Alley Theatre Announces First Class of Fitzpatrick Interns. Four recent college graduates joined the Alley Theatre staff in December as the first members of the Alley Theatre’s Fitzpatrick Internship program. The program was created as a tribute to Bettye Fitzpatrick, who has been integral to the success of the Alley during more than 50 years as a stage manager, production manager, director of interns, and actor before her retirement in 2009. The Fitzpatrick Internship Program provides training and educational opportunities to recent college graduates and students that will supplement a strong theatrical education and act as a bridge for early-career professionals. The Alley Theatre’s 2010–2011 Fitzpatrick interns include Jaime Fruge, costumes intern; Kristen Smith, development intern; and Michael Weiss, lighting intern. In the cover story of OutSmart’s September 1997 issue (“Centerstage with Bettye Fitzpatrick” by Kyle Young), Fitzpatrick, who is openly gay, expressed her passion for supporting young students of the theater: “A lot of people have given me excellent advice in the journey that I’ve been on, and I realize that I owe those people. So the only way I can pay them back is to take time with the young people who are coming along and share. I like that. It is a way of giving back to a profession that has been very good to me.” Applications for the 2011–2012 Fitzpatrick internships are due October 1, 2011. • alleytheatre.org.
Fringe News. After three years of individual fringe festivals produced separately by FrenetiCore and BooTown, representatives of BooTown have announced the theatrical group will no longer produce its annual Fringe Festival, most recently held in May 2010. “FrenetiCore will continue production of the Houston Fringe Festival, in addition to the other projects it regularly produces in its season,” Rebecca French, FrenetiCore’s executive/co-artistic director, said in a December statement to the press. “BooTown will focus energy on other projects over the course of its season. Both FrenetiCore and BooTown look forward to future years of The Houston Fringe Festival. We support each other, our respective endeavors, and we hope that the Houston arts community will continue the support it has shown to both companies in the future.” • freneticore.net.
Operatic Leadership. At its December 8 meeting, Houston Grand Opera Association’s board of directors elected Beth Madison as its new chair. A graduate of the University of Houston, chair-elect Madison has been an active member of Houston’s philanthropic community for many years. At HGO, she has served on the board of directors as co-chair of the HGO Studio committee and chair of the Finance committee, among other duties. Glen Rosenbaum, whose term expires on July 31, 2011, has been chairman since September 2009; Madison’s term as chair of the Houston Grand Opera Association board of directors begins August 1, 2011. • houstongrandopera.org.
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