by Haleigh Ker | Nov 19, 2015 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
For senior Andrew Johnson theatre is more about connecting with others and expression of technique rather than just being in the spotlight. Johnson transferred from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville during the second semester of his freshman year and will graduate from Lipscomb this December with a BFA in Theatre Acting. Entering the Lipscomb Department of Theatre presented opportunities for him to cultivate his acting skills as well as make many connections. “Considering I brought nothing to the table to start, being surrounded by a lot of really, really good contacts has been good for me,” Johnson said. “Just getting to do shows has been huge, including the push to go do stuff outside of the department.” One of those contacts is Steve Feldman, who worked on Sesame Street for several years. Several other contacts are fellow students, whom Johnson has spent countless afternoons with, hanging out in the University Theatre on campus, working on shows or performing with the group “Self-IMPROVment.” Johnson became president of the improv troupe in May 2015 after the former president, Austin Hunt, graduated. Johnson has been a part of the group for about a year and believes it to be a “stress reliever.” Junior Nelson Tilley, a member of Self-IMPROVment, said he believes Johnson to be a good leader. “Andrew is a wonderful person to work with,” Tilley said. “He really emphasizes ‘Hey we’re a group; we’re a team.’” Johnson has also performed in several plays, both in the department and with Nashville theaters. Most recently, he portrayed a “tragedian” for the Nashville Repertory Theatre’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. The show proved to be difficult with his schedule and...
by Becca Risley | Nov 18, 2015 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
With a routine inspired by a retirement center, male social club Sigma Iota Delta (SID) took home first place at the sixth annual StompFest, presented by Kappa Iota Theta Tuesday evening in Collins Auditorium. “Our goal here was just to be the fan-favorite,” SID member and junior Travis Shumard said. “We weren’t trying to win. We just came out and had some fun. It was a big surprise to us because we didn’t think we were going to win.” Junior Luke Countryman was the captain behind SID’s retirement-themed dance routine. He said the idea was supposed to show the hilarious side of old people messing with the workers of retirement homes. “It was a lot of fun. I love dancing and this is something I’ve been wanting to do for awhile,” Countryman said. “The song ‘Hit ‘Dem Folks’ was a dance where the workers had a dance-off with the old members of the home. We just tried to have as much fun with the theme as possible on stage.” Hosted by comedian DJ Pryor, the theme of StompFest was “The Next Level” and many teams choreographed the dances to bring their team’s routine to the next level as well. The stomp team from Phi Beta Sigma at Tennessee State University performed at the beginning of the first and second half of the show. Musician Mic-O also performed after intermission. Female social clubs Pi Delta and Delta Omega took home second and third place, respectively. A panel of judges chose the winner based on the step choreography and theme of each group. “Our guys put in a lot of hard work,” Countryman said. “We wanted to give...
by Lyndi Locke | Nov 17, 2015 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
For the first time, Stompfest opened its doors to the public for the dress rehearsal of Tuesday night’s show. With teams such as ‘Varsity’ and ‘Strong Women,’ this year’s Stompfest is focused on taking the show to ‘The Next Level.’ “We wanted to raise the level of Stompfest,” Stompfest Director Ashleigh Majors said. “We’re trying to make the show grow and make it better.” Majors said putting together a night filled with dancing and music was not easy. “It was stressful at times,” Majors said. “I had to make sure everything was ready for the dress rehearsal and main show, and always had to be in contact with the different teams.” Majors added that it is rewarding to see hard work pay off in the end and watching the show is always her favorite part. This is the sixth year that Stompfest has been hosted by the social club Kappa Iota Theta. The social clubs participating this year are Delta Omega, Delta Sigma, Sigma Iota Delta, Phi Sigma, Phi Nu, Pi Delta and Theta Psi. Phi Beta Sigma from Tennessee State University is also taking part in the event. The main Stompfest show will be Tuesday night at 7 p.m. in Collins Alumni Auditorium. Photo by Erin...
