News From
Around the Institute
Wagner-Henry Takes New Position
Congratulations to USITT Secretary Sherry Wagner-Henry on a new position in a new location.
After an international search guided by a committee of faculty, staff, student, and alumni representatives at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ms. Wagner-Henry has been named the next director of the Bolz Center for Arts Administration for the Wisconsin School of Business.
She has spent the last 17 years at the University of Minnesota-Minneapolis/St. Paul, where she was most recently director of graduate programs for the College of Continuing Education and faculty director of the Master of Professional Studies in Arts and Cultural Leadership (ACL), for which she was founding director. Previously at the University of Minnesota, she was managing director of University Theatre and Dance and executive director of the Minnesota Centennial Showboat.
Sherry was a Follett Fellow in the Arts, Entertainment and Media Management (AEMM) program at Columbia College-Chicago and received her MBA in arts management from Illinois State University.
In announcing the appointment, the university noted Sherry's several professional affiliations, including membership in USITT, where she was named the first Vice-Commissioner of Arts Management in 2003. She became Secretary for the Institute in 2011.
Sherry's appointment officially began August 1.
Verheyen Earns Best Costumes Award
Congratulations also to Claremarie Verheyen who received the Best Costumes award from the Houston Press. The awards are given yearly, and this was Ms. Verheyen's first win.
She was recognized for her work on In the Next Room, or the Vibrator Play at Stages Repertory Theatre. "What is more sumptuous onstage than the rustle of patterned silk or the swish of fine velvet?" the newspaper commented. "Period costumes are our weakness, especially when they add flavor to their wearers as Verheyen's ravishing Victorian creations did for Sarah Ruhl's comedy of corseted manners... there's no sin in pleasure, the costumes said, echoing the play's theme. The clothes for the women's husbands were as detailed as the men were obtuse: greatcoats, cravats and crisp linen shirts bound their egos tighter than any whalebone."
Aldridge Adds to Wall
Another piece of the wall.
Past President Joe Aldridge added one more item to his personal wall of fame when he was presented with a plaque and gavel denoting his years of service as USITT President. Lea Asbell-Swanger, President, gave the plaque as part of the Board of Directors meeting in Orlando, Florida in August.
LRLR Complete Ninth Ride
The Long Reach Long Riders (LRLR) announced the successful completion of its ninth annual charity motorcycle ride. The ride, which benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The ESTA Foundation's Behind the Scenes program, started in Seattle, Washington on August 4 and ended in Seattle on August 11. To date in 2012, LRLR has raised over $45,000.
The ride this year included 19 bikes, two chase cars and two ferries (a first for the LRLR). The top 10 sites visited by the LRLR this year were, in descending order: the Salish Sea, the "Octopus" Tree, Mt. St Helens, the Strait of Georgia; Cape Meares; Crown Point and the Columbia River Gorge (a tie), Cape Flattery, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Mt. Rainier, and Crater Lake. The ride, dubbed Ninth by Northwest, covered over 2,000 land miles and 52 nautical miles.
The Long Reach Long Riders thank everyone who helped make this year's ride a resounding success. Visit lrlr.org for more information.
The 10th annual Long Reach Long Riders event will take place in the Great Lakes region. Check the website in the coming months for route, dates, registration, and donation information.
