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BU Theatre's 2008-2009 Press Release (Click for PDF)

AN OLYMPIC-SIZED COLLABORATION FOR BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY’S DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE

(Binghamton, NY) – The Olympics may be in Beijing, China this summer, but an extraordinary Chinese-American collaboration comes to the stage this spring at Binghamton University. A directing team from the internationally acclaimed National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts (NACTA) in Beijing, China arrived to conduct auditions and six weeks of rehearsals – culminating with five performances of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in the tradition of Beijing opera. This production of Romeo & Juliet is a rare opportunity for the community to see student-actors in an Eastern-inspired theatre experience. The production will run April 25-May 4 in Watters Theater – Fine Arts Building (details below).

Who are the members of the Romeo & Juliet Directing Team?

The visiting Chinese Directing team are faculty members of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing, China. Chen Lincang, Director, is Co-chairman of the Arts Association in Gansu Province, Director of the Chinese Dramatist Confraternity, Co-chairman of the Literature and Arts Association in Jiangsu Province, Expert in Excellence of the Cultural Ministry, and Artist with both Virtue and Competency of the Chinese Cultural Association. As an actor, he won the Excellence Prize of the Cultural Ministry, the Wenhua Prize given by the Cultural Ministry, the Twelfth Chinese Theatre Meihua Prize, the Great Reward of Wenhua awarded by the Cultural Ministry, the Sixteenth Meihua Proze, the Golden Medal of the Second Peking Opera Festival, and the White Yulan Prize in Shanghai.

Mr. Chen’s directing associate is Ms. Jiang Qian. She graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy. She won the Group Dance Excellence Award in the Eighth National Peaches and Plums Dance Competition, the Second Prize (professional) in the Tenth Beijing Dance Competition, the Second Performing Prize in the Beijing Arts Festival, the Award of Excellence in the Third Peking Opera Festival (for acting), and the Silver Prize in the Fourth Peking Opera Festival (directing).

Their interpreter is Ms. Su Feng. Sophie, as she is known, received her Master’s Degree in American Culture Studies at Renmin University.

Gwendolyn Schwinke, MFA, Visiting Assistant Professor in the Theatre Dept. at Binghamton University is Assistant Director and Vocal Coach for Romeo & Juliet. Gwendolyn has been a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner for 10 years, and is the first person in the U.S. to become both a Feldenkrais Teacher and a Designated Linklater Voice Teacher. She currently serves as Vice President of the Feldenkrais Guild of North America. Gwendolyn has taught Movement for Actors, Voice for Actors, and Acting for several drama schools including Shakespeare and Company, CAP-21 (Tisch School of the Arts, NYC), and The School for Film and Television (NYC). Her movement background includes studies in Tadashi Suzuki's work, Viewpoints, stage combat, Alexander Technique, Laban, Tai Chi, dance and taiko drumming.

A Little Background on the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts:

The National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts is the only college of Chinese xiqu, typically known as Beijing Opera. It developed from the former Chinese Xiqu School, founded in 1950. It is located in Beijing on a modern campus, completed in September, 2000.

The Performance Department has graduated over 450 superior xiqu actors. The main courses in this department include Piece Performing, Creating roles, Body and Gesture Training, Voice, and The History and Theory of Xiqu Performance. The faculty consists of 15 professors and associate professors, and more than 20 invited teachers.

The National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts is actively involved in international education. Since 1992, nearly 300 students from the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan have been in residence.

A Short History of the BU-NACTA relationship:

Binghamton University has benefited from a strong relationship with the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts over the past few years. This educational exchange began in the summer of 2004 when Binghamton University Theatre Department Professor Don Boros and Scenic Artist Qianghua Wang organized an international program to study “The Total Art of Chinese Theatre”. The Program was so well received that it ran again the summer of 2006. In September 2005, a performance of The Fight in the Dark at Crossroads Inn and Xiang Yu the Conqueror Bids Farewell to His Concubine was staged on campus by four premier National Academy-trained actors, who also ran a Beijing Opera workshop for Theatre students. The partnership continued last summer, when Theatre Department Professor Fred Wiess and student assistant, Erin Stanley went to Beijing to teach Jazz Dance to NACTA students. Most recently last fall, three Faculty members from NACTA visited Binghamton University to run a 6-week intensive workshop “Techniques of Peking Opera”.

