Alumni
Now that’s what we call a party!
Thanks to every single Trunker, Trunker-in-law and Trunker-in-making who came out to the reunion in October – it really was an immensely memorable and meaningful occasion for Trunk and we hope it was for you, too. It felt great to be able to see Jill & Sharon reunited and to hear stories from all years – and see those shows! It’s true what they say: once a Trunker, always a Trunker. Click through for Biz’s photos (you should have gotten an email about them), and send us anything you’ve got! Don’t be a stranger!
Much love,
The Reunion Planners & Trunk c.2007
Bios & Updates
Trunk’s alums complete the picture for us: Trunk is always a group and a family with that intangible thread of connection and the shared apellation of ‘Trunker.’ The kids and shows and plays keep us chugging along with excitement, but Alums remind us where all of that came from. Whether our admired and adored mentors as first years, the mentors of our mentors – all the way back to Sharon and Jill, our founders, we all share and carry a part of Trunk with us.
Trunk grads ought to already know about Trunk-Net, our hundred-strong Yahoo! group for semesterly bulletins from the current troupe, impromptu meet-ups and Grasshopper trips, and a place to just check back in with everyone. In a more formal way, this page wants to grow into an authoritative spot to see what the extended family is up to so-and-so many years on. We encourage – implore, even – your submissions. Either click this link to jump straight into the questionnaire via email, or check out the questions and send along your reply to our regular address here.
Ezra Mordechai Furman ‘06-’08
RESIDENT ROCK STAR
Solomon Schechter Day School
Evanston, IL
MAJOR: English
TRUNKER SINCE: Sophomore Spring
Trunk’s Most Mandatory Member, Ezra rocks in and out of Trunk. While at Tufts, when he was not wooing audiences onstage in Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, causing chaos, munching on cheese ravioli, or rocking like Amadeus, Ezra was seen playing his all time favorite Trunk character, the Gingerbread Cookie. A silly + little known fact about Mr. E.M. Furman? His brain is shaped like a gyroscope!
Who fell out of the apple tree?
“Gloucester, the ice sculptor.”
Allison Jenna Plum Kutner ‘05-’08
PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCER
Greenvale Elementary School
Scarsdale, NY
MAJOR: Child Development (+ Pre-Med!)
TRUNKER SINCE: Freshman Spring
Trunk’s Silliest (with a dash of pizzazz!) Member, Ali shines in front of auditoriums packed with kids. While at Tufts, while not volunteering at the Sharewood Clinic, kicking about the soccer ball, munching on cucumbers, performing in TDC & the Vagina Monologues, or aspiring to be a Broadway star, Ali was seen playing any one of her numerous favorite Trunk characters: Gingerbread Cookie, Hungry Thing, or Bury the Shrimp. A silly + little known fact about Miss A.J.P. Kutner? She can recite the alphabet backwards as facts as she can recite it forwards.
What is your absolute favoritest silly dance to do?
“My favoritest silly dance to do is imitating a penguin trying to do the Macarena. HAHAHA! That’s a funny image. =).”
Sarah Marcus ‘98-’02
First plays in Trunk:
Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm, El Arbol que Solo, Tenia Una Hoja.
Play I wrote:
The-loaded-with-subconscious-sexual-innuendo: “Time for Bed.”
What I miss most:
Sitting in the circle during good thing/bad thing just marveling over the beauty, brilliance and unique awesomeness of every Trunker.
Since graduation:
I’ve been living in Brooklyn NY writing and acting in plays, teaching drama in the public schools through the Brooklyn Arts Council and One World After-School programs and tutoring with Kaplan. I’ve also been involved with the activist arts organization, THAW- Theaters Against War.
I live with the lovely Lauren Katz (trunker 2000-03) and this fall will be moving to Chicago to attend the Graduate Acting Program at DePaul University where I’ll be living with none other than Amelia Botsford! (trunker 1999-03) and Becky Friedman (98-02) will be moving in with Lauren. I’m a big fan of trunkers living together, because we rule. Any time someone wants to actualize our dream of the Trunk Commune, I’m totally up for it.
Steven Taylor McFarland ‘04-’08
PRESIDENT, PRODUCER, WEBMASTER(CREATOR)
Old Orchard Elementary
Campbell, CA
MAJOR: American Studies
MINOR: Philosophy
TRUNKER SINCE: Freshman Fall (with Jen + Rosie!)
