Wednesday, October 16, 2002
|
Wednesday, October 16, 2002 |
|
CCSU announces plans to build theater In an outdoor ceremony held in early October, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Dr. John Kohler, in conjunction with Clayton State Theater Director Dr. Larry Corse, announced plans for the University to build a new theatre. The official building site and construction start-date have yet to be announced. While the University currently uses a converted lecture hall for theatrical performances, it does not have an actual, functional theater with curtains, dressing rooms, prop rooms, etc. Clayton State proposes to raise funds for a new arts center building that will become a state-of- the-art, high tech theater. With the support of Emily and Walter Spivey, the University's music programs and its concert series successfully graduated from the inadequate performance space over a decade ago, notes Kohler. The University now boasts a state-of-the-art Music Building and world-class performance venue, Spivey Hall. "It is now time to round out the arts programming available to students and the Southern Crescent community...by at long last providing an appropriate venue for University theatrical performances as well," said Kohler. The new theater will give student and community actors a place to perform, and will grant student and community playwrights a place to present their work. The Clayton State Theater, now in its 31st season, puts special emphasis on premiering new theatrical works. Most recently the Ray Bradbury and William Whitefield never-before-seen musical, "The Day It Rained Forever" premiered on the Clayton State stage. Long-range goals for the new theater include: attracting a professional resident theater company "so that the theater is never dark," hosting productions by area community theaters, and developing a baccalaureate program in theater. But "we can't accomplish (these) important goal(s) without the help and financial support of all those in the Southern Crescent community who look forward as I do to expanding cultural opportunities in our region," added Kohler. After outlining goals for the new theater, Kohler applauded Corse, the 31-year director of the Clayton State Theater, "for years of remarkable accomplishments." He also hailed Corse as "one of the most prolific and capable faculty members at Clayton State." Attending the ceremony were theater fundraising committee members and University faculty and administrators including; Clayton State President Thomas K. Harden, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Sharon Hoffman, Vice President for External Relations Dr. Bryan Edwards, and Director of Development Reda Rowell. Chris Odem (Clayton County), a freshman Music major at Clayton State, provided acoustic music for the event.
|
