Weber State's College of Arts and Humanities would like to congratulate Dick Halley, professor emeritus of Communication and a former International Listening Association (ILA) president, who was recently inducted into the ILA hall of fame.

 Board members of AHA! (The Arts & Humanities Advisors) are pleased to announce winners of AHA! Scholarships, as well as Awards for Faculty, Staff, Alumnus, and Friend-of-the-College  for 2012-13.  The AHA! Board funds these scholarships and awards to support “unsung heroes” in the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities at Weber State. 

Scholarships go to students who persevere despite difficult circumstances, reach beyond their grasp, and exhibit a talent or promise indicating their commitment to education.  Based on nominations from faculty members and application statements from students themselves, the Board determined that Kierstan Voorhees and Amy Gerard, both from the Communication Department, both of whom have faced considerable challenges in attending and succeeding in school, merit AHA! Scholarships.  Each will receive $2000 toward next year’s tuition and fees.

This year’s AHA! Recognition Award for Faculty, for a faculty member doing an exceptionally good job but who has not been previously recognized in significant public ways, goes to adjunct Music faculty member Linda Lee.  About Linda, her nominator notes: “By using her disarming sense of humor and her rather unassuming character, she skillfully nurtures novice singers, and yet she can also challenge the most advanced singers to reach new heights.”  Linda consistently works with between 14 and 16 vocal students per semester, pitches in to design and construct costumes for opera productions, and quietly takes on all kinds of other duties.  Again, her nominator comments: “She is not simply an ‘adjunct voice instructor;’ she is one of the most reliable, trustworthy, and highly competent voice teachers and colleagues we could hope for.”  Although it may seem ironic to give an “unsung hero” award to someone whose specific expertise is song, the Board is delighted to honor Linda Lee as our AHA! Faculty Member.  This award is $3,000.

Diane Neri Stern, Director of Weber State’s Cultural Affairs Program, is recipient of the AHA! Recognition Award for Staff.  One of her nominators says: “Energy, creativity, resourcefulness, talent, and integrity are but a few of Diane’s attributes.  Her belief that the soul of a community must be nurtured by culture makes her exceptional.”  Another nominator points to the way Diane has contributed to numerous programs—Mandy Patinkin, James Balog, Ta’u Pupu’a, for example—outside her own realm of responsibility.  Anthea Kreston, co-founder and violinist of the internationally touring Amelia Piano Trio, writes that Diane is a person with “razor sharp intelligence, passion, and creative energy. . . .  In her work, she digs deep to find the richest experience possible for her audiences.  She cares equally about her artists and audience, and works with both to create memorable and thought-provoking events.  She is, in my opinion, among the best of the best - always seeking to learn and share what she has discovered.  Her passion is infectious and affects all who she touches.”  We are grateful that Diane is a member of the Arts & Humanities College.  This award is $3,000. 

AHA! Recognition Award for a Friend of the College goes this year to the WSU “Treble Makers,” a student chapter of the Music Teachers National Association. The Treble Makers hold the national record of being awarded the most number of MTNA National Student Chapter of the Year (1997, 2003, 2005, 2007). Students who graduated from WSU’s Piano Pedagogy Program have also received the highest number of Student Teacher of the Year awards from the Utah Music Teacher Association (in 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007).

The Treble Makers merit the Friend of the College Award in recognition of their involvement in helping WSU become an “All-Steinway School of Music.”   The hard work of individual members and of the group, as a whole, was directly responsible for enabling the Department of Performing Arts and Weber State University to join the ranks of the top music programs in the nation which provide Steinway pianos for student practice, lessons, rehearsals, and performances.

Over the past three years, the Treble Makers became increasingly involved in WSU’s All-Steinway School Initiative. Their participation began when several of their members took part in home recitals hosted by university donors such as Dr. Candadai Seshachari to raise awareness of the WSU music program. Their ability, as both musicians and as ambassadors for the university, grew as they performed, talked about their music, and conversed with current and potential donors.  Award: a plaque and as much publicity as possible.

Dr. Stephanie Chamberlain is this year’s AHA! Alumnus.  The daughter of Dr. Elmer Ericson, WSU professor of English (b. 1926, d. 1980), Stephanie  received her BA in English in 1982 from Weber State College, followed by a master’s degree and doctorate in English. She currently is a Professor at Southeast Missouri State University, where she teaches Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature.  A consummate scholar, she has published extensive and has presented at numerous conferences and other scholarly events. Through her education, teaching, research, scholarship and charitable donations, she has demonstrated a personal commitment to academic excellence that reflects highly on the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities.

Stephanie has supported WSU through a gift to endow the Elmer H. Ericson Scholarship in English and through a gift to fund the Dr. Elmer H. Ericson Classroom in Elizabeth Hall. She also extends her commitment to education at Southeast Missouri State University where she has endowed the Dr. Robert W. Hamblin Lecture.  Award: a plaque and as much publicity as possible.

