Southwest Regional Report September/October 2010

In July, CT Matthew E. Ellis assisted FM J. Allen Suddeth at the National Workshop’s Advanced Actor/Combatant Certification Workshop.  He recently fight directed two shows in Oklahoma City: Titus Andronicus at Reduxion Theatre and The Taming of the Shrew at Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park.  Next month he will stage the violence for August, Osage County at City Rep in OKC and MacBeth at Reduxion Theatre.  He will also be playing the roll of Macduff in Reduxion’s MacBeth. 

Friend Lloyd Caldwell choreographed the physical comedy for The Comedy of Errorsfor both Shakespeare Dallas and the Oklahoma City Shakespeare in the Park.  He choreographed Romeo and Juliet for Junior Players in Dallas and a workshop production of Cellini for Komische Oper Berlin. 

FM Brian Byrnes recently directed La Boheme at Opera in the Heights this past Spring, Complete History of America (abridged) with Stages Repertory Theatre in May and his original play, Aesop’s Fables at Houston College in July.  Also in July, he was an instructor for the SAFD NSCW 2010 (Broadsword - ACW) (Sword & Shield - AACW).  Upcoming projects include Fight Director for Peter Pan - Or - The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up with the Alley Theatre this Fall, in which he will also be featured as a Pirate in the show!  Also, at Houston Grand Opera he will be fight directing Madame Butterfly, Peter Grimes, and Dead Man Walking, directing Don Carlo and Pearl Fishers with Opera in the Heights this coming Spring and fight directing Wild Oats with University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance this coming Spring.

AAC Charlton B Gavitt had a quite summer, but is excited to start his tenth school year teaching at his alma mater Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.  Last Year he directed and staged the fight choreography for Blood Wedding.  He also choreographed the fights for the mime show Utopia.  He will be teaching a variety of courses this year including an advanced acting learning lab in partnership with the Dallas Theater Center and Introduction to Stage Combat.  He will be directing Chester and Grace and a one act play as part of the DFW metroplex Horton Foote festival.

CT Jack Young directed As You Like It and staged fights for Two Gentlemen of Verona and Learned Ladies at Texas Shakespeare Festival before heading to the Teacher Certification Workshop to serve as the Academic & Pedagogic Specialist.  This fall he's doing fight direction for Michael Haney (of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park) on the University of Houston's production of Richard III,  as well as teaching at the Texas Intensive.

CT Tim Pinnow will be leaving our region. He will be moving to Grand Junction, Colorado to become Head of the Department of Theatre, Musical Theatre, Dance and Speech at Mesa State College.  You will be missed, Tim.  Good luck in your new adventures in the Northwest!

CT Bill Lengfelder did the fights for the world premiere of the opera, Moby Dick, at the Dallas Opera in May.  He even got mentioned in the reviews!!!!

AC Ken Harrelson is the Technical Director of Angelle Auditorium at University of Louisiana at Lafayette.  Right now his duties include Lighting Design, Sound Design, & Stage Management for all Auditorium Productions.  Highlights include; Combat Choreographer/Fight Captain for Grease (Summer 2007), Combat Choreographer/Fight Captain for 'Carmen (Spring 2008), Stunt Choreographer for Noises Off (Fall 2009).  He earned a Certificate of Excellence in Stunt Coordination for Noises Off from The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Region VI, LA Festival at The University of New Orleans (November 21, 2009).  Recently he performed as 'Durdles' in the musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Spring 2010).