Theatre at UBC
Alumni Spotlight
Alumni Spotlight: This special page is focused on our inspirational alumni who are using their talents to advance theatre locally and internationally. If you have someone to suggest we feature, please contact deb.pickman@ubc.ca
Alumni Spotlight on Amanda Konkin
Congratulations to alumna Amanda Konkin who has just taken the post as Publicist at Headlines Theatre.
Konkin is a great fit in her new role and is passionate about Headline’s work. She completed her MA in Theatre Studies with a thesis on the company entitled "Forum Theatre, Technology and Desire: An investigation of Headline Theatre's online broadcasts."
Headline’s upcoming production is Corporations in Our Heads, which is billed as “Interactive theatre to evict the corporate voices that occupy our collective psyche”. It runs from May 24-27th at 7:30pm in the W2 Media Cafe (111 West Hastings St). Admission by donation, RSVP recommended:rsvp@headlinestheatre.com
The next project Konkin undertakes with Headlines will be maladjusted, which premieres in the spring of 2013. maladjusted will delve into the mental health system in BC. Like all of Headlines presentations it utilises a methodology called Theatre For Living which offers the opportunity for audience/community involvement and dialogue. In this case the dialogue will centre around unlocking the barriers to patient-centered care. maladjusted will be created and performed by people struggling with issues of mental health and stigmatization within the mental health system.
Founded in 1981, Vancouver's Headlines Theatre, directed by David Diamond, uses Theatre For Living to help living communities tell their stories. Theatre For Living has evolved from Augusto Boal's "Theatre of the Oppressed". Headlines approaches community-based cultural work from a systems-based perspective; understanding that a community is a complexly integrated, living organism. Find out more at www.headlinestheatre.com
Alumni Spotlight on Deb Pickman
Kudos to Theatre at UBC alumna and staff member Deb Pickman who has been named by The Ubyssey newspaper as one of "the people on the campus who have shaped the issues UBC talked about" this year."
Pickman, who is Marketing and Communications manager for Theatre at UBC, along with Wilson Wong from UBC Athletics, joined five other staff, alumni, students and faculty who were highlighted. Pickman and Wong were singled out in this, the Ubyssey's final issue of the year, as "The Unsung Communicator's."
There are plenty of games screenings and performances happening on campus nearly every weekend of the school year. But aside from periodic write-ups from this paper, most of the students competing and performing would go unnoticed if not for the yeoman's work of Deb Pickman and Wilson Wong, who handle communications for UBC Theatre (Pickman) and UBC Athletics (Wong). They write up previews of events, tweet anything related to their respective performers and work diligently to raise the profile of some of the most involved students on campus." - The Ubyssey
Earlier this year The Ubyssey profiled Pickman for their Our Campus feature: http://ubyssey.ca/features/our-campus-deb-pickman-a-theatre-evangelist
In tandem with her career in communications, Pickman is also an theatre creator, she is a two time Jessie Richardson Award nominated actress and recipient of the Vancouver Sun's People's Choice Award. She is presently an active ensemble member of the Vancouver company she co-founded in 1992 with BFA Acting alumna Renee Iaci and Costume Designer Lana Krause - shameless hussy productions. The company has a mandate of "telling provocative stories about women, to inspire the hand that rocks the cradle to rock the world." More at http://www.shamelesshussy.com.
Alumni Spotlight on Barbara Kozicki
Alumna Barbara Kozicki nominated for Best Actress
"Coerced" L-R Chris McNally, Goldie Hoffman and Barbara Kozicki in "Coerced". Photo Credit: Leigh Forsythe
Congratulations to BFA Acting alumna Barbara Kozicki who earned "Best Actress" nomination for her performance in the film "Coerced" at The 168 Film Festival, in Los Angeles. The film received two other award nominations; Best International Film and Kozicki's co-star Goldie Hoffman earned Best Supporting Actress. The winners will be announced March 31, 2012.
EVE Entertainment Inc. shot "Coerced" a short film about human trafficking to raise awareness about this ‘modern day slavery’ in Canada. As a part of the 168 Film Project they had just 168hrs to shoot and edit their film.
