eInside Events

Kent State’s School of Theatre and Dance Celebrates 100th Anniversary

School celebrates rich history, state-of-the-art educational opportunities with scholarship fundraising dinner

Faculty, staff, students and friends of Kent State
University's School of Theatre and Dance pose for a photo
to mark the school's 100th anniversary. Also featured in the
photo are Roe Green, benefactor for the School of Theatre
and Dance, John Crawford, Ph.D., dean of Kent State's
College of the Arts, and Cynthia Stillings, director of the
School of Theatre and Dance.

Kent State University’s School of Theatre and Dance will celebrate the 100th anniversary of theatre and dance at Kent State on Oct. 25 with a scholarship fundraising dinner and the opening of the musical Plain and Fancy.

Theatre and dance was introduced to students and public audiences at Kent State with the founding of the Walden Drama Club in 1913 and the offering of formal drama classes in 1926. Under the guidance of E. Turner Stump, from the 1930s through the 1950s, theatre grew and transitioned from an extracurricular activity to a nationally recognized academic division. The summer professional theatre program, Porthouse Theatre at Blossom Music Center, was established in 1971. In 1983, the Division of Theatre separated from the School of Speech and became the School of Theatre, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Formal dance classes were offered through the physical education department, beginning in the 1960s, and preparations for a degree in dance were made throughout the 1970s. The first student dance major graduated with a B.S. in dance in 1980, and the Kent Dance Ensemble was established in 1990 to provide pre-professional experiences for dance students. A concentration in dance education was introduced in 1993.

In 1994, the School of Theatre and Dance was formed when the Division of Dance joined the School of Theatre, formalizing decades of collaboration. In 2004, the school joined the newly formed College of the Arts. The School of Theatre and Dance underwent a major renovation and expansion between 2006 and 2010 after receiving the largest capital gift in the history of Kent State from the Roe Green Foundation.

The Roe Green Center for the School of Theatre and Dance, located in the newly named Center for the Performing Arts (formerly Music and Speech), has become the face of theatre and dance at Kent State. The school currently offers a bachelor of arts degree; bachelor of fine arts degrees in musical theatre, design and technology, dance performance, and dance education; and master of fine arts degrees in acting and in design and technology.

To celebrate the100th anniversary, a fundraising dinner benefiting theatre and dance student scholarships will be held on Friday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. in the Erdmann-Zucchero Theatre, located in the Roe Green Center of the Center for the Performing Arts, 1325 Theatre Drive. The opening performance of the musical Plain and Fancy will take place following dinner in the E. Turner Stump Theatre. Fundraiser tickets, including dinner, admission to Plain and Fancy and a $25 tax-deductible donation, are $100 per person. Tickets for only dinner and admission to Plain and Fancy are $75 per person. To make your reservation, contact Pam Huston at phuston1@kent.edu or 330-672-8334 by Oct. 22.

Tickets for Plain and Fancy are available by calling 330-672-ARTS (2787), online at www.theatre.kent.edu or in person at the Performing Arts Box Office located in the Roe Green Center lobby, Monday – Friday, noon to 5 p.m.

Kent State School of Theatre and Dance Presents the Delightful Musical Comedy, Plain and Fancy

Audiences will delight in this comedic gem; show is a visual feast

A scene from Joseph Stein and Will Glickman's Plain and
Fancy shows Kent State students Alexandra Jaeb as Katie
Yoder and Greg Violand as Papa Yoder.

(Photo credit: Joni Koneval)

Kent State University’s School of Theatre and Dance continues its 2013-2014 season with Joseph Stein and Will Glickman’s comedic pop culture depiction of Amish life, Plain and Fancy. The show runs from Oct. 25-Nov. 3 in the E. Turner Stump Theatre, 1325 Theatre Drive, in the Center for the Performing Arts (formerly known as the Music and Speech Center).

For tickets, call 330-672-ARTS (2787), purchase online at www.theatre.kent.edu or in person at the Performing Arts Box Office located in the Roe Green Center lobby at 1325 Theatre Drive, Monday - Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults; $14 for Kent State alumni, faculty and staff; $12 for seniors (60+); and non-Kent State students age 18 and under are $8. Tickets for full-time, Kent Campus undergraduates are free of charge. Groups of 10 or more can purchase tickets for $10 per person. The box office accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, checks and cash.

First performed at New York’s Mark Hellinger Theater in 1955, Plain and Fancy was one of the first portrayals of Amish community life in American pop culture and endures as a comedic gem, which both reveals and entertains amidst the clash of cultures and beliefs. The show shares many of the same themes of tradition, family and community as scribe Joseph Stein’s more well-known work Fiddler on the Roof.

