CCM Sound Design Alumnus Wins Daytime Emmy for Disney’s Broadway Hits Broadcast

Theatre will always be Matt Kraus’ first love, but the CCM alumnus has made a name for himself by taking on diverse sound design opportunities in multiple mediums. He’s worked on theatrical productions with Liza Minelli and Kristen Chenoweth, and has also been involved in many live telecasts such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar live in concert.

Most recently, Kraus (BFA Sound Design, 2001) won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing for his work on the TV broadcast of Disney’s Broadway Hits at Royal Albert Hall. Directed by Jeff Lee, the production brought well-known Disney artists and beloved hits to the London stage.

The broadcast featured the BBC orchestra, led by Keith Lockhart, and nine Broadway vocalists including CCM alums Alton Fitzgerald (BFA Musical Theatre, 1986) and Ashley Brown (BFA Musical Theatre, 2004). It also included the West End cast of Aladdin, a children’s choir of 100 singers and award-winning composer Alan Menken. Kraus has worked on similar shows with Disney over the years but says that this production was much larger.

“The logistics were daunting, as we were loading into the iconic venue and performing all in the same day,” he remembers. “We prepared for months to make sure that once we arrived at Royal Albert Hall, we would have all the tools at hand that we’d need to do the show.”

“The hardest part was keeping the audio team on track to make sure that we kept up with the tight schedule and quality of the audio. All that while getting nine primary vocalists and a world-renowned orchestra comfortable and happy with the sound.”

Disney’s Broadway Hits at Royal Albert Hall aired to much acclaim internationally on SKY TV, Broadway HD and BBC Radio. Kraus says he has enjoyed his work with Disney Theatrical because the productions always bring together a talented team of artists, musicians and directors.

Kraus has worked on many live telecasts, including Macy’s July 4^th Fireworks, Tony Bennet’s 90^th Birthday Celebration at Radio City, The Wiz, Peter Pan, The Sound of Music and the 2016 International Jazz Day broadcast live from the White House. He has also been the audio coordinator on remote shoots of the Tonight Show, which has filmed all over the country. He’s worked on hundreds of high-profile events like iHeart Radio’s annual Music Festival in Las Vegas, a Gucci/H&M Fashion Show featuring Prince and Nicki Minaj, and Elton John’s 60^th Birthday Celebration at St. John the Divine.

Kraus is now a nationally-known sound designer, but he still fondly remembers his time as a student at CCM. He recalls countless late nights drafting and finishing CCM tech rehearsals and finishing the long days with “a milkshake at UDF and a high five.” He credits CCM with molding him into the sound designer he is today.

“Current students should be open to all kinds of opportunities that may come their way,” Kraus advises. “It’s normal to be focused on one medium or design aspect, but there are so many rewards to becoming a well-rounded artist with diversified projects.”

“Theatre will always be my first love, but I’ve had some really amazing experiences working on concerts, live events and television.”

Learn more about CCM Sound Design at ccm.uc.edu/theatre/tdp/sound.

Next Installment of Student-Produced ‘Gold Rush Expedition Race’ Film Series Premieres on May 27 on the Universal Sports Network

The newest installment of the University of Cincinnati‘s student-produced Gold Rush Expedition Race documentary film series will receive its national broadcast premiere on NBC’s Universal Sports Network at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27.

Created by UC’s Production Master Class, the 90-minute long documentary film is part of a three-year series about the Gold Rush Expedition Race, one of the world’s premier expedition races. The race features an international field of 50 elite athletes as they trek, mountain bike, climb and kayak along a grueling 275 mile course admits the beauty of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. The race is part of the Adventure Racing World Series.

The 2014 Gold Rush Expedition Race documentary will air 10 times on USN. The cable network aired the 2012 and 2013 installments of this action-packed documentary series last October. You can learn more about those initial broadcasts by visiting ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/notations-ovations/student-produced-film-series-airs-on-universal-sports-network.

The UC Production Master Class involves an interdisciplinary group of students and faculty who work with nationally recognized television and film professionals to produce digital media content that reaches a national and global audience.

Since 2012, it has involved three UC Professors, a UC alumnus, a cadre of media professionals and over 90 students from nine different academic programs at CCM, DAAP and the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

For more information about the 2014 Gold Rush Expedition Race documentary’s broadcast schedule, please visit goldrushracedoc.com/2014-premiere.