... the first human trafficking conviction this summer did not involve a foreigner, but rather a 13-year-old in the Greater Toronto Area who was bought and sold by Canadian men on the popular online classified advertisement website Craigslist." - CBC News
Coerced will be available for screening after March 31st, 2012. Find out more about this important film and the journey to abolish human trafficking: http://www.coercedfilm.com
Alumni Spotlight on Bobby Garcia
Coinciding with the opening night of the Expo 2010 Shanghai, the Sacrifice partners (producers Toby Simkin, William Ong and authors KennetH Clarke, Richard Daniels and Mark Troop) are pleased to announce the attachment of internationally renowned stage director, Theatre at UBC MFA Directing Alumnus Bobby Garcia to direct the musical of Sacrifice. In addition to the feature film version, the musical is in development now to open in London's West End after an Asian workshop production.
I have known Bobby for years, and greatly respected his unique ability to re-tell a foreign story to Asian audiences with his Asian productions of ‘The King and I', ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' and ‘Hairspray'. I have been searching for a Director with an Asian sensibility to tell our love story to western audiences, Bobby was the #1 perfect choice." said Toby Simkin, Lead Producer.
Bobby Garcia was born in Asia and raised in North America.
"I am really excited to helm this unique project as we head to London's West End. The score is a beautiful fusion of ancient Chinese and modern western sound, and the story is one of the greatest love stories of all time." said Bobby Garcia
Sacrifice is the story of Emperor Xuanzong (of the prosperous Tang dynasty 618-907 AD) who brings Yang GuiFei, one of China's most beautiful women, into his court as a concubine. When they adopt China's greatest villain, the barbarian An Lushan, their fateful triumvirate creates China's greatest love story.
Bobby Garcia has worked in film, television, stage and live concert entertainment. Many of his shows have been staged throughout the Asian region including mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. Notable stage productions include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Manila & Singapore), Hairspray, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (Asia tour), Dogeaters, Avenue Q (Manila & Singapore), The King & I (Asia tour), Disney's Beauty & The Beast, Baby, Urinetown, Dreamgirls, The Rocky Horror Show, Proof, Tick,Tick...Boom!, Hedwig & The Angry Inch, Jesus Christ Superstar, How I Learned To Drive, and Rent (Manila & Singapore). Concerts and TV Specials include Lea Salonga: Your Songs, Lea Salonga: The Broadway Concert, Night of the Champions, The Prince of Pop & the Comedy Concert Queen, Lea Salonga: Songs From Home, Erik Santos Solo at the Coliseum and Lea Salonga: Home For Christmas. He was also an Associate Director for Miss Saigon and was Hong Kong Disneyland's first Show Director opening the park in 2005. Upcoming and future projects include the Broadway bound musical Rue McClanahan's My First Five Husbands, the US National Tour of Cinderella, Xanadu and A Little Night Music in Manila & Singapore. He is the winner of two Aliw Awards (Live Entertainment Awards) for Direction.
Bobby Garcia and the authors (KennetH Clarke, Richard Daniels and Mark Troop) have already been hard at work in the past couple of months developing the musical structure and characters in preparation for an Asian workshop production, prior to the London opening. The team is currently preparing a new demo recording which will be made available on the official website in the summer of 2010.
Dates of both the Asian workshop and the London opening will be announced on www.SacrificeWorldwide.com at a future time.
Read more: westend.broadwayworld.com/article/Director_Bobby_Garcia
Alumni Spotlight on Aslam Husain
BFA Acting Alumnus heads for study in the UK
Congratulations to BFA Acting alumnus Aslam Husain who has recently completed a successful run at the Arts Club Theatre in Calendar Girls - and
now has just been accepted into East 15's MFA in Acting program in London. Aslam is looking forward to performing on the Globe stage, studying in
Moscow and working in London.
East 15's MFA in Acting (International) is a unique 20 month programme that has been designed specifically for overseas students and is a development of East 15's successful MA in Acting and MA in Acting for TV, Film and Radio.
MFA students in their second year work within a repertory company to apply and extend their skills in a series of fully-staged productions written and performed in English. Aslam plans to take advantage of the field study option for MFA students based at the Russian Academy of Fine Arts, GTIS, Moscow. More about the school at http://east15.ac.uk
Alumni Spotlight on Katey Wright
Alumna Shines at Eighth Annual Ovation Awards
Leading the way at this year’s Ovation Awards was Patrick Street Productions, which was co-founded by alumna Katey Wright, who also acts as the company’s co-artistic producer.
Patrick Street Productions’ A Light in the Piazza received a total of five Ovation Awards, including Outstanding Professional Production, Direction and Musical Direction. Wright also took honours for Outstanding Lead Performance – Female with Lighting Design going to alumnus Alan Brodie for his work on the show.
