Alumni News: BroadwayWorld Atlanta nominates Ashley Jones for Best Actress Alumni Alumni Ashley Jones ('01), Western Carolina University B.A. Theatre & B.S Communications ('05), has been nominated for a BroadwayWorld Atlanta Award for "Best Actress in a Play (Non-Professional)" for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in New Dawn Theater's production of "Pride & Prejudice"! Pride & Prejudice Program Eric Matheny just wrapped J.Edgar with Leonardo DiCaprio. Alumni Eric Matheny ('91) just wrapped J.Edgar with Leonardo DiCaprio where he played Hoover's personal physician and is in pre-production for an indie film called "Freedom For Joe". You may have known Eric Matheny (stage name) as Eric Petz at Brookwood - and you have surely seen one of his many commercials as the spokesman for "Rooms to Go".. IMDb.Eric Matheny Chris Damiano understudies two roles for Chicago's Million Dollar Quartet Alumni Chris Damiano ('91) will understudy the roles of Johnny Cash and Sam Phillips in the Chicago production of Million Dollar Quartet. Christopher moved to Chicago 4 years ago and his Chicago credits include "Sugar" at Drury Lane Oakbrook, Theo Ubique's productions of Evita (Che, Jeff Award Non-Equity) and Jacques Brel's Lonesome Losers of the Night (Man 1, Jeff Award Non-Equity). Chicago's Million Dollar Quartet Scott Nelson's latest show coming to the Woodruff Arts Center Alumni Scott Nelson ('99) is a Lighting Designer & Tour Manager who's current show: "13 Most Beautiful...Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests" will arrive at the Woodruff Arts Center Symphony Hall on March 31st 2012. the Warhol Galen Crawley in Broke @ the Alliance Theater Alumni Galen Crawley ('06) has been cast as Missie Eliason in the Alliance Theater's production of Atlanta Playwright Janece Shaffer's biting new comedy "Broke" on the Hertz Stage. Alliance Theater's "Broke" Jennifer Bowles joins American Idiot Alumni Jennifer Bowles ('2000) has joined the Broadway cast of American Idiot and will be performing with Green Day’s Billy Joe Armstrong at the St. James Theatre American idiot on broadway.com Alumni Jennifer Ferrin in NBC's the Cape Our own Jennifer Ferrin ('97) will be featured as Dana Faraday, the wife of Vince Faraday (the protector of Palm City) in the two hour premier of NBC's "The Cape". NBC, Sunday Jan. 9 www.nbc.com Lindsay Wood on Broadway Wicked tour Alumni Lindsay Wood (02), B.F.A in Dance, is currently performing in the National Tour of the Tony Award winning Broadway hit, Wicked. Broadway connection profile Alumni Kevin Moore to head TCG Kevin Moore (84) will assume the Managing Director position at Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for the American theatre, based in New York. www.tcg.org Alumni Michael Kelly in The Adjustment Bureau Michael Kelly takes his 21st movie role in "The Adjustment Bureau" as Charlie Traynor, Matt Damon's buddy at work who he first stumbles upon getting "adjusted" in a conference room. We give it two thumbs up =) Michael's wikipedia page Alumnus to open Stella Adler Studio Dusty McKeelan (01) NYU Tisch School of the Arts, BFA in Drama ('05) Is an actor, director and a full-time instructor at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting since 2007. Next, Dusty will be opening a Stella Adler Studio in Ashville, N.C       Stella Addler School Of Acting (NYC) Little Theatre on the Square summer stock Galen Crawley (06) Webster University BFA Musical Theater (2010) is enjoying her first, post college graduate summer stock job – performing in Showboat, Annie and Hair as well as Theatre for Young Audience productions of Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid and Alice in Wonderland. Little Theatre on the Square Lauren Williams (02) Has been promoted to TV Talent Coordinator at International Creative Management - one of the top 3 talent agencies in Hollywood. International Creative Management Gretchen Gordon (06) Earned a Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Award for 'Best Major Supporting Actress' for her role as Ulla, in "The Producers" 2009 Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Awards Galen Crawley in Sondheim's Company Galen Crawley (06) Earned rave reviews for her role as Marta in The Theatre Arts at Webster University presentation of Stephen Sondheim's Company Saint Louis Reviews (2) Andrew Cioffi (03) Elon University BA in Musical Theater, has joined the team at Shadowbox Cabaret in Columbus, Ohio. Shadowbox is a sketch comedy rock 'n' roll club where Andrew acts, sings and plays the keyboard. His goal is to work at Second City in Chicago. The Shadowbox Cabaret Brookwood Alumni in "Bond Girl" training Amy Robach (91) NBC Today Show Correspondent, and Co-Host of NBC's Today Show, Saturday Edition, has been sent to learn what it takes to be a 007 "Bond Girl" - follow the story on several upcoming segments of The Today Show Today-MSNBC Show link Lindsay Wood (02) (and recent FSU graduate), is dancing in Alana Marie Smith's Amalgamate Dance Company in New York. Amalgamate Dance Website Laura Lindahl(02) will co-star in The Found Theatre's production of the Sci-Fi comedy play "Earthlings Beware". The Found Theater is in Long Beach Califirnia. Check out the show poster: Earthlings Beware Katie Svela(02) has been cast as Madame de la Grande Bouche in West Virginia Public Theatre’s production of Beauty and The Beast. The show runs June 27 to July 2, 2006. For show details go to What’s New at: http://www.katiesvela.com Neal Echols (04) has been nominated for an Irene Ryan Scholarship by the Kennedy Center's American College Theatre Festival for his portrayal of Robert in Proof. Neal will travel to Jacksonville, Florida this March to compete against other actor nominees from Georgia. Complete Story Laura Bradley (05) will play Emily in New Horizon Theater's production of Our Town. The shows are on Dec. 1-4 in downtown West Point, Georgia You might see her on TV as part of Auburn's Concert Choir halftime show during the Alabama-Auburn Game. Lauren Williams (02) has been accepted into the Directing Program at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Lauren will direct "Suppressed Desires" by Susan Glaspell on one of the main stages at UCSB this Spring. Lauren's very excited about this first directing opportunity, and is looking forward to directing other plays during her senior year. Brookwood Alumni Dusty Keeble featured in Stella Adler AD campaign. New York Trade Newspaper "Backstage" was the first to run Dusty's ('01) Stela Adler Shool-of-Acting ad. Enlarge Brookwood Alumni Jennifer Ferrin nominated for Emmy Jennifer Ferrin, Has been nominated as "Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series" in her role as Jennifer Munson in CBS's "As the World Turns". CBS Emmy Page Matt Lindahl Signs with Purity Dairy Matt Lindahl, who placed third last year in the Nashville Star contest, has signed to do a series of commercials with Purity Dairy. Complete story The three faces of Courtney Patterson Courtney Patterson plays three in the Aurora Theatre production of the Neil Simon play 'Last of the Red Hot Lovers.' Complete story Andrew Cioffi (03) Will be on stage in the 2004 Summer Theatre Workshop of the Flat Rock Playhouse. The Flat Rock Playhouse is part of State Theatre of North Carolina. Expanded story Jessica Collado (03) is now a professional ballet dancer with the Houston Ballet. She'll dance in all company performances this year, performing in Cinderella when they tour in May and in June, up La Fille Mal Gardee. In the academy's spring show, She was the only Academy student that was given a solo. Matt Lindahl is a Nashville Star Matt Lindahl (92) always looked a little different on USA's Nashville Star; from his first performance in Dickies overalls, in March, to the grand finale on May 1, where he was among three finalists for the top prize. Expanded story Andrew Cioffi (03), recently played the part of Deputy in Elon University's production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Expanded story Sally Smithwick ('90) her band, Paper Sun, will have the song "Grateful" featured in the upcoming film "If Only" starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. The film is scheduled for release in the summer. The Paper Sun's website Laura Lindahl is performing in "School House Rock Live", a musical based on the Emmy Award-winning 1970's Saturday morning cartoon series that taught history, grammar, math, science and politics through clever, tuneful songs. She's appearing February 12th through March 14th at the Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse, Costa Mesa CA. Matt Lindahl (92) has been selected as one of eleven finalists for Nashville Star! Watch him compete on next Saturday's show March 13th at 10:00 P.M. on the USA network. To learn more about Matt you can visit his web site The Nashville Star website Alumni Katie Svela (02) will be singing the role of Flora in Verdi's opera, La Traviata Jan 17th-18th, 23rd and 24th at Huntingdon College's Old Cloverdale Theater. Katie also played the role of Flora, an abused wife, in a Night of One Act scenes at Huntingdon College. The show is called A Wagon Full of Cotton. Eric Petz is Acting up a storm Alumni Eric Petz('91) (Eric Matheny is his stage name) has been acting up a storm; in Movies like "Golden Dreams" and "New Suit" as Pike Screenland