Alumni
Page
Former
UMD Theatre Students
Where they
are, what they're up to, how to contact them
(Last updated:
June 12, 2002)
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- Recent Happenings
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- Jamison Haase ('98) is rehearsing the three-character
Kenneth Lonergan play This Is Our Youth in Los Angeles.
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- Amy Eicher recently sent photos of her band Jack Gandydancer,
performing in and around the Twin Cities. Although perhaps I'm
not qualified to say, they looked to be "the bomb."
(hip talk for good)
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- Angela Sommerfeld writes: "On june 14th (next
friday) at 7pm EST on ABC (channel 7 out here) I am going to
be on EXTRA! talking about this new show called The
Revengers. It's a totally online casting process and they
interviewed me and two other actresses for the show. So go to
www.the-revengers.com and
vote for me! Or put your own headshot up there and vote for yourself.
Next weeked too, the 13,14 and 15 of june I will be performing
in the LICAP's (long island city arts project) Festival of Short
Works called Springfest 2002. It's at 7:30 on Thurs and 8pm on
Fri/Sat. It's at the Foundry which is at 42-25 Vernon Blvd in
LIC. Take the E/R/F train to Queens Plaza, walk west, entrance
is on 9th street between 42nd and 43rd aves. For reservations
or more info call 212-726-1969 or email thelicap@aol.com or visit
www.licap.org. Finally, I am working
on All My Children for four days next week so that means that
I'll be on the air about a month from then. I won't know the
exact dates until I get on set so watch my website for dates
and details. http://sommerfeld.50megs.com."
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- Valerie (Buel) Vedder ('99) and hubbie Timm Vedder
(UMD med school, but honorary theatre major) recently celebrated
their one-year anniversary. Congratulations Timm and Val!
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- Kelly Nichols ('99) is appearing in Mantis,
produced by the Gallery Players of Park Slope as part of their
Black Box Series. The show runs June 13 through 16 and is an
evening of short and one-act plays.
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- 2002 UMD graduates in performance are: Andrew Bennett,
Jason Cooper, Katie Froehlich, Katy Helbacka, Pegah Kadkhodaian,
Angie Martin, Angie Petree, and Dave Strong. Please welcome
them to the real world!
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- Garrett Glaser ('00) just appeared in She Must
Composer Herself, an operatic comedy written and directed
by Emily Charlotte Conbere, at the Present Company Theatre in
NYC.
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- Mathias Anderson ('98) was just cast in Chicago
at the highly regarded Weston Playhouse for the month of July!
He's also in the final callbacks for the national tour of Seussical,
so keep your fingers crossed for that because that would be fanteussical.
(Get it?)
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- UMD once again fared well at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
The Movie Game was very well received, and it was announced
that with this fifth production to Washington, only one other
university in the country (Boston University) has been chosen
to travel to the Kennedy Center more often. In addition, Adam
Hummel ('01) won the Mark Twain Comedy Playwriting Award,
and, in the Irene Ryan competition, Andrew Bennett ('02)
was the first runner-up for the Mark Twain Comedy Acting Award,
and Dave Strong ('02) was named Best Scene Partner. Also
great fun to see a veritable gaggle (if you will) of former UMDers:
Bobby Willis, Chris and Sara Boldon, Kate Horvath, Amy Boeding,
Megen Musegades, Amanda Durst, and Tauni Reinschmidt.
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- Did you catch the "Today" show on Wednesday, April
10? If so, you caught Jordan Hall ('01) as Professor Frank
Lee Forensics hob-nobbing with Al Roker about Jordan's Court
TV tour. It was very funny, and Al Roker's parting words were,
"I love this guy," as he put a strangle-hold on Jordan.
This week Al Roker; next week Matt and Katie. Stay posted.
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- Andy Nelson ('01) just got cast at a West Virginia
theatre for summer employment. He'll be doing a melodrama, followed
by Oedipus.
