CAM Magazine | Fall 2025, Seventh Edition

7th Edition College of Arts & Media Magazine, Fall 2025

7th Edition College

THE CREATIVE TEAM

Editor in Chief

Weslie

Executive Editor

Dominic Carozza

Art & Design Director

Kimberly Holzer

Contributing Writers

Stephen Langlais

Julia May

Layout & Design

Anabel DeJesus

Elizabeth Cruz

Kira Wygle

Rachel Lazar

Juwairya Gharib

Photography

David Rios

Sharon Gonzalez

Contributors noted in captions

Videography

Marcus Gremillion

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www.shsu.edu/cam

For questions or concerns, contact us at marketing@shsu.edu

Explore theatre design and technology, a unique emphasis within our theatre program where students take center stage behind the scenes. From costume and set design to lighting and stagecraft, the article showcases the hands-on training that prepares students to transform scripts into fully realized productions. A special Q&A section offers firsthand insight into the student experience within this dynamic program. Learn more about the emphasis in theatre design and technology on page 12

TO COLLEGE OF ARTS & MEDIA

The College of Arts and Media brings together five outstanding academic areas: Art, Dance, Mass Communication, Theatre and Musical Theatre, and the School of Music. Our students engage deeply in their disciplines, supported by dedicated faculty and a strong foundation of creative and academic excellence.

Throughout the year, our stages, galleries, and studios come alive with performances, exhibitions, and showcases that reflect the talent and hard work of our CAM community. We invite you to experience it all. From concerts and theatre productions to gallery openings and film screenings, there’s something for everyone. While not all of our events require a ticket for admission, those that do are listed on our Box Office website. For more information and a full calendar of events, see pg. 9

WELCOMING NEW DEAN DR. JASON VEST

New College of Arts and Media Dean, Dr. Jason Vest, has come to Sam Houston State University not only as an administrator with a proven record of leadership in strategic planning, organizational change, student success, and teaching policies, but also with a recent Grammy Award nomination as a vocalist with an internationally recognized professional choral organization.

“With the advent of generative artificial intelligence, things have changed a lot in education,” he said. “We had to emphasize high impact practices to help faculty modify their teaching methods because of the effect of generative AI. It wasn’t just teaching them how to be AI literate, but also how to update their pedagogy.”

He also worked for almost three years to help develop a workload policy for the NKU faculty.

"'I love having that regular contact with students and understanding their experience in college. I think as an administrator, you can sometimes lose sight of that if you are not in the classroom.'"

Prior to his selection as dean of CAM at SHSU, Vest served at Northern Kentucky University as associate provost for academic and student affairs, associate provost of faculty affairs, and a professor of vocal performance in the School of the Arts.

As associate provost, he oversaw the Center for Teaching and Learning and spearheaded the artificial intelligence strategy for the university which included everything from policies to methods of teaching.

“The university never had a workload policy for the faculty, and because I was a member of the faculty before I was an administrator, I was able to work closely with faculty leadership to establish a policy that made things better for them, which in turn made things better for our students,” he said.

In appreciation for his work on their behalf, Vest was presented an award by the Faculty Senate for “Outstanding Service, Guidance, and Collegiality.”

Another initiative that he is particularly proud of is one involving transfer students at NKU.

“In 2023, we had sinking transfer populations and were facing consistent declines in overall undergraduate enrollment similar to most regional universities,” he said. “I was tasked with overhauling how the transfer process works.

“I pieced together a team of individuals from various offices from across the university, and we established an Adult and Transfer Center,” he said. “Since its establishment, the transfer student rate has increased by 60 percent. If they continue this trend, transfer enrollment will be equivalent to first-time freshman enrollment every semester.”

Vest holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Performance degree from the University of Kentucky, a Master of Music degree from Brigham Young University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Butler University. He also earned a Master of Business Administration degree while serving as assistant provost at NKU.

“I was hired as assistant provost in 2017, and I was immediately thrown into all kinds of projects with which I had no experience,” he said. “I knew I didn’t know enough to be a good administrator.”

The following year, he looked into some leadership classes, which led to his decision to complete his MBA. “The MBA has been invaluable as I have worked as an administrator,” he said. “It’s given me confidence to sit in rooms with directors and CFOs and speak their language. I also now understand balance sheets, strategy and people management. The business skills I acquired have been so much more useful than I ever imagined. I highly

recommend taking a beginning graduate management class if you are considering being a leader of people.”

With almost 20 years in higher education, Vest is also a professional tenor opera singer. He has performed with the Cincinnati Opera, Amarillo Opera, Stara Zagora and Plovdiv opera houses in Bulgaria, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, and many others.

He has been singing with the Grammy Award-winning organization, Conspirare, a choir of classically trained vocal musicians from around the United States since 2016. The choir is based in Austin and performs a variety of music styles including pop, folk and gospel.

The choir typically does at least one commercial recording a year. Vest has been nominated for two Grammys with Conspirare, as well as another Grammy with the Vocal Arts Ensemble in Cincinnati.

“I get a great sense of fulfillment from teaching, so it was difficult for me to step away from it. In fact, once I get my feet under me here at Sam as dean, I’ll probably start teaching again.

“I love having that regular contact with students and understanding their experience in college,” he said. “I think that as an administrator, you can sometimes lose sight of that if you are not in the classroom.”

One of Vest’s goals as the dean of the college is to foster a deeper connection with the community.

"We have so many wonderful stories to tell with the programs that are going on, and along with the exciting opportunities we are providing, I want to make sure we continue to create and be innovative."

He credits his family with giving him the support he has needed to pursue his passion for music. He met his wife, Heather, in high school show choir, and she majored in music education when they were students at Butler University. She is now the executive director of the Cincinnati Youth Choir. The Vests have four children, ages 22, 20, 17, and 13.

Vest acknowledges that balancing his life as an administrator, educator, and performer requires commitment, discipline—and sometimes, sacrifice. “A couple of years ago, I had to stop teaching,” he said.

“Sometimes with colleges that have programs in arts and media, we may have a tendency to play to ourselves a little bit, and that takes us away from our mission, which is to connect with the community and help them have those transformative experiences,” he said. “We need to provide the entertainment that they want. Ultimately, we are training our students better if we think in that way, because that is the world they are going into.”

Vest also intends to make sure that students are able to keep up with the world’s changing dynamics, including the drastic shift brought about by technology.

“We have to offer our students an experience that prepares them for a world where consumers are increasingly turning to digital sources for entertainment and information,” he said.

“Students today also need to be multi-disciplinary with a variety of skills. Even my friends who are the best opera performers in the world must be social media savvy and able to adapt to different environments, perform different genres for benefits, and know how to communicate with audiences,” he said. “You can’t just be good at your craft. Very few of us are going to reach the top echelon, which makes it even more important for us to have these other skills.”

Vest is also committed to supporting the faculty in the areas of workload and compensation and helping them acquire the resources they need to achieve their goals.

“We have some outstanding programs within the College of Arts and Media, and we need to do a better job of showcasing the contributions we are making,” he said.

“We have one of the top ten animation programs in the Southwest and one of the best in the nation,” he said.

