Celebrate with us
Join us for the CFA Assembly, powerful show highlighting the creative works and research of our students and faculty, and celebrating our three Distinguished Alumni.
September 18, 2024
10:45 AM to 12:15 PM
Libby Gardner Concert Hall in David Gardner Hall
Free. All Welcome. No tickets required.
CFA Student Performer and Worker Excusal Letter
Stream the CFA Assembly live
Check back here on Wednesday, Sept. 18 for a livestream of the 2024 CFA Assembly.
2024 Distinguished Alumni:
Legacy Award: Rick Page
Rick Page (Film & Media Arts) | Legacy Award, honoring an alum whose seasoned and successful career has brought deserved acclaim not just to them but to the program(s) from which they attended here at the University of Utah as well
Award-winning filmmaker, Rick Page, is a Director of Photography in television and film known for shooting NBC’s Emmy and Golden Globe-winning series Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Sex Lives of College Girls (HBO Max), Grand Crew (NBC), and Blockbuster (Netflix). With over 30 years in the business, Rick’s career spans television, feature films, commercials, IMAX, music videos, documentaries, and web series.
As a member of both the International Cinematographers Guild and Directors Guild of America (DGA), his films have won top awards at film festivals around the world for Cinematography, Directing, Screenplay, Actor and Actress, and Best Shorts. He’s also earned several Tellys, CINE Golden Eagle and Golden Aurora awards for directing. His multi-award winning short film, Minutes to Go, is currently touring the festival circuit, having won Best Short at the 2024 Big Apple International Film Festival.
Other TV credits include numerous pilots and movies of the week, as well as The Last Dance, Big Love, Up All Night, Go On, Benched, A Lyon in the Kitchen, Promised Land and Touched by an Angel. Feature film credits include First Time Female Director (2nd unit), The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, Death at a Funeral, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas, Legally Blonde 2, Grudge Match, Border Run, and High School Musical 3.
After growing up in Buffalo, NY, Rick started making films in high school in Columbia, MD and later graduated with a BA in Film Studies from the University of Utah, earning scholarships and awards for his student films. Concurrently, he learned lighting, camera operating and directing while working at the PBS affiliate, KUED in Salt Lake City.
Horizon Award: Stefanie Londino
Stefanie Londino (Theatre) | Horizon Award, honoring an accomplished mid-career alum on the rise
Stefanie is a NYC-based actor/musician/songwriter with fifteen years of professional experience in musical theater, plays and commercial music. Her credits range widely: four national tours including Annie (Miss Hannigan), A Bronx Tale (Rosina) and Fiddler on the Roof (Shaindel), new works Off-Broadway including After Pinocchio (MTC/Marjorie Dean Theater), Funny Face (Ballet Hispanico), Whiskeypants; the Mayor of Williamsburg (HERE Arts Center), What Do Critics Know? (The York Theater), Flak House (Actors Temple Theater), Red Wine in Paper Cups (TheaterNOW) and two dozen regional credits including My Name is Asher Lev (Playhouse on Park), Honky Tonk Angels (STONC), and Romeo & Juliet (Pioneer Theatre Company). After receiving a BFA from the Actor Training Program at the University of Utah in 2009, she continued her study in New York under such legends as Larry Moss, Patsy Rodenburg, Mike Ruckles and Patrick Page. When not on stage in musicals, she sings in several bands including her own folk rock project, West Side Waltz, which she co-fronts with rock singer husband, Paul Saylor, and punk reggae fusion band, the Voxies, with whom she opened for Bon Jovi in 2022. When not performing, Stefanie draws deep delight from sharing the craft through her acting studio, The Actors Playground Studio. After two years and 450 performances as Miss Hannigan, she returns for another season of the Annie National Tour this fall where she will play the stage at Madison Square Garden. Follow the shen-Hannigans on IG @stefanielondino
Arts Educator Award: Natosha Washington
Natosha Washington (Dance) | Arts Educator Award, honoring an alum who has made significant contributions in arts education
Natosha Washington is a professional choreographer, director and avid educator who is passionate about all-inclusive learning. After leaving her position as the director of West High’s Dance Company and Co-Chair of the Equity and Inclusion Committee a year ago, Washington is now an Assistant Principal at East High School where you can still find her connecting with students through dance and music. Washington received the 2015 Sorenson Legacy Award for Best Secondary Dance Educator in the state of Utah and was most recently nominated for Salt Lake City School District’s 2020 Teacher of the Year Top Four.
Washington Received her BFA for the University of Utah (2004). During her time at the U, Washington's work received the Best Performance award at the American College Dance Association’s National Festival at the Kennedy Center, Washington D.C., and was featured in Dance Magazine (2004). Her work has been seen on many professional, collegiate, and secondary school companies, both in and out-of-state, including Repertory Dance Theatre, University of Alabama, University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University, Sunset Studio Company of West Virginia, And Saint Mary’s Hall Dance Company of Houston Texas. Many of these works have been part of touring programs and have been seen across the United States and abroad including Russia, Croatia, New Zealand, Brazil, Fiji, England and China.
