ELLISVILLE –Jones College’s music faculty and Director of Bands, Dr. Ben Burge, along with Associate Directors of Band, Dr. Josh Frans and Dr. Lindsey Keay will be featured in a Faculty Recital on Thursday, March 13, at 7 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. The three will be collaborating together with Frans playing various percussion instruments as the accompaniment to Keay on flute, and Burge on alto saxophone. Frans’ solo pieces will feature the marimba, vibraphone, and a multi-percussion performance that uses an electronic accompaniment.
“The composer, Andy Akiho who is a leading percussion composer, wrote this piece, ‘Stop Speaking’ about 10 years ago before AI, but he uses Word to type or compose the track, then he chose the voice, Vicky to voice it. There is no time signature or meter, so everything is based on the pattern of the speech, which is more challenging, and I had to learn a new way to practice the piece. I had to listen to the track and figure out the spacing between the words,” said Frans.
In addition to the distinctive use of technology in Frans’ solo, the free recital will feature a wide variety of genres of music including, jazz, tango, classical lyrical tunes and popular pieces to things you don’t always hear in a typical recital. Besides hearing different combinations of instruments playing together, the trio will be incorporating interesting techniques into their performances. One piece of obscure music influenced by Middle Eastern culture called, “Devil Dance,” is a duet featuring Frans on an Egyptian hand drum called a darbuka as Keay will be using extended techniques on her flute which many music students don’t usually have the opportunity to hear or learn.
“It’s a technique where you vocalize or sing and play at the same time. The tone is not full and it’s not like a real tone which sounds a little creepy. It’s something our audience will not typically hear and even our students will get to hear something they don’t come across in their own repertoire just yet. So, maybe it will give our students something to strive towards, although I do make my students sing and play in their lessons. It’s a technique that I think is helpful, but they may not have done a piece where they have to do that and so to see it in real time will be inspiring, I hope,” said Keay.
Despite the fact the three have been working together for the last six years, this will be the first time they will be performing together for a faculty recital.
“We are very excited to present this program so that our students can see us on the stage!” said Burge. “We spend our time coaching them for these moments and we believe that this is a great opportunity for them to watch us as well.”
The trio shared that performing for their students keeps them sharp. In fact, as the audience enjoys the varied works and displays of unique musical techniques, the Faculty Recital really serves as a continued learning experience for both the music faculty and their students.
As Frans explained, “You never stop being a student and you never stop learning. Once you think you’ve got it, then somebody else is out there moving forward and you become irrelevant. We don’t want that for our students, and they came here to study with us because we’re still out there performing, and we are still relevant in the professional world and still have connections that can help them in the future with letters of recommendation and making introductions and networking.”
To view the live performance, check out the Jones College School of Art, Music and Performance social media.
ELLISVILLE – It’s the story as old as time, inspiring books and theatrical performances globally and continues today. The story of loving someone different, prejudice and rivalry as inspired by William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, and the more current, 1950’s Broadway hit, “West Side Story,” will come to Ellisville in April. Jones College’s Theater Department is performing the musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents, on Friday and Saturday, April 4 & 5 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m. in the M.P. Bush Fine Arts Auditorium. Tickets cost $15 for premium seats and $10 for the upper theater section and are available online at https://www.jcjc.edu/tickets/Watch for ticket discounts on the Jones College Art, Music and Performance social media.
Daniel Baldwin as Tony and Kiandra Lopez as Maria in West Side Story
Jones College’s musical theater production of West Side Story features a cast of about 30 singers and dancers with some veteran performers returning to the stage. Dean of the School of Art, Music and Performance, Bruce Smith is also directing and producing the show with his students enrolled in the Musical Theater class handling other aspects of the show like stage prop design and managing ad sales. Leading the student driven production on stage are Daniel Baldwin of Magee as Tony, and Kiandra Lopez of Laurel, as Maria. Both students were in last spring’s production of Grease, along with Nick Singleterry of Oak Grove, who plays Riff in West Side Story.
