Tabitha Ray, Hannah Hughes Nathan Schmidt and Chad Gilliland present their thesis roles.

The Last Night of Ballyhoo runs Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 2-5.

Purchase tickets through the Regent University Box Office.

The Last Night of Ballyhoo Opens This Weekend!

2010-11-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

Mark Paladini

A Word From The Director:

The Last Night of Ballyhoo lovingly captures the plight of Jews in the South searching for a way to succeed and find acceptance as an integral part of the community in 1939.

Alfred Uhry’s frequently autobiographical look at the extended Freitag family captures the irony of their behavior with compassion, love and a post-Civil Rights Era wink. Ballyhoo transports us to a more innocent moment in time, a time when escapist entertainment on live radio and the movie screen insulated Americans from the sound of German troops marching into Poland.

Some scenes in our play take place on a famous train known as the Crescent Limited. The train brought travelers from New York to New Orleans via a crescent shaped route that stopped in major cities along the way, including Atlanta. Hop on that train with me and go back to a time when the crescent moon was a symbol of romance. This trip reminds us that we are all on this journey together.

The author also wants us to identify with the fears that Jews in Atlanta experienced in this period. The Freitag/Levy family lives in a city where a Jewish man named Leo Frank was unjustly lynched* in 1915. This event, though unspoken, helps us understand how the characters in this play have valid fears in regard to practicing their religion openly at this time in history in the South.

Tabitha Ray Strong as Lala

Come back with us to a time when there were Jews named Adolph, and many popular Jewish performers hosted Christmas specials on their radio shows. Some Jews in the South had never even seen a yarmulke (or kippah), the skull cap Jewish men wear for religious celebrations. Many Jews would light Shabbat (Sabbath) candles at sundown on Friday night prior to eating ham hocks and shrimp, decidedly non-kosher menu items. One might say that the dining car on this train has plenty of portions of humor, assimilation, romance, fear and warm memories.

Enjoy this nostalgic train ride and all the ballyhoo that comes along with it!

*Chronicled in the musical PARADE, book by Alfred Uhry, whose great-uncle owned the factory that Leo Frank managed

The Last Night of Ballyhoo runs

Nov. 19 - 21 and Dec. 2 - 5.

Call the box office for tickets at 757.352.4245.

Focus on Design

2010-11-05T07:22:00.000-07:00

The Theatre Department recently completed a major overhaul of one of our rooms. Known as the Acting Lab, or COM128, this space has always been in high demand as a classroom, rehearsal and performance space. Now the space will have even more versatility. Regent Backstage spoke to Design Professor Mike Burnett about how the decision to convert COM128 came about.

Mike Burnett: “We've been producing Second Stage shows in the Studio Theater for the past few years. With our intense production schedule, high production quality, and minimal technical/design staff, we either had to find another space or cancel the Second Stage shows. We decided that since Lab shows were successful in COM128, we would move Second Stage in there, and give them a little bit of budget and staff support.”

Regent Backstage: “What were the deciding factors that contributed to the current design?”

Mike Burnett: “Flexibility. Since four days a week COM128 is a heavily used classroom, plus still has to handle rehearsals, we had to create a space that had minimal impact on all that.”

Regent Backstage: “Can you describe the changes to the space?”

Mike Burnett: “COM128 now has permanent seating, which leads to a higher seating capacity. Previous capacity was thirty bodies (audience, actors, techs)...we are now at sixty. We also invested in new lighting equipment - light board, light fixtures. All the lights are installed in a ‘rep’ plot. This means that the lighting gels can change per show, but adding/taking away lights and refocusing the bulk of the lights will not happen. This allows all shows in there, as well as classes, to always have multiple lighting areas with multiple colors without having to go thru the process of hanging, circuiting, and focusing. There is also a new sound system complete with speakers, amps, CD/iPod/Computer playback capability. We added new floor surfacing. Previously, there was a really old Marley dance floor. We replaced it with masonite hardboard which allows us to tape and paint it. Finally, there is a new emergency exit door.”

Regent Backstage: “What are the biggest pros and cons of the new design?”

Mike Burnett: “The biggest pro is all the flexibility and ease of use. Now any student production, with minimal instruction, can have a higher quality production. Since we now can bring in larger outside audiences, they can expect higher quality productions.

The biggest drawback is how the audience accesses the space. We had intended for the audience to enter and exit through the new door to the outside. This isn't happening now, so they will enter and exit through the old doors, which means they come through a backstage space. It’s not ideal, but it’s something we'll figure out. It also means that dressing room access and bathroom access for actors and audience is something we're still feeling out. Another con is how the changeover from classroom to theatre happens. There are lots of props and class furniture to move around.”

Here are a couple of pictures from Royal Gambit - the first production to utilize the new COM128 space. The show runs Nov. 5-6 at 8:00pm and Nov. 6-7 at 3:00pm. Call the box office for tickets at 757.352.4245. Come see a performance of Royal Gambit this weekend and check it out!

Cast and Crew of Royal Gambit

Tim Stanlake and Megan Friberg in Royal Gambit

Royal Gambit Runs One More Weekend

2010-11-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

Second-Stage Telling of Historical Tale

By Rachel Judy

The tale of England's King Henry VIII and his six wives is familiar to even casual students of history. While Henry's perspective is familiar, it is his six wives who take center stage for Regent University's Second Stage production, Royal Gambit, which premiered on Friday, Oct. 29.

In his quest for a male heir to secure his family's succession on the throne, the king sifted through his wives looking for one who would produce an heir. The fate of the women is perhaps best described in the rhyme taught to English schoolchildren: "divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived."

In Regent's production, the collective stories of Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Katarina of Aragon, Anna of Cleves, Kate Parr and Kathryn Howard are portrayed by a combination of undergraduate and graduate theater students.

As the wives' collective story unfolds, it becomes a compelling metaphor for the transformation of civilization's age of faith to the age of reason and the central moral issues involved in that change.

"It's interesting because the play is not just a historical drama, but makes Henry the prototype for mankind as he journeys through various ages of thought," explained Christopher Graham, the play's director and also a 2009 graduate of Regent's MFA Theatre program. "This play has 500 years of drama, comedy, philosophy, theology and history all rolled into about two hours."

"The six women, their lives and unfortunate deaths, make up the meat of the story," Graham added. "Each has her own struggle as she attempts to survive in a world revolving around the willful king. Some survive better than others."

While providing a look at the wives and their stories, Royal Gambit challenges the audience to consider God's existence, His power and His relationship with man.

The play runs from Oct. 29-31 and Nov. 4-7.

Purchase tickets at the Regent Box Office.

Royal Gambit Opens This Weekend

2010-10-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

Christopher Graham

Regent's Second Stage season opens this weekend with the production Royal Gambit, written by Herman Gressieker, translated and adapted by George White. Royal Gambit is the exciting legacy of Henry VIII as told by his six wives. Hailed by the New York Times as "an original, stimulating and...well-written play..." , Royal Gambit is being directed by 2009 MFA in Acting graduate, Christopher Graham. Since graduation Christopher has had the chance to perform locally for Virginia Stage Company and multiple productions with the Virginia Musical Theatre.

Here's what Christopher has to say about working on Royal Gambit:

There are not too many characters in history more infamous then King Henry the VIII. From his legendary affair with Anne Boleyn, to his conflict with the Bishop of Rome, Henry helped bring about one the greatest upheavals western civilization had ever known. Surrounding him were six fascinating, yet rather unfortunate, women: “Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived” is the rhyme that English school children learn to describe the fate of the six wives of King Henry VIII. Royal Gambit is on the one hand a historical drama, but on the other hand is something else completely. It’s a thinking kind of play. You’ll be rolling along very happily through the middle of the 16th century when all of a sudden you’ll hear Henry reference the Second World War. You sit back and scrunch up your forehead, but you’ll soon realize that Royal Gambit is not just about a man who cannot find rest in the world that he has created, but a mankind who cannot find rest. Henry ushers in an age that is “not to be God’s, but man’s.” This is a far cry from the strictly religious battles of the 16th century, but a battle for the very heart of faith itself. Who is God and what is our relationship to Him? Where does man’s power stop and God’s power begin? How far can we make it without Him? Is there even a God?
These are the questions of the modern man and Royal Gambit uses the story of this very flawed King to ask them. So I hope that you will be willing to put on your “thinking cap”, come with us, and explore. You may even find some answers, but it depends on Who you ask.

Royal Gambit runs October 29-30 and Nov. 4-6 at 8:00pm; October 30-31 and Nov. 5-6 at 3:00pm. The performance is being held in Com 128 and seating is limited. Call 757-352-4245 to reserve your tickets now!

Our Town Offers Perspective on Life

2010-10-15T07:11:00.000-07:00

L-R: Amy Dunlap, Jared O'Dell, Tiffany Evans

Our Town Offers Perspective on Life

By Rachel Judy

Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Our Town, is no doubt familiar to theater-going audiences for its simple, yet profound commentary on the complexities of human life. Hoping to capture the elegance of the early 20th century while appealing to today's audiences, Regent University Theatre will present Our Town on Oct. 15-17 and Oct. 22-24 in the Communication & Performing Arts Center's Main Theatre.

Divided into three acts, Our Town tells the story of the Grover's Corners, N.H., residents through the eyes of the stage manager. The stage manager's role is to create the scene and establish the character background; the other actors rely on mime to tell stories of daily life, love and marriage, and death.

Regent's production is directed by guest director Marianne Savell, an actress and playwright who previously directed the 2009 Regent theatre production Dancing at Lughnasa. "Our Town may be the great American play," Savell says. "No matter your history with it, this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama has the power to rattle and shake you to the core again and again."

While many will remember Our Town from their required literature classes in middle and high school, Savell's approach with the Regent production is to honor the classical play with a modern twist. "The play sticks with you and yet, reintroduces itself masterfully every time you engage it," she explains. "A friend of mine wonderfully described it this way: 'Thornton Wilder is radical and reassuring in the same breathless breath.' This couldn't be truer."

The opportunity for the Our Town cast to work with Savell is significant, explains Eric Harrell, chair of Regent's theatre department. "Affording our student actors the opportunity to work with highly accomplished directors from the professional theatre is of tremendous educational value," he says. "Their technique work is challenged and refined when they work with an artist of Marianne's caliber. It's important for them to hear the language of craft reflected in the voice of an industry professional as well as resident faculty."

MFA in Acting students Joseph Martinez and Tiffany Evans will perform their thesis roles in Our Town as Doc Gibbs and Emily Webb respectively.

Savell is an adjunct professor at Vanguard University, an associate artist with Taproot Theater Company and a member of Directors Lab West. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois and has been a guest artist at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She served as producing director of Actors Co-op in Hollywood and on the advisory board of Provision Theater Company in Chicago and was invited to the prestigious New Harmony Project to direct Margaret Hunt's new play And the Ravens Feed Us in 2008.

Purchase tickets for Our Town through the Regent University Box Office.

