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The
Faculty of the Department of Theatre and Dance
| Theatre
Faculty |
| Jeanne
Button, Emerita |
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| Diana
Cupsa (MFA, University of Bucharest); Scenic Design, Scene
Painting, CAD dcupsa@tulane.edu |
Diana joined the
Tulane Theatre and Dance faculty in the fall of 2003. She has been on
the faculties at Bucharest University in Romania, Rhodes University in
South Africa, College of Charleston, SC and Wesleyan University, CT.
Diana’s work has covered a broad range of set and costume designs for
theatre, film and television working with respected directors on well
known professional stages in Europe, Africa and the U.S.She is a
two-time winner of the FNB “Vita Award” and the “Oradea Grand Award”
while her designs are displayed at the Prague Quadrennial and the
Toronto WST exhibitions.For the Department of Theatre and Dance at
Tulane Diana teaches graduate courses such as Fundamentals of Design,
Rendering, Period and Style, Scene Painting, Scene Design, Portfolio
Techniques and the undergraduate course of Production and Design I and
II.
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| Stevie Dawson (MFA, North Carolina
School of the Arts); Technical Direction, Drafting, Production and
Design |
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| Jim
Fitzmorris (Ph.D., University of Washington); Theatre History,
Literature, Criticism, Playwrighting jfitzmor@tulane.edu |
Jim Fitzmorris
received his PhD from the University of Washington in 2004 and his MFA
in playwriting from the University of Alabama in 2000. He is a native
of New Orleans and a playwright. His work includes Something Akin
to a Restoration, which was produced in conjunction with the 4th
Unity Festival in New York and received a favorable review from the New
York Times, and the ACTF Nominated With Malice Towards All.
He has been the playwright-in-residence at Southern Repertory Theatre
in New Orleans for the past year.
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Lorenzo Gonzalez (MFA,
University of Delaware); Acting, Directing lgonzal@tulane.edu
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Lorenzo
Gonzalez most recently toured nationally with Tim Robbin’s The Actor’s
Gang production of The Exonarated
and also played Molière and Cleante in Tartuffe. Other recent credits
include Richard in Richard III
with the Independent Shakespeare Company and Shvonder in Zoo District's
production The Heart of a Dog,
which inaugurated The Mihail Bulgakov Festival in Kiev. Some of the
various theatres he has worked are include The Red Cat Theatre in
L.A., San Jose Repertory, L.A. Ahmanson, Tacoma Actors Guild, Seattle
Repertory, Arizona Theatre Company, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for
five seasons, and El Teatro Campesino. Mr. Gonzalez’s MFA is from PTTP
at the University of Delaware.
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| Ron
Gural (MFA, Yale University), Acting, Directing, Video
Production tori@tulane.edu |
Ron Gural received
his BFA in Drama from the University of Houston and his MFA in
Acting/Directing from the Yale School of Drama. He is a member of the
Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild and has
appeared as a professional actor at such theatres as the Oregon
Shakespeare Festival, The Utah Shakespeare Festival, The Portland Stage
Company, and Theatre X. He has played numerous roles on both television
and film and is an experienced voice-over actor. He has directed
productions for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Theatre X, the
Contemporary Arts Center, the Tulane Shakespeare Festival as well as
the Tulane Theatre Department. His production of Hallowed Ground by Laura Harrington
won the 2004 Big Easy award for Best University Production. Most recent
directing credits include Fifteen
Minutes at Midway co-directed by Jim Fitzmorris and Washp by Steve Martin. Ron is
also a founding member of both Theatre X and the Shakespeare Festival
at Tulane. He directed and edited his first full length film Compression for the theatre
department at Tulane and served as a producer and actor in NOLA, a film that was created out
of a class entitled Feature Film. That film was directed by guest
artist Harold Sylvester and is currently in the process of seeking
distribution. You can visit his website at www.rongural.com
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| Hugh
Lester (MFA, University of New Orleans), Emeritus; Scene and
Lighting Design hughl34@mac.com |
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Clare Moncrief (MA, Tulane
University); Managing Director, Shakespeare Festival at Tulane,
Fundamentals of Acting cmoncri@tulane.edu
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Clare
Moncrief has been an active member of the New Orleans theatre community
for over 25 years. On the SFT stage, Clare has been seen as “Lady
Macbeth” in Macbeth, “Queen
Elizabeth” in Richard III,
“Cleopatra” in Antony & Cleopatra,
“Gertrude” in Hamlet,
“Duchess of York” in Richard II,
“Maggie” in With Malice Towards All,
“Mistress Overdone” in Measure for
Measure, and “Jessie” in A
House Not Meant to Stand. She is in her eighth year as Managing
Director and is also a Professor of Practice in Tulane’s Dept. of
Theatre and Dance.
