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(11/19/14 9:53pm)
Assistant Professor of Performing Arts Karl Green has been creating costumes for Elon University’s performing arts department for five years. Known as blunt but nurturing by his students and fellow faculty members, they agree Green’s expertise and honesty make him a dynamic member of the department.
(11/12/14 5:40pm)
Fall is a hectic time for television. New shows are premiering daily and fighting for a spot and fan base among well-adjusted series. Some succeed and become runaway hits. Some break under the weight of high expectations. Here is how the new shows of 2014 are faring:
(10/30/14 3:40pm)
For those looking to attend “Titanic: the Musical” to get a glimpse of Jack Dawson or that famous “French girls” drawing scene, they will be sorely disappointed. James Cameron’s epic film and this musical may share a setting, but the similarities end there. But stick around, and you will find yourself dazzled by a breathtaking score, the emotional depth of the performers and a story that is timeless despite its familiarity.
(10/22/14 7:58pm)
This past weekend, Elon University’s Renegade Productions presented “Frozen,” Bryony Lavery’s play that follows the lives of three people — a mother, a serial killer and a psychiatrist — who become intertwined after the disappearance of a young girl.
Renegade, an Elon organization for student-written or directed theatrical productions, provides an outlet for all majors to produce, design and perform all forms of theater.
The show’s director, senior Cody Schmidt, brought the play to Renegade’s attention after he read the show a year ago.
“I was looking for something to direct and stumbled upon the script again,” Schmidt said. “We are presenting a pedophile and serial killer here, and as a society, we need to talk about that so we can fix that problem rather than let it be as it is. A lot of inspiration for the show comes from that idea.”
The discussion of serial killers and mental illness is an uncomfortable subject for many. Senior Mercer Lindquist — who plays the mother, Nancy — said theater is a great way for people to explore their feelings about anything they’re unsure about.
“With this kind of show, we deal with a topic that people don’t talk about because it’s uncomfortable,” Lindquist said. “We need to open up the conversation and have those talks and let people express themselves in whatever way they seem fit. Theater is the perfect vessel for those conversations.”
The cast and crew of “Frozen” decided to ease audiences into those conversations by partnering with Elon’s new mental health advocacy organization, Active Minds. The organization’s founder, senior Emilia Azar, said the opportunity to open the conversation to a new audience was too good to pass up.
Azar said she was hooked after reading “Frozen’s” script.
“It presented mental illness in a very unique way, and I was both slightly disturbed but also inspired,” she said. “After meeting Cody, I knew he was extremely kind, funny and passionate about mental health. I knew this was the first opportunity for Active Minds to get its name out as a new organization and be attached to something amazing in the process.”
Schmidt didn’t shy away from the potential discomfort of this show. He wanted audience members to feel out of their element during the performance. So, he braced himself for any and all reactions from the audience. Schmidt said he was pleasantly surprised with the opening night’s reception.
“I had more nerves toward [how the] audience would respond to it,” Schmidt said. “It’s very vulgar, in-your-face content, and we’re presenting it in a very in-your-face way. We’re forcing the audience to feel vulnerable, and that’s nerve-wracking. It’s a great piece of work here, but I didn’t expect the general acceptance it had for everyone.”
In the end, the show was about making people confront the dark side of our society and the things people tend to forget when they live in a “bubble” like Elon.
But, Azar pointed out, plays like “Frozen” and the conversations they ignite are important for us to experience.
“The whole purpose of ‘Frozen’ mirrors Active Minds’ national motto: starting the conversation about mental health,” she said. “The play makes you think about morality, the idea of evil and mental illness. We’re encouraging people to start talking and have a conversation with us about their own perspectives on mental health and illness.”
(10/07/14 7:47pm)
Hilarious. Absurd. Upping the stakes at every turn. Even these praises don’t do justice to the Elon University Performing Arts Department’s production of “Reckless.” Craig Lucas’ dark comedy uses Christmastime as the backdrop to tragedy, as protagonist Rachel runs away after her husband takes a contract out on her life. Rachel finds sanctuary in Springfield, Massachusetts, with Lloyd, a kindly social worker, and his deaf, paraplegic partner Pooty.
