Everything Nac

Patrons who visit the Stephen F. Austin State University campus to see the SummerStage Festival presentation of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” will experience far more than they expected. Not only will they see and hear about the enchanting “Peanuts” world and sing along with captivating, fun music, they will witness the best that SFA has to offer in fostering educational growth for its students in theatre, dance and music.

“I want to not only take our audience on a journey of the characters’ lives as the events unfold, I want to create a journey of growth for our students,” said Jennifer Malmberg, lecturer in the School of Theatre and Dance and director of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

Malmberg, along with Jay Teamer, music director of the show, are collaborating for the second summer to present a high-energy, music-filled, sensationally-staged show for audiences of all ages. These directors rely on their educational backgrounds earned at SFA – hers in theatre and his in music – both preferring to approach summer repertory theatre more from an educational aspect than a performance one.

“I feel that because we share these perspectives of being fine arts educators trained at SFA,” Teamer said, “we use our knowledge and our experiences from being here as students to really make an impact on the journey of our students in the show, while putting on a fun, entertaining and thrilling production for the campus and the community.”

As such, it’s a win-win for student performers and audience members. This summer brings the first SummerStage Festival to be presented in the Flex Theatre with everyone’s favorite blockhead taking the stage. Based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz; book, music and lyrics by Clark Gesner; additional dialogue by Michael Mayer; and additional music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, Charlie Brown and the entire “Peanuts” bunch explore life’s great questions as they play baseball, struggle with homework, sing songs, swoon over their crushes and celebrate the joys of friendship.

Malmberg is the only current School of Theatre and Dance faculty member who participated as a student in the SummerStage Festival. A 2014 SFA graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in stage management and a 2016 master’s in teaching from SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education, Malmberg taught theatre in Dallas area public schools before returning to teach at her alma mater. Teamer graduated from SFA in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education, and he is currently a graduate student earning a Master of Music in Vocal Coaching from Oklahoma City University.

Last summer, Malmberg and Teamer worked well together to present an audience favorite in “The Wind in the Willows.” Malmberg said the two educators see each other “as equal partners in our work on shows.”

“That can be rare in a relationship between a director and musical director,” she said. “Our bond comes from both of us approaching the process as educators first. Our experience at SFA and the culture from the School of Theatre and Dance and the School of Music prepared us for that, which makes working together fun and happy instead of tedious and stressful. SFA has built our experience in knowing the village it takes to accomplish anything in life, and we should cherish the village that SFA provides.”

Both directors believe audiences will be impressed by the students’ work. From the actors and their singing, to the construction of the set, to the lighting and sounds, the talent of the students under the mentorship of faculty leaders will take audience members into Charlie Brown’s colorful world.

Guest costume designer Alexis Foster from The University of Maine has placed some specific details into the costumes that lovers of the “Peanuts” crew will immediately find endearing. Lighting and sound designer CC Conn has brought to life the fun and brightness that the loveable characters live in. And scenic designer Ben Kramer has flexed his creative muscles by adding animation throughout the production that is sure to be a spectacle for audiences.

It all flawlessly harmonizes as a testament to how SFA’s musical theatre program is growing at a quick and steady pace.

“More than anything, we want our students to walk away feeling as if they learned, grew and put forth their best in creating a wonderful production,” Malmberg said. “The summer is truly about process instead of product, and because we approach it this way, our product (the production) grows beyond what we ever thought it could be.”

All performances for “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” are in the Flex Theatre. Show times are 10 a.m. Monday, July 1; 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, July 2 and 3; 7 p.m. Friday. July 5; and 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 6. The July 1 presentation is a pay-what-you-can performance.

Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for senior adults 62 and older; $8 for SFA faculty and staff; $8 for youth and non-SFA students; and $5 for SFA students. To purchase tickets, visit boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407.

For more information about “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” call the School of Theatre and Dance at (936) 468-4003 or visit sfasu.edu/theatre-dance.

“The audience will see a lot of color in the set and in the costumes,” Teamer said. “They’ll hear the kiddos living a day in the life of Charlie Brown with his friends. Everyone in the family is bound to have a great time watching this classic!”

In addition to all that is going on throughout the production, the SummerStage team encourages families to arrive early to take part in an immersive lobby display. When arriving to Griffith Fine Arts Building, audience members and their families will enjoy displays of design processes from concept to product displays, “Peanuts” photo booth stations, a coloring station for younger friends, and more!

“We cannot wait to welcome our SFA and Nacogdoches communities into our ‘Peanuts’ world this summer,” Malmberg said.

Candace Hicks, associate professor of art in the School of Art at Stephen F. Austin State University, has been selected to receive a Fulbright U.S. Scholar fellowship for the 2024-25 competition period.

Fulbright Scholar Awards are prestigious and competitive fellowships that provide unique opportunities for scholars to teach and conduct research abroad. For her Fulbright Scholar work, Hicks will complete a research and creative project in the Hauts-de-France region from January to July 2025.

Fulbright scholars play a critical role in U.S. public diplomacy, establishing long-term relationships between people and nations, according to Dr. Julie Taylor, director of academic relations, Fulbright Institute of International Education, Washington, D.C. Alumni include 62 Nobel Laureates, 89 Pulitzer Prize winners, 80 MacArthur Fellows and thousands of leaders and world-renowned experts in academia and many other fields across the private, public and nonprofit sectors. In addition to Hicks, also chosen from SFA for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award is Roslyn Fraser, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, Geography and Sociology.

