A LIFE IN THEATER CENTER'S MANAGER HAS HISTORY.Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer VALENCIA - In her first role, Karen Schmidt wore a cook's hat and blue gingham apron. Wielding a wooden spoon, she ruled the stage at the Rosewood Heights Elementary School elementary school: see school. cafetorium caf·e·to·ri·um n. pl. caf·e·to·ri·ums or caf·e·to·ri·a A large room, usually in an educational institution, that serves both as a cafeteria and as an auditorium. . So stepping onto center stage at the EPIC Center at College of the Canyons College of the Canyons is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the state. According to the National Junior College Research Association, College of the Canyons consistently ranks in the top 50 community colleges in the nation. is a job she's been training for for a long time. ``I am fortunate to have worked at my hobby my entire life,'' she said while watching workers put final touches on the stage. ``My mother was involved in community theater and my father did theater in high school. I've always been surrounded by the arts as I was growing up.'' In college, she had to make the choice between another love and the performing arts. Deeply interested in science, Schmidt nearly became a clinical technician, but a job as student stage manager at Stevens College in Missouri pushed her in the art direction and the rest is history. Schmidt comes to the college from the Music Center of Los Angeles, where she managed booking and presentations for the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center (which is one of the three largest performing arts centers in the United States). The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt Disney Concert Hall. , Walt Disney Concert Hall This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please help Wikipedia by adding references. See the for details. This article has been tagged since September 2007. , Ahmanson Theatre and Mark Taper Forum The Mark Taper Forum is a small thrust stage with 745 seats at the Los Angeles Music Center built by Welton Beckett and Associates. It has presented innovative plays since 1967. The world premiere of Angels In America was produced here. . She also has arts experience in an academic setting, having managed the drama division at the University of Southern California The U.S. News & World Report ranked USC 27th among all universities in the United States in its 2008 ranking of "America's Best Colleges", also designating it as one of the "most selective universities" for admitting 8,634 of the almost 34,000 who applied for freshman admission , the resident theater company at University of California, Los Angeles UCLA comprises the College of Letters and Science (the primary undergraduate college), seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools. Since 2001, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students, and that number is steadily rising. , and Equity waiver theater. ``I think it's terrific to be here in a brand-new facility,'' she said. ``I always have a lot of dreams when I come to a new place, and one of my biggest dreams is to have a chance to listen to everyone else's hopes. I'm looking forward to meeting with the rest of the college and others interested in this space, but right now, we're focused completely on the opening. ``We're seriously in party planning mode,'' she said with a laugh. Asked what she's planning to wear to the opening gala on Friday, she said, ``I'm counting how few hours I have to shop for the perfect outfit.'' Keeping an eye on the whirlwind of progress around her, she was warily optimistic. ``Everything is going so well, I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop.'' Schmidt remembers the first time she walked into the EPIC Center. ``I thought it was gorgeous and an amazing place to perform,'' she said. ``I was impressed with the intimacy of the environment. The short distance between the seats and the stage will allow an extraordinary exchange between audience and performers. ``We have an extraordinary staff and faculty here. (College President) Dianne Van Hook is one of the most creative, entrepreneurial and visionary leaders in community colleges and the support team here is incredible.'' Carol Rock, (661) 257-5252 carol.rock(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Karen Schmidt, EPIC performing arts center A performing arts center, often abbreviated PAC, is a multi-use performance space that can be adapted for use by various types of the performing arts, including dance, music and theatre. manager, prepares for the facility's opening Oct. 15. John Lazar/Staff Photographer |
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