Theatre Success Stories

Maya Flock Writes:

Hi Francine,

Hope you are well! Haven't seen you in ages! Saw Rj over the summer and we got to act together again in a playwriting festival here in NYC. It was really nice to see him again!
So I'm writing to share about the success I have had since I have left PCCA. Remembering where you come from, especially from a place like PCCA, where I had such a great community to grow within, is a place worth giving back to. This is what I can do as of now, until I am able to do more. My biography... for your success stories so prospective students have a point of reference of where alumni have worked.

Maya Flock was a 2005 graduate of the Musical Theater program at PCCA.
After graduating she left to study vocal performance at the Manhattan
School of Music under Metropolitan Opera Star, Ashley Putnam. Following
her studies she was cast to cover the role of Maria in 'West Side Story'
on the 50th Anniversary International Tour. The very same tour had a
limited run in London on the West End. For their time in the West End
the cast received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for 'Best Musical
Revival'. Since then, Maya has done TV/Film work and continues to work
in theater in NYC. www.MayaFlock.com

2010 Graduate

Samuel French (A'14) is among the many gifted first-year students excited to be exploring the opportunities at Carnegie Mellon University.

"I already feel like I'm part of an incredible community. Everyone has been welcoming and kind and thoroughly helpful," he said.

A student in the School of Drama, French is confident he will learn the skills necessary to pursue a career in theater.

"Theater has the wonderful capability to incorporate all the arts and — honestly — history, science, math and everything in between. Theater can work as an active force to change the world but can also just be a needed distraction from the world," he said. "Through Carnegie Mellon as a whole, I expect to learn about the world that I will be reflecting through my art."

May 03, 2010 08:48 PM Gibbs High senior receives rare national honor: presidential scholar By Luis Perez, Times Staff Writer

Blaine Krauss

ST. PETERSBURG — Blaine Krauss, a senior in the arts program at Gibbs High School, was sitting in acting class Monday when he learned he had been named one of the scholastic elite: a presidential scholar.

In dramatic fashion, he spent a good while running around the school. "I screamed with my friend and ran out of the classroom," said Krauss, 18, of St. Petersburg. "It took me about an hour and a half to calm down."

Krauss is among 141 students nationwide — four in Florida and the only one in the Tampa Bay area — to receive the honor this year for exceptional academic achievement and artistic excellence.

Each scholar gets to invite his most inspiring or challenging teacher to a White House reception this June. Krauss selected Keven Renken, chairman of the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs and his acting teacher for three years.

"Blaine is an amazingly talented student," said Renken, who has taught for 21 years. "He is just one of them. He has it. You can just tell. He's a great singer, a great talent. He's just one of the special ones."

Krauss, who aspires to sing on Broadway and a career in the political stage, said he was glad to be part of good publicity for the high school. This fall, he is entering the University of Cincinnati to major in musical theatre.

"I am happy to be a product of Gibbs and to say that our school is generating great kids," he said.

FOX News -

PCCA Graduate in American Idol top 5! Congratulations Michael!

PCCA Graduate class of 2001 and new dad Michael Lynche, who missed the birth of his first child so he could take part in "Idol's" Hollywood Week auditions, was by far the evening's standout as he channeled his emotional ride into "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell.

The beginning was almost solemn, as the song's lyrics seemed to refer directly to his recent transition into being a dad. "I'll stand outside / This woman's work / This Woman's worth / Ooh, it's hard on a man / Now his part is over / Now starts the craft of the father."

Then Lynche's performance gradually built, becoming almost as physical as it was vocal, as he worked the stage and his voice took flight.

View Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0gZBSS7QMI

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2010/03/11/2010-03-11_michael_big_mike_lynche_draws_tears_cheers_on_american_idol.html#ixzz0hyLadqMc

Michelle Dowdy

Michelle Dowdy and John Bambery in Tartuffe

Michelle Dowdy, a musical theatre student and graduate of the class of 2005 has been the stand-by for Tracy Turnblatt in the Broadway Company of Hairspray since June of 2005. Michelle was a stand-out during her time here at PCCA in many ways! She was cast in more than 6 mainstage productions (unusual for a woman) and many second season projects. Michelle was honored to give the senior sayonara speech at her PCCA Commencement on the heels of her Hairspray callback. Before she was cast in Hairspray Michelle was accepted in several university programs planning to attend Point Park University. While performing on Broadway Michelle continues to study voice, dance, and acting privately.

Michael Finkle also a musical theatre student from the class of 2005 will be a junior at Carnegie Mellon University. He was one of only 6 students chosen for the directing program at CMU, one of the foremost undergraduate theatre programs in the country. While attending PCCA he performed in both musical and nonmusical theatre productions. Michael distinguished himself academically as well as artistically. He was a member of the National Honor Society, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and serving as president of PCCA’s Thespian Troupe. Michael tested himself as a director here at PCCA and was selected from the district level competitors to showcase his directing project at the State Thespian Conference.

John Bambery, class of 2005 musical theatre is attending Boston Conservatory. He will be a junior there and has already appeared in their mainstage productions of Two Gentlemen of Verona and Into the Woods. John was also chosen to spend a semester studying at the Moscow Art Theatre in Russia. Before graduating from PCCA he was a Walker Scholarship first place winner and distinguished himself in many Mainstage productions.

Jamison Lindenburg---"OKKKAY!
So it’s the Touring show of " Quidam". It came to St. Pete when I was in high school and I actually ushered for the show so it’s so crazy that I
have come full circle with this show! I am the principal singer for the
show and I began training in Montreal at the Headquarters in December!
I will finally join the show fully late January/February in London! The
tour travels in the UK and then a year in South America. All tour dates
and info is on the site
www.cirquedusoleil.com under Quidam!