NEWS ABOUT CALVIN'S THEATRE GRADUATES

Alex Agard (Theatre '06) has been working on "Dreamgirls" at the Palace Theatre in Manchester, Hew Hampshire but that is not his biggest news. He has been offered a 15 month Equity principal contract for the singing role of "Kiume" in "Festival of the Lion King" at Disney World's Animal Kingdom in Florida. Friends of Alex can see him at work in this production between mid-December and February 2009. [10/31/07]

Lorien Reese (Theatre '06) has been accepted for graduate study in dramaturgy at the pretigious State University of New York at Stony Brook. [5/14/07]

Angenette (Stacer) Spalink (Theatre '06) works at the Grand Rapids Ballet Company as the office administrator and serves as house manager for the ballet company's new Peter Martin Wege Theatre, which opened in September 2007. She also served as co-stage manager on Seven Passages: The Stories of Gay Christians at Actors' Theatre last fall. [2/14/08]

Jacqui (De Boer) Hoke (Theatre '05) is featured, along with her husband Ryan, in the world premiere of A Bright Particular Star, by Rod Reed at the Pacific Theatre in Vancouver, British Colombia May 4 through June 3, 2006. [05/22/06]

Evangeline Whitlock (Theatre '05) is the Production Stage Manager for the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. She also does freelance stage management work at theatres in the Grand Rapids community, including Circle Theatre (Morning's at Seven, Moby Dick! The Musical, and Almost, Maine) and Actors' Theatre (A Lesson Before Dying, Ladies of the Camellias, Elizabeth Rex). Last fall she was the co-stage manager and script supervisor for the ground-breaking work Seven Passages: The Stories of Gay Christians at Actors' Theatre. [2/14/08]

Brian Farish (Theatre '04) is receiving his MFA in Acting from Harvard University. He has studied and worked in Moscow, Russia at the world-renowned Moscow Art Theater and in the fall of 2006 he was part of an experimental musical play at the ART, playing alongside members of the band The Dresden Dolls (www.dresdendolls.com), which toured New England. [05/14/07]

Laura Hoksbergen Bultman (Theatre '04) received her master's in library science from the University of Illinois and now works as a children's librarian in New York City. Last winter she enjoyed moonlighting as a stage manager for the Village Light Opera Group's production of Oklahoma. [The Calvin SPARK Fall 2007 p. 57]

Ryan Hoke (Theatre '03), along with his wife Jacqui, is featured in the world premiere of A Bright Particular Star, by Rod Reed at the Pacific Theatre in Vancouver, British Colombia May 4 through June 3, 2006. [05/22/06]

Adam Mellema (Theatre '02) The movie "Jump In!: Pop-up Edition" hits the Disney Channel Friday, June 1 at 9/8c. It stars Corbin Bleu, the crazy-haired guy from “High School Musical.” It was Adam's joy and delight to have been both a WRITER and a PRODUCER on the project. [6/1/07]

Has been working primarily as a segment producer on "Come On Over", a delightful new Mr. Rogers-meets-Monty Python TV show coming in the fall of 2006. He is overseeing an animation segment and live action "learning lessons" that happen out of the studio. There is lots of storyboard design, hefty travel, multitudes of odd props, bizarre locations, and a constant fourteen karot riot! For more about "Come on Over" go to: http://www.comeonover.tv/ [6/27/06]

Cathy Bowren (Theatre '01) sends news from the Picolo Theatre in Evanston, Illinois where she has served as the lighting designer for their production of "Lust, Lies and Marriage" which runs from April 4 thru May 10, 2008. [4/15/08]

Nick Dekker (English/Theatre '01) will be receiving his Ph.D. in theatre studies from Ohio State University on June 10, 2007. [5/14/07]

Terrence Schoone-Jongen (Theatre '01) is making plans for law school as he nears the time of graduation from Ohio State University with his doctorate in theatre studies. [5/15/07]

Deborah Lew (English/Theatre '00) is back in theatre news again with her performance as Sujata in Up in the Air, based on the Japanese children's novel Boonah, the Tree-Climbing Frog. Directed by Amon Miyamoto, the first Japanese director to make it on Broadway, with music by Henry Krieger (Dreamgirls) this is not your usual kids' musical. Washington Post reviewer Nelson Pressley calls this "a soaring musical fable for the kids." [2/14/08]

Jayme Mellema (Theatre '00) just landed a position as a faculty scenic designer at Duke University. He will also be back at Calvin this fall as the alumni guest designer for Calvin Theatre Company's production of The Tempest. If you have the chance, check out his amazing portfolio. [3/24/08]

Joel Veenstra (Theatre '00) has been asked to join WELSH POETS SOCIETY, which is a long-form improvisation grad group at Second City Los Angeles. Welsh Poets Society performs every Tuesday at 8 p.m. during Soirée Tuesday (with three other groups) at The Second City Studio Theatre, located at 6560 Hollywood Blvd. (2nd floor), Los Angeles, CA 90028-6217. Tickets are $5 at the door. If you're in the area, drop in and see Joel in action. [9/11/07]

Joel Veenstra (Theatre '00) reports that the University of California, Irvine has offered him a scholarship (including a Teacher Assistantship to cover living expenses) to their MFA program in theatre production and stage management.  While he plans to keep up with his film industry contacts, he believes this MFA will provide some new options and possibilities for the future. [5/15/08]

Nick Rogers (Theatre '99) has been asked to participate in the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Partnerships for Pluralism program and to serve as a coach. the program facilitates and encourages dialogue about all forms of diversity at the school. Nick has also been asked to serve on the senior year initiatives committee which, among other things, provides information about the transition from school to the working world. See also Sharon Vanezande (Theatre '99). [The Calvin SPARK Winter 2007 p. 50]

Sharon Vandezande (Theatre '99) has been elected to serve on the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) staff council as a representative of the department of access services. With husband Nick Rogers she worked on and directed a script titled Delayed which was performed at the Father's House Church live and via the Web eight times between Dec. 22-23. [Calvin SPARK Winter 2007 p. 50]

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