by Becca Risley | Sep 16, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Presented by the Lipscomb Theatre Department, The 39 Steps opens Friday evening and stars junior Connor Weaver as the well-intentioned, although slightly misled, Richard Hannay. This Alfred Hitchcock classic spy thriller features the adventures of Hannay as he encounters double-crossing secret agents, meets incredibly seductive women and gets framed for a murder he did not commit. “The play cranks everything up to eleven and turns just about every aspect of the story into a parody of itself,” Weaver said. “The villain is delightfully over the top, the romantic interests weave in and out with little to no greater repercussion and the hopelessly complex plot details are hilariously and even blatantly glossed over at times.” Even with an increased level of satirical comedy, the play speaks volumes to strong themes and elaborate characters. The play is driven by Hannay, a depressed 30-year-old man looking to spice up his life. In the midst of the show, he is made to bite off more than he can chew while trying to balance the safety of the world on his shoulders. “Somehow he manages to grow as a person through it all,” Weaver said. “It’s a tale of intrigue, redemption, courage and lots of costume changes.” Directed by Lipscomb’s own Kari Smith, The 39 Steps is portrayed as a satire of itself. One of the most noteworthy and unconventional adaptations comes when the audience meets two clown actors who end up playing almost every character in the show. This leads to several moments that break the fourth wall, where the joke is largely on the actors having to balance everything, rather than the characters’...
by Jade Spilka | Sep 16, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Over 50 million people around the world sing Hillsong United songs on any given Sunday. The Australia-based Christian-band’s success is so far-reaching that director Michael John Warren decided to make a film documenting their popularity. Hillsong: Let Hope Rise provides an inside look at the band that sprung from the international megachurch Hillsong. The film’s narratives include interview segments from band members, their families and Hillsong pastors. Along with the documentary elements of the film, viewers are invited to join in on an interactive concert experience. Hillsong United came from humble beginnings but rose to international fame with hits like “Oceans” and “Touch the Sky.” Since the band’s formation, they have released 11 live albums and four studio albums. Let Hope Rise shows an overview of their earlier success, but mainly focuses on their mission, their members and their most recent tour. The film succeeds in keeping the audience’s attention throughout, and I appreciated the consistent positive message. Let Hope Rise is an inspirational documentary that is not only family-friendly, but it is also something someone of any age could find interest in. The live concert aspect of the documentary is a nice component that allows viewers to truly experience Hillsong United in the way their music is intended to be experienced. Near the beginning of the film, Joel Houston, a leading band member, stated that music is a way for people to experience God. He claimed that God made music as a connection between Heaven and the human heart. This theme carries on throughout the entirety of Let Hope Rise. The filmmakers and band members say they hope...
by Anna Rogers | Sep 9, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
It was a night of musical vulnerability. Gathered in Lipscomb’s Contemporary Music House Wednesday evening, senior Sarah Wood, along with her band The Arcadian Wild and producer Vian Isak, presented a single from her upcoming concept album Through Juniper Vale. The song is called “The Last Time” and the inspiration stems from feelings of nostalgia for a simpler time living at home. “I was missing home a lot,” Wood said, recalling her former residence of Boulder, CO. “I was in Fanning Hall and I taped ideas on pieces of paper to my wall. I realized all these pages on my wall pointed back to home. Home is the concept.” Through Juniper Vale is a fictional story following characters Sarah Jane and her turtle Senalala in a dystopian, overgrown world called Juniper Vale. There is symbolism in the turtle, who carries his shell-home with him always and supports a tent-home for Sarah Jane as they search for what it means to be home. Wood explained that the concept album is a way to blend many forms of art. Each month there will be a new visual art piece and blog post on the album’s website to correlate with the theme of home. “Last year, I carried a notebook, and any time anyone said something that gave me a glimpse of home, I wrote it down,” she said. Wood credits her decision to publish an album to her friend and fellow musician Nordista Freeze, who consistently releases music online. Wood also said that the creation of the album wouldn’t have been possible without each person contributing to the notes in her notebook. “I’m so...
by Charissa Ricker | Sep 7, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Well known director Clint Eastwood displays a traumatic, touching, and at some times humorous true story about Chesley Sullenberger, the brave captain who landed a plane, carrying 155 passengers, on the Hudson River, in 2009. The film not only shows the media blitz and public spotlight projected on Sully, but also features the personal trauma and stress he is put through after the incident. Tom Hanks delivers another great performance as he displays the inside story the public never heard. As the aftermath of the accident unfolds, Captain Sully and co-pilot Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) remain in New York City to deal with legal issues and insurance investigations. With the world calling him a hero and the lawyers questioning his every move, Sully has to decide if he supports the decision he made after 208 seconds of crisis or believe the science that could end his career and shame his legacy. Through flashbacks and memories, the film shows the incident as it happens as well as the passengers’ stories. Nervous travelers may want to wait to see this film, but anyone else looking through movie showings should check out Sully, opening in theaters this Friday. Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers...
by Emily Wieman | Sep 7, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Lipscomb alumna Lacy Hartselle is chasing her dreams, as she appears in the recently released cross country film Remember the Goal. The faith-based film tells the story of a new, young female coach who comes to an all-girls private school in hopes of leading the cross country team to their first state title. Remember the Goal is Hartselle’s first feature length film. She plays Kristen Sims, the lead varsity runner, who essentially steals the joy of running from her teammates. “Playing roles so different than you are allows you to dive deep into another person’s mind and allows you to love the role that much more,” Hartselle said. Acting has always been Hartselle’s dream career. When she was just seven years old, she began participating in school theater; now, she’s pursuing her passion through television, short films and feature films, like Remember the Goal. A Huntsville, Alabama, native, Hartselle chose Lipscomb because she wanted a close-knit community to grow intellectually and emotionally. She had attended Impact at Lipscomb multiple times, and ultimately decided to become a Bison, majoring in theater. During her time at Lipscomb, Hartselle said she had the opportunity to be in a TV pilot called “Drama Majors.” She cites this role as one of her favorites to date. Hartselle also left some advice for those who are wondering how they could make their acting dreams come true. “The most important thing that you need is passion, and for acting to be something that you love,” Hartselle said. “Be on film as much as you can regardless of if you will be paid or not. Work with the...
by Becca Risley | Sep 7, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Set here and now, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s production of the classic tragedy Macbeth spins the bloody horror in a modern light. At the top of the show, the stage is set with an interactive element in mind. The entire cast is dressed in unkempt, contemporary clothing and presents the majority of the story on the back of a pick-up stage left, a sound stage set in the center, a side platform stage right and the grass encompassing the three. The show opens with Macbeth, a Scottish general, receiving a prophesy from three witches, claiming that he will be King of Scotland. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth proceeds to kill anyone that poses a threat to his crown, but he manages to lose his humanity in the process. Junior Morgan Bowling plays Seyton. “He’s Macbeth’s personal mercenary, but I also represent the death that’s happened because of him,” Bowling said. Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, become hungry for the power they are set to inherit and do whatever it takes to get what’s promised to them, including taking responsibility for the murders of close friends and innocent little ones. The murders are executed by Seyton and his army. After each character suffers a tragic death, they then rise from the ground and join the army of Seyton in accompanying Macbeth throughout the story. “I play The Porter,” junior Mary Elizabeth Roberts said. “I am the gatekeeper for the Macbeth household. The Porter just kind of comes out in the middle of all this tragedy and chaos and is very vile and crude. “It’s so fun to interact with...
