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On December 18th, 2008, Dan Martin '01 stopped by while he was in-state for the holidays and shared with us his experiences as a producer on ABC's Dancing With The Stars. He had lots of great behind-the-scenes stories and soon will be gearing up for another season.

On November 11th, 2008, Mike Daisey '96 announced that his most recent Off-Broadway monologue, If You See Something Say Something, which he performed at Colby in October, was being made into a feature film. A week of live performances at the Public Theatre in New York were filmed by director Steve Anderson. According to Mike, Mr. Anderson "...conducted the last interviews with Hunter S. Thompson, is a trained Hollywood stunt driver, has lounged in the grotto at the Playboy Mansion, and posesses a great eye and understanding of the piece — between all these skill sets he will be outstanding at translating this monologue to film."

On September 30th, 2008, Neil Reynolds '03 updated us on his current status. He is the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Stoneham Theatre, just outside of Boston. He's very excited about their staging the U.S. premiere of How Many Miles to Basra? by Colin Teevan (author of Iph...). Neil also told us that he continues to pursue comedy at night, both improv and scripted.

On August 12th, 2008, Rachel Damon '05 let us know that she has accepted a post as a theatre teacher and director at Allen Academy (one of the oldest independent schools in Texas) located in Bryan, Texas. She was headhunted from the National Independent Schools Website to create and enhance the school's drama program and will be teaching 7th and 8th Grade Drama, Public Speaking, and a high school theatre elective as well as directing some productions. She writes, "I am very excited to be working at this very small independent school (only 350 kids Pre-K to grade 12)."  She is also excited about their brand new building.

On June 24th, 2008, Junko Goda '01 shared her career exploits with us now that she's left her post as associate researcher at a pharmaceutical company to persue acting in Los Angeles. She works alot with the Asian American theater scene (East West Players, Lodestone Theater Company) and with the community. She's also had some background work in films. "You can see me standing next to Rosamund Pike in Fracture and if you look hard enough, you see me in Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift", she writes. She's also done children's theater, a production of Trojan Women and a Cox Communications commercial, which aired mostly in the Southern US.

On March 21st, 2008, Steve Kidd '97 let us know that he is a 2008 recipient of the Lewis Hine Award for "unheralded work on behalf of children." This is a national award given to 10 people in the country for their work in aid of underpriviliged children. He was nominated for his work at Camp AmeriKids and his solo show Sigh/Omelas - which was inspired by his work at the camp.

On November 16th, 2006, Andrew Smith '86 sent us an open note for Powder & Wig alumni saying, "Just wanted you to know that theater is alive in well in Waterville ME. I've been involved with ACAT Theater (Aqua City Acting Troupe) for a couple of years now, where we have put on modest, yet professional quality productions. I've done Noises Off! with cooperation of the Waterville Opera House, as well as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and The Dining Room in the Studio Theater at the Sterns Center. I even had a brief reunion with Richard Sewell, who came to catch a performance of one of the shows." He also wanted to invite anyone within reach of Waterville to attend his performances of The Compleat Works of Willm Shkspr (abridged), November 16-18, 2006 .

On October 10th, 2006, Matt Cost '01 let us know that he has returned for another stint with the Portland Stage Company here in Maine. This time around he is the company's lighting and sound supervisor for the season.

On October 9th, 2006, David Cheng '06 wrote us saying that he spent the summer stage managing three shows for the Minnesota Fringe Festival. One of the shows was a local production and two were from New York. He was very proud that one of the three shows was even the best seller in its venue, resulting in winning an encore performance. Next, he's working on his portfolio as he prepares to apply to graduate schools starting in December.

On August 29th, 2006, Nandini Naik '05 wrote us to say that she will be starting her Masters this spring at NYU's Steinhardt School, in their Educational Theatre program. Once completed, it will enable her to teach theater to any grade and English to grades 5 through 12. This past year, she was teaching English at The Dogga Institute for Adult Education in McLeodganj, Dharamsala, India (home to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whom she had the grace of hearing teach). While there, she attended Tibetan Buddhism classes "taught by a most amazing, soulful Tibetan monk. Teaching there, in the midst of such compassion was really most moving."

