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Nov. 8, 2007/PRESS TIP/FEATURE STORY IDEA Contact: Marla Carpenter, 336-770-3337, carpem@ncarts.edu NCSA DRAMA ALUMNI MAKING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
WINSTON-SALEM – We’ve said that you can’t turn on your television, go to a movie theatre, or watch a Broadway or off-Broadway show without seeing a North CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS ALUMNUS – and now there’s proof! This is an especially auspicious time for several NCSA School of Drama alumni. Here’s just a sampling of what they are up to! (And we won’t even try to list all the NCSA School of Design and Production alumni who are working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry – at least not in this press tip!) J.T. Rogers (Class of 1990) makes his Broadway debut as a playwright with his searing drama “The Overwhelming” with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Laura Pels Theatre). Variety.com said, “Stop the presses! There's finally a play in town that makes thinking a pleasure again.” The New York Sun said: “An urgent new theatrical voice has arrived… .” The New Yorker said: “I loved everything about the young American playwright J.T. Rogers’s ‘The Overwhelming.’” Rogers also wrote the cover article for the November 2007 issue of American Theatre magazine, which features a photo from his play on the cover: http://www.tcg.org/ Bill English (Class of '02) stars as Joel Claybrook in the new ABC television series “Cavemen,” based on the popular Geico TV commercials. Mary Louise Parker (Class of '86) appears opposite Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck and Sam Shepard in Andrew Dominik's feature film THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD, in theatres now.	Playwright and author J.T. Rogers Bill English as Joel Claybrook in "Cavemen"
Peter Hedges (Class of ’84) receives high praise for feature film DAN IN REAL LIFE, which he directed and co-authored. The film stars Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook and John Mahoney. Variety.com said: “Gracefully understated and thoroughly engaging, DAN IN REAL LIFE deftly interlaces heart and humor in a witty, warm and well-observed comedy about the unexpected and inconvenient blooming of romance at the weekend gathering of an extended family. Pic more than fulfills the promise evidenced in PIECES OF APRIL, the 2003 directorial debut of playwright-novelist-scriptwriter Peter Hedges (ABOUT A BOY, WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE). From a B.O. perspective, his follow-up has the potential to delight a demographically diverse audience, and generate enough favorable word of mouth to register as one of the fall's true sleepers.” Rolling Stone said: “Seeing the name of Iowa writer Peter Hedges on a movie (WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, ABOUT A BOY, PIECES OF APRIL) means you're in for a unique blend of humor and heartbreak, with the bruising and healing powers of family right at the core. APRIL in 2003 repped an auspicious directing debut for Hedges, which he now follows with the blissfully funny and touching DAN IN REAL LIFE, the real thing in romantic comedy in that its characters manage to be romantic, hilarious and recognizably human at the same time.” Joe Mantello (Class of 1984) is director of the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of Terrence McNally’s “The Ritz.” Billy Magnussen (Class of 2007) appears in the production – his first Broadway show. Jeremy Webb (Class of 1994) is starring in “The Glorious Ones,” a new musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, directed by Graciela Daniele, at the Lincoln Center Theater Company's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, through Jan. 6, 2008. Webb returned to NCSA for a week last year to take a refresher course with master mask teacher Robert Francesconi in preparation for this production. Read about this “Fresh Face” on broadway.com at: http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=556113. Jennifer Ferrin (Class of 2003) will star in the Roundabout Theatre’s Company’s Broadway production of “The 39 Steps” at the American Airlines Theatre on West 42nd Street. Performances begin Jan. 4, 2008, opening Jan. 15 and closing March 23. The show transfers from the Huntington Theater Company in Boston, where Broadwayworld.com called Ferrin’s performance “delightfully mercurial” and Variety.com said, “Ferrin is even more hysterical as a thick-accented German babe who gets offed in the hero's flat.” Read more about the production at: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/111958.html Ashley Morris (Class of 2007) makes her professional debut in Charles Busch’s off-Broadway hit “Die Mommie Die.” Read more about this “Fresh Face” on broadway.com at: http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=554477. ###
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Nov. 8, 2007/PRESS TIP/FEATURE STORY IDEA
Contact: Marla Carpenter, 336-770-3337, carpem@ncarts.edu

NCSA DRAMA ALUMNI
MAKING ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

WINSTON-SALEM – We’ve said that you can’t turn on your television, go to a movie theatre, or watch a Broadway or off-Broadway show without seeing a North CAROLINA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS ALUMNUS – and now there’s proof! This is an especially auspicious time for several NCSA School of Drama alumni. Here’s just a sampling of what they are up to! (And we won’t even try to list all the NCSA School of Design and Production alumni who are working behind the scenes in the entertainment industry – at least not in this press tip!)

