Anything GoesVirtual opportunities to support the College of Fine Arts 

The College of Fine Arts is continually exploring ways to bring our art to you, even when circumstances prevent a traditional audience setting. This month's newsletter will, in part, highlight upcoming performances, presentations, and exhibitions that you can view while social distancing. Whether it is a live virtual premiere, a Facebook or YouTube video series, or an outdoor concert, the College of Fine Arts continues to persevere to bring you the highest quality art in all of its forms.


Text-to-Give

Choose your fund

1. Choose a fund you would like to donate to

Funds will be designated with different hashtags:

#dance
#music
#musicaltheatre
#shiftspace
#theatre

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2. Send a text to 52014

Text the number 52014 with 鈥楡shockers鈥 followed by the fund hashtag and the amount you are donating.

Example text:
@shockers #dance $15

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3. Follow the link to submit your payment information

You will be asked to insert your payment information to complete your gift to the College of Fine Arts.

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Done!

Your donation will go directly to the WSU Foundation, in the fund of your choosing. Donations may also be made through the Foundation website:

 

School of Performing Arts Virtual Events

Voices in the Void | Thursday - Saturday, March 11th - 13th, 7:30pm; Sunday, March 14th, 2:00pm

A devised theatre piece centering around a group of twenty-somethings struggling to find their own voices among pressures from all around. An evening built from the feelings, thoughts, ides, and anxieties of contemporary college students. Voices in the Void is a live theatrical event delivered virtually from our hearts and homes to yours.

[title of show] | Thursday - Saturday, March 25th - 27th, 7:30pm; Sunday, March 28th, 2:00pm

[title of show] is a musical about writing a musical about writing a musical. Yes, you read that correctly! Struggling writes, Hunter & Jeff, race against a deadline to enter an original musical into a theatre festival. With the help of the friends, Heidi & Susan, they begin to make their dreams a reality. [title of show] is an intelligent, playful, lovable musical where the audience is treated to an inside look at the tough work of being a creative artist. Frequently hilarious, occasionally heartbreaking, and thoroughly inspiring, [title of show] is a love story of individuality and creativity. Music Director: Phil Taylor

(This is a live-streamed event with two different casts.)

Thursday/Saturday:

Jeff: Ethan Crank

Hunter: Jackson Dorris

Heidi: Nora Dooley

Susan: Ariel Glorsky

Larry: Phil Taylor

 

Friday/Sunday:

Jeff: William Day

Hunter: Lucas Lowry

Heidi:  Natalie Carrera

Susan: Grace Roush

Larry: Phil Taylor

Ticketing Information

Tickets may be purchased at or by calling the WSU College of Fine Arts Box Office at 316-978-3233. All virtual tickets are $10 with discounts available for current WSU Students. Sales will close 30 minutes prior to evening performances and one (1) hour prior to matinee performances. An email will be sent to the address given on order approximately 15 minutes prior to 鈥渟how time鈥. Please ensure that any emails from fastickets@wichita.edu are not blocked by spam.

School of Music Virtual Events

The School of Music hosts many of its concerts and performances on their Facebook page. For upcoming pre-recorded events, be sure to stay in touch with the School of Music on Facebook and support them with your viewership!

Choir
Levente Sulyok "Echo"Levente Sulyok creditTed Adler "Coupled Vessel V"Ted Adler credit

Ulrich Museum hosts the XXIII Faculty Biennial: It's All Part of the Process

The Faculty Biennial is the longest-running series of exhibitions at the Ulrich Museum, and represents the breadth of creative work and research being undertaken by the faculty of the School of Art, Design and Creative Industries (ADCI). The 2021 edition is on display from January 21st through May 8th, and will showcase the faculty鈥檚 work in art history, art education, ceramics, curatorial practice, drawing, graphic design, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and new media. The biennial鈥檚 theme, It鈥檚 All Part of the Process, seeks to prompt reflections and start conversations about each faculty member鈥檚  personal process, highlighting the diversity of activities that contribute to creative practice, from research to studio time to interactions with colleagues and students, and beyond.

