Alumni Updates

Alumni Updates

Our alumni have exciting careers in performance, design, playwriting and as producers and span the theatre, film and television industries. Credits iclude: Broadway productions of A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, The Philanthropist, Born Yesterday, Arcadia, Race and 42nd Street among others. Additionally, alums have worked with the Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, the Utah Shakespearean Festival and Oregon Shakespeare Festival along with many other outstanding regional theatres. On screen our alums have been featured in many television and film roles. The success of our former students is a testament to the wonderful training that they have received in our program and the tenacious spirit that they carry with them upon graduation!

Below is a partial listing of some of our alumni and the success that they have achieveed:

Haley Strode (BFA 2007)

Ryan Dusek (BFA 2008)

Tom Brown (BFA Performance, 1983)
Tom Brown is the Producer and Vice President of Original Productions for Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Tom has overseen production on the Emmy-nominated original documentary Brando. He has also overseen such critically acclaimed projects as the Emmy-winning Stardust: The Bette Davis Story; the Emmy-nominated documentary Cary Grant: A Class Apart and the highly praised documentary Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool.

Sarah Chaney (BFA Design & Technology)
Sarah Chaney has recently worked at Utah Shakespeare Festival and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival as a wig artist. Additionally, she has worked for the Wigs and Make-up Department for South Coast Rep and Stage Managed A Christmas Carol at the Long Beach Shakespeare Company.

Steven De Luca (BFA, 1997)
Steven De LucaSteven De Luca (BFA 97) speaks the language of theatre and credits his Ole Miss degree for providing diverse influences and exposure to versatile teachers.  It also helps him with his two main jobs: first as director of marketing and business development with Martian Entertainment, and second, as assistant treasurer at the Barrymore Theatre, both in New York City.

Martin Entertainment, which produces and manages commercial theatrical projects, recently won its first Tony Award for Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart.

“I advise the co-owners on what shows they should produce, I handle the shows that they’re developing for the live stage, and I oversee two affiliate media companies,” De Luca said. “What’s most appealing to me about my position at Martian is that I to be at the forefront of some truly exciting work being done, and I get to influence the growth of many different projects.”

De Luca has worked since 2007 at the Barrymore Theatre, which is owned and operated by one of Broadway’s most influential theatre dynasties, The Shubert Organization. There, his responsibilities include overseeing and reporting the ticket sales/revenue for each independent production at the venue.

He has worked on the Broadway revival of Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, David Mamet’s Race and Speed-the Plow, and Eugene Ionesco’s Exit the King and Elling.

“The perk to this job is that I get to meet and watch some great talent do their work, “De Luca said.
 

Tate EllingtonTate Ellington

Tate Ellington has appeared on Broadway in The Philanthropist featuring Matthew Broderick and Steven Weber. He has also been seen on film & television in The Walking Dead, Parenthood, Castle, The Glades, Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23The Good WifeThe Invention of LyingRescue MeTaking Chance and Remember Me.


Kenneth Foster (BFA Design & Technology, 2010)
Kenneth Foster spent two years as the Resident Lighting Designer at Lexington Children's Theatre and is currently attending the University of Tennessee in pursuit of his MFA in Lighting Design.

Sarah Garrett (BFA Design & Technology, 2009)
Sarah Garrett is the Production Stage Manager for the National Tour of the BLUE MAN GROUP after serving as the Production Stage Manager for the Orlando production for several years. Prior to this she served as a Stage Manager at Walt Disney World and an Assistant Stage Manager with Two River Theater in New Jersey.

Britt Hancock (BA Theatre Arts)
Britt Hancock has performed in the National Tours of The ProducersHairspray and The Drowsy Chaperone.

Jason Milligan (BFA Acting, 1983)
Jason Milligan is a playwright, sceen writer and staff writer for Disney. Jason's many stage plays have been performed in numerous productions across the United States, as well as in Canada and Europe. Thirty of them are now published by Samuel French. For television, Jason served as co-creator (together with Mary Hanes) and Supervising Producer of the family drama HOPE ISLAND, a critically acclaimed series for PAX-TV. Other film and television work includes the screenplay for MUSEUM OF LOVE, directed by Christian Slater for Showtime for its Academy Award-winning series of original films, "Directed by." 
Jason currently works as a writer for The Walt Disney Company, for whom he's written literally thousands of scripts, concepts, media events, press releases, speeches, industrials, stage shows and storytelling theater pieces for Disney theme parks and other Disney business units around the world.

Rachel Noel (BFA Design & Technology, 2005)
Rachel Noel was recently promoted to Assistant Manager of Special Events at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. Rachel manages the planning and execution of high profile events for various departments of the Kennedy Center and the National Symphony Orchestra with a concentration on development and donor events including board meetings, cultivation, and fundraising events ranging in size from 200 to 1200 people annually. Recently, Rachel managed the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors and The Presidency of John F. Kennedy: A 50th Anniversary Celebration Opening Night.

Tripp Phillips (MFA Directing, 1986)
Tripp Phillips was the Production Stage Manager for the First National Tour of JERSEY BOYS. PSM of IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS at the Pantages, Los Angeles, 2005; PSM of Encores! OF THEE I SING; 70, GIRLS, 70; and KISMET (2006) and PURLIE (2005). PSM of tryout of new musical PRINCESSES at the 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle (2005). Off-Broadway PSM credits include THE PARIS LETTER at the Laura Pels Theatre (2005), LONE STAR LOVE at the Houseman Theatre (2004), OEDIPUS for Blue Light Theater at Classic Stage Company; and ONCE IN A LIFETIME at the Atlantic Theatre. Other credits include Production Supervisor of the First National Tour and German production of 42nd STREET, and DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE at the Paper Mill Playhouse.

Kevin Raper
Kevin Raper is a Graphic Designer/Graphic Artist for Film & Television. For television he has worked on 30 Rock, Law & Order (Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent), A Gifted Man, The Big C, The Good Wife, Rescue Me and Fringe among others. For film he has worked on The Fighter, The Adjustment Bureau, Miracle at St. Anna, Choke, August Rush, The Bourne Ultimatum and The Producers among others.

Jaime Robledo (BFA Acting, 1994)
Jaime Robledo is a working writer, director, producer, and actor in Los Angeles who's last play Watson: the Last Great Tale of the Legendary Sherlock Holmes has been named one of the best new plays in Los Angeles for 2010. Jaime is a company member at Sacred Fools Theatre company (one of L.A.'s most successful and prestigious small theatres). Jaime also has an independent film and video company called Hollywood Biltmore Films and has written freelance film reviews and celebrity interviews for Backstage magazine and UGO.com.