Trunk’s Most Gangly Member, Steven puts those long limbs of his to great use in Trunk shows, creating one dynamic stage picture after another and riveting toddlers everywhere. While at Tufts, when he was not engaged in community work with a local Somerville cafe, attempting to write a thesis, or binging on cookie dough late at night, he could be seen playing his favoritest Trunk character of all time, Barry the Shrimp (from “Whale and Fishie”). A silly + little known fact about Mr. S.T. McFarland? Yan Can Cook sent Steven a cookbook and wok after Steven wrote Yan a letter telling him (Yan) how awesome he (Steven) thought he (Yan) was and that he (Steven) wanted to be a chef (whew!). Many moons ago!
What was your most embarrassing moment in elementary school?!
”The time that all the kids were learning Monkey-Speak and I told my Monkey, ‘You look very handsome today, Sir,’ but he thought I said, ‘Two go Jungle foray, sure!’ and grabbed my hand and pushed his Monkey-Transport necklace and took me to THE JUNGLE without even a permission slip and I missed recess the day we were supposed to pick kickball teams!”
Tom Melesky ‘92-’93
PRODUCER
Favorite Trunk-related Memory:
I forget the school, but when we performed the Oobleck. That and my brief Darkness Fell cameo because of the laughs it got in Where the Wild Things Are for the semester end show. Oh yeah, the crazy games of Trunk A**hole.
Give us a couple highlights of your Post-Trunk life:
Being terrified by the sensory overload as I stepped out of a Ueno hotel in Tokyo for the first time. Feeling trapped when being surrounded by 20 homeless when I was on a Guardian Angel patrol in Boston Common. With my then girlfriend now wife watching an amazing sunrise on the ferryboat leaving the island of Ko Pha Ngan after a Full Moon party on New Year’s eve surrounded by people from 20 countries. Horror seeing a young girl strapped into a chair with a large gun like apparatus pointed at her that focused a stream of radiation at her to treat an inoperable tumor. Walking down the catwalk in a small fashion show for designer Koshin Satoh for the first time was just exhilarating. My first earthquake in Japan (actually pretty small). 3 pro-wrestlers staring at me like I was nuts after cracking a very unfunny joke in a bar in Roppongi. Running into Jason Lee in an English Pub in Shibuya. My wedding in Honolulu surrounded by family and friends.
Please dispense your sagest wisdom for the Baby Trunkers of the future, in haiku form:
The loneliness of
moving to winter from fall
is followed by green.
Dave Murray ‘98-’03
PRODUCER, SENIOR ADVISOR, COSTUMES
Favorite Trunk-related memory:
It’s always the kids during question and answer time after the shows.
Trunker: “Do you have any questions?” 4-year old girl: “My Daddy had a moustache and he shaved it!” (bursts into uncontrallable laughter)
Trunker: “What was your favorite part of the show?” Little, little girl: “When the tiger (mumble mumble mumble), and then the unicycle (mumble mumble mumble), why didn’t he use the umbrella?!”
*there was no tiger, unicycle, or umbrella in that show.
Give us a couple highlights of your Post-Trunk life:
Right after graduation, I worked in a kindergarten classroom helping out the head teahcer, Milissa Churchill, another Trunk alum. It was a great year! Even though I had graduated from Trunk, I still got to witness kids saying and doing some really funny things on a daily basis. One of my favorite moments came during quiet reading one day. Mili was reading to all of the Kindergarteners as they sat quietly on carpet. One kid raised his hand and asked to go to the bathroom. He is excused, gets up, and leaves the classroom. About 2 minutes later he bursts back in through the door, one hand holding his pants up and the other bolted straight up into air, shaking in that anxious way that screams ‘Ooooo call on me! CALL ON ME!’ Everyone freezes and looks at the student who them proudly announces to the entire class, “I had an accident! I wet my pants!” Not only was he proud of wetting his pants, but his announcement to the entire class was met with approving nods and smiles from the other kids! There is NO shame in Kindergarten! My job now is significantly less exciting on a day to day basis… but I did get to spend this past September traveling throughout Asia and India for work. I was even in Bangkok for the military coup!
Please dispense your sagest wisdom for the Baby Trunkers of the future, in haiku form:
Wigs are worn, chase scene
Prince/Princess and Gorilla
Go-ooo Trunk Yeaaah Trunk!
Jennifer Lesser Scherck ‘04-’08
PRESIDENT, PRODUCER
Spoede Elementary
St. Louis, MO
MAJOR: History
TRUNKER SINCE: Freshman Fall (with Rosie + Steve!)
Trunk’s Most Heart-On-Sleeve-Wearing Member, Jen’s desire to become a teacher translated seamlessly into her educational (and fun!) children’s theater performances. While at Tufts, Jen participated in a plethora of student activities at Tufts, including (but probably not limited to) 3Ps, Tour Guiding, Chi Omega, and Torn Ticket II. A silly + little known fact about Miss J.L. Scherck? She’s rrreally good at rolling her rrrs.