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- Shannon Nelson ('97) is as busy as ever, currently
being considered for several important roles for film and TV.
In addition, she's doing readings for three different theatre
companies, including Ferdinand's Bruckner's Pains of Youth
for Gary Marshall's theatre in L.A.
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- Chris Boldon ('99) has just launched a web design
site, at http://www.praying-mantis.org.
"If you want a site designed, drop me a line (of course,
UMD students and alumni get a discount!).
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- The UMD Showcase, presented March 25 and featuring
13 recent graduates, went very well, according to various reports.
One agent reported it was the most professional showcase he'd
seen!
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- Brandon Breault ('01) has snagged the title role in
Macbeth for the New York stage.
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- Mark Armstrong ('95) is living and working in New
York City, where he is a member of the Lincoln Center Theater
Directors Lab and the Hypothetical Theatre Company. Recent directing
credits include List, The Ballad of Samuel Elbert Dodson Jr.,
Not a Word to Mother (Hypothetical), The Diet Doctor
(Ensemble Studio Theatre), Mono a Mono (Vertical Player
Repertory), The Long Goodbye (Hartford Stage) Secret
Things (Lincoln Center Directors Lab) and many workshops
and readings of new plays. Mark received his MFA from Arizona
State University, where he was the William Dobkin Directing Fellow
and studied with Marshall W. Mason.
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- Kelly Nichols ('99) continues to do stand-up comedy
throughout Manhattan, including a regular gig at Stand-Up New
York.
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- Malia Long ('97) sends the latest news about the Gaia
Collective and its upcoming performances. The Gaia Collective
is celebrating Women's History Month with Wendy Wasserstein's
beloved play, Uncommon Women and Others. Performances
will run March 2nd March 9th at the Minnesota Opera Center.
As a group of 20-something women, The Gaia Collective has a special
connection to the story Uncommon Women and Others.
Close friends and University of Minnesota Duluth graduates Malia
E. Long (Artistic Director), Jen Thill (Stage Manager),
and Shannon Lee (Costume Designer) have all spent the
last few years discovering life as professional women in today's
society. They are looking forward to using their choices and
insights to bring the nine women of Mount Holyoke College to
life. Also involved with the production are Brad Bone
(scenic design), Sam Chafos (graphic design), and
Summer Hagen in the cast.
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- A UMD Actors tightcircle has been formed, joining UMD acting
alums with current seniors in performance, as a place where students
(and alums) can ask and answer questions about the business of
acting. So far it's been a big help and highly informative. To
view some of the discussions, click
here. If you're not on the tightcircle but would like to
be, e-mail Tom Isbell.
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- In case you didn't hear, we had great success at the recent
regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in
Lincoln, Nebraska. For the second year in a row, a UMD student
won the Irene Ryan acting award (Andy Bennett), and two of our
student designers won awards, meaning they will also travel to
Washington in April. And the climax of the week was the performance
of Adam Hummel's The Movie Game for an audience
of 1200. It all went very well and the show is on hold for Washington.
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- J. Garrett Glaser ('00) (formerly Garrett Glaser)
is now a proud member of SAG, thanks to his recent New York Lotto
commercial. This follows his widely played Starburst commercial.
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- Big news from Malia Long ('97). She and Bryan are
engaged to be married and looking at a June, 2003 celebration.
Congratulations, Malia!!!!
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- The Movie Game, written by Adam Hummel ('01),
had its Dudley Experimental premiere in December, and one reviewer
called it "screamingly funny." It has been chosen to
be performed in Lincoln, Nebraska in January as part of the Kennedy
Center American College Theater Festival. Seen in attendance
at various performances were Jordan Hall ('01), Amy
Abts ('99) and Kelly Nichols ('99). There will be
two benefit performances on January 19 for $20 a ticket.
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- Aimee Trumbore ('01) got married on December 8, 2001,
which, as I'm sure you all know, is this author's birthday. Obviously
they will be blessed with happiness.
