Southeastern Dance presents "The Firebird" October 20 and 21
Contact: Tonya Lowentritt
10/12/11
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THE FIREBIRD – Southeastern Dance Professor Martie Fellom will present “The Firebird” on October 20 and 21 at Vonnie Borden Theatre. Scheduled for 7:30 p.m., the concert is free and will last approximately one hour. Fellom said “The Phoenix Rising,” the image courtesy of Marina Petro of Saratoga Springs, New York, captures the essence of the new version of “The Firebird.”
HAMMOND – “The Firebird,” a performance directed by Southeastern Louisiana University Fine and Performing Arts Professor Martie Fellom, will be presented Oct. 20 and 21 in Vonnie Borden Theatre as part of Fanfare, the university’s annual celebration of the arts, humanities and social sciences.
The free 7:30 p.m. program features a fresh story, written by English faculty member Alan Marsh, as well as performances showcasing the choreography of four Southeastern students.
Last spring Fellom said she asked Marsh to write a new story of “The Firebird,” one that was uplifting and unlike the traditional Russian tale with princesses, a prince, and the evil magician Kaschei.
“Mr. Marsh wrote a story that takes place in a world of birds, and his story is the basis for the performance,” said Fellom, who serves as the Woman’s Hospital Endowed Professor in the Humanities. “I also selected four Southeastern students to choreograph the production. Each has been working diligently on creating and designing movements for their bird characters in the story.”
In the story, Fellom added, there is an actor who appears intermittently throughout the production, observing and reciting famous quotes thousands of years old. The Firebird is played by Lauren Connor of Mandeville, and choreographers for the production include Kaleigh Brandt of Slidell, Ashli Tallo of Hammond, and Giara Major and Diamond Williams of Baton Rouge.
The Crows was choreographed by Tallo and includes dancers Brandt, Katherine Brown of Springfield, Denee’ Johnson of Baton Rouge, Major, Brittney Terrell of Bogalusa, and Erica Tricou of Hammond.
Brandt choreographed the Owls, and includes Millenique Brown of Belle Chase, Averi Harris of Slidell, Sarah Hill of Pearl River and Tallo as dancers.
The Vultures, choreographed by Major, provide comic relief for the production and include Darian Bourgeois of Folsom, Sarah Gregoire of Baton Rouge, Stephanie Hughes of New Orleans, Destiny Levert of Denham Springs, Shaina-Lin Lewis of Mount Hermon, Darby Murphy of Hammond, and Amanda Tracy of Denham Springs.
Choreographed by Williams, the Doves include Brandi Kenworthey of Abita Springs, Ashanti McLaurin of Hammond, Leah Reeb of Slidell, and Katherine Sharp of Hammond.
Fellom added that while the music for the production is the original 1910 music by Igor Stravinsky, she asked Southeastern student Stevan Ban of Terrytown to create music for the prologue.
Also assisting in the production are Ellen Lipkos, technical director of Pottle Muisc Building Auditorium, lighting design; Artie Fellom Gautier, costume design; and Southeastern students Laura Moore of Hammond and Allegra Weldon of Ponchatoula, who assisted with videography.
For additional information about The Firebird, contact Fellom at 985-549-2133.
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