16 CSU Vocal Students Take Honors at Auditions

The Vocal Arts Area at Schwob School of Music had 16 winners in the Georgia NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) student auditions at UGA in Athens. All four vocal studios were represented and 7 of the 15 students who won (one person won two categories) were NOT Schwob Music Scholarship holders, a testament to the quality of teaching and breadth of the vocal program. In addition to the collegiate students who won, two high school students studying with CSU professors also placed in their division.

• 2nd Place - First Year College Women, Ashley Rivera, student of Dian Lawler-Johnson
• 3rd Place - First Year College Women, Lydia Jackson, student of Michelle DeBruyn
• 3rd Place - First Year College Women, Coraine Tate, student of Earl Coleman
• 1st Place - Second Year College Women, Cecilia Felix, student of Earl Coleman
• 3rd Place - Second Year College Women, Carrie Crawford, student of Dian Lawler-Johnson
• 2nd Place - Second Year College Men, Zachary Bryant, student of Earl Coleman
• 1st Place - Fourth Year College Women, Kimberli Render, student of Michelle DeBruyn
• 3rd Place - Advanced College and Adult Women, Meg Vinnacombe, student of Dian Lawler-Johnson
• 3rd Place - Advanced College and Adult Women, Christian Ivey, student of Michelle DeBruyn
• 1st Place Overall- Advanced College and Adult Men, Joseph Brewer, student of Kimberly Cone
• 2nd Place - Lower Level College Musical Theater Women, Lindsay Grant, student of Earl Coleman
• 1st Place - Lower Level College Musical Theater Women, Kristen Meyers, student of Earl Coleman
• 3rd Place - Lower Level College Musical Theater Women, Sarah Johns, student of Earl Coleman
• 2nd Place - Lower Level College Musical Theater Men, Zachary Wright, student of Dian Lawler-Johnson
• 3rd Place - Upper Level College Musical Theater Men, Phillip McIntyre, student of Kimberly Cone
• 1st Place Overall - Advanced College and Adult Musical Theater Men, Joseph Brewer, student of Kimberly Cone High School Students
• 2nd Place - Beginning High School Girls, Ashley Seldon, student of Michelle DeBruyn (Senior and SSOM recruit for Fall 2010)
• 2nd Place - Advanced High School Girls, Ashley Riddell, student of Dian Lawler-Johnson (junior in the ATL area)

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Prof. Brenda Ito Honored as Ga. Arts in Education Leader

Theatre Professor Brenda May Ito has been selected by the Woodruff Arts Center of Atlanta as a Georgia Arts in Education Leader for 2009-10. She is the Artistic Director and Program Manager for Columbus State University’s Theatre for Youth program. In that role, Ms. May Ito produces shows that tour to several schools and cities throughout Georgia. Last year alone her shows visited sixty-nine schools and performed to over 48,000 students. Under her direction, theatre students participate in countless community outreach activities including story readings to children, fire prevention puppet shows, and charity benefit performances. Timothy McGraw, CSU Associate Professor of Theatre, said of Ms. May Ito, "Brenda’s service to students of all ages has been prolific, innovative, and creative, reaching far into the local and statewide communities." In her honor, the Woodruff Arts Center will contribute $2500 in her honor to the Theatre Outreach Program at CSU. More information at http://www.woodruffcenter.org/wac/aedu/

Freshman bassoonist wins concerto competition

Bassoonist Bogdan Dumitriu won the 2010 LaGrange Symphony Young Artist Competition with his performance of Ciranda das Sete Notas by Heitor Villa-Lobos. Mr. Dumitriu, a student of Dr. Ron Wirt, will perform as soloist with the orchestra as part of their 2010-11 concert season.

Theatre Students Capture Acting Honors Second Year in a Row

CSU junior Edward Zaboroskie and his acting partner Ansley Selman have won the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Region 4 Irene Ryan acting competition, and will travel to Washington DC on April 18th to compete for the national title. This is the second year in a row that CSU Theatre students have captured this award, the highest collegiate acting award in the country. The Region 4 competition draws students from Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Of the thousands of participants in college productions in these states, nearly five hundred graduate and undergraduate students were nominated for the acting competition for their superior work in college productions, including twelve from Columbus State.

Nominees select an acting partner and perform two scenes, as well as a song or a monologue. After the preliminary auditions, 32 pairs of semi-finalists are selected. Also making the semifinals this year was CSU Senior Carrie Poh, who partnered with Caleb Lawton. The semi-finals reduce the number of competitors to sixteen pairs, and two pairs of students are selected as regional winners at the final audition. Zaboroskie has the unique accomplishment of being nominated twice, for his performances in The Cripple of Inishmaan directed by CSU Theatre Professor Larry McDonald and Senora Tortuga, directed by Professor Brenda May Ito.

Zaboroskie and Selman will represent CSU at the national festival in April. They will receive an all expense paid trip to Washington DC where they will participate in workshops and seminars with tony-award winning directors, authors and playwrights. On Saturday, April 18th, they will perform on the Kennedy Center stage for a chance to win the national title.

Theatre Professor's Play Selected for Louisville Production

Professor Haley Rice's short play, Galileo Fail, will be produced at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY. Placing fourth overall, it was one of six plays selected from 267 entries for performance at the university's “Anything Galileo” 10-Minute Play Festival. Performances will be March 19-21.