School of drama

School Notes: David Geffen School of Drama
September/October 2013

James Bundy ’95MFA | http://drama.yale.edu

Alumni and current students hop aboard Yale Rep’s Streetcar

Mark Rucker ’92MFA will direct Yale Repertory Theatre’s first-ever production of A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams. The production welcomes back alumni René Augesen ’96CDR as Blanche DuBois, Sarah Sokolovic ’11CDR as her sister Stella, and Adam O’Byrne ’01, ’04MFA, as Blanche’s suitor Mitch. Making his Yale Rep debut as Stanley Kowalski is Joe Manganiello, who stars on the popular HBO series True Blood. Streetcar has deep roots in New Haven: it had its pre-Broadway world premiere at the Shubert Theater in 1947. The Yale Rep production features scenic design by Reid Thompson ’14MFA, costumes by Hunter Kaczorowski ’14MFA, lighting by Stephen Strawbridge (’83MFA, cochair of the design department), and sound and original music composed by Steven Brush ’14MFA.

Drama School student receives Princess Grace Award

Dustin Wills ’14MFA, a third-year MFA candidate in the directing department, has been named a recipient of the 2013 Princess Grace Award. Administered by the Princess Grace Foundation–USA, the awards for theater, dance and choreography, and film continue the legacy of Princess Grace (Kelly) of Monaco, who anonymously helped emerging artists pursue their artistic goals during her lifetime. The award winners exemplify both classical and experimental artistic disciplines and, while still considered emerging talent, already show exceptional promise in their areas of expertise. The foundation’s support assists their theater and dance studies, helps pay their artistic fees at nonprofit theater and dance companies, and helps support their thesis film projects. The awards will be distributed at a gala in New York in October. 

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