Alumni in the News

Jacqueline Lawton (M.F.A., Playwriting, 2003), an Assistant Professor in the Department of Dramatic Art at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has researched, developed, and presented a staged reading of her play Edges of Time, which will premiere at PlayMakers Repertory Company. This one woman show is about the life and times of Marvel Cooke, a pioneering journalist and activist, who was the first African-American woman writer to work for a mainstream newspaper. The play will run from Apr. 29–May 3, 2020. Photo by Jason Hornick. 

Allison Ebling (B.A., Theatre and Dance, 2011), has finished the first national tour of The Bodyguard and School of Rock. She is currently Head Audio on the first national tour of Anastasia. 

Gabriel Jason Dean's (M.F.A. Playwriting, 2012) play Heartland, which looks at the personal stories from the war in Afghanistan, is part of a National New Play Network rolling premiere currently on stage at the Vortex Repertory in Austin.

Rodney Richardson (B.A., Drama, 2010) debuts in his first feature film, "The Day Shall Come," which premiere's at SXSW Film Festival in spring 2019. Richardson is currently acting in the TV series, "FBI." 

R. Scott Blackshire (PhD, Performance as Public Practice, 2018) has been named the new curator of the Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas. Over the course of nearly 40 years, Dr. Blackshire is only the third individual to hold this curatorial position.

Harrison Butler (M.F.A., Theatre, 2010) has been named the new executive director of the Theatre of Arts Acting Conservatory in Los Angeles. TOA is the longest continuously running acting conservatory in Los Angeles, located in the heart of Hollywood. Butler is the 14th executive director to be hired in the history of the institution.

Oluwaseun S. Olayiwola (B.F.A. 2018) is currently a Fulbright Scholar pursuing an M.F.A. in Choreography at Trinity Laban in London, England. As an advocate for the arts and a Nigerian-American artist, Oluwaseun hopes to engage residents with dance during his two years in the program and contribute toward the Nigerian diaspora’s representation in the arts landscape.

Alumnus Cosme Flores (B.F.A., Acting, 2018) was recently cast as "Ben" in Power Rangers: Beast Morphers, set to air on Nickelodeon in 2019. Featuring an all-new cast of heroes and villains, Beast Morphers will expand the Power Rangers universe with tactical leather suits, 'Beast Bot' sidekicks and elevated battle footage.

David Baker (B.F.A., Acting, 1986) performed in the Off-Broadway production of Tracy Letts' play, "Mary Page Marlowe" at Second Stage Theater. Baker also performed in season 2 of Amazon’s Emmy-winning comedy, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." photo by Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

 Stephanie Chiarello (B.A., Dance, 1998) created and directs "Over the Lege," a political comedy satire variety show based on the Texas Legislature. "Part 3: Return of the Legi (slature)" will show in October at the Long Center in Austin.