February 26, 2003 News Releases
Released 2/25/03
KCACTF
AT UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY ENDS IN “SUCCESS AND FABULOUS
FUN”
LOGAN — The motels were all booked, restaurants were
crowded and the Utah State University campus was full. Sound
bad? Actually, these elements measured the success of the Kennedy
Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF), which took
place Feb. 11-16 at Utah State University. The event, full of
performances, competition and workshops, fully engulfed northern
Utah, creating memories, collaborations and friendships.
The festival went way beyond expectations, according to Bruce
Duerden, one of the festival coordinators and theatre arts professor
at Utah State.
“Gracious reports about the community, its support of
the arts and Utah State keep coming in,” Duerden said.
“Everyone had a fabulous time. We, as a department, a
university and a community, set the bar high.”
The schools and students participating in the festival left
at the end of the week with awards, but some of the best are
still in Logan. Utah State Theatre (UST) continued its KCACTF
success in true fashion. Both design and performance students
made an impact during the week.
“Our actors contributed a lot to the success of the plays
and made several major contributions in competition,”
said Adrianne Moore, a performance professor in the Utah State
theatre arts department and a director of a 10-minute play in
the festival. “Quality actors play a
huge part in the development of these plays.”
Many UST performers successfully auditioned for and appeared
in the 10-Minute Play Fest. Those in the productions include
Brian Bahr, Tyson Smith, Melissa Thereon, Kathy Bateman and
Christian Shiverdecker.
Also of note, is Eric Van Tielen’s trek to the final round
of the Irene Ryan Acting competition. Van Tielen, a fall 2002
graduate of Utah State, made the final list of actors after
it was pared down from more than 200 participants.
In design competitions, Utah State Theatre students took three
major awards.
Preston Harman, a junior lighting design major, took home two
prizes. He won the National Award for Lighting Design for his
work in Utah State Theatre’s production of “To Kill
a Mockingbird,” which takes him to Washington, D.C., to
compete this spring. He also received a scholarship to the prestigious
Cal State Professional Summer Arts Design Program.
“I was shocked, excited and overwhelmed,” Harman
said. “I never though about winning the award before,
but I am honored to have a great opportunity. I am anxious for
the chance to make the trip and, who knows, perhaps I can make
a few key contacts for the future.”
Another Utah State designer of note is Bryan Richards, a graduating
senior in sound design. Richards is the Region VIII nominee
for sound design for his work in “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
If chosen for the national competition, he will compete in Washington,
D.C., this spring as well. The decision will be made in the
next several weeks by a national panel.
Rachel Wendel rounds out the USU design award winners with a
National Award for her costume design in Utah State Theatre’s
production of “The Boy Who Drew Cats.” As the winner,
Wendel is also on her way to D.C. this spring.
As a production, “The Boy Who Drew Cats” is a finalist
for performance at the national convention. The process is still
underway but if selected, the production will travel to Washington,
D.C., in the spring and be the featured play at the festival.
For more information on KCACTF or Utah State Theatre, call (435)
797-1500 or visit www.usu.edu/theatre.
February 25, 2003
Contact: Jeremy Gordon (435) 797-1500
UTAH STATE STUDENTS CAPTURE AWARDS AT LIONEL
HAMPTON JAZZ FESTIVAL
LOGAN — Students from the jazz program in the department
of music at Utah State University took part in the Lionel Hampton
Jazz Festival last week (Feb. 18–22), and three returned
with top awards. Larry Smith, head of the jazz program at Utah
State, made the announcement.
The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is an annual event at the University
of Idaho. There are performances, workshops and a variety of
competitions. The Utah State students were recognized in the
solo competitions. Winners include Kate Proudfit Skinner, best
jazz vocalist; Josh Skinner, best string bass soloist; and Jesse
Schafer, best guitar soloist.
Smith noted that the three award-winning students will be featured
in the next jazz concert at Utah State, March 4.
February 25, 2003
Contact: Larry Smith (435) 797-3003
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY FOLKLORE STUDENTS IN STATEWIDE
CONFERENCE
LOGAN — The idea of personal mentoring and a comfortable
environment for feedback is something students are familiar
with in Utah State’s department of English. The experience
in the English department’s Folklore Program is no exception.
From Feb. 27 to March 1, Utah State students will participate
in the annual meeting of the Folklore Society of Utah, taking
place this year in Provo in conjunction with a national folklore
conference. As has been the case for the past seven years, the
Folklore Society of Utah conference will emphasize students
as folklorists by providing them the opportunity to present
their work to peers and experts alike. Such an opportunity is
rare among other conferences in the country, according to Steve
Siporin, English department professor and folklorist.
“About seven years ago, we decided to make the meeting
into a student-paper conference,” Siporin said. “Now
virtually all the papers presented come from students, and the
idea is for professional folklorists to respond and mentor the
students.”
“There’s a supportive, confident spirit that our
students carry into the conference,” Siporin continued.
“It’s like a family here; we strive to create a
culture in which students feel comfortable sharing ideas. They’re
free to speak with us personally and can count on response and
support for the papers they’re developing. They go to
the conference ready to engage with other folklorists and folklore
students and to absorb comments from professionals and peers.”
Siporin will accompany the Utah State students to the conference.
The trip is virtually free for those attending — transportation
is provided by Utah State’s English department, and BYU
students have volunteered housing.
“The Folklore Society of Utah conference is one of most
anticipated events of the year for me,” said Siporin.“I
look forward to hearing the fresh ideas of folklore students
from around the state. The conversation that takes place helps
students sharpen their papers for regional and national conferences,
and ultimately for publication.”