Plain and Fancy is directed by Terri Kent, professor and director of Kent State’s musical theatre program and artistic director of Porthouse Theatre. Natalie Rosmarin serves as the assistant director. The production features costume design by April Rock, scenic design by Raynette Halvorsen Smith, lighting design by Jakyung Seo, technical direction by Steve Pauna and production stage management by Joshua Brown. Notably, the cast features returning professional graduate student Greg Violand as Papa Yoder. Violand, a well-known actor throughout Northeast Ohio, was recently cast in another project related to the Amish community, the upcoming film Love Finds You in Sugarcreek.

“Supported by a lush score and a great book, this show is a visual feast,” says Kent. “Our team did not shy away from the production challenges that are often associated with this show, successfully collaborating to meet the unusual demands of having a car, an Amish buggy and a barn-raising on stage.”

The opening of Plain and Fancy on Oct. 25 coincides with the 100th anniversary celebration of Kent State’s School of Theatre and Dance. A scholarship fundraising dinner will take place in the Erdmann-Zucchero Theatre on Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. Tickets, including dinner, admission to Plain and Fancy, and a $25 tax-deductible donation are $100 per person. Tickets for only dinner and admission to Plain and Fancy are $75 per person. To make your reservation, contact Pam Huston at phuston1@kent.edu or 330-672-8334 by Oct. 22.

Fifth Annual United Way Cornhole Tournament

The annual United Way Cornhole Tournament will take
place Nov. 7 at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

Kent State University’s Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs will host its fifth annual United Way Cornhole Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. Check-in begins at 3:15 p.m. and the tournament begins at 4 p.m. The event is open to all faculty, staff, students and affiliates of the university, as well as all supporters of the United Way.

The single-elimination tournament will involve a round of the best of three games. Up to 64 teams will be accepted, and the registration fee is $50 per team. The registration fee includes an official T-shirt, and all proceeds benefit the United Way Campaign.

“I am hoping that each area finds some students or employees that love cornhole to form a team and compete,” says Barbara Boltz, project director for enrollment data and systems support in the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. “Every penny of the team fee goes to the United Way. The tournament shirts, the food, space and cornhole sets are all donated.”

To register for the cornhole tournament, visit https://commerce.cashnet.com/uway.

For more information, contact Boltz at bboltz@kent.edu.

Department of Recreational Services Presents Annual Haunted wRECk Family Event on Oct. 24

Kent State University’s Department of Recreational Services is presents Haunted wRECk, its annual Halloween community event, on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Haunted wRECk is a free trick-or-treat costume party for families with children 12 years and younger.

The event begins at the Kent State Student Recreation and Wellness Center, where children will collect candy from six different themed areas. Each of the areas will depict a different fairy tale this year, but the fun doesn’t stop there!

Families are then invited to hop aboard Lolly the Trolley for a creepy cruise to the Kent State Ice Arena. Various Kent State student organizations will hold “trunk-or-treat” in the parking lot at the ice arena. After families have visited all the participating vehicles, they are encouraged to venture into the ice arena for one last themed area and complimentary pizza and snacks.

Although Haunted wRECk is a free event, the Department of Recreational Services is collecting donations this year for Flash-A-Thon to benefit Akron Children’s Hospital.

“Last year, we had more than 800 people attend,” says Abby Millsaps, marketing coordinator for Kent State’s Department of Recreational Services. “If each family donated $1 per family member, we could make a huge difference in the lives of the patients and families at Akron Children’s Hospital.”

All children must be accompanied by an adult during the event. Individuals 18 years and older must present a photo ID for entry.

To learn more about Haunted wRECk, visit www.kent.edu/recservices/hauntedwreck.

Main Street Kent’s Family-Friendly Halloween

Families are invited to come to downtown Kent to celebrate a family-friendly Halloween on Friday, Oct. 25, from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Hometown Bank plaza, Earl’s Nest in Acorn Alley and surrounding local businesses.

At the Hometown Bank plaza, there will be Halloween-themed games for children to play, music, entertainment and a Halloween costume contest. Winners will be announced by Kent State University’s Flash mascot from 7:30 - 8 p.m., with trophies awarded to winners.

Categories for the contest include:

1. Funniest Costume
2. Scariest Costume
3. Best Homemade Costume
4. Cutest Costume
5. Most Original Costume
6. Prettiest Costume
7. Best Superhero Costume
8. Creepiest Costume
9. Costume That is so Awesome it was Blinded by Awesomeness
10. Best Overall Costume
    

Trick-or-treat bags and a program listing the participating businesses for trick-or-treat will be handed out at the event. Face painting, pumpkin decorating and other Halloween-themed crafts will be available for participation at Earl’s Nest located in Acorn Alley.