“We have students in our digital media master’s program who are learning how to integrate virtual reality in AI and emerging technologies. We have an extremely successful marching band program and an outstanding musical theatre major. We have so many wonderful stories to tell with the programs that are going on, and along with the exciting opportunities we are providing, I want to make sure we continue to create and be innovative.”

COLLEGE OF ARTS & MEDIA 2025

FALL 2025

Dance MASTERS OF DANCE

Sept. 26-27 | 8:00 p.m.

Montague Dance Theatre, GPAC

Music

WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT

Sept. 30 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT

Oct. 1 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

FESTIVAL OF STRINGS: SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Oct. 3 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Theatre & Musical Theatre RUMORS

By Neil Simon

Oct. 9, 10 | 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 11 | 2:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m.

Erica Starr Theatre, UTC

Music

CHORALE CONCERT

Oct. 10 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

FALL JAZZ BANDS CONCERT

Oct. 16 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Theatre & Musical Theatre SIGNIFICANT OTHER

By Joshua Harmon

Oct. 23-24 | 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 | 2:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m.

Showcase Theatre, UTC

Music

ALL CHOIRS CONCERT

Nov. 1 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Featuring cellist Dr. Daniel Saenz

Nov. 7 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Dance

SENIOR STUDIO

Nov. 13-15 | 8:00 p.m.

Montague Dance Theater, GPAC

Music

SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT

Nov. 18 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Theatre & Musical Theatre

HEAD OVER HEELS

Nov. 20-21 | 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 22 | 2:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m.

Erica Starr Theatre, UTC

Music

WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT

Nov. 20 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

ONCE UPON AN OPERA

Presented by SHSU Opera

Nov. 21-22 | 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 23 | 3:30 p.m.

Recital Hall , GPAC

Music

FALL JAZZ BANDS CONCERT

Nov. 25 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Dance

DANCE SPECTRUM IN CONCERT

Dec. 4-6 | 8:00 p.m.

Montague Dance Theater, GPAC

Music

HOLIDAY CONCERT

Dec. 4-5 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

SPRING 2026

Music

WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT

Feb. 20 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

CONCERT BAND & SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT

Feb. 24 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Theatre & Musical Theatre THE CHILDREN'S HOUR

By Lillian Hellman

Feb. 26-27 | 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28 | 2:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m.

Erica Starr Theatre, UTC

Music

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Feb. 26 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

CHORALE AND BELLES VOIX CONCERT

Feb. 28 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

SPRING JAZZ BANDS CONCERT

Mar. 5 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Dance

MASTERS OF DANCE

Mar. 20-21 | 8:00 p.m.

Montague Dance Theater, GPAC

Theatre & Musical Theatre BE MORE CHILL

Music and Lyrics by Joe Iconis Book by Joe Tracz

Based on the Novel by Ned Vizzini

Mar. 26-27 | 7:30 p.m.

Mar. 28 | 2:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m.

Showcase Theatre, UTC

Dance

SENIOR STUDIO

Apr. 9-11 | 8:00 p.m.

Montague Dance Theater, GPAC

Music

WIND ENSEMBLE CONCERT

Apr. 16 | 7:30

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

CONCERT BAND & SYMPHONIC BAND CONCERT

Apr. 21 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

GRAND THEFT OPERA

Presented by SHSU Opera

April 16-18 | 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall, GPAC

Theatre & Musical Theatre THE INHERITANCE

By Matthew López

Inspired by the novel Howards Ends by E. M. Forster

Apr 22-24 | 7:30 p.m.

Apr 25 | 2:00 p.m. | 7:30 p.m.

Apr 26 | 2:00 p.m.

Erica Starr Theatre, UTC

Music

ALL CHOIRS CONCERT

Apr. 24 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Music

SPRING JAZZ BANDS CONCERT

Apr. 28 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

Dance DANCE SPECTRUM IN CONCERT

Apr. 30 - May 2| 8:00 p.m.

Montague Dance Theater, GPAC

Music

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Apr. 30 | 7:30 p.m.

Payne Concert Hall, GPAC

*All events are subject to change. To stay up to date and find more events, visit shsu.edu/camevents

COLLEGE OF ARTS & MEDIA NEWSFEED

@shsucam

@shsucam

@shsu_cam

SHSU College of Arts & Media

#SHSUCAM #ValentinesDay

#SHSUMusic #JazzFestival

The 15th iteration of the annual Bill

the

#SHSUMassComm #Heatwave

The Planets and Wilbur (a brief lesson on the cosmos) took home four awards in the SHSU Student Filmmakers category!

#SHSUTheatre #ImogenSaysNothing

SHSU's performance of Imogen Says Nothing was one of six productions featured at this year's Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival!

#SHSUDance #SammyAwards

Dance Honor Society received the “Outstanding Academic Organization” and “The Measure of a Life is its Service” awards at this year's Sammys!

#SHSUArt #SAA

Every year the Huntsville and campus community comes together to support the next generation of artists at the SAA Student Art Auction.

BY STEPHEN LANGAIS

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre with design and technology emphasis at Sam Houston State University is dedicated to developing well-rounded professionals passionate about bringing stories to life through innovative set design, lighting, sound, costuming, and technical artistry. SHSU’s Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre produces a variety of performances annually, giving students invaluable hands-on opportunities to design, construct, and execute creative and technical elements. These are not just classroom exercises; students graduate with resumes that reflect direct contributions to realized productions.

Scenic design courses provide a solid foundation in communicating and designing theatrical spaces.

This artistic vision is then integrated with the necessary technical skills preparing students to bring their designs to life. Students learn industry-standard tools and software, developing skills in script analysis, spatial planning and three-dimensional design.

Throughout the 2024–25 season, students served in essential production roles, applying the skills they developed in the classroom to elevate the work onstage. Sophomore Kylie Richards served as both assistant stage manager and assistant scenic designer for the spring production of “Twelfth Night” and created custom portraits in Adobe Photoshop that were featured prominently on set. Richards described the show’s design as the most complex she had worked on to date. “This project involved carefully editing the actors’ and actresses’ heads onto classical busts of artwork. Substantial attention was devoted to preserving the integrity of the brushstroke aesthetics.”

Sophomore Illiana Marrero also made significant contributions, serving as assistant designer for “Austen’s Pride” and assistant stage manager for “Carrie: The Musical.” Marrero is hoping to use these experiences to one day pursue a career as a properties manager.

Students in costume design courses at SHSU gain a robust foundation through a variety of offerings, including costume technology, stage makeup, costume history, costume design and production practicum. Students engage in a wide range of hands-on projects, creating renderings, drafting costume paperwork, and collaborating with directors to ensure designs are character-driven and thematically appropriate.

Costume history is a key part of the curriculum, enabling students to study fashion through a cultural and societal lens.

Technology courses within the program place a strong emphasis on lighting and sound design. Students use a variety of intelligent lighting fixtures, preparing them for work in professional venues.

Students have numerous opportunities to serve as lighting & sound designers, participating in every stage from pre-production meetings to final tech rehearsals.

Many aspects of SHSU productions are student-designed, including the lighting design for “Twelfth Night,” led by senior Anthony Sloterdijk.

Every student also serves on costume crew, reinforcing collaboration, discipline and adaptability in real-time production environments. In the costume shop, students work with professional-grade sewing machines, dress forms, and other equipment. Students also gain experience using digital tools like Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Excel to aid in visual presentations, budgeting and costume plotting.