The acting ensemble for this critically acclaimed work included Theatre at UBC alumnus David Adams. Bravo to everyone involved!
The Ovation Awards are presented annually to honour the best musical theatre produced in the Lower Mainland. For more, see www.applusemusicals.com.
Patrick Street Productions was founded by Artistic Producers Peter Jorgensen and Katey Wright in 2007 with a mandate to offer great productions of great plays and musicals for Metro Vancouver, with an emphasis on contemporary musicals that have not yet been professionally produced in the region. More information http://www.patrickstreetproductions.com.
A co-founder of two successful theatre companies prior to Patrick Street Productions, BFA Acting alumna Katey Wright has also worked as a publicist and administrator, and she has directed, written, and participated in numerous collective creations. Katey has devoted countless hours to volunteer work in Vancouver’s theatre community, spending 12 years as an elected regional rep and national councillor for Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and three years as President of the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards Society (having served an additional 6 years on the Jessies’ board). She has been a member of Theatre Cares Vancouver since 2001.
Katey Wright has been a professional performer for over 20 years and has worked with many companies including Bard on the Beach, Manitoba Theatre Centre/Citadel Theatre, Grand Theatre, London / Playhouse Theatre Co., Touchstone Theatre, Belfry Theatre, Victoria / Arts Club Theatre) and Chemainus Theatre. Katey also has has extensive film, TV and Voice-Over credits. We wish her continued success with her own company and in all her endeavours.
Alumni Spotlight on
Marshall McMahen
A great article by the Globe and Mail's Marsha Lederman about the events
which led to our alumnus, emerging designer Marshall McMahen, working on a
concept and design for The Electric Conmpany's All The Way Home. The
production is staged as a type of environmental theatre piece - where both
audience and actors share the stage of the Playhouse Theatre.
"McMahen was tasked with not only creating the set, but also the audience
seating in, around and through it." - Marsha Lederman
Read the Globe and Mail article
Alumni Spotlight on
Edgar Dobie
Alumnus Edgar Dobie named as Executive Producer at Arena Stage
Congratulations to alumnus Edgar Dobie on his recent appointment to the position of Executive Producer at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington DC. Previously he held the position of Managing Director for the company since 2009.
Dobie has enjoyed a career in public theatre as executive director of Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, founding managing director of Toronto’s Canadian Stage Company, and managing director at National Arts Centre in Ottawa and Vancouver’s New Play Centre.
For six years he was president of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Company, and for the past three years he was the North American Executive Producer of Riverdream. His Broadway producing credits include: Sunset Boulevard (Tony Award for Best Musical), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Paul Simon’s The Capeman, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Boublil and Schönberg’s The Pirate Queen and the musical 9 to 5.
Founded August 16, 1950 in Washington Arena Stage is a flagship American theatre. Arena was one of the first nonprofit theatres in the U.S. and a pioneer of the regional theatre movement. Today, Arena Stage remains one of the most robust nonprofit theatres in the U.S., serving an annual audience of more than 200,000. Led by Artistic Director Molly Smith and Executive Producer Edgar Dobie, Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater is a leading centre for the production, presentation, development and study of American theatre.
More: http://www.arenastage.org
Alumni Spotlight on
Andrew Cohen
Alumnus featured in UBC’s 2010-2011 Annual Review!
During his graduating year our BFA Acting student Andrew Cohen produced a video sensation that not only made waves across UBC, but also captured the attention of a global audience on YouTube – generating more than 1 million views and raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Fellow students Jaclyn Buck stage managed this ambitious video and Ryan Warden was behind the camera – we couldn’t be more proud of them and everyone who took part.
Andrew is one of a few select UBC students, faculty, staff and alumni who were invited to share their “A-ha” moments in the 2010-2011 Annual Review.
Alumni Spotlight on
Breanne Jackson
BFA Design & Production Alumna Breanne Jackson: Apprentice Stage Manager for the Shaw Festival 2012 Season
Breanne will Apprentice Stage Manage "Ragtime" and "His Girl Friday" in the coming Shaw season. Congratulations Breanne!
Alumni Spotlight on
Sarah Afful
BFA Acting Alumna Sarah Afful makes Stratford debut!
Alumna Cast in Stratford Festival’s 60th season:
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival has begun to confirm casting for its 60th season and is pleased to announce the return of the following actors: Kyle Blair, James Blendick, Ben Carlson, Juan Chioran, Cynthia Dale, Deborah Hay, Tom McCamus, Seana McKenna, Lucy Peacock, Tom Rooney and Mike Shara.
