STAFF
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When I first started working here, I spent five years taking care of the Ticket Office financial services. Since then (15 years), I’ve basically paid the bills for Krannert Center . . . oh, and “other duties as assigned.” Before my time here, I was a manager at Burger King and Ponderosa. My favorite position of all was as the manager of the famous Stuckey’s Pecan Shoppes in LaSalle-Peru. The one thing I learned there was that you didn’t raise your gas prices until you received another shipment of gas!! I used to manage the cafeteria at Abbott Labs, where I fed 3,000 employees for three shifts. I have four children, two step-daughters, 13 grandchildren, two cats, one dog, and (I can’t forget) one husband. My oldest son has been in the navy since 1985, and he’s spent the last seven years as a lieutenant in the Nursing Corps.
I’ve been at Krannert Center for 18 years and work as a ticket office supervisor. I was, and still am, a freelance American Sign Language/English interpreter and teacher. I had been in Champaign-Urbana for only two years when I started working here. I grew up in Michigan but have lived on both coasts, in Seattle and New York City. I love to travel, bicycle, work in my garden, and make art-collage and photography. I have two wonderful sons.
My job is to provide computer expertise, support, and access to all staff at Krannert Center. I came to the U of I (and the Center) in 1992 as a grad student and never left. Before that, I was a full-time student at Drexel University in Philadelphia. I also worked several summers at the Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina. I have two bachelor’s degrees in business administration (one in operations management and one in human resource administration) as well as a master’s degree from the U of I in stage and theatre management. I enjoy woodworking, electrical work, and DIY projects around the house (although two small children are taking up more of my free time these days).
Before coming to Krannert Center 16 years ago, I was in the Purchasing Division at the U of I. As an account technician, I handle P-Cards, Ticket Office daily reports, and the audits for all Department of Theatre, Opera Program, and Dance at Illinois events. I’ve been riding motorcycles and working on cars since 1973. Once cars started having computers in them, I stopped working on them. I also love animals.
Since June 2004, I have worked for the U of I, becoming part of the Krannert Center Marketing team in April 2007 as a graphic designer specializing in print, web, and video communication. I have also worked on campus as a graphic designer for University Housing and a staff technology training instructor for CITES. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, my husband and I made Champaign our home after meeting in a U of I drawing class. We have three feline roommates—Smokie, Golly, and Titan. My quirks include despising wide-ruled notebook paper but loving cheese, the twist, monkeys, photography, and “Cold Case Files” on A&E.
As the catering manager, I provide food and fun for patrons and artists alike. Before my eight years at Krannert Center, I was the purchasing director at the Chancellor Hotel. When I’m not cooking, I love to ride my Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
In 2004, René Chadwick became a part of the Krannert Center family as the director of the Wig and Makeup Studio and also joined the Department of Theatre faculty to teach costume and makeup courses. René received a BS from the University of Utah in organizational communications and an MFA in costume design from the U of I. She has designed for the Nashville Ballet Company, Nashville and Illinois Shakespeare Festivals, Celebration Theatre Company, American Negro Playwright Theatre, Epiphany Dance Company, Hope Summer Repertory Theatre, and Summer Studio Theatre Company. René’s academic design credits include works for the University of Utah, Tennessee State University, Belmont University, Tennessee’s Governor’s School for the Arts, and Middle Tennessee State University. She accompanied a Middle Tennessee State theatre group to Finland, Russia, and Latvia, where she had an opportunity to teach master classes in costume design. It’s a wild ride and I’m lovin’ it.
Terri is the assistant production manager at Krannert Center as well as an assistant professor teaching stage management in the Department of Theatre. Originally from New York City, Terri was most recently the production manager and production stage manager for the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. She has stage managed for the Yale Repertory Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, and Maryland Stage Company and has toured with Ralph Lemon, Urban Tap, and the American Repertory Ballet, among other groups. Terri was an adjunct professor at NYU, teaching theatre organization and management at the Tisch School.
