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School of Theatre Alumni

As a School of Theatre alumnus, you are a valued member of our community and an important part of the history and legacy of our school. Your work and experiences are integral to the fabric of the School of Theatre. Current students, faculty, and patrons would like to know more about you so we can learn from your experience.

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Keith Martin (’79 BFA Acting, ’84 MFA Directing)
is Distinguished Professor of Theatre at Appalachian State University and has been recognized by ASU three times in less than a year for service to his department, college, university, and in the community on the local, regional, statewide, and national levels. Martin received the University College Award for Excellence in Community Engagement, the W. H. Plemmons Leadership Medallion for exceptional commitment to advancing the education of students, and the College of Fine and Applied Arts Outstanding Service Award.

Paul Wilson (’82 MFA Theatre)
is continuing to act but is enjoying retirement after 29 years on the Theatre Faculty of Methodist University in Fayetteville.

Chris Chalk (’01 BFA Acting)
has booked a role in the new Perry Mason to debut on HBO Noir on June 21st. Watch the trailer here.

Alison Monsees Hall (’03 BA Theatre)
is celebrating her fourteenth year as a full-time drama teacher in Newport News, VA.

Katie Campbell (’14 MFA Theatre)
has been named Children’s Theatre and Performing Arts Director of the Arkansas Arts Center. Read more here.

Jacob Luck (’18 BFA Acting)
is teaching theatre arts in the Guilford County School System.

Brandon Osley (’19 BA Theatre)
is currently stage managing a tour of the musical Walk On: The Story of Rosa Parks.

Tara Rison (’14 BFA Acting)
recently appeared in No Child by Nilaja Sun at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre.

Nicolas Cy Benevides (’16 MFA Theatre Technical Design and Production)
has been working in regional theatres around the country. Currently he the Technical Director for the Alma College Theatre Department.

Katie Lambert (’17 BFA Theatre Technical Design and Production)
is a Senior Analyst at WaterTower Music – Warner Bros.

Lauren Pivirotto (’14 MFA Theatre Technical Design and Production)
is a freelance Costumer/Wardrobe Supervisor currently working as one of two full-time Wardrobe supervisors on Season 5 of Showtimes’s Billions. Other projects include Hunters (Amazon), Chemical Hearts (Film), The Sun Is also a Star (Film), The Affair (Showtime), and Blindspot(NBC).

Rodney Van Valkenburg (’83 MFA Theatre)
been named Executive Director of the Chattanooga Theatre Centre. Read more here.

Savanna Relos (’15 BFA Theatre) is Technical Director and Amanda Warriner (’16 MFA Theatre)
is Production Coordinator and Props Master at Berkshire Theatre Group in Massachusetts, which in August opened Godspell, the first professional musical approved by the Actor’s Equity Association and staged in the United States since Broadway shut down. Read more in the New York Times.

Hugh Hysell (’88 BFA Acting) is a producer for the play The Inheritance which just received the Drama Desk Award for “Outstanding Play”. The Inheritance is also nominated for eleven Tony Awards this year.

Dominick Amendum (BM ’01 Piano Performance and Coordinator of the Musical Theatre Program) has received a Grammy Nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for Stephen Schwartz’s new musical Prince of Egypt. Dom was on the podium when Prince of Egypt opened at the Dominion Theatre in London’s West End on February 25, 2020. Read more about the Grammys here.

Caity Brewer (’16 BFA Acting) has landed a supporting role in the new film Uncle Frank starring Paul Bettany. Some of Caity’s other credits include Homeland (2011) and One Tree Hill (2003).
Tyler Barnhardt (’15 BFA Acting) has landed roles in 13 Reasons Why (2019-2020), Tales From the Loop (2020), All Rise (2020), and more.
David DeHarde (’98 BA Theatre, ’10 MSA School Administration) has been named Head of School at the Hilltop Montessori School in Shelby County, Alabama. DeHarde moves into that position from Assistant Head of School at the Montessori Community School in Durham, North Carolina.
Courtney Beam (’09 BA Theatre) has graduated with honors from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom with a Masters of Arts in Arts Management and Heritage Studies.
Jeff Aguiar (’01 BFA Theatre Education ’14 Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Non-Profit Management, ’16 MA in Peace and Conflict Studies) has recently been appointed Theatre and Literature Director with the Artists and Organizations Team of the North Carolina Arts Council.
Thomas Mendolia (’12 BFA Acting) has learned that his horror short Mr. ThisandThat is being picked up by a major production company to be made into a feature film. Mendolia is attached to direct.
David Byrd (’02 BA Theatre) has been named the first Managing Director of Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, Connecticut. After UNCG, Byrd went on to earn an MFA at the Yale University School of Drama. He also served on the staff at Greensboro’s Triad Stage for its inaugural season in 2001 and later served as that organization’s first General Manager.
Madelynn Poulson (’16 BFA Acting) recently played the lead role in Bertha, the Sewing Machine Girl, presented virtually by Metropolitan Playhouse. Watch here.

Theatre Alumni