FOCUS
ON: Theatre Department
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Introduction: Sacramento State’s Department of Theatre and Dance recently celebrated its Golden 50th anniversary. Performances for the 2008 spring semester included the Black Art of Dance, 42nd Street, Lorca in a Green Dress and the One Act Festival. The semester will close in May with the Senior Dance Concert.
Video: (Narrator:) This is “Focus” from the campus of Sacramento State.
(Theater student, Sacramento State:) “Premier, Come in Premier....”
(Jim Finnerty, reporting:) Bringing theater to the University and the community allows these students at Sacramento State to hone their craft—whether as actors or directors.
(Amira Judeh, theater student, Sacramento State:) “Try just putting it on the bed. Use it like a speaker phone.”
(Judeh:) “It’s a show about what would be seen as a horribly stereotypical 50s family.”
(Finnerty:) Amira Judeh is a senior directing this work as part of a series of one-act plays.
(Judeh:) “But I decided to go in and take all of these breakdowns when they’re talking to their voices and make it trying to find a truer self.”
(James C. Anderson, theater professor, Sacramento State:) “First of all, the focus of this project is directing.”
(Finnerty:) James Anderson is mentoring five students in these one-act presentations.
(Anderson:) “So this is for them, something that they have been waiting for and had to work up toward through a number of prerequisites.”
(Background sound, tap dance routine)
(Finnerty:) In contrast to the one-act plays, big musicals like 42nd Street represent the variety of theatre department offerings to students and the community at large.
(Ed Brazo, theater professor, Sacramento State:) “I think for the entertainment world, we all just need a good song-and-dance type of show now and then.”
(Finnerty:) Theater professor Ed Brazo thinks that variety allows students to acquire important skills.
(Brazo:) “There’s something in every show that is by far numerously valuable to them in their training here.”
(Finnerty:) And whether it be drama, comedy or musical theatre, Sacramento State’s theater experience translates to opportunity for students.
(Judeh:) “I want to take away a knowledge of my own strength as a director. I know what I can do and I want to be able to keep doing it.”
(Finnerty:) This is Jim Finnerty Reporting.
(Narrator:) For more information on this and other news from Sacramento State, visit our website.
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