“Whether they have selected to teach or conduct research, or take part in an international education administrators seminar, I am certain that the experience will serve to benefit them, their host institution and community, and Stephen F. Austin State University,” Taylor said. “Each year we hear stories about faculty and administrators who return from their Fulbright experiences and contribute to their campus community by not only sharing their own international perspectives, but also inspiring colleagues and students to seek international opportunities.”

Hicks will reside in Amiens and will work closely with the faculty and students of the École supérieure d’art et de design (ESAD). A center for textile manufacturing and innovation since the Middle Ages, the Hauts-de-France region is home to a wealth of artifacts available for study, from the Bayeux Tapestry to the small museum, Bleu de Cocagne, preserving the fabric printing tradition.

After an initial period of researching embroidered and print artifacts, Hicks will conduct a series of workshops in embroidery, with the goal of sharing her knowledge of the craft and recruiting participants for a collaborative exhibition. Collaborators will include art students and interested members of the wider community.

“As an artist, I have been working with embroidery for 20 years to create text-based books and installations on feminist themes,” Hicks said. “I look forward to learning about the rich culture of the region. I hope to establish future exchange opportunities for SFA students interested in studying in France.”

Hicks creates interactive installations and artist’s books that examine gender, voice and parallel universes through the analysis of fictional literature. Her artist’s books are in collections at Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art New York, Banbridge Museum and Spencer Museum of Art, as well as in university collections at Harvard, Yale and Stanford. For more information about the artist, visit candacehicks.com/.

New instructors in percussion and guitar have been added to the faculty of the Music Preparatory Division of the School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University just in time for summer program offerings.

Dr. Carlos Benson is a percussion educator, artist and composer with an extensive and diverse background. As a high school percussionist, he played with the No. 1 band program in the U.S. Benson won every top honor in Kentucky and the U.S. Upon graduating from high school, he received numerous scholarships, but started his collegiate percussion education with Dr. Robert Schietroma at Morehead State University where he played in Big Band 1 and marched center snare. He earned his bachelor’s degree in music composition at the Berklee College of Music and his master’s and doctorate degrees at Liberty University. Benson has also studied in New York City with Tony Williams (Miles Davis’ drummer) and Jim Chapin.

Beginning his teaching journey when he was 16, Benson’s college summers were spent teaching various high school band camps in Kentucky. After leaving Morehead State University, he traveled the world playing in multiple music ensembles. He maintained residencies in New York City, Los Angeles, Nashville and Miami before settling in Dallas. He owned recording studios in Nashville and Dallas.

He has scored for commercials and films. As a songwriter, he has worked with Michael McDonald, Kenny Cetera and Bill Champlin (“Chicago”), Lou Gramm (“Foreigner”), Vinnie Colaiuta, Buddy Jewell, Rick Crawford and many prolific songwriting partners. Benson has also worked with famed music producer Keith Olsen (“REO Speedwagon,” Pat Benatar, “Heart,” “Santana,” “Bad Company,” “Whitesnake,” “Foreigner,” “Journey” and more) and Andy Hill (vice president of Disney Pictures Music).

Benson is the director/founder of DFJ Int’l, one of the largest worldwide percussion organizations. With 53 chapters across the globe, members include Vinnie Colaiuta, Sheila E., Alex Acuna, Gregg Bissonette, Zoro the Drummer, Teddy Campbell, Bill Bachman and many more. As a clinician, he has traveled the U.S. and many cities worldwide.

Equally comfortable on the nightclub or concert stage, Jim Edmonds is a multi-instrumentalist who specializes in guitar and viola performance. Beginning on violin and transitioning to viola and guitar at a young age, Edmonds started with the Suzuki strings program and continued his “classical” education as an All-state musician at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston; earned an undergraduate degree at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California; and continued graduate studies at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

He has performed with the Santa Barbara Symphony, the Houston Symphony and the Lubbock Symphony alongside artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Giles Apap and Itzhak Perlman. During this time, Edmonds maintained a private guitar studio while teaching courses in music and technology to students of all ages, including a unique musical experience with second-grade students through a grant by the Helen Jones Foundation. As a guitarist and session musician, Edmonds has performed and recorded with numerous artists including “Nick Greer & the Gs,” “The Soul Creatures” and the “Thrift Store Cowboys.” As an opening act, he has shared the stage with Art Garfunkle, Dennis de Young (“Styx”), “Turquaz,” “The Motet,” “The Suffers” and numerous others. He has recorded three full-length albums and numerous EPs/LPs, and he remains active as a recording artist.

Additionally, Edmonds is a talented technical writer, educator and editor with over 18 years’ experience writing, editing and publishing extensively for technology, creative arts, entertainment, non-profit and philanthropic industries.

Registration for various Music Prep summer courses and music camps is still underway. Visit the summer program listing at sfasu.edu/musicprep for a complete list of programs that can range from private lessons, Kindermusik, and piano improvisation to keyboarding, songwriting, show choir and orchestra for various ages.

Registration for private and group instruction can be completed online at sfasu.edu/musicprep for or by calling (936) 468-1291. Prices range from $75 to $210 per month, depending on frequency, type of lesson and lesson length. The Music Prep House is located at 3028 Raguet St. Office hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Director Alba Madrid can be contacted at: madrida@sfasu.edu or musicprep@sfasu.edu. Parents can also find program information on Facebook and Instagram.