For more information on Steve Siporin or the Department of English
at Utah State, contact Marina Hall at (435) 797-3858.
February 25, 2003
Contact: Steve Siporin (435) 797-2722
Writer: Andrew Bryan
WINTER ISSUE OF “WESTERN AMERICAN LITERATURE”
ARRIVES
LOGAN — The Winter 2003 issue of “Western American
Literature” has been published and is now available. The
journal is based in the department of English at Utah State
University. The current release addresses issues including environmental
justice, regional identity, racism and class-consciousness in
literary works set throughout the American West.
In an essay that focuses on the acequia system of irrigation
in New Mexico, author Tom Lynch addresses issues of environmental
justice that arise in the writing of Frank Waters, John Nichols
and Jimmy Santiago Baca. To accompany Lynch’s essay, the
issue also features southwest art by Maynard Dixon and Ernest
Blumenschein.
From New Mexico, the reader is transported to Oregon, as John
Cleman explores questions of Pacific northwest regional identity
in the work of H. L. Davis. In the third essay of the issue,
Joe Goeke addresses rhetorical manifestations of anti-racism
and class consciousness in John Rollin Ridge’s biography
of the notorious Mexican bandit Joaquín Murieta.
The issue also includes essay reviews by Chadwick Allen and
Susan Bernardin. Allen considers the varied and often-contrasting
representations of Native Indians in American literature as
conveyed in new books by Joshua David Bellin, Shari M. Huhndorf,
Neil Schmitz and Sherry L. Smith. In a review of recent critical
work by and about Louis Owens, Bernardin
explains the importance of “home, mixed blood identity,
place and memory” in Owens’s writing.
The book review section features eight reviews. They include
Tamara Pavich’s review of “The Novels of Louise
Erdrich” by Connie Jacobs, Jennifer Love’s review
of “Wild Life” by Molly Glass, and Carey Ellen Emmons’s
review of “Swift as Desire” by Laura Esquivel.
“Western American Literature” is the official publication
of the Western Literature Association. The department of English
at Utah State University has housed the journal since 1975.
Thomas J. Lyon served as editor of the journal until his retirement
in 1997, when Melody Graulich assumed editorship. For more information
about “Western American Literature” or the Western
Literature Association, contact Sabine Barcatta at (435) 797-1603.
February 25, 2003
Writer: Angela Waldie (435) 797-3353
Contact: Angela Waldie (435) 797-3353
PINNACLE HONOR SOCIETY RECOGNIZES STUDENTS
LOGAN — The Reentry Student Center at Utah State University
will recognize 18 new USU Pinnacle Chapter members, Thursday,
Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in the Walnut Room of the Taggart Student
Center. Pinnacle is a national honor society that recognizes
the achievements of outstanding returning students.
To be eligible, students must be at least 26 years of age or
older, have at least a five-year or more gap in their education
and maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0. They must
be involved in campus or community activities and demonstrate
leadership commitment and future promise.
New Pinnacle members who attend Utah State at the main campus
in Logan include Thomas Brown, Jennifer Carroll, Pamela Chamblee,
Tess Davis, Jae-Yang Park and Judith Patterson, all from Logan.
Other members are Valerie Elder, Hyde Park; Diana Glenn, Perry;
Audrey Lynn Hivner, Providence; Roger Karren, Smithfield; Holly
Lewis, Millville; and Christine Neeley, Garland.
Pinnacle members taking courses through Utah State Extension
are Anthony Amman, North Ogden; Kay Lynn Holmes and Sharon Kron,
both from Vernal; Rebecca Larson and Susan Young, both from
Blanding; and Shelly Zollinger, Centerville.
February 25, 2003
Contact: Janet Osborne (435) 757-1728
Writer: Tim Vitale (435) 797-1356
UTAH PUBLIC RADIO LINEUP CHANGES
LOGAN — Whether temporary or long-term, changes in Utah
Public Radio programming will be evident as early as Saturday
(March 1). A one-time special program is scheduled for Saturday,
but other changes planned for Thursday and Sunday nights are
in place for the foreseeable future.
Utah Public Radio’s regular Saturday 8-9 p.m. program,
the locally-produced “Fresh Folk,” will be preempted
this week only. In its place will be the broadcast of November’s
Karen Savoca and Pete Heitzman concert. They appeared Nov. 16
in Logan as part of the Bridger Folk Music Society season concert
series.
The new lineup, starting Sunday, March 2, includes “Wait,
Wait ... Don’t Tell Me!” at 6 p.m. and the familiar
“City Arts and Lectures” program at 7 p.m. “City
Arts and Lectures” leaves the 8 p.m. Thursday night slot
and is replaced by the new “Justice Talking.”
“Justice Talking” begins Thursday night, March 6.
“Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me!” is National Public
Radio’s weekly hour-long quiz program. Each week people
can test their knowledge against some of the best and brightest
in the news and entertainment world while figuring out what’s
real news and what’s made up.
“Justice Talking” is becoming a source for insight
on the hot-button legal issues in the news every day. The weekly,
one-hour program is moderated by veteran NPR correspondent Margot
Adler and features the nation’s leading advocates who
face off in a down-to-earth, free wheeling debate.
A service of Utah State University, Utah Public Radio is heard
on KUSU (91.5 FM) and KUSR (89.5 FM) in Logan and throughout
Utah on a system of 26 translators.
The Utah Public Radio Web site has more information at upr.org.
February 25, 2003
Contact: Richard Meng (435) 797-3132
utah
state today/archives/February
2003/archives
prior to Sept 2002/
Brought
to you by Utah State University Public Relations and Marketing
|