Contact: Madonne Miner   madonneminer@weber.edu">madonneminer@weber.edu" data-mce-href="mailto:madonneminer@weber.edu">madonneminer@weber.edu   801-626-6424

OGDEN, Utah – Weber State University music professor Yu-Jane Yang has been named the 2012 John S. Hinckley Fellow, while WSU’s International Economics program is the 2012 Exemplary Collaboration Award winner.

Yang, an accomplished pianist who has performed in concert on three continents, joined the WSU music faculty in 1992. Known for her ability to train award-winning performers, she not only has grown WSU’s Piano Program, she has elevated its renown on the national and international stage.

That heightened awareness has helped Yang successfully recruit piano students from around the world to Weber State, in some cases eschewing famed conservatories like Julliard and Oberlin in favor of WSU. Under her tutelage, these young pianists have gone on to win prestigious competitions at the national and international level.

Yang is the author of numerous articles on piano teaching published in leading piano pedagogy journals. She is a sought-after teacher of both piano workshops and master classes as well as a judge of national and international piano competitions.

Yang was one of three national winners of the 1991 distinguished D.H. Baldwin Fellowship for Teaching Excellence in Piano. She received WSU’s Lowe Innovative Teaching Award in 2000 and was honored by the Utah Symphony Ballet Association with the Women in the Arts Award in 2008.

In addition, Yang was chosen to receive the Utah Music Teachers Association’s highest honor in 2010, the UMTA Legacy Award, and in 2011, the Music Teachers National Association named her a Foundation Fellow.

Yang, who is the 2010-12 Endowed Scholar/Artist in the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities, spearheaded the Steinway Project at WSU. She worked to attain the prestigious “Steinway School” designation, which the university received in 2011. She was also named a WSU Presidential Distinguished Professor in 2011.

“Professor Yang’s superior teaching skills have been acknowledged through a stellar record of student evaluations, and her reputation as a teacher able to combine high – indeed, world class – expectations with a comfortable yet rigorous classroom atmosphere,” wrote a colleague in nominating her for the Hinckley Award. “Her achievements have gained WSU a truly international reputation and made her a tireless advocate for our institution.”

Since 1991, the Hinckley Award has been bestowed upon a member of the WSU faculty who has excelled in teaching, scholarship and service. The award is named in honor of Ogden businessman and WSU supporter John S. Hinckley, who died in 1990.

The university’s International Economics (IE) program received the 2012 Exemplary Collaboration Award, in recognition of the teamwork demonstrated during the implementation and later expansion of the program.

Building on an existing international faculty exchange program, the John B. Goddard School of Business & Economics organized a partnership with Shanghai Normal University (SNU) in 2008, making it easier for Chinese students to travel to Ogden and earn a bachelor's degree in international economics.

WSU’s Department of Economics worked with SNU to develop a “two plus two curriculum,” where students take courses in Shanghai during their freshman and sophomore years and in Ogden during their junior and senior years. They complete the same courses at WSU required of any other international economics major. The program recently expanded to include students from Korea’s Woongji Accounting and Tax College.

As of fall 2011, 83 Chinese and Korean students were taking classes through the International Economics program at WSU. Twenty-one students from SNU have graduated from the program, and the first student from Woongji will graduate this spring.

 “Creating this program would have been impossible without the support and dedication of a wide variety of WSU personnel,” said Jeff Steagall, dean of the Goddard School.

Those involved in the program include the faculty and staff of the Goddard School, especially economics professor and associate dean Cliff Nowell, economics chair Doris Geide-Stevenson, and the economics department. Also taking part were professors from the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities, the College of Applied Science & Technology, and the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, as well as staff from Continuing Education, the International Student Center, and the Admissions Office.

The university will formerly recognize the recipients of both awards at a luncheon on March 20.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

When Tyler Hess and Robbie Speelman started the Drumline Club at Weber State University six years ago, they never dreamed that by 2012 the group that began as the local “whipping boy” would be ranked No. 1 in the nation.

However, that’s exactly what happened at the WGI Regional Championship in Corona, Calif., last Saturday, where the indoor percussion group swept first place with a score of 88.8 out of 100, currently the highest score in the nation.

This is the first year that the WSU’s 31-member ensemble has qualified to compete in the Championship. The club joined 23 other groups competing before a panel of judges for the chance to go to the World Championships next year.

The group performed its six and a half minute show several times throughout the competition. At the end of the night, the ensemble was stunned to see that its final score was five points higher than the second-place score and four points higher than last year’s champion.

