COAL Newsletter - Spring 2010

The College of Arts & Letters

NewHorizons

NewHorizons

NewHorizonsA publication for the alumni and friends of The College of Arts & LettersFall 2006 • Volume 1 • Issue 1

A publication for the alumni and friends of The College of Arts & Letters Missouri State University • Spring 2010 • Volume 4 • Issue 2

Students and alumni from the College of Arts and Letters made significant contributions to the independent film Winter’s Bone, which has received multiple accolades.

The film, directed by Debra Granik, received the Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic category for Best Independent Film at the

2010 Sundance Film Festival, which was held in January in Park City, Utah. Granik and co-writer Anne Rosellini also won Sundance’s Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award for the film’s screenplay. Winter’s Bone has also been honored at the Berlin International Film Festival. Roadhouse Pictures picked up the distribution rights for Winter’s Bone, and it is scheduled for limited release June 11.

Winter’s Bone is adapted from the novel of the same name by Daniel Woodrell, an author from West Plains. The story is set in the Ozarks, and filming for the movie version took place in several communities near Branson.

The film centers on 17-year-old Ree Dolly, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and her struggles to keep her household intact in the wake of her father’s arrest on drug charges. After her father jumps bail, Ree sets out

to find him before the family loses its home — but she must overcome complicit silence from friends, family and neighbors who take care of their own.

Arts and Letters students were part of the cast of Winter’s Bone. Lauren Sweetser, a senior in Theatre/Acting, plays Gail, Ree’s best friend. Sweetser has been involved in several Theatre and Dance productions, including the lead role in the fall 2009 production of Miss Julie. Sweetser says Gail is a support system for Ree.

“Gail’s loyalty is a dominating characteristic, both to her family and Ree,” Sweetser says. “She is always there no matter what may happen and has maternal instincts not often seen in a girl of her age. She has seen a lot and had to grow up really fast.”

Through her role in the film, Sweetser has received membership in the Screen Actors Guild, the primary union for actors in film, and has made many contacts in the industry through visiting Sundance and attending other promotional events.

Despite these advantages, Sweetser is still determined to work hard. “People often ask me, ‘How is this going to change your life or affect your career?’ My answer is always that it has already changed my life in so many different ways, and I have no expectations for what it may or may not do for me career-wise,” Sweetser says. “This is an extremely tough industry and you can’t really have high expectations for anything or you will be let down. You really have to be realistic when you’re gearing up for this industry.”

“Even though I’ve been extremely lucky to have gotten to break into the industry by way of Winter’s Bone, there is still a long road ahead,” Sweetser says about her future. “Whether Winter’s Bone does or does not affect my career, I will still be faced with many, many challenges in climbing the ladder. I’ve

Sundance-winning film Winter’s Bone, set in the Ozarks, features talent from Missouri Stateby Phillip George, graduate assistant

ExpressionsArts & Letters

Lauren Sweetser, a Missouri State student, plays Gail in the independent film Winter’s Bone.

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2 College of Arts and Letters

Every now and then, everyone needs to get out of town. Sometimes you just need a brief change of scenery; other times you need to go away for a while before you can come back with a fresh perspective. Whether a weekend getaway or a decades-long absence,

getting out of town can be a good thing.This issue of Expressions highlights a number

of students and faculty who have been hitting the road recently. The roads lead many places. Park City, Utah. Qingdao in the People’s Republic of China. New York. New Orleans. Los Angeles. Sarajevo. College of Arts and Letters folks sure do get around.

One reason to take a road trip is because you have been invited somewhere. Our students’ excellent work often affords them opportunities to venture away from Springfield to share their accomplishments. Trips by our Concert Chorale, Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Band to Denver, Atlanta and Tan-Tar-A, respectively, were at the invitation of prestigious music educators’ groups. Students in Kurt Heinlein’s original play, Evangeline Drowning, had the opportunity to perform in several venues in the Gulf Coast region.

It also is important that we give students opportunities to perform away from Springfield to show them – and others – that they can compete with the best talent anywhere. At performance showcases in New York and Los Angeles, national debate tournaments, international art competitions, and even the Sundance Film Festival, our students consistently prove that no matter where you want to go in your career, you need go no further than Springfield, Missouri to obtain the quality education that will prepare you to get there.

Students are not the only ones getting out of town. The work of our faculty is recognized around the world, demonstrating that their influence extends well beyond our campus. For example, in this issue you will read about music professors John Prescott and Michael Casey’s work in China, and about the art of design professor Cedomir Kostovic

being displayed in the new U.S. Embassy building in Sarajevo. Arts and Letters students at Missouri State receive a world class education right here in the Ozarks.

Our cover story highlights May 2010 theatre graduate Lauren Sweetser, co-star of film Winter’s Bone, as well as several other students and alumni who were involved in that project. The film won the top dramatic film prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and has been playing to rave reviews at other national festivals prior to its theatrical release in June. Shot entirely on location in the Ozarks, the film is representative of a growing interest in Missouri and the Ozarks as a production location. Sometimes our getting out of town encourages others to come back home with us for a visit.

As the local paper reminds us daily, “’tis a privilege to live in the Ozarks.” We are proud to contribute to the quality of life here and to prepare students for every opportunity, from southwest Missouri to eastern China. If you have been out of town for a while, I hope you will consider a trip back “home” to campus sometime soon. And if you can’t make it all the way back to Springfield, I invite you to look for one of the many alumni events held around the country that may be close to you. A complete list of alumni events can be found online at www.missouristate.edu/alumni, including regular “3rd Thursdays” events in Kansas City and St. Louis and annual visits to a number of major metropolitan areas nationwide.