 
 
Dancer for "She Moved the Prairie"

WSU community members invited to share their unique stories of home for Ulrich exhibition

Sharing Matrilineal Memories at WSU, the fourth exhibition in the Solving for X = Identity series, is participatory, focused on collecting memories of home from WSU students, faculty, staff, alumni, and retirees.
 
All submitted stories and images will be included in the Solving for X exhibition and on display in the Ulrich鈥檚 Grafly Gallery from January 21 鈥 May 8, 2021.
 
On May 4th, 2021, students in Sociology, Dance, and the Honors College will present their research and choreographed performances in response to these collected memories as part of the Ulrich exhibition Solving for X=Identity: Sharing Matrilineal Memories at WSU. The performances are at 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Both performances will take place outdoors on the front terrace of the Museum to allow for appropriate social distancing. Masks are required.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Cheyla Clawson at cheyla.clawson@wichita.edu or (316) 978-3378 or Twyla Hill at twyla.hill@wichita.edu or (316) 978-7151.
 

ShiftSpace Gallery focuses on collaboration, mutual aid


Mulberry Art Gallery

The students who help run ShiftSpace Gallery are focused on community outreach this spring.  

Members of the ShiftSpace Student Group assisted with Mulberry Gallery鈥檚 first exhibition, 鈥淎llow Me to Reintroduce Myself: An Introduction to 成人头条 Artists,鈥 on view from 10 a.m. 鈥6 p.m. Monday through Saturday through March 19 at the Lux, 102 E. 1st Street.  

鈥淪hiftSpace really came in clutch,鈥 said Anthony Joiner, creative director and founder of Mulberry Gallery.  

Students hung the work in 鈥淎llow Me to Reintroduce Myself,鈥 came up with a creative lighting solution, assisted with social media, and more. This spring, Mulberry will move to a space in the Revolutsia shipping container mall near Central and Hillside. The gallery focuses on Black artists, artists of color, and artists historically excluded from gallery representation. The first exhibition includes works by several 成人头条 State alumni.  

ICT Community Fridge

Also on view at ShiftSpace is 鈥淓verybody Eats, Period,鈥 an exhibition about food that doubles as a donation drive for ICT Community Fridge, a mutual aid project that places refrigerators in businesses around 成人头条. Community members are welcome to leave food or take what they need.

Students have placed donation boxes around campus, and visitors to the gallery can drop off non-perishable items at the gallery from 9 a.m.鈥5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  

The community-based projects reflect the interests of the ShiftSpace Student Group, said President Lydia Humphreys, who has seen the power of artistic connection and collaboration in her hometown of Joplin, Missouri.

School of Performing Arts creates Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Alliance

In Summer 2020, the WSU School of Performing Arts created the SPA Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Alliance (IDEA). Born out of "deep reflection on Diversity and Inclusion in recognition of our common humanity", IDEA strives to advise, guide and dialog on matters of inclusion, diversity and equity for the School of Performing Arts. It is comprised of current students, faculty and alumni representing all programs within the School. Since its inception, SPA IDEA has met several times via Zoom to "create a space that minimizes politics and amplifies voices to inform our school and promote necessary change."

鈥淭he School of Performing Arts at 成人头条 stands in solidarity with our students and colleagues of color.   We live in a country that continues to struggle with racism and other implicit and systemic injustices for many marginalized groups of people.  

As artists and teachers in the arts, we have the unique opportunity to share stories and artistic expressions that represent our common humanity. As artists and scholars, we are compelled to speak out against injustice and against a culture that fosters the delegitimizing and dehumanizing of people based on the color of their skin. 

We are dedicated to promoting diversity and embracing cultural differences by examining curriculum, programming, policies, and practices.  We are committed to continued diversification of both our faculty & student education including guest faculty and artists of color, community dialogue focused on equity, and virtual conversations with artists across the nation.

As faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners, let's begin this work for change together by forming the School of Performing Arts Diversity Council.  The council will guide us towards a better understanding of each other and how to create a space that is diverse, inclusive, and safe for everyone.