I have been a theatrical stitcher with the costume shop for 14 years. The theatrical stitchers belong to AFSCME Local 698. I am steward for our group, I hold the position of trustee for our local, and I am also a delegate to the central body of the AFL-CIO for Champaign County. I have been married for 37 years to my husband, Dennis, who is retired. We have a 20-year-old son, Samuel, who is currently a junior at Eastern Illinois University majoring in physics. He is planning to go to grad school at Washington State University to pursue a master’s degree in astrophysics. We have a dog named Goby and a cat named Herkimer. Herkimer thinks he is king of the universe. I love to read, crochet, and hunt for antiques. Prior to coming to Krannert Center, I owned and operated a beauty salon for 20 years.
I spent the first five years of my Krannert life in the Ticket Office. I have been the marketing services coordinator for 12 years now. My husband, Rick, and I have been married for 18 years and have a 10-year-old son. I’ve spent 14 hours on a motorcycle just because, danced when there’s no music, and screamed at stock car races. But my favorite pastime these days is chauffeuring our son, Troy, to his various sporting events and being a cheerleader.
Anne C. de Velder is an assistant professor on the Design, Technology, and Management faculty and is the costume shop manager. She has designed and/or built costumes for leading dance companies including the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, the Stuttgart Ballet, Baryshnikov’s White Oak Dance Project, and the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company. She served as the master tailor for the Cleveland Ballet for four seasons and for many Broadway and off-Broadway shows. She has also worked on costumes for films including Splash, Big, The Great Gatsby, Wall Street, Broadcast News, Fatal Attraction, Hannah and Her Sisters, and New York Stories. In addition, Anne was the founder of the original costume collection for the New York State Council on the Arts. She has taught tailoring and costume technology at many colleges and universities, including the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus Clown College. Needless to say, she’s never been bored.
I work here as an account technician. I grew up in Tuscola and now live in Gifford. I am married and have three beautiful girls, who are my greatest accomplishments. Rachel is 16 and is referred to as “smiley” by many of her friends. Mary is 14 and is the most athletic of my three daughters. Amanda is 11. I won’t say that she’s the baby of the bunch, because I used to hate it when people referred to me as “the baby.” I am told by her sisters that Amanda gets by with a lot more than they ever did. What can I say: I can relate. Pete and I have been married for 17 years. Rachel was born nine months and five days after we were married, so it feels like life has been going full force since we got married.
Born and raised in France, Nicole Faurant moved to the United States some 20 years ago and received an MFA in costume design from the University of Georgia at Athens. In France, she designed costumes for children’s movies, musicals, and plays. In the United States, she designed costumes for venues in Georgia, North Carolina, and Illinois. She also designed textiles for a French company based in Georgia. Her textile designs have been featured in leading trade magazines. She is currently the costume rental manager at Krannert Center and teaches fabric design for the Department of Theatre at the U of I.
Until I retired, I was in the Air Force as an electrician, a construction manager, an equal opportunity and treatment noncommissioned officer, and an instructor at the NCO Academy. Before I started working at Krannert Center 11 years ago, I was at that small university for 10,000 students in New Haven, Connecticut. There I was the manager for customer service, work orders, and the control center. Yale University consisted of over 300 facilities, for which we monitored priority laboratories and critical buildings 24/7. We were one of the first academic units to digitize all the chilled water, steam, and electrical systems into one control system. Here at Krannert Center, I strive to provide the best services possible in concert with the finest attendants and facility supervisor staff at the university. At home, we have two Yorkshire female dogs who are very independent but give back all the love unconditionally.
Whitney Havice is a performance supervisor in the Ticket Office. Whitney is also actively involved in several local theatre organizations in the Champaign-Urbana community as a performer and choreographer.
As the facility manager for Building Operations, I manage the night-shift attendants, order supplies for the department and the building, handle payroll and attendants’ work schedules . . . and lots of other things. Before I started at Krannert Center more than nine years ago, I worked as a crane operator doing refinery construction and maintenance and even worked on a farm. My favorite leisure activity is going to late-model dirt track races. My wife and I love to camp at various racetracks. My favorite track, by far, is Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, which is owned by Tony Stewart. We camp for a week in June there every year.
