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2008 APRIL PERFORMANCES

SJSU STUDENT SCREENWRITERS SWEEP NATIONAL COMPETITION

Scripts written in SJSU film classes won the top three places in the Broadcast Education Association’s annual feature screenwriting competition. The BEA is the country’s largest association of accredited university TV-radio-film programs, and the category won was feature-length film scripts, not shorts.

SHAQUANNA MITCHELL won first place for her script, “Beauty Secrets,” a romantic comedy about an African American girl whose pursuit of an old flame is complicated by an uncooperative wig. Shaquanna, who wrote her screenplay in our RTVF 175 screenwriting class (as did both of the other winners), is an MFA candidate in the English Department’s Creative Writing Program.

MASON WILLIAMS,(pictured left) an undergraduate RTVF major, won second place for “Love and Taft,” a comedy about a young man who receives romantic guidance from a space monster who lives in the house next door.

ZACHARY SUTHERLAND, also an undergrad in RTVF, was awarded third place for his script, “The Back Yard,” a coming-of-age comedy-drama about a pack of twentyish slackers who spend a night looking for “something new to do” and get more than they bargained for.

Teaching the classes in which the winning scripts were written and rewritten were faculty members SCOTT SUBLETT, BARNABY DALLAS and DAVID KAHN.

BABAK SARRAFAN VIDEO GETS MAJOR AWARDS FOR MUSIC VIDEO

Also at the Broadcast Education Association, PROF. BABAK SARRAFAN will receive two major awards for his music video, “The Long Road,” starring the band Nuthouze. The video was judged Best of Show in the faculty production competition, beating all other faculty productions in all categories, as well as winning the competitive “mixed” category. The video was for a rap song was about social injustice and economic disparity. The creative team initially wanted to shoot in an actual soup kitchen but there were insurmountable rights problems, and so Babak formed the idea of making the video a “period piece” and setting it in the 1930s. The band Nuthouze comprises a collection of Hollywood actors and local rappers, among them Christopher “Kid” Reed (of Kid ‘n’ Play), James Duval (“Independence Day”), and Mark D, a local artist who organized the band. The video’s set was designed by JOHN YORK, who matched it to the video’s exterior locations in the San Jose Historic Park for authenticity. Costume shop manager DEBBIE WEBBER supervised the superb, period costumes, and RTVF students enthusiastically filled crew positions or performed as extras. The video was a finalist for Best Music Video of the Year at Musicnation.com, and aired on the BET Network.

THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE OPENS APRIL 25 IN HAL TODD “BLACK BOX” THEATER

The department’s production of THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE opens April 25 and runs through May 3. The play is by Irishman Martin McDonagh, author of the recent Colin Farrell comedy “In Bruges.” 37-year-old McDonagh’s best known play, “The Beauty Queen of Leenane,” won a Tony nomination for Best Play in 1998. “Inishmore,” meanwhile, was nominated for the Best Play Tony in 2006. The story concerns a member of the IRA whose best friend, a cat, has been killed. McDonagh’s dark and bloody – yet wildly comic – style has prompted comparisons with Mamet, Pinter and Synge. Student and senior tickets to “Inishmore” are $10; general admission is $15. For more information, or to buy tickets, visit (left, Inishmore Director Matt Spangler)

MARCO TORRES WINS VICTORY FOR GRAD PROGRAM

Grad student MARCO TORRES has received the College Outstanding Thesis Award for his Master’s Thesis, “Sanctifying Queerdom: Religious Identity in New Queer Cinema.”

According to Grad Program Coordinator DR. DAVID KAHN, “Marco's excellent thesis, supervised by DR. ALISON MCKEE, offers a critical reading of the intersection of religious and queer identities in films from the second wave of the New Queer Cinema movement (2000-2007). The films studied are ‘Sordid Lives’ (2000), ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ (2001), ‘Latter Days’ (2003), and ‘Bad Education’ (2004). Using a theological criticism model as presented by Religious Film scholar Joel W. Martin, the thesis analyzes and discusses the use of plot, character, and mise-en-scène in these films to construct identities that are simultaneously queer and religious, and examines how the directors of the films address the conflict between the two identities and what, if any, resolution to the conflict is provided by the films. More information on this and other graduate thesis work can be found at
www.tvradiofilmtheatre.org/MA/Pages/theses.html

MEHRZAD KARIMABADI TO SPEAK AT CONFERENCE IN SCOTLAND

Grad student MEHRZAD KARIMABADI has had a proposal accepted to an international conference, “Visual Representations of Iran” June 13-16 at St. Andrews University in Scotland (link: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/anthropologyiran/conference.html). The leading scholars of Iranian visual culture studies will be there, a small but very prestigious group of researchers and artists. “This is an important international conference in an emerging area of scholarship and an important opportunity for Mehrzad,” said grad coordinator DAVID KAHN. “Performances” fears Scotland because one can get kilt there. (rim shot!)

ALUMNA ADRIENNE MULLER APPEARING IN TONY KUSHNER’S “CAROLINE OR CHANGE”

Talented Theatre Arts alumna ADRIENNE MULLER has been cast in Tony Kushner’s CAROLINE OR CHANGE at TheatreWorks in Mountain View. The show, under the direction of Robert Kelley, goes into previews on April 2, then officially opens Saturday, April 5. It runs through April 27. The acclaimed musical, which is set in the 1960s and addresses issues of class and race, is about the African-American maid of a southern Jewish couple, and the maid’s complex and highly charged relationship with the couple’s young son. For tickets visit www.theatreworks.org.

CAROLINE LE GETTING MASTER’S IN FILM

In other news concerning people named Caroline, alumna CAROLINE LE is pursuing a master’s degree in Media Art at Emerson College. Her short dramatic comedy, “Too Much Plaid,” will premiere at the Queer Women of Color Film Festival between June 13-15 at Brava Theater in San Francisco this year. Also, she was nominated for best director for the short drama “The Things Stolen,” at Sundeis Film Festival hosted by Brandeis University. Recently, Caroline has been revising her script “La Petite Salon,” which she intends to produce for her Master's Project. Caroline says, “’La Petite Salon’ is a fifteen-minute, dramatic fiction narrative, shot on video. Quynh, a young Vietnamese American woman, works at her mother's hair salon where she feels displaced within the Vietnamese culture and community. She encounters everyday conversations about men, domestic politics, and community gossip from the interactions her mother has with their predominately Vietnamese women patrons.” “Performances” sees Queen Latifah as the mother.

OUR BUSY APRIL IN HUGH GILLIS HALL…

Our EXCHANGE WITH THE SHANGHAI THEATRE ACADEMY SCHOOL OF TELEVISION ARTS becomes local during the first two weeks of April. Twelve Chinese students and three faculty will be in our department, the students here primarily to work on the music video production and meet our students… Chair MIKE ADAMS, PROF. BABAK SARRAFAN and tech director JIM LeFEVER will be gone the week of April 14 – 18th for the annual BROADCAST EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (BEA) Conference, sponsored by and coinciding with the giant National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) confab. Babak and Mike will be presenting on production and history, respectively… Then, late in April the National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST), and RTVF program evaluators will be in Hugh Gillis Hall to look at us for ACCREDITATION (BA/MA Theatre Arts), and program study (BA RTVF). More meetings, more dinners, but more importantly, it’s a chance for every faculty and staff member to have serious discussions about program issues.

SEEN ON THE SCENE OUT AND ABOUT

Seen on the scene, out and about, in March… Alum LUIS “ZOOT SUIT” VALDEZ and son KINAN VALDEZ, participating in our successful production of “Mummified Deer,” and our “Day of Luis Valdez,” including a moving closing night speech about how it has always been a dream of his to see one of his plays on the University Theatre stage… Alum PAUL ENCINAS, showing his student-written-and-directed feature GLORY BOY DAYS to packed houses at Cinequest and at the San Francisco Asian American Film Festival… MARK TRAN sneak previewing ALL ABOUT DAD at Cinequest Fest to a packed and appreciative house… Professors MIKE ADAMS and ALISON McKEE addressing the Popular Culture Association conference in San Francisco… PROF. RANDY EARLE presenting at the USITT conference… and faulty member BABAK SARRAFAN preparing to shoot his new music video with a crew made up of our own students mixed in with visiting students and faculty from the Shanghai Theatre Academy School of Television Arts. The band is called Paloma and the Rubies.

That’s it for April. Until May, PERFORMANCES leaves you with the words of Carl Schurz, spoken in 1899: “Our country, right or wrong. When right to be kept right; when wrong, to be put right.”

2008 MARCH PERFORMANCES

SJSU “KITE RUNNER” PLAY SCHEDULED AT SAN JOSE REP

Alumni who saw our department’s moving stage adaptation of Khalid Housseini’s bestselling novel “The Kite Runner” know that the new play, which was written especially for the San Jose State production, is a superb interpretation of the novel’s essence, highly dramatic and dizzyingly theatrical.

Apparently, San Jose’s theatrical community noticed as well. The city’s most prominent theater, the San Jose Rep, has scheduled the original SJSU script for a lavish professional production in March of next year.

The script was written by Communications Studies Prof. MATT SPANGLER, who also directed the SJSU production. Dr. Spangler’s play will be billed as a “World Premiere” at the Rep because it is indeed the play’s first professional production; it had an all-student cast when it was mounted at San Jose State. The SJSU production will receive “developmental production” credit in all future programs, and no one associated with the Rep production thinks that the Rep will by any means be the last prominent regional theater to produce Spangler’s skillfully-wrought script.