“Kiandra was Rizzo, Daniel was Doody and part of the reason we chose this production is because we could see them in these roles,” said Smith. “Maria is a very challenging role, and Kiandra has got to be a true soprano in this role. She hasn’t done that in the past with us, but she’s got the ability to do it and she’s amazing. Daniel was born to play Tony. It’s just who he is. He’s that mild, leading man, that’s just, you know, there to find love.”
Finding love could prove difficult as the different factions fight for dominance in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, which was a multi-racial, blue-collar neighborhood in the 1950s. The musical depicts the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different backgrounds. The Sharks are migrants from Puerto Rico and the Jets, are white and are fighting for dominance in the neighborhood. Baldwin plays a former member of the Jets while Singleterry plays the gang leader who is still best friends with Baldwin’s character.
Nick Singleterry as Riff and Daniel Baldwin as Tony in West Side Story
“I love the loyalty and courage that Tony displays,” shared Baldwin. “However, in some ways yes, it is hard for me to act out the character of Tony because he is very different from me. He is very impulsive and a helpless romantic. However, playing Tony has been my dream role since the first time I saw the play. West Side Story has always been my favorite musical to watch!”
Playing Maria was appealing to Lopez for a few reasons. She explained she enjoys how innocent and naive her character is, giving her the opportunity to think back to when she was also very naive and always in her world of “make believe.”
“Maria is also kind of hard for me to play because of some of the things I’ve gone through and singing in a heavy alto voice compared to Maria’s light soprano voice has been a big challenge for me,” said Lopez. “Also, being a part of Grease last year made me want the chance to sing and act on stage again with all of my castmates. I knew playing Maria would give me the chance to step out of my comfort zone to find new parts of me I didn’t know existed.”
Joining the main cast is a freshman from Petal, Korey Raines who plays Bernardo. His character is the leader of the Sharks and Baldwin’s character falls in love with his sister, Maria. Returning to the stage is sophomore Ella Jolly of Petal, playing Bernardo’s love interest, Anita. Two Jones College employees, Luke Hammonds and Stephen Parker, are joining the JC students. Hammonds brings his diverse acting skills to the JC stage portraying Officer Krupke, with Stephen Parker taking on the part of Lieutenant Schrank.
Ella Jolly as Anita and Korey Raines as Bernardo in West Side Story
“This is a classic musical and we’re portraying it in a classic style, but it’s been retold in recent years through the eyes of Steven Spielberg with a movie version. We want the audience to see the depth of character that our students can portray because they’re capable of really diving into deeper storylines,” said Smith. “There are no curse words in the script, but there are some racial words that were used in the 1950s that are still in the script today.”
In addition to the memorable songs and exciting choreography, the focus on the social problems of the period is relevant to this day. Baldwin said, “I hope the audience takes away a sense of passion and importance of this play. It shows a very divided culture and the negative impacts that it can have on a society.”
Some of the dancers from the cast of West Side Story at Jones College are pictured in the front row, left to right, Ryan Sherman of Waynesboro, Heather Walters of Ellisville, Zoe Vanderslice of Stringer, Sydney Ivy of Raleigh, Chloe White of Laurel and Emalee Herrin of Laurel. Pictured in the second row, left to right are, Patricia Mitchell of Seminary, Charles Williams of Laurel, Leila Daniels of Meridian, Natalie Evans of Ellisville and Lexie Ruth of Ellisville. Pictured in the back row, left to right are Peyton Shoemaker of Morton, Matthew Arnold of Laurel, Choreographer Rachel Appleby, Addie Thames of Petal, Daryn Tran of Ellisville, Teyonna Millsap of Laurel, Leo Norman of Ellisville playing “Moose,” Samah Ratcliffe of Soso and Bryce Jasper of Laurel.
