WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (September 12, 2012) – The Open Dream Ensemble, a professional multi-disciplinary children’s theater group sponsored by the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA), announces the cast and creative team for the 2012 season.

The Open Dream Ensemble, a project of the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts, is a professional outreach program of the University North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) in Winston-Salem and is comprised of professional artists who trained in dance, drama, and music at UNCSA. Using the diverse skills of its cast, Open Dream Ensemble presents original performances to school students throughout the Southeast. Open Dream combines the power of live performances with artist residencies and educational workshops, aligning the content with current school curriculum.

The Open Dream Ensemble is debuting a new, original production for the 2012 season called Big Shoes.  The production features the story of Gordy, a young boy who idolizes his older brother and wants to literally wear his older brother’s shoes. Gordy sets off on a journey and over the course of his travels, realizes that it is okay to be himself and, with that realization, discovers comfort wearing his own shoes.  Big Shoes is geared to Kindergarten through fifth grade.

The 2012 Open Dream Ensemble is comprised of the following cast and creative:

• Rebecca Nussbaum, BFA in Music from UNCSA and Master of Music from the University of Maryland (Winston-Salem, NC)
• Beth Bostic, BFA in Drama from UNCSA 1980, MA from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Kings College London (Winston-Salem, NC)
• Michaela Morton, BA in French and English Literature from Williams College (Winston-Salem, NC)
• Kendra Peine Weeks, MFA Candidate in Costume Design (Birmingham, AL)
• Stephen Davis, Pursuing BFA in Scenic Design from UNCSA (New Orleans, LA)
• Lindsey Sigler, Recent graduate of UNSCA’s school of Design and Production (Largo, FL)
• Kenneth Florence, Pursuing BM in Composition at UNCSA (Raleigh, NC)
• Bruce Tippette, Master’s candidate at UNCSA in Music Composition, BM in Music Composition/Theory and Music Education from Appalachian State University, 2007. (Garner, NC)
• Ted Oliver, BM in Music Composition UNCSA, 2012, MA Candidate at University of Kansas (Raleigh, NC)
• Ted Federle, PAC (Performing Artist Certificate) in Opera Performance from UNCSA, 2012, Fletcher Fellow (Cincinnati, OH)
• Julianne Harper, BFA in Contemporary Dance 2005 (Garland, Texas)
• Cameron MacManus, Performing Artist Certificate in Trombone from UNCSA, 2011 (Pikeville, TN)
• Marine Madesclaire, BFA in Acting from UNCSA, 2012 (Seattle, WA)
• Scott C. Garey, BA in Production Technology and Management from UC Santa Cruz, MFA Candidate at UNCSA in Technical Direction (Santa Cruz, CA)
• William vonReichbauer, BM in Guitar and Music Composition from UNCSA (Raleigh, NC)
• Haydee Thompson, Diploma School of Drama 1994, BFA in Drama from School of Drama 2007 (Mt. Joy, PA and Arlington, VA)
• Marissa Byers, New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA, MA degree from Mannes College of Music (Winston-Salem, NC)

For full biographies for the cast and creative team please visit www.OpenDreamEnsemble.com.

ABOUT THE THOMAS S. KENAN INSTITUTE FOR THE ARTS

The Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts incubates projects that sustain artists at every point in their creative development through strategic partnerships that capitalize on visionary thinking in the arts. More information on the Open Dream Ensemble is available at www.OpenDreamEnsemble.com or by calling (336) 782-7837.  For more information about the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts, visit uncsa.edu/kenan.

ABOUT UNCSA

As America’s first state-supported arts school, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a unique stand-alone public university of arts conservatories. With a high school component, UNCSA is a degree-granting institution that trains young people of talent in music, dance, drama, filmmaking, and design and production. Established by the N.C. General Assembly in 1963, the School of the Arts opened in Winston-Salem (“The City of Arts and Innovation”) in 1965 and became part of the University of North Carolina system in 1972. World-renowned conductor and educator John Mauceri became Chancellor of UNCSA in 2006. For more information, visit uncsa.edu.

 

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