The San Jose State production was originally produced by Professors SCOTT SUBLETT and BARNABY DALLAS. Prof. Sublett was a member of the Campus Reading Committee when “The Kite Runner” was selected as the campus book and suggested to Spangler that Theatre Arts would be interested in seeing him adapt the novel. Spangler had studied at Northwestern University, where the translation of prose fiction to the stage is a specialty. Spangler, already a fan of the book, enthusiastically elected to tackle the project and painstakingly carved a brisk play out of an epic novel. The departmental production committee approved a full production on the University Stage, and Director of Production Barnaby Dallas took responsibility for coordinating the difficult undertaking of producing an entirely new play, giving Spangler what he needed to guide the student cast to a production that was attended and applauded by Khalid Housseini himself. At a closing night reception for Housseini, who was on campus to give a talk under the auspices of the Center for Literary Arts, the acclaimed novelist generously spent hours talking with student actors.

“The ‘Kite Runner’ success shows that our department is in the forefront of campus-wide cooperation,” said Dept. CHAIR MIKE ADAMS. “The ‘Kite Runner’ production couldn’t have been such a huge success without the cooperation of the Communications Studies Department, the Campus Reading Committee, the English Department’s Center for Literary Arts, and the School of Music and Dance, which provided original music for the SJSU production. It’s also important to note that the play, which depicts the struggles of Afghan-Americans, is typical of the diversity of voices heard on the University Theatre stage.”

“Matt Spangler is an incredibly talented writer,” said Prof. Sublett, who is also TRFT’s Head of Writing. “He’s a perfectionist who sweats every single detail and rigorously cuts from his material anything that would derail the dramatic momentum. ‘The Kite Runner’ is a big novel and the play’s cast isn’t small, so for the Rep to take it on shows great faith in the Matt’s dramatic writing.”

Said Prof. Dallas, “Matt is always welcome to direct on our stage, not only because of his great talent, but also because of his obvious kindness and concern for student actors. He’s an incredible teacher and leader. The technical staff loves working with Matt because he’s so clear and precise about what he needs, and creative about working within the budget restraints that we all have to live with on campus.”

Dr. Spangler is currently directing our department’s upcoming production of THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE by Martin McDonagh, who wrote the recent hit Colin Farrell comedy “In Bruges.” Click here for “Inishmore” info.

THIS BUD’S FOR BUDDY: PERFORMANCE PROF DIRECTS “FIRE-BREATHING” SUPERBOWL AD

Nowadays people look forward to the new commercials broadcast alongside the Super Bowl almost as much as they do to the game itself. This year, many media observers said one of the very the best ads of the afternoon was the Budweiser beer spot in which a man breathes fire and incinerates his girlfriend’s cat.

It was directed by none other than our own tenured faculty member BUDDY BUTLER, and you can see the ad at:
And see TIME MAGAZINE’s coverage at

Said Dept. Chair Mike Adams, “Buddy has directed several of these Bud Ads in past years, and this puts him in the big time.”

The commercial came as a surprise to Prof. Butler’s students and colleagues, who knew nothing about it. When asked why he hadn’t mentioned it, Buddy said, “I don’t like to trumpet my accomplishments.” Hmmm. “Performances” likes to tell everyone everything – and aren’t you glad?

“MUMMIFIED DEER” EVENTS HONOR THE WORK OF ESTEEMED ALUMNUS PLAYWRIGHT LUIS VALDEZ

Don’t miss the next production in the University Theatre: the Northern California premier production of LUIS VALDEZ’S “MUMMIFIED DEER.” Valdez, America’s best known Latino playwright, graduated from SJSU and learned playwriting in our department.

The show performs February 29 and March 1, 6, 7, 8 at 7 PM, with a matinee on March 5 at noon, and is being directed by Kinan Valdez, son of the playwright. For ticket information click here.

Meanwhile, grad student RAMON JOHNSON is organizing “A Day of Valdez,” all day Wednesday March 5. With acting workshops and more, “A Day of Valdez” will explore of the life, times, and creative process of one of San Jose State’s most esteemed alumni. “A Day of Valdez” is free apart from the Wednesday March 5th matinee of “Mummified Deer.” Luis Valdez will be in house for workshops, Q&A, and other activities for students and interested members of the public. Our “Day of Valdez” begins at 7:30 A.M. and concludes with a 5:00 P.M. screening of the film “Zoot Suit,” a story of 1930/40s Los Angeles and the Pachucos, young Mexican-American men. This event is a must for those who are enthusiasts of Chicano Theater.

“Mummified Deer” photos can be seen if you click here

DON’T FORGET TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND ALUMNI AT CINEQUEST!

We mentioned it last month but it’s worth repeating – we’re all over the Cinequest Film Festival, so turn out and support our students and alumni! Here’s a rundown of our unprecedented presence at this important fest:

GLORY BOY DAYS. PAUL ENCINAS’s student-written-and-directed feature film, just back from the Slamdance Festival in Park City, where it was an official selection in the narrative feature category, is a coming of age ensemble comedy-drama noted especially for its spectacularly gorgeous visual style. It screens March 7 at 7:00 P.M. and March 8 at 10:00 P.M., both at the San Jose Repertory Theater.

ALL ABOUT DAD. MARK TRAN’s student written-and-directed feature, will receive a “sneak preview” at Cinequest. The comedy concerns a Vietnamese American family with a father who has strong ideas about how his children should run their lives. It screens March 5 at 7:00 P.M. at the San Jose Rep.

DREAMS ON A STRING. This charming short, written and directed by student JONATHAN WHITE, is about a magical balloon that floats through the world making dreams come true.

MASS TRANSIT. Also in the student shorts competition, CHRIS FAULKNER’s offbeat romance about a boy who sees a girl on a commuter train. The film was produced by ANDREW HELLESEN through the students’ own Film Production Society.

Both MASS TRANSIT and DREAMS ON A STRING will screen in the Student Shorts Competition, Feb. 28 at 7:30 P.M. and March 2 at 10:30 A.M., at the Camera 12.

DAY OF THE WRITER. As usual, writing faculty members SCOTT SUBLETT and BARNABY DALLAS will be featured speakers in the day-long training for aspiring screenwriters. Day of the Writer is March 9 this year, with Sublett speaking at 9:30 A.M. and Dallas at 11:00 A.M., both at the San Jose Rep.

Tickets to any or all of these events can be found CINEQUEST.ORG.

ETHEL WALKER RECEIVES AWARD AS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA

PROF. ETHEL WALKER (pictured, center, left) received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of Arts and Sciences from the University of Missouri at a banquet ceremony March 15 in Columbia, Missouri. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in the career field of the honorees. Dr. Walker, who is SJSU’s reigning Professor of the Year, is pictured left accepting the award, from Dean of the College Michael O'Brien and Chancellor Brady Deaton.

KEEP UP WITH PAYMAN BENZ AND SEAN BECKER AT AWKWARDPICTURES.COM

If you haven’t visited the Awkward Pictures website you need to do so soon. Awkward Pictures is made up of award-winning writer/directors PAYMAN BENZ and SEAN BECKER, both RTVF grads from our department. Together they produce comedic short films and sketches. Their work has been screened at over 30 film festivals, featured on prominent websites such as YouTube and Myspace, and has won several awards, including an Emmy in 2004. In July 2007, Awkward Pictures won the 1st YouTube Sketchies Contest, sponsored by Sierra Mist, where they faced off against over 5,000 other entrants. 'Fanny Pack' and 'Creepy', two comedic music videos directed by Payman Benz, are featured on AdamSandler.com, and are the first videos not produced by Happy Madison to be featured on the website. You hear a lot about viral this and internet comedy that, but Payman and Sean really are doing it.

CAITLIN DISSINGER CAST IN INDIE FEATURE

According to “The Hollywood Reporter,” alumna CAITLIN DISSINGER has been cast in “ChainSmoke”, an indie thriller being produced by Giant Leap Films. The picture started principal photography at Lake Tahoe on February 6 under the direction of first-time director Phil Grasso. The cast features Dissinger, Zachary Gossett and Dov Hassan.

AMY GLAZER’S NEW PLAY AT THE SF PLAYHOUSE RECEIVES RAVE

PROF. AMY GLAZER’s (pictured left with Daphne Zuniga) new play at the SF Playhouse got a rave in the San Jose Mercury-News – even though star Daphne Zuniga fell ill on opening night! Critic Karen D’Souza wrote, “Miraculously, despite this bad luck, director Amy Glazer pulled off a deliciously dark West Coast premiere of Theresa Rebeck's absolutely smashing little black dress of a comedy, ‘The Scene.’” For ticket information go to www.sfplayhouse.org.

JEFF BROWN IN “ALL MY SONS”

Theatre Arts alumnus JEFF BROWN is “Jim” in Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” on the Second Stage at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Mountain View. Jeff told PERFROMANCES that he’d love to see other alumni in the audience: “After the show we can hang out, grab a drink at one of the bars on Castro, and – for those I haven't seen in a long time – catch up!” Hurry. The show only runs through March 9, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro Street Mountain View CA 94041. Tickets are $20 for generals and $15 for students or seniors. Purchase ahead by calling (650) 903-6000, or order online at www.mvcpa.com.

STUDENTS WIN ADVERTISING COMPETITION

The Big Easy Group in San Jose State University's RTVF 185 Digital Media/Podcast Production and Performance class won $500 from the Dial Corporation in a digital video shootout sponsored by the Dial Corporation and Zooka Creative in cooperation with San Jose State University. With professionalism and a keen eye for detail, the Big Easy Group, led by leader GEORGE FLANIGAN, ANTHONY OLMOS, BK BAR and DAVID MA LEE pulled out all the stops to create a professional-quality digital video to promote a new Dial product called RGX. Stiff competition among PROFESSOR DAN FORTUNE'S RTVF 185 and RTVF 141 students prevailed, and Big Easy Group worked hard to produce commercial quality content and was rewarded with this prize. The production team on the commercial also involved the students MATT FALKENTHAL, CHRIS FAULKNER, NICOLE GREEN, AUDREY BAILEY, DEVIN ELSTON, JONATHAN MANGRUM, BRIAN DUMBROWSKI, DANIEL CHESNUT, RANDY MARCHMAN, JAMES JEFFREY, and NICK RODRIQUEZ. To view the winning commercial click

JASON SALAZAR SHOOTING AND WRITING

Recent grad JASON SALAZAR is working on a mockumentary about people trying to make an action-adventure film and how everything just goes horribly wrong. There’s a teaser trailer at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOIwJLzbrLY. Alumna LAUREN PLAXCO, also a star of GLORY BOY DAYS, is in it. Jason will also be attending a “fan fest” in Washington, Rad Con 5, where seven of his films will be screened and he’ll be on a filmmaker panel. His wife Sharon, meanwhile, is about to start shooting her second feature at Branham High. It's called "The Out Crowd" and Jason wrote it specifically for her. It follows the exploits of a group of nerds who take a stand against bullies.

