UNCSA in the News is a sampling of current news and social media coverage about UNCSA faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as issues that affect the school.

We provide a brief quote from the coverage and link to the media outlet; copyright prohibits us from republishing on our website. Typically, news stories will be online and available free for a limited time -- usually one to two weeks. Media outlets vary the times they move their online content to their archives, which usually require payment to access. Many media outlets require free user registration or a subscription to access their websites.

Author and Bridgeport native Mike Martin is not sure when or why it started, but in their formative years, he and his brother Patrick had a different way of saying, "I love you."

"Ya-ya." It's one of a couple of details lent to the main characters in Martin's debut young-adult novel, which was released last week...Martin faced a challenge in depicting West Virginia to outsiders, as his time acquiring a bachelor's of fine arts in filmmaking from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts opened his eyes to negative aspects of the state's reputation...

Robert Lindgren, a Canadian-born dancer who appeared with major American ballet companies before becoming the founding dean of the influential dance school at the North Carolina School of the Arts, died on Friday at his home in Winston-Salem, N.C. He was 89...

Several years ago, pianist Zachary Groff was faced with a conundrum.The violinist who was supposed to perform one of Beethoven’s piano sonatas with him wasn’t able to make it to their concert. So Groff, a graduate of UNC School of the Arts who lives in Mount Airy, did something that he had done from time to time while rehearsing — he whistled the violin part...

NASA and Sally Ride Science are inviting the general public and journalists to "Sally Ride: A Lifetime of Accomplishment, A Champion of Science Literacy," an educational tribute to America's first woman in space on Monday, May 20. The special event will be held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., at 7 p.m. EDT... The tribute will include the talents of Patti Austin, Damian Kulash of the band OK Go, Maria Shriver, Emil de Cou and Billie Jean King, with music by Tena Clark and choreography by Twyla Tharp. Talented students who will perform include the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra, the Centreville High School Choral Union from Virginia and dancers from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

As Christene Hurley was preparing her short student film, HELPLESS, reality intruded in a tragic way. News of the shottings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., began to circulate. Twenty students, ages 6 and 7, and six adults were killed in the December nassacre. HELPLESS centers on a school shooting, and Hurley and her film partners debated whether to drop their project althogether... Hurley, a Fayetteville native, and her classmates at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts decided to move forward with the film...

When Tre Garrett was in high school, he wrote letters to the playwright August Wilson. He wrote letters to anyone who might know Wilson. Garrett found Wilson’s niece and wrote to her until she took pity on the drama kid from Houston and passed the letters on to her uncle. That’s how Garrett—the energetic, fast-talking, 31-year-old artistic director of Fort Worth’s Jubilee Theatre—became one-sided pen pals with arguably the most important playwright of the past 50 years...So he started writing. His letters went unanswered for three years until the day Wilson walked into the Pittsburgh theater where Garrett, then a college student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, was assistant directing a production of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. “I said, ‘Mr. Wilson,’ with tears in my eyes. I said, ‘I’m Tre Garrett.’ And that’s all I could get out,” Garrett says. “And he opened his arms and said, ‘Tre!’ He was like, ‘I got your letters, and I have this book that I’ve been meaning to send you.’ ...

Dancer Helen Simoneau was born and raised in a small village of 1,000 people in Quebec, and somehow made her way to Winston-Salem, North Carolina via the UNC School of the Arts as a High School student. What she lacked in formal training up to that point she more than made up for in hard work and dedication to her art while in school. That effort along with the mentorship she received at UNCSA throughout High School and college has come to fruition in her award-winning solo dance work, and critically acclaimed company Helen Simoneau Danse. The Winston-Salem and New York based group performs regularly at Hanesbrands Theatre, and beginning May 13th Helen and her work will be representing Montreal during a month-long tour to Canada, Tokyo and Korea with residencies and performances scheduled at each location. She’ll be presenting her new work Flight Distance III: Chain Suite as a part of the International Danse X tour alongside works by her colleagues in Japan and South Korea. Helen’s Flight Distance III is a duet that she’ll perform with UNCSA alumna Kristin Taylor. Helen stopped by WFDD to talk with David Ford.

A recording from UNC School of the Arts has been named Recording of the Month by MusicWeb International, the largest non-commercial classical music resource on the web.Eric Wolfgang Korngold’s “Much Ado About Nothing, Op. 11” was released on CD on April 30. It features School of Drama soloists and the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra conducted by Chancellor John Mauceri.

The 2012-13 Broadway season was packed with drama -- some of which was actually onstage. But now that ballet season has begun, theatricality becomes even richer: In narrative ballets, dancers have to deliver every bit the emotion that actors do. Only without saying a word. American Ballet Theatre, which opens with a gala Monday night, is giving its dancers two ballets that put their acting skills to the test. On Tuesday, teh company starts a run of "Onegin"; this is choreographer John Cranko's retelling of the Pushkin novel in which a bored hot-shot rejects a young girl who later rejects him back even harder...When I call this scene to mind, I see former ABT principal Susan Jaffe in a performance from at least 10 years ago. The pain and anger she portrayed as she forced Onegin out of her life stopped me cold. What was her secret? Ms. Jaffe, who now heads the dance department at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, explained to me over the phone that she sought out the help of a dramaturge to understand her role and those around her. ...

North Jersey.com and WRAL.com and The Republic and Raleigh newsobserver.com (via The Associated Press), May 11, 2013

Ten high school students from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts are taking their talents to an orphanage in Haiti this summer. The school says students will collaborate on art projects with children in a Port au Prince orphanage. The musicians, dancers and visual artists are completing the 10th, 11th and 12th grades, and have studied civics, economics and government with trip leader Jonathan Milner...

Robert Lindgren, the founding dean of the School of Dance at UNC School of the Arts, died Friday at his home in Winston-Salem.He was 89. The cause of death was not immediately available.Lindgren was a “titan in the dance world,” Alex Ewing, a former UNCSA chancellor, said in a news release...

When Kendall Ramseur boarded his flight to Charlotte on Tuesday, he didn’t bring his cello. He didn’t think he would need it. An accomplished cellist and Charlotte native, Ramseur is in town for his sister’s graduation. A friend notified the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture that he was in Charlotte, so they invited him to play a Mother’s Day concert 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The Violin Shoppe lent him an instrument for the event. Ramseur lives in Boston, where he performs and records his own music. He was trained classically at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Boston University, and he just released his first album – T.I.M.E. – featuring a fusion of vocal tracks, cello, piano and choir...

Perhaps you have noticed that 2013 is the centenary of the premiere of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. Next year there will be much thought given to the one hundredth anniversary of the outbreak of World War I. One hundred is a good number, since it parses time into a unit that is just beyond our life span and yet we can touch it in our lives through our personal intersection in our youth with older people. We artists can occasionally achieve the death-defying act of skipping an entire century. Here we are, firmly in the 21st century, and I worked with of some of the most important figures born in the 19th century, like Leopold Stokowski and George Abbott...

UNC School of the Arts music majors Rachel Norris, Sean Mulligan and Daniel Simms are preparing for an unforgettable start for the summer. The three seniors and seven other students from the UNCSA high school will embark upon a weeklong service learning trip to Haiti on May 25. The group is slated to visit an orphanage in the capital city of Port au Prince, where they will interact with the more than 50 residents, who range from toddlers to teens, and engage them in a variety of art-focused activities...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., May 7 -- The University of North Carolina-School of the Arts issued the following news release: UNCSA's first commercial musical recording in more than 25 years is receiving international notice. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Much Ado About Nothing, Op. 11, featuring Drama Soloists and the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra conducted by Chancellor John Mauceri, has been named Recording of the Month by Music Web International, the largest non-commercial classical music resource on the web. Earlier, it was reviewed by classical music critic Stephen Smoliar on examiner.com, an international compendium of arts and news content. Smolier is a composer and a pioneering researcher in computer-assisted music theory. And on Classics FM, the United Kingdom's only 100 percent classical music radio station, it was David Mellor's "choice for the very curious." Mellor is a prolific newspaper and magazine columnist and avid music collector. Since 1997, he has hosted weekly broadcasts about new classical releases for Classics FM...

Dioli’s Trattoria, an Italian restaurant on West Fourth Street in Winston-Salem, will be closed until next Tuesday after the eatery was flooded Wednesday morning, the restaurant owner said. The incident happened about 8:30 a.m. when water flowed into the restaurant from the fire-sprinkler system in the Stevens Center, said Roger Dioli, who leases space for the restaurant from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

NASA will join journalist Maria Shriver, tennis legend Billie Jean King and Grammy-award winning vocalist Patti Austin in remembering the life of Sally Ride, the United States' first woman in space, at a tribute in the nation's capital. The special evening event, titled "Sally Ride: A Lifetime of Accomplishment, A Champion of Science Literacy" will be hosted on May 20 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. The event is open to the public, though there are limited tickets available...In addition to Shriver, King and Austin, the national tribute will also include the talents of Damian Kulash with the rock band OK Go, dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp, and the youth performers from the Maryland Classic Youth Orchestra, the Centreville High School Choral Union from Virginia, and dancers from the University of North Carolina School for the Arts.....

It was the last of the first as Bechtler Museum of Modern Art presented the final First Tuesday concert of the 2012-13 Season, featuring a fine faculty sextet from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in an appealing program of modern chamber works by composers whose names might prove daunting to some...

MOMMALOGUES, a play written by Lehigh Valley playwrights Sharon Lee Glassman and Gretchen Klinedinst-Furst, which had its world premiere at Civic Theatre of Allentown in May 2012, will make a move to New York City later this month for six performances beginning May 22 through June 2...Producers and playwrights asked William Sanders, Civic Theatre's Artistic Director and the original director of MOMMALOGUES, to join the New York project. Sanders has been the director of Civic Theatre for more than 20 years, continuously distinguishing himself for his superb work not only classical and comedic, and musical theatre, but also for championing cutting edge theatre and premiering many plays immediately after they leave Broadway. He has also directed off Broadway and regional theatre, as well as serving as assistant director on Broadway. He not only agreed, but also enlisted Deann Simmons Halper, a fellow graduate from the North Carolina School of the Arts to serve as his associate director...

The message that Jerry Nadal, who helps run Cirque Du Soleil, had for the 221 budding artists graduating from UNC School of the Arts Saturday was simple yet profound – what they do matters. “The arts make an enormous difference in people’s lives,” Nadal told the graduates sitting on stage at the Stevens Center.

Peter Bogdanovich never stopped being an actor, hard as he tried. Even after his career became focused on directing such acclaimed films as "The Last Picture Show" and "Paper Moon," Bogdanovich would occasionally still find himself drawn to the other side of the camera, most recently on "The Sopranos" and a new film called "Pasadena." He was just 15 when he began acting professionally in summer theater, and directed his first off-Broadway production at age 20 in 1959. When he moved to Los Angeles to become a movie director, he let his aspirations as an actor slip away, though he now wishes he hadn't. "I like acting. I regret that I didn't continue acting as part of my career for many years," Bogdanovich says by phone from Winston-Salem, N.C., where he teaches at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. "I just let it go, and I regret that. I would have had more clout."

Rodgers & Hart’s On Your Toes is, in some ways, the grandfather of Encores! Rodgers & Hammerstein president and executive director Ted Chapin traces its lineage. Here's the tale: Shortly after I got to the Rodgers & Hammerstein office in the early 1980s, John Mauceri called. I had known John from when we were fellow assistants, he to the conductor and me to the director, of the Bernstein Mass at the Kennedy Center in the spring of 1972. John had gone on to conduct a variety of music in various places around the world. But musical theatre was a large part of his life, and he was now working with the Kennedy Center to look at producing musicals from the past, shows that weren't being done all the time. He wanted to do them as they had originally been done. Since the Kennedy Center had a profile of being a national cultural center, it seemed logical as a place to put a toe in the water of being, for lack of a better term, the "Metropolitan Opera" for American musical theatre...

HUNTERSVILLE – Hough High School senior Tre’ McKinney took a step toward his goal of being a professional musician when he earned top honors at a statewide music scholarship competition April 12. The competition was sponsored by the North Carolina Jazz Project. As one of the two state finalists, McKinney, a drummer, competed in the concert as part of the All-State Jazz Band weekend at North Carolina Central University. The young drummer chose two jazz compositions, “Skydive” by Freddie Hubbard and “Swingin' at the Haven” by Ellis Marsalis, to perform along with distinguished jazz educators Jim Ketch, Jason Foureman of UNC-Chapel Hill, Ron Rudkin of UNC School of the Arts, and Keith Waters of University of Colorado-Boulder...

The board of trustees of UNC School of the Arts has extended its search for the university’s chancellor into the fall, its chairman announced Friday. In a letter to the UNCSA campus community, Rob King, the trustee chairman, said that search for someone to replace former Chancellor John Mauceri has taken longer than the trustees’ chancellor search committee had expected...

Jonathan Milner teaches AP US Government, Civics and Economics to high school students at the University of NC School of the Arts. Jonathan has been named the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Teacher of the Year, and over the past two decades he’s brought a remarkable level of energy and commitment to the classroom. But it’s the work that goes on outside of the classroom that may be the most remarkable. In 2005 Jonathan founded Global Arts Project, an educational exchange program to expand his student’s horizons and bring them together with other students in the US, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America...

Still recovering from a catastrophic earthquake three years ago and one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere, Haiti is not exactly a Caribbean summer vacation hotspot. But Daniel Simms, a high school senior at the UNC School of the Arts, couldn’t be more excited to go to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, this month with nine other UNCSA students to spend a week working with kids at an orphanage. The students are holding a benefit concert at 7:30 p.m. today in Crawford Hall at UNCSA to raise money for the trip...

The red carpet was rolled out Wednesday night at HanesBrands Theater for a movie premiere participants will not soon forget. Students from the Arts Based School descended the theater stairs to a crowd of cheering parents, families and friends, working it for the paparazzi on the way in to watch their documentary films light up the big screen... Professors, graduates and students from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts worked with the sixth graders...

If, after the RiverRun and Full Frame festivals, you’re still in a mood for movies, the UNCSA School of Filmmaking will present screenings of the third- and fourth-year students this Thursday and Friday in the Main Theatre of the ACE Exhibition Complex on the UNCSA campus, 1533 S. Main St., Winston-Salem...

Three graduates of the UNC School of the Arts’ School of Drama have been nominated for Tony Awards. Billy Magnussen (class of 2007) is nominated for best performance by a featured actor in a play, for his appearance opposite Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Pearce in “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.”

“Everybody in North Carolina should have heard that speech.” Someone had just heard Tom Lambeth’s recent remarks to the North Caroliniana Society, which was presenting him with its annual award for service to our state. Lambeth, longtime former executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, used the occasion to talk about some of the people and some of the stories that help define North Carolina and its history for him...North Carolinians, Lambeth said, just will not accept anyone’s putting their state down. Once when a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts in Winston Salem was asked why, with all his talents, he stayed in North Carolina, he replied, “If I am talented it’s because I am in North Carolina.”

Editorial: Proposal for UNCSA high school to charge fees necesssary in these times

Considering the cuts in state funding for education, it makes sense financially to allow the UNC School of the Arts to resume charging in-state students selected for its high-school academic program fees to make up for shortfalls.That said, we hope the tuition fees, which have not been charged since 2001, will be kept low and scholarship and grant programs can be created to help aspiring artists from disadvantaged families cover the costs...

The RiverRun International Film Festival, which wrapped up its 15th season on Sunday, continues to grow, surpassing last year’s festival in both admissions and box office revenues. When we consider the thousands of film lovers who poured into the city for the festival, it is proof again that the arts are a sustaining economic driver... Its reputation as a regional festival is strong, thanks to the professionalism of its organizers, the commitment of its sponsors – including the Arts Council and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts – and the support of its many dedicated volunteers. And when you consider that the festival is also located in North Carolina’s most arts-friendly city, there is no doubt RiverRun has the potential to reach top status among regional film festivals in the years to come.

The central image in “Mud,” Jeff Nichols’s deft and absorbing third feature, is of a boat in a tree. It’s the kind of phenomenon — a caprice of nature that is absurd but also wondrous — designed to enchant adventurous children like Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), two Arkansas boys who discover the boat on an overgrown island in the Mississippi River. They also discover the fellow who claims to own, or at least inhabit, the vessel, a leathery loner whose name is Mud...

What do I have to do to make you love me? This plea throbs as a subtext in every musical that’s made it to Broadway. That is, after all, the impulse that gets actors out of bed in the morning. But the question has seldom been posed as nakedly and aggressively as it is in Diane Paulus’s revival of “Pippin,” which opened on Thursday night at the Music Box Theater. ...It’s nice to see the real-life husband and wife team Terrence Mann (as Pippin’s father, Charlemagne) and Ms. d’Amboise (as the scheming queen Fastrada) enjoying themselves together onstage. But whether cracking (deliberately) hoary jokes or shimmying Fosse-style, they’re pushing a little too hard at this point...

In the hallway after the screening of "Mud," people were quoting their favorite lines from the movie, a newly minted American classic, so I'll quote one of my favorites here: I don't traffic in the truth too often, but I did love her." Standing alone in its own paragraph, the line will have lost its original flavor, but it's a heartbreaker coming out of Matthew McConaughey's mouth. He plays a charismatic drifter named Mud in Jeff Nichols's third feature, which traffics unerringly in truth, delicious surprise, unadorned beauty and unforced wisdom...

Emergency officials in Forsyth County want to make sure that residents are ready when disaster strikes. This weekend, more than 40 different public safety agencies from across the state will provide demonstrations, displays and activities as part of Forsyth County Public Safety and Community Preparedness Day... Vernon says, “You can come as a Zombie. If you come in your plain clothes you are a survivor. We will have students and staff from UNCSA’s film school to convert people into Zombies for a small donation to the Second Harvest Food Bank”...

For many students, summer means beach trips, music festivals and relaxing by the pool.

However, for others, studying doesn’t stop. Students interested in taking summer classes will now have another local option. For the first time in school history, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts will open academic courses to students from other universities for college credit in two separate summer sessions — May 28 through June 28, and July 1 through Aug. 2...

Talk about a box office smash. According to preliminary numbers, this year’s RiverRun International Film Festival, which ended Sunday, had double-digit growth over last year’s festival in both admissions and box office revenues...Richard Emmett, the chief operating officer of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, said in an email message that a number of factors contributed to the record numbers. “The first factor is RiverRun’s growing reputation as a filmmaker-friendly festival,” he wrote. “The second factor is RiverRun’s ties to the UNCSA School of Filmmaking, particularly, the notable and industry connected faculty and staff, the success of recent graduates, and the top-flight screening venues.”

Bailey Powell, a high school senior in the Visual Arts program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), is a National Gold Medal winner in the Scholastic Art & Writing competition and her painting “Self Respect” was selected for the American Vision Award – Best of Show for the N.C. Eastern/Central region...

It is rare that I am as impressed with a show as I am with Matilda. It has a real intelligence to it -- from the inventiveness of Rob Howell's set to Tim Minchin's witty lyrics, it all sort of works. I give a lot of credit to director Matthew Warchus for telling a story I thought might be impossible to stage given the limitations of live theater. Of course a show is nothing without its cast and Matilda has a great one. I wish I could go back and see all four Matildas (sadly, with my luck, I know I would somehow see the same one each time I went). But this column is not about any of them. It is about the show's Miss Honey, Lauren Ward, who is returning to Broadway for the first time in over a decade... Do you have a personal attachment to the Matilda story? I think growing up in Kansas City I felt different. I felt like I didn't have an outlet to be creative fully in the way I wanted to be. My parents were quite supportive of me, but in the whole school structure in order to survive you had to conform. I always thought I was someone conforming in order to have a happy life. I went to University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. Once I got there, I felt like this huge weight had been lifted off me. I was in this creative conservatory; I was surrounded by lots of different types of people. You could be whoever you wanted to be. So I can relate to that aspect of it...

The UNC School of the Arts is mourning the loss of another of its early leaders. Robert Suderburg, the third chancellor of UNCSA, died Monday in Williamstown, Mass. He was 77.

Suderburg, a composer, conductor and pianist, was chancellor from 1974 to 1984. He is the second former UNCSA chancellor to die this month. Robert Ward, the school’s second chancellor, died April 3 in Durham at age 95...

Robert Suderburg, the third chancellor of UNC School of the Arts and also a composer, conductor and pianist, died Monday in Williamstown, Mass. at the age of 77, according to an announcement from the school...

Marc Gottlieb, 82, an accomplished violinist and founding faculty member of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, died Sunday in Tulsa, Okla. He is survived by his wife, Carol Gottlieb. Friend and former colleague Mitchell Sardou Klein said Gottlieb was an incredibly talented musician.

Composition students in the School of Music at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will have the opportunity of a lifetime when their music is recorded on campus by the renowned Cassatt String Quartet. Music Dean Wade Weast announced that the award-winning quartet will be on campus as guest artists on Friday, April 26...

Winston-Salem native Alex Moratto , a 2010 graduate of UNC School of the Arts’ School of Filmmaking, is one of eight filmmakers participating in Film Independent’s Directing Lab. He is in Los Angeles working with mentors from the film industry on an untitled project that he wrote. The Directing Lab is an intensive 10-week program that helps directors develop new feature films and improve their craft. After completing the program, they become Film Independent Fellows and receive formal support for one year..

Violinist Dustin Wilkes-Kim , an 11th grader in the School of Music at UNC School of the Arts, recently won second-place at the Hilton Head (S.C.) Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. Dustin, a Winston-Salem native, played Prokofiev’s Concerto No. 1 in D major. He received a cash award of $500 and an invitation to return to Hilton Head in June to perform several concerts for the community. Wilkes-Kim studies at UNCSA with faculty-artist Sarah Johnson.

High school students who enroll at UNC School of the Arts would pay more for their education – potentially around $2,500 a year -- under bills proposed by the Forsyth County delegation in the N.C. General Assembly. The state currently covers the cost of tuition for in-state high school students and the costs of on-campus housing, meal plans, student activities and student health services...

Even on the telephone, Juel D. Lane remains true to his aesthetic. The "kinetically vibrant" style cited by Dance Magazine, which recognized him as one of this year's "25 to Watch" in January, comes across in the quick rhythm of his speech, the high-pitched passion in his voice, and the energy he conveys as he talks about his signature approach to movement.

"The whole reason why I tend to move really fast, that's always been like a flavor thing. And that thing has been going since high school," says Lane, an Atlanta native who began pursuing dance at Tri-Cities High School before attending North Carolina School of the Arts. "The reason why I was dancing so fast is because I was so darn hyper." ...

AMC is developing a prospective TV series by Travis Beacham, an alumnus of UNC School of the Arts who wrote the script for the remake of “Clash of the Titans” and the forthcoming sci-fi epic “Pacific Rim.” The working title is “Ballistic City,” and Beacham will write and be one of the executive producers. According to AMC, the series is a futuristic drama about an ex-cop who ventures into the criminal underworld of a city inside a multi-generational space ship that is “destined for an unknown world.” ...

Ian McVoy’s love of the harp started before he became familiar with its gentle, dulcet sound.

He would go on to master that sound in ways that would belie his youthful age of 17. Ian, a native of Richmond, is a high-school junior at UNC School of the Arts. Last semester, Ian won the International Harp Competition in Mexico City — a prestigious showcase for talented harpists up to age of 35...

On June 30, 2013 world-renowned conductor, educator, John Mauceri will step down as UNC School of the Arts Chancellor, but he’s certainly going out with a bang. On Saturday, April 27 at 7:30 pm in the Stevens Center he’ll conduct the UNCSA Symphony Orchestra in a whopper of a concert—his last as Chancellor...

Crafting a program of music is one of John Mauceri’s favorite things to do. “For some people it’s crossword puzzles, for me it’s putting together a program,” said Mauceri, the chancellor of UNC School of the Arts and a Grammy, Tony and Emmy Award-winning conductor.“ I actually believe the entire program should be heard as a piece of music,” he said. “There has to be some common thread, there has to be a common denominator.” ...

Final numbers are not yet in, but there's evidence that this year's RiverRun International Film Festival will be the biggest on record. Festival director Andrew Rogers said Sunday that the goal of selling $72,000 worth of tickets has already been reached. The final tally from all showings will likely not be available until Tuesday, but Rogers is optimistic about this year's attendance...Dale Pollock, an emeritus festival board member, said every year the festival seems to get bigger and better. It was Pollock who was primarily responsible for moving the festival from Brevard to Winston-Salem in 2003...

Three rising stars were honored Friday evening at the RiverRun International Film Festival with the festival’s “Spark Award,” which honors new filmmakers and breakthrough performers who, as festival organizers put it, “are just on the cusp of gaining wider recognition for their remarkable talents.” This year’s recipients are actresses Anna Margaret Hollyman and Madeleine Martin, and filmmaker Terence Nance. Hollyman is the star of “White Reindeer,” one of the films screened at this year’s RiverRun festival. The film was directed and written by Zach Clark, an alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts. She has previous ties to RiverRun, having also appeared in the 2012 Audience Award winner “Small, Beautifully Moving Parts.”

Like every adolescent on earth, the director Jeff Nichols believed that his first experience with heartbreak, in 10th grade, stung extra hard... His latest film, “Mud,” inspired by his adolescent experiences, is his biggest — in budget, star wattage and vision. Opening Friday, it stars Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and Sam Shepard, as well as two teenage boys in lead roles, and represents his entree into mainstream filmmaking... Mr. Nichols also benefits from the tight-knit Austin creative scene. He shares several producers with another local filmmaker, Terrence Malick. (One of them, Sarah Green, suggested Mr. Sheridan, 15, for the lead role of Ellis.) And the director David Gordon Green, also an adopted Austinite and a friend from film school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, has served as a producer and frequent sounding board...

For the 1972 musical "Pippin" Bob Fossee created one of the most famous images in Broadway history: brighytly lighted hands splayed in the darkness, a visually arresting fit with the seductive first chords of Stephen Schwartz's opening number, "Magic to Do." ... In casting the musical, Ms. Paulus found circus performers who were also eager to sing and Broadway performers eager to clown. Among them was Terrence Mann, a Tony nominee as Inspector Javert in "Les Miserables" and Beast in "Beauty and the Beast" -- and a juggler.

An abundance of superb voices, excellent instrumentalists and a taut and compelling staging turn the UNC School of the Arts production of Benjamin Britten’s “Owen Wingrave,” an operatic version of Henry James’ ghost story, into a fascinating performance...

Jeff Nichols is looking forward to his return trip to Winston-Salem. “I’m excited to come back to town,” said Nichols, a 2001 alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts who is being presented the Emerging Master award at the RiverRun International Film Festival. “I’ve never shown one of my films at the school before. It should be fun.” ...

It’s a smart move for legislators to back away from the idea of consolidating UNC campuses. Our university system is a jewel in North Carolina’s crown, and reducing its capacity to educate would have been the wrong way to go. Earlier this year, after Gov. Pat McCrory made critical remarks about liberal-arts education and proposed another steep budget cut to the UNC system, Sen. Pete Brunstetter, R-Forsyth, suggested that one or two of the universities in the 16-campus system could be downsized or combined. As the Journal’s Arika Herron reported, Brunstetter said that he and his colleagues were concerned about sustaining so many campuses, and questioned duplication of programs from campus to campus. He said that it would most likely be underperforming campuses – those without a full student body and/or low graduation rates – that would be targeted...

This weekend, 130 dancers, musicians and artists from UNC School of the Arts will travel with their directors to Chapel Hill to present their interpretation of works surrounding “The Rite of Spring.” The event will include four pieces, beginning with Shen Wei’s contemporary version of “The Rite of Spring” and ending with Susan Jaffe’s debut in choreography as the school’s new dean of dance...

Bailey Powell, a high school senior in the Visual Arts program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), is a National Gold Medal winner in the Scholastic Art & Writing competition, and her painting, “Self Respect,” was selected for the American Vision Award – Best of Show for the NC Eastern/Central region...

The Leonore Annenberg Scholarship, Fellowship and School Funds announced the 2013 recipients of $3.9 million in grants at an event at Lincoln Center. The Funds provide early-career support for five performing and visual artists of exceptional promise, technology and other educational resources for ten underserved public elementary schools, and the entire cost of college for ten high school students who have faced serious challenges and continued to excel...Recipients of the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund in the Performing and Visual Arts are: ... Hayley Treider is a graduate (B.F.A. in Acting) of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Represented by Leading Artists, Inc., she has acted in numerous on and off Broadway productions and appeared on the NBC series Law & Order SVU...

Two lonely souls are bound to an encounter that will nurture a friendship and an everlasting legacy. A spunky African American girl flees from her abusive stepfather. In the woods, she meets two boys — suspended in time for more than a century — awaiting their parents’ return from the Civil War... These are among six short films to be showcased at Geeksboro Coffeehouse Cinema later this month. The lineup debuts the works of seniors in the filmmaking program at UNC School of the Arts...

This Friday, acclaimed filmmaker and UNCSA School of Filmmaking graduate Jeff Nichols will receive the Emerging Master award from the RiverRun International Film Festival, following a screening of his latest film Mud, which will be screened at the Stevens Center.

On Saturday, the newly awardwinning filmmaker and School of Filmmaking faculty member Dale Pollock will engage in “A Conversation with Jeff Nichols” in the Babcock Theatre on the UNCSA campus...

Traditional wisdom suggests it’s often impolite to discuss religion and politics. Director Chad Hartigan forgot the first part. His sophomore feature film “This is Martin Bonner” will be shown as part of the RiverRun International Film Festival, which runs through Sunday. It won the Best of NEXT Audience Award at Sundance and already is generating a lot of discussion, some of which is due to its inclusion of faith as a central theme...

Dr. Joseph Mills talks with his colleague and friend, Dr. Richard Miller (right). Dr. Miller has been teaching philosophy and the history of ideas at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts since 1972 and is recently retired as Dean of the Undergraduate Academic and Graduate Programs. He shares some history about the school and of its academic evolution.

Imagine trying to reconstruct Beethoven's Ninth Symphony from a handful of reviews of the original performance. Or reimagine what Citizen Kane might have looked like, with a few snapshots but no actual footage of the original film. This is the task that dance historians Millicent Hodson and Kenneth Archer embarked upon several decades ago, when they began to piece together the choreography, costumes, and set designs for The Rite of Spring, the epochal collaboration of composer Igor Stravinsky, choreographer Vaslav Nijinsky, and artist Nicholas Roerich...Naturally, after taking on the mammoth task of bringing Nijinsky and Roerich's Rite back to the stage, Hodson and Archer turned towards Jeux. Their recreation of the ballet premiered in 1996, and next weekend it arrives in Chapel Hill as part of the UNC School of the Arts Spring Dance performances. I recently interviewed Hodson via email in advance of the program...

Benjamin Britten’s opera “Owen Wingrave” tells the tale of a young man whose beliefs put him at odds with his family of soldiers. “He begins to question the value of war,” said Steven LaCosse, the managing director of the Fletcher Opera Institute at UNC School of the Arts, which will present “Owen Wingrave” beginning Wednesday. “He feels it’s not for him.” ...

Steven LaCosse, the stage director for the UNCSA/Fletcher Opera Institute production of "Owen Wingrave" talks about the plot of the opera.

In a press release the Winston-Salem Light Project announced their partnership with the 2013 RiverRun International Film Festival. Lighting students from the School of Design and Production at UNC School of the Arts will be presenting a lighting installation celebrating the opening of year’s festival...

There’s no shortage of films with local connections at this year’s RiverRun International Film Festival. The festival, which begins today and will run through April 21, will include 143 films from 35 countries. At least nine of the 66 feature-length films have local ties, and at least 12 of the 77 short films have local, regional or North Carolina ties. “We do have more films with UNCSA ties than ever before,” said Andrew Rodgers, the executive director of the festival. “It wasn’t intentional. There just happened to be a lot of films by prominent UNCSA graduates and recent graduates, and as we were looking at films, they just stood out.” ...

"It's been a long wait," writer/director Jeff Nichols says about his upcoming film "Mud," and indeed it has, on so many levels. The film first screened at the Cannes Film Festival nearly a year ago, where it was picked up by Roadside Attractions for domestic release. But rather than risk it being lost in the fray by trickling screenings throughout the fall festival circuit, the indie distributor held on to it. The film, which stars Matthew McConaughey (in the thick of a career renaissance), was brought back into the light at the Sundance Film Festival in January as Roadside primed it for a late-April release.Its roots, however, stretch back so much farther, to Nichols's days as a film school student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...

For the past school year, high school students from across northeast Kansas have written, acted in and produced their own original short films in anticipation of this weekend — and now there’s nothing to do but wait. “When you create art, you’re in kind of a bubble,” says Eddie Loupe, senior at Lawrence High School...The 2013 Lawrence High School Focus Film Festival has arrived, and at 1 p.m. Saturday, the general public can see the 85 short films that scores of Kansas-based teenagers have toiled over for so long... Loupe can’t remember exactly how many films he has worked on, but he put that number close to 30 or so. This year, he has two films, titled “Pizza for Lovers” and “An Interview,” submitted for the festival. He will be continuing his obsession with making movies this fall when he attends the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he’ll be majoring in film production...

Bridgeport High School graduate Michael Martin’s dream of becoming a published novelist soon will come true.His debut book, “The End Games,” will be released May 7 by HarperCollins Publishers LLC, according to publicity manager Caroline Sun... The 28-year-old Martin, who holds a degree in filmmaking from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, was inspired to pen “The End Games” by his younger brother, Patrick, and their mutual love for zombie movies.

Acclaimed trumpeter Allen Vizzutti will give a master class, a jazz clinic and a performance Thursday at UNC School of the Arts.Vizzutti has performed with Chick Corea, Doc Severinsen, Chuck Mangione and Woody Herman.He’ll lead a master class from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Watson Hall, and a jazz clinic from 4 to 6 p.m. in Room 167 of the School of Music (in the building that houses Watson Hall). Both the master class and the clinic are free and open to the public..

