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One on One: Donna Gay Anderson
Director, Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts
by Stacey Paretti Rase
Donna Gay Anderson is well known in the northshore community for her longtime involvement and leadership in the arts. After obtaining degrees at Southeastern Louisiana University and the National Shakespeare Conservatory, Donna worked as a professional actor in New York City before returning home to Hammond, where she chaired the fine arts department at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Since 1999, Donna has served as the director of the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts and SLU’s Fanfare, the annual October festival that has become a northshore cultural icon.
Fanfare offers such a diverse array of performances, from wind symphony orchestras to children’s theater to dance troupes. What types of acts are your favorites?
That is a tough question for me because I have such a love for all disciplines of the arts. My own training and formal education is specifically in theatre, so I would have to say that I enjoy that on a different level than the others, but I still love them all. 
And which performers are typically the attendees’ favorites?
Different audiences enjoy different shows. Students tend to especially enjoy the high-energy, fast-paced shows such as dance and comedy. Retirees generally like the more sophisticated disciplines such as classical music. These are generalities, of course, for our shows tend to attract diverse audiences for all of our presentations.
Fanfare is billed as the “festival of the arts, humanities and social sciences.” What are some events centered on the last two disciplines?
Those would encompass the history and political science lectures, along with any presentation which addresses social issues. Goodness, “Romeo and Juliet” is a jumble of them!
What changes did Hurricane Katrina bring to the 2005 schedule?
Katrina brought an entire month of cancelled hotel reservations and catering issues—not to mention initial loss of communication and 25,000 brochures which were stuck in a warehouse in New Orleans. We lost a few community events, but, for the most part, the shows went on and we were an oasis for many people seeking something uplifting.
Just because Fanfare concludes at the end of October doesn’t mean the Columbia Theatre closes its doors. Tell us about some of the exciting offerings for the 2006-07 season.
I am very proud of the Columbia line-up, which includes the Russian American Kids Circus, the Broadway musical “Urban Cowboy,” Winter Dance Party (a tribute to Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper) and three Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra concerts. Maureen McGovern will grace our stage, and our season will conclude with a concert by Eric Burden and the Animals. There is more, but those are a good start!
Why should someone visit Fanfare if they never have before?
Fanfare will enrich your life, your soul and your chances of winning a game of Trivial Pursuit. We have something for everyone!
Fanfare kicks off September 28 and runs through October 31. For tickets and information, call 543-4366 or log on to www.columbiatheatre.org.