CCM Musical Theatre Presents Annual Senior Showcase March 26 and 28

Cincinnati audiences will get a sneak peek of an original showcase created by the 2015 graduating class from CCM’s Department of Musical Theatre during the annual “Not Famous Yet” Showcase, which runs on March 26 (Friends of CCM benefit performance) and March 28 in UC’s Patricia Corbett Theater.

The March 26 benefit performance starts at 7 p.m. and features dinner by the bite and a post-performance celebration. Tickets for this benefit event are on sale now. For tickets and additional information, visit ccm.weshareonline.org/ws/opportunities/NotFamousYetShowcase2015.

The March 28 performances take place at 4 and 8 p.m. and are free, but reservations are required. Tickets for these free performances become available at noon on Monday, March 23.

Each year, seniors from CCM’s musical theatre program travel to New York to present a showcase for the leading agents, casting directors and managers in the business. The show takes the format of a Broadway audition, with the actors showing off their solo and ensemble skills through song and dance numbers. The work is created by the students themselves under the supervision of program chair Aubrey Berg and with the assistance of musical director Julie Spangler.

This year’s performance is the 23rd edition of the CCM “Not Famous Yet” showcase. The annual showcase began with the establishment of the Patricia A. Corbett Distinguished Chair of Musical Theatre in 1991. At the time of its inception, it was the only academic chair of its kind in the United States. Learn more about the Musical Theatre Class of 2015 here.

Friends of CCM Benefit Performance
The opening performance of the Musical Theatre Showcase on March 26 is part of a benefit for the Friends of CCM. The event begins at 7 p.m. and includes dinner by the bite.

CCM alumnus Mickey Fisher.

This event also includes the presentation of the Musical Theatre Young Alumni Award, which recognizes outstanding professional achievement by graduates of CCM’s musical theatre program from the past two decades. This year’s recipient is Mickey Fisher, who graduated from UC in 1995.

A writer, director and actor, Fisher created and serves as executive producer for Extant, a science fiction television program developed by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television and CBS Television studios. The thriller stars Academy Award-winner Halle Berry and is currently shooting its second season. Fisher’s credits also include the films King of Iron Town and Summer Nuts, as well as the musical Something in the Water.

Tickets for the March 26 benefit are:

• Patron Tickets: $100 each; includes a patron reception before the performance honoring Mickey Fisher, general performance seating, dinner by the bite and garage parking.
• General Public Tickets: $75 each; includes general performance seating, dinner by the bite and garage parking.
• Friends of CCM Member Tickets: $50 each; includes general performance seating, dinner by the bite and garage parking.
• Young Professional (40 and under) and CCM Alumni Tickets: $35 each; includes general performance seating, dinner by the bite and garage parking.

Proceeds benefit student career development grants and scholarships. Seating is limited. To reserve a ticket, call CCM External Relations at 513-556-2100 or visit ccm.weshareonline.org/ws/opportunities/NotFamousYetShowcase2015.

CCM Hosts FREE Performances of the Showcase on March 28
Admission to the Musical Theatre Showcase at 4 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, is FREE. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 23; please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to make a reservation. Limit two tickets per order.

Performance Times

• 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26 — Friends of CCM Benefit
• 4 & 8 p.m. Saturday March 28

Location
Patricia Corbett Theater, CCM Village
University of Cincinnati

Purchasing and Reserving Tickets
Tickets to the Friends of CCM benefit performance are on sale now. Ticket options include $100 patron level tickets (includes pre-show patron reception), $75 general public tickets, $50 Friends of CCM member tickets and $35 young professional (age 40 and under) and CCM Alumni tickets. Seating is limited.

To purchase, call CCM’s Office of External Relations at 513-556-2100. Learn more at ccm.weshareonline.org/ws/opportunities/NotFamousYetShowcase2015.

Admission to the 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday, March 28, performances is FREE, but reservations are required. Tickets become available at noon on Monday, March 23. Please visit the CCM Box Office or call 513-556-4183 to make a reservation. Limit two tickets per order.

Parking and Directions
Parking is available in the CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. Please visit uc.edu/parking for more information on parking rates.

