The 2020 Henry Hewes Design Award Honors, recognizing artistry on the Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway stages for the 2019–2020 season, were celebrated at a virtual ceremony October 14 via Zoom by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and Illinois Theatre at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. One of those nominated in the scenic design category was School of Drama faculty member Narelle Sissons for her work on playwright Stephen
This year, three of twelve lighting design students selected for ETC’s Fred Foster Student Mentorship Program are from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama. The selected students were Hannah Kerman, Mitchell Jakubka, and Qiaoyu Zhang. Ms. Kerman is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree, while Jakubka and Zhang are in the master’s program. Though an undergrad, Kerman has amassed quite the experience. Her design credits include Wild, What \\Washed Ashore// Astray, Compensation,
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Sep 2020
Celebrating Peter Cooke
A message from Dean Dan J. Martin: Celebrating Peter Cooke as he retires from Carnegie Mellon University Dear School of Drama community, Earlier this summer, I wrote to all of you to inform you that Peter Cooke, AM PhD, decided to step down as head of the School of Drama to resume his practice as a designer and consultant, and to continue teaching in international arts academies. Today, Peter formally
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Sep 2020
Faculty Spotlight: Nica Ross
By Margot Mejia How does one know they want to become a visual artist? For Nica Ross, it was playing the trumpet in their high school jazz program. Although jazz is an inspiration for many artists, it wasn’t the music itself that ignited their passion, but the A/V closet that was within eyesight of their rehearsals. “The A/V room was used for the live broadcasts of the performances. My teacher,
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Sep 2020
Cherry Jones Takes Home Third Emmy Win
Cherry Jones Takes Home Third Emmy Win Eugene Lee, Alana Billingsley, Javier Grillo-Marxuach are also repeat winners By Pam Wigley Four Carnegie Mellon University alumni took home statues as part of the 72nd Emmy Awards. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences honors individuals for their artistic, educational and technical achievements in the television industry. Late last week, the Academy announced the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Carnegie Mellon alumni winners
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Sep 2020
Students Present Shadyside Shakespeare
The below by Paul Guggenheimer is excertped from Triblive.com’s Theater & Arts section. With Carnegie Mellon’s stages shut down, students create front porch venue for live theater For the seniors involved in Carnegie Mellon University’s esteemed drama program, this was a year they had been looking forward to — years of study culminating in an entire season of 22 stage shows over the course of the school year. For now,
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Aug 2020
Staff Spotlight: Chris Jovanelli
Staff Spotlight: Chris Jovanelli Being coached in little league by author Stephen King was not the start of an illustrious career in baseball for Chris Jovanelli. Instead, a line drive and broken nose confirmed that his choice to focus on music was the way to go. Raised in a family of musicians in Bangor, Maine, Chris has known music his entire life. His mother played piano and sang in the
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Aug 2020
Exploring the Human Condition
Exploring the Human Condition Two worlds colliding set CMU alumnus Dick Hughes on the path to a meaningful life By Pam Wigley Raised in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood in the 1950s, Dick Hughes (A 1966) didn’t venture far to attend college, choosing to major in drama at Carnegie Mellon University. After graduating in 1966, he went further afield to earn a Master of Fine Arts from Boston University. Soon, he found himself around
