VALDOSTA – Choreographer Melissa Pihos reached back to her original career track to put a play about planets into orbit.
"Planets View from the Hubble Space Telescope" opens this weekend for two public performances before going on tour to schools throughout South Georgia during the next several weeks.
The show is the annual Valdosta State University Theatre & Dance children's show. Pihos was assigned the task of directing the children's show this year. She is a dance faculty member.
She could have selected an already created children's show to direct but she said she opted to create her own show.
Prior to becoming a university dance instructor and choreographer, she said she taught high school astronomy and earth science classes.
She coupled her knowledge on planets with the news the Hubble Space Telescope will soon complete its work of charting and photographing celestial bodies.
VSU synopsis of the show: "Our good friend, Hubble, short for the Hubble Space Telescope, will narrate the distinctive aspects of each planet as seen through his lens, along with 'The Planets' music composed by Gustav Holst. ... This performance is created with the Georgia Performance Standards for Fine Arts Education as its central focus."
Student dancers play Hubble and the planets. The planets take on human traits to match their characteristics, Pihos said. Mars, for example, is angry.
"Pluto is upset because she doesn't know if she's a planet or not," Pihos said.
Audiences will learn about the planets' topographies and atmospheres. And as one may expect from a choreographer, there will be dancing.
The planets will dance.
THE CAST: Jordan Van Dyke, Teyla Debosé, Megan Foose, Maya Timmons, Taylor Sanders, Erykah Finklea, Rachel Tessin, Olivia Rosenthal.
DIRECTION, PRODUCTION: Melissa Pihos, playwright, director, choreographer; Ruth A. Brandvik, scenery; Ashley Green, lighting; Tsung-Ju “Clark” Yang, costumes; Genny Wynn, technical director; Mars Elliot Hallman, stage manager.
SHOWTIME
Valdosta State University Theatre & Dance present the annual children's show, "Planets View from the Hubble Space Telescope."
When: Public performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, and 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 3.
Where: Sawyer Theatre, VSU Fine Arts Building, corner of Oak and Brookwood.
More information: Call (229) 333-5973 or visit www.valdosta.edu/comarts.
Read Again Step into Orbit: Planets dance in VSU show : http://ift.tt/2Gz88lKBagikan Berita Ini
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