April 28, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Theatre Department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) will graduate its biggest class ever this year, with 21 students graduating with theater majors. Many students are heading into jobs, internships and prestigious graduate school programs, said department chairman Will York.
"I'm extremely proud of the success rate our students have this year. Not only is it our largest but it's also one of our most successful groups of students. They are moving into professional work as well as major graduate training programs," York said.
A few of the students and their plans after graduation:
• Skye Geerts, 21, will study abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with a $23,000 scholarship as a Rotary Ambassador. Geerts, a student in the UAB Honors Program, graduates with honors in her major, theater, and a minor in philosophy of law. The Rotary International Ambassadorial scholarship will allow her to pursue a Master of Arts degree in theater/performance at the Queens University of Belfast for an academic year, focusing on political and site-specific theater. As an independent project, Geerts will create a documentary film about the Birmingham Rotary Club and their service projects, then create one about her host Rotary Club in Northern Ireland. Geerts is the daughter of Suzanne and Michael Geerts of Birmingham (35222).
• Fresh from her performance of UAB Theatre's "In the Blood" on stage at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Stefannie Azoroh is headed to San Francisco, where she's been accepted into the highly competitive graduate program at the American Conservatory Theatre. Azoroh starred in UAB productions including "Intimate Apparel" and "The Piano Lesson." Azoroh is the daughter of Cynthia and Stanley McCrary of Huntsville.
• After just finishing costume designs for UAB Theatre's production of "Cabaret," Amanda Mattes is packing for her summer job as a costume design assistant and stitcher for the highly esteemed Shakespeare & Co. in the Berkshires, Mass. This fall Mattes will begin Master of Fine Arts degree studies in costume design and technology thanks to an extraordinary offer of stipend and full tuition waiver from the University of Virginia's graduate program. Mattes, their top costume candidate, is one of only three students selected for the program every three years. Mattes is the daughter of Karl Mattes Jr. of Pelham and Sheila Garrett of Hoover.
• Luke Harlan is moving to New York City after being hired by Tectonic Theatre Co. to work as playwright/director Moises Kaufman's personal assistant. Harlan worked with Kaufman recently in San Diego, Calif., as assistant director for Kaufman's most recent play, "33 Variations." Harlan met Kaufman this year when UAB Theatre brought Kaufman to campus as a guest artist to lecture and work with the cast and crew of "The Laramie Project," which Harlan directed. Last year, Harlan won the National Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Directing Award at the national Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Washington, D.C. Harlan, 23, is the son of Carol and Marvin Harlan of Fayetteville, Ark.
• Theater major Sarah Jordan will go straight from UAB to an apprentice electrician position at the prestigious Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C. While at UAB, Jordan maintained a 4.0 GPA and was a Ruby Lloyd Apsey scholarship recipient. Jordan also was a multiple nominee for Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival awards in lighting and stage management. Jordan, 22, is the daughter of Kathy and Bill Jordan of Jacksonville, Fla.