Christmas program to celebrate and support global community
General
Music
Theater
Hesston College will usher in the Christmas season with a performing arts program featuring global traditions. The “Peace on Earth” program will be at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 8, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. The program is free and open to the public.
“Peace on Earth is a collaboration between music and theatre students that connects us with our global community,” said Dr. Russell Adrian, Hesston College music professor and choir director.
The program will feature carols from diverse cultures by Hesston College choirs and instrumentalists woven together with theatre scenes that connect the story of Jesus’ birth to stories of peace and conflict around the world. Theatre professor Carla Lahey will direct the scenes.
Continuing with the theme of global community, a free-will offering will be collected for Mennonite Central Committee hygiene kits. Monetary donations or donations of hygiene kit items are welcome. Following the program, audience members will be invited to help pack the kits.
Hygiene kit items should be new and in original packaging:
- adult-sized toothbrush
- bar of bath soap
- nail clipper
- hand towel (approximately 16” x 26”, medium-weight in dark or bright colors)
- wide-toothed comb (6” to 8” in length)
High school theatre and performing arts students invited to sharpen their skills at TheatreFest
General
Theater
High school students with interest in any of the many areas of theatre and performing arts are invited to Hesston College’s first day-long TheatreFest on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 8:30 to 3 p.m., on the Hesston College campus.
“We want this day to be an opportunity for students to sharpen their skills, broaden their theatre and performance knowledge and have fun doing it,” said theatre professor Carla Lahey.
Led by Hesston College performing arts faculty and students, throughout the day, participants will attend three workshops from a list of options including:
- Mastering your Audition Monologue
- Actor’s Workshop, where participants bring in a monologue in progress to receive suggestions and feedback
- Dance for Musical Theatre
- Vocal Techniques
- Stage Management
- Sketch Comedy Writing
- Project Runway-style Costume Design Challenge
- What to Expect as a College Theatre Major
- Test Your Broadway Knowledge
The day will wrap up with an improv comedy mixer. Participants can also choose to meet individually with Admissions staff to learn about performing arts scholarships at Hesston College and more.
The cost to attend is $10, and includes breakfast and lunch. Participants who register by Oct. 19 will receive a free t-shirt. Find more information and registration online.
Contact Carla Lahey with questions at carla.lahey@hesston.edu or 620-327-8263.
Students with theatre interest – both as majors or extracurricular interest – have lots of opportunities to get involved at Hesston College as actors and crew. Each academic year, the theatre department performs several mainstage productions – a play during the fall semester and a musical during the spring semester – collaborates with the music department on a performing arts production incorporating both music and theatre, performs the plays of local playwrights at the annual Pen to Paper to Performance playwriting festival and wraps up the year with a theatre showcase, featuring students performing scenes, monologues and musical theatre numbers.
New in 2018-19 is the Traveling Theatre Company, which, this fall semester, has been traveling to area high schools to do improv workshops with theatre classes, and in the spring plans to take a show on the road.
Cashore Marionettes to portray life and art in new ways in HBPA season-opening performance
General
Music
Theater
A celebration of life – with all of its intricacies and emotions – will be the focus of the opening performance of the 2018-19 Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts Series as it kicks off with Cashore Marionettes: “Life in Motion” at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 23, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus.
In “Life in Motion,” puppeteer Joseph Cashore presents his collection of marionette masterworks as they depict life’s moments set to music by composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss and Copland. Unique and unmatched in the typical medium of theater productions of today, Cashore Marionettes presents characters of depth, integrity and humanity in a celebration of the complexities and richness of life.
Cashore first became acquainted with marionettes as a young boy of 10 or 11 when he saw a pirate marionette in a gift shop on the New Jersey shore. A short time later, he created his first marionette from clothespins, wood, string and a tin can. As he played with this puppet and observed the quality of its movement, he was startled by the sudden but momentary sensation that the puppet was alive.
After earning a bachelor of fine arts from the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.) and studying portrait and figure painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (Philadelphia), Cashore made his second marionette. He soon discovered that in order to have the fluid motion he sought, he would have to create his own control designs. For the next nineteen years, Cashore experimented with the construction of the marionettes and devised totally new control mechanisms.
In the late 1980s, Cashore was inspired to create a puppet that would convincingly “play” the violin solo from Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “The Lark Ascending.” In working through the technical elements of creating a marionette of which he could gain subtle control of the body, he discovered the possibility for “greater depth of expression with the marionettes.” That puppet, Maestro Janos Zelinka, became the impetus for his present productions.
Cashore has been performing full-time across North America, Europe and Asia since 1990. He has received several awards for his artistic accomplishments, and has also received a Henson Foundation Grant, which helps promote puppetry to adult audiences. Cashore also has received a UNIMA Citation of Excellence, the highest honor an American puppeteer can receive, which is “awarded to shows that touch their audiences deeply; that totally engage, enchant and enthrall.”
