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The Battalion
Page 3A * Thursday, October 24, 2002
The show will go on
MSC OPAS celebrates changes it has undergone during the past 30 years
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By Emily Vincent
THE BATTALION
“It was my freshman year of high
school, five minutes before the curtain
went up for my first musical perform
ance ever. My heart was pounding and
[couldn’t feel my feet but 1 felt I had
found my niche ” said Haley
Montgomery, a junior marketing major.
For 30 years, students such as
Montgomery have continued their love
oftheater and performing arts through
Memorial Student Center’s Opera and
Performing Arts Society (OPAS).
Montgomery knew from that moment
OPAS, a non-profit organization
that brings musicals, plays, operas,
ballets and many other performances
to Rudder Theater, celebrates its 30th
anniversary this year.
In honor of the anniversary, OPAS
has several special events planned,
including a food drive, a reunion for
approximately 400 members who gradu
ated, different events to thank sponsors
and a toy drive through OPAS Junior.
Montgomery said theater was a wel
come outlet since she wasn’t involved
in athletics, and gave her an activity “I
could put all of myself into.” Theater is
something children can benefit from as
well, she said.
“It’s important for kids to have
some way to express their creativity.
Not all kids are athletes,”
Montgomery said. “Art is another way
to inspire confidence in children, the
people who usually need it most.”
Clark Church, Class of 2001 and
board member on the OPAS
Am/versary Committee, said mem
bers are setting up an endowment
fund in conjunction with the anniver-
sury. Church said the fund will allow
for higher quality performances and
cheaper tickets.
“The fund has two purposes: stu
dent access and performance enhance
ment. We do not receive funds
through the University, so with an
endowment fund, ticket prices can be
kept as low as possible. We will also
be able to get artists and shows that
might have been too expensive in the
past. Contrary to popular belief, stu
dents do not perform in the shows.
We try to get names that are popular
at the time.”
Members of OPAS do not perform
in the shows, but do play a significant
part in production. Members act as
ushers and hand out programs at per
formances. This student involvement,
said Dr. Bill Perry, President of
OPAS' Board of Directors, is one
thing that has remained dependable
during the history of OPAS.
“Since the beginning of OPAS, stu
dent participation has greatly
increased,” Perry said. “More and more
opportunities are available for students
to be active in the productions.”
According to surveys conducted by
OPAS, the most popular shows in the
College Station area are usually
musicals and guitar music, but it has
not always been this way.
OPAS began as a subsidiary of
MSC Townhall and brought classical,
chamber music and symphonies to
campus. Once OPAS became its own
branch, its popularity and horizons
broadened. Broadway shows and
dance were added to the playbills.
“Now we’ve got everything. Dance
performances have gone from just bal
let to including very popular shows
such as Lord of the Dance and
Stomp,” Perry said. “Broad program
ming exposes students to the wide
array of performing arts that do exist.”
The recent past has included some
exciting new firsts for OPAS. In 1995,
the Bolshoi Ballet made its first stop
in its United States tour at A&M.
“People flew in from all over the
country. It was a really big deal,”
Church said.
Intimate
Gatherings,, a
new series
with smaller
concert set
tings, allows
audience mem
bers to feel clos
er to the perform
ers. At the end of
the show, the per-
fonners stay and answer
questions posed to them by
the audience members.
The recent addition OPAS
Junior brings performances
which target children and family
audiences.
Recently OPAS became one of
only 73 members inducted into the
Kennedy Center Partnership, an
institution established to combat
the effects of decreased art funding
in schools. Members are partnered
with school districts to help teachers
find ways to incorporate art into
their lessons.
Church said this type of introduc
tion to art at an early age is important.
“We have already seen examples in
OPAS of the reduced art education
funding in schools and we made a
commitment to combat it,” Church
said. “For example, six years ago we
started transporting school classes in
from areas with lower funding and giv
ing special performances for them.”
Adeena Neves, a sophomore
telecommunications major, was
musically inclined in high school.
She said art is important for college
students, not just children.
Neves spent time in high school
studying music and learning how
to read written music. She said
the payoffs were worth
her time and more
people could benefit from similar
artistic endeavors.
Neves said, “As college students, we
need to broaden our horizons now,
when we have the opportunity to do it.”
