The Green Room / October 2018 by ColoradoStateUniversity_UCA

WELCOME TO

THE GREEN ROOM Harvest Moon Come a little bit closer Hear what I have to say Just like children sleepin' We could dream this night away. But there's a full moon risin' Let's go dancin' in Dan Goble

Director of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance

Jennifer Clary Jacobs

Director of Communications

Mike Solo

Creative Director

the light We know where the music's playin' Let's go out and

When asked, Dan Goble, director of the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance declared “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young as his favorite fall-themed tune. “You can’t go wrong with Neil Young—it’s a great song!” So, as you read these pages of The Green Room, enjoy the romantic title track from the Canadian singer-songwriter’s 1992 release.

feel the night. Because I'm still in

On Sept. 23, we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the University Center for the Arts with an afternoon open house. We were delighted to welcome long-time friends of the UCA, alongside many new faces, as everyone enjoyed a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of our beloved building.

moon. When we were strangers I

Keeping with the 10th Anniversary theme, we are offering $10 adult tickets all year long; CSU student tickets remain no charge and youth under 18 are just $3.

my heart. But now it's gettin' late

In a month full of events, we’re giving you Oct. 24 off so you can go dance under the harvest moon, but please join us throughout October for events ranging from the Ralph Opera Program’s presentation of The Myth of Orpheus to CSU Theatre’s second week of The Laramie Project to the annual Halloween Organ Extravaganza. We look forward to seeing you!

love with you I want to see you dance again Because I'm still in love with you On this harvest watched you from afar When we were lovers I loved you with all And the moon is climbin' high I want to celebrate See it shinin' in your eye. Because I'm still in love with you I want to see you dance again Because I'm still in love with you On this harvest moon. —Neil Young

TABLE OF TICKETS Online Sales: CSUArtsTickets.com Ticket Office: Griffin Lobby, University Center for the Arts (UCA) Ticket Office Hours: M–F, 3:30–5:30 p.m., and 60 minutes prior to performances Information: (970) 491-ARTS (2787) / Email: CSUArts@colostate.edu Group rate: 15% off on ten or more tickets, applied at the time of purchase Tickets may be purchased, both online and at the UCA Ticket Office until 30 minutes after curtain. Print-at-home tickets are available online. All tickets are subject to a $1 ticket fee for both online and at-the-door purchases. At-the-door and phone purchases will incur a $3 processing fee per order. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended to avoid lines and the at-the-door fee. Purchase Policy: All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Seating after the start of any performance is at the discretion of the house manager. Photography and recording of performances are strictly prohibited. Food and beverages prohibited in all theatres. Parents with disruptive children may be asked to excuse themselves if the performance is disturbed without refund.

CONTENTS New Faculty / Faculty News............................. 04 20 Years Later..................................................... 13 Lucky 13................................................................ 23 10th Anniversary Celebration Recap.............. 25 Don't Look Back!................................................. 28 Home Sweet Second Home............................. 28 Art and Education............................................... 43 WWII Donation to Avenir................................... 48

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS CREATIVE DIRECTOR: MIKE SOLO STAFF WRITERS:

SOCIAL MEDIA This is your UCA! Stay connected with the University Center for the Arts by connecting with us on social media. Facebook: facebook.com/CSU.UCA Instagram: ColoradoStateUniversity_UCA Twitter: @CSUUCA Youtube: YouTube.com/ColoradoStateUniv Flickr: flickr.com/photos/csulibarts

JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS EMILY KAISER HERMAN CHAVEZ

FOR ADVERTISING PLEASE CONTACT: JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS jennifer.clary@colostate.edu / 970.491.3603

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What's in a Name?.............................................. 52

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This fall, the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance welcomed many new faculty and staff to the UCA. We are thrilled, that due to departmental growth, some of the professors are filling newly created positions. We greet all of you with enthusiasm!

Stanley is an active teacher and performing musician, traveling

NEW FACULTY

frequently throughout Europe and the U.S. as a recitalist and master teacher, most recently performing in Italy and Russia.

