Southeastern Theatre celebrates degree program, presents world premiere by local playwright
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
by: Tonya Lowentritt 
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University Theatre is presenting the world premiere
of The Way We Say Goodbye, a play written and directed by Southeastern Alumna Donna
Gay Anderson. Scheduled Nov. 16 – 19 at 7:30 p.m., the production is a celebration
of the new bachelor degree program in theatre design and will be presented at Reimer’s
Memorial Auditorium, located at 305 E. Charles St.
Southeastern’s theatre program is designed to provide its undergraduate students
rigorous training in theatre arts disciplines, as well as provide a solid foundation
in theatre history, literature, and theory through an expansive curriculum and hands-on
experience. The undergraduate curriculum is offered within the unique context of multiple
opportunities to perform, design, manage and produce in four main stage productions
every season.
Over the past several years, theatre students and productions have been recognized
among the region’s finest through the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.
Southeastern Theatre teaching faculty are theatre professionals with diverse backgrounds
in training and experience with national and international career profiles.
The Way We Say Goodbye cast is composed of Southeastern alumni and current Southeastern
students. Cast members include Elizabeth Nichols (Hammond), Brenna Barzenick (Hammond),
Brigid Tournoux (Springfield, Ill.), Sable Diaz (Lacombe), Lorna Culmone Bourgeois
(St. Amant), Ashtyn Monistere (Livingston), Bridgette Wilson (Hammond), Chloe Williams
(Hammond), Carsyn Avegno (Ponchatoula), Brooke Saunier (Lake Charles), Sue Gautier
(Hammond), Erin Depaula (Hammond), Annabelle Snow (Walker), Anne-Liese Fox (New Orleans),
Justin Davis (Greensburg), Kendel Smith (New Orleans), Charlie Vance (Amite), and
Landon Scholle (Ponchatoula).
“Humans bid farewell to people, places and things for a plethora of reasons and
in countless ways, leading them to places of gratitude, shame, anger, joy, grace,
fear, and reconciliation,” Anderson said. “The Way We Say Goodbye, a collage of 15
monologues with varying degrees of separation, introduces us to 14 women and 1 man
who celebrate, mourn, and sometimes cluelessly navigate the farewells that clear paths
to the subsequent chapters of their lives.”
Anderson is a playwright/lyricist whose dramatic works have been developed and
presented in New York, North Carolina, Louisiana, and Kentucky. Her musical, High
and Mighty, received multiple awards of recognition at the Kennedy Center American
College Theatre Festival. Her work has been developed at Southeastern and Chicago
Dramatists and by artists from Kentucky Shakespeare.
Ticket prices are $20 general admission and $15 for non-Southeastern students,
military, faculty, staff and seniors. Tickets can be purchased online at southeastern.edu/theatre
or at the door one hour prior to performances. Southeastern students are admitted
free with their university ID and can pick up their tickets the night of the performance.
Running time for the play is 90 minutes with no intermission. Reserved seating
is not available at this time, and all sales are final with no refunds or exchanges.
For more information, email theatreboxoffice@southeastern.edu or call 985-549-2115.
