September 17, 2003 News
Releases
Released 9/12/03, 9/15/03 & 9/16/03
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 09-16-03
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FROM UTAH PUBLIC RADIO AND THE USU MUSIC DEPARTMENT
LOGAN — Another in a broadcast series of collaborations
between Utah Public Radio and the Utah State University Department
of Music will spotlight students in opera theater.
A Tuesday (September 23) afternoon broadcast on Utah Public
Radio features highlights of the April 23 "Italian Opera
Gala" in the Kent Concert Hall of the Chase Fine Arts Center
on campus. It begins at 1 p.m. and will be re-broadcast Monday,
Sept. 29, at 9 p.m.
The broadcast features works by Gioachino Rossini ("La
Cenerentola") and Giuseppe Verdi ("La Forza del Destino,"
"Aida" and "Nabucco).
Also featured on the broadcast are the Utah State University
Symphony Orchestra, directed by Sergio Bernal; the Utah State
Chamber Singers and director Cory Evans; the Utah State Concert
Chorale, Lane Cheney, director; and the Cache Valley Civic Ballet,
with Sandra Emile as director.
This special broadcast includes Utah Public Radio's Tom Williams
interviewing Utah State Opera Theater Director Lynn Jemison-Keisker,
who outlines the productions planned for this fall: "Signor
Deluso" by Thomas Pasatieri and "Suor Angelica"
by Giacomo Puccini. This broadcast collaboration was created
as a forum for Utah State’s performing artists —
from students and faculty — in addition to visiting faculty,
lecturers, performers and artists-in-residence.
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 is at UPR.ORG.
September 15, 2003
Contact: Richard Meng, (435) 797-3132
Writer: Craig Hislop, (435) 797-1352
EXTENSION EDUCATOR
WINS NATIONAL AWARD FROM MEXICO
LOGAN — Hector Mendiola, Extension educator in the Cache
County Extension office, recently received the OHTLI Mexican
Government Recognition Award for 2003.
"Ohtli" means "road" in the na'huatl language.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created the award to recognize
those furthering the principal objectives of building relations
with the Mexican Community living outside of the country. The
award is given to recognize those who have dedicated their lives
and their efforts to the well being of these compatriots. It
was presented to Mendiola by the Mexican Consul Patricia Deluera
Sept. 13 in Salt Lake City as part of the day-long Mexican Independence
Day Celebration.
"Hector has been a great asset to both Extension and the
Mexican community," said Jack Payne, vice president and
dean for Extension. "He writes a weekly Spanish language
column for 'The Herald Journal,' translates publications for
the university and has been instrumental in helping Utah State
form partnerships with the Mexican government. We have a strong
and growing partnership with the Mexican Consulate and the Mexican
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in particular their Office for
Educational Programs for Mexicans Living Abroad. We have been
working with them to be the first organization in the United
States to have a formal agreement to receive and re-transmit
four of their 13 educational TV channels."
September 16, 2003
Writer: Dennis Hinkamp 435-797-1392
Contact: Hector Mendiola 435-752-6263
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 09-15-03
EMERITUS PROF EARNS AWARD
FOR ONLINE INSTRUCTION
LOGAN – Even after 37 years on the Utah State University
department of English faculty, emeritus professor Ted Andra
still loves teaching."I have a passion for it," he
said. "I just have to keep my hands in it."
This passion has earned Andra recognition by both students and
colleagues; he recently earned the Online Instructor of the
Year presented by Utah State's Distance Education program. Selected
from a pool of 100 nominees, Andra was singled out not only
for his outstanding attention to students, but for the Web design
of his class.
"Dr. Andra's approach provides a tremendous example of
how to involve students in an online class," said Vince
Lafferty, director of Utah State Distance Education. "He
works diligently with his instructional designer to make sure
that the technical structure of his class does what he wants
it to do. He is very involved in the design and look of his
class."
