Story by Claire Smith, Staff writer
Graphic by Sara Howell/The News
Campus organizations are a way for students to come together and enjoy shared interests. One of these is Sock and Buskin, a theater group on campus.
The theater group was founded in 1926 and is the oldest student organization on campus. The group was the only theater production company on campus until the 1960s.
Lissa Graham-Schneider, theatre professor from Hampton, Virgina, is the group’s advisor.
She said the organization was created to “provide cultural enlightenment.” At the time of the group’s creation, Murray State didn’t have a theatre department.
Graham-Schneider has been the advisor twice since she began teaching at Murray State. She said the first time she was the advisor was about 20 years ago.
Many professors within the theatre department are involved with the group in some form.
Wayne Hogue, junior from Louisville, Kentucky, is the president of Sock and Buskin. He joined the club in the fall of 2018.
Hogue is working on getting the group back up and running. They are hoping to perform at All Campus Sing next year, something they haven’t been able to do for the last few years.
Sock and Buskin puts on “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” every Halloween. Students are invited to come and watch the performance. They also participate in Tent City, Taste of the Arts and other programs.
Students don’t have to be a theatre major to join the group; they only need to be someone who enjoys theater. The group has a formal initiation once a semester. The current group is made up of about 25 members.
According to Murray State’s website, their mission is “to be a strong support system for the Murray State Theatre.”
Members can often be found on the stage, behind the scenes or in the box office for productions across campus.
For more information about joining the club, contact Hogue or Graham-Schneider at 270-809-4635.