“When we first got here, I felt like maybe we’ll do okay,” Speelman said. “I was pretty nervous because I’d never been to a show like this. It was the biggest show I’d ever seen, and I’ve been doing this for a long time. We saw some of the other drum lines, and they seemed to be doing really well. After our final performance, I felt like it wasn’t as good as we could’ve made it, and then I heard the score, and I was really, really taken aback. I had no idea we were going to do that well especially for our first time ever being in a regional.”

The victory on Saturday has been a long time coming, Hess said, and is the result of dedicated staff and performers and a rigorous training regimen.  All 31 members of the team are required to do at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise every day in addition to regular rehearsals for five hours every Friday and all day every Saturday.

“It takes a lot of endurance,” Hess said, “and getting 31 people to push themselves to the limits in order to win, that was a challenge.  But it was absolutely worth it.”

The group’s show “Slow Me Down” portrayed how fast-paced life is and the need to slow down. It was a perfect fit for the ensemble, Hess said.

“We’ve been kinda pushing the ensemble for 3-4 years to get better every year and things were just getting so serious that when we saw this show about taking a minute to look around and breathe it seemed to fit our group perfectly.  That was an attitude that we decided we wanted to embrace and give to our performers.  So in our show you’ll see us perform and do visual and musical things that portray the ensemble slowing down.  Giving the impression of stopping to look around at life and take things in.”

It was this somewhat unconventional show, focused on conveying that theme of slowing down with quality and precision, that gave the WSU Drumline the edge it needed on Saturday, according to Hess.

Hess also expressed gratitude for the support of the faculty and student body. He hopes to increase awareness of the club among students.

“The faculty support is completely off the charts,” Hess said. “I’ve never seen so much support for the arts as I have at Weber State University.  From the students, we get support when students know about us, but the group is so new that I don’t think students know we’re there or what we’re doing, but we do get quite a lot of support when people know about it.”

Students will have the chance to see the drumline performing “Slow Me Down” on April 14 when WSU will host the Intermountain Percussion Championships. The club will compete in the World Championships in Dayton, Ohio, next year.

More information can be found on the club’s website at www.weberstatedrumline.org

Original story found here

By Nancy Van Valkenburg

OGDEN -- If faces on the streets of downtown Ogden seem a little more tragic or comedic this week, blame it on the temporary influx of theater people.

About 900 students and faculty members from 40 universities have gathered at Weber State University for the performances, workshops, auditions and presentations of the Region 8 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Groups are here from colleges in Utah, Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii, and will stay through the closing ceremonies on Saturday.

"I know we've made Ogden's hotels happy," said John Binkley, Region 8 chairman. "We have 200 rooms at the Marriott and 50 at the Hampton Inn, and the rest had to find space at other hotels."

Binkley said schools that have been invited to perform in competition can pay as much as $25,000 to truck in scenery and costumes, and to finance housing for cast and support crew.

Tracy Callahan, Weber State performing arts teacher, said WSU theater student registration is higher than ever, because local students don't have to pay extra for room and board. And WSU's "Xanadu," one of the regional contenders for national honors, didn't require shipping because it's in its home theater.

Callahan said as far as she knows, it's WSU's first time hosting the festival.

"It was our turn," she said. "It's also a great way to show off our facility and our program. We can show everyone what Weber State has to offer."

WSU student Chris Shenefelt, who won a national playwriting competition at a previous festival, said more than 60 WSU theater students are volunteering to keep the festival on track.

Display areas to show the work of makeup, costume, set- and lighting-design students are in the Shepherd Union ballrooms and are open for public viewing. Registration is required to audition for awards or to attend the many workshops on directing, acting and design.

Members of the public can buy a $35 day pass, good for all activities and performances, but anyone who registers and hopes to attend shows should get to the theaters very early, because seating is limited and hundreds of visiting students also will be lining up.

All remaining performances are in the Browning Center. For more information, visit www.kcactf.org, or stop by the registration table in the Browning Center.

Weber State is at 3848 Harrison Blvd.

Original Article and pictures found here

Story by J. Michael Call, Standard-Examiner staff 

Weber State University is about to embark on a mammoth journey as it prepares to host the weeklong Region 8 presentation of the 44th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.

“It’s like eating an elephant,” quipped Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU. “But it’s a really great opportunity for us.”

The festival, beginning Tuesday on the Ogden campus, is a massive undertaking involving several universities and colleges in Utah, Southern California, southern Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. The event serves as a springboard for universities going on to compete at the national festival in April at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.

Gregg Henry, KCACTF artistic director, is grateful to WSU’s faculty and staff for its willingness to take on such a gargantuan event.

“It’s such a many-tentacled beast that it is sort of an act of extraordinary generosity for a school to open its doors to 1,200-plus people over the course of a week and give us a place to celebrate student achievement,” Henry said.

