Griffon Hall Opens

Griffon Hall Ribbon Cutting Aug. 29

Missouri Western and the St. Joseph Metro Chamber will formally open Western’s newest residence hall, Griffon Hall, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29, the first day of classes. Following the brief ceremony, residence hall staff will give visitors tours of the hall. Students, faculty and staff are invited.

Griffon Hall has approximately 240 beds in apartment-style units for juniors and seniors. Each apartment has kitchen facilities, a living area and four private bedrooms. The building also features an exercise room, laundry facilities and a community lounge.

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Griffon Edge

Open Auditions for Romeo and Juliet

The department of communication studies, theatre and cinema will hold open auditions for their upcoming production, William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet,” directed by Tee Quillin, assistant professor of theater and cinema. 

Auditions will be held in the Potter Hall Theater on Wednesday, Aug. 31, from 7-10 p.m. Callbacks will be Thursday, Sept. 1, from 7-10 p.m.

Auditions are open to the entire community and all roles are available for casting. Sign up for an audition time on the callboard near the backstage entrance to the Potter Hall Theater or online at www.missouriwestern.edu/theatrecinema/callboard.asp. 

“In the past, auditions at Western have only been open to students and select faculty, so this is a major shift in philosophy,” said Quillin. “We believe our productions should reflect not only the best of our theatre and cinema program, but the best of the community that’s such an important part of our success.”  

A Shakespeare monologue of at least 16 lines in verse is recommended for Western theatre students. A selection of monologues will also be made available on the theatre and cinema program’s web site and at the auditions to be read as audition pieces. 

Rehearsals will begin on Sept. 2 and will run nightly Sunday through Friday. Production dates are Oct. 6-9, 2011. 

Synopsis:  In 1861, the Civil War had just begun to rip the country apart, but in fair Verona, Missouri, where we lay our scene, two households, both alike in dignity, had been fighting this battle for many years. Divided by a river and a way of life, a pair of star-crossed lovers found one another against all odds and defied their families to be together forever.

Men:

            ESCALUS, Mayor of Verona, Missouri

PARIS, a young county representative to the Missouri state legislature

MONTAGUE, a local farmer

CAPULET, a general store owner and new resident to town

ROMEO, son to Montague

MERCUTIO, kinsman to the Prince, friend to Romeo

BENVOLIO, nephew to Montague, friend to Romeo

TYBALT, nephew to Lady Capulet, officer in the Union army

FRIAR LAURENCE and FRIAR JOHN, the town preachers

BALTHASAR, servant to Romeo

SAMPSON & GREGORY, servants to Capulet

PETER, servant to Juliet’s Nurse

ABRAHAM, servant to Montague

An Apothecary

            Women:

            LADY MONTAGUE, wife to Montague

LADY CAPULET, wife to Capulet

JULIET, daughter to Capulet

NURSE to Juliet

MERCUTIO, kinsman to the Prince

BENVOLIO, niece to Montague, friend to Romeo

Missouri Western State University’s 2011-2012 Season of Classics is “Romeo & Juliet,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Arsenic & Old Lace” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” Season tickets are now on sale at www.missouriwestern.edu/theatrecinema.

For more information, contact Tee Quillin at (816) 271-4441, quillin@missouriwestern.edu.

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First Thursday Downtown Noon Concert Series Opens Sept. 1

The First Presbyterian Church and Western's department of music present Bob Long on alto saxophone, Jeremy Gregoire on piano and Ben Leifer on bass performing jazz renditions of popular melodies of the 20th century at the First Thursday Noontime Concert Series at 12:10 p.m., Sept. 1, 2011, at the First Presbyterian Church, 7th & Jules.

The audience is invited to bring lunch and eat while listening to the performance. Beverages will be provided. There will be an opportunity to meet the performers after the concert. In order to meet expenses and to insure the continuation of the series, a minimum donation of $3 dollars per person is suggested. Additional financial assistance has been provided by the Commerce Bank of St. Joseph.

Bob Long is Western's director of Jazz Studies and Coordinator of Woodwinds. He joined the MWSU music faculty in the fall of 2004. Long received his bachelor of music education and master of arts in music education degrees from Truman State University. His performance credits include the Des Moines Symphony, the Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra, the Des Moines Big Band, Jim Widner Big Band, and the Latin group Ashanti as well as backing up such name artists/groups as Manhattan Transfer, the Temptations, Lou Rawls, Frankie Valli, Peter Erskine, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Bob Florence, and Bob Mintzer. Bob can be heard on recordings with the Des Moines Big Band and Ashanti.

Pianist Jeremy T. Gregoire began studying the piano at age four. Upon entering high school, he continued his study under Professor John Hubor, at Fort Hays State University, winning many competitions in the Kansas area. After high school, Gregoire attended and graduated from Missouri Western State University where he studied with Jerry L. Anderson. Gregoire has performed with a variety of professional groups at such venues as the Midland, Uptown and Gem Theatres in Kansas City. He has also performed in the Coleman Hawkins Jazz Festival in St. Joseph as well as Trails West. He also serves as an accompanist at Western, Benton High School and First Christian Church in St. Joseph.

Ben Leifer was born in Topeka, Kansas on December 28th, 1985. His mother is a clarinet player in the Topeka Symphony, his father is a local jazz trumpeter, and his brother plays drums and percussion in the Kansas City area. Coming from a family with such a great musical background, it is no surprise he has grown a love for music. Leifer has studied with internationally renowned composers such as Zhou Long, Chen Yi, Bobby Watson and James Mobberley. He is a working bassist in Kansas City and has played with great musicians such as Nicholas Payton, Howard Johnson, Michael Carvin, Robin Eubanks, Bobby Watson, Claire Daly, Harold ONeal, Bill Saxton, Kevin Mahogany, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Ahmad Aladeen, Paul Mckee, and David Gibson. He has studied music with Bobby Watson for five years and has also been able to study with musicians like John Clayton, Michael Carvin, Curtis Lundy, and Jay Leonhart. He has extensive experience in all types of music, including rock, funk, blues, jazz, latin jazz and salsa.

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Chiefs Camp

What's Your Green Dot?

Prevention Education’s mission is to recognize the need for power-based personal violence prevention in our community and pledge to reduce inappropriate harassing, abusive, and violent continuums of behavior. One of the ways this campus can do this is through Green Dot, a program started in Kentucky that has made its way throughout the United States as a way of primary prevention of power-based personal violence.

Green Dot speeches will be given throughout the semester in classes, outside, and at campus-wide events. Green Dot focuses on using the lens of the bystander to view prevention. As violence or high risk of violence occurs, also known as red dots, there is the potential for a bystander to intervene safely and prevent the violent acts from occurring. Thus, these bystanders are engaging in green dots. Examples could be checking in on friends at parties to make sure that they are safe, "accidentally" dropping your books next to someone who is yelling as a distraction, calling the campus police when a fight breaks out or even going to an RA to get help when there is an argument between two roommates.

For every green dot there is on this campus, there is the potential to ultimately eradicate power-based personal violence. MWSU has teamed up with the YWCA to do just this. There will also be forums and discussion groups regarding consent, working with sexual assault survivors, coping with stalking, and healthy relationships in order to help students further recognize the signs of power-based personal violence.

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