Several Bearkat alumni have gone on to build successful careers in lighting and sound design fields. After graduating in 2006, Richard Chamblin is now the chief executive officer of Luna Lux, LLC, a company specializing in lighting design, AV design, media production, and equipment rentals for live events. He has developed designs for over 100 live theatre productions, theme park attractions, and museums. His clients include renowned organizations such as Universal Studios, Lionsgate Entertainment and the Smithsonian Institution.

“Professional preparation is a key part of the curriculum.”

COURSES & CAREER PREP

Design and technology students take foundational crew courses like technical build crew, costume crew and management crew, immersing them in the collaborative production process. The program reinforces a wellrounded understanding of production through courses such as acting and directing and history of theatre, teaching students to articulate creative visions, interpret scripts, and collaborate across departments.

Professional preparation is a key part of the curriculum. The portfolio development course helps students build strong resumes, curate both physical and digital portfolios and prepare for job interviews. Students are encouraged to pursue internships starting their first summer, with opportunities available in the Houston area and beyond. These experiences help students form industry connections and understand the expectations of professional theatre environments.

ADMISSIONS

For more information on the program and the audition/ application process. Please contact the SHSU Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre.

What advice would you give to new students looking to pursue theatre design and technology at SHSU?

ILLIANA MARRERO | SOPHOMORE

“I would say get involved! There’s so much available for tech students when you ask questions and join organizations. Building connections is important in theatre so have fun and make sure to do your work on time!”

HECTOR LARA | SENIOR

“Don’t be afraid to march to your own beat. I think every person is different for a reason, and whatever sort of style and niche that speaks to you, lean into it and let it grow and transform during your time here.”

How have your classes at SHSU prepared you for set/ stage design roles in the department’s productions?

KYLIE RICHARDS | SOPHOMORE

“My coursework from intro to scenic, scenic design, and computer rendering have significantly enriched my understanding of the field. Through these courses, I acquired various scenic painting techniques, gained a solid foundation in design principles, and developed proficiency in design software applications.”

What has been your favorite production to work on, and why?

“My favorite production to work on was Carrie. I was an assistant stage manager, and I learned so much about the position. I learned about the rehearsal process for actors, and I loved seeing the show come to life. I was able to meet so many new friends and get involved in many other ways that weren’t just tech!”

“My classes also helped me learn how to market myself and find work.”

- mya bryant

High energy, emotionally engaging, and connects with audiences on many levels. Those are just a few of the ways audiences who have seen “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” on its National Broadway Tour this year described the hit production.

What many who are connected to Sam Houston State University may not know is that SHSU musical theatre graduate Mya Bryant was a member of the ensemble cast playing one of the Ikettes and Alline Bullock, Tina Turner’s sister.

Growing up, Bryant was drawn to plays, musicals and ballet performances so much that her mom enrolled her in Saturday acting classes. Even though she found great joy in acting, she did not see it as a career option initially.

“As I was approaching high school graduation, I was pretty set on going to nursing school at another university,” she said. “But at the last minute something in me thought to take a leap and go for acting. My parents were really supportive of me in this decision to follow my heart and do what I loved, and it ended up working out.”

While she did not have formal dance training before college, she took a dance elective in high school and participated for a year with her high school dance team. She also learned to read music as a member of her high school choir, and she taught herself to play the ukulele, which helped her find her voice as a performer.

“The classes at SHSU really dug into the history of musical theatre and its roots; specifically, how much the culture of African American people influenced the industry.

“My classes also helped me learn how to market myself and find work,” she said. “While an agent is helpful in

my line of work, there are many times when you may have to search for jobs and make connections on your own to get to where you would like to go.”

“Tina” was Bryant’s Broadway National Tour debut and covered 10 months of 3-hour performances daily. It was a grueling schedule filled with choreography from the beginning of the musical to the end with almost every other night in a different city.

“While seeing the cities we travel to can be very exciting, it is also very physically taxing,” she said. “Living in hotels always seemed like a fun idea to me, but there comes a point when you miss having your own space or miss being home."

On a tour, work-life balance can be tricky when traveling from city to city surrounded by coworkers 24/7, so Bryant makes it a priority to have some alone-time and reach out to family and friends who are not on the tour for updates on their lives. She also enjoys time with her coworkers, doing activities that are not work-related.

“While audiences see the beautiful production we put together on stage, few people get to see the sweet, funny, memorable moments made offstage,” she said. “There were surprise parties, prank wars, late night FaceTime calls about on-stage mishaps, and even things as simple as discovering which other cast members love making TikToks,” she said.

“It also brings me joy when the audience is really excited about what we’re doing. I have had days when I feel like my performance was not at its best,” she said. “But going to the stage door and hearing someone say that a moment I was a part of made them feel something— whether that is joy, sadness, nostalgia, or whatever— makes it all worth it.”

Two students of SHSU Associate Professor of Piano Diego Caetano were invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City this spring as award winners of prestigious international competitions for outstanding pianists.

Piano masters student Dayane Teixeira won First Prize in her category in the New York Golden Music International Competition, and piano undergraduate student Mariaclara Welker was awarded Second Prize in the College Students and Professional Musicians Category in the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition.

Teixeira has been taking piano lessons since she was seven years old. After performing for Caetano during a masterclass in her hometown in Brazil, she was encouraged to attend SHSU.

“The preparation for the performance at Carnegie Hall was intense, involving hours of practice each day,” Teixeira said. “I focused particularly on the most challenging technical sections working closely with my professor to refine every detail of both technique and expression.”

Her goal is to become a professional pianist, performing in solo recitals, concertos with orchestras, and chamber music, while serving as a university professor to assist other pianists in their musical careers.

Welker’s journey as a pianist began when she started taking lessons at the age of four in her home country of Brazil.

For the application process to enter the America Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition, Welker submitted two performance videos, along with a brief bio.

“When I received the result of winning Second Prize and being chosen to play at Carnegie Hall, I began practicing intensely in the months leading up to the performance,” she said.

“Naturally, I was nervous before the performance, but I focused on the music I had prepared and reminded myself to trust my abilities,” she said. “Afterward, I felt proud of how it went and happy for this achievement.”

“When I received the result of winning second prize and being chosen to play at Carnegie Hall, I began practicing intensely in the months leading up to the performance.”

“The environment at SHSU has motivated me to become a better musician through the chance to perform alongside other musicians and in ensembles.”

- Dayane Teixeira

Three graduate students from the SHSU Department of Mass Communication received two Lone Star EMMY Foundation Student Production Awards in two separate categories.

Master of Fine Arts in digital media production students Antonio Bocanegra II, Charles Henson and Paula Navarro were awarded the College - Commercial Award, and Bocanegra was additionally awarded the College - Editor Award.

The College - Commercial Award is given for outstanding achievement in commercial production that is conceived, written, created and produced as part of a college course.

“The Tony Lama Spec Ad showcases the meticulously crafted traditional Mexican boots and honors the ‘Work of Art’ found in Mexican women’s culture,” Bocanegra said.

The College - Editor Award is presented for outstanding achievement in editing, demonstrating the skills of one or more individuals. Bocanegra received the award for his work on “Sombra de Dolor—Short Film Sample.”