The regional festival includes 11 full-scale productions, as well as a number of 10-minute plays, scenes, workshops, scholarship competitions, exhibitions and a variety of other activities. The majority of activities will take place in the Browning Center and Shepherd Union Building.

The Region 8 festival is the largest in the nation in terms of the sheer numbers of productions it involves, Henry noted. It also offers up a wide spectrum of theater.

“It’s pretty thrilling,” Henry said. “It’s an enormous benefit for the students who participate to just get to see the full spectrum, whether it’s new student writing or classic musicals or a classic play reinterpreted, or whatever it may be.”

Participating productions and universities include “Xanadu” (Weber State University), “The Elephant Man” (Brigham Young University), “The Bald Soprano” (Scottsdale Community College), “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead” (Citrus College), “The Unseen Hand” (Los Angeles City College), “Cesar and Ruben” (Santa Monica College), “Eurydice” (Utah Valley University), “Suddenly Last Summer” (California Lutheran University), “The Dramatization of 365 Days” (California State University Fullerton) and “The Cover of Life” (Concordia University).

The festival provides not only an excellent opportunity for students, but also for Top of Utah theater lovers who want to see some top-notch productions. Individuals can register for either the entire festival or a day pass.

‘For die-hards, it’s a pretty exciting chance for exposure to the range and richness of the work being done in the region,” Henry said.

That’s show biz

Behind the scenes next week, WSU technical director John Bizzell will be diligently scrambling with his crew to make sure festival participants have the most seamless experience possible. “Seamless,” it should be noted, is a relative term — as anyone who has ever been involved in theatrical production understands.

While audiences are watching one show on stage, Bizzell will be managing an entirely different production backstage. He probably won’t get to enjoy the shows from the audiences’ vantage point, but doesn’t seem to mind.

Some of the casts and crews, many of whom have never seen or used WSU’s facilities before, will have only a few hours to unload their sets, costumes and props, adjust lighting and sound, set up their scenery, get into makeup and costumes and, perhaps if they’re lucky, even run a quick rehearsal.

“And the craziest part is that people want to do it,” Bizzell said with a chuckle.

Bizzell has been coordinating the festival with the various universities involved and trying to accommodate their individual needs as much as possible.

“We have to worry about not having log jams at the loading dock and making sure that people understand that this is how the facility operates and works and what they can and can’t do,” he said.

For example, one of the shows, Utah Valley University’s production of “Eurydice,” uses water onstage. The play is a modern spin on the Greek myth.

“Water is always a problem,” Bizzell said. “Not only do we have to get the water in, but we also have to get those people’s clothing dry between shows, because they are doing two or three shows that day.”

Meanwhile, Santa Monica College wanted to be able to dig a hole onstage in its production of “Cesar and Reuben” by Ed Begley Jr.

“It took quite a few emails to try and square away what they were meaning,” Bizzell said.

Like WSU’s theater department, California State University Fullerton is also a college that “thinks big,” Bizzell said. He anticipates that its ambitious production of “365 Days,” based on the book about the real-life experiences of a Vietnam medic, will require a lot of maneuvering and well-executed logistics to get things just right.

“Our technicians are going to get a real good run for their money. While they’re going to get worn out, I think they are going to enjoy it,” Bizzell said. “It is always interesting meeting all these people and finding out how other places work. It’s going to be interesting for us, too, because we have gone to so many festivals now, we get to see the other side of it finally. I’m looking forward to that.”

On its own turf

Indeed, WSU is no stranger to the KCACTF scene, having participated in several previous festivals.

“Weber is a powerhouse in the region and they always have been,” Henry said. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing them on their home turf.”

Henry cited previous WSU productions, such as “The Musical of Musicals, The Musical,” “MacBeth” and “Sleepy Hollow” as examples of WSU’s outstanding representation at previous KCACTF competitions.

“They are blessed with a really strong faculty and, obviously, they attract some really terrific students,” Henry said.

The current crop of students includes the cast of the hugely popular production of “Xanadu,” the fun-filled musical romp through bad ’80s movies. That show is being presented tonight and Saturday in three encore performances (see our 10-Day Planner in the centerspread for details), as well as three times Wednesday during the festival itself.

In addition to his work as festival liaison and “fire chief,” as he refers to role, Christian has also been back in rehearsals this week getting his “Xanadu” cast back on it wheels. He credits the collective effort of the WSU faculty and staff for their work preparing for the festival.

“There are just so many things that go into it — the productions, the workshops, the staffing, the transportation, the hotels, the food, the facilities — it’s a massive undertaking,” Christian said. “The biggest challenge is capturing the overarching vision of the entire thing all at once and being able to subdivide it down into workable components from moment to moment.”

With some theater magic and a lot of hard work, Christian, Bizzell and Henry expect festival participants can anticipate some rich, exciting and rewarding experiences next week on the Ogden campus.

