In the News

Simulation exercise to explore Native American experiences

Hesston College will offer an opportunity to learn about the history of Native American tribes from the surrounding area and across the country through a simulation exercise called “The Loss of Turtle Island” at 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 10 in the Hesston Mennonite Church Community Center on the Hesston College campus.

Erica Littlewolf, coordinator of Mennonite Central Committee’s Central States Indigenous Vision Center, will lead the exercise. The event is free and open to the public.

The exercise interactively explores the historic relationship between Europeans – specifically Mennonites in the Central States region – and the indigenous nations who inhabit what is now the United States of America.

“The Loss of Turtle Island exercise is designed to educate people about their connection with the history of Native Americans,” said Littlewolf.

Since its formation two years ago, the Indigenous Vision Center has been focusing on building relationships with and among indigenous people for the purpose of addressing systematic injustices.

Littlewolf is from the Northern Cheyenne tribe of southeastern Montana and lives in Albuquerque, N.M. She has bachelor’s degrees in psychology and American Indian studies and applies her schooling to social justice issues and how they affect indigenous people. Littlewolf is a member of White River Cheyenne Mennonite Church (Busby, Mont.). She serves on Mennonite Church USA’s Women in Leadership Steering Committee, Peace and Justice Support Network and Roots of Justice Accountability Circle.

Howard Hustle offers day-after-Thanksgiving exercise

Instead of remaining sedentary on the sofa, Hesston College offers an opportunity for exercise and fun with the 23rd annual Thanksgiving Weekend Howard Hustle Two-Mile Run/Walk at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 28.

The event has become a tradition both of Hesston College’s Thanksgiving Weekend celebration and also within the local community, offering a scenic tour through and around the Hesston College campus and Dyck Arboretum of the Plains.

Early entry until Nov. 20 is $20. Entry after Nov. 20 is $25. The entry fee includes a long-sleeved tech shirt and race number. Race proceeds will be donated to Hesston College’s Exercise Science Equipment Project in support of the new exercise science program of study.

Medals will be awarded to overall and age group winners. Participants will also have several chances to win door prizes. Registration can be found here.

The day of the race, race packets may be picked up and on-site registration completed from 9 to 10:45 a.m. in front of Hesston College’s Bontrager Student Center.

For questions or more information, contact Clay Stauffer at 620-327-8260 or clays@hesston.edu.

El Cerrito partners with college for preschool fundraiser

Every Tuesday in November, El Cerrito Mexican Restaurant in Hesston will donate 15 percent of daily meal proceeds to the Hesston College Preschool Scholarship Fund.

“This event came about because I was looking for a creative way to keep our preschool scholarship fund replenished,” said Larisa Miller Lawrence, the Hesston College Preschool Director.

“I thought of El Cerrito because owner, Juan Gomez, has had a relationship with the preschool for some time,” Miller Lawrence said. “We discussed different options and he generously offered to donate part of meal proceeds. I was very excited about his offer and knew this would be a great way to raise money for the preschool and benefit his business.”

This is the preschool’s first year to offer a scholarship to families who would like quality early education experiences for their child, but may not be able to pay the full tuition cost. Last spring the preschool received a one-time grant for scholarships from the Hesston Community Foundation. The foundation encouraged Hesston College preschool to collaborate with others in the community to keep the fund going.

“Our hope at Hesston College Preschool is that all young children will have the opportunity to attend preschool allowing them to get a good start in life,” said Miller Lawrence.

Students place at 2014 NATS regional singing competition

Hesston College voice students competed among the best collegiate vocalists in a four-state region at the annual National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) West Central Region Vocal Competition Oct. 24 to 25 in Denver. Thirteen students represented Hesston College during the weekend competition with five advancing to at least the semifinal round and three placing.

Earning second place finishes were Galed Krisjayanta (Sukarta, Indonesia) in the Sophomore Men’s Classical Division, Taylor Zehr (Archbold, Ohio) in the Freshman and Sophomore Women’s Musical Theatre Division and Nathan Patron (North Newton, Kan.) in the Freshman Men’s Classical Division. The top three places in each division are eligible to compete in the NATS National Competition at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, in July.

Krisjayanta, Zehr and Patron were also selected to sing in master classes at the convention.

Students who advanced to the semifinal round were sophomore Bryce Elder (Ottawa, Kan.) in the Sophomore Men’s Classical Division and freshman Lorren Oesch (Caldwell, Idaho) in the Freshman Women’s Classical Division.

Other Hesston College students who competed were Rachelle Adrian (Mountain Lake, Minn.), Mary Bender (Harrisonburg, Va.), Molly Bruner (Wauseon, Ohio), Havela Lehman (Keizer, Ore.), Elliott Leichty (Harrisonburg, Va.), Anna Martin (Harleysville, Pa.), Casey Perez (Kalona, Iowa), Caleb Schrock-Hurst (Harrisonburg, Va.) and Andry Stutzman (Harrisonburg, Va.).

All of the Hesston College participants are voice students of faculty member Matthew Schloneger or adjunct faculty member Holly Swartzendruber. Schloneger was also a clinician for the convention’s high school master class.