Summer is almost here. I hope you have a getaway or two planned. It’s good to get out town once in a while. n

From the Dean

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND LETTERS OFFICE STAFF

Main Telephone: 417-836-5247Main Fax: 417-836-6940

Main Office: Craig Hall, Suite 106Email: [email protected]

Carey AdamsDean

Email: [email protected]

Roger StonerAssociate Dean


Pat O’NeillExecutive Assistant

Telephone: 417-836-4366Email: [email protected]

Darin WallaceBudget Officer


Marie MurphreeDirector of Development

Office: Meyer Alumni Center, Room 303Telephone: 417-836-6740


Barb JonesDirector of Special Events


Angela BarkerInstructional Technology Support Specialist


Lynda JohnsonDirector, Student Exhibition Center

Student Exhibition Center838 E. Walnut St.

Springfield, MO 65897Telephone: 417-836-6996

Fax: 417-836-8735Email: [email protected]

Julie BloodworthDirector, Missouri Fine Arts Academy

Office: Craig Hall, Room 394Telephone: 417-836-6607


Leatha AultCoordinator, Missouri Fine Arts Academy



Brooks TravisDistributed User Support Specialist



Phillip GeorgeGraduate Assistant


Steve EudalyStudent Photographer/Videographer


Missouri State University adheres to a strict nondiscrimination policy and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status, or on any basis (including, but not limited to, political affiliation and sexual orientation) not related

to the applicable educational requirements for students in any program or activity offered or sponsored by the University. Printed on recycled paper. CAL 261 10

Carey AdamsDean

For monthly reflections on the work of the College of Arts and Letters, visit the Dean’s Blog at coal.missouristate.edu

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GETTING OUT OF TOWN

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Your support can help students travel the worldby Marie Murphree, director of development

If there is one thing I know about myself, it’s that I did not get my wanderlust from my father’s side of the family.

My dad was perfectly content to settle down in his hometown, and he didn’t travel much. In fact, besides his stint in the Navy in San Diego

and a trip to Ireland late in his life, I don’t think he went much farther than work and home. Granted, home was right across the bay from New York City — a place where you can experience pretty much anything you desire.

As for me, success meant leaving my hometown and striking out to explore the world around me. I still have many places on my travel list, but I have found that being rooted in one location provides me with a great starting point for where I want

to go. This is the case with many of our faculty, students and alumni. As you read this newsletter, you will be amazed at the many places we touch as we are successful beyond the campus of Missouri State while also representing what is best about our University.

Obviously, we would like to provide our students and faculty with every opportunity to broaden their horizons and pursue their research through travel to other regions and countries. The kicker is that for students and faculty alike, costs for this kind of travel can be prohibitive. A gift to one of the College of Arts and Letters’ travel funds will help defray these costs. There are several ways of giving that can be found online at www.missouristatefoundation.org/waysofgiving.asp/.

I do wish more travel money had been available when I was a student. Maybe my list of places to visit would now be a little shorter. n

Marie Murphree

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND LETTERS ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

Art and DesignOffice: Ellis Hall, Room 308Telephone: 417-836-5110

Web: art.missouristate.eduWade Thompson, head


CommunicationOffice: Craig Hall, Room 375

Telephone: 417-836-4423Web: communication.missouristate.edu

Kelly Wood, headEmail: [email protected]

English

Office: Siceluff Hall, Room 215Telephone: 417-836-5107

Web: english.missouristate.eduW.D. Blackmon, head


Media, Journalism and FilmOffice: Craig Hall, Room 376

Telephone: 417-836-5218Web: mjf.missouristate.edu

Mark Biggs, acting headEmail: [email protected]

Modern and Classical Languages

Office: Siceluff Hall, Room 223Telephone: 417-836-5122

Web: www.missouristate.edu/mclMadeleine Hooper, head


MusicOffice: Ellis Hall, Room 206Telephone: 417-836-5648

Web: www.missouristate.edu/musicDianne Strickland, acting head


Theatre and DanceOffice: Craig Hall, Room 355

Telephone: 417-836-4400Web: theatreanddance.missouristate.edu

Bob Willenbrink, headEmail: [email protected]

Welcome Julie Combs, who begins duties as head of the Department of Music on July 1. Combs comes from Oklahoma State University where she served as

music department head and a professor since 2005. Prior to her academic career,

Combs was the fourth woman to be a member of the United States Army Band in Washington, D.C., where she

was principal oboe with the U.S. Army Chamber Orchestra.

The Langston Hughes Project visited Missouri State University on April 12 to perform the famous African-American poet’s jazz poem suite “Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz.” The group, a multimedia arts group from the University of Southern California, regularly travels to perform the suite, a twelve-part epic poem written and scored by Langston Hughes but left unfinished by his death in 1967. According to Dr. Ronald McCurdy, professor of music at the University of Southern California and director of the Langston

Hughes Project, “Ask Your Mama” is drawn from a diverse range of musical styles.

Three workshops were held in advance of the evening performance. These included “The Role of Art in a Social Movement,” “The Creative Process: How to Launch an Idea,” and “Navigating a Career in Music.” McCurdy participated in both the workshops and performance. He describes “Ask Your Mama” as “Hughes’s homage in verse and music to the struggle for artistic and social freedom at home and abroad at the beginning of the 1960s.”

