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This semester the University Center for the Arts is hosting several noteworthy concerts and productions free for Colorado State University students.
The shows are performed by students, with the exception of several guest performers, and showcase the wide variety of talent here at CSU. The shows range from plays put on by theatre students to concerts performed by the music performance students.
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Here are five performances that students may want to add to their calendars this fall.
1. University Symphony Orchestra 10th Anniversary Concert
Sept. 20-21, 7:30 p.m.
This show is a great option for classical music lovers.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the opening of the UCA. The University Center has hosted the College of Music, Theatre and Dance since 2008 and provides world-class facilities as well as performance spaces for the college’s students.
The concert will feature Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 6.” Some of Tchaikovsky’s other compositions include pieces for famous classical ballets including “Swan Lake,” “Sleeping Beauty” and most notably “The Nutcracker.”
The concert will also include an original piece by resident composition faculty Jim David who wrote the piece to celebrate the 10th anniversary.
2. “The Laramie Project”
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Sept. 28-30 and Oct. 4-7, 7:30 p.m. Matinees on Sept. 30, Oct. 7, 2 p.m.
On a heavier note, CSU Theatre will be performing Moisés Kaufman’s thought-provoking play “The Laramie Project.” The play is a collection of interviews recorded by Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project of people in the town of Laramie, Wyoming a year after the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming. In 1998, Shepard was beaten, tied to a fence and left to die outside of Laramie. He was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital, where he died six days later from severe head trauma.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Shepard’s death. Fort Collins was affected from the events that took place that day and the story is still a powerful anecdote to advocate for basic human rights and to fight against hate crimes.
This show is not for the faint of heart and is a collection of real dialogue spoken by real people. It promises to be an emotional and moving performance and is something theatergoers will definitely want to see.
More information on the College of Music, Theatre and Dance and other productions this semester are available at smtd.colostate.edu
3. Fall Choral Showcase Concert
Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.
This showcase will feature song selections from the four choral ensembles at CSU. The four ensembles include Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, University Chorus and Men’s Chorus.
The Chamber and Concert choirs are both audition based choirs and are open to anyone at CSU.
4. Fall Dance Concert
Nov. 9-10 7:30 p.m. Matinees on Nov. 10 at 2:00 p.m.
This fall dance concert is full of debut performances from new faculty members and incoming dance students. The show will focus on the choreography of Salvatore Aiello, who was popular in the ’60s and ’70s for his modern approach to ballet.
New faculty members Madeline and Matthew Harvey will make their Colorado debut on the stage. The new director of dance at CSU, Emily Morgan, will make her UCA debut at the concert as well.
5. Big Love
Nov. 9-11 and Nov. 15-17, 7:30 p.m. Matinees on Nov. 11, 17, 2 p.m.
For those that love a good comedy, CSU theatre’s “Big Love,” written by Charles Mee, might be the show to see. The show is a farce, or fast-paced comedy, that centers around three women fleeing Greece to avoid arranged marriages.
The show will keep audiences laughing with the crazy dialogue as well as the wild twists and turns throughout. The real question seems to be, “is love worth it?”
Collegian Arts and Culture Editor Claire Oliver can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @claire_oliver21.
