Valkyrie Fall 2017 - Issue 1

A NEW HOME FOR BCTC
Story by Abby Collins
Design by Mary Thrailkill
Photos by Bailey Albertson and Sara Arms
We were no stranger to the construction between
Blackstone Theater and Morton-Lemely last year,
but few were aware of what was actually happening inside
Blackstone Theatre.
“We have a brand-new space attached to our
building now. That space is where the audience will be and
where the performances will take place,” said Anna Filippo,
assistant professor of theatre and director of theatre.
Along with the addition of the new performance space, the
upstairs offices were expanded and updated, allowing for
more work to be done out of the way of performances and
rehearsals.
“Downstairs we have expanded the shop and there
is a giant open space where the theatre was. We hope that
very soon there will be a wall put up so we can use that
as a classroom,” said Filippo. This will mean Blackstone
Theatre will have two new classrooms because they have
turned the old lobby into a learning facility.
“I’ve loved doing shows in there. It’s funny to say
this, but even the restrooms are beautiful,” said Filippo.
The lighting and sound equipment is also brand new and
of national tour quality. The new space is a black box theatre.
“We are able to move the seats in any configuration,
so student designers and student actors can have various
experiences with the audience in front of or around them,”
said Filippo.
The space allows students to use multiple areas of
the theatre to paint, rehearse, preform and meet for class.
Because there are so many different things that happen in
the theatre, building, acting, light composition and ticket
sales, having an updated, diverse and space opens the
doors to doing better quality, more professional work. The
space also has been renamed Sisters Theatre in honor of
Audrey Morgan, the donor of the building, in remembrance
of her sister who passed away last year.
With “cuffing season” around the corner, Blackstone
Theatre has plenty of opportunities for you to plan a
date. “We have a four-show season this year. At Christmas,
we will do an original piece by one of my play writing
students. That will be our fundraising and holiday show,”
said Filippo. Last year they performed A Charlie Brown
Christmas and raised $7000; half of which went to St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital. The other half was granted
to students so they could travel to different conferences
and work at different theatres across the nation without
paying out of pocket.
42 Arts & Music
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