Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 10/8/99
Contact: Christina Chapple 52m
ELABORATE TARTUFFE "AN EVENT" FOR SOUTHEASTERN THEATRE
HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University Theatre will recreate the fabulous
court of France's Louis XIV, complete with sumptuous sets and elaborate costumes, for its
production of Moliere's "Tartuffe."
The comic masterpiece is Southeastern Theatre's contribution to the 1999 Fanfare
schedule and its salute to Louisiana's celebration of FrancoFete. The performance opens Oct. 12
and runs through Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Vonnie Borden Theatre in D Vickers Hall.
Directed by Southeastern theatre professor Kay Files, the show will star guest actress Kim
Marshall of Hammond as Elmire, Daniel Trentacosta of New Orleans as Tartuffe and Shane
Stewart of Greenwood, Miss., as Orgon.
Also cast are Mandeville High School student Anne Pourciau of Covington as Madame
Pernelle, Chad Bankston of St. Francesville as Damis, Cherie Maurer of Independence as
Mariane, Ryan Perea of Bogalusa as Valere, Beau Allulli of Hammond as Cleante, Kat Duvic of
New Orleans as the Maid, Jacob Zeringue of Bogalusa as Monsieur Loyal.
The cast also includes Tim Muller of Covington as the Officer, Beth Hanson of
Covington as Flipote, Joey Mack of Baton Rouge as Laurent and Jenifer Hall of New Orleans as
Nanette. Jonathan Majour of Baton Rouge is the footman and an understudy.
Written in the 17th century for the fabulous court of King Louis XIV, "Tartuffe" is
Moliere's masterful and bawdy satirical comedy of manners, which takes deadly accurate aim at
hypocrisy, lust and betrayal.
Files said "Tartuffe" is one of the most ambitious productions Southeastern Theatre has
undertake in recent years and that the audience should be delighted by the sets, costumes, the
casts' talent and the show itself.
(MORE)
TARTUFFE Add One
"It's a real funny play," Files said. "A cast member described the show as 'Shakespeare
crossed with the Three Stooges' and I think that's really accurate," she laughed.
Files said she is excited to have guest actress Kim Marshall, a veteran of theatre
productions in New Orleans and on the north shore and a recent Southeastern visual arts
graduate, as a cast member.
"Kim is really a fabulous actress. She has a wonderful sense of humor," Files said. "What
an asset to the cast!"
She is also delighted with the sets turned out by visual arts students and technical director
Steve Schepker.
"This is an event for Southeastern Theatre," Files said. "Scene painters have been
working for six weeks to recreate King Louis XIV's court and we have built all the furniture
ourselves." The backdrops were done by visual arts students, executing the designs of their
fellow student -- and Hammond mural painter -- Woody Stevens. Costumes, Files said, came
from the Utah Shakespeare Festival and the University of Illinois at Urbana and include full
wigs.
"The cast has spent a lot of time learning how to deal with swords, canes, hankies and
snuffboxes," Files said.
"This show reflects the total dedication of the cast and crew," she said. "It represents
weeks and weeks of really hard work. The results are so gratifying to me and I am so proud of
their efforts."
Reserved seat tickets for "Tartuffe" are $5 adults, $3 senior citizens, Southeastern faculty,
staff and alumni and non-SLU students. Southeastern students are admitted free with their
university I.D. Tickets are available at theatre's box office in the lobby of D Vickers Hall, 504-
549-2105, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., weekdays and beginning at 6 p.m. on performance nights.
For a Fanfare brochure and ticket order form or for additional information about Fanfare events,
call the SLU Public Information Office, 504-549-2341, send e-mail to publicinfo@selu.edu, or
visit the Fanfare web site, www.selu.edu/fanfare.
-SLU-
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www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf99.htm