2008 Winter - University Of Southern Indiana

David A. Novak ’07, Master of HealthAdministration, has joined Saint Mary’sFamily Medicine Center as director inEvansville.Kyle E. Vannoni ’07, marketing, is a marketingassistant for State Farm in Evansville.Amber N. Wischmeier ’07, elementary education,is a fourth grade teacher at CorydonIntermediate School in Corydon, Indiana.MarriagesChasity D. Otto ’99, business administration,and Shane Matthews, August 25, 2007Farrah L. Stichler ’99, accounting, andRobert Mahoney, August 4, 2007Rachel L. Fisher ’01, occupational therapy,and Matt Nolan, June 9, 2007Jodie L. Foster ’01, radiologic technology,and Adam Fehd, June 16, 2007Laura M. Horn ’01, public relations andadvertising, Derick Wiggins, July 28, 2007April M. Beasley ’03, public relations andadvertising, and Tommy Forker, July 6, 2007Christina Montgomery ’03, English, andLance Mayes, July 13, 2007Solving problems one stitch at a timeA costume designer is a problem-solver, said MelissaPanzarello ’99.Panzarello is assistant professor of theatre at LongwoodUniversity in Farmville, Virginia. Known for its avant-gardenature, the Longwood theatre program often challengesPanzarello to create unusual costumes. Recently for Ibsen’sPeer Gynt, she pondered a design for troll costumes, includinga hairpiece made of moss, twigs, andbranches. She designed a full-length coatcovered completely with buttons for acharacter called the Button Molder.Panzarello first developed an affinityfor costume design as a USI student.Shan Jensen, USI associate professor oftheatre, was her mentor in creating costumesthat articulate the artistic visionfor the production.“I still remember that first time sitting at the sewingPanzarellomachine,” she said, recalling a USI theatre course thatrequired every student to take a turn at making costumes.As a USI student, Panzarello worked two summers atNew Harmony Theatre, USI’s professional Equity theatre.She has since returned for two additional seasons to assistJensen with costume design for the theatre in New Harmony,Indiana. In 2007, Panzarello was the lead designer for theseason’s third production, “I Do! I Do!” The play opens in1898 with the wedding of the characters Michael and Agnesand spans the 50 years of their marriage.“There were lots of costume changes to show the passageof time and age progression of the characters,” Panzarello said.She designed a Victorian wedding gown for the play.The dress of gossamer fabrics was fitted at the waist but fulland fluffy at the hem and sleeve to convey a youthful silhouette.As the character aged, Panzarello chose costumes witha square look and wide sleeve.Jensen said, “I thought she did a wonderful job this summer.She was invaluable to me on Amadeus and Earnest, andI thought her design work for I Do! I Do! was whimsicaland lovely.”Panzarello has designed costumes for productions atother regional theatres across the country, including Signals ofDistress at SoHo Rep (New York), Private Eyes and Little Shopof Horrors (Centennial Theatre Festival), and the worldpremiere of Ears on a Beatle (Barrington Stage Company).Her favoriteplays for costumedesign are musicalsor pieces setin the early 20thcentury (1900-50).“I think thatperiod is accessibleto the audience.It’s not soantiquated.” shesaid. “There areinteresting silhouettesand alot to choosefrom in thattime period.”Some ofPanzarello’sLongwoodstudents, includinga sounddesigner and aMelissa Panzarello designed theVictorian wedding gown and othercostumes for the 2007 production ofI Do! I Do! at New Harmony Theatre.carpenter, have gained experience working summers at NewHarmony Theatre.“The thing I valued most at USI was the one-on-oneprofessor/student interaction, not only in my favorite classesbut throughout the campus. The theatre faculty encouragedus to work summers in regional theatre and gain experiencebefore graduating,” she said.Panzarello earned a master’s degree in fine arts at FloridaState University after completing an undergraduate degreein communications at USI. She has been associated withLongwood since 2004.December 200728University of Southern Indiana