GREENSBURG, PA- The Seton Hill University theatre department will host a celebration of 40 years of theatre at Seton Hill and will honor Dr. Gene and Iva Saraceni for their dedication to the program on Saturday, October 5th from 3:00 p.m.- 10:30 p.m. on the Seton Hill campus.

All members of the press are welcome to attend any or all of the events. A schedule of events is as follows:
• 3:00 p.m.- Registration, wine & cheese, campus tours in the Greensburg Room
• 5:00 p.m.- Dinner: buffet stations in Cecilian Hall
• 6:00 p.m.- Celebration Program
• 7:45 p.m.- Curtain: The Crucible in Reeves Theatre (this will be Dr. Gene Saraceni’s last production as a Seton Hill faculty member.)
• 10:30 p.m.- "Open Mike" & Pizza with Dr. Gene and Iva Saraceni in Harlan Gallery

Iva Saraceni, an assistant professor of theatre, retired at the end of the spring 2002 semester after tenure at Seton Hill that spanned almost 20 years. She had been a member of the Seton Hill faculty since 1983, during which time she served as the chair of the theatre department from 1994-1998 and had served on a number of College committees. She has also been a member of the Greensburg Cultural Council Arts Advocacy Subcommittee, the Theatre Association of Pennsylvania Education Committee, the Arts Standards Committee and the Arts Assessment Design Team for the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Last year Saraceni received the prestigious "2001 Artist of the Year" Award from the Greensburg Area Cultural Council.

Dr. Gene "Doc" Saraceni, an assistant professor of theater, will retire at the end of the spring 2003 semester after tenure at Seton Hill that spanned 26 years. He has been involved in every aspect of program development including administration, budgeting and management. As part of the theatre program, Gene fostered Performance Skills Workshops, Career Day presentations and the Explorer Post Arts Workshops for high school students. In 1969 he co-founded the St. Vincent College Summer Theatre. In 1972, he was named Outstanding Educator at Seton Hill. He has served on committees at Seton Hill for budgeting, Dean’s Staff, Presidential Search and the Western Cultural Traditions Advisory Board. He has directed over 76 plays at Seton Hill and over 30 productions in the surrounding community. Gene is a member of the Actors’ Equity, the Screen Actors’ Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. He is also a past recipient of the "Artist of the Year" Award from the Greensburg Area Cultural Council.

Shawn Sturnick, a 1989 theatre graduate and a member of the Theatre Alumni Host Committee said of the event: "Co-hosting the celebration wasn’t something I had to think about. Doc and Mrs. S. challenged me, educated me, counseled me, inspired me and opened my eyes to the possible: from the pages of a script to life choices I have made and will continue to make. This is my chance to give something back to them."

For more information or to schedule attendance at any of the events, please contact Marilyn Fox, alumni associate, at 724-830-1859 or fox@setonhill.edu.