STANLEY CURTIS

She is a recording artist for Parma records, a faculty member

SPECIAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF TRUMPET Stanley Curtis has developed a multi-faceted career as a trumpeter, composer and early music specialist. After studying at the University of Alabama, the

Cleveland

Institute

Music and in the Netherlands on a Fulbright Scholarship, he received his Doctorate of Music from Indiana University in 2005. He was assistant principal trumpet in the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia (in Spain) and principal trumpet with the Evansville Philharmonic. He has taught at George Mason the National Trumpet Competition. Having recently retired from a 20-year career in the U.S. Navy Band. Curtis is a long-time blogger on the Trumpet Journey website (www. trumpetjourney.com).

principal flute of the Pro Music Chamber Orchestra and the Colorado Bach Ensemble. Her first recording was released in 2005 and her second recording of French flute music was released in January 2018. Michelle was the President of the Colorado Flute Association and program chair for the Association's annual Flute Celebration from 2002-2004 and is currently the College Events Chair for the CFA. Dr. Stanley is a ‘Best Teacher’ nominee at CSU and was named a Writing Fellow for the AY 2012/2013 for her research on writing for music appreciation students at CSU. Stanley is also an active lecturer for many music associations and schools. She is a passionate musician and pedagogue with an enthusiastic approach to teaching and performing. School of Music, Theatre, and Dance instructor of music, Jeff LaQuatra, has been named professor of the re-established guitar studio at Colorado State University.

FACULTY NEWS

LaQuatra has been described

A new school year means new students, new classes, and for a few departments/programs in the College of Liberal Arts, new leadership.

Arts

announced

Michelle Stanley, flutist, and associate professor of music at Colorado State University, as the new director for the LEAP Institute for the Arts.

talent, both musically and technically” (Classical Guitar Magazine).

Jeff

performs

throughout Colorado as a classical guitar soloist and as a member of numerous chamber music ensembles. In 1996,

In August, the College of Liberal

as “a guitarist of enormous

Jeff was awarded first prize in the Oswald Rantucci Guitar Competition in Buffalo, New York. He has also won top prize in competitions sponsored by The Fortnightly Music Club of Cleveland and The Three Arts Club of Lakewood (Ohio). An in-demand chamber musician, Jeff has performed as a member of Denver’s Mountain Chamber Music Society and has appeared with the Boulder Philharmonic and Colorado’s Central City Opera. Jeff has had the honor of debuting many new guitar works, and 2018 marks the world-premiere of

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University and served as Historic Trumpet Division chair of

at the Interharmony International Music Festival in Italy, and

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Jeff LaQuatra and Michelle Stanley as Quatra Duo

Bryan Johanson’s Painted Music, a suite of six movements based on the paintings of Paul Klee, which was written for Jeff and his wife, flutist Michelle Stanley. In 2002, Iznaola Guitar Works released Jeff’s debut solo recording entitled Twilight: Guitar Music at the End of the Century. In a review of Twilight, Classical Guitar Magazine’s Steve Marsh stated, “his technical abilities [are] strong enough for him to control every nuance and phrase to perfection.” In 2014, Twilight was included in Enrique Robichaud’s publication, Guitar’s Top 100 – A Guide to Classical Guitar’s Most Recorded Music. Jeff has earned degrees from The Cleveland Institute of Music (B.M.) and The University of Denver (M.M.) where he served as a graduate teaching assistant. His primary teachers were Mary Lou Roberts, John Holmquist and Ricardo Iznaola. In 1996 and 1997, Jeff received a full tuition scholarship to study at the Rome Festival (Italy). CSU is accepting guitar students for the Bachelor of Music (performance and therapy), Master of Music, Bachelor of Arts, and the music minor for Fall 2019.

★★★

CO-PRESENTED BY THE LINCOLN CENTER AND COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

★★★

Sunday, October 7, 7:30 p.m. Griffin Concert Hall, UCA SEASON SPONSORS:

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT LCTIX.COM

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This moving musical response to The tragic death OF MATTHEW SHEPARD is led by artistic director Craig Hella Johnson and showcases the GRAMMY-winning Conspirare singers in a concert oratorio fused with song, chamber instrumentation, and projected media.

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OCT. 27, 9 A.M. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 4 P.M.

Instrumental Rehearsal Hall and Runyan Rehearsal Hall Join us for a full day of clinics, trumpet ensembles, and recitals designed for trumpet players of all ages, especially those in high school and middle school.

