River Campus turns one

The River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University is marking its one-year anniversary. (Fred Lynch)

The River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University is marking its one-year anniversary. (Fred Lynch)

The River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University is marking its one-year anniversary. (Fred Lynch)

The 940 seat Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the River Campus has already been booked for the coming season, with 'Big River' opening productions in October. The ventilation system uses the many small holes in the floor to bring air in that is then fanned out from the roof area. (Kit Doyle)

The Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall at the new River Campus is still under construction and is closed to students and the public. Once finished, it will seat 952 audience members. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Musicians practiced Handel's Messiah Monday, December 3, 2007, and the Bedell Performance Hall for concerts Friday and Saturday. (Kit Doyle)

The Robert F. and Gertrude L. Shuck Recital Hall (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Southern Illinois Music Festival Orchestra Concertmaster Misha Rosenker, of Spokane, WA, played Wednesday, June 25, 2008, at the River Campus. (Kit Doyle)

Edward Benyas conducted the Southern Illinois Music Festival Orchestra Wednesday, June 25, 2008, for a small crowd at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau. The concert featured violinist David Kim, a Cardondale native, who now is Concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Kim's violin is a 250-year-old J.B. Guadagnini from Milan, Italy. (Kit Doyle)

Rissa Crozier, left, Dana-Leigh Formon and Kristin Diering performed Crescendo and Chaos, which was choreographed by Crozier, during a tech rehearsal Wednesday, November 7, 2007, for the Fall Dance Concert Student Showcase at the Bedell Performance Hall. (Kit Doyle)

Several drums and other percussion instruments set on a shelf by walls that are specially designed with acoustic baffling to reduce echo. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

Andrew Kruep, right, cracked up while dressing Wednesday evening, November 7, 2007, as Blake Russell adjusted several ties before the tech rehearsal of the Fall Dance Concert Student Showcase at the Bedell Performance Hall. (Kit Doyle)

Southeast Missouri State sophomore Jessica Alvey, front, worked on the set of Big River with fellow crew member Alex Martin Thursday, September 27, 2007, in the River Campus Scene Shop. The set will incorporate more vertical elements than usual Southeast Missouri State productions because of more space with the Bedel Theatre. (Kit Doyle)

Steve Hendricks rehearsed Handel's Messiah with orchestra and chorus Monday, December 3, 2007, at the Bedell Performance Hall. (Kit Doyle)