Lopez has some additional thoughts for the audience to contemplate while enjoying the show. “I would like the audience to leave with the fact that no matter our skin tone and no matter our upbringing we all grieve the same. When you think you are alone there are so many people in the world experiencing the same hurt and problems that you are also going through.”
Purchasing tickets now, before the show sells out is encouraged with a maximum of 1100 seats available for each performance. Ads in the JC Playbill program are also available for businesses to purchase through the School of Art, Music and Performance. Check the Jones College, School of Art, Music, and Performance website and social media pages for details prior to the performance. For more information about Jones College’s School of Art, Music and Performance department, call 601-477-4203.
The main characters in West Side Story at Jones College are portrayed by Kiandra Lopez (left floor) of Laurel as Maria, Daniel Baldwin (left center) of Magee as Tony, Korey Raines (right center) of Petal as Bernardo and Ella Jolly (right floor) of Petal as Anita.
West Side Story Cast, Crew & Ensemble
Director/Producer- Bruce Smith
Choreographer- Rachel Appleby
Character-Jones College Student, Hometown High School
Action- Isaiah Spradley, Laurel Homeschool
Anita- Ella Jolly, Petal Petal High School
Anxious- Kaleb Jasper, Taylorsville West Jones High School
Anybodys- Anne Trest, Laurel West Jones High School (Current H.S. student)
A-Rab/Glad Hand- Peyton Shoemaker, Morton Morton High School
Baby John- Charles Williams, Laurel West Jones High School
Bernardo- Korey Rainey, Petal Petal High School
Big Deal- Ryan Sherman, Waynesboro Wayne Academy
Chino- Samah Ratcliffe, Soso West Jones High School
Clarice- Sydney Klaire Ivy, Raleigh Raleigh High School
Consuela-Teyonna Millsap, Laurel Laurel High School
Diesel-Matthew Arnold, Laurel Northeast Jones High School
Doc- Sydnee Tisdale, Ellisville South Jones High School
Estella- Addie Thames, Petal South Jones High School
Francisca- Leila Daniels, Meridian Forrest County AHS
Graziella- Chloe White, Laurel Northeast Jones High School
Indo/Snowboy- Patricia Mitchell, Seminary Seminary High School
Luis- Zion B. Cooper, Waynesboro Wayne County High School
Margarita- Lexie Ruth, Ellisville Laurel Christian School
Maria- Kiandra Lopez, Laurel West Jones High School
Minnie- Zoe Vanderslice, Stringer Laurel Christian School
Moose- Leo Norman, Ellisville South Jones High School
Pauline- Natalie Evans, Ellisville South Jones High School
Pepe- Bryce Jasper, Laurel West Jones High School
Riff- Nicholas D. Singleterry, Hattiesburg Oak Grove High School
Teresita- Emalee Herrin, Laurel Northeast Jones High School
Tony- Daniel Baldwin, Magee Homeschool
Toro- Daryn Tran, Ellisville South Jones High School
Velma- Heather Walters, Ellisville South Jones High School
Officer Krupke- Luke Hammonds, Ellisville ones College employee
Lt. Schrank- Stephen Parker, Laurel Jones College employee
Due to the anticipated severe weather, Jones College is modifying its operations to prioritize the safety of our students, faculty, staff, and community. Please review the following updates carefully:
All night classes will transition to virtual learning. Students should log in to their courses via Canvas for further instructions.
All Jones College locations will close at 5:00 p.m., including:
Jones College Main Campus, Ellisville, MS
JC Clarke County Center, Stonewall, MS
JC Greene County Center, Leakesville, MS
JC Jasper County Center, Bay Springs, MS
JC Wayne County Center, Waynesboro, MS
Advanced Technology Center, Ellisville, MS
Dormitories and food services will remain operational.
All athletic events and student activities have been postponed to a later date.
We encourage all employees to prioritize safety and stay informed by monitoring local weather updates. Any further updates regarding campus operations will be shared via the Jones College website, email, social media channels, and local news outlets.
Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to safety.