“The Langston Hughes Project was an engaging intellectual and musical experience for our faculty, students, staff and community, and the companion workshops were rewarding and insightful,” Associate Dean Roger Stoner says. “As the musical director, McCurdy incorporated the perfect balance of music and videography with Langston Hughes’ words. His performance as a trumpeter and moderator was inspiring; demonstrating emotional conviction, nuance and true professionalism. The videography was artistic and the timing and pacing enhanced a most compelling event.” n

Langston Hughes Project by Phillip George, graduate assistant

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Dr. Ronald McCurdy performs one of his original compositions during the multimedia performance of the Langston Hughes Project.

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Robert Little, associate professor in the theatre and dance department, has a wealth of professional experience to draw from when teaching scene design at Missouri State.

Little worked for Feld Entertainment, one of the largest live entertainment providers in the world, for 10 years. While there, he designed sets for Disney on Ice shows, circuses including Barnum & Bailey and Ringling Bros. and other live shows in New York and Las Vegas. Little also worked as an assistant design consultant on the soap opera Guiding Light.

He grew up in New Jersey and studied at Brandeis University under Howard Bay, a famous set designer he refers to as “Mr. Broadway.” Bay was involved with the Federal Theatre Project in the 1930s and designed the sets for the original production of The Music Man. Little says that though Bay’s teaching was demanding, Bay helped him develop a critical eye for judging the effectiveness of set pieces. The experiences Bay related were entertaining and informative, Little says: “He had a wealth of stories.”

Little was involved with several Disney on Ice shows, the most recent of which played in New Jersey last year. Each production involved roughly 40 skaters, backdrops and set pieces. The set pieces for ice vary in size and complexity, ranging from small pieces that the skaters can

push to larger pieces with their own motors that can be driven around the ice. The sets were designed so that they could be easily be transported to different ice arenas for touring performances. Some productions reinterpret a particular Disney film — two that Little worked on were Beauty and the Beast and Toy Story — while others incorporate characters from several films. The most recent production Little worked on, Let’s Celebrate, featured a wide range of characters, including Mickey and Minnie

Mouse, Jack Skellington of The Nightmare Before Christmas and Princess Tiana from Disney’s recent The Princess and the Frog.

Little says working with ice has both advantages and disadvantages. A plus: The ice is “literally a blank canvas;” it’s 100 feet of space that offers great potential for artistic expression. But the dampness of the ice can constrain a design. “Everything gets wet,” he says. Ice set designers must choose materials that will resist water wear; costume designers have to worry about this as well, since prolonged water exposure would ruin cotton and other materials that skaters might wear on stage.

Little says the primary difference between working in New York and Las Vegas and working on sets at the University is one of scale, but says that many of the fundamentals of set design stay the same. Little says there may also be monetary and creative constraints when working with a producer or established brand. He previously had vast resources to experiment with new designs, which will help him teach students to be creative: “I got to try a lot of things.” n

Scene designer brings abundant experience to role as professor

Robert Little has worked on set design for a number of professional shows, including Disney on Ice (left).

Below: Little’s designs from the opera Carmen (Act 4, lower left; Act 2, bottom).

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Winter’s Bonecontinued from page 1

never been allergic to a little hard work, so whatever happens, I know I’ll be fine.”

In addition to Sweetser, four other members of the local Creative Actors Workshop — Charlotte Lucas, Brandon Gray, Casey MacLaren and Cody Brown — have parts in the film.

Several crew members also have University connections. Nathan Shelton, a Theatre graduate, worked on special effects, including prosthetics. Sid MacGregor, who produced the documentary One + One: A Human Network was also a crew member for the film. Shawn Nash, a Theatre and Dance alum, coordinated stunts.

Winter’s Bone made its Springfield premiere at the University on May 14. A special screening for the student body and general public was held commencement evening at the Plaster Student Union Theater. The event included a short interview with the director and performances from two local musical groups, Marideth Sisco’s

band and the White River Music Company, both of which contributed music to the film.

“The impact of the film has been great, particularly in terms of the financial implications for the Branson area,” Mark Biggs, head of the Department of Media, Journalism and Film, says. “A total economic impact of more than half a million dollars resulted from the making of the film last year.” Biggs predicts that Winter’s Bone will generate additional tourism in the Ozarks

and that its influence will likely be felt beyond the area. “Artistically, it shows that a great script and good acting and directing can make up for the lack of a huge budget,” he says, noting that the total budget for the film was around $750,000.

“A good story, told well, can still find an audience and win both critical praise and financial reward. It also proves again that the University produces great actors and actresses.” n

Above: MSU student Lauren Sweetser plays Gail, a young mother.

Far left: Director Debra Granik

Left: Winter’s Bone, a story about a teen girl trying to help her family in desperate times, was filmed in areas around Branson.

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Missouri State University’s China program has allowed students and faculty members from Springfield to participate in exchange programs with campuses in China, including Qingdao University.

Located in the Shandong province in eastern China near the Yellow Sea, Qingdao is home to 2.7 million people in its city and 7.3 million in its subprovince. Qingdao University is the second-oldest national university, established in 1901, and its student population is 95,000. Several music department faculty members and students have visited Qingdao University to learn more about Chinese traditional instruments and to participate in Qingdao’s music program. This program consists

of both a Western division, in which Qingdao students learn Western instruments and musical styles, and a Folk division, in which students learn traditional Chinese instruments.

Dr. John Prescott and Michael Casey, music professors, have both traveled to Qingdao and regard their experiences as highly positive.