(10/02/14 5:36am)
Step outside the ‘Elon bubble’ for fall adventures in NC
As fall descends upon North Carolina, there is so much to look forward to besides pumpkin spice lattes. But what Elon University students may not be aware of is just how many fall-centered activities are available outside the “Elon bubble.”
Scarowinds
Carowinds Amusement Park, located about two hours away in Charlotte, gets a little more sinister come October. Rebranding itself as Scarowinds, the amusement park offers a new type of thrill, which Park Representative Julie Whitted said is meant to scare anyone who dares to enter.
“We have over 500 monsters come in to our five mazes and our eight scare zones while also roaming around the park,” she said. “Our No. 1 goal is to scare people and make people scream.”
But Scarowinds isn’t just about being spooked. The rides will still be open during the Halloween attraction, which runs on select weekends between Sept. 26 and Nov. 1.
Whitted said the rides as well as restaurants and restrooms are safe zones from the scare actors.
Whitted said Elon students should come out and join the fun at Scarowinds.
“Forget about your school assignments, forget about exams. Come and have a good time,” Whitted said. “It is a visit that people remember for years to come and so many people make it a tradition to visit every year. It is an experience that your group of friends will talk about again and again.”
NC State Fair
The North Carolina State Fair, hosted in Raleigh, runs from Oct. 16 to Oct. 26. The fair offers a wide range of activities for all ages, from rides to performances and fair foods. Fried Oreos, anyone?
For college kids on a budget, public information officer Heather Overton suggested the fairly priced musical acts appearing at the fair, from Joan Jett and the Blackhearts to Vanilla Ice.
She also recommended visiting the fair Oct. 23, when five canned goods earn fairgoers free admission. Proceeds go to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
This year’s fair is called the October Original, which Overton said is a perfect way to describe this classic North Carolina experience.
“It’s a good time to be had by all,” Overton said. “The fair is a rite of passage in North Carolina. It’s an experience you can’t find anywhere else. Some people may come for food, others to compete in shows or even just to people-watch. We want people to come and customize their own fair experience.”
Woods of Terror
If students are looking for a more traditional scare during the fall, the Woods of Terror in Greensboro is the place for them. Open on select dates between Sept. 26 and Nov. 8, the Woods of Terror prey on guests’ greatest fears, from phobias to zombies to undead stalkers among the corn fields.
Ganyard Hill Farm
Milton Ganyard, an eighth-generation American farmer, has been growing pumpkins at Ganyard Hill Farm, his second of two locations, for 20 years. He said his farms offer an authentic experience compared to most farms in the area.
“The most important thing [is] we grow pumpkins right in our fields that you pick them from,” Ganyard said. “Some [farms] claim they grow them, but they truck them in. You walk among our vines, and there are tens of thousands of pumpkins, which makes us unique.”
Along with pumpkin picking, visitors to Ganyard’s farm can go on hay rides, navigate the corn maze or just enjoy the day outside.
Ganyard said his other college visitors tend to like the same attractions as his younger customers.
“We get a lot of students from Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State, and they all enjoy the same kinds of things the kids do,” Ganyard said. “They jump in the corn crib and climb on the hay mountain and run through the maze just like [the kid visitors].”
Haw River Trail/Paddle Trail
With cooler temperatures and changing foliage, some students may opt for outdoor fall adventures. Brian Baker, Upper Haw River trail coordinator, said the Haw River hiking and paddle trails open in this county offer countless opportunities for Elon students on a fall weekend.
“There are 35 miles of river you can paddle right now and 10 miles of unpaved hiking trails to explore,” Baker said. “You can start in the Shallow Ford Natural Area and do some hiking trails, paddling or even backcountry camping in the area.”
Baker suggests two outfitters, Haw River Canoe and Kayak and River Run Outfitters, as places Elon students can rent river crafts for the paddle trails. Maps of the hiking trails are available online at thehaw.org.
Baker added through the hiking and paddle trails, students may appreciate seeing a different side of Alamance County.