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- Recent additions to New York City: Kate Horvath ('01),
Jessica Paschke ('01), and Brandon Breault ('01).
Good luck; we're keeping fingers crossed.
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- I had coffee recently with Angela Sommerfeld when
she was in town. She has made numerous appearances on various
soap operas and is now living and thriving in New York.
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- Word on the street is that Timm Vedder ('99) is incredibly
busy being a doctor in Hawaii, working longer hours than that
Noah Wylie guy on E.R. Nonetheless, he and Valerie
and her family managed to snorkel at Hanauma Bay on Christmas
Eve.
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- Jon Lamb ('01) toured Japan with a production of Our
Town in the fall. The production originated in Wisconsin.
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- Valerie (Buel) Vedder ('99) played Eliza Doolittle
in a production of My Fair Lady in the great state of
Hawaii. The reviews said "she's the right blend of cockney
toughness and porcelain elegance with a dazzling Katharine Hepburn
smile. Vedder also has a lovely voice that carries all of her
songs and a sharp sense of comedy that enlivens her two-act feud
with Higgins." To see a photo of the charming Ms. Vedder,
click
here.
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- Sam Chafos ('99) began his graduate work at Sarah
Lawrence University in the fall. He'll be getting his MFA there
in Theatre Studies.
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- Susan Shehata ('97) just got cast in the Mystery Cafe's
new show, "Now The Bad News." The Mystery Cafe is an
interactive comedy dinner theatre that has been in Minneapolis.
for about 14 years. She was also promoted to Assistant Director
of the Brave New Institute, which is the Brave New Workshop's
(formerly known as Dudley Riggs) improvisation school.
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- Brad Bone ('98) recently completed a three-city fashion
tour with Brooke Shields where he played the "Karokee Guy"
in Fash Bash for Marshall Fields. The Chicago Sun Times wrote
him up as being the most entertaining part of the show.
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- Recent grad Brandon Breault ('01) appeared as Longaville
in Love's Labor's Lost and was also featured prominently
in Coriolanus at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival this
summer. Reports are that he distinguished himself very well.
Way to go, Brandon!
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- Amy Abts ('99) continues to forge her way through
the cold waters of independent music with success (especially
in Belgium and Holland!) and has recently released her first
CD Colliseum. In the words of this reviewer, it is dope.
It is the bomb. It is phat. (I think those are good things.)
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- Jamison Haase ('98) is appeared in Comedy of Errors
at Sacred Fools Theatre in L.A., at the corner of Melrose and
Heliotrope. Catch him if you can.
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- Jon Lamb ('01) and Tom Karki ('00) earned rave
reviews for their work in The Odd Couple and Man of
La Mancha at the Minnesota Repertory Theater last summer.
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- Chris Kohlof ('97) made his second appearance on The
Young and the Restless on July 12. He first appeared on the
show in May.
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- Shannon Nelson ('97) shot a horror film, TheCampusHouse.com,
in June. She's in the entire film and - get this! - she doesn't
die. Husband David Nett ('96) also appears in the same
film. She appeared on ER during February and as an aide
to the First Lady (Stockard Channing) on West Wing during
May. Both episodes appeared during the highly important sweeps
months.
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- After closing The Laramie Project last month at the
Illusion Theatre in Minneapolis, Kourtney Kaas ('98) is
now appearing in Baby with the Bathwater.
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- Valerie Buel and Timm Vedder (honorary theatre
alum) were married June 2 in a beautiful ceremony in St. Paul.
Some of the UMD theatre alumni in attendance were: Amy Eicher
(looking very chic in a newly shaved head), Malia Long, Amy
Boeding, Chris and Sara Boldon, Kelly Nichols (straight from
New York), Adam Hummel, Jordan Hall, Amanda Durst, Amy Boeding,
Kate Horvath, Jessica Paschke, Angie Martin (soon-to-be graduated),
Denise Dawson, and Shannon Haas. Bridesmaids included
Melanie Summer, Elizabeth (Olson) Brod, and soon-to-be-graduated
Pegah Kadkhodaian. A good time was had by all.
