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Feature
|
By David Koteles
The Abuses
of Musical
Theatre
At Northwestern State in Louisiana,
an install that can stand up to the
demands of modern musical theatre
Near the quiet banks of the Cane River Lake, in
Natchitoches, La., a part of the world where stately,
old southern houses with inviting porches are shaded
by pecan trees, sits the campus of Northwestern State
University (NSU). Everyone knows football, marching bands,
and beauty pageants are all taken very seriously in Louisiana.
What many people don’t know, however, is that the performing
arts are also revered here, and NSU has an excellent
undergraduate theatre program. Now that program is
mounting professional-level shows using a brand new audio
system with cutting-edge technology, which is generously
funded by a munificent arts grant from the Louisiana Board
of Regents.
“Due to the nature of modern theatre,
all of the equipment we use
must have a great deal of flexibility.”
—Shawn Parr
NSU is a member of the National Association of Schools of
Theater (NAST), and offers a full curriculum in theatre. NSU
offers a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Arts, with typically 100
undergrads majoring in theatre each year. While all students
take their turn doing tech, 15 to 20 of them choose theatre
design and technology as their field of concentration. Now,
those tech students will have a state-of-the-art sound infrastructure
to learn their craft on.
Historic Building, New Gear
Named after the noted Louisiana statesman and former
university president, the Albert Asa Fredericks Auditorium at
NSU is a fine example of masterwork WPA architecture. A solid
box of red bricks, not unlike what you’d expect the third, and
wisest, little pig to build fending off the Big Bad Wolf. However,
the gentle lines of the depression-era architecture, and its
simple adornment of three ivory-white high-relief statues give
A scene from Kiss Me, Kate at Northwestern State
Left to right: Undergraduate student Nicholas Frederick and Shawn Parr, sound design faculty member.
the building an appealing expression. The statues, representing
the three muses, stand above a trio of extended doors
and give the entrance an enhanced sense of importance and
scholarship. With 1,400 seats and a balcony, this elegant yet
practical 1938 auditorium is the main stage for the School of
Creative and Performing Arts at NSU, and the chief venue for
its theatre, dance, and music departments.
While the 71-year-old theatre was blessed with pretty good
acoustics, a decent sound system was nevertheless needed.
When it came time to replace the old equipment, the new system,
according to sound director and adjunct professor Shawn
Parr, “had to be up to snuff for the abuses of musical theatre.”
Every school year, the theater hosts three musical productions,
numerous theatrical productions, dance concerts, a hugely
popular Christmas spectacular, various student events, and
they even tried their hand at dinner theatre recently.
28 October 2009 • www.stage-directions.com