CLINICIANS JUSTIN BARTELS, principal trumpet, Colorado Symphony Orchestra DAWN KRAMER, Boulder Brass and freelance trumpet STANLEY CURTIS, assistant professor of trumpet, Colorado State University Sophie Urban, ITG Young Artist Award winner Cost: $20; includes a pizza lunch, a CSU Trumpet Day t-shirt, and other trumpet swag. For registration and information about performing with a trumpet ensemble at the final concert visit

MUSIC.COLOSTATE.EDU/CSU-TRUMPET-DAY

In a special weekly series, the College of Liberal Arts is featuring faculty members from our 13 departments. We asked questions about why they are passionate about the subjects they study and teach, and how they found

enjoy some of the responses from the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance and the Department of Art and Art History.

DR. REBECCA PHILLIPS

DIRECTOR OF BANDS, SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE What do you like most about band? I love the combination of beautiful sounds when a finely trained ensemble performs together. The timbres are endless! What inspired your interest in band? My father and uncle were professional bandsmen in one of the premiere military bands in Washington, D.C., assigned to the White House. Which class is your favorite to teach and why? Wind Symphony — it is incredibly rewarding to hear individual students progress throughout their time here at CSU and, as they each become more proficient at their instruments and their musicianship, the entire ensemble improves drastically. What did you want to be when you were little? An astronaut, of course! When did you know you wanted to go into higher education/research? After a decade of teaching high school in Florida, I realized that I would enjoy a new challenge of teaching students at the undergraduate and graduate level. How did you get to CSU? I was previously the Associate Director of Bands and Director for Athletic Bands at The University of South Carolina. CSU searched for a Director of Bands in 2014 and I decided it was the right time in my career to move from the second position in a band program to the lead position. What is one thing students would be surprised to learn about you? I played varsity basketball in college for a season…and I did not ride the bench!

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their path to CSU. Please

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PATRICK FAHEY

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF ART AND ART HISTORY Why do you study art education, and what inspired your interest in it? An inspiring art teacher in high school cemented the relationship I had between making and teaching. She encouraged me to examine my early interests and use art as a vehicle to experiment with materials and make my ideas concrete. What is your favorite thing to teach and study? Art and material use, and how to teach and convey that. What did you want to be when you were little? I always wanted to be a teacher and I always liked to play with and transform materials as a child. When I was young, you could usually find me in our backyard sandbox building cities and roads for my cars or scavenging for “art materials” —damaged wood pallets, cardboard, and old blankets—to use as construction materials for building forts. How did you get to CSU? At the time, I was an assistant professor at Minnesota State University-Moorhead and saw the position posting for a similar position at CSU. CSU had a larger art department and the potential to grow the art education program was very exciting. It was one of the best decisions I ever made in my career.

DESIGN BY MIKE SOLO, 2018

THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE PRESENTS

2018

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CSU THEATRE

2O YEARS LATER BY EMILY KAISER / UCA INTERN

CSU Theatre is presenting The Laramie Project, the seminal production about the Wyoming student’s murder, from Sept. 28 through Oct. 7, at the University Center for the Arts.

A month after Shepard’s death, Tectonic Theatre Project founder Moisés Kaufman and various members of the group started interviewing people in Laramie and completed more than 200 conversations over the course of the following year. These interviews were used to write the script for The Laramie Project, depicting how the residents of Laramie reacted to Matthew Shepard’s murder, and how his death impacted the town. In Feb. 2000, The Laramie Project’s premiere performance took place at the Denver Center for the Preforming Arts. That same year, the play was also performed in New York City, and two years later was performed in Laramie, Wyoming. To this day, The Laramie Project is one of the most performed plays in the nation.

A DIFFICULT PLAY Guest directed by freelance director and former theatre professor at the University of California at San Diego Charlie Oates, it’s the second time CSU Theatre has taken on the complex script. The first time was spring 2006, during the opening year of the Bohemian Complex, the area of the University Center for the Arts (UCA) that contains the University Theatre. There are 10 total cast members for CSU’s current version of the production, and each member takes on multiple roles. Senior theatre major Ryan Volkert plays a number of characters, including Sargent Hing, Matt Galloway, the Baptist minister, Murdock Cooper, Aaron McKinney, and Dennis Shepard. Volkert said his role as Dennis Shepard, Matthew’s father, is the most impactful role he plays because although Shepard only has one monologue in the show, his message in that moment is extremely powerful.