“This narrative short film sample seeks to illuminate the opioid crisis within the pressure cooker environment of a college community through the lens of Hispanic college students. It emphasizes the importance of awareness, compassion and the availability of life-saving interventions like Narcan,” said Bocanegra.

“Winning a Lone Star EMMY Student Production Award highlights the exceptional talents and dedication of students as they receive recognition from industry professionals and provide an enhancement to a student’s portfolio and competitive edge in their careers. The awards signal that SHSU’s mass communication program cultivates creativity, professionalism and high production standards among its students.”

“You must be prepared for anything. Live theater is unpredictable!” -Kelly Johnston

Kelly Johnston’s career has skyrocketed from when she was a stitcher and the first student costume designer at SHSU to where she is now as a principal dresser for the hit Broadway musical “Aladdin.”

She moved to New York following her graduation with a BFA in dance in 2017. She attended Make-Up Designory in Manhattan and graduated from the Master Make-Up Artistry program. She then worked as a freelance makeup artist doing print and short films.

“Everything came to a halt during Covid, and I felt like it was a time for a change,” she said. “I reached out to several Broadway shows and when I heard back from “Aladdin,” I knew it would be a good fit for me.”

She worked six months as a swing dresser, which meant learning every dresser track in the show and being able to fill in when one of the dressers is out.

Eventually a full-time position became available, and she was assigned the principal dresser track she now holds, dressing Aladdin’s best friends.

Her responsibilities include tending to and repairing their costumes and assisting actors getting in and out of costume several times throughout the show. She also dresses the men’s and women’s ensemble at various points and does a quick change with Aladdin himself.

Besides dealing with the costumes, a big part of being a dresser is predicting and meeting an actor’s needs throughout the show.

“You have to be able to provide water, tissues, or a fan if needed and keep their show moving as smoothly as possible,” she said. “You must be prepared for anything. Live theater is unpredictable!”

“Aladdin” is one of the most costume-heavy of the Broadway shows, with 400 costumes in the entire show and 90% of them showing in the “Friend Like Me” and “Prince Ali” numbers.

“Both of these numbers are full of quick changes, the fastest of them being only seven seconds,” Johnston said. “It’s a great feeling to perfectly execute a quick change in less than 30 seconds. There is an adrenaline rush.”

“I connected with many creative individuals, had my first personal art studio on campus, and was given the space to explore and refine my creative voice.”

-Juan villegas

Since graduating from SHSU, Villegas has established a career as a full-time artist while co-running two creative ventures with his wife, Rosemary. Surreal Nature LLC is their independent art studio, and ArtUs Co is their nonprofit arts organization based in Austin.

“Through Surreal Nature, I offer fine art, murals and live painting experiences, projects that allow me to collaborate directly with communities and bring my surreal, visionary aesthetic into public and intimate spaces,” he said.

With ArtUs Co, Juan and Rosemary have created a platform to support emerging and established visionary artists by curating exhibitions, hosting immersive events, workshops, and cultivating a dialogue around creativity, consciousness and healing.

Villegas’s work was recently published in “CoSm Journal Vol. 11: Entheon”, a special 462-page hardcover edition of “CoSM Journal of Visionary Culture”, alongside some of the most respected visionary artists in the world.

“Over the past year, I’ve started reaching beyond Texas to invite nationally and internationally recognized visionary artists to exhibit with us, including Amanda Sage, Randal Roberts, and Chris Dyer,” he said. “This has helped weave Texas into the broader web of visionary art in America and solidified ArtUs Co as a hub for transcendental and transformative art.”

Another highlight has been establishing a group show entitled “Realms of Fungi” as ArtUs Co’s most popular exhibition of the year. The annual group show has grown into a community favorite, drawing over 1,000 attendees during its opening weekend for the second year in a row.

His memories of attending college at SHSU are good because he remembers finding a supportive environment to grow, not just as an artist, but also as a person.

“I connected with many creative individuals, had my first personal art studio on campus, and was given the space to explore and refine my creative voice,” he said. “What really stood out was how encouraged I felt to pursue the kind of work I was passionate about, symbolic, surreal and introspective.”

MASTERS OF DANCE

Masters of Dance showcases original choreography by SHSU graduate students, highlighting diverse movement styles and research-driven performance work. The program reflects the creative range and technical strength of the university’s MFA in dance students.

SHAPING THE CAM EXPERIENCE

“ The cast and crew brought my words to life and made them real in a way that far surpassed my expectations...”

— Dain Geist

DAIN GEIST

Dain Geist is accustomed to wearing multiple hats as a professional actor, writer, and director in the world outside Sam Houston State University and as a lecturer in the Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre at SHSU.

His most recent successful venture is the debut and performance of the play he wrote, "Seven Assassins Walk Into A Bar," at the Main Street Theatre in Houston this spring.

The play explores a conversation among six individuals, all assassins, who convene in a bar to pay their respects to their friend—a fellow assassin—who has died.

Lighting design was provided by Eric Marsh, professor and coordinator of design/technology, lighting and sound design in the SHSU Department of Theatre and Musical Theatre.

Geist’s first draft of the play was written in early 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. The ninth and final draft was completed in the summer of 2024.

“Between the first and final draft, I had two workshops (staged readings) to help identify problems and work out the kinks,” Geist said. “By the time it was mounted at Main Street Theatre, it was in pretty good shape.”

The play took a unique route to be accepted into the theatre’s lineup.

“When I first came to Houston in 2011, MST was the first theatre that hired me,” Geist said. “Since then, I’ve been in nine productions.

“Becky Udden, MST’s artistic director, got wind that I had written something and wanted to look at it,” he said. “Three months later she asked me if I would be willing to include Seven Assassins in MST’s 49th season and I instantly said yes.”

In addition to writing the play, Geist directed it as well. Marsh had never worked with Geist as a director before, but he had lit many shows where Geist had performed as an actor. In fact, Marsh has designed more the 29 shows for Main Street Theatre over the past 20 years.

Because Seven Assassins is a dark comedy, appropriate lighting was essential to setting the mood on the stage.

“I had a general idea of what was possible in that space since I’ve worked so many shows there,” Marsh said. “Dain and I would discuss specific moments in the play, and I would take it from there.”

Additional SHSU connections in the production included several former students whom Marsh knew working at the theatre in lighting and sound, and having musical theatre alumnus Saroa-Dwayne Sasa as an actor.

“I started teaching at SHSU in 2018, and while I knew who Saroa was I never had the opportunity to teach him,” Geist said. “During the summer of 2024 I was part of the Alliance Auditions—where once a year a dozen Houston theatres host auditions over two days—and I saw Saroa’s work.

“I then held callbacks for Seven Assassins and made sure to invite Saroa,” he said. “During those callbacks, he impressed me enough to cast him.”

The play received positive reviews and box office sales appeared to bring a good return for the theatre.

However, Geist uses a different meter to measure what is personally successful for him.

“I judge success by how much folks enjoyed creating the production, and how well received it was,” he said. “I had a blast directing Seven Assassins and really kind of lucked out with a top-notch cast, stage manager, and design team. They’re chiefly responsible for the show’s success.

“The cast and crew brought my words to life and made them real in a way that far surpassed my expectations,” he said.

