Carnegie Mellon News Online Edition: February 5, 2002
Carnegie Mellon News Online Edition
In This Issue

SCS Gets $23 Million From NASA

Joel Smith Named Vice Provost for Computing Services

Stephen Cross Reappointed at SEI

Matt Cline, Victoria Massimino Earn CIT Staff Honors; Rhonda Moyer Garners Burritt Education Award

Economic Development Expert to Coordinate Efforts for Both Carnegie Mellon and Pitt

Mechanical Engineer Gets Federal Grant; His Snake Robot Will Assess Waste Sites

University Implements Measures to Increase Diversity

Carnegie Mellon Faculty and Researchers in the News

Senior Writing Major Earns Spot on "The Weakest Link"

Drama's Peter Frisch Joins CBS' "The Young and the Restless"

News Briefs
Cheering the Faculty Chairs

Christiano's Locker Retired
This Issue's Front Page
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Peter Frisch and Diane Frisch

Drama's Peter Frisch Joins CBS' "The Young and the Restless"

Drama Professor Peter Frisch, former head of the School of Drama, has left Carnegie Mellon to become creative producer for the CBS long-running daytime drama "The Young and the Restless." He will work on the West Coast with the show's executive producer, David Shaughnessy.

Frisch will coach performances, supervise directors, make final script adjustments and oversee the online post-production editing of the show, which has been touted as the longest-running number-one rated daytime drama in television history. A new episode is broadcast daily to six million viewers in 40 different countries.

Frisch aspires to take the number one daytime drama for more than 12 consecutive years to a new level of excellence.

"Shaughnessy and I are on a mission to work the show like a professional stage theater company," Frisch said. "We hope to dismiss the theory that TV soaps are mechanical endeavors, resigned to cranking out five new episodes a week.

"We believe that high volume of material can be produced without sacrificing content. I think we can make the performances even more dynamic."

To achieve their goals, Frisch and Shaughnessy are discussing plans to workshop scripts before production and provide seminars to teach the craft to younger cast members new to theatrical performance.

"Despite its long-running No. 1 rating in daytime, the owners seem to be open to suggestions of all kinds," Frisch said. "In short, there is room for a creative contribution."

Frisch hopes to see some familiar faces after commencement 2002.

"I intend to open doors at 'The Young and the Restless' for Carnegie Mellon drama graduates from all disciplines," he said.

Frisch, who earned his master's degree in 1969 from the School of Drama, was head of the school from 1995 to 2001. During his tenure, U.S. News and World Report magazine recognized the school as one of the top drama programs in the country.

"In Peter's time as head, Drama made tremendous gains," said Martin Prekop, the Stanley and Marcia Gumberg Dean of the College of Fine Arts. "He played a key role on the team, guiding the fundraising, design and construction of the Purnell Center for the Arts."

Frisch implemented two significant changes in the drama curriculum to complement the new facility. He revamped the school's Dramatic Writing Program by luring Tony Award-winning writer Milan Stitt (Raymond W. Smith Professor of Drama) to the faculty, and initiated the Production Technology and Management (PTM) Program, which teaches the latest in theatre and film technologies.

"Drama's PTM option is the only program of its kind in the country," Frisch said.

A nationally recognized teacher and coach, Frisch has held faculty posts at the Juilliard School, Harvard University, Boston University, Georgetown University and UCLA, and has taught and mentored actors and directors on both coasts during his career.

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Joelle Park
(02/05/02)


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