by Quinn Gorte | Sep 20, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Nashville songwriter Tyler Russell has made a lasting impression on his teachers, and not just because of his talents. This Lipscomb alum wants to let God use him to bless others. Russell, a 2015 musical theatre graduate, intentionally chooses to live with joy. Whether it is in his music or while meeting new people, Tyler tries to let God help him to spread joy and love. “Now or Never,” which was released on August 17th on all major music streaming platforms, is Russell’s latest single. While the song isn’t specifically a Christian song, Russell said he and songwriting partner, Alexandria “Zandy” Fitzgerald from The New Respects, placed emphasis on “choosing joy.” “The Bible says there’s a time and a place for everything,” he said. “It’s just important to remind people to dance and have a good time.” Russell recalled his experience at Lipscomb as having a positive and inspirational impact on his songwriting. “The skills that I learned at the (Lipscomb) theatre department taught me so many things that I’m using now with songwriting,” he said. “I got to learn about so many different people’s stories, where people came from and what they go through. “I’m someone who loves to be inspired by what people go through, and I feel like God really puts inspiration through the people around me. I feel like lots of songs came from my time at Lipscomb.” Beki Baker, Chair of Lipscomb’s Theatre Department and one of Tyler’s old professors, was excited to hear Russell’s new single. “The song itself is such a great representation of Tyler,” Baker said. “It’s upbeat, it’s positive and it’s looking for the good things in...
by Sara Jones | Sep 20, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
The House With a Clock in Its Walls will enchant audience members with a magical storyline. Adapted from John Bellairs’ 1973 young adult book, this movie brings to life the whimsical adventures of a young boy named Lewis (Owen Vaccaro). Lewis, suddenly orphaned when his parents are killed in a car accident, moves in with his eccentric Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black). Jonathan lives in a gothic style Victorian home, the perfect setting for spooky adventures and mysterious happenings. Mrs. Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), a neighbor, spends a good deal of time at the house too. Soon after settling into his new residence, Lewis discovers there is more going on than meets the eye. Magic. Uncle Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman happen to be a warlock and witch searching for a hidden clock hidden within the “haunted” home’s walls. (Hence the title of the movie.) The mystery revolves on the previous owners of the home, evil warlock Isaac Izard and his wife Selena. Both of whom died/disappeared a year earlier while creating a powerful clock full of dark magic. Lewis, Jonathan and Mrs. Zimmerman must stop the ticking noise before the evil magic of Izard erases history. Along the way to solving the mystery, Lewis faces challenges, acquires bravery, deals with bullies and learns the power of friendship. At moments, there is too much going on, and the main storyline/mystery of the clock fall wayside to Lewis’ self discovery, making the mystery of the clock hidden inside the house feel like an afterthought. More refining of the script would have helped focus the story and keep audience members engaged. Shockingly, this movie was directed by Eli...
by Anna Rogers | Sep 2, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Music City is bursting at the seams with talent. Live music is played everywhere: on street corners, in restaurants, in malls and even in the Nashville International Airport. As a native Nashvillian, sophomore Hudson Parker grew up accustomed to the sound of an acoustic guitar. “It’s all I’ve known from a young age,” he said. “It’s never crossed my mind, not doing it.” Just this summer, Parker put out his first EP, titled, “Last Love.” Despite his familiarity with the medium, Parker originally felt like he didn’t want to do music full-time. After graduating from Lipscomb Academy, he came to the University from to study English. His EP, he says, is just to “get stuff out there.” It was a self-assigned project he committed to back in January. Parker is minoring in music, and he says the two subjects blend together beautifully. “English helps everything,” he said. “It helps you learn how to think right and build art. The department is very encouraging and personal, so they help you build your voice and style. So when I write music, I already have this voice.” Though he’s found success and enjoyed his time at Lipscomb, he was hesitant about applying at first. Parker’s parents and two older brothers all attended Lipscomb. “I appreciate the things my family has done at this school, and I’m proud to be a part of it,” he said. “In a way, it’s inspired me, but, in the beginning, it was hard, especially freshman year.” Parker says many people knew his last name, and he was followed by assumptions. “I often got the, ‘Well, you’re a Parker,...
