by despotmj | Jun 23, 2011 | News Slider
When the Franklin Theatre re-opened its doors on Friday, June 3, 3011, hundreds of people packed the downtown Franklin streets in order to celebrate the restoration of one of the greatest landmarks of community’s history. The original Franklin Theatre opened its doors in 1937, and at the time the price of admission was 10 cents for children and 25 cents for adults. Through the years the theatre was a tremendously popular staple of the downtown Franklin streets, as in several ways it set trends for an ever growing community. Some of these trends included becoming the first air-conditioned building, as well as housing the first public restrooms in 1938. This landmark set precedents in other areas of the community as well, as it did in 1940 when the theatre manager and city agreed to allow movies to be shown on Sundays, as long as they weren’t operating during church hours. Through the years the theatre gained more and more popularity, even after a name change to the Franklin Cinema, and in 2004, the Franklin Cinema hosted the world premiere of Peter Berg’s, Friday Night Lights, a popular film featuring local celebrity Tim McGraw. Again in 2005, the cinema held the world premiere of Elizabethtown. A movie packed with star power including Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. So when the theatre closed its doors in 2007, a great hole was left in the community which had grown accustomed to seeing modern films in a very nostalgic setting. “This place means so much to so many people,” said Lindsay George, Community Relations Director of the Franklin Theatre. “Everyone has a story...
by Danielle Boyd | Jun 23, 2011 | News Slider
If you are looking for fun, entertainment, tours and great southern home-cooking, The Fontanel is a great place to go for the entire family. The Fontanel Farm and Mansion is one of Nashville’s newest and fastest growing attractions for tourist and local Nashvillans. The Fontanel Mansion was built in 1988 for country-music-star Barbara Mandrell and her husband, Ken Dudney. The large immaculate Mansion now stands as a tourist attraction with lingering artifacts from some of Nashville’s greatest country stars. The Mansion is 27,000 square feet long with 13 bathrooms, five fireplaces, 20 rooms, two kitchens and an unbelievable indoor pool. Not only does the historic Mansion make The Fontanel such a highly recommended summer experience, but the food at Fontanel’s Farm house Restaurant “is to die for.” The wait is at least fifteen minutes for some weekend days, but one will definitely find it to be worth it. With the covered porch, hillside view and gift shop right outside of the restaurant the wait time flies by. The menu is combined with options for anyone with an appetite for a fresh southern home-cooked breakfast, lunch or dinner. For my visit, I tried the Good OL’ Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes, skillet greens and corn on the cob — and it was absolutely magnificent. The prompt service, filling meal and live jazz band that played softly in the background truly made my visit to The Fontanel a very enjoyable one. To top it all off the prices are very reasonable, especially for the taste and size of the meal. It’s not highlighted on the menu, but I thought the biscuits...
by despotmj | Jun 17, 2011 | News Slider
Playing this past weekend at Belmont’s black-box theatre was John Patrick Shanley’s “Sailor’s Song”, a story which presents themes of love, regret and loss that can transcend even the most novice of theatre goers. “Sailor’s Song” was by the Actors Bridge Ensemble, a local theatre group which includes well-known Nashvillian Brent Maddox, as well as Lipscomb’s theatre professor Robyn Berg. Providing additional talent is Actors Equity Association member Bill Feehely, as well as Jessika Malone and Carrie Gerow. The production was a dark comedy which features a character named Rich (Maddox) visiting a small, coastal town to comfort his grieving Uncle John (Feehely), as his wife is about to pass away. While in town, Rich becomes involved in a love tangle with two sisters named Lucy (Berg) and Joan (Malone). As with any love triangle, there is a vast emotional difference between the two women involved. Lucy is a sensitive, caring woman, ready to help Rich find happiness, while her sister is a medium who finds her arm possessed by an unsettled soul which causes her to constantly write the ghost’s thoughts from beyond. Throughout the performance Rich is forced to examine the path of his life as he watches his Uncle John coping, yet seemingly unaffected by the passing of his wife. John is a foul-mouthed seasoned fisherman who seems disconnected from emotion due to his many years spent at seas, choosing rather to live in a life of what could have been. This provides a very palpable and heated relationship between John and Rich, as Rich is living in a life of what could be, rather than...
by Danielle Boyd | Jun 16, 2011 | News Slider
Impacting lives, guiding spiritual growth and building community through fun and excitement is the hope for Lipscomb’s 10 day summer enrichment camp called IMPACT. IMPACT is one of Lipscomb’s largest summer camps, hosting more than 2500 students from all over the Southeast for both junior high and high school students. Beginning June 17th-27th students, faculty, counselors and youth ministers will come together for a time of worship and prayer. “For 10 days IMPACT will have speakers, activities, games, worship time and entertainment for students to be exposed to and get excited about their faith,” said Assistant professor of youth and family ministry, Walter Surdacki. This year the camp will have tons of great games and entertainment such as: musicians, comedians, jugglers, karaoke, softball, baseball and etc. in order for students to enjoy a time of continuous fun and excitement. Of course while having fun, students will also have the opportunity to build their faith through group worship, nightly devotion and classes lead by youth ministers from all over the Southeast. Leah Raich, a senior public relations major from Memphis, Tenn. thinks that IMPACT is something very healthy to be involved in. “Impact is a good place for students to be surrounded other people who have been in their position,” Raich said. “They can learn from their mistakes and successes in order to grow spiritually.” IMPACT is not only a camp for students to have fun, but rather a place for spiritual growth and renewal. “The goal is for students to feel like they are not alone in their faith,” Surdacki said. “IMPACT is really just a great chance for...
by Lacy Pack | Jun 16, 2011 | News Slider
Sometimes it is the smallest decisions that can change your life forever. For Camille Santos and Rainey Lankford, choosing to spend two weeks in Ghana, West Africa has done just that. Camille Santos, a senior nursing major from Memphis, Tenn. says that Lipscomb’s summer mission trip to Ghana has opened her eyes in many ways. “This might sound sad, but I’ve been on mission trips before and I feel like I never actually got anything from it,” Santos said. “But even on the first day there I felt completely compelled… you do change as a person. I feel 100 percent myself when I’m there. No makeup. No shower. It doesn’t matter because the kids are the focus.” Santos is one of the students that returned from Ghana last week. Lipscomb works with an orphanage called the Village of Hope, which is home to around 200 children. The children are brought to the orphanage from off the streets, abusive or dangerous living conditions and even rescued from child slavery. Santos explained that the children live in homes overseen by couples who devote their lives to raising these children as their own. The orphanage consists of a medical clinic, dental clinic, Hope Christian Academy (a school of 600-700 students), the Village of Hope Church of Christ, staff houses and guest houses. Santos reminisced with a smile about the confusion she caused at the beginning of the trip. Santos is biracial and has several piercings. In Ghanaian culture, people are either white or black and facial piercings are not common. She gained the nickname,“The Black American,” but Santos wasn’t the only one...
by Jimmy McCollum | Jun 9, 2011 | News Slider
The Lipscomb J-Camp wrapped up on Wednesday. This slideshow features photos taken by Bronwyn Graves, Sarah Hasselle, Crysta Lambert, Anya Li, Jenny Sai and Lee-Anna...
