NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance will present Modern in Motion XIV at Alost Hall on the NSU campus on Sept. 22 and 24-27. The performances are at 6 p.m. on Sept. 22 and 24-26 and Sept. 27 at 2 p.m.
Tickets to the opening Gala performance on Sept. 22 are $50. A reception will follow the performance. The Gala is sponsored by the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission. Tickets to the performances on Sept. 24-27 are $10 and $5 for children, students and senior citizens. For ticket information contact Brett Alan Garfinkel at (318) 357-5793 or garfinkelb@nsula.edu.
Choreography is by NSU dance faculty Kirstin Riehl, Nhan Ho and Garfinkel.
“We wanted to highlight the newest building on campus because as an academic building most community members never step foot in it,” said Garfinkel. “We love all the glass and the architecture and wanted to see this beautiful new space as a beautiful performance space. ”
Alost Hall features large multipurpose and multifunctional classrooms, simulation labs for nursing and anesthesia programs, a social work/psychology clinic and training area, a café, a dozen 30-person classrooms, two 40-person classrooms and three 50-person classrooms. The building houses 60 faculty offices and an administrative suite for deans, department heads and administrative assistants, a large conference room and reception area. There are also seating areas inside and outside the building for students between classes.
Alost Hall is situated at the former site of Caddo Hall, a 1960s residential facility that was razed in preparation for the new building. Alost Hall replaced John S. Kyser Hall, built in 1968, as the university’s main academic building. The building is named for Dr. Robert Alost, who was president of Northwestern State from 1986-1996.
The idea for site-specific events around Natchitoches for Modern in Motion began with Cage on the Cane at Beau Jardin, which was coupled with a concert in Magale Recital Hall. Modern in Motion has also been performed at Trinity Episcopal Church, Riverside Reserve, The Sweet Cane Inn, The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, Cane River Brewing Company (now Flying Heart Brewing and Pub), the Fleur de Lis Stage at Natchitoches’ downtown riverbank, the Alumni Plaza on the campus of NSU and twice at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum.
The cast for Modern in Motion is Jerome Batiste of Wheeling, Beau Bernard and Olivia Landry of Thibodaux, I’yonna Berryman of Shreveport, Xavier Brown-Robinson of Jefferson, Texas, Kimberly Cain of Natchitoches, Qetuwrah Clay of Tallulah, Riley Coutee of Gretna, Ellie Dufrene of Schriever, Victoria Freeling and Kallie Wall of Covington, Julissa Guevara of San Pedro Sula, Cortes, Honduras, and Avery Holmes of Monroe.
The cast also includes Darrick Jasmine of Lake Charles, Ruben Kho and Trinity Patrick of Alexandria, Nyah Lynch of Grand Prairie, Kassidey Newton and Elizabeth White of Baton Rouge, Eliza Person of Jennings, Susana Polo of Cartagena, Colombia, Allyce Richards of Leesville, Arien Thibodeaux of Lafayette and Cara Thomason of Denham Springs.