Gerald Freedman, 84, the esteemed stage director and drama dean at UNC School of the Arts, suffered a stroke in February. After months of rehab, he is resuming some of his duties at UNCSA, where he has worked since 1991.
He is attending dean meetings and is teaching a directing class, assisted by Ashley Gates Jansen, a former student.
Ben Carbo, a college senior in Freedman's directing class, couldn't be happier.
Freedman "is doing great," Carbo said. "He's back on his feet. He's able to maintain focus and concentration."
Carbo added that Freedman's "spark is shining more than it did at the end of the last year," when he spoke briefly at commencement.
Robert Beseda, an assistant drama dean at UNCSA, also sounded upbeat about Freedman's progress. He said that Freedman's speech "is completely back" and that he "is very strong physically," even as he works on restoring his equilibrium. Freedman uses a walker, Beseda said.
If all goes as planned, Freedman will add an acting class to his duties in the winter and begin rehearsals for a production of "Much Ado About Nothing," which will feature the incidental music of Erich Wolfgang Korngold (March 29-April 7).
The Vienna Burgtheater commissioned Korngold to write incidental music for Shakespeare's classic play, which has been described as his "most spirited and sophisticated battle of the sexes." John Mauceri, UNCSA's chancellor, will serve as the conductor of the UNCSA production.
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In other personnel news at UNCSA, several artists have been hired to teach or direct full time. The School of Dance has appointed Eric Schwartz as its music director. Schwartz has worked as a dance musician at several schools and for such companies as the Mark Morris Dance Group. He is a prolific composer.
Joining UNCSA's School of Design & Production are John Coyne (set design); Eduardo Sicangco (set design); and Bill Volz (scenic technology). Their biographies were unavailable.
In the School of Drama, Tanya Belov joins the acting faculty full time, having served as a visiting instructor in the past. She acted in her native Russia before moving to the United States in 1981.
In the School of Filmmaking, Mary Ann Zotto is teaching production design/art direction full time, having taught part time in the School of Design & Production. Zotto's paintings appear in the films "Parenthood" and "House of Cards."
Another new hire in filmmaking is Michael Chapman, who is teaching cinematography. Chapman's many film credits include serving as the cinematographer for such Martin Scorcese films as "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull."
There are two new instructors in the School of Music: Oskar Espina-Ruiz (clarinet) and Dmitri Shteinberg (piano). Espina-Ruiz, a native of Spain, came to New York in 1991 to further his studies, won some important competitions and has performed as a soloist in concert halls and festivals around the world.
Shteinberg taught at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond before coming to UNCSA. In addition to having soloed with several orchestras, he has performed chamber music at several festivals.
Mark E. Brown is teaching sculpture in the visual-arts program. His drawings and sculptures have been shown in more than 200 exhibitions in the United States. They have also been displayed in several other countries.
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