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December 27, 2005
Hello from Joseph Rusnock
Happy Holidays to all!
Although it has been a very long time ago that I had one of the very best opportunities of my life to participate in the U of M Theatre Department, The Guthrie Theatre, as well as The Children's Theatre, Theatre in the Round and many others in the Twin Cities; I have never forgotten how much those years have affected my life and my career. The first year of my graduate assistantship put me into a very foreign environment, but I can still remember my first sewing assignment in great detail: a pink tutu for You Can't Take It With You. For a student with a scenery and lighting emphasis, I didn't quite understand; however, the costume skills I learned at U of M were instrumental in landing several of my first design gigs as well as in securing my first two teaching jobs in scenery and lighting, because both included costume design .
I too participated in the move to Rarig Center with Greg Bell and many others and wondered at the time how the building could ever develop into a warm and viable space for performance. It seemed so cold and empty at first; just endless concrete, no master floor plans, no sections, no light boards. Lance Brockman gave so much in the early years and our class did not cut him any slack. I could only appreciate much later what he and the other faculty members were going through at that complex and demanding time.
The connections made at U of M were the major springboard that fueled my career. Working with Lance, Gene Montgomery, Warren Frost, Jack Barkla, Julian Phillips and others, provided an artistically rich and rewarding experience that I have never forgotten. Although I have lost direct contact with all of the faculty and the class of '75 over the years, they have always remained a major part of my artistic and professional foundation.
Joseph S. Rusnock
Associate Chair
Associate Artistic Director
UCF Conservatory Theatre
University of Central Florida
Department of Theatre
(407)-823-2399
P.O. Box 162372
Orlando, Florida 32816-2372
FAX (407)823-6446
jrusnock@mail.ucf.edu
Posted by utheatre at December 27, 2005 02:02 PM | Alumni News | TrackBack popup
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