A Partnership covered by International TV:

China Central Television (CCTV) is one of 4 TV channels in China. It is able to be received around the world, its programming seen by billions of people daily. A two-person team was here March 3 – March 17, and will return in the final week of rehearsal and performances to record aspects of the process of developing this joint production of Romeo & Juliet. The final result will be a documentary focusing on the relationship between the NACTA and BU. It is a very positive and exciting addition to this collaboration, and makes broader the knowledge that Binghamton University is committed to International Innovative education and programming.

Romeo & Juliet Production Staff & Cast:

The design team includes John Bielenberg (Set design), Benjamin Ehrenreich (Lighting design), Barbara Wolfe (Costume design), Craig Saeger (Sound design), Donald W. Guido (Technical Director), and Qianghua Wang (Scenic Art). Assisting in production is: John Feustel (Master Carpenter), Jeremy Levitt (Master Electrician), Rebecca Kimmelstiel (Costumes), Sarah Pauker (Hair and Mask design), Ava Rosenblatt (Make-up), Ronald Yoo (Sound),

The cast includes: Rebekah Baker (Lady Montague), John Charitable (Balthasar), Jason Chaskin (Paris), Timothy Dowd (Capulet), Ian Franks (Friar Laurence), Lee Garrett (Romeo), Michael J. Gilbert (Prince Escalus), Kerrin Hawkins (Lady Capulet), Jason Kapowitz (Gregory), Ah Hil Kim (Tybalt), Matthew Koenig (Mercutio), Mary McCarthy (Apothecary), David Melissaratos (Benvolio), Leanne Mercadante (Juliet), Milton Santiago (Sampson), Mallory Schlossberg (Nurse, to Juliet), Richard Solomon (Montague); Ensemble: Dallas DeFee, Carolyn De Melo, Ariana Fekett, Genevieve Henel, Kate Lenhardt, Kourtney Smith, Erin Stanley, and Maggie Venti. Brian Goldblatt is Production Stage Manager, with Hillary Lederman, Rachel Schwalbe, and Jessica Zenou as Assistant Stage Managers.

BU THEATRE DEPARTMENT STAGES NEW ADAPTATION OF
LOUISA MAY ALCOTT CLASSIC, “LITTLE WOMEN”

(Binghamton, NY) – Binghamton University’s Department of Theatre opens their spring 2008 Main Stage season with Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, adapted for the stage by Emma Reeves. Under the guidance of their beloved mother, the four young sisters – Meg, the eldest; Jo, the high-spirited tomboy; Amy, the beauty; and gentle Beth – grow up in genteel poverty against the backdrop of the American Civil War. In this wonderfully dramatized adaptation of the classic novel, even as desperation, illness, and sibling rivalry cast their shadows, each girl strives to find her true self. Beloved by generations, this classic tale's message of family loyalty and traditional values has special importance for audiences of all generations.

Director Anne Brady was intrigued with this adaptation the moment she read it, “I was drawn to the liveliness of this adaptation; it moves very quickly, and is full of life – I believe it really captures the independent and creative spirit of the March family.”

Anne Brady will direct this production sponsored by the Binghamton University Department of Theatre. The design team includes John Bielenberg (Set design), John E. Vestal (Lighting design), Barbara Wolfe (Costume design), and Craig Saeger (Sound design). The cast includes: Emma Lunderman (Jo), Leanne Mercadante (Meg), Wendy Ables (Beth), Allie Henkel (Amy), Lindsay Karchawer (Sallie), Rebekah Baker (Belle), Matthew Koenig (Laurie), Matthew Van Vorst (Brooke), Elizabeth DuBon (Aunt March), Emily Esposito (Marmee), Mary McCarthy (Aunt Carol), Chelsea Pace (Hortense), Richie Solomon (Fred), Milton Santiago (Ned), Michael Gilbert (Prof. Bhaer), and Eliot Greene (Mr. March). Kathryn Tabone is Assistant Director, Wesley Sanders is the Production Stage Manager, with Kelsey Caitlin, Kimberly Campbell and Leigh Collins as Assistant Stage Managers; Choreography by Chelsea Pace.

