Previews | ESU Bulletin

Category: Previews

In order to spice up Emporia’s culture, the Emporia Arts Center is bringing two unique acts to the Granada Theatre. The Kenya Safari Acrobats are set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The second show is Black Violin, which will be at 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday.

“We thought that (these acts) would have a broad appeal and especially with Kenya Safari Acrobats, we felt like it was a family show that would appeal to both young and old and that it really had a unique cultural element to it that we thought could bring some entertainment as well as education to our community,” said Melissa Windsor, executive director of EAC.

Windsor said that Black Violin is something unique and different that will appeal to a younger audience that EAC is not always able to reach.

“(They) are showing people that traditional musical instruments can be played in non-traditional ways,” Winsor said. “I think that it is a great opportunity for us to enrich our lives and expose people to something new and different.”

Will Hohmeier, EAC marketing assistant, said that Black Violin combines classical skills with a modern, DJ or Hip Hop mix to create their own unique sound.

“With Black Violin, ESU has been very helpful and we are really thrilled to have UAC as a part of our sponsors,” Windsor said. “They will be helping us get the word out and spread the news that we have a great concert coming up.”

EAC is offering students free tickets for both acts that are available at the ID office in the Memorial Union. There are 150 tickets for Black Violin and 50 for Kenya Safari Acrobats.

“I think that students are going to be surprised because the quality is top notch,” Windsor said. “They are going to see professionals of the performing arts. It will broaden their experiences. I think that overall it is a wonderful way to get a different perspective on the world.”

Windsor said that the arts really opens doors to new experiences and it is really important that people continue to be open. She thinks that acts such as these will help Emporia to draw new businesses, people and students.

“I think that bringing more culturally diverse shows to Emporia is a great idea because it keeps things interesting,” said Sarah Williams, sophomore elementary education major. “New and different experiences help to draw people out of their homes into something fun.”

After the shows there will be educational outreach opportunities for youth to learn more about the performances and the artists. Students from Riverside Elementary and William Allen White Elementary will get the opportunity to meet and ask questions of the Kenya Safari Acrobats.

Khaili Scarbrough

Production transports audience to underworld

Elise Blann, senior theater major and Andrew Walker, junior theatre major, perform during dress rehearsal for “Eurydice” by Sarah Ruhl Tuesday evening in Bruder Theater. The play opened last night and will run through Saturday. Photo courtesy of the theater department.

Take a vast journey from pens, pencils, papers, tests, libraries and offices and into Emporia State’s production of “Eurydice,” Sarah Ruhl’s play that takes place in the underworld.

The show opened last night in Bruder Theater and will run through Saturday. Each performance starts at 7:30 p.m.

“The production of ‘Eurydice’ is not an average night of theater,” said John Henningsen, director, communications major and photographer for The Bulletin. “It is a dark, fantastical journey through life, death, love and innocence.”

Henningsen said the play is set in the 1950s and is based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

“We meet Eurydice as she finds love and moments later loses it,” Henningsen said. “It follows her journey in the underworld and the struggles she goes through to find her way back to the land of the living. The rest of the evening is her journey to discover the meaning of love, love of life, love of family, love of self and love of knowledge.”

At first glance the play is a dark comedy, but the drama is philosophically provoking, allowing audience members to reflect on personal relationships, Henningsen said.

“The play asks questions such as what is love, what is important in life, do you love something enough to let it die, do you love something enough to let it live and what are you willing to sacrifice to allow that love to flourish,” Henningsen said.

The play, set in the mythological underworld, emphasizes its message with unique lighting, and stage setup.

eurydice 1 RGB “The lighting in the performance includes a lot of blues to go along with the mood of the play and browns because we took a very earthy approach to our design,” said Sertrice Grice, freshman psychology major and prop master for the show. “The backdrop is a tree and the floor is brown. All of this feeds into the setting – the underworld.”

Henningsen said the setting also assists in tackling the ideas of death, life and discovering what is important for survival under the human condition.

“The staff’s idea of the underworld is a dark drippy place that bursts to life when it is met with Eurydice’s love for her father, for her husband, for books and for life,” Henningsen said.
Andrew VonSeggern, junior secondary education theater and speech major and curtain director, said he recommends attending the play.

“The play is better than a movie,” VonSeggern said. “During each performance, the actors feed off of the crowd and the audience gets a feel of the theater culture.”

Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general admission.

Simone Cosper

Benefit concert to feature Texas band

Emporia students and residents alike are invited to join together for a night of entertainment and fundraising. United Way will host a benefit concert at 7 p.m. on Nov. 16 at the Granada Theatre, 807 Commercial St.

