Nicholls State University - La Pirogue Yearbook (Thibodaux, LA)

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'Chere Belle, Chere Befe' Faculfy aufhor writes anofher The last time the Nicholls Players per- tormed a play written by Dr. Max Querter- mous, they were selected to represent the state at the American College Theatre Festival regional competition. These Are My People, This ls My Land examined the culture and tradi- tions ot the Acadian descendents located in the parishes surrounding Nicholls. When Dr Quertermous presented the Players and the Speech Department with 'Chere Belle, Chere Beta , the hopes were this play would repeat the success ot 1972. The French title literally translates to lllittle beauty, little beast, although the play is concerned with the people ot a small Louisiana bayou town, The story deals with the lives ot Vashti, Pirogue and their children from the turn ot the century to the years shortly betore World War ll Narrated by the town lawyer, Mr. De La Terre, the story plays a mystery with the ownership ot the old plantation Chere Belle, Chere Bete is the name of the local tav- ern run by a tight-tisted Vashti who is determined to own the town and wreck revenge on Pirogue tor deserting her. The casting ot the play, by director Mel Berry, has tour characters playing dual roles, Two nine-year-olds, Kay Gauthreaux and Don Montz tson ot Dan Montz, dean ot admissions and registrarb portrayed Vashti and Pirogue as children. Terea Breaux and Tommy Dantin had the jobs ot continuing the two main char- acters as teenagers and their children. ln charge ot set construction, Greg Mullins directed a student crew faced with the task ot building a run-down plan- tation which would double as a local bar. Putting a countertop, antique cash reg- Contemplating the marriage ol her daughter to Ti Rouge tTommy Dantini. Vashti tJulie l-lebertl ret' uses to speak to his tather Pirogue tPandy Chera- miel in the play by Dr Mak Quertermous

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An American writer, a tree-spirited singer and a host of other characters pre- sented a story of people trapped by time into tragedy. For the audience, it was a different type of musical. In the opening number, VVilkommen, German for welcome, the waiters walked down stage from the back of the theater, surprising the audience. Several male spectators were also sur- prised when the Kit Kat girls ran into the aisles to sit in their laps. The master of ceremonies had to aban- don his plan of walking into the audience the first night when the bright lights and darkness at the end of the stage pre- vented him from seeing the ramp, A misguided step would have meant a fall of almost eight feet onto a concrete floor. t . - s' -.- - ' ' . ' 41, , ' K 5:0 - . , , .. Grinning, sinister and white-faced, Dickie Barrios was the master of ceremonies. Bandaged from his beating at the hands of the Cab- aret waiters, Cliff CTody Bernardj gives Sally CJulie Hebertj the option of joining him in leaving Berlin. She doesn't. Before the second night's perform- ance, a member of the stage crew out- lined the ramp in glow-in-the-dark pink tape. Since enough tape was available, it was used to trim the entire stage and orchestra area. The four-night run played to standing room audiences each night, of both stu- dents and local community residents. After each performance, friends and relatives crowded into the dressing room area to congratulate, hug and claim their own performer. For the stage, lighting and sound crews, it was the perfect blend of what the audience saw onstage and what had to be done backstage to make it possible. Because of the enormous turnout for the four-night run, Dr. Berry decided to hold a fifth performance, something rarely done by the Nicholls Players. ln the end, the cast party was the finale for the students involved. After the canvas walls and tables and chairs had been stored away, the cos- tumes hung up and various props clut- tered into corners, only an empty stage and dressing which doubled as a class- room were left. Students going to class in the rooms used to prepare the play found various messages scribbled on the blackboards. Messages written by members of the Cabaret cast and crew to each other using their stage names, Down in a corner of the board, amid the insane and ridiculous remarks made to the cast was a simple message. Thank you all, it read, for helping out. 'Cabaret 79

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Cast Mr. De La Terre T T T T . Glynn Carlos Beth LaBarbera Kay Gauthreaux Don lvlontz Lulubelle McEvery Young VashtifBelle lylarie T T Young Pirogue Ti Rogue Teenage Vashti Belle Marie T T Terea Breaux Teenage Pirogue Ti Bogue Older Vashti T T T T Tommy Dantin Julie Hebert Older Pirogue T T Bandy Cheramie Texan T Back Foucheux Ti Booger T T Billy Foster Louise T T Anne Galiour Director T T Mel Berry Designer T T T Greg Mullins ister and a Texan oil tield worker together and hanging bags ot potato chips changed a plantation and courtyard to a dingy sparse bar. One ot the more humorous aspects tor both the director and the actors was the dialogue Dr. Quertermous made liberal use ot French and Cajun slang, much to the delight ot an accustomed audience Br. Berry taced it like any problem a director encounters. After spending time yvorking with some students to help them lose their bayou accents, here comes a play written tor them to take to Baton Rouge Although commended tor the acting ot young Kay Gauthreaux, Chere Belle Chere Bete' was not selected for regional competition. The Nicholls Play- ers returned, and Dr, Q keeps on writ- ing. Reclining on the steps ot Chere Belle young Vashti CKay Gauthreauxl gives Lulu Belle lvtctiyery enough trouble in becoming lla lady Humor breaks the moment in the tavern ot Chere Bete as Vashti Qclulie Hebertl pauses with the Texan oil field worker fBick Foucheuxl The bullvvhips behind them were used in a tight between Vashti and Pirogue X A ,fu 6.2-W1 AQHA. 'Chere Belle Chere Bele