Our Town Opens This Weekend

2010-10-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

Meet Marianne Savell, Director of "Our Town"

2010-10-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

Regent Theatre welcomes Marianne Savell, guest director of Our Town and last season's production of Dancing at Lughnasa. Marianne is an accomplished actor, director and teacher coming to us from Seattle & Los Angeles. She is an adjunct professor at Vanguard University, an associate artist with Taproot Theater Company and a member of Directors Lab West. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois where she graduated with highest honors and was a guest artist at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She served as Producing Director of Actors Co-op in Hollywood and on the advisory board of Provision Theater Company in Chicago and was invited to the prestigious New Harmony Project to direct Margaret Hunt’s new play And the Ravens Feed Us in 2008.

Marianne’s professional directing credits include the critically acclaimed Jeff award-nominated Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Victory Gardens, Chicago), the world premiere and LA Weekly award-winner Gulf View Drive, the StagesceneLA award-winner Wit, The Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow, Shadowlands, the world premiere Yours, Isabel, Angel Street, Translations, the West Coast premiere of As It Is in Heaven, The Crucible, Hamlet, God & Shakespeare and Molly Sweeney.

At Vanguard, Marianne directed the American College Theatre Festival finalists The Lion in Winter and As It Is in Heaven as well as Saint Joan, America’s Broadway and Three Sisters. Her professional acting credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (ACTC), The Seagull (LA Weekly award for Best Featured Actress), As You Like It, The Voice of the Prairie, The Hasty Heart, All My Sons, Uncle Vanya, Twelfth Night, Bullshot Crummond and Henry V.

Marianne has a few new plays in development and is conducting research in the Virginia Beach area for her new play on generals Lee and Grant. We came to know about Marianne when she directed one of our own MFA in Acting alumni, Dan Roberts (’07) in The Crucible at Actors Co-op, a professional Christian theatre company in Los Angeles. Both Marianne and Dan were nominated for LA Weekly awards for The Crucible. We’re glad to have her here!

Marianne’s Thoughts about Our Town

"So many of us have a history with Our Town. We read it in high school, or we played Simon Stimson in college or we saw it at a community theatre in Clinton, Mississippi. Recently, Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer-prize winning play has had a resurgence off Broadway with a beautiful production by The Hypocrites out of Chicago. What is striking about this play is that memory softens what is actually a sharply insightful and brutally honest play about our humanity. A friend recently joked with me that Our Town is a zombie play. I had to kind of agree with him. It is a play about what it means to really live, to die, to be the living dead. If we're really honest with ourselves we sometimes feel like we're more dead than alive. And it scares us. But do we change? Do we make the effort to really live? This play delights me and terrifies me. Challenges me to do better. Come with us to Our Town, and stay awhile..."

Working with Marianne

“It was such a pleasure to work under the direction of Marianne Savelle in Regent’s production of Dancing at Lughnasa last year! She worked tirelessly and patiently to turn this sow’s ear into a credible Father Jack. Imagine my excitement, then, to learn that I would have the opportunity to reprise the role of Professor Willard under Marianne’s capable direction! Marianne is adept at bringing out the best in each actor, no matter the size of the role, and integrating each role into the balanced whole of a piece. She also brings such a wide and current connection to the professional world and plugs us into that connection as well. It is equally encouraging to hear her share the many opportunities she has to integrate her faith with her art. She has become not only a director with whom I enjoy working but also, I am happy to say, a colleague and friend” – Mike Salsbury, 2nd-year MFA

“I felt like the entire production (Dancing at Lughnasa) was put together through one big conversation. Marianne has the perfect mix between letting you explore your character freely and pushing you to limits you didn’t even know were possible. Some of my best show experiences have been with her because I felt like I left the process a better, more inspired actor.” – Jeff Fazakerley, 2nd-year MFA

“Marianne has a beautiful grasp of how to communicate the important story of Our Town in a startling, enlightening manner. She has made many subtle choices in blocking and the use of sound to compel thought. She triggers thought within her actors. She challenges and provokes the character but never diminishes the actor. Her goal is the story. She is always asking the question, ‘What is the best choice to honor the story?’ We trust her. We value her insights. If she asks us to do it, we do it with conviction. We are a cohesive group that takes risks and is unafraid to venture into the unknown with Marianne as our guide.” – Brittany Baird, 1st-year MA

Come and see what all the buzz is about! Our Town opens October 15th and runs through October 24th.

Dr. Michael Hill-Kirkland Appearing in VMT's "Man of La Mancha"

2010-10-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

Regent Theatre’s own Professor of Theatre and Head of the MFA Acting Program, Dr. Michael Hill-Kirkland, will be appearing as Sancho Panza in Virginia Musical Theatre’s upcoming production of Man of La Mancha! According to the VMT website, Man of La Mancha is “deemed one of the all-time great musicals of the American stage. This is a brilliant theatrical adventure that looks at life not as it is but as it should be. The inspiring score features The Impossible Dream. Winner of five TONY© Awards including Best Musical."

Regent Backstage asked Dr. Kirkland to share some thoughts about the upcoming production…

Regent Backstage: How did this performance opportunity come about?

Dr. Kirkland: VMT sent me an audition notice requesting that I make our students aware of auditions for the production. I told them I would and queried them as to whether they had anyone to handle the combat in the show, if not, that I would be interested. Mark Hudgins, the managing director, responded that they did not and that Jeff Meredith, the artistic director, was interested in engaging me to do so. I had worked with them once before on The Scarlet Pimpernel. I accepted, and informed them that I had done the show six times before…sometimes in the role of Sancho, sometimes as fight director, and sometimes as both. That led to an invitation to audition for the role. I made sure they knew I was a member of AEA before accepting the invitation to audition. I thought it would be pointless unless they were ready to commit to a union contract. They responded that they had not really considered a union contract for Sancho, but that they were open to it. I auditioned…and they offered me the role.

Regent Backstage: Can you elaborate on your past experience with Man of La Mancha?

Dr. Kirkland: My experience with the show is fairly extensive. I’ve done this show more than any other over my career. I’ve performed it in a variety of venues: academic, community, and professional. I’ve played Sancho. I’ve played the Barber. Over the years I’ve staged the fights a number of times under a wide range of conditions both amateur and professional. My feelings for the show are immensely affectionate. It’s a character driven show perfectly made for actors. The plot hinges on a play-within-a-play and serves as an example of the power of theatre to change lives. And the themes. I love the themes. Belief in dreams and in one’s self. Service to the quest—a lofty goal, committing to something larger than one’s self. The belief that some things in life—some dreams--are worth fighting for even when you know that you are destined to defeat; that sometimes you must “march into hell for a heavenly cause.” These are ideas that have profound resonation for me.

Regent Backstage: What do you hope to get from the experience this time?

Dr. Kirkland: The last time I performed Sancho was about twelve years ago. At that point in time I felt that I was probably ending my relationship with the little fellow with a belly full of proverbs. In truth, I was growing a little tired of him. Now, with twelve years having passed, I realized that I had grown to miss this guy. Time has a way of changing our perspective on things. I have a feeling I will see him, and the play, through different eyes. I believe that I have changed a lot on the inside over these twelve years, and I have a feeling I am going to connect with the emotional truth in Sancho, and in the play, in a much more profound way. I think I feel things more deeply now than I did then. Because of that, I have a feeling I’m going to feel this play much more deeply. It has been eight years since I last acted. At Regent, with our sizeable MFA Acting program, it is difficult justifying faculty taking roles in our productions. This makes it a lot more difficult, especially if you are a union actor, to find local opportunities to act. It’s going to be a challenge to scrape off the rust after eight years—but one I feel is both healthy and necessary. I have spent the last eight years primarily in the role of teacher/director. It will be nice to trod the boards again--on the other side of the footlights!

Performances of Man of La Mancha are one weekend only, October 22, 23 & 24

Virginia Musical Theatre’s box office number is757-340-5446.

Break a leg, Dr. Kirkland!

Leaving Iowa Receives Accolades in Veer Magazine

2010-10-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

"When Regent University Theatre gets it right - as they most certainly do with Leaving Iowa - their shows belong at the head of the local AAA League, only a notch below the big-league pros."

Read the rest of the review HERE!

Leaving Iowa Offers Touching Journey

2010-09-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

L - R: Back: Sharon Biermann, Tabitha Ray,
Front: Zachary Bortot, Sean Cowan

by Judy Baker

For many, the phrase "family vacation" conjures up images of sweltering heat, hours in a car, and an abundance of educational tourist sites. The Regent University Theatre Department captures the nostalgic memories of these annual summer journeys in Leaving Iowa.
In this sentimental comedy penned by stand-up comedians Tim Clue and Spike Manton, journalist Don Browning returns home to Winterset, Iowa, to find a suitable place to scatter his father's ashes. As he journeys across the Midwest, he relives the summer vacations he spent as a boy idly perched with his sister in the backseat of his family's station wagon.

The heartwarming production is set in a cornfield and is told through flashbacks intermingled with the present. "I've joked with the cast that Leaving Iowa is a colorful collision of Hee-Haw and The Glass Menagerie," said director Eric Harrell, chair of Regent's theatre department.

Although it's a comedy, the play poignantly portrays Browning's quest to make peace with his deceased father. "This delightful new play strikes the perfect balance of tender humor as father and son reconnect for one last, grand adventure," Harrell explained. "In many ways, it's a nostalgic ode to days gone by."

The production's message that the journey is often as important as the destination is sure to resonate with people of all ages. "I suspect there won't be a single person in the audience that can't relate to the experiences of the Browning family as they live out their annual summer vacation," Harrell said. "Leaving Iowa will keep our audiences laughing and remembering all of the childhood vacations they've tried so hard to forget.

Leaving Iowa was nominated Best New Play by the American Theatre Critics Association. In Regent University's production, third-year MFA Acting student Sean Cowan performs his thesis role.

Performances continue Sept. 23-26.

Purchase tickets online.

Leaving Iowa Opens This Weekend!

2010-09-14T08:29:00.000-07:00

Take a road trip with the Browning family in the new comedy hailed by the Chicago Sun-Times as "simultaneously hilarious and touching." This nostalgic look at family vacations will remind you of a time when we all asked that plaguing question . . . "Are we there yet."

Here are some thoughts from Director, Eric Harrell:

Surely there is a therapist out there who specializes in PTVD: post-traumatic vacation disorder. It’s the ailment that leaves families everywhere emotionally scarred and physically debilitated following the annual summer vacation.

For the most part, my family was spared PTVD. Every July my father navigated the family station wagon to sites my brother and I typically found interesting. There was the trip to the Grand Canyon, the Key West excursion and even Disneyland in fourth grade. But then came 1986: the sesquicentennial of Texas.

To help wish our home state a happy 150th birthday, my dad decided we would vacation stateside that year. The plan? Follow the historical markers and let history be our guide! I discovered rather quickly that water parks and video arcades do not have historical markers. Places like Washington-on-the-Brazos are rife with them.