“I chose the United Way because of the services they provide to our region,” said Rob Gilligan of Emporia Marketplace. “A lot of times with fundraising campaigns, for younger people and college students, it’s not something you can just write a check for … but maybe buying a concert ticket is a way they can give to United Way and still be able to have some fun.”

Gilligan said that he is also trying to develop other ways for people to donate to United Way, which is a funding agency that supports several non-profit organizations in an eight country region.

“Each year they do a big campaign to raise funds to help with operational expense and cost for a bunch of different things,” Gilligan said. “(This concert) will give us an opportunity to raise some awareness about United Way, and it’s a good way for people to come together and enjoy the entertainment.”

Gilligan said that around 200 people attended the concert last year and they seemed to enjoy the entertainment. He said he hopes for 400 attendees this year.

The White Ghost Shivers of Austin, Texas will provide the entertainment. Gilligan said the group is hard to place into one specific genre.

“Hot jazz, early soul, a lot of vaudeville,” Gilligan said of the group. “It’s really hard to call them a band … really, they are a show. They are an entire performance piece. They’re an experience.”

Erin Mullane, senior theater major, said she has seen the group perform several times and that they are a nice change from mainstream music.

“I think it’s bold that they are a band that plays in the 20s and 30s ragtime jazz style,” Mullane said. “I like that they expose the audience to a different kind of sound.”

Adam Helmer, junior theater major said he is looking forward to the experience.

“I hope to get to see an amazing concert and to learn how much money is raised from this event to benefit United Way,” Helmer said.

Emporia will be the White Ghost Shivers’ first stop for the Kansas tour. They will also perform with The Skirts, a folk band from Chase County.

Tickets can be purchased for $15 at the Granada Box office, Sweet Granada, Granada Coffee Company, United Way, the Emporia Gazette and on campus, and 100 percent of the profits will go to United Way.

Khaili Scarbrough

Campus is ‘In the Mood’ for unusual 1940s music performance

in the mood 2 RGB The 1940s will swing and dance into Emporia this Friday. The Emporia Arts Council will host In the Mood, a group made up of six singers and dancers accompanied by a 13 piece orchestra playing swing music from artists such as Frank Sinatra, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and the Andrews Sisters, according to David Shaw, president of Art Beat.

The show is not the type of performance that the council would normally host, but they decided to bring it to Emporia after being contacted by Art Beat, the nonprofit organization that helps schedule shows for In the Mood, said Melissa Windsor, executive director of EAC. The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Albert Taylor Hall on campus.

“It is such a big production that there wasn’t room for it at the Granada,” Windsor said. “It is a show that attracts a broad range of people but really appeals to the older generation that lived through the 40s.”

Windsor said that about 200 tickets have already been sold, but EAC expects a rush in the days before the show.

“I heard about the show in one of my classes and saw fliers around town,” said Landon Noll, freshman theater education major. “I am probably going to go even though the tickets are kind of expensive.”

The show is a celebration of an unusual era in American music, according to In the Mood’s website. The show is on its 17th year and has even been performed overseas. It has recently been on tour in Australia and the group performed a show for the 53rd presidential inauguration of Bill Clinton.

Shaw said the goal of In the Mood is to bring a quality show to small towns. After receiving positive feedback from past performances in Emporia, Shaw was eager to get in contact with the EAC. He said the show will run throughout Kansas each year, and although no schedule has been made, he said they will probably make another appearance in Emporia in the future.

“We encourage feedback from the audience and often ask for suggestions for new music,” Shaw said. “We add new music every year so it is something that people like to see over and over again. The older generation really gets into the show because it is something they experienced in their lifetime.”

Tickets are available at the art council building downtown or at Brownpapertickets.com. Adult tickets cost $27 and youth tickets are $12.50.

Rocky Robinson

Homecoming goes ‘technicolor’

Marah Melvin and Jeremy Devine rehearse a scene for this year’s fall musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The script was written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. John Henningsen/The Bulletin

In addition to the excitement of Homecoming this fall, the theater department will present this year’s musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” beginning next Thursday.

“It’s very funny, very beautiful and has lots of touching and special moments for the whole family,” said Lindy Bartuff, choreographer and co-director.

Bartruff said that the musical is based on the biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob and his 11 brothers. In this play, with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joseph has the ability to understand dreams that no one else can.

“It is a fast paced show that has both staging and choreography,” Bartruff said. “It’s very hard to sing and dance at the same time, so (the actors) are learning a lot of things from western to soft shoe to French to calypso and beyond, so it’s been a very fun ride for them and a very intense ride.”

