Gabe Byer, 1996

In Memoriam

Gabriel Byer passed away after a motorcycle accident in California in May of 2008 at the age of 38. At CCM Gabe appeared in productions of The Rivals, Yours for the Asking, Pterodactyls and The Real Thing. His passion in California was his restaurant, The York on York, a gastro-pub that he lovingly restored and re-opened. He was a friend to all, a class act at all times, and the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet. We’ll miss you Gabe.

His imdb movie credits included: Faith Happens (2006), Circuit (2001) and Fast Sofa (2001).

C. Ashleigh Caldwell, 1996 (Los Angeles)

C. Ashleigh invites you to check out her movies on Youtube: youtube.com/cashleighcaldwell

Ashleigh got her SAG card in Los Angeles and worked for The Dating Game! She appeared in the HBO movie Gia. She has released two solo CD’s: Moving to Hollywood, and None More Red.

Jason Matthew Smith, 1996 (Los Angeles)

Graduate school: Northern Illinois University.

"I filmed a pilot for HBO last May and am currently awaiting word if we will be picked up. I would be a series lead if it goes.  The next thing you can see me in is Star Trek directed by J.J. Abrams due out in May of 2009.

Television: Big Love, Playmakers, Bones, CSI: Miami, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Cold Case, Without a Trace, 24, The Bernie Mac Show, Charmed, ER, Six Feet Under, and JAG.

Angela (Angelica) Hurd, 1996 (Los Angeles)

Angelica has settled comfortably in Los Angeles with Spence and their lovely daughter Aurora.

Film: Cash Cow

Television: The Messenger.

Laura Perkovic, 1996 (Missoula, Montana)

Laura is a criminal defense attorney who lives in Missoula, Montana.

Christine Probst, 1996 (Luxembourg)

From Christine in Luxembourg: “I ran two different Youth Theatre Workshops, one with the European School for children with English as a second, or third language. The other workshop was in conjunction with a quad-lingual production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The fairies spoke English, the humans spoke German, the Mechanicals spoke Luxembourgish and we used 17th century French songs! 

Whilst that was going on I was also in a production of Steel Magnolias. I played Annelle, and had a blast! During the summer I participated in another part of the 2007 Year of Culture in a performance art piece, ArtEcho2 at an amazing photo exhibition called The Family of Man by Edward Steichen housed in the fabulous Chateau Clervaux here in Lux. It was a collaboration of the exhibition and the Creative Writing Consortium of Luxembourg. The writers wrote short pieces for a number of photos and we actors interpreted the pieces. A tour was brought around the exhibit to each piece and it was then performed for the private audience. I really enjoyed this experience as it involved the audience and the writers on a very personal level. 

Later in the year, in cold October, I was involved in an original piece called Hurt, Dignified written by American author, Dana Rufolo. It was also a Year of Culture specialty and dealt with the subjects of refugees, isolation and victims of exclusion. It was an amazing and enlightening experience. The play, its meaning, and reason for being came alive when one of our actors (a Nigerian refugee) was stopped by the police.  When it was found out that his papers were not in perfect order he was brought to the detention center and detained for 3 months. This all occurred, two weeks before opening! Try as we might, our actor friend was not and would not be allowed out for the show and in fact faced possible deportation!

Our director found a last minute actor to step in, and after long rehearsals, the show went on, with our thoughts and energies to the play fueled with new meaning. The true plight of refugees was breathing in all of us. It was an experience that brought into reality the questions of what is theatre for, why do we do it, what do we want to say with it? I have also been cast as Helen in Design For Living (Noel Coward) with the Theatre des Cappucins/ Grand Theatre du Luxembourg.”

Brian Robertson, 1996 (Cincinnati)

Coming to Cincinnati from Los Angeles, Brian has spent much of his time working in film and television in the area of cinematography, as well as working as a director and stage manager in Theatre and Opera.  He received his MFA in Directing from CCM.  He is the co-founder of a new theatre in Cincinnati, the Performance Gallery.  Brian has been teaching in the Northern Kentucky University theatre department since 1998 and continues to travel extensively as a freelance Director and Stage Manager. He and his wife live in Covington, Kentucky and are the new parents of TWINS!

