In answer to the question, “What do your graduates do?” . . . . All the following individuals were JMU theatre and dance majors, minors, or took significant theatre and dance courses in their careers at JMU.

Quick Links:

• Theatre, Film, TV Performers

• Dance

• Stage Management

• Design / Technology

• Writing

• Education

• Arts Management

THEATRE, FILM, VIDEO PERFORMERS

KEVEN QUILLON '03 - Currently (2007)appearing in the Broadway revival of GREASE. Past credits include 1st national tours of SWEET CHARITY (u/s Herman), SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (u/s Tony). 

JEREMY BECK ’98. Jeremy appeared in the 2004 London premiere of SHAKESPEARE’S R & J and starred in the two-person show QUINNOPOLIS VS. HAMLET in New York.

MARK SULLIVAN ‘01. A Washington-area actor, Mark played the lead in BIG DEATH, LITTLE DEATH, which opened the new Wooly Mammoth Theatre. Other credits include productions at the Kennedy Center, Folger Theatre, Studio Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre.

MARNI PENNING ‘92. Marni is a co-founder of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, for whom she performed more than 35 roles over 10 seasons. In addition to her lead roles at The Shakespeare Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare, Folger Shakespeare, and Pennsylvania Shakespeare, she has appeared on Saturday Night Live and in a number of major movies, including MONA LISA SMILE.

JAMES MOYE ‘00. James appeared in the Broadway productions of URINETOWN and THE FULL MONTY as well as the national tour of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Regional productions include 1776, FLOYD COLLINS, 110 IN THE SHADE, and DRACULA in addition to his television work on “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light.”

TREY ELLET ‘92. The highlight for Trey was appearing in the lead role of Mark in the Broadway production of RENT for three years. He also played that role in the national tour.

JON ZIMMERMAN ’94. Jon has performed with Aviva Geismar, Randy James, and Guido Tuveri. Recently he performed with The Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, Isabel Gotzkowsky and Friends, fiona marcotty/beat upon beat and Sasha Soreff Dance Theater. He participated in The Yard's Bessie Schonberg Choreographers and Dancers Residency on Martha’s Vineyard in 1999 where he worked with B.J. Sullivan and Chung-Fu Chang. Jon’s choreography has been presented at Dance Theater Workshop's 'Fresh Tracks', Dance Now Downtown, New Dance Group Arts Center, The Evolving Arts Theatre, Dixon Place, Saint Michael's Church, and most recently at the Williamsburg Arts neXus.

CAITLIN MILLER. After an apprenticeship at Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Caitlin has worked steadily in New York, including the role of Tammy in the hit Broadway musical satire DEBBIE DOES DALLAS, and performances in NOBODY’S LUNCH in New York and HAY FEVER with The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.

DWAYNE NITZ ‘95. Dwayne won the 2001 Helen Hayes Award for the best lead actor in a musical in the Washington area for his work in SING DOWN THE MOON. He has also played leads in PERSEUS BAYOU and MISSISSIPPI PINOCCHIO. He has appeared in OTHELLO at the Folger and LION IN WINTER at The Round House, and he supplied live music for the Arena Theatre production of A MAN’S A MAN.

SHANNON HUMMEL ’96 and her company Cora Dance performed a new concert in February 2005, the review - “Elsewhere” at the Joyce SoHo (NYC!) "Choreography as vivid and true as a Eudora Welty story...Ms. Hummel is quite a storyteller. You can feel the quiet tearing of a heart that might be your own." --Jennifer Dunning, The New York Times Also performing in CORA are alumni Donna Costello (’96) and Anna Smith (’00). 

KELLY BARTNICK ’00 is producing and creating choreography for a concert SpeciMEN. It is an all-male trio featuring Geoffrey Ehrlich, Henry Hill and Brandt Wagner (JMU grads all). The show was at Dixon Place (NYC) in March, 2005. Kelly also performs at BRIC Studio (Brooklyn), Brooklyn Arts Exchange, and with CORA and Thread Dance Theater.

NIKI LUNDGREN. For two seasons Niki has been touring with the famed Second City 
improvisation group of Chicago.

TIM YOUNG ‘91. As a stand up comic, Tim has appeared at over 400 college campuses and on the television show “Last Comic Standing.”

