Happy Holidays!

We hope everyone is having a wonderful, healthy and happy holiday season. Brian and I just finished our third semester of grad school with officially means that we are both 1/2 way through our programs. Very exciting! We are still living in our little one bedroom apartment in Detroit- which is packed full of wrapped gifts and baked goods at the moment...very festive. All of our families are going to be in the Detroit area for this Holiday season- so we're just sitting tight and waiting for everyone who is traveling to arrive.

From Meriah: I took a week off of classes and work and visited my amazing new nephew Alessandro, my sister & brother-in-law in October for a week and completely fell in love with Alessandro. He's coming to Michigan for Christmas tonight and I can't wait to kiss his cheeks and give him a big hug. My sister asked if I would be one of his godmothers- and I was delighted! His baptism is on Dec 28th in Michigan. My parents love being retired. My mom is working 6 hours a week for the Elementary School Libraries and my dad is volunteering a few days a week at Habitat for Humanity. They spent about a month out in Nevada to help out Heather with their new grandbaby. Heather and Lamberto are doing really well and love being parents despite being very sleep deprived. I just found out that I'm going to be directing in the lab theatre at EMU in February- a children's theatre production of "Antigone". I'm very excited and can't wait to get started! I also started a group called the Educational Theatre Collaborative (ETC) with my good friend Jenny (who I went to Scotland with and see daily at school)- ETC gathers every week to play with ideas in theatre education. My biggest news is that I'm going to be teaching an undergrad class. It's called Drama, Play and the Human Experience and I'm so thrilled to be teaching! It is very rare that they give Graduate students stand alone classes to teach here and I'm really delighted to receive one! My best friend Courtney and her husband Sam just bought their first house! It's in Pittsburgh and I can't wait to go see it. Sad news- my Uncle Geary died this fall and he, my Aunt Margaret and their family are in our thoughts this holiday season. Sadly, Brian's Great Grandpa Bill also recently passed away. Both of these wonderful men will be sadly missed.

From Brian: Hello everyone and Happy Holidays! I too am very excited about the arrival of our nephew Alessandro who I have yet to meet! Hopefully the weather will cooperate with their arrival tonight! I've had a very busy semester doing all of the shows so far this season! We closed "Eurydice" in December (picture included), playing guilty Uncle Claudius in "Hamlet" and "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead" has been a great challenge and we just wrapped up our first tech rehearsal for "Born Yesterday" last night before our 2 week hiatus. "All My Sons" will be up next and we'll audition "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" come the end of January. I've been accepted into the "Month in Moscow" program which sends us to Moscow for a month to train with the Moscow Art Theatre. I'll be in Russia from May 31st through July 1st. My family has been well although my Dad did take a buyout from Johnson Controls in October, so he's been on the hunt for work. Hopefully, the new year will bring some employment opportunities!

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

Brian's First show of year 2 is open!

Brian's first show of the year opened on our anniversary weekend. It was a successful and happy opening! Here is one of the reviews: http://www.freep.com/article/20081009/ENT05/810090337 Hamlet opens the weekend of the 24th. More soon!

Alessandro Charles Smigliani

Our amazing nephew Alessandro Charles Smigliani was born at 11:43 pm on Sept 2, 2008. He was 7lbs, 9oz and 19 inches long. We love him! He has blue eyes and light brown hair. He was born via emergency cesarean section. Heather, Lamberto and Alessandro are all doing well!

Summer Comes to an End

It's been a great and very busy summer!

Brian's shows and time at Tibbits Opera House went very well as usual. Here are a pic from Little Women. Check out this great review for Room Service!

Brian went back to the Hilberry on August 18th. Here is his update! So, we are back in full swing at the Hilberry and all the fall auditions are finally out of the way. Many of you already know I was cast as Big Stone in Sarah Ruhl’s beautiful adaptation of the Orpheus myth “Eurydice” back in the spring. I just found out this afternoon that I have been cast as King Claudius in both “Hamlet” and “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.” It’s a challenging role and a bit different from the roles I’m generally cast in, so it looks like the faculty is finally throwing down the gauntlet I’d hoped they would and letting me dig into something different. Should be great fun! If you happen to be in the area and able to catch a show please let me know! Also, I attended the Wilde Awards last night and while not winning in my individual category (Best supporting Actor) we did win Best Ensemble for “The Compleat Female Stage Beauty”. It was a great time!

I had good fun teaching at Rochester's creativity camp and Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit's summer camp in June and July.

I went home to Alpena for the July 4th week to attend my sister's baby shower- many cousins, friends, family (including my mother-in-law Lynn) all come to celebrate with us. Heather is due mid September!

At the end of July I flew to Atlanta to participate in the AATE Conference. I had a great time, went to some wonderful sessions, caught up with old friends and received the first annual Don and Elizabeth Doyle Fellowship for Grad students in Theatre Education/Theatre for Youth. It was a great conference and I feel very lucky! This picture is of Don Doyle and me just after the awards luncheon.