“It’s a celebration,” Henry said. “And in this day and age, for a group of like-minded individuals to get together and celebrate the fact that they are achieving the arts as their life, that’s an act of bravery.”

PREVIEW

• WHAT: Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
• WHEN: Tuesday-Feb. 11
• WHERE: Browning Center and Shepherd Union Building, Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden
• TICKETS: Weeklong passes for all events and workshops, $95; single-day passes, $35
• REGISTRATION: Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org to register. A registration table will also be set up in the lobby of the Browning Center. Visit www.kcactf.org for general information about the festival.

HOW TO GO

Want to see a show at the regional competition of Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival?

First, you’ll need either a $35 day pass or a $95 festival pass. Understand that Weber State University’s Browning Center will be a flurry of activity, and that seating is first come, first served.

The three theaters in the Browning Center will be running shows from the participating universities simultaneously during the festival. On Wednesday, for example, WSU presents “Xanadu” three times in the Eccles Theater, Brigham Young University performs “The Elephant Man” twice on the Austad Auditorium stage and California Lutheran University stages “Suddenly Last Summer” twice in the Allred Theater.

Festival attendees who want to see a specific performance should arrive 30 to 45 minutes early for that particular performance. Afternoon shows will be easier to get into, said John Binkley, Region 8 KCACTF chairman, because many of the students attending the festival will be involved in workshops and other festival activities during the day.

Seating is limited, depending on the size of the theater.

“Obviously, it would be easier to see a show in the Allred than the Eccles since the Allred seats 300 and the Eccles seats about 150,” Binkley said.

Binkley also noted that the shows in the larger Austad Auditorium will actually seat only 120 for the festival since the theater is being converted into a black-box-type theater, with the audience seated on the stage and the curtain drawn.

THE SCHEDULE

Eleven full productions are presented during the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival next week in the Browning Center on the Weber State University campus, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden.

There are several other events and activities for festival participants. Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org/page6.html for a complete online schedule.

• Utah Valley University’s (Orem) “Eurydice,” 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday, Allred Theater.

“Eurydice” portrays the ancient Greek story of Orpheus’ famous trek into the Underworld to bring his love, Eurydice, back from the dead. The myth is traditionally told from Orpheus’ point of view. However, this version by Sarah Ruhl is told from the viewpoint of the leading lady.

• Weber State University’s (Ogden) “Xanadu,” 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Eccles Theater.

Based on the cult film, “Xanadu” tells the story of a Greek muse named Kira who comes to Earth in 1980 (disguised in roller skates, leg warmers and an Australian accent) to inspire what the gods call truly great work and discover the meaning of the universe’s greatest secret: the gift of “Xanadu.” Kira meets the artist Sonny, who needs her help in achieving his greatest dream: a fantastical roller disco.

• Brigham Young University’s (Provo) “The Elephant Man,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Austad Auditorium stage.

Throughout history there have been individuals who inspire others. Joseph Merrick — dubbed “The Elephant Man” — lived with a hideous and debilitating disease. Found in a freak show, subjected to cruel crowds, then admitted to a London hospital for scientific observation, Merrick lived surrounded by ugliness. This production of the Tony-winning play by Bernard Pomerance uses inventive staging, masks, movement and music.

• California Lutheran University’s (Thousand Oaks) “Suddenly Last Summer,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Allred Theater.

“Suddenly Last Summer” by Tennessee Williams is a one-act play that opened off-Broadway in 1958 as part of a double bill with another of his plays. Willliams wrote it after beginning a period of psychoanalytic treatment, and it may have served as a type of exorcism of his inner demons. The famed playwright explores the nature of insanity, desire, voyeurism and the inherent danger in humanity’s search for truth. The play is intended for mature audiences.

• Concordia University’s (Irvine, Calif.) “The Cover of Life,” 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Austad Auditorium stage.

When three young war brides in rural Louisiana move in with their mother-in-law while their husbands fight in World War II, Life magazine sends its top female reporter to do a “women’s piece” about them. What the reporter finds changes her and the women forever. Filled with charm and fun, “The Cover of Life” is a deeply affecting story about the struggle for self-worth and love.

• California State University Fullerton’s “The Dramatization of 365 Days,” 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Eccles Theater.

Based on the book by Ronald J. Glasser, the play follows the real-life experiences of a medic in the Vietnam War. The story focuses on the interaction between one badly burned soldier and the doctor’s conficted attempts to save his life.

• Brigham Young University and the SCERA Center for the Arts present “The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Allred Theater.

This is a concert staging of the moving tale of Jonathan Toomey, a reclusive carpenter in a small Appalachian village. Toomey’s life is changed when he meets an eager boy and his widowed mother who are searching for a new Christmas crèche.