Originally from Georgia and now having lived in Utah for over twenty-three years Washington is a highly sought after choreographer, educator, and speaker. As a Black woman living in Utah, she has a multi-faceted lens; she negotiates stereotyping, privilege and identity every day in her work and the challenges the issues present. Ms. Washington is a talented community leader and facilitator. She recognizes art is only as strong as the community it serves.
The Show
Arts at the U video
Welcome
Dean John Scheib
Utah Philharmonia
Berceuse and Finale from The Firebird by Igor Stravinsky
Director: Robert Baldwin
School of Music remarks
Director Kim Councill
School of Dance remarks
Director Melonie Murray
School of Dance film
School of Dance remarks
Director Melonie Murray and Associate Professor Pablo Piantino
Arts Education Award presentation
Natosha Washington
Department of Theatre remarks
Chair Chris DuVal
Theatre’s Musical Theater Program performance
“Mama Who Bore Me” from Spring Awakening
Music by Duncan Sheik
Book and Lyrics by Steven Sater
Directed by Erin Farrell Speer
Horizon Award presentation
Stefanie Londino
Art & Art History remarks
Mary Lois Wheatley Presidential Chair of the Department of Art & Art History Temma Balducci
Film & Media Arts remarks
Interim Chair Kevin Hanson and Assistant Professor Hubbel Palmer
“Ninety-Five Senses”
Oscar-nominated animated short by Assistant Professor Hubbel Palmer
Produced by Miles Romney / Salt Lake Film Society
Legacy Award presentation
Rick Page
Conclusion
Dean John Scheib
Student Performers and Workers
School of Music's Utah Philharmonia
Violin 1
Mason Lunceford, concertmaster
Alina Baron, assistant concertmaster
Kristen Olson
Lauren Peck
Melanie Hansen
Paul Petersen
Adlyn Bouck
Sarah Kelley
Melodee Valentine
Adelle Clarke
Violin 2
Sydney Lofthouse, principal
Abby Morrell, asst. principal
Maya Dean
Emma Lamb
Aubrey Harmon
Morgan Perry
Morgan Conlan
Zander Voge
Isabelle Kim
Wen Rui Zhao
Elizabeth Gardner
Ethan Gardner
Viola
Tobias Roth, principal
Caitlyn Curry, asst. principal
Myalee Smith
Eli Wilson
Dallas Bitter
Miri Randall
Lillian Ault
Stephanie Coleman
Cello
Kaitlin Booth, principal
Stella Wadsworth, asst. principal
Lydia Mitchell
Marcos Rangel
Nicholas Kelley
Eden Wilson
Julia Fierro
Yasmine Abuelhija
Debbie Hsu
Katina Miner
Isabella Alamo
Brianna Woodruff
Kai Bowen
Aryanna Becerra
Bass
Megan Hall, principal
Adeline Hiemstra, asst principal
Flute
Siyoung Kim, co-principal
David Bennett, co-principal
Nick Anderson, piccolo
Oboe
Anna Larson, principal
Abby McMullen
Karen Hastings, English horn
Clarinet
Leila Sereki, co-principal
Darrin Thirriot, co-principal
Zane Jensen, bass clarinet
Bassoon
Luke Pfeil, principal
Jane Pugmire
Braxton Topham, contrabassoon
Horn
Tanner Chipman, principal
Mya Scheib
Justice Nugent
Trumpet
Kris Gilmore, co-principal
Ann Bateman, co-principal
Braden Eddington, asst.
Morgan Staker
Trombone
Kade Gordon, principal
Lance Tran
MJ Berry, bass trombone
Tuba
Joel Horton, co-principal
Isaac Anderson, co-principal
Timpani
Drew Fallon, principal
Percussion
Ryan Hushaw, principal
Jake Harker
Rebekah Hall
Ellie Foote
Tanner Wise
Harp
Marienna Smith
Rosalie Watkins
Graduate Assistants
Oswaldo Machado
Michael Trachalios
Department of Theatre's Musical Theatre Program
Abby Walker
Olivia Hellin
Savanna Jensen
Katie Lobrot
Carmin Fisk
Student Workers
Will Ziebarth
Titus Larrieu
Will Ziebarth
Natalia Champagne
Dallon Hansen
Mackenzie Williams
Special Thanks
Devon Barnes
Denise Begue
Ashley Behunin
Blake Bratcher
Sean Carter
Kim Councill
Emeri Fetzer
David Fox
Miles Romney
Salt Lake Film Society
Ashley Jian Thomson
Aja Vogelman
Mackenzie Williams