Also working on the production is Jeremiah Devine, senior communications major and musical director. He also plays the title role of Joseph.

Devine said that the theater department held auditions in August and the group has been rehearsing for more than a month.

To put such a large production together takes a lot of people. Devine said that there are 28 cast members as well as lighting and set designers, costume designers, hair and makeup artists, sound technicians, a live orchestra, a pianist, a drummer, a guitarist, three spotlight operators, a choreographer and the directors.

“Albert Taylor’s a big place so it takes a lot of people to run a show over there,” Devine said. “So we have faculty members and students, everybody’s working on this.”

With all these members comes a great diversity of actors and actresses.

Kangwon Song, senior theater major, said that this is his second Homecoming musical since he began attending ESU. The hardest part for him has been overcoming the language barrier, since he is not originally from the U.S. Still, he said he has a great time performing.

“The musical is super fun because musicals need to be involved with dancing, singing, and a lot of entertaining stuff,” Song said. “It makes me really feel alive on the stage.”

Kayla Dugan, sophomore English major who plays a wife and a tourist, said she also enjoys being involved in the musical.

“It’s just an amazing musical and an amazing cast so it’s really fun to see everybody work together and when it clicks, like when we get it right, it’s really fun and funny to watch,” Dugan said.

But the homecoming musical serves another purpose – it helps fund scholarships for theater students.

Each year, many students receive scholarships through the theater department. Jim Bartruff, the director of theater at ESU and director of “Joseph,” said in an email that endowments from the ESU Foundation, as well as money raised through Golden Patrons, the Theatre Guild and the Homecoming musical go towards student scholarships. This year, 25 students were able to receive scholarships with a total of $23,350 awarded.

Since the Homecoming musical is a big fundraiser for the department, the revenue earned at this event is essential to the department. Bartruff said that typically they earn $3,300 to $7,000 from the musical and the goal this year is to bring in between $5,000 and $7,500.

The musical will start at 7:30 p.m. and will run next Thursday through Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Saunday. Tickets start at $8 for ESU students and $12 and $15 for others, depending on the seating area. To reserve tickets, call the ticket office at 341-6378.

Brooke Schultz

‘80s-themed dance show takes stage

Noah Mefford, junior theater major, and Cara Lohkamp, sophomore theatre major practice their moves for the spring dance show Monday in Roosevelt. Erica Cassella/ The Bulletin

This year marks the first time a dance show has been part of the main theater season. “Dream Park in ‘80s City” is the title for first show of its kind in Emporia State’s history. The story revolves around 17 people working through a day in the city, told through dances choreographed to music from the ‘80s.

“I decided to do the ‘80s because there’s a lot of exciting hip-hop, break-dance and just a sense of the times, so I placed it in a park in a city…that allowed for people to have all kinds of dreams and themes,” said Lindy Bartruff, director of the show and adjunct professor of dance.

Bartruff said the buildup to the show had been slowly developing over a long period of time, beginning in the 1970s with ballroom dancing. Over the last seven years, Bartruff said the dance program has developed from dancing in the Friesen Studio for anyone who could come to putting on a full show in the Karl C. Bruder Theater.

“I thought it would be a nice experience, lots of fun, high energy (and I) get to hang out with my peers,” said Cara Lohkamp, sophomore theater major.

Lohkamp will perform in a scene with Noah Mefford, junior theater major. Mefford plays a man who has finally gotten a car and spots Lohkamp’s character in the park who is just trying to do her aerobics in peace. The two perform a pas de duex, or a duet dance to the tune of “Get Out of My Dreams and Into My Car.”

“Dream Park in ‘80s City” has an extensive cast comprised of 17 dancers and three other students who are working on the more technical aspects of the show such as lighting, costume and sound design. The show will also feature a small amount of special effects including fog during another duet which is choreographed to the song “Who Made the Moon?” by Little River Band.

Bartruff said that while the music will provide a great deal of atmosphere for the show, the characters themselves are also well defined.

“My character is a convenience store clerk,” said Emily Warren, senior theater major. “She’s sick of her job, sick of her life, her boyfriend just got laid off, and she just wants to leave the city and start a new life with him.”

Warren will perform to “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman. She will also perform in other dance numbers both as the clerk and as other characters.

“Dream Park in ‘80s City” premieres on at 7:30 p.m. on May 6 in the Karl C. Bruder Theater. Admission is free.

Luke Bohannon

Concert postponed due to weather

The Stars Go Dim concert scheduled at the Granada Theater tonight has been postponed for later this month.

