2017 Gregory Awards for Theatre Feature Seattle U Connections

Congratulations to Seattle U Theatre Professor Rosa Joshi for her Gregory Awards nomination for Outstanding Director, recognizing her work on the stunning production of Bring Down the House at Seattle Shakespeare Company presented in collaboration with upstart crow collective last winter. Rosa and Kate Wisniewski, adjunct professor in theater, adapted Shakespeare's Henry VI trilogy for Bring Down the House, which was performed by an all-female ensemble, which included Kate as Margaret.

Shawn Ketchum Johnson, Seattle U resident scenic designer, also received a nomination for Outstanding Scenic Design for Ghosts at ArtsWest. Shawn was the scenic designer for Bring Down the House.

Bring Down the House received a total of seven nominations:

• Outstanding Production
• Outstanding Ensemble (including theatre alum Emma Bjornson, ’16)
• Rosa Joshi, Outstanding Director
• Mari Nelson, Outstanding Actress in a Play
• Nike Imoru, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play (who also taught Acting for Film at SU)
• Alice Gosti and Peter Dylan O’Connor, Outstanding Choreography (Alice has been a regular guest artist with SU, working on productions such as The Big Ambition and Women of Troy)
• William (Bill) Satake Blauvelt  (composer) and Rob Witmer (sound designer,) Outstanding Sound/Music Design (Bill is the Maintenance Crew Lead with SU Operations and theatre alum Megan Roche, ’16, served as assistant sound designer)

Seattle Shakespeare Company is also nominated for Theatre of the Year.

upstart crow collective was co-founded by Betsy Schwartz, Kate Wisniewski and Rosa Joshi in 2006 and Seattle University has played an integral role in the collective’s development.  Ki Gottberg, Chair of Performing Arts and Arts Leadership, was in the first two upstart crow productions (King John and Titus Andronicus). Professor Carol Wolfe Clay designed the sets and Senior Instructor Dominic CodyKramers designed sound for Titus Andronicus. Rosa has received Seattle University summer faculty fellowships for two upstart crow productions, King John in 2006 and Titus Andronicus in 2012.   The collective recently completed a workshop for Richard III (funded by a Summer Provost Faculty Fellowship) which will be presented in collaboration with Seattle Shakespeare Company in their 2018-2019 season.

The 2017 Gregory Awards are Monday, October 23 at Marion McCaw Hall. Tickets are available online.

The Gregory Awards are administered, funded, and produced by Theatre Puget Sound.

Photos, Bring Down the House, by John Ulman, courtesy of Seattle Shakespeare Company.