The RiverRun International Film Festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary. RiverRun will show 143 films, including 66 features and 77 shorts, over the course of the festival, which begins Friday and runs through April 21. Here’s what you need to know to get the most out of the festival: ... Jeff Nichols , the director of “Mud” and a UNCSA graduate, will receive the Emerging Master Award at this year’s festival. He will answer questions about his career at 5 p.m. April 20 at UNCSA Babcock. Admission is free...

pit bull mix named Susie became well-known all over North Carolina when the story of her mistreatment helped change a state law on animal abuse in 2010. She and her owner, Donna Lawrence, have visited Stokes County numerous times to bring attention to their cause. Now a movie has been made to document the story that so touched the hearts of animal-lovers. “Susie’s Hope” celebrates its world premiere this week at the RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem...And when the credits run at the end of the long-awaited movie, a Walnut Cove native’s name will be in the mix. Ryan Neese, a South Stokes High School graduate, served as an intern in the making of “Susie’s Hope.” ... “I’d heard about the movie, but then an upperclassman came to me and offered me the position,” says Neese, now a third-year cinematography student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts Film School in Winston-Salem...

The state Senate will not propose closing any of the 16 University of North Carolina system campuses, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger said Wednesday. "I don't see that's something that in this year's budget that we're going to do," Berger said. "That doesn't mean folks aren't going to talk about those things." Berger was following up on remarks by Sen. Peter Brunstetter, R-Forsyth, a senior budget chairman, who said last month that it may be time to look at reducing the number of UNC campuses. That thought prompted push-back from campuses around the state. The university campuses in the system include UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, Fayetteville State University, East Carolina University, UNC-Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, Winston-Salem State University, the UNC School of the Arts, UNC-Charlotte, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Pembroke, Elizabeth City State University, Appalachian State University, UNC-Asheville and Western Carolina University...

The 15th annual RiverRun International Film Festival will open Friday and run through April 21 in Winston-Salem. With 143 films in this year’s lineup — 66 features and 77 shorts — there’s bound to be something for every cineaste to savor... The ties between the festival and the UNCSA School of Filmmaking remain as strong as ever. Acclaimed filmmaker Jeff Nichols, who graduated in 2000, will receive this year’s Emerging Master award, joining such previous recipients with a UNCSA background as David Gordon Green, Rahmin Bahrani and last year’s recipent, Paul Schneider. The festival will also be screening the latest films from Green (Prince Avalanche) and Bahrani (At Any Price)...

On Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at 8:00 p.m., the statewide UNC-TV network will broadcast UNCSA's American premiere of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, with music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The production was presented on campus March 29-April 7, 2012.and filmed for television. It will be broadcast on UNC-TV as part of a grant from the A.J. Fletcher Foundation, with generous support from the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Fund for the Arts...

Most of the world will remember Robert Ward, who died last week at 95, for his many contributions to the world of classical music. Those familiar with the UNC School of the Arts will remember and honor him for his role in helping give birth to an arts school with a national and international reputation.Ward had a prolific career in music, writing eight operas, seven symphonies, four concertos, two cantatas, musical comedy, a ballet and much more. His opera “The Crucible,” which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1962, remained relevant and exciting and was performed by Piedmont Opera in 2011. He was the recipient of many awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors. His work has been staged in Asia and Europe...

Six faculty members at UNC School of the Arts have received Excellence in Teaching awards.

The recipients are: James Allbritten , School of Music. Allbritten has served on the faculty of the School of Music since 1994 and as artistic director of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute since 2001. Martha Golden , High School Academic Program. Golden has taught three levels of high-school French at UNCSA since joining the faculty in 1993...

Georgia Cohen felt a little intimidated the first time she stepped into Susan Jaffe’s classroom at UNC School of the Arts. “Just hearing her name and knowing her reputation, I was sort of star-struck,” said Cohen, an 11th grader studying dance at the school. “You watch videos of her on YouTube and she’s just beautiful. But once she started teaching us, she’s so caring and she works so hard that it put us all at ease,” she said. “It’s just so inspiring to have someone who danced at such a high level working with us.” ...

UNC School of the Arts is taking its Spring Dance on the road this year.The school will present a four-piece production inspired by Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” in Chapel Hill on April 20 and 21 as part of Carolina Performing Arts’ season-long retrospective, “The Rite of Spring at One Hundred.” ...

UNC School of the Arts’ production of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” will get a statewide showing at 8 p.m. Tuesday on UNC-TV. The production was performed in April 2012 by seniors from UNCSA’s School of Drama and a symphony orchestra from the school led by conductor John Mauceri, the UNCSA chancellor...

Robert Ward, an American composer whose best-known work, an operatic setting of Arthur Miller’s drama “The Crucible,” won the 1962 Pulitzer Prize for music, died on Wednesday at his home in Durham, N.C. He was 95.

When Dak Van Vranken heard an orchestra perform the song he composed, the 20-year-old was overcome by mixed emotions. “I felt naked, overwhelmed, inspired,” he said in an email. “My family drove down to hear it, and even they were exposed to sides of me they’d never heard before.” Vranken graduated from North Stafford High School in 2011 and is studying music composition at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts at Winston–Salem...

Thomas Schumacher, the president of Disney Theatrical Group, will be the speaker at UNC School of the Arts’ high school commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. May 18 at the Stevens Center. Schumacher produced such hit Broadway musicals as “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King,” Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida,” “Mary Poppins” and “Newsies.” ...

The 15th annual RiverRun International Film Festival will begin next week, bringing 66 feature-length films and 77 shorts from 35 countries. Next week’s issue of Relish will include pretty much everything you need to know about the festival, including reviews, stories and schedules. And the Winston-Salem Journal’s coverage will continue throughout the festival with stories, videos and more.But those who have been to the festival before know that certain films sell out quickly, such as the opening night films, films with local connections, and films that feature celebrities. Sometimes tickets are gone even before the festival starts...

Robert Ward, a former chancellor of UNC School of the Arts and a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, died early Wednesday at his home in Durham after a period of failing health.

Ward, 95, was one of the school’s founders and became its second top administrator in 1967 after the death of founding president Vittorio Giannini. Ward oversaw the integration of the school into the UNC system, when his title changed from president to chancellor...

Robert Ward, the American composer who won the Pulitzer Prize for bringing Arthur Miller's play The Crucible to the opera stage, died early Wednesday of natural causes. The composer, who was also a National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honoree, was 95 years old. He had been living independently until early this year in a retirement home in Durham, N.C., according to his son Mark Ward, the assistant principal cellist of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, who confirmed the death to NPR Music...

Tonight, as I write this, I am thinking of an event that took place 70 year ago right now. People were slowly wandering in to the St. James Theater. As Agnes DeMille remembered, "The audience was a regular Theatre Guild opening night: spotty, dull, jaded. I had eight front row balcony seats, and I couldn't fill them. And the press wasn't that good. It was mixed. Four days later, I found myself in the middle of a volcano. What happened? A New York reporter told me, " The biggest hit of the 20th Century!" and I believe, taking into consideration all its translations, and international companies and recordings, it still is. What is its appeal? First of all, its extraordinary score. But then, it's subject: the love of our native land; home; roots. During the war, I remember the triple row of enlisted men standing every night in the back of the theater. Fixed in laughter in the presence of this comedy; standing and laughing with the tears streaming down their cheeks. They were going out to die. And this play meant what they were dying for. This was home. Oklahoma, New York, Oregon, Utah, Texas, Vermont. Oklahoma! Home. Home-ah. OK!" ...

Tis pity there’s not more to like in “‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore,” the Jacobean melodrama that opened Wednesday night at UNC School of the Arts. “Pity” is a parade of deadly sins, misogyny, sex and violence — cloaked in beautiful language and entertaining staging...

The sound editor who won an Academy Award for the latest James Bond film is visiting the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Karen Barker Landers will screen "Skyfall" on Friday and also work one-on-one with sound designers for senior thesis films. She'll also participate in a question-and-answer session for all film students at the Winston-Salem school...

Every night, Wes Day slips on a bald cap, slaps on some cobalt-blue face paint and pulls on a simple black suit of clothes — transforming from an ordinary actor into an international superstar. Day is a member of the Blue Man Group, the high-octane organization that has entertained audiences across the globe... “There’s a certain look they’re looking for and there’s a certain skill set,” said Day, who joined the group after graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The Houston-born actor was hunting for a New York City apartment when a friend invited him to audition for the Blue Man Group.

A proposal by Gov. Pat McCrory to increase tuition by 12.3 percent for out-of-state students has UNC officials worried. UNC is one of six schools that would be asked to hit out-of-state students with the double-digit tuition increase that would come on top of increases already approved by the UNC Board of Governors... McCrory’s proposed tuition increases would presumably raise about $54 million. The other five schools are UNC School of the Arts, N.C. A&T, N.C. State, UNC Charlotte and UNC Wilmington.

The USITT Young Designers & Technicians honor theatre artists and technicians at the start of their theatrical career, and or the past decade Clear-Com has sponsored the Stage Management Award. This year the USITT YD&T Stage Management Award went to Peyton Becker of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Becker received a cash award, registration to the USITT conference, and the opportunity to meet with sponsors and adjudicators during the show.

It appears that Hodding Carter III is channeling the late William Friday. Friday, a mentor to Carter, was the founding president of what is now the University of North Carolina system and a strong, respected leader and defender of the university system. Responding to reports that Republican legislators are thinking about “downsizing” the UNC system, perhaps closing one or two campuses, Carter, a former assistant secretary of state and now a UNC-Chapel Hill professor, decided not to hold back. “These guys are intent on going to war against the public university system in this state,” he said. “Standing on the sidelines is not for anyone who cares about higher education.”

At Swansboro Dance Academy , 13-year-old Caroline Henderson has earned a reputation for her relentless passion to excel in ballet. She’s been pursuing it since she was 4 years old. Her long, lean body, unique flexibility and unremitting focus have given her an edge in the highly structured art form. “It’s so technical and precise, but I feel like myself when I do ballet,” she said. The New Bridge Middle School eighth grader’s hard work and persistence paid off this month. She was accepted into the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ high school program for ballet, an exclusive affiliate school of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of American Ballet Theatre...

As a bongo drum set a rhythm, a trio of dancers bounded across the studio floor, coordinated in basic movements introduced by the instructor moments before. Then another three, then another trio as dozens floated across the studio floor. The class at the Samuel H.Scripps Studio in Durham served as part of a scholarship audition process for the American Dance Festival’s Six Week School intensive summer dance program. The program, with its intensity and length, represents one of the nation’s most highly regarded dance programs. The audition was one of 18 in cities around the country, and scholarships in amounts from $200 to the full tuition – more than $1,900 – will be awarded based on talent and financial need. Many of the students came to Durham from various university dance programs, from UNC School of the Arts to Virginia Commonwealth University. For them, the program provides expert training over the summer as well as networking opportunities to find dance companies to employ them when they graduate.

In terms of sheer tragedy, “’Tis Pity She’s a Whore” makes “Romeo and Juliet” look like a Sunday-school picnic...Ford’s Jacobean drama is being guest-directed by Jesse Berger, the artistic director of the off-Broadway Red Bull Theater. It opens Wednesday at UNC School of the Arts and features fourth-year drama students...

Sue Moore, who died March 14, was Winston-Salem’s first modernist painter. An accomplished artist with a long track record, she experimented freely with abstraction years before any other artist in the city... At various times she taught art in local schools including UNC School of the Arts, Summit School and what is now known as the Sawtooth School for Visual Art. As a strong, early advocate for visual art in Winston-Salem, she helped found the Associated Artists of Winston-Salem and the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art, where her work was exhibited on several occasions...

When Sir James Galway was studying the flute, he didn’t realize the depths of his talent. “I went through the Royal College of Music thinking, if this doesn’t work out I’ll do something else,” he said. “It worked.” And how...Galway will lead a master class for UNCSA flute students from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 3 in Watson Hall on campus.

A UNC campus could be on the chopping block. A steep budget cut to the UNC system, proposed by Gov. Pat McCrory, has legislators questioning the efficiency of the 17-campus system and could result in the consolidation of one or more UNC campuses. Sen. Pete Brunstetter, R-Forsyth, co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee said legislators are concerned about how higher education dollars are being spent. He would not say whether he supports the governor’s proposed $135 million cut, but instead said Friday he wants the UNC Board of Governor’s to take a hard look at how resources are being used...

“When you duplicate your programs… you end up watering down your resources,” he said. “Instead of being able to provide appropriate equipment, technology and training at a school that specializes (in a subject), you duplicate it at another university 30 minutes away.”As an example, Brunstetter questioned offering a film program at UNC Greensboro, while the UNC School of the Arts has a filmmaking school ..

Mount Airy High School’s production of the musical “Bye Bye Birdie” this Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m is the latest addition to a long history of successful theater performances by Mount Airy High School students... Peyton Marion, a junior who plays the female lead Rosie Alvarez, said she was familiar with the musical before her involvement. Marion’s favorite song from the show is “One Boy,” which the character Kim sings to her boyfriend Hugo...Marion said she has been accepted to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school music program, which she will begin in the fall...

Senator Brunstetter wants state to consider consolidating UNC school system

Senator Pete Brunstetter is getting some push-back for comments he made about the University of North Carolina school system. The senator says the state should consider closing down some of the UNC schools to save money... The comments have caused groups like th e North Carolina Democratic Party and Progress NC to release statements expressing disappointment... Brunstetter said he doesn' see any of the four campuses in the Triad (WSSU, UNCG, NC A&T and UNC School of Arts) closing because they are "performing well." ...

The Brevard Philharmonic concert series continues with the performance of a major work by longtime North Carolina resident Robert Ward at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Porter Center at Brevard College. The orchestra will play Ward’s Third Symphony from 1950. Ward, now 95, came to North Carolina in 1967 to serve as president of the North Carolina School of the Arts. His greatest recognition as a composer came from his 1961 opera “The Crucible,” based on the Arthur Miller play, which won the Pulitzer Prize...

Some students at Midlothian High School learned first-hand the amazing things that can be done with a standard issue camera. For their efforts, they were noticed by judges associated with a C-SPAN project. Seniors Connor Pollard and Katie Boswell said it didn’t take expensive equipment to create a video that got the attention of judges in an international competition sponsored by C-SPAN. For them, it was a matter of the right topic, the right points and compelling presentation...Both have been accepted to their colleges of choice: Pollard will attend the University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts in Salem, N.C., while Boswell will attend St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Ind...

Lawmakers are considering the possibility of eliminating one or two campuses in the University of North Carolina system, a top Senate budget-writer said Thursday. Gov. Pat McCrory called for a $135 million cut in funding for the UNC system in the 2013-14 budget proposal he rolled out on Wednesday. As lawmakers began reviewing the spending plan Thursday, Sen. Pete Brunstetter, R-Forsyth, co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said he and his colleagues are more concerned about how money for higher education is spent than the actual size of the appropriation...

The UNC system would lose about $138 million in state funding next fiscal year under a budget proposal released by Gov. Pat McCrory on Wednesday... Under the plan, tuition for out-of-state students would increase by 12.3 percent at UNC School of the Arts, N.C. A&T, N.C. State, UNC, UNC Charlotte and UNC Wilmington...

Relatively few 12-year-olds can say their toes have been pointed in one direction since age 2. Caroline Henderson, daughter of Carl and Elizabeth Henderson of Swansboro, can – and does – say it, and the New Bridge Middle School eighth grader’s singular focus has landed her in a great place: She recently was notified she’d earned one of the 15 or fewer spots available for ninth-grade females each year in the ballet program at the prestigious UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem...

Flute students at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) School of Music will no doubt gain a lot during their upcoming master class with the world renowned Sir James Galway. But they’ve already learned a lesson or two through the fundraising drive they conducted to pay for Galway’s visit to campus...

Six films that were screened last week at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, have ties to UNC School of the Arts...

John R. Beck , a faculty-artist at UNC School of the Arts’ School of Music, will host the 37th annual Percussive Arts Society International Conference in Indianapolis later this year. He is the new president of world’s largest professional organization for percussionists. A member of the UNCSA faculty since 1998, Beck spent two years as president-elect of the 7,000-member organization before taking over as president in February...

The innovative, award-winning dual city theatre company calls both Washington D.C. and Winston-Salem home. No Rules returns for its third big season at the Hanesbrands Theatre in downtown Winston-Salem with "Black Comedy," by Peter Shaffer. The production was a huge hit when No Rules opened it up in DC at the Signature Theatre. It's a fantastic farce about a black-out with a twist - the lighting is reversed, so light is dark and dark is light, and viewers get to watch as people stumble around in the light. There will be several great local guest appearances, as well. “Black Comedy” is directed by University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumnus and Broadway producer Matt Cowart and opens March 22nd at 7:30PM with a 10-dollar Preview Night on March 21st at 7:30PM. It will run through April 7th with weekend matinees at 2PM. Actor, writer and director as well as the Producing Artistic Director of No Rules Theatre Company Brian Sutow recently provided David with a No Rules spring season preview...

Pilot season is underway, with various TV shows in development hoping to be picked up by one of the TV networks for the fall season. There’s a chance we’ll see several more people with local ties on screen (or behind the camera) this fall. Among the contenders: Actress Bridget Regan (“Legend of the Seeker”), a UNC School of the Arts alumna, is set to co-star with Annie Potts in “Murder in Manhattan,” an ABC mystery-comedy series about a mother and daughter who are amateur sleuths ...

The play “Black Comedy” gets its name because it takes place during an electrical blackout. When the lights go on, that signifies to the audience that the lights are going off for the actors, who proceed to stumble around in the “dark” on a set that’s built like an obstacle course...The production includes several UNC School of the Arts graduates: Cowart; Broadway vet Jerzy Gwiazdowski who plays Brindsley, the sculptor; Brian Sutow who plays Harold, the neighbor; Kathryn Saffell who plays Carol Melkett; John Bowhers who designed the set; Travis McHale who designed the lighting; and production manager Steven Royal...

The Secrest Artists Series is known for bringing such acclaimed performers as Itzhak Perlman, Anonymous 4, Denyce Graves, Wayne Shorter and the Venice Baroque Orchestra to Wake Forest University. Strata, a chamber trio, fits nicely into the series’ range of high-quality offerings, having won praise from The Washington Post for its “deft ensemble playing” and talent that’s “worth getting worked up about.” But Strata’s concert on Thursday will have something that most concerts in the series don’t have — local connections. Nathan Williams, the clarinetist for the trio, was the principal clarinetist for the Winston-Salem Symphony from 1996 to 2003. And Strata will be performing the world premiere of “A Book of Days” by Kenneth Frazelle, an award-winning Winston-Salem composer and part-time faculty member at UNC School of the Arts. Frazelle has written pieces for the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Yo-Yo Ma, Dawn Upshaw, Paula Robison and Anthony Dean Griffey...

Rarely have I laughed as much or as hard at the theater. The staging, singing and acting on the opening night of the Piedmont Opera’s current production of “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” (“The Barber of Seville”) by Gioachino Rossini were superb. It was fantastic to hear the familiar arias and ensembles sung and played live and without electronic sanitization. The full house (including many school-age people) at the Stevens Center in the heart of Winston-Salem responded enthusiastically...Markus Beam sang the famous “Largo al factotum della cittá” with panache and wit. Well-cast as the boastful handy man and matchmaker, Beam has a powerful voice and an appealing personality...

Readers who are familiar with Opera Lively's coverage of the North Carolina operatic scene know that we are very fond of Piedmont Opera, given the company's high level of quality in virtually all of its productions we've attended, augmented by their close collaboration with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts - Fletcher Opera Institute. This regional company is not only sought after by many interesting outside singers who enjoy the convivial environment they find there, but also draws upon the assets of the Fletcher, with a berth of local student singers and production resources of all kinds (Music School, Dance School, Design and Production School), making of Piedmont Opera a rather unusual company, for its size...

After interviewing more than 40 applicants, Flat Rock Playhouse has hired the former general manager of the Dallas Theater Center in Texas as its new managing director. Hillary Hart, a 2000 graduate of the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts, will start work April 2. She will report to the Playhouse's board of trustees directly and work collaboratively with Artistic Director Vincent Marini...

No one wants to be on their deathbed, watching their life pass before their eyes. But if you’re Tammy Wynette, at least the movie of your life has a great soundtrack. Wynette’s life unfolds in flashbacks in Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance’s triumphant production of “Stand By Your Man: The Tammy Wynette Story.” It’s not an easy show to cast, as the leads have to portray country music icons idolized by millions of people -- Wynette and George Jones. But director Jamie Lawson found two actors who are more than up to the task. Mary Lea Williams is stellar as Wynette, both looking and sounding the part. Williams was trained as an opera singer, but she takes to country music like a flea on a hound dog...

WFDD's David Ford talks to Susan Jaffe, Dean of the School of Dance (at 31:20), about her professional dance experience, and to Faculty Composer Ken Frazelle (at 39:12) about his new work, "A Book of Days" which will be performed by the ensemble STRATA as part of the Secrest Artist Series at Wake Forest University.

Six films being screened at the South by Southwest Film Festival have ties to UNC School of the Arts. The festival will run through Sunday in Austin, Texas.

On Thursday, March 21, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., Strata, — three musicians, three instruments, one unique sound — will be performing at Wake Forest University’s Brendle Recital Hall in the Scales Fine Arts Center. The performance is part of the University’s Secrest Artist Series. The program includes the world premiere of, A Book of Days, a piece by University of North Carolina School of the Arts teacher and composer Ken Frazelle. Strata commissioned the work through a grant from the Rauch Foundation. The piece is based on one of A. R. Ammons poems. Ammons, a gifted poet, painter and writer, graduated from Wake Forest in 1949...

NEW YORK — Richard Ollarsaba, a graduate of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at UNC School of the Arts, finished as a runner-up at the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Auditions. From a starting field of nearly 1,500 aspiring opera singers across the country, it came down to 10 — three sopranos, one tenor and six deep male voices — on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House on Sunday...

We should all be grateful for Billy Magnussen's adolescent wrestling accident; without it, he may never have become an actor...Can you tell me about where you grew up? Did you always want to be an actor? I grew up in Woodhaven, Queens, here in New York. I went to public school. I never even thought of [acting] at all. I was always into sports and a lot of physical activities. My dad was a kickboxer and a body builder. My mom was an aerobics teacher. I moved down to Florida for a year in Miami...[then] to Atlanta [where] I went to middle and high school…I was big into football, hockey, soccer, [and] wrestling. Then I hurt myself wrestling, and I couldn't take gym class, and they threw me into acting. And I thought, this is great, and the girls are there. Then, I found out you can go to college for it. That's what happened. Then I went to the North Carolina School of the Arts, which is the University of North Carolina now.

Director David Gordon Green, a 1998 graduate of UNC School of the Arts’ School of Filmmaking, won the Berlin Film Festival’s Silver Bear Award for best director for his latest film, “Prince Avalanche.” The film will be shown at the RiverRun International Film Festival in April. It’s a remake of the Icelandic film “Either Way” and stars Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch. Green adapted and produced the film with Craig Zobel, a 1999 UNCSA film graduate, and Lisa Muscat, a former faculty member at the school...

Internationally acclaimed and award-winning conductor and performer John Mauceri will explore the impact music has on the “commerce of creativity” during a lecture later this month at California State University, Northridge. Mauceri, chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, founding director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and music director of Walt Disney’s Legacy Series Concerts, will give the final lecture in this year’s Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication’s Commerce of Creativity Distinguished Speaker Series, scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on March 28 in the Kurland Lecture Hall of CSUN’s Valley Performing Arts Center...

The RiverRun International Film Festival will give its “Emerging Master” award this year to Jeff Nichols, an alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts whose work includes the acclaimed films “Shotgun Stories” and “Take Shelter.” He will receive the award following a screening of his latest film, “Mud,” a drama with Matthew McConaughey as a drifter who befriends two boys...

Geoff Marslet's "Loves Her Gun" will be talked about at SXSW, not only because it centers around violence and gun control, but because the improvised dialogue makes for a naturalistic portrait of a woman's progression from victim to aggressor. She's well-played by Trieste Kelly Dunn, who broke out in SXSW 2010's "Cold Weather" and went on to star in Cinemax's "Banshee." ... Dunn talks about making "Loves Her Gun," the state of indie film, and the filmmakers she's hungry to work with... "I love working with directors who have good taste. It's incredible when a director can say something and thing open up for you. I went to The University of North Carolina School of the Arts and some of my best experiences on sets have been working with other alums. Jeff Nichols and David Gordon Green graduated a year or two before I got there but they were UNCSA legends and I've always really wanted to work with both of them. " ...

Kassiane Patselas, a 2012 graduate of the visual arts program in UNC School of the Art’s School of Design and Production, has received an honorable mention in the 2013 YoungArts Awards, one of the nation’s most prestigious award programs for artists under the age of 18. She is currently studying at the Art Institute of Chicago...

The following area UNC School of the Arts visual arts students won awards at the recent Scholastic Art & Writing Awards: Chelsea Bednar, 12th grade from Winston-Salem, two gold keys and two silver keys; Adam Dehus, 12th grade from Blowing Rock, one silver key; Rachel Pendergrass, 12th grade from Pfafftown, three gold keys, three silver keys and one honorable mention; and Emma Whitlock, 12th grade from Germanton, one honorable mention. ...

The UNC School of the Arts Purchasing Department has received the 2012 Sustained Professional Award by the Carolina’s Association of Governmental Purchasing. The award is given to agencies that demonstrate excellence in purchasing standards and is the highest in its field. Award criteria include the use of technology, minority outreach, staff certification, customer training, vendor training and the use of recycled products. The UNCSA Purchasing Department is comprised of Tarinda Chappell , director; Allen Carnes, purchasing agent; and Libby Rush, coordinator of fixed assets and surplus property.

Winston-Salem has sprouted a lot of facial hair in the past few weeks. Cars with fuzzy mustaches stretched across their grilles have been zipping along local streets. Plastic mustaches are clinging to the windows of downtown businesses. People have been uploading photos of themselves sporting real or fake mustaches to JournalNow.com...

So what’s the big, hairy deal? It’s all part of the marketing campaign for “The Barber of Seville,” which Piedmont Opera will present Friday and March 17 and March 19 at the Stevens Center...James Allbritten, the conductor and artistic director, said that while this is a mostly traditional production of “Barber,” the sense of humor comes across as more modern — “somewhere between Vaudeville and sitcom.” ...Markus Beam, a baritone, will be making his Piedmont Opera debut. He plays Figaro. But he’s no stranger to Winston-Salem. He graduated from high school at UNC School of the Arts in 1995, and his family lives in a small town near Hickory called Cat Square...

Described as “Italian opera meeting Carolina tradition,” the Feb. 28 BBQ with the Barber dinner at Bib’s Downtown was an exciting preview of Piedmont Opera’s upcoming production of The Barber of Seville. Performances start Friday, and the barbecue dinner inspired appetites for much more than just Bib’s tasty menu items. “This opera is so funny that it’s ridiculous,” said Jamie Allbritten, artistic director for Piedmont Opera. “The cast has a great sense of human, and most of us are laughing our way through rehearsals.” ...

Flute students at UNC School of the Arts have raised enough money to pay for a master class by renowned flutist Sir James Galway when he comes to town in April to perform with the Winston-Salem Symphony...

When violinist Janet Orenstein steps onto the stage at UNC School of the Arts on Saturday, she will celebrate a hard-fought victory. Even 18 months ago, Orenstein wouldn’t have attempted this recital with pianist Allison Gagnon, with its repertoire of challenging works. She has performed with larger groups, but for years Orenstein has shied away from the solo spotlight to avoid drawing attention to her secret: She suffered from a debilitating neurological condition in her left hand that hurt her playing...

For J.D. Wilson, the trip he made to New York to buy art for the Wake Forest University collection in 1969 was a life-changing experience. He had come from a small town in Kentucky, where he hadn’t had any classes in art history. And he was an English major at Wake Forest and had only had one art class there...Wilson, who is the president and chief executive of Excalibur Enterprises Inc., a direct-marketing and communications company in Winston-Salem, went on to start collecting art with his wife, Janie, and has been heavily involved in the local arts community for years. He has served on the board of trustees and board of visitors for the UNC School of the Arts, as well as serving on the boards of Reynolda House Museum of American Art and Piedmont Craftsmen over the years, among other endeavors...

A graduate of the UNC School of the Arts is a finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. ichard Ollarsaba, an alumnus of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at UNCSA’s School of Music, will compete Sunday in the Metropolitan Opera’s Grand Finals Concert in New York...

To students in Jennifer Burg's computer science classes, making music is the main objective. But her goal is to get them to understand how the underlying technology works—and to love it so much they decide on a science-based career path...Burg and her colleagues—Jason Romney of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and sound designer and audio engineer Eric Schwartz—decided to use music projects to help students in lower-level classes latch onto highly technical concepts in digital media...

Sydney Torin Shepherd is everything entertainment. She’s a singer, songwriter, musician and actress. She’s so good, her admirers say she’s destined for stardom. When Shepherd took the stage last Saturday night at The Old Post Office Playhouse, she charmed the capacity crowd with her diverse and multifaceted talents...Shepherd, who is in her final year as a drama student at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, is a trained classical cellist, but she plays a wide variety of instruments. And, she even gives each of her instruments a special name, like Harold. One of her favorites is the dulcijo, “Foxy,” a cross between a dulcimer and a banjo. Michael Fox, of Hickory, is credited for making this hybrid instrument..

The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) announced today that University of North Carolina School of the Arts students, Stephanie Dowling and Lucian Murphree are winners of the 2012 Internet Safety Video Contest. The student contest focuses on a critical topic in today’s society: Internet safety for teens...

Parmon: Current session is the worst

With the election of Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, the North Carolina Legislature became a supermajority, with Republicans controlling the House, Senate and the Governor’s Mansion, and local Democrats say they are feeling the effects of that change in Raleigh...Rep. Ed Hanes is also a House newcomer, having won Parmon’s old District 72 seat. He admitted the environment in Raleigh is “tough” for Democrats right now, but said he is determined to make the best of it by building relationships and collaborations where he can. Hanes is co-sponsoring several bills with Republicans, including a bill that would fine drivers who are caught passing a stopped school bus, and a bill that would exempt the UNC School of the Arts from legislation that prohibits the use of pyrotechnics.

A partner in one of North Carolina’s top law firms, a business leader and a former energy and defense industry executive have received the prestigious Watauga Medal for distinguished service to North Carolina State University. Thomas E. Cabaniss, Thomas S. Kenan III and Robert P. Kennel accepted NC State’s highest nonacademic honor at the Founders’ Day Dinner on March 4 ...Kenan is vice chairman and director of Flagler System Inc. and former chairman of the board of Kenan Transport Company, a petroleum transportation business. He has served as a trustee or officer with numerous philanthropic organizations, including the Thomas S. Kenan III Foundation, Randleigh Foundation Trust, William R. Kenan Jr. Fund, William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust and Mary Duke Biddle Foundation...

Regarding your Feb 22 editorial, “ Public should have input on next leader,” I agree the public should have input in the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ next chancellor . In fact, the c hancellor search committee held a series of five public forums when the search began. These forums included students, parents of current students, faculty, alumni and the community. Using the insight these forums provided, the c ommittee crafted a leadership statement to serve as the guiding principles for the search committee to follow in its quest for candidates...

The Oscars were the talk of Hollywood last week, but local stars were out and about in Winston-Salem long before the first celebrities took the stage in California. Reynolda House rolled out the red carpet for Star Power: Edward Steichen's Glamour Photography, Salem College’s Fine Arts Center was the backdrop for artist Kendall Doub’s new show, and two storytellers from different genres played to a full house at Community Arts Café...One assembly that generated a lot of attention was a group from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Bedecked in 1920s attire, Charles “Cody” Robinson , Emmet Temple , Dionna Daniel , Audrey Couch, Raven Whitley and Lance Tankman danced their way through the evening, calling to mind earlier parties that took place in Reynolda’s residential heyday...

The shout-out that President Obama gave to three-dimensional printing during his recent State of the Union address highlighted a young technology that entrepreneurs in the Triad are already using to build their businesses... In the Triad, the Center for Design Innovation — a research center run jointly by Winston-Salem State University, UNC-School of the Arts and Forsyth Technical Community College — has been working with 3-D printing technology since its founding in 2007...

Spatial relations and human relations form the backbone of the Helen Simoneau Danse’s season concert, a dynamic and exciting evening of contemporary dance.The choreography is vibrant, the dancers are remarkable and the movements are memorable – open to interpretation but still relatable. The program includes a world premiere as well as two pieces from Simoneau’s “Flight Distance” series. First up was “Flight Distance III: Chain Suite,” a duet performed with precision and agility by Simoneau and Kristin Taylor, graduates of the UNC School of the Arts. The series is about space – how close we’ll let others get to us and how we react when they cross that line. The work is at times harmonious but at other times wary and confrontational...

Chattanooga State Community College engineering technology student, Alex Woods, was named one of the first recipients of the Kent Hamlin Memorial Scholarship awarded by the American Nuclear Society (ANS). ... In 1994, Mr. Woods graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem...

The musical adventure begins when Haley Dreis and Caleb Caudle appear Friday at The Garage. The appearance opens a “40-city adventure” — Dreis’ words — of the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest this spring. Caudle, whose parents live in Germanton, said the 40-city adventure will grow as they go along...Dreis graduated from UNC School of the Arts in 2007 and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina in 2011...

