NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance will present Modern in Motion XI Oct. 19 – 22 at the historic Texas and Pacific Railway Depot on Remembrance Way in Natchitoches.
Performance times are Oct. 19-20 at 6 p.m., Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets to the Oct. 19 Gala performance are $50 which includes a reception after the event at Maglieaux’s Riverfront Restaurant. Admission to all other performances is $10 and $5 for students and senior citizens. Reservations are encouraged as space is limited. To make reservations or get more information, contact head of the Department of Theatre and Dance Brett Garfinkel at (318) 357-5793 or at garfinkelb@nsula.edu.
The choreography is by Garfinkel, NSU Professor and Director of Dance Kirstin I. Riehl and Assistant Professor of Dance Alex McBride.
Members of the cast are Journey Wills, Jaeda Barrett and Cullen Barrilleaux of New Orleans, John Jefferson and Jillian Duggan of Shreveport, Gabrielle Marino of Lafayette, Ashanta Wilson of Leesville, Ariyonna Sarpy and Star Davis of Natchitoches and/Allyce Richards of Fort Johnson. The cast also includes Lara Bankston of Kenner, Ellie Dufrene of Schriever, Vee Duran of Denham Springs, Makynli Delcambre of New Iberia, Nicole Miller of Rayville, Carleigh Murphy of Meadville, Pennsylvania, Jennifer Ann of DeRidder and Joseph Gomez of Cartagena, Colombia.
The Texas and Pacific Railway Depot was constructed in 1927 and closed its doors to passenger rail transportation in the 1960s, encapsulating its segregated entrances and waiting rooms. Today, the structure remains one of the last segregated train stations within Louisiana and has a deep connection to the City’s African American community. In 2019, the City of Natchitoches, who owns the Texas and Pacific Railway Depot, signed a lease with the National Park Service, Cane River Creole National Historical Park granting the park use of the building as a visitor center and headquarters. The Depot will house new park offices, a visitor center and a community lecture hall/theater for the Cane River Creole National Historical Park.
The idea for site-specific events around Natchitoches for Modern in Motion began with “Cage on the Cane” at Beau Jardin which was coupled with a concert in Magale Recital Hall celebrating composer John Cage’s 100th birthday and featuring NSU Associate Professor of Music Theory and Low Strings Paul Christopher and Mark Prince Lee. Modern in Motion has also been performed at The Sweet Cane Inn, The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, Cane River Brewing Company (now Flying Heart Brewing and Pub), the Fleur de Lis Stage at Natchitoches’ downtown riverbank, the Alumni Plaza on the campus of NSU and twice at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum.
“One of the main reasons why we chose this space was the history and architecture of the train depot,” said Garfinkel. “The fact that we could get in before any museum displays allows us to use the space in its entirety. The National Park Service has been great to work with.”
Riehl said working in the Depot has had some unexpected benefits.
“Working with the NSU Dance Company at the Depot has been an artistic exploration,” said Riehl. “One of the highlights of rehearsal was when a train passed by the Depot while the students were dancing. The sound of the train brought an exhilarating energy through the space. I am hoping that a train passes at least once during our scheduled performance times.”
McBride is in his first year at Northwestern State. He is originally from Lafayette and received his BFA in Dance from The University of Arizona in Tucson (2015) and his MFA in Dance from Hollins University. He has danced and trained with San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, 10 Hairy Legs (NYC), The Limón Dance Company (NYC), and Basin Dance Collective (Lafayette). McBride has studied, performed and taught across North America, Central America, Africa, and Europe. Most recently, he was nominated for a BESSIE award for his role in Adam Weinert’s reconstruction, “MONUMENTS: Echoes in the Dance Archives,” which was staged at the New York Public Library.
“As a first-year faculty member at NSU, I am so excited to be able to share work with the Natchitoches community,” said McBride. “Even more so, sharing this work in such a special historic venue like the Train Depot. Dancing in a non-traditional space offers an added layer of performance for both the dancers and the audience—an ability to engage the audience members in a way that isn’t possible on a proscenium stage. It feels like a trio consisting of the dancers, audience and the beautiful venue.”
For more information on upcoming events from Northwestern State’s Department of Theatre and Dance, go to nsula.edu/theatre.
