by Allison Roberts
Managing editor
Summer semesters on a small campus might often be described as drawn out, boring or uneventful. Since many campus organizations take a break between spring and fall semesters while its members spend time elsewhere, it may seem that nothing happens to engage students during June and July.
According to Chair of the Art, Communication and Theatre Department at Southeastern Dell McLain, who has noticed this sentiment from students on campus, “There is plenty to do on campus this summer, you just may not know about it.”
Because of this, the idea of Summer Splash was formed.
A series of events and promotions sponsored by Southeastern’s radio station KSSU, also commonly referred to as U92 FM, Summer Splash will host two dances at night, one daytime event hosted on the front lawn of campus and one nighttime parade across campus, complete with glow sticks.
U92 is using its airwaves to publicize these and other on-campus events. Senior broadcasting major and KSSU Station Manager Nick Growall explained, “That’s just another part of Summer Splash. We’re using the radio to promote things like Opening Day and some of the plays from OSF (Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival).”
McLain, Growall and Assistant Station Manager Callie Carrell are behind the wheel of this campaign. However, they are not the only ones involved.
“I brought together graphic design students from Art, promotion students from Theatre and media studies students from Communication to develop a promotion campaign for this summer’s events,” McLain explained.
“We then partnered the department of Music, the Office of Student Life, the Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival and the SE Alumni Association to enhance and promote all events,” he continued.
The music department is assisting with promotions and will be presenting the Renaissance Singers; the Office of Student Life will include Camp SE in the events with food and music.
OSF will be producing shows and is helping with promotional expenses, and Southeastern’s Alumni Association is promoting the various events of Summer Splash to its members.
As Growall explained about two such events, the upcoming U92 dance parties on July 15 and 29, “there’s free food, and you get to dance, so you can’t really go wrong.”
According to Summer Splash promotional flyers, the dances will take place in front of the Student Union at the Rustin Plaza at 10:30 P.M., a time chosen, Growall said, so the events can also involve OSF students, whose rehearsals end after dark.
La Bella Luna, taking place on July 19, will be a day-long event on Southeastern’s front lawn. The sprinklers will be running, food will be provided and music will be played in order to create a relaxed atmosphere.
“It will be a lot more hang-out oriented,” Growall explained. At night, the vibe will become more festive, involving glow sticks, a parade and large puppets.
The idea is to have attendees wear and carry glow sticks while parading around campus at night. To end the summer with dramatic effect, “we’re going to be using the giant puppets used during Dramapalooza for Dell’s haiku,” Growall said.
Puppetry won’t be the only thing McLain presents during events promoted by Summer Splash; he will also appear in several performances as part of OSF.
The specific OSF productions promoted by Summer Splash are varied.
“Game Show” is a dinner theater in which the audience members will be called upon to use their own acting skills by pretending to be interactive members of a fictional TV game show’s live studio audience.
OSF’s take on the Broadway comedy “Once Upon A Mattress” will have more of a fairy tale theme to it than “Game Show,” and audience members can watch as viewers rather than as active participants.
The classic “Romeo and Juliet,” the author of which is the performance festival’s namesake, will be performed in the New Theatre Building’s auditorium.
Summer Splash is promoting several events hosted and contributed to by multiple organizations and departments in hopes that people will become more aware of opportunities for activity. Growall explained with a laugh that the easiest way students can be involved on campus this summer is simply “by showing up.”
McLain also expressed his goal of the campaign reaching people: “U92’s Summer Splash will help students dive into all the great things happening on campus this summer.”