Although Geist intends to stay in acting, his experience with playwriting and the success of Seven Assassins have encouraged him to continue to explore the possibilities available as a writer.

“I’ve been acting for a long time and will continue to do so,” he said. “I’ve started working on a new play and hopefully, if I can get it into fighting shape, I’ll be able to mount it somewhere,” he said. “There’s no reason I can’t do both!”

“I judge success by how much folks enjoyed creating the production, and how well received it was...”

— Dain Geist

RASIKA BORSE

SHSU dance lecturer Rasika Borse not only guides her students in choreography and performance by bringing visions to life but also uses her passion and joy of movement to educate students in the two international dance companies she co-founded in Canada and the United States.

Her first entrepreneurial endeavor was Bollywood Signature, based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and co-founded by Borse and Jennah Mohamed in 2020 at the peak of the COVID pandemic.

“While isolating at Jennah’s apartment, we realized there were so many dancers yearning to stay connected through movement and that’s how it all began,” Borse said.

In 2024, she launched RB Dance in The Woodlands/Houston. “While I continue to love teaching Bollywood Signature students online, the desire to build a local dance community was a key inspiration behind the creation of RB Dance.”

Both companies are rooted in Bollywood dance. However, the founders are deeply committed to providing proper dance technique training grounded in jazz and ballet.

Bollywood Signature has already been featured in two evening length performances, with a third one currently in development. One of the signature productions, “Journey Through India,” explored the rich cultural diversity across India and the unique influence each region has on its traditional dance forms.

“This project was both exciting and challenging,” Borse said. “It required in-depth research and collaboration with choreographers who specialize in authentic regional styles.

Our goal is always to create performances that are not only entertaining but also educational, offering audiences a deeper appreciation of the cultures we celebrate through dance.”

Borse’s dance journey began at the age of five in Doha, Qatar, where she started training in Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form recognized for preserving and enriching India’s cultural and spiritual heritage.

Her early foundation in Bharatanatyam and classical singing introduced her to the intricacies of rhythm and structure, which sparked her curiosity for other styles. After moving to Montreal, Canada, her mother enrolled her in a trial ballet class.

“When I began training in ballet, I often found myself instinctively drawing connections between the classical forms I already knew and the new techniques I was learning,” she said.

“Our goal is always to create performances that are not only entertaining but also educational...”

— Rasika Borse

Her formal training took her to the Quinte Ballet School of Canada. From there, she continued at the Alberta School of Ballet, where her foundation in classical ballet technique was solidified.

“As my passion for dance grew, I felt the need to expand my horizons, which led me to the Young Canadians School of the Performing Arts,” she said. “There, I was introduced to a variety of styles including jazz, tap, and contemporary, shaping me into the dancer I am today.”

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in dance from the University of Calgary before completing her Master of Fine Arts degree in dance at SHSU. She was then hired by the SHSU Department of Dance and is now a lecturer of dance.

“While I still love being on stage and performing whenever I can, my passion for teaching and choreographing has really taken the lead in recent years,” Borse said. “I have found that teaching and creating allow me to have a lasting impact and that has become even more meaningful to me over time.”

JUDY CLEMENSSMUCKER JAKE PORTIE

In a recent survey conducted by ZenBusiness (an AI platform that supports small business) 58 percent of respondents indicated that their career was at least slightly inspired by the media.

Television was the most influential, followed by movies, books, podcasts, and video games. Men were more likely than women to say that media inspired their choices.

Three professors from different disciplines at Sam Houston State University have joined to create a scaffolded semester-long project where students research the perception of careers as portrayed in the media and analyze how accurate they are.

The professors are Judy Clemens-Smucker, assistant professor of mass communication in film and media studies; Jake Portie, assistant professor of mass communication; and Elizabeth Hartsell, assistant professor of criminal justice. Clemens-Smucker is the principal investigator of the project.

The collaboration began when Clemens-Smucker and Hartsell met in a Faculty Writing Circle during the 20232024 school year. Hartsell approached Clemens-Smucker with an idea—help students recognize how narrative portrayals of criminal justice careers in popular culture create false expectations about these professions.

“Because I work in media analysis, Elizabeth thought this could be a good partnership for a Teaching Innovation Grant through SHSU’s Teaching and Learning Center,” Clemens-Smucker said. “Since the project involved active learning, I suggested including Jake Portie, another mass communication professor with expertise in engaging teaching practices.

“We all recognized that students across disciplines— criminal justice, mass communication, and others—would benefit from developing media literacy skills related to career expectations,” she said.

The coursework in four classes takes students through three phases. In Phase 1: Media Analysis, students will select three pieces of media featuring characters in their chosen career field and analyze whether portrayals accurately represent real-life careers.

“Many students from a range of disciplines will be participating in this teaching innovation.”

Judy Clemens-Smucker

In Phase 2: Predictions and Professional Interview, based on their media analysis, students predict how a professional would analyze the portrayal and formulate questions to interview an actual professional in their field, verifying or debunking the media portrayals.

Phase 3: Synthesis and Presentation has students compiling findings into a portfolio and creating an infographic explaining their discoveries. The semester concludes with a symposium where students from all four classes share their infographics in table discussions.

The format for the classes will be online in Hartsell’s class and in-person meetings in Clemens-Smucker’s and Portie’s classes. The symposium at the end of the semester will be face-to-face.

“We know that students across all disciplines often hold unrealistic expectations about salary ranges, demographic composition of the workforce, daily workload and responsibilities, and the level of excitement and drama in the job,” Clemens-Smucker said.

“The sentiment of ‘TV is inaccurate and gives students false perceptions’ is widely shared among criminal justice professors,” Hartsell said. “SHSU’s internship coordinator does a good job at placing students in these professional organizations before graduation, and I have heard that during that process, many students realize what they like and what they do not like—when their perceptions are reordered with reality—which is valuable information either way.”

“While this project originated from criminal justice career misconceptions, it is designed for students across multiple disciplines, not exclusively CJ majors,” Clemens-Smucker said. “Many students from a range of disciplines will be participating in this teaching innovation.”

After the semester is completed, the team will revise and improve the learning tool based on implementation experience, publish the findings in an academic journal, and present results at educational and academic conferences.

1/4 cup red tempera washable paint

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1-2 tsp. cocoa powder 1/4 cup water

1. In a bowl, combine red tempera paint and water.

2. Whisk in cocoa powder gradually to darken the color.

3. Slowly sprinkle in xanthan gum while whisking vigorously to avoid clumps.

4. Let it sit for a few minutes to reach full thickness.

5. Add water if too thick, or xanthan if too runny.

119 ROLES CAST

Tigers Be Still 4

Carrie: The Musical 26 Fireflies 2

Lydia 8

Twelfth Night 23

Imogen Says Nothing 12

Little Women 12

I And You 2

Austen's Pride 24

Seven Assassins Walk Into A Bar 6

9 FIGHT

SCENES

and zero broken bones.

Don't worry, no one actually got a black eye... I think.

97 MONOLOGUES RECITED

Twelfth Night takes the cake, but what do you expect from Shakespeare?

1

DUMPSTER FIRE

Last year’s SHSU Holiday Concert featured performances from the School of Music’s choirs, bands, and orchestras, presenting a varied program of seasonal works. The event highlighted the range of student talent and brought the campus community together to mark the beginning of the holiday season.

