Each year, the Homewood Arts Program Certificate is awarded to students who have excelled in non-academic arts such as dance, music, digital media, fine/visual arts and theater. Eric Beatty, director of Homewood Arts Programs, created the certificate program after two students approached him in 2003.
The goal is "to shine a spotlight on the many arts activities that go on each semester and the incredible personal growth that happens because of participation in arts activities during college."
Obviously many students feel this is a fitting way to recognize their dedication; each year Beatty receives 30 applicants.
Part of the application process includes a final senior project that exemplifies everything that the students have worked for.
"I think in particular the final projects enrich the community because they are a culminating artistic experience for the student, one that is personal and important to the student. Any chance for graduating students to share special projects that are meaningful to them can only enhance the quality of campus life," Beatty said.
These final projects are typically performances or exhibitions ranging from an "anonymous theater" project where the actors met for the first time on opening night and Hopkins's first-ever concerto and aria concert, the winners of which will perform with the Hoppkins Symphony Orchestra.This year, four seniors will come together for their final project to direct and produce four short plays in a one-night-only cabaret-style show.
"Our original concept was to do something like the Barnstormers' Freshman One-Acts but using only seniors. But scheduling problems emerged. We realized it didn't make sense to limit ourselves to only seniors with so many talented students on campus," said senior Mitch Frank, president of Witness Theater and one of the student directors.
The production goes on April 5, which coincides with JHUT's Le Ronde and the Barnstormers' spring musical Pippin, so the students decided that a late-night show would ensure a larger audience.
Senior Julie Shilling, a dedicated Barnstormer and another of the directors, explained the additional allure of the non-traditional structure.
"It's also just something kind of different, and hopefully that difference will be exciting. Also, since it's only one night, we hope that will create excitement around the performance as well - 'One Night Only!'"
So far, only three of the four plays have been chosen (they are still accepting submissions of student written plays), two of which are written by the directors themselves.
Can Can by Romulus Linney (Laura Linney's dad), is a WWII transgressive love play. Frank said, "Think Atonement, but instead of Keira Knightley and James McAvoy you get a G.I. and his French girlfriend, and a Kentucky housewife and her homely diner waitress girlfriend. Kentucky lesbians, oh yeah!"
An Evening at Hog Theater has been adapted by senior and director Liz Eldridge from a collection of poems by Russell Edson. Eldridge has adapted these almost science fiction poems into a Vaudeville act with live pigs.
Midway Family Singing is by Frank. Set in 1893 at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, it's about a traveling family singing act, with Ozark spirituals and more same-sex love.While this evening sounds like it is just a night of absurdities and an excuse for these seniors to have one last hurrah, it has taken a lot of work and funding to make it all possible.
Eldridge says, "I'm so excited by our idea, and the way it's grown as we've talked about it, as we've encountered obstacles and overcome them." It's precisely these obstacles that make the certificate, in the end, worthwhile.
For some of the students, it's about qualifications for a job in the future; for others it's just something to be proud of. Senior and director Michelle Brown, however, put it best. "The arts certificate isn't about the piece of paper, it's about the work you've done over the past four years to get it."
Auditions for these plays are Feb. 16 and 17 from 3-6 p.m. in the Great Hall. Southern accents and strong singers needed. No other preparation.
