Don Powell Theatre
in Springtime
Electronic Newsletter
Volume II Issue 2
February 2004
Welcome to PSFA E-Connect, an electronic newsletter for alumni and friends of the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts (PSFA). We hope you enjoy this summary of SDSU and PSFA news. For detailed information, please click on the links provided or copy and paste into your web browser.
COMING SOON!
CALENDAR
OF EVENTS |
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| Zooming into Focus: Contemporary Chinese Video from the Haudenschild Collection | January 31 through April 21 University Art Gallery |
| Merrily We Roll Along Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim |
February 13, 14, 18, 19, 20 & 21 @ 8pm February 15 & 22 @ 2pm Experimental Theatre |
| University Dance Company | February 20 & 21 @ 8pm February 22 @ 2pm ENS 200 |
| Student Award Exhibition | February 23 - March 9 Everett Gee Jackson Gallery and Flor y Canto Gallery |
SDSU Symphony Orchestra in concert with Grossmont Symphony Conducted by Harold Warman |
February 29 @ 3pm Smith Recital Hall |
| World Music: SDSU Symphony Orchestra | March 1 @ 6pm Smith Recital Hall |
| Performing Artists Concert Series: Jazz Combo I | March 2 @ 6 pm Smith Recital Hall |
| Jazz Recital: Rick Helzer, piano, Ellen Johnson, vocalist | March 4 @ 7pm Smith Recital Hall |
| Landscapes of the American Musical presented by SDSU Musical Theatre Program | March 5 & 6 @ 8pm San Diego Museum of Art Balboa Park |
| Skin By Naomi Iizuka (Mature themes) |
March 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 & 12 @ 8pm March 7 @ 2pm Don Powell Theatre |
The Dawn At My Back: Memoir of a Black Texas Upbringing DVD-ROM wins 2004 Sundance Online Film Festival Jury Award
Carroll Parrott Blue
The Dawn At My Back DVD-ROM by Carroll Parrott Blue and Kristy H.A. Kang has won the first-ever 2004 Sundance Online Film Festival Jury Award in the New Forms Gallery category. The Dawn DVD-ROM can be screened on demand through March 15, 2004, on the 2004 Sundance Online Film Festival at: www.sundance.org.
The Sundance Online Film Festival jury members include Atom Films' CEO Mika Salmi, ITVS Interactive's Cathy Fischer, Siggraph 2005 Computer Animation Festival Chairman and Pixar developer Sam Black, Jed Rosenzweig with Yahoo! Movies, and Macromedia's Chief Creative Officer, Michael Gough.
Documentary filmmaker Carroll Parrott Blue authored The Dawn At My Back: Memoir of a Black Texas Upbringing as a Book/DVD-ROM/Website. Against the backdrop of her hometown of Houston, Texas, the book chronicles how 20th century racism profoundly impacts a mother and daughter relationship. The DVD-ROM merges voices, music, and still and moving images with text. The documentary features the voices of Debbie Allen, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee and Black Houston historians, with music by Charles McPherson, Jeannie Cheatham, Marguerita Page, Greg Porter, and soundtrack composer Kamau Kenyatta, and still and moving images by cinematographer John Simmons.
Carroll Parrott Blue is a professor in the School of Theatre, Television and Film at SDSU.
ALUMNI PROFILE |
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| David Tisdale MA, Art, 1981 |
David Tisdale received his Master's degree in Art from San Diego State University in 1981. His interest in jewelry design brought him to SDSU where he was further influenced by professor Arline Fisch. "Arline's introducing me to the possibilities of Anodized Aluminum allowed me to combine the aspect of wonderful color with the simple and dynamic types of forms I was interested in exploring," he said. "This set in motion the theme for my thesis, for teaching opportunities after graduation, and for the businesses in Jewelry and Product Design that I subsequently developed."
Now as president of David Tisdale Design Inc., he has been creating innovative new products for the home and office for more than 15 years. His firm's expertise is in designing product programs through the assessment and comprehension of his clients' marketing and branding strategies and goals. Tisdale is recognized for his strong shape development skills and his unique use of color. He is also known for his versatility when working in different mediums.
Many of his award-winning designs are featured in the permanent collections
of museums worldwide, including the Cooper Hewitt/Smithsonian Museum of
Design, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Chicago Athenaeum Museum
of Architecture and Design. His clients include, Waterford Crystal, Nambe,
Dansk, Hoya Crystal, Copco and M. Kamenstein.
