TRFT Welcomes Two New Permanent Faculty Members

ANDREA BECHERT

Andrea has designed scenery for over 300 productions and numerous world premieres at theatres across the country including TheatreWorks, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Center Repertory Theatre, Colorado Shakespeare Festival, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, The Starlight Theatre, Wildwood, Marin Theatre Company, Opera San Jose, and many others. She has worked at or been a guest designer at several universities including University of Chicago, Stanford University, University of Michigan, Ohio University, Butler University, and University of Wisconsin.  Numerous awards include three Bay Area Theatre Critic’s Circle Awards, a Denver Ovation Award for Macbeth, and her designs were included in the 2005 World Design Expo and the 1996 Prague Quadrennial.  Andrea is a Member of United Scenic Artists, IATSE local 829. Andrea gave up a fancy job at University of Chicago to join us here in the Bay Area.

 

MICHAEL LOCHER

Michael is a scenic designer with longtime Bay Area roots, who has been teaching as an adjunct lecturer at SJSU since 2013. His recent regional credits include productions for the Guthrie Theater, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Yale Repertory Theater, Centerstage (Baltimore), Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Great Lakes Theater, and Playmakers Repertory Theater. His designs have been seen Off-Broadway and at venues throughout New York and the northeast. Here in the Bay Area, local credits include numerous productions with the Magic, Cal Shakes, CenterRep, and the Cutting Ball Theater, where he is a longtime artistic associate. Michael is a founding member of Hollywood-based Tiled Field Productions, a graduate of the University of California San Diego and the Yale School of Drama. He also works as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, specializing in marketing material for the performing arts.

Kaucher Mitchell Mathis-Swanson Celebrates 122nd Event

KMMS_122Beverly Mathis-Swanson writes:

After a thrilling, chilling and stunning performance by Lauren Doyle, Kaucher Mitchell Mathis-Swanson finalists: Elizabeth Gibbons, Roslyn Murtha, Megan Ashley Johansen, William Gaoiran Jr., Cheyenne Ismailciuc, Jessica Jay, Jessica Osegueda, Victor Pham, Joseph Soto-Hockenberry, and Mandy Tamrocked the house! Sanchez Michaels was fabulous with his legendary performance, as Lauren Doyle gracefully lead the packed house through our 122nd. event. Congratulations to all and our winners: Roslyn Murtha andJessica Osegueda! Keep on rockin’ on, all y’ all! Cheers!

Kudos to The Bev, all her students, finalists, and winners!

New Theatre Arts Scholarships Awarded

TRFT Chair David Kahn writes:scholarships

I’m happy to announce the awarding of two external scholarships I secured this year.  Based on a preselection of finalists and an impressive set of audition/interviews yesterday, the committee from the Rossmoor Retirement Community Theatre group awarded a $2000 scholarship to Yoshi Asai and a $1750 scholarship to Alex Draa.  The other finalists, Dani Issa and Will Corkery, were also impressive and the committee was genuinely sorry they couldn’t award all four.  The $2000 Wilcox Scholarship will be awarded on an annual basis to a qualified ongoing theatre student.

Kudos to Professor Kahn for his hard work on behalf of the Department and its students, and congratulations to the winners and finalists!

Congratulations to 90.5 KSJS for Its 2015 Music Showcase!

The KSJS booth

The KSJS booth

On Thursday, April 30, KSJS held its first ever “KSJS Music Showcase,” funded primarily through a Dean’s Global Grant from SJSU’s College of Humanities & Arts. KSJS’s commitment is  to programming that includes a wide range of eclectic information and music from different musical and co-cultural traditions. The station provides an alternative to commercial radio programming by offering a diverse selection of under-represented music and unique public affairs.

The showcase was held in the CVB Quad. That’s on  the southeast corner of the SJSU campus, between dormitories, where approximately 1,700 students live.

Students enjoying the Music Showcase

Students enjoying the Music Showcase

On stage at the Music Showcase

On stage at the Music Showcase

Thanks to the leadership of KSJS’s Jessica (Jazzy) O’Loughlin and a whole host of KSJS students working hours to support the event, it came together and provided SJSU students–current and incoming alike–with an enjoyable afternoon.

Come See ZOOT SUIT, Opening April 23

Zoot Suit

Click to enlarge to see dates and times.

Zoot Suit, an award-winning play by SJSU alum Luis Valdez, is being directed by his son, Kinan Valdez and staged at the University Theatre, beginning April 23. A landmark work of Chicano theatre, Zoot Suit also features work by musical director Emiliano Valdez.

Luis Valdez has this to say about the production:

“I wish to thank [David Kahn], Barnaby [Dallas], Buddy [Butler] and the entire support staff at San Jose State for staging such a thrilling production of Zoot Suit at the University Theatre.  I am, of course, enormously proud of Kinan’s direction, and particularly impressed by his ability to distill the best  talents of student actors, dancers, designers, technicians, etc.  For me to see Zoot Suit at my alma mater  is to close a very large circle of dreams and aspirations 50 years wide.   I can only hope the students will be inspired to go out and take on the world when they graduate, taking with them as I did fond memories of their high times at San Jose State.  Abrazos, Luis Valdez.”

Click for a closer look at this amazing production at SJSU.

And check out this news story from NBC Bay Area News and Telemundo’s Comunidad Del Valle.