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Matthew Shepard was a son, brother and student at the University of Wyoming, and a vibrant spirit who was taken from the world too soon. He was just 21 years old when his life ended due to the senseless actions of Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. On Oct. 6, 1998, he was kidnapped, brutally beaten, tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming, and passed away six days later in Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. This tragedy was deemed a hate crime due to the fact that McKinney and Henderson admitted murdering Shepard because he was openly gay and an advocate for the LGBT community.

“You have to humanize each character and give them the representation of who they are, and let it speak for itself. It’s helped me in my own characterizations to play these real

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people because you

can’t make them larger than life. You have to be human.” —RYAN VOLKERT

Volkert explains that not all aspects of this play, however, are sad or solemn. His variety of character types allows him to express different emotions and energy throughout the play. Overall, Volkert has enjoyed working on The Laramie Project because it has been a great challenge as an actor to portray real people. “The subject matter is serious, but the content of the play goes back and forth between serious, or just straight facts, and some of the characters are actually kind of funny. It’s not heavy all the time, which has been helpful,” Volkert said. The physical connection to the story is real for Volkert, and the story’s relationship to Fort Collins hits close to home for many, even 20 years later. “Matthew Shepard actually died in Poudre Valley Hospital, which is right here … I know exactly where that is, and I can picture the hospital, and where Rulon Stacey, who was CEO of the hospital at the time, would be giving press conferences. So that physically brings it home,” he explained. Volkert was not familiar with Matthew Shepard’s story before being cast, but realizes the change it has sparked in him. For Volkert, one of the most important things about the play, and what makes it unique, is that the characters are based on actual news reels and interviews, which changes the way he portrays each one. “You have to humanize each character and give them the representation of who they are, and let it speak for itself,” Volkert explained. “It’s helped me in my own characterizations to play these real people because you can’t make them larger than life. You have to be human.” Not only has playing multiple roles helped advance his acting skills, being in The Laramie Project has changed Volkert as a person. “[Playing several parts is] teaching me a lot about being human as an actor and a person in society,” Volkert said. “Everybody has their own thing going on and some people may not like it, but it’s OK if you’re not bothering other people. You don’t have to support what others believe in, but you also don’t have to actively prevent them from being who they are. It’s showing me that there are multiple sides to people, and everyone should be taken for who they are.” Cast member and senior theatre major Sydney Fleischman plays six characters: a reporter; a waitress; Romain Patterson, a good friend of Matthew; Islamic feminist Zubaida Ula; Aaron Kreifels, the boy who found Matthew; and Jen, Aaron McKinney’s friend. Fleischman’s strategy for getting her head around these different roles was by reading through the play over and over.

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Jake Cuddemi

I have to make sure that my values and beliefs don’t bleed into the characters’ values and beliefs, so I can more a ccurately portray them, especially since characters like Fred Phelps are real people that many Americans are familiar with… I have to put my beliefs aside and play him truthfully and authentically.” — Jake Cuddemi

“When I first started preparing for my roles, I realized I couldn’t be super-emotional because it would affect my well-being and my mental health,” Fleischman said. “When I read the play for the first time, I cried a lot, and I knew that had to be the last time I felt that emotional before stepping into rehearsals. … I try my best to focus those emotions onto my characters and not on myself. … I get to feel those strong emotions, just as a different person.”

MAKING AN IMPACT THROUGH ACTING

ADDRESSING HATE THROUGH PEACE

“Most of my characters are biased against the gay community, or don’t have a specific perspective on the gay community in Laramie. I have to make sure that my values and beliefs don’t bleed into the characters’ values and beliefs, so I can more accurately portray them,” Cuddemi explained. “especially since characters like Fred Phelps are real people that many Americans are familiar with. … I have to put my beliefs aside and play him truthfully and authentically.”

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Fleischman has a strong connection to the story because hate crimes are still prevalent in today’s society. She believes these abhorrent acts must be addressed through peace.