How WAS the color purple invented?
“Two kids were playing by a stream and saw a sad fishie lying on a rock. The fishie’s name was Purp and he had jumped out of the water but couldn’t make his way back in. The kids gently put Purp back in the water, with their hands stained by blueberries and raspberries that they had been picking that morning. Purp was so grateful that he scurried his little fishie body through the stream, leaving a trail of a magnificent color behind him. In memory of their friend, the kids called it ‘purp’le.”
Stephanie Roth Sherrin ‘05-’08
OFFICIAL BABY ANIMAL LIAISON
Coral Park Elementary
Coral Springs, FL
MAJOR: Child Development
MINOR: Mass Communications and Media Studies
TRUNKER SINCE: Sophomore Fall (with Chelsea!)
Trunk’s In-House Sillygoose, Steph has a passion for life’s fuzzier things that translated beautifully into her heart-melting children’s theater performances. While at Tufts, when she was not acting as her favorite Trunk role of Strawberry (from “Pick My Nose and Call Me Stinky”), Steph could be found munching on grapes, petting random puppies, doing crosswords, dancing silly-ly, or watching documentaries. A silly + little known fact about Ms. S.R. Sherrin? She’s been slimed at Nickelodeon Studios!
When cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say?
“Meeee!”
Kevin Staszowski ‘98-’01
PUBLICITY, PRODUCER, SENIOR ADVISOR
Favorite Trunk-related Memory:
Inclusive – Spring Break ‘01
Discrete – Attempting to count to 3 in Spanish during a play and having an entire gym-ful of 1st and 2nd graders join me. However, the students didn’t stop at 3 and continued counting all the way up to 20 (in Spanish).
Give us a couple highlights of your Post-Trunk life:
Spent 16 weeks (straight) sampling soil near chemical pipelines in New Jersey. Continue to make elaborate Trunk-esq costumes for the child I work with in a Big Brother program. Traveled to Billund, Denmark to do educational work at the LEGO World headquarters. Met a very cute girl, who also happens to be attracted to me.
Please dispense your sagest wisdom for the Baby Trunkers of the future, in haiku form:
When days grow long,
Their driving directions fail.
Bring along the map.
Leveling is hard,
So, take giants and shorties
in fall auditions.
Mike Swigert ‘05-’07
PUBLICITY, COSTUMES, SENIOR ADVISOR
Favorite Trunk-related Memory:
There are too many! But the time Chelsey Trunker laid down the law to that ROTC officer who wanted our room in eaton was pretty impressive.
Give us a couple highlights of your Post-Trunk life:
By day, I get to research, write, and talk to activists and journalists about how awesome Africa is and how lame U.S. foreign policy toward Africa is in contrast. By night, I sleep in a rat-infested shanty in the resplendent Washington, DC neighborhood of Eastern Market. And brew ale with my friends.
Please dispense your sagest wisdom for the Baby Trunkers of the future:
Don’t be a jerk, especially to yourself…
Alex ‘Shmal’ Weissman ‘02-’05
VICE-PRESIDENT, SENIOR ADVISOR, PUBLICITY
Favorite Trunk-related memory:
Being abducted and nearly wetting my pants. Also, abducting many other lovely trunkers and nearly wetting their pants.
Give us a couple highlights of your Post-Trunk life:
A year with Gay Men’s Domestic Violence Project, and now doing HIV prevention research at Fenway Community Health, but always, always, wishing I were with Trunk.
Please dispense your sagest wisdom for the Baby Trunkers of the future, in haiku form:
play the trunker well
by playing well all the time
also, eat candy
Ica Kung ‘00-’03
PRESIDENT
Rosemarie Elias Wagner ‘04-’08
VICE-PRESIDENT, TRUNKLE
La Jolla Country Day School
San Diego, CA
MAJORS: Philosophy + Political Science
TRUNKER SINCE: Freshman Fall (with Steve + Jen!)
Trunk’s Most Snarfely Member, Rosie absolutely amazed audiences of all ages (but especially kids!) from Medford to Boston to California with her super-duper playing skills. While at Tufts, when she was not thinking of her lifelong passions of political philosophy, finding happiness, and her friends, she could be found munching on enchiladas or playing one of her favorite Trunk characters, Starfish or Bury the Shrimp!
Why ARE Trix just for kids?
“Because they’re full of anti-growing-up fruits and vitamins so that kids can ALWAYS stay kids and never grow up and just play around eating Trix all day.”