STEPHANIE DENISE GRIFFIN ‘95. As a Los Angeles actress, Stephanie has made numerous television appearances and played in movies including “Jeepers Creepers 2” and “Swirl.” She has recently moved into producing with Fast Shoes Productions.

DANIEL BRYANT ‘91. Dan is a Chicago actor and voice over specialist.

DAVID FRYDRYCHOWSKI ’95. David played in Inwood Theatre Company’s production of THE THREE MUSKETEERS in 2005.

RHONDA KEYSER ’89. Rhonda has acted in New York and directed a short film that was accepted in film festival in Williamsburgh, N.Y., Memphis, and Johns Hopkins.

MATT STALEY. After appearing in the Civil War movie GODS AND GENERALS, Matt was in a production of THREE MUSKETEERS with the Inwood Theatre Company.

NICHOLAS KOHN ’98. Nick recently completed a national tour playing “The Big Bopper” in THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY.

KARIN MCKIE ’86. Karin has worked steadily at a variety of theatre in Chicago.

KATIE MAHAFFEY ROBERTS ’87. Katie teaches and performs improvisation. She has appeared on Comedy Central, in Michael Moore’s THE AWFUL TRUTH, and on LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN.

BETH BRADFORD ’02 and ANNA SMITH ’00 performed choreography created by Monica Bill Barnes (a guest artist and choreographer for JMU) in the Bowling Green Park fountain, sponsored by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

GARLAND DAYS, '93 Garland is currentLY (fALL 2007) appearing on Broadway in Disney's THE LION KING

MICHAEL MINARIK, '00 - Performed on Broadway as Grantaire in the Revival of Les Miserables. Performed in the National Tours of Little Women and Urinetown.

STAGE MANAGERS

SHARI SILBERGLITT MOXLEY ‘90. Equity stage manager for the Kennedy Center and in Las Vegas in addition to numerous other venues. Currently production manager for Olney Theater in Maryland

WENDY MCNENY ‘84. Equity stage manager for numerous productions and theaters, including the national tour of Lily Tomlin’s SEARCH FOR SIGNS OF INTELLIGENT LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE.

KIM RUSSELL ‘89. Equity stage manager for numerous productions in New York.

BROOKE MARSHALL ‘02. Since her graduation Brooke has been working as a stage manager with The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C.

ROY GROSS JR. ‘00. Roy has worked as the production stage manager for the African Continuum Theatre Company and as assistant stage manager for the Folger Theatre.

WILLIAM COINER ’83. William has stage managed at numerous theatres, such as the Houston Opera and The Broadway Theatre in New York. 

MANAGEMENT

DENISE COOPER ’75. Denise has managed numerous major New York productions including THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES, as well as the Boston premieres of shows such as LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION! She also teaches contracts and law at NYU’s Tisch School.

JIM WARREN ‘88. Artistic Director, The American Shakespeare Center (formerly Shenandoah Shakespeare), Staunton, Virginia.

MICHAEL ROSENBERG ‘90. Managing Director of Drama Dept. in New York, producer of major productions such as JUNE MOON and AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN.

WARNER CROCKER ‘78. Artistic Director, Wayside Theatre, Middletown, Virginia.

NICK ROSE ‘93. A co-founder and producing artistic director of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival, Nick also played numerous roles for the company.

JASSON MINADAKIS ’92. Jasson is the artistic director of Actor’s Express in Atlanta after nine years as the producing artistic director at Cincinnati Shakespeare, which he co-founded.

SCOTT MCCLELLAND ‘84. For over 15 years, since he founded it in 1988, Scott has been the artistic director of The Roadhouse Theatre company in Erie, Pennsylvania.

JIM ANZIDE ‘89. Jim is an actor, director, and founding member of Circle X Theatre in Los Angeles, whose hits include “Beowulf,” “The Eight: Reindeer Monologues,” and the original musical “Laura Comstock’s Bag-Punching Dog.”

MISSY ARMENTROUT ’89. Missy is founder and managing director of The Old Brick Playhouse in Elkins, West Virginia.

DESIGN/TECHNICAL

LEE KENNEDY ‘88. Lee was a 2005 Drama Desk nominee for his lighting for the off-Broadway musical “The Audience.” He is an associate professor of theatre at the University of Virginia, where he specializes in lighting.

