The Shackouls Honors College and Honors Seminar in Fine Arts presents “Acting Through the Ages.” The event will take place at 7:00 p.m. April 17 in Mississippi State University’s Griffis Hall Forum Room. The event is free and open to anyone who wants to attend.
Throughout the entirety of the semester, students in the fine arts seminar class have been learning about various acting techniques. Donna Clevinger, professor of the Honors Seminar in Fine Arts, encourages everyone to attend the actors showcase. As their final, the students are performing in the show “Acting Through the Ages” and encourage anyone curious about the class, or acting in general, to attend.
Stephanie Durr, a senior political science and sociology major, is one of the students performing.
“Each student was assigned a scene, and we have been working on them since spring break,” Durr said. “I am doing a scene from a play called ‘The Rivals,’ which is from the English restoration period, and my character is Mrs. Mallothrop who has ‘mallothropisms’ which means she says everything wrong in a humorous manner.”
The play is a comedy and also includes elaborate costumes for the audience’s pleasure.
Jack Parr, a freshman aerospace engineering major, has been acting a majority of his life.
“I am performing a scene from the tragedy called ‘Prometheus Bound,’ and my character is Prometheus,” Parr said. “My scene focuses on the story behind Prometheus who is being wrongfully punished.”
Parr’s involvement in the musical was encouraged through Clevinger.
“I heard Dr. Clevinger speak, and she talked about how we should do this play, and I offered to play the part because I played Shrek in a musical, so I could act it out decently,” Parr said.
Laurie Baskin, a freshman wildlife and pre-veterinary major, will be performing a scene from a Shakespeare play.
“My scene is from ‘The Twelfth Night,’ written by Shakespeare,” Baskin said. “I am performing with one of my students, Emily, in my class, and I am playing lady Olivia, and my partner is playing Viola.”
Baskin enjoyed describing the dramatics of the scene.
“This is kind of like a chase scene, and a flirtatious scene where we go back and forth with each other,” said Baskin.
Molly Saunders, a sophomore secondary education and English major, is hopeful for her performance.
“My scene is from the play ‘The Duchess of Malfi,’ and I am performing a monologue as the Duchess when she is being captured due to marrying a commoner, which is frowned upon by her brothers,” Saunders said. “I love acting and Dr. Clevinger, so I decided to take this class because I have taken her before and loved it.”
Many students tend to retake classes with Clevinger due to her engaging teaching style and passion for the arts.
“I took a forum class under Dr. Clevinger and did not know it was going to be an acting class, but I enjoyed it nonetheless, and I decided to take this one as well,” Baskin said.
The showcase includes mostly comedies, but a few tragic scenes are included as well. Scenes include monologues and groups of three actors. Scenes also include a range of many types of theatrical styles from Greek, Roman, Shakespearean, English Renaissance and French Neoclassicism. There will be a wide variety of costumes and scenes for the audience to enjoy. This event is perfect for any lover of the arts, supporter of student based performances or anyone curious about the class in general.