• Los Angeles City College Theatre Academy’s “The Unseen Hand,” 12:30 p.m. (female cast), 2:30 p.m. (male cast), 5:30 p.m. (female cast) and 7:30 p.m. (male cast) Feb. 10, Austad Auditorium.

This 1969 science-fiction work by Sam Shepard is said to have influenced Richard O’Brien’s stage musical “The Rocky Horror Show.” The play takes place in a desert wasteland in Southern California. The pop-influenced piece features three broken-down cowboy desperadoes, a space alien refugee, a cheerleader and more.

• Citrus College’s (Glendora, Calif.) “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10, Eccles Theater.

Wonder whatever happened to the beloved “Peanuts” gang? This parody follows the gang a decade later, addressing the dramas and angst of their adolescence. Drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that is both haunting and hopeful.

• Santa Monica College’s (California) “Cesar and Ruben,” 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Feb. 11, Allred Theater.

“Cesar and Ruben,” a musical by Ed Begley Jr., chronicles the life of the civil rights leader Cesar Chavez through music, imagery and a conversations with slain Los Angeles Times reporter Ruben Salazar, who often wrote about Chavez. The show mixes humor and drama, music and dance, history and personal struggles, with songs in both English and Spanish by Sting, Ruben Blades, Peter Gabriel, Carlos Santana and more.

• Scottsdale Community College’s (Arizona) “The Bald Soprano,” 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 11, Eccles Theater.

“The Bald Soprano” is a romp through language and the futility of meaningful conversations. The play tells the story of the Smith family as it follows and is followed by its Englishness through “stultifying eroticism, bewildering impropriety and ghastly anti-climaxes.” The production uses emerging technologies such as voice-modulating software and other digital age gadgetry.

— Information provided by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival

The Shaw Gallery will be hosting the Weber State Student Exhibition beginning Feb. 3. The exhibition allows Weber State University students to submit their art for a chance at being displayed in the gallery.

Danielle Wilcox, a photography major, has submitted work into the student exhibition.

“I think its a good confidence booster for actually getting work and submitting into other institutions as well,” Wilcox said.

Lydia Gravis, the outreach coordinator for the Shaw Gallery, said the exhibition has been running for about 45 years. The exhibition accepts works in any medium, but there are a few requirements. All work must have been completed while a studying at WSU within the past two years.

In addition to meeting those conditions, the pieces must be juried into the show. A panel of jurors made up of three faculty members plus one guest juror select the pieces to be displayed. The judging is done blindly. Since the process is done by a randomly numbered system, the only person who knows the name of the artists is a record keeper who accompanies the jurors.

“Every year there’s a different set of jurors, so that one year, one student might get in, and another year they may not get in,” Gravis said.

This year, pieces in many mediums were selected for display in the gallery in addition to paintings. Mixed media, video pieces and interactive pieces will be on display. About 129 pieces were submitted with 54 entries selected for display in the gallery.

Beau Burgess, the Shaw Gallery curator, says that the criteria for getting into the show is “strictly up to the jurors.”

“In my experience as a working artist,” Burgess said, “and having submitted into several shows over the past couple years, you could have one piece that gets into one show, and some into another.”

When submitting their pieces for consideration, the artists have the option to have their work shown in a different gallery, known as the Salon des Refusés.

“If someone entered into the show, and it’s refused, they can be eligible for the Salon,” Burgess said. “The only requirement is that it is refused from the show.”

The Salon des Refusés has a rich history behind it. Burgess said that it started out as a way for artists to still have their work displayed if it was rejected.

“If they weren’t accepted into a show, they kind of did it to prove a point or, in a sense, a revolt,” Burgess said about the Salon, which runs simultaneously to the Shaw Gallery Exhibition. “It’s an intriguing dialogue between the two exhibitions because to put them side by side like that, it’s kind of a fun process.”

Carey Ann Francis, a student at WSU, has also submitted work to the exhibition. Francis works with unusual materials. She says her favorites are “strange and unusual surfaces, mixing copper and wood and creating pictures like that.”

“When I first got here to Utah, I submitted and got into the Salon des Refusés,” Francis said. “I feel that it’s positive. You submit your work, you do the whole little shebang and have your work displayed.”

Burgess encourages students and the community to visit the gallery.

“Sometimes with some of the more stricter classrooms or labs that are on lockdown, it’s hard to get the rest of the student populous or especially the community into your department or onto the campus,” Burgess said. “But with visual arts, it’s a very open and public department where we have a space to do that. If it’s something that they haven’t come over and seen, they should come over and check our gallery space. It is a professional gallery space, (and) it isn’t just for things on campus. We’ve had national and international artists shown in this gallery.”

The exhibition will run from Feb. 3 through Mar. 9. A reception and awards ceremony will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3. The public is invited to attend.

