Judith Mikita, whose energy and theatricality surround her work, focuses on blending virtuosity of performance with imaginative human dynamic.
BIO
Judith Mikita – teaches modern dance at the UC/CCM Recently, her choreography was presented by the Acclaim award-winning, CEA-nominated “The Edge” at Cincinnati Fringe Festival 2009, as well as The Aronoff Center for the Arts, the Cincinnati Art Museum, American Dance Festival, the New York International Independent Film Festival, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and the Biagiotti Art Gallery in Florence, Italy. Judith toured nationally with three Chicago-based dance companies, and served on the faculties of the University of Chicago, Columbia College, and Antioch College and as artist-in-residence at the University of Utah. Judith holds an MFA in dance from the University of Michigan. She serves on the CDT/PTA committee. 2. Description of the work you are proposing to perform, including media, idea or topic, number of performers and approximate length.
I intend to make a collection of stories and dance centered on thought-processing - aging and otherwise. Enlightening tales of tenacity and illogic will be performed by Demetrious Klein, Steve Kreimer, Judith Mikita, and one other dancer TBA. Length: 16 minutes
3. PTA concert date for which you are proposing to perform. Oct 1 & 2
4. Name and contact info of a person or people who know your work and could tell the committee about it. PTA Committee Members– Jefferson James, F. Keith Wahle, Shirley Maul, Bill Donnelly, Lacey Montgomery
Working Title: “Act Three”
“If there is a gun hanging on the wall in the first act, it must fire in the last.” Anton Chekhov
“You are right in demanding that an artist approach his work consciously, but you are confusing two concepts: the solution of a problem and the correct formulation of a problem. Only the second is required of the artist.” — Anton Chekhov to Alexei Suvorin, October 27, 1888
University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music, Dance Division
1. I am a graduate of Thomas More College where I obtained a BA in Drama and Communications in 1995, I went on to do a directing internship at the Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati and have directed many productions from Shakespeare to Beckett but I have a strong interest in performance art/movement and mask work which I am hoping to use in this project.
2. Movement/performance art piece which would symbolize the events surrounding the torture and murder of Matthew Shepard …while looking at the event on a bigger level. Two bodies one representing Mathew Shepard and one representing the spirit as the struggle occurs to leave the body. A projection of words and images would be used as music is played. This is the basic concept and as always I choose to work very organically with the actors so things will change and evolve as we work together to mold the piece. Piece would be anywhere from 15-20 minuets long….
Bill Brown – Bill NOT BORED - Please forgive the delay: I am putting on a large show at the Reed Gallery (opening reception 6 pm Thurs 20 Nov 08, please come and introduce yourself) and needed to have rehearsals first to see what was/wasn't working. Now that I know, I can confirm that, come January 2009, I will offer the performance piece entitled "The Forty-One Curses, Crises and Conspiracies of Everyday Life," written in 1992. Technical requirements: a business-like desk and a chair, and access to electrical power. I bring the rest.
The rallying cry NOT BORED! was first heard in 1983, when Bill Brown -- a newspaper writer and amateur punk musician, then living in Ann Arbor -- started a handmade, cut-and-pasted, photocopied "zine." Reproduced in small quantities (200 copies per issue), NOT BORED! hasn't been distributed or sold in bookstores (it is given away to friends, advertised by word of mouth, and sold through the mail). Over the years, Bill's zine became devoted to documenting, translating and expanding upon the creations of the Situationist International, an art and politics group, active in Europe between 1957 and 1972, which had a profound and largely secret influence upon the Sex Pistols, Gang of Four, Stone Temple Pilots, and other punks.
In 2001, I received my BA with departmental honors from the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University. After a brief stint in the working world, I earned my MFA (poetry) from Ohio State University in 2006. I am currently pursuing a PhD in English from University of Cincinnati, with 20th-century American Poetry as my dissertation area, and Early Modern British Literature as well as Poetics as my auxiliary areas. In the past 12 months, I have performed my work at University of Cincinnati and Sitwell’s here in the city, Alfred University in upstate NY, Emory University and Johns Hopkins University, and Politics & Prose and Café Muse in Washington, D.C.
I would like to perform a 10-15 minute poetry reading entitled Big-Eyed Afraid, which is also the title of my first collection of poems. I will read selections from the book revolving around themes of the multiple identities each of us possess and perform, offering poetry in traditional forms through the voice of a modern 21st-century woman.
I would like to showcase my work at the August 1 and 2 schedule performances, or other dates during the 2008-2009 season.
If you have questions about my work, you may contact the following people:
Greg Williamson, professor, Johns Hopkins University
3242 Cardinal Lake Dr
Duluth, GA 30096
(678) 471-7496
wmson@jhu.edu
Philip Hoy, editor, The Waywiser Press
14 Lyncroft Gardens
Ewell, Surrey KT17 1UR
United Kingdom
WaywiserPress@aol.com
Also, for further information, please see the appendix including my curriculum vitae and a selection of poems from my book, Big-Eyed Afraid. And, of course, feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.
1. For the past five years I have been involved in the pageantry arts activity of winterguard. This combines modern, contemporary movement with other various pieces of equipment to tell a story or paint a mental picture. I have studied at the CDT for a year and last year had the honor of dancing in the May PTA concert. I would love the opportunity to present something of my own in the October concert and forge my way into the performance art arena.
2. The work that will be performed will be a contemporary dance piece written for two people, a man and a woman. The piece will be the story of their lives over time and how life works in different ways. It will pose the question/thought of what it is like for two people to wonder through life, being in love with each other at different times. The man realizes his true feelings for the girl, but the girl has not yet discovered her true love for the man. Then by the time the girl discovers her feelings, the man has moved on and no longer feels the same way. Then one day the couple seem to be in the right place at the right time and realize that they were put on earth to love one another.