In our quest to honor the history of our great state, we left no historical marker unvisited. There was Raven Hill (the plantation home of General Sam Houston), the Davis Mill (the first stone mill in Bell County with a carding machine) and the Lampasas River Bridge (a rare surviving example of a Whipple Truss!). It was the longest three weeks of my life. I can still feel my thighs sticking to the vinyl seats of our wood-paneled station wagon. I can still see the coarse stitching running through the middle of the back seat that served as the Great Wall of China between my feuding brother and me. And yes, I can still see (and smell) the many public bathrooms at all those remote gas stations in the middle of nowhere. Were it not for the motel swimming pools, picnics at state parks and the magnetized checker board we played in the car, I think the Texas sesquicentennial would likely have been my undoing.

But I did survive. And the next year my dad flew us all to Cancun.

I guess you made it through your family vacations as well or you wouldn’t be here tonight. And I suspect as you relive those memories alongside the Browning family in Leaving Iowa you may find they’re less bitter in hindsight. In fact, you may remember them as fondly as I’ve come to remember the Texas sesquicentennial. Though if anyone knows a good therapist specializing in PTVD, my kids may be interested. We vacationed in Texas this year. There was a rare example of a surviving Whipple Truss I just had to show them.

Enjoy the show!
- Eric Harrell

Performances of Leaving Iowa are in the Studio Theater:

September 17th & 18th and 23rd-25th at 8:00 p.m.

September 18th & 19th and 25th & 26th at 3:00 p.m.

Regent Featured in Southern Theatre Magazine!

2010-09-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Regent University’s Theatre program was recently featured on the cover of Southern Theatre magazine! 2010 MFA graduate Rob Arbaugh is pictured in his role as "Orlando" from last fall’s production of As You Like It, directed by Scott Hayes. The article by Deanna Thompson, editor of Southern Theatre, is called “Social Media Onstage: Romeo and Juliet Are on Facebook, Orlando Sends Tweets”.

Rob Arbaugh as "Orlando"

Highlighting the current trend of incorporating social media onstage, the article explores the relationship between play production and marketing. Quoting Scott Hayes, it explains how after hearing about a church which sent text messages of Bible verses during a sermon, he “immediately thought of the potential for theatre – using Twitter, ‘footnotes’ could be sent directly to the viewer in real time.” He adds, “We didn’t change Shakespeare’s verse, language or structure, but in addition to Twitter, we incorporated contemporary music, live video, Guitar Hero and other 21st century communication tools.” To read the whole article, click on the link to Southern Theatre magazine, below.

http://www.setc.org/publications/southern.php

Summer C.A.M.P.'s The Wiz

Regent’s Summer C.A.M.P. production of The Wiz, directed by 2010 MFA graduate Ryan Clemens, continued the trend of incorporating social media and contemporary technological elements in production. In this high-tech production, Dorothy used a GPS to navigate through Oz, her Facebook page was displayed on a projection screen and the “iPoz” dancers welcomed her into the Emerald City. Quoting from Ryan’s director’s notes, “In our modern world – our multicultural, mixed-media, global community – teens find refuge in technology. Really, Dorothy wouldn’t require a cyclone to whisk her away. She could simply open her laptop, switch on her cell phone, or plug into her iPod to escape. With this ‘modern’ reality in mind, I looked for fun ways to update The Wiz for a contemporary Dorothy, keeping the show’s funky, soulful flavor while easing Oz into our digital age.”

Regent Theatre continues to rise to the challenge of presenting relevant material to both traditional and more contemporary audiences. Returning to Scott Hayes’ concept of As You Like It, he explains, "The play is about transformation. Characters are forced to change their environments, put on false identities, and their ideas are transformed into noble actions. I hope our 'transforming' of the play into a contemporary setting makes clear the timeless nature of our message."

Regent Students Active in Summer Theater

2010-09-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

Many of our current students and recent graduates were very busy this summer working in theaters around the country. Here’s a sampling of what some of them were up to!

Hannah Hughes, (3rd year MFA), spent this past summer in the Apprentice Program at the acclaimed Berkshire Theatre Festival in Stockbridge, MA. To read more about her experiences, check out her blog!
Hannah's Journey Through the Berkshires

Rob Arbaugh and Ryan Clemens, MFA ‘10, appeared at the well-known Virginia Shakespeare Festival in Williamsburg. Ryan played Duke Frederick in As You Like It, and Rob reprised his role of Orlando in As You Like It, and also appeared as Roper in Man for All Seasons.

Andrew (AJ) Lease (1st Year MFA) spent the summer interning on Broadway with The Nederlander Producing Company of America. AJ created a small archive for the company and worked in the office. At night, AJ worked in 9 lobbies on Broadway signing people up for a free rewards program. He also worked at the National High School Musical Theater Awards and The National Boy Scout Jamboree in Times Square. AJ met some amazing people including: Kathleen Raitt (Producer of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL and THE CIVIL WAR), Tommy Tune, Paul Gordon (The Composer of JANE EYRE: THE MUSICAL), Frank Wildhorn (Composer of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL), Levi Kreis (2010 Tony Award Winner for Best Featured Actor in a Musical), Thelma Pollard (The Phantom's personal make-up designer and longest running make-up artist on Broadway), and James Moye (Currently in MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET.)

Jeff Fazakerley (2nd year MFA) performed The Wreck of the Dictator, a half hour long, one-man show at the beach front all summer. You can read more about his experience by clicking the following link.
The Incomplete Works of Jeff Fazakerley

Diana Coates (2nd year MFA) worked with the African Continuum Theatre Company of Washington D.C. and award winning author Pearl Cleage to bring some of Mrs. Cleage's most famous plays back to the stage including Blues For An Alabama Sky, Bourbon at the Border, and Flyin West. Teaming up with the DC Theatre Festival, she also performed in the original work, Harlem 9/11, a play that highlighted one family's struggles during the aftermath of September 11th. Diana finished her summer writing and directing a show for her church's youth conference where nine young people trusted the Lord as their Savior.

Early in the summer, Brandon Langeland’s (M.A.) original adaptation of The Scarlet Letter was performed on Regent’s campus. The show was directed by Chad Gilliland (3rd year MFA) and the cast included Whitney Rappana (2nd year MFA), Chris Bookless (1st year MFA) and Margaret Beasley (B.A.)

Andy Geffken, Tabitha Ray, (3rd year MFAs) Amy Dunlap, Britain Willcock (2nd year MFAs) and Chris Bookless, (1st year MFA) together with ’10 MFA graduate Kaja Dunn put together a six-person adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The show was directed by our own Shakespeare professor, Scott Hayes. The cast referred the project as the “Blair Witch” Macbeth, as the production made innovative use of the limitations of the library auditorium and very low technical elements to encourage the audience’s imagination.

Regent’s 2010 Summer Theatre C.A.M.P.s provided valuable directing and teaching experiences for many of our students and alumni. Ryan Clemens (MFA ‘10) directed The Wiz. Mike Salsbury (2nd year MFA) directed Mulan, Jr. and music directed The Wiz, joined by Nathan Schmidt (3rd year MFA) on piano. Amy Dunlap (2nd year MFA) choreographed and taught dance classes for both productions. Whitney Rappana acted as music director for Mulan Jr., and played Evilene as the mentor actor in The Wiz. Anna Koehler (MFA ‘10) taught improvisation, Andy Geffken (3rd year MFA) and Jeff Fazakerley (2nd year MFA) taught acting, Chad Rasor (MFA ’10) taught stage combat and headed up set construction. Tabitha Ray (3rd year MFA) assistant directed The Wiz and helped with stage combat, Britain Willcock (2nd year MFA) worked on set construction, and Beka James (B.A.) was choreography intern for The Wiz. Brad Archer (MFA ‘10) and Jared O’Dell (B.A.) stage-managed, and Tianna Yentzer (B.A.) assistant stage managed.

The following link is to a Virginia Pilot article about the process of producing The Wiz.
Yellow Brick Road Comes Our Way

Gene Gray (3rd year MFA) apprenticed at The Shakespeare Company of New Jersey.

Gene describes his apprenticeship as a “life changing experience.” Continue reading for Gene’s personal reflections!

“I was a part of the 2010 Summer Professional Training Program which also involved interns, the next stage ensemble, the junior/senior corps, and Shakespeare Live! For 11 weeks, I was surrounded by 25 other apprentices from all over the country and ranging from ages 19 to 32. Our classes consisted of acting Shakespeare, Catherine Fitzmaurice voice training, Viewpoints contemporary movement training, Laban movement training, unarmed and single sword rapier combat, Shakespeare’s play reading, textual analysis, Sunday seminars, and Master Classes. My favorite classes were Fitzmaurice and Viewpoints. I plan to use both of these techniques as warm-ups and part of my thesis research for my role of “Toby Felker” in The Runner Stumbles this coming January.
We had many projects that we rehearsed and performed in front of the company, family, and friends. In 11 weeks, the entire SPTP and Equity Main Stage produced four main stage productions and 14 SPTP projects. I don’t know of any program that pumps out that many non-equity projects during the summer. Many of the projects include: Shakespeare Scenes, Classical Scenes, adaptations of four Shakespeare plays, three adaptations of classical plays, a late-night cabaret, and the SPTP final project- Coriolanus.
My favorite part of the entire experience was meeting all the equity and non-equity actors and taking some of them home by driving the actor’s van to NYC. I drove the van from Madison, NJ to 42nd street in the “Big Apple” a few nights a week. I was able to introduce myself to many actors by asking them about their beginnings in the theatre, how they got started, and any suggestions for up-and-coming non-equity actors. I never saw myself living in NYC, but now I see it as a possibility.
I would recommend any B.A., M.A., or MFA to partake in Shakespeare Theatre of NJ’s SPTP program. It is very long, very daunting, very busy, but it will be worth it in the long run. You’ll make lots of friends and have the possibility to make a strong connection to a major professional theatre company. I know I did, and I hope to return there and work as a non-equity actor.”

- Gene Gray (3rd year MFA Acting student)

Tony Hale brings insight and encouragement

2010-08-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

Recently, our theater community was visited by alumnus actor Tony Hale '95 (Com/Arts). Tony is perhaps best known for his role as Buster Bluth on Arrested Development, but he’s also appeared in the movies Because I Said So, RV, Stranger than Fiction and The Tale of Despereaux. His upcoming projects include the movies Happythankyoumoreplease and Not That Funny, as well as an ABC pilot titled Awkward Situations for Men.

Despite his impressive Hollywood resume, Tony came across as very down-to-earth and honest, willing to share his personal stories and to invest in the lives of current Regent students. During a question-and-answer session, Hale shared his own experiences with the ups and downs of the audition process, and the inevitable rejection that accompanies the life of any actor. "It's very difficult not to take it personally," he told the audience. "It's gonna be a roller coaster. It might not end up how you think it's going to end up, but it's going to be okay."