The closing of the Douglas Battery Manufacturing Co. bankruptcy case could take a major step forward in early May if a request to auction five tracts is approved...Burns said the sale of the 5.62-acre site would be conditioned on the buyer agreeing to uphold a lease contract for a 23,500-square-foot section of the warehouse that UNC School of the Arts is using for storage. The school’s lease is $64,625 annually for the space at 2995 Starlight Drive. The lease expires Jan. 31, 2015, but the school has a one-year extension option...

Organic is a word that comes up again and again when people talk about the process of creating a dance that will have its world premiere during Helen Simoneau Danse’s season concert on Thursday and Friday...Simoneau created “Flight Distance IV: Flock” with herself in mind. She performed it when it had its premiere in New York in May. But Kate Jewett, a graduate of UNC School of the Arts, will perform it in Winston-Salem...

When the Academy Award for original score is announced Sunday night, there will be joy and disappointment -- and Monday morning quarterbacking. Some years the important score is recognized, as in 1946 when Miklos Rozsa won for "Spellbound." Or consider when the most important pre-"Star Wars" score, Max Steiner's epic "Gone With the Wind," did not, in fact, win...

The annual Festival of North Carolina Dance will be held at the UNC School of the Arts from Friday through Sunday. More than 500 young dancers from around the state will participate, taking classes taught by members of the UNCSA dance faculty and guest artists.

The Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership today presented five awards for work that substantially benefited downtown last year. The awards were handed out by Mayor Allen Joines at the partnership's annual meeting. Downtown Excellence Awards for 2012 were presented to: ...Winston-Salem Light Project. The project was inspired by Norman Coates, UNCSA's director of lighting to expand the experiences of students and to show the importance of light as an artistic medium in urban settings. The project has been viewed by more than 15,000 people...

The UNC School of the Arts has been recognized by the National Weather Service for weather-related emergency preparedness. Fourth other UNC schools already have the designation of "StormReady:" Appalachian State University, UNC Greensboro, East Carolina University and UNC Wilmington...

Sometimes life turns around in 30 seconds. Before his half-minute “Fashionista Daddy” ad aired during the Super Bowl, Mark Freiburger was a UNC School of the Arts graduate who had written, directed or produced half a dozen small, contemplative feature films. Within five minutes of its airing, he received 120 text messages. Within days, he got 700 messages...

For Zoe Warshaw, the chance to rehearse in front of Bill T. Jones was both exciting and nerve-wracking. “It’s incredible to be in rehearsal with someone of his stature,” said Warshaw, a fourth-year college student at UNC School of the Arts who will perform in Jones’ “D Man in the Waters (Part One)” during the school’s Winter Dance concert, which will be presented Thursday through Feb. 24 at the Stevens Center. “It’s a dream come true. It’s inspiring because you can see how passionate he is about the work.” ...

A small blip in the history of opera occurred this week in Bilbao, Spain. It occurred a few seconds after the curtain came down on the dress rehearsal of Verdi's 1855 French opera, les Vêpres siciliennes. The invited audience was cheering the singers, the orchestra, and the chorus. As I climbed the steps from the podium in the orchestra pit to await my call to walk onstage, I realized that not only was this the first time this grand opera had ever been performed in Spain, it probably was also the first time the opera had been heard anywhere with its complete text observed since 1855...

The committee searching for a new chancellor at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts has narrowed the field of candidates down to 11, school officials said Friday.Rob King, the chairman of the search committee, said the group will meet with those candidates on Sunday and Monday at the Greensboro-High Point Marriott in Greensboro...

The establishment of UNC’s new dance minor, which will debut in fall 2013 or 2014, is what UNC’s long-waiting dance community deserves...The University should look to UNC School of the Arts and other schools in the UNC system that offer dance programs as examples of how to run an exceptional program — and potentially as sources of faculty...

It’s official: Arlington has gone barmy. A year after WETA launched WETA UK—bringing British programming, all the time, to Washington—the theater down the street from the PBS affiliate has launched what is beginning to feel like Signature UK. And—brilliant news—the first play from Signature’s new resident No Rules Theatre Company is so much funnier than Fawlty Towers reruns. Get off the couch, and go see it. Peter Shaffer’s Black Comedy, a 1965 farce first staged at England’s National Theatre, is the opening show of No Rules’ first season at Signature Theatre. No Rules was founded in 2008 by an ambitious group of University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduates...

Classical meets comedy in “Brass Under the Big Top,” a performance by the Giannini Brass on Saturday that will feature Dikki Ellis, a UNC School of the Arts graduate who performs as a clown with New York’s acclaimed Big Apple Circus and serves as a clown consultant — best job title ever — for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade..

The cost of in-state public higher education may not skyrocket anytime soon. Within the next several months, the Board of Governors will begin working on the next four year plan to serve colleges in the UNC system between the 2014-2019 school years.

Total gifts to the four University of North Carolina campuses in the Triad were below the levels of recession years 2007 to 2009 in both of the economic recovery years of 2010 and 2011, according to a recent report to UNC Governors...The report, which tallied total gifts to all 17 system campuses (including the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics), found that donations to UNCG, N.C. A&T, Winston-Salem State University and UNC-School of the Arts totaled $27.5 million in the 2010-11 academic year. That was up from the $24.8 million raised in 2009-10, but lower than the years between 2006 and 2009, when the lowest annual total raised was $34.3 million...

Sometimes a human life turns around in 30 seconds. Before his half-minute “Fashionista Daddy” ad aired during the Super Bowl, Mark Freiburger was a Providence High School (and University of N.C. School of the Arts) graduate who had written, directed or produced half a dozen small, contemplative feature films...

Wishes, hopes and longings live at the heart of most fairy tales. That’s because they also live in the hearts of most people. Stories and fables that may appear childlike on the surface can reveal profound things about what it means to be human.Jack’s mother (“Jack and the Beanstalk”) wishes that her son were smarter. Cinderella hopes to go to the ball or, in this case, the “festival.” The Baker and his Wife long for a child. In Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical play, “Into the Woods,” which opens Thursday at UNC School of the Arts, these characters and more travel into a forest made of books, words, music and imagination to pursue their hearts’ desires...

...This weekend, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Wake Forest University have joined forces to co-sponsor a special visit by noted African-American artists Will Alexander and Nathaniel Mackey, who are spending time this week as guest artists at both Winston-Salem schools. This event, Bedouin Transforms: Neo Peregrinations, will involve the two prestigious visitors conducting master classes, poetry readings and book signings, culminating with a unique performance on Saturday...

Performances this week include a chance to travel a bit or help out some local students. Here are our picks for the best bets:

The UNC School of the Arts flute studio is trying to raise $5,000 to pay for a master class by Sir James Galway, a virtuoso flutist who will perform with the Winston-Salem Symphony on April 4. A benefit recital will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 2575 Parkway Drive ...

A spectacular production of La Rondine (The Swallow) by Puccini opened Friday night at the Stevens Center of the University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts in downtown Winston-Salem. It is hard to determine what shone most brightly – the superb singing of the leads, the colorful sets (made possible by a generous gift of Patty and Malcolm Brown), the striking lighting, the variety of innovative costumes and hats or Puccini’s magnificent orchestration, beautifully rendered by the musicians in the pit, students of the UNCSA School of Music, decisively led by James Allbritten, director of the Fletcher Opera Institute...

You need power to be evil — at least in regard to balletic expression. For much of the fall, Claire Kallimanis, a soloist with the Columbia City Ballet, thought she was going to play the Evil Queen in the ballet’s production of “Snow White.” Kallimanis, who grew up in Delaware before attending the North Carolina School of the Arts, now known as the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, auditioned for a spot in city ballet in 2003...

Nearly 40 years ago, a high school sophomore named John R. Beck attended a percussion workshop at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. It was was the first inernational conference of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), and it was hosted by his father, John H. Beck, who taught percussion at Eastman. This year, the younger Beck, a faculty-artist at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) School of Music, will host the 37th annual Percussive Arts Society International Conference (PASIC) in Indianapolis, as president of the world's largest professional organization for percussionists...

For every Hollywood starlet like Anne Hathaway or Claire Danes, there are thousands of actresses trying to scrape together livings with a small guest spot on a TV show here, a low-paying role in an independent film there. That’s been Trieste Kelly Dunn’s life since graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2004. Then along came 2012...

The City of the Arts lived up to its name on Jan. 15 during the North Carolina Black Repertory Company’s 28th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration. Twenty-four acts graced the Arts Council Theatre stage on what would have been King’s 84th birthday, entertaining a crowd of more than 400. The King Day showcase has become a time honored tradition for many in the local community... April Watson, a freshman at the UNC School of the Arts High School Academic Program, was the only ballet dancer on the ticket. The city native, who made her debut on the Black Rep stage during the performance, began honing her craft in elementary school, when she was selected to participate in UNCSA’s Preparatory Dance Program, a free after school initiative for talented youngsters in grades three through seven...

We’re one week away from Super Bowl Sunday, with its collection of amazing or befuddling new TV commercials. Oh, and there’s some sporting action between commercial breaks, too, in case you care. You still have several days to vote for which Doritos commercial you want to see in the company’s annual “Crash the Super Bowl” contest. And two of the five contenders have ties to UNC School of the Arts...

If her audition video is any indication of her final performance during the upcoming National Trumpet Competition in Washington, D.C., Camille Bergin should have no worries. The 15-year-old musician from Boone, currently a high school sophomore studying trumpet performance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, has already made her hometown proud -- on numerous occasions..

Kelli Perkins is on a mission to inspire our nation to broaden its standard of beauty.

Perkins, the assistant director of high school life at the UNC School of the Arts and the current Miss Central North Carolina American Beauties Plus, is hoping to put Winston-Salem on the map this spring when she competes for the title of Miss American Beauties Plus 2013. Unlike traditional beauty pageants, American Beauties Plus’ interview category counts as 50 percent of a contestant’s final score. There are also fashion and evening wear categories...

UNC School of the Arts graduate Mark Freiburger is one of five finalists with a chance to get his Doritos commercial shown during this year’s Super Bowl – and possibly win $1 million...

We might have missed Éowyn Emerald Barrett’s choreography completely if she had actually gone through with her plan to leave Portland a year ago. Her car was packed and ready to go, but love intervened and she stayed...She continued her training at York University and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she received her BFA in Contemporary Dance. The University of North Carolina School of the Arts had a program that allowed seniors to accept jobs with dance companies and still get credit and graduate, while not paying tuition...

UNC School of the Arts will commemorate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 21 with a performance of “I Can’t Stand the Color of the Rain,” a one-act musical written by Devinron Ready of Kernersville and Marcese Roberts of Greenville, S.C., both of whom are third-year students in the School of Drama...

Everyone likes to be part of an historic first and this weekend you can do just that. It’s the first ever University of NC School of the Arts Faculty Brass Quintet and Organ concert. Sonic Splash will feature UNCSA artist/faculty trumpeter Judith Saxton and organist. It’ll be held in Crawford Hall on the UNCSA campus Sunday night, January 20 at 7:30.

More than 30 alumni from UNC School of the Arts worked on 10 films that will be screened at the Sundance Film Festival, which runs from today through Jan. 27 in Park City, Utah. The festival will show a total of 115 films...

Mozart would have been 257 years old on Jan. 27, and many of his admirers are playing concerts to celebrate the event. So on Sunday afternoon, the Winston-Salem Symphony wished Mozart a happy birthday with Music Director Robert Moody conducting and Saxton Rose, principal bassoonist for the orchestra and a faculty member at UNC School of the Arts, performing as guest soloist. The program consisted of Stravinsky's neoclassic Symphony in C, followed by Mozart's Concerto in B flat Major for Bassoon and his great Symphony in E Flat Major, No. 39...

Juel Lane , an alumnus of UNC School of the Arts (Dance 2002), has been named by Dance Magazine as one of 25 dancers to watch in 2013...Ian McVoy , a high-school harpist at UNC School of the Arts, recently won the International Harp Competition in Mexico City...

In music, as in other aspects of life, styles come and go. When composer George Whitefield Chadwick died in 1931, “The New York Times called him a leading composer of the Romantic generation,” said Peter Kairoff, who recently released a new CD of music by Chadwick with tenor Glenn Siebert...Kairoff and Siebert, a faculty member at UNC School of the Arts and director of the Magnolia Baroque Festival, selected 27 songs, tracking down scores from the Library of Congress...

UNC School of the Arts graduate Mark Freiburger is one of five finalists with a chance to get his Doritos commercial shown during this year's Super Bowl, and possibly win $1 million...

Q: How is lightning like a viola player’s fingers? A: Neither one strikes the same place twice...But in the hands of a great performer, the viola is a wonderful string, often vocal-sounding string instrument in its own right with lots of great music to play. University of NC School of the Arts professor of viola Sheila Browne is one such performer, and you can hear for yourself during her upcoming recital with Czech pianist David Kalhous and harpist Jacqui Bartlett.

The story of Apollo 13, the NASA spacecraft that was crippled two days into its mission to the moon, is a story of perseverance, innovation and the indomitable American spirit. Told in the book “Lost Moon” and via the well-received movie “Apollo 13,” it will likely receive an equally impressive telling in the stage show “Apollo 13: Mission Control,” which opens Jan. 26 in Reynolds Place at the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. This is a good deal for Winston-Salem... The show is coming to Winston-Salem largely because of the efforts of local arts leaders and their relationship with its producer, Bruce Mactaggart, who brought “Walking With Dinosaurs: The Live Experience” to Joel Coliseum in 2007. During a press conference last week, community volunteer J.D. Wilson said that Mactaggart’s company selected Winston-Salem for the East Coast debut of Apollo 13 because of our “can-do attitude, collaborative spirit and creative force, especially centered on the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.” ...

It’s not every Hollywood résumé that includes multiple Southern art films, a flash animation about a tiny Luchador and an award-winning feature about an interrogation in the back room of a fast-food restaurant, but UNC School of the Arts graduate Craig Zobel is not your typical filmmaker—and his latest film Compliance, which hit DVD this week, is anything but your typical film...

There are easier classical pieces to do justice to than Franz Schubert's famed "Trout" Quintet in A major. Unlike most piano quintets, there isn't a string quartet complementing the keyboard. Instead, Schubert gives us a blend of five different instruments, with a double-bass replacing the usual second violin. You can start building quintet personnel with a working piano trio who are already attuned to one another or with 3/4 of a working string quartet, but these core groups must mesh with two outsiders, the double-bassist and either the violist or the pianist. So it was an interesting prospect to find out how the UNC School of the Arts Faculty Chamber Players would fare with Schubert's classic, since faculty members at the same university presumably have the home field advantage of being able to rehearse more often – and thoroughly – at their workplace...

There are some people who are widely accepted as geniuses in their fields. In physics, there’s Albert Einstein.“And in music, it’s Mozart,” said Robert Moody, the music director of the Winston-Salem Symphony. Moody will conduct the symphony in “Happy Birthday Mozart!” on Saturday and Jan. 13 and 15 at the Stevens Center...Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto is the apex of the bassoon repertory, Moody said, and a perfect way to show off the skills of Saxton Rose, the principal bassoonist for the symphony, who will be the soloist in the concerto. Rose, who teaches at UNC School of the Arts, was recently named the bassoonist for the award-winning Zephyros Winds quintet in New York and has had engagements this season in China, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium and Mexico...

In the third season of FX’s animated spy spoof “Archer,” nerdy accountant Cyril Figgis — whose voice is provided by Chris Parnell, an alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts — got a promotion. Instead of worrying about the budget of the spy agency ISIS and how the spies abuse their expense reports for personal gain, he became a field agent himself, sent into dangerous situations he was wildly unqualified for...

Had he remained a cameraman, Michael Chapman’s place in Hollywood history would already be assured, given that his early films in that capacity included Klute (1971), The Godfather (1972) and Jaws (1975), all acknowledged classics... Having put to rest his Hollywood career following Bridge to Terabithia in 2007, Chapman has brought his considerable skills and knowledge to the UNCSA School of Filmmaking in Winston-Salem, joining an illustrious faculty that includes filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, former producer and best-selling author Dale Pollock, noted cinematographer Tom Ackerman (Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Beetlejuice) and actor/filmmaker Wayne Crawford (Jake Speed, Valley Girl)...

The chancellor search committee of the UNC School of the Arts has more meetings coming up this month.The full committee will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday to discuss the interview process. That meeting will be followed at 4 p.m. by a meeting of the interview process committee...

The year 2012 brought much for local audiences to enjoy...Here’s what some local community leaders cited as their favorite performances of the year — ones that they didn’t have any direct involvement with...

David Spencer, senior curator at the UNCSA School of Filmmaking, unearths some cherished footage. [“Reel treasure: The UNCSA School of Filmmaking’s Moving Image Archives”; Jan. 4, 2012; by Mark Burger] (photo by Keith T. Barber)

The Chancellor Search Committee of the UNC School of the Arts has scheduled two meetings in January. The first meeting will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 3. The second meeting will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 28...

UNC Chapel Hill has been named once again as the best value in American higher public education by Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine in its 2013 ranking. UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem is gaining fast, coming in at No. 31, jumping 30 spots since 2010...

Elon University and the UNC-School of the Arts are the Triad schools that rank the highest among best values in private and public higher education, as measured by Kiplinger's...

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been ranked the No. 1 value in public colleges for the 12th year in a row by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine...Other UNC system campuses on the list are North Carolina State University, 21^st; UNC School of the Arts, 31^st; UNC-Wilmington, 32^nd; Appalachian State University, 36^th; and UNC-Asheville, 52^nd.

This was a big year for Winston-Salem on national television, with prominent roles for alumni of UNC School of the Arts and other people from this area.

If you weren’t able to make it out to see the UNC School of the Arts production of “The Nutcracker” — or just want to see it again — you’re in luck. UNC-TV is re-airing the 2010 production of the much-loved performance on Monday, Christmas Eve, starting at 8 p.m...

Merry Christmas, Walt! During this Christmas Season, I could not help but notice that The New York Times' default metaphor for anything a critic finds objectionable in the arts is none other than Walt Disney. It is as if Uncle Walt was the anti-Christ of Art. When his name appeared once again the other day, I stopped to think about what that might mean...

Two schools known for cultivating some of the brightest minds in engineering and computer science are quietly launching some of the brightest stars on Broadway too. Of the 20 musicals currently on Broadway, at least 17 have a graduate of the University of Michigan or Carnegie Mellon in their cast...Other programs are successfully cultivating Broadway-caliber talent, such as ...University of North Carolina School of the Arts ...

Today, North Carolina Governor-Elect Pat McCrory announced that he will appoint Lyons Gray as Secretary of the Department of Revenue...Currently vice chairman of the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, Gray has previously served on the boards of UNC-Chapel Hill’s General Alumni Association, Salem Academy and College, the UNC School of the Arts Foundation, and the Piedmont Triad Partnership...

The Office of the State Auditor has issued a clean audit for UNC School of the Arts for the 2011-12 fiscal year, the university said. The state auditor’s office found no discrepancies in the financial records of UNCSA, according to its audit report. UNCSA’s budget for 2011-12 was $47.57 million, the report said.

Chris Staton , an 11th grade guitarist at UNC School of the Arts, recently won the high school classical division of the Music Academy of North Carolina’s Guitar Festival Competition in Greensboro. He is a student of Zane Forshee in UNCSA’s School of Music. Chris is the son of Craig and Julie Staton of High Point.

Christmas music has a special place in Anthony Dean Griffey’s heart...So he’s hoping to spread some warmth and inspiration through his new CD, “This Little Light,” a collection of holiday songs that he recorded with Joseph Pecoraro, a classical guitarist and faculty member at UNC School of the Arts...

The Triad’s 23 institutions of higher education have certainly added to the intellectual capital of the region, but they have also buoyed the Triad’s construction market throughout the recession and recovery...

Winston-Salem’s busy year as a filming location continues.“4Gosh,” a low-budget independent drama, is being shot at various locations in downtown Winston-Salem and elsewhere in the city...But many current and former Wake Forest students are joining in on the crew, as well as one second-year filmmaking student from the UNC School of the Arts, Brianna Matthews...

John Dillon, an adjunct faculty member at UNC School of the Arts, asked his Studio 3 drama students to develop improv ensemble performances around the monster South Korean pop hit “Gangnam Style” as a way to access the Stalin-era play The Dragon...

Students from the School of Music at UNC School of the Arts School won in two categories at the recent state competition sponsored by the Music Teachers National Association at UNC Chapel Hill...

With eight years in American Ballet Theater fresh in her mind, Rebecca Massey had sworn she’d never date another dancer – or a guy who was younger than she. All she needed was a modern-dance teacher at her new ballet school...Rebecca grew up in Winston-Salem, where she began taking dance lessons as a child for $3 a week – when her family could afford it. The classes became steadier once she won a scholarship from UNC School of the Arts, though. She stayed through her junior year of high school, then landed a spot at one of the world’s top dance academies: New York’s School of American Ballet, the teaching arm of the New York City Ballet...

There’s a moment at the end of the first act of “The Nutcracker” that sums up everything that’s so wonderful about the annual UNC School of the Arts production of Tchaikovsky’s beloved ballet. The Snow Queen, the Snow Prince and the Snowflakes are all dancing for Clara and her new friend, Sascha, as they pass through The Land of Snow on their way to the Land of the Sweets...

For 47 years, the UNC School of the Arts (UNCSA) has graced audiences with their performance of The Nutcracker at the Stevens Center, which the school now owns. This production of the world’s most popular ballet is certainly jewel we wear proudly in our crown as the city of Arts and Innovation. The UNCSA’s The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition for many in the area, bringing thousands to the streets of downtown Winston-Salem...

Fans of “The Mindy Project” will be seeing less of Anna Camp in the future. Camp, an alumna of UNC School of the Arts, is shifting from being a series regular to having a “recurring role,” Fox announced last week...

Intensive Arts” is underway at UNC School of the Arts — an annual mini term between Thanksgiving and the winter break when classes are suspended so students can participate in special workshops, which are generally not open to the public. It started on Monday and will run through Friday...

Russell P. “Rusty” Mills, a native of Winston-Salem and 1980 graduate of the UNC School of the Arts high school, has died. Mills died in California of cancer. He was 49...

Kathleen Hahn has one passion. But at least three professions, depending on the day...

Hahn grew up in Greensboro and attended the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts for high school and college...

Where there’s now just the concrete floor of a former hardware store, Gene Johnson envisions a stage bustling with actors. And where there are currently stacks of tiles and tools waiting to be auctioned off, Stan Bernstein sees rows of seats filled with theater patrons from around the region who have come to see a show. Johnson, Bernstein and Steve Bradford — all veterans of the Triad’s theater scene — are raising money to convert the hardware store, which is off Farmington Road off I-40 in Davie County, into a 250-seat, state-of-the-art performance space... Carl Forsman, the dean of drama at UNC School of the Arts, said: “I am very excited about any artist who takes the reins and makes an opportunity. Theater can’t exist without brave producers, people willing to raise the money and stick their necks out, and more theater is good for everyone. It’s good for audiences and communities, it’s good for young and developing artists and it’s good for the art form." ...

The UNC School of the Arts trustees approved a $600 tuition increase Friday for the 2013-14 school year. The proposed increase now goes to the UNC Board of Governors, which would have to approve it before it would take effect..

On Saturday, December 8th the Hangar's CabarETC series continues with a special one-day-only cabaret performance of Back Home for the Holidays featuring Jeremy Webb (The Glorious Ones and Hangar's The 39 Steps) and Nat Chandler (Spamalot, Kiss Me Kate, and Phantom of the Opera) with special guest Joseph Thalken...Webb received his training at The Drama School, The University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

UNC School of the Arts’ need for storage could provide money to the bankruptcy estate of a longtime local company. The school wants to rent 23,500 square feet – at $2.75 a square foot or $64,625 annually – in a building at 2995 Starlight Drive.

The Royal New Zealand Ballet's production of Giselle is all set to be translated to the silver screen as its one-time ballet bad boy director settles down. Artistic director Ethan Stiefel has retired from the stage but has no plans to hang up his ballet shoes - or park his motorbike - just yet, he tells Talia Shadwell... Whisked away from his position as dean of the School of Dance at the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts to our little capital, Stiefel says he is in it for the long run...

Dane DeHaan, an alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts, has been cast in a major role in the next “Spider-Man” movie.Marc Webb, the director of the film, made the announcement on his Twitter feed Monday afternoon. The film, which is currently titled “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” is due to be released on May 2, 2014...

Dane DeHaan has sepnt the first four years of his professional career making an unbelievalbe impact with ffilm fans and critics alike. "I went to college at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts." ...

“Molly Under The Moon,” a UNC School of the Arts student film, has been accepted for competition at the Munich International Festival of Film Schools this month. The competition is one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious festivals for student films. The film is a collaborative effort between the five UNCSA schools: Filmmaking, Dance, Drama, Music, and Design and Production. “Molly Under The Moon” was written by UNCSA School of Filmmaking graduates Zack Strum (2012) and Blake Engle (2012), with Strum as its director. It was produced by Nick Hoisington (Filmmaking, 2012) and Anna Rooney (former graduate student in the School of Design and Production)...

Tyler Sandborn has been in at least 10 productions of “The Nutcracker” since he began dancing as a child. He figures that he has performed every male role except for two. But it hasn’t gotten old for him. “Doing ‘Nutcracker’ is like having your mom cook your favorite meal over and over,” he said. “It’s always something good to come back to.”This year, Sandborn, 20, will dance the role of Cavalier — along with several other parts — in UNC School of the Arts’ production of the holiday ballet, which will run Saturday through Dec. 16 at the Stevens Center...

Danny McBride, an alumnus of UNC School of the Arts, is known for his obnoxious, self-absorbed and yet strangely likeable characters. Perhaps the most bombastic is Kenny Powers, the rude, blustery, washed-out baseball star at the center of the HBO comedy series “Eastbound and Down.” Kenny is a North Carolina native, and much of the series has been filmed in the Wilmington area.The third season of “Eastbound and Down” comes to DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, continuing the saga of Kenny’s attempts to rebuild his career after a steroid scandal threw him out of the Major Leagues...

For 43 years, Nancy Hunt has been in the soprano section of the Mozart Club, faithfully rehearsing Handel’s “Messiah” with a group of people she has grown to see as a community. “People come and people go, but I keep coming,” she said. That community will celebrate its 80th anniversary today, with a performance at 3 p.m. at Reynolds Auditorium. The soloists this year are soprano Jeanne Fischer, who teaches at UNC Chapel Hill and studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London; alto Hallie Hogan, who teaches at Elon University and has performed internationally; tenor Jesse Darden, a student at the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute; and bass Richard Ollarsaba, a graduate of UNC School of the Arts, where he received a master’s degree through the Fletcher Opera Institute. Both Darden and Ollarsaba studied with Marilyn Taylor, an acclaimed local singer and one of the organizers of the Mozart Club’s production.

The countdown is on to the seasonal debut of the most exciting Nutcracker in North Carolina! The University of North Carolina School of the Arts' (UNCSA's) cherished production of Tchaikovsky's classic comes to life for nine magical performances, opening on Saturday, Dec. 8th. From December 8-16 ONLY at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem. This year, two of world’s greatest ballet stars – Veronika Part and Charles Askegard – will grace the stage at the Stevens Center as guest stars in The Nutcracker for TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY. Part (Principal, American Ballet Theatre) and Askegard (Principal, New York City Ballet) will dance the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier Prince at the performances on December 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m...

On Saturday, December 8th the Hangar's CabarETC series continues with a special one-day-only cabaret performance of Back Home for the Holidays featuring Jeremy Webb (The Glorious Ones and Hangar's The 39 Steps) and Nat Chandler (Spamalot, Kiss Me Kate, and Phantom of the Opera) with special guest Joseph Thalken. After last year's smash-hit, Jeremy and Nat return to the Hangar stage to help you get into the holiday spirit... Mr. Webb received his training at The Drama School, The University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

Bigger roles keep coming for UNCSA grad DeHaan

Cricket Pate isn't one of the leading characters in “Lawless,” a moonshiner drama being released Tuesday on DVD and Blu-ray. But he's one of the film’s most compelling characters, thanks to actor Dane DeHaan. DeHaan, an alumnus of UNC School of the Arts, plays Cricket, a handicapped country boy in 1931 Franklin County, Va...

The Willingham Theater will open for its first event on Saturday, Dec. 1...Ron Stacker Thompson, the chair for screenwriting at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, has taken on the role of artistic director. Thompson said that he was acquainted with John Willingham and Steven and Susan Lyons...

Dane DeHaan and another alumnus of the UNC School of the Arts appear in “Lincoln,” the critically acclaimed drama from director Steven Spielberg...DeHaan makes a cameo appearance in the first scene of the film as a young Union solider who recites lines from the Gettysburg Address... Later in the film, Stephen McKinley Henderson – a 1972 graduate of the School of Drama – has a role as President Lincoln’s steward, William Slade.

If they weren't already, the eyes of the arts world will be on Brattleboro on Dec. 10, when Gov. Peter Shumlin comes here to present the Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts to four people from Windham County. Authors Karen Hesse and Archer Mayor, cellist Sharon Robinson and teacher and clown Stephen Stearns have all been selected to receive the award, which honors Vermont residents who have made significant contributions to their art forms and to the cultural life of the state and beyond... Sharon Robinson, cellist, graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Peabody Institute...

For over forty-six years The University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ acclaimed Nutcrackerproduction has been one of the Triad’s most eagerly anticipated events of the holiday season. This year, guest artists Veronika Part (Principal, American Ballet Theatre) and Charles Askegard (Principal, New York City Ballet) will dance the roles of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier Prince at the performances on Thursday night, December 13, at 7:30 p.m., and Friday night December 14, at 7:30 p.m. The full performance schedule for the 2012 UNCSA production of The Nutcracker is Saturday, December 8, at 2 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. through Sunday, December 16, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m...

The National Educational Telecommunications Association has recognized UNC-TV’s broadcast of UNC School of the Arts’ production of “Oklahoma!” The production was honored in NETA’s content production category...

Rene Barbera is not just another bel canto tenor who can toss off nine high Csbefore breakfast; his singing is suffused with the kind of old-fashioned warmth that is often supplanted in floris rep by laser-sharp precision.

Rough translation: The DR Symphony Orchestra made us all goosey and made the heart beat through the musical universe of the Hitchcock movies. Film music demands pictures. Friday DR Symphony Orchestra performed a number of grandiose sound tracks to the legendary instructor Alfred Hitchcock's films. Actually the music stood well by itself. British Hitchcock made over 50 films and let the best composers of his time write the music. American Bernard Herrmann being among one of the best known. The orchestra opened pompously with an ouverture to the film "The Man Who Knew too Much". Later, in the music to the murder scene in "Psycho", the schrill strings made everybody's hair on their arms bristle. Differently lyrical and dreamlike were the gentle passages from "Vertigo". On the podium the very American conductor John Mauceri coupled the music with living stories. He is Hollywood's Mr. Music and a close friend of John Williams himself. Mauceri has even recreated Stokowski's old Hollywood Bowl orchestra. Great emotions. Jazzy rythms embraces us in German-American Franz Waxman's soundtracks to the films "Rebecca" and "Rear Window". The enormous symphony orchestra was here expanded with electric guitar and bass, saxophones, drums, piano and celeste. Russian Dimitri Tiomkin's melodical music to "Strangers on a Train" and "Dial M for Murder" got out the big feelings. He geniously uses the fugue effect where groups of instruments come in in a delayed fashion, illustrating the solving of a mystery. ...

The members of the chancellor-search committee at the UNC School of the Arts will have three meetings next week. All are open to the public...

Airfare is expensive. Highway traffic is heavy. Time is short. These are a few reasons why students – especially out-of-state or international students – might choose to spend the Thanksgiving holiday on their school campuses... Like Salem College and Academy, UNC School of the Arts has both a high-school and a college population to plan for. Joe Rick, director of residence life, programs and housing at UNCSA, said that arrangements have been made for everybody.

Twenty-one-year-old Allan Washington’s performing arts career is going places, quite literally. Washington, a senior in the Drama School at the UNC School of the Arts, recently returned from a trip to Oman, a tiny nation on the Arab peninsula. The Indianapolis, Ind. native and fellow cast members from the Copperstown, N.Y.-based Glimmerglass Festival graced the stage in Muscat, the capital city, in four productions of the acclaimed production of “The Music Man.” ...

The UNC School of the Arts has renamed its Proscenium Thrust theater in honor of Gerald Freedman, who stepped down as the school’s dean of drama on June 30. The Gerald Freedman Theatre is in Performance Place on campus. Freedman had served as the dean of drama since 1991...

A University of North Carolina School of the Arts ( UNCSA ) student film has been accepted for competition at one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious festivals for student films. MOLLY UNDER THE MOON, which premiered in May, will be screened at the Munich International Festival of Film Schools, Nov. 11-17. MOLLY UNDER THE MOON is a collaborative effort between all five of UNCSA’s arts schools: Filmmaking, Dance, Drama, Music, and Design and Production. It was written by Zack Strum and Blake Engle, with Strum as director. Both are 2012 graduates of UNCSA’s School of Filmmaking...

The holidays will be especially bright this season for two music composition students at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), whose work will be heard by hundreds of thousands. Bruce Tippette and Kenneth Florence composed electronic music for Tanglewood Park’s 21st annual Festival of Lights, which opens Friday and runs nightly through Jan. 1, 2013, in Clemmons. Tippette, a graduate student originally from Garner, composed “Bell Music” which will be heard at the jingle bells light display. Florence, a second-year undergraduate student from Raleigh, composed “Night Bells” which will be heard at the Christmas tree display. The compositions are part of their music technology coursework in UNCSA’s School of Music...

A student film from UNC School of the Arts was selected for screening at the recent Asheville Cinema Festival. "Dust Devils” was directed by Gerry Gibson of Winston-Salem (BFA, Film, 2012) and written by Dylan Zola of Greensboro (BFA, Film, 2012). Dee Blackburn of Winston-Salem (MFA, Design and Production, 2012) was the film’s production designer. It was one of 36 short films selected for the festival.

