Author Archives: mccauleyn

Magic and Power Dominate in Theatre Season Openers

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL… The College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance’s 2018-2019 season of social justice is expressed this year through musical theatre, drama, comedy and dance. The theme continues to support the College of Charleston’s sustainability literacy initiative aimed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to solve challenges of social justice, economic disparity, and looming environmental concerns. The Department is committed to exploring these critical challenges this season and every season. [season subscriptions available]

This month, the season will open with correlating productions of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Rough Magic by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

THE TEMPEST: “We are such stuff as dreams are made on…” After 12 years of being unjustly exiled to a remote island, Prospero sets in motion a plan to seek redemption for himself and his daughter. This masterful tale of ambition, desire, revenge and forgiveness is a tragically comic look at the manipulation of power and how those enslaved confront their enemies. Shakespeare’s tragicomedy brings spirits, monsters and magic to life in what is thought to be the last play he ever wrote. Directed by faculty member Evan Parry and features professional guest artist Scott Pattison as Prospero.

ROUGH MAGIC: Transplanting characters from The Tempest to present-day New York, Rough Magic is a Shakespearean action-adventure-fantasy in the tradition of Harry Potter and The X-Men that conjures a mythical, magical meta-universe in which the evil sorcerer Prospero is willing to do anything to recover his stolen book of magic — even if it means Manhattan’s destruction. Lucky for us, New York’s defenders include a quartet of unlikely heroes: Melanie Porter, a plucky, raven-haired dramaturg with the ability to free characters from plays; Caliban, Prospero’s hunky (though not-too-bright) son; Tisiphone, a revenge-seeking Fury from Ancient Greece; and a seventeen-year-old lifeguard from Coney Island named Chet Baxter. Directed by adjunct faculty member Paul Rolfes.

DETAILS:

Due to the other tempest, Hurricane Florence, the College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance will delay the schedule for The Tempest to Sept. 28, Oct. 4, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. and September 29 and Oct. 7 at 2:00 p.m.

The updated schedule for Rough Magic is Sept. 29, Oct. 3, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Sept. 30 and Oct. 6 at 2:00 p.m.

Emmett Robinson Theatre in the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 Saint Philip St.

Talkbacks will occur after the opening night performances.

Admission is $20 for general public; $15 for senior citizens, College of Charleston employees and non-College of Charleston students; and $12 for College of Charleston students. Season subscriptions and individual tickets can be purchased at theatre.cofc.edu or by calling (843) 953-6306.

IN THE MIX: Explore the Art of Composing Music for Film & Television

NATHAN MICHEL | Photo: William Mebane The College of Charleston’s IN THE MIX speaker series will once again delve into the nuances of the music business with Commercial Licensing and Scoring on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018 at 6:30 p.m at the Simons Center for the Arts, Room 309 (54 Saint Philip St).

Composer, producer and adjunct faculty member Nathan Michel will discuss the intricacies of his work as a composer for film and television.

Michel is a composer and producer working in a range of musical styles including classical, rock, experimental and ambient. His band, Hospitality, has released two full-length albums on Merge Records, and toured worldwide. Rolling Stone named their debut album a top record of 2012. Michel has also released four solo recordings of experimental pop music on the labels Sonig, Tigerbeat6, Skipp and Tomlab. Pitchfork called his solo music “daring, but highly listenable.” A classically trained composer, Michel received a Ph.D. in composition from Princeton and also studied at the Yale School of Music, The Royal Conservatory in The Netherlands (with Louis Andriessen) and Bowdoin College. He was a featured composer for the 2014 Ecstatic Music festival and has also written pieces for the Now Ensemble, the Princeton Laptop Orchestra, and others. His score for Lana Wilson’s film The Departure was described as “haunting” by the New York Times. His most recent work includes composing the music for Bud Light’s “Dilly-Dilly” Super Bowl commercials and the score for the film series A Cure for Fear, which premiered this month at the Camden International Film Festival. Michel teaches Songwriting for the College of Charleston’s Music Department and Introduction to Audio Production for the Arts Management Program, which now has its own dedicated recording studio. He lives nearby with his wife and two children.

