Past Apprenticeship Recipients
LEE PUGSLEY, 2007 VSA arts Apprentice
Lee Pugsley, 24, of Costa Mesa, Calif., received a B.A. in theater arts from Vanguard University of Southern California in 2006. Pugsley’s considerable and varied theatrical experience includes directorial work (Doubt), acting performance (Othello), and sound design (Three Sisters). In addition, Pugsley served as stage manager for a production of As It Is in Heaven at Vanguard University’s Lyceum Theater, which earned the honor of being selected for participation in the 2005 regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. “I am extremely passionate about theater,” says Pugsley, who is legally blind and has glaucoma. “I love the art of creating, breathing life into words on a page… With regard to my disability, I can’t afford to give anything less than 100% if I want to prove myself as a qualified artisan.”
THOMAS HOY, 2007 VSA arts Apprentice
Thomas Hoy is a 20-year-old theater performance major at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Hoy, who considers acting “both a privilege and incredibly satisfying work,” boasts a theatrical résumé of significant breadth. His performances have included roles as diverse as Carl in Lonely Planet, Haemon in Jean Anouilh’s Antigone, and James Appel in Red Herring. Offstage, Hoy, who has Tourette’s Syndrome, finds the discipline of lighting design and instrumentation “intriguing,” and has served as assistant master electrician and master electrician on various productions. “Theater is something I couldn’t imagine not doing,” he says.
CHRISTOPHER IMBROSCIANO, 2006 VSA arts Apprentice
Christopher Imbrosciano, from South Plainfield, New Jersey, is a 21-year-old junior at Rowan University majoring in theatre arts. Born with cerebral palsy, he discovered the art of theatre at age six when his physical therapist recommended that he explore the performing arts as a way to channel his vivid imagination and sense of humor. His acting resume includes roles in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Three Sisters, Anything Goes, and Oliver, among many others. He is also a skilled theatre technician, specializing in stage management and scenic, properties, and costume construction. “Theatre has been the one constant that has kept me going and encouraged me to accomplish my dreams. Physical therapy and surgeries were forever focused on my disability and what I could not do, but now my life is purely focused on what I can do. Although I have always been defined as having cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy does not define who I am.”
Click here to read an article from the Rowan University website, reporting and celebrating Mr. Imbrosciano's award.
(F) 202-429-0868