Stanley Albin Anderson, Jr., 78, passed away at his home in Santa Rosa, California on June 24, 2018, six weeks after being diagnosed with brain cancer. He was born on October 23, 1939 in Miles City, Montana to Stanley Albin Anderson, Sr. and Marie Gosselin Anderson, who predeceased him. His half-sister, Myra Jeanette Anderson Kopf Hatch, died in 2009. Most of Stanley’s childhood was spent in Billings, Montana, and1fe gradffated from Billings Senior High School. In 1957, he joined the United States Army where he served most notably as a radio announcer in Korea. He was honorably discharged in 1960. In his twenties, he put himself through college, attending San Jose City College and, later, San Jose State College, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Drama and completed his thesis and all but one class for a Master’s Degree in Drama. While at San Jose State College, he met and married his wife of 52 years, Judith Long Anderson. Stanley’s professional acting career began with Seattle Repertory Theatre, and continued with Actors Theatre of Louisville, and more than 20 years at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. His role in Arena’s “The Piggy Bank” earned him a Helen Hayes Award for Best Supporting Actor. His film career included roles as the President of the United States in two Michael Bay movies, Armageddon and “The Rock.” His television career included a recurring role as Drew Carey’s dad on The Drew Carey Show and as Judge Vandelay in the final episode of Seinfeld. Stanley was a long-time member of three labor unions for actors. Concurrent with his acting career, he was well-known behind the scenes for his three decades of voiceover work in ads for Democratic candidates and issues across the country. He was most proud, ultimately, of the part he played in politics. Besides his wife, Stanley is survived by his son, Derek Evan Anderson of Ashburn, Virginia, and his three grandchildren, Antonio Ashton Anderson of Springfield, Virginia, and Stella Donna Anderson and Roxanne Marie Anderson of Ashburn, Virginia. Stanley requested that no services be held.

Silicon Valley high tech business leader Vikas Dhurka had always wanted to learn screenwriting, so he signed up for Professor  Scott Sublett’s online screenwriting class through Open University. Vikas wrote a hilarious (and autobiographical) feature-length screenplay about a businessman stuck in an airport without a passport. When Professor Sublett suggested that Vikas’s funny, charming screenplay Airport Insecurity might also work as a stage play, Vikas got to work.

Now, Nataak, the biggest and most prominent Indian American company in America, loves the play and will present a production of it February 24 through March 4, 2017 at the Cubberley Theater in Palo Alto.

“I will never forget the day I chanced upon the class,” Vikas recalls. “May 26th, 2016. I had to return some properties we borrowed from the SJSU prop shop. As I was walking back, I saw the flyer for RTVF 160 Screenwriting on the notice board. I always wanted to write. I sent Prof. Sublett an email once I got back to my desk and got his positive response an hour later. Life, as they say, was never the same.”

For more information on the theatre company and the play (including auditions), check out Nataak’s website: http://www.naatak.com/

In no  particular order, here are what some of TRFT’s fabulous alumni are up to these days:

• Tre Nixon has moved to Los Angeles and is finishing his degree down there while also working with music managers at Element One in Hollywood. He is studio recording an EP, which will be released through a series of five music videos; the first is going into production this fall and will be released on YouTube.
• Emily Long Patterson has  relocated to L.A. and just landed an internship as the assistant to the Director of Development for Eclectic Pictures in Hollywood. She will be working on the next JK Simmons project. She has also landed an ongoing music gig performing with her band at the Pig n Whistle in Hollywood.
• Spencer Greene finished a lead role in an indie film and produced the art direction on the SJSU summer film with Albert Sanchez. He has just been signed with JTA Talent Agency in Los Angeles and will be heading down for pilot season soon.
• Paul Sawyer is teaching Theatre and Life Skills at West Valley Middle School. He recently appeared in Broadway West’s production of A Few Good Men. He is working for his sixth year on his website hsspotlite.com (The High School Theatre Spotlight).
• Jessica Salans is, in her own words, “actively fighting against the oligarchic, elitist establishment of America. ”
• Amber Hedges is completing her Master’s thesis in Communications and Culture at the University of Calgary. She also works with the Pacer program in Alberta. “It’s a program that guides patients to do their own research and be a part of medical discourse and shape policies and programs that affect their ailments and recoveries.”
• Jenine Guisto “is fighting the good fight in Hollywood.”
• Erica Schwehr is going into her last year of grad school at CalArts and just finished her summer internship with Universal Creative in Hollywood.
• Dinna Myers now lives in Australia and is the Lighting Designer for Musical Theatre Gisborne’s production of Aladdin.
• Erin Haney is on tour with Phantom of the Opera as star dresser for Christine and Carlotta
• Chris Gaoira has started “pre-pre-pre-production” on a TV series, Talk to the End, which involves arm and rod puppets and tabletop role-playing games
• Robert Solis has worked for the last 18 years as a graphic designer with the American Cancer Society and recently played Romero in Victor Herbert’s Serenade with Lyric Theatre of San Jose.
• Jessica McGinty is working on Broadway as Hair Swing on Kinky Boots, Aladdin and Fiddler on the Roof. She freelances as a wig builder
• Kelly Lehane works as a Group Sales Rep at SHN Broadway in San Francisco. Sheis entering her sixth year as a Stage Manager for Redbarn Productions at The Dickens Fair.
• Keith Gehrig is in the second year of his MFA in Arts Leadership.
• David Tousley received his MFA in Design from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2015. He worked recently with Broadway set designer Robert Brill on the live production of Frozen at California Adventure. and he now works as a PA for New York Fashion Week and assisting set designer, Scott Pask.
• Roxi Nobaris is currently training to specialize in Drama Therapy as a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern.
• Josh Marx earned his MFA in 2013 from Rutgers and Is directing “A Few Good Men” at Hillbarn this fall. He is also involved in helping produce the upcoming immersive experience, The Speakeasy.
• Gina Mathios works g as an actress and PA in San Francisco
• Christina Sturken has worked the past three years as a Sales Associate at Musson Theatrical. She also works as a freelance Props Designer and Stage Manager around the Bay Area.
• Amy Lizardo is now a member of Actors Equity and has acted in productions at Berkeley Rep, ACT, SF Playhouse and CalShakes. She will return this falll to Oregon Shakespeare Festival to act and teach for their school visit program.