Photo: Learning from a Communications Pro

        SMYRNA – Mass Communications students gather to ask questions after a talk by arts entrepreneur Valerie Connelly (center) on Oct. 10. Connelly kicked off the autumn “Famous Communicator Speakers Series” with the presentation, “Become an Entrepreneurial Communication Wizard.” Receiving advice from Connelly were students (from left) Hayley Allen, Kailen Fox, Trey McDonald, Jacob Stevens, Cedric McCarroll, Trevarius Johnson, and Lee Bebout. (Photo by Charles Whiting)

Arts Entrepreneur Valerie Connelly to Kick Off Autumn ‘Famous Communicator Speakers Series’ on Oct. 10

By Charles Whiting

Motlow Buzz Faculty Editor

        SMYRNA – Arts entrepreneur Valerie Connelly will kick off the autumn “Famous Communicator Speakers Series” with a talk at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 (Thursday) in AWJ 124.

        Connelly’s presentation, “Become An Entrepreneurial Communication Wizard,” will explain why communication is the key to success. Her talk is open to Motlow students, faculty, administrators and staff.

        The artist’s life as an entrepreneur in the creative arts has taken many forms. She is a noted composer, singer/songwriter, screenwriter, film producer, novelist, and author of children’s books.

Arts entrepreneur Valerie Connelly (Photo provided by Valerie Connelly)

        “If you can’t promote yourself, you’re out of luck in the arts,” said Connelly, who staged her Broadway-style musical “FEARLESS!” at the Cookeville Performing Arts Center in 2016. “I’ve developed everything I was curious about. My motto is to believe in yourself and never quit.”

        The artist has authored six books, written three musical plays, brushed more than 200 paintings, composed more than 500 songs and instrumentals, created more than 15 websites for her businesses, designed more than 100 block art print images, and created mountains of promotional materials. Her latest project, a feature musical film called “LOVE IS...” (inspired by her play “FEARLESS!”) features original songs, screenplay and trailers.

        “It is a valuable effort, and now the film industry is showing interest in making the film,” she added.

        Connelly hosted the “Calling All Authors” radio talk show for six years. She also is a website designer, painter, block print and printing artist, and book publisher. She taught all levels of high school French for 25 years after starting her teaching career in the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa. She formed a non-profit travel company to provide month-long summer immersion study/travel courses.

        Other upcoming speakers for the “Famous Communicator Speakers Series” are WMOT Roots Radio Executive Director Val Hoeppner (“WMOT: Radio Of, By and For The People,” Oct. 30) and Tennessee State Rep. Mike Sparks (“The Importance of Communication in Our Digital World,” Nov. 12). The speakers series was developed by the Mass Comm program on Motlow State Community College's Smyrna campus. 

‘Lord what fools these mortals be…’

By Ramona Shelton

Motlow Buzz Managing Editor

        Fairies and mortals… love and foolishness… In “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” William Shakespeare gives us an intertwining tale with several plots set in the forest and in the realm of the fairies.

        This “play within a play” is one of the Bard’s most commonly presented works, and this was true of the 2018 Shakespeare in the Park presentation by the Nashville Shakespeare Festival. Members of the History Club attended the final performance of the season, held in Franklin’s Academy Park on Saturday (Sept. 15).

The Motlow Smyrna History Club attends William Shakepeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

        The story begins with the love quadrangle of Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena. Hermia is in love with Lysander and her BFF Helena loves Demetrius, but their powerful parents have decided that the best (arranged) marriage is between Hermia and Demetrius. Demetrius decides that he would be better off with Hermia, though she still clings to Lysander, and of course, what about poor Helena? The four run into the woods, and as you can imagine, things quickly go pear-shaped. What the erstwhile lovers do not realize is that the woods they have run into are filled with fairies and sprites led by Puck, as well as the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania.

        At the same time, Oberon and Titania are having their own little lovers’ quarrel over each other’s feelings for Athenian-engaged couple Hippolyta and Theseus. Oberon asks Puck to find a magical flower that will cause Titania to magically dote on him. Puck finds the flower and slips some to not only Titania but also to Lysander, causing him to fall for Helena. Yep, you can imagine the chaos that brings! The “mechanicals,” a group of workers who are supposed to play at the nuptials of Theseus and Hippolyta, gather in the woods to practice their performance, and Puck decides to have a little fun with them by giving Bottom, one of their members, the head of an ass. Imagine Titania’s confusion when she awakens from her magical slumber to see that!

