SHSU Update for Week of November 5

• Annual Fund Kicks Off
• 'The Old Maid and the Thief'
• Symphony Performs Musical Pictures
• 'The Tempest'
• Parents' Association Scholarships
• Art in Italy
• Student Wins National Scholarship

Annual Fund Kicks Off

"Gary Bouse, our executive director, and I have several goals," said Kevin Hayes, assistant director for development. "First of all, we want to create an understanding within the SHSU family of the importance to our university of financial gifts on an annual basis. Also, awareness by our faculty and staff that their tax deductible gifts can be designated to the area of their choice and that an annual report of donors will be published recognizing their gift level."

Annual fund gifts play an important role in providing operational support for academic excellence at SHSU, said Hayes, including scholarships, equipment, student research and travel, faculty development, and special projects.

"By starting internally," he said, "we will be taking the first step of providing an example for alumni, friends, parents, and corporations who contribute to the areas of their choice through the upcoming Our Annual Fund campaign."

"Finally," Hayes said, "our most important goal is participation. We are hoping for at least 50 percent participation from SHSU's faculty and staff. With this percentage of participation, this will definitely let the outside world know how special our university really is."

For more information regarding this program or other ways to make a gift to Sam Houston State University, contact the Office of University Advancement at 936.294.3625.

'The Old Maid and the Thief'

The opera was first performed as a radio play on April 22, 1939 on NBC and its first staging took place in Philadelphia on February 11, 1941. The work consists of fourteen short scenes, one of which contains the famous soprano aria "Steal Me, Sweet Thief."

The compact action takes place in a small town in southern USA, and begins with two middle-aged spinsters, Miss Todd and Miss Pinkerton, having tea together. A beggar, Bob, comes to the back door. After Miss Pinkerton leaves, he is let in by Miss Todd's young maid, Laetitia.

Desperate for male company, the women persuade him to stay indefinitely and they lavish food and comfort on him. Later the women learn of an escaped thief whose description fits Bob, but they continue to shelter him. When he wants to leave, Miss Todd and Laetitia rob a liquor store in order to give him gin to drink. When Bob finds this out, he points out that it is Miss Todd who should be put in jail for stealing. Enraged, she threatens to go to the police, and while she is gone Bob and Laetitia decide to elope, stealing her car and other items. Miss Todd returns to her empty house; she rants and faints.

Cast members include Brannon Barnaba from Baytown, Amara Chhin, Sarah Cuddy, and Jennifer Palisin from Houston, Alyssa Dixon from Huntsville, Andrea Gauthier from Montgomery and Rashida Moore from Spring. There will also be a special guest appearance by Brian Chapman, the new Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The show is directed by Dorothy Maddison, new SHSU voice faculty member who has studied and performed in the United States and Europe, and accompanied by David Fleming. Costumes and set construction are designed and produced by Melissa and John Barton, both theater students at SHSU. Additional stage management assistance comes from theater major Melissa Miller and other members of the opera workshop program.

Admission is by ticket, which may be purchased at the door or ordered in advance through the music department by calling (telephone number). Prices are $8 for adults and $5 for seniors. SHSU students and staff and Friends of Music are admitted free.

"The Old Maid and the Thief" will later be paired with another one-act opera by Mozart entitled "Bastien and Bastien" which will be performed at the end of January 2001 with the SHSU chamber orchestra directed by Carol Smith.

Cast members for this production include Steven Bayless and Cortney Hicks from Houston, Haley Dyes from Bellaire, and Frank Rich from Spring. Both productions will tour the area, and any organizations or schools which may be interested in having the opera workshop visit their institutions should contact Maddison through the Sam Houston Department of Music.

"The SHSU Opera Workshop is open by audition to any student currently enrolled," said Maddison. "Non-majors are encouraged to participate, and students interested in technical experience are just as valuable to the group as those who wish to advance their singing and acting skills."

