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Theatre, lectures, music and art kick off Fanfare
Music, lectures, a theatre production and an art exhibit are just some of the events
providing the opening flourish for the 32nd season of Fanfare, Southeastern’s annual
fall arts festival.
“With over three decades of Fanfare, we are excited to continue the celebration
of arts and culture that were at the heart of Fanfare’s beginning. Through this festival,
our community has had access to many life-enriching events,” said Roy Blackwood, director
of Fanfare and the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts and Fanfare.
Kicking off with the lecture series “Generations of Struggle: Perspectives on
Race and Justice from Reconstruction to the Present,” the tradition of excellence
will continue this year with everything from favorite events generated on campus to
nationally known acts, Blackwood said.
Upcoming lectures of the four-week series, “Generations of Struggle,” are scheduled
Sept. 28 and Oct. 5. All lectures in the series are free and scheduled at 6:30 p.m.
in the Hammond Library.
Also on Sept. 28 is a concert by Southeastern’s Wind Symphony. “There’s a First
Time for Everything” is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. in the Columbia Theatre in downtown
Hammond. The concert features a variety of music from Gustav Holst, Samuel Barber,
and American composer Andrew Boss, all linked by a common theme.
Tickets are general admission $10 adults; $5 faculty, staff, seniors and non-Southeastern
students. Southeastern students are admitted free with university ID.
Southeastern Theatre will present “for colored girls who have considered suicide
when the rainbow is enuf” Oct. 3 – 6. Scheduled at 7:30 p.m. each night, this award-winning
and shockingly honest portrayal of the inner and outer life of an American black woman
will come to Southeastern’s Vonnie Borden Theatre.
Tickets can be purchased one hour before performance time from the Vonnie Borden
Theatre box office located in the lobby of D Vickers Hall. General admission tickets
are $15; $10 for seniors and non-Southeastern students; Southeastern students are
admitted free with university ID.
On Oct. 4, the Department of History and Political Science’s free “Then and Now
Lecture Series” officially kicks off its 17th presentation of free lectures. This
year’s series features Louisiana and its role in World War II.
The lecture series is sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social
Sciences, the Department of History and Political Science and the Center for Southeast
Louisiana Studies.
First up is a lecture by James Linn, curator of the National World War II Museum
in New Orleans. “The Pelican State Goes to War – Louisiana during World War II: The
Special Exhibit at the National World War II Museum 2017-18,” will be presented at
1 p.m. in Pottle Auditorium.
Southeastern’s Opera/Music Theatre Workshop will present “A Night on Broadway”
on Oct. 5. Scheduled at 7:30 p.m. in Columbia Theatre, the production will feature
Southeastern’s finest for one night only performing Broadway solos and ensembles with
an on-stage orchestra.
General admission tickets are $21 adults; $18 faculty, staff seniors and non-Southeastern
students; and $8 for children 12 and under. Southeastern students are admitted free
with university ID.
Rounding out the week is free art exhibit opening at the Hammond Regional Art
Center, located at 217 E. Thomas Street in downtown Hammond. Scheduled Oct. 6 at 5
p.m., the opening will highlight the fifth installment of the exhibit “Seldom Seen,”
which showcases artwork from private collections in the Florida Parishes. Curated
by Pat Macaluso and Denise Tullier-Holly, the exhibit will include works from several
significant Louisiana artists.
Fanfare tickets are on sale at the Columbia/Fanfare box office, 220 E. Thomas
Street, 543-4371. The box office is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
and one hour prior to Columbia performances. For a complete schedule, contact the
Columbia/Fanfare office at 543-4366 or visit columbiatheatre.org.
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Southeastern’s Science on Tap presents ‘What’s in a Name?’
In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” the heroine asks “What’s in a name? That which
we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”
When it comes to science, however, agreement on what names fit what organisms
is a challenge and often leads to conflict. Getting at the importance of species names
and understanding the difficulty associated with naming a species is the focus of
Southeastern’s initial fall Science on Tap presentation on Tuesday, Oct. 3.
Sponsored by the Department of Biological Sciences, the presentation by Biological
Sciences Professor Brian Crother will be held at 7 p.m. at Tope La Catering, 113 East
Thomas St. in Hammond. The lecture, titled “What’s in a Name? Amphibians, Reptiles
and Names,” is free and open to all ages. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
“Names are funny things, especially proper names. They clearly possess descriptor
information,” Crother said. “A common noun, such as ‘person,’ conveys descriptive
information, while a proper noun, such as ‘Abraham Lincoln,’ is much more specific
and is generally applied to a single individual.”
He said that in the field of biology, the common names of species carry specific
descriptor information, while scientific names focus on genetic relationships with
the rest of biodiversity.
“Ultimately, both common and scientific names are for communication, but agreement
on what names fit what organisms often causes consternation and confusion,” Crother
added.
For information on this or future Science on Tap presentations, contact the Department
of Biological Sciences at 549-3740.