        The play winds down with Oberon and Titania reconciling, Theseus and Hippolyta wedding as planned, and that love leading Theseus to bless the marriages of Hermia to Lysander and Helena to Demetrius. Of course, no triple wedding could be complete without some sort of festivities, right? The mechanicals put on a play that gives Bottom (with his ass’s head magically removed) the opportunity to present the longest and most dramatic death scene in history!

        The Nashville Shakespeare Festival is celebrating its 30^th anniversary, having started with their first presentation of “As You Like It” in Nashville’s Centennial Park in 1988. In 1992, The NSF developed its “Shakespeare Samplers” program in Metro Nashville Public Schools, providing abridged productions for students.

        Starting in 2008, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival established its Winter Shakespeare productions in residence at Belmont University’s Troutt Theater. More than 46,000 people have attended the winter productions since. Standouts from this included Eddie George playing the title roles in both “Julius Caesar” and “Othello.” The 2019 Winter Shakespeare presentation will also be “Julius Caesar.”

        Nearly 20 members of the Motlow Smyrna History Club attended this year’s final summer performance, enjoying the performance and definitely laughing raucously at Bottom’s exaggerated death scene. The group has plans to attend the winter production of “Julius Caesar” as well.

        For more info on the Nashville Shakespeare Festival, check out www.nashvilleshakes.org. If you are interested in joining the Motlow Smyrna History Club, contact Ramona Shelton, club advisor, at rshelton@mscc.edu or come to our next meeting at 11 a.m. Sept. 26 (Wednesday) at the covered pavilion behind the Art Walker Jr. building. 

Motlow Smyrna Offers Wide Range of Courses for Fall Semester

By Charles Whiting

Motlow Buzz Editor-in-Chief

         SMYRNA -- If you're an incoming student, no doubt you've been searching the online catalog to decide which courses to take. There are a lot of good ones, but they are filling up fast as hundreds of new students attend orientation sessions before classes begin on Aug. 27.

         Here are a few highlights:

         * Introduction to Art (ART 1035) -- A course designed to help you understand the visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture) and to show how culture and art interact.

         * Media Writing (COMM 1020) -- If you've ever wanted to write stories, this is a good course for you. Students explore writing and editing for newspapers, magazines, radio, television, public relations and social media (and you'll get to write a story for our campus e-newspaper, The Motlow Buzz.)

         *  Introduction to Biology (BIOL 1010) -- You will examine basic biological principles and survey the kingdoms of living organisms. Specific topics include cell structure and function, cell processes and reproduction, inheritance, taxonomy, viruses, bacteria, protists, fungi, plants, animals, and ecology.

         * Introduction to Literature (ENGL 2045) -- There's nothing better than reading a good book. Enjoy reading and analyzing literature as forms of cultural and creative expression.

         * Personal Finance (BUSN 1300) -- You'll learn how to refine and reach your personal financial goals. Topics may include planning, budgeting, taxes, credit, housing, insurance, investing and retirement planning.

         * Early United States History (HIST 2010) -- Explore the history of the United States from the beginning of English settlement in North America through the Revolution, early national period, disruption of the Union, Civil War and Reconstruction periods. This course ends with the events of 1876.

         * Introduction to Music (MUS 1030) -- Develop your awareness of music from many historical style periods, music from diverse cultures, and the foundations of modern streams of musical thought.

         * American Government (POLS 1030) -- Have you ever considered running for public office? This course is a study of the basic features of American government with emphasis on constitutional principles and the structure and functions of the three branches of national government.

         * Introduction to Theatre (THEA 1030) -- This course provides an overview of theatre as an art form. Included in the course is the study of the development of drama, the theatre, and an appreciation and understanding of the theatrical process.

         To learn more about these courses and learn about others, visit http://catalog.mscc.edu/index.php?catoid=15.

Springhouse in Smyrna Presents 'Sherlock Holmes'

 Rachel Towle

Motlow Buzz Contributing

       SMYRNA, Tenn. - - Springhouse Worship and Arts Center, a community theatre located in 

Smyrna, Tennesee, will present the play "Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery" from April 27-

29.       

          The show follows detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner Dr. John Watson as they attempt

to solve the mystery surrounding the moors of Baskerville. The audience met a character named Dr. 