For detailed maps and directions, please visit uc.edu/visitors. Additional parking is available off-campus at the new U Square complex on Calhoun Street and other neighboring lots.

For directions to CCM Village, visit ccm.uc.edu/about/directions.
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CCM Season Presenting Sponsor and Musical Theatre Program Sponsor: The Otto M. Budig Family Foundation

Community Partner: ArtsWave

CCM Alumna Ellie Jameson Appears on CBS Drama ‘Criminal Minds’ This Week

CCM alumna Ellie Jameson.

We are thrilled to report that CCM alumna Ellie Jameson (BFA Dramatic Performance, 2013) appears in a guest starring role as Detective Carpenter on the CBS police-procedural television program Criminal Minds at 9/8c this Wednesday, Nov. 5. The episode is called “If the Shoe Fits.”

Jameson lives in Los Angeles and appeared in productions of Red Light Winter, Arcadia, The Time of Your Life, Coram Boy and The Matchmaker while at CCM.

She was named a Rising Star by the League of Cincinnati Theatres for her body of work while in Cincinnati. She also appeared in the 2009 feature film The World’s Greatest Dad with Robin Williams.

Learn more about CCM Drama’s actors at work here.

Universal Sports Network Premieres Student-Produced ‘2013 Gold Rush Expedition Race’ Film Tonight

Photography by Kaori Funahashi.

The Universal Sports Network presents the premiere broadcast of the student-produced 2013 Gold Rush Expedition Race documentary film at 6:30 p.m. ET tonight, Oct. 24!

The Gold Rush Expedition Race documentary films chronicle one of the foremost expedition races in the world. Each 90-minute documentary features an international field of 50 elite athletes tackling a grueling 275-mile course through the California wilderness as they test their mental and physical limits in the toughest competition in North America. Over the course of four days, teams face merciless heat and sleepless nights while trekking, mountain biking, climbing and kayaking amidst the beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The race is part of the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS) and the winning team receives an entry into the ARWS World Championship.

Each film has been produced by a team of UC students hailing from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), and the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

Working under the guidance of professional television director/producer and CCM Electronic Media (E-Media) alumnus Brian J. Leitten (BFA, 2001) and E-Media Professor Kevin Burke, these students shot, edited, scripted and produced the film on location in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Both Leitten and Burke advise the project and provide professional guidance and feedback to the students during all phases of the documentary’s development.

Earlier this month, GearJunkie.com hailed the Gold Rush Expedition Race project as “undoubtedly one of the most amazing educational initiatives we’ve seen.”

Learn more about the Gold Rush Expedition Race project by visiting ccm.uc.edu/about/villagenews/notations-ovations/student-produced-film-series-airs-on-universal-sports-network.

All broadcast times Eastern and subject to change. Learn more about the Universal Sports Network by visiting http://universalsports.com.

CCM Video: Introducing CCM’s Summer Film Scoring Institute

Earlier this month, CCM launched a new two-week immersion program in contemporary film music composition and production.

Under the direction of CCM Professor of Commercial Music Production Thomas Haines, the CCM Film Scoring Institute gives young composers the opportunity to work with acclaimed industry professionals like Blake Neely (TV’s Arrow and The Mentalist), Jeff Rona (movies Traffic, Black Hawk Down and The Thin Red Line), Tyler Bates (TV’s Californication and Low Winter Sun), Jack Smalley (movie orchestration on The Last of the Mohicans, The Gladiator and Conan the Barbarian) and Lennie Moore (video games Fighter Within and Halo: Combat Evolved).

From June 2 – 13, students will experience 60 hours of instruction in writing labs, master classes and recording studios.

In today’s video, Haines and Neely discuss the industry in general and what our young recruits are doing during their residency at CCM. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes looks at this exciting new summer program.

Learn more about the CCM Film Scoring Institute by visiting ccm.uc.edu/summer/film_scoring.

CCM Alumnus Carmon DeLeone Celebrated at Carnegie Theater on May 22

CCM alumnus and former faculty member Carmon DeLeone.

Our friends at the Carnegie Theatre in Covington, Kentucky, will honor distinguished CCM alumnus Carmon DeLeone (BM, 1964; BS, 1965; MM, 1967) and his storied career in Cincinnati with a special program entitled Birdie to Brice: 50 Years of Carmon DeLeone at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22.

