Singarama act “Drop” looks to teach lesson of overcoming fears

“Drop,” the second show in this year’s Singarama’s On Fire performance, looks to provide a different take on the usual Singarama act.  The show’s plot revolves around main character Dan, played by senior Sigma Iota Delta member Drew Watson. Dan has been struggling with fear his whole life, and when he gets an invitation to a college reunion, he must drop his fears. In the show, Fear is portrayed as an actual character, only perceptible to Dan. Senior Sigma Iota Delta member Rainey Lankford plays the role of Fear. Lankford also co-wrote the script with senior and fellow SID member Scott Bledsoe. Lankford has been involved with Singarama for the past three years, hosting the show for two years in a row. “This show is something different from the way things usually go,” Lankford said. “We tried to step away from the typical love story. There’s love in the story, but it’s more about something that goes deeper, which is the way that our fears control us.” Director Aaron Joseph, a senior and SID member, has been involved with Singarama for the past three years as music director and a lead. “Directing’s been a whole different ballgame,” Joseph said. “It has been nice to form my show the way I’ve envisioned it and to see my vision come to life. “I’ve been trying to kind of teach a lesson to people that sometimes, you have this fear and sometimes, it can hold you back, but you find a lot of freedom when you face your fears,” Joseph said. Lauren King, a junior Pi Delta member, plays the role of...

Choreographer’s Canvas combines dance styles through the decades

The Nashville Choreographer’s Canvas, an evening of choreography from Nashville’s emerging and New York’s established choreographers is set for Oct. 4 and 5 at 7 p.m., and Oct. 6 at 3 p.m. in Lipscomb’s Shamblin Theatre. The evening will be presented by Lipscomb University Theatre and New York City’s Group Theatre Too. Peter Fields, artistic director of Lipscomb’s Orchesis Dance Company, and Justin Boccitto, Lipscomb theatre adjunct professor and award-winning choreographer, curated the evening. Described by Boccitto as similar to Fox TV’s So You Think You Can Dance, The Nashville Choreographer’s Canvas will include many types of dance including tap, ballet, jazz, Bollywood, Cirque du Soleil-style aerial dance and Charlie Chaplin-style eccentric dance. One number will be dedicated to portraying the history of dance from the 1920’s Charleston to modern hip-hop. The original New York Choreographer’s Canvas, founded and coordinated by Boccitto six years ago, is an annual event that features the works of more than 15 choreographers each year, with a hundred submissions from around the world vying for a spot in the annual show. “I got the idea for the name from Twyla Tharp’s The Creative Habit, which talks about how all creators begin with a blank canvas,” Boccitto said. Now, Boccitto, who directed Lipscomb’s production of Hairspray in 2011, wants to expand the blank canvas to Nashville. “This is an opportunity for people from all different dance backgrounds, including those not so familiar with dance, to come together for one night and experience dance in all its forms,” Boccitto said. “Each choreography piece tells a story and highlights the importance of dance throughout the ages and in our lives.” Performers for the evening will include Lipscomb students...

‘Hairspray’ tells of dreams and society’s struggles in a fashion that will please the whole family

Forty students from across disciplines come together beginning Thursday for the Lipscomb University theater presentation of a family friendly take on “Hairspray.” This story tells of the dreams of a Baltimore girl who hopes to make it on a popular 1960s TV show. However, once she makes it, she realizes dreams don’t always matrch reality. The story also has her encountering issues of the day, or any day for that matter, personal appearance and race. The main character is Tracy Turnblad — played by junior Whitney Vaughn — the Baltimore teenager who sees past appearance and race and her goal is to make the “Corny Collins Show” (Corny played by junior Luciano Vignola), but she comes across some obstacles that make her almost lose this dream. Amber von Tussel and her mom Velma (played by Sydni Hayes and Leslie Marberry) pull out all the stops to stop Tracy from being on the show. The musical will take you on a comical, thought-provoking journey. The Lipscomb touch makes this popular Broadway show Saturday Morning-kid friendly so the entire family can come out “from 2 to 102,” said Mike Fernandez, co-chairman of Lipscomb’s theater department. The musical runs Thursday-Sunday, with a Sunday afternoon matinee. Tickets are $15 dollars and student tickets for $5 dollars. However SGA has just announced that 800 students will receive free tickets and they will be available this week at the Lipscomb Box Office or a “Hairspray” display table in Bison Square or in the Student Center. The free tickets are available for a limited time. For more information and where to purchase tickets go to www.theater.lipscomb.edu....