Everything Nac

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of the documentary “Lion” at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

“Lion” is the story of 5-year-old Indian boy Saroo who, on a trip with his brother, finds himself alone and trapped in a moving decommissioned passenger train that takes him to Calcutta, 1,000 miles away from home. He survives many challenges living as a street child before being adopted by a loving, prosperous couple in Australia. For all his material good fortune, Saroo finds himself plagued by his memories of his lost family in his adulthood and tries to search for them, even as his guilt drives him to hide this quest from his adoptive parents and his girlfriend. Only when he has an epiphany does he realize not only the answers he needs, but also the steadfast love that he has always had with all his loved ones in both worlds.

The film is directed by Garth Davis and adapted from the book “A Long Way Home” by Saroo Brierley. The screenplay is by Luke Davies.

The film was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Motion Picture of the Year; Best performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role; Best performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role; Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Achievement in Cinematography; and Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures. Golden Globe nominees include Best Motion Picture – Drama; Best performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture; Best performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture; and Best Original Score – Motion Picture.

“Lion” is rated PG-13 for thematic material and some sensuality.

This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Film Series and is sponsored in part by William Arscott, Nacogdoches Film Festival, Karon Gillespie, Mike Mollot, David Kulhavy, John and Kristen Heath, Galleria Z, Jill Carrington, Jean Stephens, Jim and Mary Neal, Richard Orton and the Nacogdoches Junior Forum.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

When the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre presents Sarah DeLappe’s coming-of-age play “The Wolves” Oct. 1 through 5, two theatre majors will not only perform their countless duties as assistant stage managers, Dallas sophomore Michael Nunez and Colleyville freshman Aubrie Smith will also put their skills as soccer players to work.

Directed by Professor Rick Jones, “The Wolves” follows the daily routines and conversations of nine girls on an elite-league soccer team. The high school-aged girls deal with the usual problems of growing up – forming relationships, struggling with adolescence and learning how to win and lose on the soccer field and in life. And while the student actors are telling a story on stage, they’re also playing soccer.

“No one in the cast is really a soccer player, and they’ve got to look like they’re playing at an elite level,” Jones said. “We don’t see them in a game situation, but the drills and exercises have got to look as if the girls are legitimate contenders for athletic scholarships at big-name universities.”

That’s where the soccer talents of Nunez and Smith come in to play. In addition to their stage management duties, the two are running practice drills that must convince the audience that the characters are legit soccer athletes.

Smith started playing soccer at a young age, playing at a high-skill level through middle school. For “The Wolves,” she has been helping cast members with ball control, “so we don’t have balls running off stage into the audience.”

Whereas the script doesn’t call for an actual soccer game to happen on stage, the audience sees the pre-game warm-ups, including conditioning and passing drills, which Nunez and Smith have facilitated, teaching the actors how to pass and trap.

“We’re focusing on doing things that are simple to do but look more complicated than they actually are,” Smith said, adding that the cast first worked on making passes “look tight and clean,” adding lines later.

Nunez started playing soccer at age 3, playing either for a school soccer team or teams and clubs out of school. During off season, he played with friends at public fields. He spent four years playing indoor soccer, adding to the experience he brings for “The Wolves,” which is about indoor soccer.

“The rules are completely different for indoor soccer; they have the same basics, but there are different rules and speeds,” Nunez said

In addition to being a soccer consultant, Nunez believes his assistant stage manager’s responsibility includes that of safety officer, teaching soccer skills in a way so that cast members stay safe and won’t hurt themselves in the process.

Nunez began studying technical theatre as a sophomore at Bryan Adams High School in Dallas. He also enjoys lighting design, although stage management is his career focus.

“I like working with other people face to face, and building on something that was just an idea, turning it into something that people want to come see,” Nunez said.

During rehearsals, the assistant stage managers are also making sure the rehearsal space is set up and props are where they need to be. During the first days “off book,” they’re prompting the actors, taking notes on lines that are missed, and passing those notes on to the actors. During the run of the show, they’re in charge of backstage with one on stage left and the other on stage right. They handle cues, such as a live whistle and a ball rolling across the stage. But their primary responsibility is to make sure everything is under control, to solve problems if they arise, and in this particular play, to make the soccer playing look real.

“Assistant stage managers are probably the most under-appreciated (by the public) people on a show,” Jones said.

But Smith doesn’t mind. Working toward Bachelor of Fine Arts in stage management, Smith came to SFA from a small school where she “did everything” when it came to theater.

“I was stage manager, set designer, lighting designer and assistant director,” she said. “But I really like back stage in general as opposed to acting, mainly because I think it’s captivating that the audience has no idea, for the most part, what I’m doing to make the show happen.

“And I don’t mind not getting the credit,” she added. “I think that adds to the interest, because it’s the unknown … nobody knows how much you’re actually doing.”