DANA NICOLAY

Dana Nicolay instructs members of Nicolay Dance Works during a rehearsal for the dance production, “Beyond,” in 2015.

INSPIRATION & OPPURTUNITY

Building A Legacy for Current and Future Students

BY JULIA MAY

Sam Houston State University Professor Emeritus of Dance Dana Nicolay has been named the recipient of the 2025 SHSU College of Arts and Media Legacy Award. The award is presented annually to recognize individuals whose exceptional professional accomplishments, unwavering personal integrity and dedicated service have created a lasting impact on the students and the community of the SHSU College of Arts and Media. The award celebrates those who have not only excelled in their respective fields but have also built a legacy of inspiration and opportunity for current and future students. It was established by Ronald E. Shields, former dean of the college, in 2018.

The award is the latest in recognitions for Nicolay by SHSU. Recently, the atrium in the James and Nancy Gaertner Performing Arts Center and an endowed scholarship were named in his honor. “Dana Nicolay represents the epitome of what it means to be a true artist,” said College of Arts and Media Interim Dean Mia Long Anderson. “His work has enriched the international stage and his legacy is still being built among students who walk throughout the atrium named in his honor.”

Nicolay’s passion for dance and scholarship have inspired students, educators and professional performers for almost half a century. His creativity, leadership, commitment and enthusiasm have resulted in numerous advances in both the dance program at SHSU and the performing arts tradition at the university. Under his direction SHSU Dance was consistently recognized for outstanding choreography and performance by the National Dance Festival at The Kennedy Center.

“Dana Nicolay’s dedication has enriched our community on campus and throughout the region,” said Jennifer Pontius, chair of the SHSU Department of Dance. “Certainly among those in dance academia throughout our region, the name of Dana Nicolay is intrinsically linked with dance at SHSU.

“A gifted teacher and prolific choreographer, his influence has been central to the development of a department known for

excellence, as well as for what he enthusiastically calls our signature “espirit de corps,” she said. “A compelling advocate for dance and the arts, his mind maps connections with eloquence—not to mention with the ease borne of his passion for the arts.”

Nicolay made significant contributions to the architectural design of the 91,976-square-foot GPAC, which was named one of the top 25 most amazing arts centers in America by College Degree Research in 2015. It features an 800-seat concert hall, a 150-seat dance theater and a 175-seat recital hall, along with rehearsal studios, practice rooms and production spaces.

Before his retirement in 2020, Nicolay served 33 years as a member of the SHSU dance faculty, including seven years as the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He was the first interim dean for the emerging College of Fine

Fralicks.

“Dana Nicolay represents the epitome of what it means to be a TRUE ARTIST. ”

-

College of Arts and Media Interim Dean Mia Long Anderson.

Arts and Mass Communication and led the initial strategic planning for the separation of the visual and performing arts programs from the College of Arts and Sciences. Later, he spearheaded the move to establish the Department of Dance as independent of the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Prior to earning the Master of Fine Arts in dance from Texas Christian University, Nicolay performed throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Houston Ballet, Contemporary Dancers Canada and Space/ Dance/Theatre. He was a member of the Huntsville Arts Commission for a decade serving as chairman for three years, served on the Wynne Home Arts Center management committee and chaired the Huntsville Cultural District Steering Committee. His choreography has been recognized for excellence by the American College Dance Festival Association, the Mid-America Dance Network and Regional

“SABACHTHANI” was selected for the NATIONAL

COLLEGE DANCE FESTIVAL

at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

an immersive experience for guests on the grounds of the historic Wynne Home Arts Center.

Nicolay was also instrumental in the renaming of the SHSU Dance Theater in memory of Dr. Mary Ella “Monty” Montague on Oct. 11, 2024. Montague was the founder of dance education at SHSU. She joined the Sam Houston State Teachers College faculty in 1945 when the dance curriculum was entirely within the Department of Physical Education for Women. She elevated the program

Dance America. His work “Sabachthani”, which was inspired by words spoken by Christ as he was dying on the cross, was selected for the National College Dance Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Nicolay is certified in Laban Movement Analysis which greatly enhanced his classroom dance instruction and added important components to the SHSU Department of Dance’s curriculum.

In 2014, Nicolay founded Nicolay Dance Works, a company of young dancers from Sam Houston State University. In addition to providing participating students applicable experience beyond the classroom, Nicolay wanted to bring approachable dance to Huntsville’s growing artistic community.

The company has performed in several settings in the Houston area and brought “A Wynne Home Nutcracker” Christmas performance to Huntsville as

from a small number of classes to an exceptional coeducational department renowned across the dance community.

Among the leadership positions she held at SHSU were chairperson of the Department of Physical Education for Women, chairperson of the Department of Dance and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Montague also served as dance editor for the “Journal of Health Physical Education, and

Recreation”; president of the Texas Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation; was responsible for the choreography of 10 concerts and seven musicals; and was author of many articles written for professional journals in the field of modern dance. She retired in 1984 and was later named professor emeritus of dance.

Directed by Marcus Gremillion, "Requiem" follows three characters confined to a mysterious house suspended in an ethereal space. Inspired by the stark visual style of the series "Ripley," the film embraces high-contrast black-and-white cinematography and a deliberate, minimalist approach to storytelling. Gremillion prioritized finding the perfect location and assembling a strong creative team, using a lean budget to maximize artistic impact and prepare the film for festival submission. See page 52 to learn more.

Murray Smither Collection

PRESERVING THE PAST TO INSPIRE THE FUTURE

By Julia May

A landmark art collection with an emphasis on Texas art history has been gifted to the Sam Houston State University Department of Art to be included as part of the University Art Collection.

The Murray Smither Collection, donated by John Smither and the Estate of Murray Smither, includes a wide spectrum of media, the bulk of which honors the work of Texas artists, along with pieces by non-Texas artists.

The collection features oil on canvas, oil on wood, ink on paper, graphite on paper, lithographs, acrylics, gelatin silver print, paint on leather, mixed media, watercolors, pencil sketchings, painted tin, sculptures, ceramics, photo emulsion on canvas, “tramp” art, and “folk” art, along with many other forms of art. There is also an oil-on-canvas self portrait of Murray Smither, painted in 1959.

CELEBRATING TEXAS ARTISTS AND BEYOND

Among the collection is a James Surls sculpture, which Smither gifted to the university prior to his death in 2023. The wood, stone and rawhide sculpture, "Taos Ritual," 1970, is prominently displayed in Dana G. Hoyt Fine Arts Building on the SHSU campus and is an example of an early time in Surls’s career as he was developing his signature forms and visual language.

Although the bulk of Smither’s collection features works created by Texas artists, it also contains significant pieces by non-Texas artists, according to Michael Henderson, associate dean of the SHSU College of Arts and Media and professor of art.

As a gallerist, Smither was known for his appreciation of an eclectic mix of artistic creations, but he was especially beloved for championing all artists—those who were just getting started

and were unrecognized as well as those who were established and already had careers in art. He often promoted and encouraged young artists from Texas by giving them their first exhibitions.

He was also passionate about others having an opportunity to see diverse works in person and to experience feelings that art can sometimes have on viewers.

