For the graduating students and for the School of Theatre, this year’s Commencement Ceremony was a historic and emotional event. May 11 not only marked the graduation of the Class of 2012, but it also signified the last group under the School of Theatre banner, before it officially changes to the School of Dramatic Arts on July 1. “This is truly a beautiful day. It’s a day where we get to celebrate the accomplish-ments of our amazing students and we get to honor their successes with this ceremony,” Dean Madeline Puzo said. “No matter the name of the school, its mission is to educate and train the artists who will create and perform the stories that will inform and define our society for the present moment and for history.” In front of family, friends, faculty and staff, the Class walked the stage of the Bing Theatre to receive well wishes and their diplomas from the Dean, who named them a “brave, fiercely determined and just play fun to be with” group. The School graduated more than 150 students – the largest number in its history. Jennica Hill, who was the Bachelor of Arts student speaker, shared a story during her speech about her youth that exemplified her passion for acting. “I need a job that I don’t just do for the money, but just for the love of doing it. And I know that’s what acting would do for me,” Hill read from a diary entry written when she was 13 years old. Her desire to be an actress stemmed at age 11 when she saw the 2001 film Moulin Rouge! for the first time. During her message, Hill also remembered the days leading up to Commencement, when she realized the growth in herself and her classmates. “These are the moments we hope to have throughout our lives – the moments when the whole room seems to swell with some kind of feeling you can’t explain and you just know you’ll remember it forever,” she said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

The Brave and Fiercely Determined Class of 2012

The School of Theatre graduated its largest class in history at this year’s Commencement.

For the graduating students and for the School of Theatre, this year’s Commencement Ceremony was a historic and emotional event. May 11 not only marked the graduation of the Class of 2012, but it also signified the last group under the School of Theatre banner, before it officially changes to the School of Dramatic Arts on July 1.

“This is truly a beautiful day. It’s a day where we get to celebrate the accomplish-ments of our amazing students and we get to honor their successes with this ceremony,” Dean Madeline Puzo said. “No matter the name of the school, its mission is to educate and train the artists who will create and perform the stories that will inform and define our society for the present moment and for history.” In front of family, friends, faculty and staff, the Class walked the stage of the Bing Theatre to receive well wishes and their diplomas from the Dean, who named them a “brave, fiercely determined and just play fun to be with” group. The School graduated more than 150 students – the largest number in its history. Jennica Hill, who was the Bachelor of Arts student speaker, shared a story during her speech about her youth that exemplified her passion for acting. “I need a job that I don’t just do for the money, but just for the love of doing it. And I know that’s what acting would do for me,” Hill read from a diary entry written when she was 13 years old. Her desire to be an actress stemmed at age 11 when she saw the 2001 film During her message, Hill also remembered the days leading up to Commencement, when she realized the growth in herself and her classmates. “These are the moments we hope to have throughout our lives – the moments when the whole room seems to swell with some kind of feeling you can’t explain and you just know you’ll remember it forever,” she said.

SUMMER 2012

Gary Ross

A Message from the Dean

School of Theatre Board of Councilors

Patrick J. AdamsDavid AnderleLisa BarkettTodd Black Tim CurryLauren Shuler DonnerTate DonovanMichele Dedeaux Engemann (Founding Chair)Michael Felix

Michael Gilligan (Chair, USC School of

Theatre Parents Council)

Robert GreenblattPatti GribowSusan A. GrodePaula HoltDonna IsaacsonMark KoganGary LaskSheila Lipinsky

Laurence MarkMartin MassmanJimmy MillerMadeline PuzoThomas SchumacherJames D. SternAndy TennantAllison ThomasRik ToulonJoe TremaineRichard Weinberg (Chair)

Our Heartfelt Thanks To

This issue of Callboard marks our last as the School of Theatre. As you already may know, we announced a short while ago that the USC Board of Trustees voted to approve the renaming of the School of Theatre to the School of Dramatic Arts effective July 1, 2012. This is a change that has been discussed for a considerable amount of time and was explored last year in our survey of all the School’s stakeholders. Traditionally, schools like ours have always been called Schools of Drama (e.g., Yale School of Drama, Central School of Speech and Drama) or Dramatic Art(s) (e.g., National Institute of Dramatic Arts, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art – RADA) so we do not see this as a departure from an art form that we value and hold dear.

