Cello players play one of many pieces while dressed in their Halloween best.
Many performers dressed up for their Halloween performance, including
the conductor Yakov Voldman. Costumes varied from the traditional cowboy to a sailor.
The Lion's Roar/Elizabeth Brown
The sounds of classical instruments, such as the cello, the violin and the flute filled the Columbia Theatre for Performing Arts on the day of All Hallows’ Eve, also commonly known as Halloween, for the fifth annual Spooktacular event.
The performance, which was performed by special guests and the Southeastern Louisiana University Chamber Orchestra, took place at the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts on Saturday, October 31 at 2:00 p.m. and was conducted by Yakov Voldman who dressed as a cowboy.
To begin the event, violinist Milena Rusanova of Sofia, Bulgaria performed the Bulgarian folk dance “Ratchenitza,” while wearing a tiger print dress and cat ears. Following this performance, Promise Kinchen of Walker, Louisiana on violin performed Gustav Adolf Huber’s “Concertino No. 2, Op. 6” while accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra. Afterward, Johann Nepomuk Hummel’s “Trumpet Concerto in Eb,” was performed by Beaver Dam, Kentucky native Shaun Baxley on trumpet while dressed as whoopee cushion and accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra. Next, Sungkyung Woo of Seoul, South Korea, with the Chamber Orchestra, performed Felix Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64.”
Audience participation next determined the two winners of the costume contest. The concert was led by Columbia Theatre volunteer Anna Pfeil who was dressed as a fairy princess. Children of all ages went up to the stage in various costumes such as: the Pillsbury “Die”-Boy, Pikachu, a pirate, a monarch butterfly and a zebra, to name a few. Each contestant received applause, but the two that received the most applause were Anna Johnson, age six, dressed as a monarch butterfly, and Hugh Johnson, age four, dressed as a zebra. Anna Johnson and Hugh Johnson are the children of Graham Davis and Southeastern associate professor Rebecca Davis in the Department of Health and Human Sciences’ Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate program. Their other son James Mizell, age 10, also participated in the costume contest dressed as a pirate.
The family came to Spooktacular this year because of Anna Johnson.
“We are here because she takes violin at Southeastern,” said Rebecca Davis.
In the moment of applause for her costume, Anna Johnson felt thrilled.
“I felt excited,” said Anna Johnson.
To bring the show to a close, Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” was animatedly narrated by WAFB-TV’s anchor Donna Britt while accompanied by the orchestra. Each character was represented by an instrument or group of instruments. Peter was characterized by the strings, while the Birds were by the flute, oboe for the Duck, clarinet for the Cat, bassoon for the Grandfather, French horn for the Wolves and percussion, woodwind and trumpet for the gunshots and Hunters.
Following the show, candy was handed out to attendees by members of the orchestra in the lobby of the theatre.
Pfeil also reflected on the costume contest.
“It’s always a lot of fun,” said Pfeil. “I like seeing what they come up with and I’m so glad young people come and get involved and wear costumes. It’s really thrilling.”
Junior history major Mallory Clark, dressed as Wednesday Addams from The Addams Family, and junior biology major Jon Oliver both enjoyed the performance.
“We were told about the event,” said Clark. “It’s becoming a tradition [for us].”
Oliver supported Clark’s thoughts.
“We’ve come before and it’s something fun to come to,” said Oliver.
Other guests including Kenner, Louisiana native April Bruno, and her husband Christopher and children Mallory and Connor came to the event as well while under the influence of their older daughter that attends Southeastern.
“This is actually our first time coming,” said Bruno. “Our daughter goes to Southeastern so she told us to come check it out.”
Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts and Fanfare Director C. Roy Blackwood gave insight on what was different this year compared to past performances of the event.
“Having the narration was different,” said Blackwood. “To have Donna [Britt] doing the narration was wonderful and they’ve had narrators before, but she was really quite good and animated. I think the people responded to her. Also what was different was that he [Yakov Voldman, the conductor,] featured so many young musicians that were quite good.”
For more information on the theatre’s upcoming events, visit columbiatheatre.org.