Mary Beth Thiels, 1996

In Memoriam (A tribute written by classmate Brian Robertson)

"Mary Beth was living and working in Chicago. She had a phenomenal voice and was starting to get work through that avenue. She was creating work for the cabaret scene in Chicago. I caught a show once and she was in a run of Falsettos when she experienced the first of several severe headaches and blackout episodes. This would have been in late 1999. Test showed she had a large brain tumor. I saw her in April, 2000, after her first operation, and she was doing well and demonstrating enormous spirit. I saw her again that fall and she was bouncing back and developing new artistic outlets. She had begun work on a book of poetry and showing a strong eye for painting. I have one of her works hanging in our house. She believed she could stay in Chicago.

However, the tumor returned and after her second operation she returned to her parents in Louisiana. She was weaker, but had hopes of becoming a massage therapist. She began classes but didn't have the strength to keep up. I saw her in Louisiana in I believe early 2003. Again, amazing spirit and perspective. Her parents were building her a cottage on a lake they own. Then the tumor returned again and she had a third operation. Her health declined rapidly after that and she died in August, 2004. Marybeth had a tremendous soul and I was consistently humbled in her presence by her strength and spirit to the end." - Brian

Brian Wenke, 1996 (Los Angeles)

Visit Brian at novajones.com to learn about his career as a solo recording artist

Scott Ackerman, 1997 (Stockholm, Sweden)

From Scott:

I'm still living in Stockholm, now with two daughters Zoë, 4, and Ida Rose, 1.5. The last year has been good both personally and professionally. Last year, I created a three-minute performance piece ( I dance ballet on a gymnastik bock(sp?) to tunes of Chopin that was a huge success. Lars Rudolfsson, one of Sweden's top stage directors, saw it and cast me in FUSK ("cheating") a 'new-circus' performance with a group of Danish musicians and circus artists. I worked with Lars again in "The Bakery", a seldom performed Brecht play. (orionteatern.se) Then I was cast in Hamlet, directed by Lars Norén, a well-known playwright and director, and produced by the Swedish national theater. I play 7 roles, Laertes, Rosencrantz, and Fortinbras to name a few.

We played all summer in the outdoor theater Romateatern that's actually an 11th century cloister ruin (romateatern.se) on the Swedish island of Gotland. On Friday I fly down to Helsingör (aka Elsinore) where we kick off a national tour of Hamlet (riksteatern.se) I've also been in several commercials, one of which was shown internationally on CNN and the Financial News Network"

Che’Rae Adams, 1997 (Los Angeles, CA)

Che'Rae Adams has been the Producing Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Writers Center since 2005 where she develops new work with local writers. She has also been a Development Executive for Playhouse Pictures Studios, Co-Artistic Director of the Road Theatre Company, Resident Director for the Syzygy Theatre Company, and has worked in theatre, film and television in Los Angeles for over 15 years.

Focusing primarily on developing and directing new work, Che’Rae was in the development department at Showtime Networks, and the Canadian based Alliance/Atlantis Film & TV.  Before she worked in film and TV, she assisted the Staff Producer at The Mark Taper Forum where she worked on the writing workshop of the Pulitzer Prize winning Angels in America, Part II: Perestroika, and coordinated the 1991 Taper Lab Series and Mentor Playwright's series. Che'Rae has directed the West Coast premiere productions of over 30 new plays.

Che’Rae has taught acting and writing workshops at various institutions such as The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Catholic University, Miami Dade University, California State University, Fullerton, UCLA Extension, and The Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival. She is on the Steering Committee for the Director's Lab, West an annual event at the Pasadena Playhouse. She has an MFA in directing from The University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music and a BA from California State University, Northridge.