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Fanfare’s ‘Then and Now’ Lecture Series to focus on Louisiana and World War II
Southeastern’s “Then and Now” Fanfare History and Politics Lecture Series officially
kicks off Oct. 4. This year’s free lectures are part of a year-long lecture series
on Louisiana and its role in World War II.
The lecture series is sponsored by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social
Sciences, the Department of History and Political Science and the Center for Southeast
Louisiana Studies.
First up is a lecture by James Linn, curator of the National World War II Museum
in New Orleans. “The Pelican State Goes to War – Louisiana during World War II: The
Special Exhibit at the National World War II Museum 2017-18,” will be presented Oct.
4 at 1 p.m. on Southeastern’s campus in Pottle Auditorium.
“When America entered World War II, Louisiana was already front and center in
the country’s defense preparations and consistently ‘punched above its weight’ between
1940 and 1945,” said History and Political Science Department Head William Robison.
“The war effort triggered massive and lasting changes in the state and nation. Hear
all about it from the curator of a new exhibit celebrating the Pelican State’s contribution
to the Allied victory.”
The second lecture will be presented by Southeastern HIPS faculty member Keith
Finley on Oct. 11. “Local World War II Veterans Tell Their Stories: The Center for
Southeast Louisiana Studies Interviews” is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Pottle Auditorium.
“World War II veterans often were reluctant to talk about their experiences when
they first returned home. But approaching old age, many began to tell their stories
for posterity,” Robison said. “Dozens came forward to do so at Southeastern’s Center
for Southeast Louisiana Studies. Assistant Director Finley will describe that process
and recount some of the best anecdotes the center collected.”
On Oct. 18, HIPS faculty member Charles Elliot will present “Don’t You Know There’s
a War On? Sustainability, Self-Sufficiency, and American Simplicity in World War II.”
Scheduled for 1 p.m., the lecture will take place in Pottle Auditorium.
“World War II is the ultimate example of total war. While Americans on the battlefront
faced the greatest danger and often paid the ultimate price for their patriotism,
all citizens sacrificed for the war effort,” Robison said. “Charles Elliott will explore
national, public, and private initiatives enhancing virtuous austerity as a strategic
mandate in the fight against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.”
A lecture from Languages and Communication faculty member Joseph Burns -- “Blowing
Eight to the Bar: American Music During World War II” -- will be presented on Wednesday,
Oct. 25, at 1 p.m. in Pottle Auditorium.
“Music played a major wartime role. Troops got ‘V-Discs’ with patriotic songs,
and today’s events became tomorrow’s hits,” said Robison. “But soldiers returned to
a different musical landscape in 1945, as big bands gave way to small groups led by
pop singers, instrument factories retooled to manufacture weapons, and musicians went
on strike. And Hitler hated jazz. Come to this lecture and find out why.”
Rounding out the series is the “More-or-Less Annual Halloween Lecture” by Robison
on Oct. 31. At 1 p.m. in Pottle Auditorium Robison will present “Martin Luther, Halloween,
and the Sexy Witches of World War II: Uncovering Unlikely Links between the Reformation
and Modern History.”
“October 31 is not only Halloween, but also the 500th anniversary of German monk
Martin Luther publishing his ’95 Theses’ and beginning the Protestant Reformation,
an event with long-term significance for World War II and even Louisiana history,”
Robison said. “Where do the sexy witches fit in? That is a mystery you can only solve
by coming to the lecture. Candy will be thrown as usual.”
For more details about the 2017 Then and Now Lecture Series, contact the Department
of History and Political Science at 549-2109.
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Students meet employers at annual Career Fair
Victoria Young, an accounting major from New Orleans, left, listens to Chris Ortiz
of the Department of Justice/DEA as he discusses career opportunities within his agency
at the annual career fair for senior students and alumni held Thursday (Sept. 21).
More than 140 employers participated in the event designed to link students with regional
and national employers.
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Northshore College & Career Fair scheduled Sept. 26 for high school students
High school students and their parents are invited to learn about universities and
colleges across the state and nation as well as their scholarships, financial aid,
and admissions requirements at the Northshore College and Career Fair on Tuesday,
Sept. 26.
Not to be confused with Career Fair, Southeastern’s annual university-wide employment
recruiting event scheduled Sept. 21, this event caters to high school students. One
of the largest college fairs in the state with more than 50 participating colleges
and universities from throughout the state and nation, the free event will be held
from 6-8 p.m. at Southeastern’s Pennington Center, located on the corner of University
Avenue and General Pershing Street.
The fair is open to all high school students and their parents; the event is
scheduled in cooperation with the public school systems of Tangipahoa and St. Tammany
parishes.
Students can pre-register for their own special bar codes at lacollegefairs.com
to use at the event. Many vendors will be able to scan the codes to collect the students’
contact and interest information, eliminating the need to complete information cards
at each table.
“This is the primary event for high school students and their families to learn
more about selecting colleges and career options,” said Anthony Ranatza, Southeastern
director of Admissions. “Students and their parents will be able to browse exhibits
offering information on academic and career options, university admissions requirements,
as well as other scholarship and financial aid opportunities.”