My job is to assist the director and try to manage his crazy calendar. I started working here in February 1985, and before that I was at the Cannon Air Force Base Beauty Salon in Clovis, New Mexico; the Urbana school system; Admissions and Records at the U of I; and various other places. I live on a small farm near Sidney, so consequently I work outside every minute that I’m not here. I like to ride my four-wheeler, especially at Bad Lands, and love doing things with the grandkids, which includes being in the pit crew for my grandson, who competes in Indiana XC racing. My daughter, who runs marathons, always gets my support too. I’m active at church with the youth and church council and I was really fortunate to go to Israel last February.
I’ve spent almost 20 years in the industry and eight years at Krannert Center, where I’m the associate lighting director. Before coming here, I was a freelance design technician and saw plenty of crazy things. My best pal is Todd the dog.
Tom hails from Minnesota and has completed degrees at Southern Methodist University and the University of Minnesota. He has been the technical director at Krannert Center and an assistant professor in the U of I Department of Theatre since 1989 and until 2000 chaired the Department of Theatre Graduate Technology curriculum. Korder has worked for a variety of performing arts organizations, including the Fort Worth Ballet, TW Designs (a commercial production company), and the Shakespeare Festival of Dallas. Since beginning his academic career in 1984, Korder has taught lighting and technology at universities in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Illinois. Currently, he teaches graduate coursework in fluid power, motors and motor control, health and safety, and technical management. He is very active with the United States Institute for Theatre Technology and has presented numerous workshops and seminars at national and regional conferences.
I am thrilled to be joining the Krannert Center staff this year. As the Youth Series coordinator, I work with a fabulous team of people to produce and distribute Youth Series educational materials, handle ticket purchases and scholarships, and keep things running smoothly on performance days. My formal education includes degrees in comparative literature, Italian, and music theory. More recently, my continuing informal education as the primary caregiver for my two children has allowed me to experience the world anew through their eyes and ears. My favorite extracurricular activities include ballroom dancing with my husband, singing in a choir, and tossing dough in the air on family pizza nights.
Bridget Lee-Calfas has been Krannert Center’s public information director since 2006, when she relocated from sunny North Carolina to once again face the frozen (yet still beloved) plains of her native state. As the primary media correspondent for the Center, Bridget is thrilled to share the numerous performances, initiatives, and ongoing projects of the Center with our community through managing media relations, assisting with the marketing and patron relations efforts, and participating in the strong public engagement campaign that is central to Krannert Center’s mission. Prior positions include director of marketing and development for the Temple Theatre in Sanford, North Carolina; theatre manager for Harper College in Palatine, Illinois; and roles in marketing, programming, and event planning for the U of I, Yale University, and other nonprofit organizations.
Verda Beth Martell is the opera technical director/assistant technical director for Krannert Center and an assistant professor of theatre at the U of I. Beth is an active member of USITT, for which she has presented a number of workshops, including the Physics of Theatre series with her research partner (and husband) Eric Martell. She currently serves as vice-commissioner for programming for the Technical Production Commission and sits on the board of the Midwest Section. Beth holds an MFA in theatre technology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has worked extensively at such theatres as Steppenwolf, Light Opera Works, and Victory Gardens in Chicago, as well as the Santa Fe Opera and the Spoleto Festival U.S.A.
Rebecca McBride is the senior associate director of Krannert Center and an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre at the U of I. Since earning her MBA and BS degrees from the U of I, she has been committed to applying her leadership, management, and strategic planning skills to the nonprofit arena. During her 17-year tenure at Krannert Center, Rebecca has been recognized for her leading role in developing groundbreaking public engagement and marketing initiatives as well as for her leadership in reimagining and developing the Center’s capacity to support new work.
I joined the staff in March 1992, and my primary responsibility is to support and promote the image and mission of Krannert Center and the College of Fine and Applied Arts through graphic design. My educational background is in ceramic sculpture and modern art history, and before coming here I co-owned a graphic design studio in Central Illinois. I played classical guitar for more than 15 years and used to live aboard a sailboat. At one time I had aspired to become a professional chef (vegetarian, of course!). Someday I hope to learn to tap dance.
Before I became the assistant scenic shop supervisor here, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from Ohio State University. At Krannert Center, I maintain the Krannert Store, the Scene Shop Tool Room, and the staff vehicle, and I handle grad student P-Card transactions and manage the runners. Even though you will find me either in the Scene Shop Tool Room or in the Krannert Store, I actually know my way around a sewing machine too.