Mortimer who believed that a devlish hound was prowling the moors. The original owner of 

Baskerville Sir Hugo Baskerville kidnapped a young woman and brought her to his home. When she 

escaped at night, Sir Hugo ran after her through the moors and was attacked by a giant hound.

            The heir to the Baskerville fortune, Sir Charles Basherville, was thought to have died under 

suspicious circumstances. Dr. Mortimer told Sherlock Holmes that when he witnessed the event, he 

saw a startled look on Sir. Charles' face and giant pawprints nearby.

            It is up to Sherlock and Dr. Watson to solve the mystery of what happened to the previous 

owners and prevent the next heir, Sir Henry, from meeting the same fate.

            The script was written by American playwright Ken Ludwig and is based on Conan Doyle's 

novel, "The Hound of Baskerville."

            The plot dealt with dark themes, while each scene consisted of humorous characters.

            "When I read the script, I was intriqued," Director Charlotte Myhre said. "There is a lot of 

honesty in the midst of comedy. It's a massive story told by a small cast."

            The focus is placed more on the plot and characters instead of the overall set design. It is full 

of entertaining characters and surprising costume changes. The cast is made up of five people, and 

three of them play multiple characters.

            The role of Sherlock Holmes if played by Phil Brady and Dr. Watson is played by Dee 

Rogers.

            "I would describe Sherlock as an overachiever, intense, attention deficit, intelligent, and 

creative," Brady said.

            Actor Jacob Myhre plays 14 characters, inlcuding Dr. Mortimer, Baron Scarpia, Man with 

Black Beard, Lucy, Milker, Castilian Desk Clerk, Trap Driver, Barrymore, Stapleton, Victor, Doctor 

McCann, Country Farmer, Hound, and Sir John Falstaff.

            Actor Matthew Dale Carona portrays seven characters, including Sir Charles Baskerville, 

Daisy, Sir Hugo Baskerville, Bradley the Tobacconist, Sir Henry Baskerville, Wilson, and Inspector 

Lestrade.

            Actress Kristen Ownby plays 15 characters, including Mrs. Hudson, Maiden, Shepherdess, 

Floria Tosca, Cartwright, German Maid, Baby, Mrs. Clayton, Train Conductor, Mrs. Barrymore, 

Miss Stapleton, Nurse Malloy, Winnie, Nurse MacKeeble, and Laura Lyons.

            The cast and crew spent two months preparing for opening night. Ownby contacted actresses 

from different parts of the world to learn the different accents she uses for each character.

            Quick costume changes were scheduled and had to be perfected by the cast and wardrobe. 

Stage hands were responsible for moving sets and props on and off stage. 

            The audience laughed at the humor portrayed amid the dark themes and applauded the quick 

costume changes.  

            "It's neat to see the high level-skill portrayed by the characters quickly, as well as the 

different accents, too, especially with just five people," audience member Margaret Tant said.      

            Springhouse first became a performing arts center more than 10 years ago and showcases 

around four plays a season. The list of shows, showtimes and ticket prices are available on their 

website at springhousesmyrna.com/. The theatre is located at 14119 Old Nashville Highway in 

Smyrna.

            Showtimes for "Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery" include April 27 at 7:30 p.m., 

April 28 at 7:30 p.m., and April 29 at 3:30 p.m.

          

Middle Tennessee State University Theatre Students Perform 'A Streetcar Named Desire'

By Shane Standifur

Motlow Buzz Reporter

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Middle Tennessee State University theatre students performed the well- known drama “A Streetcar Named Desired” to a sold out crowd at Tucker Theatre on April 6.

The Tennessee Williams play, which is set in 1940s New Orleans, is known for the chaos Blanche Dubois creates when she moves into her sister’s,Stella Kowalski apartment. Blanche has very high standards and morals compared to her sister, and the people in New Orleans. She has a rough time adjusting to their way of life.

Blanche also has numerous arguments with her brother-in-law, Stanley Kowalski. Blanche’s indiscreet past comes to light in an argument with Stanley, which makes everyone think less of her. Stanley realizes that Blanche is making up stories and events that happened in her life that didn’t happen, even though Blanche thinks they did. The tension builds throughout the play until Blanche is taken away by doctors to a mental institution.

“When we were deciding what kind of play to do this semester, this particular drama was an easy one to choose,” said MTSU Artistic Director Marsha Barksy. “ It is a play that has been done for years, and our actors were very eager to do this play.”