Hesston College music faculty member Ken Rodgers and staff member Karen Unruh provided accompaniment for competing students.

The NATS Vocal Competition pits students against one another based on their age level and gender in either classical or musical theatre. Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming compete with students from colleges and universities of all sizes.

Alumna’s paintings featured in Regier Friesen Gallery

Hesston College alumna Ashley Sauder Miller shares the joy she finds through her mixed media paintings featured in Hesston College’s Regier Friesen Gallery, located in the Friesen Center for Visual Arts, through Dec. 9. “I draw inspiration from a wide range of sources: my children’s mark making and drawings, design, objects and color from significant memories, motherhood and the body,” Sauder Miller explains. The paintings in her show “The Keeping One” capture two subjects: one series’ subject is a chair, either ones she has collected and refinished or ones from significant memories. The other collection centers on imagery of containers such as a pod or bowl. Sauder Miller graduated from Hesston College in 2001 and received her undergraduate at Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.). She received a master’s of fine arts with an emphasis in drawing and painting from James Madison University (Harrisonburg). She now works from her home studio in Harrisonburg while caring for her four young children. Sauder Miller’s paintings can also be viewed online at www.ashleysaudermiller.com. The Reiger Friesen Gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Some of Broadway’s best on stage for second HBPA event

The common term for a show like Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway, on the Bethel College stage Nov. 7, is “musical revue.”

But at least one reviewer says that term doesn’t do the show justice, describing it as “a gorgeous guided tour of the American art form that is musical theater.”

Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway is the second event in the 2014-15 season of Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts. It will be at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall on the Bethel campus.

With five singers and a top-notch New York band – no elaborate costumes or sets – Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway brings together stars with the songs they made famous from musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, Jesus Christ Superstar, CATS and Jekyll & Hyde.

The scheduled cast (subject to change upon possible Broadway and touring developments) is: Sandra Joseph, best known for her starring role as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera; Richard Todd Adams, who has toured nationally in some of the most sought-after roles in musical theater, including the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables; Jeannette Bayardelle, who has starred in the revival production of Hair as Dionne and in The Color Purple as Celie; Carter Calvert, best known for originating her role in the Tony-nominated It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues on Broadway; and Danny Zolli, who has starred as Jesus and Judas in more than 23 productions of Jesus Christ Superstar.

The star-studded cast will be backed by musical director and pianist Neil Berg, Roger Cohen on drums/percussion and Abe Saenz on bass and drums.

Berg also serves as a narrator, weaving stories about artists, musicals and the history of the Broadway musical throughout the show.

Berg has produced more than 1,000 Broadway concert shows worldwide with his company Leftfield Productions. He has arranged, composed and written lyrics for musicals on and off Broadway, including The Prince and the Pauper, the rock musical The 12 and, currently in development, a musical version of Grumpy Old Men.

A special addition to the HBPA version of Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway will be the presence of local singers for several of the numbers.

Auditions were invited through Oct. 31. A panel of industry professionals will select up to two winners and 10 runners-up, to be announced Nov. 4.

The singer with the winning entry will have a solo part in the show finale, and runners-up will sing one chorus number with the stars.

Reserved-seating and general admissions tickets for Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway are available at the Hesston College Bookstore (620-327-8158) or through the HBPA website, hesstonbethel.org.

Three events remain in the 2014-15 HBPA season, all taking place on the Hesston College campus: the St. Louis Brass (Jan. 29, 2015, Hesston Mennonite Church), The King’s Singers (Feb. 23, Yost Center) and Trio Voronezh (April 15, Hesston Mennonite Church).

Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway is funded in part by the cities of Hesston and North Newton; Excel Industries and Hustler Turf Equipment (Hesston); the Hesston Community Foundation; the North Newton Community Foundation; Hesston AmericInn; other area businesses and patrons; the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission (KCAIC), which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; and the NEA itself.

The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series started in 1982 as Hesston Performing Arts (HPA) with funding and planning provided by Hesston College and the Hesston community. In 1998, HPA planners launched a partnership with Bethel College, and the series name changed to Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts. Hesston College in Hesston and Bethel College in North Newton host performances each year.

Music theatre aficionados invited to sing with Broadway stars

Aspiring performers will have a chance to sing on stage with five Broadway stars and an all-star New York band during the Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts (HBPA) production of Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 7 at Bethel College’s Memorial Hall (North Newton).

To audition, contestants should upload a 90 to 120 second video clip of themselves singing a Broadway favorite to YouTube or Facebook and then submit the audition through an online form at singingwiththebroadwaystars.com. Auditions must be submitted by 4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 31. A panel of industry professionals will select up to two winners and 10 runners-up to be announced Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Go to singingwiththebroadwaystars.com for full guidelines and instructions.

The winning entry will sing a solo part in the show finale, and runners-up will sing one chorus number with the stars.

All winners and runners-up will also receive a pair of tickets and a free CD of the show. All entrants will receive a discount on any price level ticket to the Nov. 7 HBPA performance.

Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway features Broadway stars from shows including Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Jekyll and Hyde, Fiddler on the Roof, Wonderful Town, Tarzan, Cats, The Woman in White and It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues singing the finest hit songs of the last 100 years of Broadway musicals.

Classic small town drama to premiere

Hesston College Theatre will present five performances of the fall drama, Thornton Wilder’s classic Our Town, directed by Laura Kraybill, Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 in the Northlawn Studio Theatre on the Hesston College campus.

Set in turn-of-the-century New England, Our Town is a celebration of small town American life and family values. The play tells of a community striving to maintain unity through the cycles of birth, marriage, death and societal change. The story focuses on two families within the community: the Gibbs and the Webbs, and their losses, romances and moments of rejoicing.

The play is introduced and narrated by the Stage Manager played by Hesston College President Howard Keim who welcomes the audience to the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, N.H, early on a morning in May in the year 1901.

“This production will incorporate sound in a unique way,” Kraybill said. “All sounds will be created live, from live music to sound effects. An array of sound effects makers will be visible by the audience, contributing to the constructed, imaginary world of the play.”

Kraybill explains that she chose Our Town because it is one of the most beautifully written American plays of the last century.

“Its message of the importance of family and community bonds is relevant to our increasingly fragmented lives,” Kraybill said. “Our production also offers an opportunity to broaden our own sense of community as actors from across the city work together.”

The production features Hesston City community members as well as students, instructors, and staff members. The play is suitable for all ages.

“The audience can expect another intimate theatre experience in our black box setting,” said Kraybill. “The intimacy will be even greater with this production, as actors move amidst the audience, even joining and speaking from the audience at times. This family friendly play will warm the heart and invite us to treasure the relationships we have.”

Show times are 7 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and 3 p.m. Nov. 2.

Tickets are $10 for adults and seniors and $5 for students and children. Free tickets are available for Hesston College students for the Nov. 1 matinee. Tickets can be purchased through the Hesston College Bookstore in person, by phone at 620-327-8105 or online at books.hesston.edu. Purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. Tickets will also be available at the door 45 minutes prior to show time, subject to availability.

World renowned music headlining Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts 2014-15 season

South central Kansas will be the destination for five world class musical acts in a variety of backgrounds and genres when Hesston College and Bethel College (North Newton) team up to host the 2014-15 Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts 2014-15 season.

“This season features a lineup of great entertainment with return performances by past audience favorites and debut performances by artists who are among the best in the world,” said HBPA director Matthew Schloneger.

The season kicks off with Third Coast Percussion at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 24, at Bethel College’s Krehbiel Auditorium. Through their unique musical style, the ensemble explores and expands the possibilities of the percussion repertoire by fusing the energy of rock music with the precision and nuance of classical chamber works. Third Coast Percussion is the ensemble-in-residence at the University of Notre Dame’s DeBartolo Performing Arts Center.

Above - Neal Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway (left) and St. Louis Brass

Music theatre aficionados will be delighted with the widely acclaimed musical revue of Broadway’s most celebrated shows at Neil Berg’s 100 Years of Broadway at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 7, at Bethel College’s Memorial Hall. Berg, a composer, lyricist and producer, assembled a cast of five Brodway stars accompanied by an all-star New York band for the show which recreates the greatest moments in musical theatre from the last century. Audience members will have the opportunity to audition prior to the evening’s concert for a chance to sing onstage with the cast. More information on the singing competition auditions will be released at a later date.

One of the world’s most lauded brass ensembles, St. Louis Brass, will present an iconic program at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 29, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus. The ensemble is one of America’s longest standing brass quintets with a 41-year history. St. Louis Brass covers a repertoire from contemporary composers to Baroque and Renaissance music, jazz and original compositions.

Above - The King’s Singers (left) and Trio Voronezh

The King Singers, who have been called “the world’s greatest male a cappella vocal ensemble” return for their seventh HBPA appearance at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 23 in Hesston College’s Yost Center. Hailing from England, the sextet is admired and recognized for musical excellence, entertainment and British humor. Their HBPA concert will feature music from the Great American Songbook.

The season’s final performance will feature Trio Voronezh, the Russian folk trio of accordion, domra and bass balalaika, at 3 p.m., April 12, at Hesston Mennonite Church. The trio’s repertoire ranges from classical masterworks to Russian folk songs, Argentine tangos, gypsy dance music, bluegrass and popular Gershwin songs.

HBPA season tickets are available from $75 to $85 for adults. Single tickets can also be purchased for individual performances. Discounts are available for students and senior citizens.

For more information, visit hesstonbethel.org. To purchase tickets, call 620-327-8158 or buy online through the Hesston College Bookstore.

The Hesston-Bethel Performing Arts series, now in its 33rd year, is a collaborative effort of Hesston College and Bethel College, presenting five performances by world-renowned or regionally acclaimed artists each year. HBPA is funded in part by the cities of Hesston and North Newton, Excel Industries and Hustler Turf Equipment, the Hesston Community Foundation and area patrons.