Summer in New Jersey has its charms and distractions, but the faculty, staff, alumni and students of Glassboro State/Rowan Department of Theatre & Dance stay busy rehearsing, making, studying, viewing, thinking about, responding, building, devising and supporting performances all year long. This edition of the recently reestablished Theatre & Dance alumni bulletin shares a special focus on just a fraction of the vibrant work some of our alumni, faculty, students and staff have been up to this summer. 

 

Sincerely, 
Department of Theatre & Dance Faculty 

 

Campus Updates

Summer 2024 in Review

Alumni Projects

Alumni Updates

Share Your Updates!

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CAMPUS UPDATES

We are happy to report that, despite the declining number of college-age students in the United States, we will welcome an unprecedented incoming class of 12 Dance majors and 35 Theatre majors this fall. The programs will host three international students as well as numerous out-of-state students thanks to our faculty's recruitment initiatives. Meanwhile, our college's M.A. in Arts Administration has a robust enrollment of 19 students this fall. We are proud that our programs continue to grow and make a positive impact on the artistic, cultural and social landscape of South Jersey and beyond. 

As the 24-25 academic year beings, we're also looking forward to enjoying the recent renovations to Bunce Hall. While department spaces were not greatly impacted by the recent work, entrances to the building, air handling, electrical service, general classrooms, lobby and restrooms have been significantly improved and upgraded. We now share the oldest building on campus with University President, Dr. Ali Houshmand, whose administrative offices have moved to the third floor!

Across campus, there has also been progress on the expansion of the Chamberlain Student Center and Rowan Boulevard continues to thrive and expand with new local businesses and restaurants. 

Perhaps the most exciting renovation news involves plans to finally move the scene shop off Tohill stage and into a well-equipped space in the former Glassboro Intermediate School on Delsea Drive. While our rumored resident ghost, Elizabeth, will likely miss the bustle of the stagecraft classes and weekly practicum builds, this move will allow us to hold more rehearsals, classes and performancevs in the theatre. 

And finally, this fall we are hosting Rowan's Musical Theatre Intensive! Designed for students entering grades 9 through 12, the weekly workshop will focus on vocal and acting techniques, different styles of dance, acting through song and other musical theatre skills. Led by alumni Nick Flagg and Natalie Donisi, students will learn new techniques to prepare for auditions and what it takes to be a working artist. Workshops begin September 14. 

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SUMMER 2024 IN REVIEW

Just Like Hollywood 
This has bee yet another busy and productive summer for Associate Dean Melanie Stewart, who is in her 40th year of expert service to our program, college and institution. After the successful 2023 Philadelphia Fringe debut of her original work Just Like Hollywood: I See You Watching, which she devised with Kylie Westerbeck '19 with final text by former Rowan faculty and MainStage director, John Clancy, Stewart further developed the piece and recently finished an international tour of the work. The original Fringe version starred Westerbeck and Dane Eissler '14 with Clancy taking the role for the European tour. The production was stage managed by Mackenzie Trush '19 with costume support/consultation by Jamie Grace-Duff. As the production website explain, the work "explores and explodes the entrapment, degradations and exertion of control over a young woman's body in post Roe vs. Wade America." The 2024 summer production finished a 3-week run in England featuring performances at the Etcetera Theatre and Camden Fringe and was awarded a 3.5-out-of-4 star rating. 

"The actors are totally committed to their roles and give riveting performances...they demand our attention. It is a well written drama which could be played in so many different ways, and this version is totally uncompromising." - Heather Jeffery of the London Pub Theatres Magazine  

The company plans performances at the Montreal Fringe Festival in June 2025 and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2025. Meanwhile, Melanie Stewart will enjoy a well-earned sabbatical to prepare for this and other creative projects during the coming academic year. 

 

 

The Ramayana 
In June 2024, faculty member Lane Savadove staged the ancient Asian epic Ramayana with his Barrymore Award winning company EgoPo Classic Theatre in collaboration with Papermoon Puppet Theatre of Java and Kalnari Theatre Movement of Bali. Almost 30 years in the making, this massive Indonesian/American collaboration combined the theater, dance, puppetry and music skills of the three companies. The pice was performed under a giant, open-air tent in the Philadelphia Navy Yard surrounded by the Rama's Fest, a week-long celebration of Indonesian food and culture that amplified and supported the local Indonesian community in South Philadelphia. The production featured scenic design by faculty member Dirk Durossette, costumes by Dane Eissler, assisted by Jamie Grace-Duff and stage management by Abby Leyh '20. Our newest faculty member, Ross Beschler, played the pivotal role of Ravana. Current students and recent graduates also assisted as paid interns, design assistants and stage management support on this outdoor spectacle. 

