Music, Theatre, and Dance

• Curtis Jackson, Theatre ’10

  is up for a Jeff Award (Chicago’s Tony award)

   Ensemble

  Shakespeare’s R & J – Idle Muse Theatre Company

• EMILY THORNER ( ’10)  just completed a run as Mme. Silverpeal in Mozart’s “The Impresario” with Florida State Opera Outreach.

• JENNIFER COOPER (’08) has been accepted into the Master of Music (Choral) program at the University of Southern Maine.  Jenny is currently in her third year teaching at Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine and also sings with and serves as VP for the NH Master Chorale.  Congrats!

• This was the weekend for the NATS-Boston Art Song and Aria Competition at Boston University. Four of Dr. Kathleen Arecchi’s students entered (Laura Daigle, Mike Dodge, Hannah Judas, and Claire Kaiser), and Allan DiBiase was the pianist for all four. They were all in Div. 2, which had just over 30 entrants performing in the Preliminaries on Saturday.

MIKE DODGE was among 9 semi-finalists in that division, and was 1 of the 3 invited to sing in the Finals! He placed 3rd and received a $150 prize. The 1st and 2nd place winners were students at New England and Boston conservatories.

• On Saturday, February 11, 2012, DANNY BREVIK (currently in the graduate program at New England Conservatory) performed in Offenbach’s “La Perichole.” He had a principal, comic role and did a great job!  The review in Edgeboston.com was very positive:

CONGRATULATIONS!!

• CURTIS JACKSON has had a busy start to the new year beginning work with ChicSpeare Production Company. As an Actor/Educator he brings the magic of Shakespeare to high school students through workshops on scene study and stage combat. Curtis is also currently working on an all male adaptation of Romeo and Juliet with the Idle Muse Theatre Company in Chicago titled Shakespeare’s R&J, in which he plays Student 1 (Romeo and others), which will run through the end of March. This summer he will join the Arkansas Shakespeare Theatre to play Sebastian in Twelfth Night and several roles in Richard III.

• JOHN LYNES was seen on a CT Fox station promoting (speaking/singing) a production of “Smokey Joe’s Cafe.”  Check out the link below.http://www.ctnow.com/videobeta/a7ff3d19-f3c6-443d-a0c0-417c0effdc06/News/Smokey-Joes-Cafe-At-Seven-Angels-Theatre-12-2
• BRADY LYNCH     http://artsandleisurenews.com/www.artsandleisurenews.com/off=broadway.html

A review in which PSU ’11 Alum Brady Lynch’s singing is reviewed (her NY Off-Broadway debut). See
below.

3 Ghosts Scene

Brady Lynch

3 GHOSTS

Based on A CHRISTMAS CAROL, was certainly not acting like a scrooge at the Beckett Theatre– pouring out
the talent, creativity and bringing the true meaning of the holiday season to the stage. Come to see this true gift
presented by the Pipe Dream Theatre, running through 12/23.

Through original routines and a youthful energy that impressively adds spirit to the play, this 90 minute/no
intermission production is a pleasure to watch. Ebenezer is played to a“Dickenson would be proud” perfection
by Elio Lleo and hearing Brady Lynch sing her part, Belle, is worth the ticket alone. The song sequences
roll out quickly and flow as the cast ensures it is a festive time with no dragging parts.

Chains, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Not at All The Same — are dance acts carried out with a freshness
that had the audience smiling and engaged. While 3 GHOSTS may have a high school production feel to it– it
complements rather than hinders its essence.

Grab a ticket before the holidays are over and let this spectacular 40 person cast delight you with fun for the
holidays through their version of a true holiday classic.

Reviewed by Karen White

**********************************

FYI: Brady has already signed a contract for a job with Disney Cruise Lines that will take her to South America,
Hawaii, et. al. for a number of months. She goes to Toronto for rehearsals in January.

