Theatre Arts Division: An Exciting Academic Year 2018-19!

Recently, Dr. David Krasner, Chair of the Five Towns College Theatre Arts Division returned from the National Unified Auditions in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Aside from meeting many talented and potential new students, the Theatre Arts Division reports that many talented Theatre Arts students and alumni have had an exciting academic year . . . so, here’s the news!
• The Fall 2018 production of Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, Disgraced, was invited to perform at the Region 1 American College Theatre Festival in January 2019!

• FTC Theatrical Design and Technology students traveled to the StageSource Job Fair in Boston. While visiting Boston, they toured the newly renovated Emerson Colonial Theatre, where Moulin Rouge! The Musical had its pre-Broadway World Premier.
“We wanted to give our Theatrical Design and Technology students an opportunity to network and interview with theatre companies and summer stocks in the Northeast region. It was a successful trip and a few of the students who attended got callbacks from potential employers the very next day,” explained Theatre Arts Professor Michael Visco.
• On February 10, Five Towns College students competed in the National Association of Teachers of Singing Student Auditions. Taking first, second, and third place in the lower college Musical Theatre category for Freshmen and Sophomores, Jon Larke Murphy won first, Shannon Tarkington won second, and Debrina Santerelli won third! Julia Zinn took second prize in the Upper College Category and Ryan McKeon also sang in that category.

When asked about the competition, Larke Murphy shared “I felt really honored to win first place! My Professor, Ron Land, taught me the techniques that I used to compete.” He continued to talk about the auditions by saying “The competition was really fun and eye-opening. It was great to experience the different styles of talent that everyone brought to the competition.”

• FTC seniors, Ashley Bermudez and Tyler Belo, were called back for a second audition for the Broadway and National Tour of Hamilton! This is an awesome callback and we wish them the best of luck!

Of course, Dr. Krasner and the Theatre faculty are so proud of all that has been accomplished. He shared, “Five Towns College Theatre Arts Division alumni are making a splash on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in Regional Theatre. We are thrilled and honored to see our alumni flourish-from Broadway’s Hamilton to Equity Regional Theatres across America. Many FTC Theatre Arts majors benefited from our Senior Showcase in New York City. The Showcase has exposed them to agents and casting directors, who have provided auditions where our actors, singers, and dancers achieve acclaim in these roles. We have devoted the education, training and tools to make actors, singers, and dancers succeed, and have given them the networking to succeed! Bravo to all!”

Theatre Arts Alumni Updates
• After recently performing in Hamilton, in January 2019, Syndee Winters returned to the role of Nala in the Tony-Award winning musical The Lion King
• Sarita Amani Nash, Class of 2014, was cast in the new Broadway production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
• Stephanie Lim, Class of 2018, is currently performing in an Equity regional theatre show, An Infinite Ache.
• Tyler Below, a senior (class of 2019), performed in an Equity musical, Spring Awakening
• La’Nette Wallace, Class of 2008, joined Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken in a Broadway Christmas concert, Ruben & Clay’s First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show that ran on Broadway in December 2018.

Here are the FTC Theatrical Design and Technology students and instructors at the Emerson Colonial Theatre in Boston:

theatre arts division

Pictured: Margaret Camilletti, Emily Rinfret, Brittany McKittrick, Steven Velasquez, Ian Rouillard, Dylan Bartlett, Maura McLaughlin, Theresa Coleman, Dylan Sepulveda, Maddie Montelle, Elizabeth Ramirez, Matthew Walsh, Professor Michael Costa, Professor Michael Visco