LC Meridian

Issue date: 2/4/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Lehman Stages consists of the Studio Theatre, Lovinger Theatre, Student Experimental Theatre (S.E.T) and the Dance Lab. Together they strive to disseminate diverse cultures and education through the arts. While it serves as a rehearsal and performance space for the Bronx community, to Henry Ovalles, assistant director, it is not just a group of theatres.

Ovalles, a Lehman alumnus, was a theatre major who worked as an usher for the Lovinger Theatre. Upon his graduation in 2005, he took on the role of assistant director of Lehman Stages while becoming a prominent actor in campus theatre productions.

"Lehman Stages has so much to take advantage of," Ovalles said. "It has given me a job and a great facility to perform in."

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Lehman, which can be commended for improving the quality of life in the Bronx. Lehman Stages has been a part of the college for half of its existence and has become one of the distinguishable landmarks on campus.

Lehman Stages is responsible for assembling memorable plays like: "West Side Story," "Othello," "Nunsense," "Oedipus Rex," "Peter Pan" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Dr. Leonard Lief, former Lehman president, intended it to be a place where busy students, faculty members, and Bronx residents could relax to an entertaining show and forget about their worries.

"Summerworxs" and the "Bronx Independent Film Festival" are among the many productions organized by Lehman Stages over the years. "Summerworx," which runs every summer from June 18 through August 18, is a festival filled with an array of productions in dance, theatre, and music. Although many theatre majors participate in the productions, it is open to everyone.

"'Summerworxs' and the 'Independent Film Festival' give the community a free outlet alternative to Manhattan," explained Felix Otero, production manager of Lehman's Journalism, Communications, and Theatre Department.

The "Bronx Independent Film Festival" was also held last summer during "Summerworx" and is a part of The Bronx Stage and Film Company. The company is a non-profit organization that presents the excellence in the arts and the diverse culture that exists in the Bronx. The festival ran from June 29 through June 30 of last year. The short films were of different genres and were later judged. Dante Albertie, director of Lehman Stages, Maggie Krupka and Hector Olivieri are in charge of the company, along with many artists and composers of the films.

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