IN THE MIX sessions are presented by the Arts Management program in the College’s School of the Arts. All sessions are free and open to both students and the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

Since 2014, IN THE MIX has explored timely and engaging topics impacting the musical landscape on both a local and national level, all while exposing audience members to industry insiders with real world experience and insight. Recent sessions have examined songwriting compensation, the music streaming business model, and the emergent Charleston music scene, while former guest speakers include Darius Rucker, Cary Ann Hearst and Jeff McClusky. View a full list of previous and upcoming sessions at artsmgmt.cofc.edu/student-opportunities/in-the-mix. The sessions are mediated by Grammy Award-winning musician Mark Bryan, who is an artist-in-residence in the arts management program.

The College’s arts management major offers students who are musicians or interested in music management the opportunity to pursue a music industry concentration, with courses like Introduction to the Music Industry, Legal Aspects of the Entertainment Industry, Music in the Marketplace, History of the Recording Industry, and more. For information visit artsmgmt.cofc.edu or call (843) 953-6301.

2nd Monday Series: Music of David Gordon

Kayleen and Paul Sánchez

The 2^nd Monday Series at the College of Charleston School of the Arts will present the music of David Gordon in a concert featuring faculty members Paul Sánchez, piano; Kayleen Sánchez, soprano and Eka Gogichashvili, violin. The trio has prepared a vast array of Gordon’s repertoire ranging from double piano to full trio works.

Gordon’s cycle “Mysteria Incarnationis” was written and premiered in 2015. It is a haunting, riveting work that is meant to be performed in a dark room, with only red votive candles and some stand lights as light sources. The texts of the cycle are written by the 4th century poet Ephrem the Syrian, and are all texts dealing with Mary’s perception of the birth of Christ. The music calls for all musicians to double on multiple instruments. The composer uses quarter tonal scales to achieve a mysterious, otherworldy sound. The soprano doubles on toy piano, Thai button gongs, finger cymbals, a vibratone, and a glass globe; the violinist doubles on a prepared autoharp; the pianist plays a prepared piano, a neck brace harmonica, and a wine glass.

Pianist Paul Sánchez shares that “Composer David M. Gordon, after hearing Kayleen and I perform his song setting ‘Fader, stilla våra andar,’ which he praised as being ‘deeply moving and extraordinarily precise,’ composed the monumental song cycle ‘Mysteria Incarnationis’ for us. As its dedicatees, Kayleen and I were honored to perform the world premiere alongside violinist Eka Gogichashvili in 2015. The work is incredibly demanding and virtuosic for the performers, with its dense polymetric textures, quarter-tonal sound world, and intricate passagework, and creates an otherworldly, haunting, jarring, and ultimately moving experience for the listener. The piece is novel in the extreme, yet its visceral punch is primal in nature.”

David M. Gordon (b. 1976) earned B.M. and M.M. degrees in music composition from Northern Illinois University, where his principal teacher was Dr. Jan Bach. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in composition at the University of Chicago, studying primarily under Shulamit Ran and Marta Ptaszynska. Gordon has written works for a variety of performers and ensembles, including eighth blackbird, the Pacifica Quartet, the Chicago Sinfonietta, Aguavá New Music Ensemble, Contempo, the Motion Trio, and steelpan virtuoso Liam Teague. His music has also been featured at numerous distinguished venues and events, including the Tanglewood Festival of Contemporary Music, the Caramoor Music Festival, the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, the Deer Valley Music Festival, Chicago’s Symphony Center and Millenium Park, and Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, as well as at concerts in Russia, Poland, Ukraine and France.

Bio for Paul Sanchez

Bio for Kayleen Sanchez

Bio for Eka Gogichasvili

The concert will take place on Monday, September 10, 2018 at 7:30 p.m., at the Recital Hall of the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 Saint Philip St.