O
ruben peluna ‘THE BATTALION
. Photo i
sssrs
The week of October 27 - October 31
Acct 209
Test Review
Mon Oct 28
8pm-12am
You can now buy tickets
online at our website and
Acct 209
Billy’s Video
Sun Oct 27[^a
6pm-Finish
Billy’s Video
rjWed Oct 30
Spin-Finish
avoid standing in ticket
lines
Acct 229
Cassidy &
Part 1 of 3
Sun Oct 27
Part 2 of 3
Mon Oct 28
Part 3 of 3
Tuc Oct 29
Joiner
3pm-6pm
6pm-9pm
7pm-10pm
Acct 230
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3
Part 3 of 3
.ii.inliliMMi'i ..r
Sun Oct 27
Mon Oct 28
Tue Oct 29
-------
lpm-4pm
3pm-6pm
4pm-7pm
Blch 410
Part 2 of 3
Thu Oct 24
Part 3 of 3
Sun Oct 27
8pm-llpm
9pm-12am
Chem 107
CAPA
Check out our web
Mawk
Sun Oct 27
12am-latn
page at
Econ 202
Part l of 2
Part 2 of 2
Allen
I ue Oct 29
Wed Oct 30
lOpin-lam
5pm-8pm
Math 131
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3
Part 3 of 3
Tue Oct 29
Wed Oct 30
Thu Oct 31
-
9pm-12am
9pmT2am
lOpm-lam
Math 151
Part 1 of 3
Thu Oct 24
Part 2 of 3
Sun Oct 27
Part 3 of 3
Mon Oct 28
,7pm-10pm
lOpm-lam
9pm-12am
Math 152
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3
Part 3 of 3
Thu Oct 24
Sun Oct 27
Mon Oct 28
lOpm-lam
7pm-10pm
6pm-9piu
Math 251
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3
Part 3 of 3
Tue Oct 29
Wed Oct 30
Thu Oct 31
6pni-9pm
6pm-9pm
7pm-10pm
Mgmt 209
Part 1 of 2
Part 2 of 2
Swim
Mon Oct 28
8pm-llpm
Wed Oct 30
7pm-10pm
Mgmt211
Swim
Test Review
Wed Oct 30
lOpm-lam
fil’ys 201
Part 1 of 3
Part 2 of 3
Part 3 of 3
Tue Oct 29
Wed Oct 30
Thu Oct 31
8pm-llpitt
8pm-l Ipnr
7pni-10pm
• ouuu<sy <u i i.sjudin.
ChooL Sw PKw V and Tx Ave, behind KFC next to Lack's.
k our web page at http://www.4.0andGo.com or call 696-8886(TUTOR)
When you buy tickets at 4.0 and Go, you will receive
a AO stamped card for a free Chick-fil-a Chargrill Deluxe Chicken
Sandwich at Post Oak Mall.
(Chick-ftl-a closed on Sunday).
Esa f|5A ca ^ e to
for Italy 5
app'y
ummer
Spend Summer Session I in Italy
taking Liberal Arts classes.
Applications available online at
http://stiidyabroad.tamii.edu
Due November 4,2002
Study Abroad Proorams Bizzell Hall West 845-0544
Graduate Students and Seniors
WHO’S WHO AMONG STUDENTS IN AMERICAN
UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
2002 - 2003
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
Who’s Who applications are now available for both graduate students and
senior undergraduates in the following locations:
Commandant’s Office (Military Sciences Building)
Student Programs Office (2 nd floor MSC)
Student Activities Office (125 Koldus Building)
Sterling C. Evans Library
Office of Graduate Studies (302 Administration)
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (1 O ' floor Rudder)
Office of the Dean of each College
Completed applications should contain an application form and one (8.5x11”) activities page in 10 pt. font or above with one-inch margins.
The deadline has been extended. Applications are due to the Office of Graduate Studies or the Department of Student Activities
no later than 5 p.m. on Friday. October 25, 2002. Applications may be personally delivered or sent through US Mail or Campus Mail to either:
Dept, of Student Activities Office of Graduate Studies
ATTN: Who’s Who ATTN: Who’s Who
1236 TAMU 1113 TAMU
125 John j. Koldus Building 302 Administration Building
College Station. TX 77843-1236 College Station, TX 77843-11 13
Questions may be referred to:
Sandy Briers (862-1973) Suzie Brynildsen (84S-3628)
sandy@stuact.tamu.edu sbrynildsen@vprmail.tamu.edu
Cory Morrow & aJ?
Charlie Robison p
with Cooder Grow, Bruce Robison
and The John Evans Band
Red Ravens, The Telstars, Wilford Chevis &
Texas Zydeco Band, Dujka Brothers,
Czech Folk Dancers of West
Czhili Cook-Off • BBQ Cook-off • Biergarten
Carnival • Arts & Crafts • Food Booths
Parade • Fun Run • Magician
Czech & German Fun Downtown
fja) For more information, (361) 865-3920
/J' www.flatonia-tx.com
Flatonia Chamber of Commerce