Alumni
News

If you graduated from the Department of Theatre and Dance, we would love to hear what you are doing! Use our online form to keep us informed.

Continuing Theatre and Dance Education

  • Brian Barlow '13 is working on his MFA in Performing Arts at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). This past year, he played a reoccurring role on SCAD's new, original sitcom, The Buzz, was cast of SCAD's SCADurday Night Live, a student produced SNL type show, and was the lead in a SCAD student's film The 4 O'Clock which will now be entering in festivals around the country. He will next be appearing in a non-Union feature film this summer, In Search of Liberty.
  • Carlos Diaz '14 is pursuing a MS in Arts Management at Drexel University.
  • Tia Dorsey '13 will begin her graduate studies at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London this fall. Dorsey just completed an internship under Angie Koonin, PT, ATC and dance specialist who provides dance medicine services to dancers in Charlotte, NC as well as the North Carolina Dance Theatre.
  • Jillian Glace '08 is studying for her MA in Creative Art Therapy with a concentration/specialization in Dance/Movement Therapy at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.
  • Jonathan Haupt '09 completed his MFA in Technical Direction at the University of Connecticut. He is working for Pook, Diemont, and Ohl Inc. Theatre Equipment Contracting in Bronx, NY.
  • Darius Johnson '16 will begin his MFA in Performance studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design this fall.
  • Erica Maholmes '16 earned a graduate assistantship at Illinois State University as she pursues her MFA in Lighting Design.
  • William Morris '16 is the Developmental Theatre intern with the Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, FL upon graduation from WCU.
  • Tony Mottola '11 completed his graduate studies in acting for film at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, CA. He is now managed by Rainbow High Entertainment.
  • Michael Nguyen '10 earned his MFA in Dance at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. He is also teaching dance at various studios throughout the Philadelphia metro area and currently dancing with the Roger Lee Dance Company.
  • Mike Thatcher '09 completed his MFA in Acting at the University of Houston Professional Actor Training Program.
  • Jim Vadala '12 completed an acting apprenticeship with the Portland Playhouse in Portland, Oregon.