“Students spend a relatively short time in Alamance, and most of what they see is Alamance Crossing and Target,” Baker said. “Paddling and hiking the river is such a unique perspective. There is no other way to see it.”
(09/23/14 10:25pm)
Juniors Tyler Meacham and Jacob Lenz are no strangers to performing for the Elon University community. They have been doing so as part of the co-ed a cappella group, Twisted Measure, for the last two years. But now, Elon will get to see them in a new musical capacity as the musical duo Cracked Vessels.
Meacham and Lenz have always shared a love of music and songwriting. Meacham said living together sophomore year in the Twisted Measure house brought their music-making connection to another level.
“Freshman year we played music together, and last year we spent more time [playing together],” Meacham said. “We started writing early fall and carried it on throughout the entire year. We had individual pieces of something, and it became easy to come together and finish it.”
Their work as a duo differs from their work with Twisted Measure, partially because they have fewer people to bounce energy off of.
But, Meacham said their natural musical chemistry makes their Cracked Vessels performances easy and organic.
“Our voices blend and pick up each other’s cues almost too well,” Meacham said. “We will be performing, and we’ll look to each other, and we’re about to forget the same words. We play off each other really well.”
Senior Stanley Dowell, president of Twisted Measure, isn’t surprised by Meacham and Lenz’s endeavor. After watching them collaborate before, Dowell said the pair’s chemistry and passion for music makes this move an understandable and encouraged one.
“When it comes to performing, they really know what they’re doing. I think one of the best parts about watching them is seeing how much they really love what they do,” Dowell said. “They’d typically hate being in front of that many people at once, but being able to share their music with people makes it all worth it for them.”
At this point, Cracked Vessels has had a number of Elon gigs, including performing on Elon Local News’ morning show and opening for their friend and fellow Twisted Measure member Powell Mansfield’s stand -up comedy show. Lenz says they are always looking for new ways to bring their music to more people.
“We’re up for anything,” Lenz said. “There are a lot of places in the area on and off campus that are looking for this kind of coffee shop duo to play. So we’d love to expand our opportunities to perform, or even record an EP. We’re taking baby steps.”
The name, Cracked Vessels, comes from a mutual love for John Green’s novel, “Paper Towns,” and was inspired by a line from the novel — “But once the vessel cracks, the light can get in. The light can get out.”
It is this kind of openness that Lenz and Meacham explore in their songwriting. Lenz said he hopes they can continue to get their music into the community, because audiences might find what they perform relatable.
“I would love to find some way to get our music even more out, because our music speaks for itself,” Lenz said. “Most of the things we write are pretty personal. All of our songs have pretty specific meanings to us. From an outside perspective, I connect more to someone’s songs and lyrics when they portray something important to them.”
Dowell said his peers can make a huge impact on Elon’s musical climate because they are a talented, down-to-earth musical act.
“People know that they’re talented but are always pretty blown away when they see them for the first time, and it’s always great to watch that reaction,” Dowell said. “Their songs cater to a large variety of audiences, and most importantly, they’re really relatable. It’s really easy to feel like you’re friends with them, on and off stage.”
(09/18/14 3:00pm)
Every year, the students in the Elon in Los Angeles program produce a number of film projects, but their work isn’t as well-known back on Elon University’s campus. This year, Study USA is changing that with a new event, Hollywood on Haggard.
Created by Director of Domestic Programs Mark Dalhouse with professors Jason McMerty and Jen Guy Metcalf, this event is the program’s way to make Elon in LA students’ work more noticeable on campus.
“We want to conceive an opportunity to publicize Elon in LA and honor those who have worked so hard,” Dalhouse said. “It came from a conversation between Jen, J. McMerty and I, trying to brainstorm ways to become more visible. Now, we have this program.”
Senior Kelly Foran, an Elon in LA summer alumna, acts as the technical director for the premiere event. Foran said that among the spring and summer films from last year, Elon audiences will get a good look at what the students in the programs work for during their stay in LA.
