News release Public Information Office   SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Angey Saucier Date: 3/4/04   Click on image for publication quality photo “METAMORPHOSES” MAKES WAVES AT SLU MARCH 9       HAMMOND -- Lights, water, action. It’s not your typical cue in the theater, but then again, “Metamorphoses” at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Vonnie Borden Theatre is not your typical play.       Mary Zimmerman’s award winning story of Greek gods and heros undergoing powerful and life-altering changes will make a splash beginning Tuesday, March 9, with a set that includes a pool created and built by a student crew and music and dramatic arts faculty member Steve Schepker, Southeastern Theatre director.        The 16-by-20 foot, 17-ton, muli-tiered pool is at its deepest 32 inches and holds 5,000 gallons of water, all of which was pumped in through two garden hoses.       “We started this project two weeks ago, working mostly every day for 12 hours straight. I even spent my Mardi Gras here so that it was ready for the first day of rehearsals,” said Schepker, who is also the theatre’s technical director and set and lighting designer.        With the guidance of a local pool company, Schepker and the students learned how to work all the equipment Southeastern Theatre had purchased -- the pool lining, cushioning, water heater, water testing supplies, chlorine, plywood, paint, and sand.       “Let’s just say I’ve learned more about building and maintaining pools than I thought I’d ever care to know!” laughed Schepker.       Factoring in a large water container left the crew to face one more obstacle, safety. Rehearsals require a half hour mop-up after each, and each lighting test requires twice as much work for student lighting director Josh Tillotson of Hammond.       “It is a constant moving in and out of water to get the lighting just right,” said Schepker. “We have to account for up to eight actors in the water at once, that adds up to an unusually large amount of hours of lighting preparation.”       Schepker is confident the creation will stand the test of time, or at least the five nights of “Metamorphoses’” run. He refers to leaks as “the ‘L’ word,” unspoken around the set and so far non-existent.        “This pool is not going anywhere. I first had many restless nights worrying about it, but if it hasn’t given in by now, it won’t anytime soon,” said Schepker, knocking on the nearest piece of wood for luck. “I’m confident in my design.       “Some say I have gone overboard with pounding in 20 pounds of nails into this project, so it looks like the hardest part will be taking it all down,” he laughed.       “Metamorphoses” will run March 9-13 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are currently on sale at the theater box office, 985-549-2115, in the lobby of D Vickers Hall. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 6:15 p.m. to curtain time on performance nights.        “Metamorphoses” is a play for adults. It contains adult scenes, including brief nudity and stories of love, sex and death. Discretion is advised.        For additional information,” contact the department of music and dramatic arts, 985-549-2184.