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Motifs: September 2020
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Pamela Frucci (IAC/NMC 44, 48-49, IAC St 53) co-authored a book with her then seven-year-old granddaughter in 2006. The book, called “A Visit to My Great, Great Grandpa,” tells the story of Frucci’s grandfather. On Sept. 8, 2019, Downriver Youth Performing Arts Center performed a musical adaptation of the book, which Frucci wrote with composer Ken Medema. The book encourages youngsters to interview their older relatives and preserve their life story for future generations.
Elaine Coney (IAC/NMC 65-67, IAA 65-70), an instructor of Spanish and English composition at Southwest Mississippi Community College (SMCC), will become Chair of the Humanities and Fine Arts Division this fall. She has taught at SMCC for 29 years. Previously, she taught Spanish, French, Latin, and English at South Pike High School for 14 years. Presently, Coney is Historian of the Mississippi Foreign Language Association.
Laura Karpman (IAC/NMC 70-74) served as one of the composers for HBO’s new series, Lovecraft Country. Karpman and co-composer Raphael Saadiq recorded the score remotely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Karpman was also recently awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Composition for A Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score) for her work on the Discovery Channel's "Why We Hate."
Anthony Rapp (IAC/NMC 85-86) will appear in the forthcoming HBO Max docuseries Equal. The series chronicles the leaders and heroes of the LGBTQ+ community. Equal will debut on the streaming service in October.
Holly (Kuschell) Bird (IAA 85-87) was recently appointed to the Federal Task for Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women. In addition, Bird, an attorney, tribal judge, and indigenous activist, recently left as co-executive director of the Water Protector Legal Collective to join forces with musician Seth Bernard as co-executive director of Title Track, a Michigan non-profit with the mission of promoting water, youth empowerment, and racial equity/social justice.
Danielle Allen (IAC/NMC 87) was awarded the John W. Kluge Prize for Achievement in the Study of Humanity by the Library of Congress. The $500,000 award recognizes work in disciplines not covered by the Nobel Prizes. Allen will use the grant to lead an initiative called “Our Common Purpose,” which engages educators, the general public, and political leaders in the promotion of civic strength.
Bassist Derek Frank (IAC/NMC 89-90, IAA 90-91) released his new solo album, Eleven Years Later, on all digital download and streaming platforms on Sept. 18. He is currently a member of Gwen Stefani's and Shania Twain's bands, and is looking forward to resuming shows with both artists in 2021.
Kate Baldwin (IAC 91-92) will present a socially distanced in-person performance at Open Jar Studios as part of the Broadway Relief Benefit. The performance will help raise funds for a variety of industry-related charities.
Anthony McGill (IAC 91, 93, IAA 94-96, IAC St 96) was selected as the recipient of the 2020 Avery Fisher Prize.
Kat Coiro (IAC 92-93, IAA 93-97, IAC Fac 15-19) will direct and produce Disney+'s forthcoming She-Hulk series.
Richard Hinds (IAC 96-97, IAA 97-00) directed and choreographed a production of Alan Janes’ Buddy the Musical which followed all COVID-19 health and safety protocols. The show is available to stream on Broadway On Demand through Sept. 16.
Mary Holland (IAA 01-03) stars in the feature film Golden Arm, which will be released in theatres in early 2021. Holland is also co-writer of the forthcoming Christmas rom-com Happiest Season. Holland also appears as Jane in the film, which is due in theatres on Nov. 25.
Josh Jones (IAC 07, IAC Fac 15-16) has been named the principal percussionist of the Kansas City Symphony. Jones will join the symphony for its 2020-21 season.
Ines Pujos’ (IAA 05-08) first poetry book, “Something Dark to Shine In,” will be released by Sundress Publications in fall 2021.
Emily Pittinos’ (IAA 06-10) manuscript for her first novel, “The Last Unkillable Thing,” won the 2020 Iowa Poetry Prize. The book will be published by the University of Iowa Press in spring 2021.
Interlochen alumni Karli Forte (IAC 13-14, IAA 14-17), Kayla Behforouz (IAC 13, IAA 15-17), and Frances Lewelling (IAC 08, 10-14, IAA 15-17, IAC St 17) were featured in a recently published book about the future of opera. “Voices of Tomorrow's Songs” by Duncan Holzhall is a collection of interviews with young artists and professionals alike. This book focuses on where opera currently resides in our society and how opera can further improve in a post-COVID-19 world.
Creative writing alumni Gerardo Azpiri (IAC 18, IAA 18-19), Julia Bohm (IAA 17-18), and Sophie Paquette (IAC 17, IAA 17-19) were selected as finalists for the 2020 Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose. Current Academy student Lane Devers (IAA 17-) was a semifinalist.