Reserved seating and general admission tickets for Cashore Marionettes, as well as season tickets for the full five-concert series, are available online or by calling 620-327-8105. Single tickets are for sale at the Hesston College Bookstore in Erb Hall or Bethel College’s Thresher Shop in Schultz Student Center during regular business hours. Reserved seating is $27 for adults and senior citizens, and general admission seating ranges from $18 to $23. Discounts are available for students and senior citizens.
Area elementary students will be treated to a Cashore Marionettes show earlier in the day on Oct. 23 at Hesston Mennonite Church.
Started in 1982 as Hesston Performing Arts, the series expanded in 1998 when Hesston College joined forces with Bethel College for The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series. The series presents five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each year. HBPA is funded in part by the city of North Newton, Excel Industries and Hustler Turf Equipment (Hesston), the North Newton Community Foundation and the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Area businesses and patrons provide additional funding for the HBPA series.
General
Theater
Hesston College Theatre is gearing up to present a classic comedy in a new and modern way with five performances of “The Misanthrope” Oct. 3 to 7.
Showtime is at 7 p.m. on Oct. 3 to 6, and 2 p.m. on Oct. 7. The performance will be in the Keim Center Black Box Theatre on the Hesston College campus. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, and can be purchased in advance at the Hesston College Bookstore or by calling 620-327-8105. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door prior to show time. The show is rated PG.
“The Misanthrope” is a comedy written by the French playwright Moliere in 1666 during the French restoration as a response to the hypocrisy of monarchs of the day. Featuring a “misanthrope” lead, or a person who dislikes all of humanity and avoids human society, larger than life characters illustrate human tendencies that are still common four centuries later.
Led by director Rachel Jantzi, Hesston College’s take on this classic is from the translation by Robert Cohen “with a bit of an update,” Jantzi explained.
The original French and Cohen’s translation are written in iambic pentameter and rhyme that was the popular style of the 17th century. Hesston’s version will keep the verse and translated language. It’s the setting that is the biggest change.
Moliere’s play was set in 17th century Paris in the courts of royalty. Jantzi chose to set Hesston College’s production in 21st century fictional Paris High School, home of the Monarchs.
“When I read through the play, I kept picturing it as an after school special or like the movie Mean Girls, with over the top classic high school characters,” said Jantzi. “So I thought, “Why not modernize it and bring these characters to the high school hallways?’”
To play into the set adaptation and further enforce the modern feel, Jantzi’s interpretation incorporates popular music by artists like Sia, Milky Chance, Walk the Moon and The Strumbellas. Overall, Hesston’s modernized version is rooted in teenage drama but also carries the powerful moral messages expressed in the original.
“The play comments on the crazy games that are played by these characters who are in various degrees of love and hate with one another,” said Jantzi.
Jantzi hopes the audience will mostly sit back and enjoy a fun show while maybe also taking with them some important qualities and traits to consider.
“We haven’t done a ridiculous comedy in a while, so we’re really having fun with this, and I think others will, too.”
Playwriting festival returns for second year with eight original plays
Theater
After positive reactions towards Hesston College’s first “Pen to Paper to Performance” playwriting festival in 2017, the event is continuing for a second year under the coordination of Theatre Director Rachel Jantzi.
Jantzi chose eight original plays from a large number of submissions that will be featured in the final showcase at 7 p.m., April 27 and 28, in the Keim Center Black Box Theatre on the Hesston College campus.
“I’m excited because the scripts are so varied,” Jantzi said. “The actors are truly being stretched to meet the needs of eight different shows. They have impressed me and I am looking forward to the audience getting to experience that with us.”
The featured plays in the final showcase are:
- Born Again by Carol Duerksen
- First Date by Travis Duerksen and Mitchell Stutzman
- Goodnight, Washington by Patricia Middleton
- Small Cups of Coffee by Dave Osborne
- Classified by Lois Thieszen Preheim
- An Empty Classroom by Jamie Rhodes
- How the Octopus Got His Legs by André Swartley
- Chapter Fourteen by Caitlin Waits
A simplistic set will build cohesion between the eight contrasting shows, and sophomore theatre major Mariah Trible will direct two of the shows alongside Jantzi. A single ensemble of 13 actors, each taking on several different roles, will bring the shows to life.
“I am honored that these playwrights trust us to tell their stories,” Jantzi said. “Even if it may not be how they envisioned it as they wrote, they were brave enough to let it go and trust someone else with their words. That is a courageous act.”
Prior to the show on Friday, April 27, beginning at 6:30, there will be a 30-minute performance by On A Lark, Hesston’s improv comedy troupe led by freshman Colton Adams (Wichita, Kan.).
Playwriting festival to feature eight original plays
General
Theater
Hesston College’s second playwriting festival, “Pen to Paper to Performance,” will feature eight original plays by local writers and produced by Hesston College Theatre, April 27 and 28.