The Festival also welcomes eight new members into it’s Birmingham Conservatory. These new participants include Theatre at UBC BFA Acting alumna Sarah Afful, who is only one of four who are entirely new to the Festival. They join existing participants to form a group of 12 who will study this winter under the guidance of Conservatory Director - and Canadian theatre icon - Martha Henry.
Since graduating from our BFA Acting program in 2008, Sarah Afful’s theatre credits include roles in Much Ado About Nothing and Antony and Cleopatra (Bard on the Beach); Macbeth: Nach Shakespeare (Theatre Conspiracy/Gas Heart); The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Pound of Flesh/Pacific Theatre); The Eighth Land (PI Theatre); and Old Goriot (Western Gold/UBC Theatre). Her film and television credits include roles in Smallville, Caprica, Eureka, The Perfect Score and American Dreams. Sarah has also done numerous commercials and some voice work, including Pod Plays for the CBC.
“This is a wonderfully talented and dynamic group of actors,” says Stratford Artistic Director Des McAnuff. “Under the leadership of Martha Henry, one of Canada’s most accomplished actors, directors and teachers, the Conservatory aims to give talented artists the skill set they need to tackle classical roles and verse drama. Participants will be given access to the world’s top voice, movement and text coaches and will have an opportunity to work on one of the world’s most renowned – and most demanding – stages. I wish all the participants a creatively inspired journey throughout the fall and winter months, and I look forward to both of their theatrical presentations.”
“The Festival is thrilled to welcome all the Conservatory members this fall as the program readies itself to begin another season of discovery and exploration,” says General Director Antoni Cimolino. “Over 19 weeks, the 12 actors will participate in vigorous and challenging theatrical training that will groom them to command stages here at Stratford and anywhere in the world. Their two performances are highly anticipated, as are the performances they’ll deliver as part of the Festival’s 60th season in 2012.”
The Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre is the only program in North America that concentrates exclusively on training for the classical actor and that actually takes place within a classical repertory theatre. All members of the Conservatory are offered contracts for the subsequent season. The training takes place from September to February, producing two Conservatory presentations of a classical work (usually, but not always, by Shakespeare) in December and around Valentine’s Day. More: http://www.stratfordfestival.ca
Alumni Spotlight on
Meghan Gardiner
Meghan Gardiner premieres Role Call
Congrats to alumna Meghan Gardiner whose new play Role Call is part of Green Thumb Theatre's new season. The production features two recent BFA Acting grads - Andrew Lynch & Sarah Wilson. Role Call is a play about the pressure to fit in and the strength it takes to be yourself and the play will be touring to elementary schools throughout British Columbia.
Meghan Gardiner's talents have lead Green Thumb Theatre to also commission her play Blindspot, an adaptation of her popular play Dissolve (first developed in class work for her BFA Acting class), which she wrote and preformed to over 100 University and Secondary School students across North America. Dissolve was also subsequently adapted into a documentary film, which led to a screenwriting nomination for Meghan at the 2010 Leo Awards. Meghan’s next ventures as an actor will be in Blood Brothers – which also features recent BFA Acting grad Jameson Parker - at The Arts Club Theatre and in Gunmetal Blues at the Vancouver Playhouse.
Green Thumb Theatre was founded in 1975 to develop original Canadian plays for young audiences. Since that time, Green Thumb has emerged as one of Canada's leading theatre companies for young people, producing excellent material for audiences and artists, and contributing to the growing body of work evolving in this field. Green Thumb demonstrates a new excitement and potential for children's theatre. More at www.greenthumb.bc.ca and www.meghangardiner.com
Alumni Spotlight on
Dennis Garnhum
Theatre at UBC’s talented MFA Directing alumnus Dennis Garnhum was appointed Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary in September of 2005. In the 2005-06 season he directed Trying as his Theatre Calgary debut. Since then, he has directed the world premiere of Beyond Eden, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Of Mice and Men, A Christmas Carol, Enchanted April, and his adaptation of Timothy Findley's The Wars. He also recently directed his first opera, La Traviata, for Pacific Opera Victoria. This upcoming season, Dennis will direct Lost – A Memoir and Much Ado About Nothing for Theatre Calgary.
