Music, lectures and a fashion show highlight Fanfare's third week
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
by: Tonya Lowentritt
HAMMOND – A concert celebrating a musical legend, lectures and a fashion show
highlight the third week of Fanfare, Southeastern Louisiana University’s annual fall
arts festival.
Fanfare’s third week begins Wednesday, Oct. 17, with the first of two free Then
and Now Lecture presentations in Pottle Auditorium. First up is Joseph Ricci, Southeastern
history major and employee of the Louisiana Civil War Museum. Ricci will present “The
Beloved Chaplain – Reverend Thomas Railey Markham, D.D.,” at 1 p.m.
“Vicksburg native and Presbyterian minister Thomas Markham witnessed critical
moments in the Civil War – the fall of New Orleans, siege of Vicksburg, capture of
Atlanta, and Battle of Franklin,” said Ricci. “His first-hand accounts offer the rare,
personal perspective of a non-combatant. Letters to and from his family tell the tale
of a dedicated minister with a lifelong devotion to the citizenry of New Orleans.”
On Monday, Oct. 22, Claire Vaye Watkins will participate in Southeastern’s Common
Read program. Common Read provides students and community members the opportunity
to read selected works and then meet their contemporary author.
Southeastern students are reading “Battleborn,” her award winning short story
collection about the American West. During Watkins’ visit to campus, she will take
part in three events in the Student Union Theater. The program includes student presentations
from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., a question and answer session with the author from 11 a.m.
to 12:15 p.m., and a reading, reception and book signing from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. All
events are free and open to the public.
Also on Oct. 22, Fanfare’s new series Your Best 10 Minutes will feature five
professors who have 10 minutes to talk about anything they like. Participating in
this round are Mary White of the Biology Department, Margaret Gonzalez-Perez of the
History and Political Science Department, Dan Hollander of the Kinesiology Department,
Kent Neuerburg of the Math Department, and Rhett Allain of the Physics Department.
Southeastern Communication Professor Joseph Burns will provide the next free
Then and Now Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 24. Burns will present “Then and Now: Oh…
Rocky!” A musical presentation by the “Rob and Burn Brothers” at 12:30 p.m. will precede
the 1 p.m. lecture in Pottle Auditorium.
“How did The Rocky Horror Picture Show go from successful stage play to massive
onscreen flop to cultural phenomenon? What are you expected to do when you see it?”
asked Burns, who has seen the film over 100 times. “Why would you want to do the time
warp again? What ever happened to Fay Wray? Come to the lab and see what’s on the
slab.”
Next up for the week is a Wearable Art Fashion Show scheduled Thursday, Oct.
25, from 5 to 7 p.m. in Southeastern’s Contemporary Art Gallery. The new event is
a fashion runway walk featuring costumes and fashion created by Southeastern theatre
design and art students. Attendance is free.
Monday, Oct. 25, will feature Louisiana Journeys: A Local History Series at 6:30
p.m. in the Hammond Branch Library. Melanie Ricketts will present “Tragedy on the
Tracks – The Monumental Heroism of Francis G. Stewart and how the Hammond Community
Honored his Sacrifice.” Ricketts is a local historian and preservationist dedicated
to uncovering the hidden history of Hammond. Using photographs, historic documents
and oral histories, she will share the story that ignited her passion for local history.
Also on Oct. 25, the Columbia Theatre will present “Tapestry: The Carole King
Songbook,” at 7:30 p.m. in the downtown Hammond theatre. The concert, featuring Suzanne
O. Davis, is North America’s premiere musical tribute to King.
“Suzanne O. Davis gives an energetic and heartfelt performance along with the
Tapestry band and takes the audience on a journey into those great recordings,” said
Columbia Theatre and Fanfare Director Roy Blackwood. “With songs like ‘It’s Too Late,’
‘I Feel the Earth Move,’ ‘One Fine Day,’ and ‘Jazzman,’ Tapestry brings back a beautiful
flood of music memories with every song.”
Tickets for “Tapestry: The Carole King Songbook” are $35 in the orchestra or
balcony and $45 in the loge. Tickets can be purchased at the Columbia Theatre Box
Office at 220 East Thomas Street in Hammond, which is open 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday-Friday,
online at columbiatheatre.org, or by phone at 985-543-4371.
For a complete Fanfare schedule, contact the Columbia/Fanfare office at 985-543-4366
or visit columbiatheatre.org.
