Midsummer
Night’s
Dream Garden Party will
be staged on September 21.
The program will be scenes
from Shakespeare and from
Greek
comedian
the
Aristophanes. The event is
free to the public.
Donations are gratefully
accepted. Stay tuned—
September looks to offer a
garden variety of events.
Contact information:
www.friendsjdcl.org;
www.hotellimpia.com;
www.blue-mountain-
bistro.com;
www.sulross.edu/theatre
hotel, built in 1912, was the setting for
the scene by the same name from
Romeo and Juliet. The drama that
year was not limited to the script.
During the familiar exchange between
the two lovers, rain began. Actors
Amber Bowen and Andrew Ross kept
right on. Then it poured. According to
director Roman, “They rose above the
rain and the noise and really went for
it. The audience (sheltered) loved it.”
In 2013 the comedies of Moliere
and Wilde were added to the
Shakespearean playbill. Again there
were rain interruptions. This time,
unable to wait the downpour out, cast,
crew and audience moved into the
hotel’s ballroom. Without a hitch, the
program went on as planned. Outside,
the thunder rolled; inside, the audience
roared with laughter.
Another early performance especial-
ly popular with the largely local crowd
was a scene from Taming of the Shrew. It
featured Fort Davis High School grad-
uates Addie Bencomo, a theatre minor,
and her future husband Willie
Langham, who wasn’t a theatre stu-
dent. The ad-libbing made necessary
by his occasional dropped lines made
their Kate and Petruchio exchanges all
the more amusing and endearing.
Left: Patrons of the Theatre,
L to R: Rosalinda Crase,
Janice Jobe and Tom Crase
enjoy libations at the Blue
Bistro Cafe
Below: Theatre-goers look
on from the shade of the
balcony as Dona Roman's
players take the stage
The late August/early September
performance date has created a major
challenge for Dona Roman and her
students, who are returning for the fall
semester. Roman must develop a pro-
duction in a short time. She is quick to
praise her students, calling their work a
labor of love. Most Sul Ross produc-
tions are written by contemporary
writers. The students “appreciate the
opportunity to work up a bit of
Shakespeare and to provide communi-
ty service, giving their time and energy
graciously,” Roman says.
Many of the performers are mem-
bers of Sul Ross’s Alpha Iota chapter
of Alpha Psi Omega, the national the-
atre fraternity. Many students have
gone on to work professionally in the-
atre and film. Others have found suc-
cessful careers in teaching. The stu-
dents’ love of theatre is evident, as is
that of director Roman. She has been
at Sul Ross 16 years, Director of
Theatre since 2005. Since 2006, with
the inaugural Annie Get Your Gun, she’s
been in charge of Theatre of the Big
Bend’s summer musicals in Alpine.
This year’s performance, directed by
Greg Schwab, will showcase Stephen
Sondheim’s Into the Woods and will run
from June 20 to July 6. This year’s
Cenizo
Third Quarter 2014
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