General admission tickets are $15 and can be purchased online at go.cofc.edu/secondmondaymusic, at the door, or they can be reserved by emailing concerts@cofc.edu. Students with school I.D. can attend for $10 at the door.

The 2^nd Monday Series will continue its 2018-2019 season:

October 8 | Bedlam (Kayleen Sánchez, soprano; Laudon Schuett, lute) performing music of 16th and 17th centuries

November 12 | The Charleston Latin Jazz Collective featuring faculty member David Heywood

February 11 | Natalia Khoma, cello; Volodymyr Vynnytsky, piano

March 11 | CofC Faculty Jazz Ensemble

April 8 | Voice Faculty: Saundra DeAthos-Meers, soprano; David Templeton, baritone; Robin Zemp, piano

Housed within the College of Charleston School of the Arts, CofC Concerts includes five extraordinary series: International Piano Series, Magnetic South, Charleston Music Fest, 2nd Monday Series, and CofC Ensembles (CofC Concert Choir, Opera and Orchestra), featuring international, national and regional artists, as well as the award-winning student ensembles in the College of Charleston’s Department of Music. Visit CofC Concerts at music.cofc.edu/concerts.

See the Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy

College of Charleston students will be able to attend and participate in a live taped recording of the NAACP award winning educational play, See The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy in partnership with the Department of Theatre and Dance and with the Sustainability Literacy Institute.

As part of a national anti-bias education program, See The Dance teaches students about the history of blackface minstrelsy and its continued effects on racial and ethnic stereotyping in America.

Co-developed by Dr. Jason C. White in the College’s arts management program, this one-time performance will be recorded for both educational and commercial purposes. CofC students are invited to attend on Friday, August 31^st at 7:00pm in the Chapel Theatre (172 Calhoun St, Charleston SC 29403). There is no late seating.

Admission is FREE but seating is limited to CofC students who present a valid student ID at the door. To avoid the rush at the door, CofC students should request a seat in advance using this link.

Learn more about See The Dance.

Arts Abound | Fall 2018 Events Calendar

With events ranging from fully-staged, professional dance and theatre productions to scholarly lectures on art and architectural history, the College of Charleston School of the Arts offers numerous public arts experiences for well-seasoned patrons and curious novices alike.

Throughout the academic year, the school presents a robust season of CofC Concerts, arts management sessions on navigating the music industry, theatre + dance performances, studio art exhibits and lectures, historic preservation/community planning lectures, plus the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art’s unique exhibitions, lectures and films. Season subscriptions and memberships are available for several series and programs.

View our fall arts calendar for a listing of this semester’s arts opportunities. Events are added as the semester progresses, so be social with the School of the Arts for the latest news.

Piccolo Spoleto Festival: College of Charleston Young Artists Series

The Young Artists Series features some of the College of Charleston School of the Arts’ most accomplished music students and alumni. Tickets are $11 (FREE for kids 12 and under) and available for purchase(up to 2 hours before performance) at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival Box Office in the Charleston Visitors Center, by calling 1-(866)-811-4111, online, or at the door. All concerts take place at 12:00 noon in the College’s Recital Hall in the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 St. Philip Street, except for May 26 at the Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St.

#CofCyoungartists

Saturday, May 26 – College of Charleston Concert Choir [tickets]
Under the direction of Robert Taylor, conductor, this outstanding, award-winning choir has been featured in juried performances at several national conferences and has toured the Southeast.
This concert takes place at Circular Congregational Church, 150 Meeting St.

Monday, May 28 – A Day With the Romantics [tickets]
Concert will include Sebelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 performed by TianruiHu; Lieder of Brahms & R. Strauss performed by Kiri Taylor and Jasmine Crowder and rarely performed songs of Rachmaninoff by Bates O’Neal.

