On Point(e)

As I walked into the bustling and brightly colored waiting room of Pat Brown’s dance studio, I was immediately hit by a rush of memories from my days in leotards and tights. I heard the combinations being called out with extreme zeal in the studio, an extremely familiar sound for the sixty dancers who make up the Ballet Arts of Jackson troupe. The older group of dancers were hard at work rehearsing a routine to Thriller for a Halloween event while younger girls peeked in from the hallway.

An Electrifying Production

Madison Academic Magnet High School is presenting the musical Grease this week, directed by Becky Fly. This is truly a Madison Academic Fine Arts Department production. Music Direction has been led by Kristy White (Band Director at Madison) and Lindsey Patterson (Choral Director at Madison), and the Art Department helped with the sets. The production consists of thirty students and ten crew members. Becky likes getting students involved in theatre because they learn more than just acting skills.

Theatre Review: The Jungle Book

"Hear me, people of the jungle! I, Mowgli, keeper of the law and guardian of the jungle, have come to entertain you!" The Jackson Children and Teen Theatre has put on The Jungle Book: The Musical at The Ned. The show opens with the talented Mowgli, played by Grayson Hart. He effectively captures the insolence and over-confidence of his character. The top vocal performance of the night, however, belongs to the tiger, Shere Khan, played by Lauren Ragsdale, for the song, "Can't We Be Friends."

Art Is 3/5 of Smart

A few months ago, I sat across a table from a four-year-old named Thomas. He and I were waiting on his dad who was in the gym coaching my son and the rest of a high school church league basketball team. I had some paper and markers, so we began to draw. Thomas drew his brother, where he lived, a mystery map, the gate to his house, the family car, his mom, his dad, a basketball, a fish in the water, and much, much more. Did I know this because he was a gifted illustrator?