NEW INTERNSHIP AND PLACEMENT DIRECTOR FOR HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM MANAGEMENT (HTM) PROGRAM
Christina Grenard
Christina Grenard, the new Internship and Placement director in the Hospitality and Tourism Management Program comes to SDSU with over 20 years of experience in her field. Prior to arriving at SDSU she was employed at Busch Entertainment Corporation, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch, where she directed employee educational development for nine theme parks with between 18-20,000 employees at any given time. Grenard is no stranger to SDSU she received her BA degree in Art History here in 1992. During that time she began working at SeaWorld San Diego where she eventually moved up through the ranks into a management position.
The HTM program offers students a unique learning approach to the world's fastest growing industry. Grenard's role will include working with students to identify placement opportunities, and collaborating with community partners to provide internship opportunities.
Grenard would like to see SDSU become a recognized university that develops service leaders for industry. "There is a very real need for high quality leaders in industry...our program can feed industry with high quality professionals," said Grenard. "I see myself as a talent manager for the program, my job is to help propel students to the highest level of industry, with the ultimate goal of helping students make the transition into the professional arena," she said.
A joint program in the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts and the College of Business, the HTM program began offering classes in Fall 2001 and now has over 220 students enrolled.
SDSU FACULTY AND STUDENTS WIN BIG AT PATTÉ AWARDS
The company of HONK!
Photo: Zwink Photography
The 2003 Patté Awards for Theater Excellence was held on January 12, 2003, and SDSU came up big winners! The annual event hosted by Pat Launer, KPBS' theater critic, honors all in local theater including student productions. The Theatre department's production of The Laramie Project won the award for Outstanding Ensemble, while HONK! the musical comedy came away with awards for Rick Simas, Outstanding Direction, and Jennifer Hanson for Outstanding Costume Design.
Also receiving special recognition at the gala event were Beeb and Deborah Salzer who received the Shiley Lifetime Achievement Award for their dedication to the development of young designers and writers. The evening's entertainment included a performance by SDSU musical theatre students of "Warts and All" from HONK!
Others receiving awards at the event with SDSU connections were Farhang Pernoon, graduate student in the SDSU theatre program who picked up the award for Outstanding Performance in Gross Indecency, Diversionary Theatre, and former student Paul Peterson for Outstanding Sound Design in Pentecost, The Old Globe Theatre and Sledgehammer Theatre.
more from theatre....
Holly Poe Durbin, professor in the School
of Theatre, Television and Film received the Craig Noel Award for Excellence
in Theatre on January 26 at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa
Park. The award is named in honor of the longtime artistic director of
the Old Globe and is given by the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle.
Congratulations to all!
ALUMNI NEWS
Roberta Steele (Drama, 1981) would like to say hello to all her classmates! Roberta has recently obtained her California real estate license and also keeps busy with her one year old twins.
Massimiliano (Max) Facchini (Master of Music, 1996) will
perform in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City on February
24, performing a duo piano concert with his wife Claudette Munne, entitled "Two
Soloists Together, Four Hands Across the Sea." Max is currently a
faculty member of the Bronx Conservatory of Music, Brooklyn Music School
and Queens Music School, New York
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| Jay Easton |
Jay Easton (Master of Music, 2001) appeared in a front cover feature interview of the Saxaphone Journal Magazine, and has since been hired as a columnist for that publication. His first solo album was released last year. Jay is currently working on his doctorate at the University of Washington.
Ming Jin Woo (MA, Television, Film, & New Media Production, 2002) was Director of Photography on a feature film entitled The Big Durian accepted to the Sundance 2004 Film Festival. The documentary was the first film from Malaysia to be invited for inclusion to the festival.
CLASS NOTES
We love to hear from you. Did you get a promotion? Recently relocated?
Personal news to share? Send us your news and/or updated contact information
to Class Notes at econnect@mail.sdsu.edu.
GIVING BACK
Thank you to all our wonderful donors who are giving back to SDSU. Your gifts to PSFA and its Fund for Excellence greatly benefit our College and its programs. For those who prefer the convenience of on-line giving, the University's Web page is www.sdsu.edu/giving. Each gift will be recognized by on-line confirmation, plus a follow-up email message that can be retained for tax purposes. Also, if you are interested in estate planned giving, please visit our website at www.sdsugift.org. These sites are secured to protect personal information, including credit card numbers.