by Lauren Borders | Nov 11, 2015 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Lipscomb’s new Contemporary Music program doesn’t just get students working in the classroom but also advances their skills on stage. The program hosted its first concert with original and cover song performances from around 20 students. Guest artist singer-songwriter Scott Mulvahill, the bassist for Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, also performed. The evening’s event was directed by Artist-In-Residence Charlie Peacock, Grammy Award-winning record producer and songwriter. Peacock has been a pioneer in developing the contemporary music program along with Dean Mike Fernandez and faculty member Steve Taylor. “This Contemporary music program was really a dream that was born about 14 months ago now,” Peacock said. “Dean Fernandez and my good friend Steve Taylor met with me and said ‘Hey, would you be interested in helping us develop a contemporary music program?’ And it just wasn’t on my mind at all. In fact, I was right in the middle of trying to get Joy Williams’ most recent album finished, and I was deep in the record business. “It was an idea whose time had come. Lipscomb University was ready to add a contemporary pop music component to what they do here, and I was ready to take it on.” And with the start of the program, the concert was born as well. Daves Highway, a sibling group formed of Delaney, Erika and Zachary Daves, was one of the featured performers. They knew Peacock long before they joined Lipscomb’s program, though. “I knew them from actually producing some of their music,” Peacock said. “So it was a wonderful, full-circle moment to have them come and actually be my students, too. [They were] first my...
by Becca Risley | Nov 7, 2015 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
It isn’t every day that a Hollywood star visits Lipscomb’s campus, but Friday night Into the Woods’ MacKenzie Mauzy did just that. Mauzy played Rapunzel in the latest film adaption of the show alongside Meryl Streep, Chris Pine and Anna Kendrick. Because of a long-standing friendship between Mauzy and Lipscomb’s Contemporary Music program founder Charlie Peacock, he extended an invitation for her to visit campus. “Being close to director Scott Baker, Beki Baker and Dean Mike Fernandez from the [College of Entertainment and the Arts], it seemed only right that I share with them that I know one of the stars of Into The Woods – the real Rapunzel so to speak,” Peacock said. “So I called her and MacKenzie graciously accepted our invitation.” One aspect of the mission of the College of Entertainment and the Arts at Lipscomb is to bring the industry to campus. Mauzy is an award-winning television and film actress. While on campus, Mauzy attended the President’s reception for the play, watched the production from the audience and participated in a discussion with cast and crew following Friday evening’s performance. “It’s very valuable for our students to see someone succeeding in the industry to which they aspire,” Baker said. “Ms. Mauzy has a background in theater and she continues to use her talents working in musicals, film and stage work. “It’s the kind of model we enjoy putting in front of our students.” After Friday’s performance of Into the Woods, Mauzy joined the cast and crew for a Q&A session with the audience. Mauzy discussed the audition process for the film, how it’s opened up several...
by Mary Kathryn Charlton | Oct 28, 2015 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider
Randy Goodman (Class of 1977), now Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Nashville, entered David Lipscomb College for reasons not unlike some current Lipscomb students: he wanted to be in music, and his dad wanted him to go there. After becoming an active member of the college’s community and culture, Goodman decided to stay. Fortunately, too, were the benefits which going to college in Music City provided. Even as a teenager and as a college student, Goodman knew he wanted a career in music. Starting at Radio Corporation of America (RCA), Goodman has worked for various music businesses over his career. After years in the industry, Goodman landed his dream job as the chief executive at one of the most well-known labels in the music industry. While this is his dream job, the music industry as a whole is facing remarkable challenges. As the music industry faces the continual shift to streaming music, the responsibility falls on record companies and their leaders, like Goodman, to navigate the morphing environment successfully. Goodman said it is a challenging environment, and there is need of a marriage between business and art in his responsibilities at Sony. Not all of his responsibilities are as full of challenges, however. As a part of his job, he seeks out new talent. One of the favorite parts of his job is an unquestioned ability to listen to music all day in his office. Goodman said to be on the lookout for up-and-coming artists Cam and Old Dominion. In addition, he mentioned two new music groups which were just recently signed by Sony, Maren Morris and Lanco....