We stand with our students and others across the nation who are building a better future.  Through direct struggle, allyship, and practice, the arts can help create the future our students deserve.   We know there is work to be done and we are committed to change.鈥

 

IDEA Members

Cheyla Clawson

Cheyla Clawson - Chair

MFA/MA (Dance/Sociology), Assistant Professor of Dance, Associate Director of the School of Performing Arts

She/Her, Mexican American/LatinX

Cheyla has instructed dance at several colleges including the University of Oklahoma, 成人头条 and Barton County College. She has performed works of various artists including Robert Battle and Douglas Nielsen. Cheyla founded Chandler Dances, a by-project dance company, in 2009 and has produced concerts across the Midwest. Ms. Clawson鈥檚 modern dance research is focused on Horton Technique, developed by modern dance pioneer Lester Horton. She attended the Horton Dance Technique Certificate Program 2013-2016 and 2020 at The Ailey School in NYC. 

Her two duets, Anam Chara (2014) and nosuchSymbiosis (2016) were invited to The National American College Dance Association Festival at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Cheyla presented her latest research focused on community integration curriculum in dance performance degrees at The American Dance Symposium 2020 through The Joyce Education Program in January of 2020 (NYC),  and was invited to present at the International Future(s) of Dance Education(s) in April of 2020 (Norway), and the International Arts in Society conference in June 2020 (Ireland). 

She is currently working on a dance film 鈥淪he Moved the Prairie鈥 focused on female Kansas farm labor practices in the early 20th century supported as a Tallgrass National Artist 2020 and WSU faculty URCA grant.  Cheyla is also working in collaboration with Dr. Twyla Hill in the WSU Sociology Department on funded research focused on memories of home of Kansas women in assisted living communities in the 成人头条, Kansas area. Her scholarship most often focuses on immersive community dance to promote social dialogue.

Sarah Bussard

Sarah E. Bussard - Faculty Member

MFA, Costume, Makeup, & Wig Designer, Assistant Professor of Theatre, Costume Design

She/Her, Filipino-American

Before coming to 成人头条 State, Sarah served as Theatre Design and Production Faculty at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas. She has also served as a resident designer and taught design for both Bethel University in Mishawaka, In, and Taylor University.

Her myriad of work includes theatre (including Indiana Repertory Theatre, Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse) opera (Sarasota Opera, Virginia Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and Chautauqua Opera, among others) as well as Film and Video.

Her recent designs include Raisin in the Sun (Indiana Repertory Theatre), A Gentleman鈥檚 Guide to Love and Murder (The 574 Theatre Company) The Imaginary Invalid (Notre Dame Department of Theatre), The Drowsy Chaperone (Bethel University, IN), and Metamorphoses (Taylor University). She also served as Key Makeup for Silk Trees (Evermore Pictures), as well as Evaluating Kaitly, and 177, award-winning short films with Runaway Pen Productions. She has also worked with the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival since 2014 as either the resident wig & makeup designer and/or costume craftsperson.

She received her B.A. in Liberal Studies (Theatre, Literature, Writing) from Bethel College (now University) in Mishawaka, IN, and her M.F.A in Design & Production from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), University of Cincinnati (where she focused on makeup/wig design and wig making.)

Aviance Battles

Aviance Battles - Alumni

Dancer, Teacher

She/Her, Black

From Kansas City, KS, Aviance is a recent college graduate from 成人头条, with her BFA in Performance Dance with an emphasis in Modern. At 成人头条 State, Aviance served as a Fine Arts Ambassador, being a representative of the Fine Arts College community and reaching out to prospective students. 

It was here Aviance has had the opportunity to perform in annual Kansas Dance Festivals and spring concerts, travel to the American College Dance Association and perform in the regional gala twice, attend Professional Development in NYC, as well as be a part of Mid-America Dance Theatre鈥檚 performance tour to Veracruz, Mexico. Aviance has had the chance to work with guest-artists Charlotte Boye-Christensen, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Jammie Walker, and Mary Lynn Graves, as well as dance companies such as Urban Bush Women from NYC and Dallas Black Dance Theatre. 

Aviance is currently living in 成人头条 as a hip-hop, modern and ballet dance teacher, and in the process of earning her Gyrotonics Teacher Training Certification. 

