September 2009

Ben Dibble in "The Producers"
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the e-newsletter of the university of the arts

Theater Arts Faculty, Alumni Earn Barrymore NominationsBarrymore Awards statue
Faculty and alumni from the Ira Brind School of Theater Arts earned almost a dozen nominations for Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre when the slate for the 15th annual event honoring Philadelphia's best stage productions was announced recently at the University's Caplan Center. Theater Arts alumnus Ben Dibble '00 garnered two nominations as outstanding leading actor in a musical for his portrayals of Candide in "Candide" (Arden Theatre Company) and of Leo Bloom in "The Producers" (Walnut Street Theater). Produced by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, the award show will be held October 15, 2009, at the Walnut Street Theatre. Read more.

Top left: Ben Dibble in his nominated role as Leo Bloom in "The Producers."
Alumnus Joe Kulka Honored by U.S. Forest Service for Smokey Bear Illustrations
Joe Kulka '87 (Illustration) was recently honored by the United StatJoe Kulkaes Forest Service (USFS) for his illustrations in the new Smokey Bear Story "big book." The book, which was unveiled at Smokey's 65th birthday party in Washington, D.C., is part of the USFS's effort to introduce a new generation of children to Smokey Bear and his message of fire safety. The book tells the true story of Smokey, a bear cub rescued in a New Mexico forest fire in 1950. Kulka also illustrated the 2004 children's book Woodsy's ABCs for the USFS, and wrote and illustrated Wolf's Coming!, The Rope and the upcoming book Dinosaurs Back from Vacation, scheduled for release next fall. Check out a slideshow of the Smokey Bear illustrations and a video of Kulka.

Illustrator Joe Kulka shows one of the Smokey Bear graphics he created. (Photo by Don Fisher/The Morning Call)
Brind School Mounts 'See What I Wanna See' for Philly Fringe Festival
The Ira Brind School of Theater Arts at the University of the Arts is mounting the Philadelphia premiere of "See What I Wanna See" (top right) "See What I Wanna See"for this year's Philadelphia Fringe Festival. Directed by Brind School Lecturer Bill Buddendorf, the production stars Musical Theater upperclassmen Rory Donovan, Kat Borrelli, Allison Caw, Michael Linden and Allen Weaver in a variety of roles. A provocative new musical about crimes of passion and crises of faith by Michael John LaChiusa, the show runs September 2 - 6 at 8 p.m. and September 5 - 6 at 2 p.m. at the University's Caplan Center for the Performing Arts (Terra Hall, 9th floor), 211 S. Broad St., Philadelphia. Tickets are $20, $15 for University of the Arts students. Get all the latest Brind School developments on the Web, "Now on Stage" page, Twitter feed or Facebook page. Read more.

Allison Caw and Rory Donovan as Kesa and Morito in "See What I Wanna See."
Faculty Exhibition
As the College of Art and Design celebrates its 50th anniversary, it casts a spotlight on the wide array of work its own faculty creates in a two-part faculty exhibition at the Rosenwald-Wolf Gallery and Hamilt"Omaha, Nebraska" by David Grahamon and Arronson Galleries. Part one runs through September 15 and includes work from faculty in the Design, Film, Photography, Illustration, Museum Studies and Art Education departments. Part two runs from September 18 through October 12, and includes work from faculty in the Book Arts, Crafts, Foundation, Painting/Drawing, Sculpture and Printmaking programs.

"Omaha, Nebraska" (Photographic C-Print) by Media Arts Professor David Graham is part of the exhibition.
Art and Design in Second Life: Exploring Virtual WorldsSecond Life logo
Artists, designers, educators, musicians and institutions are coming together and creating a 3-D interactive online community that transcends the boundaries of physical possibility. This discussion introduces the art, marketplace and design possibilities of Second Life and Virtual Worlds, and surveys new directions in the creation and marketing of art, innovative learning experiments, global outreach through virtual museums and libraries, and the uses of virtual spaces for distance learning and community development. Featured are Jeff Lipsky, an artist who uses online virtual world and social networking technologies to connect to international audiences, marketplaces and local arts communities, and Richard Minsky, a pioneering book artist who was the first to examine the differences and similarities between real life and Second Life art, including aesthetic, technical, legal and economic questions.
September 15, 5 - 7 p.m.
Hamilton Hall, CBS Auditorium
320 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia
New-Student Summer Send-Off in Los Angeles
Five new students and their families joined alumni at tNew Student Send Off in Los Angeleshe home of Mary Norris Dembo '85 (Graphic Design) in Pacific Palisades, Calif., for an afternoon of food, fun and Philadelphia - complete with Tastykakes and soft pretzels - at the annual "New-Student Send-Off." Now in its second year, the event is a collaborative effort between Admission and Alumni Relations, designed to prepare incoming students for moving to Philadelphia. The location varies each year based on how many students are admitted from a particular area; the first event was held in 2008 in Atlanta, Ga. If you are interested in hosting a send-off event at your home next summer, please email Alumni Relations Director Laura Armstrong.

Mary Norris Dembo (far right) welcomes new students and fellow alumni to her home.
Making a Change During Challenging Times: Continuing Studies Hosts Career ReDesign Fair
Offering a host of new certificate programs for adult learners seeking to make a career change, advance their careers, or update their skills, the Continuing Studies Division of the University of the Arts is hosting a Career ReDesign Fair. Faculty and certificate advisors will be on hand to field questions about which courses will best aid in career development. For more information, please email ce@uarts.edu or call 215-717-6095.
September 11, 5:30 p.m.
Terra Hall (9th floor)
211 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia

Reunion 2009:
Remember. Reunite. Reconnect
Members of the Alumni Council invite alumni of the University ofReunion 2009 logo the Arts and all of its predecessor institutions back to campus for Reunion 2009, October 16-18. Come back to campus, see old friends and make new ones, visit professors, observe classes and celebrate our history. The weekend schedule is full of engaging programming, receptions, tours, exhibits, student performances and social gatherings, including several special presentations by faculty and alumni. No matter where life has taken you since your days at UArts, we invite you to simply ... COME AS YOU ARE. There has never been a better time to reconnect with your alma mater. Contact Alumni Relations for registration materials and additional information about programming and travel and lodging.
New Alumni Council Leadership
The Alumni Council welcomes Lisa (Potter) Oster '99 (Dance Education) as its new chair and Adam Kantorski '85 (Architectural Design) as chair-elect. Oster has been an arts/non-profit administrator for the past 10 years and a member of the Alumni Council since 2005. Most recently, she was employed as a program officer for the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, providing grant money and other assistance to charities in a variety of sectors across Canada. Kantorski is an architect in Philadelphia and has been a member of the Alumni Council since 2005. He works at Teknion, LLC in its architectural products division. The Alumni Council is most grateful to Sophia Bilynsky '79 (Graphic Design) for her service to the council over the past two years. During her time as chair, she brought a wealth of new ideas and energy to the council, and set the stage for the fast-paced growth the organization has seen since 2007.
Life Insurance in a Recession
September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. If you haven't reviewed your life insurance needs in a while, now is a good time. The UniveMeyer & Associates logorsity's Alumni Relations insurance program offers products and tools that can help with your review. One of the tools available to University alumni is CALC, an online calculator that anonymously gives you sophisticated information, taking into account educational aspirations of family members, investment yields and differences in regional living costs. Watch your mail for life insurance information. To learn more about group term life insurance available through the alumni association, direct your browser to Meyer and Associates.

"See What I Wanna See"
 
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