The Sherman Museum to host An Evening of Art and Wine
The Sherman Museum will host “ An Evening of Art and Wine ” on Thursday, May 19 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the museum’s downstairs community room. Eight local artists have agreed to display their artwork, created in a variety of mediums, at the event. The public is invited and the event is free to attend.
“We’re excited to showcase these outstanding works of art from some the area’s finest artists,” stated Dan Steelman, Executive Director. An Evening of Art and Wine is being held in conjunction with a downtown initiative to stay open late on the third Thursday of each month. Attendees are invited to view the pieces and chat with the artists while enjoying wine and snacks provided by the Museum’s Board of Trustees. A musical program will be provided by the local group, the Fabulous Hip Replacements.
The Evening of Art and Wine event is free, but regular admission rates will apply to those attendees who wish to view the “Texoma Time Traveler” exhibit upstairs. For additional information about the event, please call the museum.
The Sherman Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm and from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm on the third Thursday of each month. Admission is $5.00 for adults, $3.00 for seniors, $2.00 for students (ages 6 to17 and with college ID) and FREE for ages 5 and under and museum members. Discounts are available to groups of 10 or more.
About The Sherman Museum
The Sherman Museum is a non-profit 501(c) (3) educational organization devoted to collecting, preserving and interpreting objects of historical significance for visitors and residents of Grayson County and the Greater North Texas Region. The museum was previously known as The Red River Historical Museum prior to a name change in March 2011.
Hillary Luckett Clark of Sherman and Brenda Hayward of Denison were honored as exemplary leaders last week by Austin College and its Texoma Women Get Connected program as ATHENA Leadership honorees. “For this moment, we are all about honoring women who have committed to building both their own and others’ leadership potential,” said Austin College President Marjorie Hass at a luncheon April 28 on campus to present the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.
“We had so many women who have truly distinguished themselves in this region that deciding upon one recipient was difficult,” Hass said. “I am happy to recognize the 2016 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient as someone who has devoted her life, both professionally and personally, to helping others reach for a better life. She is known for her compassion, her creativity, and dedication. She thinks out of the box while keeping a watchful eye on the stewardship of the agency she leads. She is generous with talents and invests in the lives of other women so that they may achieve their professional goals. It is with great pleasure that I present the 2016 ATHENA Leadership Award to Brenda Hayward.” Hayward is the executive director of the Child and Family Guidance Clinic of Texoma.”
Announcing the Young Professional Leadership Award, Hass said, “This award goes to a person who has demonstrated a passion for her community and its future through the investment of her time in learning about leadership training; of her talent in numerous significant volunteer roles; in her profession, as someone devoted to the highest ethical standards and excellence; and in the success of young people, as she has returned home to serve in the school district where she grew up as a new member of the Sherman School Board. The recipient is Hillary Luckett Clark.” Clark is an attorney with The LeCrone Law Firm of Sherman.
The ATHENA Leadership Award® is presented to individuals who have attained and embody the highest level of professional excellence in their business or profession, devote time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.
ATHENA Young Professional Leadership nominees are emerging women leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession; provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community; and clearly serve as role models for young women both personally and professionally.
Six finalists were recognized as honorees for the ATHENA Award distinction and two for the Young Professional Award. Nominations for exemplary leaders from Grayson, Fannin, and Cooke counties were solicited for the awards program.
Finalists for the 2016 ATHENA Award were Melida Ailshire, owner of JTalk Services; Dr. Jeannine Hatt, pediatrician and humanitarian; Brenda Hayward, executive director of Child and Family Guidance Center of Texoma; Dorothy Nelson McKee, director of Grand Central Station-The Dining Car; Sarah Somers, director of Grayson County Office of Emergency Management; and Angie Tol, wellness coordinator at Texoma Medical Center.
For the Young Professional Award, two finalists were recognized: Hillary Luckett Clark, attorney with The LeCrone Law Firm; and Casie Lovelace, owner of Lovelace & Co. Insurance.
The ATHENA Award had been presented locally in the past by the Sherman and Denison Chambers of Commerce, but had not been awarded in several years until revived by Austin College in 2014. In 2014, the ATHENA Award honored Stacy Rake Murphy, owner and principal agent of Nationwide Insurance in Sherman. The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award honored Michelle Lemming, president and CEP of Texoma Health Foundation. A list of all known local recipients is included on the Austin College Athena Award website.
The ATHENA Leadership Award Program is administered by ATHENA International, a non-profit women’s leadership organization, along with licensed host organizations and sponsors. Over 6,000 awards have been presented in the U.S. and around the world since the program’s inception in 1982. Recent recipients include Condoleezza Rice, Billie Jean King, Pat Summit, and Gabby Giffords.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.
Grayson College theatre presents “Working” April 29 to May 1
People may not always whistle while they work, but Grayson College Theatre Department students sing about jobs and the people who do them during its production of “Working.” The musical runs April 29 through May 1 in Grayson College’s Cruce Stark Auditorium in the Arts & Communication Building on its Main Campus in Denison.
The Tony Award-winning musical follows the lives of everyday people as they tackle their work day. Grayson College actors bring the characters to life as they deliver their dreams and disappointments in a fun, funny and – at times – poignant meld of song and dance.