“What makes me so sad about [Matthew’s] death is that he was so young,” she said. “In the play, it is stated that Matthew wanted to go into human rights, and in a way he kind of did. His death brought to light the issue of hate, and I honestly think he’d be proud of the events that occurred after his death, such as Angel Action, led by Romaine Patterson,” she explained. The Angel Action was a peaceful protest that took place in Laramie after Shepard’s death, opposing the protests against homosexuality. The demonstration involved groups of people dressed as angels who would wrap their “wings” around families and passersby to “protect” them from the wounding words of Fred Phelps, minister of the Westboro Baptist Church, as he protested homosexuality. For Fleischman, The Laramie Project is not only a way of remembering and honoring Matthew’s life, but should inspire audiences to make a positive difference in the world. “This play shows how we can fight hate using peace and love. The play also gives audiences time to reflect on their own values and ideals, which I believe is a huge accomplishment all on its own,” Fleischman said.

Jake Cuddemi plays nine characters in The Laramie Project, including Stephen Belber; Doc O’Connor; Jefferey Lockwood, a news reporter; Bill McKinney; Conrad Miller; Andrew Gomez; Fred Phelps; and a Mormon spiritual advisor. The senior theatre major faces the challenge of playing characters such as Phelps, who have ideologies and beliefs with which he does not agree.

Dennis Shepard’s speech in Act III has major significance to Cuddemi. “His words are so well spoken, and his intent with the speech is so on the money to me. It articulates exactly how to move forward in light of the tragic event,” he explained. In the speech, Shepard speaks about mercy and forgiveness, even toward those who have wronged others; Shepard’s message to the audience is to be the bigger person. Cuddemi looks forward to affecting the community through The Laramie Project and hopes the impactof CSU’s version matches the original intent of the play. The Laramie Project is taking place at the University Center for the Arts on Oct. 4, 5, 6 at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are no charge for CSU students, $10 for adults, and can be reserved online at csuartstickets.com or at the UCA box office Monday-Friday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m .Jason Marsden, executive director of The Matthew Shepard Foundation, is hosting a discussion following the performance on Sunday, Oct. 7. More information about The Laramie Project and The Matthew Shepard Foundation can be found at matthewshepard.org.

THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE PRESENTS I give you life in the memory of one who no longer lives. May you have a long life, and may you thank Matthew every day for it. ― DENNIS SHEPARD

NOW

MOISÉS KAUFMAN AND THE MEMBERS OF TECTONIC THEATER PROJECT

THE LARAMIE PROJECT is presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.

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SHOWING

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The cast of The Laramie Project

THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC, THEATRE, AND DANCE PRESENTS

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CSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MUSIC FACULTY AT THEIR FINEST

DUO FRANCOIS & FRIENDS

OCTOBER 2, 7:30 P.M.

MARGARET MILLER / VIOLA

OCTOBER 9, 7:30 P.M.

JOEL BACON / ORGAN

OCTOBER 15, 7:30 P.M.

MICHELLE STANLEY / FLUTE

OCTOBER 22, 7:30 P.M.

BARBARA THIEM / CELLO

OCTOBER 23, 7:30 P.M.

ERIC HOLLENBECK / PERCUSSION

NOVEMBER 1, 6 P.M.

TERRY LEAHY / TROMBONE

NOVEMBER 5, 7:30 P.M.

FACULTY CHAMBER MUSIC

NOVEMBER 12, 7:30 P.M.

JOHN MCGUIRE / HORN

FEBRUARY 20, 7:30 P.M.

ORGAN RECITAL HALL / CSUARTSTICKETS.COM

In celebration of the 10TH ANNIVERSARY of

THE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS you can add your name to the history of this community treasure

With a gift of $250 to a music, theatre, or dance scholarship, your name will be placed on a seat in the theatre of your choice.

NAME A SEAT today!

nameaseat.colostate.edu

NAME A SEAT IN THE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS

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Your Name a Seat gift supports a School of Music, Theatre, and Dance scholarship, which helps attract the finest artistic talent to CSU and enables students to pursue their dreams of artistic and academic excellence.

