Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2007 - (Page 33)

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LEHIGH THEATRE DEPARTMENT When the Lehigh theatre department needed to set the stage for their production of Chekov’s Three Sisters, Baer provided advice and props necessary to resurrect 20th-century Russia. actors sitting on them nightly,” Ripa says. So Ripa and Francis called Baer to discuss the play, costume design, and other details. Baer then did what he does best, making a novel suggestion of his own: “Have you considered the Norwegian or the Scandinavian Biedermeier influence?” (Beidermeier furniture is usually somewhat plain and blocklike and borrows freely from many styles, particularly French Empire.) Within seconds, Ripa pulled up some examples on the Newel Web site from his office at Lehigh and was immediately sold. “It was just what the doctor ordered for the production, and we saw a rich tapestry of options online,” Ripa says. “So in many ways, more than lend us the furniture, Lewis helped shape the look of the piece—it was a real artistic contribution.” To see Baer’s suggested pieces in person and take a tour of the gallery, Ripa, Francis, and some Lehigh design students made the trip to Newel, where they met with Baer and his assistant. “From the moment I entered the building, I knew it was special,” says Chris Hallenbeck ’09, who plans to go into professional lighting design.“Floor after floor was filled with gorgeous furniture and works of art—I felt like a kid in a candy shop.” AN INVALUABLE £ FORM OF SCHOLARSHIP As the Lehigh theatre department began planning sets for the spring production of Chekov’s Three Sisters, set in 20th-century Russia, Drew Francis, associate professor of theatre, offered a suggestion: “I think the Newel gallery could be very helpful here.” That proved to be an understatement, to say the least. Lewis Baer ’72, president and CEO of Newel Art Galleries Inc., in New York City, not only allowed Lehigh to borrow furniture and antiques to use on stage, but he was actually instrumental in choosing the period focus and the pieces for the set. Francis and Gus Ripa, professor and chairperson of the theatre department, first went on the Newel Web site to check out early 20th-century Russian pieces. “We had a bunch of grand ideas, but we didn’t know if the pieces would be in stock or if they would be sturdy enough to withstand a bunch of college Dede Ayite ’07, who plans to pursue a career as a scenic designer, agrees.“All the items in the gallery were so unique and in such great condition—the extraordinary carvings really took my breath away,” she says. The students were equally impressed with the man who runs the gallery. “Mr. Baer was exceptionally helpful, not only by inviting us to the gallery and donating the pieces, but by giving us a wonderful tour and allowing us to wander the various floors freely,” Hallenbeck says. “Furthermore, he took a great interest in the next generation of Lehigh graduates. He asked us about our majors, classes, interests, and future plans, as well as regaling us with stories of the Lehigh past.” The authentic furniture and antiques used in the set made an impression on audiences as well as those involved in the production. “The pieces grounded Three Sisters in its time period and added authenticity to the play, allowing audience members to see where the story was set and the class of the family,” Ayite says. “The furniture really made the entire production more believable.” However, Ripa says it was more than just Baer’s furniture donation that contributed to the success of Three Sisters. “It is so wonderful to see a Lehigh alumnus who is at the forefront of his field in a business my department can make use of,” he says. “If you were designing cars, you would be pointing to Lee Iacocca. But I am designing stage décor, and we are so lucky to have a treasure trove of information in Lewis just 90 miles from Lehigh.This kind of donation is not duplicable. No one else can do this. It is a form of scholarship that is just plain invaluable.” fall 2007 33

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Table of Contents From the President's Desk Mailbox On Campus Arts & Culture Sports Research Cover Story - Forward March Little Man Overcomes Huge Odds Lights, Camera...Antiques Linderman Renewed From the Publisher's Desk Alumni News

Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2007

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