“I’m essentially gathering all of the films that were made in the spring and summer and compiling them together in order to showcase them to all who attend our event,” Foran said. “The audience can expect a variety of really impressive and diverse films made by Elon students. The event will also give people an awesome look at the Elon in LA program and all that it entails.”
Hollywood on Haggard, to be held Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. in Pardue Court (between the Performing Arts Center and Lakeside), is a picnic-style outing where students can bring blankets and watch the student films under the stars.
The program encourages its students to film all over the greater Los Angeles area. With such an array of settings, Dalhouse said attendees will see some unbelievable scenes of LA through the lenses of hard-working Elon students.
“Students on campus can see through these films the incredible diversity of LA, the beauty of LA and the ability to be creative in LA,” Dalhouse said. “The films are both funny and poignant, and they really show the excellence to which the students dedicate themselves.”
Metcalf, the professor of the program’s dance class, is proud of the work the students have done, and believes this event is the time for the students to be recognized for their achievements.
“I am really excited for student work to be shown back on campus,” Metcalf said. “You’ll see final projects, collaborations between dance, film production and music students, all of which are very dynamic. I am so proud of the work the students did this summer, and I’m thrilled that work has an opportunity to be displayed.”
Beyond highlighting the diverse work of the program’s students, Hollywood on Haggard provides an opportunity for more people to see just what the Elon in LA program is about. Foran added the event will convince more people to check out what the Study USA program has to offer.
“This event is important because it will help spread the awareness to other Elon students as well to the Elon community that this great program exists,” Foran said. “We hope that the featured films can help inspire students and motivate them to apply.”
(09/11/14 12:00pm)
Elon University music theater alumni Michael Callahan and Sean Ronayne, both class of 2013, wanted to make it together on Broadway, but neither expected it would happen so soon. The former classmates are co-stars once again in the ensemble of the Tony Award-winning “Cinderella.”
(09/02/14 8:16pm)
With more than 20 new shows premiering this fall, your new guilty pleasure is sure to be among them.
Here are some of the highly anticipated series you may want to check out:
‘Red Band Society’ (Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. on Fox):
This 30-minute dramedy focuses on several teens coming of age in a hospital’s pediatric ward. The show boasts Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer as the smart-mouthed Nurse Jackson, who keeps charge of the nominal group of patients.
‘Gotham’ (Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. on Fox):
Gotham explores the world of Batman through the perspective of Detective James Gordon (Southland’s Ben McKenzie), a rookie cop assigned to the murder case of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Not only does this show function as the origin story for Dectective Gordon and Bruce Wayne, but it also features a number of famous DC characters, from Oswald Cobblepot (the Penguin) to Selina Kyle (Catwoman).
‘NCIS: New Orleans’ (Sept. 23 at 9 p.m on CBS):
This is the second spin-off from the CBS hit procedural drama NCIS with Scott Bakula heading the team as Special Agent Dwayne Pride.
‘How to Get Away with Murder’ (Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. on ABC):
Following her other two hot shows, Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, Shonda Rhimes’ newest drama focuses on Annalise Keating (two-time Oscar nominee Viola Davis), a prestigious lawyer and noted law professor. Keating’s ambitious students, desperate to impress her, become entangled in a murder plot of their own.
‘The Flash’ (Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. on The CW):
Barry Allen is a dorky forensic scientist with the Central City Police Department. When an accelerator explodes nearby, Allen is struck by lightning and awakens from a nine-month coma with the power of super speed. Starring former Elon University student Grant Gustin, “The Flash” tells the tale of the rise of the titular DC superhero.
‘Marry Me’ (Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. on NBC):
The creator of Happy Endings brings a new comedy about a couple (Happy Endings’ Casey Wilson and Veronica Mars’ Ken Marino) dealing with the new trials and tribulations that an engagement can add to a relationship.
For more dates and times for new series and returning season premieres, check out TVLine.com.
(08/27/14 5:48pm)
The Elon University Cultural Calendar is the road map to the biggest events offered on campus every semester. Jeff Clark, executive director of cultural and special programs, said that he and his team mapped out the fall semester’s schedule with Elon’s global initiatives in mind.
