To paraphrase Oscar Hammerstein – “The halls are alive with the sound of music!” That is certainly the case in the Sterling College Music Department these days as no less than five graduating seniors are busy preparing for their senior music recitals.
“We believe this is a record for us,” said Arts Director Dennis Dutton. “With five recitals, two concerts, one musical and five school matinees the last few weeks of the academic year, Wilson and Spencer Halls have certainly been ‘alive’ with the sounds of music and activity,” he said. All of the students offering senior recitals this spring are vocal music students of Marisa Callan who is also directing Into the Woods set for April 12 – 15. “These students are dedicated and busy,” she said. Most are involved with the show and have the concerts to prepare for as well.”
IntoTheWoods
The final mainstage show of the Sterling College Theatre season, Stephen Sondheim’s popular musical “Into the Woods,” comes with extra weight and significance for eight seniors. This is largest group of graduating music and theatre students in the college’s known history. Their final show will be presented on Friday and Saturday, April 12 and 13 at 7:30 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 15 in Culbertson Auditorium on the College campus.
On the surface “Into the Woods” is about familiar fairytale stories such as “Jack and the Beanstalk,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Cinderella,” and “Rapunzel.” But the show mixes them up in a new story centered around the Baker and his Wife and becomes something more.
Senior Keeley Coon, a 2020 graduate of Eureka Junior/Senior High School, will be playing the role of Cinderella. Coon said the show and rehearsal process have brought both feelings of excitement and nostalgia. “This has definitely been my favorite performance and experience of my college career,” Coon said. “Not only is Cinderella a dream role of mine but doing one of my favorite musicals in one of my favorite parts with people that I consider family — has been a dream.”
Tickets to Coon and others’ final Sterling College Theatre production are available online at www. sterling.edu/arts and will also be available at the door before each performance.
Recitals
The first recital will feature senior Rachel Thomson, Hutchinson. Her music theatre recital will be on Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. in Culbertson Auditorium. Next up will be senior Keeley Coon, Eureka who is a music education, vocal music performance and music theatre major. Her recital is slated for Thursday, April 25 at 6 p.m. in Sterling’s United Methodist Church.
Josh Morris, a senior from Hutchinson, will present his senior music theatre recital on Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m. in Culbertson Auditorium. Luke Harding, Sterling, is a Music Education major and will be presenting his senior recital on Friday, May 3 in Mabee Library on the Sterling College Campus which will also be the site for the final music recital of the year - senior Sophia Godfrey on Tuesday, May 3 at 6 p.m.
All recitals are free and open to the public.
About Sterling College
Sterling College is a Christ-centered, four-year college located in Sterling, Kansas, with a mission to develop creative and thoughtful leaders who understand a maturing Christian faith. For more information, visit www. sterling.edu.
(Courtesy photo)