Naomi Bailis, 1997 (Massachusetts)

Naomi teaches theatre at the Walnut Hill school in Natick, Massachusetts.

Miriam Brown, 1997 (Wisconsin)

In 1997, Miriam finished up at CCM, having completed her apprenticeship at Actors Theatre of Louisville where she appeared in the Humana Festival.  She then returned to Canada where she has spent most of the last 8 years. She was a company member, artistic advisor, and apprentice wrangler at Vancouver’s Pacific Theatre. She was twice nominated for Vancouver “Jessie” Awards for her acting work with the company (Navy Wife and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.)

Other highlights included premiering the title role in the recently published Queen Milli of Galt by Gary Kirkham (Ontario’s Theatre & Company) and acting in and producing Private Eyes by Steven Deitz. She enjoyed teaching advanced acting for two years at Trinity Western University.

Between gigs, teaching, coaching gymnastics, typing, answering phones, and guzzling Starbucks, Miriam picked up work in Vancouver’s active film scene. 

She was Scarlett Johansson’s stand-in/photo double for the teen flick The Perfect Score and worked on other shows such as Scooby Doo 2, and Smallville. She is a member of Canadian Equity and ACTRA. Miriam has recently gone on hiatus from acting, having married, immigrated to the U.S. (Wisconsin, to be precise), and is mom to 10 month old baby Carlos.

Taren Frazier, 1997 (Cincinnati)

Taren appeared in Woycecked and Left For Dead at the 2005 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. Taren is a photographer with John Robert Powers, and works out of his studio at 1940 Dana Avenue, close to Xavier University in Cincinnati. He is an excellent headshot photographer for actors. If you are interested in working with Taren on a headshot he can be reached in the following ways: Cell (513) 205-0131or by E-mail: taren_frazier@hotmail.co. You can visit Taren at his website at tarenfrazier.com and at myspace.com/frazierphotography

Doug Goodenough, 1997 (New York)

Congratulations to Doug Goodenough (CCM Drama 1997) who sings with the quartet Highline, and recently appeared at The Slipper Room in New York. Doug is a graduate of Harvard’s American Repertory Theatre training program, where he studied in Moscow with the Moscow Art Theatre.

Theatre: The King Stag (National Tour), A Lie of the Mind

Jim Haffner, 1997 (Stockton, CA)

James Haffner is an Associate Professor of Opera at the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music.  His production of Rossini’s La Cenerentola took first place in the 2001 National Opera Association Production Competition and was a finalist both at the regional and national levels in the Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival. La Cenerentola holds the distinction of being the first opera to be invited to perform in the KC/ACTF national festival. His work has been further recognized by the KC-ACTF with encore productions of his reworking of Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill and the west coast premiere of Glen Roven’s musical Heart’s Desire.  Additional significant credits include the German premiere of Kushner’s A Bright Room Called Day; Das Mahagonny Songspiel, which was presented as part of the premiere Brecht Fest at the Berliner Ensemble; and Dido and Aeneas with the first annual Museumsinsel Fest, Berlin.  James is the Producing Artistic Director of the Stockton Opera Association and has worked with both the Bay View and Bear Valley Music Festivals.  He is a member of the Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab-West and has served as an adjudicator for the Irene Dalis Vocal Competition (Opera San Jose).  Professor Haffner is also a Fulbright Scholar and an active participant with the University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC).  He has taught at the Technische Universität, Berlin as well as the University of Kentucky-Lexington, Miami University (OH), Webster University and the California State University, Fullerton.  He holds a MFA (Directing) and an Artist’s Diploma (Opera Stage Directing) from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.

At the Conservatory, Professor Haffner teaches Opera Theatre Workshop (Beginning & Advanced sections), Introduction to Lyric Diction, Opera Literature and Opera Production. He also directs the Pacific Opera Theatre productions and has served as a director/instructor with the Pacific Opera Institute.

