Features this week...

Play hits the southern stage for the first time

Faculty of Month chosen for September

Program offers world to surrounding areas

Professor spends summer teaching Bosnia

Play hits the southern stage for the first time

Aaron Shiver, Staff Writer

On Wednesday Oct.15, the Troy State University Department of Speech and Theatre will took to the stage to present Joe Palka's "The Last Stand of the Polish Sharpshooters."

This play is unique in several ways.

TSU is among the first 25 independent theatre groups to produce "Sharpshooters" and is the first group of any kind to produce this play south of Washington, D.C.

Not only is TSU a pioneer for bringing this play to the South, but this is the first time that the department has been able to talk personally with the playwright, said Tom Smiley, director of "Sharpshooters."

"Plays set in the Deep South are well-received by audiences in the North, so maybe the audiences in the South will like my play just as well," said Palka.

The play centers around the lives of Polish-American factory workers at a locomotive plant in Erie, PA. This passionate and colorful group of characters belongs to a fading social club. In an effort to rebuild their social standing, they are constructing a float for the Polish Heritage Days Parade.

The audience is allowed to see within the characters when problems with completing the float on time are combined with the fear of unemployment.

Along with the more serious struggles of the play, there is a lot of humor.

Smiley said that all of the unique qualities of Southern literature and plays such as eccentric characters, family, history, and integrity are all embodied within "Sharpshooters."

The cast of TSU's production of "The Last Stand of the Polish Sharpshooters" is full of seasoned veterans.

Lee Mack, a senior dramatic arts major from Enterprise, will be playing the role of Richie, a character just out of work and looking to form a Polka band.

Richie's romantic counterpart, Betty, is being performed by Melissa Smith, sophomore dramatic arts major from Enterprise.

" My favorite thing about Betty is that she kinda has an attitude, a confidence about herself that is great, and she's younger than the rest,"Smith said.

Jonathan Payne, junior theatre major from Baltimore, will perform as Spike. Rebecca Jarrell, a sophomore from Enterprise, is playing the role of his wife, Edna.

Keith Rose, sophomore history major from Philadelphia, will play Ed, the Polish Sharpshooters' club president. Erin Coats, senior drama and music major from Tallahassee, will take on the role of his wife, Lucille.

Danny, a member of the rival Huzar club is being performed by J. Edward Eberhart, II, a sophomore theatre major from Augusta.

"Danny's a pretty snappy guy,"said Eberhart.

Mitch Kissam, a senior theatre and broadcast journalism major, is playing the role of Father Niedzielski.

"Father Niedzielski has a wide range of emotions,"said Kissam." He's exuberant, passionate, confused. . . great character."

The majority of the performers talk about the difficulty with the costumes, makeup, and accents that they have had to adjust to.

"Some of the lines are odd for me," said Smith. "This is an emotional play, that gives a picture of reality. Some of that reality is difficult for the actors and actresses to express."

"Sharpshooters" is being directed by Tom Smiley. He is assisted by dramatic arts majors Jenni Dunivant and Melissa Powell. Costume design is by Lori Hancock and Melissa Smith.

"The Last Stand of the Polish Sharpshooters" is a performance not to be missed. "Sharpshooters" will be the opening production of the American College Theatre Festival, held Oct. 22-25 at the Adams Performing Arts Theatre.

Performances will run from Wednesday Oct. 15 through Saturday Oct. 18, at the Adams Performing Arts Theatre. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 adults and senior citizens, and $3 students. TSU students are admitted free with a TSU student ID.

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Faculty of Month chosen for September

Elisabeth Rea, Staff Writer

Sebrena Moten was chosen as September's Faculty of the Month.

"I'm surprised, and I really can't tell you how it feels to be honored in this manner," said Moten, assistant professor of business law and adviser of Phi Gamma Nu.

Moten came to Troy State University in 1992, when she was hired as an adjunct professor with the School of Business. At the time, she was also teaching at Tuskegee University.

"I knew that first quarter when I came to Troy that I would enjoy it," said Moten. "The drive to Troy from Tuskegee was a pretty long one, but I knew Troy was where I wanted to be."

Moten drove back and forth between the two schools for about two years.