Prior to his appointment at Theatre Calgary, Dennis spent three years living in New York City. While there he directed Rat In The Skull at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and the premiere of the musical Two Orphans by Pulitzer-prize nominated playwright Theresa Rebeck in Boston. Dennis was the Special Projects Producer at the Long Wharf Theatre where he worked on the development of the opera Brundibar (Tony Kushner/Maurice Sendak.)
Prior to his move to New York, Dennis directed plays at almost all the major theatre companies in Canada. For the Stratford Festival of Canada, Dennis directed The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, The Scarlet Pimpernel, and premieres of two plays by Timothy Findley, Shadows and The Trials of Ezra Pound. Dennis directed at the Shaw Festival for six seasons. His productions there include The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, Still Life, Sorry, Wrong Number and S.S. Tenacity.
In Calgary, he was part of the 2004 playRrites Festival at Alberta Theatre Projects, directing Down The Main Drag. He was dramaturge and director of Maureen Hunter’s new play Vinci. It was produced at the National Arts Centre, Manitoba Theatre Centre, and CanStage in Toronto. At the Tarragon Theatre, he directed Skylight and Slavs. Both productions received Dora nominations for best direction. For the Manitoba Theatre Centre he also directed To Kill A Mockingbird and Of Mice And Men (Both co-productions with the Citadel Theatre), Closer and Three Tall Women. Blue/Orange premiered at the Belfry Theatre in Victoria, B.C. before transferring to the Prairie Theatre Exchange in Winnipeg. In addition, Dennis directed Of Mice And Men at Neptune in Halifax, Sleuth at the Saidye Bronfmann in Montreal, and A Christmas Carol at Theatre New Brunswick.
Dennis has also enjoyed working closely with theatre students, directing The Laramie Project at the National Theatre School of Canada, and Arcadia at the University of British Columbia.
Dennis’ concert versions of Beethoven Lives Upstairs and Hallelujah Handel have toured across North America. In 2002 Beethoven Lives Upstairs debuted internationally in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Special events which Dennis has conceived include a one night celebration of Stephen Sondheim at Harbourfront’s World Stage in Toronto, with the musical theatre legend in attendance. In Great Barrington, MA, Dennis developed a one night celebration for the 100th anniversary of the newly restored Mahaiwe Theatre.
Dennis spent three summers in the Opera Program at the Banff School of Fine Arts working as Assistant Director to acclaimed opera director Colin Graham. He received a BFA from the University of Victoria, and an MFA in directing from the University of British Columbia.
From: http://www.theatrecalgary.com
Alumna makes Stratford Debut
Our talented alumna, Stephanie Meine, a recent graduate from BFA Design and Production, is spending her summer as the Production Assistant at Canada’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival. She began her work in January and the festival has kept her hopping over the past three months working under the Production Stage Manager on all of the shows. She's credited in the Production Teams for Camelot, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Twelfth Night and The Misanthrope. Stephanie enthuses “It's been a thrilling few months.” Stephanie’s recent credits here in Vancouver include main Street Theatre’s award winning production A Lie of The Mind directed by Professor Stephen Malloy.
Established in 1953 the Stratford Shakespeare Festival is the largest classical repertory theatre in North America. Ever since its first season Festival has set benchmarks for the production not only of Shakespeare, Molière, the ancient Greeks and other great dramatists of the past but also of such 20th-century masters as Samuel Beckett, Bertolt Brecht, Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen, Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams. In addition to acclaimed productions of the best in operetta and musical theatre, it has also showcased – and in many cases premièred – works by outstanding Canadian and other contemporary playwrights.
The Festival’s artists have included the finest actors, directors and designers in Canada, as well as many from abroad. With an annual operating budget of just under $60 million, the Festival now employs more than 1,000 people. A typical season runs from April to November and includes a wide variety of ancillary events and activities, including tours, concerts, lectures, discussion sessions and appearances by celebrated authors. More at www.stratfordshakespearefestival.com
September 26, 2011:
This just in! Our sources tell us that congratulations are in order for Steph again. She’s distinguished herself as the recipient of this year’s Jean A. Chalmers Apprenticeship Achievement Award which will be given out during the Guthrie Awards at Stratford this year. The Tyrone Guthrie Awards, named for the first artistic director of the Stratford Festival, is an umbrella term for a number of annual prizes awarded since 1954 to members of the festival company and staff.
Created to provide financial assistance for training, professional development and special projects as well as to recognize outstanding accomplishment, the Guthrie Awards are funded each year by income from endowed awards and proceeds from 2 designated performances in the festival's season.