J.T. Rogers (Class of 1990) makes his Broadway debut as a playwright with his searing drama “The Overwhelming” with the Roundabout Theatre Company (Laura Pels Theatre). Variety.com said, “Stop the presses! There's finally a play in town that makes thinking a pleasure again.” The New York Sun said: “An urgent new theatrical voice has arrived… .” The New Yorker said: “I loved everything about the young American playwright J.T. Rogers’s ‘The Overwhelming.’” Rogers also wrote the cover article for the November 2007 issue of American Theatre magazine, which features a photo from his play on the cover: http://www.tcg.org/

Bill English (Class of '02) stars as Joel Claybrook in the new ABC television series “Cavemen,” based on the popular Geico TV commercials.

Mary Louise Parker (Class of '86) appears opposite Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck and Sam Shepard in Andrew Dominik's feature film THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD, in theatres now.

Playwright and author J.T. Rogers

BillEnglish

Bill English as Joel Claybrook in "Cavemen"

Peter Hedges (Class of ’84) receives high praise for feature film DAN IN REAL LIFE, which he directed and co-authored. The film stars Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Dane Cook and John Mahoney. Variety.com said: “Gracefully understated and thoroughly engaging, DAN IN REAL LIFE deftly interlaces heart and humor in a witty, warm and well-observed comedy about the unexpected and inconvenient blooming of romance at the weekend gathering of an extended family. Pic more than fulfills the promise evidenced in PIECES OF APRIL, the 2003 directorial debut of playwright-novelist-scriptwriter Peter Hedges (ABOUT A BOY, WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE). From a B.O. perspective, his follow-up has the potential to delight a demographically diverse audience, and generate enough favorable word of mouth to register as one of the fall's true sleepers.” Rolling Stone said: “Seeing the name of Iowa writer Peter Hedges on a movie (WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, ABOUT A BOY, PIECES OF APRIL) means you're in for a unique blend of humor and heartbreak, with the bruising and healing powers of family right at the core. APRIL in 2003 repped an auspicious directing debut for Hedges, which he now follows with the blissfully funny and touching DAN IN REAL LIFE, the real thing in romantic comedy in that its characters manage to be romantic, hilarious and recognizably human at the same time.”

Joe Mantello (Class of 1984) is director of the Roundabout Theatre Company’s revival of Terrence McNally’s “The Ritz.” Billy Magnussen (Class of 2007) appears in the production – his first Broadway show.

Jeremy Webb (Class of 1994) is starring in “The Glorious Ones,” a new musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, directed by Graciela Daniele, at the Lincoln Center Theater Company's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, through Jan. 6, 2008. Webb returned to NCSA for a week last year to take a refresher course with master mask teacher Robert Francesconi in preparation for this production. Read about this “Fresh Face” on broadway.com at: http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=556113.

Jennifer Ferrin (Class of 2003) will star in the Roundabout Theatre’s Company’s Broadway production of “The 39 Steps” at the American Airlines Theatre on West 42nd Street. Performances begin Jan. 4, 2008, opening Jan. 15 and closing March 23. The show transfers from the Huntington Theater Company in Boston, where Broadwayworld.com called Ferrin’s performance “delightfully mercurial” and Variety.com said, “Ferrin is even more hysterical as a thick-accented German babe who gets offed in the hero's flat.” Read more about the production at: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/111958.html

Ashley Morris (Class of 2007) makes her professional debut in Charles Busch’s off-Broadway hit “Die Mommie Die.” Read more about this “Fresh Face” on broadway.com at: http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=554477.

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