Friday, October 14, 2005
Alpha Psi Omega theatre fraternity reactivated
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After 20 years, students have reactivated USI’s chapter of Alpha Psi Omega, a national honorary theatre fraternity. The first members were inducted October 10 at USI Theatre on Igleheart Avenue. “Tradition requires the induction ceremony take place on a stage,” said senior theatre major Jim Turpen, co-president of APO. Students must be active in the USI Theatre Department in order to become a member. Membership is earned through a point system based on participation in theatre productions. A student must earn 20 points in order to become a member. “If a student has a lead role or designs a show, that’s seven points, and so on,” Turpen said. “It’s based on the amount of work students contribute.” Because APO is an honorary society, a minimum GPA of 2.8 is required for membership. There are currently nine members. Officers are Turpen and Claire Kramer, co-presidents; Stephanie Weinzapfel, historian; Myndi Horton, business manager; and Adam Rager, pledge master. Other members are Greg Schaefer, Sean Nichol, Robert Dagit, and Megan Fallon. Turpen said the group’s main goals are to create theatre in the community and increase theatre skills and knowledge in its members. The group hosted a movie night October 18 at the West Side Starbucks on the Lloyd Expressway, featuring Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid.” “That film is an example of acting in its essence because there are no words,” Turpen said. APO plans include staging productions in cooperation with community theatre groups such as Evansville Civic Theatre and Actors’ Playhouse. Other goals include bringing professionals to lead workshops that would be available to all theatre students, and sponsoring trips to see plays. Doug Hubbell, associate professor of theatre, is APO’s faculty advisor. Hubbell also was advisor when the chapter was last active, in 1985. For more information, go to www.alphapsiomega.org or contact Turpen at jlturpen@usi.edu |
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