Tuesday, May 29 – Back to the Future: Music of the 20th Century [tickets]
Program consists of the 1st movement of Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 46 performed by Jin Hui; Waxman’s “Carmen Fantasy” by Tianyu Liu on violin; Rodrigo’s songs for guitar and voice, performed by Fernando Troche and Omar Valencia; Songs of Barber and Copland performed by Michael Owens and Katherine Kuckelman.

Wednesday, May 30 – Beethoven: The Bridge to Romanticism [tickets]
This concert of all Beethoven will include the 1st movement of String Quartet no. 4 in A minor, Op. 18, performed by Tianyu Liu, Hui Jin, Tianrui & Maria Savelyeva; Violin & Piano Sonata No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2, performed by Tianyu Liu & Caleb Brock and Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69, performed by Maria & Anna Savelyeva..

Thursday, May 31 – Early Romantics [tickets]
Concert will consist of Schubert lieder, including Gretchen am Spinnrade performed by McKenzie Anderson; Beethoven’s “Waldstein” Piano Sonata, No. 21, Op. 53 performed by Anna Savelyeva; Cesar Frank’s Violin & Piano sonata in A Major performed by Gloria Lee and Paganini’s Variations on One String on Theme by Rossini for Cello & Piano performed by Maria & Anna Savelyeva.

Friday, June 1 – Mostly Mozart [tickets]
This all Mozart concert will include his Adagio in B minor, K.540 for piano, performed by Eleni Kamaratou and concert & operatic arias from Don Giovanni, Le Nozze di Figaro performed by McKenzie Anderson, Jasmine Crowder, Mary Ott, Laura Owens, Michael Owens and Kiri Taylor.

Saturday, June 2 – Isn’t It Romantic [tickets]
This very eclectic concert will feature Spanish composers Rodrigo and Albeniz. Rodrigo’s Plegaria de la infanta de Castilla for piano will be performed by Eleni Kamaratou; Albeniz’ compositions for guitar will be performed by Fernando Troche; Songs by Donaudy, Ravel & Schumann will be performed by Harper Mobley, Mary Ott & Laura Owens and Caitlin Tarver will perform the 1st movement of Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85.

Monday, June 4 – Charleston Jazz [tickets]
The ever popular jazz combos comprised of the successful alumni of the College of Charleston will be on display. The combo for this performance is Maxx Bradley, piano, Lauren Johnson, bass, Miller Boone, drums.

Tuesday, June 5 – Get Off My Bach [tickets]
This all J.S. Bach concert will feature Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen “The Ascention Oratorio,” BWV 11, performed by the College of Charleston Madrigal Singers and portions of Bach’s cellos suites Nos. 3 & 4, performed by Caitlin Tarver and Zachery Litchfield.

Wednesday, June 6 – What’s Opera, Doc? [tickets]
This concert will feature the rarely performed one-act opera(11 minutes in its entirety) by Samuel Barber & Gian-Carlo Menotti, titled A Hand of Bridge, which premiered at the original Spoleto Festival in Spoleto, Italy. Performers will be McKenzie Anderson, Mary Ott, Bates O’Neal & Chris Prohaska. Arias from operas by Verdi, Douglas Moore, Donizetti, Mozart & Massenet and the Love Duet from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde are featured.

Thursday, June 7 – To Infinity & Beyond [tickets]
Concert will include Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, 1st movement, Op. 107 performed by Maria Savelyeva; Heggie’s Friendly Persuasions, performed by Bates O’Neal; Edward Hart’s Dunbar Songs performed by McKenzie Anderson, Argento’s Elizabethan Songs, performed by Mary Ott and Torroba’s Sonatina for classical guitar, performed by Fernando Troche.

Friday, June 8 – College of Charleston Jazz [tickets]
Students of the College of Charleston’s successful jazz program play many of your favorites. The combo for this performance is Maxx Bradley, piano, Lauren Johnson, bass, Miller Boone, drums.

