Blackfriars will kick off the theatre season with the MSU production of Terra Nova. The upcoming season promises no let downs.

It’s in the air.

The electricity of actors rehearsing lines, the smell of the make-up and the sound of hammers building scenery all let you know that the theatre season is right around the corner.

The Mississippi State University Blackfriars will be presenting many new and interesting plays this year thanks to Dominic Cunetto with the MSU Communication Department. Through his father’s interest in the opera, he became familiar with the theatre at an early age.

Cunetto joined the MSU communication staff in 1963. and with him, he brought new and exciting ideas to initiate the theatre curriculum.

Some of the productions which he has directed are The Miracle Worker, Look Homeward Angel and The Matchmaker. Two plays that he directed brought us famous visitors: Cactus Flower brought Margaret O’Brien and The Glass Menagerie was attended by Mercedes McCambridge, both well known in the theatre world.

In addition to teaching theatre and directing plays, Cunetto originated the

statewide High School Drama Festival. This is an event that brings high school students from around Mississippi to compete in several categories of play presentation.

Among his other duties, Cunetto is also the president of the Blackfriars Dramatic Society. It is an organization of students who enjoy theatre and work to present quality plays and entertainment to the Mississippi State community. Their first play this year will be Terra Nova on October 12-15. Directing the play will be Jeff Elwell, a member of the Communication staff.

In addition, Cunetto serves on various university and departmental committees, and is listed as an Outstanding Educator of America and Personality of the South. He received the first Golden Blackfriar Trophy for his development of the theatre curriculum at MSU. In 1986, he received the Burlington Northern Foundation Faculty Achievement Award for Excellence in teaching.

Among the plays being presented during the year by Blackfriars will be Come Blow Your Horn. This production will be given for the Mississippi American College Theatrical Festival at Hinds Community College. Tartuffe will also be presented later on in the year with the student directed one-act plays rounding the schedule out.