Thursday, August 27, 2009

Out With the Old and In With the New

As a Theatre minor and Secretary of the Theatre Department at Valley City State University, I have had the great opportunity to see a wonderful director leave and another one come in. I got to help interview the Theatre Director that came in. I am definitely honored.

While being able to be such a big part of everything, I have also experienced emotional joyrides. It was definitely a sad time for seeing such a great person leaving. Last year, which was the same year our previous director retired, we had some major excitements of going through a flood.

Every year our Theatre Department put on a Festival of One Acts that are written and directed by students. The festival was enjoyed by all of any age and community members as well. The flood came around during our final preparations and dress rehearsals for the One Acts and I was supposed to direct. Due to evacuations of Valley City, ND, the One Acts were cancelled. Our last year with the Theatre Director came to an abrubt end and for some reason this was very hard for all of us. It was nice to know that I wasn't alone however and we made it through a rough time together. We had something to look forward to.

Those of us involved in Theatre have been a little nervous on getting a new Theatre Director but we are going in with a good attitude and we are excited. She is brand new to our Theatre Department this year and she has many new ideas. The year is being started off with a 24 Hour Theatre Extravaganza. The VCSU Theatre schedule of the year is as follows:

August 28 7PM 24 - Hour Theatre Extravaganza Kick-off in Vangstad Auditorium

August 29 8PM 24 - Hour Theatre Extravaganza Showin Vangstad Auditorium

Oct 22, 23 8PM - The Dining Room
Oct 24 2PM matinee and 8PM - The Dining RoomVangstad Auditorium

Nov 19, 20, 21 8PM - Valley City: Comedy Tonight! Theatre 320

Feb 11, 12, 13 8PM - Searching for David's HeartTheatre 320

April 15, 16 8PM - Tintypes
April 17 2PM matinee and 8PM - TintypesVangstad Auditorium

2 comments:

  1. I'm excited for the theater season to start up again! I went to the 24 hour theater meeting tonight and I'm going to act in it. There were a lot of good, enthusiastic people there and I can't wait to get to know them better.
    I was also disappointed that the one-acts were cancelled, because I was involved in them. Of course it had to happen the week we opened.
    I am going to miss Doc Kelly, even though I only knew him for a year. I'm sure that this year is going to be good, too, and I'm excited.

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  2. I am a definite support of the theater department and after knowing how great the department was before, it is sort of a wait and see on how a new director will affect the department. I am sure it will do great! The music department just went through the same type of scenario a little while back. The current band director, Dr. James Adams, had very big shoes to fill when Sigurd Johnson left, but it worked out just fine and the band is still thriving! The new theater director has big shoes to fill, but I'm sure she will do just fine. Good luck to the department!

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