“We have a lot of entertainment coming to campus [this fall], and it’s very international in nature,” Clark said. “We chose our acts to coincide with the opening of the Global Neighborhood, which are the neighbors to our complex.”
Senegal St. Joseph Gospel Choir
(Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in McCrary Theatre) – Founded in 1950, the Dakar-based choir has a strong history of singing Senegalese national and spiritual songs in the nation’s four major languages. About the group, Clark simply said, “They are amazing.”
Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience
(Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in McCrary Theatre) – Clark wants to get to the heart of each audience member’s personal connection with the Beatles, which is why he emphasizes that this is not a group of run-of-the-mill Beatles impersonators.
“They play music extremely well,” Clark said. “They ask the audience to fill our cards with their favorite Beatles song, why and a dedication. It’s personalized to our audience.”
Fall Convocation with Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
(Oct. 2 at 3:30 p.m. in Alumni Gym) – Join the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists as they discuss the triumphs and pitfalls of aid initiatives across the world in this year’s Fall Convocation.
Kristof and WuDunn will speak from their experiences as well as their most recent book, “A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity,” which focuses on how everyone can become an effective global citizen.
‘Reckless’
(Oct. 2 – 8 in Black Box Theatre) – The Elon Performing Arts Department presents Craig Lucas’ 1983 dark comedy about an optimistic woman who, on an idyllic Christmas Eve, suddenly finds her life in danger and flees in her bathrobe and slippers.
Paisley Rekdal, nonfiction and poetry reading
(Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Johnston Hall) – The multi-faceted, award-winning author, who has published a collection of essays, a photo-text memoir and four collections of poetry will read selections from her vast array of work.
The Soul of Flamenco
(Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in McCrary Theatre) – Traveling all the way from Barcelona, the Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana is a flamenco and Spanish dance company that believes in sharing the spirit and culture of flamenco with audiences around the world.
This performance will showcase everything flamenco has to offer as well as a new work entitled “A Solas.”
‘Titanic’
(Oct. 23 – 25 and Oct. 30 – Nov. 1 in McCrary Theatre) – The Tony Award-winning musical from Maury Yeston and Peter Stone features the infamous White Star Line ocean liner, and even more infamous wooden plank, which sunk on its maiden voyage in 1912.
Along with its music and lyrics, the show uses actual crewmembers and passengers as characters to provide another lens through which to view the events of the doomed liner.
Dancing in the Black Box
(Nov. 6 – 8 in the Black Box Theatre) - The annual dance showcase, presenting works from faculty members, students and guest choreographers, will feature dance films from the Elon in LA Program as well as a new piece by Quebec-based choreographer Helen Simoneau.
“This concert is important for our department because our dance students have the opportunity to produce their work in a main stage production,” said Jen Guy Metcalf, professor in the dance department and the show’s director. “They also have the chance to perform professional-level choreography by faculty members and a guest artist.”
(06/15/14 1:24am)
There’s something in the water in Litchfield…
(05/06/14 6:25pm)
Every year, the Elon University Dance Company seniors are challenged to choreograph, cast and produce a show showcasing everything they’ve learned in their four years as Elon dancers. Inspired by last year’s class, which collaborated on one longer piece for its senior show, senior Colette Dong said this year’s senior class wanted to think collaboratively and outside the box for their pieces.
“It was highly suggested that we collaborate,” Dong said. “It used to be that everyone had their own piece. We wanted to drift away from that model and work more as a unit. Some people are more performers, some choreographers, some into film, so we split up like that.”
The show is marketed under the name “11x14,” which not only represents the 11 members of the Elon Dance Company Class of 2014, but also references a standard picture frame. Senior dancer Kristel Tedesco explained with the diverse ideas between the four dances, they decided the best way to market their show was to emphasize the different frames of mind that led to the creation of these pieces.
“We all had stylistic choices [for our dances],” Tedesco said. “We made that work and came up with this idea of seeing the world through four different frames of mind. We have the collective experience of Elon — the same teachers, the same training — but four different styles and four different perspectives on what we’re going to say with our pieces.”
