NOTES ON PEOPLE (09/25/05)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

U.S.-Ukraine Foundation staff joined by law grad

WASHINGTON - Alana Malick is the latest addition to the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation staff in Washington. The recipient of a post-graduate fellowship from William and Mary Law School, she will devote 10 weeks to foundation work on legal issues.

Ms. Malick, a graduate of the University of Virginia in philosophy and foreign affairs, received her law degree from William and Mary in 2005.

While a student at The Madeira School, she interned at the Ukrainian Embassy of Ukraine in Washington. She attended the Harvard Ukrainian Summer Institute in 2001, and is fluent in Ukrainian, French and Spanish.

Ms. Malick received special recognition from William and Mary Law School in national security and human rights for her involvement in a clinic that provided legal support to the Justice Department in its participation with the Iraqi Special Tribunal.

She was also associate editor of the William and Mary Journal of Women and the Law and president of the Sports and Entertainment Law Society and Moot Court team.

As a vocal performer, Ms. Malick was a finalist in the 2004 Miss Virginia Pageant. She is the daughter of Judge Gordon R. Malick and Dr. Victoria D. Malick.

Grad's stage documentary to be presented at college

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - When Taras Berezowsky, a native of Troy, Mich., was a student at the "Ridna Shkola" - the School of Ukrainian Studies and Culture in Detroit - he dreamed of combining his Ukrainian heritage with his passion for theater. Over a decade later, the dream has become a reality for the 2005 graduate of Kalamazoo College.

Mr. Berezowsky's one-man stage documentary "Catch 86," was to open the Festival Playhouse Guest Artist Series - "The World is Our Stage: A Season of International Theater" - with a performance on Friday, September 23, at 8 p.m. in the Nelda K. Balch Playhouse, Kalamazoo College.

"My first priority was to let other Americans 'in' on a culture and one of its many tragedies," Mr. Berezowsky stated. "Ukraine and her people are not 'Russians' or 'former Soviets,' and 'Chornobyl' is not a 'forgettable nuclear accident' that happened during the Cold War." Fluent in Ukrainian as a speaker and writer, Mr. Berezowsky is a second- generation Ukrainian American.

"Catch 86" plays on the title Joseph Heller's novel "Catch-22." Mr. Berezowsky portrays Russian, American and Ukrainian characters and their reactions to the 1986 nuclear disaster. "I conducted several interviews in the U.S. and in Ukraine with people affected by the disaster while working as a volunteer for the Children of Chornobyl Relief and Development Fund. These interviews, as well as my daily journals, formed the text of the play," he explained.

"It's unprecedented for us to hire a recent graduate as a professional guest artist," noted Director of Theater Arts Ed Menta. "This project encompasses his course work and training in playwriting, directing, acting and history. It's international in scope, it's political and at the same time a connection to his family roots."

"We couldn't think of a better way to begin our international theater season and to showcase what a liberal arts education is about," Prof. Menta said. "As we always do with our guest artist productions, there will be a talkback session with the audience," including members of Michigan's Ukrainian National Association."

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