Several fortunate students were given the opportunity to set up one-on-one coaching sessions, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what some of our students had to say about Tony:

“I’m thankful Tony took the time to speak with each of us - it was an absolute pleasure. He also specifically addressed the conundrum of being Actors who are Christians without being Christian-Actors. This is my first time ever on a Christian campus and I'm finding the juxtaposition of our faith and our field an interesting one. A lot of us needed to hear that acting / performing is messy and dirty; it just is - and that to present the truth, we can't be afraid of that.” - Ashley Manning, first year MFA

“Tony’s insight and encouragement was invaluable!” - Michael McLendon, first year MFA

“I appreciated Tony’s candor and caution concerning Hollywood’s tendency to make empty promises and his advice to make sure your agent really knows you.”
Emily Fazakerley – Regent University Employee

“Tony is proof that it's possible to make it in this business while maintaining integrity, discernment, and humility.” - Katie Fridsma, MFA graduate

We look forward to having Tony visit us again in the future!

Recent MFA Grad Wows Williamsburg

2010-07-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

Rob Arbaugh, MFA class of 2010, has spent his summer thus far in Williamsburg at the well-known Virginia Shakespeare Festival, playing Orlando in As You Like It, and Roper in Man for All Seasons.

Click here and here for two reviews about his work in As You Like It.

There's still one more weekend to catch Rob in Man for All Seasons, running through August 1st. Click here for show and ticket information!

Godspell gets a rave review from Veer Magazine

2010-05-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

Click here to read the review of our 2009/2010 Season closer!

Don't miss Godspell!

2010-04-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

Regent Theatre is capping off our 2009/2010 season with an exciting, innovative production of Godspell, directed by the Theatre Department Chair, Eric Harrell. Read his Director's Notes below for a sneak peek into our upcoming production. The show runs April 23-May 2. Remember that during the first weekend, we're offering a special price of $10 a ticket for church groups of 10 people for more. Call the box office for tickets or more information: 757-352-4245. See you at the theatre!

"Whether you are a Godspell enthusiast or a first-timer, there is one thing we all have in common: this is the first time you’ve seen Godspell told quite like this. But that is, after all, one of the most compelling aspects of this show – every production is entirely unique. The creators of Godspell give full license to each company to make their own creative mark on the piece. I’ve heard of Godspell productions developed around popular TV shows and even one set in a McDonalds! Sorry folks, no American Idol or Quarter Pounders here tonight.

During my directing research, I was struck by two things that inspired the writing team of Godspell. The first was their desire to illuminate the inherent joy in the Gospel story, reminding audiences that the discipleship of Christ was not meant to create a dour life but one of joyous redemption. The second was the power of Christ’s teachings to unify disparate individuals into a fully functioning community of believers. As I focused on these two elements, I arrived in the world of our production: a global playscape, a joyous world where the discipleship of Christ builds trans-ethnic community.

As each company member represents a unique, international culture, they explore the teachings of Christ through a multi-cultural lens: African tribal dance, Indian Shadow Theatre, the Noh Theatre of Japan, Native American folklore, even vaudeville and sketch comedy. Parts of the opening number have been translated into seven different languages. The result is a testament to the power of Christ’s teachings to transcend cultural and racial boundaries. However, transcending ethnicity does not negate our unique cultural heritages; in fact, the body of Christ is enriched as the teachings of Jesus are applied through multi-cultural understanding and respect for our inherent differences. By the beginning of Act Two our company has learned this important lesson, and they unify their storytelling to unfold a simple yet stirring interpretation of the Passion narrative.

As a Christian artist and story-teller, the parables of Christ have been foundational in my both my faith and artistry. Having the opportunity to explore them in a new way for our production of Godspell has been a rewarding journey. I pray you rediscover the joy of the Gospel story - and the power of the master storyteller."

Blog Reflection on Original Work, "Disorientation of Butterflies"

2010-04-05T12:14:00.000-07:00

As part of what we call our Secondstage Season, the Regent Theatre Department has several openings each semester for a lab show--a production entirely put on by the students. (For more information about lab shows, click here!) Our most recent lab show was the original full-length musical "Disorientation of Butterflies," written by 3rd year MFA Acting student Alaska Reece Vance, composed by 2nd year MFA Acting student Nathan Schmidt, and directed by 1st year MFA Acting student Whitney Rappana. The cast was made up of several MFA and BA students, as well as a graduated MFA Acting student and an incoming MFA in Acting student. Click here to read a reflection on the show from a theological perspective, written by Regent's own academic advisor, Michael Difuccia.

Harmony Meets Hurricane of Personalities in You Can't Take It With You

2010-03-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

By Sarah H. Dolan

Home décor speaks volumes about the personal lives of those who inhabit the home. Grandpa Martin Vanderhoff's home, as portrayed through the set of Regent University Theatre's production of You Can't Take It With You, is eccentric, vibrant and quirky. Bright green walls are full of mismatched photographs, a deer head and gun. Romantic play scripts flower the living room, and snakes inhabit the room's corner comfortably next to the family xylophone.

It is there that the radically diverse Vanderhoff family lives and functions as one disheveled unit. Residing with Grandpa is his daughter Penelope Sycamore, a happy, unpublished playwright; her husband Paul, whose hobby is making fireworks in the cellar; their daughter Essie, a ballerina with two left feet who is married to Ed, a printer who plays the xylophone; and their other daughter Alice, a Wall Street secretary.

"These characters in the play—a family of lovable, innocent, but wacky nonconformists—are joyous examples of faith," said MFA Student Ryan Clemens, the director. "[Teaching life lessons] in a Frank Capra comedic sort of way. They live, they love and they laugh. They thank God for family, health, and all the fun one can find in life!"

Yet the family's idea of normalcy is challenged when Alice is betrothed to Tony Kirby, a businessman from a straight-laced family. When the Kirby and Vanderhoff families collide, the resulting chaos creates a near-literal hurricane of eccentric personalities with Alice and Tony caught in the middle. To worsen the situation, other offbeat characters are introduced to the household as the play unfolds.

"We've had particular fun finding the right balance of silly truthfulness with this cast of characters," Clemens said. "Included among our lovable lot of personalities are a boisterous Russian immigrant and a gin-soaked dramatist ... just to name a few. In Regent's casting quest to find that balance of lunacy and veracity, we created 'The Farm Fresh [grocery store] test.' In other words, 'if you saw one of these characters at Farm Fresh buying cereal, would you believe they were real?'"

Regent's rendition of You Can't Take It With You uses the artistically expressed merriment of the Vanderhoff family to illustrate individuals coming together to form community. The result is a loud mix of song, dance, poetry, painting and fireworks—all at once. But when the dust settles the audience sees a harmony and beauty in this kind of lifestyle, which Grandpa notes is easy to forget.

The production continues Thursday, March 18 - Saturday, March 20 at 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, March 20 - Sunday, March 21 at 3:00 p.m.

For tickets and more information, visit www.regent.edu/theatre.

Director's Notes for You Can't Take It With You!

2010-03-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

For our production of Kaufman and Hart's popular comedy, You Can't Take It With You, we welcome third-year MFA in Acting student Ryan Clemens as our student director. Ryan is in the direction concentration of our MFA Acting program and has been seen on our mainstage playing Petkoff in Arms and the Man, Strauss in Spinning Into Butter, O’Reilly in Musical Comedy Murders, Mrs. Chauvenet in Harvey, Arnold in The Boys Next Door (thesis role), and most recently as Touchstone the clown in As You Like It. A true connoisseur of comedy, here are Ryan's notes about his production of You Can't Take It With You, opening this weekend:

"The old saying is true: you never see a U-Haul behind a hearse because. . . you can’t take it with you!

Yet our play’s title is more than a punch line. It’s a bit of age-old advice to put in your pocket and take home.

Some take the sentiment as a justification for hedonism, indulgence and greed—as in the remark, 'Well, you can’t take it with you, so let’s spend it all and PARTY!' but through Kaufmann and Hart’s classic comedy we see the motto 'You Can’t Take It With You' as something very different. When first produced in 1936, the play and its title projected a heart-felt optimism, calling out to a nation worn down by the Great Depression. Now that we’re in 2010, with our current economic situation. . . well, it turns out that heart-felt optimism is still particularly relevant.

From a Christian perspective, we also note that the message is rather similar to Paul’s in his first letter to Timothy: a reminder that we brought nothing into this world; we can take nothing out of it. So, as long as we have food and shelter, shouldn’t we also have joy, laughter and celebration? Shouldn’t we also have prayers of thanks to the Man Upstairs, the Keeper of the Lilies of the Field, the Giver of All Good Things?!

We hope that, like Grandpa Vanderhof, you’ll also find joy, laughter, celebration, and lots of reason for praise—both in today’s presentation and in your own life. From our loony and loving family to yours, we say, enjoy!"

Don't miss this show, which runs through March 21st! Call the box office at 757-352-4245 or visit our website for tickets.

Recruiting for our MFA Program in CA and at SETC this week!

2010-02-26T10:45:00.000-08:00

This Saturday, Head of the MFA program Dr. Michael Kirkland will be at Vanguard University in Los Angeles auditioning actors for our incoming MFA program.

Next, Michael--along with our Artist in Residence Mark Paladini and Professor Scott Hayes--will be at SETC in Lexington, KY March 5-6 auditioning actors from all over the country for our next MFA Acting class.

If you're planning to be in SETC or Los Angeles this week--or know some actors who are--make sure you/they stop by and chat with our professors!

Also, check out our professors' workshops/presentations at SETC on Thursday, March 4:
-Noon-1pm: Scott Hayes will be presenting on his innovative directing concept involving twitter and other current technology for our recent production of As You Like It.
-4:00-5:30pm: Michael and Mark will be talking about being a Christian in the arts.
-8:30-9:30pm: Mark is teaching a workshop on physical comedy
-Also, keep your eyes peeled for Dr. Kirkland's stage combat workshops!

There are 3 remaining locations for our MFA auditions:
Feb. 27, 2010 –Vanguard University, Los Angeles, CA
March 5-6, 2010 – SETC Spring Convention, Lexington, KY
March 12, 2010 –Preview Weekend, Regent Univ., Virginia Beach, VA

To schedule an audition at any of these sites, contact Jennifer Martin at 757-352-4228 or email auditions@regent.edu.

What’s it like to audition for Regent’s MFA in Acting program? We like to think we have an edge up on other auditions. When asking some current students to describe what their audition experience for Regent was like, we got an overwhelming response! Read on!