This summer (2012) Jim will continue his training with the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Teacher Certification Program (Kent State University) as part of his ongoing research on how the Chekhov Technique can be applied to singer (operatic) training.  He will also be presenting his research as part of the Lincoln Center Directors’ Lab-West (Pasadena, CA).  In July, Jim will travel to the Universität zum Lüneburg, Germany as the recipient of a University Studies Abroad Consortium FIDA (Faculty International Development Award) to pursue studies in German lyric diction and (finally) finish his Sprachdiplom with the Goethe Institut.

Sandy (Harper) Cockrell, 1997 (New Jersey)

Huge congratulations to Sandy, who is the Artistic Director of a new theatre company that she founded with her husband Clay in New Jersey called J CITY Theater. Their productions have included the Pulitzer Prize winning drama by Archibald MacLeish, J.B, and A Tuna Christmas, and they received a glorious write up in the New York Times about their efforts to bring theatre to Jersey City with their blood, sweat, tears, and Capital One account.  

Her off-Broadway credits include: Julius Caesar, The Seagull, Living Proof and The Last Baby Boomer.  Regionally, she has performed with Actors Theatre of Louisville, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, St. Louis Repertory and Hudson County Shakespeare Company.

(visit jcitytheater.org)

Abby Hoover, 1997 (Minneapolis)

Ms. Abigail Hoover is in a smashing rock band called Gordon Globe that plays all over the country. They have a new CD out called Jack- and they are very fun. (Check out their website at gordonglobe.com)

Matthew Pyle, 1997 (Cincinnati)

He recently appeared in Sam Shepard's True West at CCM with Dan Davidson, directed by Michael Burnham.

Theatre: Iris, Streamers, and Good Boys with the Know Theatre Tribe in Cincinnati.

Kathryn Roseberry, 1997 (Los Angeles)

Television: The Tracey Ullman Show.

Aaron Serotsky, 1997 (New York)

Richard is a noted Distinguished Alumnus and the 2008 recipient of the Julia Winter Cohen Career Excellence Award from CCM Drama.

Aaron completed a year and a half run in the original company of Broadway’s AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, playing the Imperial and Music Box Theatres. His Off-Broadway appearances include FRANKENSTEIN and WHAT GOES AROUND.  He has toured the country with the First National Tour of TITANIC, and has worked at many of America’s leading regional theaters, including the Denver Center Theatre Company (five seasons), Seattle Rep, George Street Playhouse, the Alliance and Arizona Theatre Companies, and Northlight Theatre in Chicago, where he received a Joseph Jefferson nomination. 

He has worked internationally in both Vienna and Frankfurt, and has appeared on television in Law & Order, The Unusuals, Guiding Light, and All My Children.   He will be featured as a recurring character in the new CW series The Beautiful Life, airing this fall.  Aaron also recently recorded a radio drama for the BBC called The Day That Lehman Died, and has been featured in a number of national commercials.  He is the proud recipient of the Dolly Award for Sustained Excellence as an alumnus of CCM Drama at the University of Cincinnati.

Martha (Sorrentino) Liebowitz, 1997 (New York)

From Martha: "Just wanted to let you know, we welcomed a new little boy into our family last month!  Benjamin Simon was born on October 3.  He is the sweetest little guy and I am thrilled to be a mom!”

Theatre: Over the River and Through the Woods

Jill Marie (Soltysiak) Schroer, 1997 (Chicago)

Jill is an ensemble member with the Artistic Home theater group in Chicago. "What else? Doing a lot of musical theater as of late and have been doing some cabaret work at a local piano bar as well. Finally I am getting into the age range for the work that fits me. So, I am looking forward to working more often."

Theatre: Look Homeward, Angel

Bryan Randall, 1997 (Los Angeles)

Theatre: Fixing Frank

Film: The Opposite of Sex

Trish Weaver, 1997

Sunshine Cappelletti, 1998 (New York)

Congratulations to Sunshine who recently moved to Washington, D.C. with her fiancé Christopher. They will be married in October in Maryland.

