The Harris-Stowe State University Players present Before the Lights Go Out, an original piece written by HSSU Humanities Instructor Gregory Carr, on Friday, August 27, starring Emmy-winning storyteller Bobby Norfolk.
Before the Lights Go Out focuses on baseball legends and Hall of Famers outfielder James “Cool Papa” Bell and pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige, as well as the Negro Baseball Leagues. “I hope the audience gets a sense of history, a sense of pride and a sense of far we’ve come, but how far we have to go,” said author Carr.
Harris-Stowe Director of Speech and Theater Beverly Brennan will direct the piece as a tribute to her father, award-winning sportscaster Jack Buck. “It means so much because my dad was a fair and ‘multicultural’ guy long before it was in fashion,” said Brennan. “He knew and loved ‘Cool Papa’ and Satchel Paige!”
This performance will give the HSSU Players theater group the opportunity to study nationally recognized actor, Bobby Norfolk. “Our hope is for our young actors to be able to ‘shadow’ a professional actor and learn from his techniques,” said author Carr. Norfolk welcomes the opportunity; he said, “It is a great honor for me to tell and perform this important story on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University.”
The HSSU Players will produce Before the Lights Go Out by operating the box office, serving as ushers, working backstage, running technical support and selling concessions. Even the concessions will contribute to the prominent baseball ambiance of the evening and include ballpark favorites: hot dogs, peanuts and crackerjacks.
Preceding the performance, a short documentary on the Negro Baseball League will be shown, and following the show, audience members will be treated to a Q-and-A with Director Brennan, author Carr and actor Norfolk, ensuring a comprehensive and educational view of the Negro Baseball Leagues.
Before the Lights Go Out is a one-night-only show on Friday, August 27, at 8 p.m. in the Emerson Performance Center’s Bank of America Theatre, 3101 Laclede Avenue; St. Louis, MO 63103. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, children under 12 and seniors over 65. For more information or to reserve tickets, please call (314) 340-5975 or (314) 614-9880. Go to
http://www.hssu.edu/ae/aefiles/21/Before_t... to view the flier.
Harris-Stowe State University, located in midtown St. Louis, is a four-year institution that offers 12 degree programs in the areas of Accounting, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Health Care Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Information Sciences and Computer Technology, Middle School Education, Professional Interdisciplinary Studies, Secondary Education and Urban Education. Ranked by U.S. News as one of America’s Best Colleges in the Midwest, the University, which has been in existence for more than 150 years, offers the most affordable bachelor’s degree in the metropolitan area.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Monday, August 2nd 2010 at 1:38PM
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