The featured plays and playwrights will be:
- “Born Again” by Carol Duerksen
- “First Date” by Travis Duerksen and Mitchell Stutzman
- “Goodnight, Washington” by Patricia Middleton
- “Small Cups of Coffee” by Dave Osborne
- “Classified” by Lois Thieszen Preheim
- “An Empty Classroom” by Jamie Rhodes
- “How the Octopus Got His Legs” by Andre Swartley
- “Chapter Fourteen” by Caitlin Waits
Each play will run approximately 10 minutes in length at the final showcase at 7 p.m. on April 27 and 28 in the Keim Center Black Box Theater. Tickets are $8 for adults and seniors, and $4 for students. Tickets will be sold at the door only starting at 6:15 each night. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Seating is limited, so early arrival is encouraged.
Spring musical one of laughter, struggle and a pickup truck
Theater
Hesston College Theatre will present five performances of the show, “Hands On a Hardbody,” as the spring musical at 7 p.m., Feb. 28 to March 3 and 2 p.m., Mar. 4, at the AGCO Corp Auditorium in the Communication Center, 420 W. Lincoln Boulevard in Hesston.
The show is rated PG for some mild language.
Based off the 1997 documentary of the same name, small-town Texans compete for a brand-new “hardbody” pickup truck at a local car dealership. The event is a contest as whoever remains standing the longest with one hand on the truck will get to drive it home.
“This show has been fun to stage,” said director Rachel Jantzi. “We have a truck on stage on casters that will be turned and maneuvered by the cast. It [the truck] almost becomes an additional cast member.”
The show brought together 35 people, both on stage and behind the scenes, including 16 students, two faculty members, the college’s academic dean and one community member.
“The music is fantastic and catchy,” Jantzi said. “It makes no apologies and really takes off in some numbers and breaks your heart in others. Another thing that stands out are the characters. These are real people with heart and determination. This wasn’t a joke to them. This contest meant everything. It was incredible.”
“Hands on a Hardbody” debuted in the musical world at the La Jolla (Calif.) Playhouse in April 2012, running through June of that year. It opened on Broadway in March 2013 and ran for about a month. That year, it was nominated for three Tony Awards, including for Best Original Score.
Tickets for the Hesston College productions are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. Tickets can be purchased through the Hesston College Bookstore in person, by phone at 620-327-8104 or online. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. Tickets will be available at the door 45 minutes prior to show time and are subject to availability.
Submissions being accepted for play writing festival
Theater
For the second year in a row, members of the local communities can exercise their creativity and storytelling abilities through play writing with Hesston College Theatre’s “Pen to Paper to Performance” play writing festival.
Submissions for the 10-minute play festival will be accepted through March 16. Eight winning submissions will be notified March 23 and will be produced in the final showcase event April 27 and 28. Playwrights of winning submissions will receive a percentage of the box office earnings.
“Last year was really successful, and we ended up with more submissions than expected for a first-time event,” said Hesston College Theatre Director Rachel Jantzi. “People have already been asking if they can contribute again this year, and we’ve had interest from new writers as well. I want this to be an annual event, so I’m excited that people are interested and wanting to participate. It’s important to offer an outlet to people who want to express themselves and have a voice but don’t want to do it through performance.”
The first “Pen to Paper to Performance” festival in 2017 featured seven plays by six community playwrights and covered a wide range of genres from comedy to drama. Jantzi hopes that the 2018 festival will bring a similar diversity of topics and genres and inspire even more people to try their hand at play writing.
The plays are performed at the final event by Hesston College Theatre students and directed by Jantzi.
Masterworks concert “Light Eternal” brings comfort to holiday season
General
Music
Theater
Hesston College Music and Theater will present the annual masterworks performance at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. The program, Morten Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna (Light Eternal), will acknowledge the light that Christ brings to our world.
The Hesston College community and wider community has experienced several losses in recent years, including the deaths of Hesston College employees and close family members and the shooting at Excel Industries. Yet, the Advent season, reminds us that Christ entered a world of darkness and brings us comfort and peace.
“When audience members arrive they will have the opportunity to write the name of a loved one on a glass holiday ornament that will be used during the performance to decorate a Christmas tree,” said Hesston College music faculty member Russell Adrian.
Adrian will conduct the chorus made up of three Hesston College choirs and community participants. In a collaboration with Hesston College Theater, the five movement work will be interjected with theatre pieces and holiday music that allows performers and audience members to remember the lives of loved ones as we celebrate the Light that comforts us during the Christmas season. Finally, the work closes by confessing that Christ is the savior of the world and asking for perpetual light.
Hesston College Theater Director, Rachel Jantzi, has pulled scenes from 15 different works and woven them together in a powerful narrative that brings the meaning of the Lux Aeterna to life. Theater students will participate in interpreting these scenes.
“The music and theater pieces are incredible,” Adrian said. “There will be opportunities for the audience to sing Christmas carols with the choir and orchestra.”
Tickets for the concert are $10 for adults, $5 for students and free of charge for Hesston College students. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Hesston College Bookstore in person or by calling 620-327-8104.