The new CFA Gala combines the former Distinguished Alumni Awards and Scholarship Event in one exuberant evening, celebrating generations of success under one roof--complete with exciting performances and highlights of the creative work and research of our talented students and faculty.
This year, the Department of Theatre will honor alumnus, Claybourne Elder who received his Bachelor's degree in dramaturgy and directing from our Theatre Studies program. He starred on Broadway in Bonnie and Clyde, Sunday in the Park with George (with Jake Gyllenhaal) Torch Song and Sondheim on Sondheim at the Hollywood Bowl. He can be heard on the cast recordings of Bonnie & Clyde, Road Show, Venice and Sunday in the Park with George. Claybourne Elder is a Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominee.
Off-Broadway, Elder appeared in the original companies of Stephen Sondheim's Road Show, Tennessee Williams' One Arm (Drama Desk Nomination Best Actor), and in the revivals of Allegro (Lucille Lortel Nomination Best Actor), Two by Two (with Jason Alexander), and Do I Hear a Waltz? He has premiered works by Stephen Sondheim, Frank Wildhorn, Bill Finn, Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens.
His regional credits include George in the Helen Hayes award winning Signature Theatre revival of Sunday in the Park with George (Arlington, VA), Wolf/Prince in Moises Kaufman’s Into the Woods, Angels in America (KC Rep, dir. David Cromer), Oklahoma (Curly), West Side Story (Tony), Cinderella (Prince), Passion (Giorgio), and Pippin (Pippin).
Elder was a series regular, Pete O'Malley, on the WB's “The Carrie Diaries.” Film credits include “Flatbush Luck,” and “It Could Be Worse.” He made his cabaret debut at 54 Below in NYC and his solo show You and Me and Sondheim has played to sold out houses around the country and in London. He lives in New York with his husband Eric Rosen who is a playwright and director. They have one son, Bo, who is two years old.
The College of Finer Arts Gala will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25 in Kingsbury Hall. Students, faculty, staff, as well as the general public, are all invited to honor and celebrate Claybourne Elder, and the other CFA award recepients at the assembly followed by a dessert reception. The festivities will continue on Friday Sept. 27 where Elder will teach a master class designed for interaction with students and faculty of the Department of Theatre.