Having taught, directed and performed in Indonesia over the last 28 years, this ancient Hindu tale has haunted and intrigued Savadove for decades. To prepare for the show, Savadove traveled to Indonesia in the summer of 2023 with members of his company and earned a competitive to grant to bring over international artists to rehearse and perform in Philly this past summer. According to the EgoPo’s website, the production “tell[s] one of the world’s oldest stories about the unbreakable power of the human spirit.”

“Co-directors Lane Savadove, Maria Tri Sulistyani, and Ibed S. Yuga clearly worked hard to turn their three disparate companies and aesthetics into a cohesive whole. A diverse ensemble of artists work seamlessly to tell the story. While the bulk, but not all, of the play is delivered in English, the production does a remarkable job of not othering or marginalizing actors in non-English-speaking roles. . . The artists’ commitment to authenticity, and (in the directors’ words) ‘cross-cultural meetings’ proves to be deeply powerful.” - Josh Herren of The Broad Street Review

 

 

Gloucester County Summer Camp Comes to Rowan 
Tohill Theatre was bustling with summer activity as the new venue for the long-established and highly popular Gloucester County Summer Theatre Camp. College of Performing Arts Dean Richard Dammers jumped at the opportunity when approached about taking over management of this beloved program and charged Melanie Stewart to make it happen on short notice. 

The six-week camp for 3rd-12th grade students attracted over 80 participants from the surrounding community and featured sold-out performances of two full-scale musicals. We were delighted to support and welcome back Jeff Reim '89 and BarbieSue McCrane (Glassboro '88-'90) as primary camp directors. The artists met doing theatre at Clearview High School over 40 years ago and have both worked with Gloucester County for 36 years. BarbieSue directed Disney's Aladdin Junior with the younger students and Reim directed Marsha Norman's The Secret Garden with the high school group. When asked what it was like to work in Bunce Hall again after so many years, Reim stated "It was like coming home. In some ways, it seems like a lifetime ago and in other ways, just yesterday." 

Reim served as a guiding mentor for several current students (Rachel Grodek, Dawn McCall, Brookelyn Moorehead, Grace Raymond, Dallina Garro-Montanez, Tyler Ludy and Giovanna Day) who were grateful to have paid internships working for the camp this summer. In terms of the overall experience, Day explained "working with children in theatre is very different than working with college students. It fill my heart with joy knowing that I got to be part of the kids' early theatre experience and hopefully influential somehow in their lives." 

Considering the success of this year, we look forward to growing and enhancing this vibrant, affordable regional summer arts program in the coming yers. Hosting the camp at Rowan means that we can further inspire area youth, offer quality summer programming, add a thoughtful curricular component to compliment the performance focus and help current students earn summer work doing what they love.   

 

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ALUMNI PROJECTS (WE ARE EVERYWHERE!)

• Abby Lamb (BA in Dance ‘22) is premiering a new dance piece title Underestimated she choreographed and will perform at the Philadelphia Fringe at the Performance Garage on Sept. 20-21. Tickets available
• Gabrielle Hasson (BA in Theatre ‘22) is directing and staging her adaptation of Fleabagby Phoebe Waller Bridge at the 24 Philly Fringe Festival at Studio 34 Yoga/Healing Arts Studio. The show also features current student Dawn McCall (BA in Theatre ex ’26.) Tickets available
• Eibhleann Clyne (BA Theatre ‘17) and Dana Lee Capanna (BA Theatre ‘17) are premiering, Service!!, an immersive theater piece, as part of Cannonball Festival of the Philly Fringe
• Kayla Bowe (BA in Theatre ’22 MST ‘23)directed A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream this summer at The Players Club of Swarthmore and will perform in their upcoming October 2024 production of Hamlet
• Kerry Jules (BA in Theatre ‘19) had his new NYTheatre Festival nominated play The H Word presented as a staged reading at the Oscar Schindler Center for the Performing Arts in August 2024 and looks forward to future showings of the work
• Brookleyn Morehead (BA in Theatre ex. ‘25)will perform in the Philly Fringe production titled That Woman by Molly Breen and Angela Grimlin September 13-15 and is understudying a role in Walnut Street Theater’s production of Jersey Boys in Oct. 2024.