During the summer between his freshman and sophomore years at Middlebury College in Vermont, Carl Forsman started to see drama as a possible career. He returned to his home in New Jersey and became something of a theatrical entrepreneur.He and Chris Furlong, his brother, produced “The Dumb Waiter,” a play by Harold Pinter, in a church hall. The effort cost $320. But it helped teach Forsman about the elements of a production — lining up actors, directing them through a rehearsal process, finding money to secure rights to the play, renting a venue, building a set and making costumes.Forsman, 41, became the drama dean at UNC School of the Arts in July. He said that he would like to see similar efforts happen on a regular basis in the School of Drama. He envisions not only training the next generation of actors and directors — but also creating a kind of lab to teach them how to get their own projects off the ground...

John George might have thought his daughter lived in Never Neverland when she brought her degree in ballet and modern dance home from college in 1969. “He said, ‘You know that show business, Pat — get something solid.’ He said, ‘Go to work for a bank’ ” Pat George Mitchell said this past week in her ballet studio on Third Street. Mitchell spoke in the half-court sized studio at the School of Creative Arts, where 140 ballerinas have benefited from a 22-year-old’s resistance to a father’s sound advice... Alexis ‘Lexi’ Johnston is applying the lessons she learned in Longview at the North Carolina School of the Arts. “She’s very strict,” Johnston said. “She makes it very clear what she wants, what she expects. At times, that is hard, but that’s why it is so good. I still use everything she taught me, and we’re still close and we still talk.” ... Teens Colby Johnston, Leslie Rowe, Kirsten Park and Sophie Tibiletti by now are old hats at making Mitchell’s magic. Tibiletti and Johnston are preparing to audition for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where Johnston’s big sister is pursuing her dreams...

Mark E. Land has joined the Trust & Investment Advisors division of High Point Bank as vice president, trust consultant. Land will lead the expansion of the bank’s trust and investment services for both individuals and nonprofits in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point. Land was with Wachovia/Wells Fargo for 12 years, most recently as the managing director of the company’s Center for Planned Giving. Previously, he held positions with Whitney Jones Inc. and the UNC School of the Arts.

A large and enthusiastic crowd cheered the University of North Carolina School of the Arts’ Orchestra in a program of middle-European music, entitled “New World,” led by the ebullient James Allbritten, Director of the Fletcher Opera Institute and of orchestral studies at the UNCSA School of Music. The orchestra, benefitting from a large number of graduate wind players, was strong in all sections and played at a quasi-professional level across the board, unusual for a student orchestra. From the musical froth and mirth of the opening work by Dohnányi to the closing horn solo of the New World Symphony of Dvořák, the orchestra delivered first-rate solos and tight ensemble playing...

A Lehigh Valley native who's a rising young actor can be seen in Steven Speilberg's new epic "Lincoln," which opens this weekend. Dane DeHaan was born in Allentown and raised in Zionsville near Emmaus, according to a Morning Call report, which says DeHaan's "Lincoln" cameo comes early in the film as a Union soldier. DeHaan graduated from Emmaus High School, according to Wikipedia...DeHaan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He now lives in Los Angeles...

Since 1996, Desiree Witt has been working in West Virginia with the Morgantown Dance board of directors to stage story ballets, such as “The Nutcracker,” for the community. Most recently, she was given the opportunity to create a new evening-length ballet, “The Snow Queen,” which premiered at the downtown Metropolitan Theatre Friday and Saturday and will continue today at 2:30 p.m... Witt’s ballet students have been placed in prestigious schools and companies such as The Joffrey Ballet, School of American Ballet, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre (Schenley Park), Point Park University, North Carolina School of the Arts and The Juilliard School...

Thanksgiving will be opening night for "Opening Night: An American Panto" (8 and 10 p.m. Thursday, Ovation), the first national program produced by Brookline native Michael DeFilippo. A panto comes out of the British theater tradition of musical-comedy productions performed during the Christmas holiday season. It has nothing to do with mime and everything to do with creating a somewhat raucous live stage show with audience interaction... Mr. DeFilippo studied producing and filmmaking at North Carolina School of the Arts, graduating in 2000. He worked in advertising for alternative weekly newspapers for several years before forming his own Los Angeles-based production company, Warp Factor 2. ("We chose that name because we're big 'Star Trek' fans," Mr. DeFilippo said, "And '2' because the Warp Factor website was already taken and they say, 'Warp Factor 2' all the time on the original show.") ...

UNC School of the Arts prepares for annual Nutcracker ballet

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Students at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem are preparing for the school’s annual production of The Nutcracker...

The awards and accolades just keep piling up at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) in Winston-Salem, starting with a national award from the National Education Telecommunications Association (NETA) for UNC-TV’s broadcast of the UNCSA production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, which was broadcast in April...That’s not the only recent bit of good news and recognition for UNCSA, as the School of Filmmaking student film Molly Under the Moon was selected to be screened at this year’s Munich International Festival of Films Schools, which was held Nov. 11-17...

Who's your favorite living composer? That seemed to be a fairly innocuous question, posed two weeks ago to a group of high school music students at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts over lunch in the cafeteria. The question was prompted by a high school senior's description of the repertory she is preparing for her senior recital. That program includes music by Chopin, Liszt, Beethoven and Debussy and nothing from the past hundred years. That's when I popped the question: "Who's your favorite living composer?" ...

6 Days in November kicks off today with performances and exhibits all across Winston-Salem. Among them is the Winston-Salem Light Project, a multimedia public art presentation that uses prominent landmarks as the canvas. This year for 6 Days, Winston-Salem Square Park will come alive with large inflatables that’ll be animated with projections and state of the art lighting. The Lumanotus display begins at 7:00pm tonight in Winston Square downtown, and University of NC School of the Arts Director of the Lighting Program Norman Coates stopped by for a preview of the amazing student contributions...

The Public Forums Committee of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) Chancellor Search Committee has set three public forums.

* Forum for all UNCSA students - 12:00 - 12:45 PM in Thrust Theatre of Performance Place

* Forum for all UNCSA faculty and staff - 12:45 - 2:00 PM in Thrust Theatre of Performance Place

* Community forum - 4:00 - 5:30 PM in the Borden Hanes Conference Room, Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 North Spruce St., Winston-Salem ...

Eugene Carr, founder and CEO of Patron Technology, announced today that Robert B. Friend has joined the company as its Vice President of Business Development and Strategy. His role will be to develop new business opportunities for the company’s PatronManager CRM system, an integrated ticketing, marketing, and development platform built in partnership with salesforce.com... Mr. Friend is an Adjunct Lecturer for both the Brooklyn College Graduate Training Program in Performing Arts Management and the graduate program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where he teaches the course Advanced Marketing Strategies for the Performing Arts...

Tom Hauser , a graduate student in film music composition at UNC School of the Arts, won a bronze medal from the Audio Engineering Society for his recording of Rosemary Gingerich, a singer and songwriter. He is scheduled to receive his master’s degree from UNCSA’s School of Filmmaking in May.

Edwin H. Martinat III , a staff member and alumnus of UNC School of the Arts, has received the Erskine Bowles Staff Service Award. The award is given annually to a staff member at one of UNC’s 17 institutions who has shown exemplary understanding, empathy, and devotion to mankind and whose accomplishments are consistent with the goals exemplified by Bowles while he was the UNC president and in accordance with the University’s public-service mission. Martinat is assistant director of high school life in the division of student affairs, a position he has held since 2009. In 2008 he received his bachelor’s degree from the School of Design and Production at UNCSA, majoring in stage management...

WHEN three South Korean dancers arrived in Boise, Idaho, a few weeks ago, they, along with a few other lucky airport visitors, were met with an unusual sight. As the women descended the escalator from baggage claim, the electropop sounds of “Gangnam Style,” the virally popular song-and-dance craze by the South Korean rapper Psy, greeted them, along with a group exuberantly performing its accompanying dance steps... If those choreographed moves looked better than the average flash mob, it was for good reason. The welcome crew was made up of dancers from Trey McIntyre Project, the acclaimed Boise-based contemporary dance company...

When Ashley Lindsey was studying contemporary dance at UNC School of the Arts, he performed in several premieres that guest and faculty choreographers created on campus. One thing about those experiences has stuck with him since 2007, the year he graduated with a college arts diploma (now called an undergraduate arts certificate), which is given to students who fulfill arts requirements.“The work I felt the strongest connection for was work I felt I contributed to,” he said...

During the next “Six Days in November,” a multidisciplinary festival that begins Tuesday, consider passing through Winston Square Park at night. Three inflatable and inhabitable pieces in a sculpture show called “Lumanotus” will arise every festival evening through Saturday in the park, which is located between Marshall and Spruce streets. Each piece is made of plastic and held aloft through positive air pressure. The form of one piece, a double torus, is shaped like two doughnuts. Another piece soars like a tower 35 feet into the air. The third piece looks like a bubble with two points jutting out from it. Norman Coates’ lighting students at UNC School of the Arts will not only light up the forms in “Lumanotus,” a festival highlight, but also make them a backdrop for showcasing their skills in projection...

Lawrence Dillon’s bagatelle on social media, Poke will be performed by Low and Lower, cellist Brooks Whitehouse and bassist Paul Sharpe, on Friday, November 9 – 7:00 PM at Studio Theatre in Thompson Hall on the campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh. This will be part of the University’s Arts Now, in cooperation with Music@NC State and the PMC Lecture series...

Tanglewood Park in Clemmons is preparing for its 21^st annual Festival of Lights and this year the park is added new displays, LED lighting, live performances and enlarged the gift village... Tanglewood Park’s Jazmine Kilpatrick said more than 280,000 people attend the show every year. Kilpatrick says the park tries to continually make the show different and better...“The University of North Carolina School of The Arts school of music technology students provided original musical compositions for our music for the dancing Christmas tree display,” Kilpatrick said...

Students in Norman Coates' classes in the School of Design & Production at the UNC School of the Arts usually focus on how not to be noticed.Sure, the lighting designs he teaches play an important role in establishing the setting and conveying the mood in a theater production, but it's not supposed to take center stage. If the audience walks away talking about the lighting and not the story, then something hasn't worked. But every November for the last six years, Coates and his students have taken on projects that place their designs front and center. The Winston-Salem Light Project has brought dazzling conceptions that have illuminated a different corner of downtown each year, providing viewers a chance to see lighting in a new way...

More than 40 events will be held during the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County’s Fifth Annual Six Days in November Festival, Tuesday, Nov. 13 – Sunday, Nov. 18...Six Days Coordinator Scott Sanders noted that there are four plays during Six Days – two at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, “Fantasticks” at Hanesbrands Theatre and the ever-popular “Fiddler on the Roof” at Twin City Stage on Coliseum...

Carol Kay, a promising, country singer/songwriter based in Toronto, ON, Canada, has won the SongwriterUniverse “Best Song Of The Month” Contest for November, for her song "Parking Spaces". This song will be included on her debut EP, which she will be releasing independently in 2013...This year, Kay also got a Master's Degree in film music composition at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. And notably, she has composed scores for several independent films...

Whenever I see Shakespeare performed well, I'm not only inspired to achieve more in my own art, I'm reminded of the heart and passion all of us as human beings are capable of in a way other plays can't express. He's able to blend four core aspects of humanity with his language: mind, heart, body, and soul. As a performer, acting Shakespeare is a truly athletic endeavor, demanding vocal and physical precision. It's not for sissies! And one of the most interesting aspects of Shakespeare was his ability to create some of the most fascinating and unforgettable women in drama. I asked the head of UNC School of the Arts' voice and speech department, Mary Irwin, who she believed were the strongest women in the entire Shakespearean canon. These were her top five. Enjoy! ...

The committee leading the search for a successor to UNC-School of the Arts Chancellor John Mauceri will hold three public forums for various constituencies of the school on Nov. 14, according to an announcement. Mauceri, an accomplished conductor who was the founding director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, said in October that he would step down at the end of this school year to return to music full time...

UNCSA's Associate Provost and SGA bring to you an update with the 2013-2014 tuition and fee proposals, as found by the Tuition and Fee Committee. These decisions are not final and we welcome student feedback...

There’s so much going on in the arts here in the Triad on any given week that’s it’s easy to take even some of the leading local arts institutions for granted. One of those is the first state-supported, residential school of its kind in the nation: The University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

Violinist Maura Shawn Scanlin is at home in many musical worlds.At UNC School of the Arts, she’s a high school senior studying classical violin with instructor Sarah Johnson, and she’s developing skills in jazz improvisation as well.Scanlin, a native of Watauga County, also has a thing for Scottish fiddling, a style she first encountered as a young child during workshops given by teachers of the method for learning musical instruments that was developed by Shin’ichi Suzuki, the late Japanese violinist. She also attended Celtic festivals, and at one these, she attended a performance by Bonnie Rideout, the great Scottish fiddler, and was inspired to follow in her footsteps. In September, Scanlin won first prize in the “open” or senior division of the 2012 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Competition at the University of Edinboro in Edinboro, Pa...

During a difficult childhood, Tony Griffey always found solace in music – and Christmas music, in particular. “Christmas music has always been my favorite music,” he says. “As a child, no matter how tough I thought Christmas was going to be financially or emotionally, it was Christmas music that lifted my spirits. I could go to church and hear the organ playing the Christmas carols, or hear the church cantata, or be part of these things. I would hear Christmas music, and it would somehow make everything right.” So it should come as no surprise that Griffey, an internationally acclaimed opera star and classical tenor vocalist from High Point, has recorded a Christmas CD. The recording, “This Little Light,” features Griffey (who performs professionally as Anthony Dean Griffey) and classical guitarist Joseph Pecoraro, a faculty member at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem...

UNCSA students build life-size submarine for short film

Students at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts built a life-size submarine on the set of their 15-minute short film, U-666. The film is about a Vietnam veteran who finds the submarine in the woods near Pilot Mountain, and the movie takes the audience on an adventure about how the German boat mysteriously ended up in North Carolina...

From computer-controlled high-flying stunts with ZFX Flying Effects to the inside scoop on Broadway show production with Ken Davenport of Davenport Theatrical Enterprises, the first North American Entertainment Innovation Conference at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) drew nearly 400 professionals and students to Winston-Salem, North Carolina September 6 to 8. They experienced the latest innovations in entertainment with hands-on sessions and insider workshops...

Technically, the title of this collection includes something of a misnomer since none of the works on the disc is a quintet in the accepted sense of the word...In all this music, Carol Wincenc plays with eminently good taste and beauty of tone, plus impeccable technical skill. Her partners from the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival of Vermont fit her style and execution like the proverbial glove. Very, very nice, right down to Bridge’s natural-sounding recording from University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduate Nate Meyer will be in attendance for a screening of his feature “See Girl Run” (1:15 p.m. on Saturday at ThalianHall), a twist on the love-lost romance. In “See Girl Run,” Emmie (Robin Tunney), questions her marriage to Graham (Josh Hamilton), and seeks out her high school sweetheart, Jason (Adam Scott). The film, which made its debut at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, will be released in theaters and on video-on-demand later this year...

Stage and screen actor Stephen McKinley Henderson, who is considered to be among the most renowned interpreters of playwright August Wilson's work, will be in Portland this week to headline several events as part of the Red Door Festival. The Festival celebrates Wilson's work and legacy as chronicler of the African American experience in the 20th century...

The Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem radiates during last year’s WS Light Project, part of the Six Days in November celebration. Put on by UNCSA students and faculty, this year’s show will be November 13-17 (7-10 p.m.) in Winston Square Park. Guests can tour a number of inflatable sculptures that are animated with state-of-the-art lighting techniques. www.lightproject.org.

It’s every child’s dream to walk into a room chock-full of candy, and then be told “have at it.” But for the past five years, Mrs. Pumpkin’s Bakery-Deli has been making the dream a reality through its annual Create a Gingerbread House fundraiser...The fundraiser will be held at Mrs. Pumpkin’s on Friday, November 16, from 5–8 p.m., and on Saturday, November 17, from 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Each house is preassembled by students at UNC School of the Arts and costs $35, which includes all the candy and icing you can fit on it. Refreshments, holiday music, and a visit from Santa also highlight the event...

Tucked away in a Trentham back street in an unprepossessing workshop, a small team is building a ballet set that will tour internationally. That is where the Royal New Zealand Ballet's sets, props and costumes are made. For its production of Giselle, the ballet's backstage creative team has collaborated with a guest designer, Howard C Jones, from the United States. Mr Jones was in town last week to oversee the final construction of his set. Jones had worked with New Zealand Ballet artistic director Ethan Stiefel before, when they taught at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

The stories for “Star Wars” episodes seven, eight and nine, which George Lucas has outlined and the Walt Disney Company will produce and release, are “the most exciting” in the series, the filmmaker’s biographer told TheWrap on Wednesday. While researching his book, Dale Pollock, author of the unauthorized Lucas biography, “Skywalking: The Life And Films Of George Lucas,” was allowed to read the outlines to the 12 stories written by the filmmaker but was required to sign a confidentiality agreement... Pollock researched the book in the 1980s and interviewed Lucas some 80 times. Nonetheless, Lucas was not a fan, and the two no longer have a relationship. The book was first published in 1983 and re-released in 1999. Pollock is a professor of cinema studies at the University of North Carolina's School of Filmmaking...

The word is out, the reviews are in, and the buzz is good. You have just finished bowing before your audience, and you're on top of the world! Yes, those moments after a show opening can be the most exhilarating, the most rewarding, the most ecstatic moments an actor can experience, and I challenge anyone to find a high that is even comparable to the sensations felt after the applause of a curtain call. Perhaps it's always been so emotional for me because I realize in those moments that everyone's hard work has led up to this—the sweet and savory pay-off after many weeks of rehearsal, sacrifice, sleep-deprivation (bloodshed?)...

ACT – A Contemporary Theatre’s leadership, Executive Director Carlo Scandiuzzi and Artistic Director Kurt Beattie, have announced a new position, hiring critically acclaimed director John Langs as the new Associate Artistic Director. Langs has garnered a reputation as a determined and innovative freelance artist, who since 2004 has established an ongoing relationship with Seattle’s theatre community... A graduate of University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Langs has directed all over the United States with some notable productions including The Shaggs: Philosophy of the World (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, and nominated for New York’s Lucille Lortel Awards for excellence off Broadway), The Brothers Karamazov (seven LADCC Awards including Best Direction) and Battle Hymn with Circle x Theatre (nominated for 7 LA weekly awards including "Best production")...

Stage director John Langs has been appointed to the new full-time post of associate artistic director at ACT Theatre in Seattle. Langs will join ACT in January 2013...

New York's 2012-2013 classical music season got off to its official start recently with three concerts. Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic performed a program that included the Schoenberg "Piano Concerto," and Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony performed Carl Orff's Carmina Burana on one program and a second program that featured Ottorino Respighi's Feste Romane. It is 67 years after the end of World War II, and it is that war, and all it did to shape our musical lives -- that was the common denominator for two of America's greatest orchestras to herald the new season...

The news that "The Office" will end after the coming season isn't a surprise, considering the show has never quite rebounded from the departure of star Steve Carell. Unfortunately, the news comes just as a UNC School of the Arts alumnus is about to join the cast. Jake Lacy, a 2008 alumnus, will be joining the cast this fall as a new character who is brought in after customer service "expert" Kelly Kapoor leaves the company...

Four high school seniors at UNC School of the Arts have been recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Association. Daniel Simms and Erica Sloan are National Merit semifinalists, and Will Dixon and Sydel Fisher are commended students...

Sarah Gray, a college sophomore studying costume design and technology in the School of Design and Production at UNC School of the Arts, was a semifinalist in a recent national Halloween costume design contest. Her "Ice Cream Girl" was one of 12 costumes chosen by HalloweenCostumes.com for its online auction. Her costume received the highest bid of $350...

Nobody’s Business Trio returns to Broadway’s Iridium with a holiday show on December 5, 2012 at 8:00 pm. Talented vocalists Alecia Evans, Cadden Jones and Linda Sue Moshier comprise this entrancing ensemble which electrifies audiences with an astounding range of harmonization... Alecia Evans is a lyric soprano who has performed regionally and nationally throughout the United States in opera and musical theater. A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, Alecia won the talent competition in the Miss North Carolina Pageant and went on to earn a master’s degree in opera from San Francisco Conservatory of Music...

'Carmen' filling lots of seats

“Carmen” abounds in catchy tunes, many popularized in commercials. The opera’s story, though ultimately tragic in nature, appeals as well. It transports us to a place in 19th-century Spain where a passionate gypsy gal almost always has her way with the guys and a toreador can inspire a parade marked by out-sized color and panache. It’s hardly surprising, then, that Piedmont Opera’s current production of Georges Bizet’s masterpiece is filling lots of seats at the Stevens Center. Stage director Steven LaCosse, conductor James Allbritten and other members of the show’s creative team would have to work hard to mess up something that has been so successful for so long...

The winners and losers are beginning to emerge in the 2012-13 TV season. The losers so far include “Animal Practice” and “Made in Jersey,” which have already been canceled. But some of the new shows have already been granted full-season orders, including “Elementary” and “Vegas” at CBS; “The Mindy Project” and “Ben & Kate” at Fox; “Revolution,” “Go On” and “The New Normal” at NBC; and “Arrow” at CW...“TV is tricky,” said Anna Camp, one of the co-stars of “Mindy,” who graduated from UNCSA’s School of Drama in 2004. She also received her high-school diploma at the school. “A lot of networks don’t really give shows that much of a chance to stay on the air. But I think Fox is really invested in the show, and believes in it.” ...

Even before the college seniors in “August: Osage County” began performing Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play from 2007, I sensed that the show would be among the best I’ve seen in 12 years of covering presentations at UNC School of the Arts. My hunch rested on interviews with several cast members before Thursday night’s dress rehearsal in Thrust Theatre, the basis of this review. As the interviews made clear, the actors had thought deeply about their roles and talked insightfully about them...

Five works for varying sized groups, performed in Watson Hall by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts' contemporary music ensemble, "nu," emphasized the huge diversity of styles and techniques encompassed by the term "contemporary music.” Three of the pieces were composed in the 21st Century, but situating them vis-à-vis their antecedents proved interesting in that the most recent work was the most tonal and probably the least difficult to appreciate for the uninitiated listener, and the earliest work was a rhythmic tour de force for percussion ensemble alone...

Alana Grier has embodied that entrepreneurial mix of creativity, resourcefulness and practicality since she was very young. “I’ve definitely been entrepreneurial from day one,” says Grier, who as a teen was a serious ballet dancer but abruptly changed gears before she was even finished with high school.Grier knew she wanted to work in wellness and fitness, and quickly realized ballet was not the wisest direction to go...So Grier dropped out of the North Carolina School of the Arts, got her GED, and studied Eastern medicine and yoga...

Revolutions throughout history have had their own musical soundtracks, and the Syrian revolution is no exception. Syrian-American pianist and composer Malek Jandali was at home in Atlanta last year, closely attuned to the unfolding Arab Spring, when news came that 15 Syrian schoolchildren from Dar'a had been arrested and tortured. Their crime was writing graffiti on walls that said, "The People Want the fall of the Regime!" Jandali responded by writing a song, "Watani Ana" ("I Am My Homeland)," that he performed in Lafayette Park outside the White House in Washington, D.C. during a protest against Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Days later, Jandali's parents were viciously beaten in their Syrian home...Born in Germany in 1972, Jandali grew up in Homs, the Syrian city he calls "the capital of the revolution" because it has suffered the most deaths and destruction. He came to the U.S. in 1993 and studied at the North Carolina School for the Arts, rooming with Sage Stallone, the oldest son of actor Sylvester Stallone, who died this summer.

The chancellor search committee at UNC School of the Arts has established a web page dedicated to the search. The page, www.uncsa.edu/chancellorsearch/, features an audio recording of University of North Carolina President Tom Ross giving the committee its charge during its first meeting on Tuesday. The page also has updates and bios of search committee members. UNCSA is part of the UNC system...

Edwin H. Martinat III, a staff member and alumnus of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), received the Erskine Bowles Staff Service Award last week from UNC system president Tom Ross at a ceremony in Chapel Hill ...

The next chancellor of UNC School of the Arts should have courage, integrity, a passion for the arts and care deeply about the school’s students, faculty and staff. The chancellor should create an environment where students’ talents can develop and thrive. A knack for fundraising, coupled with an ability to manage a high school and a university, are important as well. Tom Ross, president of the UNC system, of which UNCSA is a part, laid out these guidelines as he gave the chancellor search committee its charge during the committee’s first meeting on Tuesday...

The chair and members of the chancellor search committee for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) have been announced. Robert L. "Rob" King III, vice chair of the UNCSA board of trustees, will chair the committee to recommend a successor to Chancellor John Mauceri...

It was not “Madame Butterfly.” But the simple operatic performance of the “Three Billy Goats Gruff” at Union Hill Elementary Oct. 16 provided students a taste of that genre of music while imparting a special message. Presented by graduate students from A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, music for the program was selected from several different operas. In the story, however, instead of a troll threatening the three goats crossing a bridge, a large bully goat picked on and frightened three school-friend goats...

The Mimbres Region Arts Council is bringing the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra back to Silver City to the WNMU Fine Arts Center Theatre for a highly requested return engagement. The orchestra performed last November at the Fine Arts Center Theate...Guest tenor saxophonist James Houlik, described by The London Times as, "the world's great saxophone virtuoso," will perform with the orchestra. Audiences and critics say Houlik has taken the tenor saxophone to unimagined heights. Houlik is the founding professor of saxophone study at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and is currently professor of saxophone and chair of woodwinds at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He has appeared in such major venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Town Hall in Toronto, The Smithsonian Institution and London's Barbican...

He was one of the best-known and most respected dancers in the world. And yet, there were many things the public never knew about him. “For example, when Gene Kelly danced his signature number in ‘Singin’ in the Rain,’ he had 103 degree temperature. He could have died, but he was a perfectionist and insisted on doing the scene. And in making the movie he was involved in a sordid love triangle with co-director Stanley Donen and his dance captain, Jeanne Coyne, Donen’s ex-wife and soon to become Kelly’s second wife.” These facts are explained by Charles Osborne, who takes the role of Kelly in the Bristol Riverside Theatre’s production of “What a Glorious Feeling,” running through Nov. 18...Osborne, a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, began his theatrical quest as a dancer...

Violinist Maura Shawn Scanlin, a 12th-grade student at UNC School of the Arts, won first prize in the open division of the 2012 U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Competition in Edinboro, Pa., in September...

Director Matt Bulluck and his drama students in Studio IV at UNC School of the Arts have taken on quite a project. They are preparing a presentation of Tracy Letts' "August: Osage County." The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2008, along with five Tony Awards, including one for best play. Bulluck recently called it the "greatest play written in this century," and he judged it one of the most ambitious plays to be staged at UNCSA in some time...

Trees benefit our lives in many ways...Over the last 20 years Community Roots Day has brought together hundreds of Winston Salem residents to bring the many benefits of trees to the city..."My first Roots Day was Easton Neighborhood in 2001 and I signed up as a volunteer," said Jamie Moore, landscape director at UNC School of the Arts. "I vividly remember the energy of the volunteers and neighborhood coming together to achieve a common goal of neighborhood beautification and the feeling that gave me is with me to this day." ...

Members of the chancellor-search committee at the UNC School of the Arts have been chosen, school officials announced...

A search committee that will recommend a successor for outgoing UNC-School of the Arts Chancellor John Mauceri has been named, according to an announcement. Robert King III, the vice chair of the UNC-School of the Arts Board of Trustees and CEO of Bob King Automotive Group in Winston-Salem, will chair the committee...

Amy Sedaris knew when she read the script for Angus MacLachlan's new film, "Goodbye to All That" – which is now in production in Winston-Salem – that she wanted to be part of the project...The film centers around Otto, a down-on-his luck single dad trying to re-enter the dating scene. Paul Schneider, a UNC School of the Arts alumnus who received this year's Emerging Artist honor at the RiverRun International Film Festival, is the star of the movie.

Fellow UNCSA alums, including Celia Weston and Anna Camp, are also in the cast, as are such actresses as Heather Graham and Melanie Lynskey...

Lona Gomez enjoyed reading the Angelina Ballerina book series to each of her three girls when they were little. She said her daughters would often wonder what it was like to live in the world of that tiny ballerina mouse.So the choreographer with Ballet Spartanburg decided to bring the world of the book to the stage. She wrote a ballet, telling the story of Angelina Ballerina as she prepares to audition at the prestigious Camembert Academy, the premiere performing arts school. ... Masks were made by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

"Audition" is a word that carries a plethora of reactions with it: excitement, anxiety, nausea, worry. Much of my time this year has been spent in class and independently towards prepping for this next step after college, though I'm not certain what that step will be or where it'll take me. ... This time of transition and uncertainty reminds me of being a senior in high school getting ready for auditions to college theater programs. ... Thankfully, the auditors at my UNCSA audition were not only good at what they did, but somehow saw something in me that led them to believe that UNCSA would be a good fit for me—all within about five minutes. They were right, too! As I'm learning more about casting calls and auditions, I'm becoming more curious about the people on the other side of the table, how they make their decisions. After all, how did they know I would fit in? Kelly Maxner, the dean of UNCSA's high school drama program, entertained my curiosity and invited me to set up a mock-audition with some of his students. His high school class will travel to Chicago this winter to audition for schools at Unified Auditions, just as I did four years ago. ...

Winston-Salem's reputation as a retirement haven was bolstered again today with its sixth-place ranking on CNNMoney.com's annual top-25 list of the best places to retire ... The city's main attractions to retirees again was its "long-standing tradition supporting the arts," affordable housing (median home price at $129,000) and health-care infrastructure ... "Its symphony, founded in 1947, is the oldest in the state; its arts council was the first in the nation; and UNC School of the Arts is among the most prestigious in the country," the website said in its comments.

The Tiger's Print, (Middlebury (Vt.) Union High School, via myhsj.org, Oct. 16, 2012

Living in an area as rural as Addison County, it can be hard to visualize any member of our community making it big in the mainstream media industry. But Jake Lacy, a 27-year-old Otter Valley Union High School graduate and two-year student in the Hannaford Career Center’s Addison Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) program, has done just that. ... Lacy was accepted to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, and graduated in 2008...

Winsdton-Salem, No. 5. This central North Carolina city has a longstanding tradition supporting the arts. Its symphony, founded in 1947, is the oldest in the state; its arts council was the first in the nation; and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts is among the most prestigious in the country.

This central North Carolina city has a longstanding tradition supporting the arts. Its symphony, founded in 1947, is the oldest in the state; its arts council was the first in the nation; and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts is among the most prestigious in the country...

As a magazine written by, for and about independent moviemakers, film education is an important part of what we do here at MovieMaker. And, as you have by now discovered with this very issue, a topic to which we devote an entire annual edition... We’ve gathered together six notable film school professionals to share with us the state of the art of their industry. The participants include Susan Ruskin (SR), interim dean at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts School Of Filmmaking (www.uncsa.edu)...

The Urban League is pleased to announce exciting news regarding the Larry Leon Hamlin Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin/ Urban League Endowed Scholarship at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. This scholarship was conceived by the Urban League to nurture young, artistic talent and bring economic and cultural diversity to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts...

Award-winning organist Timothy Olsen has been called among "the first rank of the new generation of American organists”, and he’s performed solo recitals across the country. Tim’s the Kenan professor of organ at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, associate professor of organ at Salem College in Winston-Salem, and he’s coming to Music for a Great Space in Greensboro, Friday, October 19, at 7:30 PM, in Christ United Methodist Church...

The violin is an instrument used in every kind of music, from classical, to country and everything in between. People who play the instrument are referred to as violinists and fiddlers. One of Roy’s Folks is both.

... In 1972 a new and complex university system was formed in North Carolina. Bill Friday was the obvious choice to be its first president. The system consisted of a new governing Board of Governors and an amalgam of the “old” six UNC campuses, which Friday previously headed, and ten other regional institutions, each with its own board of trustees. .. The last institution was the nation’s only publicly supported conservatory, the NC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, which also had a high school. ...

The final Fall for Dance program opened on Thursday evening with Shen Wei’s too familiar 2003 take on “Rite of Spring.” ... Dai Jian and Alex Speedie of Shen Wei Dance Arts in “Rite of Spring,” part of this festival at City Center.

... Gaye Taylor Upchurch’s geometrically precise production, which features a stunning central performance by Mary McCann, insists that we remain always aware of how far apart its characters are. ... Ms. Upchurch (who directed Mr. Stephens’s earlier, lesser “Bluebird” for the Atlantic last year) positions her actors with a strategic exactitude that also seems remarkably organic. ...

Travis Horton (B.M. 2008, high school diploma) is featured in a video clip for the PBS documentary series Broadway or Bust that tracks the real life stories of America’s top high school musical performers, vying in the ultimate competition to find the nation’s best young theater stars.

... Homans trained as a dancer long before she studied dance as a scholar, or wrote about it as the regular dance critic for The New Republic. She was a student at the North Carolina School of the Arts, American Ballet Theatre and Balanchine’s School of American Ballet in New York and later performed with the Chicago Lyric Opera Ballet, the San Francisco Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet...

...Like many, Gab’s path to a creative life was circuitous and unexpected. She spent her childhood in Alaska, upstate New York, and North Carolina. “We always lived on farms, where I cared for all kinds of animals—horses, pigs, goats, rabbits, chickens, you name it. Gab says This was excellent preparation for a career in show business,” Gab notes. A shy child, Gab’s mother signed her up for a drama class, which led to a career as a child actor and then to the University of North Carolina School for the Arts...