PAUL FRYDRYCHOWSKI ’01. Paul has worked in a variety of technical positions on the east coast including as assistant master electrician on MENOPAUSE: THE MUSICAL in New York.

CASEY BLAKE ’02 is completing her master’s degree studies at Arizona State in Tempe, and is working with Rayn Dance Theatre as lighting and sound supervisor.

JOHN BURGESS ’87. John has worked with Arena Stage, the Kennedy Center, the Folger Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre. His television work includes designing tribal council sets for SURVIVOR.

TERESA DOWELL-VEST ‘94. Teresa is a motion picture production designer whose recent credits include SEVENTY-FIVE and FLIP THE SCRIPT. 

GEOFFREY EHRLICH 2001 - Art Dept Coordinator on the Television series GOSSIP GIRL and THE BLACK DONNELLYS

DRAMATIC WRITING

PHOEF SUTTON ‘81. Phoef won a pair of Emmy awards as executive producer for CHEERS. He also wrote for NEWHART and other television sitcoms as well as the screenplays for MRS. WINTERBOURNE and THE FAN.

MARK LEGAN ‘82. Mark has written movie screenplays and for numerous sitcoms including DAVE’S WORLD and GRACE UNDER FIRE. He also reviews movies for National Public Radio.

JEROME HAIRSTON ‘98. Jerome has won numerous playwriting awards including the KCACTF National Student Playwriting Award and the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville 10-minute Playwriting Award, and his plays, including “a.m. Sunday” have been performed throughout the country.

SCOTT ORGON. A New York playwright, Scott recently had two of his plays published in THE BACK STAGE BOOK OF NEW AMERICAN PLAYS 2005 edited by Craig Lucas.

DWAYNE YANCEY ‘81. Dwayne has had numerous of his plays performed, and in 2005 five of his short plays were published under the overall title “Animal Instinct.” 

EDUCATION 

JOHN WELLS ‘77. John is the drama teacher at Loudoun County High School. He is also the author of the widely produced one-act “Competition Piece,” as well as other plays.

KENDRA JOHNSON ‘91. Kendra is an assistant professor of theatre at Clemson University. Her area is costume and makeup.

APRIL GRUBER ’04 is Dance Alloy’s Education Director, coordinating outreach activities (which range everything from Pittsburgh Action Against Rape to area elementary and high school) to planning for the Dance Alloy School's spring term, summer intensive, and Matinee performances with schools and local senior homes that coincide with their home season performances. 

JENNIFER JUUL ‘93. Jennifer is assistant professor of theatre at Radford University, where she teaches acting and directing.

DEROME SCOTT SMITH ‘92 teaches drama at George Wythe High 
School in Richmond, and manages his own theatre company in downtown Richmond. 

RUSSELL STAGGS ’99 teaches drama at Great Bridge High 
School in Great Bridge, Virginia. He also writes plays.

JESSICA FANNING ’03 received a master’s degree to be a registered Dance/movement therapist. Jess interned at a Children's Psychiatric Center as a movement therapist. 

STEVE CARDAMONE ’93. Is a lecturer at the University of Minnesota where he specializes in Shakespearan acting and directing.

KERI WORMALD ‘80. Keri is the drama teacher at the Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School in Stuarts Draft, Virginia.

STACY PFEIFER ’99 is finishing her fourth year at The Collegiate School in Richmond, VA, where she started the K-12 Dance Program. Stacy's fourth annual Collegiate Dance Concert this year hosted eighty dancers, grades K-12.

STEVE CLARK ’80. Steve teaches high school drama in Oregon.

MEGAN DOLAN ’92. Assistant Director for the Area Center for Educational Enhancement at Florida Atlantic University.

CHRISSY GECOMA ’96. Teaches English at a private school in Denton, Texas.

MATTHEW COMER ’89. Founder of Pilates South Beach, Matthew is a fully certified Stott Pilates Level II and Injury and Special Populations Instructor Trainer and has been designing post-rehabilitation exercise programs for seven years. Matthew holds certifications with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and is on the ACE Faculty for providing continuing education. After JMU, Matthew completed a Masters of Science degree in Dance Therapy from Hunter College, CUNY.

LEAH KIRKPATRICK ’01. Leah is the drama teacher at Spotswood High School.