Blanche Dubois was played by Hannah Ewing. She used an authentic Mississippian accent to pull the  audience in. Her well-spoken lines and movement kept theatre-goers guessing what was going to happen next.

Connor McCabe drew applause for playing the hot-tempered Stanley. The arguments between Stanley and Blanche felt real.He nailed the role of a man with a vicious temper.

Having a modern theatre like Tucker Theatre gives us advantages that some other theatres do not have,” said Stage Manager Megan Inmon. “ We were able to have a streetcar sound effect go over the speakers. So it sounded like a real streetcar being stopped outside of the apartment just as it would in real life.”

The talent of the artistic staff brought the well-known drama to life.  The stage featured the Kowalskis’ apartment, as well as a second-floor apartment for their friends, Steve Hubbell and Eunice Hubbell. The artistic staff created real stairs that connected the two apartments, acting as a door for actors and actresses to enter and exit the stage.

“We also had an opening and closing door sound effect so actors would not have to rely on a real door”said Inmon. Sometimes they can get tricky, and it allowed our actors and audience to use their imagination.”

Another way the talent of the artistic staff shined was the way the background was created. A green screen was projected in the very back of the stage that would change colors based on what time it was during the day. Powerlines were projected on the screen that connected to prop streetlights created by the artistic staff, this giving the effect that a real streetlight was made.

Of course, every successful drama has a great production staff, and “A Streetcar Named Desire” had one. The scene changes were smooth and fast. The sound engineers mastered a state-of-the-art speaker system, giving the audience a well-defined, crisp sound of the actor’s voices. The lighting crew never missed a beat, dimming the lights when they were supposed to, and spotlighting the actors when needed. Needless to say, “A Streetcar Named Desire” was what every audience member and theatre lover could ever hope for, a perfect play that everyone from the actors to the sound crew to the directors handled professionally.  

The next scheduled play at MTSU is “How I Learned To Drive,” which will take place at Studio Theatre from Oct. 4-13. Anyone interested in pursuing theatre at MTSU can find more information at  http://www.mtsu.edu/programs/theatre/.

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‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ Opens At Springhouse Theatre

By Anthony Czelusniak

Motlow Buzz Reporter

SMYRNA, Tenn. – Springhouse Theatre in Smyrna opened its production of “Mark Twain Presents the Adventures of Tom Sawyer” on April 8, giving the classic tale a unique twist.

“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is the story of a boy from the mid-1800s who found himself in many adventures. Tom skipped school, dug for buried treasure, and even served as the key witness to a murder.

This particular adaptation of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” added the unique perspective of Mark Twain interjecting his thoughts on the tales between each scene. The character Tom Sawyer was based on the childhood of Mark Twain, drawing inspiration from his own experiences and the adventures of boys he grew up with. The presence of Mark Twain as a character to the story gave the classic novel a new angle. 

Jack Gilpin as Mark Twain
(Provided by Kenn Stilger)

“It was a lot of fun trying to match the way Mark Twain would speak,” said Jack Gilpin who played Mark Twain, “The famous Twain wit is hard to match but getting it right was made simple by the excellent volunteers here.”

While Mark Twain wrote the original “Adventures of Tom Sawyer”, playwright Mike Parker adapted it for the stage. Parker moved from Texas to Nashville in 1993. He is no stranger to adapting novels into stage productions. He has written two other successful plays, “Fail-Safe the Stage Play” and “Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray”. Parker has a long history in acting on stage as well as being a stage director in many plays.

Springhouse Theatre is local to Smyrna and part of the Springhouse Worship and Arts Center. Opened in 2004, The Theatre provides a professional and open experience to the community. Even though the theatre is operated by a Christian ministry, it is not a requirement to be part of the ministry to audition for the plays hosted there. Volunteers make of a majority of the staff at the theatre, including a board of directors, of which Parker is a member.

               Directed by Ronnie Meek, the cast is comprised of all local talent. William Hearn stars as Tom Sawyer with Jack Forte as Huckleberry Fin and Gilpin as Mark Twain.

                “Working with all local talent is fantastic, and having all these volunteers come out and give something to the community really is special,” Meek said, “I really am proud of what we can accomplish here at the theatre.”

The cast of Mark Twain Presents The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
(Provided by Springhouse Theatre)

 

Tickets can be purchased at www.springhousetheatre.com. The play runs every Friday and Saturday throughout the month of April. Doors open at 7 p.m.

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