She appeared in a production of THE COUNTESS in D.C.

Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park: Twelfth Night, A Christmas Carol

Sheree Greco, 1998 (TD&P)

"I have been working in television production in Los Angeles for about 7 years now and have been fortunate to be a part of such shows as CSI, The West Wing, The O.C., The Sopranos, and Entourage. I recently began working for 20th Century Fox Television where I assist in overseeing the productions of How I Met Your Mother, My Name Is Earl and the highly anticipated Kelsey Grammer/Patricia Heaton comedy, Back To You. 

I share my life with my CCM sweetheart of nine years, Kim Crabtree.  We hope to have a dog someday!" 

Greg Hellems, 1998 (Cincinnati)

Greg is on the theatre faculty at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. He recently directed Ragtime and We Tell The Story: The Songs of Ahrens and Flaherty. He is also on the summer theatre faculty at the Interlochen Academy.

Amy Huck, 1998

Amy was married in Scotland.

Marie King, 1998 (Wichita, Kansas)

From Marie: "I just closed the world premiere of Waltzing in Heaven, a musical tribute to the WSU football team killed in a plane crash in 1970. It was written by the father of one of the team, and proved a great thing for the community. People can reach me at marie.king@wichita.edu"

Marie is the Director of Opera/Musical Theatre at Wichita State University in Kansas.Opera: Le nozze di Figaro, Sognando da Fellini

Tina Manchise, 1998 (New York)

Tina lives in New York, where she is a certified Pilates instructor and dance teacher.

Laura Mann, 1998

Kelly McCormick, 1998 (New York)

"I returned at the end of January from a three-month run as Babe in The Pajama Game for Arizona Theatre Company -- it was my most challenging role yet, but ATC is a fantastic place to work and we had a wonderful company. 

Just yesterday, I returned from two weeks at the O'Neill National Musical Theatre Conference in Connecticut, where I had the privelege of working on a new musical called Myth by John Mercurio with the fabulous Pamela Myers and John Lloyd Young, among others.  It's like an incredibly intense drama camp for adults, with constant rewrites and new material every day.  Words can't express how talented, grounded, and generous each and every person there is -- from writers, to designers, to actors, stage management, etc. It's a very special place. And next, I am thrilled to be originating the role of Truly Scrumptious in the 1st National Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang this fall!"

Theatre: Les Miserables (Fantine), Salt Lake City, Her Song, Les Miserables, National Tour, 1776, Pittsburgh CLO with Malcolm Gets, Children of Eden, Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C.

Paul Miller, 1998 (Chicago)

Paul is the Founder and Chief Goof Officer of CircEsteem and a former Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Clown. As part of the 1996-97 Ringling tour, Paul performed throughout the United States in hundreds of shows, where he drove the clown car, walked on stilts, and taught juggling in a pre-circus event known as the "Three Ring Adventure." He then spent the next few years performing and teaching for children of all ages and cultures in places like Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Las Vegas, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and even Japan.

From The Greatest Show on Earth to the Greatest Kids in Chi-Town, Paul enjoys goofing off through the great art of circus. He recently traveled to Germany in a circus exchange program.

(Check out his website at circesteem.org)

Michelle Mullins, 1998

Congratulations to Michelle on her recent July wedding in Columbus, OH. “I just obtained a master’s degree in social work. I am currently working with adolescent girls that are commercially sexually exploited and victims of domestic human trafficking at Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS). The work is very rewarding! I have also been able to integrate theater into my work with the girls, which they have loved.”

Andrew Nienaber, 1998 (Santa Ana, California)

Andrew and his wife live in Santa Ana.