Students in the music department have also seen changes thanks to the cultural exchange. In MUS 130, the department’s multicultural music course, students spend a unit learning how to play the hulusi, a traditional Chinese instrument. Derived from the Chinese words for “gourd” and “silk,” a hulusi is a free-reed wind instrument consisting of three bamboo pipes and a gourd wind

chest. Students have also expressed desire to learn more about traditional Chinese instruments; many composition students have incorporated traditional Chinese instruments into their work, and some music students have even traveled to Qingdao for additional study.

Prescott’s connection to Qingdao started when he and his wife traveled to China to adopt their daughter. This blossomed into a regular partnership. In addition to traveling to Qingdao and working with faculty there, Prescott has helped bring several Qingdao faculty members to the University to perform. Qingdao professors have performed three concerts at the University since 2007. Professors, Sun Li and Meng Lei, have performed in all three concerts; a third professor, Zhang Ruirui, participated with professors Sun and Meng in a Traditional Music of China Concert in November 2009. For these concerts, Sun Li played the guzheng, a 21-string harp; Meng Lei played the dizi, a woodwind instrument made from bamboo; and Zhang Ruirui played the erhu, a two-string fiddle. All three also performed at Brewer Science Corporation in Rolla, a corporation that has assisted in financing the exchange program, and joined Prescott for a concert for children at Delaware Elementary School in Springfield.

Casey visited Qingdao for a month in 2009 to serve as guest conductor for their Western orchestra and prepare them for two end-of-term concerts. Under his direction, the orchestra performed a solo concert and also participated in the New Year’s concert on Dec. 29. This is Qingdao’s special end-of-term concert that features both Western and Folk orchestras as well as pianists, vocalists and numerous other performances.

Casey is not sure of future plans to return to China, but he says he would like to go back.

“I felt very welcome,” Casey said. “What I enjoyed most was the humanity of the Chinese people. They are very social and very kind.” n

Music department building strong relationships with peers in China

Above: Professor Meng Lei directs students playing the hulusi.

Left: Professor Sun Li teaches MSU student Lacey Lee the guzheng.



Above: Michael Casey conducts Qingdao’s Western orchestra as a guest last year.

Left: Professor Sun Li plays the guzheng for school children at Delaware Elementary in Springfield.

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Evangeline Drowning, a social-drama by Theatre and Dance faculty member Dr. Kurt Gerard Heinlein, premiered in February at Coger Theatre on the Missouri State campus.

Evangeline Drowning is the story of youth culture in the Louisiana wetlands. Its characters consist of teenagers who must confront the loss of identity and community as rising tides and manmade factors consume wetland at an alarming rate. According to the play’s literature, wetland disintegration consumes the equivalent of one football field every 15 minutes.

Heinlein, who wrote and directed Evangeline Drowning, developed it through a Missouri State

Futures Grant and support from the College of Arts and Letters. Assistance during the first year of grant development was provided by Dr. Inno Onweume, former associate dean of the College of Natural and Applied Sciences. Heinlein spent more than a year conducting research in Louisiana to compose the play, which consists of readings in which the teenagers share their stories accompanied by music and video. The play’s action is driven by Hurricane Katrina; video of the hurricane is included, and the play’s first two acts chronicle the characters’ thoughts before and after Katrina.

Heinlein is an advocate of green theatre, which

uses productions to shine a light on environmental issues. In 2008 he published the book Green Theatre: Promoting Ecological Preservation of Humanity and Nature. It focuses on theatre as a way to draw attention to problems. It also examines past successes and failures of green-theatre efforts in order to provide advice

for people who want to stage successful green-theatre productions. A press release about Green Theatre and Evangeline Drowning states that the book “demonstrates the unique power theatrical performance holds in stimulating the imagination, engaging innate processes of human identification with the natural world, altering personal mores, and ultimately, in positively altering our socio-environmental behaviors.” In it, Heinlein quotes Zelda Fichlander, former artistic director of Arena Stage (a major regional theatre company in Washington, D.C.), who said, “I would love to do green plays, but where are they?” This quote precedes a call to action for theatre companies to stage more green-theatre productions in order to get these productions to a point where they are commercially viable and can more effectively address social issues.

Matt Tassell, a student who performed in Evangeline Drowning, says his participation opened his mind.

“I had always been conscious of the environmental issues, though I admit I didn’t understand them all,” Tassell says. “Unlike my

Faculty-written drama with environmental message performed on campus, away

Top: Opening scene from Evangeline Drowning, Act I, pre hurricane

Left: End of Act I, pre-hurricane, of Evangeline Drowning

Above: Some of the Evangeline cast gather for lunch on Bourbon Street.

Matt Tassell


character, I’m not a scientifically-minded person. I understood that there are problems that need to be fixed, but I coudn’t have a true debate on these issues because I couldn’t explain them.”

Tassell’s character, Thoreau, was raised in a scientifically-aware family; his parents are a hurricane researcher and a third-grade science teacher. Tassell says Thoreau contributes many scientific and political arguments to the discourse and is the only character who was not born in the bayou area, although he has come to love the area and the people in it. Like many of the characters in

the play, Thoreau is angry at the government after Katrina for what he sees as its failure to respond. Through researching and preparing for the role, Tassell was inspired to do more research of his own on the issues framing the play.

“I still can’t claim that I’m an expert on global warming, or even on wetland disintegration, but I still understand much more,” Tassell says.

The cast and crew put on four performances of the play for local audiences in late February before taking it on the road and performing at several Louisiana venues. On March 7, the cast and crew

performed at the Bayou Playhouse in Lockport on March 8, they performed at the Southern Repertory Theatre in New Orleans; and on March 9, they performed at the Swine Palace at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.

Tassell says there was a “certain safety” in performing the play on campus, and felt nervous about performing in Louisiana.

