SHSU theatre Gala brings Moulin Rouge to Huntsville

The rain did not stop fine art enthusiasts from attending the Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre and Dance Scholarship Gala on Friday.

The guests of the gala were invited into the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center. It began with dinner and different musical theater students singing songs related to France. Guest could also partake in a silent auction.

The students were talented and put on a great show for dinner. When the singing was over, the guests were ushered into the dance theatre to await the musical theatre numbers. After the dancing and singing performances, everyone was invited back into the lobby to participate in a live auction. The evening was over when the live auction ended.

The big highlight of the night was the Revue Amoureuse, which were the dance theatre performances. The energy was always up in that theatre. The opening number, Offenbach Can-Can, was stunning. All different variations of Paris life came alive on the stage. There were puppeteers, jugglers, can-can dancers, gymnasts, stilt walkers, and wild French men. All the performers had great charisma and energy for the opening act.

“I think they’re fantastic,” Sheila Cannon, attendee, said. “They have talented singers, dancers, and performers tonight. It’s been a real treat for us.”

When the stage went dark after the first performance, the audience was introduced to the Madame of Ceremonies. Chanteuse Rose, played by Julia Green, was a great number. She represented the character of the classic French woman well. She was enticing, sexy and had a fiery attitude. The audience fell in love with her.

One song Rose sang that was a real crowd pleaser was the explanation as to why she went French. The song made no sense as all she did was throw out French words, or words that sounded French such as chevorlette, croissant, and many more.

“I thought they were very inspiring. I love them.” Dr. Paul Loeffler, professor of chemistry, said.

One act began with a girl screaming and running away from a skirt chaser. The audience was concerned at first because the dance seemed intense between the partners. The Apache dance is perceived as savage and was inspired by the street gangs. The dance is said to be a reenactment of a pimp and his prostitute. Sometimes the women can be seen fighting back. The dance gripped the audience’s attention.

The finale was exciting. They closed their show with the Can-Can dance, which is a well-known dance in France. The costumes were extremely colorful. The dresses had bright colors and plenty of sparkles. They did well recreating the Can-Can dancer fashion. Their kick line was in sync, and their technique was jaw dropping. The male dancers were phenomenal with their center leaps. All the dancers showed impressive jump splits.

“Well executed, well planned, and pulled off well,” Bill Hodges, attendee, said. “Sam Houston always had a good program in the arts. This certainly makes it better.”

According to Penny Hasekoester, Chair of the Theatre Department, the gala was successful in raising money for scholarships. The exact amount was unavailable by print time.