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The 13th Annual Halloween Organ Extravaganza BY HERMAN CHAVEZ / UCA INTERN

ith the autumn season and Halloween rapidly approaching, the University Center for the Arts is preparing for the 13th Annual Halloween Organ Extravaganza. Dr. Joel Bacon, professor of organ, and his organ students will perform three shows on Halloween at 7 p.m., 9 p.m., and 11 p.m. in the Organ Recital Hall at the UCA.

“Every year we try to do something really different and unusual,” promised Dr. Bacon. “Its almost been a challenge for me every year… I think, how can we top that?” In past years, special effects have included fake snow falling on the audience, light shows, and many costumes. This year, however, the concert also aligns with several important dates: the 10th Anniversary of the UCA and the 50th Anniversary of the Casavant Organ. Influence and History on Campus The organ is a magnificent instrument that Dr. Bacon says “is a powerful majestic commanding sound… I was surprised at how amazingly quiet it could get as well the variety of colors in it.”

It was created in the style of 17th and 18th century Northern European organs for baroque music, and was influential as one of the finest organs built in the 20th century—leading to CSU’s international distinction in the organ revival movement. In this month’s concerts the organ will continue to represent important music in our community. Over the course of its 13 years, the Halloween Organ Extravaganza has served as an event of unity for the Fort Collins and CSU communities. “We have one couple that comes every year that had a first date at a Halloween organ recital and got married. Its an anniversary for them when they come,” said Dr. Bacon. “Someone else who had been going through some medical treatments didn’t know if they were well enough to come to the recital, but decided to come anyways. It lifted their spirits and helped them get through a few really rough weeks.” With the many festivities for the UCA’s celebrations underway, the Halloween Organ Extravaganza will provide an evening of family-friendly and spooky music.

Tickets are available online at

csuartstickets.com

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Each year, Dr. Bacon prepares programs that are unique, spine-chilling, and surprising for audience members. In addition to the organ music, special effects will be used, and no one can expect what surprises Dr. Bacon has in store for this year’s concerts.

The Casavant Fréres Organ was made in 1968 by Lawrence Phelps, and is considered to be a landmark instrument in organ history. “At the time, it was considered rather odd for an American university to build an instrument with the kind of mechanical action that they would have had back then,” said Dr. Bacon.

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The UCA celebrates 10 anniversary, reflects on collaborative success th

BY JULIA TROWBRIDGE Reprinted with permission from The Rocky Mountain Collegian

From humble beginnings scattered around the Oval to the old Fort Collins High School, the University Center of the Arts at Colorado State University allows for the arts to collaborate and flourish. For their 10th anniversary, the UCA hosted an open house on Sept. 23 to showcase some of the current projects created in the space. Although the UCA is newer than most of the buildings on campus, it has fostered creativity and collaborations among many departments.

Before the UCA, the music, theatre, and dance departments were scattered around the Oval and other buildings currently hosting Admissions and The Institute for Learning and Teaching. The buildings weren’t well suited for the growing number of students and advancing technology of the performing arts. “We couldn’t really function as a department collaboratively because everyone was in their own space,” Clary said. “The spaces were not up to par, from state-of-the-art technology and even comfort, like air conditioning (standards). There wasn’t room to grow and to fully be who we could be.”

“ART CAN SERVE OTHER DISCIPLINES. THE CONNECTIONS ARE JUST LIMITLESS. WE TRY TO MAKE THE MUSEUM NOT JUST (ABOUT) VISUAL ARTS, BUT TO SHOW HOW THE VISUAL ARTS CAN SERVE EVERYTHING.” -Lynn Boland, the director of the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art.

The UCA provides 15 theaters and practice spaces, three exclusively for dance, as well as the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art and the Avenir Museum of Design and Merchandising. Between large performances and smaller events, the UCA presents around 300 performances a year, said Peter Muller, the events manager for the UCA.

CSU theatre major Kyle Phibbs designs a mask for the upcoming opera. Phibbs is one of the costume designers for this show and has to make 16 masks for the production. (AJ Frankson | Collegian)

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“Music, theatre, dance, (and) design all happen in this building,” said Jennifer Clary, director of communications for the UCA. “Everyone has a different perception from a different area that they’re passionate about, and a different use of the building.”