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| Buzz
Podewell (Ph.D., New York University); Directing, Theatre
History, Shakespeare dotdare@tulane.edu |
Buzz Podewell
received his Ph.D. from New York University and has been teaching
theatre history, directing, and Shakespeare at Tulane since 1973. The
director of almost two hundred productions for professional and
university theatres, Dr. Podewell has served as the Associate Artistic
Director of the Louisiana Shakespeare Festival and one of the founders
and co-Artistic Directors of the Shakespeare Festival at Tulane. His
improvisational children's theatre company, Patchwork Players, recently
celebrated their twentieth anniversary. He is the author of the
forthcoming two-volume study of time and place in Shakespeare, A
Clock in the Forest.
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Gary Rucker (MFA, University of New
Orleans); Fundamentals of Acting
grucker@tulane.edu
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Gary received
his MFA in Acting from the University of New Orleans, where he was a
member of teh Resident Acting Company. He served as an adjunct acting
instructor for 3 years before joining Tulane's faculty as a Professor
of Practice. Gary is the director in residence for Rivertown Rep in
Kenner, as well as being a member of The Shakespeare Festival at Tulane
for the past 7 years. He has also been a member of the Patchwork
Players company for 8 years.
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| Marty
Sachs (MFA, Florida State University), Chair; Head of MFA
Design
Program;
Lighting Design, Sound, Theatrical Photography msachs@tulane.edu |
Marty Sachs received
his BA in Theatre from Grinnell College and his MFA is Design/Technical
Production from Florida State University. He designed lighting at such
theatres as the Fredericksburg Theatre Company, the Dallas Theater
Company, the New Orleans Opera Association, the American Southwest
Theatre Company, Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre, Le Petit
Théâtre de Vieux Carré, and the Contemporary Arts
Center. He is the recipient of four Gambit Magazine's Big
Easy Entertainment Awards for Best Lighting Design. He is also a member
of United Scenic Artists (lighting design).
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| Antony
Sandoval (MFA, University of Delaware); Acting, Directing fsanova@tulane.edu |
Antony Sandoval has
been working as an actor and director for the past seventeen years. His
directing credits include various productions for Tadashi Suzuki’s
Theatre Company at the Shizuoka Performing Arts Center in Shizuoka and
in Toga Mura, Japan. In Los Angeles, he received a “Garland” and” LA
Weekly” Award for best director in 2001, and was nominated the previous
year for an Ovation Award for best Direction . Antony has also directed
for the Franko National Theatre in Kiev, Ukraine where he opened a new
adaptation of the book “Heart of the Dog” at the first International
Bulgakov Festival. His acting credits include performing in Japan under
the direction of renowned director Tadashi Suzuki. He has also
performed throughout the USA in various festivals and has appeared on
many occasions on television shows and in movies.
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| Steven Stines (MFA, New York
University); Costume Design, Costume Construction, Rendering sstines1@tulane.edu
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| Dion van Niekerk (MFA, Tulane
University); Period Styles, Make-up dvannie@tulane.edu |
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| Carl Walker (BFA, Boston
University); Fundamentals of Acting cwalker@tulane.edu |
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| Shad Willingham (MFA, University of
Washington); Voice, Speech swilling@tulane.edu |
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| Dance Faculty |
| John
Allen (MFA, University of Utah); Modern Dance jallen1@tulane.edu |
Assistant Professor
John Allen holds a B.A. in Human Development from Brigham Young
University and an M.F.A. in Modern Dance from the University of Utah.
While in school he was awarded the Dee Winterton Spirit of Dance Award,
the Excellence in Folk Arts Scholarship and the Susan Newton Parsons
Scholarship. His professional experience includes dancing as a member
of the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, Stephen Koester and Dancers, and
SB Dance. He has also collaborated and performed in original works by
choreographers such as Doug Varone, Sean Curan, and Daniel Ezralow. Has
most recently been invited to work with such companies as First
Physical Theater in Grahamstown, South Africa and Kannon Dance Company
in St. Petersburg, Russia.
