SE River Campus closes curtains on touring series (TEST)

Touring productions like "Rent" and "Evita" no longer will be part of the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus entertainment lineup beginning next season, university spokeswoman Ann Hayes confirmed by email Tuesday.

With the change, Hayes said the River Campus will focus more on providing its students with "ample opportunities to perform."

The modification was first announced April 5 in a letter distributed to Southeast River Campus patrons, from Holland College of Arts and Media assistant director Robert Cerchio.

In the letter, Cerchio wrote, " ... next year we bid farewell to the Touring Series. Therefore, in lieu of the Broadway Package, we will present a new Broadway and Symphony Package, featuring performances from our Theatre and Dance, and Symphony Series."

That package, Cerchio said, will include "Heathers," "Shrek," Poulenc's "Gloria" and the Symphonic Pops program.

It will provide students a time to "hone their theatre, dance and music skills," Hayes said of the change.

To help "round out" the season next year, Cerchio wrote in the letter, The Moscow Ballet's "Great Russian Nutcracker" will return along with the annual Big Band Christmas Jukebox.

Budgeting concerns also played into the decision.

Hayes said last year the River Campus experienced "a substantial financial loss" in hosting touring productions.

Visiting productions have become more and more expensive to attract, and attendance at those shows has been declining, she said.

The River Campus can only host a touring show for one night, Hayes said, and many of those companies will not consider stopping in Cape Girardeau.

"For many years now, our academic and touring shows have competed for the same audiences, and our limited audience in this market has been stretched," Hayes said.

More than 3,000 people attended the recent student production of "Sister Act," Hayes said -- compared to 411 people who attended the touring production of "Chinese Warriors."

Hayes said it's difficult to attract touring shows because of the size of the market the River Campus serves within Southeast Missouri.

"On some occasions, we have booked shows and the touring company later canceled on short notice when the production company got a longer run at another venue," she said.

Amid Southeast's current budget constraints combined with the need to provide additional performance opportunities for its students, Hayes said the funds previously spent for touring shows will be "better used" to support student productions in the coming year.

"We have worked very hard to earn accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Theatre, the National Association of Schools of Dance and the National Association of Schools of Music," Hayes said, adding the university intends to continue meeting the standards of those "highly respected" accrediting bodies.

And those standards will be reached by offering Southeast students as many performing opportunities as possible, she said.

Hayes added, "We are extremely pleased that attendance at our student academic productions is on the rise, and it is gratifying knowing the community and the broader region support our students in this way."

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632