MVC Division of Fine Arts to Present Spring Music Show April 10-12
The Missouri Valley College Division of Fine Arts and the MVC Music Theatre Ensemble will present the annual Spring Music Show on April 10-12 at 7:30 p.m. nightly in the Eckilson-Mabee Theatre on the MVC campus. The show, under the direction of Diana Malan, director of Music Theatre Ensemble, has been titled Give My Regards to Broadway and will feature music from some of Broadway’s memorable shows.
“I wanted to put together an evening that featured the many sides of musical theatre,” said Malan. “Whether it be the wonderful music from Rodgers and Hammerstein, the fun and energetic nature of shows like Grease, shows that borrow from our pop culture, the novelty of shows like Avenue Q, or shows that teach us life lessons. Whether you love Broadway music or not, we think that you will enjoy the journey we plan to take you on. It’s a show for the whole family.”
The Music Theatre Ensemble (formerly Valley Connection Show Choir) will open the show with a medley of music from the early years of Broadway to Chorus Line and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Sydney Haynes (sophomore, Higginsville, Mo.) will sing Over the Rainbow from Wizard of Oz.
Aaron Kerksiek (senior, Marshall, Mo.) will open the section dedicated to the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein with Oh What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma. The show features a number of guest performers. Kamryn Staley and Bailee Varner, both of Marshall, will share The Stepsisters Lament from Cinderella. My Favorite Things from Sound of Music features MVC staff member Amollie Stoermer, Marshall sixth graders Bailey Riley and Eliza Papreck, and Marshall second grader Payton Jones.
The Music Theatre Ensemble will return to the stage as the gang from Rydell High and will perform one of Grease’s most memorable songs, Summer Nights. Jamie Weisbach (junior, Lexington, Mo.) and Dominick Costanza (senior, Lone Jack, Mo.) are featured in the roles of Sandy and Danny.
The MVC Repertory Dance Ensemble will perform Jailhouse Rock featured in Smokey’s Joe’s Café. Derrian Fletcher, guest performer and alumnus, will perform another Elvis favorite, Love Me Tender featured in All Shook Up. The Music Theatre Ensemble ladies will perform Dancing Queen from The ABBA musical, Mamma Mia, and the men will perform Walk Like a Man from the hit musical Jersey Boys.
The show continues with music from Avenue Q, a show about trying to survive in a big city right out of college. Taeyoon Lee (sophomore, New Jersey) and Kaylee Hering (freshman, Montgomery City, Mo.) are featured soloists. Dyann Rozema, assistant professor, costume designer and costume shop manager, and her costume construction class designed and created the puppets for this section.
Concluding the evening is You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen featuring Taeyoon Lee as Evan Hansen and teaches us that everyone wants to be seen and heard. A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman features Marshall eighth graders Faith Sappington as young Charity, Javier Alex and Brian Orozco as young PT Barnum. The show tells us that we should never give up on our dreams no matter how difficult it might be. Seasons of Love, from Rent, brings the evening to a close and reminds us that we should “measure our lives with love.”
Jay Rozema, professor of theatre, is the show’s technical director, Dyann Rozema is the show’s costumer and Alicia Hicks (senior, Marshall, Mo.) is the show’s stage manager.
Admission is $2 for adults; children under 18 are free. All tickets are available at the door. The house will open at 7 p.m. for open seating.