Great Lakes Regional Report September/October 2010

FD/CT Jamie Cheatham recently directed and fight directed a production of As You Like It at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where he is an associate professor and the new Artistic Director of the theatre department.

CT Bruce Cromer recently completed one of his largest Stage Combat classes at Wright State University ever!  FM k. Jenny Jones adjudicated the fifteen students on June 7, in Unarmed, Rapier and Dagger, and Single Sword. Bruce is preparing to play Benedick with the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in the fall, then will return to play Scrooge (for the sixth year) at the Cincinnati Playhouse in December. Meanwhile, his son and Actor/Combatant Charlie has moved to the wilds of San Francisco; an enormously talented young actor, so your SAFD people out there should take note and be on the look-out!

AAC Michael Gatto was Fight Director for 2009-'10 season: Tons of Money, Crazy For You, Huck Finn's Storyat Kent State University's Kent Stark Theatre.

AAC Adam Noble is studying ancient manuals and treatises in preparation for the upcoming Teacher Certification Workshop. Here’s to July in Winston-Salem! Recently, Adam completed work as movement coach and fight choreographer for How to Kill (World Premiere, BPP), Little Shop of Horrors (Cardinal Stage Company), and At Home At The Zoo (Indiana University). This fall, Adam has been invited to teach at The Ilkhom Theatre of Mark Weil in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He is very excited to begin a cultural exchange with this exciting, physically adept company!

FD/CT Nick Sandys recently completed a run of Les Liaisons Dangereuses for Remy Bumppo Theatre in Chicago, in which he played Valmont as well as choreographing the duel. He also choreographed fights for The Good Negro at Goodman Theatre and for Thieves Like Us at The Theatre School at DePaul University, where he will complete his second SPT class of the year at the end of May. Next up, playing Malvolio in Twelfth Night for First Folio Theatre this summer.

Friend Allison Sarro recently received a Basic Pass in Unarmed Combat.

During the month of May, CT Jim Stark taught an introductory course in stage combat at Hanover College, where he continues as Associate Professor of Theatre. He recently provided consultation for fights in a production of The Shepherds from the Chester Cycle, which was presented in a festival hosted by the University of Toronto.

FM David Woolley did fights for Kristoffer Diaz' Welcome to Arroyo's, a few scuffles in Billy Elliot, and for The Good Negro at the Goodman, and some close-quarters rough stuff for Streetcar Named Desire at the Writers' Theatre in Glencoe. His work with The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity continues at Second Stage Theatre in NYC.