River Campus announces lineup for 10th season

Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus will celebrate its 10th season in 2016-2017 with a variety of productions, exhibits and shows.

Nearly 285,000 patrons have attended almost 500 performances at the River Campus over the past nine seasons. As it nears completion of its first decade, the River Campus plans to rediscover its roots with an encore performance of "Big River" by Southeast's Conservatory of Theatre and Dance in February, according to a news release from Southeast. "Big River" was the first show performed on the Bedell Performance Hall stage when the River Campus opened in fall 2007.

With the launch of the River Campus' 10th season will come works from touring professionals, as well as Southeast's own departments of music and art, the Conservatory of Theatre and Dance and the Crisp Museum. Highlights of the upcoming season include "Mamma Mia," The TEN Tenors and the Vienna Boys Choir in the touring series; "A Chorus Line" and "A Midsummer's Night's Dream" in the theater and dance series; the Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields and Holiday Classics in the symphony series; the "Heroes, Villains, Monsters" display in the Crisp Museum; and many student exhibitions in the River Campus Art Gallery, the release stated.

"By creating the River Campus, Southeast put forth tremendous physical and personnel resources in support of the arts," said Bob Cerchio, assistant director of the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts. "No other campus in the state of Missouri, nor very few nationwide, provide a place where both visual and performing arts of local, national and international origin are brought together."

To celebrate the 10th season, a commissioned piece in this year's symphony series will celebrate the history and honor the Vincentian community, which previously made its home on the River Campus property, according to the release. This special choral and orchestral concert pays tribute to the River Campus with a world premiere performance of a work by Gordon "Dick" Goodwin, professor emeritus at the University of South Carolina.

The piece describes the history of the River Campus, originally the home for St. Vincent's College and Seminary, to its current role as a cultural center, the release states. The piece was commissioned to recognize the Vincentian Community and to honor the Rev. Oscar Lukefahr, who served this region for many years. The performance also will feature the Concerto and Aria and Rising Star Competition winners.

Returning to the 2016-2017 season will be "Art Cuisine" evenings in which patrons may purchase dinner before select performances at the River Campus' newest dining facility in the Kenneth and Jeanine Dobbins River Campus Center, the release stated.

Season-ticket sales for the upcoming season now are open to the public, and individual tickets will go on sale Monday.

More information on the 2016-2017 River Campus season and a calendar of events will be available later this summer at www.RiverCampusEvents.com. Brochures will be mailed to current ticket patrons or can be requested by calling the River Campus box office at (573) 651-2265.

Source: Southeast Missouri State University News Bureau

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