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Celebrations honoring Black History Month, held annually each February, may be especially poignant this year as Americans continue to process the racial unrest that escalated throughout 2020. Staff members in Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs hope to unpack some of those events as they discuss Black history and culture during the annual Black History Month Celebration.

“The events that occurred this past year will definitely carry weight during our program as we seek to inform students who may not fully understand their significance,” said DaQuan Allen, OMA student ambassador. “Our speakers will give their unique perspectives on Black History and how we have overcome adversity on campus, in the community and in the country, allowing others to gain a more knowledgeable understanding of the weight of these movements and provide ways to get involved.”

Three guest speakers will present during the celebration, including SFA alumnus Dennis Hagan, SFA student leader Gabrielle Harris and Nacogdoches community member G.W. Neal.

“This year’s Black History Month program is titled ‘From Lemons to Lemonade’ and is aimed at highlighting the perseverance the Black community has displayed throughout history,” said Lauren Roach, OMA student ambassador. “We believe it is important that OMA honors Black History Month because of the significant contributions that Black/African-American people have provided not only to America but to the world. We would like to give Black History Month the recognition it deserves by honoring the historical figures of the past and highlighting the leaders of today.”

The program also will include various performing arts, such as singing, dancing and poetry.

“Participants should expect to have a great time enjoying the display of African-American history and gain insight on how this history continues to remain impactful and inspirational for the present and future,” Roach added.

The Black History Month program begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom on the SFA campus as well as virtually via Zoom.

There is no entry fee. Seating is limited for in-person attendance, and the event dress code is business casual. Masks and physical distancing also will be enforced.

The deadline to register for either the in-person or Zoom event is Feb. 19.

For information or to register, visit sfasu.edu/oma.

By Christine Broussard, marketing communications coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The SFA School of Theatre will present Jean Genet’s “The Maids” at 7:30 nightly Feb 23 through 27 virtually and in-person in Kennedy Auditorium on campus. Purchase tickets/virtual access at boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407.

“Any actor or director who isn’t a little scared of this play isn’t paying sufficient attention,” the Stephen F. Austin State University professor of theatre said of the final play he will direct before his retirement from SFA at the end of the academic year.

The SFA School of Theatre will present Genet’s “The Maids” at 7:30 nightly Feb 23 through 27 online and in-person in Kennedy Auditorium on campus. With expansion and renovation work underway at Griffith Fine Arts Building, the School of Theatre’s Mainstage Series performance venue, W.M. Turner Auditorium, is currently not available. Instead, theatre students will use Kennedy Auditorium as their main venue for the next two years.

Jones describes “The Maids” as one of the most famous plays of theatre of the absurd. Like “No Exit,” which the School of Theatre presented in the fall, it was written in the mid-1940s and features a small cast; in this case, three women.

“All three roles are excellent and will provide significant challenges for even our best and most experienced actors,” he said. “It works well in a space not designed as a theatre, and it provides the actors with an opportunity to really sink their teeth into roles … the two maids are both on stage for virtually the entire show.

“It’s a fascinating work dealing with issues of violence, jealousy, mental health, sexuality, gender and especially class,” he added. The play is recommended for mature audiences.

The title characters are sisters in the employ of “Madame.” “Monsieur” has been imprisoned based on an anonymous tip from the maids. The two plot to murder their employer, running through a series of episodes that might be ritual, might be fantasy, and might be reality, Jones explains.

One of the more interesting elements of the production, Jones said, will be that there are understudies for each role; all of the understudies will be guaranteed a performance, provided that health and COVID protocols allow.

“We’ll be handling the understudy roles a little differently than standard practice: they will not be expected or encouraged to do what the other actors are doing,” Jones said. “Actors will need to be ‘in the moment’ even more than in a standard production, responding to the stimuli that are actually happening on stage rather than to what may have been rehearsed with someone else. Assuming all goes well, we’ll have four different casts for a five-night run.”

“The Maids” was one of three plays Jones, who is in his 20th year of teaching at SFA, submitted more than a year ago as possibilities to perform this year. Submissions for consideration were made pre-COVID and long before he contemplated retirement. But things have a way of working out like they’re supposed to.

“I think it’s an apt coda,” he said. “The small cast works particularly well under these circumstances. It’s an intellectual, ‘talkie’ play, but it will be accessible if we do it right. There’s a chance that it won’t work, of course; this just might be the most difficult play I’ve ever attempted, and heroic failures are still valuable. They pay me to get students better more than to necessarily do great productions. I think I can guarantee the former, and, at this point in the rehearsal process, I’m pretty confident about the latter, as well.”

Patrons who attend the show in person will be required to wear face coverings and socially distance themselves from other audience members not in their immediate group. Actors will be maskless if the School of Theatre gets approval from SFA health and safety officials. All participants in all rehearsals prior to technical/dress rehearsals will wear masks at all times. Company members will be tested for COVID regularly throughout the process and must pass a temperature check before every performance.

General ticket prices are: adult, $15; senior (62+), $10; non-SFA student, $10; SFA faculty/staff, $7.50; youth, $7.50; SFA student, $5; virtual access, $15. Live virtual access is available for all performances. Purchase tickets/access at boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407. For questions about the play, contact the School of Theatre at (936) 468-4003. Seating is limited.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs will discuss self-reflection, empowerment, community building and radical empathy during the first Brave Space Series of the spring semester.

Solo El Pueblo Salva Al Pueblo (Only the People Save The People) is a workshop where participants will have the opportunity to discuss how the power of the people can help overturn worldwide systems of oppression, as well as participate in activities that demonstrate the steps individuals can take in their own sphere of influence.

“The purpose of this workshop is to educate the audience about the power that exists within all of us to build a new world where true freedom and justice are possible,” said Andrea Flores, OMA student ambassador. “The workshop includes activities and discussions that will encourage participants to be honest and vulnerable with one another to highlight the importance of empathy, love and trust, which are essential for community building.”

The activities are designed to educate participants about the current state of worldwide systems of oppression and the impact behind individuals’ everyday decisions and assist participants in finding what realistic steps they can take to help build community within their own social circles.

“I hope participants leave the workshop knowing about the power they have to fight against these worldwide systems of oppression,” Flores said.

The workshop will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Multimedia Room. In-person attendance is limited, so participants also can join via Zoom.

To make accommodations, such as captioning, or to register, visit sfasu.edu/oma.

For more information, contact the Office of Multicultural Affairs at oma@sfasu.edu or (936) 468-1073.

By Emily Brown, marketing communications specialist for Stephen F. Austin State University.