“I can tell you that the reason I chose Regent was in large part because of my audition experience. I auditioned for a number of MFA programs, but in the Regent audition I met someone unique: a faculty member who took an honest interest in me and my ambitions. It was that genuine kindness and connection that got me thinking about Regent, and its that same spirit that has made my years here extraordinary.” –Ryan Clemens, 3rd year MFA student

“My audition for Eric Harrell in Chicago was the only grad school audition where I walked in and felt completely comfortable. Upon walking through the door, I immediately knew that Regent was a school where the professors both cared about their students and wanted them to excel. The rest of that audition and my three years at Regent have proved that theory to be true.” -Rob Arbaugh, 3rd year MFA student

“I had never heard of Regent before, but when I was in Chicago for the URTAs and noticed Regent was auditioning in the same hotel, I was immediately impressed by Eric's friendliness and warmth. He was very attentive as well as professional. I soon realized that not only was this a high quality program committed to an excellent MFA education, but also that if the rest of the people at this university were anything like Eric, they were real and down-to-earth, and truly cared about you and your future.” -Katie Cheely, 3rd year MFA student

“My audition for Regent was like a breath of fresh air. URTAs had been expensive and stressful. Mark came in to my audition in California, treated me like a human, not a number, and we talked like human beings. I felt like I was doing my audition for someone who already believed in me and what I could do.” -Jeff Fazakerley, 1st year MFA student

“When I came to the Spring Preview Weekend at Regent to audition for the MFA program, I was incredibly nervous! I had little reason to worry though, as the professors were extremely welcoming and friendly. They didn’t just shuffle people through the stereotypical cattle call; they actually took the time to see how I responded to direction, even going so far as to provide me with the opportunity to experiment with stretching my range on one of my selected pieces. They even listened to my story about how God had led me to Regent. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better experience during an audition!” -Zachary L. Bortot, 1st year MFA student

“What I loved about my audition was that the door opened right before I knocked because Eric was expecting me! It was probably one of the most comfortable audition experiences because I didn't feel like I was being put under a microscope; instead it was one person genuinely getting to know me through my creative talents.” -Anna Koehler, 3rd year MFA student

“I auditioned for Regent in Chicago last year, and what was scheduled to have been a twenty-minute appointment morphed into an hour-and-fifteen-minutes, as Eric graciously talked with me through his own scheduled lunch hour. My first surprise came when he actually took time to work my audition piece, not once but two or three times, to document not only my current capabilities but my ability to take direction. Our conversation remained customized to my personal goals and ambitions as an older, non-traditional student, and Eric answered my many questions and concerns with care, understanding, and an obviously thorough regard for what Regent would and would not offer me personally.” -Mike Salsbury, 1st year MFA student

“Right from the start I knew that auditioning for Regent University was different than any other institution. The process was comfortable, I felt like they truly cared about my audition, and Prof. Harrell seemed so incredibly passionate about Regent's unique mission that it instantly made me want to be a part of it. Once I was accepted I have never looked back. Regent University's MFA program is incredibly well-rounded and challenges you to live up to your highest potential as a theatre artist. The professors here truly care about each individual from the moment they audition to far beyond graduation.” –Britain Willcock, 1st year MFA student

Reflections from the Cast of "The Elephant Man"

2010-02-12T08:06:00.000-08:00

“One thing I learned from John Merrick was how his experience of pain generated in him an incredible desire for something transcendental. St. Phillip’s is a symbol of eternal beauty, and heaven is where the crooked shall be made straight. There is a spiritual blessing in playing Merrick in that I am reminded of my own complacency. If somehow the deep cry of 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven' is no longer in me, I am in danger of not living life as it is intended to be.” -Shinn-Rong Chung, 3rd year MFA student (John Merrick, thesis role).

“I feel very blessed to have been a part of such a wonderful and memorable production. I think we all were very disappointed to have to end the show early due to the snow storm. I heard from many people that they thought Elephant Man was perhaps one of the best shows Regent has ever done--high praise indeed. Everyone in the cast was so talented and suited to their parts. As a Pinhead and Nurse Sandwich, I got to explore two very different characters. The challenge was fun and exciting. On the one hand I got to experience a completely child-like side, which was a lot of fun. Then as Nurse Sandwich I had to become a stern, no-nonsense rock of a woman. The challenge added to the excitement. And I loved having to do quick-changes. During our final dress rehearsal I forgot to take my pin-head shoes off (which happened to be ballet toe shoes) when I went on as Nurse Sandwich. I wondered as I ran to my place why my skirt was feeling longer than normal. I didn't realize till I was entering in the dark, 'I've still got my toe shoes on!' I quickly debated whether it was better to wear toe shoes, or no shoes. I decided toe shoes. After that I was reminded each day by the ladies in my dressing room to change my shoes! All-in-all… The Elephant Man is one show I won't soon forget.” -Sharon Eyster, 2nd year MFA student (Nurse Sandwich and Pinhead)

“Working on Elephant Man was an amazing experience. Every moment of the rehearsal process, I felt like I was in the presence of master craftsmen - highly focused, intent on every detail, and determined to produce a polished jewel of a production. It was such a privilege to work with Dr. Kirkland, and to support Shinn and Brad in their thesis roles. As I journeyed with Mrs. Kendal on her path from external facade to internal truth, I also made discoveries about my own truth as an actor, and about how genuine human connection onstage can touch an audience like nothing else can.” –Amy Dunlap, 1st year MFA student (Mrs. Kendal)

“Working on The Elephant Man was a particularly thought-provoking experience. The process of building these characters to most effectively convey the message of this piece took a great deal of focus and patience. Dr. Kirkland's commitment to precision was complimented by Shinn and Brad's diligence in their leading roles as well as the work of the supporting cast. The overwhelmingly positive response from the few audiences that saw our show made the weeks of tireless rehearsing all worth it. It was one of the most complete shows I've been a part of.” –Andy Geffken, 2nd year MFA student (Carr Gomm)

Regent MFA Auditions in Chicago This Weekend!

2010-01-26T12:41:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Department Chair Eric Harrell will be in Chicago auditioning actors from all over the country for our next MFA Acting class. If you're planning to be in Chicago this weekend or know some actors who are, make sure you/they stop by and chat with Eric! There are 4 remaining locations for our MFA auditions:

Jan 31-Feb 1, 2010 – Midwest Auditions, Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, IL
Feb. 27, 2010 –Vanguard University, Los Angeles, CA
March 5-6, 2010 – SETC Spring Convention, Lexington, KY
March 12, 2010 –Preview Weekend, Regent Univ., Virginia Beach, VA

To schedule an audition at any of these sites, contact Jennifer Jackson at 757-352-4228 or email auditions@regent.edu.

What’s it like to audition for Regent’s MFA in Acting program? We like to think we have an edge up on other auditions. When asking some current students to describe what their audition experience for Regent was like, we got an overwhelming response! Read on!

“I can tell you that the reason I chose Regent was in large part because of my audition experience. I auditioned for a number of MFA programs, but in the Regent audition I met someone unique: a faculty member who took an honest interest in me and my ambitions. It was that genuine kindness and connection that got me thinking about Regent, and its that same spirit that has made my years here extraordinary.” –Ryan Clemens, 3rd year MFA student

“My audition for Eric Harrell in Chicago was the only grad school audition where I walked in and felt completely comfortable. Upon walking through the door, I immediately knew that Regent was a school where the professors both cared about their students and wanted them to excel. The rest of that audition and my three years at Regent have proved that theory to be true.” -Rob Arbaugh, 3rd year MFA student

“I had never heard of Regent before, but when I was in Chicago for the URTAs and noticed Regent was auditioning in the same hotel, I was immediately impressed by Eric's friendliness and warmth. He was very attentive as well as professional. I soon realized that not only was this a high quality program committed to an excellent MFA education, but also that if the rest of the people at this university were anything like Eric, they were real and down-to-earth, and truly cared about you and your future.” -Katie Cheely, 3rd year MFA student

“My audition for Regent was like a breath of fresh air. URTAs had been expensive and stressful. Mark came in to my audition in California, treated me like a human, not a number, and we talked like human beings. I felt like I was doing my audition for someone who already believed in me and what I could do.” -Jeff Fazakerley, 1st year MFA student

“When I came to the Spring Preview Weekend at Regent to audition for the MFA program, I was incredibly nervous! I had little reason to worry though, as the professors were extremely welcoming and friendly. They didn’t just shuffle people through the stereotypical cattle call; they actually took the time to see how I responded to direction, even going so far as to provide me with the opportunity to experiment with stretching my range on one of my selected pieces. They even listened to my story about how God had led me to Regent. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better experience during an audition!” -Zachary L. Bortot, 1st year MFA student

“What I loved about my audition was that the door opened right before I knocked because Eric was expecting me! It was probably one of the most comfortable audition experiences because I didn't feel like I was being put under a microscope; instead it was one person genuinely getting to know me through my creative talents.” -Anna Koehler, 3rd year MFA student

“I auditioned for Regent in Chicago last year, and what was scheduled to have been a twenty-minute appointment morphed into an hour-and-fifteen-minutes, as Eric graciously talked with me through his own scheduled lunch hour. My first surprise came when he actually took time to work my audition piece, not once but two or three times, to document not only my current capabilities but my ability to take direction. Our conversation remained customized to my personal goals and ambitions as an older, non-traditional student, and Eric answered my many questions and concerns with care, understanding, and an obviously thorough regard for what Regent would and would not offer me personally.” -Mike Salsbury, 1st year MFA student

“Right from the start I knew that auditioning for Regent University was different than any other institution. The process was comfortable, I felt like they truly cared about my audition, and Prof. Harrell seemed so incredibly passionate about Regent's unique mission that it instantly made me want to be a part of it. Once I was accepted I have never looked back. Regent University's MFA program is incredibly well-rounded and challenges you to live up to your highest potential as a theatre artist. The professors here truly care about each individual from the moment they audition to far beyond graduation.” –Britain Willcock, 1st year MFA student

Regent's Production of The Elephant Man

2010-01-25T13:42:00.000-08:00

Regent Theatre opened its production of Bernard Pomerance's The Elephant Man this past weekend to enthusiastic audience response. The production is especially thought-provoking, using elements from Brechtian theatre to tell the story. Keep reading for thoughts from director Michael Hill-Kirkland.

'I was first introduced to Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, in a 1980 production of Pomerance’s play at South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, CA. I was enthralled. Even as a young director, I recognized the fingerprints of Bertolt Brecht on Pomerance’s play. Brecht sought to deemphasize the audience’s tendency to identify with the feelings of a character. He sought to make the audience think rather than feel. Eventually, he came to believe that both thinking and feeling were not only complimentary but necessary. The question for Brecht became, “To what degree?” As I watched the play, I was struck by the fact that despite its episodic structure and use of dialogue voiced in past tense, devices Brecht utilized to achieve the verfremsdung (or alienation) effect, the play still landed with tremendous emotional gravitas; certainly affording as much emotional impact as social criticism. Like the characters in the play, we whisper to ourselves, “He is like me.” This irony only deepens when we realize that in seeing ourselves in Merrick we, in fact, normalize him; an act that robs him of his individuality. Pomerance is clearly commenting on society’s tendency to force square pegs into round holes. His depiction of Victorian society is one in which deformity is epidemic. You simply have to look a little harder to see it. And so it is with us. The moment sin entered the world we became “deformed,” and as Merrick states, it is only in heaven where the “crooked will be made straight.”