PAUL SAWYER IN “MOBY DICK”

Alum PAUL SAWYER recently closed a production of “Moby Dick, The Musical!” which he directed with All About Theatre in Santa Cruz, where he’s currently serving as an Artist in Residence. He teaches classes in acting, improv, audition technique, and works on most of their Main Stage shows. He’s currently ramping up for “Smokey Joe's Café,” which he’ll be directing in late spring, and “Peter Pan,” for which he’ll conduct the orchestra. “The company is fantastic, and the kids are phenomenally talented!” Paul says, adding, “This spring is going to be very busy with the wedding coming up, a possible cross-country move, [and] putting time into my first book (aimed at teens breaking into the world of theatre).”

ROBYN HANNAH DISPLAYS CHEEKY PASSION ON STAGE

Alumna ROBYN HANNAH recently scored a triumph in the Santa Clara Players production of “Steel Magnolias,” where she played Shelby (the “Julia Roberts” part) with what the Milpitas Post called “cheeky passion.” The “must see” production,” which it is unfortunately has closed so you can’t see it anymore, was directed by alumna ANGIE HIGGINS.

ALI HOFFMAN WANTS WORK

Attention LA alumni: well-regarded actress and well-loved person ALI HOFFMAN, now graduated, has moved to LA and is looking for PA work (“or whatever”). Send your ideas or just offer to take her out for coffee. PROF. ETHEL WALKER describes Ali as "one of the students at the university I'm really proud of," and says Ali's "a very hard-working responsible, person...with talent...and a wonderful personality...and very pretty." Not that looks matter in acting. Email “Performances” if you have any leads for Ali or want to get in touch with her.

PROGRAM REVIEWS PROVIDE SELF-ASSESSMENT OF TRFT

Thanks are due to faculty members BABAK SARRAFAN and BARNABY DALLAS, who recently compiled the required RTVF Program Review and the NAST (National Association of Schools of Theatre) Accreditation Review. These massive documents look backward at our accomplishments and forward into our future as we negotiate the rough seas of changing student tastes and shrinking state budgets.

AFTER THE FIRE…

You may recall that a few summers back, in 2005 to be precise, during the shooting of our feature film “Drifting Elegant,” Hugh Gillis Hall 114 (variously known as “The Alumni Room” and “The Conference Room’) caught fire when a misplaced can of Sterno met some inflammable curtains. (Rumors that “PERFORMANCES” doused the curtains with accelerant because they were so ugly are utterly unfounded.) As a result of the fire, the TRFT archives were moved upstairs.

We have an uneven collection of things and no one person really knows what it is. Faculty Emeritus KEN DORST, who spent several years working on it, was unable to catalogue it all. This is where you, dear reader, come in: Grad student LEE BROOKS is working under PROF. DAVID KAHN to make some sense of it and needs help. TRFT Librarian PAUL KAUPPILLA is having some of really historic materials evaluated for possible placement in their permanent collection, probably the best thing we can do for them, but if you’re interested in helping with the rest, contact “PERFORMANCES” via the link above, and your email will be forwarded to Prof. Kahn.

SEEN ON THE SCENE OUT AND ABOUT

BRAD KRANICH (pronounced "chronic") now in LA, living on "Stoner Street." As Jack Paar used to say, “I kid you not”… ANGIE HIGGINS, JEFF PAULSON, and CHRISTIAN PIZZIRANI in Joseph Kesselring’s classic comedy “Arsenic and Old Lace” at the Northside Theatre. Tickets are $15 and the show runs through March 9. Visit http://www.northsidetheatre.com/website/season.html ... Department graduate student LAWRENCE STANSBERRY starting his own media design firm, LS3 Digital Media. Stansberry is working to complete his M.A. in our Department. His website is www.LS3digitalmedia.com... According to our Dept. Chair and Webmaster Mike Adams, “Performances,” the TRFT Newsletter, has racked up 1.5 million page requests in the past year. Tell your fellow alumni to check us out!

That’s it for March. Until April, PERFORMANCES leaves you with the words of screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky, spoken by Ernest Borgnine in MARTY: “You don’t get to be good-hearted by accident. If you’ve been kicked around long enough, you get to be a – a real professor of pain.”

2008 February

IN THE JANUARY 2007 PERFORMANCES SPOTLIGHT:

LECTURER MARC PINATE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF LATINO SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCE


Theatre Arts instructor MARC PINATE isn’t boxed in by traditional ideas of what constitutes “proper” content for the “legitimate stage.” Instead, Pinate, who has been a part-time instructor in the Department of TV, Radio, Film and Theatre for five years, is dedicated to finding new means of theatrical expression, especially for speakers of Spanish.

Pinate, a “spoken word” performer of national repute, in 1999 founded the “Lunada” open mike series, a monthly evening of storytelling, poetry-reading and spoken word. It began humbly enough in a small, San Jose Mexican restaurant, but has subsequently grown into a San Francisco cultural institution, housed in the Mission District’s historic art space Galeria de la Raza.

When he was appointed program manager at Galeria de la Raza in 2004, Marc revived the Lunada as a monthly “open mic” where spoken word artists could perform in Spanish, English or Spanglish, sometimes accompanied by live music. The hip, lively event has attracted the participation of noted Bay Area Latino poets such as Francisco Alarcon, Guillermo Gomez Pena Aya de Leon and Leticia Hernandez. The event is monthly – and free if you bring a homemade dish! (Otherwise admission is $5.)

“Performances” sat down with Marc to find out more about Lunada, the Galeria de la Raza, and Pinate’s own glittering career as spoken word artist.

Performances: What can people expect if they go to a Lunada? And what does the word “Lunada” mean?

Pinate: In Mexico's smaller towns and pueblos, people sometimes gather outside on the night of the full moon, usually in the town plaza, and share songs, poetry and stories. There is usually food - hot chocolate and pastries called "pan dulce." These gatherings are called Lunadas, from the root word, Luna, which means moon in Spanish. This tradition is an indigenous one that goes back thousands and thousands of years. Of course, there are people all over the world who have gathered on the night of the full moon, usually for some kind of spiritual or esoteric purpose. That's pretty much what I feel an open mic is, or can be at its best. At the Lunadas I host at Galeria de la Raza, I try to create that sense of community ritual - the sharing of food, stories and spirit. We gather so that through our songs and poems we can remember that we are not alone. It is, like all "talk circles," medicine for the soul.

Performances: How did you come to be program manager at Galeria de la Raza?

Pinate: Well, I can't say that it was just luck or timing, because I don't believe that anything happens by accident. But in 2004, I finally made the decision to move up to the SF-Oakland scene, and this position just kind of opened up right at that time. I had spent the previous six years building a performance and literary program at MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana) here in San Jose, and I think that experience was a big part of why I was hired.

Performances: What are the main programs there?

Pinate: The gallery displays six to eight art exhibitions a year along with artist talks and workshops. We also do film screenings, music concerts, and literary events, and from time to time we present theatre as well. This year we focused much of our programming around the issue of immigration. Galeria de la Raza is one of the oldest Chicano art organizations in the country. It is the birthplace of the group Culture Clash, Guillermo Gomez Pena is a regular presence there, along with founders of "Chicano Art" such as Ester Hernandez, Yolanda Lopez and Jose Montoya. We also feature lots of spoken word artists - Latino and non-Latino - and performance collectives like headRush, Las Manas, Brown Buffalo Project, Teatro Luna and Madmedia.

Performances: As an artist, you’re primarily known for spoken word performance, both live and on CD. A lot of people don’t know what the terms “spoken word” and “poetry slam” mean. Can you enlighten them?

Pinate: You know, there has been a lot of talk about what these terms mean... about what is the difference between "regular poetry" and "spoken word." In the end, its ALL POETRY and its ALL THEATRE, I mean, life in general, right? ...but before I get too metaphysical about it, I'll start with the easiest term which is SLAM! A poetry slam is simply a competition between spoken word poets or "performance poets" where five members of the "audience" (often unsuspecting bar patrons) are the judges. If anyone ever did forensics in school, a.k.a. speech tournaments, well this is exactly what slam is, except everybody's drunk. I'm kidding (sort of)! One of the best things about slam poetry is that all the work is original and written by the performers themselves. As for spoken word... well, to me, it’s pure performance. It's the big juicy monologue at the end of the play, only, you don't need to watch the whole play anymore to get the pay-off. It is a microwave society and I have to say that spoken word is what Shakespeare has evolved into, for certainly the rhythm and cadence of many spoken word poets is the iambic pentameter of the urban 21st century. Whatever you want to call it, at its root, it is the Oral Tradition. It is bards and troubadours, griots and the Beat Poets, the Last Poets, Doug E. Fresh, and Saul Williams. Performances: Is there a big difference between poetry designed primarily to be spoken and poetry designed primarily to be read? Do spoken word artists work to a different set of criteria? What’s the relationship between spoken word and theatre – where do they intersect? And where does slamming fit in? Answer those questions in any order you like. Pinate: I think there’s a huge difference between poetry for the page and poetry for the stage. For the former, the written poetry is the final product, for the latter it is just one of several steps towards the final product, which is a performance. Written spoken word poetry is like sheet music, it’s just notations to remind you what notes to play on your instrument, which is your voice and body, but the "notes" are not the music, right? I mean you can transcribe a riff by Jimi Hendrix, but what's on paper, sure as hell ain't Jimi! Spoken word is meant to be performed and experienced viscerally, not just intellectually, which is why I believe that all spoken word is just one of theatre's many forms, you know, the old theater adage, "show, don't tell." At the same time, I think there are spoken word poets who come from a theatrical background and there are those who come from a hip hop background and you will find that the former sometimes feels like a monologue and the latter sometimes seems like a rap. However I think most spoken word poets fall somewhere in the middle. Perhaps the most outstanding feature, however, is spoken word's anti-establishment quality. One cannot overlook the progressive, counter narrative nature of spoken word. It is what hip hop was when it first started, a means by which those without a mainstream platform can attack the master narratives and hegemonic myths of the New World Order. This is why you can't hear spoken word on the radio, unless it’s KPFA. I believe this is what makes spoken word so necessary and popular in these times, because it is an art form that seeks to change our collective consciousness, by altering the very fabric of reality: the stories we tell each other.

