The Torch

Issue date: 12/4/08 Section: Arts

LCC's S.P.A., formed in 2002, performs several full-scale productions each year, such as "The Winter's Tale" in 2008. Photo courtesy of S.P.A

Dylan Sky Kennedy shares a kiss with Julie Fether in a performance of "King Lear." Photo courtesy of S.P.A

Tony Schmidt and Kyle Cooper in "The Winter's Tale." Photo courtesy of S.P.A

Looking through the windows of Building 6 is like observing living specimens on display. Students play the piano or their violins, or sing in soundproofed rooms.

In her office, Judith "Sparky" Roberts was sitting at her desk. There was a faint odor of smoke. "I was glad I made it to work," Roberts said. "I almost had a house fire due to a burnt bagel. It was too thick and got stuck in the toaster."

"Sparky is a nickname that's a holdover from the '70s," Roberts explained. "It was my mime name and even though I tried to drop it over the years, it still brings a smile to my face."

"My approach to teaching is definitely different," Roberts, who has a studio for rehearsing in her house, said.

Roberts teaches acting, improvisational theater and acting Shakespeare classes at LCC and assumes the role of acting coach and director for the Student Productions Association.

"The S.P.A. is the producer for all student productions here," Roberts said.

The S.P.A. was formed in 2002 by LCC students in response to severe budget cuts.

"Students formed a club and had to get it approved," former S.P.A. president Michelle Nordella said. "We started with low budget shows."

S.P.A. still depends on LCC for the space and input, but all decisions are made by the students.

Students do most of the work, including house managing, technical work, fundraising and publicity. Students will also decide on the season and the directors of the plays.

"This represented an empowerment for the students," Roberts said.

The program used to be financed by the college, but now the department has no funds to produce the plays.

Also, the drama department now has only one full-time and one part-time faculty member. Still the department is able to accommodate students at the same standards it has before.

Faculty Adviser Patrick Torelle, Roberts and other contributors synergized students to preserve the performing arts programs at LCC.

The performing arts require the contribution of supporting roles from scene and light designers, carpenters, electricians, sound engineers and costume and makeup artists.

"We had this set built, a replica of the London Globe, a Shakespeare theater," Roberts said. "Scott Williams, a retired stagecraft person from movies and stage, built it for us."

Williams helped to build the original theater stage area many years ago and worked in Las Vegas, opera and ballet all over the world. He has since retired and come back to help S.P.A.

"Coming up after this term is Godspell," Torelle said. "A lot of the same principles are used in Shakespeare and a musical."

Godspell is S.P.A.'s first musical. "It's an opportunity to use all of the disciplines, not just acting … but also the music and the dancing, publicity, choreographers and royalties.

There is a fee involved for the right to use the material unless it was made before copyright laws," Nordella said.

Chris Pinto is the director, with Nordella as the assistant director for the play. The musical will run from Feb. 5-21.

Besides the musical, the S.P.A. will offer Shakespeare during Winter term.

Roberts encourages students to participate in Shakespearean plays. Roberts' first experience with Shakespeare came from performing in "Othello."

"As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I realized that this guy really lets you sail. Then I started my love affair with Shakespeare.

"It's actually perfectly possible without knowing the idioms used to perform it and make it perfectly understandable to people that know nothing about it," Torelle said.

Students have expressed a newfound interest in Shakespeare after seeing S.P.A.'s productions.

"Shakespeare is for everyone," Torelle said.

Every year the S.P.A. performs several full-scale productions including the end of the term Shakespeare Showcase at the Blue Door Theater.

"As for the Shakespeare angle, it was 17 or 18 years ago that Bill Woolum and I decided to collaborate literature and theater efforts for the showcase. We started with two students and called it the Shakespeare recital and last year we had 28 scenes," Roberts said.

The showcase gives students an opportunity to do a sampling of different moods, passions, time periods and styles. It's a variety show of Shakespeare.

The showcase is narrated by English instructor Jeff Harrison. Professional actors and musicians are also involved. Some former LCC students return after graduation to participate in the showcase as well.

Nordella got involved with the showcase when she was in Robert's Shakespeare acting class. She was involved with the organization since 2005, and got involved with the showcase in 2006.

"The showcase is the final for the class. Getting up there in front of the audience is really experiencing Shakespeare," Nordella said.

The showcase started as an alternative for students in the Shakespeare literature class to doing a paper for their final. Students had the option to perform a monologue and the practice became more popular. The demand for a Shakespeare acting course grew enough for Roberts to be inspired to create a Shakespeare acting course. Roberts proposed the curriculum to the state and it is now approved for instruction in any college.

The class is a four-credit arts and letters course and gives literature students a chance to get on stage.

Attending the course are visiting actors, musicians that play from the period, and non-actors learning about acting.

"In addition to the showcase, we do a full and complete Shakespeare play every year," Roberts said.

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