I went on to direct The Elephant Man in 1983. It was a very satisfying experience. However, I have no desire to repeat myself. Like Pomerance, I have taken my cue from Frederick Treves’ memoires, but with a twist. I approach the play not only as memory, but as dream. Like Merrick, Treves now seeks to lie down and, “sleep like other people.” His conscience has opened his eyes to his own deformities. Wealthy, respected, surgeon to the Prince of Wales—he cannot sleep. Morally adrift, he is in search of standards that will afford him peace. The poem Merrick often used to end his letters has taken root in the recesses of his mind and, just like Merrick was beaten in the Leicester workhouse, Treves’ own conscience now beats him like a drum, “boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom”,

‘Tis true my form is something odd,
But blaming me is blaming God.
Could I create myself anew,
I would not fail in pleasing you.
If I could reach from pole to pole,
Or grasp the ocean with a span,
I would be measured by the soul,
The mind’s the standard of the man.

Here then is the personal purgatory of Frederick Treves, where he seeks to reconcile his inner man with the outer man; where he is haunted by the childlike profundity of Merrick’s words,

“Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of dreams.”

Michael Hill-Kirkland, Ph.D.'

The Elephant Man runs through January 31st. Call the box office at 757.352.4245 for tickets or visit www.regent.edu/theatre.

Recent Grad Encourages with L.A. Experience!

2010-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

2009 MFA Acting graduate Christina Browder has been living and working in Los Angeles since graduating and has had a lot of success! In fact, she was just featured in a national Match.com commercial (click the link at the end of the post to see her!). Read on to see how she describes her experience thus far and what God has taught her during her time there.

‘I've heard people refer to Los Angeles as many things, one being "the city of dreams." I guess this statement is accurate (and enticing), as people everyday from around the world pack up their lives and move here to pursue...well...their dreams. From the time I was a little girl, I've had a dream to be a storyteller. Unfortunately, I have given up on that dream many times in my life (out of fear, lack of confidence, etc.) but God never gave up on me. So, on September 18, 2009, I found myself being one of those people...trekking across the country to the unknown. And I must say, it has been quite the adventure.

I remember one time, driving on the 101 Freeway through bumper to bumper, downtown, rush hour traffic and being completely overjoyed because... I was here. Or the time I was working background on Desperate Housewives, and in the middle of the scene, began to cry because... I was here. Or the first time I was able to pray for someone on a set, and being moved to...tears (you guessed it), because... I was here. I guess the overwhelming consensus is...I AM HERE!

And that statement has gotten me through some of the terribly challenging times, of not knowing exactly where I would live, or encountering obvious signs of darkness, or trying to start a career while paying back student loans, saving for new headshots, running around the city of L.A. to three auditions the same day...you know, the usual life of an actor.

I believe that God has me in L.A. for a bigger reason than I even realize. Yes, He has enabled me to be an actress and bring awesome stories to life, but He's also enabled me to see His love and grace in a way that I've never experienced before. And I truly believe He wants me to share that love, that life, and that grace with the inhabitants of this city. I am constantly humbled when an acting opportunity seemingly falls from the sky in my lap, yet encouraged when I remember that my life is in His hands. And although the opportunity manifested overnight, being prepared for that opportunity did not. So I am repeatedly inspired to study the craft when I'm not working, to pray when I don't feel like it, and to rejoice in ALL aspects of life when my mind wants to only be focused on "my career".

A couple things I've learned since being here:
1) God LOVES this city and He LOVES these people. I've encountered some of the most beautiful, intelligent, warm, and endearing people since being here. And that doesn't mean they are all Christians—some are searching, some are broken-hearted, some are running, some are hiding—but ALL are loved by God. And I try not to focus on the incredible darkness that is here, but on the incredible LIGHT! I think about the influence this city has and it makes sense why it is such a target of the enemy. It also makes sense why it has such a special place in God's heart.

2) It's sooooo much bigger than the career. I find that when I stop focusing constantly on the future and just enjoy where I am, things seem to happen. I'm too busy enjoying what God has done to complain about what He hasn't done. I must say this IS one of the bigger challenges in my life, yet so rewarding when I am able to rest in Him and trust that His timing is perfect!

3.) Everybody's path is different. This statement is especially apparent in the entertainment industry, as there is no "ONE" way. I try to focus on the unique path God has for me instead of comparing someone else's to mine. Comparing is exhausting and fruitless (I know, I speak from experience). It's better to just do what you can, incorporate YOUR strengths and celebrate YOUR successes.

As I type this, it's the new year, and I really do feel like a new person. I guess beginning a career in a new city makes you (hopefully) wiser and more appreciative of life. This year, I have an aim to enjoy God WHEREVER He is and celebrate each thing that happens in my life. By the way, I just got a manager and I thank God for her...we'll see what happens! : ) Thanks to everybody who took the time to read my first ever blog post!!

Muchas Bendiciones,

Christina Browder, MFA Acting, 2009.'

To watch Christina’s recent Match.com commercial, click here. We’re very proud of our graduates!

Upcoming Auditions for Regent’s MFA Program

2010-01-15T09:54:00.000-08:00

The spring semester is underway and very soon our professors will be on the road, auditioning actors from all over the country for our next MFA Acting class. This year, auditions will be held at 5 locations:

Jan 22-23, 2010 – Texas Ed. Theatre Assoc., Hyatt Regency, Dallas, TX
Jan 31-Feb 1 – Midwest Auditions, Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, IL
Feb 27, 2010 –Vanguard University, Los Angeles, CA
March 5-6, 2010 – SETC Spring Convention, Lexington, KY
March 12, 2010 –Preview Weekend, Regent Univ., Virginia Beach, VA

To schedule an audition at any of these sites, contact Jennifer Martin at 757-352-4228 or email auditions@regent.edu. Click here for audition requirements.

What’s it like to audition for Regent’s MFA Acting program? We like to think we have an edge up on other auditions. When asking some current students to describe what their audition experience for Regent was like, we got an overwhelming response! Read on!

“I had never heard of Regent before, but when I was in Chicago for the URTAs and noticed Regent was auditioning in the same hotel, I was immediately impressed by Eric's friendliness and warmth. He was very attentive as well as professional. I soon realized that not only was this a high quality program committed to an excellent MFA education, but also that if the rest of the people at this university were anything like Eric, they were real and down-to-earth, and truly cared about you and your future.” -Katie Cheely, 3rd year MFA student

“My audition for Regent was like a breath of fresh air. URTAs had been expensive and stressful. Mark came in to my audition in California, treated me like a human, not a number, and we talked like human beings. I felt like I was doing my audition for someone who already believed in me and what I could do.” -Jeff Fazakerley, 1st year MFA student

“My audition for Eric Harrell in Chicago was the only grad school audition where I walked in and felt completely comfortable. Upon walking through the door, I immediately knew that Regent was a school where the professors both cared about their students and wanted them to excel. The rest of that audition and my three years at Regent have proved that theory to be true.” -Rob Arbaugh, 3rd year MFA student

“When I came to the Spring Preview Weekend at Regent to audition for the MFA program, I was incredibly nervous! I had little reason to worry though, as the professors were extremely welcoming and friendly. They didn’t just shuffle people through the stereotypical cattle call; they actually took the time to see how I responded to direction, even going so far as to provide me with the opportunity to experiment with stretching my range on one of my selected pieces. They even listened to my story about how God had led me to Regent. I don’t know if I’ve ever had a better experience during an audition!” -Zachary L. Bortot, 1st year MFA student

“What I loved about my audition was that the door opened right before I knocked because Eric was expecting me! It was probably one of the most comfortable audition experiences because I didn't feel like I was being put under a microscope; instead it was one person genuinely getting to know me through my creative talents.” -Anna Koehler, 3rd year MFA student

“I auditioned for Regent in Chicago last year, and what was scheduled to have been a twenty-minute appointment morphed into an hour-and-fifteen-minutes, as Eric graciously talked with me through his own scheduled lunch hour. My first surprise came when he actually took time to work my audition piece, not once but two or three times, to document not only my current capabilities but my ability to take direction. Our conversation remained customized to my personal goals and ambitions as an older, non-traditional student, and Eric answered my many questions and concerns with care, understanding, and an obviously thorough regard for what Regent would and would not offer me personally.” -Mike Salsbury, 1st year MFA student

“I can tell you that the reason I chose Regent was in large part because of my audition experience. I auditioned for a number of MFA programs, but in the Regent audition I met someone unique: a faculty member who took an honest interest in me and my ambitions. It was that genuine kindness and connection that got me thinking about Regent, and its that same spirit that has made my years here extraordinary.” –Ryan Clemens, 3rd year MFA student

“Right from the start I knew that auditioning for Regent University was different than any other institution. The process was comfortable, I felt like they truly cared about my audition, and Prof. Harrell seemed so incredibly passionate about Regent's unique mission that it instantly made me want to be a part of it. Once I was accepted I have never looked back. Regent University's MFA program is incredibly well-rounded and challenges you to live up to your highest potential as a theatre artist. The professors here truly care about each individual from the moment they audition to far beyond graduation.” –Britain Willcock, 1st year MFA student

Current Student Performing at Little Theatre of Norfolk

2010-01-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

Join us in congratulating Senior BA: Theatre Arts student Courtney Coffey on her role of Libby in Neil Simon’s I Ought to Be in Pictures at the Little Theatre of Norfolk. The show opened January 8th and runs through the 24th. Already Courtney has recieved great reviews! Click here to read what one reviewer says about her performance. Then Click here for more information or to buy tickets. Break a leg, Courtney!

Some Alumni News!

2010-01-11T12:18:00.000-08:00

MFA Acting alum Michael Woods has been working as an actor in Chicago since he graduated in 2008, and we've featured his recent accomplishments in our blog before. Click here to read the Daily Herald article about Ray Cooney's Out of Order, the production he is in currently, and see a picture of Michael in rehearsals. Out of Order opens this Thursday, Jan. 14 at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights.

Reflections from the Cast of "As You Like It"

2009-12-11T09:34:00.000-08:00

Read below for some insight into a few of the actor's experiences performing in Regent's recent production of As You Like It!