KEVIN METTINGER ’92. Kevin teaches drama at Fauquier High School and at Lord Fairfax Community College.

CATHY BRYD BUSHBY ’79. Cathy teaches drama and literature and directs plays at a middle school in Chestertown, Maryland.

JOHN R. CRAWFORD, '81 Associate Dean, College of the Arts at Kent State University.

DANCE

DR. LAURIE L. BELL '78 Director of Dance a at Ohio Northern University

DONNA COSTELLO '96  Founded a New York-based dance company

ALICE HOWES ’92 is part of the faculty at Lamar University in Texas, where she teaches modern dance composition. She started a student-based modern dance ensemble there, and one of its dance pieces went to the regional competition of the American College Dance Festival. Howes is the artistic director of the dance troupe Sister’s Trousers. The troupe, based in Washington, D.C., performs all over the metro area, including the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center

SHANNON L. HUMMELL '96 - Dancer/Choreographer in New York

MOLLY LEHMAN ‘03 teaches yoga and Kinetic Therapy using the gyrotonic expansion system. Molly has worked with Kelly Bartnik, and will be dancing for Monica Bill Barnes in a site specific piece. 

OTHER 

DOUGLAS R. MUMAW ‘85. Expert swordsman and combat master, in addition to his acting (e.g., Captain Hook), Doug specializes in performing with David Wooley, his dueling partner, as “The Swordsmen” at renaissance fairs.

LISA CHAPMAN ‘92. After many years as a Ringling Brothers/Barnum and Bailey clown, Lisa now puts her stilt-walking skills to work as a street entertainer in Las Vegas, where she is also a wardrobe mistress for Vegas shows.

ASHLY COVINGTON ‘98. In addition to her acting, Ashly specializes as a hand model, with national print and television ads for companies such as Nextel, Jello, Circuit City, Gillette, Rembrandt toothpaste, and Reynolds Wrap. Her hands grace a cover of Popular Photography.

AMY GOSS ‘03 is attending graduate school at the University of Iowa for genetic nursing (much like genetic counseling). 

RAMSEY MIDWOOD ‘83. Ramsey is bluegrass/folk singer whose most recent DC from Vanguard Records is titled “Shoot Out at the OK Chinese Restaurant.”

STEVE SMITH. Steve is the host of a rock music television show in New York city.

MARILYN MCAVOY ‘75. has been appointed Senior Director of Development for University Initiatives in Arts & Culture at San Diego State University. "This is a newly created position for the University's upcoming capital campaign with responsibility for raising major gifts ($100,000 and above) for programs in theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film, television and media production and city-wide arts collaboratives." Previously, McAvoy was the Director of Development and Communications for New Roads School in California.

LINDA CHITTICK BECK ’98. Linda is the Layout Supervisor at Little Airplane Productions, where she is working on a cartoon called “Wonder Pets” set to premiere in 2006. She is also one of the animators for the opening film for the Ottawa International Animation Festival. 

CAREY CAUGHLIN DOWLING ‘ 03 is working on her doctorate degree in clinical psychology at SUNY Stony Brook on Long Island.

GRADUATE DEGREE SUCCESSES

James Madison University theatre and dance graduates have attended the following graduate schools:

Tyna Andrews (1986) Director & Casting Director at Disneyland, LA Choreographer

Kathleen Hannon (1998) - Working in the film industry in Production Development

Elizabeth Hatrick (1991) - Writer on the Lifetime Network's  Any Day Now

Steve James (1977) - Director of Hollywood films such as Hoop Dreams 

Drew Lanzarotta (1994) Went on to an MFA at Yale and a career as  an automation engineer on Broadway

Jenny Maguire - Actress at venues such as The Actors Theatre of Louisville

Karen McCullah Lutz (1988) - Screenwriter of films such as Legally Blonde and 10 Things I Hate About You

Jasson A. Minadakis (1992) - Founder of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival

Tommy Neblett 1983) - Artistic Director, Prometheus Dance

Eric Quander (1993) - Founder of The African American Theatrical Ensemble in California

Don Rhymer (1982) - Writer on film/TV projects such as Caroline in the City and The Honeymooners (2005)

Mark Rowan (1995) - House Manager for the Mitzi Newhouse Theatre at Lincoln Center in New York City

Matthew R. Staley (2000) Film/TV actor in works such as Gods and Generals