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A perky Greek Muse is pulling on her leg warmers, strapping back on her roller skates and brushing up her Australian accent as "Xanadu" returns to Weber State University next week.

The musical will be presented in three encore performances prior to its entry in the 44th annual Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, which WSU is hosting for the first time this year.

"It's awesome!" said WSU senior Breanne Briggs Welch, who plays Clio/Kira in the jukebox musical based on the 1980 cult-classic movie starring Olivia Newton-John.

"You don't really get a chance to do this with a show unless it's competing in something," Welch said. "You don't get to let it sleep for a little bit and then see what else you've learned in the last two months, or what you would have done differently. You get a fresh take on it. I think it's going to be really fun to go back in and to see what else comes out of it."

The public also has a second chance to find out what other "Xanadu" zaniness awaits as Welch and the rest of the cast return to the stage.

"Xanadu" will be performed three times during the Feb. 7-11 festival, which serves as the regional competition for the national contest in April at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. To help pay for production costs, the cast and crew is staging the encore performances prior to the festival.

"Xanadu" tells the story of Sonny, a chalk artist living in 1980 Venice Beach, Calif. Sonny, played by WSU student Sean Bishop, is discouraged and a little suicidal until Clio and her eight Muse sisters rise out of his sidewalk chalk creation. Clio -- disguising herself as an Australian roller skater named Kira -- is trying to help Sonny find his own personal Xanadu. However, forbidden love, evil sisters and angry gods get in the way.

Jim Christian, director of musical theater studies at WSU, directed the regional premiere of "Xanadu" in November. The 2007 musical was a surprise smash on Broadway, where Christian first fell in love with the show and determined that he would bring it to WSU.

He did just that, and the result is a fun-filled romp through bad '80s fashions and a satirical -- but affectionate -- nod to the movie that is counted by some as one of the worst movies ever made.

WSU's production sold out during its November run, and Briggs and her castmates were thrilled to learn over the Christmas holiday that they would be returning to a place called "Xanadu."

They have redubbed the show "XanaTWO" and will be getting back together next week for rehearsals.

The production will be essentially the same, Welch said, except for some lighting changes to accommodate other shows that will be performed in the same theater during the festival. Welch is hoping to bring some fresh energy to her character, who spends the majority of the show on roller skates.

"I was really cautious about the skating the first time around, so I think I'm going to be a little bit more adventurous with the skating," she said. "I have been roller skating a couple times, and it's just like riding a bike. It's like, 'Oh yeah, I remember this,' and all of your old muscles come alive again."

Briggs is not only getting her skating muscles in shape, but she and her castmates are also tuning up their vocal chops to perform an infectious score that includes Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra hits such as "Xanadu," "Magic," "All Over the World," "I'm Alive" and "Suddenly."

The musical not only spoofs "Xanadu," but also "Clash of the Titans," another '80s cheesefest, which starred Harry Hamlin as the Greek hero Perseus, who must do battle and match wits against a cast of monsters and Greek gods. The film is notable in that it starred several acclaimed actors, including Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith and Burgess Meredith.

One of the funniest moments in the musical comes when Clio has been summoned to appear before the panel of unamused gods for some non-Muse like behavior with the mortal Sonny. What follows is a hilarious rendition of the Newton-John's hit "Have You Never Been Mellow," complete with some giggle-inducing costumes as the snake-headed Medusa, a Cyclops and a centaur get in on the fun.

The encore performances and the festival itself are an opportunity for the public and festival participants to get in on the fun as well.

Briggs is looking forward to the festival and the chance to interact with university students from the nine other participating colleges.

"We have great spaces for all the shows. Our Browning Center is just filled with theaters that are ideal for the ACTF," Briggs said. "Everyone is pretty excited. It's always fun to be able to show off your work to people who are doing the same level of theater as you."

In addition to the encore performances next week, "Xanadu" will be performed three times during the festival at 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 8.

The festival is a ticketed event, with weeklong passes for all events and workshops available for $95 and single-day passes for $35. However, only full conference registrants are guaranteed tickets to all of the plays, while day-pass ticket holders take their chances on seats being available.

Visit www.kcactf-8festivalinfo.org to register or visit www.kcactf.org for more information.

By: Linda East Brady
Standard Examiner 

If you want to play a world-class piano, you need look no further than Weber State University.

The university has been working several years to achieve an All-Steinway School designation, granted by the Long Island City-based Steinway & Sons, for its music students and performance halls.

Now, thanks to teamwork efforts from donors, community members, faculty, administration and students, the dream has come true.

According to the Steinway & Sons Web site: “All-Steinway Schools demonstrate a commitment to excellence by providing their students and faculties with the best equipment possible for the study of music. That is why the only pianos owned by the institutions ... from the practice room to the recital hall — are designed by Steinway & Sons.”

And what better way to celebrate this accomplishment than with a night of fine music?