Theatre is and will always be our foundation and our artistic home; it is where the artist – whether actor, writer, designer – has ultimate authority over and responsibility for his or her work. Or as Gary Ross, our commencement speaker said, “no one will fix it in post.” This new name honors that, but also embraces the future our student artists are facing. A future that will entail many different forms, platforms and mediums of dramatic expression; a future that will demand of our graduates artistic rigor and flexibility, as well as curiosity and courage. We believe the new name better expresses that we are preparing them for that future and, more appropriately, describes the reach and intentions of our School.

I am also very pleased to tell you that last month The Hollywood Reporter published a special issue which listed the top 25 drama programs in the English-speaking world (U.S., Canada, Australia and Great Britain) and the USC School of Dramatic Arts was among them. I hope you will take as much pride in this as I do – it is a reflection of the growing reputation for excellence that the School has earned through the talents and hard work of our faculty, alumni, students and staff. Have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing you when, as the School of Dramatic Arts, we return in the fall.

Madeline Puzo

WE WELCOME OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBERS

Todd BlackIn January 2001, Black, along with his partner, Jason Blumenthal, merged with the Steve Tisch Company to form Escape Artists, an independently financed company housed at Sony Pictures. Their first produced movie was A Knight’s Tale, starring Heath Ledger. His recent feature film credits include The Pursuit Of Happyness and Seven Pounds, both starring Will Smith; The Taking Of Pelham 123, directed by Tony Scott and starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta; Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage; and The Back-up Plan, starring Jennifer Lopez. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Picture (Drama) for the Denzel Washington-directed The Great Debaters. In addition, Black was honored with the Producer Guild’s Stanley Kramer Award for The Great Debaters and for his 2002 film, Antwone Fisher. Currently, Black is in post production for the David Frankel-directed film Great Hope Springs, starring Meryl Streep. Born in Dallas and raised in Los Angeles, Black is an alumnus of the School of Theatre. He began his entertainment career as a casting associate. In 1995, Black became President of Motion Picture Production at Sony’s Mandalay Entertainment and managed such films as Donnie Brasco, Seven Years In Tibet, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Les Misérables and Wild Things.

Patrick J. AdamsAdams stars in USA Network’s breakout hit series, Suits, receiving a SAG Award nomination as Best Actor in a Drama Series. He recently starred in 9 Circles and the Ovation Award-winning Equivocation at the Geffen Theatre. He was recently seen starring opposite Dustin Hoffman, on HBO’s drama, Luck. Adams has previously guest starred or recurred in television series including Lost, Friday Night Lights, and N.C.I.S., as well as Pretty Little Liars, Lie to Me, and Flash Forward, among others. Adams film credits include the hit comedy, Old School, and the 2009 Berlin Film Festival competitor Rage, starring Judi Dench. He has also starred in several independent features, including The Waterhole, the 2009 Slamdance entry Weather Girl, and most recently, 6 Month Rule. He appears yearly at the Ojai Playwrights Conference, starring in new works by established and developing playwrights. Adams made his professional stage debut in the West Coast premiere of Edward Albee’s The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia? at the Mark Taper Forum, which took home Best Play honors at the Ovation Awards. He also produced and directed a hit revival of Marat/Sade, for which he received Best Production at the LA Weekly Theatre Awards. Originally from Toronto, Canada, he received his B.F.A. in Acting from USC in 2004.

Michael Gilligan, who has served as Chair of our Parent’s Council for the past three years. Traveling from his home in Boston to Los Angeles on a regular basis, Michael has been an extraordinary leader who lends support and encouragement to

other parents of theatre students while also serving on our Board of Councilors. His enthusiasm and commitment to the School have been evident from the time his son, Conor (B.A., 2012), first enrolled as a freshman in theatre.

Alexander LoCasale, who has been the School’s representative on the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors for the past three years. Board members serve as USCAA ambassadors promoting the advancement of the university and engaging alumni

of all ages and backgrounds, and Alex, a graduate of the School of Theatre (B.F.A., 2005), has played an important role in keeping the lines of communication flowing between the School, alumni and the university.