“When Murray had his gallery in Dallas, one of the things he did throughout the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s was introduce Dallas audiences to internationally recognized artists from around the world such as Alex Katz and Kenneth Noland, who were showing in New York,” Henderson said. “He felt that it was important that those in the Dallas region have an opportunity to see important works of art of which they might not have access to otherwise.”

Some of the pieces in the Smither Collection will be familiar to audiences who have visited notable Texas art galleries.

“ He was also passionate about others having an opportunity to see diverse works in person and to experience feelings that art can sometimes have on viewers.

In addition to Surls, Texas artists featured in the collection include Bill Haveron, Frank X. Tolbert, Bob “Daddy-O” Wade, Ed Blackburn, Luis Jimenez, Daniel Blagg, and Dorothy (Toni) LaSelle. Many of these artists were contemporaries of Smither and some were establishing their careers in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Smither also collected art by early and mid-twentieth century Texas artists. Among those in the collection are works by painter and printmaker Otis Dozier, painter Barbara Maples, and mural painter Perry Nichols.

He also collected “outsider” art—a term that describes art created by self-taught individuals who have not been exposed to mainstream art conventions or had the advantages of professional art training. Some of the artists with works in Smither’s collection include prison artist Frank Jones, Baptist minister Howard Finster, folk artist Willard Watson also known as “The Texas Kid,” visionary artist Valton Tyler, and others.

“Many items in the collection were purchased at thrift stores and junk sales, including folk art and tramp art with no person’s name associated with them.

CHAMPIONING OUTSIDER AND FOLK ART

The piece by Jones, "Untitled," 1967, portrays an assortment of cartoonish images smiling eerily from within grids drawn on paper. Jones used nubs of red and blue pencils discarded from the administrative offices of the Texas Department of Corrections where he was incarcerated. The drawing was acquired by SHSU in honor of Smither, who had befriended and promoted the inmate artist. Smither’s recognition of Jones’s talent was accurate. Even in modern times, Jones and his remarkable drawings are well known among collectors and outsider art experts.

The range of works in the collection is represented by a large grouping of pieces by children, mostly tempera paintings on paper. Many items in the collection were purchased at thrift stores and junk sales, including folk art and tramp art with no person’s name associated with them.

One of the pieces of tramp art is a massive work simply named "Tramp Art Lamp," by an unknown artist. It follows the style of the art’s typical characteristics which include notch carving, the use of inexpensive wood such as that from cigar boxes, shipping crates, or popsicle sticks, the use of simple tools and the layering of materials into geometric shapes attached by glue or nails. This piece includes a carousel of picture frames attached to the shade holder. Each of the frames also fit in with the tramp art style.

“Last year when we exhibited the collection, which was entitled Murray Smither—A Life in Art, we displayed a selection of pieces that included examples of all the various types of art that Murray collected,” said Henderson.

“The arrangement reflected how Murray displayed his art in his home.

“Texas artists like Haveron and Tyler, David Bates, Marti Delbano, Andy Don Emmons, Bruce Lee Webb, Pamela Nelson, Thor Johnson, and Kenneth Havis sat comfortably alongside works by outsider visionary artists like Rev. Johnny Hunter, Ida Kingsbury, R. A. Miller, Felix “Fox” Harris, Ike Morgan, and many others,” he said.

SMITHER’S IMPACT ON THE ART COMMUNITY

On a wall in Smither’s home, which was the focal point of the room, he had several of his favorite pieces that were hung salon style. In the center was "Devil House," a drawing by Jones. Other pieces on the wall were from Roger Winter, Tolbert, LaSelle, Blackburn, Surls, and Peter Bodnar. The largest piece was "Old Main," 1985, an expressionistic portrayal of the burning of the iconic SHSU building in 1982, by SHSU alumnus Michael Doga.

The premier placement of art by Jones, Surls and Doga in Murray’s home demonstrated the value he placed on his connections to Huntsville and SHSU and the importance of Huntsville in the history of art in Texas.

“Murray’s vision did not include boundaries,” Henderson said. “Sculptures by famous artists were placed next to Mexican arte popular objects that he found at garage sales and flea markets making clear visual connections.”

Henderson acknowledges the significance of having such a prestigious and diverse collection of art within the university. “We understand how valuable having this collection is, not only now, but also in the future,” he said. “Julie Webb, who owns Webb Gallery along with her husband, Bruce, in Waxahachie, was a good friend of Murray’s,” said Henderson. “She once said that ‘Murray always supported the

“ We understand how valuable having this collection is, not only now, but also in the future.

MICHAEL HENDERSON

underdog’ and his collection demonstrates his equanimity. Her statement also ties into a lot of other aspects of Murray’s life.

“Many other influential institutions would have enjoyed having this collection of art,” Henderson said. “We are very fortunate that Murray was an alumnus of the university, and we already had an established connection with him.”

Some of the works that were in Smither’s original collection were sold before his death to help pay for his care and medical expenses. They included many pieces of folk art and works by an array of internationally known artists. Even so, the inventory is more than 750 pieces in the entire collection at SHSU.

PRESERVING AND EXPANDING THE COLLECTION’S FUTURE

A bonus that came with the art collection was the gifting of Smither’s library to the university. “The library covers an extensive amount of information of folk and outsider art, contemporary art, and books on Texas art,” Henderson said. “It’s going to be a good source of research material for our art history students and students who are interested in finding out about the works in the collection.”

Among the books is Josef Albers’s Interaction of Color, a masterwork in art education conceived as a handbook and teaching aid for artists, instructors and students. Albers was a German American artist and educator who was considered one of the most influential abstract artists and art teachers in the twentieth century.

“It’s not really a book,” Henderson said, “and it wasn’t a part of the library. It was on Murray’s table among his possessions. It’s a portfolio of prints. Normally, those prints are removed from the portfolio and are sold individually. We have the intact publication which is listed for sale at more than $16,000.

“However, if you take the prints out, they could be sold individually for about $1,000 each,” he said. “The portfolio contains 80 prints so you can see how valuable this particular item is. Most intact copies are in the collections of museums or other institutions.”

Having the Smither Collection has opened the door for others in possession of works, particularly works from the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s, to contemplate donating some of their collections to SHSU. This period is when Texas art was gaining national significance.

“The gift included significant pieces from that period and expanded our collection of Texas art, folk art and outsider art,” Henderson said. “Murray’s reputation has brought notice to the university collection and led to additional gifts from other individuals that have further enhanced our holdings and expanded the collection of

Texas art and outsider art.” One of the artists Smither supported was American artist and art historian Dorothy “Toni” LaSelle. Her work has been featured in the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Dallas, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and the Dallas Museum of Art. She was a painter and taught at Texas Woman’s University from 1928 until her retirement in 1972. While there, she established the art history program.

Smither was on the board of the foundation which oversaw the preservation of her collection after she passed away. Recently, the foundation donated some of her works to SHSU in honor of Murray Smither.

The Smither collection was featured in a special showing last October, and the works are now being stored in the university’s Natural Science and Art Research Center along with other works within the University Art Collection.

“We hope to have a permanent place to exhibit the collection someday,” Henderson said. “Our dream is to have a research center where we can have works permanently on view and study rooms where people can research and study Texas and outsider art in particular.”