Sarah Peters, 1998 (Los Angeles)

Congratulations to Sarah who shares the following news: “I'm sending you a link to the blog I'm writing for Bond Street Theater because I am totally amazed to find myself in India and I thought maybe you would like to see it too:
bondstreetblog.blogspot.com

Sarah just graduated with her MFA in Ensemble based Physical Theatre from the DelľArte School of Physical Theatre in California. 5 years with Kaiser Permanente Educational Theatre Programs LA Theater: Twelfth Night, The Dickens Project (Antaeus), Lysistrata 2003 (Will Geer), The Buddha Prince. You can reach Sarah by email at: sarahrara@gmail.com

Philip Watt, 1998 (New York)

Philip Watt began his acting career at age 15 with roles in Waiting for Godot, As You Like It, The Lion in Winter, The Wind in the Willows, Master Harold…and the boys, Marvin’s Room, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, and his adaptation of Franny and Zooey, by 17.  At Cincinnati-Conservatory of Music, Drama Department, he played the hostage in The Hostage, the clown in The Winter’s Tale, the glazier in Strindberg’s A Dream Play, the cook in Amadeus, the Broker in The Madwoman of Chaillot, and Hal in Loot. He assembled a play out of the writings of Dylan Thomas, and Dylan Thomas, 19, a solo performance, has been seen at Rutgers University, the University of Las Vegas, the William Inge Theatre in Independence, KS, and at the San Francisco Theater Festival.

Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati:  Two Weeks with the Queen (American premiere). Burbank Center Stage: Dandelion Wine (dir. Terrence Shank). Greenway Court Theater: The Theban Warriors, Dessalines (The Heart) Blood and Liberation: For the Love of Freedom, Part II, (dir. Ben Guillory). Philip played Crookfinger Jake in The Threepenny Opera with Patrick Cassidy and Theodore Bikel at UCLA’s Freud Theater, and appeared in Michael Jackson’s Stranger in Moscow and Eve 6′s Tongue Tied.  NYC: Much Ado About Nothing, Beckett Theatre. Pagan Warship, Jimmy’s No. 43.  Philip has played in the bands Rilo Kiley, The Elected, Ray’s Music Exchange, The Mercenaries, The New York City Teacher’s Big Band, Hollywood Local 47 non-union big band, San Francisco-based Slim Jenkins, and has had the opportunity to record with Elliott Smith, Mike Bloom and James Goode, among others.

Bard College, Master of Arts in Teaching, English, 2006

Cincinnati-Conservatory of Music, B.F.A. Dramatic Performance, 1998

www.philipwattacting.com

www.dylanthomas19.com

www.mrwattsliteraryservices.com

AEA/SAG

Jacob White, 1998 (New York)

Jacob has a full time job as an associate producer at an HD Cable TV station in New York. He is signed with the About Artists Agency.

Theatre: Between Two Worlds by Marcia Jean Kurtz, at the HB Playwrights Theatre; Pentecost (Off-Broadway); Floyd Collins (National Tour); Medal of Honor Rag and Lobby Hero, Theatre at St. Mary’s; Julius Caesar, Theatre for a New Audience in New York; The Dybukk.

Todd Almond, 1999 (New York)

"Todd Almond's songs are elegant, singular and haunting. He's one of
the finest new songwriters to hit the scene in a good long while."
-Michael John LaChiusa

Todd Almond is one of the most sought-after songwriters in NYC. Yale Rep recently commissioned him to write two musicals, and in the past year some of the theater world's greatest singers including Laura Benanti, Victoria Clark, Michael Arden, Jayne Houdyshell, and Cheyenne Jackson have performed his music. Almond is currently collaborating with Adam Bock, Marcus Gardley, and Lear deBessonet, and this summer he composed music for a short film by Will Eno.

As a performer, Almond has been wowing audiences with his inventive and always-surprising live shows. Also known for his radical interpretations of classic musicals (HAIR and the upcoming OLIVER), Almond's work as a musical director includes Michael John LaChiusa's TRES NINAS and Theatre Mitu's AHRAIHSAK. He has been in residence at the Sundance Theatre Lab, Vassar (NYTW), and was a composer in the inaugural 24 HOUR MUSICALS. MEXICO CITY is Almond's newest recording of original songs. A minimal and intimate collection, MEXICO CITY features 10 new songs including "The Fire," "Oh, Sean," and the acclaimed "The Margin."

