First summer arts festival to celebrate visual, performing arts

Music, magic, dance, drama, painting, printmaking and more will be popping Saturday during the inaugural Community Summer Arts Festival at the River Campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

Activities, demonstrations, workshops and performances will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on patios overlooking the Mississippi River over to the parking lot adjacent to Fountain Street in Cape Girardeau.

"It's going to be a celebration of all of the arts -- visual and performing," said Rhonda Weller-Stilson, director of the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts and associate dean of Southeast's College of Liberal Arts.

"It's a representation of all we do all year long at the River Campus and a showcase of the work of professional artists from our region. We are excited to have this opportunity to reach out to a diverse population including kids of all ages," Weller-Stilson said, adding that members of the Cape Girardeau community have been suggesting a comprehensive arts festival since the River Campus opened in 2007.

Taking part in the festival will be Southeast students and staff; businesses and organizations including Old Town Cape, Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department; and local art guild members such as Caroline Kahler (demonstrating basket weaving), Justin Miller, Louise Bodenheimer, Cecelia Boos, Robert Gentry and Denny Lumos.

Ashley Lacy of Farmington, Missouri, a junior at Southeast Missouri State University, plays steel drums with high-school students at a percussion camp Friday at Bedell Performance Hall on the River Campus. (Fred Lynch)

About 100 volunteers organized and will staff the event.

Children participating in the campus summer vocal camp, taught by Chris Goeke, will present their final performance in the Shuck Music Recital Hall, and participants in the acting camp, taught by Victoria Tuttle, will perform in the Rust Flexible Theatre.

A special children's tent will have interactive art activities all day, plus face-painting and a musical instrument "petting zoo," which allows children to handle and sample a range of musical instruments.

The art studio situated by the river-view patio will exhibit the works of students and faculty and demonstrate art techniques. Local artist Craig Thomas will coordinate an Avenue of Art chalk-drawing competition in the area.

A range of dance styles will be performed and demonstrated -- country western by Irene Reynolds of Irene's Country Dancers, hip-hop by Hannah Wolf of The Dance Center, Broadway jazz by Hilary Peterson and salsa by Philip Edgecombe. Peterson and Edgecombe are Southeast dance instructors.

Devin Lorenz of Festus, Missouri, a senior at Southeast Missouri State University, plays the marimba with high-school students at a percussion camp Friday at Bedell Performance Hall on the River Campus. (Fred Lynch)

The Southeast Explorer -- the university's 38-foot-long mobile teaching and learning center -- will have an exhibit and activities geared for children about the American Indians who once populated Southeast Missouri.

Throughout the day, the local community theater troupe the River City Players will present scenes from its upcoming comedy, "A Bench in the Sun," in the Cultural Arts Center atrium. The show's cast is Lloyd Williams, Claudette Hency, Larry Reiminger and Susie Ryan, and it will be performed July 10 through 13 at Port Cape Girardeau. It is directed by Brenda Ferguson.

Music -- including folk, classical violin, island-style steel drums and jazz -- will be performed all day. Mr. Saxaphone will entertain children.

For some, the festival will be a family affair. Jay Contrino, adjunct professor of music at Southeast, will play in the steel drum band and the Jerry Ford Combo. His wife, Michelle, a Southeast dance instructor, plays Sister Mary Leo in "Nunsense," the musical comedy that opens Thursday in the Rust Flexible Theatre and runs through June 29. The teacher of jazz, tap, ballet and dance appreciation not only performs in the musical, but she also choreographed it.

Michelle Contrino said the musical is at times nerve-wracking since she hadn't performed for an audience in 13 years, but she absolutely loves the experience.

"It has increased my level of respect of my students in the dance department," said Contrino, who early in her career performed on cruise ships and met her husband on one.

All festival activities are free; plenty of off-street parking is available. Because activities will be indoors and under canopies, the festival will take place rain or shine. Food and beverages will be offered for purchase.

Tickets for "Nunsense" may be bought by contacting the River Campus box office in the Cultural Arts Center, 518 S. Fountain St., weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., by calling 651-2265 or by visiting RiverCampusEvents.com.

The event is sponsored by Drury Hotels, Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, the Earl and Margie Holland School of Visual and Performing Arts, Southeast Missouri State University, the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department, 573 magazine, KRCU, the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau, KBSI, Ruopp Dentistry, the Crisp Museum and the university's departments of art, music and theater and dance. The Missouri Arts Council has provided the festival with a grant. Partners include the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and Old Town Cape.

nhadler@semissourian.com

388-3640

Pertinent address:

518 S. Fountain St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.