PJC drama, music students presenting Showcase

Published or Revised April 24, 2013

Paris Junior College Drama and Music Departments will present the Sixth Annual Performing Arts Showcase at 7:30 p.m. on April 26 and 27 in the Ray Karrer Theater. "Showcase is an excellent opportunity for our students to highlight their varied talents. It challenges them to stretch beyond their comfort zones to present a program of music, dance, and acting," said Philip Briggs, Instructor of Music/Director of Choirs and Vocal Music. A performance of "Another Op'nin', Another Show" from "Kiss Me Kate" with the entire cast opens the show. Other musical shows represented include "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," "A Chorus Line," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "The Fantasticks," "Chicago," "Les Miserables," "A Little Night Music," "Yentl," "Kristina från Duvemåla" (from Sweden), and "Fosse." "We are doing two fight scenes," said PJC drama instructor Alex Peevy, "one from Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' and the other from 'Macbeth,' which have given us the opportunity to show a rapier fight as well as a broadsword fight to our audience. It has also given us the opportunity to integrate students from last year's movement class with this year's movement class making for an interesting dynamic in the fighting. Both partnerships had become accustomed to working with their classmates." Scenes will be performed from "DMV Tyrant," "Macbeth," "Veronica's Room," "Doubt," "The Wager," "True West," "Waiting for Godot," "Hamlet," and "Richard III." "The student showcase is a time when our drama majors, choir and students with a musical theater concentration can come together in mutual collaboration to learn what it is like to produce a musical show and how important collaboration is within the performance arts," said William Walker, PJC drama instructor. "We try to instill in our students that collaborating with others in your area helps to create bonds and networks that could possibly help them out in the future with landing that job or gig based on the work they did with those in the showcase." Student performers include: Tyler Banks, Ryan Box, Kathryn Comer, Derek Dacus, Shelby Gilliam, Chance Hiller, Austen Naron, Latisha Perez, Lucas Robertson, Amee Shull, Derick Waugh and Kaytlyn Zimmer, all of Paris; Katrina Bishop and Anna Lowrie, Bogata; Roger Bridges, Bagwell; Shayla Caldwell, Fort Towson, Okla.; Paige Collins, Pickton; Justin Cox, Memphis, Tenn.; Monique Dickerson, Clarksville; Shantel Flanery and Debbie Huff, Cooper; Alexis Hart, Duncanville; Edward Kelley, Cleveland; Macee Mabry, Pattonville; Leah Maxson, Sherman; Michael Posival, Irving; and Katharine Wiebe, Brookston. Crew includes director, William Walker; music director, Philip Briggs; choreographer, Stephanie Hengstenberg; production accompanist, Linda Flanary; technical director, Alex Peevy; production stage manager, Taren Sartor of Paris; production assistant for music, Myriah Sillers of Heath; and sound technician, Kevin Calhoun of Paris. Production crew is Caven Thompson of Burnet, Spencer Sansom of Paris, Brittani Spang-Klotz of Blossom, and Sillers. In addition to Briggs and Flanary, the band includes Chris Watts of Bogata on bass and Greg Morrison of Powderly on drums. The showcase is an integral part of Paris Junior College's performing arts season and it gives patrons a chance to see what has been worked on in students' courses. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.