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Russ Sperling and husband Gus Pagsanjan smile together during cocktail hour at the Bill & Evelyn Lamden Stage on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in San Diego, Calif. (Katie Llewellyn<\/a>)<\/p>\nThe gala was packed with theater educators from SDSU over the years and their former students who were overjoyed to reunite with them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sally Rednick, a class of 1975 graduate, said she found out about the event from her old professor, Maggi McKerrow, and instantly knew she wanted to attend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
McKerrow inspired Rednick and her good friend, Sam Kuglen, to become teachers. She was an elementary educator, while Kuglen taught high school AP English Language and Literature. He still brought his theater experience along with him, though.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say to anybody that teaching five periods a day is like doing five, one-act plays for an hour a day,\u201d Kuglen said. \u201cYou have to be responsive in the same way because the students are your audience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The gala was filled with alumni mixing and mingling, all in their best 1920s outfits featuring boas, fringe and fedoras. The cocktail hour at the Bill & Evelyn Lamden Stage was bustling with lively conversations and heartfelt reunions, scored by a live pianist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event transitioned inside to the Prebys Stage, where guests dined on prime rib platters. As Brotebeck welcomed everyone to the event, he took a moment to thank the generous sponsors for the event, including graduate Michele Schlecht.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Schlecht graduated from SDSU\u2019s Master of Public Affairs program, where she met her husband Rick Covey. The two have been patrons of the theatre department for years and said they love watching young artists grow and develop.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can watch the education process happen,\u201d Schlecht said. \u201cYou see the light bulbs go off and that\u2019s really one of the great bonuses.\u201d<\/p>\n
The evening continued with performances from alumni of the Master of Fine Arts program who have performed in national tours and on broadway; Victoria Fowler, Tug Watson, Courtney Corey and Merideth Kaye Clark. They performed songs from shows that they did while at SDSU, accompanied by musical director and fellow alumni Richard Due\u00f1ez Morrison.<\/p>\n
Fowler sang \u201cAnything Can Happen\u201d from \u201cPostcard American Town,\u201d a musical that had its world premiere at SDSU in 2022. Corey performed \u201cYou\u2019ve Got Possibilities\u201d from \u201cIt\u2019s a Bird, It\u2019s a Plane, It\u2019s Superman!\u201d for the first time since 1995. Clark dedicated her performance of \u201cSimple Little Things\u201d from \u201c110 in the Shade\u201d to her late co-star Michael Elliot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Watson\u2019s first performance of the night was of \u201cYou Are There,\u201d followed by \u201cGethsemane\u201d from \u201cJesus Christ Superstar\u201d later in the lineup. He first played the role at SDSU in 2016.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Each performer took time to recall memories of their time at SDSU. Clark shared that it was her first time back on campus since 2002. The audience laughed together over how much had changed, most notably, the Prebys Stage formerly being a tennis court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Watson\u2019s second song, he explained all three women on the bill had something very special in common.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAll three of them have played Elphaba in Wicked,\u201d Watson said as the crowd cheered. \u201cIncidentally, I have not yet, but there\u2019s still time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Merideth Kaye Clark and Victoria Fowler watch Courtney Corey amid their trio performance at the Prebys Stage on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, in San Diego, Calif. (