Performances: Are spoken word and slam well understood in the academic world? And are they usually studied in the English departments or theatre departments?

Pinate: I think at times, in some instances, there can be a tension between academics, people who have their MFA in creative writing or a PhD in Literature, and spoken word artists. It is an issue of legitimacy. Someone who forks out 50 grand for an MFA and has studied, in depth, all established literary forms and formulas and has read and analyzed all the "greats" of the Western literary cannon will never believe that someone who grew up "spittin' rhymes” and listening to E-40 and Tupac can be on the same level as them. But I think the comparison is wrong. Spoken word poets think MFA grads are too stuffy and BORING. MFA folks think spoken word poets are all show and no substance. In the end, it’s silly to generalize because there are amazing artists on both sides and there are really bad poets on both sides – although more on the academic side! I think you have to play to your audience and who’s to say what is "legitimate?" I don't know whether or not spoken word is studied in English departments. I'm sure there are a few maverick - innovative? - professors that do cover it. Sometimes, when I Google myself I'll see my work in some professor's online syllabus. However, since so much of spoken word is unpublished, I suspect it’s not taught as much. However, I sincerely hope I am wrong about that. In the end, it’s a pointless dichotomy. There’s an audience for everything. Poets, MCs, authors just need to do their thing for the people that want to see/read/hear it. You're either relevant or you're not.

Performances: Tell me about winning the title “National Poetry Slam Champion.”

Pinate: It is one of my proudest moments. 1999 was a special year for the Bay Area and spoken word. I think it's when spoken word hit its critical mass and really exploded after that. There were over 200 teams from about 45 states who met in Chicago, which is where slam poetry started (at the Green Mill bar by a guy named Mark Smith). Of the four teams that made it to the finals, three of them were Bay Area teams - Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. The fourth team was from NYC. The competition was covered by 60 Minutes and the New York Times. It was a big deal, you know, and it did a lot for my standing as a poet and performer. I was also proud to represent San Jose and win it for the city where I basically got my start as an artist.

Performances: You pitch your work toward working class Latinos. Does that affect your choice of subject matter, and set it apart from more so-called “traditional” poets?

Pinate: Hmmm.... I think when I was younger that might have been the case. You know, like, when I was in my 20s I was all about "down with da Man" and whatnot. However, I think (or hope) as I've gotten older my work has become more universal. I think that's the tendency for many artists of color. The first thing you want to do when you finally "find your voice" is yell and rant about how you've been jacked over for the last 500 years. It feels good to finally be able to say it so publicly. It's necessary and empowering. But it’s hard to be mad all the time, you know, and honestly, that rap gets old real quick. These days I find myself more interested in love rather than pain; unity above separatism. We are all one organism on this planet and I need to speak to more than just people who share my skin tone. I'm not sure what a "traditional poet" is. If it means one of the dead white guys I was forced to read in high school then yeah, my poetry is probably different from that. Is Rumi a traditional poet? Pablo Neruda, e.e. cummings, Lorca? I think I share something with these guys. I think there is a tradition of provocation in poetry and art in general, and in that sense I am certainly a part of a tradition. But you know, I have my Spanish poems and my spanglish poems and my New Age poems and my hip hop poems and my love poems and my rant poems and my epic poems... cause the goal is to be able to hold your own with ANY audience, right?

Performances: You also had a Chicano rock band, Grito Serpentino. Tell me about it.

Pinate: That was a lot of fun. We were together about ten years. During that time we played hundreds of shows around the Bay Area, California and the whole country. I guess what set us apart and accounted for much of our success was our format which was an eclectic mix of musical styles combined with spoken word. Truly, there can be nothing more thrilling, exhilarating and downright fun than being the front man of a band! Touring was the best, especially when we were in the southwest and the Midwest. We received a lot of love from those audiences. Playing the Lincoln Center's Summer Arts Festival in New York was one of the high points as well. We recorded two CDs, which are still played on college and indie radio stations around the country to this day. After I moved up to San Francisco it became harder to commute to San Jose for band practice and I also started doing more acting with theater companies in San Francisco. Other band members had families and business careers they were getting into so we called it quits. I do miss that kind of performing, but I am excited about the work I'm doing in SF and the East Bay on my own.

Performances: You got an impressive grant recently. Who gave it to you and for what, and are you afraid that you’ll get all “respectable” and be co-opted by The Establishment?

Pinate: Heh... That's funny, “co-opted by The Establishment." No, I can't say that's a big worry. The grant I received was a $10,000 creation grant from the National Performance Network. It was my first "professional" commission and I have to say it went a long way towards making me feel like a legitimate working artist. I must recognize my artistic partners Paul Flores and Amalia Ortiz. In 2004, we formed the collective, Chicano Messengers of Spoken Word. Paul was the key person in putting the project together. I was honored to be invited to participate. Both Paul and Amalia had been featured on HBO's Def Poetry; Amalia had been on an impressive four times. My claim to fame was winning the National Poetry Slam. Anyway, we wanted to write a play that used spoken word as a major component. We were awarded the grant with Youth Speaks in San Francisco, MECA in Houston and Su Teatro in Denver signing on as sponsoring venues. The play we created was called "Fear of a Brown Planet" and included an original score by Bay Area jazz phenom, Marcus Shelby. Marcus is an amazing musician and the coolest dressed cat I know, and it was a real honor to have him travel and perform with us when we toured the show. I had written and produced several plays before, when I was the artistic director of Los Del Pueblo Actors' Lab (the resident theater company I founded at MACLA), but this was the first time I had a REAL production budget to work with. Also having the venerable Tony Garcia (founder and artistic director of Su Teatro in Denver) as the director was a great experience. The play was set in the near future and centered around three people being held in prison without charges after the Patriot Act had completely taken away everyone's civil liberties. Our opening at Theatre Artaud was OK, but after some rewrites our shows in Denver and Houston really ROCKED!

Performances: Did you grow up in San Jose?

Pinate: No, I didn't. I moved here in 1990 from Chandler, Arizona. I came out to attend Santa Clara University as an undergraduate. During that time I got to know San Jose and ended up staying here for 14 years. I started working with [San Jose Latino Theatre Company] Teatro Vision about a year after I graduated. Elisa Alvarado, Teatro Vision's founder and artistic director, gave me my start in theater and was an early mentor of mine. Even through I wasn't born in San Jose, it’s where I got my start as an artist and I strongly feel that I was afforded opportunities that I would have never been able to do in a big city like San Francisco. I have a lot of love for San Jose and I'm very happy that I have been able to keep my connection to it as an instructor as San Jose State, which is a job that I absolutely love.

Performances: You’re teaching a so-called MUSE class in the fall – can you tell our readers what a MUSE class is, and why you agreed to teach it even though it’s more work than a regular class?

Pinate: Well, to my understanding, MUSE classes are designed to help incoming freshmen stay in college and succeed in an environment that may be very different from what they’re used to. I believe they’re geared towards students who come form marginalized communities, students that may be the first in there families to go to college. MUSE classes are GE classes that are "enriched" with extra lessons on study skills and certain required field trips that help students learn how to get the most out of their college experience. I think this is a wonderful program. Having been one of those "at risk" students myself, when I was an undergrad, I can fully appreciate the extra challenges that these students face. Coming from an activist background, I am strongly committed to keeping working class students and students of color in school. As a Chicano - which I see as an ideological designation rather than an ethnic one - I have a responsibility to make sure I do all I can to work towards a more egalitarian society. I am very much looking forward to teaching this class in the fall semester. As it is, I feel that a beginning acting class helps students become more confident when speaking in front of people and that is a life skill that is a tremendous asset whether you are an actor or not. I think beginning acting is a perfect course to offer as a MUSE class.

Performances: What projects do you have coming up this year?

Pinate: I am very excited to be working with my favorite playwright in the world, Octovio Solis, at my favorite theatre company in the Bay Area, Intersection for the Arts' resident theater company Campo Santo, this March. Octavio will be premiering a new play, ‘June in a Box,’ and I have a big juicy role in it! Also in the cast are veteran actors VIVIS and Luis Saguar, whom I am totally honored to be sharing the stage with. I was in two Campo Santo productions last year (most recently I worked with Danny Scheie) and I just can't say enough about this company. I am also continuing my artist residency at La Pena Cultural Center this year. I have been conducting street theatre and hybrid performance workshops there for the last two semesters, working with a group of very talented actors and performers from the East Bay. This semester we are moving from a workshop format to a performance ensemble and I have been commissioned to oversee the creation a new hybrid performance piece that will premiere there in June and hopefully tour afterwards.