"I would teach every other quarter and after the graduate program was started here, everything just worked itself out," she said. "I was hired full-time in 1994."

Many students feel that Moten deserves the award.

"She is a very unique teacher," said Elyse Toulmin, Student Government Association chair of Academic Life. "It's easy to learn from her because she gets everyone involved and makes it fun."

"One of the reasons I think students like Moten, because she listens to them," said Phyllis Ramey, a graduate student.

Moten said that students like her but don't like her class or tests.

"The students think my classes are hard," she said. "I think I am demanding, and I also think you have to be to motivate students."

Moten received her undergraduate degree in Political Science and English from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. She also received her law degree there as well.

The SGA takes nominations for this award every month. Each nomination is presented to the SGA at the last meeting of the month, and then it is voted on.

"Anyone can give a nomination," said Jim Brummett, SGA president. "Just write on a piece of paper who is to be nominated. It also helps to give an explaination of why that faculty member should be Faculty of the Month."

Students who would like to nominate a faculty member for Faculty of the Month, should go to the SGA office in the Adams Center, room 233.

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Program offers world to surrounding areas

Mark Skinner, Staff Writer

International students have a new reason to share their culture with the Pike County community.

The new Passport Program offers 10 $1,000 scholarships to new international students.

The students have to share their country's culture with the community to fulfill part of their scholarships obligations, Helen Hutto, international student adviser, said.

"We decided the scholarship would be a good idea since these students do spend so much time preparing and going out into the schools on their own time," she said.

Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA and be actively involved in ISCO, the International Students Cultural Organization, Terry Mitchell, director of the American English Group, said.

Three international students from China, England and Russia are represented in the program, Hutto said.

Ten scholarships were awarded, but many students have not been able to make it because of difficulties in getting a Visa, Hutto said.

Three more students are expected to arrive in the fall, Mitchell said.

Mitchell is uncertain about the remaining four students, though.

The Passport students will be able to reapply for the scholarship next fall quarter.

As part of their application, the students had to submit their activities and interests in their home countries.

These were matched up with schools in Pike County, Hutto said.

Although the Passport students are required to go into the community, they are not the first international students to do so.

International students have been sharing their culture with the community for as long as the International Program has been in existence, Hutto said.

Usually a teacher requests one or two students from the country the class is studying to come and tell about their experiences, she said.

Presentations in the past have included everything from kick boxing to cooking.

The students have also given presentations at clubs in Montgomery and Andalusia.

So far, no teachers have asked for a visit from an international student, but several teachers have expressed interest, Hutto said.

Because many students do not have cars transportation is provided by Tom Collier, a volunteer from the Troy Rotary Club.

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Professor spends summer teaching in Bosnia

Tracy Lee, Features Editor

International students have a new reason to share their culture with the Pike County community.

The new Passport Program offers 10 $1,000 scholarships to new international students.

The students have to share their country's culture with the community to fulfill part of their scholarships obligations, Helen Hutto, international student adviser, said.

"We decided the scholarship would be a good idea since these students do spend so much time preparing and going out into the schools on their own time," she said.

Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA and be actively involved in ISCO, the International Students Cultural Organization, Terry Mitchell, director of the American English Group, said.

Three international students from China, England and Russia are represented in the program, Hutto said.

Ten scholarships were awarded, but many students have not been able to make it because of difficulties in getting a Visa, Hutto said.

Three more students are expected to arrive in the fall, Mitchell said.

Mitchell is uncertain about the remaining four students, though.

The Passport students will be able to reapply for the scholarship next fall quarter.

As part of their application, the students had to submit their activities and interests in their home countries.

These were matched up with schools in Pike County, Hutto said.

Although the Passport students are required to go into the community, they are not the first international students to do so.

International students have been sharing their culture with the community for as long as the International Program has been in existence, Hutto said.

Usually a teacher requests one or two students from the country the class is studying to come and tell about their experiences, she said.

Presentations in the past have included everything from kick boxing to cooking.

The students have also given presentations at clubs in Montgomery and Andalusia.

So far, no teachers have asked for a visit from an international student, but several teachers have expressed interest, Hutto said.

Because many students do not have cars transportation is provided by Tom Collier, a volunteer from the Troy Rotary Club.

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