The performing arts department and the College of Arts & Humanities are hosting a free, piano-pleasing performance by faculty and staff, followed by a dessert reception, on Tuesday.

“Every pianist knows about the quality of the Steinway piano,” said Yu-Jane Yang, WSU professor of piano/piano pedagogy and director of piano accompanying and group piano instruction. “So therefore, to have a Steinway to play and practice on, is a dream for everyone involved. For the school to be able to support this kind of investment in student education and in the music department is absolutely amazing.”

Commit to excellence

Madonne Miner, dean of the College of Arts & Humanities, said the university started to work toward the All-Steinway designation in about 2008. She credits the school’s provost, Michael Vaughn, and his support of her faculty and programs for making possible this last push to attain the remaining Steinways and Boston (a Steinway & Sons brand) pianos needed for the status.

“He (Vaughn) believes in supporting the performing arts,” Miner said. “His office provided us with state money, helping match the donor contributions, to make this possible.”

She also credits the recruitment work of Yang and assistant professor of piano Ralph Van der Beek, who have attracted prize students to the program.

“They have been able to do a really strong job of recruiting pianists who are not just the best in the state, but students who have gone on to win national and international awards,” said Miner.

One such student is Fan-Ya Lin, who has taken on the task to help her school achieve All-Steinway status, working as the honorary chairwoman of the WSU Steinway Initiative. Lin, who has won a number of prestigious competitions, made a dramatic mark on the music world in 2010 when she was the youngest ever to take first prize, at age 20, at the Music Teachers National Association Steinway Young Artist Competition.

She was awarded a $23,000 Steinway upright for her efforts, which she promptly donated to WSU.

Not only that, Lin also talked Steinway into exchanging the upright for a $83,000 Steinway seven-foot concert grand. She also helped raise the money to make up the difference in price with two benefit concerts.

“Fan-Ya is just a joy,” said Miner. “She has definitely served as an ambassador, talking to donors and also raising that needed money with her own performances.”

50 flying fingers

All in all, the college has invested $1.1 million in the new pianos. The top-notch instruments available to students and performers now number 41, including three nine-foot and nine seven-foot concert grand pianos.

Though those showpiece grands are impressive, it is at least as important to have quality practice pianos available throughout the department, notes Yang.

“So, so much depends on the instrument at this level and beyond,” Yang said. “And unlike most musicians, they (pianists) can’t carry their best instruments around. ... You can have the best teachers, the best students, but if you don’t have the best quality instruments, what you are hoping, to attract the best, can’t happen.”

Tuesday’s concert will include a mix of student and faculty musicians performing. The evening will include solo performances, as well as duos and trios featuring oboe, bassoon, violin and cello accompanying piano.

The ending of the show will showcase the talent the school has attracted, playing the hardware — five grand pianos, 10 hands, and 50 fingers, courtesy of Lin and her fellow students Jared Jaccard, Brienna Smith, Gatrell Datuin and Nicholas Maughan. They will conclude with two five-piano pieces by Strauss and Khachaturian.

Said Yang of the grand piano grand finale: “The visual effect is stunning — and so will be the music.”

THE PROGRAM

Weber State University faculty performers are Karen Brookens, Kendra Johnson, Don Keipp, Thomas Priest, Viktor Uzur, Ralph Van der Beek, Shi-Hwa Wang, Gerta Grimci Wiemer and Yu-Jane Yang.

WSU student performers are Sharon Gatrell Datuin, Jared Jaccard, Fan-Ya Lin, Zoe Lu, Nicholas Maughan, Nathaniel Quigley, Brienna Smith, Eliza Taylor and Byron Yue.

Repertoire

Soloists —“Gnomenreigen” by Liszt (Lu, piano); “The Earl King,” transcription by Liszt (Yue, piano); “La Campanella” by Liszt (Lin, piano)

Duos — “Chanson triste” and “Le manoir de Rosemonde” by Henri Duparc (Brookens, voice, and Wiemer, piano); “Romance” by Amy Beach and “The Song of Taiwan” by Tyzen Hsiao (Wang,violin, and Yang, piano)

Trios — Poulenc’s “Trio for Piano, Oboe and Bassoon, 2nd movement” (Van der Beek, piano; Johnson, oboe; Priest, bassoon); “Dumky-Trio in E Minor, Op. 90” III and VI, by Dvorak (Wang ,violin; Uzur, cello; Yang, piano)

Five-piano finale — Arrangements by N. Jan Tan of Strauss’ “Blue Danube Waltz” arranged for five pianos, 10 hands, 50 fingers; and Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance” (five pianists: Lin, Jaccard, Smith, Datuin and Maughan).

Other surprise selections will also be included, demonstrating both the virtuosity of the performers and the quality of the Steinway instruments.