Galeria de la Raza is located at 2857 24th St. in San Francisco. Visit www.GaleriadelaRaza.org.

SJSU AT CINEQUEST

This year’s Cinequest Film Festival, as is usual of late, features important participation by Dept. of TV, Radio, Film and Theatre students and faculty. Two features, two shorts and two speakers will be at Cinequest.

GLORY BOY DAYS. PAUL ENCINAS’s student-written-and-directed feature film, just back from the Slamdance Festival in Park City, where it was an official selection in the narrative feature category, is a coming of age ensemble comedy-drama noted especially for its spectacularly gorgeous visual style. It screens March 7 at 7:00 P.M. and March 8 at 10:00 P.M., both at the San Jose Repertory Theater.

ALL ABOUT DAD. MARK TRAN’s student written-and-directed feature, will receive a “sneak preview” at Cinequest. The comedy concerns a Vietnamese American family with a father who has strong ideas about how his children should run their lives. It screens March 5 at 7:00 P.M. at the San Jose Rep.

DREAMS ON A STRING. This charming short, written and directed by student JONATHAN WHITE, is about a magical balloon that floats through the world making dreams come true.

MASS TRANSIT. Also in the student shorts competition, MATT FAULKER’s offbeat romance about a boy who sees a girl on a commuter train. The film was produced by ANDREW HELLESEN through the students’ own Film Production Society.

Both MASS TRANSIT and DREAMS ON A STRING will screen in the Student Shorts Competition, Feb. 28 at 7:30 P.M. and March 2 at 10:30 A.M., at the Camera 12.

DAY OF THE WRITER. As usual, writing faculty members SCOTT SUBLETT and BARNABY DALLAS will be featured speakers in the day-long training for aspiring screenwriters. Day of the Writer is March 9 this year, with Sublett speaking at 9:30 A.M. and Dallas at 11:00 A.M., both at the San Jose Rep.

Tickets to any or all of these events can be found CINEQUEST.ORG.

IN PARK CITY WITH “GLORY BOY DAYS”: A SLAMDANCE DIARY

A large contingent from the Dept. of TV, Radio, Film and Theatre went to Slamdance to provide moral support for the student filmmakers who traveled through rain, sleet and snow – OK, no sleet – to savor the excitement and glamour surrounding the festival’s selection of student-written-and-directed feature GLORY BOY DAYS for two screenings.

Faculty members NED KOPP, BABAK SARRAFAN, BARNABY DALLAS and SCOTT SUBLETT showed up, the last of whom submitted to “Performances” (which is to say, submitted to himself), the following “Slamdance Diary,” a very casual, very first person account of his day-by-day reactions to his time at the festival, and reflections on the process that got the film there:

DAY 1, SATURDAY:

Park City at Festival time is a blast. I knew that Slamdance and Sundance took place at the same time in the same town, and that Slamdance was the “authentic” indie festival, focusing on first-time directors with budgets under a million. But until I got here I had no idea that Slamdance and Sundance were basically a block away from each other and that everyone intermingled in the bars, the restaurants, and on the street. And what a street is Main Street, Park City, Utah – an endless row of high-end boutiques and eateries such as you’d find in Los Gatos, plopped in the midst of the most magnificent, snow skiing mountains in America.

At midday is the first screening of the GLORY BOY DAYS – to a packed house. I’m struck again by the sweetness and lyricism of the script. TODD BANHAZL’S cinematography is astounding – every time they cut to a new shot it’s a new, arresting, surprising, seductive image. Todd and Paul collaborated brilliantly. Paul isn’t just a talented writer – he’s a total filmmaker.

DAY 2, SUNDAY:

So many students, and recent grads, who were on the crew and loved the experience, have come up for the fest! GREG BRADLEY, JAMES JEFFREY, JOHN LaROSA, JUAN SERNA, ANDREW HELLESEN, NICK MARTIN, BANHAZL, ENCINAS, and cast members JARED MENDIOLA, TONY AGRESTI, LAUREN PLAXCO, OMAR MUNOZ, and KAMERON COLLINS. They jammed themselves into cars like clowns in a circus Volkswagen and drove all night. When they got here about 14 of them slept in a condo they rented. Their loyalty to Paul is amazing, and Paul needed their loyalty to successfully complete the film. He earned their help because he was always generous in helping other film students with their projects. The students knew Paul, had faith in Paul, and so they gave 100 per cent through the many, long, grueling days on the set. If Paul had been a jerk his movie would never have gotten made. Being a jerk can work in Hollywood, but it doesn't work in the low-budget indie world, where it really helps to be a nice guy because you need lots and lots of favors. Paul is an example of a nice guy finishing first. We have a lot of incredible film students but Paul was unique even among that crowd. He's crazy about beauty -- photography, clothes, break dancing, whatever -- and that love of beauty comes through in his exquisitely composed shots. He's also modest, humble and somewhat shy, but with a quietly determined and confident core that he carefully protects.

At events and on the street I run into students from a variety of universities, but they’re here observing the festival, usually for credit in Winter Session classes. I feel so proud that our SJSU students aren’t just watching the festival – they’re IN the festival, with a feature. True, there are other college students here with films in the festival, but they’re all shorts. GLORY BOY DAYS is certainly the only feature made with a student crew to be in Slamdance or Sundance. Hundreds and hundreds of university film departments make shorts. Almost none make feature-length films.

A big reason we can successfully make features and other schools can't is that our screenwriting classes are generating feature scripts worth shooting. I’m proudly kvelling to everyone who’ll listen that the GLORY BOY DAYS script was written in my screenwriting class. People seem interested in our program, and I tell them that all our film majors are required to take a screenwriting class where they outline a feature-length script and then write 60 pages – a bit more than half. Then they finish it the following semester if they want to. Paul fit right into our philosophy, which is anti-research and anti-genre in that we insist on screenwriting that's drawn from one's own life, not bad imitations of Hollywood hits. Students succeed best when they write what they know, and Paul knew the hipster, hip hop, B-boy (break dancing) culture he depicted in the film. I recall that I gave Paul an A+ and immediately started talking up 'Glory Boy Days' as a feature script our department realistically could produce. It had high literary quality and an absence of expensive car chases, so it was something we could adequately support. Our Director of Production Barnaby Dallas was very excited by the script and got behind Paul, forming a production class in which the film would be shot over winter session 2007, and making sure the students had as much support as we could give them. And here we are a year later, at Slamdance. It’s incredible. It’s particularly incredible because, even with the support the department could afford, the kids had to raise money, scrounge, and make do. It’s a testament to the incredible resourcefulness of indie filmmakers. And also to our students’ production management skills, taught to them by Ned Kopp, and their technical abilities, taught by Babak Sarrafan.

DAY 3, MONDAY

For me, it’s a snow day. Completely snowed in. It’s a real blizzard. I’m staying with a pal from graduate school, down in Orem, an hour away. I’m drinking coffee when I see her neighbor shoveling her walk, so I have to get dressed quickly and run out to help so I don’t look like a bad guest. I don’t think I’ve shoveled snow since living in Chicago as kid. But the Chicago snow was heavy. This is powder and it’s light as a feather. Still, there’s so much of it. The roads up the mountains, at least for today, are impassable.

DAY 4, TUESDAY

The snow’s been plowed and I’m back in Park City. Apparently, despite the blizzard, the festival proceeded on schedule yesterday and the students were busy all day.

The kids are so incredible. The snow is deep and the air is cold, but I notice that most of the students are wearing sneaker – in some cases CANVASS sneakers! They don’t seem to care at all. They just don’t seem to care because they’re having such a great time, seeing films, meeting other filmmakers, going to parties. Tony Agresti seems to have the smoothest facility for talking his way into the hot parties. He’s pretty fearless when it comes to schmoozing, and even tried to bum a cigarette from SIDEWAYS star PAUL GIAMATTI.

The kids are seeing big shot celebrities all over: the ubiquitous PARIS HILTON, the classy SIR BEN KINGSLEY, the brilliant RANDY QUAID (wearing a huge fur coat that matches his beard perfectly and makes him look like a large, fur bearing animal), COLIN FARRELL (good looking in person, too) and “Lethal Weapon’s” DANNY GLOVER. I only saw CRISPIN GLOVER, who played the father in BACK TO THE FUTURE, but he is, after all, a superb actor, and I’m kind of thrilled when I see him.

Amid all this glamour is the reality of impoverished indie filmmakers trying to make their way in an incredibly expensive environment. Eating is particularly a problem, especially on the big weekend days when the restaurants are jammed. It takes forty minutes to get in anyplace for lunch and when you finally get a menu the prices are astronomical. Moreover, a lot of restaurants are out of play because they’ve been booked for private parties. The students are happy but hungry, so I start carrying bags of trail mix and nuts in my parka pockets to hand out to students. After a couple of days they’re sick of nuts and won’t take them anymore. “I say ‘nuts’ to nuts,” says one.

DAY 5, WEDNESDAY

Being here with all these great kids makes one realize that writer-director Paul Encinas is special, but he's not the only special student we have. We get more high-quality scripts and shorts than one might imagine, and if we had the resources we could make three worthwhile student features a year. Other student scripts are wonderful in other ways – for example, a Vietnamese American student, MARK TRAN (also here at the festival), wrote and shot ALL ABOUT DAD, a sweet and quite hilarious comedy about a Vietnamese American family. He's almost done editing it and we think the reception will be just as spectacular as the one gotten by 'Glory Boy Days.' Greg Bradley, producer on GLORY BOY DAYS, wrote and directed COLLEGE RADIO SUCKS, which he’s almost done editing. Talent and creativity aren't rare gifts – all human beings are creative and all have a unique view of life. It's our job to teach them the techniques – form dramatic writing to cinematography to production management – that enable them to make art out of that creativity. Paul is certainly special in that he's more sensitive to beauty than most people, and has a particularly tender view of humanity. But those are qualities that make his art unique, not qualities necessarily common to all interesting artists. As a writer, Paul delicately balanced his basically anti-narrative sensibility with just enough narrative thrust to keep things hopping. The equation is very hard to pull off, but the results can be wonderfully light and delicate when successful. I'm not sure Paul was fully conscious of how risky it was – he just worked hard, stayed sincere, and made it all come out OK. Filmmaking is enormously collaborative, and Paul tells me how grateful he is to the students who made up his team, for example his incredible cinematographer Todd Banhazl, and his tireless producer Greg Bradley.