The show is completely student-produced. The students did their own choreography, fundraising, production and even film and editing for those groups using a video element. Senior Jennifer McAllister said the immense responsibility they took on has prepared her for life in the dance world.
“What’s been really nice to me is seeing what goes into making a production,” she said. “I have a solid base of how to fundraise, to make posters and getting those posters approved, and to get into video. This experience has been my own personal textbook, which has been great.”
Senior Kristina Mazzola looks forward to seeing the production come together and finally show her peers what their class has been working so hard on all year.
“I’m excited to see it all coming together, because I have no idea what it looks like right now,” Mazzola said. “I hope people enjoy our work as much as we have [enjoyed] putting it together. We’ve been working since before last year, and I can’t wait for them to see what I’ve been talking about and losing my sanity over for over 12 months now.”
McAllister said she hopes this year’s production will inspire next year’s dance class to challenge themselves creatively for their senior show, just as last year’s class inspired her’s to do something different.
“I feel like I’ve created something that sums up my college experience,” McAllister said. “I’ll leave this as my legacy and I’m very proud of it. I hope next year’s [dance] class can take this and create powerful art in the university setting. It’s a springboard for them to do something [original] themselves.”
For Tedesco, it’s time for the piece to communicate with the audience because for her, dance is an art form meant to interact with the people who experience it.
“I’m ready for it no longer to be mine,” Tedesco said. “It’s about giving people an experience. I want people to come see the show, watch it, experience it and have a reaction to it. I want to show this kind of dance to people who have never seen it before.”
Now, the seniors are finally together, rehearsing their completed pieces in full run-throughs before it premieres at 6:00 and 8:30 p.m. on May 8 in the Blackbox Theatre. Performances will also take place at the same times May 9 and 10.
(04/29/14 8:44pm)
It is a tradition for the performing arts department to end its season with a musical in the Black Box Theatre, but this year, it’s more than just the average show. The chosen production, “Headvoice,” is an original work with the script written by senior Ethan Andersen as his Elon College Fellows project.
The show is advertised as a song cycle, which is a collection of songs that have a similar theme, but according to Andersen, the show isn’t a song cycle at all.
“‘Headvoice’ is not a song cycle. It’s about someone writing a song cycle,” Andersen said. “It’s a linear story about a young composer who is writing a song cycle. This composer is experiencing tremendous loss and recedes back into his mind to pick up pieces and figure how he got to this point.”
Andersen, who plays the composer, receives help from three voices in his head, who manifest themselves and musicalize his life. The cast and crew discussed the status of the composer’s brain as it spirals into chaos as inspiration to use throughout the show.
Stage manager Jessica Edwards said “Headvoice” is different from a lot of shows the Elon community might be used to seeing, not only because it’s an original work, but also because of its emotional depth and intimacy.
“It’s interesting because, not only is Ethan a music director or writer and composer and the lead, but he is also playing the show,” Edwards said. “It’s just a piano and him and the cast. There’s nothing else musically. It’s all coming from him. It’s a little more introspective than a lot of other musicals. Other musicals rely on flashy costumes and big tap numbers, while this is more focused on his journey. It’s much more personal.”
As Edwards pointed out Andersen wears a number of hats throughout this production — both working within as an actor and outside as the writer and musical director. For Andersen, this has been an exercise in trust because, while he does maintain control over a number of different aspects, he has to believe in his cast and crew to bring his story to life.
“I’m a little bit of a control freak, so this has been a good thing for me to do,” Andersen said. “This has been a great practice in trust. I chose people who share the same vision as me and who are just as on top of it as I am. It’s great because I have an image with my mind, but they have a different one. With my mentors [Lynne Formato and Rick Church], it’s like two artists giving me their opinion.”
It would not be easy for every student to hand their original work over to someone else’s director, but one of Andersen’s mentors, professor Rick Church, said Andersen has the maturity to hand over control and accept critique like a professional.