• Curtis Jackson (’10) 
  Since moving to Chicago in late 2010 Curtis Jackson has been involved in several productions around the city as well as in North West Indiana including Quake (Brian, Roger, Nice Man) at the Gorilla Tango Theater, Good Boys and True (Justin Simmons) at Theater Wit, as well as a summer of Guerrilla Spectacle performances with the Chicago institution Redmoon Theater. This fall Curtis will be understudying two roles in a production of The Heart is a Lonely Hunter at Steppenwolf Theatre Company, then closing out the year at Towle Theater in the musical A Fabulous 50s Christmas. 
  
  
• Kaela Raku is living and working in Cairns, Australia.  She writes:  ”Things here are going really well! I’m teaching part time at an elementary school as their music teacher…. and also teaching voice at a dance studio as well as privately, which is wonderful!!! Performing as much as I can too! Singing in the choral society here in Cairns and doing their shows and such. I just got a gig as the female vocalist in a band here!!! So exciting!”
• Jennifer Cooper is entering her third year as director of vocal studies at Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine.  She serves as vice president on the board of the NH Master Chorale (nhmasterchorale.org), with whom she also sings.  She also serves on the board of the Mahoosuc Arts Council. (mahoosucarts.org).   She is webmaster for both of these organizations, and has designed other websites, including the Manchester Choral Society (mcsnh.org).
• Jennifer Stevens Solari: “I teach elementary general music grades 1-3 full time at Biddeford Primary School in Biddeford, Maine. Close to finishing my master’s degree in Literacy Education from USM where I have focused my research on the music-literacy learning connection. I also started my own very small business teaching Music Together- an early childhood music ed. program for kids ages birth-6 yrs and their caregivers.
  
• Three of our May 2011 graduates begin graduate school this fall in Vocal Performance: Jennifer Fijal at North Carolina Greensboro, Heather Jacques at University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, and Danny Brevik at New England Conservatory.
• Lauren Keefe Matava is teaching 4th grade at Broken Ground School in Concord, NH.
• Christian Labnon is running a voice studio in northern New Hampshire.  He was also a featured soloist in the 2011 Bach Fest in Gorham and Berlin New Hampshire.
• Pam Prince Pedrick has just completed her masters degree in Integrated Arts at Lesley University (8/2011), and is entering her 11th year of teaching music in the Rochester (NH) public school district.
• Kristen Bushway is teaching for a  5th year in Berlin, NH.  Her HS chorus will be performing at Carnegie Hall in April 2012. Last year, her group performed for the NH charitable foundation and toured the UK performing in the capitol cities of England, Ireland, and Scotland (including Belfast).
• Robyn Morse Langmead just received her masters degree in reading from Bridgewater State College in May 2011.  She is beginning her 5th year of teaching 3rd grade in Falmouth, MA.
• Derrick Landano  is entering his 4th year of teaching general music and strings, grades 1-4 in Goffstown, NH.  He also sings and serves on the board of the Manchester Choral Society (mcsnh.org).
• Andrew Morrissey has one more year left to finish his masters degree in stage music composition from Catholic University in DC.  ”Trying to play for as much musical theatre as I can and working on my thesis, a one act musical!”
• Emily Brennan just completed a one year ( leave of absence) instrumental teaching position at Colchester Middle School in VT.  ”The teacher I filled in for resigned, and now grades 6-8 band, jazz band, general music and school musical are all mine!”
• Ken Dickerman previously worked sound board for The Wicked Smart Horn Band throughout New England area as well as backup vocals… “Currently working on my 4th year as a sound editor for a dance instructor in Concord, NH, who also happens to be an alum from PSU!”
• Arron Capron was recently the tenor soloist for the Cape Cod Chorale:  Felix Mendelssohn’s Lauda Sion
• Kyle Masterson has just been appointed Director of Music at the New Hampton  School, after three years at the Tilton School.  He completed a master’s degree in vocal performance from New England Conservatory and currently is adjunct performance studies instructor at PSU, and sings with the NH Master Chorale and as a soloist throughout New England.  He lives with his wife and two sons in Canterbury, NH.
• Rob St.  Cyr has completed his master’s degree in choral conducting at Louisiana State University (May 2011).  He and his wife, Natalie Shaw St. Cyr, have just returned to live and work in New Hampshire.
• Royce McIntosh is currently performing in a national tour of South Pacific.