“As You Like It was just that for me—as I liked it! The play takes place in the magical forest of Arden, a land of fun for actors and audience alike. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my thesis process. As an actor, any time you get a chance to work on Shakespeare, it is an honor and a challenge. You have to be true to the language, all the while telling the story to an audience that is not used to the heightened language. The world that Scott Hayes, our director, created proved to be a great vehicle to deliver this classic play to our audience. The set was a theatrical playground that we all could explore and create. Text messaging, ipods, and live camera work served as tools to tell the story. Being in As You Like it, being blest with the chance to speak this amazing language night in and night out, has been the highlight of my three years at Regent. To use the skills that I have acquired in my tenure here and to be able work with such a great cast has been an amazing experience.” –Rob Arbaugh, Orlando (3rd year MFA, thesis role)

“It was fun to be a part of such a technologically innovative production. For me, the process proved educational in regard to activating the potentially archaic text of Shakespeare, as well as exploring humor through action. Scott helped me explore positive choices for a character who could have potentially been frustrated throughout most of the show. The end result helped me actively pursue my scene objectives, and also, I think, proved more interesting to watch.” –Hannah Hughes, Celia (2nd year MFA student)

“My role as the fool, Touchstone, was a gift. Not only did I get crazy pants and the rich Shakespearian language to play with, but I also was allowed to discover the character's voice and physicality in a broad and zany style. In fact, thinking of how big, broad, and silly I got, I must say that my Touchstone went far further than I'd ever imagined he might when I first began researching the script and studying other performances. Yet, I feel that I found success - and a lot of joy, too - working in the boisterous freedom and expansive expression that Shakespeare affords.” -Ryan Clemens, Touchstone (3rd year MFA student)

“There are so many things that I was excited and initially nervous to approach once I found out that I was playing Rosalind. The first was the language- how to make it my own, honor it without being intimidated by it, and to see it as a gateway, not a stumbling block. Also, the physical and emotional exploration of Ganymede- Rosalind disguised as a boy- while still maintaining the awareness of Rosalind, was another aspect of the show that I started early on, walking around everywhere dressed and moving with that physicality, so that once I walked on stage I could, as Rosalind, believe it, and make Orlando believe it too. It was such a wonderful experience to be a part of, from concept to conclusion, and for my first Shakespeare show- it definitely allowed me to see that God does perform miracles in each of us- as well as hungering to perform more of the Bard of England!” -Stephanie Chandler, Rosalind (3rd year MFA student, thesis role)

Technology Meets Shakespeare in As You Like It

2009-11-30T10:46:00.000-08:00

By Sarah H. Dolan
November 19, 2009

The oft-quoted phrase, "all the world's a stage," takes on new meaning in the Regent University Theatre Department production of Shakespeare's As You Like It, an interactive production experience through the use of 21st-century technology.

"The play is about transformation," explained Director Scott Hayes, professor in the School of Communication & the Arts. "Characters are forced to change their environments, put on false identities, and their ideas are transformed into noble actions. I hope our 'transforming' of the play into a contemporary setting makes clear the timeless nature of our message."

Helping carry the message are singers who interact with musical interludes from Guitar Hero and Windows Media Player (WMP) soundtracks. Blackberry messages are projected on the big screen for the audience to see. Actors are outfitted in modern-day apparel, such as camouflage, worldwide wrestling uniforms and looks that emulate i-Pod character icons. And most importantly, about 90 text messages are sent throughout each performance to audience members' (silent) cell phones.

Hayes was inspired to add these and other modern, interactive elements to Regent's production when listening to a radio station describing a church that text-messaged the congregation during the sermon. The texts were released at specified times, citing verse references, web-links and other related content.

"I saw the worth of this approach, particularly when producing a play that uses advanced vocabulary or that takes place in an unfamiliar time or location," Hayes said.

As You Like It sticks to Shakespeare's original dialogue to tell the story of court exiles and forest natives searching for love and meaning in the forest of Arden. And Regent's audience set-up is designed for members to receive a mixed message, Elizabethan-style. This means that the audience is split into two classes: "wired" (informed), members who receive text messages in the balcony, and "unwired"(uninformed), members who sit in the orchestra seating. The wired section receives text messages that act as footnotes to the script, including biblical, Greek and Roman references. The texts also identify allusions to celebrity and nobility as well as disguised insults and humor.

As a result, at times laughter can be heard throughout one section, while the other just doesn't quite get it, which is meant to work toward adding depth to the comedy. Other modern-day elements include a comprehensive use of technology, such as projected live video and Twitter.

In the end, the elaborate use of visuals and technology add to the humor of the well-loved comedy, which is punctuated by what Hayes describes as some of Shakespeare's "wittiest characters" of all time. Two MFA in Acting students perform their thesis roles in the production, Stephanie Chandler (Rosalind) and Robert Arbaugh (Orlando).

Regent's production of As You Like It has caught the attention of the Southeastern Theatre Conference, the largest and most active regional theatre organization in the country, which plans to follow up with Hayes on the results of the show later this spring.

For more information, visit www.regent.edu/theatre.

PR/NEWS CONTACT: Judy Baker, Public Relations 757.352.4307, judibak@regent.edu

Facebook Fan page and Tweets for As You Like It!

2009-11-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

Become a fan of Regent Theatre on facebook! Search pages for ‘Regent University Theatre.’

The theatre twitter feed (https://owa.regent.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=85243e66dbbb41daa1e78d0896dac0f5&URL=http%3a%2f%2ftwitter.com%2fregent_theatre) is being copied to the fan page, so you can access the As You Like It tweets from there as well!

Tickets are going fast! Make sure you don't miss this production of Shakespeare's popular romantic comedy!

Shakespeare's As You Like It gets a technological makeover!

2009-11-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

As you may have already heard, Regent Theatre is taking our upcoming production of Shakespeare's As You Like It into today's technology-saturated world. In fact, in our production, the audience members can follow along on their cell phone or laptop computer to get extra insight into what is happening during this popular Shakespearian romantic comedy. Check out these sites for more info or to follow along!
http://ayliregent.ning.com/ http://twitter.com/ayliregent

Here are Director Scott Hayes' Notes on the concept of the production and where it came from--Enjoy, and see you at the theatre!

"I love almost all things Shakespeare. I’ve been blessed to have been intimately attached to the productions of 25 of the 37 plays attributed to the Bard. I never tire of the immediate and vibrant effect Shakespeare’s words have on our contemporary audience when the words seem newly-coined by actors who embrace the process.

At the same time, I’m not particularly pleased when directors create “concept” productions with little regard to the playwright’s original intent. To thwart such work, we teach directing students the importance of analysis. From a director’s point of view, practical analysis is basically the process through which the director will uncover the meaning of the play while keeping in mind the original facts behind the creation of the play. Only after a director analyzes a play should he or she decide whether interpretation is necessary – and only if the audience watching the contemporary production is in some way fundamentally different from the original.

Our audience has much in common with the Elizabethans , yet in the last three decades we have moved farther apart than in the previous 350 years. New media have opened up massive avenues for information, allowing unfiltered access to the best and the worst of culture and scholarship. Our access devices continue to proliferate and each of us are in some way tied – perhaps kicking and screaming - to the infrastructure of the virtual world. Truth be told, our mature audience has more in common with the Elizabethans than our student population. Today’s undergraduate student doesn’t know a world without the personal computer, and the high school student has always known the Internet and cell phone. “Information access” has become the most influential paradigm of our culture. I believe the ready and unrestrained access to information fundamentally separates us from our sixteenth century ancestors.

I accepted the responsibility of directing As You Like It just before last Easter. A day or so later, I was listening to a radio station describing a large church that had decided to change cell phone policies. Instead of silencing the phones, the church incorporated the use of text messaging during the message. The church would send messages regarding verse references, web links, and related content at specified times. I immediately thought of the effect of this approach for the theatre – particularly when producing a play that may use an advanced vocabulary, be of an unusual genre, or may take place in an unfamiliar time or location. A theatre production, using text messages, could send “footnotes” directly to the viewer in real time. We saw the appeal for our younger audience, but were concerned for the audience who might not want or need the text message “footnote” – wouldn’t they be bothered by the intrusion?

A student director and I came up with the idea of separating our audience into the “wired” section – the balcony – and the “unwired” section – the orchestra - and that’s when the “interpretation” of As You Like It came to me. In essence, we would be recreating the world of the Elizabethan audience that was split into two classes. The “informed” Elizabethan audience for As You Like It would sit in the galleys (balconies) and understand all of the Biblical, Greek, and Roman references, identify the allusions to celebrities and nobility, laugh at the disguised insults meant for the French – yet the “uninformed” audience standing in the “pit” (the orchestra) could enjoy the story of the play without any of this information. We decided to take the concept of wired/unwired/informed/uniformed into the production design, borrowing concepts from the Elizabethan theatre and incorporating contemporary elements. Like the Globe, Swan, or Rose theatres, we use a two-level stage with few scenic elements delineating changes of location, and we set the play in the contemporary world, as Shakespeare did. We haven’t changed Elizabethan verse, language, or structure, but we incorporate today’s music, video, Twitter, and other 21st century communication tools. All plot elements remain unchanged, yet fit perfectly in our contemporary setting – commercial wrestling, political regimes being overthrown, etc. In addition, there are a series of hidden comments within the production design that may be lost to anyone over the age of 25. It is exciting to think a seasoned theatre-goer may have to ask a younger audience member to help explain these elements – for example, the melody’s significance when Amiens serenades Jacques!

Our interpretation and use of technology has been embraced by both the academic and professional theatre community. Our production concept has been selected for presentation at Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC), the largest academic theatre gathering in the United States. Two months ago, well into our production implementation, I was interested to hear of similar elements being incorporated at Virginia Stage Company’s production of Romeo and Juliet. For the record – neither production knew of the plans of the other, and the use of technology is quite different. Romeo and Juliet used more 21st century storytelling elements (webcams, Facebook updates, etc.) and we use our 21st century elements primarily to interact with our audience, and I hope some members of our audience were able to see both productions.

My prayer with this production is no different from any other director. I pray our interpretation allows you to experience Shakespeare as if for the first time, enhancing without distracting from your experience. For some of our audience, this may in fact be the first time you’ve attended a play by William Shakespeare – and it is a deep honor and privilege to share what I love with you. May this be the beginning of a life-long relationship!"

Reflections from the Cast of "Dancing at Lughnasa"

2009-11-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

“Brian Friel’s work is so captivating in that it has multiple themes going on—religion vs. paganism, memory and identity, use of language, etc—and not exactly any clear-cut answers. This role was a challenging one for me, and I learned so much about my technique by playing a character with so much more life experience than I have. With Marianne’s awesome, freedom-giving guidance, by the end of the process, I had found such deep, personal connection with aspects of Kate that it was both extremely fun and extremely difficult to go onstage every night opening myself up to the emotional rollercoaster it would end up being and letting things hit those raw nerves. One night before the show, I remember the thought kept popping into my brain: ‘I get to help tell this story. I get to help tell this story.” It wasn’t about me, it wasn’t about my performance, my work, technique, etc. etc. It was about the story. This work is admittedly Friel’s most autobiographical, and I felt honored to portray one of ‘those five brave Glenties women’ who were Friel’s aunts and pay tribute to their lives.” –Katie Fridsma, 3rd year MFA student (Kate Mundy, thesis role).

