“I’m curious to know what the post-show blues will feel like as a music director,” said Dr. Sarah VandenBrink as we chatted in the sun a few days ago. Currently the Theatre Department is wrapping up rehearsals for the musical Ordinary Days, which will be presented virtually Friday-Sunday, April 16-18, and Thursday through Saturday, April …
Author Archives: Eva Dean Folkert
Instrumental Decision-Making
To perform at a high level in nearly any field requires outstanding talent and training, and for many the equipment is also crucial. The talent is intrinsic — you either have it, or you don’t. The training requires dedication and even passion — a commitment to devoting thousands of hours to pursuing mastery even while …
Spotlight on Detroit ’67
Dominique Morriseau’s Detroit ‘67 is set to stream from the Knickerbocker on February 26-28 and March 4-6. This piece was originally presented as a staged reading for the inaugural season of the Many Voices Project and will now be a fully-realized production. Co-sponsored by the Theatre Department and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion, the …
Reflections on a Virtual Theatre Festival
Attending the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is a long-standing January tradition in the Theatre Department at Hope College. The department participates in the festival’s initiatives throughout the year, faculty members regularly serve as respondents to productions within our five-state region, two of our faculty members have previously served as the region’s chair, …
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Necessary Viewing: The Thanksgiving Play
A play that addresses topics such as political correctness, misogyny, and racism towards Indigenous people inside and out of the entertainment industry will surely foster many interesting discussions.
Heather Cornell’s Dance Story Now Housed at NYC Public Library, Continues at Hope College
Heather Cornell is literally and metaphorically a mover and a shaker in the world of dance. She has been an ensemble founder and a sought-after solo artist. She is a choreographer, director and producer. She has learned from and performed with giants of the tap dance genre. In a career that has spanned four decades, …
Personal Reflections on Twelfth Night in a Pandemic
Covid-19 has put a full stop to the arts industry. Actors, musicians, technicians, arts administrators, and so many other people are in a state of limbo. Hope College is among the lucky few places that have implemented safety protocols that allow student and faculty artists to come together in these trying times to put on …
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#BLM at the KAM
A new exhibit in the Kruizenga Art Museum, Black Lives Matter, Black Culture Matters, features fifty works of art that address a variety of topics in African American history and culture from the end of the Civil War to the present. The exhibition attempts to provide some historical context for the current Black Lives Matter protests …
A Theatre Student’s Last Day of Class
Friday, April 24, 2020, the last day of classes for students here at Hope College. The “here” for most of these students is more varied these days — a handful remain in Holland, Michigan, while the rest of the 3,057 enrolled find themselves back home scattered throughout the country. Some, like myself, are fortunate enough …
Musical Showcase Reflections
Last Thursday was a pretty normal afternoon in the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts lobby. Students were doing homework, heading to practice, laughing and enjoying conversation. Everyone was a little tired from the busy few days behind and anticipating an even busier next couple. Musical Showcase was coming up, and the vibe of the …