Alumni in the News

Alumni Travis Tate (M.F.A. 2018) and Graham Schmidt (M.F.A. 2018) have teamed up for Theatre East's 5X5 Drama Series, presenting Tate's work Color at the End of the World. Theatre East is an official partner of NYC Pride and this year's 5X5 Drama Series features original, commissioned work celebrating the LGBTQ community remembering the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. 

Alumna Kimberly Belflower's (M.F.A. 2017) play John Proctor is the Villain was selected as one of 33 new plays on the 2019 Kilroys List, which includes un-produced and underproduced plays by women, trans and non-binary authors. Titles are selected by nomination through the New Play Exchange. 

Jacques Colimon (B.A., Theatre and Dance, 2014) joins the ensemble for the new series The Society, now streaming on Netflix. 

Andrew Aaron Valdez (B.F.A., Theatre Studies, 2017) has been named one of Cleveland Public Theatre's 2019/2020 Premiere Fellows. The Fellowship includes a cash award, with additional funds available for projects, professional development and access to space, equipment and other assets.

Jonas Criscoe (B.F.A., Studio Art, 2006) shows work in Cardinal Kindreds, the second phase of an art exchange between the Austin-based art collective ICOSA and Rosalux, Minneapois' longest-running collective gallery. 

Hyeyoung Song (D.M.A., Piano, 2016) was honored with the title "Master Pianist" by Weatherford College in acknowledgement of her contributions and dedication as a performer, educator and music administrator. Song founded and successfully directed the first Weatherford College International Piano Competition this April, and has been performing extensively as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the spring 2019 season. 

Natalia Anciso (B.A., Studio Art, 2008) is featured on the cover of University of California Berkeley's Caliber Magazine. The feature story highlights Anciso's artwork and explores her upbringing along the Texas Borderlands, her work as an educator in the San Francisco Bay Area, and life as a mother. 

Tamara Johnson (B.F.A., Studio Art, 2007), founded Sweet Pass Sculpture Park, which presents "May Show: Looms," an exhibition in collaboration with SMU's Pollock Gallery and organized by Austin art collective, Partial Shade. Sweet Pass will also be showing a recent film by Virgina Lee Montgomery and a site-responsive painting by Timothy Harding. 

Ryan Fogg (D.M.A., Piano, 2006) has been promoted to Professor of Music at Carson-Newman University in Tennessee. Fogg maintains an active performing career, regularly presenting recitals throughout the southeastern United States. 

Becca Borrelli, (M.F.A., Art Education, 2013) has created coloring books featuring iconic Austin scenes through her entrepreneurial business, Becca Borrelli Illustrations.