Category — Mary T. Christian Auditorium

Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) Players and TNCC’s Department of Performing Arts announce open auditions for the fall production of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Auditions will take place August 30-31 at 7 p.m. at the Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium in Templin Hall on the College’s Hampton campus.

During the audition, actors will perform 16 bars of music and may be asked to do an additional 16 bars in a contrasting style. Participants must bring sheet music in the appropriate key as an accompanist will be provided. Auditions will also include cold readings from the script. Those auditioning should dress comfortably and expect to participate in stage movement or dance exercises. Callbacks will be held Wednesday, September 1.

For more information, please call 825-2779 or email mtca@tncc.edu

The musical production will run Nov. 12 -14 and Nov. 19-21 at  TNCC’s Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium. Show times are 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. on Sundays.

About the show
“A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” takes comedy back to its roots, combining situations from time-tested, 2,000-year-old comedies of Roman playwright Plautus with the infectious energy of classic vaudeville. The result is a non-stop laugh-fest in which a crafty slave (Pseudolus) struggles to win the hand of a beautiful but slow-witted courtesan (Philia) for his young master (Hero), in exchange for freedom.

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The Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble will present “Are We There Yet?” at Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) on Sunday, May 23 at 3 p.m. in the Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium, Hampton campus.

The Chesapeake Wind Ensemble was founded in 1998 to provide an avenue for local amateur musicians to hone their skills. With about 40 members, the ensemble plays a wide variety of pieces at a myriad of venues in the Hampton Roads area, presenting approximately eight performances annually. The nonprofit organization offers special opportunities for its high school musicians with scholarships for some of the graduating students.

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The Hampton Roads Civic Ballet will present its spring performance at Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) on Saturday, May 1 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 2 at 3 p.m. at the Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium, Templin Hall on the Hampton campus.

The Hampton Roads Civic Ballet, which holds residency at TNCC’s auditorium, was founded in 1948 and provides a pre-professional performing experience for intermediate and advanced students at the Academy of Ballet in Hampton. The nonprofit organization combines classical ballet and contemporary choreography to provide students with a versatile dance experience while teaching them to appreciate set design, costume creation and more. The students present two productions annually in addition to community performances at local festivals, schools, hospitals and nursing homes.
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The Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) Computer Arts Department will welcome Emmy Award-winning graphic design artist Mike Goedecke for the Motion Graphics Design Symposium on May 5 and 6. The event will include a public lecture, one-on-one portfolio critiques for TNCC students and more.

Goedecke’s portfolio includes promotions for the launch of Jay Leno’s “The Tonight Show” and “Embryo,” an award-winning short film. His high-profile client list includes ABC, Activision, Chevron and The Discovery Channel. “The event is important because it gives not only our students, but the public, a chance to interact with a nationally recognized and awarded filmmaker and motion graphics designer,” said Cece Wheeler, Professor of Art and Computer Arts Department Head.

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The Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) Art Department will showcase student talent during the semi-annual Digital Film Festival on Tuesday, April 13. Free and open to the public, the 7 p.m. event takes place in the Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium, Templin Hall, Hampton Campus.

The upcoming spring festival will not include judging or prizes. Instead, the students will display their work without the pressures of a contest and benefit from audience feedback. The opinions from the audience will be valuable tools for the students as they work to enhance their creativity and production skills. The department will showcase 30 to 40 pieces this year.

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The Ninth Annual Hampton Acoustic Blues Revival − “A Tribute to John Cephas” − will take place on Thomas Nelson Community College’s (TNCC) Hampton campus at the Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium on Saturday, April 10 from 4:00-9:30 p.m. The free event is open to the public. The lineup is as follows:

Phil Wiggins
4:00-4:45 p.m. (Harmonica Workshop)
Wiggins, a Washington, D.C. native and noted harmonica player, partnered with the late guitarist John Cephas for over 30 years. The duo brought the Piedmont blues sound to audiences worldwide, recorded more than a dozen albums and won numerous awards. Wiggins learned his craft at the feet of some of the D.C. area’s best blues artists, including the notable slide-guitarist Flora Molton. Influenced by great blues harpists like Sonny Terry, John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson and Little Walter, Wiggins developed a unique style as a harpist, singer and songwriter.

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Thomas Nelson Community College’s (TNCC) Disabled Student Services team aims to increase mental illness awareness with two free seminars. Set for Monday, April 12 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday, April 13 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., the sessions will be held in the Dr. Mary T. Christian Auditorium, Templin Hall, Hampton campus.

Alison K. Malmon, founder and executive director of Active Minds, Inc., will share personal stories and encourage open dialogue to combat the stigma associated with mental illness on college campuses. Malmon started her first mental illness awareness organization, Open Minds, in 2001 as a junior at the University of Pennsylvania after the suicide of her 22-year-old brother. The death of her only sibling prompted Malmon to create an organization that would push for early detection and treatment of mental illness, thus, preventing others from suffering in silence as her brother did.

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Throughout March, TNCC will participate in a statewide celebration called, “Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts” in observance of Women’s History Month. The first celebration of its kind in Virginia, “Minds Wide Open” will focus on the artistic and cultural contributions of women. Thousands of performances and displays are expected statewide during the celebration, according to the website http://vamindswideopen.org/.

At TNCC, the Cultural Affairs Committee will sponsor a series of performances and lectures scheduled as follows:

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