The spring semester of 2001 will conclude with a series of English Operetta scenes, including famous extracts from Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Students are encouraged to audition for this workshop performance at the beginning of the spring semester.

'The Tempest'

Master Magician Prospero (Spencer Plachy) summons his powers of sorcery to gain control over an island paradise. He then concocts a plan that will return to him his lost kingdom. Intertwined in this plan is a budding romance between his daughter, Miranda (Bianca Toscano) and Ferdinand (Corby Sullivan), a young nobleman.

Additional cast members include junior theatre majors Lee Trull and Jeremy Sutton, senior musical theatre major James Lane, sophomore theatre major Matt Logan, and sophomore theatre minor Jaqueline Conway.

"The Tempest" is directed by theatre faculty member Maureen McIntyre. Choreography is by dance graduate student Danyale Taylor. Senior theatre major Brandy Lee Smith stage manages the show. Theatre faculty member Jerry Hooker designed the set, with lighting design by senior theatre minor Sara Young. Costumes were designed by theatre faculty member Kristina Hanssen.

Tickets are $10, or $8 for SHSU students and seniors. For more information, call the University Theatre Center Box Office at 936.294.1339.

Symphony Performs Musical Pictures

Some of the musically-achieved images will be a gnome, a troubadour, fussy children, a Polish peasant wagon, a ballerina in a chick costume, market women and lost cows, Roman catacombs, a Russian witch and a great gate that was never built.

The performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Beto Criminal Justice Center Killinger Auditorium. Tickets are $8 general admission and $5 students, with free admission for Friends of Music and faculty/staff and students with proper SHSU identification.

Parents' Association Scholarships

Lisa Capps, right, senior history major from Sugar Land, daughter of Larry and Diana Capps; Stephanie Finn, left, senior accounting/finance major from Coupland, daughter of Gaylon and Alice Finn; Robert Anton (Tony) Culak, right, junior elementary education major from Huntsville, son of Dennis and Paula Culak; and Luke Moore, left, senior journalism and radio/television major from Dallas, son of Mrs. Kathleen Moore.

Eligibility requirements for scholarship consideration were: parents must be members in good standing with the Parents' Association; applicant must be enrolled for Fall 2000 with a minimum of 12 hours; applicant must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0; applicant must have completed 12 SHSU undergraduate hours by June 1, 2000.

"All students selected for scholarships had grade point averages of 3.5 or better and were extremely active in various SHSU recognized student organizations," said Gayle Bullard, Parents' Association adviser.

The Parents' Association was organized in 1979 to contribute to the comfort and welfare students. Its membership is open to all parents, guardians, or persons interested in the students or former students of SHSU.

The primary activities of the association include Parents' Weekend, Apple Days/Final Exam Week Support, a semi-annual newsletter, and $4,000 in scholarship funds.

The association has been very successful at increasing memberships along with increasing funds available for student assistance, said Bullard.

The governing body of the association consists of a board of directors and an adviser to coordinate the activities with the university. The association has three planning meetings each year, with their annual meeting on Parents' Weekend.

Art in Italy

"Participants visit all major art sites in and around Florence as well as trips to Pisa, Siena, Venice and Rome," said Darryl Patrick, who will coordinate the trip. "It is a value-packed month spent in one of the most historic cities in the world."

Dates are May 27-June 25, 2001.

"We are accepting interesting individuals, ages 18-80, who don't mind walking, living in an apartment in the heart of Michelangelo's city, spending a weekend in Venice, and who have $3585," said Patrick.

Students may enroll in Art 493, History of Italian Art, which will be taught there, in the presence of the actual artistic masterpieces.

Information is available by calling Patrick at 830.899.5783, or on the Study in Florence website.

Student Wins National Scholarship

The foundation announced that selections are based on academic excellence, professional potential and financial need.

Based in New York City, the foundation provides undergraduate junior and senior level scholarships to outstanding students majoring in television/film.

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SHSU Media Contacts: Frank Krystyniak, Julia May
Nov. 5, 2000
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