Notre Dame de Namur University

The NDNU Company

Faculty & Staff

Professor Michael B. Elkins, M.F.A., Chair, Department of Theater and Dance Artistic Director, The Gift, A Christmas Carol the Musical. Acting, Directing, Introduction to Theatre, Oral Interpretation of Literature, Arts Administration. Chair NDNU Theatre Arts Department, with NDNU since 1978. Michael has directed and produced over 250 stage productions at NDNU and throughout the Bay Area and Northern California. Recent NDNU: LYSISTRATA, 1940’s RADIO HOUR, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, and the world premiere of the play version of Helen Prejean’s DEAD MAN WALKING. January 2006: directed staged reading of PASSAGES OF MARTIN LUTHER KING at Stanford University. Michael has performed the role of Ebenezer Scrooge for 20 years in NDNU’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Awards: George M. Keller Teaching Award for Teaching Excellence, The Sister Catharine Julie Cunningham Teaching Project Award at NDNU, Hillbarn Theatre BRAVO Award for Outstanding Service to the Peninsula Theatre Community, the City of Belmont’s William Chapman Ralston Award for Outstanding Service to the Community.

Professor R. Dutch Fritz, M.F.A. Theater Production and Stagecraft, Scenic Design, Lighting Design. Intro to Theatre, Stagecraft, Scenic Design, Lighting Design) - Recent NDNU: DEAD MAN WALKING, 1940’S RADIO HOUR, BLOOD WEDDING, ROOSTERS, LYSISTRATA. Creator and Producer of the NDNU Labor Day Theatre Festival; Lighting design and upgrades to scenery for the past seven years of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Other design credits: Hillbarn Theatre, Coastal Rep.

Coleen Lorenz, M.A., ADTR. ,Director, NDNU Dance program, Choreographer, Dance Technique, Choreography for Performance. Undergrad and grad degrees from UCLA in Dance Choreography/Performance and Dance Movement Therapy. Training/performances with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, Jose Limon, Twyla Tharp, Joe Tremaine and others. Former faculty University of Michigan, Director of NDNU Muves Dance Showcases. Dance faculty member at Notre Dame High School.

Katherine Irvine Mills (Costume Designer, Director, Instructor: Development of Drama, Play-writing, Costume and Makeup Design) - has designed for opera, theatre, and dance companies including The Magic Theatre in San Francisco, the Berkeley Shakespeare Festival, and the Marin Theatre Company. Kate has also worked for the English National Opera in London and for the Long Beach Opera. She teaches theatre history, play writing, and costume and make-up design at NDNU.

Mary Hill (Dept Administrative Assistant, Assoc. Producer, Box Office Manager) - a veteran performer and production team member of NDNU's The Music of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Mary joined NDNU as Administrative Assistant and has become invaluable both as a staff member, producer, performer and surrogate mom. She has much experience both as a performer for many regional and community theatres in the area, as well as a professional music career, and is a proud mother of an NDNU student and alum.

Debra Lambert (Music/Vocal Director) - Now the chair of the Music Department, Debra joined NDNU in Fall 2000 as Vocal Director for the Music, Opera, and Musical Theatre programs. She has since been Conductor and Music/Vocal Director for many NDNU Theatre Arts Musicals, as well as Music Department programs and shows. She has been Music Director for NDNU's Dido and Aeneas, Orpheus in the Underworld, Into The Woods, 1940s Radio Hour, Songs For A New World, Oklahoma! - NDNU/Pocket Opera: Stage Director for The Magic Flute, The Merry Widow, Genevieve, and Tales of Hoffmann. She has sung leading roles with the Lake George, Connecticut and Des Moines Operas, Pocket Opera, Cabrillo Music Festival, Music from Bear Valley and Mendocino Music Festivals, West Bay Opera, American Musical Theater of San Jose, Hartford Summerstage, the Henry Street Playhouse, San Francisco Opera Center, and American Opera at Carnegie Hall, among others. Roles performed include the Mother in Menotti's The Consul, La Principessa in Suor Angelica, Rosina in The Barber of Seville, Maurya in Vaughan Williams' Riders to the Sea, the title role in Offenbach's La Perichole, and Judith in Bartok's Bluebeard Castle. Performances for public television include Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Emilia in Verdi's Otello, and the Blues Singer in Bernstein's Mass. She has twice been a soloist with the San Francisco Symphony's New and Unusual Music series, and for the symphony's Sacred and Profane program, and sang a concert of pre-world War II cabaret music at Davies Hall. Debra has provided musical and vocal direction for ACT productions of A Bright Room Called Day, Yerma, and Girl Gone. She received her B.F.A. in Music from Carnegie-Mellon University and M.M. in Opera from the Hartt School.