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“There’s a large population of Fort Collins that don’t know everything that’s going on over here,” Muller said. “We have patrons all the time that come for one thing and don’t have any idea that we have these other performances.” With placing the performing arts in one building, the departments can easily collaborate on different projects and respond to the art around them. According to Clary, projects include dance classes performing in response to art pieces in the Gregory Allicar Museum of Art, dance and orchestral groups performing together and operas where vocalists and the orchestra perform together. The UCA also tries to collaborate outside of the arts. The Museum of Art is looking to bring in an electromagnetic sculpture in January, and is bringing in Brian Jones, the director of the Little Shop of Physics, to analyze the piece, said Lynn Boland, director of the Museum. “Art can serve other disciplines,” Boland said. “The connections are just limitless. We try to make the museum not just (about) visual arts, but to show how the visual arts can serve everything.”

Departments in the UCA look to collaborate with the community in addition to other departments. The dance department hosts outreach events that show dance students other career paths and give the community an opportunity to dance, said Emily Morgan, a dance professor at CSU. “It brings an art form that is often considered an elite art form to the community and it shows that actually, we can all dance,” Morgan said. “And there’s opportunity for everybody and dance.” Over the next ten years, the UCA hopes to increase collaboration between departments, Fort Collins’ interest in the arts, and is looking to add a new musical theatre major. “I would like to think that in the next ten years that even my grandest hopes and dreams are surpassed by what’s possible from the collective energy of this space,” Boland said. Julia Trowbridge can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on twitter @chapin_jules.

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Broadway veterans Patty Goble and Noah Racey coach acting students through a scene during the musical theatre workshop at the UCA's 10th Anniversary Open House Program. (AJ Frankson | Collegian)

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The continued relevancy of the Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice... The Ralph Opera Program presents the beautiful opera at the end of the month BY JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS

Whether consciously recognized or not, the Greek myth of Orpheus has permeated visual and performing art forms across ancient and popular culture. From classical literature to Arcade Fire’s 2013 release, Reflektor, the story of Orpheus and Eurydice has been told and retold throughout the ages, including the presentation by the Ralph Opera Program at Colorado State University of Orfeo ed Euridice by Christoph Willibald Gluck on Oct. 25-28.

The opera was highly anticipated—Empress Maria Theresa attended the first performance in Vienna in 1762—and, in contrast to the age-old story, the structure of the popular opera itself was extremely influential, marking the first ‘reform’ opera by the German composer. These compositional modifications make Orfeo ed Euridice the transitional piece out of Baroque opera, and therefore, a critical educational opportunity for CSU opera and orchestral students. Until this time, opera seria—operas typically based upon historical figures or a classical story line and presented in Italian—was complex, featuring many arias in an A-B-A (da capo) that focused upon the virtuosity of the singers rather than the story itself. Gluck’s reform operas sought to bring the focus to the story by eliminating virtuosic writing for the singers and incorporating the chorus and ballet into the action. Ralph Opera Program director Tiffany Blake explains. “In Baroque operas, the A-B-A form returns [to the original melody], even without a reason to do so, and the voice would ornament it and show off, but Gluck wanted to create more

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Orpheus, musician and poet of mythological legend, was said to have the ability to charm all living things with his voice. When his beloved Eurydice dies of a fatal snake bite, Orpheus descends into the darkness of the Underworld to ask for her return, hoping his voice can soften the hearts of the gods. His request is granted, but Orpheus must walk in front of Eurydice and not look back until they reach the upper world. Will he overcome the temptation?

momentum in the drama.” According to Blake, Gluck prioritized storytelling over show casing the voice. ENTER THE CHORUS

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Blake finds that Gluck’s shift to storytelling makes the opera a great selection for a college opera program. “One of the things that is really wonderful about the work is that it highlights a few students in individual roles, but the chorus is the main role in the opera after Orpheus,” said the director about the chorus’ responsibility for carrying the bulk of the drama.

“I’ve often heard students say ‘I’m just in the chorus,’ but they are the relatives and loved ones of Orpheus and Eurydice, they are the furies, they are the blessed spirits…that the chorus plays three very different characters, [being in the chorus] has more meaning in this production,” she added.

major, Mary Rodgers, has written original choreography for several dance students who portray the ghost of Eurydice, the three cherubs who accompany Amor, and perform the ballets: “The Dance of the Furies” and “The Dance of the Blessed Spirits.” “The music of the furies in the second act is very exciting and the movement of the chorus and the dancing really builds upon that excitement,” said Blake.

