Alex Franklin '96 (Development Executive)

By Sean O'Rourke MAT '68

Sometimes the best route from one point to another is not a straight line. Alex Franklin’s '96 career has demonstrated that. As an undergraduate, he developed an interest in theater and assumed a variety of roles including directing and producing with both the Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club and the American Repertory Theater, including directing a production of Christopher Durang’s "Titanic" on the main stage of the ART during his senior year.

Dorothea Gillim GSE '91 (Writer, Producer, & Director, WORLDGIRL)

By Sean O'Rourke MAT '68

“We never outgrow our need for vocabulary,” my high school biology teacher used to say. Dorothea Gillim, GSE '91, would agree. Growing up in the suburbs of Rochester, New York, she once asked her parents for an unabridged dictionary for Christmas. At Swarthmore she majored in English and learned how stories of all sorts influence how we see ourselves and the world.

After college she worked at a chamber music society and did a stint as a ski bum. She mollified her parents by telling them she planned to apply to law school, but when none of the family’s lawyer friends encouraged her, she took a job teaching at the Springside School in Philadelphia. She enjoyed creating curriculum and stimulating her students’ interest in books and language but eventually decided that she wanted a larger audience.

Steven Peterman '72 (Writer & Producer, HANNA MONTANA)

By Robin Russin '79

I've known Steven Peterman '72 for years, since our kids went to pre-school together, and so I know he isn't just a funny guy. He's a warm, generous and modest guy, too, and the combination has served him well; sometimes, nice guys do finish first. We sat down over happy-hour sangria to talk about how he got here, and what he's been up to recently.

Starting out as an actor, Peterman turned to writing as a more secure profession (go figure). It proved to be the right choice: along with his long-time writing partner and fellow former actor Gary Dontzig, Peterman went on to write for some of the best shows on TV, winning three Primetime Emmys and being nominated for two Humanitas Awards along the way.

Ceridwen Dovey '03 (Author, BLOOD KIN: A NOVEL)

By Michelle Wu '07

Ceridwen Dovey. The name makes you do a double take, but the person makes you glad you did. Cheerful, bold, and adventurous, Ceridwen Dovey’s personality is as colorful as her life story. Which is saying a lot.

Our heroine’s story begins in apartheid South Africa, where she was born the second daughter of two anti-apartheid intellectuals. The family eventually relocated to Australia, where her parents still live. Ceridwen, however, moved to London for a year after high school, before going on to Harvard for a joint degree in Visual and Environmental Studies and Anthropology. As her senior thesis, she produced "Aftertaste", a documentary on wine labor relations in South Africa that showed at film festivals around the world. This year, the award-winning documentarian has just released her first novel, Blood Kin, in 14 countries.

Vanessa Parise (Writer, Director, & Producer, KISS THE BRIDE, JILL VS. THE WORLD)

By Amit Samuel

After two years at the highly-competitive Circle in the Square Theater School in New York, Vanessa Parise had a choice: medicine or theater. To help her decide, Vanessa turned to her mentor at the American Repertory Theater, Robert Brustein. He helped Vanessa choose the career that she had secretly desired since elementary school.

Although a biology concentrator at Harvard College, Vanessa was also immersed in the arts, singing with the Opportunes and performing in many student plays. She excelled in biology, earning admission to Harvard Medical School. Before committing to medicine, though, Vanessa felt compelled to explore her passion for the theater.

Lisa Beach '80 (Casting Director)

By Stacey Collins

I wish I had been in Cambridge last weekend. Lisa Beach '80 spoke at the Science Center for a Harvardwood Arts First event, and those in attendance had a real treat. Yes, she's having an amazingly successful career in Hollywood, but it's her liveliness and warmth that could charm the socks off anyone. And her integrity inspires. In an industry known for its survival of the fittest mentality, spending time with Ms. Beach is a delight.

Nick Stoller '98 (Writer & Director, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, GET HIM TO THE GREEK)

By Stacey Collins

It was a treat to interview Nick Stoller '98. A man with a funny bone, he's also had the smarts to hone those skills to advance his writing and directing aspirations. These are exceptional times for this young filmmaker. His debut as a feature director happens this month; FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL, starring Kristen Bell and Jason Segel, and produced by Judd Apatow, will be released by Universal on April 18th.

Marshall Lewy '99 (Writer, Director, & Editor)

By Stacey Collins

Marshall Lewy '99 is a name to remember. He wrote and directed his debut feature film BLUE STATE starring Academy Award winner Anna Paquin and Breckin Meyer. BLUE STATE premiered at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival and is being distributed worldwide by MGM.

Michael Colton '97 (Writer & Comedian, VH1's BEST WEEK EVER)

By Kim Bendheim '81

Michael Colton ’97 is a comedian as well as a writer. Along with his writing partner, John Aboud ‘95, he created Modern Humorist, a comedy collective that produced an award-winning comedy Web magazine from 2000-2003. The duo regularly appears on VH1s BEST WEEK EVER making jokes about pop culture. They’ve performed at colleges and clubs across the country, but these days Colton can more often be found at home performing his role as new father to two-month-old Veronica Elena. Colton met his wife, Carla Pereira ’96, at an alumni mixer in Washington, DC when he was working as a reporter for the Style section of The Washington Post and she was in law school.

Jieho Lee HBS '00 (Writer & Director, THE AIR I BREATHE)

By Amit Samuel

After more than five years, Jieho Lee (HBS '00) has finally reached the top of the mountain. THE AIR I BREATHE, a feature film he directed and co-wrote, opens this month. With a constellation of stars including Kevin Bacon, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Forrest Whitaker, THE AIR balances Asian and American sensibilities - something Jieho has been doing his entire life.