Passerbys notice colorful signs hanging up on walls, bulletin boards and even trash cans around campus advertising the Nicholls Player’s production “Our Town.” This leads to the question, who are the Nicholls Players? In his book “Nicholls State University the Elkins-Galliano Years 1948-1983,” Dr. Alfred Delahaye, professor of mass communication, offered information about the early years of the Nicholls Players.

“Lera Roberts Kelly started the Nicholls Players in the fall of 1957,” he said.

Kelly, originally from Arkansas, taught speech and business courses at Nicholls. She also served in the Arkansas legislature. The first play produced was a comedy about a girl football player, entitled “Time Out for Ginger.”

Presently, the Nicholls Players is a student-run organization under the direction of Dr. Stanley Coleman, who has directed eight plays at Nicholls since he arrived in the fall of 1999.

The organization is open to all majors, and a play is performed each semester. Membership is based on participation, and currently, there are 20 inducted members. However, there are non-inducted members that participate in play production. Both inducted and non-inducted members are not paid or given funds to produce plays.

The organization is financed through fund raisers, such as T-shirt sales. The organization receives little money from the plays, whereas most of the proceeds go to the performing arts department.

Costumes are usually donated, and some are made by Bernadette Dugas, instructor of performing arts. The Student Government Association has also contributed by purchasing new sound equipment.

One of the major obstacles the Nicholls Players has had to overcome is lack of commitment. Because there is no longer a theater program at Nicholls, not many people are interested in trying out for parts.

Amy Ponvelle, a business administration graduate student from Thibodaux and treasurer of the club, said the challenge from her two years experience working with the group is “dealing with all kinds of different people and putting on a show, but it’s fun.”

One word Ponvelle said describes the Nicholls Players is “diverse.”

“Theater has so many different people and personalities. That is why I like it,” she said.

“Our Town,” the latest production by Nicholls Players opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Talbot Hall.