Entertainment

Top Holiday Movies Tap Into Sentimentality

Entertainment November 16, 2015

Top Holiday Movies Tap Into Sentimentality

By: Ball State Division of Strategic Communications— When it comes to his favorite holiday movies, Ball State film professor Wes Gehring says each is a feel-good, populist film successful in pulling at the heartstrings by showing that no Christmas is perfect but can still be happy. Gehring’s top five Christmas-themed movies are: “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) “The Bishop’s Wife” (1947) “Miracle on 34th Street” (1947) “A Christmas Story” (1983) “Elf” (2003) His second five favorites are “The Shop Around the Corner,” “Love Actually,” “Christmas Vacation,” “Holiday Inn” and “Scrooged.” “These are all sentimental, a trait that works better at…

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International Piano Competition Holds First North American Auditions at Ball State

Education, Entertainment November 13, 2015

International Piano Competition Holds First North American Auditions at Ball State

By: Gail Werner— MUNCIE, Ind. – For the first time in its 12-year history, one of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions is holding live preliminary auditions in North America — at Ball State University. “The Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition is like the Oscars or the Olympics for these talented young musicians,” said Robert Palmer, the Ruth Weldy and Mary Weldy Porter Distinguished Professor of Piano at Ball State’s School of Music. “They have been preparing for international competitions for years. The caliber of the performers, the hours they put into practicing for these auditions — this is a…

David Letterman Returns to Ball State on November 30th

Education, Entertainment November 11, 2015

David Letterman Returns to Ball State on November 30th

By: Joan Todd— David Letterman, one of Ball State University’s most celebrated graduates, will return to campus Nov. 30 to host a discussion with two of the nation’s top young filmmakers. Dave at Ball State features Letterman, who recently retired after 33 years of hosting Late Night and Late Show. He will discuss a variety of topics with Spike Jonze and Bennett Miller at 7 p.m. in Emens Auditorium. Jonze is a critically-acclaimed director, producer, screenwriter and actor whose work includes music videos, commercials, film and television. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Screenplay for the 2013 film…

Soul to Sole Tap Company Possible Performer at Indy Circle of Lights Event

Entertainment November 11, 2015

Soul to Sole Tap Company Possible Performer at Indy Circle of Lights Event

By: Michelle Jones-Haskell— Soul to Sole Tap Company, part of the larger community at Premiere Dance Center, recently participated in the Indiana’s Got Talent audition process for the Circle of Lights event held in downtown Indy on Monument Circle.  The event is attended by over 100,000 spectators and many more that tune in at home to ring in the Christmas season.  Premiere made it through the first round of the process, which narrowed the field from 135 acts to 10.  The talent search and final results will be broadcast on Tuesday, November 24th at 7:00 PM on Channel 13, WTHR. …

Woof Boom’s WHBU Celebrates 90 years of Local Radio

Business, Entertainment November 11, 2015

Woof Boom’s WHBU Celebrates 90 years of Local Radio

By: Doug Zook— On November 9, 2015, the staff of Woof Boom Radio celebrated WHBU’s 90 years of continuous service to Anderson and surrounding communities with a birthday bash held at the Mounds Mall. Amazing Grace’s provided the cake and other delicious treats while Coca Cola provided the drinks for the event. The event was open to the entire community and it was well attended by many loyal listeners, and former guests and employees of WHBU. In 1925, WHBU radio officially signed on in Anderson at 1370 on the AM dial with the power of ten watts under the ownership…

MSO Presents “Disney In Concert: Magical Music From The Movies”

Entertainment November 6, 2015

MSO Presents “Disney In Concert: Magical Music From The Movies”

By: Jennifer Johnson— Be our guest! Bring the entire family and experience “The Magical Music of Disney” with the Muncie Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, November 14, at 4:00 pm. This performance takes place in Emens Auditorium on the campus of Ball State University, located at 1800 W. Riverside Ave., in Muncie, IN. Tickets start at $25 for adults and $10 for youth, ages K-12. Call the Emens Box Office at 765-285-1539. A supercalifragilistic carpet ride through the best-loved Disney scores of all time. Music from early classics to recent releases will take audiences on a musical journey to far off places…

CBS’ Reboot of ‘Star Trek’ will Stream Directly to Viewers, Bypassing Affiliates

Entertainment November 3, 2015

CBS’ Reboot of ‘Star Trek’ will Stream Directly to Viewers, Bypassing Affiliates

By: Ball State Division of Strategic Communications— CBS is paving the way to distributing its programming directly to viewers with the rollout of a new “Star Trek” series in 2017, bypassing its 200 network affiliates, says Dom Caristi, a Ball State telecommunications professor and member of the university’s Digital Policy Institute. CBS will debut the inaugural episode of the untitled new series in January 2017 on its regular network stations, but the remainder of the season may be accessed on its streaming service, CBS All Access. Caristi says there is a race among streaming services to get subscribers. “The big…

Muncie Authors Bill and Katie Frederick Publish Second Children’s Book

Education, Entertainment October 31, 2015

Muncie Authors Bill and Katie Frederick Publish Second Children’s Book

By: Katie Frederick— Local Muncie authors Bill and Katie Frederick will introduce their second picture book on November 7th at the Unitarian Universalist annual Bazaar in the Woods. The new book is titled, “Patches and the Delightful Dragon Day.” The star of the book is soup loving Patches Turtle. This engaging picture book for the preschool and beginning reader teaches the importance of being kind to others, adventurous, and careful. Illustrator Jason Harlow also depicts minute details that will keep children engaged for long periods, trying to figure out just what that little Lemon Toad is up to as he trails along….

Pruis Hall Brings Comedy Ventriloquist Lynn Trefzger to Ball State

Entertainment October 26, 2015

Pruis Hall Brings Comedy Ventriloquist Lynn Trefzger to Ball State

By: Kristi Chambers— Have you ever had a childhood hobby that got out of hand? That explains Lynn Trefzger’s start as a ventriloquist/comedienne. For over 30 years, Lynn has given life to a trunk full of comical characters and will be performing at Pruis Hall on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at the Emens Auditorium Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, charge-by-phone at 800-745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. Audiences are treated to Lynn’s vocal illusion talents, when they may meet a drunken and lovable camel, a grumpy old man, a feisty little girl, and…

Muncie Civic Theatre Takes Audiences Into the Woods

Entertainment October 22, 2015

Muncie Civic Theatre Takes Audiences Into the Woods

By: Chris Griffith— Muncie Civic Theatre proudly presents Into the Woods, the second performance in the Main Stage theatre season. Audiences are invited to see this stunning production currently running  through November 1st. Bringing together characters from the Grimm Brothers’ fairytale stories, Into the Woods is an all-around entertaining look at the familiar “happily-ever-after” and what really happens beyond the fairytale ending. As the baker and his wife wish for a child to call their own, other characters in the kingdom, like Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, and the Witch find themselves wanting more out of life. These wishes lead the characters on a…