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- Kelly Nichols made her singing debut at the prestigious
Brooklyn Academy of Music.
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- 2001 Graduates in Performance are: Brandon Breault, Jordan
Hall, Kate Horvath, Adam Hummel, Jon Lamb, Andrew Nelson, Jessica
Paschke, and Aimee Trumbore. Best of luck to them
all!
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- And the aforementioned Chris Boldon was recently awarded
proficiencies in rapier/dagger, unarmed combat, and broadsword
weapon styles and given the title of Actor/Combatant by the Society
of American Fight Directors (SAFD). So if anyone needs any fight
choreography in their lives...
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- In March, Susan Shehata was featured in Against
My Better Judgement...A Variety Show. Also in the cast was
husband Dan Kronzer.
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- The aforementioned Susan Shehata and Dan Kronzer
recently traveled to China to see classmate Nick Grady.
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- Jim Formanek is working at the Jim Henson Company
and recently shot an independent film with Nick Freeman.
If you want to check it out, go to www.burninggalileofilms.com.
Look for F-Stops.
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- E-mail Addresses
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- Amy Abts
- Warholbaby@aol.com
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- Mathias Anderson
- mjbdwy@yahoo.com
- Service: 212-340-1294
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- Mark Armstrong
- mrexcitement44@hotmail.com.
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- Amy Boeding
- amyboeding@hotmail.com.
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- Brad Bone
- Brad.Bone@target.com.
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- Chris and Sara (Schmidt) Boldon
- schmildon.nyc@verizon.net
or sara.magoo@verizon.net
(Sara) or cc.boldon@verizon.net
(Chris)
- Web pages: Sara: www.sarasb.com.
Chris:
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- Valerie (Buel) Vedder
- valerievedder@yahoo.com
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- Shana Croll
- shanawana@prodigy.net.
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- Amy Eicher
- amy.eicher@fallon.com.
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- Jim Formanek
- jformanek@henson.com.
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- Garrett Glaser
- jgmgiii@hotmail.com.
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- Jordan Hall
- jojomama55@hotmail.com.
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- Jamison Haase
- jhaase1@hotmail.com
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- Brenda Hattingh
- brendahattingh@hotmail.com.
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- Kate Horvath
- northstarchild@hotmail.com.
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- Adam Hummel
- adamhummel@hotmail.com.
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- Chris Kohlhof
- chris_kohlhof@spe.sony.com
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- Malia Long
- malia@mnopera.org.
Or write: 2800 Grand Ave., #206, MLPS, MN 55408. To contact the
Gaia Collective, type: thegaiacollective@yahoo.com.
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- Julie MacIver
- juliemac_29@yahoo.com
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- Gina Mayer
- ginamayer@hotmail.com.
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- Megen Musegades
- mmusegades@hotmail.com.
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- Andy Nelson
- ajnanima@hotmail.com
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- Shannon Nelson
- cressida10@yahoo.com.
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- Kelly Nichols
- knichols2001@yahoo.com
- Web page: http://www.k-nichols.com
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- David Nett
- troilus1@mac.com
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- Jessica Paschke
- jessicaPaschke@hotmail.com.
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- Carrie Rossow
- carrster@yahoo.com
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- Susan Shehata
- susanshehata@hotmail.com.
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- Matt Skaja
- senor1218@hotmail.com.
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- Aimee Skold
- aimee.skold@tvc.cbs.com
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- Angela Sommerfeld
- lika57@hotmail.com
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- Julie Unulock
- generalspanky_ju@yahoo.com
and jdunulock@bresnanlink.net.
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- Timm Vedder
- Web page: www.umn.edu/~tvedder.
Email: tvedder@yahoo.com
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- Link
to Mark Harvey's index of design/technical alumni
-
- If you have information to add, please e-mail Tom
at:
- tisbell@d.umn.edu.
-
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