The Stars Go Dim concert scheduled at the Granada Theater tonight has been postponed for later this month. At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 25, the band hailing from Tulsa, Okla., will perform at the same location.

Jessica Buchholz, director of the Granada Theater, said that due to extreme amounts of snow, the band is unable to make the trip today.

Stars Go Dim is a band making their way into the big names of the music industry, said Kyle Thompson, disc jockey for KISS 103.1. Members Joey Avalos, Chris Cleveland and Michael Wittig began working together in 2007 for their album “Love Gone Mad.”

Entering their fourth year as a group, Thompson said the band has opened for artists such as the Goo Goo Dolls, Switchfoot, John Mayer, Mike Posner, Sara Bareilles and Natasha Bedingfield. They were awarded CMT Listener’s Choice Songwriter’s Award in 2009 as well as a slot on the Mayercruise, and in 2010 they won “Best New Artist” and “Album of the Year” at the Absolute Best of Tulsa Music Awards.

Buchholz has been involved in collaboration for planning the event with the Lyon County State Bank and KISS 103.1. She said that if tickets have been purchased for tonight, they will still be valid for the Feb. 25 performance – no ticket exchange is necessary.

Some students were originally unable to attend the concert since it was scheduled for a Thursday night.

But Thompson said the original week night date was a strategy.

“A lot of students tend to pack up and leave town on a Friday or Saturday night – we thought that maybe we would benefit from doing it on a Thursday,” Thompson said.

Emilia Chiroy, senior vocal music education major, said she is excited by the expansion of the entertainment options Emporia is providing.

Thompson pointed out another benefit as people can save money by attending events locally rather than driving to the Kansas City area.

“One thing that students are always asking for is something to do and something to see,” Buchholz said.

Doors will open at 7 p.m. at the Granada Theater at 807 Commercial St. and the show will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are still $10 and are available at Sweet Granada, Granada Coffee Co., the Granada box office and tickets will be sold at the door.

Brianne Simon

Madrigal Feast brings Renaissance to Emporia

Members of the Madrigal Singers rehearse Wednesday evening for their holiday performance this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom. Alissa Miller/ The Bulletin

With a chance to transport audience members to 14th century England, the A Capella choir’s annual Renaissance Madrigal Feast is at 7:30 p.m. this Friday and Saturday in the Memorial Union Ballroom.

“People come along, sit here, have dinner and whatnot and they kind of get a chance to forget everything, kind of leave everything at the door, kind of step into the fourteenth century and experience that kind of music and just leave all their worries behind,” said Jerrod McNutt, senior music education major.

Molli Chitwood, senior music education major and director of the Madrigal Feast, said the event has been going on for around 20 years. The money made from it goes to fund scholarships and other things for the choir.

“We’re just trying to prepare for maybe another tour and then scholarships and just, business costs of A Capella choir,” Chitwood said.

Tickets sold for $28, a price that Chitwood said is “steep” but worth it for the experience. Ticket sales ended Tuesday.

“You get a lot for what you pay for, you get a concert, you get a play, you get a dinner, just in one evening, so it’s really great,” Chitwood said.

Chitwood said the performance includes a king and queen, who act as the hosts of the party, a royal court, peasants and singers dressed in clothing from the period. The dinner will start off with a plate of grapes and cheeses and moves on to corn chowder soup and spinach salad, stuffed chicken for the main course and cherry cheesecake for dessert.

This year’s performance is a little different from previous years; instead of having just the chamber choir members perform shorter madrigal songs, the whole choir is singing one major work, “Gaudete.” Chitwood said there’s also more university involvement because an ensemble will accompany the choir and the art department will be showing some art, but for the most part, the performance will be similar to past years. There will be a magician and performers wandering during the meal, followed by a short play and the concert ending with a candlelight vigil to the song “Silent Night.”

“We try and stick with tradition for a lot of things just because it makes people excited about it,” Chitwood said.

Jennifer Brady, senior biology major, said this year’s play is about a damsel in distress who gets captured by the evil Sheriff Notting and the cast has to wander through an enchanted forest to save her.

“The play this year is kind of a mixture of a Wild West tale and ‘The Wizard of Oz’ – the shows are a little ridiculous,” Brady said.

McNutt said the event gets people in the mood for the holiday season.

“It’s right before Thanksgiving and it kind of gets everybody in the mood for the giving season I guess, the joyous time that is this time of the year,” McNutt said.

Lauren Walbridge

'Dating road bands' find opening band

Photo Courtesy of Kaila Williams

This Saturday at Beer:30, Bright Giant is back from Iowa to play with Emporia’s own Radio City and opening band The Floor is Lava.