by Sara Jones | Aug 29, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
The beginning of a new semester always brings about changes on Lipscomb’s campus. This year, one of those changes took place in one of Lipscomb’s longest standing buildings, Beaman Library. The need for an art gallery was driven by the art department’s transition from the James D. Hughes Center into Ward Hall. The Hughes Center is now home to Lipscomb’s new physician’s assistant program. Before renovations, the library’s first floor was dedicated to computer stations for both PC and Mac users. However, over the course of the summer the right wing transformed into the Hutcheson Gallery. The art gallery features two glass walls, allowing natural light to fill the room and a wrap-around bench for visitors to take in the artwork. Intentional design went into making this space inviting to students and the public. At first some students voiced concern about the renovation taking away valuable study space. “I was worried the art gallery would take away places to study and do homework, but there is still whole lot of room for learning. Although I do think Lipscomb could add more seating back there,” Lipscomb senior Hannah Hardman said. Although the space has been open since the first week of school, most students admit they were unaware the Hutcheson Gallery even existed. Unanimously students across campus agree that more advertising would have increased the gallery’s popularity around campus. Carissa Sevier says, “If there was more mention of it through other platforms, there would be more interest. I would have gone earlier if I had known about it.” In an effort to attract visitors, the public was invited to a...
by Charissa Ricker | Aug 3, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Additional reporting by Erin Franklin August is here, and that means one of Nashvillians’ favorite summer things to do is back: Live on the Green. Lipscomb student Myron Sailors is just one of those Nashvillians who is especially looking forward to the festival. The free concert series kicks off August 9 and continues every Thursday until the three-day finale on Labor Day Weekend. This annual Music City festival is sponsored by the Lightning 100 radio station and features over 30 artists. To build some excitement for the upcoming festival, Lightning 100 is holding a lip sync competition for participants to potentially win VIP season passes to Live on the Green. The winner is decided by fan votes, and Lipscomb student Sailors is currently enjoying a slight lead in the competition. “VIP passes gets me access to stage-side viewing areas and bathrooms that aren’t Porta-Potties — bless up,” Sailors said. To vote for Sailors’ video, readers can click here. “I definitely felt inspired by the many great performances that I’ve seen celebrities give on Lip Sync Battle, but my motivation to work hard for what I want definitely has to be credited to my mom,” Sailors said, adding, “She probably wouldn’t be too happy that I took time off of studying for my organic final to put this together instead.” Sailors noted that he thinks people should vote for him because of his dedication and long-time support of the music festival. “Honestly the song sells itself, but I feel like I should win because I’ve been a loyal Live on the Green attendee since I was a wee sophomore...
by Charissa Ricker | Jul 21, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Sequel films rarely ever live up to expectations, but Mamma Mia fanatics will be just as enthralled with Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! as they were with the original, despite the ten-year gap between films. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! takes fans back to the Greek Islands and tells the story of young Donna (Lily James) exploring the world and finding her path alongside the modern day progression of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) as she re-opens her mother’s hotel. Donna’s story is unpacked beyond the diary featured in the first film, and fans get to see the events of the fateful summer she meets Harry, Bill and Sam, and the journey that led to her opening the hotel and raising Sophie. While diving into the adventures of 20-something Donna, the modern-day grand opening of the newly renovated hotel brings old friends and Sophie’s three fathers back together. The film explores the past that led to the original Mamma Mia! story and wraps up Sophie’s journey and the loose ends left in the first film, including her relationship with Sky. The film features a healthy mix of the old and new, showcasing the original 2008 cast plus several new talented members. Lily James holds her own as the young Donna, originally played by Meryl Streep, and she brings her own style to the beloved character. Fans will not be disappointed in the music as a few beloved ABBA songs from the first film re-appear along with a whole new soundtrack of songs from the famous band. Though some characters from the first film are not featured as much as...
