Alumni News: Return of the Alumni

This year several of our alumni answered the call to reconnect with the department and our students.

John Fields (MA 1960s) appeared as Albert Soady in CATCO’s production of Escanaba in da Moonlight, alongside alum Damian Bowerman (MFA 2002). After graduating from OSU John went on to a distinguished professional acting career, playing nearly all of the major Shakespearean roles.

In January of 2003 Toni-Leslie James (BFA 1979), one of Broadway’s busiest designers, took time to chat with current MFA design students during their trip to New York City. The trip was arranged by Dennis Parker.

While visiting Columbus to receive an award from Westerville High School in May, Ohio native Gigi Rice (BFA 1987) took the opportunity to talk with Theatre faculty, staff and students. Ms. Rice’s most famous role was as Carly on The John Larroquette Show which ran for four seasons. She was also a regular on Frasier. She has a new comedy called Do Over in which she plays the mother Karen. She is married to actor Ted McGinley and lives in Los Angeles.

Brenda Laurel (PHD 1992) delivered the annual Lawrence and Lee Lecture in May. Brenda’s been at the cutting edge of the theory, practice, and aesthetics of computer assisted virtuality for over two decades - ever since she convinced Professor Don Glancy that looking at the ways theatrical theory applied to computer technology was a terrific topic for her dissertation. Brenda’s most recent book is the fascinating Utopian Entrepreneur; more information about it and her current work/activities at her website, http://www.tauzero.com/Brenda_Laurel/

Kris Jones (MFA 2002) returned to the department to design the lighting for our Spring quarter production of The Fire Still Burns.

For more information on Department of Theatre alumni, please visit our online edition of Encore. If you’d like to share your expertise with the department, we’d love to have you! Feel free to contact our Alumni Liaison, at theatre-alumni@osu.edu or 614-292-8241.