Among the busyness of spring semester on campus, cinema and media arts students have begun casting, filming and editing short films set to premier at this year’s Black Bird Film Festival. The film team for “The First Day” shot many of the scenes last semester, but were forced to delay further shoots due to COVID-19. This semester, the crew picked up where they left off and recently finished shooting. Director and producer Jonathan Williams, a junior cinema and media arts major, … [Read more...]
‘Art and Soul’ celebrates 25 years
Black History Month is usually commemorated with events celebrating the social and cultural impact of black culture in America. One prominent event in Indiana has been the Art and Soul program put on annually by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. For 25 years the event has hosted over 2,000 people downtown to celebrate Black art and music. Typically, the event is held at the Artsgarden in Indianapolis, and the program has helped bring awareness and appreciation to African American … [Read more...]
Vision Revision chapel cultivates authenticity and creativity
Every semester, Vision Revision (VRV) chapel is a unique, student-led worship experience celebrating the arts that is usually different from the more traditional services students see on a regular basis. Despite the chapel services being virtual this school year, last semester’s Vision Revision and this semester’s remain in-person while still following COVID-19 protocols and guidelines. Elissa Weisz, Vision Revision coordinator, shared that because this chapel is so creative, it may … [Read more...]
Wilson Gallery displays faculty work
Until Feb. 26, the Wilson Gallery in the Krannert Fine Arts Center will be displaying works from four faculty members within the communication and design arts department. These faculty members have juggled full-time teaching positions while maintaining their professional practices outside of the classroom. The exhibition boasts published books, paintings, photographs, videos and even 3D design work. Instructor of Art Tai Lipan, Professor of Communication Dr. David Baird, Associate … [Read more...]
SOMTD adapts to COVID-19 restrictions
Despite the obstacles COVID-19 has continued to present, the School of Music, Theatre and Dance (SOMTD) has been hard at work to ensure students still have opportunities to perform, connect with industry professionals and collaborate in a safe and healthy environment. This semester, the SOMTD will be producing two theatrical productions as usual, but in innovative ways—a PowerPoint opera and a musical podcast were not what anyone predicted for this spring’s productions, but the forced … [Read more...]
Annual MLK day celebrations persist
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is signified and celebrated on AU’s campus every year. All classes are suspended for the day, and you’ll find students, faculty and staff participating in the Peace and Justice March, attending forums on campus and joining in on city-wide events. Despite having to transition to a virtual format for this year’s celebration, various events still allowed the campus community and city to honor King’s life and legacy. The events on campus follow a theme every … [Read more...]
AU Cabinet appoints new Chief Diversity Officer
President John Pistole and members of the university’s cabinet recently appointed Mike Thigpen as Chief Diversity Officer. Thigpen serves as the Director of the Cultural Resource Center (CRC) and multicultural and international student services. He will continue there as he steps into this new position. “Mike Thigpen is a well-known, well-respected leader on campus and in the community,” Pistole said regarding why Thigpen was chosen for the position. “He has a long history of service in … [Read more...]
Fall musical brings depth and vulnerability to the stage
“See Me: The Music of Lynn Lupold” will be premiering on the Byrum Hall stage Nov. 19 through Nov. 21. Presented by Boze Lyric Theater, the show was filmed by AU’s Black Bird Media Lab consisting of cinema and media arts students and will be live streamed through the three days. Professor of Dance Kenny Shepard is the mind behind the show and has earned a great deal of recognition from its success. “‘See Me: The Music of Lynn Lupold’ is based on a show the composer and I wrote and … [Read more...]
Ministry persists on campus despite COVID-19
By Rebekah Hisle Despite COVID-19 restrictions affecting chapel attendance, many students have been working to share the love of God at AU through campus ministries. Every week Hadley Duke, a senior music business and journalism major at AU leads 10:07, a student-led worship ministry on campus. “A small group of students hold acoustic worship at 10:07 p.m. every Tuesday night,” said Duke. “We normally sing around seven songs, and it's just a time for open worship and … [Read more...]
AU hosts musical theatre and dance livestream
On Sept. 16 and 19, AU put on livestream performances for the department of musical theater and dance department that reached over 1,000 views. Kris Rinas, the director of studio and technical operations at AU, led the film students in capturing the events. “We took our broadcasting cameras from the studio and took them into Reardon and we controlled the broadcast from our control room in the Broadcast Center while everyone else was on stage,” Rinas said. Director of … [Read more...]