BY JULIA MAY

Sam Houston State University film and television students who want to get a head start on fine-tuning their film production skills before approaching the job market now have a golden opportunity to do so, thanks to the generosity of local executive film producer Vance Howard and his wife, Karen.

The Vance and Karen Howard Foundation Film Production Awards, established in 2024, provide up to $10,000 per student to two students in the fall and two students in the spring to fund the creation of innovative film projects from start to finish.

Howard is well known for his successful business ventures, his commitment to public service, his support of the arts and his latest role as executive film producer.

He became interested in filmmaking through his daughters, who both had careers in film. “Our older daughter was a gymnast who worked for Cirque du Soleil,” he said. “She later worked as a stunt double for actresses, including Millie Bobby Brown in “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”, and in “Stranger Things” and “The Walking Dead”, among others.”

Their younger daughter is a screenwriter and author. She has written several different movies with two feature films that have been made.

Both now work with their father in his Lucky Number 8 Productions film company, founded by Howard in 2022. In just 2 1/2 years, Howard has produced five films and is working on a sixth.

One of Howard’s most enjoyable ventures has been the making of “Luv Ya, Bum!”, a documentary about leadership, family and the legacy left by one of the most popular personalities in NFL history before, during and after his career as coach of the Houston Oilers. The documentary was completed in 1 1/2 years and was selected for the 2025 SXSW Film and TV Festival lineup, where it won an Audience Award. Production involved interviewing former Oilers and other sports legends including Peyton Manning, Terry Bradshaw, Earl Campbell, Joe Green and Jerry Jones.

“I was in Houston at the annual George and Barbara Bush Foundation fundraising dinner and a friend introduced me to Wade Phillips, Bum’s son,” he said. “As I was leaving, my friend suggested that we make a

documentary about the Phillips family. We called Wade the next day and told him we were interested in making a film about Bum and the family, and that’s how it started.”

Another of Howard’s projects that is currently in preproduction is “The Siege of Malta”, based on events that took place in 1565 when the Ottoman Empire attempted to conquer the island of Malta, becoming one of the most celebrated events in 16th century European history. Howard has been working with actor, director and producer Mel Gibson to create the four-part series.

“I watched how Mel worked with Brian Bagley who wrote the story, and I observed how detailed he was and how hard he worked,” Howard said. “I got to see a really good filmmaker at work.

THE FILM INDUSTRY IS ONLY GOING TO EXPAND AND GROW. THERE ARE SO MANY JOBS IN THE BUSINESS BEYONG ACTING..

“They worked hours upon hours just to get two to three pages and make it right, and I realized that’s how you make a good film,” he said. “You’ve got to have a good story.”

Although he enjoys all aspects of moviemaking, Howard says he knew early on that he was not destined to be a director or an actor.

“I think I’m better suited for the business end of making movies,” he said. “As an executive producer and a producer, you can control things. I want to make good movies and the films we make have to meet three criteria: they have to be inspirational, educational, and entertaining. If a story does not meet those three criteria, we are not going to make that film.”

One of his inspirational stories which is now in postproduction is about a Huntsville resident, James Templeton, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma when he was 32 years old. “He cured himself of cancer using holistic

medicine,” Howard said. “He’s 72 years old now, and our film tells the story of his journey and the process he went through to heal himself.”

Although Howard has residences in other cities, he considers Huntsville his home, and because education is very important to him, it was fitting that he explored ways to work with SHSU, particularly with the film program.

“The film industry is only going to expand and grow,” he said. “There are so many jobs in the business beyond acting, and the universities that are known for their film programs are good at letting students know that they offer training and education and practical experience in these other areas so that they are prepared for a variety of jobs in film when they graduate.

“For every actor you see running across the street in an action scene, there may be 150 people behind the camera with different responsibilities making that one scene work,” he said.

After speaking with some of the program directors and faculty and seeing their enthusiasm for growing and enhancing the SHSU film program, the Howards decided to donate new equipment and establish the $40,000 per year award program so that students would be able to make short movies, documentaries, features, or any kind of film that would give them experience and a jump start in the film industry.

The awards have no restrictions because Howard wants the students who are selected to use their own creativity to learn how to succeed in the film industry.

“I want them to tell the stories they want to tell and to learn how to navigate the challenges when things don’t always go as smoothly as they think they should,” he said.

And what does Howard hope to see? “Ultimately, I’d like to see one of these students win an Academy Award some day,” he said. “Other than that, I would like in the next 10 years for SHSU to be in the top 1% of schools that are bringing students in to become professionals in the film industry. That would be incredibly rewarding.”

REQUIEM

/ FALL '24

LAST

LIGHT / FALL '24

MOONTIME / SPRING '25

TALKING TARON / SPRING '25

DIRECTOR MARCUS GREMILLION

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR FILM. “My film is titled Requiem. It follows three characters in this house that sits in a sort of ethereal space. I was inspired by a television series called Ripley; I enjoyed the cinematography–black and white, high contrast, and static.”

WHAT DID YOU PRIORITIZE WHEN ALLOCATING YOUR BUDGET? “My foremost focus was on finding the perfect location. Fortunately, I was able to find the ideal house to shoot in. I also spent money on a composer, costumes, and I set a lot of money aside for film festival submissions. My instincts were to be conservative and do as much with as little as possible.”

DIRECTOR ANGIE SIMONS

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR FILM. “In a war-torn city, a pregnant woman, wounded and left alone in an abandoned apartment, battles physical pain and emotional despair while clinging to the hope that her husband will return with the supplies that could save her and their unborn child.”

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES DIRECTING ON A SET OF THIS SCALE COMPARED TO PROJECTS YOU’VE WORKED ON IN THE PAST? “With such a large financial backing, there was definitely a lot more pressure. There was more than twenty people on set and constant movement. ”

DIRECTOR EMILY PEREZ

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR FILM. “My film, Moontime, follows the story of a high school girl suffering from terrible cramps. She falls asleep in the nurses’ office to meet the four phases of her menstrual cycle in her dreams. I wanted to make a film about the menstrual cycle, and to share lesser-known knowledge concerning periods in a fun and creative way. I want to ignore the stigma associated with it; this is a topic that should be normalized.”

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN PRE-PRODUCTION? “My biggest challenge is time: figuring out when we’re going to shoot, when to host auditions, hold rehearsals, and managing the time of everyone on the cast and crew. Everyone has their own lives, and trying to match everyone’s schedules is difficult.”

DIRECTOR DANNY ROHRBACK

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR FILM. “Talking Taron is about an intern at a radio station, who was unfairly fired, enacting his revenge by taking the radio station hostage with a suicide vest.”

WHAT WAS THE APPLICATION PROCESS LIKE? “The application process was fairly straight-forward since I already had a rough version of the film completed. I had the script done, I had the class assignment as a proof-of-concept, and a proposed budget that I had to submit.”

TO OUR DONORS

A special Thank You to all of our Donors.

Because of the incredible generosity of our donors, the College of Arts and Media is able to provide exceptional opportunities that prepare and educate students for professional success and keep academic units within the College at the forefront of innovation through scholarships, an inspirational and talented faculty, and beautiful state-of-the-art facilities. The faculty, staff, and students are deeply grateful for the support we receive from our benefactors and the partnership we have with each of you.