With DeLeone at the podium, this concert will feature his Middletown Symphony Orchestra in an evening of musical theatre favorites including selections from Bye Bye Birdie, Funny Girl and Man of La Mancha.

Distinguished CCM alumnus and Tony nominee Lee Roy Reams (BM, 1964; MA, 1982; HonDoc, 1998) will also be featured on the program.

Tickets to 50 Years of Carmon DeLeone are on sale now through the Carnegie Box Office. Call 859-957-1940 or click here for details.

Cincinnati Children’s Choir Featured on CET Arts Channel

Cincinnati Children’s Choir, Ensemble-In-Residence at CCM.

The award-winning Cincinnati Children’s Choir is coming to a television set near you this weekend! CET Cincinnati Public Television‘s arts and culture series SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar will spotlight the CCM ensemble-in-residence at 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 18.

In addition to a conversation with Choir Founder and Managing Artistic Director Robyn Reeves Lana and Executive Director Mary Kay Koehler, the program will also feature nearly 80 members of the Cincinnati Children’s Choir performing two songs.

The Cincinnati Children’s Choir is an educationally based choral ensemble program that provides high quality music education to children ages 6-18 in the Greater Cincinnati community. This program offers its participants the opportunity to demonstrate their musical understanding, artistry, and achievement by performing and collaborating with premier ensembles and children’s choirs throughout the world.

This episode of SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar airs at 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, on CET Arts, which is available over-the-air on channel 48.3, on Time Warner Cable channel 987, on Cincinnati Bell Fiberoptics channel 248 and on Insight Cable channel 192. Learn more about CET Arts by visiting www.cetconnect.org/cet-arts.

CCM E-Media Premieres Student-Produced Adventure Race Documentary Film

CCM’s Division of Electronic Media proudly presents a premiere screening of the documentary film 2013 Gold Rush Expedition Race at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23, in UC’s MainStreet Cinema in the Tangeman University Center. Admission to this screening is free.

The latest in a series of UC student-produced documentaries, this film follows the “Gold Rush Mother Lode” adventure race, which is one of the foremost adventure races in the world. The documentary follows the story of 56 international racers as they run, mountain bike, kayak, orienteer and climb cliffs during a non-stop, grueling week of competition in California.

Originating in CCM E-Media, the Gold Rush Expedition Race documentary series is sponsored by the UC Forward initiative in the Provost’s Office. The 2013 installment was produced by 31 students from seven different academic programs at CCM, UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP) and UC’s McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

In September of 2013, nine students from all three colleges flew to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California to film this documentary with distinguished CCM alumnus Brian J. Leitten (BFA, 2001), a professional film and television producer/director. Upon their return, the larger group began editing the documentary, working closely with Associate Professor Yoshiko Burke and her group of eight designers from the Graphic Communication Design program at DAAP.

CCM alumnus Brian J. Leitten.

About Brian Leitten
Brian J. Leitten is a 2014 recipient of UC’s Jeffrey Hurwitz Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. An accomplished graduate of CCM E-Media, Leitten began his entertainment career with a five-year stint in the Music and Talent Department at MTV in New York working on music programming, development and events such as the VMAs, New Year’s Eve and the Movie Awards. From there he moved to producing and directing the MTV program MADE, ultimately winning an Emmy for his work. Many other projects followed, including establishing his own production company, Hyperion XIII, in 2011, and later becoming the Director of Productions for Vevo, the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform. He has also produced for Comedy Central and Fuse TV.

CCM E-Media Welcomes Emmy Winning Newscaster and Media Personality Jerry Springer for Guest Lecture

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Yesterday, Emmy winning newscaster and media personality Jerry Springer discussed his multifaceted broadcasting career and hosted a lively Q&A session for students in CCM’s Division of Electronic Media.

The Cincinnati Enquirer‘s John Kiesewetter caught up with Springer and his former co-anchor Norma Rashid (now a CCM E-Media adjunct instructor) before the lecture and asked the two to look back on their time at WLWT-TV together. It was 30 years ago this week that Springer and Rashid anchored their first newscast together on WLWT.

You can watch Kiesewetter’s video, shot at CCM’s Walter and Marilyn Bartlett Television Production Center, here.