Lafferty also noted that Andra was judged, in part, by the level
of interaction with his online students. "Many of those
students contacted us with praise for the personal attention
Dr. Andra gave to them and their online work."
Though most of his career was spent teaching in traditional
face-to-face classrooms, Andra eagerly began his online instruction
six years ago.
"I love teaching," he said, "and online instruction
opens, literally, a whole new world."
The most enjoyable aspect for Andra is interacting with students
from around the nation and the world, he said.
Andra, who earned his doctorate in British literature from the
University of Oregon, has taught classes in medieval literature
and 19th century British literature. In recent years he has
also added technical writing to his pedagogical repertoire.
When asked about the advantages of online instruction, he noted
that even students in remote areas can continue their education.
"I've found that online, students often feel more comfortable
expressing themselves," he said. And he enjoys the freedom
online teaching allows him as well. "I just returned from
a family trip to Alaska," he said. "Online instruction
is tremendously flexible for teachers and students alike."
For more information on Andra or the department of English at
Utah State, contact (435) 797-3858.
September 15, 2003
Contact: Marina Hall (435)797-3858
SUMMER ISSUE
OF “WESTERN AMERICAN LITERATURE” ARRIVES
LOGAN – The Summer 2003 issue of “Western American
Literature” is now available. It features essays that
address a wide range of subjects in western American literary
criticism.
"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.
In the newest issue María Carla Sánchez explores
Willa Cather's treatment of cultural artifacts and artistic
processes in relation to region. Todd Davis and Kenneth Womack
consider the ways in which Jim Harrison's female protagonists,
in works such as "Dalva," "The Woman Lit by Fireflies"
and "The Road Home," find spiritual transcendence
and redemption through a renewed connection with the natural
world. In an essay titled "Desert Solitaire and the Literary
Memory of an Imagined Place," Jared Farmer revisits Edward
Abbey’s trip down the Colorado River shortly before the
completion of the Glen Canyon Dam. This essay compares Abbey's
description of the journey in his journal with its subsequent
retelling in "Desert Solitaire." In the final essay,
Peter Bayers reads "To the Top of the Continent" by
Frederick Cook as a text trying to recapture the values of nationalism
and manliness in the Progressive Era.
This issue also contains an essay review, written by former
"Western American Literature" editor Thomas J. Lyon,
that explores four books by Frank Waters.
The book review section of this issue contains 12 reviews. They
include David Cremean's review of "My Story as Told by
Water" by David James Duncan; Forrest Robinson's review
of "Marriage, Violence, and the Nation in the American
Literary West" by William Handley; and Stephen Cook's review
of "The Cadence of Grass" by Thomas McGuane.
This issue also includes a review by Utah State English department
instructor Rachel Rich on "Mary Hallock Foote: Author-Illustrator
of the West" by Darlis A. Miller and "Reading A Victorian
Gentlewoman in the Far West: The Reminiscences of Mary Hallock
Foote" by Christine Hull Smith. The book review section
provides an excellent venue for readers to become familiar with
recent publications in the field of western American literature.
For more information about "Western American Literature"
or the Western Literature Association, contact Sabine Barcatta
at (435) 797-1603.
September 15, 2003
Contact: Sabine Barcatta (435) 797-1603
Writer: Angela Waldie (435) 797-3363
UTAH STATE NEWS RELEASES FOR 09-12-03
PLAY ABOUT A PLAY?
UTAH STATE THEATRE OPENS WITH SOME "SHOW BUSINESS"
LOGAN — Utah State Theatre, the production program in
the department of theatre at Utah State University, proves that
all the world's a stage with its 2003–2004 season. That
theme is the connecting thread for the season that opens with
"Anton in Show Business," a play by Jane Martin. The
dramatic comedy runs Sept. 25-27, with both an evening and matinee
performance on Saturday, Sept. 27, and Oct. 1-4 at the Caine
Lyric Theatre, located at 28 West Center Street in downtown
Logan. Curtain times for "Anton" are 7:30 p.m. for
evening performances and 2 p.m. for the matinee.
