by LeBron Hill | May 23, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Not only is Nashville’s Heroes and Villains Fan Fest about fandoms and comic book characters, but its biggest fans said it also brings people together, can help children struggling with bullying at school and can even be used as a way to reach people for Christ. Lumination’s Lebron Hill and Cavin Jacobson attended the fan fest and spoke with Lipscomb student Liz Rainey, Costumers for Christ founder Scott Bayless and the fan fest president Jackie Pruttsman. ...
by Anna Rogers | Apr 30, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
As a school located in the heart of Music City, Lipscomb University started its own contemporary music program in the Fall of 2015, and the program is having its first graduate this year, Jacalyn Thompson. Previously headed by Grammy-award-winning music producer Charlie Peacock, the four-year major takes students down one of two paths: songwriting or producing. Now, another decorated production veteran Brown Bannister has taken the reigns in leading the department. Many students have continued with the program despite the changes, and they are currently finishing up their third year. Senior Jacalyn Thompson stands out among the songwriting students. She came into Lipscomb with some credits, making her Lipscomb’s first graduate in contemporary music, completing the major requirements in three years. “It feels good; it really does,” Thompson said. “I’m excited to blaze this trail.” The idea of graduating before her peers is bittersweet to Thompson. As excited as she is for her future, she said she can’t help but feel nostalgic. “I will have graduated early, but I count myself as the class of 2019,” she said. “It’s a family. If I won a Grammy, I’d totally give them a shoutout.” Thompson will be following in the footsteps of most Lipscomb graduates in the performing arts by hosting a recital in Shamblin Theater on Wednesday, May 2 at 6 p.m. All of the songs will be originals by Thompson. Some will be performed by her friends, most of whom currently attend Lipscomb or have attended at some point in their careers. Thompson noted that her peers in the department are all supportive of each others’ musical endeavors. The...
by Erin Franklin | Apr 27, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Avengers: Infinity War had a lot of hype to live up to. Ten years in the making gathers a lot of buildup, not only in the story it’s forced to tell, but in the sheer magnitude of characters that must star in such a massive undertaking. With 20+ big-name celebrities such as Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr. and more, the film has a lot of powerful characters to include. One would think this much power all at one time would create a sort of screen-time tug-of-war. While it can seem like a lot at one time, Infinity War triumphantly succeeds in what it had set out to do. Perhaps it’s because the real star isn’t one of these 20+ headliners, but the leading villain, Josh Brolin’s Thanos. One of the biggest qualms about Marvel films has been its lack of dynamic villain characters. Marvel Studios has not yet had a villain as iconic as DC’s The Joker, as Marvel often fails at developing its villains as well as its heroes. DC even had a film dedicated entirely to villains in Suicide Squad, while Marvel’s villains in film still can’t compare to The Joker’s celebrity. While Thanos still doesn’t reach that level, his super-villain character, nonetheless, is developed far beyond the typical Marvel villain. To Thanos, his ideas are noble. Thanos is intent on completing his mission of “killing people to prevent overpopulation,” letting nothing stop him, not even if it means hurting himself in the process. Yet Thanos is far from the brilliant criminal mastermind, with his “success” coming from his sheer power rather than...
by Cate Zenzen | Apr 9, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, Galleries
“Rise and Fall” directed by Taylor Sain is the winner of the 55th-annual Singarama Sweepstakes award. With a cast comprised of Pi Delta, Kappa Chi, Theta Psi, Phi Nu and friends, this group told the story of a Blockbuster movie rental store in Little Town, Alaska where the employees found a way to keep the store afloat despite the termination of the franchise. The ensemble was also awarded best “Theme” on Thursday and best “Vocal Performance” on Friday. Photos by Ellen Butterfield « ‹ of 3 › »...
by Cate Zenzen | Apr 8, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
“Rise and Fall” directed by Taylor Sain is the winner of the 55th annual Singarama Sweepstakes award. With a cast comprised of Pi Delta, Kappa Chi, Theta Psi, Phi Nu and friends, this group told the story of a Blockbuster movie rental store in Little Town, Alaska where the employees found a way to keep the store afloat despite the termination of the franchise. The ensemble was also awarded best “Theme” on Thursday and best “Vocal Performance” on Friday. As part of this winning company, senior student body president Carson Panovec commented that “feels fantastic to win, but it’s way better when you’re part of a team.” “It’s just fun to be part of a group that has the energy to put on a show to hopefully entertain some people and to give them some joy.” Sophomore Aijalon Powell of “Rise and Fall” was participating in Singarama for the first time. “As my first year in Singarama it’s an unbelievable experience to come in and almost sweep the whole thing; that almost never happens,” Powell said. “I’m so happy for my team, we worked so hard and I am so proud of everything that we accomplished no matter what the result is tonight.” As director, Sain is very happy with the performance of her team. “I am so proud of my whole cast, my writing team, my music directors, everyone has just been such a support and so amazing to work with that it has been my best Singarama year I have ever had,” Sain said. As for next year, hostess Peytan Porter says planning has begun early. “I am so excited for...
by Maria Morales | Apr 7, 2018 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Singarama’s second performance took place Friday on Lipscomb’s campus. “Rise and Fall” took home the award for Friday’s category: voice quality. This year marked the 55th time Singarama has given students the chance to show off their talent, creativity and leadership that contribute to an amazing show. The show consists of three separate teams competing by producing a small musical and a story. Students delighted the packed auditorium with their well-practiced routines and choreography. The three directors and the responsible for each group’s performance are Christian Foster, Taylor Sain and Vince Law. The students entertained their audience with unique and humorous storylines and a selection of songs that the public could sing along with. Many people gathered to support the participants. Hosts Peyton Porter, Savannah Stewart, Berkeley Boglin, Hudson Parker, Luke Howard and Madeline McPherson, gave amazing performances that included other songs that the audience recognized. These performances took place between each team’s acts, giving them adequate time to set the stage. Each performance, teams are judged on a different category. Since “Rise and Fall,” directed by Sain, has taken the lead by winning two nights in a row, it has a chance of winning the final award: sweepstakes. Sain is a senior member of Pi Delta who has participated in Singarama in both 2016 and 2017. While Singarama is a competition, it is clear that it is about more than just winning. Besides giving the opportunity to students to show their skills, it also brought them new experiences such as being part of a team and having fun with it. Most students say they have gained great memories and friendships...