Drive, as Chuck Britz in Beach Boys: An American Family. And with TV Guest Appearances in "CSI", "Family Law", Andy Beam in "Time of Your Life", "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Charmed" and "The Single Guy". And MORE... John Streit will Perform in 2 Nutcracker productions this season, with the Northeast Atlanta Ballet and the Georgia Ballet. He will appear as the Snow King in the first and as the Soldier Nutcracker in the second Performance Details Sally Smithwick ('90) is performng in the Hollywood/Los Angles California area with her band Paper Sun. Sally and another band member, Joel Eckels, are the band's songwriters. The Paper Sun's website Denton Tarver is in the Sundance Production of "West Side Story" as Riff. The show's European tour will be in Vienna till Dec 6, Switzerland till Dec 18, Frankfurt over the holidays, and ending in Baden Baden. Denton has been on Broaday, in Grease with Brooke Shields, Off-Broadway in Civilized, as Gabriel in Kiss of the Spiderwoman at North Shore, in Marilyn, Shenandoah,Barry Manilow's Copacabana and most recently returned from an industrial in Europe. And, He's recently added play writing to his performing career. Lilburn Native Selected as Pageant Finalist Montgomery, AL---Katie Svela, a sophomore Vocal Performance and Musical Theater major at Huntingdon College, was been selected as one of ten finalists for the title of Miss Huntingdon 2004. She competed in the Miss Huntingdon Pageant on Friday, November 7th. Katie Svela (02) Plays Sandra Templton's sorority sister in Tim Burtons upcomming movie "Big Fish". You can see her in the movie trailer, in the scene where Edward Bloom writes I love Sandra in the sky with an airplane.. View the movie trailer Melisa Kira Reporter and Anchor Woman Melisa Kira (Mathis) ('99) is moving to PC Beach, Fla. to take a job as an Anchor and Reporter for WMBB, Pannama City Beach, Fla. She should be there 2 years according to here contract. Of course she is still hoping to still persue her acting as well. Jennifer Bowles has been cast as Miss Turnstiles in the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music's production of "On the Town". This is her senior year and this is her best part at UC. She is thrilled. The competition was tough. Miss Ohio (a junior at the school) is her understudy! Jennifer also went to New York this summer and auditioned for 2 shows. She was called back for one. She loved NY and plans on relocating there after performing in the senior showcase that the school will take to NY in March. Amanda Allen ('97) will star in a new reality show on TLC called "For Better or For Worse". The show is like Trading Spaces except it's for weddings. Amanda is one of the wedding planners. She's already shot two episodes and is about to shot the third. There are three wedding planners and they rotate episodes. The first episode featuring Ms. Allen, will air on October the 12th. The show is on Sunday nights at 10:00. TLC's Meet Amamda Allen Katie Svelain "Talking With" Katie Nicole Svela (02) has been cast as Twirler in the Huntingdon College production of Talking With this will also be performed in the ACTF theater Competition, in October. Chris Webb (01) has been cast in a leading role in Valdosta University's production of "The Visit" Austin Webb (03) was also cast in the production playing The Athlete. Jennifer Ferrin signed a 3 year contract with "As the World Turns". Jennifer will play the part of Jennifer Munson. Jennifer won the role immediately after graduating with a degree in drama from the North Carolina School of Arts. No stranger to television, Jennifer recently appeared in The Locket, a Hallmark Hall of Fame film, and having guest starred on the 2002 season finale of Dawson's Creek. CBS Daytime Website Announcement (With photo) Amy Robach (91) will be joining MSNBC as a news anchor in the afternoon. She will be moving to New York from Washington D.C. where she was a noon news anchor on the Fox affiliate there. Amy's Bio, on Fox News (Channel 5)   Laura Lindahl (91) appeared as Cinderella in a production of "Into the Woods" in California Matt Lindahl (92) was in "Crazy for You" at Broadway in the Rockies in Montana. Courtney Patterson (95) was Georgette in "School for Wives" and Imogen in "The Tale of Cymbeline" with the Georgia Shakespeare Festival. Also, this past spring she appeared both at the Horizon Theater and at the Alliance Hertz Stage as Cass in "The Wonder of the World." Eric Petz (91) continues to pop up in commercials. In his latest for Pella windows where he's the dad sitting next to the mom on the couch. Lauren Williams (03) appeared in Bye Bye Birdie this summer with Galaxy Productions.