Page 4 - Fall 2017 VPA Espresso Newsletter

News From Student Writers...
The following articles were written by students in Professor Steve Spence’s Social Media for Professionals class. Also included in
this section is a news release written by a student in CMS 3560 - Introduction to Public Relations. This issue of Espresso was also copy- edited by Student Khyaisa Forbes-Clemens.
Building Towards The Future: Clayton State Theatre Undergoes Renovation
By Daniel Sierra
MORROW, Ga. October 23, 2017 – The Clayton State University Division of Theatre will commence renovations to its theatre following the Fall 2018 semester. The renovations are expected to start after finals week in December.
Originally a large auditorium, the Clayton State Theatre was conceived when the Bachelor of the Arts for Theatre was created 11 years ago. The upcoming renovation is the first large-scale upgrade for the
theatre and it is expected to re-open in the Fall of 2018. The Theatre Division is currently working alongside skilled architects to have the new theatre be aesthetically comparable to Clayton State’s musical venue, Spivey Hall.
“I am excited about the possibilities this renovation will provide for our students. This will not only improve our recruitment efforts, but foster creative collaborations among our current students and community,” said Shontelle Thrash, Director of Theatre at Clayton State University.
Plans include building a 360-degree catwalk around the theatre to provide new lighting positions, expansion of the dressing rooms, and the creation of a new lobby.
“We’re building a place that’s being cultivated for a space for students and programs to grow,” said Derrick Vanmeter, Assistant Professor
of Theatre at Clayton State University. Clayton State Theatre plans
to bring back alumni to perform with current theatre students for the first production of the Fall 2018 semester. The renovation will support Clayton State Theatre in training industry-ready students for careers in performing arts.
A Christmas Carol Premiers at CSU Theater
By Cheyenne Webster
This December 6th, Clayton State University is rolling out their holiday production, A Christmas Carol. Planning to make a Christmas production a yearly tradition, CSU Theater is adding a twist to a classic story we all know and love. We all know the classic story about the elderly boss who gets a visit from the ghost of his old coworker along
with a ghost from Christmas past, present and future. These visits open his eyes and turn him into a much more positive person, while learning just what Christmas is all about. Instead of treating this like a traditional play, it will be a play within a play, using the stage manager and prop boy as actual characters in the show.
I took a moment to sit down with the Theatre major, Damon Jones to discuss what CSU theatre means to him. Right off the bat, I could tell from his energy and personality that he has a passion for what he does.
I wanted to know what made him want to pursue theatre. He mentions, “I naturally just love to make people laugh. How the acting thing kind of got started, I was in a biblical play in school. From there I didn’t
get serious until High school. It was just something I wanted to try
out and get my feet wet you know?” He mentions his main inspiration is “seeing everyone’s reaction, and the smiles on their faces”. My
next question was how would he plain to use his experience with this show toward his future. He explained, “Taking the techniques from this musical given specifically by Professor Thrash, I’m going to be equipped with more choices to do on stage, I’ll be more versatile.” Lastly, I wanted to know what were some individual characteristics he planned to bring to the CSU Theatre program. He mentions, “Primarily I would say personality and individuality, I’m really big on that. I’m not trying to be everyone else, I’m just trying to be Damon. Also, a high positive energy, just like if you ask professor Thrash she’ll to tell you I’m just that guy that wants everybody to feel good. Motivation and my version of creativity along with balance is what I plan to bring as well”.
A Christmas Carol plays on December 6 at 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Spivey Hall. The 10 a.m. show is a Young Peoples Concert meaning it’s for children. The 7:30 p.m. show is open to the public and as always CSU Students get in for free.
Clayton State Community Big Band
By Christian King
Stacey Houghton will direct the community big band. Houghton is
in charge of selecting the program and rehearsing the music with the group. Clayton State’s Community Big Band will be celebrating their 17th year of musical excellence. When I asked Professor Houghton were there any influences on the community big band his response was, “I draw from many styles of music, not just jazz, hopefully present an eclectic mixture that influences the music that I choose and play in the university’s jazz combo and big band.” I asked director and performer, Stacey Houghton where did his inspiration for his musical expertise come from, he responded by saying “Since I began in a band program as a saxophonist, my earliest influences were such players as Boots Randolph, Chris Vadala and David Sanborn. I gained an interest in traditional jazz styles in college.” The community big band will pay tribute to honorable artist such as Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Duke Ellington, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and many more. The
jazz combo is a fairly smaller band than the community band. This is strictly a student performance ranging from 4 to 9 members. It focuses more heavily on jazz improvisation and musical communication.
Professor Houghton will also perform periodically in the band. The performance is open to all current students and alumni. It is project to sell about 75-120 tickets for the concert, which is later this fall.
VPA ESPRESSO | p. 4 Newsletter of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Clayton State University VPA ESPRESSO | p. 4 Newsletter of the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at Clayton State University