Piccolo Spoleto Stelle di Domani Theatre Series

Spoleto Festival USA and Piccolo Spoleto Festival present a 17-day feast of the arts featuring some of the most talented artists from the School of the Arts, from the local area and from around the world. The cultural adventure begins on Friday, May 25 and continues through Sunday, June 10.

Stelle di Domani series features students, faculty and alumni from our award-winning Department of Theatre and Dance. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll feel the power of dance and the theatre in five professionally produced events.

CHORE MONKEYS –Recently having its world premiere as part of the College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance season, Chore Monkeys, “takes a look at subtle racism facing young men trying to work and the challenges of maintaining interracial friendships in a world of white privilege and racial discrimination (Gabridge).” Just as you think you have it figured out, Gabridge offers you another moment to drop your jaw – either in laughter or pure shock – and hopefully for long moments after you leave the theatre, some echoing moments of truth and complacency… if not complicity… that might change the way you view those with whom you interact.. [more info and tickets]

ENTER THE UNDERWORLD – Enter the Underworld is an autobiographical solo show about a young woman who, having lost her mother to cancer at age fourteen, now works as a drama therapist in inpatient pediatrics with acutely ill children. As she attempts to guide her patients and their families through the unpredictability of sickness and the profound experience of grief, she must also come face to face with her own demons. What will it take to transform trauma into empowerment? Into healing? Enter The Underworld is a true story of self-discovery created from actual patient care experiences exploring the depths of what it means, from both a personal and clinical perspective, to unearth the soul. It is an attempt to fill a hole in the heart. It is a mother’s love. It is a daughter’s love. It is slowly healing. It’s learning how to not be afraid of the dark. [more info and tickets]

ONE WHO SEES – The College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance proudly supports our fifth annual collaboration with Annex Dance Company. This concert, the culmination of a residency with Annex, presents students and professionals performing an evening-length work based on people watching to music selected by the audience via a pre-show poll. [more info]

UNDER THE LIGHTS –This perennial Piccolo favorite highlights original College of Charleston student works. A series of 10-minute plays, Under the Lights features winners of the Franklin B. Ashley Playwriting and the Todd McNerney Student Playwriting Awards. Spend an evening celebrating the voices and ideas of the next generation of writers. [more info and tickets]

STAGED READINGS – Free staged reading of the 2018 Todd McNerney National Playwriting contest winner and runner-up. Previous winning plays have come from such notable playwrights as Caridad Svich (lifetime Obie award winner), James Still, William Missouri Downs, and Donnetta Lavinia Grays. FREE admission. [more info]

O.N.E. –The College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance presents this staged reading of a current work in progress by student playwright Nathan Cooper. “Thoughts are composed of fluid, evolving connections between differing parts and sections of the brain. What happens when these connections and pathways are disrupted? |O.N.E.| is a physical and metaphorical representation of a person’s being, one person split into three parts of consciousness, represented by three characters in a state of limbo, the result of repeated brain trauma.” FREE admission. [more info]

2017-18 School of the Arts Awards

The School of the Arts honors the achievements of a select group of students who have demonstrated excellence in their respective disciplines. The Awards Ceremony on Thursday, May 10 recognizes those who have set a standard for their peers as well as those who will follow in their footsteps.

The School also acknowledges illustrious alumni:

ALUMNI AWARDS
Award of Achievement
Robert Condy ’99
Margaret Furniss ’00
Kevin Hamilton ’95

Award for Philanthropy
Matthew Kennedy ‘00

Award for Service
Gregory Joye ’95

Young Alumnus Award
Ashley Fabian ’13

ART and ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY
School of the Arts Scholars
Alana Marie McDonald
Madison Rae Moga
Madeline Meriwether Stauss
Charles Richard Paine