Anni Poppen, Krannert Center graphic designer by day and . . . uh, secret agent for an undercover espionage ninja pirate book club by night? (Too much info?) I’ve been here since February 2008 and enjoy the constant feeling of being backstage for a big performance. My background in design started at Parkland College. Set free, I started my own business (won a couple of awards for company identity), merged it with SURFACE 51 (awesome marketing company in town), and decided to try something new . . . so here I am! When not designing, I like to keep busy with cooking or reading or spending time with loved ones—at least that’s what I’ll tell you so you don’t catch on to my top secret book club. Favorite words: “spelunking” and “ennui” (probably not in the same sentence). Favorite book: Italo Calvino’s Baron of the Trees. Current tunes: Tegan and Sarah. I don’t like coconut.
I got connected with Krannert Center through my grad assistant position as a stage manager while finishing my master’s degree in vocal performance. Prior to that, I was in Orange County, California, where I finished my second bachelor’s degree—this one was in music with an emphasis in vocal performance. My first bachelor’s degree, which was in business administration, I received from the Universidade São Francisco in Brazil, where I’m originally from. I usually say that I’m a fake Brazilian because I can’t dance, I love winter (hate summer), and I can’t play soccer!! But I love Brazil and I love F-1 racing (in Brazil, it’s like NASCAR is here), so I guess I’m Brazilian after all! My love for this job as events coordinator comes from the constant connection and interaction with artists from all over the world. That makes life much more interesting.
In the Costume Shop, where I’ve been for the last 19 years, I work as a theatrical stitcher to construct, alter, and restore costumes for the School of Music Opera Program, Dance at Illinois, and the Department of Theatre. I have been married for 44 years to Duane, who is retired from the Illinois Central Railroad and was also a Navy Seabee in Vietnam. We have four children, four wonderful grandchildren, and one very spoiled dog named Maxine. My hobbies are reading, word puzzles, and knitting.
I began my time at Krannert Center in 1987 as a student employee—and I’m still happily working! As the assistant director for marketing and patron services, I focus on staff management, the collaborative development and implementation of a variety of initiatives for audience growth, and oversight of advertising and graphic design. I hold not one but two degrees (and I’m at work on a third!) in euphonium performance from the U of I, and, among other things, I enjoy gardening and distracting my two border collies with whatever means of bribery is at hand so that they stay out of my garden.
Mike Ross became the sixth director of Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in 1997. He came to the Center from the Miller Theatre at Columbia University in New York City, which under his direction was recognized by The New Yorker as “the city’s hottest hotbed of innovative programming.” Deeply committed to embracing the art of the past as well as the art of our time across disciplines, aesthetic sensibilities, and cultural legacies, Mike views the Center as a potent blending of classroom, laboratory, and public square. He is an active board member of numerous local, state, and national arts organizations, including the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, the American Arts Alliance, and the Illinois Arts Alliance. He was also recently appointed to the Illinois Humanities Council Board of Directors and was made the chair of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Executive Board. He attributes his experience as a professional classical, jazz, and rock musician and his interest in the literary and visual arts and broader cultural history as major influences on the creative and collaborative nature of his work in arts administration.
Julie Hannaford Rundell has been the assistant properties director at Krannert Center since 1990. She was the first student at the North Carolina School of the Arts—and possibly the first in the nation—to receive a degree in props. She’s worked in theatres in Michigan, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, as well as Illinois (both downstate and Chicago). She is an active member of her field’s professional organization, S*P*A*M (Society of Props Artisan Managers). Her favorite thing is hanging out with her son, Asher, and she also enjoys reading, cooking, and riding her bike. Every year she participates in a 274-mile/3-day fundraising bike ride to support HIV/AIDS services.
Krannert life started for me when I was a grad student in 1990, and now I’m the assistant director for the Computer Information and Access Office, which may sound a little surprising, since I have a master’s degree in classical saxophone performance. I’d previously been a full-time student since 1980, first in North Carolina, then Ohio, and then France. I went to Canada to teach for a year, came to the U of I in 1988, and . . . never left.
