Where Are They Now?

I have the great honor of teaching Acting to select group of BFA and MFA students at the University of Connecticut in the Department of Dramatic Arts. Many of them are now making great strides in the film and television industries, as well as in theater. This month, I had the pleasure of catching up with five of them working in New York City and beyond.

NOAH ZACHARY is playing TrollCity in the world premiere of Poster Boy at the Williamstown Theater Festival from July 27 – August 7.

“Inspired by actual events surrounding the 2010 suicide of Tyler Clementi, a college student who brought national attention to cyber-bullying, Poster Boy is a new American musical by Tony Award-nominated composer Craig Carnelia and playwright Joe Tracz. A community of gay men in an online chat room come together to discover what drove one of their own to take his life. Directed by Olivier Award-nominee Stafford Arima with movement by Danny Mefford, this provocative and moving new musical lays bare the complexity of protecting our privacy, identity and humanity in the digital era.”
http://wtfestival.org/main-events/poster-boy/

ARRON LLOYD was recently featured in a New York Times article about African American actors, seen on Blue Bloods (CBS) and has started his own podcast called Creation Grounds. Check it out at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um0cNtEi9tc

BRIANA MAIA just finished a wildly successful run at The Red House Arts Center playing Sarah in Ragtime where she was described by critics as “incandescent”. She has also played Nettie in The Color Purple and Deena Jones in Dreamgirls at The Red House.
http://www.brianamaia.com/

DESMOND THORNE has written, produced and is directing a short film called The Disruption. Billed as a sinister, diverse dark comedy, The Disruption features the talents of my UCONN students: Kelsea Baker, Michael John Improta and Andrea Pane.

JACK FELLOWS has just finished an extended run of the provocative and poignant play STET, written by Kim Davies and directed by Tony Speciale at The Abingdon Theater.
“A young journalist is assigned to write about sexual assault on college campuses and must find a unique angle for the story that will sell. During her investigation, she encounters a student with a horrific story to tell. Determined to bring the events to light, this ambitious reporter refuses to let anything stop her — including the truth.”
http://abingdontheatre.org/stet/