Southeastern announces Fanfare schedule
Contact: Tonya Lowentritt
Date: September 17, 2012
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1) MUSIC TO THE EARS – Southeastern Louisiana University's Fanfare will present a concert with tenor Donald George, left, Southeastern 2010 Alumnus of the Year and associate professor of Vocal Music at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, on Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Pottle Auditorium. George will be accompanied by pianist Lucy Mauro, associate professor at West Virginia University.
2) LOUISIANA CONNECTIONS – Southeastern Louisiana University's English Department will present a series of lectures as part of Fanfare 2012 called "Louisiana Connections: Fiction and Poetry Readings by English Department Faculty." Jack Bedell, Southeastern Professor of English, editor of "Louisiana Literature," and author of several poetry collections, is scheduled to read Oct. 9 at 12:30 p.m. in D Vickers.
HAMMOND – October is just around the corner, and so is Southeastern Louisiana University's annual Fanfare program, which once again returns with a strong schedule of faculty and student entertainment and enlightenment.
In addition to the highly anticipated month-long showcase of music, theater, lectures, films, and exhibits, Fanfare 2012 will also highlight Louisiana through the English Department's Louisiana Connections: Fiction and Poetry Readings, a series of readings by the department's creative writing faculty.
Readings will be held throughout the month in the Contemporary Art Gallery and the Writing Center in D Vickers Hall, room 383. Southeastern faculty members to be featured include writers-in-residence Tim Gautreaux and Bev Marshall, Jack Bedell, David Armand, Richard Louth, Alison Pelegrin, Norman German, Leigh Rourks and David Rodriguez.
This year's Fanfare also includes a new lecture series from the College of Education and Human Development's Teaching and Learning Department called "Forum on Milestones – Forty Miles of Courage 120 Years Later." Topics will include the significance of the U.S. Constitution, American politics, and civil rights of two landmark Supreme Court decisions; the impact of slavery on the Reconstruction Era; and civil disobedience as a performance act.
Also on the Fanfare menu are art exhibits at Southeastern's Contemporary Art Gallery, the Hammond Regional Arts Center and the Columbia Theatre Grand Lobby, and a musical concert by tenor and Southeastern Alumnus Donald George of the State University of New York, Potsdam's Crane School of Music and piano soloist Lucy Mauro.
For musical buffs, the Opera/Music Theatre Workshop will present "The Light in the Piazza" September 27-28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. Nominated for 11 Tony awards in 2011 and winner of six, including Best Original Score for composer/lyricist Adam Guettel, "The Light in the Piazza" opened at Lincoln Center in April 2005. The production ran for over a year and is one of the most original musicals to open on Broadway in many years, said Chuck Effler, director of Southeastern's Opera Music/Theatre Workshop.
Also in the theater category is Southeastern Theatre's presentation of "Murderous Innocent" by New York playwright Tommy Jamerson, Oct. 16-19 in Vonnie Borden Theatre.
The Amite Art Guild is bringing something new to Fanfare this year on Oct. 27 at the Amite High School Theatre. The Victory Belles, the National WWII Museum's talented vocal trio will perform. Created for the museum in 2009, the Victory Belles have saluted veterans and the military through song both nationally and internationally. The Amite Art Guild is donating the proceeds of this performance to the Wounded Warriors Program.
Some additional Fanfare highlights include:
▪ The History and Political Science Department's ever popular "Then and Now" lecture series;
▪ Concerts from Southeastern's own Chamber Orchestra and Wind Symphony;
▪ The annual Fanfare Foreign Film Series showing a sample of the best Spanish, French, German and Italian flicks.
The 2012-13 season of the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts officially opens with the return of a Fanfare favorite, Capitol Steps, on Oct. 10. Back by popular demand, the always funny Capitol Steps is a group of former Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that once employed them.
Additional Columbia Theatre productions include Cirque Chinois, one of China's most acclaimed and influential circus troupes; a Ricky Nelson Tribute concert, courtesy of his identical twin sons; two musicals – The Full Monty and the Buddy Holly Story - presented by the Jefferson Performing Arts Society; a concert by Paul Taylor Dance Company, one of the world's most highly respected and sought-after ensembles; and a performance by the Travelin' McCoury's, the sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury.
For complete details, dates and ticket prices for Fanfare 2012 and the Columbia Theatre main stage season, call the box office at 985-543-4371, or visit www.columbiatheatre.org.
The box office is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., and one hour prior to Columbia performances. For a complete schedule, contact the Columbia/Fanfare office at 985-543-4366.