The second screening, on Wednesday night, goes fabulously. There’s a lot of excitement and everybody stays for the question and answer period with the filmmakers. A British filmmaker, during the Q & A, compares the style of the film to that of the innovative auteur Sidney J. Furie. It’s my last night here in Utah – have to get back for school – and I’m sad when I drive to the airport because the festival will run two more days and I’m going to miss it.

2008 FEBRUARY CAMEOS

MATT McTIGHES THE KNOT

Recently married alumnus MATT McTIGHE writes: “Our wedding on New Years Eve was, to date, the HAPPIEST day of my life, celebrated with all of my family and friends from all walks of my life - childhood through DVC, through SJSU, through Chicago, through Ashland, through LA...so many of you were there. It was overwhelmingly beautiful. It's been a long road to happiness, and I wanted to thank everyone who helped me along the way to finding Jessica and living a life that is pure and genuine.”

Matt is now back in LA rehearsing the stage classic “The Time of Your Life” at the Pacific Resident Theater in Venice, CA, playing Tom and “having a blast.” He adds, “Pray the strike ends! And if you care to see ‘Time of Your Life,’ it's playing through February with a possible extension.”

A BUNDLE OF NEWS FROM PATRICE LAKEY

According to PROF. ETHEL WALKER, recent alumna PATRICE LAKEY gave birth to a baby boy November 24, 2007. His name is Dallas Cameron Lakey Jeffers and he’s doing fine. Patrice sends her best to everyone and is getting "itchy feet to get on stage".

“GOSSIP GIRL” GUESTS ON KSJS, PLAYS AT CAMERA 3 DOWNTOWN

Gossip Girl star LEIGHTON MEESTER (pictured left with KSJS DJ Chef Ramon) was in San Jose to promote her Indie film Flourish, featuring JENNIFER MORRISON (House, M.D.), JESSE SPENCER (House M.D.), and directed by Kevin Palys. Meester was a guest on CHEF RAMON’S Blues Café on 90.5 FM KSJS Friday morning January 18th. Meester portrays Blair Waldorf on “Gossip Girl,” based on the popular book series; “Gossip Girl” is CW’s big buzz show and Chef Ramon chatted with Leighton on a variety of topics including the writer’s strike, her acting career, and her aspirations as a singer. “Flourish” was a 2006 Cinequest entry and was being presented as an exclusive Camera 3 limited engagement in downtown San Jose. Cinequest Executive Director HALFDAN HUSSEY, a lecturer in our department, announced that the Camera 3 would reopen in April presenting weekly runs of Cinequest festival favorites and special premier events.

2008 JANUARY

STUDENT WRITTEN-AND-DIRECTED "CLASS PROJECT" FEATURE FILM MAKES PRESTIGIOUS SLAMDANCE FEST

In one of the most exciting developments in the over-100-year history of the Department of TV, Radio, Film and Theatre, PAUL ENCINAS's student-written-and-directed feature film "Glory Boy Days" has been accepted into the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. (Left, Paul Encinas)

"For a student written-and-directed feature film to be accepted into a major American festival is unprecedented in the history of the department," said CHAIR MIKE ADAMS. "It's possible that other film programs have accomplished this, but I know of no instances.

"The Slamdance Festival is one of the most important film festivals in the US," Adams continued. "It was created in 1995 in response to the increased commercialization of the Sundance Festival, and it specializes in genuinely independent films by new directors. Unlike a lot of the films called 'indie' nowadays, the films shown at Slamdance are true independents."

An article announcing the festival's line-up in "The Hollywood Reporter" prominently mentioned "Glory Boy Days" and said Slamdance was "long established as a renegade alternative to Sundance." Among Slamdance's "alumni" are such filmmakers as Steven Soderbergh, Christopher Nolan, Marc Forster and Jared Hess, and among the indie films to have been launched at Slamdance are "The King of Kong" and "Mad Hot Ballroom." More than 50 films have achieved theatrical distribution after appearing in the Slamdance festival.

Getting into Slamdance isn't easy: about 1,500 films applied to Slamdance this year. Only ten - among them "Glory Boy Days" - were accepted into the prestigious Narrative Feature Competition category.

Writer-director Encinas applied to Slamdance knowing that the fest favored genuinely independent, up-from-the-streets films that are sincere and made on a limited budget.

For the festival program, Programmer Denis Henry Hennelly described "Glory Boy Days" as, "one of those heartfelt films that plays like music... it's got an assured soulful rhythm that the viewer can lean back into, uncovering its pleasures as it unfolds. With a sensitive eye for the intimate, authentic moments of relationships, parties, and Hip Hop culture, the filmmakers have crafted a cinematic album that meanders gracefully from chill-out grooves to party beats to introspective ballads."

Encinas's funny, yet tender and lyrical, script, which takes place over the course of a single day, is about a twentyish hipster with a collapsing home situation who falls for a beautiful coed. Meanwhile, two other members of the ensemble cast try to work out a failing romantic relationship, while two others ineptly try to trade their services as thugs-for-hire for free drugs.

Many of the actors in the film were current students or very recent grads, including JARED MENDIOLA, LAUREN PLAXCO, BRAD KRANICH, TONY AGRESTI, STUART MAHONEY, KAMERON COLLINS, OMAR MUNOZ and CHARISE LORIAUX.

The film's crew was peopled almost entirely by students in the Dept. of TV, Radio, Film and Theatre, and recent departmental grads. The cinematographer was RTVF major TODD BANHAZL, who subsequently was accepted into the prestigious American Film Institute graduate program in cinematography. Other students included on the crew were NICK MARTIN (gaffer), MARCO BERCASIO (key grip), MATT FALKENTHAL (sound), MATT FALKNER (grip), DAVID LEVENTHAL (sound mixing), ANDREW HELLESEN (script supervisor), MASON WILLIAMS (grip) MARK TRAN (assistant editor), JUAN SERNA (assistant director), JOHN LaROSA (sound designer), GREG BRADLEY (producer), DAN HAWKEY (camera assistant), JEREMY CASTILLO (camera assistant), JOEY SANDIN (casting) and many others.

The film was essentially a "class project" from two separate classes: PROF. SCOTT SUBLETT's RTVF 175 screenwriting class, where the script was written, and PROF. BARNABY DALLAS's RTVF 185 film production class, in which it was shot.

"This is a great example of the department's integration," said the department's Head of Production Dallas. "Writing, directing, production, sound recording, lighting and a host of various other filmmaking skills came together, worked together, in this single, large project. But also, the theatre side of the department was involved, for example with acting and costume. And we built two sets on campus, in the basement of the University Theatre and using the Green Room as a record store."

"Our department specializes in cutting edge, 'indie' style scripts - works that represent a fresh, honest response to life as it's lived today, not the canned, boring sentimentality and sensationalism of Hollywood," said the department's head of writing Sublett. "The ethnic diversity of the Silicon Valley is represented in our casts and crews, and that gives our students' work a vitality and novelty that other schools can't match."

Cinematographer Banhazl (photo, left) adds, "There was a wonderful collaboration with the School of Art and Design at SJSU - a group of their top students passionately worked as our art department and were invaluable to the success of the visual storytelling of the film, led by the art director, JANUEL MERCADO, a current student, and production designer ERIK OTTO, a recent grad."

Slamdance will be held Jan.17-25. "Glory Boy Days" will screen Sat. Jan. 19 and Wed. Jan. 23. To reserve tickets click here

RANDALL MARQUEZ ACTING IN NEW YORK

We all fondly remember Theatre Arts major RANDALL MARQUEZ (who played Aristotle Onassis in "Die, Die, Diana"). Randall, who recently got married, is living and acting in New York City. He writes, "How's everything back at SJSU? I just wanted to update you with some stuff I'm doing in NY. I just finished an Off-Broadway run of Al Carmine's "Christmas Rappings" at Theater at Judson. That was a lot of fun. I got to meet and work with lots of Broadway vets. The production was directed by Russell Treyz. I'm in the current cast of "Line" by Israel Horovitz at 13th Street Rep in the West Village. I play Fleming and it's a great role. This production has been running for 33 years straight in NYC! I had the rare opportunity to have my performance seen and critiqued by Israel Horovitz himself. That was an experience I will never forget. In January, I get the opportunity to perform in a production of Young Jean Lee's "Church" at The Public Theater. There a lot of history at that theater so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what else I can dig up there. I love New York! I don't think I could ever leave this town! Give my best to BUDDY [BUTLER], AMY [GLAZER], BETTY [POINDEXTER] and PROF. [ETHEL] WALKER. Tell Mrs. Walker that I somehow got through all the junk life throws at you and made it to NYC. The last time I spoke to her I think I told her I was done acting. Go figure. I could not quit this lifestyle even if I had to."

EMAIL MOLLIE COLLISON IF YOU REMEMBER HAL TODD

MOLLIE COLLISON (MA '79), writes: "I was sad to read of Hal Todd's death on Nov. 4. Hal was a funny, adventurous and kind man who will be remembered always by those who knew him. If anyone wants to write and swap Hal stories, please e-mail me at SPlum83@aol.com. Our hearts go out to Jo and wish her tender memories and comfort."