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| Trina Beck
(BA, Yale University); Ballet tbeck@tulane.edu |
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Nicole Boyd-Buckles
(BFA, Tulane University); Jazz Dance, Modern Dance
nboyd@tulane.edu
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Nicole
Boyd-Buckels began her dance training at the New Orleans Center for
Creative Arts here in New Orleans. From there, she continued her
studies at UC Los Angeles before moving to New York to work with
various modern dance teachers and to perform with The Rod Rogers Dance
Company. Nicole has performed for Confederacy of Dances 1-8, with the
Tsunami Dance Company, New Orleans Dance Collective, Ocean of Light(New
York) and Happensdance. She is a two time Big Easy Award winner for her
pieces "Waitin on that 5'oclock Breeze" 1997, "High Heels and Grits"
2003 and was also nominated for the same award in 2000 for "That Damn
Dress". Along with her teaching duties at Tulane University, Nicole is
also on the dance faculty at Lusher Charter School (Fortier Site).
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Michaela Cannon (MFA,
University of Utah); Modern Dance, Dance History
mcannon@tulane.edu
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Michaela
Cannon received her BA in English from the University of California,
Santa Barbara and her MFA in Modern Dance from the University of Utah.
She has worked with choreographers such as Eva Meyer-Keller, Abby Fiat,
Satu Hummasti, Eric Handman, Michelle Boulé, and Stephen
Koester. She is very happy to be starting her teaching career at Tulane
University.
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| Ian Carney (BA, Tulane University);
Ballet icarney@tulane.edu |
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Diogo
de Lima (Conservatory Maestro Juliano,
Brazil); Jazz Dance, Modern Dance
ddelima@tulane.edu
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Diogo de Lima
received training in music, theater and dance at Conservatório
Maestro Julião in Sao Paulo, Brazil and also attended the Royal
Academy of Dance of London and the Toshie Kobayashi Academy of Dance.
He has received many awards for his dancing and choreography,
both in Brazil and internationally. He was most recently nominated in
2003 for the prestigious Rolex Mentor and Protege Arts Initiative. He
began dancing professionally in 1996 and has appeared as a guest artist
with several dance companies in Brazil. Among others, Mr. de Lima
has worked with choreographers Ana Bottosso, Ivonice Satie, Eduard
Bonnis and Ilara Lopes. In 1999 he joined Grupo Corpo Brazilian Dance
Theater and performed with that company until 2006 under choreographer
Rodrigo Pederneiras. He has performed in theaters and dance
festivals all over the world.
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Sarah Duax (MFA, University of
Iowa); Ballet
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Sarah Jane
Duax is a local dancer, choreographer and teacher. She has a
Masters in Math and an MFA in Dance. She is originally from Buffalo, NY
where she studied and performed with the Buffalo Ballet Theater.
She continued her studies with the Joffrey Ballet, Pennsylvania Ballet
and Hysell Ballet. Locally she has performed with New Orleans Ballet
Ensemble, New Orleans Dance, Hysell Ballet and New Orleans Dance
Collective. She currently teaches at Tulane University, NORD/NOBA and
the New Orleans Dance Academy where she also studies with Mary Monroe.
She is also a licensed Massage Therapist.
sduax@tulane.edu
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| Alice
Pascal Escher (MFA, Temple University); Dance Coordinator,
Artistic Director,
Newcomb Dance Company; Modern Dance, Ballet, Dance Composition, Dance
History apascal@tulane.edu |
Alice
Pascal Escher
is the Artistic Director of the Newcomb Dance Company and an Associate
Professor of Dance. She holds a B.F.A. in dance from Florida State
University and an M.F.A in dance from Temple University in
Philadelphia. Before coming to New Orleans, Escher was on the faculty
of the School of the Pennsylvania Ballet and a member of Sybil Dance
Company. Escher has choreographed over 30 modern dances and ballets,
was a member of New Orleans Dance for many years and is currently a
frequent guest artist with Ballet Hysell. She founded and directed the
Newcomb Children’s Modern Dance Workshop.