“The Wolves” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Oct. 1 through 5, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus. Single tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and non-SFA students and $7.50 for youth. Tickets for SFA students are $5. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu. The play is recommended for mature audiences.

Terri Sundberg, professor of flute at the University of North Texas College of Music and a member of the Crested Butte Opera Orchestra and Crested Butte Festival Symphony Orchestra, will perform a guest recital at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in Cole Concert Hall on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

Sundberg has served as faculty at several international music festivals, has presented masterclasses and performed solo and chamber recitals across the United States and abroad, including concerts in China, Korea, South Africa, Mexico, Austria, Ireland, England, France, Kosovo and the Philippines. She is a co-author of “Children After War: A Novel Approach to Promoting Resilience Through Music,” which was recently highlighted in the Traumatology journal. She serves on the board of the Shropshire Music Foundation, whose mission is to foster ethnic tolerance, promote peace and improve the quality of life for children and adolescents of war-torn countries through the establishment of ongoing music education and performance programs.

She will perform Aria by Eugène Bozza; Sonate pour flute et piano I Modéré II Lent III Allegro moderato by Philippe Gaubert; “Legacy” by Jennifer Higdon; Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 120, by Edwin York Bowen; “Nocturn” by Georges Barrère; and “Hypnosis” by Ian Clarke. She will be accompanied by Dr. Ron Petti, director of collaborative piano for the SFA School of Music.

Sundberg’s recital is part of the SFA Friends of Music Concert Series.

Recital tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

A partnership between Stephen F. Austin State University’s School of Human Sciences and the East Texas Food Bank in Tyler aims to curb high levels of food insecurity in East Texas through a six-week Cooking Matters program.

This is the fifth year the school has partnered with the food bank to provide the informative and interactive program to the community. Justin Pelham, food, nutrition and dietetics clinical instructor at SFA, is using this program as a class project for students in his community nutrition course to showcase their skills in a real-world setting. This will be Pelham’s fourth year to lead the program.

“My goal is to provide real-world experience in the Nacogdoches community by allowing our students to demonstrate their nutrition knowledge with interactive education and cooking demonstrations,” Pelham said. “Community opportunities enhance the student learning experience when working with our underserved populations locally, making a significant impact in the students’ lives well past their undergraduate experience at SFA.”

The East Texas Food Bank is a nonprofit organization that distributes food to more than 200 partner agencies in an effort to feed children, the working poor and senior citizens throughout 26 counties in East Texas. According to food bank studies, one in four children and one in five adults experience food insecurity in East Texas.

Kinsey Jeffers, food bank nutrition education programs manager, and Brandi Gouldthorpe, SFA alumna and nutrition education specialist, visited Pelham’s community nutrition students recently to outline the food bank’s mission and services.

“Cooking Matters is one of our main direct education programs,” Jeffers said. “We offer 15 to 20 six-week courses every year. There are nutrition education components, kitchen and food safety components, grocery store tours and hands-on food preparation. Then we all sit down and eat the meal together.”

Pelham’s students will serve in all Cooking Matters roles, from program recruitment officer to chef and instructor.

“The student-led program provides interactive experiences for all sides,” Pelham said. “Students will be showcasing their leadership abilities among our underserved community and practice their communication skills in written and oral formats with the public. The East Texas Food Bank appreciates the partnership because we are reaching more people in their region who could benefit from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

“The community, too, benefits from the Cooking Matters program because they learn different nutrition education topics that correspond with the practical cooking skills gained through the lesson. Also, each participant receives a bag of groceries with the items prepared that day to cook the same dish at home,” Pelham added.

Another class location has been added to this year’s Cooking Matters partnership, allowing organizers to double program participation. While Pelham’s students lead the course on campus, a second class will occur simultaneously at the Helping Other People Eat Pantry in Nacogdoches. Additionally, SFA’s new mobile food lab, the Lumberjack Express, will be driven to the HOPE Pantry for the class’ graduation event and potluck.

Cooking Matters classes will begin Oct. 7 and continue each Monday through Nov. 11.

For more information about East Texas Food Bank services, visit easttexasfoodbank.org.

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

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs will host its first Brave Space Series of the fall semester beginning at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Multimedia Room. The series’ discussion is titled “Stereotypes within Education Systems.”

“This Brave Space session will discuss the stereotypes within the education system relating to race, social class and dialect,” Vanessa Huynh, OMA student ambassador, said. “We also will talk about ways to overcome stereotypes within education systems.”

Huynh and Dia Conerly, OMA student ambassador, will cohost the event.

Each month, OMA’s Brave Space Series provides a forum for open and honest discussion concerning difficult topics.

The discussion is free and open to members of the SFA and Nacogdoches communities. For more information, visit sfasu.edu/multicultural/480.asp.

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