RENEE CUNHA FERRETED OUT AT LAST

What ever happened to Theatre Arts grad RENEE CUNHA, the enchanting actress who played Princess Diana in the Department's production of "Die, Die, Diana"? Among the people who've been asking have been film and stage directors who wanted to consider her for parts - but alas, no one seemed to have Renee's contact information. "Performances" is happy to report that an exhaustive search finally turned up Miss Cunha still right here in the Bay Area, climbing the corporate ladder. She writes, "I'm working at Google now - been here almost three years and doing well. I haven't done any acting in years. I did some singing in a band with some friends, just for fun, and I'm trying to get back into music again, but manage always to find some excuse to put off what I love doing most. My excuse this year was that I was planning a wedding - my wedding! October 6 was the big day." Congratulations to Renee. The world of theatre is poorer without her.

MIKE ADAMS PHOTO FEATURED ON CALENDAR

The 2008 Global Lens Calendar has been printed: one of CHAIR MIKE ADAMS's photos, which won the Best of Faculty/Staff Photography Award last year, is now the picture for March 2008. These calendars are available from the IES, International and Extended Studies Office - free!

GENE CARVALHO AND JEFF VINALL START CHARITY

Recent grads GENE CARVALHO and JEFF VINALL, both down in LA pursuing acting careers, have started a nonprofit charitable organization called "Strengthen a Generation," dedicated to fighting childhood obesity. And Jeff just got a principle part in a Super Bowl ad.

LANCE SWANSON AIMING TO TEACH

Alumnus LANCE SWANSON is currently working on a single subject English Credential from the state of California through SJSU. He'll be authorized to teach high school or middle school English once he becomes subject proficient in June. He's currently enrolled in a BYU independent study, taking American Literature, British Literature and an upper division class in teaching English grammar and usage. In addition to spending some time working in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, Lance spent two years working in the marketing department for a renewable energy company. He currently works as the manager for a property company in San Jose, and is a consultant at KTEH, the PBS station in San Jose. "I work about 20-to-30 days a year for the TV station, working camera, audio, gripping on field shoots, and building sets, among other things," Lance reports. His wife, alumna NADINE SWANSON, is currently a full time producer/editor at KTEH.

COURSE ENROLLMENTS UP, MAJORS REMAIN STEADY

In May and November, Chair MIKE ADAMS counts the major and minors. A historical view can be found at www.trft.org, but in general, while our overall course enrollments are climbing steadily upward, our number of majors remains the same. As of this minute: BA RTVF 302; BA Theatre 81; MA Theatre 37; RTVF Minor 49; TA Minor 47, total 516, slightly less than one year ago.

GRAD STUDENT RAMON JOHNSON WORKS WITH COMM STUDIES

As an undergraduate RAMON JOHNSON (photo, left) initiated an interdisciplinary activity with Communication Studies that added a broadcast element to their traditional communications curriculum. Most recently, in honor of San Jose State's 150th anniversary Comm 10 Narrative students performed presentations that discussed historical gender differences, the explosion of technology, SJSU historical figures, and SJSU's changing mission through the years. The project began with one Communication Studies section with 27 students and, three years later, has now expanded to eight sections with 147 students.

SEEN ON THE SCENE, OUT AND ABOUT…

ADAM FETTES (RTVF '99) agenting real estate with J. Rockcliff Realtors in the Dublin-Livermore-Pleasanton area (buy a new house from him at www.adamfettes.com)... GREGG MARTINI putting together an indie film in Los Angeles… recent grad ALI HOFFMAN, down in LA, looking for acting and other jobs… ED MOSHER (class of '52) receiving the Rotary Club's annual Don Goldeen Award "for contributing in a significant and extraordinary way to the betterment of San Jose," at their annual gala Christmas luncheon.

That's it for January. Until then, PERFORMANCES leaves you with the words of Tennessee Williams in his play "The Eccentricities of a Nightingale": "Generations of some creatures can be fitted into an hour. The sort of creatures I see through my microscope. But you're not one of those creatures, Miss Alma, and you have that mysterious something as thin as smoke that makes the difference between a human and all other beings."

DECEMBER 2007 CAMEOS

SJSU 150th ANNIVERSARY YEAR PLAY TO DEBUT DEC. 6 - GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

The last and by far the most exciting event of San Jose State's 150th Anniversary celebration is "SJSU: THE PLAY!" Read details and See Cast Photos

This is literally a once-in-a-lifetime event (OK, maybe twice in a lifetime if you live to be really, really old), and the opening night literally a few days away, so GET YOUR TICKETS IMMEDIATELY OR YOU'LL MISS IT.

"SJSU: The Play!" will be performed on the University Theatre stage in Hugh Gillis Hall on Thursday, Dec. 6 and Friday Dec. 7 at 7:00 P.M. The Saturday, Dec. 8, performance will be one hour earlier at 6:00 P.M.

The author describes "SJSU, The Play!" as "a lyrical performance piece that explores the history and traditions of San Jose State University through music, motion, dramatic scenes, and imagination. Travel back to the university's origin as a normal school, then forward through wars, activism and change, to a future that will be shaped by today's students."

Written by MFA Creative Writing Student T. EDGAR WELCH, the play is being directed by Communication Studies Prof. MATTHEW SPANGLER, who wrote and directed last season's stunning stage adaptation of "The Kite Runner." TRFT faculty members BARNABY DALLAS and SCOTT SUBLETT are producing. To buy your tickets online, CLICK HERE. And HURRY!

HAL TODD WAS DEPARTMENT CHAIR FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES

Professor Emeritus HAL TODD died on Sunday November 4, according to his wife Jo. Dr. Todd was a professor here from 1964-1993, and department chair from 1965-1983. He received his BS in 1945 from the University of Colorado; his MA in 1950 from Stanford; and his Ph.D. in 1954 from Denver University. The Hal Todd Theatre was dedicated to him in 1998.

IN LOCAL NEWS, ALUMNUS TOM TRAFTON IS KING OF "CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK"

Theatre Arts Grad TOM TRAFTON was recently dubbed a "creative genius" by The San Jose Mercury-News for his work as the "Event Designer and Builder" behind Christmas in the Park, the beloved holiday celebration held annually in Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park, which of course is downtown between the Tech Museum and the Fairmont Hotel. Christmas in the Park is open daily 9:00 A.M. to midnight through January 1. PERFORMANCES hasn't gone since being traumatized by a giant nutcracker in 2004.

INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN PLAYWRIGHT VISITS CAMPUS

Irish/Nigerian playwright and theatre director BISI ADIGUN visited San José State and met with students in the Theatre and Communication Studies Departments for three days during the first week of November. Mr. Adigun is originally from the Yoruba-land of southwest Nigeria, and has become one of Ireland's and Europe's most celebrated performance artists. He is the author and director of numerous plays, which have received enthusiastic reviews in major newspapers, such as The Irish Times, The London Guardian, and Le Monde Diplomatique. As the founding artistic director of Arambe Productions, Ireland's only African theatre company, Mr. Adigun has used the medium of live performance to bring attention to the issues of race, global migration, and intercultural identity within an Irish context, and perhaps most importantly, his work has given voice to Ireland's African communities. His most recent play is a modernization of John Synge's classic The Playboy of the Western World, which he co-wrote with the well-known Irish author, Roddy Doyle, who is perhaps best-known in the U.S. as having written the novel The Commitments, later made into a feature film. Adigun and Doyle's Playboy of the Western World is set in a pub in contemporary Dublin and features a Nigerian asylum-seeker as its protagonist. It is currently running in Dublin's famed Abbey Theatre to rave reviews. The Irish Times called it "laugh-out loud funny"; The Sunday Independent called the adaptation "wickedly updated"; and the Irish broadcast network, RTE, described the performance "a hilarious tour-de-force." While on campus, Mr. Adigun met with three classes in Theatre Arts, two in Communication Studies, held a performance workshop for over thirty participants, and delivered a public lecture, in which he described his work in intercultural theatre. His visit was organized by DR. MATTHEW SPANGLER, Assistant Professor of Performance Studies (who often guest-directs in our department), and was co-sponsored by the Departments of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre, Communication Studies, Global Studies, the MOSAIC Cross-Cultural Center, and the Nigerian Student Association.

DEPARTMENT SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTION A SMASH

Lecturer KATHLEEN NORMINGTON's version of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream," seen on the University stage in mid-November, prompted positive comments all over campus, including a professor from another department (with a Ph.D. in theatre), who dubbed it "the best college production of Shakespeare I've ever seen." Always a good colleague, Kathleen was quick to say, "I want to give special thanks to the extra efforts of JIM CULLEY and JOHN YORK for their work on the set and special effects for 'Midsummer.' Also thanks to AMY GLAZER for giving of her time and director's eye for the production. All three are outstanding colleagues and human beings!"

ACADEMIC SEARCHES WILL YIELD NEW FULL TIME FACULTY

We're searching for new tenure track faculty. There are two searches underway, one for a department chair (as Mike Adams is retiring) and the other for a tenure-track assistant professor position we are calling "Cinematography/Lighting Designer." For the latter position an MFA, industry experience, and experience in camera and lighting for film and theatre is needed. PROF. JIM CULLEY is in charge of that search. The department chair qualifications are: PhD/MFA in either film, radio, video or theatre; someone with administrative experience; someone who can be tenured at the full professor level. PROF. KIMB MASSEY is in charge of that search. If you know people who qualify, send them to our Web: www.TVRadioFilmTheatre.com for a link to the announcements and do so soon - the deadline looms.

STUDENT SUCCESS AT CSU MEDIA ARTS FESTIVAL & CMF

RTVF major and spring grad WALTER TALENS won Third Place at the CSU Media Arts Festival with his music video "Flow." Walter competed against students from the entire CSU system of 22 campuses. Also in the running were SAILA KARIAT and RICK ROMERO, both among the five finalists in the feature screenplay competition. Our students also won the region's best of show comedy for "Love Struck," at the CMF, Campus Movie Fest, beating the so-called important schools - Santa Clara, Stanford and Berekely.

