In the News

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.

Bel Canto Singers prepare for fall break tour

The Hesston College Bel Canto Singers will present a diverse repertoire of choral music during a fall break tour to Iowa and northeast Kansas Oct. 9 to 14.

Concerts include:

• 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9, at Iowa Mennonite School (Kalona)
• 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 10, at Des Moines (Iowa) Mennonite Church
• 9:30 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 11, at Southern Hills Mennonite Church (Topeka, Kan.)
• 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Hesston Mennonite Church on the Hesston College campus

The program entitled “Asylum: worth, beauty, and refuge” features music ranging from renaissance motet to South African and African-American freedom songs and recent works. The concert draws inspiration from Hesston College’s 2014 common read “Escape from Camp 14,” a New York Times bestseller by Blaine Harden. The program champions the cause of human rights and celebrates refuge in its many forms. The 24 member, mixed chamber choir is conducted by Bradley Kauffman.

This fall marks the 31st season for Bel Canto Singers, Hesston College’s premiere choral ensemble. The ensemble carries out ambitious concert and touring schedules annually. Combining high artistic standards with unique performance opportunities, Bel Canto Singers provides first- and second-year college musicians access to experiences typically reserved for third- and fourth-year students. Recent juried appearances include performances for the King’s Singers, Charles Bruffy and the Rose Ensemble. In May of 2013, Bel Canto ushered in its fourth decade with a performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall in a mass choir presentation of Brahms’ “Requiem.”

Bel Canto Singers represents a broad sampling of academic pursuits, from aviation to nursing to music majors. The choir has two recent compact disc recordings for sale – “Meditations and Illuminations”(2011-12) and “Songs of a Wayfarer” (2012-2013).

Bel Canto members are: Rachelle Adrian (Mt. Lake, Minn.), Erika Baker (LaGrange, Ind.), Alaina Beatty (Washington, Iowa), Mary Bender (Harrisonburg, Va.), Brady Bilderback (Caldwell, Idaho), Kiara Boettger (Harrisonburg, Va.), Zachary Headings (Haven, Kan.), Ben Helmuth (Goshen, Ind.), Galed Krisjayanta (Surakarta, Indonesia), Havela Lehman (Canby, Ore.), Elliott Leichty (Harrisonburg, Va.), Matt Lind (Harrisonburg, Va.), Jay Marston (Murpheysboro, Ill.), Anna Martin (Harleysville, Pa.), Karli Mast (Hubbard, Ore.), John Miller (Partridge, Kan.), Lorren Oesch (Caldwell, Idaho), Casey Perez (Kalona, Iowa), Eleya Raim (Oxford, Iowa), Emma Roth (Goshen, Ind.), Caleb Schrock-Hurst (Harrisonburg, Va.), Rachel Shenk (Harrisonburg, Va.), Andry Stutzman (Harrisonburg, Va.) and Taylor Zehr (Archbold, Ohio).

Campaign fundraising completed; college prepares for renovation

The north end of the Hesston College campus will soon become a construction zone as the college completed fundraising Oct. 1 for the $3.8 million renovation of the north campus entrance and Northlawn performing arts building. The renovation is set to begin in late December and be completed in August 2015, prior to the start of the academic year.

Above - An artist’s rendering of the proposed Hesston College campus entry.

Hesston College received a $500,000 challenge grant from the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation (Tulsa, Okla.) in January 2014. At that time, the college had also secured more than $2.2 million in donor commitments, leaving $1.2 million to be raised by Mabee’s December 2014 deadline.

“We are so grateful for the generosity of so many people that made reaching this goal a full three months in advance possible,” said Tonya Detweiler, Hesston College interim vice president of Advancement.

Lead gifts totaling $1.52 million were made to the college by Excel Industries (Hesston) and Jayco, Inc. (Middlebury, Ind.), as well as other charitable donors. A total of 232 donors gave to the campaign project.

Above - An artist’s rendering of changes to Hesston College’s Northlawn.

Original construction of Northlawn, home to the college’s music and theatre programs, was completed in 1971. Northlawn is the only building on campus to not have received renovations or new construction in 31 years. Updates will include new windows, HVAC system and other energy saving measures; acoustical work to isolate and calibrate sound; creation of dedicated spaces for instrument storage, theatre, Campus Worship, choirs and Chamber Orchestra; an additional classroom and student gathering spaces.