The play, by Jane Martin, is a satire on the state of American
regional theatre. It follows the travails of three actresses
as they audition for and rehearse Anton Chekhov's "The
Three Sisters." The production is trouble-plagued from
the start. The theatre’s high-minded artistic director
(degrees from Harvard and Yale) has nabbed a trendy Englishman
to head the operation, but he is out of tricks when a well-known
television star takes a liking to a pair of co-stars he has
rudely dismissed.
Theatre arts department faculty member Adrianne Moore, the director
of the production, describes the play as a hysterical look into
the world of theatre.
"The play tells the story of three struggling actors and
an ill-fated production of Chekhov’s 'The Three Sisters'
in San Antonio, Texas," she said. "There's Lisabette,
a young third grade teacher who recently made her acting comeback
in a community theatre production of 'Fiddler on the Roof;'
Casey, a veteran of Off-Broadway theatre, having closed 200
productions without ever getting paid, and Holly, a famous TV
star looking for respect (and more film offers) by doing ‘serious’
theatre. There’s the leading lady/leading man romance,
fights with directors, power trips, actors playing multiple
characters and, of course, ongoing funding woes. Like Chekhov,
Jane Martin captures the humor and the pain of life. It just
happens to be life in show business.”
The all-female cast of "Anton in Show Business" showcases
more than a few of Utah State Theatre's actresses. Holly, the
TV actress looking for some sort of credibility, is played by
Melissa Thoreson. Jessie Kassow portrays Lisabette, the naïve
professional theatre newcomer. Off-Broadway diva Casey is played
by Jackie Campbell. "This play provides great opportunities
for our student actors," Moore said. "They play a
great range of characters, both male and female, from a Polish
theatre director, to a cowboy, a TV goddess and a Texas oil
millionaire. It’s important that our students have the
opportunity to do contemporary as well as classical work, and
this play has important things to say about the profession they
have chosen to enter."
The remaining members of the cast play a number of important
parts. Autumn Sargent, Adee Reed and Mindy McKinnon play multiple
roles throughout the production, and Jessica Dilley provides
the surprise voice from the audience.
The play is a contemporary work, initially produced at Louisville's
24th annual Humana Festival of New American Plays in 2000. The
play's author is listed as Jane Martin, but Martin is the pseudonym
of a playwright whose work for the past 10 years has been produced
at the Actors Theatre of Louisville. Only a few details are
known about the author, who wants to remain anonymous. It is
known that the playwright is a Kentucky resident. Only a select
few know her true identity. Most of Martin's themes deal with
women's issues, and all the leading characters are women.
Ticket information for the production can be obtained by calling
the Utah State University Ticket Office at (435) 797-0305 or
by visiting the Utah State Theatre Web site at www.usu.edu/theatre.
The Caine Lyric Theatre box office will be open one hour prior
to curtain on production dates. Ticket prices are $9 for an
adult, $7 for Utah State faculty and staff and senior citizens
and $6 for non-USU students. Utah State University students
are free with valid ID and ticket. Children under the age of
six are not admitted into the theatre.
The production "Anton in Show Business" contains mature
themes that may not be suitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion
is advised.
Utah State Theatre officials remind patrons to consider the
Utah State Theatre Flex-Pass option for tickets for the entire
"all the world’s a stage" season. The Flex-Pass
allows patrons to see any 2003-2004 mainstage production in
any combination at greater savings. Flex-Pass pricing ranges
from $24 to $30 and can be purchased at the Smith Spectrum Ticket
Office on the Utah State campus. For general inquiries call
(435) 797-1500 or email gordonj@hass.usu.edu.
"Watch for advertisements as the season progresses, and
don't forget to visit the UST Web site at www.usu.edu/theatre,"
public relations director Jeremy Gordon concluded. "Remember,
'All the World's a Stage at UST.'"
September 12, 2003
Contact: Jeremy Gordon (435) 797-1500
Adrianne Moore (435) 797-3023
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