Ned Donovan - Ithaca ‘12

Hey everyone,

Since my encounter with the vampires (see The Hunted: Expulsion) I have been unbelievably busy.  We’ve begun mask work in movement class with Norm Johnson and we’re building our own masks this week.  This is an incredible experience, but very time consuming and frustrating.  My mask is almost done, I’m on to the painting stage, and hopefully it turns out well.  Other classes are going well, this is the first time in my college career where all my classes seem to be working in synergy, and things are moving a little easier than they have in the past.

We’ve begun rehearsals for Much Ado About Nothing, and while we’re still in the table read stage, the cast just seems amazing.  I can’t wait to get going.  Everyone seems to work well together (the cast is full of the people I spend my time with anyways) and the reading is hilarious.  It’s very easy to see everyone in their roles, and working with Greg is great.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am cast as the Messenger (and I’m understudying the Friar), but I was given the extra role of Lord in Act 5, and I will be Fight Choreographing for the show.

Hey everyone,

So it’s been a while since my last update, mostly because the last couple weeks have been extremely stressful.  But here we are, it’s September 7th, and I think I can finally start settling into a normal schedule.  Upon arriving here the theatre department was dealing with the Dillingham Renovations (which are awesome by the way), auditions for the fall mainstage season, and just the acclimation of the new freshman class, as well as the returning students back into the swing of things.  Auditions went very well, and I’m pleased to say I’ve been cast as Shem in Stephen Schwartz’s Children of Eden.  Last year around this time it was really hard to come in and become adjusted to the new atmosphere and classes, but with that year of familiarity having gone by, the year has just started without a hitch.  I’m really happy with all my teachers and classes, and I’m excited to get down to work.  Review is coming up in only about a month, or a month and a half…so it’s time to buckle down and get stuff done.

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to share with you a review written about our production of “A New Brain” here at Ithaca College.  It’s a great review, and you still have tonight, tomorrow, and two shows on saturday.  www.ithaca.edu/theatre for more information.

Here’s the review.

~Ned Donovan

Hey everyone,

It’s been a while since I last posted, sorry about that, I’ve had a lot to do.  The largest of which is that the show I am a part of, A New Brain, is opening at Ithaca College this week.  This thursday, March 26th is the opening performance, and let me tell you the show is amazing.  I’ve been watching it unfold since the beginning, and as an understudy, I am there to know the Minister’s part in the off-chance that Bruce Landry (the Minister) can’t perform that night.  Because of this, I’ve watched the set go up, the technical aspects join the show, I’ve watched the music grow, and the story become clear, and I have to say that this show is beautiful, and everyone should see it if you have a chance.  You can read my quick summary in an earlier post, or go here.  Please come see it, you won’t be disappointed.

On March 14th I auditioned for summer stock theaters at the New England Theater Conference.  There were 42 theaters there this year, and I received a good amount of response from the theaters there, so hopefully I can find a fun job for this summer.

Hey everybody,

I have some exciting news.  I’ve been cast as the understudy to the Minister in William Finn’s “A New Brain”!  This will be my Ithaca College Mainstage Debut, which is very exciting.  I’m thrilled because this is the show I was hoping for, and I was not expecting to be cast.  Kudos to the Ithaca College BFA class of 2012 however, we were cast in every show, and in many cases, in prominent roles.  A New Brain is about Gordon Schwinn, a composer who hates his job as a writer for a children’s television show featuring an annoying frog, Mr Bungee.  While at lunch with his agent Rhoda, he collapses and is rushed to the hospital where he finds out he has arteriovenous malformation and needs brain surgery.  Surrounded by his lover Richard, his agent, his neurotic mother, a contemplative and insightful homeless lady, and a whole mess of doctors, nurses, (and the hospital minister) he attempts to recover from his predicament.  The music is exciting, and the story touching, hilarious, and downright scary in some cases.  For me, this is William Finn’s masterpiece, and I am so happy that I will get to be a part of it.  The show previews on tuesday, march 24th, then opens thursday march 29th with a run through sunday april 4th.