Never have I felt less like writing a review than after this superlative concert, exquisitely played by the visiting American String Quartet and University of North Carolina School of the Arts artist faculty clarinetist, Oskar Espina Ruiz. As the adage goes,”Writing about music is like dancing about architecture” (Martin Mull?); you had to be there to appreciate it...

... After the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra performed the North American debut of his orchestral piece “Los Caprichos” in 2010, Michael Colina, a 63-year-old composer who lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, was eager to work with the symphony again. Although he trained as a composer at the North Carolina School of the Arts, for much of his career Colina was more involved in producing records and CDs, usually jazz ...

For the first time ever, UNCSA will rank its faculty

Winston-Salem Journal, Oct. 6, 2012

Faculty rank at UNC School of the Arts — which, if implemented, would make compensation packages for teachers more competitive — moved a step closer to reality on Friday after trustees made it policy in the faculty manual...

Deacon Profile: Brantly Shapiro

Old Gold & Black (Wake Forest University), Oct. 4, 2012

A member of the university’s ballet faculty, Brantly Shapiro grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She received the North Carolina School of the Arts Teacher of the Year Award in 1996 and works as a summer faculty member there...

UNCSA grad Craig Zobel's Compliance an exercise in paranoia

Compliance is the latest feature from writer/director Craig Zobel, a graduate of the UNCSA School of Filmmaking in Winston-Salem and longtime collaborator of filmmaker and fellow alum David Gordon Green’s (an executive producer here), who approaches the story with a clinical, voyeuristic, almost documentary-like approach.

So You Want To Be a Director? Timothy Thompson chats with Carnegie Mellon directing student Alex Tobey about his career path.

Who better to talk to about directing than someone who is in the process of developing his approach to directing? I caught up with Alex Tobey, a graduate of UNC School of the Arts' high school drama program.

John Mauceri, the chancellor of UNC-School of the Arts, will step down at the end of this school year to return to music full-time, according to an announcement. Mauceri's resignation will be effective June 30, he told UNC President Tom Ross Monday, to give the school plenty of time to find its next chancellor. That search will begin very soon...

John Mauceri announced today that he will step down as chancellor of the UNC School of the Arts effective June 30.Mauceri will complete his seventh year at the helm of the school next summer. The UNC Board of Governors will name his successor...

John Mauceri, citing a desire to "return to my roots and focus fully on conducting and writing again," said Tuesday that he will step down as chancellor of UNC School of the Arts on June 30. "While it has been a privilege and an honor to serve as UNCSA's chancellor, I have begun to miss the joy of making music on a regular basis," Mauceri said in a statement...

Zeke Leonard, an assistant professor of environmental and interior design in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), is the recipient of the 2012 Continuum + Arthur Pulos Award, which recognizes innovation in interdisciplinary design education at SU. Leonard holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in set design from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a master of fine arts degree in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he received the inaugural Tage Frid Award for excellence in teaching...

Fresh out of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Mark Freiburger made a feature film with top talent, like Will Patton who has starred in, “Armageddon,” “Remember the Titans” and is now on the TNT series, “Falling Skies.” Freiburger, who grew up in Charlotte, but now lives in Los Angles, worked with Patton thanks to one of Freiburger’s professors who knew Patton and put the two together for that first feature film, “Dog Days of Summer.” ...

Two graduates of UNC School of the Arts School of Design and Production won Emmy Awards at the 2012 ceremony on Sept. 23: Seth Easter, a 2004 graduate in scene design, won for Outstanding Art Direction for Variety or Nonfiction Programming for the 65th Annual Tony Awards. Easter was the art director and shared the win with Steve Bass, the production designer. Easter lives in New York. Christal Schanes, a 2003 graduate in the wig and makeup program, won for Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special for the "Saturday Night Live" episode with Zooey Deschanel as guest host. Schanes shared the award with five other hairstylists for the episode. She lives in Winston-Salem.

...Fresh from the barre at Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet Academy, Velarde’s Ruben Rascon bears the confident poise of experience...Rascon’s journey from Velarde to one of the most famous companies in the world is as unlikely as one of Baryshnikov’s famous leaps. Removed from his birth mother when he was 4, he was bounced between foster homes like unwanted mail, finally landing in the arms of Velarde’s Rudy and Gayle Rascon when he was 7. The Rascons already had six adopted children, putting their boys in karate class while their girls studied dance. Diagnosed with ADHD, Rascon was too busy kicking and jumping around to concentrate on self-defense, so his new mother stuck him in ballet class... His curly dark hair and high-altitude cheekbones meshed with an emerging technique, transforming him into an audience magnet. He studied in summer programs in New York, Philadelphia, Texas and Boston, most of it on scholarships. He moved east during high school to attend the University of North Carolina School for the Arts and the Boston Ballet School...

...Students in the filmmaking program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts have written a screenplay, "The Ticky Burden Story." They're pitching it to producers with the help of Willie Bass, a buddy of Burden's in Albany...

As part of the opening weekend of The Rite of Spring at 100, Carolina Performing Arts hosts “Reflections on the Rite,” a moderated discussion including a panel of world-renowned artists. Moderated by Carolina Performing Arts Director Emil J. Kang, the panel will include:

Actor Tim Guinee's character may die during the first episode of "Revolution," but fans of the locally filmed series shouldn't count him out just yet. The Hollywood veteran can't say much about what's in store for his character on the new NBC series, but he's using his time in North Carolina to revisit old stomping grounds – the University of North Carolina School of the Arts – and discover new favorites, such as the sopa de lima soup at Flying Pi Kitchen in Wilmington...

With the start of fall, a season of arts begins in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest University recently presented the Wayne Shorter Quartet in the first Secrest Series event of the year. Last Friday kicked of Greensboro’s 17 Days Arts and Culture Festival with movie screenings, dance workshops, and gallery exhibits. The circus was even in town – Cirque du Soleil that is. University of North Carolina School of the Arts recently hosted a conference on the technology and innovation behind a successful arts industry...

Learning how to provide Vegas' circus maximus
Times Higher Education, September 20, 2012
Cirque du Soleil works with 13 universities that produce specialists in various aspects of live mega-showmanship, from costumiers at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and riggers at Pennsylvania State University to audio engineers at the University of California, Irvine. ...

New theater coming to the Triad
YES! Weekly, September 19, 2012
“We really felt there ought to be more places where [theater graduates] can go to work and gain professional experience before going to the major market,” Gene Johnson said. He continued by listing the great number of artistic schools in the area such as UNCG and UNC School of the Arts. ...

Tuesdays' fall TV lineup
Winston-Salem Journal, September 18, 2012
"Go On" (NBC, already on) is a promising comedy about a sportscaster (Matthew Perry of "Friends") who, after the death of his wife, tries to get his life back on track while attending therapy sessions with an eclectic group. Brett Gelman, an improv comic and alumnus of UNC School of the Arts, is among the fellow patients. ... "The Mindy Project" (Fox, Sept. 25) has Mindy Kaling of "The Office" as a neurotic doctor who has spent most of her life watching romantic comedies, and she can't understand why her love life is a mess. Anna Camp, another UNCSA alum, co-stars as Mindy's best friend. ...

'Cagefest' at WFU
Winston-Salem Journal, September 16, 2012
Jared Steward, a music alumnus of UNC School of the Arts, will read stories that were written by Cage, with the goal of finishing each within a minute. ...

Ask SAM: Straight Answers
Winston-Salem Journal, September 14, 2012
"Motion pictures are nothing more than a series of still images projected at a particular speed to give the illusion of motion," said David E. Elkins, an assistant dean of production and a member of the cinematography faculty at the UNC School of the Arts School of Filmmaking. ...

TV/RADIO: Media Movers
Charlotte Observer, September 14, 2012
Aiken native Anna Camp, a graduate of UNC School of the Arts drama department most recently seen in the role of Caitlin D’arcy on CBS’s “The Good Wife,” lands a role in the new Fox comedy “The Mindy Project,” which debuts 9:30 p.m. Sept. 25. ...

A traffic-friendly Rock the Block
The Chronicle, September 12, 2012
New this year is the College Quad at Civic Plaza, with entertainment that is being booked by the Arts Council in conjunction with Winston-Salem State University, Wake Forest University, Salem College and the UNC School of the Arts. ...

09.12.12.: NC News Bits
Philanthropy Journal, September 12, 2012
Mark Hough will become the next Chief Advancement Officer at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). ...

UNCSA alumni in NBC's Revolution
WXII News 12, September 12, 2012
Tim Guinee, the star of the new NBC show Revolution, came back to Winston Salem to visit the campus and talk with students. ...

World famous composer Lawrence Dillon to perform at TTU
Tennessee Tech University News, September 11, 2012
TTU violin professor Wei Tsun Chang and the other members of the Atlantic Ensemble will perform a concert of works by Lawrence Dillon, including the world premiere of “Saturn Dreams Mercury,” which was written for the Atlantic Ensemble. ... Dillon became the youngest composer to graduate with a doctoral degree from The Juilliard School in 1985, despite losing half of his hearing in a childhood illness. He joined the Juilliard faculty immediately after graduating, and he serves as the composer in residence at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Business Milestones
Winston-Salem Journal, September 9, 2012
Carrie F. Vickery has been appointed to the UNC School of the Arts board of trustees as an honorary member representing the High School Academic Program. ...

Yuma dancers on pointe
Yuma Sun, September 9, 2012
Alexandria Urias and Jacey Sims added more lines to their dance resumes when they were selected for competitive programs this summer. After auditions at Regional Dance America's national festival in May, Alexandria was chosen for the Regional Dance America's Craft of Choreography, a two-week program in which she danced the works of emerging choreographers. ... Alexandria's program, held at the University of North Carolina's School for the Arts, had her on a rigorous schedule, with daily practice in ballet and then modern or jazz. ...

Hudson ballerina hopes to pirouette her way to professional dance company
Hudson Hub Times, September 9, 2012
A local ballerina is hoping her hard work, training and love for her art will one day take her to the bright lights and center stages of New York City and beyond. Abby Kulwicki grew up in Hudson, but the ballerina, who is finishing up high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, wants to tour the world. ...

‘Revolution’ star to return to North Carolina alma mater
Star News, September 7, 2012
A 26-year veteran of Hollywood will return to his alma mater — University of North Carolina School of the Arts — to speak to drama students about his career on Monday. Tim Guinee ("Iron Man," "Iron Man 2") graduated in 1985 from the Winston-Salem university’s School of Drama, where he studied acting. ...

Winston-Salem conference attracts big names in entertainment
My Fox 8, September 7, 2012
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts is hosting the North American Entertainment Innovation Conference and professionals from Broadway, Disney, MAC Cosmetics, and Cirque De Sole’ are just a few recognizable names in attendance. ...

UNCSA alum form Process Pictures
Camel City Dispatch, September 7, 2012
Gerry Gibson and Devin Forbes, UNCSA Film School alumni, class of 2012, have created and developed an independent film company they call Process Pictures. ...

Up with innovation
Winston-Salem Journal, September 6, 2012
On Thursday, the first day of the 2012 Entertainment Innovation Conference at UNC School of the Arts, Michael Pettit of ZFX Flying Effects described these and other aerial sequences he programmed for the Swift tour during a PowerPoint presentation in the DeMille Theatre on campus. ...

The Guardian
The Writer's Almanac, September 6, 2012
"The Guardian" by Joseph Mills, from Love and Other Collisions.

(Dr. Joseph Mills is a faculty member in the Undergraduate Academic Program. He teaches a variety of courses ranging from Studies in American Humor to modern fiction and contemporary poetry.)

Camel City Jazz Orchestra
Go Triad, September 6, 2012
Big band jazz is as much a part of America’s cultural fabric as Bob Hope movies and Babe Ruth’s home run trot. The big band, or swing music, sound was popularized in the 1930s and 1940s and is still heard often in movie soundtracks and TV scores. ... Cox, a member of the Piedmont Opera’s board of directors, used her legal skills to organize the orchestra as a nonprofit, while Kosma tapped into his deep reservoir of contacts. He quickly brought in trombonist Cameron McManus, who, along with Kosma, serves as co-director. McManus had played in a number of big bands in the New York City area before coming south to attend the UNC School of the Arts. ...

Circle X Theatre Co. premieres musical BAD APPLES, 9/28-12/1
BroadwayWorld.com, September 6, 2012
Circle X Theatre Co. is thrilled to announce the world premiere musical, Bad Apples, book by Jim Leonard, music and lyrics by Rob Cairns and Beth Thornley, directed by John Langs, choreography by Cassandra Daurden, and musical direction by Rob Cairns and Beth Thornley. ... John Langs (Director): ... John received his directing degree from the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts where he returns annually to prepare a new crop of actors for a career in the theater. ...

Entertainment Innovation Conference in Winston-Salem
WFDD-FM, September 5, 2012
The Entertainment Innovation Conference kicks off Thursday, September 6th in Winston-Salem. More than 500 students and professors from University of North Carolina School of the Arts will collaborate with entertainment professionals from around the world. ...

Mark Hough named chief advancement officer at UNCSA
Triad Living, September 5, 2012
Chancellor John Mauceri has announced that alumnus Mark Hough will become the next chief advancement officer at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). ...

Book festival coming Saturday
The Chronicle, September 5, 2012
Book lovers from far and wide will again descend on Winston-Salem Saturday for the state’s largest annual free book festival, Bookmarks Festival of Books. ... The UNC School of the Arts will be well represented at the Festival this year, thanks to the presence of two longtime professors: Ron Stacker Thompson, an accomplished producer, writer and director, and Dr. Joseph Mills, who also serves as Poet-in-Residence at Salem College. ...

Winston-Salem City Council unanimously OKs rezoning of old Glade Street YWCA site
Winston-Salem Journal, September 5, 2012
The Winston-Salem City Council unanimously approved Tuesday night a rezoning request that will allow the development of seven condominiums and 18 single-family homes at the former YWCA site on Glade Street. The council also voted unanimously to return to the City-County Planning Board a rezoning proposal from the UNC School of the Arts. The university wants to build a 45,000-square-foot warehouse near its campus. ...

Winston-Salem City Council approves rezoning of old YWCA site
My Fox 8, September 5, 2012
The Winston-Salem City Council unanimously approved a rezoning request allowing the development of seven condominiums and 18 single-family homes at the former YWCA site on Glade Street Tuesday night. The Winston-Salem Journal reported that the council also unanimously voted to return to the City-County Planning Board a rezoning proposal from the UNC School of the Arts. ...

Classes are back in session at the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem
YES! Weekly, September 5, 2012
Classes are back in session at the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, following an exceedingly active summer that saw a number of comings and goings among its top echelon, and much more. No matter the time of year, there’s always something going at UNCSA — including some location filming for “Mad Man” creator and multiple Emmy Award winner Matthew Weiner’s big-screen directorial debut, You Are Here, in late spring and early summer. ... On July 1, Carl Forsman assumed the position of dean of the School of Drama, succeeding Gerald Freedman, who has held that position since it was first created more than 20 years ago. ... Also on July 1, Dean Wilcox assumed the position of dean of the Division of Liberal Arts (yes, a “dean” named Dean), having served first as assistant dean from 2006 until last summer, then as interim dean following the retirement of Richard “Rick” Miller. On Oct. 1, Mark Hough will assume the position of Chief Advancement Officer at UNCSA. ... This year has also marked the departure of Jordan Kerner as dean of the School of Filmmaking, with Susan Ruskin currently filling in as the interim dean. ...

Beethoven or bust
Free Times, September 5, 2012
Pianist Phillip Bush and violinist Aaron Berofsky have been on an extensive musical journey though the complete Beethoven violin and piano sonatas. ... They met when Berofsky was a high school student (School of Music alumnus '86) at the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts, where Bush had friends. ...

Art Enter kicks off fall classes Sept. 17
DelmarvaNOW.com, September 5, 2012
The week of Sept. 17 is the beginning of the fall fine and performing arts classes at Arts Enter in Cape Charles. ... Joining Watkins on the teaching staff is Jaime Simpson, who is returning to Arts Enter for the third season. Simpson has been teaching in the Hampton Roads area since 2005 and has studied at the Richmond Ballet, the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts (School of Dance summer sessions alumna '92 & '93) and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and when she was young, at the Virginia Beach Ballet Academy. ...

Arts education programs abound in Winston-Salem
Winston-Salem Journal, September 3, 2012
Over the next several months, your child might come home from school and complain that there's nothing to do. Perhaps the local arts programs offer a remedy for that. ... Your child can take private lessons on various instruments at the UNC School of the Arts Community Music School; see www.uncsa.edu/music/communitymusic.htm or call (336) 734-2950. ... Auditions for the three Winston-Salem Symphony Youth Orchestras will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in Hood Recital Hall at UNC School of the Arts. To find out more about the audition requirements, in addition to scheduling an audition time, go to www.wssymphony.org and click through the appropriate links beginning at "Youth and Education." ...

Local musical talent hits the road
Winston-Salem Journal, September 2, 2012
Have piano, will travel-all the way to China. That's what Peter Kairoff, a professor of Wake Forest University, did in July. He presented a recital and led a master class in Shanghai, joining a small group of local musicians and alumni of UNC School of the Arts who did some pretty neat things outside the city during the summer. ... As for what alumni of UNC School of the Arts contributed to music beyond the city's limits, several achievementsare worth noting. On July 31, Leo Hurley, a composer who received his bachelor's degree in 2011 from the UNC-SA School of Music, attended the worldpremiere performance of his choral piece 'Seabird and I' at the Europa Cantat Festival XVIII Torino 2012 in Turin, Italy. ... Bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba soloed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in a performance of Beethoven's 'Choral' fantasy broadcast on 'Great Performances' last month. The Ravinia Festival near Chicago welcomed tenor René Barbera to the cast of its Aug. 16 and 18 performances of Mozart's 'The Magic Flute.' ...

UNCSA reunion alumni recall rigors, joys
Winston-Salem Journal, September 1, 2012
Terre Winstead developed her love for opera when she worked as a stage manager for the student production of "Suor Angelica" during her stay at the UNC School of the Arts. ...

Open Dream Ensemble at UNCSA campus
WXII News 12, September 1, 2012
Rebecca Nusseaum the General Manager with UNCSA Campus Theatre is highlighting the Open Dream Ensemble that starts today. ...

New presenters and sessions at innovation conference
USITT: Sightlines, August 2012
The 2012 Entertainment Innovation Conference at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts has added Tectonic Theatre Project, arts marketing expert Trevor O'Donnell, and M.A.C Cosmetics to its panel of presenters. Also added are sessions led by Cirque du Soleil technical partners in the fields of multi-media and lighting, production and talent management, and safety; and OSHA preparedness and best practices in the entertainment industry. ...

Nonprofit news roundup, 08.31.12: School of the Arts names chief advancement officer
Philanthropy North Carolina, August 31, 2012
Mark Hough, executive director of the Orlando Ballet in Florida and president of Hough and Associates, a consulting business serving nonprofit, has been named chief advancement officer for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, effective Oct. 1. ...

Alumnus of UNCSA named its advancement officer
Winston-Salem Journal, August 31, 2012
The next chief advancement officer at UNC School of the Arts is an alumnus of the school. Mark Hough, who earned a bachelor's degree in acting from UNCSA's School of Drama in 1979, will oversee several key functions at UNCSA beginning Oct. 1. ...

Big Shoes
My Fox 8, August 31, 2012
The Open Dream Ensemble, a professional multi-disciplinary children’s theater group sponsored by the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), will begin its eighth season with a new production called Big Shoes. ...

'Big Shoes' musical a product of UNCSA alumni
Winston-Salem Journal, August 30, 2012
Michaela Morton of Winston-Salem has a theatrical tale to tell – in two ways. She wrote the book and lyrics for "Big Shoes," a musical that she and other alumni of UNC School of the Arts will present today in Thrust Theatre on campus. Morton will make her debut as a musical playwright/lyricist (way 1). She'll also act in her first UNCSA show since she graduated from the high school acting program in 2008 (way 2). ...

David Bare: The beauty of the lotus garden
Winston-Salem Journal, August 31, 2012
My friend Ann Long brought me a bowl full of beauty the other day. ... Long brought the flower in the form of an invitation to see a neighbor's pond that is half filled with these awesome flowers. ... David Brown is an independent arts management and museum consultant and was chief curator at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art for eight years. He is also a master gardener. His wife, Krystyna Puc, is an assistant dean for liberal arts and teaches history in the college program at UNC School of the Arts. ...

Museum displays 'Gone with the Wind' film items
Statesman Journal, August 30, 2012
Sprinkled throughout an exhibit of memorabilia from the movie “Gone with the Wind” at the North Carolina Museum of History are reminders that racial attitudes during the era when the film was released had not changed much since the period shown on screen. ... “Gone With the Wind” is an idealized version of a past that never existed, said Dale Pollock, professor of cinema studies at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

The Fighting Pickle: From zero to hero
YES! Weekly, August 29, 2012
The Fighting Pickle came into fruition in Winston-Salem in 1972 when UNC School of the Arts hosted its first homecoming for its intramural football team and needed a mascot. ...

Orlando Ballet's executive director resigns
Orlando Sentinel, August 29, 2012
After a tenure of just four months, Mark Hough is leaving his post as executive director of Orlando Ballet. A graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Hough has accepted a job as chief advancement officer at his alma mater. ...

UNCSA alumni will gather this weekend
Winston-Salem Journal, August 29, 2012
About 500 alumni of UNC School of the Arts are expected to gather this weekend in Winston-Salem for a reunion, dubbed "NCSA Picklestock." ...

Electroacoustic chamber music of Lawrence Dillon performed by Elliott/Fancher Duo
Musical America Worldwide, August 29, 2012
Lawrence Dillon’s Sparkling in the Dark for saxophone, bassoon and electronics will be performed by soprano saxophonist Susan Fancher and bassoonist Rachael Elliott in two North Carolina Performances ... Lawrence Dillon is Composer in Residence at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts ...

Opera helps teach anti-bullying lesson in HIgh Point
News 14 Carolina, August 28, 2012
Students at Johnson Street Global Studies in High Point got a special lesson Tuesday as they learned an anti-bullying message through opera. It is a theme organizers plan to take to 30 elementary schools across the Triad. ... The performers are graduate level students at UNC School of the Arts. The group will travel to other schools through out the Triad in the coming months to continue spreading their message to students.

The Summit Foundation re-welcomes Wanda Creen
The Summit Foundation, August 27, 2012
A Massachusetts native, Wanda was born into a military family. The family moved every three years which instilled a love of travel in her. Upon graduating from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (School of Drama '81), Wanda moved to New York City where she lived and worked for eight years. ...

Editorial: UNC system must be adequately funded
Winston-Salem Journal, August 27, 2012
As of late last week, the UNC School of the Arts had not canceled any registrations because a student was not able to afford school. ...

UNCSA alum joining cast for last season of "The Office"
Winston-Salem Journal: Relish, August 26, 2012
The news that "The Office" will end after the coming season isn't a surprise, considering the show has never quite rebounded from the departure of star Steve Carell. Unfortunately, the news comes just as a UNC School of the Arts alumnus is about to join the cast. Jake Lacy, a (UNCSA School of Drama) 2008 alumnus, will be joining the cast this fall as a new character who is brought in after customer service "expert" Kelly Kapoor leaves the company. ... Lacy won't be alone in representing UNCSA on the fall schedule; among the other alumni who will be on shows, (UNCSA School of Drama alumnus '99) Brett Gelman plays a bearded, socially inept member of a therapy group in the NBC sitcom "Go On," and (UNCSA School of Drama alumnus '07) Matt Lauria will join the cast of the NBC drama "Parenthood" in a recurring role where he plays a soldier who has recently returned from Afghanistan ...

Editorial: UNC School of the Arts on right track in listening to its neighbors
Winston-Salem Journal, August 26, 2012
It's good that officials at UNC School of the Arts have committed themselves to communicating with their neighbors about the school's planned expansion, after apologizing for not doing so in the first place. ...

Rise to stardom a labor of love
Times Leader, August 26, 2012
A theater junkie from the first time he played Tiny Tim in a production of “A Christmas Carol,” (UNCSA School of Drama alumnus '04 & '08) Dane DeHaan still can recall a scolding by a high-school teacher for spending too much time doing what he loved. ...

Symphony couple lives for music
Charlotte Observer, August 24, 2012
Jeffrey and Ellen Ferdon are at every Charlotte Symphony performance, but they are not season ticket holders. ... Both Ferdons ended up at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. Jeffrey was a finalist in a competition put on by the Minnesota Orchestra, earning him a full scholarship. ...

Dustin Wilkes-Kim to give concert
First Christian Church, August 24, 2012
We are delighted that Dustin Wilkes-Kim will give the first concert in our Fall, 2012 Community Concert Series. Dustin, an 11th grader at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a student of Sarah Johnson, won the Junior Division of the North Carolina Symphony Kathleen Price and Joseph M. Bryan Youth Concerto Competition in Raleigh in early June of 2012. ...

Black Rep seeks talented teens
The Chronicle, August 23, 2012
The North Carolina Black Repertory Company’s Teen Theatre Ensemble is beginning a new season by holding auditions. On Saturday, Sept. 8, young people between the ages of 13 and 18 are invited to audition for the Ensemble, whose alumni include Jimmie “JJ” Jeter, who is headed to Julliard School of Music this fall, and Jared Smith, who is starting his freshman year at UNC School of the Arts. ...

Some students not able to return to college
Winston-Salem Journal, August 23, 2012
Higher tuition costs and changes to financial-aid programs have resulted in a big jump in registration cancellations, according to officials at some area colleges. ... The picture is different at Appalachian State University and the UNC School of the Arts. ... UNC School of the Arts has not canceled any registrations because a student was not able to afford school, said Marla Carpenter, a school spokeswoman. ...

What's killing opera?
The Huffington Post, August 22, 2012
In a purposely-provocative piece in the New York Times ("How Hollywood Villains Are Killing Opera" -- August 17, 2011) Zachary Woolfe writes passionately about the doldrums in which opera finds itself these days in America. ...
(UNCSA Chancellor John Mauceri is now blogging for The Huffington Post. This is Chancellor Mauceri’s first post. Check out his author archive which includes a bio and headshot: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-mauceri/)

Is the Fighting Pickle from UNCSA the cheesiest college mascot?
The Business Journal, August 22, 2012
Students at UNC-School of the Arts may not get many chances to cheer on their Fighting Pickle on the field or court. But they can rest easy knowing that their ironic symbol has one title locked up - Cheesiest College Mascot. ...

CVNC.org, August 22, 2012
One of the most eagerlysought tickets in Winston-Salem is for any concert held in the gallery of Jon Kuhn Studios. ... A choice program, Debussy and Friends: A 150th Birthday Celebration, was apt and featured flutist Elizabeth Ransom and pianist Dmitri Shteinberg as soloists and as a duo. ... Shteinberg, in his second season as an Artist Teacher of Piano at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, spoke briefly about the composers and their works. ...

Lumina Daze brings local talent home from Long Island, N.Y.
Lumina News, August 22, 2012
Cabaret performer Reagan Stone, a Long Island resident who grew up in Wrightsville Beach, is coming to town to perform during Lumina Daze to help support her hometown museum. ... Stone left Wilmington to study at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston Salem and has been a professional musician for about 20 years. ...

Bernard Telsey, Justin Huff, Jay Binder, Tara Rubin among casting directors nominated for 2012 Artios Awards
Playbill.com, August 21, 2012
The Casting Society of America (CSA) will present the 28th annual Artios Awards, celebrating outstanding achievement in casting in film, television and theatre, Oct. 29 at ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles. ... Feature – Studio or Independent – Drama: “Margin Call,” Bernard Telsey, (UNCSA School of Drama alumna '00) Tiffany Little Canfield; Feature – Studio or Independent – Comedy: “Friends With Kids,” Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield, David Vaccari; Television Pilot Drama: “Smash,” Bernard Telsey, Tiffany Little Canfield ...

UNSCA's Fighting Pickle is the big cheese
Winston-Salem Journal, August 21, 2012
In what is being touted as a very big dill, the Fighting Pickle, the beloved yet underworked mascot of the UNC School of the Arts, has been named the cheesiest college mascot by Chester Cheetah of Cheetos fame. ...

Cheetos Brand celebrates college sports with inaugural Top-25 Cheesiest Mascots rankings
PepsiCo, August 20, 2012
Drawing from an admittedly unscientific analysis of college mascots nationwide, rankings are based on "cheese factor" and all-around silliness. Topping the inaugural ranking is the Fighting Pickle, the official mascot of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Impressively, this top honor goes to a university without an actual athletics program, demonstrating that mascot mastery can happen anywhere. ...

Column: Sarah Turner on handicapped accessibility in our areablem
Winston-Salem Journal, August 19, 2012
When I retired Jan. 1, 2007, I was looking forward to many years of fun activities and travel. ... Sarah Turner of Winston-Salem is the retired director of donor communications at the UNC School of the Arts. ...

UNCSA professors to open season with Bach
Winston-Salem Journal: Relish, August 19, 2012
When musicians perform Bach, as three instructors will when they open the 2012-13 concert season in Watson Hall at UNC School of the Arts, they go back to basics. ...

Carlo Curley
The Telegraph, August 17, 2012
Carlo Curley, who has died aged 59, was the self-styled “Pavarotti of the organ” – an entertaining figure with a phenomenal keyboard technique whose oversized personality drew large crowds. ... Carlo James Curley was born in Monroe, North Carolina, on August 24 1952, into a Methodist family of Irish descent. ... He attended (the University of) North Carolina School of the Arts and, by the age of 15, was organist at a large Baptist church in Atlanta, Georgia, before studying privately with a number of teachers, including Virgil Fox in America and Sir George Thalben-Ball in Britain. ...

'The Odd Life of Timothy Green' is a hollow tale dipped in saccharine
Winston-Salem Journal, August 16, 2012
The title character of "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," UNCSA graduate Peter Hedge's two-ply weeper about a mysterious 10-year-old boy who pops up in the backyard of a childless couple, is indeed odd. ...

Monroe Township native hosts free film series at the library for the last time
NJ.com, August 16. 2012
Williamstown native Jeff M. Giordano had developed a passion for film during his days at St. Augustine Prep in Richland. ... After two years, Giordano transferred to the University of North Carolina School of Arts where he was accepted into the school of filmmaking. Giordano was one of 10 students to be accepted into the director discipline. For his final thesis before he graduated in 2007, Giordano presented The Sheriff, a documentary about an elderly man he met in Winston–Salem. ...

Playbill, August 14, 2012
Joan Roberts, the soprano who originated one of the major leading-lady roles in American musical theatre — Laurey in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! — died in Stamford, CT, on Aug. 13 at the age of 95, her son Jack Donlon announced. ... In 2011 she was honored by the University of North Carolina's School of the Arts while attending their replica production of the original Oklahoma!, where she was joined by fellow original star Holm. ...

Joan Roberts, star of OKLAHOMA!, passes away at 95
BroadwayWorld.com, August 14, 2012
Joan Roberts, the stage and film actress who created the role of "Laurey" in the original 1943 production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!, died on Monday August 13, in Stamford, Connecticut. ...

Milestones for Aug. 13
Winston-Salem Journal, August 13, 2012
The Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts and the Office of Academic Affairs at UNC School of the Arts will recognize three UNCSA faculty members in the fall as outstanding teachers who employ best practices in arts education. Robert Francesconi, assistant dean of the School of Drama, was selected for innovative teaching. ... Susan Ruskin, interim dean of the School of Filmmaking, was selected for student engagement. ... Paul Sharpe, artist-faculty of the School of Music, was selected for creative development. ...

Flowe wows Arts Center audience
GwdToday.com, August 12, 2012
More than 100 people turned out for Ethan Flowe’s piano presentation Sunday afternoon at the Arts Center in Greenwood. ... Flowe, a student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, said he thought the program went well. ...

UNC School of the Arts says it will speak more with local residents on its expansion plans
Winston-Salem Journal, August 11, 2012
Two administrators at UNC School of Arts say that university officials will talk more with nearby residents about its planned expansion, after two people spoke in opposition to a rezoning proposal that would allow the school to build a warehouse near its campus. ...

Indie Focus: Objectivity turns to negativity with Craig Zobel's 'Compliance'
Los Angeles Times, August 11, 2012
Even before (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Craig Zobel's psychological thriller "Compliance" premiered this year at the Sundance Film Festival, the filmmaker knew the movie would be a button-pusher. ...

Hot-button pic tries tame campaign
Variety, August 11, 2012
(UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Craig Zobel's "Compliance" was widely considered the most controversial movie at this year's Sundance Film Festival. ...

Oh, I wouldn’t do that, would I?
The New York Times, August 10, 2012
The writer-director (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Craig Zobel makes modestly scaled movies about ordinary people in unadorned settings that also happen to concern the greatest of mysteries: the hows and whys of human behavior. ...

Can NBC get its fall shows into the Olympic spotlight?
NPR: All Things Considered, August 10, 2012
Matthew Perry and (UNCSA School of Drama alumnus '99) Brett Gelman of NBC's Go On appear in a promo shot especially for the Olympics. ...

UNCSA grad to sing on 'Great Performances'
Winston-Salem Journal, August 10, 2012
Before bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba enrolled as a student this summer at the Tanglewood Music Center, he was told he'd be a featured singer in Beethoven's "Choral Fantasy" as part of his studies there. ... Ollarsaba, 25, received a professional-artist certificate and a master's degree from the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at UNC School of the Arts in 2012 and 2011, respectively. On July 14, just weeks after leaving UNCSA, he was the bass soloist in "Choral Fantasy," which the Boston Symphony Orchestra presented as part of the "Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration" gala concert. ...

100 Creatives 2012: JoDee Engle, dancer
Houston Press Blog, August 10, 2012
A member of the Hope Stone dance company, JoDee Engle hopes for three things when she's on stage. "I hope, number one, that I don't fall, " she laughs. ... She attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, then went on to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where she got a degree in dance. ...

