Everything Nac

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre will present the student-directed one-act play “Hand Gestures” in virtual only performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 26, and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 27.

Directed by Sara Clark, Plano senior theatre major, the play by Caitlin Turnage is about finding the courage to come to terms with the person you really are.

Lou came to Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal for a mission trip with her church. She found something, or someone, she never intended on finding, Samukelisiwe. Now Lou’s mission trip is coming to an end. However, Sam doesn’t want to let go of the relationship they formed together and the feelings they share while Lou is desperately trying to leave the town, her feelings, and Sam behind at risk of turning her whole life upside down. Lou must come to terms with her suppressed identity and feelings to be with Sam, or just leave it all behind. And Sam is doing everything she can to hold onto the girl she loves, despite Lou’s rejection of anything that wasn’t her plan.

The cast includes Fatimah Green, Houston junior, as Samukelisiwe, and Madeline Murphy, Jacksonville junior, as Lou.

Dorie Bloodworth, spring junior, is stage manager; David Cleghorn, Georgetown sophomore, is audio/video designer; and Josiah Richardson, Wylie sophomore, is audio/visual technician.

As director, Clark said, “I chose to direct this show because I believe it’s important to see representation in shows like this. While the world is changing for the better, many people are still raised to think small and be set on a certain path. However, it is important to open yourself to new experiences and let yourself be who you feel on the inside. I am so excited to share this story with everyone! It’s a great show, and I think it has an important message for us all.”

Faculty production advisor for “Hand Gestures” is Dr. Inga Meier.

Streaming access fee is $4. Visit the SFA Fine Arts Box Office online at boxoffice.sfasu.edu or call (936) 468-6407 to purchase access. Box office sales end at 3 p.m. on March 26. For more information about the play, call the School of Theatre at (936) 468-4003 or visit theatre.sfasu.edu.

The Symphony Orchestra at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform works by Jean Sibelius, Antonín Dvořák and Camille Saint-Saëns when the ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Conducted by Dr. Gregory Grabowski, director of orchestral activities for the SFA School of Music, the Symphony Orchestra’s centerpiece in the program will be Saint-Saëns’ Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor featuring SFA music faculty member Dr. Evgeni Rachev, cello.

“This is a classic cello concerto in the canon,” Grabowski said. “It is an exciting piece for the orchestra to play and for the audience to hear. On top of that, it is shows off the amazing talents of Evgeni Raychev, who is easily one of the best cellists I have worked with.”

The concert opens with Sibelius’ “Valse Triste,” which Grabowski describes as “a wonderful mix of somberness, and the gaiety of a waltz.”

“This piece particularly resonates with me because of our current state within the pandemic,” he said. “So often we feel the drudgery of everyday life in a way we never felt a year ago. We do our best to find joy and lightheartedness in the blessings we do have, and we are often uplifted, though only momentarily, as we are reminded of the challenges we still face.”

Dvořák’s “Notturno” is a string only piece that will feature graduate conducting student Matthew Warren of Bakersfield, California.

“This piece is one of the hidden gems of Dvořák’s music,” Grabowski said. “It was originally from a string quartet that was rejected, but Dvořák never let go of the slow movement and rearranged it for string orchestra and titled it ‘Notturno.'”

The concert will be open to a limited in-person audience; it will not be livestreamed. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit finearts.sfasu.edu. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602. The performance will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, on the SFA Symphony Orchestra YouTube page.