“We just played in Iowa City last night and it was deader than hell. We really like coming and playing in Kansas actually, and any place we can get with Radio City,” said Bright Giant guitarist Josh Davis. “I think we’ll keep doing well there for sure.”

Both Radio City and Bright Giant are currently working on full-length albums, so they will have new material to play at the bar. Radio City guitarist and Emporia State graduate student Eric Murphy said in a previous interview that the record was set to release this month, but now the tentative release date is December.

“The artwork is being submitted right now, but they have to proof the artwork, which takes like a week and then they have to proof all the audio, which could take anywhere from a week to a few months,” Murphy said.

Davis said Bright Giant plans to release their CD sometime in February or March.

Saturday night will be local band The Floor is Lava’s first time on the bill at Beer:30. Sophomore business major and guitarist and vocalist for the band, Nick Yoho, said the band has played at the bar’s open mic night Thursday nights.

“We’re obviously way excited. We’ve talked about playing in the red room since we really started jamming together, before we were even a band,” Yoho said.

Yoho said that, as a band, Beer:30 is one of their favorite places to play because the crowd is so receptive and makes the band perform better.

“If you feel the love coming, you like to send it back,” Yoho said.

Yoho said The Floor is Lava’s bassist Chandler King is friends with Radio City Guitarist Matt Kosinski, so the bands connected through those two members. Yoho said his band looks up to the two bands they will be opening for.

“We look up to both of those bands quite a bit, especially Radio City because they’re from here in Emporia and we know those guys,” Yoho said.

Murphy said Radio City and Bright Giant haven’t seen each other in a month or two, but they have kept up on contacting each other by texting.

“We all text each other all the time, like it’s really weird because at first I assumed that Josh and I would be communicating, but all of us all talk to each other all the time,” Murphy said.

Davis said he’s excited to play with Radio City again and that he talks to Murphy every day.

“We’re dating road bands,” Davis said.

The Floor is Lava will open at around 9 or 9:30 p.m. Cover charge for those younger than 21 is $5 and it’s $3 for anyone over 21.

Lauren Walbridge

blocked games at school
monster high wiki
programs like limewire
nordstrom coupon code
laguna beach ca

Hornet spell “B-E-E”

Cast members of the Putnam County Spelling Bee rehearse Wednesday afternoon in Albert Taylor Hall. Alissa Miller/ The Bulletin

The Broadway musical “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is coming to Emporia State’s Albert Taylor Hall Oct. 21-24. The musical is the university’s 38^th Homecoming Scholarship Musical. Proceeds from the production will provide scholarships for ESU theatre students. Two Tony awards were given to the Broadway show in 2005 including best book of a musical.

“It’s such a charming tale that has the drama of a spelling bee, involves a great deal of audience participation, and shows the innocence of children,” said Jim Ryan, director of the production and professor of communications and theatre. “The spelling bee serves more of a backdrop as the audience really gets to know the life stories of the participants in a funny, but insightful look at human nature… It’s filled with moments of self-relevation.”

Senior English and theatre major Tommy Govert said the show is different than anything he has done before. His character is William Barfee, one of the contestants in the middle school spelling bee.

“To me, the biggest challenge was being 22 and trying to play a character that is only 13,” Govert said. “It was difficult to remember what it was like to be at that age, and then play that part on stage.”

Ryan has worked in the business for well over 30 years. Out of all the shows he has done, he says that this one is by far his smallest cast. The cast is made up of nine students that auditioned two nights back in August. Ryan said that the total crew of 27 members put what he estimated to be about 160 hours of work into the show.

“It really is amazing the amount of hours some of these people put in,” Ryan said. “We are fortunate to have a great, hard-working crew from everybody from the choreographers to our designers and all the way down the list.”

The crew got their first taste of a live audience on Wednesday with an estimated 250 to 300 high school students attending an afternoon showing. Junior theatre major Mike Koetkemeyer, who plays vice principal Douglas Panch in the play, was relieved to finally perform for a live audience.

“It’s a show that relies heavily on audience participation, so it really boosted the energy up and helped the timing to perform it for the first time,” Koetkemeyer said. “They were fantastic, and I can’t wait to see how the audience responds this weekend. Overall, I think it went very well for the first run through.”

Ryan says that the music in this production might be very different than what students are use to when they go to a musical. The play uses a modern day, contemporary style of music for the show.

Times for the show are set for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21-23, with a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 24. Tickets are $8 per person and can be purchased at the box office. If interested in reserving tickets, call the box office at 620-341-6378.

Chris Hopkins

« Older Entries