UIAA at Chicago: 'From Pier to Here' Memory Book

Page: 1 2 3

Rehearsing and putting on productions in the largest lecture hall on campus (at that time) and meeting Michael Gross when he joined the theatre group.

Claudio Ricci
1965-1969 (years at UIC)
Alumni

Having been employed as the resident TD at UIC Theatre for the past 19 (!) years--much longer than I was a student in those environs--it is very difficult to recall my days as a student there. Although I know every square inch of the plant intimately, for some reason, I still can't find my past! Oh, it must be somewhere in Bill's office.... Every once in a while, I will encounter a familiar face from the past lurking in the halls, and, of course, I'm one of the people they recognize. They usually say, "You probably don't remember me...." but I can usually conjure the name--or something about them anyway--within a minute or two. Well, after 19 years of teaching Theatre 150 and at least, oh, 60 productions later, you encounter many people. What I always remembered about the place, the theatre, was the energy and activity of the people within and around it. They were very social people, those theatre folk.....I remember my first encounter at the theatre, well, it was a production meeting in The Studio for The Balcony--I was from Art & Design, didn't know anyone in the room and obviously looked lost when a girl came up to me and said, "Hello, my name is Mary..." and then she turned to the boy next to her and said "....and this is Volkmar". Later, they weren't so congenial, like the time I shorted an electrical circuit for a projector on the catwalk during prep for a run of The Balcony. But what I immediately sensed, now that I think back on it, was community. I never felt that anywhere else at UIC but in the theatre, for better or for worse. The people made the place what it was, what it is, and they always will. Each one of us had to walk through those doors into an unknown for the first time, and in retrospect, that moment is truly terrifying because it is the beginning of an adventure, and you don't know where it's going to take you. There were ups, there were downs, but it was all good. That's my hindsight speaking, and it's 20/20.

Carl Ulaszek
1979-83, 1988-present (years at UIC)
carlu@uic.edu
Faculty

There are so many wonderful memories from the UIC Theater Department. For me, it has to be performing A Midsummer Night's Dream at the UIC Theatre as well as touring it in Moscow and Pienza. Who could forget the Russian Clowns as well as getting lost in Pienza. I think we scared everyone when were lost, but we all worked nicely to find each other again. I also will never forget building a small stage model of The Importance of Being Earnest set for Carl's shop class. My scale size was way too big for the model, but I had the class laughing for days. Those were the best days of my life. I miss and love you all. Special thanks to Cece, Claudia, Neal, Carl, Bill, Mechelle, Chris, DeeDee, Craig, and anyone else I might have forgot. Thanks for the memories. Love-Lissy

Alisa Weiss
93-96 (years at UIC)
angeliclissy@hotmail.com
Alumni

I most rememeber the camaraderie and support of my classmates (most of whom I have lost contact with). This is where I learned I could actually be a good team player and where I learned to trust my instincts. So, to Mike (loved you on your HBO show), Jim, Kathi, Sue, Stephanie, Elaine, Trina, Andy, Neal, Ed, and so many others, wherever you are, but most of all to Bill Raffeld, a huge thanks.