Welcome to the ISU Theatre Blogspot

What better way to start a blog than "What I did on my Summer Vacation"

Here are some updates from some of the people of ISU Theatre: Please add your story by commenting to this post


Michael Rubke
I'm going to Bulgaria next week (with Sarah and Levi, Nick J, John Flotho, Mariana Seda). Leaving July 10. We're spending a month at the Rhodophi International Theatre Collective, studying world theatre styles and workshopping ideas for new plays.For prep work, they've asked us to read up on Norse mythology, and read the plays A Doll's House, The Glass Menagerie, and For Whom Southern Belle Tolls.

Meghan Sigwarth
My summer has been really busy so far. I am being a nanny for three wonderful children. A five year old and twin four year olds. I'm doing an acting internship with the Grand Opera House in Dubuque, Iowa. They're putting on Beauty and the Beast and I play Babette the feather duster and am the enchantress at the beginning of the show. It's a lot of fun! Other than that, I start rehearsals for The Shape of Things, a play by Neil LaBute in a week. My friend Brandon Pape, a recent graduate of Loyola is directing. I'm really looking forward to it-especially playing the part of Evelyn. I don't have a social life outside of the theatre (haha), but I do enjoying hanging out with all the theatre folk, writing some music, and reading, (oh and preparing for Fifth of July).

Taryn Packheiser
TP's Summer News:July 4th: Packheiser Family reunion in Texas. We have had yearly reunions sinceI was a little kid. My grandmother had 13 children (my dad being one of them)so you can imagine that we are large group in the U.S. As far as I know we are the original and only Packheisers in this country. So if you meet one I'mprobably related.

July 7th: Screening work at Chez Bushwick in Brooklyn in a group show producedby friends at University of Illinois: Champaign-UrbanaJuly 11th: Screening work at Terpsichore in Southern Pines, North Carolina in agroup show produced by a friend from North Carolina School of the Arts
July 14-August 2nd: Working for Kids Co'Motion with Valerie Williams in Ames. http://www.comotion.org/docs/kcm.htm Performances at 7:30pm at City Auditoriumon August 1st and 2nd

Artist Update: Currently working a new evening length solo with interactivevideo and audio. Content is exploring horror stories and comedy with a balanceof hope/awareness in between. Also exploring non-literal character work basedon emotional changes and costumed identity

Gypsy: Reading the script, teaching myself how to baton twirl, listening to themusic, learning about Musical Theater history online.

Personal: I listen to at least 10 new cds a week and usually watch 3-7 movies aweek. I get terribly frightened by Iowa rainstorms.

Kaytee Stearns
I am doing an internship with The Core Talent Management in Los Angeles thissummer. It is so much fun. We have clients such as Dr. Drew, Drew Lachey, andTom Green. It is a great experience.

Will Dean
I have a job/internship at a professional theatre in Chicago called QuestTheatre Ensemble. I'm the TD for their upcoming show "People's History of theUnited States". http://www.questensemble.org/I'm also being paid to run sound for another theatre company called WalkaboutTheatre. Their show is called Wargarden. http://www.walkabouttheater.org/-Will

Jeff Mason
I have an internship in Des Moines this summer at the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Right now I am working on a project that brings people together across the state that are interested in Culture, History, and the Arts. I am also planning workshops for kids visiting the State Historical Building that include basic acting and movement. I don't have any travel plans this summer, just the drive between Ames and Des Moines everyday!

Carrie Taylor
This summer I am in Winona, MN as a stage management intern at the Great River Shakespeare Festival along with ISU Alum Adam Moeller (Company Manager here). We're doing The Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew.

Brad Dell
I'm directing THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW for Western Illinois University's SUMMER MUSIC THEATRE.

Jim Trenberth
Attended a movement and Light workshop with Jennifer Tipton and Dana Reitz. Did some choreography, danced(if you can call what I do dancing), and had a GREAT TIME. Quite different that working dance recitals in CY Stephens

Had breakfast with KCACTF Artistic Director (and former ISU Theatre Faculty)Gregg Henry

I'm off for Colorado right after the 4th.


So, thats the news. Please add your adventures.