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ADDITIONAL ALUMNI UPDATES

• Jenna Kuerzi (BA Theatre ’12) was nominated for a 2024 Barrymore Award for her performance in Camp Siegfried at Theatre Exile. She wrapped her first lead in a SAG feature film, titled Delco: The Movie, which premieres in January. Her solo show, Johnny Depp: A Retrospective on Late-Stage Capitalism was Barrymore recommended and performed on London’s West End, in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Tank (NYC), and at Theatre Exile. She performed in two off-Broadway industry workshops/presentations (Little Things: A New Musical at Playhouse at St. Luke's and Wood: A Shit Show at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater) as well at numerous regional theatres including: Montgomery Theatre, Act II Playhouse, Delaware Theatre Company, the Media Theatre, The Arden Theatre, Shakespeare in Clark Park, EgoPo, Revolution Shakespeare, PlayPENN, and in countless Fringe Festival performances. She is now heading to Surflight on Long Beach Island to perform in The Great American Trailer Park Musical and Steel Magnolias in rep and owns a small candle business, called “Dumpster Fires For You,” where she upcycles unconventional, one-of-a-kind candles. View them online here.
  • Favorite memory: Fiddler on the Roof.“Watching Sam DeWitt stand up on two over 6ft men's shoulders to belt the Dream was something to behold. That whole show was pretty special.”
• Cam Forrest (BA Theatre ‘17) started making dresses with his fiancé and owns a vintage store called MoonRose in Philly at 1112 Arch St. They dressed a lot of local bands and designed performances for UArts (before they closed their doors.) If anyone needs costume pieces hit Cam up! He notes, “I’ll give Rowan students a little discount on anything not consignment, plus I’ll keep an eye out if there is something someone wants.” The store hosts live events as well, so reach out if you need a performance or are planning reception in town.
  • Favorite memory: “Definitely shooting the blank gun in Dracula, was a fantastic 10/10 experience.
• Heather DeSanto (BA Dance ‘22) is Assistant Director with Project Moshen Dance Company.
• Andrew Robinson (BA in Theatre ’22) was the draftsman for the “Sleeping Beauties” costume exhibit now showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He was also part of the installation team for Proof Productions. He will attend NYU this fall as a first year MFA Scene Design candidate.
• Lydia Riddell (BA Theatre ‘23) is in her second year as a full-time theatre teacher at C3 Middle School and just revamped the theatre program there. She recently worked as the Head of Tech Theatre for Appel Farm Arts Camp and continues to Stage Manage for Theatre in the X in Philly. Be on the lookout, you may or may not see her returning to Rowan for some future alumni work!
  • Favorite memory: “Working on Exo-skin-esphere with the incredible Leslie Bush!”
• Juliette Hunter (BA Theatre ‘24) was hired as Scenic Charge for The Delaware Theatre Company for the 24/25 season
• Amanda Drayton (BA Dance ’24) quickly transitioned into working a full-time job at FringeArts as the External Affairs Associate. She notes, “Having a background in Theatre and Dance has made it easier to connect deeply with artists, working to translate their creations and passions for audience members that want to dive deeper into arts and culture.” She works with the Marketing and Development department to promote the 2024 Philadelphia Fringe Festival, which will feature over 300 unique shows. She will begin teaching Dance Improvisation classes at Mignolo Dance in August to reinforce skills she learned at Rowan to help students, “try new ways of existing in their presence and future, and maybe altering a version of their past reality.” 

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Upcoming Events

• The Tempest by Shakespeare -- November 1-3 & 6, 2024
  Directed by Ross Beschler & Paule Turner 

• Come Together devised by the company -- December 5-9, 2024 
  Directed by Christopher Roche & Leslie Elkins 
  with Music Direction by Jessica Arnold 

• Almost, Maine by John Cariani -- February 20-23 & February 27 through March 2 
  Directed by Elisabeth Hostetter 

• The Music Man -- April 3-6, 2025 
  Directed by Lane Savadove 

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