Esme Banuelos

Esme Ba帽uelos - Alumni

Thanks to Covid, Esme currently resides in 成人头条. She is a voiceover artist, actor, and model. After graduating, she took a break from acting but came back full swing recently. She has performed with local companies like Madcap, 成人头条 Shakespeare Company, 成人头条 Community Theatre, and Guild Hall Players. Although heavily trained in Theatre her main focus is television and film. She has audition for networks like HBO, CW, Hulu, and many more. Her motto in life is 鈥渇*** average, be legendary.鈥

Taurean Everett

Taurean Everett - Alumni

BFA Dance, Musical Theatre

He/Him, Black

Taurean Everett, a native of 成人头条, Kansas, graduated from the College of Fine Arts at 成人头条 in 2007. His professional experience planted roots during the course of his BFA program at 成人头条 State, beginning with Alithea Mime Company, led by Nicolas Johnson and Sabrina Vasquez, which offered him opportunities to perform in Taiwan, Poland, and at the United Nations in NYC. In conjunction with the dance program, he also performed at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival as a featured dancer in a production led by Linda Starkey. Guided by this experience, he began performing professionally in Ballet 成人头条鈥檚 annual production of The Nutcracker, as well as with Music Theatre of 成人头条 as a resident company member for four consecutive years before moving to NYC to pursue a career on Broadway.

After joining the Actor鈥檚 Equity Association in 2010, his experience in the field began with a wide range of regional theater performances. Some standouts include Can Can at the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse, Guys and Dolls at the famous Carnegie Hall, Little Shop of Horrors as Audrey Two in drag (setting the trend of featuring drag performers and women as that character for many productions thereafter), and the national tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Eventually he made his way to Broadway, performing in the musicals Mamma Mia, Miss Saigon, and The Cher Show. In addition, he earned several television highlights on The Tony Awards in 2018 and 2019, the 2019 Met Gala featuring Billy Porter, Project Runway (Season 18), and the New York Fashion Week Project Runway finale for the winning contestant Geoffrey Mac.

Currently, he is building a fitness brand, while simultaneously preparing to engage public school students in after-school programs focused on introduction and exposure to the Fine Arts.

Da'Merius Ford

Da'Merius Ford - Alumni

Da鈥橫erius is an NYC-based performing artist from Kansas City. He's worked regionally in theatre and at theme parks. He recently spent the last two years in South Korea as a Resident Actor for a children's theatre company where he had the opportunity to create, write and design original works for the company. Within his work, he strives to advocate for BIPOC & LGBTQ+ artists and projects alike and is grateful to be a part of the inaugural SPA IDEA.

Rev. Nick A. Smith

Rev. Nick A. Smith

BA, M.Div, Lighting and Sound Design, Pastor, Teacher, Podcaster, Mentor, Music Manager, Pastor at Plainville Church of the Nazarene

He/Him, Multi-Racial: Black, White, and Native

Nick graduated from WSU with his BA in theatre -- with emphasis in sound and lighting design. While at WSU, as well as shortly following graduation, Nick designed all around 成人头条 for WSU, Cabaret Old Town, Prairie Pines Playhouse, 成人头条 Community Theatre, Heights High School, Music Theatre for Young People, Friends University, Mosely Street Melodrama, and Roxy's Downtown. Nick worked with IATSE Local 190, Music Theatre of 成人头条, as well as engineered for several audio companies. In 2013, Nick moved to Lancaster PA to work as a lighting technician for Sight and Sound Theatres.

After the loss of his brother in 2013, Nick felt the calling into full-time ministry. He began pursuing his Masters of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky where he will be graduating in May of 2021. Nick has served as senior pastor of Burden United Methodist Church in Burden, Kansas from 2014-2016. He currently serves as senior pastor of Plainville Church of the Nazarene in Plainville, Kansas. 

Nick and his wife Kylie Jo Smith, another WSU SPA alumn, have 2 children and live in Plainville, Kansas. They host the NixMyth Podcast, which has over 5,000 downloads to date and has been heard in dozens of countries around the world. Nick also serves as the music manager for Kylie Jo as she tours and performs original Contemporary Christian Music. 

