by Abigail Davis | Apr 3, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Just before business shutdowns, social distancing guidelines and quarantine mandates began, the Lipscomb College of Entertainment and the Arts community had the opportunity to celebrate the release of the new Christian movie, I Still Believe, with their newly announced partner: Kingdom Story Company. Taking place at the AMC Thoroughbred 20 theater in Franklin, the evening began with guests walking down the red carpet. Jeremy Camp, the real-life inspiration for this story of faith and love, posed with fans for photos alongside his family. The film was shown in Theater 6 which was reserved solely for Lipscomb students and staff. The movie “commercials” included a display of Lipscomb CEA student talent in the form of short films, promotional videos and music videos. Just before the opening credits, Lipscomb’s administration took the stage to announce the partnership between the production company and the CEA. Then, Jon and Andy Erwin and Jeremy Camp took the stage to share more about the film and the process of making it. Many students were on the edge of their seats listening to what these passionate artists had to say. The producers shared their stories of humble beginnings and how blessed they felt for the success they had achieved in the industry. The wisdom which they imparted on all the young, hopeful filmmakers in the room was, “Dream big. Dream bold. Dream impossible.” “I feel like God has anointed this film,” Jeremy Camp said. “There are thousands of stories and the fact that they chose my story is a huge honor.” The film was a heart-warming story of both love and faith that stands strong in...
by Tia Calvin | Mar 13, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
As a part of the annual WOW (Welcome to Our World) Week, students organized Henna Night to bring the unique ceremonies and cuisines of Arab, Indian and Middle Eastern cultures to campus. “I want people to know that it’s [henna is] so much more than just decoration,” said Kiana Rafiei, a student organizer for Lipscomb’s Office of Intercultural Development. “Yes, it’s beautiful, but there’s a meaning behind why my culture does this.” During the event, students hired a local henna artist to give interested students the chance to experience the tradition. Henna is a natural flowering plant that is ground into a thick paste and then piped directly on the skin. The wet paste is left on for 15 to 20 minutes until it dries and can be removed, leaving behind a light red or brown tattoo. This temporary body art can last anywhere from a few days to two weeks depending on how dark the stain is. In recent years, henna has evolved into Western fair entertainment and the design, called mehndi, is often mimicked in permanent tattoos. But, as Rafiei noted, the application of henna itself is a deeply rooted art form across many cultures. “I’m Persian, but we do henna as decoration during Eid, the Islamic New Year, as well,” Rafiei said. “It means good luck and prosperity so it’s really important that we apply it with our family. It’s also applied as a pre-wedding tradition in some countries. Usually, the night before a wedding, the bride is given really detailed henna as a symbol of her devotion.” The swirls and swoops of a henna design...
by Mckenzi Harris | Mar 9, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, Galleries, News Slider, Student Spotlight
Lipscomb clubs, Delta Omega and Theta Psi host the Full Moon Festival each spring semester to raise money for a different mission. This year the clubs raised $6,700 for “The Mission of Youth Encouragement Services (YES).” The mission of yes is to “enrich the lives of children in Inner City Nashville, helping them to develop academically, physically, spiritually and socially.” The event functions as a philanthropy event but also united the student body through music. Throughout the evening, from 6 pm till 9 pm, students perform high-end karaoke with a live band and singing songs they have rehearsed. There is dancing, fun, and music all geared around a 50’s theme. The event is essentially a sock-hop playing current music mixed with old hits. Riley Hoag captured a gallery of the event here. ...
by Taylor McKnight | Mar 9, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
The stars and the sky were the inspiration for The Elevate Dance Show by The Foundation Dance Theatre (FDT). The show reminds audience members to always look up with A Heavenly View. The Elevate Dance show was a 3-day event (March 6-8) held at Bennet Campus Center in Shamblin Auditorium. Dancers, who are part of this company and the theatre department had the chance to share what they have been rehearsing since the fall. There were group dances and duets with styles that varied from ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop. The FDT company is under the direction of Kari Smith & Leigh Anne Ervin who lead all students during the year. During the show, in between dances, a video would be shown of Kari Smith explaining the principles of the FDT. Kari Smith who is an instructor for the company states there are five pillars they want their students to understand. Leaning into these pillars during their time with the company. Storytelling, Education, Endurance, Passion, and Artistry. As one dance ended a video would be shown to explain each pillar, but also show behind the scenes footage of these dancers. “Dance is a big part of musical theatre but, dance is kinda a different world than theatre. They all fall under storytelling but, with dance, it’s very universal,” said sophomore musical theatre major Drew Flickinger. “I auditioned for FDT in the fall of my freshman year and they took a shot at me, so I got to do elevate last year and I really loved it so of course, I did it again.” Flickinger appeared in four out...
by Ashley Bingham | Mar 6, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Onward features a family of elves with who lost their father before their youngest son was born. Ian Lightfoot, voiced by Tom Holland, and older brother Barley, voiced by Chris Pratt, are two brothers who could not be more different. Single mom Laurel, voiced by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, has done her best to raise them in little New Mushroomtown. This is a world full of mythical creatures that have found a content life living without their gifts from nature. Magic has long been forgotten in favor of a more efficient and easier solution: Technology. The film begins on Ian’s 16th birthday, when the viewer sees him living a life with which he’s not quite satisfied. His shy tendencies, and not to mention his embarrassing older brother, make it hard for him to feel accepted and comfortable at school. Laurel reveals that their father had left behind a gift for the two sons, only to be given to them once they were both older than 16: A wizard’s staff, an enchanted stone and a spell to bring back their beloved dad for one whole day. Ian turns out to have a natural talent at casting spells, and is able to bring back their father. Well, the lower half of him. With the enchanted stone destroyed, the boys must embark on a quest to find another stone in order to bring back the entirety father before time runs out. Barley, who has a passion for table-top magic games, Ian with the wizard’s staff, and the hilarious pair of legs that is their father head out on their journey in order to be...
by Grant Ledgister | Feb 29, 2020 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Friday night, Lipscomb hosted animator Bruce W. Smith, who won an Academy Award for the animated short “Hair Love” and created the Disney Channel series The Proud Family. Smith spoke about his background, his time as an animator (including why he creates media featuring black stories) and gave some information on the upcoming reboot of The Proud Family on Disney+. Smith grew up in Los Angeles and fell in love with animating from a young age. Drawing was contrary to the culture of the area, and that fueled him to create more. “I was a kid who just loved to draw and had to eventually find an outlet for it,” said Smith. “I grew up in L.A. in gang culture, and you had to assimilate and fit in. You have to learn.” Smith credits his mom for inspiring him to continue to draw despite the community around him. He used her likeness and personality as inspiration for the character Suga Mama in The Proud Family. This desire to create only grew when he started animating professionally, but this time he knew what stories he wanted to tell. He noticed that black representation in animation was few and far between. “I realize that our animation business is probably made up of three to five percent African Americans,” said Smith. “Therefore, you won’t get a lot of African American content on the screen from an African American standpoint because the people aren’t there at the table to put us in primary parts of films.” Smith directed “Bebe’s Kids”, one of the first animated films to feature African Americans in a prominent...