In August, I've been working on an application for an office on campus at EMU, we traveled to Chicago, Alpena and Shelbyville to visit friends and family. Family/Friends update: The Teninty family is doing very well. Everyone is healthy and happy. My mom and dad are LOVING retirement. Brian's parents are both doing well- we had a fun time visiting with them throughout the summer.

Have a great end of summer and beginning of fall! Wish us luck in our 2nd year of three in grad school. We miss you all and hope to see/talk/write with you very soon. Please keep in touch.

A Fabulous Summer

Well it's been a fabulous summer so far.

On May 17th our friend Ben married the love of his life, Carmen. I was delighted to be able to stand up in the wedding and help decorate the yard (which was really quite amazing and included a lit stage and tent). They had beautiful weather, the poles for the tent missed the septic tank,the bride was gorgeous, the groom handsome, much drink was had and everyone was very happy for the love birds- it was perfect. And Brian made it to the ceremony despite worries about being stuck in Detroit to complete his contract for the Hilberry.

On May 20 our friends Vince and Kerry Teninty welcomed two twin girls into the world-Ashlynn Paige ("Paige") 4 lbs.and Alexandra Renee ("Lexi") 4lbs 10oz. Kerry ended up having to deliver them without an epideral! She deserves some sort of medal and certainly a mention here. Paige needed to stay in the hospital for a few extra days, but everyone is home now- happy and healthy. We're very very excited for them. Brian went and visited his "honorary neices" about a week after they were born while I was in Scotland and he fell in love with both of them.

My mom completed her last day with kids as a principal last Friday! We're very proud of her. She's got a few more weeks wrapping things up before she is officially done, but her retirement is within reach! She's had several retirement celebrations through work- unfortunately we haven't been able to attend any of them.

Baby Smigliani update: Baby and mom-to-be are doing great! Heather is in her 6th month. Our nephew is already kicking and listening to music. We're very excited to meet him. September can't come fast enough!

Brian finnished his first year at the Hilberry and went to The Stratford Shakespeare Festival for several days in Canada and visited with his director from As You Like It. He saw Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Cabaret and enjoyed them all.

My trip to Scotland for the Imaginate Festival was AMAZING. I loved the shows, the city, the people, the history- I loved it all. I saw 13 of the 15 shows- many of them which are now in my top ten productions I've ever seen. I traveled there with my friend Jenny and we had great adventure. Let me know if you want any specifics- I could go on for days and days...I also have about 300 pictures (truly) if you're interested. And my trip to the Pedegogy and Theatre of the Oppressed Conference in Omaha was good- some great workshops and a really good company.

Saturday I take Bri to summer stock in Coldwater. He's in "Little Women" and "Room Service" and is directing "The Goodbye Girl." LITTLE WOMEN: 8 pm - June 26,27,28/July 3,5 & 2 pm - June 26 and July 2// ROOM SERVICE: 8 pm - July 10,11,12,17,18, 19 & 2 pm - July 10 and 16//THE GOODBYE GIRL: 8 pm - July 24,25,26/August 1 and 2 & 2 pm - July 24 and 30

I'm off to Kalamazoo for workshops and then my camp season begins! Please keep in touch!

May Update

Wow. That was a fun and crazy year. We're officially done with our first year of grad school! Brian has a few more rehearsals (he's released from the Hilberry on May 17th), but we're both done with classes. We both had great years and enjoyed school a lot!

Happy Mother's Day to everyone. My sister is due September 18th and she's having a little boy. We're all so excited to meet him. He's got all 10 fingers and all 10 toes and appears (thanks to the ultra sound) to be doing great! Heather is doing very well too. She and her husband Lamberto just moved into a new big beautiful rental home in Henderson, Nevada. The view is spectacular and pool is lovely. We're all going to go out and visit in the fall to meet the new addition to the family.

The summer is going to be a great one. My mom is retiring from her principal-ship in Alpena Public Schools in June. I'm very proud of her for all of her hard work with students and teachers over the years and I'm really happy that she's retiring to spend time at their new house, with my dad, visiting the new grandbaby, etc. Our friend Ben is getting married next weekend and I'm honored to say that I'm in the wedding. In other news- my friend Courtney's husband Sam graduated from Law school a few weeks ago and will be moving next weekend to join her in Pittsburgh. She got a new job there in...February? She loves the city and her new job (most days). I miss her!

We're both traveling this summer- Brian is going to Stratford, Cananda for the Shakespeare Festival in May and then to visit our friends (specifically Vince and Kerry who are having twin girls at the end of May as well as Nicole, Bryan and others) in Chicago. Then he's off to Tibbits for 6 weeks to act and direct. You're welcome to visit! Coldwater, MI is a lovely place to go in the summer.

