Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO)

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bv Mandv Lauck One Chance for Stardom A week of auditions for a moment in the spotlight. Focusing on his script, Reld rchhott imitates a preacher while ading lines from The Complete ' orks of William Shakespeare- Dridged. He also tried out for 4edea. photo by Michaela Kanger Pacing back and forth, he scanned the dialogue, testing even. ' word until it sounded perfect. His name was called, signaling 30 seconds before he was on. Breathing deeply, he relaxed his entire body. This was it. The next few minutes in the spotlight would determine his theater participation for the trimester. E en the experienced were faced with a new challenge. The audition process for student productions changed, condensing auditions for an entire season into one week. Reid Kirchhoff has studied theater intensely and tried out for multiple plays. He auditioned for The Complete Works of William Shakespeare-Abridged. preparing two contrasting monologues lasting four minutes each. But the pressure did not phase Kirchhoff. I think this new process of auditioning is a good idea, Kirchhoff said. It prepares those that are wanting to be professional actors and gives them a taste of what the cold reads are like for professional auditions. Kirchhoff s first monologue was from Glengarry, Glen, Ross. This serious piece about li ing in the business world was followed by the lighter performance of Little Footsteps, a comedy showing interaction with children. I chose the pieces I did, because when someone is auditioning for a piece, you want the judges to see that you are ver - diverse and could play many different roles, Kirchhoff said. After The Complete Works of William Shakespeare-Abridged audition was over, Kirchhoff tried out for the main stage play, Medea. Only one main stage play was performed each year. In these auditions, Kirchhoff identified with the character and the character ' s feelings. Next, Haley Hoss, assistant professor of health, physical education, recreation and dance, taught the choreography. Director Steve Grossman paired Kirchhoff v ith another actor to see their interaction. Finally, the last auditions were solo efforts, showing how the actors performed in the spotlight. Kirchhoff stepped from behind the curtain and stood in front of the director. He auditioned for the part of the messenger, and read the dramatic and graphic piece with intense emotion on his face. When he w ' as finished, the director said he had chills from his performance. As Kirchhoff left, the director looked as if he had tears in his eyes. His talent was evident, and despite the changes in the audition process, Kirchhoff proved he had what it took to be in the spotlight. • • It prepares those that are wanting to be professional actors and gives them a taste of what the cold reads are like for professional auditions. J J -Reid Kirchhoff

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Transfer Talent UMllpl• l in thf rcHl-liiu.l M-.il of M.ir - l.iiiii IVrfomiinj; Arts C ' oiitiT. he watchi ' il others say thoir lines. When he was called, he slowly skimmeil the script. Standing l etween the two actors, he recited each line with perfection. When it was o er, he returned the script to the director and went back to his seal, sitting in the same slumped position. .lonathon Reynolds. .1 transfer student from the L ' niversity of Missouri- Columbia, decided he needed a different en ironmcnt. lie transferred to Northwest and said the University was the alternative home he was looking for. Reynolds was a theater major who auditioned for the plays Aging Disgracefully, Medea and ATail of Tales. lluring the auditions for .• ging Disgracefully. Reynolds tried out for the roles through cold readings, which were read-throughs without preparation. I prefer the cold reading because you just go in (to the audition) and perform. Reynolds said. I try to go last just because that gives me a way to prepare and see my competition. .■ fter his journey to Northwest. Reynolds found new surroundings in which to express his artistic talents. .Mong with these new surroundings came new opportunities to grow as an .K ' tiir and as a person. Reid Kirchhoff, who performed in ' The Complete Works of William Shakespeare- Abridged ' rehearsed 10- 2S hours for auditions. ± . lXuii£ni Life The choreography lesson proves hjrder than expetled as students auditioning for Medea work on tivirling. The locus of the Medea audition was to demonstrate the ability to sing and dance, photo by Michaela Kanger Shrieking with panic. Lance Christofferson runs around Mark M.iasen while going through a scene taken from Romeo and Juliet. There were only three main characters in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare-Abridged, requiring the actors to rehearse more lines than usual, photo b) Michaela Kanger Creen polka-dotted boxers were Mark Maasen ' s good luck charm for auditions and the last performance of every play he was in. To help her prepare for audition Amanda Backenstoss, would go an entire day speaking in the rhythm and dialect of her monologue.

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byMuidyLauck The Mazes Below m tunnels running through campus wove an intricate web of passageways invisible to the community A small flashlight was the only source of light by which to navigate. Occasionally, a high-pitched creak rattled the nerves. The moist environment was uncomfortable and claustrophobic. This was the atmosphere of the steam tunnels that stretched beneath the Northwest campus. Four main passages traced throughout the campus with smaller lines branching off. Hie tunnels housed utility and water lines and high-pressure steam pipes used to heat the campus. Some of them were well-lit, clean and large enough to walk in, while others were unbearably hot, fiill of fog or dust and barely big enough to crawl through. These tunnels vary from being veiy large, like the tunnels under the library and the high ri , to little crawl spaces by Perrin and Hudson Halls, Jamas Teaney, steam plant heating, ventilation and air conditioning supervisor, said. Under intense pressure from the steam, many of the tunnels started to break down. Crews were required to maintain the pipes, ensuring the safety of the employees and keeping the tunnels in working order. We ' ve got to have the tunnels and keep working at our job to keep the boiler room going, Teaney said. If the tunnels weren ' t there, there would be no heat. Dark crevices created a sense of mystery in the maze of tunnels that ran beneath campus. Tunnels below the surface of the University grounds were more than just a Bstoiy, they were a necessity in heating the entire campus. A dark tunnel stretches beneath the sidewalk behind the Administration Building. Animals such as raccoons were occasionally found in the tunnels, photo by Michaels Kanger The tunnelt wen meant These areas wen mostly Asbestos was often a The steam In these Some of the University ' s to carry items such as forbidden; few people major problem when tunnels often reached 120 steam tunnels stntched utility lines and high pressun steam pipes. working with the labyrinth degrees, oftunrtels. approximately three- fourths of a mile under the sidewalks.