Stephen F Austin State University - Stone Fort Yearbook (Nacogdoches, TX)

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University News The musical - ' Hair opened the SFA theater season in October 1986. Cast members includ- ed: Bottom, left to right: Mark Anthony Pearson, Houston senior; Penny Byrd, Lufkin ju- nior; Miquel Wright, Longview freshman. Center, left to right: Jan Gleaves, Howe junior- Andy Long, Wharton senior. Taji Walker, Austin freshman. SFA performs Theatre department presents major works By: Frances Hinson SFA ' s Department of Theatre had two major works for 1986 in October and November. Thirty-two students appeared in the musical Hair some of whom comprised the Tribe (chorus]. The stage director was Alan Oster, lecturer of theatre, and the music director was John W. Goodall, instructor of music. The guest choreographer was Darlene Casanova of New York City. Hair is about George Berger, who has been thrown out of high school; Claude Hooper Bukowski, who is about to be drafted; Sheila, a protester from New York University; Woof, who has been barred from the Y.M.C.A.; and Hud. The rest of the Tribe scare tourists, protest at induction centers, sing in the streets and amuse Hair ' s audiences. Lead female singers included A.L. Robert- son, Tenaha senior; Robin Hicks, Houston ju- nior; and Taji Walker, Austin freshman. Leading the male singers were David Raine, Nacogdoches senior; John Hargrove, Houston freshman; Roderick Kelley and David Van Wert. The production was two ho urs of almost non-stop music such as The Age of Aquar- ius, Hair, Easy To Be Hard, Good Morining Sunshine and Let the Sun Shine In. Action took place not only on the stage, but on different levels above (on scaffolds and ladders), creating continual movement. To close the fall production season, the theatre department performed Look Home- ward Angel, a play by Ketti Frings based on an autobiography of the same name by Thom- as Wolfe. Dr. Herman L. Zillmer, professor of theatre directed the production, which ran Nov. 19 through 22 in Turner Auditorium. The play has earned the status of being a modern American classic. Look Homeward Angel tells the story of Eugune Gant (Wolfe) growing up in a home dominated by a money-hungry mother who runs a boarding house. The story centers around Eugene ' s struggle to find himself and his fight for freedom. SFA is one of the few schools that strongly emphasizes student productions as well as major department productions. 26 - Theatre productions