New drama head announces upcoming plays

Andy Long has been looking for a full-time teaching position in drama for two years. When he saw that Richland had an opening, he applied and got the Visiting Scholar position. 

Long been working in professional theater for about 25 years in a variety of fields, including broadcast, voiceovers, improv and commercials. He has also directed plays at the Pocket Sandwich Theater and now works with the Dallas Children's Theater.

"I was touring the country performing comedy,"Long said.  "I've directed and acted in professional theater."

Long said some of the jobs in the entertainment field have required him to leave the metroplex, Long said, but he'd but he would rather stay in this area because he has a family. He's teaching three acting classes this semester, as well as a demo lab on Fridays and a theater practicum.

"I feel like I have a lot to offer students, coming from the professional world,"Long said. "I have a tremendous amount of contacts. I'm using a lot of contacts to help the students gain access to outstanding professionals in the field that they can learn from."

Long said he is very excited about his new position and the amount of work professors are doing here.

"We want to grow the department and increase enrollment, increase full-time faculty positions and do all of this through really high quality productions that re-establish the reputation of Richland College Theater on a state-wide and national level,"Long said.

The drama department has added new adjunct faculty:  Mac Lower, a professional director; Ginger Goldman, a professional actress; Dennis Maganza, the former head of the acting program at Texas State University; Victoria Irvin, a Richland alumna; and Jennifer Owen, Richland's former tech director who has just received her master's degree and who is teaching introduction to theater this semester. Three adjunct faculty, Debi Ruiz-Esparza, Kerry Cole and Wendy Welch, have returned this semester.

Long said Richland is the only one of the seven Dallas County Community Colleges that has a full season schedule. The others only perform two plays per season.

The Richland department is performing four plays this season, which covers both the fall and spring semesters. All are free and open to the public.

One of the plays this fall, "Exit the Body"by Fred Carmichae, is a fast-paced comedy, Long said. It will run at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, Oct. 12-15, in the Fannin Performance Hall. It's the story of a mystery writer who rents a new England house that is the rendezvous point for some jewel thieves. The focal point of the set is the closet, where a body is found, later disappears and then is replaced by another body. The hunt is on for some jewels, and there are some hilarious entrances and exits. 

A contemporary drama, "Waving Goodbye"by Jamie Pachino, will run at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 16-19, in the Arena Theatre in Fannin Hall. It's the story of a 17-year-old photographer, Lily Blue, who loses her father in a mountain climbing accident and must now live with her mother, who once abandoned her.

This spring, performances will include "Once on this Island,"with music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics and book by Lynn Aherens, and "Proof,"a Pulitzer prize-winning drama by David Auburn. 

For more information about the drama department, contact Long at 972-238-6256.