9/24/96
Christina Chapple 52j
EDITORS: PHOTO ACCOMPANIES RELEASE
GRADUATE STUDENTS WELCOME 'EXPERIENCE' OF SONDHEIM MUSICAL
HAMMOND -- When Diane Pulte arrived at Southeastern Louisiana University this fall,
she had no idea she would be thrust so quickly into the spotlight.
Her friend Sandy Kelly, could have warned her.
The two, who went to school together at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas,
also share the stage in the Oct. 2-5 Southeastern Opera-Music Theatre production of "Side by
Side by Sondheim." Kelly has been at Southeastern for a year and is already the veteran of two
operas. She easily could have predicted that their Southeastern voice professor Scharmal Schrock
-- director of the Opera-Music Theatre Program director -- would "strongly encourage" Pulte to
audition for the show.
Pulte doesn't mind, however. The Gainesville, Texas, native came to Southeastern for
exactly the kind of experience and opportunity that she's getting in "Side by Side by Sondheim."
"The atmosphere (at Southeastern) is just what I was looking for," said Pulte. "I wanted
the chance to experiment and do new things."
The musical review showcasing the songs of Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim is one
of the highlights of the first week of Fanfare, Southeastern's annual arts and humanities festival.
"Side by Side by Sondheim" stars Pulte, Kelly, senior George Montalbano Jr. of Independence;
junior Tyler Smith of Baton Rouge; sophomore Rita Dottor of Saulte St. Marie, Canada, and
John Dominick III of Hammond.
"Opportunity" is also what graduate student Charles Effler, the show's music director, is
getting in "Side by Side by Sondheim." Effler, who graduated from Southeastern with a major in
piano 1980, has returned to his alma mater after "dropping music for years." Despite the fact that
he admits to being "rusty," the Southeastern music department, including Schrock and
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SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM -- Add One
department head David Evenson, his former (and current) piano professor, have "welcomed him
back with open arms," he said.
"Scharmal needed someone to do this (music direction) and I wanted to get my feet wet
and get back into the swing of school again," said Effler.
Pulte said "Side by Side by Sondheim" is her first experience with musical theatre. Other
than the fact that "you still have to sing well," she admits the show's tunes are totally different
from the opera arias she's used to singing.
"The dancing is what's different for me!" said Kelly, with feeling.
Sondheim's "urbane and sophisticated" music and lyrics can be difficult to learn and
taxing on singer's voices, Effler said.
The graduate students said their participation in "Side by Side by Sondheim" adds some
20 hours a week to their already busy schedules, but "We thrive in a stressful environment,"
laughed Kelly. In addition to classes and teaching, both Kelly and Pulte are instructors in
Southeastern's Community Music School, where they give private voice lessons to area children
and adults.
"This is a talented cast and a great show," Effler said. "We're having a lot of fun together,
which will show."
"Side by Side by Sondheim" is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Pottle Music Building
Auditorium. Audiences can also enjoy a pre-performance dinner at 6 p.m. at Southeastern's
Twelve Oaks dining hall. Tickets for dinner and performance are $22. Performance-only tickets
are $10 general admission, $8 senior citizens and SLU faculty and staff. SLU students are
admitted free to the performance only. Tickets are available at the Fanfare box office at Gate 1 of
the SLU University Center, 549-2323.
For a Fanfare brochure and ticket order form or for additional information about Fanfare
events, call the SLU Public Information Office, 504-549-2341, or send e-mail to
publicinfo@selu.edu. Fanfare tickets are available at the Fanfare box office, 504-549-2323, at
Gate 1 of the SLU University Center on University Ave. Fanfare information is also available on
the World Wide Web: www.selu.edu/fanfare/opening.htm.
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