5 HPU arts events you can not afford to miss
Right: Fred Johnston practices his finely honed ceramics skills. Photo By: Potters of Madison County. Top: “Underpants” comes to the Empty Space theatre starting April 6. Photo By: HPU Department of Theatre & Dance.
By Liz Reichart// A&E Editor
How often do you hear the common refrain from your peers, “I wish I went to more cultural events on campus!” The fact of the matter is, I hear this kind of exhortation on a daily basis, typically after telling my friends about a great Phoenix Lecture Series I attended the night prior. There are countless engaging and informative events that occur on campus every week, and with about a month of school left, the clock is ticking to get your art, music and literature fix.
How much do you know about working with clay? The last time I touched clay, I was in third grade making some half-thought-out artwork for my mother she barely wanted to keep. Fred Johnston is a globally-renowned ceramicist who lives in North Carolina and has made a living out of shaping and firing clay. A published author, Johnston is sure to bring in his vast knowledge of civilizations of yesteryear and international art styles to his lecture. Ceramics Talk with Fred Johnston is on Thursday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in the ballroom of the Plato S. Wilson School of Commerce.
HPU Theatre Presents: Steve Martin’s “The Underpants.” Laugh out loud at the slapstick chops of your fellow students as they perform a wild comedy about, quite literally, bloomers falling down in public. Some of the most talented at what they do, the cast of theater students is sure to give it their all during the fast-paced, tears-streaming-down-your-face-because-it’s-so-hilarious production. The show runs Thursday, April 6 through Saturday, April 8 at 7:30 p.m., and Monday, April 10 through Wednesday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. in the Empty Space Theatre.
Thinking about a night out at the movies? How about a live show? Musical Theatre Scenes Performance: Movie Musicals has it all, featuring HPU music students accompanying songs from popular musicals live as you watch them on the silver screen. It’s the two-in-one cultural event you’ve been searching for! It will be held Friday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Extraordinaire Cinema.
It’s time to get out those star-spangled banners; the theme of this semester’s final Symphonic Band Concert is America. You’ll hear patriotic marching tunes you grew up with, like, “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and “An American Spectacular.” Watch as HPU’s symphonic band shares their immense talent with the student body and the High Point community. The Symphonic Band Concert is on Monday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Cottrell Amphitheater.
Come out to support your fellow art students as they exhibit their body of work in HPU’s very own art gallery. Sechrest Art Gallery: Senior Studio Exhibition is an opportunity for art majors to display their work in a professional setting. You may just be inspired to create pieces of your own after seeing the talents your peers possess. If you have not visited the Sechrest Gallery, it is an immersive experience in fine art that leaves you refreshed. I encourage every student to stop at the Sechrest Gallery at least once before they graduate, and the perspective one gains makes the visit worth it. You can visit Thursday April 27 at 9 a.m. through Saturday, May 6 at 5 p.m. The Sechrest Art Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.