Outstanding Student Award
Madeline Grace Hickey

Dean’s Excellence Award
Brittany Alyce Marino

HISTORIC PRESERVATION & COMMUNITY PLANNING
School of the Arts Scholars
Madison Rae Moga
Ellison Drew Whittle
Flannery Hudson Wood
Hunter Gray Macdonald
Elliot Slovis
Anna Catherine Carroll
Victoria Catherine Futrell
Charles Richard Paine

Outstanding Student Award
Elizabeth Kingsley Crimmins
Ashley Nichole Davis
Madeline Claire Petty
Elliot Louis Slovis
Madison Rae Moga
Charles Richard Paine
Anna Catherine Carroll

Dean’s Excellence Award
Alison Kathleen Deyo

ARTS MANAGEMENT
School of the Arts Scholars
Caitlin Billard
Peter Brokaw
Jenna Eberhardt
Olivia Gawler
Alexander Hunter
Victoria Kabernagel
Alana McDonald
Cameron Mills
Jordan Nolte
Emma Penny
Carter Rice
Tyler Sim
Chloe Spellman
Madeline Stauss
Allie Stubbs
Caroline Tweedy
Ariel Zambrano

Outstanding Student Award
Shiclasia Brown
Sean Colby
Macie Farley
Amber Fuchs
Parker Galvin
Olivia Gawler
Alexander Hunter
Carter Rice
Shannon Roudebush
Chloe Spellman
Elizaveta Talantova
Katherine Wilson

Dean’s Excellence Award
Victoria Kabernagel

Julie Jett Arts Management Citizenship Award
Emma Penny

Dr. Norton M. Seltzer Prize in Arts Management
Ariel Zambrano

MUSIC
School of the Art Scholars
Maxx Bradley
Anna Galura
Le’ah Griggs
Mary Ott

Outstanding Student Award
Maxx Bradley
Anna Galura
Le’ah Griggs
Mary Ott
Bates O’Neal
Mengting You
Kiri Taylor

Dean’s Excellence Award
Bates O’Neal

Mary Stewart Allan Award for Violin
Taylor Holloway

Marguerite Elfe Erckman Vocal Award
Jasmine Crowder
McKenzie Anderson

The Deborah and John Zeigler String Award
Anna Galura

The Melvin H. & Virginia Peacock Goodwin Award for Instrumental Performance
Lauren Johnson

Edwin Davis Peacock Award for Excellence in Piano
Eleni Kamaratou

Reba Kinne Huge Award in Music
Tianyu Liu
Jessica Shamble

Sue Simons Wallace Award for Excellence in Music
Tianyu Liu

The Music Department Alumni Award
Maxx Bradley

Bunnie Monger Memorial Award
Bates O’Neal

Robert and Pamela Dickson Outstanding Achievement in Violin Award
Tianyu Liu

STUDIO ART
School of the Arts Scholars
Drew Whittle
Jordan Poole
Madison Fabian
Fran Palazuelos
Marissa Dixon

Outstanding Student Award
Hunter Sturgill
Madison Fabian
Klair Davis
Hope Morgan
Calder Jose
Fran Palazuelos

Dean’s Excellence Award
Michael Wiser

The Artists and Craftsman Award
Amy Hill Hyman

Brian and Kathryn Rutenberg Studio Art Award
Alexa Hennessy
Andy Carver
Elijah Collins
Natalea-Rae Gibbons

The Corrie McCallum Award for Printmaking
Jessi Davison

The Laura M. Bragg Memorial Award
Dontre Major

Dr. Norton M. Seltzer Prize in Studio Art
Hope Morgan

Dr. Norton M. Seltzer Prize for Young Contemporaries
Dontre Major

Summerville Artists Guild Award in Memory of Detta Zimmerman
Sydney Lovice

The Tyzack Prize
Drew Whittle

THEATRE and DANCE
School of the Arts Scholars
Jennifer Bettke
Carrie Ferrelli
Ashleigh McGaha
Kathryn Noel
Abriana Quiñones
Victoria Kabernagel
Christina Mahaffie

