University of North Alabama - Diorama Yearbook (Florence, AL)

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Dancing, singing, anyone? The SO.-iR Cabaret ca»t per- forms for the SO.iKees. Front Rnic: Weatey ■ Mutey Thompmn. Laura Parker. Brian Bransrome. Back Rote: Mkki Barrett. .Uhlee Haddock. Angela Rue. Joanna Morroir. Photo by John Cahoon. A fairy godmother? Cabaret memhem perform a skit about a nerdy freshman Uhiley Thompmn) and hix fairy godmother (Angela Rue). Photo by John Cahoon, SZSOSR

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Wesley Whitey Thompson and Amanda Whitfield sing Sunny Side of the Street. a song contemporary to the times of the play American Clock. Photo by Jason Oleham. Doug Young and Barbara Kline-Perry discuss Karl Marx. Kline-Perry played a prostitute Young visited biweekly. Photo by Jason Oleham. •relaxing backstage the actors of American Clock ike a well-earned break. From left, Sarah Fulford, tradtey Letson, Steve Knight and Amy Shipman. ' hoto by Jason Oleham. Art imitates fife Fall play focuses on hard times in the ' 30s By John Givens With the fall season came a new theatre professor and a very ambitious produaion. Dr. John O ' Connor began his first semester with Arthur Miller ' s The Ameri- can Clock. The play is set during the Great Depression and opens a few days before the stock market crash. O ' Connor said he always wanted to do the piece and felt it had a very timely mes- sage. The story is important because much of the American experience, much of what we are going through right now, has to do with the Depression and its causes, people ' s experiences during that, how they dealt with it and then finally what got them out of the Depression, he said. The piece did raise interesting ques- tions, mainly the role the war played in alleviating the economic slump. This issue has also been brought up in recent times. The play also gave a poignant look at the changes in people ' s lives. For instance, one character, Moe Baum, and his family are forced to move from their Manhattan home to a small, less desirable flat in Brooklyn. (He had invested his business earnings in the stock market.) Now his w ife must pawn her jewelry in order to get money into the house. His son Lee has to begin work to save for college. Other charaaers ' experiences are more dramatic. Some commit suicide, leaving family members with the burden of their debts. Throughout the play, snatches of songs from the 1930s are used. Happy songs illustrate one way the people tried to escape from their losses and the sad ones reinforce the hard realities of the times. Miller based much of the play on Studs Terkel ' s Hard Times, a collection of interviews with Depression survivors. O ' Connor said the piece was very demanding, and he commended the aaors for their hard work and excellent performances. He has ambitious plans for the future and hopes to continue doing challenging pieces. Theatre 2

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A time to learn SOAR gives new students the chance to find out about college life By Keith Pilgrim So, what is SOAR? It ' s a program that introduces new students to college life each year. SOAR is more than just a pre-registration program, however. Friendships that last a lifetime start at SOAR. There are many questions that beginning stu- dents may have, such as, What school should I major in? and What school clubs and pro- grams can I participate in? SOAR is a time for asking questions. SOAR, or Summer Orientation and Advanced Registration, is a two-day program developed to help beginning freshmen and transfer students with curiosities and uncertain- ties about college education. Freshmen may choose from any one of ten different sessions, and there is also a one-day session especially for re-entry students called Re-SOAR. New students are provided peer counseling and academic advising by a select group of counselors. The 12 counselors are seleaed during the spring semester from students of sophomore, junior, or non-graduating senior status. The counselors attend a week of camp at Bear Creek Educational Facility and attend a class where they learn, among other things, about group dynamics and the reasons for SOAR programs. Direaor of Student Aaivities Bob Glenn said that Rob Brooks, Jennifer Dicken, Russ Edwards, Laura Gray, Claudia Henao, Stacy Lee, Jill Lindsey, Lia Pope and Jennifer Sellers were an excellent group of SOAR counselors. He said, They worked very hard. Eight hundred and fifty students went through SOAR, and Dr. Glenn said, We fell very good about the program and had a 95 percent approval rating this year. The SOAR program was also fun for the counselors said Claudia Henao. She said, The SOAR counselors developed very close friend- ships and had a lot of fun participating in the SOAR program. Henao also said, The beginning freshmen learned how to deal with so many different people in groups. It broke down the barriers among students and created new friendships. SOAR also presented cabaret skits to enter- tain the students and make the new experience It broke down the barriers among students and created new friendships. — Claudia Henao of college less uncertain. According to Jayne Miller, student aaivities assistant, the cabaret show was all about a typical day at UNA. A skit about a math professor who goes into a song and dance rou- tine during a class, a spoof of the Student Development Center and a skit about an incoming freshman nerd who ends up with the best looking girl on campus were acted out. The SOAR cabaret cast members were Nikki Barrett, Brian Branscome, Joanna Morrow, Laura Leigh Parker, Angela E. Rue, Ashlee Had- dock and Amber Rhodes. Their director was Robert Allen Holder, associate professor of communications and theatre. Kevin Robison was the musical direaor. Also the cabaret crew, under technical direc- tor Jayne Miller, keep the show going during SOAR. The cabaret crew did all the grunt work such as moving things and setting up, and they became a close-knit group, according to Miller. You become a family for the summer, she said. The SOAR cabaret crew members were Todd Nelms, J. Craig Lewis, Paul Gartman, Michael Howard, Eric Berryman, James Conrad Bell and Jason Braly. SOAR ' S greatest result in the end is that a community atmosphere was aeated for incom- ing students. Fun with SOAR counselors — Claudia Henao and Lia Pope shou: Katie Glenn (daughter of Dr. Bob Glenn) a great time dancing in the University Center. Photo by John Cahoon. Follou: the leader! SOAR counselors lead future i ' yA students into another SOAR adventure. Wonder uhat ' s next? Photo by John Cahoon. SOAR SS