Deiondre Teagle

Deiondre Teagle - Alumni

Deiondre is an actor, choreographer, and dance instructor currently based in 成人头条, Kansas. Deiondre is a resident dance instructor for 成人头条 State University, Butler Community College, and Encore Dance Studios. Classes he teaches include Hip Hop, Jazz, Tap, Lyrical, and Ballet. Teagle has choreographed for college and high school theatre productions, high school dance teams, and studio competition companies. Professional theatre credits: ZACH Theatre, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Forum Theatre Company, and 成人头条 Contemporary Dance Theatre. Commercial credits: Gander Mountain, Koch Industries, Kansas Strong. Film credits: DEATH RANCH, Don鈥檛 Date Your Sister (see IMDb). 

Mirta N. Santana-Morales

Mirta N. Santana-Morales - Current Student

She/Her, Puerto Rican

Mirta N. Santana Morales is a Boricua actress, dancer, model, and improviser from The Gregory Agency. She is currently in her Junior year at 成人头条 pursuing a Fine Arts Bachelor鈥檚 Degree, in Theatre Performance, with a Minor in Dance. From the WSU Improv Club, Adrianna in 鈥淐omedy of Errors,鈥 Agatha in 鈥淭he Moors,鈥 Astrid in the sitcom 鈥淭hrilled To Announce,鈥 and currently Vanessa in the web series 鈥淭he Rule Of Three;鈥 Mirta has been active in the WSU Theatre program since her Freshman year. Outside of school she works at a part-time job in retail to pay for her studies. Mirta is fluent in Spanish and English and is actively working to become fluent in Korean. Learning about new cultures and their native tongue have always excited her. Mirta is thrilled to be a part of 成人头条鈥檚 SPA IDEA and to see what changes can be accomplished.

Emerson Ross

Emerson Ross - Current Student

Emerson is a Junior pursuing his BFA in Musical Theatre at 成人头条. Within the past two years, he has been involved on campus with the Office of Admissions as a Shocker Navigator and Student Ambassador. He also currently serves on the School of Performing Arts Student Council for his second year as High School Outreach Chair. Emerson is a strong advocate for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity in his 成人头条 and arts communities and is very excited to have a platform to extend these ideals within the Performing Arts community at 成人头条 State.

Award recipients

School of Digital Arts Director, student honored by 成人头条 Police Department

The 成人头条 Police Department, Domestic Violence Sex Crimes Unit and the Public Information Unit presented
 School of Digital Arts D
irector, Justin Rorabaugh, with an Outstanding Citizens plaque for his contributions in many WPD media projects and more recently, in a media campaign geared towards bringing awareness to victims of strangulation. Ciara Duarte, a current student at Shocker Studios, directed, filmed and edited the awareness video. She was also awarded the WPD鈥檚 Outstanding Citizens plaque.
 
Justin and his team of students went above and beyond to ensure a successful media campaign. Their contributions and talent, along with the launch of the DIVRT Team, made a significant impact in reducing domestic violence cases in 成人头条.
 
 
Ed Baker

Performing arts professor focuses on changing the world one class at a time

SPA professor Ed Baker is featured in an article in The Sunflower for his positive approach to teaching during the pandemic. 

鈥淲hy didn鈥檛 anyone ever tell me I could be a teacher? 鈥楥ause this is what I鈥檓 meant to do," he says in his interview with Arts and Entertainment Editor Tabitha Barr. The article highlights his approach to change, listening to others, and respect for his students and colleagues. 

鈥淚 believe that every human has a story, every story has a place where it belongs, and my entire job is to help people find the place where their story belongs,鈥 Baker says. 鈥淚 just help people tell their stories.鈥

 

Fine Arts Features

Led by Dean Rodney Miller, this series of video interviews delves deeper into the lives of many notable faculty and staff in the College of Fine Arts. Featured here are faculty members from each of the four schools: Brittany Lockard (Art, Design and Creative Industries), Justin Rorabaugh (Digital Arts), Walter Mays (Music), and Amy Baker Schwiethale (Performing Arts).