Josh Alscher, 1999 (New York)

Recently filmed a new feature in New York where Josh plays a young Mick Jagger in a scene with Jeffrey Wright.

Film: Depression: The Movie

Television: Gorilla Black Magic Jesus.

Eydie Faye (Cohen) Mankowski, 1999 (Los Angeles)

Eydie is currently hard at work writing the screenplay for the re-make of the film Little Darlings, and taking care of her beautiful daughters Violet and Ruby, with her husband Ben.

Theatre: The Pages of My Diary I'd Rather Not Read, Los Angeles and Cincinnati.

Rick Coons, 1999 (Los Angeles)

“I am currently sitting in MY office at the LA Free Clinic where I test patients for HIV and counsel them.  I just graduated last week with my masters in psychology and I will start a four year PsyD program in August."

Betsie Devan, 1999 (Cleveland)

Congratulations to Betsie on her September wedding in Cleveland, OH.

Theatre: The Pages of My Diary I'd Rather Not Read, Los Angeles and Cincinnati.

Chad Gilkison, 1999 (New York)

Congratulations to Chad for his screenplay Kate and Co. being selected as the Official Selection of the 2008 Hoboken International Film Festival and Long Island International Film Festival. It has also been awarded the same honor by the Queens International Film Festival and the Rhode Island International Film Festival. He and his writing partner Scott Parrish are currently searching for funding for this award winning feature film script.

John Graham, 1999 (Orem, Utah)

Congratulations to John, who just finished his first year as an Assistant Professor of Voice and Movement at Utah Valley State College:

“This semester I taught voice, movement, combat, and history. The big news is that I have successfully negotiated a partnership to produce summer theatre between Utah Valley University and the Sundance Resort. So this Summer I'll be co-producing A Midsummer Night’s Dream and coordinating some workshops up there. They have a beautiful out-door space with the 11,000ft Mt. Timpanogas and its glacier as the back drop. [Robert] Redford is very excited by this partnership and is fully behind it. Needless to say it's all pretty exciting and a little nerve-wracking at the same time.”

Theatre: Twelfth Night and A Christmas Carol at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park

Marissa Manzanares, 1999 (Los Angeles)

Theatre: The Pages of My Diary I'd Rather Not Read, Los Angeles.

Lauren Pesca, 1999 (Chicago)

Chance Pinnell, 1999 (New York)

From Chance in New York: “SCARING THE FISH has been screening with director/cast Q&A's to private venues such as The Core Club, The Producers Guild and The SoHo House in NYC.  After audience testing, it's now going on the festival circuit for a year, then distribution. SOMETIMES, the latest feature with me as the lead & Chrishell Stause as the female lead, is beginning production.  A teaser trailer is up on youtube & the official film site showing me painting 'Jade' (Chrishell) in time-lapse."

youtube.com/watch?v=39CNQLP3Itw

For Court TV, Chance started the multimedia action site courttvred.com and developed an original prime time show now in production. His other films include Trust and Coney Island.

chancepinnell.com

Jeremy Seymour, 1999 (Chicago)

Alison Silverman, 1999 (New York) 

Alison's film short Champagne was a recent winner, again, this time in a film competition sponsored by the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).

Carrie Elizabeth (Adams) Simper, 2000 (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Dominic Bogart, 2000 (Los Angeles)

Dominic is a noted Distinguished Alumnus and the 2012 recipient of the Julia Winter Cohen Career Excellence Award from CCM Drama.

