Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           
    Date: 10/28/96
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  126

Editors: Photo accompanies release -- Please note local interest
NEW CURTAINS GIVE SLU THEATRE A WELCOME FACELIFT
     HAMMOND -- Twenty-five years after the curtain first rose on a production at
Southeastern Louisiana University's Vonnie Borden Theatre production ... those same curtains
were still rising. 
     But the worn, torn stage drapes have finally been retired and replaced, thanks to some
singular initiative and some triple generosity.
     The theatre stage has an entire new set of curtains -- two 20-by-20 plum-colored velour
main drapes; eight black "teasers" (the horizontal pieces that mask the top of the stage); four
black "legs" (the long side curtains) and a "cyc," the big white backdrop.
     The $18,000 cost of the much-needed curtains was shared equally by Southeastern's
Student Government Association, Communication and Theatre Department and College of Arts
and Sciences.                            
     Real credit for the facelift, however, has to go to a sophomore zoology major from
Denham Springs, Teresa Hawkins.
     "I was taking an introduction to theatre class and I saw the holes in the curtains," said
Hawkins. "It gave me the idea of going to SGA to get them replaced." Hawkins, who is Student
Life director for the Student Government Association, did all the legwork and paperwork to get
unanimous SGA approval of a $6,000 contribution. The department and college matched the 
SGA's amount.
     "Teresa really took the project upon herself," said communication and theatre professor
                                 (MORE) 
VONNIE BORDEN CURTAINS -- Add One
Steve Schepker, who is the set and lighting designer for Southeastern Theatre. "She called the
companies and got the bids, I just wrote specifications. She was a real go getter." 
     The new curtains arrived in August and were installed by Schepker and his stagehands.
"It's an easy job," laughed Schepker. "If you can tie your shoes, you can put them up."
     Schepker said the Louisiana climate is particularly hard on theatre curtains. The huge
drapes absorb the humid air and because the water adds weight, "the curtains destroy
themselves," he said. "I've never seen curtains deteriorate so fast as they do in Louisiana." 
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