The funny state
Slate, August 9, 2012
As it happens, (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Shawn Harwell, who wrote the film, his first, is also a Tar Heel and grew up in a town not far from Wilkesboro ... Harwell’s name may be new to you, but perhaps you’ve seen the show he helps write, Eastbound & Down, set in Shelby, N.C. It was created by (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Jody Hill, from Concord, a couple hours southeast of Shelby; Ben Best, raised in High Point; and (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Danny McBride, whom Best and Hill befriended at film school in Winston-Salem. ... The Andy Griffith Show is not the only product of the early ’60s that has proven essential to the new wave of North Carolina comedy. In that same era, a Winston-Salem-born novelist, John Ehle, accepted a position on the staff of North Carolina Gov. Terry Sanford. The two men devised a plan to create a new, publicly funded school, an arts conservatory, rooted in performance, rather than the academy, and taught by working artists. In 1963, the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts was chartered. ... McBride, Hill, and (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '98) David Gordon Green have formed a production company, Rough House, which now has multiple development deals in place. ...

Screams in hills of West Tennessee come from scene of horror film in the works
The Commercial Appeal, August 9, 2012
Since July 22, Pine Lake and the Lexington area have been home base for "Demon Lake," an independent horror movie that marks the feature directorial debut of Gabrielle Lui of Jackson, Tenn., an extraordinarily young filmmaker. Lui is 21, and this fall she begins her senior year at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. ...

Educators: Let SECCA spark your imagination with its first teacher night Aug. 23
North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, August 8, 2012
Open Dream Ensemble: Music theater and dance alumni from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will present their new play developed for school presentations and discuss will teachers the connections between the play and classroom learning. The playwright is a member of the cast and will be available to talk to teachers. ...

Summit Country Day School junior attends intensive ballet program
Cincinnati.com, August 8, 2012
Summit Country Day School junior Mary Frances Harsh attended American Ballet Theatre's “Summer Intensive” for four weeks at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. ...

Marvin Hamlisch was top of the pops
The Jewish Daily Forward, August 8, 2012
When the much-honored screen and stage composer Marvin Hamlisch died suddenly and unexpectedly on August 6, he was serving or had served as principal pops conductor for orchestras in Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Dallas, Pasadena, Seattle and San Diego. ... Which conductor can possibly fill his shoes as purveyor of sweet-sounding aural lollipops? One of Hamlisch’s contemporaries, who has been performing light music for decades, is conductor John Mauceri, a Leonard Bernstein protégé, who is currently the Chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and who led the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra from 1991 to 2006. ...

Movie features local talent
Wilkes Journal-Patriot, August 8, 2012
The work of two former Wilkes residents is prominently featured in “The Campaign,” a political comedy opening nationally on Friday, Aug. 10, depicting two Southerners running for an N.C. Congressional seat. ... The film was co-written by Shawn Harwell, a 1995 graduate of Hibriten High School and a graduate of the University of N.C. School of the Arts. ...

Yet another amazing opportunity to hit a local dance floor
Ellwood City, August 8, 2012
Even if you have “two left feet,” you are welcome at Diamond Dance Academy’s Thom Lake Master Classes. ... Mr. Thom began his own training at Virginia Intermont College and graduated from the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Massage therapy strikes a happy chord with opera singer
Charter Success Lancaster: Student Spotlight, August 7, 2012
When Vanessa McDonald was born in the delivery room, what the doctor heard as crying, her parents heard as an attempt to sing opera. ... When she left high school, she spent five years in college and attended the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts.

Remembering Ruggiero Ricci: a virtuoso soloist spurred by army service
WRTI 90.1, August 6, 2012
Ruggiero Ricci, a former child prodigy turned one of the world's greatest violin virtuosos, died today at age 94. ... In later life, Ricci was a celebrated violin pedagogue who taught at Indiana University, the Juilliard School, the University of Michigan, the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts and the Mozarteum in Salzburg. ...

'A whole new future' for research park
Winston-Salem Journal, August 5, 2012
In February, the Center for Design Innovation broke ground on an $8 million building that will serve as an anchor in the park's undeveloped south district. ... It was established in 2005 as a mega-campus research center of the UNC system, the result of a partnership between Winston-Salem State University, UNC School of the Arts and Forsyth Technical Community College. ...

Broadway producer Ken Davenport joins speakers at the 2012 Entertainment Innovation Conference
Lighting & Sound America, August 3, 2012
Famed Broadway producer, Ken Davenport of Davenport Theatrical Enterprises, New York, will share insights on innovations in producing for the theatre during the 2012 Entertainment Innovation Conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Davenport's presentation is scheduled for 9:00am on Saturday, September 8, at the DeMille Theatre at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). ...

Exclusive video Q&A with Elisa R. Richards, key costumer for “THE WALKING DEAD”
Valhalla Entertainment, August 3, 2012
This is Elisa R. Richards’ second season as a key costumer on “The Walking Dead.” Richards has been involved with costuming since the age of 15. She earned her B.F.A. from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in design and production, costume design. ...

Teen violinist steps out on faith
NWA Online, August 3, 2012
Ashley Whittle of Springdale will be attending the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school conservatory program this fall. On Sunday, she’ll perform in recital in a benefit for the Arkansas Philharmonic Orchestra. ...

Good to go: Tap into the artistic side of Las Cruces
Las Cruces Sun-News, August 3, 2012
Dance workshop: Internationally-renowned dancer and dance professor Mel Tomlinson ... is one of the most accomplished dancers, instructors and mentors in recent dance history. After earning a degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he became principal dancer with the Agnes de Mille Heritage Dance Theatre. ...

WSSU, UNC-SA short on repair money
The Business Journal, August 3, 2012
University of North Carolina campuses including Winston-Salem State University and the UNC-School of the Arts will have to scrape by on minimal repair and renovation budgets, according to an article in the Winston-Salem Journal. ...

Funding for repairs at WSSU, UNCSA falls far short of needs
Winston-Salem Journal, August 3, 2012
At the UNC School of the Arts, for example, officials will get $305,900 this year to use for $50 million in repair and renovation needs, said Marla Carpenter, a university spokeswoman. ...

State colleges have no money for major repairs
Fox 8 WGHP, August 3, 2012
North Carolina’s public universities say another year of minimal funding for repairs and renovations is leaving many buildings in disrepair, some almost unusable. ... At UNCSA, the school’s main electrical system is so old maintenance crews can’t find parts to repair it. ...

Exploring the space with stillness
The New York Times, August 2, 2012
(UNCSA School of Dance high school alumnus '00) Jonah Bokaer is one of the mystery men of American dance. ...

Cinema Under the Stars
GoTriad.com, August 2, 2012
Reynolda House Museum of American Art will present its seventh season of Cinema Under the Stars beginning Friday. Presented by Reynolda House and the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the outdoor film series runs Friday evenings in August. ...

Parenthood casts another FNL actor
Vulture, August 1, 2012
Parenthood is adding another Friday Night Lights alum to its cast. (UNCSA School of Drama alumnus '07) Matt Lauria, who played sweetheart farm boy Luke Cafferty on the final two seasons of FNL, will play a young veteran who befriends Craig T. Nelson's Zeke, TV Line reports. ...

To build or not to build?
The Chronicle, August 1, 2012
The proposed football stadium for R.J. Reynolds High School adjacent to Hanes Park has sparked a debate that seemingly has everyone in the community arguing the pros and cons of that very question. ... John Coyne, who lives near the proposed stadium site, says Home Field Advantage has made little effort to communicate with residents in the area surrounding the proposed stadium, or consult with them about its potential impact on their lives. ... “I just feel that the process needs to change. That’s what we’re trying to do,” said Coyne, a professor at UNC School of the Arts. ...

Milestones for July 30
Winston-Salem Journal, July 30, 2012
John Mauceri, chancellor at UNC School of the Arts, has received an award from the Association of Yale Alumni. ...

Paul Schneider, Versatile 'Babymaker' and 'Beloved' Actor
The Huffington Post, July 30, 2012
It's hard to imagine two more wildly different films than the lowbrow American comedy The Babymakers and the French art house drama Beloved. But their imminent release reveals that (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '98) Paul Schneider is one of our most versatile actors. ...

Personality Profile: Louis Brumfield
Yadkin Ripple, July 29, 2012
Brumfield then took a job working as a piano accompanist for the North Carolina School of the Arts dance classes when the school first opened its doors. It wasn’t long before he was able to move up to a position as an accompanist to the Broadway musical classes. ...

Dance: Abella's to hold open house and summer dance intensive at The Dance Company
StAugustine.com, July 29, 2012
Brittany Marcin, an alumnus of The Dance Company, will be teaching Broadway jazz. Since dancing at The Dance Company and studying at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Marcin has had a successful professional dance career in New York City as a Radio City Rockette at Radio City Music Hall and in Broadway musicals including Curtains, Follies, and Anything Goes. ...

Surrealism in a minor key: Recent translations of Ghérasim Luca
Hyperallergic, July 28, 2012
Considered through Deleuze and Guattari’s somewhat idiosyncratic interpretive lenses, Ghérasim Luca is a minor writer — minor in the sense that he relentlessly pushes language toward its limits, that he deterritorializes it, that he transmutes it from a mere instrument of representation into an extreme style of intensities. ... The Semilians’ translation follows the original text, presenting the pieces “The Inventor of Love,” “I Roam the Impossible,” “The Dead Death,” and the appendix in dense blocks of formidable prose unlike the later (and incomplete) French edition, which breaks up the pieces in verse lines. ...
(Julian Semilian teaches film editing in the School of Filmmmaking. Laura (Ingram) Semilian completed her MM in Opera Performance at UNCSA, where she studied with Dr. Marilyn Taylor.)

July 29 — Aug. 4
The New York Times, July 27, 2012
THE pairing of two current dance stars — the choreographer and performer (UNCSA School of Dance high school alumnus '00) JONAH BOKAER and ballet’s “it” boy, David Hallberg — seemed almost too good to be true when it was first announced for this year’s Jacob’s Pillow festival. ...

Cabin fever
Durango Herald, July 26, 2012
This is Rosannah, played by Madeleine Meigs during her summer break from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Matt Weiner's (partly) student-made film
The Hollywood Reporter, July 26, 2012
The creator of "Mad Men" made his long-brewing movie "You Are Here" with a little help from University of North Carolina School of the Arts, one of THR's film schools to watch. ...

Jacob's Pillow presents the US premiere of Jonah Bokaer's CURTAIN, 8/1-5
BroadwayWorld.com, July 26, 2012
(UNCSA School of Dance high school alumnus '00) Jonah Bokaer, who began choreographing almost ten years ago, will return to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival August 1-5 in the Doris Duke Theatre. ...

Kids can audition for WOHS’s ‘Little Mermaid Jr.’
West Orange Times, July 25, 2012
West Orange’s The Little Mermaid Jr. will be the first joint project between the local high school group and the Wellesley Theatre Project of Wellesley, Mass. WTP is under the direction of West Orange alumni Benjamin Rush, who is also the son of director Ken Rush. Benjamin has been designing sets and lighting for West Orange while earning his theater degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Teen endures fibromyalgia, creates awareness bracelet business
Edgewater-Davidsonville Patch, July 24, 2012
Edgewater’s Jenna Rice spent hours as a child practicing her flute and piccolo, hoping to one day study at a major university and become an expert in her craft. ... Rice, who will head to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts this fall, can now only practice her flute and piccolo for about 20 minutes at a time before taking an hour-long break. ...

Movie is student's dream
The Jackson Sun, July 24, 2012
Gabrielle Lui is still a film student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she focuses on film production. ...

Milestones for July 23
Winston-Salem Journal, July 23, 2012
The 2012 WGBH/Kenan Fellows are Hailey Black, a 2012 UNCSA graduate with a bachelor's degree; Graham Dietz, a current UNCSA student working toward a bachelor's degree in the School of Filmmaking; and Jonathan Fredette, a graduate student working on a master's degree in sound design in the School of Design and Production. ...

‘Legally Blonde — The Musical”’ debuts next week
Mt. Airy News, July 21, 2012
“Legally Blonde — The Musical” stars Savannah Mumford as Elle. Mumford will be attending the UNC School of the Arts this fall to major in drama. ...

Three leads bring experience to ‘Camelot’
The Stanley News and Press, July 20, 2012
The role of Sir Lancelot in “Camelot” has traditionally required a singer with a strong baritone voice. Cameron Jackson certainly meets this criteria. He is a rising sophomore at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he is an A.J. Fletcher Opera Scholar. ...

Obituary: Ruskin King Cooper
Winston-Salem Journal, July 20, 2012
Ruskin King Cooper, born Sept. 28, 1957 died Wednesday July 18, 2012. He was 54. ... He was staff pianist at (the University of) North Carolina School of the Arts from 1985-1991 ...

Diggs Gallery director accepted into prestigious art museum association
WSSU RamPages, July 20, 2012
Belinda Tate, director of the Diggs Gallery at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), has been accepted as a member of the Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD). ... Most recently, the gallery hosted “READY, AIM . . . LOOK!,” a collaboration of the Center for Design Innovation, Old Salem Museum and Gardens, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Wake Forest University and WSSU that used art and technology to express time and motion, while providing education and inspiration based on the community’s cultural heritage. ...

Symposium to teach importance of sound
The Herald Sun, July 19, 2012
Jason Romney, a member of the design and production faculty at the UNC School of the Arts, will teach a session in digital music and sound education. ...

The road to Emmy, part 2: Wieden, Deutsch dominate primetime spot Emmy nominations
SHOOT, July 19, 2012
This time around, W+K scored nominations for: the Super Bowl sequel to "Born of Fire," the stirring "It's Halftime in America," directed by (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '98) David Gordon Green of Chelsea; Target's "Color Changes Everything" helmed by Filip Engstrom of Smuggler; and Best Job, the Procter & Gamble film launching its "Thank you, Mom" campaign for the upcoming Summer Olympics in London. Best Job was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu of Anonymous Content (see separate Olympics Ad Preview story for more insights into the P&G campaign). ...

Emmy nominations 2012: The complete list
LA Times, July 19, 2012

HAIRSTYLING FOR A MULTI-CAMERA SERIES OR SPECIAL: "Saturday Night Live," Bettie O. Rogers, Jodi Mancuso, Inga Thrasher, Jennifer Stauffer, Cara Hannah Sullivan & (UNCSA School of Design & Production alumna '03) Christal Schanes
ART DIRECTION FOR VARIETY OR NONFICTION PROGRAMMING: "65th Annual Tony Awards," Steve Bass & (UNCSA School of Design & Production alumnus '04) Seth Easter
COMMERCIAL: "It's Halftime in America" (Chrysler Brand), Wieden + Kennedy & Chelsea ...

(The commercial's director David Gordon Green is a School of Filmmaking alumnus '98.)

7 girls from Old Tappan first to receive scout's Gold Award honor
NorthJersey.com, July 19, 2012
Annichiarico, a senior at Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, has earned the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. ... In the fall she will attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to study ballet. ...

Free concert featured symphonic works of Bruckner, Strauss and Wagner
Wauwatosa Now, July 19, 2012
Waukesha native Ruth Brown has performed a variety of roles with opera companies in America and abroad, including the Middle Germany Chamber Opera (Germany), the Chemnitz Theater (Germany), the Miskolc International Opera Festival (Hungary) and the Manteo Music Festival (North Carolina). ... She holds a music degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a diploma (master’s degree) from the revered Leipzig Conservatory for Music & Theater. ...

Doris Kearns Goodwin to speak on September 26
Old Salem News & Updates, July 19, 2012
Goodwin, a world-renowned historian, will present a lecture followed by a question and answer session at the Stevens Center of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts at 405 West 4th Street in Winston-Salem. ...

A job offer, a skill set, a higher tolerance? What does college provide?
WhichWayNC, July 18, 2012
So what is the reason for going to college? And more specifically, what should a student expect to gain during his or her four years? To try to answer these questions and others, seven people highly involved in the University of North Carolina system weighed in. ... (School of Design & Production student) Nicholas Correa, student body president at UNC School of the Arts ...

'A Quick 5' with Morgann Rose
MD Theatre Guide, July 18, 2012
Ms. Rose graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts high school program before joining her first ballet company. ...

Milestones: in the arts
Winston-Salem Journal, July 16, 2012
A recent alumnus and student in the UNC School of the Arts School of Music have won first and second places in the annual Rosen-Schaffel Young Artist Competition. ...

Transitions: people in academe
The Chronicle, July 16, 2012
Susan Jaffe, who danced with the American Ballet Theatre for 22 years and then joined the faculty of its Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, will be the next dean of the School of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Sundance sets producing labs
Variety, July 16, 2012
The Bingham Ray fellow, (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumna) Summer Shelton, comes to the feature film lab with an untitled project about brothers hoping to smuggle exotic lumber, written and directed by (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '10) Alex Moratto. ...

Sundance Institute honors Summer Shelton
The New York Times, July 15, 2012
The Sundance Institute has named (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumna) Summer Shelton, who has been credited on several films, including “Goodbye Solo,” as its first Bingham Ray Creative Producing Fellow. ...

Play offers audiences insights on the lives of Bunker twins
Winston-Salem Journal: Relish, July 15, 2012
When Stan Bernstein directs a play based on real people, he does as much research as possible. ... Bernstein, an alumnus of UNC School of the Arts, is applying this philosophy to Burton Cohen's "The Wedding of the Siamese Twins," which the Surry Arts Council will present beginning Saturday at the Earle Theatre in Mount Airy. ...

Area news briefs for July 15
Winston-Salem Journal, July 15, 2012
The board of trustees at UNC School of the Arts on Tuesday approved a slate of officers for the coming school year. ...

UNCSA growing pains affect neighbors
Winston-Salem Journal, July 15, 2012
Steve Zorn did a double take when he got a look at a copy of the master plan for growth at the UNC School of the Arts. ...

Editorial: UNSCA expansion must be done carefully
Winston-Salem Journal, July 15, 2012
A building boom is under way on the campus of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts that will provide new high-tech facilities and enhance the school's competitive profile among the nation's performing arts institutions. ...

UNC School of the Arts undergoing building boom
WRAL, July 14, 2012
When a team works on a project, each of its members tries to stay on the same page. But beginning in 2014, students at UNC School of the Arts will stay on the same screen as they collaborate. ...

Sundance Institute to host a week of Creative Film Producing Initiatives, July 30 through August 5, 2012
Sundance Institute, July 13, 2012
The Fellows and projects selected for the Feature Film Creative Producing Fellowship are:
Untitled Amazon Project
Bingham Ray Producing Fellow: (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumna) Summer Shelton
When a lumber conglomerate evicts their family, two brothers attempt to smuggle exotic lumber in hopes of selling it on the black market for money to buy their family new land, but what begins as a hopeful act turns into a journey more dangerous than they imagined. (Writer/Director: (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '10) Alex Moratto) ...
Sundance Institute Feature Film Program:
In the past year, FFP films having their premieres include ... (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Craig Zobel’s Compliance ... which will receive theatrical releases later this year. ...

Meet an artist: Joseph Mills
Go Triad, July 12, 2012
That’s one of the reasons I like poetry a lot now. I have a full-time job — I am a teacher at the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts — and I have two kids. You can find a little while for a couple of lines of poetry. ...

This week in An Appalachian Summer: Eastern Festival Orchestra
Mountain Times, July 12, 2012
Ben Robinette, the 2011 first-prize winner of the Rosen-Schaffel Young Artist Competition, is a 2009 graduate of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and holds a master of music degree from University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Dancer Nehemiah Spencer says giving back to Cleveland is his purpose
Cleveland.com, July 12, 2012
As a senior, Spencer applied to the Juilliard School, a prestigious New York City arts college, hoping to follow the path taken by fellow (Cleveland) School of the Arts student Antonio Brown. ... After ending up on Juilliard's wait list, he decided to enroll at University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2010. ...

A Scottish tale of two Jessicas
LA Stage Times, July 11, 2012
Olson, who was born in Sherman Oaks, grew up in North Carolina and began her theater career as an actor at the age of 12. As part of a regional professional company, she spent her weekends touring. Being away from home so much made her ineligible for a role in her high school play and so, anxious to be part of the production, she volunteered to do the costumes. ... Having discovered that she loved the work, she went on to get her bachelor’s degree in costume design from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Locarno Film Festival locks down full lineup; 'Compliance,' 'Starlet' and 'Jack and Diane' in competition
Indiewire, July 11, 2012
The 65th edition of the Locarno Film Festival has announced its full lineup, including the 19 features competing for the Pardo d'oro, 13 of which are screening as world premieres. ... COMPLIANCE by (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Craig Zobel / United States – 2012 – 90 min / with Ann Dowd, Matt Servito, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Phillipp Ettinger / Production: Bad Cop Film Production / Co-production: Dogfish Pictures and Muskat Filmed Properties / World Sales: Memento Films International / International Premiere ...

Great American songbook comes to Highland Park
Kokomo Perspective, July 11, 2012
Ned Boyd is a Band Director in Lafayette, Ind., and he teaches saxophone at Purdue University. He holds degrees from (the University of) North Carolina School of the Arts and Eastman School of Music. ...

Concert will feature heavenly music
The Chapel Hill News, July 10, 2012
The North Carolina Harp Ensemble formed in 2010 and is directed by Jacquelyn Bartlett, Professor of Harp at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. ...

Inside ABT with Susan Jaffe: shaping the next generation
Huffington Post, July 10, 2012
The difference between soloist and principal dancer is in the details and Jaffe is the one who mentors Boylston and Lane as they reach for glory. With the announcement that Jaffe will be leaving to assume the post of Dean of Dance at the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts, (UNCSA) they will be in need of a new mentor next season. ...

Ethan Stiefel, American Ballet Theatre dancer, gives an emotional farewell (VIDEO)
Huffington Post, July 10, 2012
There are often cheers and shouts of "Bravo!" in the New York ballet audience. But screams? As in, adoring fans at a rock concert? Not often. To some dance fans, though, Ethan Stiefel, the blond, athletic, longtime principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, fit the rock-star bill nicely over his long career. ...
(Ethan Stiefel is the former dean of the UNCSA School of Dance.)

UNCSA names slate of officers
Winston-Salem Journal, July 10, 2012
The board of trustees at UNC School of the Arts on Tuesday approved a slate of officers for the coming school year. ...

The UNC School of the Arts has become one of the Triad’s locations for filming of the movie “You are Here,” starring Owen Wilson, Zack Galifianakis and Amy Poehler and directed by Matthew Weiner. ...

ABT star Susan Jaffe accepts dance dean position at UNCSA
DSL Dance Wire, July 9, 2012
University of North Carolina School of the Arts has picked former star ballerina Susan Jaffe to head its School of Dance, reports the Winston-Salem Journal. ...

University News: Appalachian State University, July 9, 2012
The Forget-Me-Nots bring fresh energy to the ageless tradition of Celtic music, adding their own compositions and arrangements to the existing lode of musical treasures. ... Members of the music group are violinists Willa Finck, Maura Shawn Scanlin and Ledah Finck, with David Finck on backup guitar. ... This fall, Ledah Finck enters UNC-Chapel Hill as a freshman and a recipient of a Kenan Music Scholarship. Scanlin will be a rising high school senior at the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, and Willa Finck will be a rising high school junior, dual-enrolled at Watauga High School and Appalachian State University. ...

Dancer receives Discus Award
News & Observer, July 8, 2012
Victoria L. Hall of Raleigh, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, has been named a Discus Award winner for her achievements in the arts, academics and community service. ...

Once more unto the night for a final performance
The New York Times, July 8, 2012
Over his 23-year career Ethan Stiefel has acquired a reputation as something of a rebel. ... Considering that he is now 39, and that in recent years injuries (multiple knee operations) and other commitments — including serving as dean at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and, since last year, as artistic director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet — have interrupted his performing career, he might have been cautious. But cautious has never been Mr. Stiefel’s style. ...

'Many Deaths' is really dark, really funny
Winston-Salem Journal, July 8, 2012
Heather Maloy said she likes doing either really dark or really funny ballets. ... Maloy, a 1991 high school graduate of UNC School of the Arts, became the founding artistic director of Terpsicorps, a summer company, in 2003, shortly after ending her stint as a dancer for N.C. Dance Theatre. ...

Jacksonville native to star in Master Class
The Daily News, July 8, 2012
Gloria Crist was born in Chapel Hill but came to Jacksonville in 1973 when her father finished his residency. ... She studied arts at Salem University in Winston Salem and voice at the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

UNCSA new library
Winston-Salem Journal, July 7, 2012
Plans for a new library include wi-fi throughout the building, and audio/film room and a media floor with two music practice rooms. ...

ARTSBEAT; Susan Jaffe named dean of a dance school
The New York Times, July 7, 2012
Susan Jaffe, a retired dancer with American Ballet Theater, will became dean of the dance school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the arts school said. ...

Building for the arts; UNCSA campus to grow
Winston-Salem Journal, July 7, 2012
When a team works on a project, each of its members tries to stay on the same page. But beginning in 2014, students at UNC School of the Arts will stay on the same screen as they collaborate. ...

N.C. needs to lead in arts education
Raleigh News & Observer, July 7, 2012
When it comes to arts education, North Carolina has a proud history of leading the pack. A half-century ago, the administration of Gov. Terry Sanford was preparing to launch the N.C. School of the Arts, which opened in Winston-Salem in 1963 as the nation’s first public arts conservatory. In the decades since, it has consistently attracted and developed first-class artistic talent. ...

Maui Jade
Maui TV News, July 6, 2012
Video: Paul Janes-Brown loves theater and art of all types. And then there are the superstars - like Maui's own (UNCSA School of Dance student) Jade Direnfeld. ...

Great news for Susan Jaffe; bittersweet news for NYC
Dance Magazine, July 6, 2012
We’re surprised—but not much—that Susan Jaffe has been named the new dean of University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). ...

UNCSA names new School of Dance dean
The Business Journal, July 6, 2012
Susan Jaffe, a leading ballerina, will become the next dean of the School of Dance at the UNC-School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. ...

Carolina Ballet members go off for summer study
Columbia Star, July 6, 2012
Each of these pre-professionals have completed the Carolina Ballet Summer Academy, under the tutelage of Mimi Worrell with guest teachers Warren Conover from the UNC School of the Arts and Eriberto Jimenez of the Miami Hispanic Ballet. ...

Interview: Emery LeCrone, choreographer
Dance Tabs, July 6, 2012
In the coming year LeCrone will be working with students at Juilliard and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Winton, Whittaker Star in THE ODD COUPLE at Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre
BroadwayWorld.com, July 5, 2012
This comedy classic is directed by Martha Wilkinson, Chaffin’s Barn Dinner Theatre’s artistic director. ... Wilkinson received her training from Berry College, (University of) North Carolina School Of The Arts and The ALLIANCE THEATRE in Atlanta. ...

Compliance trailer: the controversial Sundance drama is coming
Vulture, July 5, 2012
The real-life story that the new film Compliance is based on is already unsettling: A young woman at a fast-food restaurant is stripped, interrogated, and humiliated by her female supervisor, simply because the older woman was instructed to do all those things by a mysterious caller claiming to be a cop (though in reality, he was a serial prank caller who was eventually apprehended). ...

Occupy Winston-Salem charts quiet course, away from electoral politics
YES! Weekly, July 4, 2012
Tony Ndege, 34, had about two decades of progressive activism under his belt before he joined Occupy Winston- Salem. ... Born in Uganda, Ndege moved from Washington DC to Greensboro as a child when his mother got a job at NC A&T University. He moved to Winston- Salem to attend high school and then college at UNC School of the Arts. ...

Teen plays for hometown crowd
Smithfield Herald, July 3, 2012
Thomas Howerton has two years before high school graduation, but he’s already left home to pursue training as a classical musician. Last week, the Smithfield native was back from the UNC School of the Arts to give a viola performance for a hometown crowd. ...

Powers Restored: HBO Orders More Episodes of ‘Eastbound & Down’
The New York Times, July 3, 2012
Not to spoil any details for the uninitiated, but the Season 3 finale of “Eastbound & Down,” an HBO comedy series starring (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Danny McBride as a fallen Major League player seeking redemption, appeared to conclude the story of the boastful Kenny Powers character pretty definitively when it was broadcast its on April 15. ...

Biographies of the 2012-13 Kenan Fellows
The Kenan Fellowship at Lincoln Center Institute, July 3, 2012
The Kenan Fellows are in their third week at LCI, and we'll be posting their reflections (and their photos) soon. In the meantime, here's a little bit of background about each of our newest Fellows: Natalie Diana Canizares is a recent graduate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a BFA in Contemporary Dance. ... Jessica Cipriano is a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she received her BFA in Contemporary Dance. ... Anna Conigliari recently graduated with her Master of Music degree in flute performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ... Hannah Mindeman received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with a minor in French, summa cum laude, from Covenant College and a Master of Music in Collaborative Piano from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ... Julian Rose received his Masters of Music from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied with Tadeu Coelho. ... After earning his BM at James Madison University, Matthew Stephens attended the UNC School of the Arts for Collaborative Piano (MM). ...

IIDEX NeoCon keynote speakers unveiled
Canadian Architect, July 2, 2012
Will Hastings is a senior show lighting designer at Walt Disney Imagineering, where he has designed and completed projects in California, Florida, Hong Kong and Tokyo. ... He holds a BFA in lighting and stage management from the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts, and a specialist diploma in lighting and sound from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. ...

HBO asks for more 'Eastbound & Down'
Variety, July 2, 2012
Pay cabler confirmed that (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus '99) Danny McBride-starrer, which recently concluded its third season in April, will go forward with eight episodes. ...

BWW Reviews: Audiences get a kick out of ANYTHING GOES
Broadwayworld.com, July 2, 2012
Natalie Cleek, too, lights up the stage as Hope Harcourt, with her bright facial expressions and gorgeous gowns. (UNCSA School of Drama alumnus '12) Charles Osborne stars next to her as Billy Crocker. ...

Audio Books
Tampa Bay Online, July 1, 2012
Summer reading can be lumped together as a grand diversion for the vacation months, but a wide variety of titles are available for audio perusing this season. ... Dale M. Pollock is former dean of the film school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Favorite events for summertime fun
Winston-Salem Journal: Relish, July 1, 2012
he Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance, an Asheville ballet company, will come to Hanesbrands Theatre to present one of its most popular works: Heather Maloy's "The Many Deaths of Edward Gorey." ... Maloy, an alumna of UNC School of the Arts, is the founding artistic director of Terpsicorps. ... The Surry Arts Council will present Burton Cohen's "Wedding of the Siamese Twins" in the Earle Theatre of Mount Airy. The show – directed by Stan Bernstein, an alumnus of UNC School of the Arts – dramatizes the lives of twins Eng and Chang Bunker (1811-1874), who, after leaving their native Siam, eventually settled in Mount Airy and married sisters Sarah and Adelaide Yates of Wilkes County. ... Heroes and legends come in all sizes and persuasions – something that the next "Cinema Under the Stars" will underscore on Friday nights in August on the lawn at Reynolda House Museum of American Art. The series, co-presented by Reynolda House and the School of Filmmaking at UNC School of the Arts, will include everything from "The Princess Bride" to "To Kill a Mockingbird." ...

University to host innovation conference
USITT: Sightlines, July 2012
From September 6 through 8, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) will host the first North American Entertainment Innovation Conference in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. ...

Anthony Mackie's Aha! Moment: How I Learned to Take Action
O Magazine, July 2012
I was raised with a sense of entrepreneurship—my father owned a roofing business, and I grew up with the idea that you never want someone telling you what you can and cannot do. … (Anthony Mackie is a School of Drama high school alumnus '87.)

Missi Pyle of ‘The Artist’ tapes pilot TV show in Winston-Salem
Fox 8 WGHP, June 30, 2012
Missi Pyle, an alumna of the UNC School of the Arts who appeared in the Oscar-winning film “The Artist,” returned to the campus this week to tape a pilot for a possible TV series. ...

With two retirements, a ballet era ends
The New York Times, June 29, 2012
Mr. Stiefel became the artistic director of the New Zealand Ballet last year after four years as dean at the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Parade highlights legacy that ‘Arts Alive’ has become
Mount Airy News, June 29, 2012
Summer intern Deniese Lara was able to participate through the Gold LEAF program. She is a rising sophomore at the (University of) North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

A season of violinists
Greensboro Symphony, June 28, 2012
Stefani Collins, violin ... Stefani received her high school diploma from the (University of) NC School of the Arts, where she studied with Sarah Johnson. ...

UNCSA names Dean Wilcox as new dean of liberal arts
Winston-Salem Journal, June 28, 2012
UNC School of the Arts has tapped one of its own to lead the school's Division of Liberal Arts. Dean Wilcox, who has worked at the school since 1999 in teaching and administrative roles, will become the school's liberal-arts dean effective Sunday, school officials announced Thursday. ...

Eve Ensler's 'Emotional Creature': The 'Vagina Monologues' playwright explores a different side of females
NewJerseyNewsroom.com, June 28, 2012
The Vagina Monologues playwright goes from exploring female body parts to female emotions in Emotional Creature. ... Emotional Creatures features an ensemble of six actresses: Ashley Bryant (A Free Man of Color); Molly Carden (The Bird and the Two-Ton Weight at Ensemble Studio Theatre); Emily S. Grosland (Off Broadway debut); 2012 Theatre World Award Winner Joaquina Kalukango (Hurt Village); Sade Namei (The Flying Latke at The Flea); and Olivia Oguma (A Christmas Carol; Mamma Mia!). ... (Molly Carden is a School of Drama alumna '10.)

Eve Ensler’s new play packs ‘Emotional’ punch
The Daily Californian, June 28, 2012
The character is beautifully crafted and expressed by the eccentric (UNCSA School of Drama alumna '10) Molly Carden on an issue so prevalent in today’s society. ...