Film: Leading roles in I am Not A Hipster (Official Sundance Selection 2012), Extracted (Official Selection South By Southwest 2012), and the upcoming features Hello Herman and At Arms Length. Other film: Apostle Peter and the Last Supper, Static, Harvest, To Beauty, The Dig, Gone, By the Time the Sun Is Hot , Day Labor, Robbed, The King of Iron Town, The Making of a Mistress, Captive, Summer Nuts, Deacon’s Monday (Student Academy Awards finalist and Angelus Award Winner), TGI Batman, Anniversary (musical short), and Captive.

Television: FlashForward, The Chris Rock Show

Theatre credits include: Norm Waxman in Jersey Boys (National Tour & Chicago Company) and Zhivago (La Jolla Playhouse) both directed by Des McAnuff,, Mark in Rent (National tour) directed by Michael Grief, Jim in Molly’s Dream (Soho Repertory Theatre), Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar (New Bedford Festival Theatre), Pan in Bat Boy (Portland Center Stage), James in Sacrificing Boundaries (Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati), Lucas Duval in The Dame of New Orleans (Egyptian Arena Theatre/Hollywood), Rick in Bat Boy (Human Race Theatre Company), and Don in All But Forgotten (Soho Repertory Theatre).

At CCM Dominic appeared in As You Like It, The Grapes of Wrath, La Bête, Blue Window, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, and The Cherry Orchard.

Shannon Faith, 2000 (Cincinnati, OH)

Shannon has been the Studio Manager at the Pendleton Pilates Studio since 2004.

Shannon appeared in The True Body: A Radical Truth in the 2008 Cincinnati Fringe Festival.

Gina Ramsden, 2000 (New York)

Congratulations to Gina on her summer wedding.

From Gina: “The film I won Best Actress for last year at the NYC Horror Film Festival 2006 will be released March 2008...worldwide distribution- every major chain. It can rented & TV release too (possibly HD Monster channel among others!) called LAST RITES OF THE DEAD...I'm the unlikely heroine in the story...it's not your typical zombie flick! The company has written the lead role for me in their next movie: The Antichrist...it's in pre-production now...bigger budget, etc . .Also, my husband and I opened a children's fitness franchise called My Gym in West Orange NJ last April...we’re doing very well!”

Television: As The World Turns

Film: Strange; LAST RITES OF THE DEAD

Emily Schnurr, 2000 (Spokane, WA)

Emily recently moved  to Spokane WA after getting a job at IHG (Intercontinental Hotels Group) as a Regional Revenue Manager.  Within 26 hours after landing in Washington her boyfriend proposed and she is now engaged. CONGRATULATIONS EMILY!

Randy Sullivan, 2000 (New York)

Randy has been employed since 2006 as a Business Agent for the New York Hotel and Motel Trades Council Local 6.  He has been responsible for contract enforcement and negotiations.  "Although I have never considered myself "retired" from acting I feel it's safe to say that my current job is both challenging and presents different experiences everyday. Important news includes the fact that my Union and the workers I represent have completed negotiations on a brand new Industry Wide Agreement for the NYC area lasting the next 7 years with wage increases of over 29% for the life of the contract.  It is by far the best contract we have ever gotten and much to be touted in the labor movement.  Our achievements have been celebrated in many national newspapers including the NY Times, LA Times, and NY Daily News."

Scott Ticen, 2000 (Lancaster, PA)

I am still working at Sight and Sound theatres in Lancaster, Pa. So this would be a 12 year gig! nice. We are in rehearsals for the production of Jonah, and are expecting close to a million people this year.
As well as acting full time and doing commercial/voice over work on the side, I am the resident fight choreographer at Sight and Sound. I will be teaching two classes at Sight and Sound's new Conservatory in the Fall. One of the classes will be a Viewpoint class. I recently have been asked to Choreograph the production of Romeo and Juliet at Scranton's Shakespeare in the Park.
On a personal note from Scott: "I am married to an incredible woman and we have a beautiful 3 year old daughter. I am very thankful for the wonderful training that I received at CCM. I can honestly say that I utilize my training every day. This is a fantastic industry that we are a part of, and I am humbled and thankful that I can do it every day. Thanks again, and God Bless!"