Alumni Update - Where are they now?

Molly Balk is going into her 3rd year of teaching high school special education, starting this year at a new school in the Bronx that’s focused on the arts and creating my own literacy intervention program. And graduating with my masters in September from Relay Graduate School of Education! Callback to a new, inclusive production of Caberet.

Bryant Edwards is currently the Marketing Manager at the Arden Theatre in Philadelphia after working my way up from being an apprentice post graduation. Also going into my 3rd season running a new theatre company called Theatre Contra, and teaching theatre for K-12+ in my spare time!

Jessi Quinn Alperin just started my job as a social justice fellow at Oberlin College's Hillel.

Alexa Moore is working for the EPA in DC but also just launched my travel blog! Currently on the pursuit to visit every country in the world.

Alexis Primus just finished American Idiot with The Summer Company and moved back to DC. Currently auditioning and scoping out the DMV theatre/film scene.

Laura Valenti just finishing up my internship with PCPA – Pacific Conservatory Theatre in California as an assistant scenic designer. Moving to NYC to assistant scenic design and freelance paint/scenic design! And will be designing N2N here at Pitt.

Ellen Connally is about to start my 2L year at Duquesne University School of Law! I interned for a family court judge this summer, and I'll be interning for the Public Defender's Office this fall in the juvenile division. I've also recently picked dance back up, hitting up community classes at PBT!

Krista Ivan is Costume Designer and Manager at the Scare House here in Pittsburgh! :) also occasionally doing extra work on local films Matthew Russak Freelance sound designer, mostly working with Throughline and Non-State Actors, which is a company founded by four Pitt grads (Shannon Knapp, Brian Pope, Joanna Getting, and myself)! Just helped to organize (and wrote for) a 10 minute play festival held by NSA. In non-theatre things, I'm participating in the WYEP singer-songwriter competition later this month (and hopefully in the final round in September)!

Fenice Thompson just started podcast called The Chrysalis going into its second round of episodes, just completed the Self-Generated Theater summer intensive at the Stella Adler Studio of acting facilitated/directed by John Gould Rubin, working on a protest piece of theater in response to the concentration camps - we will be passing the script to theater communities across the us to get folks involved and informed now have finished my year living in NYC and am now living in Oklahoma with my partner while I translate a one woman show i wrote into a series. Love and miss you all very much!

Shannon Knapp is the Marketing Manager at Quantum Theatre. I also freelance as a director at Pittsburgh Classic Players, Throughline Theatre Company, and as a sound designer at Off The Wall Productions, South Park Theatre, and others. I also produce new plays through Non-State Actors. Love Pittsburgh. Everyone stay here and make work.

Kevin McConville is currently working as a freelance event producer and manager. Most recently served as PSM for Kinetic Theatre for their summer season. Recent work includes various events for LUXE Creative, the 2019 CFDA Awards in NYC, a reading of "12 Angry Women" I produced/presented with Pitt, ASM for City Theatre, Prod. Coordinator for CLO's New Musicals Weekend, and various others. Looking forward to working between NYC and (hopefully) Pittsburgh this upcoming year!

Madeline Barber just started a full-time job with autonomous vehicles! Also working on a novel focusing on queer identities and struggles with mental health. Also has been a freelance lighting designer and light board operator for several theatres around Pittsburgh.

Alex Dittmar wrapped up the Arden Apprenticeship in June and began full time here in July as the Development Coordinator. I’m picking up small acting and directing gigs on the side when possible too!

Jay Garcia has a full time job as a Pharmacy Tech, I’ve been working freelance as an Actor and Dramaturg in the Chicagoland Area. Just closed a show where the closing weekend was oversold and next week I will be preparing for my next production!

Sarah Sokolowski was an ASM for Kinetic Theatre in June, and then I went to New Hampshire to ASM for Interlake’s Summer Theatre during their summer season- I assisted on Funny Girl but then became the PSM of Ragtime, Mamma Mia, and Saturday Night Fever. I’ll be coming back to Pittsburgh at the end of August!

Jillian Vitko is part of Synesthesia the Musical debuting at the Edinburgh Festival then in NYC.

Eve Bandi is a freelance lighting design around Pittsburgh and other places Elliot Konstant I'm a freelance ME and LD, primarily working around Philly! Right now, I'm still at Summerstock as ME at Theatre by the Sea in Rhode Island.

Gabrielle Kogut just completed my acting internship at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in May, and spent the summer helping develop new plays in local Cincy fringe & new works festivals, both as an actor and as an AD. In just a few days I’ll be moving back to Philly where I will be basing myself for the foreseeable future.

Lauryn Morgan Thomas just finishing up studying at the Atlantic Theatre School for their summer intensive! When I return to Philadelphia, I’ll be starring in a new musical at the Fringe, directing a touring children’s play and then directing at University of Penn (we’re doing Urinetown), then I head into playing Fan in A Christmas Carol at the McCarter Theatre!

