By Delaney McLinden '18
Many Trinity Prep alumni discovered their passion for performance at Trinity Prep and have gone on to succeed in the worlds of theater, film, and dance. Whether singing, performing, acting, or a combination of all of them, young Trinity Prep artists have been exposed to different types of performance art that are leading to bright futures as professionals.
The Trinity Prep Alumni Office is hosting an arts weekend in New York City on Nov. 11 and 12 to celebrate three of our alumni who are working in theater there. There will be a reception at Sardi's in New York City on Nov. 12 and opportunities to attend "Wilderness" featuring Riley Suter '12, "Matilda" featuring Amanda LaMotte '07, and "Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1912" featuring Denee Benton '10.
Trinity Prep alums have hit it big with work on and off Broadway and more in the theater powerhouse of New York City. Amanda LaMotte '07 is currently in "Matilda" on Broadway and has been cast in the Broadway revival of the blockbuster 1964 musical "Hello, Dolly!" as Irene Molloy, which will open at the end of 2016. Amanda is also a Tony nominee for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in the musical "Finian's Rainbow."
Denee Benton '10 is playing Natasha in the musical "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812" on Broadway opposite singing sensation Josh Groban from Oct. 20, 2016 to Apr. 23, 2017. Denee previously played the character Nabalungi in "The Book of Mormon" in both the national tour and their run in London's West End.
Riley Suter '12 is part of the creation and performance of "Wilderness: A Documentary Theater Project," another powerful off-Broadway multimedia theater piece assembled by the company En Garde Arts. The show is running at Abrons Arts Center from Oct. 21 to Nov. 13, 2016.
We have other alumni with exciting careers in theater and film. Here is a sampling of what some of our alumni are currently working on.
- Lisa Louttit '93 is directing "Porto" at The Blue Room Theatre in Australia.
- Elizabeth Luse '01 is in her third season with Lucky Plush Productions, an ensemble dance-theater touring company based in Chicago. She is also on faculty at the Joffrey Academy of Chicago.
- Megan Berger '02 is a freelance dancer and choreographer working in Hong Kong on tours and commercial and corporate events. Megan has danced for Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, Kylie Minogue, The Beach Boys, Flo Rida, Jay Sean, and many others. Most recently, she's danced with Cirque Du Soleil and performed with American Ballet Theatre in "Romeo & Juliet."
- Eddie Gutierrez '05 starred in two films that have been recently released: "The Road Home," which was featured in this year's GI Film Festival and presented at the Burbank Film Fest and "Safe & Sound," which was selected and presented at the Cannes Film Festival this year in their Short Film Corner. It will also be playing in the California at the International Shorts Fest.
- Katie Rinaldi '05 is working as the stage manager for Mad Cow Theatre in Orlando for their 2016-17 season.
- Anne Sandefur '06 dances with the Suzanne Farrell Ballet. The company will be working in Washington DC for three weeks at the Kennedy Center, where she will be performing alongside her peers in the famous piece "Gounod Symphony" from Oct. 21 to 23.
- Gabe Gonzalez '08 has made his career in news producing and comics. Gabe began in comedy at the Second City theater in Chicago, where he learned how to infuse political commentary with a sense of humor. He currently writes for Mic News.
- IIzzy Kainz '08 has been working at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania as a dresser, a spot operator, and an assistant stage manager.
- Keli Mazza '08 is currently involved in the creation of a film adaptation of the book "Gerald's Game," written by the popular author, Stephen King.
- Stephanie Barron '10 is in "The Burials" at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, a theater receiving national and international recognition.
- Jamie Pittle '10 recently performed onstage at the off-Broadway show of a new musical called "Missed Connections: A Craigslist Musical" where it ran from Sept. 10 to 25, 2016. Previously, Jamie starred in the sold-out regional production runs of the shows "The Buddy Holly Story" and "Million Dollar Quartet."
- Hunter Brown '11 is currently starring as the character Nick in a national tour of "Fame -- The Musical."
- Lexi Langs '11 stars in "Venus in Fur" at the Cotuit Center for the Arts in Cotuit, Massachusetts until Oct. 30, 2016.
- Kathryn Kilger '12 is an associate company member at Playhouse on the Square in Memphis, appearing in various shows of the 2016-17 season.
We'd love to hear more about what you've been doing! Email the alumni office at alumni@trinityprep.org with your updates.