“Even if the University audiences didn’t like the play, I figured that they would at least learn something. But performing in Louisiana really scared me,” Tassell says. “We weren’t telling them anything they didn’t know, so the play has to work on a more emotional level.”

Tassell says despite his apprehension, the Louisiana performances were a success.

“The people I met in Louisiana were some of the nicest, most gracious, and most fun people I have ever come across,” he says.

“I completely fell in love with their culture – the music, the food, the beautiful landscapes. I was honored to be given this opportunity.” n

Above: Evangeline Drowning, Act III, post hurricane.

Left: Cast of Evangeline Drowning enjoy time in the French Quarter


Dr. James Parsons, professor of music history, has published an article that explores the story of a music text by two men, one of whom was later placed on the Hollywood blacklist during the Cold War amid charges of communist activity.

Parsons says the circumstances behind his latest article were “very lucky.” He based the article on files discovered in the offices of Oxford University Press in New York by a Louisiana State University professor, David Culbert. Culbert’s willingness to share the information with Parsons allowed him to conduct his research.

The result was an article called “The exile’s intellectual mission: Adorno and Eisler’s Composing for the Films.” It was published in the Winter 2009 issue of the quarterly journal Telos.

Composing for the Films was a book started by German composer Hanns Eisler. It became a collaboration between Eisler and philosopher and musicologist Theodor Adorno. Parsons is the first to use this information in a substantive way.

Parsons’ article discusses the tortured history of Composing for the Films. In 1947, when the book was first published, Eisler was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee to answer accusations of communist activity. Eisler left the United States in 1948 and settled in East Germany, after which Adorno withdrew his support for the book. Because of the split, only Eisler’s name appears on the first edition. The release of an edition by Adorno in 1969, several years after Eisler’s death, prompted debate over each author’s role in the book. While each author’s exact contribution may never be known, Culbert’s discovery of memos and letters documenting the creation of Composing for the Films definitively connects Adorno to the book.

Parsons’ article examines the development of Composing for the Films in terms of exile, a concept which was familiar to both of the text’s authors. In addition to Eisler’s 1948 exile from the United States, both Adorno and Eisler had been forced to emigrate from Germany to California after the rise of Hitler’s Nazi government.

In Hollywood, Eisler had composed scores for films and wrote criticism of film music, which he and Adorno referred to as a “contemporary culture industry.” This idea was based on the extent to which scores were based on other successful scores as well as the extent to which a film composer’s job was segmented, with many different composers working on music for one scene or mood.

This is not the first time Parsons has contributed to music scholarship. His personal interest in the field lies in “the intersection of

music and song,” and he studies the “lied,” or German art song, which is a literary poem set to music. Parsons has edited and contributed two articles to The Cambridge Companion to the Lied, a volume consisting of several articles from music scholars about the lied.

Parsons also teaches several music history courses at the University. He says music history is important because it is a study of human constants, a study of permanence that offers contrast to the fast-paced world.

“Music is a form of human expression,” Parsons says. “In learning about any mode of such expression, we learn more about what it means to be human.” n

Music professor Parsons publishes article about Cold War-era book

Dr. James Parsons with an original 1947 edition of Composing for the Films, a joint publication between German composer Hanns Eisler and philosopher and musicologist Theodor Adorno. Parsons has published an article that discusses the history of the book after Einsler was accused of communist activity and Adorno withdrew his support for the initial edition.

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Work by Art and Design Professor Cedomir Kostovic, a native of Bosnia, will be on display in the new U.S. Embassy building in Sarajevo when it opens later this year. The State Department purchased the works

“Freedom” and “The Equality of People” through the Art in Embassies program, an initiative to showcase the art of American citizens. Kostovic’s work was selected through a search conducted by JAN Gallery in La Jolla, Calif.

“This is really a big honor,” Kostovic says. “Now, when I’m almost 20 years away from my homeland, I feel that part of me is now physically there.”

Kostovic received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in graphic design from the Sarajevo Academy of Fine Arts. He came to the United States in 1990 when his wife Iwona (also an artist) received a graduate scholarship to study painting and printmaking at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. He became an artist-in-residence at the school. While they were there, war broke out in Bosnia. They decided to stay in the United States; he took the job at Missouri State in 1992.

He has participated in poster competitions worldwide and has more than 100 national and international awards. One of his works

was recently included in “Sparking Change,” the 2010 Peace Calendar of the War Resisters League, along with a piece from one of his students, Frank Norton. He was also included in “The Letters of Bulgaria: Alphabet of Europe,” an international traveling exhibit which was displayed at Missouri State’s Student Exhibition Center from August to September 2009.

Kostovic never lacks inspiration for his work.

“I have an intense need to visually comment on things around me that affect me personally, and share my impressions with my audience.”

Along with his personal accomplishments, Kostovic takes pride in the accomplishments of his students. He goes to great lengths to encourage them to better themselves and their work and participate in exhibitions and competitions. In many of his courses, all students submit their work to a competition. That means entire Missouri State classes are submitting work for review. Kostovic says this approach illustrates to students the positive aspects of competitions, including winning recognition early in their careers and measuring their abilities against their peers.

Kostovic also brings local community organizations in need of graphic-design projects into his classrooms. Students are then assigned work that will have a real-world impact.

“Through our teaching, we are preparing students for a very competitive profession,” Kostovic says, “and the best way to assess the

effectiveness of our teaching is to give them the opportunity to compete among their peers, at the national and often at the international level.”

The 2009 publication Design School Confidential, written by Steven Heller and Lita Talarico, included the University’s program among 53 of the world’s best design programs. The publication featured an assignment description and examples of student work.

