In case you haven’t read The Spartacus in a while, MCDS is building a Fine Arts Center that is going to expand our arts community. Throughout the years, the arts have shared a building with the cafeteria and have thrived well in the background. With the new arts center, students in the fine arts will finally have a place to call their own and a proper stage to perform. Although this new center is in the process of being built, many MCDS alums have been successful in the entertainment business. In fact, Ms. Lewis, Dr. Davies, and Mr. Wicker took a trip to California a couple of weeks ago to visit these alums and check up on how they’re doing. Ms. Lewis answered a few questions regarding these successful MCDS alumni and what they are doing now.

How have you kept in touch with alums after they graduated?

I have kept in touch with former students by various means: most in Florida meet me for lunch or dinner when they are in town. Lots of them are working and performing – I have been to lots of performances.

Who were you most surprised to learn went into show business and why?

Actually, I am not surprised at all. For instance, the class of 2004 had 39 Thespians who were in everything – Shakespeare, Theater for Social Change, Modern plays and Musicals, Districts and State performances.  We had two Best in State performances and from a small school that was competing against magnets and Art schools across the whole state, it was incredible. Adam Epstein, class of 92, produced seven Broadway shows (Hairspray, The Crucible, A View From the Bridge, among them) has earned 24 Tony awards; and he is just one MCDS alum.

When was the last time one of these alums visited the MCDS campus?

Last year, two alums shot a movie on our campus – several alums were here for Homecoming this year and performed for the Toast of Friendship. When Dr. Davies, Mr. Wicker, Sheryl Piper, Kevin King, class of ’95, and I were in LA meeting alums out there – all of them (about 35 people) admitted that MCDS gave them a tremendous background from which to grow.  Graduates from UCS, NYU, Cal University of the Arts, are making great livings in show business.
Clearly, the fine art education that MCDS has provided and will provide all these students become successful in whatever they wish to do in the entertainment industry. The construction of the Fine Arts Center will only give depth to MCDS’s art education giving students more experiences allowing them to reach their wildest dreams.