“It was an honor to be involved in such a fantastic show and I feel so blessed to have started my work here at Regent with this show. I had worked with Marianne previously during my undergrad at Vanguard University and it was so wonderful to get a chance to work with her again. She really stretched my understanding of the role beyond just playing the part of narrator. Michael was just as much a character in this show, being changed and molded throughout, as any of the others. Exploring Michael's emotions during the show really only whetted my appetite as I feel I could have gone so much further it had the run had been longer. I'm so glad I got to see every second of this show over and over again. I learned so much watching the four thesis actors and I can't wait to do a role where I get to talk face to face with someone!” –Jeff Fazakerley, 1st year MFA student (Michael)

“There are fun moments in theatre, some great moments, as well as some inspiring ones. Lughnasa for me, was a fiery exaltation of everything that I have ever hoped to be as an actor; sharing moments of pain and joy onstage. Every night, exhausted beyond reason, I thanked God for His connection between my talents as an actor to offer up Maggie's story to the Regent community at large. I couldn't ask for anything more than playing Maggie Mundy. I will truly miss her and my Mundy sisters. ‘Yeawww!’” –Anna Koehler, 3rd year MFA student (Maggie, thesis role).

“From the moment I auditioned, I fell in love with both Jack’s initial vulnerability and his tenacious grace. Indeed, Marianne Savell, our director, encouraged me immensely when she suddenly exclaimed during our initial one-on-one meeting, ‘I mean, you really are Father Jack!' My reflection would be incomplete without a comment on the privilege it was to play opposite the rest of a very talented cast. Having worked professionally for many years prior to coming here, I am pleased to proclaim that my fellow MFA castmates are all ready to compete at the professional level, regardless of where they are in the program. I am especially excited to watch the 'thesis role' girls take the plunge upon graduation this summer and know that God has good in store for each of them. To all who danced along with us… words are no longer necessary.” –Mike Salsbury, 1st year MFA student (Father Jack)

“Being my first show at Regent, Lughnasa was a challenge as well as a rewarding experience. One of the ways it was challenging was having to speak in a British dialect when all the other characters spoke with an Irish dialect. It was incredibly hard to speak in an accent different from all the other cast members. I listened to people speaking the dialect nonstop, watched Mary Poppins with my children and An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being Earnest with my wife. Finally, even though my girls (Mia and Bella, twins age 3) looked at me funny, I spoke in the dialect almost all the time at home. One of the ways Lughnasa was a rewarding experience was that I had the privilege to play opposite Katie Cheely, who played Chrissie—Gerry's love interest. Katie was spontaneous, flexible, and downright fun onstage. Through being onstage with Katie, I learned by her example how to truly listen to the other person in the scene and respond accordingly through the text. With its challenges and rewards, I was honored to be a part of the cast of Dancing at Lughnasa and thoroughly enjoyed the direction of Marianne Savell.” –Nathanael Fisher, 1st year MFA student (Gerry Evans)

Regent News: Dancing at Lughnasa

2009-10-27T10:09:00.000-07:00

Dancing at Lughnasa Brings Music to Life
By Sarah H. Dolan

Restraint marks the beginning of the Mundy sisters' dance—a tap of the foot, nod of the head and light pat on a cooking pot. But as the Regent University Department of Theatre production of Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa unfolds, the sisters let their hair down as their life's dance literally lets loose into chaotic stomps, howls and leaps of unrestraint.

"One of the themes in the play is that music and dancing transcend language," said special guest Director Marianne Savell, adjunct professor at Vanguard University. "And of course the irony is that theatre is truly language-based and yet Friel is always working toward the transcendent."

Dancing at Lughnasa is the story of five unmarried Mundy sisters, eking out their lives in a small Irish village in 1936. Their sparse existence is interrupted by brief, colorful bursts of music from the radio, their only link to the romance and hope of the world at large. The play is narrated by one of the sisters' son as he remembers the women who raised him.

"The Regent actor playing Michael (the son) is a young man that I directed during his undergraduate studies in California," Savell said. "The Regent actresses who play the sisters in the production are quite like sisters off-stage too—which really enriches the play."

The role of Michael is played by Jeff Fazakerley, a first-year MFA in Acting student. Four out of the five Mundy sisters are performed as thesis roles by third-year MFA students: Katie Cheely (Christina), Anna Koehler (Maggie), Alaska Reece Vance (Rose) and Katie Fridsma (Kate). The fifth sister (Agnes) is played by second-year MFA student Tabitha Ray.

Throughout the production the sisters struggle to make ends meet and understand their roles in the society in which they live in. As a result, they face battles of image: propriety versus freedom, and ordinary duty versus the more exciting world of the spontaneous. Meanwhile, the radio, which works intermittently, manages to put their conflicting feelings to music.

"The play also deals very strongly with the idea of 'religion' taking over a pagan society," said Savell. "And one of the characters in the play is a priest who in his 25 years of working with lepers in Africa has lost his religion. His character brings up a lot of questions." The priest is portrayed by first-year MFA student Mike Salsbury.

In Regent's adaptation of the play, Savell directs the characters' interactions with one another to show, rather than tell, time-sequences; the narrator's memory and its relation to present and past. "I think the audience will be delighted with the play...lights, sound, costumes, set and props are all quite wonderful and have a bit of magic to them," she said.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.regent.edu/theatre.

PR/NEWS CONTACT: Judy Baker, Public Relations. Phone: 757.352.4307 Fax: 757.352.4888 E-mail: judibak@regent.edu

Regent Welcomes Guest Director for Dancing at Lughnasa

2009-10-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

At Regent Theatre, we get a lot of opportunities to work with accomplished guest artists. The cast of Regent's current production, Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa, had the chance to work with guest director Marianne Savell for 6 weeks. During her time here, Marianne also taught several workshops and took time to share her insight and experience with our students.

Check out Marianne's bio and come see Dancing at Lughnasa, which opened this past weekend and plays this upcoming weekend!

Regent Theatre welcomes Marianne Savell, guest director of Dancing at Lughnasa. Marianne is an accomplished actor, director and teacher coming to us from Los Angeles, where she is an adjunct professor at Vanguard University and a member of Directors Lab West. She received her MFA in Acting from the University of Illinois where she graduated with highest honors and was a guest artist at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She is on the advisory board of Provision Theater Company in Chicago and was invited to the prestigious New Harmony Project to direct Margaret Hunt’s new play And the Ravens Feed Us in 2008. Marianne’s professional directing credits include the critically acclaimed Jeff award-nominated Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Victory Gardens, Chicago), the world premiere and LA Weekly award-winner Gulf View Drive, Angel Street, Translations, the West Coast premiere of As It Is in Heaven, The Crucible, Hamlet, God & Shakespeare and Molly Sweeney. At Vanguard, Marianne directed the American College Theatre Festival finalists The Lion in Winter and As It Is in Heaven as well as Saint Joan, America’s Broadway and Three Sisters. Her professional acting credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (ACTC), The Seagull (LA Weekly award for Best Featured Actress), As You Like It, The Voice of the Prairie, The Hasty Heart, All My Sons, Uncle Vanya, Twelfth Night, Bullshot Crummond and Henry V.
Marianne has a few new plays in development and is conducting research in the Virginia Beach area for her new play on generals Lee and Grant, in partnership with Taproot Theatre Company in Seattle, where she is an associate artist. We came to know about Marianne when she directed one of our own MFA in Acting alumni, Dan Roberts (’07) in The Crucible at Actors Co-op, a professional Christian theatre company in Los Angeles. We’re glad to have her here!

Reflections from "The Boys"

2009-10-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you saw our recent production of The Boys Next Door, you saw the endearing humor and humanity the cast brought to their characters. Here are some reflections from some of the actors about their experience finding their way through Tom Griffin's touching work.

“Becoming Arnold was a great challenge and a great honor as well. I made a lot of discoveries watching documentaries, talking with psychiatrists, and hanging out with ‘special needs’ folks. Yet the most brilliant revelation I made, speaking both as an actor and a person, was how I didn't need to adopt an outside understanding to play this ‘special’ role. You see, I've been Arnold; Arnold is me. He's the me who gets too loud when he doesn't get his way with the TV. He was the me who packed a picnic basket and ran away to live in the band shell in the park. He was the me who didn't know how to talk to girls, how to dress cool, how to figure out fractions, how to stand up to a bully, or how to look someone in the eye when they laugh and say, ‘You spent all that money to be an ACTOR?’ What I want to say is, I'm special. We're all ‘special.’ This experience has shown me that we are better served to look inside ourselves and discover the many things we share with the mentally disabled of our society, rather than define that group by their differences.” -Ryan Clemens, third-year MFA Actor (Arnold Wiggins, thesis role)

“Being one of ‘the boys’ was truly one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had. Mark Paladini, our director, told us from the beginning that he trusted us. Throughout the rehearsal process he would just let us explore and try different things. He was always open to ideas and would often ask, ‘What would you like to do here?’ We would tell him and his response would inevitably be, ‘Great! Let’s see it.’ Sometimes our ideas worked and sometimes they didn’t. And if they didn’t Mark was always there with another idea to make the moment work. I can remember during one rehearsal Mark told Ryan to come up with a funnier tick. The one Ryan had been using just wasn’t funny enough. Mark said, ‘I don’t know what it looks like, but I know there is a funnier one you can do.’ So, for the next 10 or so minutes Ryan tried every different tick he could think of until he did one that was so funny I couldn’t even look at him. ‘That’s it,’ I whimpered as tears of laughter ran down my cheeks, ‘That’s the one.’ It was this kind of collaborative effort that made The Boys Next Door the success it was.” –Chad Rasor, third-year MFA Actor (Norman Bulansky, thesis role)

“For me, part of fun in The Boys Next Door is getting to be one of ‘the boys’ with three of my cohort classmates. When there’s already a meaningful relationship, whatever connection we’ve found seems to build on something tangible. I also appreciate Mark for his artistic sensibility – how he guides us to find our moments (both comic and tragic), yet maintaining the humanity of these characters. Through the process we laugh, cry, get angry, excited and paranoid… but in the end we find ourselves embracing these characters as we embrace each another and ourselves.” –Shinn-Rong Chung, third-year MFA Actor (Lucien P. Smith)

“For me the key to a truthful portrayal of 'Barry' or any of 'the boys' relies upon finding those things in ones own life that relate to what the character is going through. I do not have schizophrenia, but I do remember several years of my childhood I spent fully invested into an imaginary world--I was a baseball player. I have a good relationship with my father, but I know what it is like to want my father to be proud of me. I like to think I have a good sense of humor, and am a patient person, but I know what it's like to be so frustrated when some one doesn't understand that my patience and sense of humor goes out the window. I said all that to say all of humanity is in each one of us. We are not so far from the socially, mentally, and psychologically disadvantaged as we think we are. Hopefully this play provided some insight into that world, and helped us recognize the need for unconditional love, understanding, and the humane treatment of all. Being in The Boys Next Door was an experience of a lifetime! Mark, the director, truly embraced the idea of letting the actors play. The result of that 'playing' was a collaborative finished product that was satisfying, fun, emotional, and educational for the actors, and audience alike.” –Matthew Winning, 3rd year MFA (Barry Klemper, thesis role)