44 / ’southern
CLASSNOTES
arts venue commemorating the
50th anniversary of the city’s civil
rights movement. Entitled “Red
State Blues,” his exhibit focused
on Alabama history, culture, and
politics. Northrop’s first career
was in journalism before he
turned to teaching and school
administration. He served as
executive director of the Alabama
School of Fine Arts until his
retirement in 2011.
’81
Dr. Donald Stewart
, an artist
at DS Art Studio in Homewood,
has published a new book, Past
Medical History: Recollections of
a Medical Miscreant. In the book,
he talks about his choice to exit
the field of medicine and pursue a
more fulfilling career in art.
’83
Dr. Angela Batey
has been
promoted to full professor and
named
associate
dean for
diversity in
the College
of Arts and
Sciences
at the
University of
Tennessee
in Knoxville. Batey is a recognized
choral conductor, clinician,
adjudicator, and teacher whose
wide variety of experience
encompasses professional,
university, high school, community,
and church choruses. She earned
a second undergraduate degree
from BSC in 1984, a master’s
degree from Florida State
University in music education, and
a DMA degree in choral conducting
from the University of South
Carolina.
’86
The National Council on
Compensation Insurance (NCCI)
recently appointed
Katherine
Holt Antonello
to the position of
chief actuary, to be based in Boca
’66
William Dawson Jr.
recently
joined the newly created
Community Law Office in
Birmingham as the deputy
public defender in charge of trial
management. He has been a
criminal defense attorney for
more than 40 years in private
practice in Birmingham. He was
a founder of the Alabama Criminal
Defense Lawyers Association and
recipient of its Roderick Beddow
Award, which recognizes lifetime
achievement in the practice of
criminal law. Dawson graduated
from the University of Alabama
School of Law.
’68
Laurie Brasfield Gearhart
has
retired after teaching elementary
school in Houston, Texas, for 28
years. She now resides in Franklin,
Tenn., and is enjoying her status as
“Grandma” to three grandchildren.
She is active in St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church, where she chairs the
Prayer Shawl Ministry.
Jim Humphreys
was named to
the 2013 Barron’s “America’s Top
1000 Advisors: State-by-State”
List. He is a senior vice president
of wealth management for Merrill
Lynch in Nashville, Tenn.
’69
Dr.Wayne Leaver
retired in
2012 from Hope Hospice in Ft.
Myers, Fla. He served 20 years
as a United Methodist minister.
Leaver also served as dean of the
undergraduate program of the
Union Institute in Miami, and as
co-coordinator and faculty member
of the Counseling Psychology
program of Walden University.
He has published several books,
spoken at numerous national and
international conferences, and
traveled to more than 40 countries.
’72
John Northrop Jr.
presented a
composite photographic exhibit
this past spring at a Birmingham
Alum
News
’71
Since graduating from
Birmingham-Southern with
honors in music,
Louise Hall
Beard
has touched the American
theatre world with her creative
vision.
Beard was among more than
a dozen producers behind the
Broadway play A Christmas
Story, The Musical, which was
nominated for Best New Musical
of the Year as well as the book
and score categories at the 67th annual Tony Awards in June. She
attended the awards ceremony at Radio City Music Hall in New
York City with her daughter, Lanford, who writes for Entertainment
Weekly magazine.
“I ran into quite a few people at the awards ceremony like Alan
Cumming, Bernadette Peters ... the whole Broadway community
was there,” she remarked. “I wore a copy of the same dress that
Octavia Spencer had when she accepted her Oscar for The Help.”
Though A Christmas Story, The Musical didn’t win any awards,
the production is still a big name. The musical began with a two-
month run in Seattle at the 5th Avenue Theatre in 2010, then
launched a U.S. tour in 2011, followed by its Broadway debut during
the 2012 Christmas season. The show will be back on tour this
November and December in Hartford, Conn.; Boston; and at New
York’s Madison Square Garden Theatre in NewYork.
“It was so much fun to be involved in the show and to be
surrounded by such a talented cast of people,” said Beard, who is
married to John Beard and lives in Birmingham.
Beard sang in Birmingham’s Independent Presbyterian Church
Choir for 34 years under Joe Schreiber—her organ professor at
BSC. She was a tap dance instructor to adults for 29 years at the
Time Step Dance Studio she co-founded.
“Prof. Hugh Thomas, director of the music department and choral
director at ’Southern, was a huge influence on my life,” she said.
“His wife, Barbara, taught me piano, but I switched over to organ
since I was really into choral and church music.”
Her interest in theatre was piqued after seeing the musical
production The Decline and Fall of the Entire World As Seen
Through the Eyes of Cole Porter at Birmingham Festival Theatre in
the ’70s. Beard’s big break came when a friend introduced her to a
prominent member of the NewYork theatre world.
Since then, she has invested in about two dozen theatrical
shows and Broadway plays over the years; she served as both
majority investor and producer for A Christmas Story. Because her
investment placed her above the title, her name would have been
associated with a win.
At age 63, Beard is eager to gain more co-production credits.
She recently traveled to Los Angeles to produce a film that
screened at the Outfest Film Festival in July.
She’s also gaining some acting experience. Beard played a
small part in the 2012 film Blues for Willadean, co-starring Octavia
Spencer. Since then, she and Spencer have become good friends.
“Now I will always be able to add Tony Award-nominated
Broadway producer to my résumé,” said Beard with a smile. “How
great is that!?”