“When working with writers on this level, you have to choose your words wisely, because it’s very personal,” Church said. “But Ethan’s different. He knows how to take the adjustment and say, ‘Let’s explore that.’ He’s flexible to try things. Not everyone takes adjustments so graciously.”
For the costume and scenic designer, professor Jack Smith, watching Andersen’s journey from bright student to accomplished colleague has been the most rewarding part of his involvement in the show.
“It’s really exciting to work with a student,” Smith said. “It’s a great transition that all our students go through. They come here, start to learn and grow and produce interesting things. Then they graduate and become our colleagues. [As a senior] this is that early transition [for Andersen] from a student to being a colleague. It is so lovely to see. He is grossly talented, and it’s nice to work with people who are amazingly talented no matter their age.”
Student director Keith Hale echoed their sentiments, saying that not only has Andersen been a pleasure to work with, but he has also been supportive of the choices and input Hale has made as a director and a peer.
“Ethan is a good person. He’s smart and he knows what’s going on,” Hale said. “He’s very understanding. He wanted to get [the show] out of his hands and into my hands. It’s been very collaborative, and we work well together. [With this original work,] it’s a lot easier to make bigger choices.”
Premiering as the third musical of the season is an honor for Andersen and a testament to the department’s faith in him. They chose his musical before they even heard his music, and Church said this is a sign of trust of the department in Andersen.
“It’s magical that his project took the spot of a regular show in our season,” Church said. “Not everyone gets to do that. He got one of the three spots because the faculty said ‘Yes, he can handle this.’ They believe in him, and that’s exciting.”
Andersen said it’s nice that he gets to finish his stage career at Elon with a work he’s put so much time and effort into, but he said this performance isn’t the end of the road.
“I’m excited for everyone to see it, but this is not the final step for the show,” Andersen said. “It takes years for shows to come to full potential. It went through a workshop in 2010, and I want this to be the next step. It’s great to get people’s reactions on it. I want an open dialogue so I can continue to work on it.”
“Headvoice” premieres at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1 in the Black Box Theatre.
(04/28/14 4:53pm)
Elon University is no stranger to a cappella music, with the five and counting student organizations, but Élan is not a traditional a cappella group. Élan is the vocal jazz ensemble students of all majors can audition for. The group’s director, associate professor of music Stephen Futrell, says the group is about training voices for different styles of music.
(04/15/14 6:14pm)
Part one of the Pultizer-Prize winning play “Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes,” entitled “Millennium Approaches,” opened in McCrary Theatre on April 10. Written by Tony Kushner in 1993, it focuses on the lives of New York City residents, specifically gay couple Louis and Prior and Mormon husband and wife Joe and Harper, in the ’80s and how their lives change in light of the AIDS epidemic.
(04/02/14 9:25pm)
Marshmallows have waited seven years for their favorite teen sleuth, Veronica Mars, to make a comeback. March 14th, thanks to a history-making Kickstarter campaign that raised $5.7 million, the witty, resourceful heroine is back in a satisfying two-hour reunion with all our favorite Neptune residents.
(03/12/14 1:24pm)
Practicing in building lobbies and empty classrooms and getting together in spare moments between other club meetings are current realities of the Irish Dance Club, which is in the process of becoming an official organization at Elon University. Juniors Katie Caler, Catherine Falvey, Kerry Kurkjian, Ellen O’Neill and Kaela Wnorowski have been Irish dancing all their lives. After they connected on Elon’s campus two years ago, they decided it would be fun to dance together.
(03/04/14 12:21am)
Elon University audiences may be familiar with the fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty” which focuses on a cursed princess who pricks her finger on a spindle and needs to be saved by her prince. However, McCrary Theatre will showcase a different interpretation of the classic tale, presented by the Moscow Festival Ballet 7:30 p.m. March 6.
(02/26/14 6:14am)
Elon University’s Center of the Arts opened its doors to amateur and professional jazz musicians alike for the 18th Annual Elon University Jazz Festival. The festival, run by music professional and jazz ensemble director Matt Buckmaster, provides an opportunity for Elon musicians, as well as young musicians from middle and high schools in the area, to learn from the best.