| Summer 2012 theatre.usc.edu 3

The Brave and Fiercely Determined Class of 2012

CONTINUED FROM COVER With a humorously frank attitude, the Bachelor of Fine Arts student speaker, Jonathan Rudnitsky, delivered a comical speech that touched on “issues” facing actors today, such as “having abs like Channing Tatum” and being “future Starbucks baristas.” “It’s okay to take this stuff seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. It’s supposed to be fun,” said Rudnitsky, who received the John Ritter Memorial Award as a freshman for the most outstanding comedic performance that year. Although garnering laughs and cheers, a choked up Rudnitsky got to the heart of his message – encouraging his classmates to pursue their dreams. “You made it here today because, despite anyone else’s doubts, even your own, you knew you had to do this. Don’t let that change how you go into tomorrow because it never stopped you before,” he said. For student speaker Lisa Hori-Garcia, the Graduate Degree representative, it was through the M.F.A. program she learned she was “enough” as her Theatre professors had been telling her since her first year. She encouraged her fellow graduates to realize the same of themselves and to face their fears to do their jobs as theatre practitioners and citizens. “In this program, we have been, on some level, working on being authentic beings with unique and distinct voices, exposing ourselves in our work and knowing that with every breath, there is the possibility of a new thought, a new feeling, a new aspect of me that’s allowed to come out – a reflection of humanity,” she said. “This program dared me to be, to be myself, to strive for authen-ticity and to find my authentic voice and bring that to the stage.” Following Hori-Garcia, keynote speaker Gary Ross began his speech by congratulating the Class on their achievements. “Congratulations for so many things – for having the bravery to follow your heart, for the self-discipline and dedication to know that all dreams are made real through hard work, for understanding that a life in the theatre is a process and you have spent these years and this time learning what you do in a profession where not everyone does,” said Ross, writer and director of the films The Hunger Games, Pleasantville and Seabiscuit, among others. CONTINUED ON BACK COVER

Aileen Stanley Memorial Award for Undergraduate StudentsMadigan Stehly, Design/TechPaul Stanko, Acting

John Blankenchip/William C. White Award for Outstanding ContributionsRebecca EsquivelDavid Hernandez

USC Alumni and Friends Award for Creative Student ActivitiesRuth Smith

Ruth and Albert McKinlay Award for Two Undergraduate B.A. Student PerformersPERFORMANCE: Hayley KeownHIGHEST GPA: Elizabeth Colwell

Student Council Award for Graduating SeniorJennica Hill

Ava Greenwald Memorial Award for a Graduate ActorCurtis Scott

Nancy Kehr Reed Award for Funding an Independent Student ProductionMichelle Cahn

David Dukes Acting Scholarship for a Junior StudentCasey BrownGrace Sarosdy

The James B. Pendleton Award for Outstanding ContributionsKevin Graber

John Ritter Award for Comic PerformanceVanessa Hill

Stanley Musgrove Award for Oustanding Creative TalentAndrew Connick

Jack Nicholson Award for Outstanding Undergraduate ActorsVictoria StolperAlexander Ho

Ritchie Spencer Memorial Award for a Graduating DesignerErin Anderson

James and Nony Doolittle Awards in Acting for Graduating SeniorsDiana VadenJennica HillRose LeisnerAdam Peterson

Dance Leadership AwardFALL: Leah Rosengaus SPRING: Samantha Miller

Outstanding Dance Concert Choreographer AwardFALL DANCE CONCERT: Leah RosengausSPRING DANCE CONCERT: Richard WangNeaz Kohani

Bill White Faculty Recognition AwardMary-Joan Negro

Twenty-First Annual Awards Celebration

During a night of good cheer and heart-warming sentiment, our 21st Annual Awards Celebration, held on May 4 in the Bing Theatre, acknowledged the exceptional work done by our students from all disciplines, including acting, design, stage management, dance and technical direction. Commemorating a year of excellence, the honorees included 25 students and one faculty member. Congratulations to all!

B.F.A. class speaker Jonathan Rudnitsky

Ross, whose career spans more than 25 years, shared advice to the graduates and ensured them of their decisions in pursuing theatre degrees. He also reaffirmed their answers for the proverbial question that the students might have been asked at times by parents, peers and themselves – why did you do this? “The answer is simple and clear. You did it because you love it, because here in the theatre we get to glimpse a larger truth than what we get to experience in our everyday lives. You did it because the theatre allows you to elevate and understand the world around you – to see the epic in the common place, to live life more fully,” he said. Empowering graduates to realize theatre and their study of it is a unique experience unlike any other, the speaker urged them to take what they learned at the School and carry it with them into their futures. “When success comes, when the churning industry of global media makes you famous and you are granted your first 15 minutes, please don’t let success confuse that moment,” Ross said. He continued: “You will still be doing what

you do here – being honest, being truthful in the moment, being generous with your other actors, building a back story for your character, listening, making sound choices and committing to them, digging to find the deepest meaning in the text as you possibly can, employing your own imagination, making the play or the movie your own in the moment you hold the stage.” Concluding his message, Ross led the Class in an all too familiar exercise developed by renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner in which the meaning of a statement transforms with its repetition. In a reassuring and powerful moment, the graduating students shouted together, “my life is the theatre!”

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The Brave and Fiercely Determined Class of 2012