3. We would like to perform on the October concert.
4. I will be dancing with Kelly Stephens and she could be contacted. I currently dance at the CDT with Rachel James and danced last year in the PTA with Christina Bolten. I have not presented any formal work yet, but these three people could be contacted as to my performance level and work ethic.
Kelly Stephens 937-572-0118
Chistina Bolden 513-519-4066
FORTNER (submitted 9/15/07)
Michael Fortner (not accepted at this time, need more info)
My family recently moved to Cincinnati from Fredericksburg, VA.
I have directed and produced over 230 shows of all types in many states and countries. I have also taught drama for ten years and served on the Arts councils of Florida, Indiana, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Our production for the PTA will be completely original in story, character and in action. We will fit into the current space and make due with the house electrics as is at the Collage Hill Town Hall. We intend to produce the show at no cost to PTA.
As far as a "Proposal" goes this is what I see at this time-
The one act will last no longer than 20 minutes. Four to five actors- male, female,,, mixed race,,,mixed sex. Minimum scenery, minimum props. Yes, we will need a few sound cues and a few light cues, mainly black outs.
The theme at this point is about a family that is struggling to trust one another. The action is about a group of actors who act like they are not actors, but rather audience members, who are drafted to play the parts of the family. One audience member is also drafted to be in the play. ? They really are an audience member. There is a lot of humor and some surprising sensitive and emotional.
The final script will be developed by the cast. The comic moments will set up to hit the sensitive ones.
Bio:
Michael Fortner
14 Fleming Road, ? Cincinnati, OH 45215
Home 513/386-9811, Cell 540/735-6440 Email: MKFortners@aol.com
* Theatre Director * Business Admin * Teacher * Human Resource
Stafford County High School, VA - Teacher of Drama
Report to principal Tricia Jacobs, 540-371-7260, Oct 2006 to present
Quality Performance, Inc. Senior Sales Representative
Marketing Agent for several US manufacturing clients charged with assisting them in the procurement of Dept of Defense contracts. Managed a staff of 10 with responsibility for annual sales of $3.5M in 2006. Guided Texas Air to become Approved Bonding Source for KC135, E-3 & B-52, Report to President Steve Fortner, 540-455-3329, Aug 2001 to May 2006
West Virginia Public Theatre, Managing Director
Managed day-to-day business operations of the largest, professional theatre company (60,000 member subscriber base) in WV. Negotiated AEA contracts, scenery and costume rentals, AEA auditions, budget preparation, set-up, turn-around, and strike of 10-show summer season. Assisted Technical Director and House Manager in all responsibilities from shipping, to union rules, to public safety. Sought out fund raising opportunities and successfully produced original regional show on coal mining. Position funded for one year. Report to Ron Iannone, Producer, 304-291-4117, May 2000 to May 2001
Theatre Memphis, Executive Director
Responsible for all programming, marketing, facilities and staff (17) management of one of the oldest and most successful community theatres in the country. Achievements: raised membership levels, introduced minority programming, revitalized children’s outreach program, plugged into local arts and business community, hosted national theatre conference, developed rotating fund raising events, met standards of ADA and OSHA, hired AEA & SSDC talent, planned renovation for front lobby and 2nd Stage. Business Manager Lisa Hall, 901-682-8601, July 1995 to May 2000
Fort Wayne Civic Theatre, Executive Director
Responsible for overseeing all business and artistic matters, including supervision of 8 professional staff members. Achievements: coordinated use of 500 seat house with local Symphony and Ballet companies, played vital role in city’s Bi-centennial celebration, established new levels of Fund Raising, secured corporate sponsors on each show, initiated minority programming. Established theatre program to tour shows to local schools. Current director, Philip Colglazer, 260-422-8641, July 1993 to June 1995.
Civic Theatre Central Florida, Artistic Director
Responsible for overseeing all artistic efforts in support of 3 performance spaces. Achievements: Increased attendance steadily over a ten-year period, 300 seat children’s theatre built and paid for, increased operating budget from $330K to $1.4M in ten years, increased staff from 5 to 21, cultivated partnerships with Walt Disney World & Universal Studios. Board closed theatre 1995, July 1983 to June 1993.
Summary
Michael is a well-respected teacher, national and international adjudicator, and popular workshop leader in all aspects of theatre arts, management and fundraising. An honored graduate of Florida State University (MFA-1981), University of South Carolina (MA-1974), and Thomas More College (BA-1972), Michael has taught at the college level for over ten years. A frequent motivational speaker for civic organizations, youth groups and professional training seminars, Michael conducted manager-training workshops for the Walt Disney Company for four years. He has also served his local communities through Rotary, Explorer Scout Posts, school councils and fundraising events such as St. Jude Hospital’s Charity Ball in Memphis.
He has served on the Boards of the American Association of Community Theatres, Southeast Theatre Conference, and the Florida Theatre Conference who honored him with a Distinguished Career Award. The American Association of Community Theatres honored him with the designation, Fellow. He was twice director of AACT-Fest National play finalists and is widely sought as a Festival Adjudicator as he has been recently invited to adjudicate the 2004 Yakumo International Festival in Japan.
Published
Will Hollywood Love Me? - Career guidebook, contributing author
Alice, Spirit of the Hermitage- Georgetown, SC, (Historic drama)
Amiri Baracka (Leroi Jones) A Religious Statement- Thesis, USC. Children Shows: The Red Shoes- 1997, Beauty and the Beast- 1992,
The Magic Harmonica-1975.