Minas to make three area appearances this summer
Delaware County News Network, June 28, 2012
Orlando Haddad and Patricia King formed Minas in 1978 at North Carolina School of the Arts to bring Brazilian music to stateside audiences. Today, Minas is one of the most sought after Brazilian bands in the United States. ...

Videos in stores
Winston-Salem Journal, June 28, 2012
"The Artist" (PG-13): The Oscar-winning best picture of 2011 is a lively homage to the early days of Hollywood. Jean Dujardin stars as a suave, silent-film star whose career is threatened by the advent of sound in movies. The supporting cast includes Missi Pyle, an alumna of UNC School of the Arts, as a vain actress. ...

Conjuring youth by way of Billy Joel
The New York Times, June 27, 2012
Inside many male Broadway singers is a barely suppressed rock ’n’ roll wild man who dreams of exploding before thousands of screaming fans. ...
(Brian d'Arcy James' revue was staged by new UNCSA Drama Dean Carl Forsman.)

NC Now
UNC-TV: North Carolina Now, June 27, 2012
A visit to the Walltown Children's Theatre. ... (Watch a featured story on Walltown Children's Theatre, of which UNCSA Dance alumna/Drama faculty Cynthia Penn is executive director, on North Carolina Now.)

Park Avenue Armory presents Trisha Brown Dance Company: Astral Converted
Flavorpill, June 27, 2012
Trisha Brown Dance Company's reconstruction of Astral Converted demonstrates a remarkable collaboration between three esteemed figures in the artistic industry. ...
(Choreographic assistant Carolyn Lucas is a School of Dance high school alumna '80.)

Reynolda House front lawn becomes stage for “The Importance of Being Earnest” production
Visit Winston-Salem, June 26, 2012
Performed in the museum’s front garden by current and former drama students at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, this new adaptation, written and directed by Harry Poster, is appropriate for the young (ages 4–12) and the young at heart. ...

Bishop to return as dean
The Living Church, June 26, 2012
Alexander’s early degrees in the church music field include a diploma with a concentration in organ performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts at the University of North Carolina; a B.A. with a concentration in music from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa.; and a master’s degree with a concentration in organ performance and choral conducting from the University of South Carolina. ...

Alexander named Dean of The School of Theology
Sewanee: The University of the South, June 26, 2012
Alexander’s early degrees in the church music field include a diploma with a concentration in organ performance from the North Carolina School of the Arts at the University of North Carolina ...

Dream big
Encore Online, June 26, 2012
Gallagher studied music composition at Juilliard and UNC School of the Arts, and she’s composed orchestral works which have been performed by both the Wilmington and Florence symphonies, as well as the Tallis Chamber Orchestra. ...

Mike Cross in concert at Winston-Salem's historic UNCSA Stevens Center
Winston-Salem Journal: Relish, June 26, 2012
North Carolina's own Mike Cross, singer, songwriter, storyteller, guitar and fiddle player extraordinaire returns in concert to the UNCSA Stevens Center in Winston-Salem on Friday, September 14 at 8:00pm. ...

A night of dance - Local student prepares evening of performing arts fundraiser
News Leader, June 25, 2012
McIntyre went on to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a focus in Contemporary Dance, which allowed him the opportunity to train and perform with world-renowned choreographers and companies such as Alonzo King Lines Ballet of San Fransisco and the Mark Morris Dance Group, Doug Elkins Dance Company and Larry Kegwin, all of New York City, just to name a few. ...

S&R Nonfiction: “62 Questions to Ask a Ghost,” by Leanna Lawrence
Scholars & Rogues, June 25, 2012
II. May 25th, 2010. One p.m., in Conference Room of Academic House at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In which I place before my colleagues the fruits of my labors. ...
(Lawrence is on the Academic Programs faculty.)

Changing lives through the arts
UNC-TV: Black Issues Forum, June 24, 2012
The arts are often credited with the power to change lives, especially young lives. Meet the Director of the American Dance Festival, one of the Founders of Walltown Children's Theatre, and a student in the arts to find out how they're changing lives through the art of movement. ...
(Watch UNCSA Dance alumna/Drama faculty Cynthia Penn and Drama student Andrew Manning on the importance of the arts in communities on UNC-TV's Black Issues Forum.)

Scene & Heard
Winston-Salem Journal, June 24, 2012
Winston-Salem's patrons for the arts gathered at the Milton Rhodes Center on June 13 to honor Ashley Gates-Jansen. Jansen, a faculty member at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and graduate of the school's premier directing class, received the Rule Breaker award from members of the No Rules Theatre Company. ...

Aeronautical engineer Jim Drake dies at 83
Winston-Salem Journal, June 22, 2012
Jim Drake, an aeronautical engineer credited with inventing windsurfing in the late 1960s, died Tuesday at his home in Pfafftown. He was 83. ... He taught a course in computer-aided design at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Projection, Lights and Staging News, June 21, 2012
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is hosting the inaugural Entertainment Innovation Conference ...

Broadway actress returns to Modesto in 'Anything Goes'
The Modesto Bee, June 21, 2012
He selected New York actor Charles Osborne from 25 actors to play the comic male lead, Billy Crocker. ... Osborne, a native of Charlotte, N.C., and recent graduate of (the University of) North Carolina School of the Arts, said he always has wanted to play Billy. ...

After high school, White went on to the UNC School of the Arts, where she studied flimmaking with a concentration in screenwriting for two years ...

Kerner stepping down at UNCSA
Winston-Salem Journal, June 21, 2012
UNC School of the Arts is looking for someone to run its School of Filmmaking. Jordan Kerner, the filmmaking dean since 2007, will step down on June 30, school officials announced Thursday. ...

Kerner to step down as film dean at UNCSA
The Business Journal, June 21, 2012
Jordan Kerner will step down as dean of the School of Filmmaking at UNC-School of the Arts at the end of month, according to an announcement. ...

PEOPLE AND PLACES - SPECIAL EVENTS: Night of dance
News Leader, June 21, 2012
Proceeds will help McIntyre return to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts to complete the last year of his Bachelor's of Fine Arts. ...

Kerner to step down as UNCSA Film Dean
North Carolina Film Office, June 21, 2012
Jordan Kerner, dean of the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) since 2007, has announced that he will step down as dean on June 30, 2012. ...

Anthony Mackie talks about ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ & more
The Daily Beast, June 20, 2012
Growing up in the South, three things you grow up: homophobic, sexist, and racist. It’s just innate and in your blood. Growing up and going to North Carolina School of the Arts and Juilliard, a lot of my friends were gay. So that’s something that I wanted to deal with and move past in my own personal life—that homophobia that I was raised with and that was prevalent in the community I grew up in. ...

Summer reading: Local releases in review
YES! Weekly, June 20, 2012
In one of the poems, “Scaping,” in this collection by UNC School of the Arts teacher Jeff Mills, he writes insightfully about an immigrant laborer holding up a plant and asking what it’s called. ...

Hobbitville
News & Record, June 20, 2012
Kathleen is a dance alumni from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts living in Berlin since 2007. ...

Mrs. Smith goes to Washington to fight human trafficking
USA Today, June 20, 2012
It's not every day that your 11-year-old wants to have a conversation about human trafficking and sex slavery. But that's exactly what happened to (School of Drama alumna '90) Jada Pinkett Smith when daughter Willow broached the topic after watching the KONY 2012 video (about a Ugandan warlord) that went viral this spring. ...

New executive director and open house
Center Theatre for the Performing Arts, June 20, 2012
The Board of Directors for the Center Theatre is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Executive Director, Angela Bonacasa. ... She has taught theatrical combat in universities and private institutions across the country, including The University of Maine at Orono and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she also served for five years as Coordinator for the National Stage Combat Workshop. ...

Cinema Under the Stars: Heroes and Legends
Vist Winston-Salem, June 20, 2012
Cinema Under the Stars is co-presented by Reynolda House and the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

UNCSA Chancellor Mauceri to conduct concerts worldwide
Winston-Salem Journal, June 20, 2012
John Mauceri, the chancellor UNC School of the Arts, will conduct several concerts around the world in the coming months, school officials announced. ...

TDA OKs biggest budget in nine years
Winston-Salem Journal, June 20, 2012
The Forsyth County Tourism Development Authority approved Tuesday its largest budget – $2.69 million for fiscal 2012-13 – since the economic downturn began in 2007. ... The other recipients were: ... "The Nutcracker" by the UNC School of the Arts ($4,500) ...

Mrs. Pinkett Smith Goes to Washington
The Root, June 19, 2012
Sitting in the audience with members of the diplomatic corps; representatives from international organizations; and her husband, Will Smith, was actress, musician and anti-trafficking activist (School of Drama alumna '90) Jada Pinkett Smith. ...

Asheville native brings his Motion Dance Theatre back to WNC
Citizen-Times, June 19, 2012
This year, Motion’s production will also feature live music, and one of the musical pieces was commissioned from Bruce Tippette, a musician in the master’s program at the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. ...

North Carolina Symphony announces 2012 Bryan Youth Concerto Competition winners
North Carolina Symphony, June 19, 2012
A student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, where he studies with Sarah Johnson, Wilkes-Kim’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s demanding Violin Concerto in D Major earned him a $300 cash prize. ...

Keen Company founder Carl Forsman named Dean of UNCSA School of Drama
Theatre Mania, June 18, 2012
Carl Forsman, founding artistic director of New York's Keen Company, has been named the new Dean of the School of Drama at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, effective July 1. …

Keen Company announces appointment of Jonathan Silverstein as new artistic director
BroadwayWorld.com, June 18, 2012
The Board of Directors of the Drama Desk and Obie Award-winning Keen Company today announced the appointment of Jonathan Silverstein as Artistic Director. Mr. Silverstein succeeds Carl Forsman, founder and Artistic Director, who has been named Dean of Drama at UNC School of the Arts, beginning July 1st. …

Jonathan Silverstein will succeed Carl Forsman as Keen Company artistic director
Playbill.com, June 18, 2012
“I started Keen Company so I could do plays I love with people I love, and as a consequence I spent the last twelve years surrounded by extraordinary amounts of talent and generosity,” Forsman said in a statement. “It has been an incredible experience, and I am so grateful to everyone who made those years possible. As I head off to my next adventure as dean of drama at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, I am thrilled that Jonathan Silverstein is prepared to take the reins.” …

A sibling odyssey, in Space
The New York Times, June 17, 2012
Staged with brio by Mallory Catlett (School of Dance, High School Class of 1987), “Space” is more streamlined and austere than the company’s previous shows but maintains its madcap humor. ...

Excitement greets this year's Eastern Music Festival
Winston-Salem Journal: Relish, June 17, 2012
Also on July 14, Ben Robinette will solo with the festival orchestra in Glazunov's Saxophone Concerto. He holds a master's degree from UNC School of the Arts. ...

Silverstein to top Keen
Variety, June 17, 2012
Jonathan Silverstein has been named the new artistic director of Keen Company, the Off Broadway troupe known for its revivals of 20th century plays. He'll replace founder and current a.d. Carl Forsman, who departs the company to become the Dean of Drama at the School of the Arts at U. of North Carolina. …

Los Angeles Times, June 16, 2012
In the days of Confucius, the Chinese did not think of music as an art. It was part of the Department of Public Administration, and the reason was simple: Music affects the way we behave. …

Veteran actors reunited for New Harmony Theatre's 'God of Carnage'
Evansville Courier Press, June 14, 2012
Raftery and Moore, then students at Illinois Wesleyan University, already knew each other when they found themselves rehearsing, commuting and performing alongside Pyle, a theater student from the North Carolina School of the Arts, in Wasserman's 1993 productions of "Young Abe Lincoln" and "Big River" at Lincoln State Park in Lincoln City, Ind. ...

With his students away for the summer, Michael Myer's labs at UNC School of the Arts are unusually quiet and clean, free of plaster dust and student works that are normally in progress. ...

WIU student to present a graduate horn recital
Canton Daily Ledger, June 13, 2012
Mr. Rush will be assisted by Collaborative Pianist Dr. Minjung Seo. ... Ms. Seo has served as a staff pianist at the UNC School of the Arts, Winston-Salem, NC, Meadowmount Summer Festival, Westport, NY, the Banff Centre, Canada and the Heifetz International Music Institute, New Hampshire. ...

Charlotte, a role fit for a queen
Charlotte Observer, June 13, 2012
Christy Pleasant stands in a private room at Queens University of Charlotte. With a soft yet intentional stare, she says “we are pleased” a few times to perfect her British-tinged accent. ... Education: Studied drama at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. ...

Susie wraps in Winston-Salem: Independent drama recounts tragedy and triumph
YES! Weekly, June 13, 2012
As for the title role, Susie takes center stage. ... What’s more, joked Laura Hart McKinny, one of the film’s producers, “Susie was the easiest actor to work with!” The project, which was entirely locally financed thanks to a grant from the Randall B. Terry Charitable Foundation and investors who matched the grant, came together in less than a year’s time. The majority of the film’s crew was comprised of graduates from the UNCSA School of Filmmaking, where McKinny is a faculty member. ...

Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, June 12, 2012
Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet Founding Artistic Director Marcia Dale Weary today announced the appointment of (UNCSA alumnus and guest faculty member) Nicholas Ade as school principal and faculty member effective September 1, 2012. …

A decade of dance
The Apex Herald, June 11, 2012
Infinity Ballet student Teresa Bowden has been accepted into an American Ballet Theatre summer program at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Through Exploring the Arts' "Tony Bennett Scholarship" program 43 12th graders at ETA Partner Schools in New York City - all public high schools - will be awarded funds to help pay for their freshman year at 4-year colleges. Recipients will be attending such liberal arts colleges and conservatories as Rhode Island School of Design, The Boston Conservatory, Spelman College, Smith College, New York University, and University of North Carolina School of the Arts, along with a variety of CUNY and SUNY schools. ...

OUT at the Movies, June 10, 2012
We will screen SORDID LIVES on Saturday, July 14th, 7:00 PM @ UNCSA’s ACE Theatre Complex. ...

Netflix has added some new shows to its lineup of streaming TV shows, including one with a star from UNC School of the Arts. Bridget Regan, a 2004 alumna of UNCSA's School of Drama, was one of the stars of "Legend of the Seeker," a syndicated, fantasy-adventure series. ...

Opening at La MaMa on East Fourth Street in New York City this weekend is “Escape,” Susan Mosakowski’s play in which three dramas occur simultaneously in adjacent rooms on the same stage. .... As The New York Times said this week, “The director, (UNCSA School of Drama alumna '05) Gaye Taylor Upchurch, has her work cut out for her." ...

As far as Jada Pinkett Smith is concerned, big is beautiful. In the “Madagascar” movies, the actress’ alter ego, Gloria the hippo, might be a smidge over her ideal weight, but Pinkett Smith is proud of the fact that Gloria is never less than comfortable in her own skin. ... A native of Baltimore, the actress studied dance and acting at the Baltimore School of the Arts and North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Statewide, the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture topped $1.2 billion, with 43,605 full-time jobs supported. ... Forsyth County is home to UNC-School of the Arts and Winston-Salem rebranded itself the “City of Arts and Innovation” several years ago. ...

Ms. de Brunner received her musical education at the North Carolina School of the Arts and Manhattan School of Music, and studied with the first bassoonists of the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. ...

Maui teenager (and UNCSA School of Dance student) Jade Direnfeld is one of 15 young Americans to be selected to study at the renowned Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow this summer. ...

(UNCSA School of Drama alumnus) J.T. Rogers is an American playwright who specializes in globe-trotting, politically charged plays. ...

“It’s incredibly well-written,” said (UNCSA School of Drama alumna '09) Rachel Wallace, who plays Mary Poppins in this national tour, by telephone. “It definitely has all of the music and characters you love from the film. But the characters you met in the film have slightly different journeys. It really stands on its own. And it’s funny – that’s one of the things that Julian Fellowes does so well.” ...

The musical roots that were planted in the South spread far and wide. ... That heritage will be celebrated this weekend at the first Music Academy of the American South (MAAS). The event, which will run Friday through Sunday, will include performances and workshops by noted musicians on the campus of the UNC School of the Arts and at Old Salem. ...

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) and the Kenan Institute for the Arts announce the Music Academy of the American South (MAAS), a new summer program that will celebrate the music of the American South through dynamic performances and workshops by noted musicians. ...

The Music Academy of the American South is presented by the UNC School of the Arts and the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts . Events will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the UNCSA campus and at Old Salem. ...

Ballet program continues at Jacobs
Indiana Daily Student, June 6, 2012
Approaching her senior year of high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Shelby Finnie, 17, plans to audition for the Jacobs School of Music when the time comes. ...

“The school is obviously a creative conservatory with a rich scene around it. Take someone in North Carolina, like Martha Bassett or Matt Kendrick; they’ll wake up and play a gospel gig, they’ll go play a folk festival, then they’ll play a jazz gig at night,” Poindexter said. ...

As a young girl growing up on Maui, Jade Direnfeld said, ballet "sounded like fun," as she could dance with a pink tutu and tiara on stage. But several years later, the Kula teenager has now turned that once fun activity and hobby into a career pursuit and will spend the summer at the renowned Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. ... Direnfeld is ready to take on the hard physical and mental work in Russia, as she has already undergone many long days as a student in the school of dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she will be a high school junior this upcoming school year. ...

Moving on up
Bold Life, June 3, 2012
For Creation of Dance, Kepley is choreographing a new ballet with an original piano composition by UNC School of the Arts graduate Bruce Tippette. ...

John Mueller, who used to teach organ at Salem College and UNC School of the Arts, said tracker-action organs are more responsive to a player's touch than electro-pneumatic organs. ...

(The American Dance Festival) will take place in Durham and Raleigh from June 14 through July 28, showcasing many of the world's leading dance companies and choreographers, including Helen Simoneau, a UNC School of the Arts alumna. ...

(UNCSA Faculty member) Conductor James Allbritten, a frequent company collaborator, inspired a high level of musical expression and accuracy from the small orchestra -- basically Colorado Springs Philharmonic principals. ... Another company stalwart, (UNCSA Faculty member) stage director Steven LaCosse, was spot on with his dramatic choices. ...

The star of a new movie being shot in Winston-Salem today wandered backstage posing with cast and crew for photos commemorating the last day of filming, and wagging her tail.

Susie – a vibrant 3-year-old pit bull mix from Greensboro who survived a brutal attack as a puppy – is the focus of "Susie," a movie with a cast and crew that was predominantly local. It was all to tell the story of how Susie bounced back from near-death, and inspired changes in laws about how animal cruelty is punished. ... Susie plays herself as an adult dog in the movie, while a younger dog with bandages and a $70,000 animatronic puppy are used to depict scenes of her rescue and rehabilitation. Those scenes, depicting the terrible injuries and the intricate surgery needed to save Susie, were grueling to shoot, but "you got a sense of the power of her perseverance," said Laura Hart McKinny, the film's executive producer, who is a faculty member at UNC School of the Arts. ... Michael Lee Garrett, an alumnus of UNCSA, is one of the producers of "Susie." He said that more than 90 percent of the film's staff – which included 85 crew members and 30 cast members – were either from the area or had local ties, many of them alumni of UNCSA. ...

They gathered in the ballroom: 152 elite technicians from schools across the country poised to spring into action and go for the gold. ... The award for Best Performing Team ... once again went to the reigning champions, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Making It Happen: Labor of Love
Dance Magazine, June 2012
Prior to the spring of 2005, Celia Rowlson-Hall was virtually unaware that she possessed three extraordinary abilities: one, that she could fundraise like a champ; two, that she could galvanize an entire student body to altruistic action; and three, that she could inspire her peers to continue on such a worthy quest in her absence. During her junior year at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, in Winston-Salem, the dance major learned of a nonprofit committed to helping rape victims that was in need of funding. ...

Casting News for THE PRODUCERS at the Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Bowl, May 30, 2012
Tony Award winning Broadway veterans (School of Drama alumnus) Gary Beach and Roger Bart, who both starred in the original production of “The Producers” as well as the 2005 film adaptation, will recreate their roles of Roger De Bris and Carmen Ghia for the Hollywood Bowl production. ... The Musical Director for THE PRODUCERS at the Hollywood Bowl is (frequent School of Drama guest artist) Kevin Stites. ...

The maker of precision-engineered architectural lighting fixtures, Lucifer Lighting Company, has announced that its founder and chief executive officer, Gilbert Lang Mathews, has been given the special designation of Honorary AIA membership (Hon. AIA) by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). ... He is also a member of the Board of Visitors of the North Carolina School of the Arts.

The arts council is working with its artistic director Ron Thompson. Thompson is a professor at North Carolina School of the Arts and he is helping to set up the gala and performances. ...

Plucked – or – no bowing [or scraping] allowed!

CVNC.org, May 27, 2012

The third concert of the Magnolia Baroque Festival took place in Watson Hall, an acoustical and architectural gem on the campus of the University of North Carolina’s School of the Arts. ...

A well-grounded performance from a full roster of the Magnolia Baroque Festival

CVNC.org, May 26, 2012

Performances with a lot of excerpts and composers are the most challenging to review and only the delight and unbuttoned fun of this second Magnolia Baroque Festival concert outweighs the dread of wrestling with details. ...

'A Quick 5' with Joe Isenberg

MD Theatre Guide, May 26, 2012

Joe Isenberg is a very versatile individual. He is currently preparing to open in Suicide, Incorporated with No Rules Theatre Company which begins performances on May 30th. ... Joe is a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts school of drama. ..

Carl Forsman named drama dean at UNC School of the Arts

Winston-Salem Journal, May 25, 2012

UNC School of the Arts has a new drama dean. Carl Forsman, a noted stage director and producer, will take over leadership of UNCSA's School of Drama beginning July 1, school officials announced Friday. ...

The biennial Magnolia Baroque Festival is back, and better than ever with world renowned early music soloists and an entire week of fascinating programs from Friday, May 25, through the 31st in Winston-Salem. ...

John and Susan Gates of Winston-Salem have received the 2012 Giannini Society Award from UNC School of the Arts. They were recognized for "their passion and dedication" to UNCSA. ...

When Janet Kuester picked up a newspaper and read that (UNCSA School of Music alumnus) Quinton Morris, a nationally acclaimed chamber musician and teacher, was originally from Park Forest, she said, “I about fell over.” ...

(UNCSA School of Dance alumnus) Jonah Bokaer, who has been making artistic waves on the international dance circuit since he began choreographing almost ten years ago, will be seen both close-up and afar in these coming months: outdoors at the Avignon Festival in France (July 20–22, 24–26) and indoors at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket, MA (August 1–5) when he and Bolshoi Ballet star David Hallberg perform together in the world premiere of Bokaer’s “CURTAIN.” ...

Complete Cast Announced for U.S. Tour of ‘War Horse’
Theater Advisor, May 14, 2012
Also featured in the touring company are ... Patrick Osteen (School of Drama, BFA Class of 2011) ... and Danny Yoerges (School of Drama, BFA Class of 2009). ...

It's not unusual for American painter (UNCSA Visual Arts Program alumnus) Evan Wilson to spend as much time researching the details of a subject as he does actually painting it. ...

Three o’clock in the morning. It’s quiet and there’s no one around. A dim light emanates from beneath the studio door. Inside, among scattered books and photos, Damian Stamer puts the finishing touches on a painting titled Matinee, in which a remnant of a barn appears through a mysterious portal. ... A product of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Stamer drew inspiration as a youth from contemporary painters such as Robert Rauschenberg. ...

She’s a beloved national figure in the U.S. and also in her native Uruguay, with her superhuman seeming spins and turns in the air. But there was a time when dancer (UNCSA School of Dance alumna) María Riccetto didn’t want to take a leap of faith. ...

Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Maria Lopez De Leon - Member, National Council on the Arts
• Emil J. Kang – Member, National Council on the Arts

Emil J. Kang is the Executive Director for the Arts and Professor of the Practice of Music at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. ... Mr. Kang ... is a member of both the Nominating Committee of the International Society for the Performing Arts and Board of Advisors of the Kenan Institute for the Arts at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

If you're going to put on a show, it's good to have some friends around to help you out. If your friends include dance luminaries like (UNCSA School of Dance alumna) Camille A. Brown and the principal dancers of the Atlanta Ballet, all the better. "It's a big party," says emerging Atlanta choreographer (UNCSA School of Dance alumnus) Juel D. Lane of his up-coming dance show .... Lane himself will perform a short solo in addition to showcasing two pieces at the performance. The Atlanta Ballet will perform excerpts from his hip-hop inflected work "Moments of Dis," and his students from North Carolina School of the Arts, where he currently teaches as part of a year-long residency, will perform the work "Touch and Agree." ...

With "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" writer David Rambo giving the commencement address, something was bound to happen Sunday during UNC School of the Arts' graduation ceremony. ...

The Music Academy of the American South, a new program of performances and workshops showcasing the region's indigenous musical styles in a kind of melting pot, will begin June 8 at UNC School of the Arts and Old Salem Museums and Gardens. ...

The UNC School of the Arts' board of trustees voted Thursday to begin work on four new buildings, setting off a construction boom that will last until the second half of 2013. ...

Harper Perennial, the literary fiction imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, today announced the release of an animated trailer to promote THE ART OF WAR: A GRAPHIC NOVEL by Kelly Roman and (UNCSA School of Filmmaking alumnus) Michael DeWeese. The book, edited by Will Hinton, is scheduled for release on July 31, 2012. ...

The summer movie season is an annual tradition, and likewise at the School of Filmmaking at the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. This Thursday and Friday, the school will be presenting its third- and fourth-year student films — and you’re invited. ...

Two alumni of UNC School of the Arts were among the nominees for the 2012 Tony Awards, which were announced Tuesday. ...

The screening program features a selection of short sponsored and educational films from the $25-million dollar film and video archive donated by the Kleins to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Banana Bag & Bodice Presents the World Premiere of SPACE//SPACE, 6/14-7/1
BroadwayWorld.com, April 30, 2012
BANANA BAG & BODICE presents the World Premiere of SPACE//SPACE. Text by Jason Craig. Directed by Mallory Catlett (School of Dance, High School Class of 1987). Previews begin June 8 at The Collapsable Hole in Williamsburg. Opening is set for June 14. ...

Beck has two from the previous marriage. Laurie is a photographer in Philadelphia, John a professor of percussion at the North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

He is a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts and the Credit Union Management School at the University of Georgia. A concert singer, he has performed in professional concerts throughout Western Europe and the East Coast in the United States. ...

She did, after a childhood in church and school plays and a degree from what’s now called the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, in Winston-Salem. ...

The program will be moderated by Dale M. Pollock, former dean of the School of Filmmaking at UNC School of the Arts. ...

What kinds of professional films might emerge in the near future? There will be a few hints at the screenings of short films by third- and fourth-year students in the School of Filmmaking at UNC School of the Arts. ...

UNC School of the Arts this June will host the Music Academy of the American South, a new program of performances and workshops, school officials announced Friday. ...

Ian has studied acting at the UNC School of the Arts, the Stagedoor Manor performing arts training center in New York, and with Carolina Actor's Group, a local acting school that is run by Burgess Jenkins. "He's like my mentor," Ian said of Jenkins. ...

Among the soloists is Joshua Collier, a lyric tenor known to many in the Wilmington area for his musical theater performances and solo work in churches. Collier studied at Cape Fear Community College before being accepted at University of North Carolina School of the Arts' Fletcher Opera Institute. ...

Lackey is currently a Senior at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She hopes to open her own professional dance company one day. ...

A graduate of Walton High School, she is currently a Senior at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). Her passion is Performing Artists Serving Society in Our Neighborhoods, and she is a dancer who wants to one day own her own professional dance company. ...

Heather Maze is a member of the company. “I’ve been dancing since I was a little kid,” she notes. “I went to the North Carolina School of Arts when I was 15, which is a difficult school to get into.” ...

Austin McCormick holds a BFA from the Juilliard School and is a graduate of The Conservatory of Baroque Dance. He is an alumnus of the Harid Conservatory and North Carolina School of the Arts. In 2006, he founded Company XIV, a dance/theatre troupe based in Brooklyn, hailed by Black Book Magazine as an ‘Icon Of The Future.’ ...

Director Alecia Adams Evans has worked as a conductor and vocal coach for children for over 25 years. She is a known theatrical performer and holds degrees from the North Carolina School of the Arts and the San Francisco Conservatory. ...

The 10-day festival concluded with a screening at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts of director Fred Schepisi’s adaptation of Patrick White‘s novel The Eye of the Storm. ...

In addition to the police department and sheriff's office, officers from the Kernersville Police Department, Forsyth County Animal Control, Winston-Salem State University, UNC School of the Arts, and Wake Forest University take part in the service. ...

A native of Ashville, N.C. and a 1998 graduate of UNC School of the Arts, which also is located in Winston-Salem, Schneider was feted after a screening of Bright Star, Jane Campion’s 2009 feature about the love affair between poet John Keats and dressmaker Fanny Brawne, in which Schneider plays the poet Charles Armitage Brown. ...

He spoke about his time at the School of the Arts, where he studied editing and thought about a career in documentary editing, before starting to act in fellow student David Gordon Green’s short films (and later in Gordon Green’s acclaimed George Washington and All The Real Girls, which Schneider co-wrote). ...

So have staff from the center and Old Salem Museum & Gardens, as well as students and instructors from UNC School of the Arts and Wake Forest University, who shot footage of gunsmiths at work in Old Salem. ...

RiverRun wrapped up its 14th year with the awards ceremony Sunday on the campus of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The festival started April 13 and included more than 140 films shown in seven venues. ...

You just might unleash an unforgettable performance of Larry Keigwin's "Kingdom," which dancers from UNC School of the Arts are delivering as part of "Spring Dance" at the Stevens Center. ...

Schneider, an Asheville native, went on to study at the UNC School of the Arts. He has worked extensively in front of the camera as an actor and behind the scenes, as a production assistant, editor and even director. ...

More than 10 years later, Campion, a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts, traveled to England to film a role in the Campion-directed “Bright Star.” ...

One aspect of the RiverRun International Film Festival that many people enjoy is the fact that it gives them a chance to see local, student-made films. And this year they're not just coming from the UNC School of the Arts. ...

Martha Stephens, a graduate of the UNC School of the Arts, is looking forward to coming back to Winston-Salem this week. ...

(From foreground) Audrey Bay, Ashley Canupp and Victoria Hall, ballet students at UNC School of the Arts, rehearse for Act II of Swan Lake on Thursday in Winston-Salem, N.C. ...

[The team from UNCSA took home the iron skillet., and UNCSA will host next years competition.]

Anthony Sigler, a college freshman, is studying ballet at UNC School of the Arts. But during the school's annual "Spring Dance" presentation at the Stevens Center, he will straddle two radically different worlds. He is playing von Rothbart, the evil sorcerer, in Act II of Peter Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," and he will appear in José Limón's "The Unsung." ...

Richard Goode, one of the great virtuoso pianists of our time, will perform Saturday in Watson Hall at UNC School of the Arts. Wade Weast, the school's music dean, provided two good reasons to attend the performance, which will feature several pieces by Robert Schumann (1810-56) and Frederic Chopin (1810-49). ...

Nate Meyer's short senior-year film was among the first movies to be shown at the cinemas on the campus of UNC School of the Arts. ...

But as Greensboro native and UNC School of the Arts graduate Nate Meyer will tell you, giving an old genre a new spin is one of the joys of filmmaking. ...

She studied classical guitar at North Carolina School of the Arts during the day, while singing standards at clubs around the region at night until she matriculated to the New School. Where singing jazz provided an edgy identity for her in high school, “going to jazz school takes all the rebelliousness out of it,” she notes. These days, Stevens is making up her own rules. ...

While at Aquinas High School, Buzzell performed in school productions of West Side Story and The Teahouse of the August Moon. After graduating in 1983, he headed to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He later lived in New York and Los Angeles while pursuing an acting career. ...

[Features SEE GIRL RUN by Nate Meyer and PILGRIMS SONG by Martha Stephens and Karrie Crouse.]

[Mentions School of Filmmaking faculty member Dale Pollock and alumni Paul Schneider, Zene Baker, Nate Meyer, Martha Stephens and Karrie Crouse]

She is presently on the faculty of the North Carolina School of the Arts and New York University. Paul Sharpe, originally from Anchorage, is presently an artist/teacher of double bass at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Kicking off this Friday, in Winston-Salem at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, this year's RiverRun offers the strongest lineup yet. ...

Hough has a bachelor's degree in theater from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

It was surprisingly easy. "We could have pitched a show about a guy blowing his nose," said McBride who met Hill at the North Carolina School of the Arts, which had just founded a film school. ...

"I left Lake Weir my junior year to attend the North Carolina School of the Arts. I was a dancer. However, all of my sisters graduated from Lake Weir," she noted. ...

If you missed the earlier broadcasts of UNC School of the Arts' all-school production of "Oklahoma!," you have another chance this week. ...

Students from the North Carolina School of the Arts gathered to shoot a movie titled ‘There’s Always Next Year” in a locally owned field. Josh Barker, who is a second-year film student and former resident of Jonesville and graduate of Elkin High School, wrote the screenplay. ...

Films will also be shown at the Stevens Center, a/perture Cinema, University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Hanesbrands Theater and Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts. ...

A Hudson native, Kaye studied dance and voice locally, trained at the N.C School of the Arts, and then earned a bachelor’s degree in theater at the University of Houston. ...

Another, “To Be Remembered” from Kelley Katzenmeyer of North Carolina School of the Arts, centers on a mysterious girl who’s fallen in love with a boy who constantly forgets her name. ...

Stinson holds a bachelor’s in fine art in technical theater from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. She also earned a master’s degree in theater from Miami University of Ohio and a master’s in fine arts in playwriting from Spalding University. ...

