By Liz Gunnels
News Bureau
JACKSONVILLE -- November 19, 2001 -- Jacksonville State University's Drama
Department recently put out a
"call" to many former students to find out how well they're doing in their
careers. Here are a
few responses.
"If they could see me now..."
-
Fabio Pires (summa cum laude & Honors, '01) has been accepted to Florida
Repertory
Theatre's 2001-2002 Intern Team. It is an honor to be selected to this
program--only six grads were accepted to this program this year.
-
Jan Penland McArthur (magna cum laude in English and Drama, '99) finished her
Master's in the English Department at JSU in December 2000. She has been
teaching as an adjunct at Delgado Community College in the "Big Easy."
-
Jose Alba (Drama, '99) is living in West Hollywood and graduated from film school
last
year. He just got back from Asia where he directed a film KAPALARAN. He has
produced two films, SABANNGA and TOP MODEL, and also MOURNING EVE. He is
currently
producing a film called NINA.
-
Jason Shaffer (Drama, '01) is married to the former Lori Hollingsworth ('00) of
Jacksonville. They are now living in Montgomery where he is working for
Electronic Engineers.
-
Lesley Gray (cum laude in both Drama and English, '98) has begun her third and
final year in the graduate program at the University of North Carolina,
Greensboro. She now has an agent and recently did a commercial and print for
Bioguard swimming pools. The ads are to appear in May of 2002.
-
Chrissy Millwood ('01) is working in Gadsden. She will be appearing in TOG's
production, THE BELLE OF AMHEARST.
-
Tim Prestridge (cum laude, '01) is working in New Hampshire with the Hampstead
Players, a touring children's theatre. He will be doing A CHRISTMAS CAROL and
OLIVER.
-
Stephanie Crossman (cum laude, '00) has stage-managed several shows in the
Seattle/Tacoma, Washington area. She managed THE MUSIC MAN at the Tacoma
Musical
Playhouse.
-
Todd and Mishia Edwards (both '96) are in Omaha, Nebraska where Todd is
Assistant
Professor of Design at the University of Nebraska.
-
Jason St. John ('97) is now the Assistant Technical Director/Scene Shop
Supervisor
at Birmingham Southern College.
-
Angi Millwood ('91) is still in Florida at Disney where she is "talking to the
animals." Her latest charges are two baby white rhinos and cheetahs at
Disney's
Animal Kingdom. She is planning a trip to Africa and is considering a move to
San Diego in the next few years.
-
Joyce Tate (summa cum laude, '90) is living with her family in Knoxville
where she
directs a day care center. She says she uses her drama degree a lot when
she has
to deal with parents and has to "ACT" sweet. She does use her drama degree in storytelling and scenery, prop, and costume construction.
-
Johnny Self, (Drama, '93) began a career in radio shortly after gradution and
performed in some productions in Birmingham. He attended graduate school at
UCLA. He has opened a small advertising agency and has performed in over 40 TV
commercials (3 national) and done over 100 radio commercials for clients
throughout the nation. His message was to "tell your students that voice is
important."
-
Kim Kinsey ('98) is now located in Costa Mesa, California where she is Front
House Manager for the South Coast Repertory Theatre. This follows several
years
of similar duties at McArter Theatre in New Jersey and a year in
Switzerland as
an au pair.
-
Rene Humphrey (cum laude in both Drama and English, '96) began law school at
SMU
in August.
-
Phil Pyle ('93) is still working for Sony/Columbia in their public relations
department. He recently got married and through our e-mail correspondence
discovered another JSU grad living only a few miles from him.
-
Don Elliott ('93) is the grad living near Phil. He and his new wife Noelle, a
recent drama graduate from Loyola Marymount University, are currently
residing in
Los Angeles.
-
Virginia Cusimano, ('94) is now married and living in Birmingham and working at
the McWane Center. She says that daughter Grayson "seems to be Broadway
Bound
already."
-
Kathryn Polka Clark ('93) is another JSU grad living in Knoxville. She and her
husband are busy being parents to their two year-old daughter, Emma. Kathryn
still sees playwriting in her future and writes when time permits.
Tina Seals Boitnott ('91) received her MS in Counselor Education at JSU in
1996.
She is currently the Assistant Director of Career Services Center at Tarleton
State University in Stephenville, Texas.
-
Eric Traynor ('86) is still in Greensboro, North Carolina where he runs the
Storybook Theatre Company. He is constantly writing new plays for children and
has been to Jacksonville to appear in several of his shows for Taste of the
Town
Summer Children's Theatre.
-
Shannon DeWitt ('96) was a drama minor who was very active both on-stage and in
the background. He and his wife live in Atlanta where he works for Electronic
Data Systems. He works on contracts from his company to the Centers for
Disease
Control and Prevention. He says he misses theatre and one day "will make a
grand
return."
-
Eric Key attended JSU between 1983 and 1991. He and his wife live in Los
Angeles. Key says "I am now considered a screen writer because I will be
getting
paid to do it!"
-
Whitt Brantley, who attended JSU between 1983 and 1987, is now living near
Agnes
Scott College in Atlanta.
-
Jeanne Carden attended JSU between 1987 and 1992 and graduated in 1999 from
Florida State, where she remained on the Dean's list every semester. She is
currently the Buisness manager for Breakers Restaurant in Panama City,
Florida.
-
Whit Davies, who attended JSU between 1974 and 1978, is living in Dalton,
Georgia. He is teaching classes for a teen theatre group there.
-
Meredith Morris (Music, '99) is now located in Essex Juction, Vermont, and loving
it.
She is finishing her master's degree in music and is also involved in
musicals.
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