ALUM MATT McTIGHE GUEST STARS ON "CSI MIAMI"

Recent grad MATT McTIGHE was all over the airwaves again in November. First, he had a small part on "Without a Trace" on Nov. 8, as the Sheriff at the very beginning of the episode. "Don't blink or you might miss it - and feel free to make fun of my hat," wrote Matt. Less risible by far is his first guest starring role on a series, in the episode of "CSI: MIAMI" broadcast on CBS Monday, Nov. 19. In his biggest part yet, with his name at the tippy top of the credits, he played "Pete Morton," a lowball drug dealer who tries to carjack one of the series' regulars and run her over. You hear Matt's voice in the opening and the rest of the episode reveals what "really" happened. Matt played a couple of scenes with series star David Caruso. Keep track of Matt at www.mattmctighe.com

DALE FLINT ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF MAIN STREET THEATRE WORKS IN SACRAMENTO, ALSO TENDS SHEEP AND CHICKENS

Graduate alumna DALE FLINT is now teaching English, Journalism, and Drama at Jackson Junior High School in the Sierra Nevada Foothills east of Sacramento. She is also Associate Artistic Director of the Main Street Theatre Works, a local theatre company. She and her husband live on a 43-acre ranch with 40 sheep, seven cows, five chickens, two cats and four dogs, and they are "very happy." Dale is also in the process of renovating her school theatre.

CHAIR MIKE ADAMS'S DOC BROADCAST ON KTEH

MIKE ADAMS's documentary, "Broadcasting's Forgotten Father: The Charles Herrold Story," aired on San Jose PBS affiliate KTEH twice in November: on Monday the 19th at 11:00 P.M., then repeated Thursday Nov. 22 at 3:00 A.M. Mike is the country's leading expert on Herrold, an important broadcasting pioneer.

HISTORICAL PHOTOS OF DEPARTMENT RADIO GROUP UNEARTHEDAt the left, the Radio Guild, as pictured in a 1952 brochure: "The main objective of the Radio Guild is to provide students with practical experience in radio broadcasting. Two times a week over station KEEN the Radio Guild broadcasts programs which are student acted and directed."

CYNTHIA GIL IN LATINO FILM FEST

Undergrad CYNTHIA GIL's short film "Parallels" was accepted into the International Latino Film Festival. According to its website, "The International Latino Film Festival - San Francisco Bay Area (ILFF) was created to give voice to Latino cultural expression through the powerful medium of film…The Festival showcases the best in new international Latino cinema, applauds emerging talent and pays tribute to celebrated Latino actors, directors and producers…In 2002 the Festival premiered 'Frida,' including special presentations by actor/producer Salma Hayek at the SF MOMA.." Cynthia is regarded by students and faculty as one of the best directors in the department.

VICTORIA NGUYEN IN ORLANDO ON DISNEY INTERNSHIP

VICTORIA NGUYEN moved to Orlando in August to do an internship with Walt Disney World in their Disney Event Group. Her role is as coordinator for all hourly and salaried cast members for the Disney Event Group and the Disney Institute. She also helps out with the Multimedia/Video Team, working with After Effects and Final Cut Pro. "It has been a great experience," Victoria says. "I've been able to attend many events and have seen the backstage of many places that most people would never see in their lifetime. After December, I'm extending my internship here with their casting department and I hope to get a full-time job as Photography Coordinator in the Disney Event Group." Every year the Disney people come to recruit interns on campus and students have been happy with the experience.

ALSO IN ORLANDO, BUT SOON BACK IN THE VALLEY - JACK IGOE

Also in Orlando, but imminently returning to the Silicon Valley, is Master's degree grad JACK IGOE. Jack says, "We've bought a place in Sunnyvale and are in the process of moving in. Joyce is still in Pennsylvania, quite literally 'minding the store' until we can sell it, then will be joining me out west. This is the third time I've been out of the computer industry and come back, so maybe I'll get the message this time. However, I'm really looking forward to reconnecting with the TRFT community. See you all soon."

DEPARTMENT RADIO STATION KSJS CELEBRATES JOURNALISM'S BROADCAST JOURNALISM PROGRAM WITH SAM DONALDSON

The Journalism department recently celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their Radio and Television Journalism (RTVJ) program with keynote speaker Sam Donaldson. Broadcasters from around the country came to pay their respects to the founder of the Broadcast Journalism program, GORDON GREB. TRFT Graduate Assistant RAMON JOHNSON (pictured left with Sam) represented TRFT at the RTVJ gala sitting with RTVJ alum VALERIE COLEMAN formerly of CNN. Joining KSJS was part of the RTVJ curriculum "back in the day," and several local broadcast alumni, including LYNN RAMIREZ from KPIX 5, ROBERT HANDA from KTVU 2, and DAMIEN TRUJILLO and DANIEL GARZA from NBC 11 shared warm memories of their experiences at 90.5 FM KSJS.

SJSU STUDENT FILM DEBUTS IN SILICON 2007 FILM FESTIVAL

RTVF undergrads GEORGE FLANIGAN and CHRIS FAULKER were accepted into the Silicon 2007 Independent Film Festival. Their short "4th Street Poker" was produced and shot by the duo in the spring semester with the help of RTVF students, faculty and staff. It's about Texas Hold'em, and depicts "four extreme characters who are willing to risk all." The film stars SJSU student (and San Jose Saber Kitten) KIMERLY PENA, and SJSU student AUDREY BAILEY. The October 5th début in the film festival was part of a three-day convention hosted by Siliconventions.com and Horrorbook.com.

IN THE DECEMBER 2007 SPOTLIGHT:

MAESTRO RALPH K. SAHM, DIRECTOR OF THE SJSU FENCING MASTER'S PROGRAM

It's a little-known fact, even within the department of TV, Radio, Film and Theatre, that we house the SJSU Fencing Masters Program. Its main aim is to instruct and certify fencing teachers, and it's the sole program of its kind in the entire United States. As a part of TRFT it is also an important resource for training film and theatre students in the essentials of stage combat. Being a great fan of swordplay on and off stage, PERFORMANCES decided to sit down for a Q & A with Military Master at Arms RALPH K. SAHM, director of the program.

Sahm grew up in North Edwards, California, and attended Bakersfield Junior College before coming to San José State University, where in 1972 he was awarded his B.S. in Physics/Mathematics. He came to fencing accidentally - an injury in his judo class necessitated picking another sport. Sahm joined a fencing class and soon met and was taken under the wing of SJSU art history professor Dr. William M. Gaugler, who would go on to found the SJSU Fencing Master's program.

Gaugler, now a Professor Emeritus of Classical Archaeology, is a fascinating figure, having studied under Aldo Nadi, Italian Professional Champion, attained a fencing master's diploma from the Accademia Nazionale di Scherma in Naples, and written three fencing texts.

Ralph Sahm proved to be Dr. Gaugler's aptest pupil and in 1986 earned his Military Master at Arms certification with his thesis, "Relationships: French & Italian Schools of Fencing."

When Dr. Gaugler decided to retire from the program in 2004, Sahm was the obvious choice to take over the already successful Fencing Master's Program, which has, over the past 26 years, produced 83 graduates: 43 Instructor at Arms, 31 Provost at Arms, and 9 Master at Arms. Moreover, in 2004 the program produced the "first two formally-trained women fencing masters in the United States," Jennifer Walton and Janine Monteleone Sahm.

Maestro Sahm kindly consented to talk about the fencing program with PERFORMANCES.

Question: What kind of people fence? PERFORMANCES imagines them to wear lacy, puffy sleeves. And codpieces. And of course they read a lot of romantic poetry. So, is there a particular kind of students who takes up fencing?

Answer: Perhaps surprisingly, many of our fencers are engineers. The Program is intensive and attracts those who are hard-working, detail-oriented, have a love of tradition and history, and who wish to become the best they can be. And, yes, there is a bit of the puffy sleeve, romantic poetry reader in most of them.

Question: Fencing has a sort of upper class image. Is it expensive to take up?

Answer: No, for a few hundred dollars a new fencer could buy the basic set up to start. This would include a mask, jacket, glove, wrist strap, and weapon. However, we provide all the necessary equipment used in class for those who wish to make sure fencing is a fit for them before they spend any money.

Question: How much interest is there among the SJSU student body?

Answer: Since the Fencing Masters Program seems to be one of the best kept secrets on the SJSU campus, it is always a challenge to raise interest in the class. When people do find out about us they are usually very excited to learn more and to come visit the class.

Question: What is it about fencing that you love?

Answer: In my younger years, I enjoyed the mental chess game combined with the physical skill required for the bout. Now I enjoy teaching teachers and watching as they incorporate my mannerisms in their teaching.

Question: Do you think fencing is a good fit with a department that does theatre and film?

Answer: Originally the Fencing Masters Program was under the auspice of the Army ROTC, and when they left the campus Theatre Arts was kind of enough to take us in. Fencing is definitely a good fit for this department. Knowing how to execute, on stage or in film, believable and safe swordplay is essential. The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts includes fencing in their curriculum. One of the Program's graduates, who now is a professor at Sonoma State University, teaches a course in Stage Swordplay. This short seminar was so popular with theatre art students that it has turned into a full semester course.

Question: Where are the classes held?

Answer: Class is currently held at Washington Square Hall, Room 106 - the first-floor dance studio. We meet on Saturdays throughout the academic year from noon to 5:00 pm.

Question: I understand that you teach the fencing classes practically without compensation. That's very generous. The rest of our faculty insists on being paid a princely sum that often amounts to virtually a living wage.

Answer: I have been receiving a small amount of compensation from Continuing Education for the last two years. The other faculty members, Maestra Janine Sahm, Assistant Director, Maestra Jennifer Walton, and Maestro Paul Scherman, are volunteers.