Kostovic cites “teachers’ dedication and passion” as one of the primary reasons for the program’s success, noting that the guidance of faculty members “is important in forming responsible creative personalities.”

Kostovic also applauds the department’s efforts to invite artists to campus, saying students can be inspired by these successful role models.

“Their success becomes my success,” Kostovic says of his students. “It is important to say that this is also the success of all my colleagues in our department.” n

Art by professor to be displayed at U.S. Embassy in his native Bosnia

Kostovic’s work has also been displayed in other global cities. He was one of about 40 international designers invited to create a poster for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. His poster illustrates that while political change can come overnight, building a democratic society can be a slow process that takes one step at a time. Depending on your point of view, the poster shows a democracy either in progress or in decline.

“The Equality of People,” a poster by Cedomir Kostovic, is one of two works by him that will be displayed in the U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.


The Missouri State Debate Team traveled in late March to the University of California- Berkeley campus for the National Debate Tournament and the Cross Examination Debate Association National Tournament.

The team had two groups that qualified for the NDT this year. Senior Mike Kearney and junior Jordan Foley received a first-round at-large bid (awarded to the top 16 individual teams in the nation), while sophomores Katie Frederick and Jace Gilmore qualified through second-

round voting. This was the third time in the entire history of the debate team that the squad secured a first-round bid.

At the NDT, Kearney and Foley compiled a record of seven wins and one loss (21-3 ballot count) through preliminary rounds, including wins over other first-round teams from Harvard University and the University of Georgia. They cleared in the third-seed position, reaching the Sweet 16. Their elimination-round seed position was the highest in Missouri State history.

At CEDA Nationals, Foley and Kearney were also 7-1, clearing in the sixth-seed position. They won three elimination rounds before losing in the quarterfinals (Elite 8) to the eventual champions from Oklahoma. This was the third time that Foley and Kearney reached the quarterfinals of a major national tournament this year; they had comparable performances at Wake Forest in November and the UC-Berkeley swing tournament in January. At CEDA, Kearney was 10th (of more than 400 debaters) in speaker points, and Foley was 17th.

Three of the four students who qualified at national debates will return next season. The squad typically features around 20 debaters with varying levels of experience. n

The Missouri Fine Arts Academy will have its 15th birthday this summer.

The Academy, a three-week-long residential summer program for exceptional, artistic

Missouri high school students who have completed their sophomore or junior year, will be held this year from June 6-26 on the Missouri State campus. More than 150 high school students from all over the state will be on hand.

This year, for the first time ever, all students who successfully complete the Academy will receive college credit through Missouri State. The college course for which they receive credit is an interdisciplinary seminar that shows the interrelated nature of the fine arts. The course echoes the 2010 MFAA theme of “Making Connections.”

Also for the first time this summer, the Academy is largely tuition-based. The state legislature appropriated a small amount of money to MFAA 2010, which was used to provide scholarships to qualified students who demonstrated financial need. The remainder of funds for the Academy has come from a variety of sources: students’ families, schools and school districts, civic and social groups, Academy alumni and other private, organizational and corporate donors.

Members of the MFAA community from years past will participate in this summer’s Academy in a variety of roles. Some alums are returning as resident assistants; former resident assistants have become faculty members; former faculty members will facilitate workshops; and alumni will participate in alumni workshops. As in the past, several Missouri State faculty members will teach at MFAA.

One highlight of this year’s Academy will be a guest appearance by Missouri

State University alum and professional actor Kyle Dean Massey, who is currently starring on Broadway in the Pulitzer-prize winning hit musical Next to Normal. n

Two groups from Debate Team travel to national tournaments; one reaches Sweet 16

Fine Arts Academy celebrates 15 years

Above: Debaters Mike Kearney and Graduate Assistant Doowon Chung discuss topic research.

Right: (front row) Wes Rumbaugh, Mike Kearney, Jordan Foley; (back row) Jace Gilmore, Heather Walters, Eric Morris, Katie Frederick, Doowon Chung, Martin Osborn

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Talent showcase in New York City introduces Missouri State seniors to theater professionals

Acting students meet industry leaders in L.A.

For the third year in a row, students gradu-ating with a bachelor’s degree in musical theatre traveled to New York City to pres-ent a talent showcase.

This year the event was held at New World Stages, an off-Broadway complex in the city’s Theatre District. The 30-minute performance was attended by invited members of the industry (talent agents, casting directors and production companies), as well as alumni and friends.

“Senior showcases are the industry standard for introducing a graduating class to the theatre community,” Michael Casey, Missouri State musical theatre coordinator, said. “They are also becoming an important recruiting tool. Prospec-tive students often have the showcase on their list of topics to ask about when they visit with me about the musical theatre program at MSU.”

The showcase was directed by Casey. Heather Chittenden-Luellen served as musical director and choreography was done by Darryl Clark. It was developed on campus, with final rehearsals held in professional studios in New York City.

This year, as an added bonus, the seniors were met at their final rehearsal by eight Missouri State graduates who held a panel discussion about living in New York City.

“It was really great to be able to talk with alumni about non-theatre-related topics and to get a feel for city life in general,” says Chelsea Anglemyer, who plans to move to New York in

the fall. “I got a lot of good ideas about neigh-borhoods (where I can) look for apartments.”

Plans are already being discussed for the 2011 showcase, including companion trips for other musical theatre students and supporters of the theatre and dance department and Tent Theatre. n

The 2010 graduating class of the bachelor’s in fine arts acting program performed the inaugural L.A. Industry Showcase at the Hudson Theatre on April 12, in Los Angeles, Calif.

