Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008 - (Page 13)

ARTS & CULTURE theatre THE WORLD COMES TO ZOELLNER IN 2008–09 LIGHTS…CAMERAS… COSTUMES! Although the January sky was gray and overcast, a small room, buried beneath Zoellner Art Center’s theaters, glistened with activity and color. In the department of The costume design and acquisition for theatre’s costume shop, The Piano Lesson was the “culminating event” spools of red, pink, of Hawxhurst’s education, says her mentor and blue thread lined Erica Hoelscher, professor of theatre. one of the walls in this hidden room, while Originally a biology major, Hawxhurst boxes of baubles, bracelets, and beads were transferred to theatre late in her academic castacked against other walls. reer. After she received her diploma last May, Several students bent over sewing machines she and three other graduates were hired by the or cut patterns out of fabric. The spring semesdepartment of theatre. They assisted with ter had barely begun, but the work-study stuteaching, design, and production and, in redents were already preparing costumes for the turn for their labor, the apprentices broadened department of theatre’s eight productions. their repertoire of skills to prepare them for Lauren Anderson ’08, a geological science graduate school or professional theater. major, held a calico dress in one hand while Hawxhurst worked closely with Kashi wielding a seam ripper in the other. As she reJohnson, the play’s director and an associate moved stitches, she questioned Corinne Hawxprofessor of theatre. Johnson described this pehurst ’07 about the costumes for Lehigh’s riod as a “journey of discovery” for herself and production of The Piano Lesson, Lesson, which ran in April in Zoellner’s Baker Hall. “What are you looking for when you design the costumes?” Anderson asked. “I’m always considering what is written into the plays,” replied Hawxhurst, who designed the costumes for Lehigh’s rendition of August Wilson’s 1989 play. Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, The Pam Richey, the costume shop coordinator, adjusts the dress worn by Berniece Piano Lesson portrays a family (played by Teniece Johnson) in a ﬁnal ﬁtting before opening night. wrestling with their legacy of slavery. The costumes for the production were the play’s entire design team. infused with an African ﬂare achieved by pat“At the beginning, I had more questions tern, color, and texture of the garment. This than images,” Johnson says. African influence can be clearly identified in Together, Johnson, Hawxhurst, and the the dress worn by the main character, Berniece, other designers visualized the characters, their during the play’s ﬁnal scene. clothing, and their setting. “It was a joy to ﬁll The purple-and-green pattern is reminisin those blanks,” Johnson says. cent of native African prints, and juxtaposition In the fall, Hawxhurst will enter graduate of the print over a 1930s-era dress illustrates school, where her professors expect her to Berniece’s position as an African-American livﬂourish. ing in Pennsylvania. From the first sketch to “Corinne is phenomenal,” Johnson says. the ﬁnal hem, the dress was created entirely by “She put so much thought and preparation Lehigh’s costume shop. into the costumes.” —Becky Straw Cirque Éloize Zoellner Arts Center will take a theatrical and musical expedition around the world during the 2008-09 season. Zoellner’s musical journey begins on Sept. 28 in Latin America with Forever Tango, which will present two hours of sensuous Argentine music, song, and, of course, dance. On Oct. 25, one of the most successful touring opera companies, Teatro Lirico D’Europa, will perform Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Teatro Lirico Pagliacci. These brief D’Europa but poignant Italian operas portray love, passion, and betrayal. After giving attendees a sampling of Mediterranean music, Zoellner will welcome its audience home with music born in America’s South. The Dave Leonhart Quartet will perform jazz favorites with bassist and vocalist Nancy Reed on Dec. 19. On Feb. 14 and 15, Canada’s Cirque Éloize acrobats and artists will soar through Zoellner in their newest show, Nebbia, and, one week later, on Feb. 22, the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra arrives from the Emerald Isle to regale the audience with magical music. The Far East will draw nearer when the National Acrobats of China perform unbelievable feats on March 2. The next week, LA Theatre Work brings in its productions of War of the Worlds and The Lost World. Before the season ends, the Russian National Ballet will depict the adventures of Don Quixote on March 28, and the Netherland Dance Theatre will perform on April 14. —Becky Straw PHOTOS BY DOUGLAS BENEDICT spring 2008 13

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Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008 Contents From the President's Desk Mailbox On Campus Research Arts & Culture Sports Alumni News Cover Story: In Galileo's Wake Technically Funny The Healing Game Looking for America The Last Word

Alumni Magazine - Spring 2008

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