Outstanding Student Award in Theatre
Carrie Ferrelli
Gibson Carter
Jenny Bettke
Jennifer Asouzu

Outstanding Student Award in Dance
Bailey McFaden

Dean’s Excellence Award (Theatre)
Jennifer Asouzu

Dean’s Excellence Award (Dance)
Victoria Kabernagel

Arthur McDonald Award for Theatre
Josiah Albright

Center Stage Award
Gibson Carter

Eliza Ingle Dance Honor
Christina Hughes

Faculty Award of Merit – Theatre & Dance Faculty Award
Felise Horne
Flynn Valentine
Nathan Cooper
Kenya Gadsden
Mattie Rogers
Sylvie Lexow

Franklin B. Ashley Playwriting Award
Brent Dorwart

Future Teacher Award
Ashleigh McGaha

Hannah Strickland Award for Excellence in Design
Ceili Hesselgrave Enron Set Design

Kathryn Norton Award for Service
Bailey McFaden

Maria Alicia Elfe Award for Theatre
Abriana Quiñones

Dr. Norton M. Seltzer Prize in Theatre
Brent Dorwart

Valerie Morris Award for an Outstanding Performance
by an Actor or an Actress in a Play
Abriana Quiñones – The Trojan Women
Javaron Conyers – Chore Monkeys

ADDITIONAL AWARDS
Jean W. Johnson Study Abroad Awards
Abigail Dentler | Academic Programs Int’l – Florence Italy (fall 2017)
Hailey Wilson | SAI: Florence University for the Arts, Florence Italy (fall 2017)
Emma Penny | College of Charleston in Spain (spring 2018)
Anna Schuldt | American College of Greece (spring 2018)
Anna Drechsler | American College of Greece (spring 2018)
Abby Foss | University of Leeds (spring 2018)
Elizabeth Alexander | Burren College of Art in Ireland (spring 2018)
Rosie McWilliams | University of Westminster (spring 2018)
Christina Hughes | CofC Performing Arts in Cuba (spring 2018)
Bailey McFaden | CofC Performing Arts in Cuba (spring 2018)
Emily Tran | CofC Performing Arts in Cuba (spring 2018)
Maxx Bradley | 4th Summer Music Performance Program at Anatolia College, Greece (summer 2018)
Celeste Caldwell | CofC in Sweden: Studio Art (summer 2018)
Sabrina De’Andrea | IES Abroad: Dublin Summer Intensive Acting Program (summer 2018)
William Goss | 4th Summer Music Performance Program at Anatolia College, Greece (summer 2018)
Savanna Heim | CofC in London + Paris: Architectural History and Urban Studies (summer 2018)
Eleni Kamaratou | Obidos International Piano Masterclass and Festival, Portugal (summer 2018)
Callista Milligan | Arts Management in Sweden (summer 2018)

The Wattle and Daub Travel Award
Anna Drechsler
Abby Foss

COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON AWARDS
ExCEL Awards (Excellence in Collegiate Education and Leadership Awards)
Omar Valencia & Ninerveh Williams | Outstanding Student of the Year, School of the Arts
Shiclasia Brown | Outstanding Female Student Athlete of the Year
Ariel Zambrano | Outstanding Bonner Leader Award

STATE, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL AWARDS
South Carolina National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Auditions
Chris Prohaska | qualified for both Musical Theatre and Classical categories
Jessica Shamble | qualified for and then won both Musical Theatre and Classical categories; advances to National YouTube Round
Kayla Moog
India Foster
Harper Mobley
Zahdriq Graves
Eli Major-Wright
Taylor Moody
Mary Ott | regional winner
Allie Crawford
Lucy Mulkeen
Jasmine Crowder | regional winner
Michael Owens
Bates O’Neal

