Arts
A Spring Filled with the Arts
天涯海角APP University students capped the 2023-2024 academic year with a spring of vibrant arts performances and exhibitions.
The spring musical, 鈥淐hicago鈥� by Kander and Ebb, was presented March 21-24 in Caldwell Hall鈥檚 Thompson Theatre with a cast of 19 students. It was directed by Assistant Professor of Theatre Cassandra King, music directed by Artist Affiliate Sheryl Wise 鈥�95G, and choreographed by Leanne Bader Mock. Roscoe Ramirez 鈥�24 was the Scenic Designer, Anne Shafer 鈥�24 the Technical Director, and Kailyn Shalosky 鈥�24 the Production Stage Manager.
Throughout April, the culminating concerts of the year were performed. The season kicked off on April 11 with the Chamber Ensembles concert, which featured the Chamber Singers, Clarinet Ensemble, String Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Steel Drum Band, and the Conductors Ensemble with student conductors leading three instrumental works.
The next few weeks brought 2023-2024 season finale concerts by the Jazz Ensemble, Concert Choir, Southeastern Ohio Symphonic Orchestra (SEOSO), and the Wind Ensemble. The Wind Ensemble concert on April 28 also featured the 天涯海角APP Valley Symphonic Winds and the inaugural performance of the 天涯海角APP Valley Youth Wind Ensemble for talented high school students, which was launched by the University鈥檚 Music Department in January 2024. Hannah Jordan 鈥�24, voice, and Jakob Plummer 鈥�24, bassoon, presented their senior recitals, and Stacy Russell Welker 鈥�16 and Mallory Fischer Wolfe 鈥�18 performed a faculty/alumni recital.
In March, the Palmer Gallery hosted Ducks! The Art and History of the Decoy, an exhibit featuring vintage and fine art duck decoys from the Janet Brown 鈥�54 Rothwell and William Rothwell Decoy Collection. The exhibit included research posters and presentations by students in Professor William Kerrigan鈥檚 Environmental History class. Their work explored the connections between the histories of hunting and wildlife preservation.
The 2024 Senior Art Show in April concluded the gallery exhibits for the semester. Throughout the spring, theatre and art double major Anne Shafer 鈥�24 curated other students鈥� three-dimensional artworks into inventive displays in the alcoves of Cambridge Hall鈥檚 lower level.