In Production, The Board Room, and The Classroom

  • Chelsea Barnett '16 is the Director of the Children's Theatre Camp Program at Steel River Playhouse in Pottstown, PA. In addition, she'll also be performing in American Idiot at the Ephrata Performing Arts Center this July.
  • Jessica Barth '01 was seen as Tami-Lynn in the movies "Ted" and "Ted 2", the first live-action films by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane.
  • Caitlin Brown '11 is a professional dancer for the New Jersey Devils Dance Team (NHL), and a choreographer for a semi-professional theatre company in Asbury Park, NJ.
  • Daniel Byrne '16 is a dancer at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ this summer. He was also recently cast in Exit82's production of Beauty and the Beast at The Strand Theatre in New Jersey.
  • Justine Cerruto '14 is the production assistant at Compass Rose Theatre in Annapolis, MD for their spring and summer productions.
  • Julia Charles '07 is a freelance scenic painter for local theater houses such as the Fulton Theatre, the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, and the F&M Players at Franklin & Marshall College.
  • Bridget Cook '04 is the Company Manager of the Philadelphia Theatre Company.
  • Shannon Arms Cooper '00 owns Shannon Cooper's Academy of Dance in Wagontown, PA. It opened in 2004 and educates over 300 students in all styles of dance. They also have a non-competitive performance group that does community performances, dance galas, and dance fundraisers for autism, education, and cancer research.
  • Audra Dennis '13 is a vocal instructor at The Rock & Roll After School in Phoenixville PA. Audra works with students ranging in age from 12-18 on vocal basics and performance techniques.
  • Carlos Diaz '14, Ally Greene '14 and Justin Ross '13 are working at the Music Training Center as children's theatre directors.
  • Caleb Duffy '13 will be performing in Smokey Joe's Cafe at SALT Performing Arts and choreographing Musical of the Living Dead at Bootless Stageworks. He is also teaching a jazz intensive to K-8th grade over the summer at SALT Performing Arts for their summer program Stagelight.
  • Michael Durkin '08 is the artistic director of The Renegade Company in Philadelphia, PA.
  • Brendan Flaherty '10 is working in the NBC Studio Electric Shop in Manhattan as an I.A.T.S.E. Local One Apprentice Electrician.
  • Kimberly Gilbert '98 received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for her performance work in the Washington, DC area. Gilbert garnered an Outstanding Supporting Actress nomination for her performance in Aaron Posner's "Stupid F---ing Bird," a free-spirited rewrite of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull" with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Gilbert has been a Woolly Mammoth company member since 2006. Gilbert was previously nominated in 2007 for Outstanding Lead Actress for her work in "Martha, Josie, and The Chinese Elvis," also produced by Woolly Mammoth. After completing studies at WCU, Gilbert went on to earn an MFA in Classical Acting at George Washington University in 2001. She is a member of the Actors' Equity Association.
  • Olivia Goodwin '13 is currently dancing with the Andrea Mychaels Dance Project, a modern-jazz based professional dance company located in Oaklyn, NJ, and is teaching dance at various studios in Delaware and Chester County, PA.
  • Brittany Hetherington ‘12 currently teaches at Contempro Dance Theatre in Fairless Hills, PA. She previously worked at Sesame Place (Langhorne, PA) as a performer 06-09, then became a part of their leadership team as the Assistant Manager of Performers from 09-13. She is the active Associate Treasurer for the WCU Alumni Dance Chapter.
  • Danielle Hetherington '16 performs at Sesame Place in Langhorne, PA as Cookie Monster and other characters. She dances in their daily parades and performs in seasonal events in Philadelphia on behalf of the park. She hopes to tour with Sesame Street in the near future. She is joined by Kaylee Hall '19.
  • Melissa Hurley '14 teaches ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and musical theatre at Time To Leap Dance Center in West Chester, PA full time. She is also the Vice President of WCU's Alumni Dance Chapter.
  • Kate Iezzoni '06 is the Director of Institutional Relations for The Metropolitan Opera. She oversees government, foundation, and corporate relationships for the largest cultural institution on the country.
  • Dan Kontz '11 is a free-lance designer in Video Production, Photography, Graphic Design, Theatrical Sound & Video Design in Philadelphia. Visit Dan's website for more information about his work.
  • Lauren Kutz '12 co-owns a barre studio, The Studio by Absolute Pilates, in Mechanicsburg, PA. They train teachers in their own barre program that they created called Absolute Barre. Kutz wrote the barre part of the training program and created the manual using her dance background. Barre is a fitness class based on ballet technique.
  • Vanessa Long '14 is artistic director/choreographer of her own professional dance company based in NYC (Vanessa Long Dance Company). She just finished a dance film out in LA with another alum Kristin Hector and will be working on two Off Broadway shows this fall, 7 Steps at the American Theatre for Actors in September, and Clues.
  • Judi Ludovico '84 is the Chief Entertainment Officer for the Atlantic City Alliance. She is the Creator and Producer of citywide event and entertainment activation for the $30M DO AC campaign. She managed business development, strategic planning, routing and booking for the first ever Radio City Christmas Spectacular $25M touring arena production as well as four existing theater productions. The tour consistently broke box office records with sales reaching $45M annually, making it one of the top 35 tours in sales worldwide. Creator and Executive Producer of the first ever Rockette branded dance education programs, The Rockette Summer Intensive and The Rockette Experience. The first year round event in the history of the Rockettes to reach $1M in annual revenue, have its own cable television mini-series and develop new talent. She is also the producer of the first ever vocal coaching mobile app specially designed for dancers, Singing For Dancers with Liz Caplan. App on sale now for iPhone, iTouch, iPad, and Droid. Member of AEA and AFTRA.
  • Maura McColgan '15 and Sean Vermeire '15 are touring through the greater Philadelphia area in a production of Peter Pan with Family Stages.
  • Robert McCracken '72 is a freelance actor based in Los Angeles, working mostly in television. This past year, he continued his role as Brendan Roarke on Sons of Anarchy and guest starred on Brooklyn 99 and a pilot for Amazon, Hand of God. He stays active in theatre and spent the 2005 season at The Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He directs network television, most notable Judging Amy and Any Day Now. His IMDB profile is under the name Bob McCracken.
  • Khalil McMillan '13 will next be seen in The Eagle Theatre's production of The Shape of Things next season.
  • Erica Maholmes '16 is working as a performance technician at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square this summer before heading to graduate school at Illinois State.
  • Pat Moran '14 is working at the Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, NY this summer. He is company member for the full season which includes My Fair Lady, Nice Work If You Can Get It, South Pacific, Chicago, Into The Woods, Sister Act, and The Adams Family.
  • Tony Mottola '11 won the Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival Award for LGBT Short for his graduate thesis film, UNREQUITED. It was also an official selection of the Los Angeles CineFest.
  • Bailey O'Brien '14 teaches musical theater, jazz and lyrical dance classes at Lionville School of Dance in Exton, PA. Her competition choreography has won platinum and first overall consistently and was also recognized with choreography awards this year while at competitions. Her choreography will next be seen on the studio at Hershey Park and Disney.
  • Matt Pilsner '04 works as a stage carpenter at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, NJ.
  • Ian Potter '10 is the Resident Scenic Designer for Gamut Classic Theatre/ Harrisburg Shakespeare Company. Under this title, he designs, constructs, and paints for all main stage and subsidiary productions. Ian is also an actor and theatre educator.
  • Brianna Ramalho '16 teaches ballroom dance at the Social Sport Dance Club in Willow Grove, PA.
  • Tammy Russell '01 is a coach, choreographer and instructor at the Russell's Dance and Baton Studio, with several locations in PA.
  • Alison Sharp '14 is performing The Producers at Broadway Theatre of Pitman. She is also the choreographer for Downingtown East High School's spring musicals and teaches musical theatre, ballet, and tap classes at DanceXperience in Mt. Laurel, NJ.
  • Andy Truscott '09 is the Marketing and Development Manager at Delaware Theatre Company, Delaware's only LORT Equity House. Truscott was recently awarded the Region II Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Gold Medallion, the organization's most prestigious award and considered one of the great honors in theater education.
  • Katie Uleau '15 is the stage manager at SALT Performing Arts. Upcoming shows include Beehive The Musical, Chronicles of Narnia: Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, and Smokey Joe's Cafe.
  • Jeremy Webb '94 is the Technical Director at the University of West Georgia. In addition to working on all the Department of Theatre productions, he also teaches the stagecraft courses.
  • Kayla Welsh '15 teaches ballet, pointe, and contemporary and choreographs for their competition group at Limelight Dance Studio in Reading, PA.
  • Melanie Whelan '13 works for Proof Productions, Inc, a custom fabrication shop that creates sets for Broadway and regional productions all over the country. She is the assistant to the owner, handling all major correspondence with their clients.
  • Scott Wiggins '04 is a free-lance pyrotechnician licensed and working in Delaware, New Jersey, New York City and Pennsylvania. Prior work includes Giants Stadium, the dedication of the GW Bush Congressional Library in Texas, for productions of Spam-a-lot and The Wizard of Oz, and for artists Alice Cooper, Kanye West and many more.
  • Kelsey Zolochik '16 teaches tap, contemporary, lyrical, and ballet, as well as choreographing for their competition team at Delaware County Performing Arts in Folsom, PA.