On July 12th, 2006, Stacy Erickson Raphael '01 notified us that she has been hired by the Vermont Arts Council to serve in the capacity of their Arts Education Program Manager. After two years of holding down multiple part time jobs simultaneously in various nonprofit/educational/arts-related fields (as well as a stint as a barista and an organic grocer), Stacy finally landed this position and looks forward to the new challenge. "I cannot wait to get my feet wet with this fantastic organization," she says. "This is going to be a very exciting partnership and I look forward to not only bringing all of my energy, passion, and productivity to this organization, but also to learning so much more about the role of arts education in [Vermont] and being an integral part of forwarding the agenda of arts in our schools."

On April 13th, 2006, Jill Huntsberger '99 sent us a postcard advertising her participation in the 2006 MA thesis exhibition and performance by the Interdisciplinary Arts Department at Columbia College, Chicago. At the bottom of the card she wrote in "Finally done!"

Quoting the Winter 2006 issue of Colby Magazine: Dan Martin '01 has broken into the world of reality television. He has been part of the crew for several Real World projects in various cities throughout the world.

On August 31st, 2005, Michael Hepburn '04 let us know that Holly Brown '04 has made the move to Los Angeles and met up with him and Brei Brantley '04 and that within just a few weeks they all found themselves working for the same company...the Kohner Agency (LA's second oldest agency) in the capacity of agent assistants.

On July 22nd, 2005, Kate Campbell '05 wrote to tell us that she was hired for an internship by the Empty Space theatre company in Seattle; a company that focuses on experimental theater, new works, and revisions of old classics. She'll be in charge of running all the auditions for their next season, "I was told it's essentially the position of casting director". Plus she'll be assisting Jordan Harrison (a prominent playwright in the area) in Empty Space's main community education and outreach program, with an emphasis on playwrighting, etc. This will provide her with some opportunities to read through new scripts and recommend some for production.

On June 15th, 2005, Kate Carroll '03 wrote to tell us that she is living in Baltimore and looking for work related to film and video editing. She is currently working on a per diem basis for Baltimore Local 19, the regional branch of IATSE (the stagehand's union). On that job she writes, "Union work is a lot different from anything I've experienced before but it's proving to be a good learning experience." Kate also spends a lot of her time as a volunteer firefighter in Baltimore County.

On June 10th, 2005, Eric Laurits '02 recounted his first year as a graduate student at the National Theatre Conservatory in Denver. He writes, "It's a top 5 school rapidly gaining prominence in the theatre world and… here's the kicker… there are only eight of us. Much like my undergrad experience at Colby, I knew I could expect lots of individualized training and attention, which seems to be the condition under which I most flourish. And I have a full tuition scholarship. That makes living here and surviving a whole lot easier." He went on to tell us that despite the typical class-day (of which there are six in a week) being challenging and time-consuming, "I grew tenfold as an artist and a person just by buying into the lifestyle and the art form so that's where I am right now – on top of the world and loving every second of it." He's also had a lot of success shooting headshots for his class-mates. "I shot all the third year students before their big trip and showcase in NYC and as they are signing with some of the biggest agencies in the city, my headshots are being used. Typically agents will have their clients reshoot when they sign but they have been very enthusiastic about my photos. That bodes well for me as a secondary source of income when the time comes to head to the Big Apple." We were also impressed to see that he performed in 19 different roles this past year.

In May of 2005, we learned that Liz Frankel '01 has moved on from being the Literary Manager for the Manhattan Theatre Club to a new position in the production/development department of Miramax Films. Her new job entails scouting out talented writers and finding projects for Miramax to produce.

On March 31st, 2005, Andrew Will '04 wrote to tell us that he's been running sound and lights for a production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge at the Actor's Theater of San Francisco. He says that the production went very well. "We extended the original run 5 extra weeks because the house was so packed all the time. I didn't make much money for it, but it was real fun." He's also very excited about the fact that he's going to start a sound design internship with the California Shakespeare Theatre soon.

