December 4, 2017

To Whom It May Concern,

Caryna Martinez-Rios has asked me for a letter of recommendation, which I am happy to write.

I met Caryna last year, when she enrolled in a Theatre Appreciation section of mine. Caryna
distinguished herself early, by entering into whatever discussion or exercise we were doing that
day with enthusiasm and candor. Through announcements made in class, Caryna also auditioned
for the productions staged by the department that term, and was cast in A Woman of No
Importance, directed by Professor Amelia Barrett. Caryna, and the entire cast, leapt into some
challenging material, as Wilde, while very relevant, was demanding and thought-provoking for
students.

Caryna was cast in my productions of Girls Like That and Pippin, in Spring and Summer 17,
respectively, both in ensemble roles, in which she (as well as both casts) collaborated well with
one another, and shone in performance. For this fall, Caryna applied for the John Belushi Stage
Management scholarship, which she received, and then she worked as the student stage manager
on These Shining Lives, directed by our very talented adjunct professor Michael Ryczek. This
was a completely new experience for Caryna, and she rose to the occasion, and was extremely
supportive and collaborative, as well as becoming the leader that is necessary for stage
management. I know shes also taking and Improvisational Acting course this term, as well.

Caryna has just applied for the Buffalo Theatre Ensemble Stage Management Scholarship; BTE
is a professional, Equity company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center, on the campus of
the College of DuPage. This scholarship is to do a cooperative education experience with one of
BTEs Spring 18 productions, either Time Stands Still or Outside Mullingar, in the capacity of
Assistant Stage Manager, under the director and Equity stage manager.

As you can see, Caryna is very focused on acquiring knowledge from a wide range of
experiences, to further round her experience and skills; all of this is extremely helpful and
necessary for an individual who plans to teach in the field in the future.

I encourage you to consider Caryna. In my opinion, she continues to show increasing promise
and development as a person of the arts, which can only translate well into the classroom; the
arts need passionate, well-rounded teachers, and this is what Caryna intends to accomplish. As a
teacher, myself, I look forward to watching that actualize.

Should I be of assistance in any way, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely yours,

Connie Canaday Howard

Chair, College of DuPage Theatre Department
630/942-2137; canaday@cod.edu
Artistic Director, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble
cch@btechicago.com