For more information, visit www.mainstreetkent.org/events or call 330-677-8000.

Main Street Kent is a nonprofit organization focused on the revitalization of downtown Kent. It is an affiliate of the national Main Street program and the Heritage Ohio program.

Digital Commons Kickstart Event

Kent State University Libraries is excited about the launch of Digital Commons @ Kent State University Libraries. Digital Commons, located online at http://digitalcommons.kent.edu/, is an open-access institutional repository highlighting research and scholarship at Kent State. Powered by bepress, an online platform built by scholars to serve the needs of scholars, Digital Commons will provide Kent State University with a range of innovative online services, including an open-access repository, online journal publishing, digital image galleries, and conference and event planning.

Please join University Libraries for a formal launch on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 21 and 22, with a kickstart event at the University Library. Kent State community members are invited to join library and bepress staff to learn how Digital Commons can serve their needs. Orientation and training sessions will be offered throughout the two-day event. To see descriptions of kickstart sessions open to all, visit http://digitalcommons.kent.edu/kickstart/sessions/general/.

Arthur Koby Jewelry Exhibit Comes to Kent State University Museum

The work of acclaimed jewelry artist Arthur Koby will be
featured at an exhibition at the Kent State University
Museum from Oct. 25, 2013, to Oct. 5, 2014.

The Kent State University Museum will display the work of acclaimed jewelry artist Arthur Koby in its upcoming exhibition Arthur Koby Jewelry: The Creative Eye. The exhibit will include works on loan from clients who have amassed collections of Arthur Koby’s jewelry, as well as from the designer himself. The exhibition runs at the Kent State University Museum from Oct. 25, 2013, to Oct. 5, 2014.

An opening reception will offer guests a chance to meet Arthur Koby and will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25, at the museum’s Schweigert Library. Light refreshments will be provided. Tickets for the reception are $15 per person and may be reserved by phone by calling 330-672-3450 through Oct. 21.

Koby is known for necklaces that draw inspiration from architecture and sculpture, bringing together unique and surprising materials as three-dimensional collage. Each of his creations is a one-of-a-kind object equally suited to accent eveningwear or a simple T-shirt.

Koby first rose to fame more than 30 years ago when his works caught the eye of design luminary Geoffrey Beene, who saw one of his outfits paired with a Koby necklace in a window display. Beene’s fortuitous discovery resulted in a 10-year working relationship with the jewelry designer.

Koby’s creations have been worn by Barbara Walters, Gloria Vanderbilt and Catherine Zeta-Jones. In 1999, one of his designs was featured on the cover of Time magazine.

“Arthur Koby has been recognized for his creative combination of elements in necklaces sought by fashionable women,” says Kent State University Museum Director Jean Druesedow. “Designers such as Geoffrey Beene, Oscar de la Renta and Donna Karan asked him to design necklaces for their runway collections throughout the 1980s. This exhibition will provide students with the opportunity to see these imaginative accessories. These are statement pieces, and each has a different dramatic quality.”

Koby’s necklaces have incorporated countless disparate artifacts – often within the same piece – creating striking juxtapositions. Drawing inspiration from his travels worldwide, Koby has repurposed antique figurines and household knick-knacks as materials for his jewelry, along with more traditional components such as shells, metals and precious stones.

The Kent State University Museum is located at 515 Hilltop Drive, at the corner of East Main and South Lincoln streets in Kent, Ohio. The museum is open to the public on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:45 pm; Thursday from 10 a.m.-8:45 p.m.; and Sunday from noon-4:45 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children under 18. The museum is free with a Kent State ID and free to the public on Sunday. Parking is free. For more information, call 330-672-3450 or visit www.kent.edu/museum.

Kent State University Chorale Presents The World Sings

Kent State University’s Hugh A. Glauser School of Music presents the Kent State Chorale Fall Concert, under the baton of Associate Professor of Music Scott MacPherson, on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church located at 313 N. DePeyster St. in Kent.

The audience will be dazzled and moved with selections by composers from Estonia, South Africa and Venezuela. The chorale will perform a variety of sacred and secular music spanning five centuries, from motets of Tomás Luis de Victoria and Sebastian Vivanco, to music of Franz Joseph Haydn, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Arvo Pärt and his Estonian countryman Urmas Sisask. Rounding out the world tour are American composers Randall Thompson, Andrew Rindfleisch and Ron Jeffers, as well as South Africa’s Peter Louis Van Dijk, and Venezuela’s Alberto Grau.