The showcase, which is planned to be held annually, is aimed at building bridges for Missouri State students to the professional acting market in L.A. It was attended by numerous casting profes-sionals, including representatives from some of the city’s top talent and management agencies, and individuals from major television networks including ABC, CBS and NBC. The response from industry was unprecedented with regard to the quality and number of personnel that chose to attend, their corresponding response to the talent viewed onstage, and the opportunities that have since been extended to Missouri State students as a result of their performances at the event.

The showcase was well-attended by Missouri

State alumni who currently reside in L.A. Student performers had the opportunity to attend a workshop with successful alumnus Sean McE-wen. McEwen performed extensively in film and television — including a stint as a well-recognized television host — before moving to feature-film writing and directing. An alumni reception after the showcase performance allowed current gradu-ates to mingle with several generations of alumni currently enjoying success in the acting industry.

“The development of the showcase has taken several years of curricular planning and eight months of rehearsal and structural event plan-ning,” says Kurt Heinlein, acting BFA coordina-tor. “Though the work and preparation put into creating the showcase was substantial, I still don’t think we could have imagined that it would receive this type of response. With the support of University administration and the talents of our faculty and students, it has become another vital

step in establishing our program as one that is not just a recognizable leader in the state, but also in the region and on both coasts.” n

Missouri State musical theatre seniors and alumni discuss life in New York City while meeting at Ripley-Grier Studios in Manhattan.


Tent Theatre fans are buzzing about the 2010 season’s hilarious honey of a lineup: First, performance anxiety and laughs run high as six angst-ridden adolescents vie for immortality in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (June 9-12 and 14-19).

Next, backstage antics lead to onstage chaos in the side-

splitting play-within-a-play Noises Off (June 24-26, June 28-

July 2). Finally, high rollers meet

holy rollers and love takes all in the classic musical comedy Guys and Dolls (July 7-10, 12-18).

Bring your family and friends, and enjoy a rollicking good time at Missouri State University’s 48th annual summer Tent Theatre! n

2010 season set

Students graduating with a degree in acting traveled to LA. to participate in a showcase and meet successful alumni.

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The Missouri State Jazz Band, under the direction of Jerry Hoover, was selected to appear at this year’s annual Missouri Music Educators Association State Convention.

Although university music ensembles are only allowed to submit recordings for consideration every four years, the rotation of the “different” Missouri State bands has almost guaranteed selection of one of our groups annually.

Last year the MSU Symphonic Band, directed by Jerry Hoover, appeared at the convention; the previous year, the MSU Wind Ensemble, under Dr. Belva Prather’s direction, was selected.

The Jazz Band took the stage on the evening of Jan. 29 at the Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, while a winter blizzard raged outside.

Thirty minutes later the standing-room-only crowd, made up of music educators, leapt to its feet with an enthusiastic response to the students’ polished performance.

As always these students represented the University with poise, pride and professionalism. n

Despite blizzard, Jazz Band brings heat to music educators convention

Concert Chorale gets standing ovation after Denver performance

The Missouri State Concert Chorale, under the direction of Guy B. Webb, was selected through audition to sing at the Southwestern Division Convention of the American Choral Directors Association on Feb. 26 in Denver.

The 52-voice ensemble, which performed in the Hyatt Regency Ballroom in downtown Denver, received a standing ovation from the large crowd of choral directors from seven states: Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Arkansas. Other colleges on the three-day program included Colorado State University, the University of New Mexico, Sam Houston State University and Texas State University.

Missouri State received many comments about the quality of

its program, which featured works by modern and classical composers including James MacMillan, William Byrd, George Frideric Handel, Alfred Schnittke and Pawel Lukaszewski.

The Chorale followed its Denver trip with several other events, including a March 20 performance of Carmina Burana with the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. On May 2, the Chorale joined other choirs in the Music Department to sing Elijah at the President’s Concert, performed at the Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. On May 15, the Chorale left for Austria on a 12-day concert tour. n

Orchestra hits right notes, sets example at convention The Missouri State University Symphony Orchestra performed in February at the national convention of the College Orchestra Directors Association, held in the Atlanta area.

The orchestra was one of only three university orchestras chosen for this prestigious event held at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga. They were selected after submitting recordings of previous performances for consideration.

CODA is an association of college- and university-level conductors from around the country. The group meets on the national level every other year and meets regionally in the off years. This was a year for a national convention.

The Missouri State performance at Kennesaw State was held in the beautiful new Bailey Performance Hall, a state-of-the-art facility that hosts university and community events.

Dr. Robert Quebbeman, conductor of the Missouri State Orchestra, led the group in the opening concert of the convention, featuring a program of music by American composers.

The opening selection was “Buckaroo Holiday” from the Aaron Copland ballet Rodeo. This was followed by “Symphony No. 3 (Palo Duro Canyon)” by Samuel Jones, the composer-in-residence for the Seattle Symphony.

The group concluded with a nod to the Atlanta area by performing “Peachtree Street” by Jennifer Higdon, a piece that was originally composed for and premiered by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Following the performance, the orchestra helped advanced conducting students get some practice by serving as a workshop orchestra. The conducting students were coached by professional conducting teachers.

The MSU orchestra was given a standing ovation by those in attendance, including the orchestra conductors, students and other guests. n

Concert Chorale singers Chris Newsom, Josh Chism, Kyle Major and Kayley Olson perform Magnificat Gloria by Alberto Grau.