Sam Smith, Shi Shan Ming, Temus, Papi is the engagement director and came here from University High School. My responsibilities include aggravating Kostas (defining and developing points of access). I come from Brooklyn, baby.
Are you reading this? What else should you be doing right now?
I was at Eastern Illinois University before I came to Krannert Center in 1997. As the director of Food Services, I oversee all aspects of food and beverage service (including Intermezzo and the Stage 5 Bar). I’ve been in charge of up to 70 kitchen and dining room staff members, developed and produced pizzas and entrees that are being marketed nationwide, and instituted procedures and processes to conserve energy and reduce waste (think proper cooking temperatures and bread bowls). You may not know that I used to have hair. And I was young once.
I’m an administrative clerk who handles payroll and personnel matters. Before starting at Krannert Center more than 26 years ago, I was with Student Accounts and Loans at the Henry Administration Building. I am originally from Chicago but came here to Champaign-Urbana in 1979 so that my husband, Jim, could finish his degree. I intended to stay only two or three years . . . but here I am 30 years later!
Before I started at Krannert Center, I worked at Northwestern Bell (in Fargo, North Dakota), Illinois Bell (here), and AT&T (here and Dallas) and retired in 2003. I’ve been here for two years and work as a receptionist, secretary, and assistant to Rebecca McBride. I originally moved to Champaign from North Dakota to marry a rock musician. I love reading—especially Jane Austen and Shakespeare. (I think everyone knows about the shoe thing.)
I’ve been a staff clerk for 14 years at Krannert Center (plus 5 years half-time in the Department of Kinesiology), where I reconcile statements monthly, calculate staff payroll bi-weekly, process payroll charge-outs monthly, handle audits and billing for the School of Music monthly, rectify profit and loss statements, etc., etc., etc. Before my time here, I was the office manager for a small company in town called Awards Ltd./Direct Stamps. I was born in Semarang, Indonesia, and have lived in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Dayton, Ohio; Kent, Ohio; Cambridge, England; Berkeley, California; and, of course, Champaign-Urbana. I have two children, three step-children, three grandchildren, and two step-grandchildren. I enjoy people watching and traveling (especially anywhere in the tropics—I desperately need the sunshine!!).
Michael Williams, lighting director, has been here for the last 10 years. Michael has been the primary lighting designer for Dance at Illinois’ annual Festival Dance concert since coming to Krannert Center. Before coming here, he served as the master electrician at Cornell University’s Theatre Arts Complex, where he taught lighting design and designed the lighting for many of the university’s drama and dance department productions. Prior to being at Cornell, Michael was the master electrician for the St. Louis Black Repertory Company for its opening season in the Grandel Theatre. While with that company, he designed the lighting for The Meeting. Michael holds an MFA in lighting design from the U of I and a BM and an MM in vocal performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
In 1993, I started at Krannert Center, where I am the staff advisor for the Krannert Center Student Association; schedule Krannert Center Community Volunteers, who provide support for our Youth Series program; and serve as a Creative Intersections staff member. In addition, I coordinate special presentations about Krannert Center events to many different groups and organizations through information fairs, expos, and new faculty and student orientations. I enjoy baking, reading, and watching C-SPAN’s “Booknotes.” My future plans include completing my degree through Eastern Illinois University and traveling to as many jazz festivals as possible on an annual basis.
Nick Zazal is Krannert Center’s event director and is responsible for overseeing the support and production elements of the Marquee season, the School of Music concert recital season, and rental events. He graduated from the U of I’s Department of Theatre in 2004 with a BFA focusing on stage management and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in recreation, sports, and tourism. Other gigs have included time with the Wildwood Festival (Little Rock), the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (Boulder), and the International Festival of Arts and Ideas (New Haven, Connecticut). At Krannert Center, he also serves on the Creative Intersections committee and the Health and Safety committee. His favorite Krannert Center events are ELLNORA | The Guitar Festival and the summer concert series OUTSIDE at the Research Park. He is a member of the International Association of Assembly Managers and lives in Urbana with his fiancee, Sallie, and their cats. He also happens to be a huge Jimmy Buffett fan! Fins Up!