University's performing arts offer prelude to River Campus move

By the start of the 2007 academic year, the Southeast Missouri State University departments of music and theater and dance hope to have their new performance spaces on the River Campus ready to go.

So for both departments, the 2006-2007 season of concerts and productions will serve as a prelude to what audiences can expect in new facilities.

The two departments announced their upcoming season schedules this week -- schedules that include unprecedented performances for each.

Theater and dance plans to retire the Rose Theatre as its primary performance venue by capping off a season of comedy and classic drama with its biggest production ever.

Grand send-off

The season starts Sept. 29 with the acclaimed comedy "Noises Off," followed by the annual Fall Dance Concert starting Nov. 10, the Tennessee Williams classic "A Streetcar Named Desire" starting Feb. 23, the Spring Dance Concert starting March 14 and closing with the musical "42nd Street" starting April 21.

Theater and dance department chair Dr. Kenn Stilson said all of the productions should have wide appeal for local audiences, but "42nd Street" will be the grand send-off for the department's last season before the River Campus.

"It's the largest show our department will ever have produced, much bigger than 'Guys and Dolls,'" Stilson said. "We have probably double the amount of costumes and a much larger cast.

"We're going to be bulging at the seams at the Rose Theatre. We're not going to have an inch of spare space backstage."

For the music department it's the first concert of the season that will serve as a cornerstone. In an unprecedented move, the Southeast Symphony Orchestra will bring in Grammy-winning flutist Rhonda Larson for the first performance Oct. 3.

Larson will perform alongside the symphony orchestra with a selection of music ranging from classical to Celtic to open the group's last season in Academic Hall.

Show times change

"It's the kind of thing that foreshadows what we want to do with the River Campus," said Dr. Gary Miller, associate dean of liberal arts and interim director of the School of Visual and Performing Arts.

The second concert, the annual festive Christmas collaboration with the University Choir and Choral Union, will take place Nov. 28. A showcase of Southeast's Concerto and Aria Competition winners will follow March 6. The season will close with music from English composers on May 1.

Another change this year is that all performances for both departments will begin at 7:30 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.

Tickets go on sale for music and theater and dance performance July 15. For more information, call 651-2265.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182