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Kansas City-area high school students, community members and University alumni were treated to several performances by Missouri State student groups and presentations by faculty and administrators as part of the Talent on Tour showcase.

Talent on Tour, held March 5 and 6 at the Westin Crown Center, gave high school students a chance to see what the College of Arts and Letters can offer them.

COAL departments and faculty make numerous visits to alumni and prospective students each year, but Talent on Tour was one of the first visits in which the College participated as a whole.

The Friday-night event consisted of an alumni reception and works by current students. COAL Dean Carey Adams, Associate Dean Roger Stoner and department heads from each of COAL’s seven departments were also on hand to speak to the crowd and answer questions.

FOX 4 news anchor Susan Hiland, a Missouri State alumna, was the master of ceremonies for the event.

Several student groups performed, including the In-School Players, a theatre troupe that performs at elementary schools; Syncopation, a production by musical theatre students; the Jazz Symposium, a group of jazz players; and D. Helton and Jake Helton, who read poetry. Several student films by media, journalism and film majors were also shown. Overall, 27 faculty members and 27 students participated.

“Talent on Tour was a marvelous event,” says Dr. Bob Willenbrink, the head of the Department of Theatre and Dance and the coordinator of the event. “Those who came to the reception and performance on Friday night were delighted, and the students gave an outstanding performance.”

The Friday-night reception capped a busy day for COAL faculty, staff, and students. They

spent the morning and afternoon visiting 15 Kansas City-area high schools and making contact with more than 50 teachers and counselors. Their contact included one-on-one meetings with students and visits to classrooms. The Jazz Symposium also performed at four schools.

The day after the reception, several departments held auditions and evaluations of student work. Representatives of those departments were joined by Nina Walzer, the Kansas City admissions representative for Missouri State. Forty-two students auditioned for the theatre and dance department; according to Willenbrink, this was nearly five times the number who auditioned in the Kansas City area last year. The art and design department also set up a display with student artwork and evaluated portfolios from area high school students. Each department had displays and representatives on-hand.

Willenbrink says that Talent on Tour “opened new doors of opportunity for the

academic programs at Missouri State University” and he looks forward to participating in future events.

“Personally, I am very proud of all the students, faculty and staff who helped stage such a successful event,” Willenbrink says. “We will do it again!” n

Talent from all areas of COAL on display at showcase in Kansas City

Administrators, faculty and students spent time with Kansas City-area alumni and supporters.

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Missouri State UniversityCollege of Arts and Letters901 S. National Ave.Springfield, MO 65897

On The Horizon

Visit coal.missouristate.edu for the latest news and events.

June 6-26 – Missouri Fine Arts Academy mfaa.missouristate.edu

June 9-12, 14-19 – 8:15 p.m. – The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling BeeTent Theatre, Craig Hall Patiowww.tenttheatre.com June 20 – 6 p.m. – Carillon Concert featuring Sue Bergren

June 24-26, 28-July 2 – 8:15 p.m. – Noises OffTent Theatre, Craig Hall Patio www.tenttheatre.com

July 7-10, 12-18 – 8:15 p.m. – Guys and DollsTent Theatre, Craig Hall Patio www.tenttheatre.com July 18 – 6 p.m. – Carillon Concert featuring Jeremy Chesman July 25-31 – String Fling Camps Ellis Hall, Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts www.missouristate.edu/music/stringfling.htm Aug. 15 – 6 p.m. – Carillon Concert featuring Malgosia Fiebig of The Netherlands Aug. 22 – 7 p.m. – Concert on the Green Plaster Sports Complex

Sept. 10-16 – Ozarks Celebration Festival Sept. 19 – 6 p.m. – Carillon Concert featuring George Gregory Sept. 20-24 – COM WeekPlaster Student Union

Sept. 23-24, 27 – Oct. 1, 4-5 – 7:30 p.m.Sept. 26 and Oct. 3 – 2:30 p.m. The Laramie ProjectBalcony Theatre

Sept. 24 – COM Alumni Student LuncheonPlaster Student Union

Sept. 30 – 7:30 p.m. – Symphony OrchestraJuanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Oct. 5 – 7:30 p.m. – Wind Ensemble/Wind Symphony Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Oct. 18 – 7:30 p.m. – Community Band Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Oct. 28 – 7:30 p.m. – Jazz BandsJuanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts Nov. 2 – 7:30 p.m. – Symphony OrchestraJuanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Nov. 4-6 – 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 and 7 – 2:30 p.m. Wiley & The Hairy ManCarrington Auditorium

Nov. 11 – 7:30 p.m. – Wind Ensemble/Wind Symphony Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Nov. 16 – 7:30 p.m. – Jazz Bands Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Dec. 1-4 – 7 p.m. – Elizabethan Christmas Dinners Plaster Student Union Ballroom

Dec. 3-4 – 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 – 2:30 p.m.Jan. 5 for MO Thespian Festival Irving Berlin’s White ChristmasJuanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

Missouri State University provides reasonable accommodation upon request.

The College of Arts & Letters

NewHorizons

NewHorizons

NewHorizonsA publication for the alumni and friends of The College of Arts & LettersFall 2006 • Volume 1 • Issue 1

Expressions

September 10-16Ozarks Celebration Festival

The Ozarks Celebration Festival is a look at the region’s culture. Missouri State launched the festival in

1998 to foster a sense of place for

both Ozarks natives and visitors.

ocf.missouristate.edu

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Concert Under the Stars – Sept. 10 Featuring The Hillbenders, The Chapmans and

Dan Tyminski.

COAL Newsletter - Spring 2010

Documents

Transcript of COAL Newsletter - Spring 2010