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Jerisse Grantham (BS, Louisiana
State University); Tap
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Jeffrey Gunshol (MFA,
University of Utah); Modern Dance
jgunshol@tulane.edu
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Jeffrey
Gunshol has danced with many different artists including, Liz Lerman,
Mark Dendy, Melanie Stewart, and Kattie Duck and collaborated with
Vincent Cacalano, Adrienne Clancy, Reggie Crump, Stephanie George, and
Michaela Cannon. He began dancing at the Baltimore School for the Arts
then headed to New York City and attended Alvin Ailey American Dance
Center. He pursued his undergraduate degree at Virginia Commonwealth
University and after graduation started dancing with Dendy Dance.
Following his work with Mark Dendy, he began to teach, choreograph, and
dance for Liz Lerman for five years. He moved to Amsterdam to work with
Vincent Cacalano. While abroad he was a guest artist with Magpie Music
and Dance, created his own work, did long term projects with Danish
choreographer Eric Pold, and Dutch choreographer Martin Butler. He
received his Masters in Dance from the University of Utah. After
leaving Utah he taught at East Carolina University for a year before
coming to Tulane.
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| Barbara
Hayley (MFA, New York University Tisch School of the Arts),
Modern Dance bhayley@tulane.edu |
Barbara Hayley is
Professor of
Dance, holding an MFA degree from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. In New
York, Ms. Hayley taught dance at Wagner College on Staten Island,
danced with numerous choreographers, and directed Barbara Hayley &
Dancers. She has been a member of the Newcomb Dance Program faculty
since 1985, Coordinator of Dance since 1989, and teaches ballet, modern
dance, choreography, dance history, and interdisciplinary courses in
theatre and dance. Ms. Hayley received a Fulbright Senior Scholar Award
in 1997/1998 for work throughout Russia, the impetus for creative
work/exchanges on the international dance scene. Ms. Hayley is active
in community partnership building and concert modern dance in New
Orleans, including the direction of New Orleans Dance, a modern dance
company comprised of local professional dance artists. New Orleans
Dance and Ms. Hayley have received awards for both original
choreography and modern dance production, including the 1999 Mayor’s
Arts Award. Research: choreographic projects and oral history of early
Alwin Nikolais dancers/German lineage of modern dance.
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| Ausettua Jackson (BA, Dillard
University); African Dance, Jazz
Dance ajackso4@tulane.edu |
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| Monique Moss (BA, Tulane
University) mmoss@tulane.edu |
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| Minnette
Starts, Emerita |
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| Beverly
Trask (MFA, University of Southern Mississippi), Artistic
Director, New Orleans Jazz Dance Festival; Modern Dance, Tap, Jazz,
Dance History, Performance btrask@tulane.edu |
Associate Professor
Trask has choreographed and acted in numerous theatre and dance
productions on campus and in the New Orleans Community for the last 25
years. She last appeared at Southern Repertory Theatre as Mrs. Wire in
Tenneessee William’s Vieux Carre. In 1997, she began the New
Orleans Jazz Dance Festival, a summer dance festival to promote
research, professional training and cultural enrichment of the
historical role of American vernacular dance as a unique American
phenomenon.
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Department Staff
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| Chris Arthur - Costume Shop
Supervisor (504) 314-7754 carthur@tulane.edu
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Gaynell Robinson-Watkins -
Executive
Secretary for Theatre Program (504) 314-7760
gwatkins@tulane.edu
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Elsa Dimitriadis - Program
Coordinator (504) 865-5106 edimitri@tulane.edu
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David Raphel - Assistant Technical
Director/Scene Shop Supervisor (504) 865-5325 draphel@tulane.edu
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Brad Robbert - Operations Director,
Shakespeare Festival at Tulane (504) 314-7788 brad@tulane.edu
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Brad Robbert
has been the Shakespeare Festival at Tulane’s Production Stage Manager
since 1996, and Operations Director since 2001. A proud member of
Actors’ Equity Association, he has worked as a stage and production
manager throughout the state. A New Orleans native, Brad has also
worked around the world (literally) as a Lighting Designer and
Production Manager on the six-star luxury cruise ships of Crystal
Cruises. In 2007 he was the recipient of the 1st Annual Fred B.
Vogel Memorial Scholarship to attend the Commercial Theatre Institute
in New York, sponsored by New Theatre Restaurant and DramaBiz
Magazine. He has been an invited speaker at the Texas Educational
Theatre Association Conference, and has taught Stage and Production
Management courses for Tulane’s Department of Theatre and Dance.
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| Elizabeth Stewart-Ackers - Executive
Secretary for Dance Program (504) 314-7761 estewart@tulane.edu |
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