I'm heading to Omaha, Nebraska for the Pedagogy and Theatre of the Oppressed Conference (with Augusto Boal) for a few days and then I'm back for one night before I go on my big trip for the summer. I'm going to Edinburgh, Scotland with my friend Jenny to attend the Imaginate International Children's Theatre Festival. There are over a dozen plays from all over Europe and beyond. We're earning internship credit for the festival through school and received scholarships to attend. I can't wait! I love to travel and I love to see good theatre. It's going to be an amazing trip. I spend a week in Kalamazoo for the National Ed Workshop - just as a participant- to prep for next's years Chicago NEW that I'm scheduled to work with (this has been years in the making and hopefully will finally be realized!). My last trip for the summer (I know- can you believe there's more??) is to Atlanta Georgia at the end of July for the AATE (American Alliance of Theatre and Education)Conference. I just found out I received the new "Doyle Fellowship" and they are flying me to Atlanta to accept the award. The award/fellowship is for my work in theatre for youth- and I'm honored to be the first recipient!

When I'm not traveling, I'll be working at a few camps- Pine Creek Art Center's Creativity Camp in Rochester, MI and the Mosaic Youth Theatre Camp in Detroit both for 6-10/11 year olds. I'm going to miss my HTHTA kids and staff in Chicago and am happy to have other camps to play in. HTHTA IS still going on this summer- their new Education director is in the middle of creating a great season. In August I'm doing research and writing for EMU's Carnegie Classification in Community Engagement (this is connected to my GAship during the year but is a separate job).

Wish us luck for a crazy and great summer. Hope you're well and happy! We hope to see you soon!

My Dad, Finals and Summer

My dad's health is great. He met with the cardiologist and discovered through tests that he in fact did NOT have a heart attack five years ago and his heart is healthy and happy. We're so relieved!

The end of the semester is fast approaching. If you don't hear from us for a month or so it's simply because we're swamped with finals, projects, applications and shows.

Brian is going back to Tibbits this summer! He's cast in Little Women and Room Service and will be directing Goodbye Girl. Check Tibbits at: http://www.tibbits.org/summertheatre.htm

Baby Smigliani & More

Here it is almost the middle of March!

Our biggest news is: Brian and I are going to be an aunt and uncle in September! My sister Heather is pregnant with her first child. Heather is the only sibling we have between the two of us- so she was our only chance to be an aunt and uncle. WE'RE SO EXCITED!! I just visited Heather and Lamberto in Vegas over my spring break. It was really great to see them.

Other news: I turned 31 in earlier this month, the children's show that I was directing "Sleeping Beauty" opened and closed yesterday- the parents were very happy and the kids had a lot of fun...I'm going to Scotland in May for the Imaginate International Children's Theatre Festival. I'm REALLY excited about this!!

Bri is on spring break right now- with his dad in Florida. It's supposed to be 85 and sunny most of the week. Sounds fabulous.

After having chest pains, my dad recently found out he had a small heart attack over 5 years ago- and he is going into the heart specialist this Wednesday and will find more. Any/all prayers and well wishes are appreciated. As well as any jokes that I can share with him to keep his spirits up.

Happy Spring!

Another Great Review!

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008802060414 "Brian P. Sage, as the fool Touchstone, brings a fetching dryness to his mixed view of rural life as quiet yet dull, serene yet boring."

It's already FEBRUARY?!

Well- I guess it's not quite February, but it's only a few days away...where did that January month go?!

I (Meriah) just got back from an amazing conference in Florida- the IPAY Showcase 2008. It was AMAZING to see international children's theatre. I gained new ideas, passion, viewpoints and colleagues. http://www.tbpac.org/showcase/Showcase%202008.html

Brian successfully closed "Tom Jones" and opened "As You Like It". The Monitor said "Brian P sage's clever portrayal of Touchstone, the jester, is a true delight." Check out one of his reviews! More will be posted soon!

http://www.pridesource.com/article.shtml?article=28814 (...Especially notable are Caroline Price (Rosalind), Morgan Chard (Celia), martini-toting Brian P. Sage (as the W.C. Fields-like clown, Touchstone)

Happy New Year!

We had an amazing break visiting family and friends and celebrating the Holidays. After our nice long break, we're happy to be heading back to school. If you are interested in catching Brian in a show- here are upcoming dates: The Lusty and Comical History of Tom Jones January 17 Thursday 8pm 18 Friday 8pm 19 Saturday 2pm and 8pm 26 Saturday 8pm (Closing) As You Like It January 11 Friday 8pm (Opening) 12 Saturday 8pm 24 Thursday 8pm 25 Friday 8pm February 2 Saturday 2pm and 8pm 5 Tuesday 10am 26 Tuesday 10am March 4 Tuesday 10am 5 Wednesday 2pm 6 Thursday 8pm 7 Friday 8pm 8 Saturday 8pm 18 Tuesday 10am 20 Thursday 8pm 21 Friday 8pm April 8 Tuesday 10am 12 Saturday 8pm 22 Tuesday 10am 29 Tuesday 10am (Closing) For More visit: http://www.hilberry.com/2007-08%20season/shows-07-08.html Articles: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080112/ENT01/801120380/1033/rss27