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St. Cloud State University
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Theater 'worth the trip'
Theatre L'Homme Dieu immerses students in theater experience
By Cory Fechtelkotter
Published:
Thursday, June 12, 2003
This Monday, students, faculty and alumni of SCSU began rehearsals for the 2003 Theatre L'Homme Dieu summer season in Alexandria.
For the next 10 weeks, participants will participate in all aspects of theater, including acting, set-building, lighting, costuming and box office work.
The summer theater program, which was started by SCSU theater department 42 years ago, was once made up entirely of SCSU students and staff. It is now open to students across the nation, although the competition is fierce.
Students can go for course credit or as interns, and are paid a stipend of $1,000 for their work.
Of the 20 students selected this year, four are from SCSU. They are Sarah Bauer, Chris Lindahl, Jamee Parz and Lora Wilson.
SCSU faculty at Theatre L'Homme Dieu includes Dave Borron, R. Bruce Hyde and Walter Napiorkowski. SCSU alumni Kjersti Brekke, Michael Egan, Mark Dougherty, Anthony Phelps, Allison True and Zack Weiler will also participate.
Borron is the company manager at Theatre L'Homme Dieu, and is in charge of day-to-day affairs.
Borron described some of the more notable aspects of the program.
"Students are up here for 70 days, and in the past they've gotten two days off over those seventy days," Borron said. "It's really intense for theater. Sometimes they work until midnight or later."
The scheduling will not be as tough this year, however.
"We've cut back on shows," Borron said. "In years past we've done six or seven shows in ten weeks, this year were only doing five shows in ten weeks."
Despite the grueling schedule and the tough competition, senior Chris Lindahl still came back for a third season at Theatre L'Homme Dieu.
"It's very stiff competition,' Lindahl said. He does not view that as a bad thing, but a benefit. "The competition is so high, that the people who come here are usually really exceptional," he said. "There's a lot of inspiration."
Not only are the students a very select group, but they learn from the best.
"We bring in professional actors to play lead roles for the shows," Borron said. "I think we've got a really good set of actors coming in, especially from Minneapolis. Students really have the opportunity to have an immersion in theater."
Lindahl thinks the professionals have been a tremendous help.
"You learn so much from the professional actors," Lindahl said. "I've been in the shows up here with people that have been in Broadway shows, worked with Keanu Reeves, been on the X-Files (and) NYPD Blue. Now when I watch a movie, I look at the credits to see if there is anybody I know."
Borron has high hopes for all of the performances.
"I think the students really exceed their expectations here," Borron said. "We try hard each week, and its definitely worth coming up from St. Cloud to see a couple shows."
THEATER L'HOMME DIEU PERFORMANCES
"Annie," June 18-22, 25-29
"Talley's Folly," July 2-6
"Plaza Suite," July 9-13
"The Rainmaker," July 23-27
"Born Yesterday," July 30-Aug. 3
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