Davis Caramanico just finished two years as the stage carpenter at the McCarter and now serves as the props carpenter at the Walnut Street Theater in Philly!

Riley Galvin has moved to Ohio a year ago to work as an analyst for a Democratic research firm. I became an apprentice for Ohio’s only LBGTQ focused theatre company in May, and they’ve asked me to fully come on board as a producer once my apprenticeship is over

Louis Markowitz is a freelance SM in NYC. This past year I worked on shows at NYU Grad Acting, Irish Repertory Theater, Lyric Opera Long Island and Opera in Williamsburg, VA. I also took a short children's tour to the tristate area. I'm currently an ASM at the Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY. Looking forward to PSMing a show at Atlantic for Kids this fall

Ivory Bennett is in graduate school at Concordia University for an MEd program in  Educational Administration with Principal Certification. Will graduate in December of 2020. At the same time is in a program with TAMU-C to become a certified professor by the end of spring 2020 semester. Will begin a PhD in Africana Literature with a special emphasis on Africana plays. Currently an English teacher at a collegiate academy in South Dallas and will published her first book in 2018.

Kayla Martine has one of my plays (that I’ve written) is getting its first World Premiere Production in NYC this February through Normal Ave. It’s especially cool because one the other playwrights for their season is Suzan Lori Parks. I got to perform in Venus in my undergrad years at Pitt so it has a neat full circle feeling seeing our names so close together on Playbill and such. My play is titled “Indoor Person”.

Anna Chen is currently working in the LED technology business as an assistant manager of a sales team and business development. I've been able to work on my love of writing, from producing a radio play to currently working on self-publishing my fiction novel that I've been writing since sophomore year of university.

Arianna Kraiman is a working actor in Chicago! Just started rehearsals for my current show this past Monday, and just got cast in a show at Lyric Opera for the fall. I’m still doing combat, currently certified in 6 out of 8 weapons with the SAFD. I’m acting in a web series that is getting submitted to networks this September, and I’m probably moving to LA next year!

Julianne Avolio (class of 2011) spent a year working with the Florida Repertory Theatre before returning to Pittsburgh to work as an actor, improviser, and teaching artist. A proud member of Actors Equity Association, past credits include The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and SCarrie: The Musical with Bricolage Production Company; Perfect Wedding, Girls Only: The Secret Comedy of Women, and Up and Away (U/S) with Pittsburgh CLO, The Liar with Kinetic Theatre, among many others. She also has helped develop new characters as part of the SPARK Festival at Pittsburgh CLO, including An Untitled New Play by Justin Timberlake and The Next Fairy Tale. She will be playing the role of Lina in City Theatre's 2020 production of Cry It Out. As a teaching artist, Julianne has taught at many organizations in town including the Pittsburgh Public Theatre, Pittsburgh CLO, City Theatre, Arcade Comedy Theater, Act One Theatre School, Bricolage Production Company, and others. Most notably, Julianne performed alongside Mark Rylance in his original play in development about the history of the Homestead Strikes.

Polina Pomytkina is in professional development at Austin ISD as a special Ed teacher and will be part of the theatre club. Is planning to take students to USITT in April.

Brian Pope plays “Paper Trail” and “The Elephant Walk” have been produced by Pittsburgh Playwright Theater (11th Annual Festival in Black and White, Winner—Best Play Silver), Yinz Like Plays?! (Pittsburgh Original Short Play Series), and Pittsburgh Cultural Trust (Variety Hour: Multiple Choice Locally Sourced). His work has also been seen as assistant director stage manager (Alarum Theatre), co-lyricist (MTAP), and English Writing/Theatre Arts student (University of Pittsburgh). Currently, you can read his coverage of pop culture and local theatre at (Pop) Culturally Informed and Pittsburgh in the Round. His also the assistant to the artistic director at the Pittsburgh Public Theater.

Cassidy Davis, Mallory Jean Fuccella (both producing and acting) Cassidy also just filmed a pilot with FX.

Jenna Simmons (producer) just dropped season 2 of their web series ADULTING for which Cassidy had already received a nomination for best actress in a web series and it won an audience choice award at Miami WebFest.

Brittany Pivovar is an assistant professor and director of Musical Theatre at Southern Arkansas University and continues to be a freelance actor and director.

Brenden Peifer has been cast in City Theatre show this season.

Davis Weaver has been cast in show at Arcade Comedy’s first book musical production.

MFAs

Jose Perez IV has been a freelance fight choreographer in Pittsburgh and has been performing devised movement pieces all over town featuring many Pitt grads.

Julian Stetkevych is an assistant professor at Christopher Newport University and continues working on teacher certifications in the Michael Chekov Technique.

Teisha Duncan is in NYC and an adjunct at BMCC and just directed a reading of a new play as part of LPAC summer stages season.