On March 17th, 2005, Walter Belenky '02 wrote to tell us that he's been working as an actor in Boston pretty much non-stop for the past 3 years. He recently finished runs in Edward Albee's The Play About the Baby (which won the Addison Award for Boston Fringe Theatre), Alexsei Arbusov's The Promise, and in the Breaking Ground Series Production of Marvel at the Huntington Theatre. Now, he portrays Stanley Kowalski in Gold Dust Orphans' new show A T-Stop Named Denial, a spoof of Tennessee Williams' Streecar that runs until April 23rd. The Boston Herald reviewed his work by saying that "Hunky actor Walter Belenky" gives "a Stellllllaaaaaaaaa Performance!" They also interviewed him about his experience as Matt Damon's body double in the film Stuck on You. Click here to read the full article.

On February 25th, 2005, Michael Hepburn '04 called and told us that he is working for a company that does product placement work for film and television. He also spread the news that Breilyn Brantley '04 got hired to do an episode of Charmed for the WB.

On January 10th, 2005, Stephanie Spitko '02 wrote to tell us that she is taking five different dance classes, two of which are taught by "company" members "...or high school kids who have been dancing since they left the freakin' womb. Some of them are amazing. It's a little intimidating. Okay, it's a lot intimidating." She went on to descibe the differences between her current modern dance class and the ones she had while a student here at Colby, "The across-the-floors are funny. Really amusing. A lot of leaps: stag, split stag, center, and some weird jumpy thing that doesn't even have a name...but, hey, it's dance. And it's certainly challenging." Stephanie anticipates that she will be performing again this coming June. She also updated us on Michael Eller '00 who "hasn't acted since the role as a dead Confederate in Portland, but he has become a volunteer firefighter." Alas, this is one area that we thankfully never offered Michael any hands-on training. But if a current student fails to heed our Fire Protection & Fire Safety Information Sheet, we now know who to call.

On December 15th, 2004, Holly Brown '04 wrote to tell us that in her graduate studies at Syracuse University, she has made several films so far and has successfully taken her focus towards the role of producer. She boasts, "I have become notorious for being ruthless but very well organized." Holly was also excited about having been accepted into an exclusive trip to LA (she is one of only four students chosen). There, she will meet with alumni and other "very influential" people including Dick Clark, Ron Myers (CEO and president of Universal Studios), the actors of NYPD Blue and numerous others. She is also excited about one of her television projects and is hoping it will be published (thanks in part to a request from the Ford Motor Co.) Despite all of this, she still remains involved in theater through her work study job at the Syracuse Stage box office.

On September 12th, 2004, Kea Watson '99 wrote to tell us that she is working on a new show, Jack & Bobby, which premiered that same night on the WB television network. She describes her experience working on the show as "fun" and raves about the acting in particular.

On September 8th, 2004, Junko Goda '01 wrote to tell us that in her acting pursuits, she's "landed a few gigs here and there, namely a commercial in the Boston area and a few indie movies". She plans to apply to an MFA program for the fall of 2005. In addition, she's performing in The Memory of Salt by Lisa Maurizio, with the Animus Ensemble at the BCA Plaza Theater from September 16th through the 25th. Junko describes it as a "very unique piece that beautifully weaves theater, dance, music, shadow puppetry, live music, and elements of Japanese Kabuki and Noh with Greek mythology."

On August 27th, 2004, Dan Maccarone '98 wrote to tell us that he, Erik Bowie and Stu Luth (and two other non-Colby grads) have been performing in a sketch comedy group called Slightly Known People weekly in New York City for awhile now and are getting a decent following.

On June 17th, 2004, Danny Herget '97 wrote to tell us that Fisher College has appointed her to full-time at the Assistant Professor rank. Equally exciting is the news that in their plans to change from a two-year to a four-year institution over the next ten years, the college wants her to head-up the development of the theater major!

On March 15th, 2004, Kea Watson '99 wrote to tell us that she has been assigned to a new show, "Joan of Arcadia", and will be with it until the end of the season, about the middle of August or so. She has also worked on "Cracking Up", a 1/2 hour comdey with Molly Shannon.

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