The campus entrance will be constructed on the north end of campus next to Northlawn. The project will increase visibility to the campus from the main road running past campus, improve aesthetics and add additional parking and a drop-off area to better serve alumni, friends and visitors.

New York Times bestselling author to present human rights message

Blaine Harden, author of New York Times bestseller Escape from Camp 14, the common read at Hesston College for 2014-15, will speak about his work as a writer and human rights advocate at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 16, in the Hesston Mennonite Church sanctuary on the Hesston College campus. The presentation is free and open to the public. A book signing and reception sponsored by The Lincoln Perk and Hesston Public Library will follow the presentation.

The common read is leading Hesston College’s First-year Experience with the theme “Power of Choice: Changing Cultures of Oppression.” Escape from Camp 14 tells the story of Shin Dong-hyuk’s experience in and escape from a North Korean prison camp.

“The common read is a shared experience for faculty, staff and students who come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences,” said FYE co-coordinator Karen Sheriff LeVan. “It serves as a springboard for speakers, discussions, campus and community events.”

The FYE semester culminates in research projects and a presentation symposium in December focusing on subjects inspired by the theme. Bringing the common read author to campus provides an opportunity for first-person evidence. Harden is the third common read author to visit the Hesston College campus.

“Escape from Camp 14 offers an opportunity for the Hesston College community to explore and challenge the collective images, stories and memories that harm and victimize as well as those that offer freedom,” said Sheriff LeVan.

Escape from Camp 14 is Harden’s most well-known work and an international bestseller. It has been translated into 27 languages and won the 2012 Grand Prix de la Biographie Politique, a French literary award, and was a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize.

Harden is an American author and journalist who worked for 28 years for The Washington Post as a correspondent in Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia and New York as well as in Seattle where he currently resides with his wife and two children. Harden has also been a local and national correspondent for The New York Times and a writer for The Times Magazine as well as reported for PBS’s Frontline, The Economist, Foreign Policy, National Geographic and The Guardian.

Gallery recognizes and honors peacemakers from around the world

Above - fiber art by Shin-hee Chin: (left) “Imago Dei 2 - Peacemakers” and “Grandma Holt”

Artist Shin-hee Chin shares her appreciation of some of history’s finest peace makers through her show “Peacemakers” featured in the Mary Miller Library Gallery, located in Hesston College’s Smith Center, through mid-October.

“My work is not meant to be didactic or definitive,” Chin said in her artist’s statement. “It is meant, rather, to present the various forms of peacemaking throughout history and my reflections on it: the beginning of a winding thread, not necessarily a neat end.”

Through her use of coiled quilts, recycled place mats and recycled blankets, her art displays the faces of well-known peace activists.

The gallery compliments Hesston College’s 2014-15 campus theme “Power of Choice: Changing Cultures of Oppression,” led by the First Year Experience seminar and the common read “Escape from Camp 14” (Penguin Books, reprint 2013) by Blaine Harden.

“Shin-hee’s pieces of Detrich Bonhoeffer and her grandfather, Joo Soo Kang, are of particular relevance to what the first-year students are studying with the common read because each man was imprisoned and executed for his participation in the resistance movement in his country – Bonhoeffer in Germany and Kang in North Korea,” said Hesston College librarian Margaret Wiebe.

Chin is an associate professor in the Art and Design department at Tabor College (Hillsboro, Kan.). She received a B.F.A. in craft and fiber arts and a M.F.A. in fiber arts from Hong-Ik University (Seoul, South Korea). She then went on to receive a M.A. in fiber arts from California State University (Long Beach).

Chin operates her own gallery at the Department of Visual Art at Tabor College and online at shinheechin.com. Her string art piece “Pillar of Cloud” is also part of Hesston College’s permanent collection and on permanent display outside of the Mary Miller Library in Smith Center.

The show at Hesston College is based on the “War and Peace: The Art of Shin-hee Chin” exhibit at the Eisenhower Presidential Museum in Abilene, Kan., August 2012 to January 2013.

The gallery is open 8 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. to midnight Sunday.