Theatre Awards
Nathan Cooper | The Legacy Award for unrealized project Set Design for Macbeth, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
Kirstin McWaters | 1st place for David Weiss Regional Design for her set design of unrealized project for Macbeth
Carrie Ferrelli | Southeastern Theatre Conference Undergraduate Scenic Design Award (3rd Place)
Ceili Hesselgrave | Southeastern Theatre Conference Undergraduate Scenic Design Award (1st Place), Student Choice Award for Set Design of Enron, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival
Natasha Cox | Southeastern Theatre Conference Undergraduate Costume Design Award (1st Place), Honorable Mention for Costume Design of Enron, Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

“Into the Woods” — An Adult Fairy Tale Musical

Everyone thinks they know the classic fairy tales Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood. But in the hands of Stephen Sondheim (music/lyrics) and James Lapine (book) and their Tony award-winning musical Into the Woods, we see our favorite childhood storybook characters as never before. This adult fairy tale takes us on the journey of a baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family by ridding themselves of the witch’s curse preventing them from doing so. Through wit, humor, wisdom, and an amazing score, the musical explores the loss of innocence, the true cost of getting that for which you wish, and what happens after “happily ever after.”

The College of Charleston Department of Theatre and Dance and the Department of Music will stage Into the Woods, April 12-17, 2018. Directed by Associate Professor of Theatre Todd McNerney with music direction by Associate Professor of Voice/Opera David Templeton, the musical includes memorable songs like “Children Will Listen,” “Agony,” “Giants in the Sky,” and “No One Is Alone.”

The production will run Thursday, April 12 through Tuesday, April 17. Curtain times will be 7:30 p.m., except for the show on Sunday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m. only. A talkback will occur after the show on opening night. Performances will take place at the Emmett Robinson Theatre in the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 Saint Philip St. Admission is $20 for general public; $15 for senior citizens, College of Charleston employees and non-College of Charleston students; and $12 for College of Charleston students. Tickets can be purchased online at theatre.cofc.edu or by calling 843.953.6306.

Into the Woods debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe theatre in 1986 and premiered on Broadway in 1987, where it won several Tony awards include Best Score, Best Book and Best Actress in a Musical (Joanna Gleason). The popular film adaptation of “Into the Woods” by Walt Disney Pictures premiered in 2014 with Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Emily Blunt, James Corden and Anna Kendrick, and was critically and commercially successful. Already in the top five of the most successful movie musical adaptations ever, it was nominated for three Academy Awards and three Golden Globes.

This wildly inventive ensemble piece at the College features versatile student actors/musicians including Regan Pelicano as the Baker’s Wife, Haydn Haring as the Witch, Katherine Kuckelman as Cinderella, Patrick Lyons as Jack, Bates O’Neal as the Narrator, and Brooks Hawkins as the Baker. The design team includes faculty lighting designer Jesse Portillo and the following student collaborators – scenic designer Felise Horne, costume designers Sophia Koetters and Jacob McCubbin, and stage manager Samantha Buckley.

Chapel Moves Dance Concert Choreographed by Students

The Department of Theatre and Dance in the College of Charleston School of the Arts will present the dance concert, Chapel Moves. The annual performance features original dances by some of the department’s most talented students. These future professional choreographers and aspiring dance artists will showcase pieces selected for inclusion in the American College Dance Association’s southeastern regional conference.

Exploring how the body, mind, and spirit can be challenged and influenced by the world around us, the choreographers have created an evening of dance showcasing the diversity and strength of the dance students. The choreographers have challenged their casts with technical movement phrases and complex music, pushing the performance of the dance pieces both physically and emotionally.

The performance will run April 5-8, 2018 and will take place at the Chapel Theatre, 172 Calhoun St. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $15 for the general public; $10 for senior citizens and College of Charleston students and employees. Tickets can be purchased online at theatre.cofc.edu, by emailing oleksiakm@cofc.edu, or by calling (843) 953-6306.

***Short video interviews show the inspiration, meaning and process for the student choreographers and dancers in Chapel Moves. (Click here, and scroll down past the event info.)