News From:
Around the Institute
Golden Pen Award Shines
We have a report from Bobbi Owen, former Vice-President for Communications, that the USITT Golden Pen Award continues to receive national notice.
Ms. Owen was in New York City on a recent weekend for the Irene Sharaff/Tobin Awards event, She and Jody Blake decided to go see Spider-man Turn off the Dark. "We wanted to be able to compare notes between the old version (closed yesterday for a couple of weeks) and the new one (opening in a couple of weeks). The technology is truly amazing... They did everything."
In reading through the Playbill program, Ms. Owen noted that in his biography, George Tsypin mentions his book, George Tsypin Opera Factory: Building in the Black Void, and that it received the USITT Golden Pen award!
Pat Larmer Retires
Pat Larmer, well-known as the Troubleshooter Coordinator on the USITT Annual Conference Committee, has retired after 32 fun-filled years at Palomar College. Pat may have left his post as production manager at Palomar, but he is still on tap to help the 2012 Annual Conference, just down the road in Long Beach, run smoothly.
Long Riders Head for South Dakota
On July 1 the Long Reach Long Riders will begin its eighth annual charity motorcycle ride. What started out as a one time event has blossomed into an annual one that has raised over $250,000.
The ride supports both Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The ESTA Foundation's Behind the Scenes program. To find out more about the ride or these charities, click here and click on the Donate button.
While it's true that participants have a great time on the ride, each rider pays his/her own way so that all donations goes to the charity chosen by ride supporters. For an idea of what this ride is about, view a video put together by rider Mark "Aurelius" Heiser.
Students Honored
Members of the Wyoming Student Chapter were easy to spot at the 2011 Annual Conference in their bright yellow shirts.
Photo/Monica Merritt
Congratulations to the Wyoming Student Chapter of USITT which recently received a contribution to the Wyoming Down Syndrome Association in its honor to sponsor the 2011 Wyoming Buddy Walk. The honor was presented as part of the group's awards ceremony on April 29.
Casey Kearns, Chapter Advisor, said, "I've participated in the walk for two years now and have volunteered for six years at Ark Regional Services Creative Arts Program. Ark provides day habilitation along with many other opportunities, one being the creative arts center with a black box theatre and dance studio where we produce live theatre and dance performances twice a year. I volunteer teach a stage design class, and many of the UW students have assisted me with projects over at Ark."
The Wyoming USITT student chapter has volunteered to assist with the organization of the walk this year in addition to walking.
Associates Unharmed Despite Severe Weather
Devastating tornados and other unusual weather phenomenon have struck so many different parts of the country and the world that we're pleased to report that many of our far-flung USITT members and colleagues are unharmed. Property damage can be repaired although, as those in New Orleans can attest, it can take a long time. Having our people safe is much more important.
In Memoriam: Dr. Paul Reinhardt
We note with sadness the death of Dr. Paul Reinhardt on April 29. He was honored at the 1998 Annual Conference & Stage Expo with a special exhibit of his costume designs, The Heritage of Dr. Paul Reinhardt, which included renderings, photographs, and costumes. Dr. Reinhardt received his BA from the University of Tulsa, his MFA in theatre history/costume from the University of Texas at Austin, and his doctorate in theatre history from the University of Iowa.
He designed more than 175 productions, and his academic career encompassed Richmond Professional Institute, Northwestern University, the University of Iowa, the University of Texas at Austin, California State University at Fullerton, the University of Oregon, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, James Madison University, and Western Michigan University.
Dr. Reinhardt's professional design credits included Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Northwestern Repertory Theatre, the Scott Actor's Repertory in Fort Worth, Texas, the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California, and ten years as principal designer at the Texas Shakespeare Festival.