This performance of Shakespeare’s comic portrayal of two intertwined pairs of lovers who meet (and mete out) treachery, buffoonery, deception, but eventually, a happy ending, is testimony to the richness that the University of NC’s School of the Arts brings to the Triad, and to the high ideals it serves. Repeat performances will take place Thursday, April 5 through Sunday, April 8. ...

Coming up April 19-22 at the Stevens Center the University of NC School of the Arts presents Spring Dance 2012. ...

Like the Thomas Hart Benton-style paintings that adorn the set's enormous Mobius strip, the dialogue and acting in "Babbitt" have a stylized and slightly cartoonish quality. The play, a world premiere adaptation by David Rambo of Sinclair Lewis' 1922 novel, opened Wednesday night at UNC School of the Arts. ...

In the latter, he’s Uncle Ben, head of a clan of mountain throwbacks who live on moonshine and human flesh. Says he, “Four years at N.C. School of the Arts. Welcome to show business … college boy.” ...

Asbury, a critically acclaimed guitarist, has appeared on concert stages throughout the United States, Europe and Central America. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the North Carolina School of the Arts and Masters and Doctorate Music degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. ...

Writers will get a mentoring session with Jim Lauderdale, a UNC School of the Arts graduate, and will compete on the Austin Stage at MerleFest on April 27. Judging is based on a song's originality, lyrics, melody and overall commercial potential. ...

On Wednesday, college juniors at UNC School of the Arts will premiere "Babbitt," David Rambo's adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' 1922 novel satirizing American materialism and consumerism. ...

A small pit orchestra of excellent musicians is accompanying UNC School of the Arts' current production of "Much Ado About Nothing," performing the American premiere of the incidental score that Erich Wolfgang Korngold composed for a performance in Vienna when he was just 22. ...

Dale M. Pollock is the former dean of the film school at UNC School of the Arts, where he now teaches film studies. ...

Don’t miss this performance of Shakespeare’s humorous rendering of two intertwined pairs of lovers with treachery, buffoonery, and eventually, a happy ending. Further performances will take place through Sat., Apr. 7, in De Mille Theater on the UNCSA campus in Winston-Salem. ...

Big changes are coming to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. After several years of planning, $50 million worth of bond-funded facilities are scheduled to be built this summer. The plans include a library and film school building. The expansion, which is one of the largest in UNCSA's history, will help students who are increasingly using digital equipment for productions. ...

“I didn't know anything prior to Assad. They never taught us that. It doesn't exist, and people who talk about it are either in prison or beautiful America.” After high school he received a full scholarship to the U.S. and went to North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Wade Wilson, chair of the editing and sound faculty in the School of Filmmaking at UNCSA, is in the early stages of planning a joint program between UNCSA and N.C. State University that would allow students from both schools to collaborate on gaming efforts. ...

After several years of planning, the University of North Carolina-School of the Arts in Winston-Salem is moving forward on plans to construct nearly $50 million worth of bond-funded facilities this summer, including a library and film school building. ...

A momentous confluence of events will bring a world premiere and an American premiere to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) the weekend of April 5-7. ...

Zach Laws, 22, and Edward Varne, 26, seniors in the School of Filmmaking at UNC School of the Arts, credit the importance of collaboration in their work. ...

After working with Corman, Bogdanovich went on to make such classic films as "The Last Picture Show," "Paper Moon" and "The Cat's Meow." He is now on the faculty at the UNC School of the Arts, where he teaches two classes, one on the works of classic directors and the other deconstructing his own films. ...

Gregory Baker of the N.C. School of the Arts will survey the career of Robert Siodmak, the German-born film noir specialist who directed such Hollywood classics as “The Spiral Staircase” and “The Killers” with Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. ...

Page Views recently caught up with Bogdanovich (whose other films include “The Last Picture Show,” “Paper Moon,” “Saint Jack, “ and “What’s Up, Doc?”), speaking to him from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he’s taught since 2010. ...

Parrish, who grew up in Roxboro, is a graduate of the N.C. School of the Arts with a degree in drama. She founded the Sonnet Repertory Theatre in New York and has been pursuing a master's degree in fine arts at Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts in Pittsburgh. ...

Beginning Thursday, college seniors at UNC School of the Arts will present the first American performances of "Much Ado" to use Korngold's score in a fully staged production. John Mauceri, UNCSA's chancellor, will conduct, recalling a time when the best composers in Europe wrote incidental music for plays, many by Shakespeare. ...

This afternoon, students at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts are collecting non-perishable food items. They hope to collect 250,000 pounds of food. All donations will go to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina. ...

Faculty from UNC School of the Arts were involved as well. Wade Wilson was a sound designer for the film, and worked from his home. ...

UNC School of the Arts provided interns for "The Hunger Games," and alumni and faculty worked on the movie. Among them was Wade Wilson, the chairman of the editing and sound faculty of the School of Filmmaking. He served as a sound editor on the film and worked in postproduction, adding sounds such as footsteps and background noises in wilderness scenes that make up a large part of the story. ...

Winston-Salem is home to the North Carolina School of the Arts, which has produced artists who call North Carolina home and are filming here. ...

When some students and faculty of the UNC School of the Arts watch “The Hunger Games,” they’ll look back at a busy but incredible summer of work. ...

But the popular young adult trilogy also has a tie to the Triad: Several students, faculty members and alumni from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem participated in the film, providing everything from sound effects to production help. ...

Namminga is a collaborative pianist who works regularly with vocalists, instrumentalists and choirs. Additionally, she has experience with chamber ensembles and dance accompanying for ballet. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Sioux Falls and Master of Music degree in collaborative piano from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where she was awarded Most Outstanding Performer. ...

Lane’s love of dancing led him to the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he graduated from in 2002. ...

Biechler's stage credits include performing with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, founding the Edge Theater with fellow North Carolina School of the Arts classmates Peter Hedges, Mary-Louise Parker and Joe Mantello and appearing Off-Broadway in Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding. ...

Almost half the roles were filled by students of UNCSA's A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute. But the students, particularly Richard Ollarsaba as the Rev. John Hale and Kristen Schwecke as Abigail Williams, more than held their own with the professionals. ...

John Evans Reese, a 2010 UNC School of the Arts graduate, is playing Peter. He said that in order to get audiences to believe that he and the other actors are kids on the cusp of puberty, they had to completely unleash their imaginations. ...

The ballroom at Embassy Suites was filled with world-class talent on Friday night during a tribute dinner for Robert Ward. Ward, an internationally recognized composer, won the Pulitzer Prize for "The Crucible" and served as chancellor at UNC School of the Arts from 1967 to 1974. . . . John Mauceri, the current chancellor for UNCSA, and Frank Dickerson, the executive director for Piedmont Opera, spoke about Ward's long and impressive career and about his contributions to the Winston-Salem community. ...

Our guest today is Piedmont composer Ken Frazelle. He's also an instructor in music composition at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Last year, his piece for choreographer Bill T. Jones' "Still/Here" was featured on the PBS broadcast of the Kennedy Center Honors. ...

Even so, it is rare for anyone to try to "revive" any aspect of a historically significant theatrical performance, even one as durable as its décor. Why should this be so? I found out when I watched a video of a version of "Oklahoma!" that was mounted last spring by the gifted students of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and subsequently telecast on North Carolina's public-television stations. ...

Korngold champion, and University of NC School of the Arts Chancellor John Mauceri will conduct the American premiere performed by members of UNCSA’s Schools of Drama and Music March 29-April 7, with evening performances at 8:00pm and weekend matinees at 2:00pm in the Agnes de Mille Theatre on the UNCSA campus in Winston-Salem. ... [Part 2]

Last year Robert Ward was the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors. He was presented the award by current UNCSA Chancellor John Mauceri. Robert Ward himself was the Chancellor of the then North Carolina School of the Arts from 1967 until 1975. ... [Part 2]

Qualifying productions can receive a 25 percent tax credit on in-state spending for goods, services and labor. We have diverse locations that can meet the needs of many productions. And, with the UNC School of the Arts here, we have talent to spare. ...

But it did for 24-year-old Benjamin Coalter, who trained in ballet and modern dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Mr. Coalter didn't initially make the last callback...

During her junior year at Mount Airy High, Wood and her father visited Family Weekend at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). Their goal was to view conservatories she could attend after graduating high school. What they found was an option accessible much sooner. ...

"Robert Siodmak - His Career and Contributions to Film Noir" by Gregory Baker (North Carolina School of the Arts)
Baker explores Siodmak's career from UFA through Hollywood and beyond, uncovering important influences on his directorial style and examining how that style benefited his considerable body of work in the film noir genre.

Five faculty members at UNC School of the Arts received Excellence in Teaching Awards. They are Eric Larsen, School of Music; Joe Lopina, School of Filmmaking; Kelly Maxner, School of Drama; Nancy Streblow, High School Academic Program; and Will Taylor, School of Design and Production's Visual Arts Program. ...

Actor Paul Schneider, a graduate of University of North Carolina School of the Arts, will receive the festival’s Emerging Master Award, following a screening of his film Bright Star on April 20. ...

Actor Paul Schneider, an Asheville native who graduated from the UNC School of the Arts' School of Filmmaking in 1998, will receive this year's Emerging Master award. He has appeared in such films as "Lars and the Real Girl" and "All the Real Girls" as well as the TV series "Parks and Recreation." His 2009 movie "Bright Star," directed by Jane Campion, will be screened during the festival. ...

While it's not his first artistic director role - he has been dean of the School of Dance for the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and artistic director of Ballet Pacifica in California - he says he's still settling in and getting to know people. ...

Ward, a resident of Durham, was the top administrator at UNCSA from 1967-74, starting out as its president and then becoming its chancellor, after the top administrator's title changed. He taught composition at UNCSA from 1975-79; after that, he taught at Duke University until his retirement in 1987. ...

Shteinberg is a native of Moscow and studied at the Gnessin Special School of Music. He holds a doctorate from the Manhattan School of Music, and is an artist teacher of piano at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

On March 16, 18 and 20, 2012, Piedmont Opera, in collaboration with the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, will present The Crucible, a tale of lust, pride, revenge, and power set against the backdrop of the Salem witch trials of the late 17th-Century. ...

"I left home at 17 and went to this arts conservatory in North Carolina (North Carolina School of the Arts)," Reynolds said in his slight Southern drawl. "I studied for a year to become an actor. And I was really, really bad." ...

In addition to the state officials, several North Carolina natives and graduates of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts are also at the festival screening their films and participating on panels. ...

Seivers, who was born in Mount Airy in 1984, graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts’ School of Filmmaking in Winston-Salem in 2006. He majored in editing and sound. He now lives in California and serves as CEO and supervising sound editor of a company called Snapsound located in North Hollywood. ...

When Colin Donnell took a leave from the Cole Porter musical to star in the Encores! revival of Merrily We Roll Along earlier this winter, English — a North Carolina School of the Arts alumnus with regional credits and a stint in Roundabout Theatre Company's Twentieth Century — jumped in. ...

Raleigh-based Ed Stephenson is a native of Toronto, Canada, who directs the Guitar Studies program at Meredith College. He began his undergraduate studies at the Peabody Conservatory, and completed his formal academic degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

To this day both the play and the opera remain highly recognized and revered. Presenting one of the most successful adaptations of theatre, Piedmont Opera brings home Robert Ward’s The Crucible in collaboration with the AJ Fletcher Opera Institute of the UNC School of the Arts. Ward was the Chancellor of the School of the Arts from 1967-1975. ...

Often compared to Leonardo DiCaprio, the talented Dehaan (School of Drama alumnus) has a knack for playing moody young men. ...

Piedmont Opera's next production is creating a buzz. The company, along with singers from the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at UNCSA, will present the local premiere of Robert Ward's "The Crucible" from March 16-20. For tickets, see www.piedmontopera.org or call (336) 725-7101. Ward, who was UNCSA's first chancellor, won the Pulitzer Prize for "The Crucible" in 1962. ...

Ron Stacker Thompson, who also teaches screenwriting at UNC School of the Arts, served as the program's emcee and dancer. ...

Silver learned the piano at a young age and his first public performance came at the age of 11, when he joined his father and another musician at a concert hosted by the arts association in High Point, N.C., where his father was co-founder and director. He studied piano and composition at North Carolina-Chapel Hill, attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, went to acting school and audio engineering school, wrote for musical theatre and ran a company that created jingles for commercials. ...

She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, School of Filmmaking, but says she earns her wages teaching at a rural middle school in West Virginia. As a child, she was "inundated with tall tales and folk songs," and knew she wanted to be a storyteller before realizing she wanted to be a filmmaker. ...

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) presents Shakespeare's "MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING" with ERICH WOLFGANG KORNGOLD'S COMPLETE INCIDENTAL MUSIC New Edition of Korngold's Score Prepared by Schott Music in Collaboration with World-Renowned Conductor and UNCSA Chancellor John Mauceri.

Bonacasa has taught at numerous institutions including Roosevelt University, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the University of Maine; and her fight choreography has been seen in theaters across the country. ...

Charlotte native Jonathan Hadley (School of Drama alumnus Class of 1986) was fresh out of Myers Park High School when he received his Equity card for acting, back in the early 80’s. Since then, he’s been a steadily working New York stage actor including stints on Broadway and on National Tours. ...

With a run of eight performances opening on March 29, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts presents the US premiere of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s complete incidental music to Much Ado About Nothing conducted by John Mauceri. ...

Smith graduated from the N.C. School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, was a cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and is a 2001 graduate of the School of Law at Campbell University. ...

Students from the UNC School of the Arts in Winston Salem held an Oscar Ball Sunday, to help fund their dreams of becoming future filmmakers. ...

Brown was most recently program officer for the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund. Prior to that, he was the national director of Faith in Action, a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation based at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. During the 1990s he was special assistant to Chancellor Alex Ewing at the UNC School of the Arts. ...

Matt Lauria, an alumnus of UNC School of the Arts, will guest star on the next episode of "Person of Interest," a critically acclaimed crime drama. ...

As for "The Task of Doing," Simoneau, an award-winning graduate of UNCSA, said that live music is new to her, both as a performer and a choreographer. She allowed that a live performance might result in detrimental variations in tempo and other aspects of execution. ...

A Terre Haute, Ind., native, Laska-Lewis is an Indiana University graduate who studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts and Juilliard in New York. She danced with several companies in the United States and spent six years with the Israel Ballet. ...

The dancers at UNC School of the Arts have every reason to feel proud and optimistic. They are delivering one of the strongest "Winter Dance" programs in years. ...

And alumni of the UNC School of the Arts and Wake Forest University were prominently involved in four of the nine films up for best picture. None are nominated personally, but the films they worked on are up for the big prize. ...

Instructors at UNC School of the Arts are well worth the salary increases being sought by the school's trustees, but the timing is off. ...

He came to North Carolina in 1993 to join the faculty of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts where his duties now include Artistic Director of the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute in Winston-Salem, and Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Piedmont Opera, the professional opera company headquartered in the same city. ...

Burns, who graduated with honors from Ohio State University in 2007, also studied as a fellow at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts Fletcher Opera Institute, where she was a student of Dr. Marilyn Taylor. ...

Giannini enjoyed a remarkable career as a performer, composer and perhaps most especially as a music teacher. He taught at the famed Julliard and Manhattan schools of music, where many of his students would go on to prominence. He went on to found the North Carolina School of the Arts. His composing was especially well-received for vocal and operatic music. ...

Judges for the talent search were: Perret, conductor emeritus of the Winston-Salem Symphony; Matthew Troy, associate conductor of the Winston-Salem Symphony; and Dmitri Shteinberg, a member of UNC School of the Arts piano faculty. ... Colin Laursen (School of Music high school senior) of Durham, violinist, is the first-place winner in the senior division for ages 13 through the senior year of high school. ...

The center has been operating since 2007 at a temporary site in Winston Tower. It was established in 2005 as a multicampus research center of the UNC system, the result of a partnership between WSSU, UNC School of the Arts and Forsyth Technical Community College. WSSU is handling the design and building of the center, and the UNCSA will oversee its maintenance and operations. ...

For college, McBride attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, a ragtag film school far from the USC/NYU power axis. In his freshman dorm, he was flanked by Jody Hill on one side and David Gordon Green on the other; all three now collaborate on various projects, including Eastbound. ...

The entire cast sings, dances and emotes as a big raggle-taggle family. The band, led by Dennis Raley, plays well. The set by Andrew Lopina, is shabby-chic and functional. Joseph Lopina (School of Filmmaking faculty) designed the puppets, which are quite remarkable and full of personality.

High school students from the UNC School of the Arts kicked the celebration into high gear with colorful costumes, acrobatic moves and the occasional magic trick. The talented ensemble often performs at places like the Special Children's School and Brenner Children's Hospital. ...

At UNC School of the Arts, however, the audience can vote for an ending, helping to determine not only the whodunit but also the answers to several other questions, including whether Drood was murdered in the first place. That's because college seniors are reviving "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," Rupert Holmes' musical from 1985. ...

"Sad monsters" isn't the only première on this year's "Winter Dance" program. Brenda Daniels, the interim dance dean at UNC School of the Arts, has created "Partita #1," which will also receive its world première. ...

Her latest piece, called "sad monsters," will receive its world première on Thursday when "Winter Dance," an annual presentation of UNC School of the Arts, opens at the Stevens Center.

Winners of the first High School Organ Competition sponsored by UNC School of the Arts, Salem College and the Winston-Salem Chapter of the American Guild of Organists have been announced. The competition in January was part of UNCSA's Keyboard Weekend. ...

Instead, LaChapelle ran away to New York and blagged his way in to Studio 54, where cowboy costumes were all the rage. After training at the North Carolina School of Arts, he got his first job on Andy Warhol's Interview magazine. What was Warhol like? "Very funny. He reminded me of my mother." ...

Bowhers, from Virginia Beach, will receive the institute's W. Oren Parker Undergraduate Scene Design Award. Berson, from Baltimore, will receive the Makeup Design Award for graduate students. C. Murdock Lucas, who received a master's degree in scenic design from UNCSA in 2011, will receive the Scene Design Award for graduate students.

Saturday night marked the second time in as many years that Austin Taylor, a student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, took home the festival's prize for best animated film. Taylor said the festival has grown in leaps and bounds in the short time he has been attending. ...

Violinist Colin Laursen, of Durham, is among the winners of the Winston-Salem Symphony’s 2011-2012 Peter Perret Youth Talent Search competition. Laursen is the first-place winner of the senior division for ages 13 through senior year of high school. Laursen is a senior in high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studies composition. ...

Written and directed by Athol Fugard; sets by Christopher H. Barreca; costumes by Susan Hilferty; lighting by Stephen Strawbridge; sound by Brett Jarvis (School of Design and Production alumnus, Class of 1997) ...

The salaries of some instructors at UNC School of the Arts would increase by as much as 75 percent under a proposal for ranking school faculty that the school's trustees approved today. ...

The center has been operating since 2007 at a temporary site in Winston Tower. It was established in 2005 as a multicampus research center of the UNC system, the result of a partnership between WSSU, the UNC School of the Arts and Forsyth Technical Community College. WSSU is handling the design and building of the center, and the UNC School of the Arts will oversee its maintenance and operations. ...

The program included other works. A piece by Emery LeCrone (School of Dance, High School Class of 2005), “Caprice,” to two Michael Nyman pieces for solo violin, was something of a sketch, made to show off the sleekly authoritative Sarah Atkins. ...

"I got super-lucky to get tied in with David early," recalls Stone, who attended the North Carolina School of the Arts at just the right moment: Green was a year ahead of him, Craig Zobel was in the same class, and Jeff Nichols was two years behind. All three went on to have compelling directing careers, relying on Stone's unique eye. ...

From left, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan and Dane DeHaan (UNCSA School of Drama alumnus) in Josh Trank's “Chronicle,” about teenagers with superpowers. ...

She and her little sister kick the goblins and stomp on their tender feet. Yet Ms. Tharp’s Irene is a young woman (played by the 24-year-old UNCSA School of Dance alumna Alessa Rogers) rather than a child, so that she may apply the full range of classical technique. ...

James Houlik, a virtuoso saxophonist, has at least two claims to fame. One is his track record as a teacher. He has helped start the careers of many fine saxophonists, including those he taught at UNC School of the Arts from 1971 to 1996. He now teaches at the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. ...

Binkley, a native of Winston-Salem, told this story to lighting students at UNC School of the Arts late last week during a two-day visit that was organized by Norman Coates, a lighting instructor at the school. Binkley taught some classes for college juniors and seniors, and also led a forum with students. ...

Becca Stevens, 27, grew up in Winston-Salem, where she attended UNC School of the Arts. She is a singer of jazz and other styles in New York. She has been recommended in The New York Times. ...

At UNCSA, tuition and fees will go from $6,686 to $7,351, an increase of $665. ...

I loved to see her face just light up when I told her 'Mama, I'm going to Europe with the North Carolina School of the Arts Orchestra' and then she would tell people that 'Oh yes, Phillip's going over to Europe and he's going to be singing with the orgestras', which she pronounced 'orgestra' with a 'g' in it.

Brent, born Brent Bayliff, grew up in Elon. His parents, Conway “Buck” and Barbara “Babs” Bohannon Bayliff, now live in Arizona. He attended Elon Elementary School, Turrentine Middle School and went on to graduate from the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied under dance legend Duncan Noble. ...

Lluberes left Michigan to study acting at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts, then moved to New York to become a stage actor. ...

Before he said goodbye to the bright lights of his home country, Stiefel was the dean at the School of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he staged and choreographed a new version of The Nutcracker. ...

Since its inception in 1993, the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) has been a creative addition to the forty-six-year-old conservatory located in the Piedmont city of Winston-Salem, NC. For the past four years, the department has been under the leadership of Dean Jordan Kerner.

By Danai Gurira; directed by Emily Mann; sets by Daniel Ostling; costumes by Paul Tazewell (School of Design & Production alumnus, class of 1986) ...

Anyone unfamiliar with the Prism Quartet (including School of Music faculty artist Taimur Sullivan), a Philadelphia saxophone ensemble, and Music From China, a New York group formed to preserve and promote traditional Chinese music, might assume that they had precious little in common. ...

Stage director Steven LaCosse and conductor James Allbritten have worked together on 51 opera productions. So we can now draw some firm conclusions about their work, much of which has been staged at UNC School of the Arts, their employer since the early 1990s. ...

Oskar Espina Ruiz said his first solo recital at UNC School of the Arts will be like "going out for great coffee and dessert." The performance is Feb. 14 in Watson Hall on the campus of UNCSA, where Espina Ruiz started teaching clarinet in September. ...

Or they watch films about the arts, including "Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance," which Alex Ewing introduced at a screening on Jan. 30. Ewing, the chancellor of UNC School of the Arts from 1990 to 2000, also served as the Joffrey Ballet's general director for several years in the 1960s. ...

The show has some UNC School of the Arts alumni in recurring roles: Wesley Taylor, a 2008 alum who appeared in such Broadway productions as "Rock of Ages" and "The Addams Family"; and Neal Bledsoe, a 2005 alum who has had guest roles in such TV shows as "Blue Bloods," "Law & Order: SVU," "Gossip Girl" and "Ugly Betty." ...

Because of the Jacobsons' love for classical music, Shteinberg, artist teacher at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, will be performing works by J.S. Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt and Sergei Rachmaninoff. ...

This state's conservatory-level institutions provide opera lovers with opportunities to see productions of rare repertoire. The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has had a long history of fine productions, and the addition of the advanced singers from the A. J. Fletcher Opera Institute has raised the vocal standards even higher. ...

Alessa Rogers (School of Dance, High School Class of 2005), 24, a brunette with a certain knowing innocence and comely line, will perform Irene. It is her first lead. That the role was not Ms. Rogers’s from the start highlights another challenge in choreographing a story ballet: casting. As Ms. Tharp discovered early on, a preprofessional dancer couldn’t carry the part alone. ...

Some residents of the Washington Park Neighborhood Association are upset with the University of North Carolina School of the Arts' plans to demolish a historic house and build a storage warehouse, saying the project would destroy the character of the neighborhood that dates to early 20th century. ...

When the show’s run ended, Senning returned to Chesterfield County to perform with the Chesterfield Dance Center again. Soon after, he attended a boarding program for high school students at University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, N.C. ...

“My dad is like the handiest person I’ve ever met,” said Weisheimer, who in 2007 received a bachelor’s degree in technical direction from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem. ...

The Mystery of Edwin Drood was written and published by Charles Dickens (much like his other works) in episodic installments. The Drood mystery began publication in 1870, but the author did not live to complete his final installment. This month The Mystery of Edwin Drood (the interactive musical by Rupert Holmes) will finally be solved, with help from a talented cast of University of NC School of the Arts actors, and members of the audience at Performance Place, Thrust Theatre in Winston-Salem. ...

I had the great gift of knowing both Mary and Jim for nearly 40 years by virtue of going to the North Carolina School of The Arts. They were both instrumental, along with Gov. Terry Sanford, in creating the school and in their continuing and passionate support of NCSA and the Sienna, Italy, program in particular. ...

"I'd rather make movies that people will either grade with an A or an F than a C plus," said Zobel, a former Charlottean and 1999 graduate of the UNC School of the Arts School of Filmmaking in Winston-Salem. "I would prefer that the reaction be either very positive or very negative." ...

Particularly impressive was the Marcello of Joshua Conyers, a huge man in physique and voice — and a consummate actor with a splendid timbre. ...

The Durham Carolers, an African-American a cappella group, sang gospels "Amazing Grace" and "Separate the Right from the Wrong." Students from the UNC School of the Arts performed "The Impossible Dream." ...

The best that can be said about an evening spent with the choreographer Camille A. Brown (School of Dance Class of 2001) is that she knows how to hold an audience in the palm of her hand. ...

Jessup, a master's-level student at UNC School of the Arts, has designed and helped make 27 new costumes for Otto Nicolai's "The Merry Wives of Windsor," which the school's A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute will present Friday through Feb. 7 in the Stevens Center. ...

Members of the faculty of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts were joined by a gifted graduate student as they celebrated Mozart’s birthday with musical gifts. The overflow crowd delayed the concert a quarter of an hour as ushers and staff sought empty seats for the hundred or so desperate Mozart-lovers in the lobby of Watson Hall. Programs were also in short supply. ...

This week's "The Score" includes comments from Chancellor John Mauceri recorded during an earlier interview.

The UNC School of the Arts, as it is now known, in Winston-Salem, received key backing from her and her second husband of more than 50 years, surgeon Jim Semans, as they provided funds for music and dance. ...

After graduating from high school, Pyle was accepted to the prestigious North Carolina School for the Dramatic Arts in Winston-Salem, an institution known for such alumni as director David Gordon Green and actor Danny McBride. ...

Megan Stanke, a college junior studying drama at the UNC School of the Arts, will likely never play the mischievous boy on stage. But as part of her training in acting at the school, she recently improvised her way through the next best thing. ...

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts is mourning the death of one of its founders. Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans, 91, died Wednesday morning. She is remembered as a beloved friend, patron and benefactor of the school that she helped found. Semans was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. James H. Semans, who died in 2005. ...

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts also released a statement, calling Semans "the mother of UNCSA." She served as a trustee of the school of the arts for more than 20 years and was serving as an emeritus trustee at the time of her death. ....

They were patrons of the arts in North Carolina, where they were instrumental in the early days of the N.C. School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, now UNC School of the Arts. ...

Earle Gister was co-founder of the League of Professional Theatre Training Programs and a guest artist in the School of Drama in the late 1980s. He taught special workshops in acting to fourth-year Drama students.

Bill English (Billy Crocker) returns to Broadway after appearing in Roundabout’s Twentieth Century. Other credits include The Full Monty (NSMT), The Shaggs (NYMF), Dracula (Triad Stage), The Times (Sonnet Rep), The Man Who Came to Dinner (ACC). Film/Television: “Cavemen”, Outnumbered, “Melrose Place” and lots of life-enriching tv commercials. Training: BFA, UNCSA (School of Drama Class of 2002). He is honored to be a part of this amazing company. Love to Mom, Dad, John, Grandpa, Pam, and EK! ...

Craig Zobel's having a very unique Sundance year. In 2007, the North Carolina School of the Arts graduate premiered his directorial debut, "Great World of Sound," at the festival to great acclaim. That movie, about a music industry scam, established Zobel -- co-founder of popular web series "Homestarrunner" and a longtime collaborator of fellow NCSA alum David Gordon Green -- as a director to watch. ...

Andie is clearly a devoted mother. She gazes adoringly at Margaret throughout our interview and beams with pride at her daughter’s many achievements – from studying ballet at the North Carolina School of the Arts (‘It’s so hard to get into and very prestigious’) to walking the catwalk for Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti at New York Fashion Week last September (‘She did great – just great’) to her creative talents in general (‘She’s good at drawing, photography; she’s just so creative’). ...

Meet the Artists: Craig Zobel (School of Film alumnus) talks about his film "Compliance" premiering at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. ...

The A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute and University of NC School of the Arts present the Merry Wives of Windsor

The Merry Wives of Windsor set in three acts by Otto Nicolai with libretto by Hermann Salomon Mosenthal is coming to the Triad compliments of the renowned A.J. Flecther Opera Institute in Winston-Salem. ...

Unlike his characters, Lluberes did make his way out of Michigan, heading first to the North Carolina School of the Arts and then to New York, where he initially focused on an acting career (he was part of the national tour of “Dirty Dancing: The Musical”). ...

Maki Onuki, originally from Japan and the winner of a bronze medal in the 2010 International Ballet competition in Jackson, Miss., will partner with Hungarian Tamas Krizsa, who studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts, in a piece choreographed by Edwaard Liang. ... Rick McCullough (School of Dance alumnus), artistic director at the Tallahassee ballet and a frequent guest choreographer for Columbia Classical Ballet, will reprise his piece Triptych, set to the music of Philip Glass. ...

Dujardin, who bears at least a passing resemblance to such silent matinee idols as Douglas Fairbanks and John Barrymore, and the ethereal Bejo (Hazanavicius’ offscreen leading lady) are a sparkling star duo, supported in style by John Goodman (ideally cast as a blustery studio mogul), James Cromwell, Malcolm McDowell, Penelope Ann Miller, UNCSA’s own Missi Pyle, Ed Lauter, Ken Davitian, Bill Fagerbakke, Joel Murray, Nina Siemaszko and a captivating canine called Uggie. ...

It stars newcomer Deana Walker ("The Good Wife," "Gossip Girl") and was executive produced by David Gordon Green, who was a classmate of Mr. Zobel, a 35-year-old Bedford-Stuyvesant resident, at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. ...

Before graduating from the North Carolina School of the Arts, Kernan received three Ford Foundation scholarships and was the National Federation of Music Clubs winner in ballet and modern dance. ...

Along the way, Whitehouse, who is also an instructor at UNC School of the Arts, assumes a starring role. ...

All of these players are known to local fans of classical music with the possible exception of Espina Ruiz, who started teaching at UNC School of the Arts this fall. The program should interest fans of composers with ties to UNCSA. One work on the program will be "Child's Play," composed by Lawrence Dillon, who teaches at UNCSA. The other, written by Robert Ward, the school's first chancellor, will be "Night Under the Big Sky" (1997). ... [Mount, Ransom and Campbell are also UNCSA alumni.]

Best and Lackey have ties to the UNC School of the Arts. Lackey is a dance student at the school, and Best earned her high school diploma from UNCSA. ...

Best is a high school graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and also attended Eastern Wayne High School. ...

For devastating theatrical impact, it’s hard to imagine any hurricane matching the tempest that is the extraordinary Audra McDonald’s Bess at the moment she is reunited with her former lover, Crown, played by Phillip Boykin (School of Music alumnus). And no matter what they’re calling it these days — a musical, I believe — “Porgy and Bess” has suddenly risen to its natural heights as towering, emotion-saturated opera. ...

Nikki Renée Daniels and Joshua Henry deliver a sweet "Summertime," and the rest of the cast, featuring the superlative Phillip Boykin (School of Music alumnus) as Crown, is outstanding. ...

Phillip Boykin is a commanding Crown; Joshua Henry ("The Scottsboro Boys") stands out as the fisherman Jake; and NaTasha Yvette Williams is a strong Mariah, except when the adaptors give her lines written for the absent shyster lawyer, Frazier. ...

Billed as “music @ watson: Marching Home” and sub-titled, “Joseph Genualdi and Friends,” this magnificent concert which joined the forces of nine faculty members of the prestigious University of North Carolina School of the Arts will long be remembered by the large audience which filled the Watson Recital Hall on the UNCSA campus. ...

Scriabin, who proposed synesthetic connections among specific keys, colors and temperaments, included in “Prometheus” a part for a color organ, which would project colored lights during a performance. Mr. Lacombe engaged Al Crawford (UNCSA School of Design and Production Alumnus Class of 1997), the president of the lighting-design firm Arc3design, to make Scriabin’s intent manifest. ...

The cello belongs to Whitehouse, the symphony's principal cellist and an instructor at UNC School of the Arts. It will be one of several featured in "Cello-bration," a program highlighting the cello in solo and ensemble roles. ...

The Moving Image Archives at the UNCSA School of Filmmaking is any film lover’s dream come true. The Archives houses some 10,000 feature film prints, 700 trailers and more than 1,000 shorts. It’s an awesome collection that completely fills several large rooms on the UNCSA campus. ...

From left, Jermaine Terry, Samuel Lee Roberts and Antonio Douthit (School of Dance Alumnus) in “Arden Court.” [Slide 3 of 7 in photo gallery.]

Winter is the perfect time for pursuing indoor activities, and the arts community offers a blizzard of entertainment options. Perhaps a play about the "original housewives" might interest you? Or maybe something geared for young and expanding minds? Whatever your fancy, the months ahead provide plenty of opportunities in music, dance, theater and more. ...