BOONE—The Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance will present the 2016 “First Year Showcase” September 22–24 at 7 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinee on September 25. The production takes place in the I.G. Greer Studio Theatre on the university campus, and tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults.
Each performance season opens with the showcase, a fast-paced, high energy performance by new students. The theme for the 2016 showcase is “Transformation,” and members of the largest incoming class in department history—65 freshmen and transfer students—will make their Appalachian debut.
Under the direction of Theatre Arts Professor Joel Williams, students will devise and present four original short scenes. The four scenes are directed by junior and senior theatre education majors Jordan Correll, Brea Glosson, Tia’rah Kindle and Lauren Thefaine. Under the direction of Assistant Professor of Dance Studies Cara Hagan, students will also perform original works choreographed by Dance Studies Professor Marianne Adams, Dance Studies Adjunct Chris Yon and Hagan, along with a piece created by senior dance studies minor Sarah Patrick.
Pieces featured in the showcase are personal to the performers, highlighting their past and current experiences. Participants also establish long-lasting friendships and professional relationships that leave a positive impression for students who are just beginning their college career at Appalachian, whether as freshmen or transfer students.
“It’s really a great opportunity for students to meet other people, to get to know the department and learn what possibilities are available to them,” said Hagan.
I.G. Greer Studio Theatre is located on the lower level of the I.G. Greer building below the main auditorium, with a separate entrance down the stairway on the side of the building. Parking is available in faculty lots after 5 p.m. and in the College Street parking deck near Belk Library and Information Commons after 5:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts box office weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Valborg Theatre box office weekdays 1-5 p.m. or online at http://theatreanddance.appstate.edu.
Theatre and Dance at Appalachian State University
The Department of Theatre and Dance is one of seven departments housed in Appalachian’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. Its mission is to facilitate transformative experiences for students and the public, which cultivate compassionate, creative and collaborative communities through theatre and dance.
The department also values the opportunity to offer coursework for integrated learning through the arts to the general university student population. Vital to the support of this mission is a dynamic co-curricular production program that provides exemplary theatre and dance experiences to departmental students, the university community and the region.
The departmental philosophy is to support the university’s liberal arts environment through a balanced and integrated emphasis on teaching, creative activity, scholarship and service. To learn more, visit http://theatreanddance.appstate.edu.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Keith Martin
828-262-8179
MartinKT1@appstate.edu
Students having fun in the studio
Students prepare for the 2016 "First Year Showcase." Photo by Lynn Willis