For more information on the fair, contact Southeastern Admissions at 549-5637
or e-mail northshorefair@southeastern.edu. Additional information about Southeastern, including admission requirements and
scholarship opportunities, is available at southeastern.edu.
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Vonnie Borden Theatre to present ‘for colored girls…’
Just over 40 years ago, New York poet and playwright Ntozake Shange’s first and most
acclaimed stage performance of “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when
the rainbow is enuf” made its debut in Berkley, Calif.
Scheduled Oct. 3 – 6 at 7:30 p.m. each night, this award-winning and shockingly
honest portrayal of the inner and outer life of an American black woman will come
to Southeastern Louisiana University’s Vonnie Borden Theatre.
“For colored girls…” is considered unique within the genre of African-American
theatre. It has been considered a “choreopoem,” a term coined by Shange, which describes
a performance that incorporates poetry, dance, music, and song. Seven black women,
each clothed in a color of the rainbow, perform poems from a collection assembled
by Shange at the urging of her sister.
Tickets can be purchased from the Vonnie Borden Theatre box office located in
the lobby of D Vickers one hour before performance time. General admission tickets
are $15; $10 for seniors and non-Southeastern students; Southeastern students are
admitted free with university ID.
“It’s a very interesting production because there is no protagonist,” said Sarah
Balli, a senior from Bush, who is directing and designing the production as part of
her senior project. “It’s an ensemble cast of seven African-American females. There
are several scenes where they perform their pieces alone, but also many where they
perform together. Who performs what and with whom was put in the stage direction by
Shange, and I am staying as true to the text as possible.”
The piece, which won an Obie Award (Off-Broadway Awards) in 1977, includes 21
poems, each recounting or describing the good, bad, and ugly parts of Shange’s life
as a black woman living in 20th Century America. The performance is intended for an
adult audience because of subject matter content that includes rape, suicide and domestic
abuse.
“Shange revealed in interviews several years ago that she came up with the name
for this piece when she was driving down the highway while in a very dark emotional
place,” said Balli. “She had attempted suicide several times before then, and was
going back to that place until she saw a double rainbow over the highway. After she
passed through it, she began to feel much better. I think that kind of hope is actually
beautiful and inspiring.”
The cast of seven includes New Orleanians Taylor Bennett as the Lady in Yellow,
Kaysha Barra as the Lady in Green, Jordin Jones as the Lady in Red, and Raven Matthews
as the Lady in Brown; Shelley Sneed of Minden as the Lady in Purple; Ariana Robinson
of Prairieville as the Lady in Blue; and Breyanna Johnson of Dallas, Tex., as the
Lady in Orange.
Balli, who is white, said she consciously chose this piece to challenge herself
and expand her own understanding of race. With only half of the perspective necessary
to do Shange’s work justice, Balli relied heavily on the experiences of her cast to
bring the performance to life.
“To be a white woman directing a black woman’s play written for black women is
quite a humbling experience,” she said. “From our first table reading, I made it very
clear to the cast that this was going to be a very collaborative process. Although
I can connect to many of these poems as a woman, I can only connect with them to a
certain extent because ‘for colored girls’ was and is for women of color. I’m intentionally
creating a safe place during rehearsals for my cast to express what these poems mean
to them. By doing that, I hope to empower women of color and enlighten everyone else.”
For more information, visit southeastern.edu/theatre or call 549-2184.
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Southeastern Contemporary Art Gallery to present alumni lecture
Southeastern alumnus and art historian Dillon Raborn will present the annual art
alumni lecture on Oct. 4. Scheduled at noon in the Contemporary Art Gallery, located
at 100 East Stadium, the free lecture is part of the university’s upcoming Homecoming
Week festivities.
A 2015 graduate of Southeastern with a bachelor’s degree in art, Raborn currently
writes about contemporary art while living and working in Baton Rouge. Raborn, who
received is masters of art degree from Rutgers University, is also currently working
with the Hammond Regional Arts Center.
For more information, contact the Contemporary Art Gallery at 549-5080.
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Southeastern graduate speech-language pathology program earns national ranking
Southeastern’s speech-language pathology graduate program was named among the top
in the nation in rankings recently released by U.S. News and World Report.
Southeastern was among the top 200 in the country based on the results of peer
assessment surveys sent to deans, other administrators and/or faculty at accredited
degree programs or schools. All peer surveys were conducted by the market research
firm Ipsos Public Affairs.
Jacqueline Guendouzi, department head of Communication Sciences and Disorders,
said the CSD faculty is committed to training students who will meet the needs of
their future clients.
“When our graduates join the workforce, they will serve vulnerable individuals
of all ages with disorders of speech, hearing, communication, and swallowing that
could affect quality of life,” said Guendouzi. “We are dedicated not only to academic
rigor and ethical practice, but also to providing meaningful and highly diverse clinical
experiences at every level of the program.”
U.S. News & World Report is a multi-platform publisher of news and information, which includes annual print
and e-book versions of its authoritative rankings of Best Colleges, Best Graduate
Schools and Best Hospitals.
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Football, Ron Roberts Radio Show, Tope La Catering,