“Come experience the amazing and infinite sounds of the human voice in the beautiful resonant sanctuary of St. Patrick Catholic Church,” says MacPherson.

The group rehearses four days a week to master five centuries of choral literature. As the flagship choral ensemble of the university, the Kent State Chorale performs on campus and throughout the region and state, touring each spring semester.

Tickets for the performance are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and Kent State faculty and staff, $10 for groups of 10 or more patrons, $8 for non-Kent State students, $5 for children, and free for full-time Kent Campus undergraduate students.

Tickets are available weekdays noon to 5 p.m. at the Performing Arts Box Office, located in the lobby of the Roe Green Center in the Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus. The Performing Arts Box Office accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover, in addition to cash and checks.

The box office at St. Patrick Catholic Church will open one hour prior to the performance for walk-up sales and will accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Tickets and more information are available by calling 330-672-ARTS (2787) or visiting www.kent.edu/music.

Kent Keyboard Series Presents the Dynamic Westhuizen Duo in the Newly Renovated Ludwig Recital Hall

The Kent Keyboard Series opens its 2013-2014 season with a performance by the Westhuizen Duo on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 5 p.m. in the newly renovated Ludwig Recital Hall. Ludwig Recital Hall is located in the Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus.

Audience members will be able to hear this dynamic duo perform pieces such as Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Op. 56b by Johannes Brahms; Gazebo Dances for four-hands (1972) by John Corigliano, Petite Suite, L 65 for four-hands by Claude Debussy and Variations on a Theme by Beethoven by Camille Saint-Saëns.

South Africans Pierre and Sophié Westhuizen completed their studies at the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. The duo has appeared in major festivals and venues throughout the United States and South Africa, and their interest in new music has led to premiere performances of works written for the duo by young composers.

The Westhuizen Duo resides in the Cleveland area, where Pierre has recently been appointed as the executive director of the Cleveland International Piano Competition. Sophié teaches piano at the Cleveland Music Settlement, Aurora School of Music and privately. The duo's latest CD release, on AMP Recordings, features the complete works for two pianos by Francis Poulenc.

This year, the Kent Keyboard Series’ 11th season continues the celebration of the Hugh A. Glauser School of Music’s recent designation as an All-Steinway School. The Kent Keyboard Series features prominent performers known in the field for their expertise.

Tickets for the performance are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and Kent State faculty and staff, $10 for groups of 10 or more patrons, $8 for non-Kent State students, $5 for children and free for full-time Kent Campus undergraduate students.

Tickets are available weekdays noon to 5 p.m. at the Performing Arts Box Office, located in the lobby of the Roe Green Center in the Center for the Performing Arts at 1325 Theatre Drive on the Kent Campus. The Performing Arts Box Office accepts Visa, MasterCard and Discover, in addition to cash and checks.

The Ludwig Recital Hall box office will open one hour prior to the performance for walk-up sales and will accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover. Tickets and more information are available by calling 330-672-ARTS (2787) or visiting www.kent.edu/music.

Guest of Honor University Artist/Lecture Series Features Activist, Author Raj Patel

Award-winning author and activist Raj
Patel will speak at the Guest of Honor
University Artist/Lecture Series on
Oct. 22.

Award-winning author, activist and academic Raj Patel will speak on Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 306 at the Kent Student Center. This event is free and open to the public.

Patel, author of the acclaimed book Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System, not only identifies the causes behind the worldwide food crisis, but offers sustainable and feasible solutions to deal with them. Patel’s thoughts on food, hunger and globalization have appeared in a number of news sources, including The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times. He has been featured in both Newsweek and Time and has appeared on “The Colbert Report,” the BBC and NPR.

A London native, Patel graduated from Balliol College at Oxford University and the London School of Economics, and he went on to pursue his Ph.D. at Cornell University. Patel is an advisor to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, and he has testified to Congress on the causes of the world food crisis. He is involved in several international organizations, including the Land Research Action Network (LRAN), a network of researchers and social movements committed to the promotion and advancement of the fundamental rights of individuals and communities to land. Among other appointments, he is visiting scholar at University of California, Berkeley’s Center for African Studies and is a fellow at the Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First). He is currently working on a documentary about the global food system with award-winning director Steve James.

The Guest of Honor University Artist/Lecture Series is funded by the Office of the Provost and coordinated by the Honors College. For additional information, contact the Honors College at 330-672-2312. If special accommodations for accessibility are needed, please notify the Honors College.