“One of the things that is really wonderful about the work is that it highlights a few students in individual roles, but the chorus is the main role in the opera after Orpheus"

role of Orpheus. “The role has been sung by a lot of different voice types and it lends itself to a college setting because the range is not super high or low,” said Blake, who went on to explain that the main challenge is the role’s physicality. “Because [Orpheus] is on stage so much and there’s so much dramatic development of the character, it’s tricky for one person to carry it.” Senior vocal major, Angie Lamar, and CSU alumna, Ingrid Johnson, however, are up for the challenge! “We’re looking forward to having Ingrid return to join us. She’s a great dramatic role model for our students,” said Blake about the guest singer. The complete cast is comprised of 19 members, including 12 chorus members, four dancers, and three leads who are double cast, splitting the four performance dates. GOOD TO MEET YOU

For Blake, a focus of the early rehearsal schedule has been an emphasis on the chorus’ character development. In addition to vocal growth, Blake has had her students explore physical movement exercises, building themselves as actors, even while they develop the vocal chops to sing the leads in the coming years. THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF OPERA Audiences at the last couple of Ralph Opera Program productions have enjoyed the inclusion of CSU Dance students. This time, senior dance

Blake is also looking forward to the lighting effects that illuminate the translucent walls designed by theatre instructor, Zhanna Gurvich, creating the various scenarios in the upper and under worlds. “The way it looks will be different than what people have seen before on the CSU stage,” said Blake as a verbal sneak peek. THE ROLE OF ORPHEUS In opera, female vocalists often wear the pants, which is the case with the

With a mind for today’s opera audiences, Blake has shortened CSU’s presentation, which is a mash up of the original Italian version and the subsequent French version. “With intermission, the piece is under two hours. It’s a nice introduction to opera for new audiences without feeling overwhelmed or bored,” exclaimed Blake. Just as the story has permeated so many creative endeavors, the beautiful melodies from Gluck’s opera have been widely used. “You’ll leave with

the melodies in your ear,” said Blake. “The Dance of the Blessed Spirits” is an orchestral movement people will recognize from commercials, movies, and other places outside of the opera.” You will taken along on Orpheus’ journey through Hades to Elysium and back to earth again with beautiful music, spellbinding action and deep pathos. DATES AND TICKETS The Myth of Orpheus (Orfeo ed Euridice) by Christoph Willibald Gluck, directed by Tiffany Blake and conducted by Wes Kenney, is taking place on Oct. 25, 26, and 27 at 7:30 p.m., Concert Hall at the University Center for the Arts (UCA). In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the UCA, adult tickets are just $10. Tickets for CSU students continue to be no charge, and just $3 for youth (under 18). Tickets are available at the UCA Ticket Office or online at csuartstickets.com.

WHEN YOU CHAMPION A STUDENT IN THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS, YOU CHAMPION THAT STUDENT’S DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS OF A CAREER IN THE VAST AND GROWING FIELD KNOWN AS THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES. The Champion an Artist Scholarship program provides meaningful tuition support throughout a student's arts education. This powerful gift recruits the best and brightest talent to Colorado State University. Your support allows gifted students to pursue artistic and academic excellence.

Champion an artist today by visiting smtd.colostate.edu/giving or call (970) 491-3558

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with a matinee on Oct. 28, at 2 p.m. in Griffin

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S W E E T S E C O N D O

PHOTOS BY JENNIFER CLARY JACOBS

Broncos Stadium at Mile High is the CSU Marching Band’s favorite home away from home. In addition to performing there for the Rocky Mountain Showdown over Labor Day weekend, the band was invited to perform during halftime at the Denver Broncos vs. the Oakland Raiders game on Sunday, Sept. 16. Temperatures in the mid-90s—it was even warmer down on the field—set the record for the hottest home game in Broncos’ franchise history. Despite a rocky first half, the Broncos came back in the second half to win the game by one point in the final seconds. It was an honor to represent Colorado State University in Denver and we like to think that perhaps we brought the Broncos a little bit of luck!