Tickets are $14 for General Admission, $12 for Faculty/Staff/Seniors, $8 for Students, and can be purchased by calling 777-ARTS (2787) or by visiting anderson.binghamton.edu.

Little Women will be in Watters Theater – Fine Arts Building on March 7-8, 14-15 at 8:00 P.M. and March 9 & 16 at 2:00 P.M.

• CHINESE CULTURAL THEATRE EXCHANGE CONTINUES AT BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
• September 11, 2007
• (Binghamton, NY) – The Binghamton University Theatre Department is pleased to continue its “academic exchange” relationship with the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts (NACTA) in Beijing, China. This summer, one of BU’s faculty members, Fred Weiss, and a student assistant, Erin Stanley, went to teach Jazz to the Opera and Dance students at the NACTA.

   

  
  
  Fred Weiss and Erin Stanley with students at National Acadamy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing, China

   

  
  On September 17th, two master-instructors from the NACTA, Liu Mianzong and Zhang Yanhong, and an interpreter, Ma Xuan, will arrive to teach Techniques of Peking Opera to Binghamton University students. The course is an intensive workshop-style introduction to Peking Opera, emphasizing the fundamentals of acting. Students will learn specialized movement techniques, stylized combat, and unique voice production for each of the four basic character types through hands-on exercises. Fred Weiss discusses the importance of the international student/faculty exchange program:

• I believe it is incumbent on us as a University to promote a dialogue that transcends national borders and aims to achieve what politicians cannot – a conversation between people of good will...This particular program is the start of a new conversation and while on one level it may seem to be a small conversation about theater, dance and art; it is the stuff of friendship which will make each person who has been a participant less likely to think of the other as an adversary and more likely to think of them as a colleague; that can only serve us all in this shrinking world.

   

  A student demonstration of the Techniques of Peking Opera course will be held on Thursday, October 11 at 4:30 P.M. in the Chamber Hall, Anderson Center; all are welcome to attend (see details below).A season of international exchange continues in Spring 2008, when Guest Director Chen Lincang, from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, comes to Binghamton University to stage Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet using the same Beijing Opera techniques being taught to the students at the University this fall.

   

  Related Events

   

  Friday, September 28, 2007: Lecture, Techniques of Peking Opera by Liu Mianzong, and Zhang Yanhong, visiting faculty from the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, Beijing, China. 11:30 A.M. – 1 P.M., Gruber Theater – Fine Arts Building. FREE

   

  Thursday, October 11, 2007: Demonstration, Techniques of Peking Opera 4:30 P.M. – 6 P.M., Chamber Hall – Anderson Center. FREE

   

  Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, directed by Visiting Director, Chen Lincang
  Watters Theater – Fine Arts Building
  April 25-26 and May 2-3, 8:00 P.M.
  May 4 at 2:00 P.M.

 

• New Website
• July 6, 2007
• The theatre site has been completed and is ready for the fall 2007 semester! Please let us know what you think by leaving a message. We appriciate any feedback, and hope you have a chance to check out upcoming events for the summer and fall.

• Star Honors John Bielenberg
• October 16, 2006
• A brief overview of the Dr. John Bielenberg Star Dedication on Saturday, October 14th. Up until a few days prior to the event Dr. "B" (as the students have always called him), knew nothing of the event or the star itself. In his usual humble way, he accepted the star but dedicated it to all those who have kept the Cider Mill Playhouse a vital community asset these 30 years. He thanked the Cider Mill Playhouse Board of Directors as well as the individual contributors.
  
  The article from Inside BU
  The article from Press & Sun Bulletin
  
  Dr. B's vision, humility, and talent has made a huge impact on many and transformed theatre in the Greater Binghamton community. It's wonderful to have a star baring his name and dedicated to all those at the Cider Mill Playhouse.
  
  Photos from the event

• Lovette George Passes Away
• September 6, 2006
• Lovette George, Broadway Actress and SUNY Binghamton Graduate died today at the age of 44. Playbill Announcement