From left, Darrion Dockins, Tyler Burns and Jesse Alsup are three of 15 actors playing 40 characters in Grayson College’s production of the musical “Working” April 29 to May 1.
The musical is based on Studs Terkel’s book, “Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do,” which features people from different regions and occupations. Interviews from the book were turned into monologues and songs by Steven Schwartz, composer of “Wicked” and “Godspell,” as well as composers Ina Faso and Gordon Greenberg. It features songs by Schwartz, Susan Birkenhead, Craig Carnelian, Micki Grant, Lin-Manuel Miranda (composer and writer of “Hamilton” now appearing on Broadway, and composer for “In the Heights”), Mary Rogers, and James Taylor.
“Working” kicks off Grayson College’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Day with a performance at 10 a.m. on April 29, and another that evening at 7:30 p.m. Dr. Jeremy McMillen, Grayson College president, gives opening remarks at both performances. Other performances are April 30 at 7:30 p.m., and May 1 at 2 p.m. Tickets are free.
“‘Working’ is Grayson College’s gift to the community in honor of our golden anniversary. We picked this show because it celebrates working people – the people we don’t usually think about who are in the background, just doing their jobs,” said Robin Robinson, Grayson College theatre director and theatre professor. “Obviously, Grayson College is about that. Our degree programs, tech programs, degrees and certificates provide opportunities and celebrate the idea of people working and contributing to their families and communities.”
Denison sophomore Holden Webster directs the musical, a first for him in this genre. He made his directorial debut last year in “Last Call at Chez Mort,” Grayson College’s murder mystery dinner theatre production.
“I’ve been in 14 musicals as an actor, but this is my first to direct,” Webster said. “As a performer, I know how actors think and go about the process of developing a character. This helps me as a director to communicate my vision and to help bring about the best in them as they develop their characters.
“‘Working’ is just plain fun. Its content and the people I’m involved with here have made it one of the best experiences,” he said. “The cast and crew are incredible to work with. They’ve been receptive in doing everything I’ve asked and are bringing great things to the production. The audience is in for a treat.”
While there are 40 characters in all, the production is traditionally performed by much fewer people who portray multiple roles. Of the 15 actors in the musical, Olney freshman Jesse Alsup plays steelworker Mike Dillard, which is the only character that recurs throughout the production.
Grayson College sophomore cast members are: Hunter Malone of Bells; Lydia Foster of Chesterfield, Va.; and Jorge Amador of Princeton. Freshman cast members include: Tyler Burns of Bells; Darrion Dockins of Clarksville; Caitlin Pohland of Corsicana; James Berggren of Denison; Christian Love of Farmersville; Ashley Coffman of Houston; Jamee Rhoades of Sweetwater; Colton Wall of Whitewright; and Luke Brown of Wolfe City. Anna Clarkson, Sherman High School choir director, is a cast member as well.
Robinson also performs in the musical. Her character is a teacher with 40 years of experience, and since Robinson retires from Grayson College in June after a 19-year tenure, Webster thought it would be a great swan-song role for her.
“I’ve acted in a few shows while I’ve been at Grayson College, but I never do it unless I can trust that the student director won’t be intimidated by me,” she said. “Holden is the first Grayson College student to be in charge of a musical. His experience and maturity definitely played a role in that decision, and he has proven himself more than capable.”
Grayson College theatre professor Thea Albert designed the scenery, which is abstract and features workplace objects that represent more than what they typically do. Katie Gaskill of Savoy, a graduating sophomore, serves as stage manager and choreographer. Grayson College theatre professor Tenna Matthews is technical director and production manager. Bryce Dansby of Denison, also a graduating sophomore, is light designer. It is his responsibility to create the atmosphere of the various vocations with the lighting.
“Katie and Bryce carry a lot of weight in this production because what they’re doing contributes to the overall success of the actors and the production,” Webster said. “It’s an incredible challenge that they’re both performing fantastically well.”
“Working” features a live band to accompany the vocalists. Pam Gauthier-Hamer, a choir director for Sherman ISD, serves as the production’s music director and plays keyboard in the band. Other band members are: Dr. David Tercero, Grayson College music professor, and Brad Roberts, GRAYSON COLLEGE graduate, both on guitar; and community members Vallerie Farris on keyboard, Frank Steele on percussion, and Gregg Tarvin on guitar.
Three cast members also serve as crew members, including Amador as sound designer, Poland as costume designer, and Love as assistant costume designer. McKinney sophomore Robert Gildner operates the spotlight. Freshmen crew members are: Jordan Harger of Bonham, wardrobe; Colt Schell of Denison, assistant stage manager; Connor Copeland of Howe, mic operator; Devin Anding of Jewett, master electrician and light board operator; Jordan Curry of Sadler, makeup and hair designer; Dwayne Bruce of Tom Bean, assistant stage manager and props; and Trent Rohret of Wolfe City, sound board operator.
“Working” is a 90-minute musical with no intermission. While it’s not a children’s show, it is appropriate for most family members. Tickets are free and reservations are not required. For more information about the musical, contact the GRAYSON COLLEGE Theatre Department at 903-463-8609 or theatre@grayson.edu .
The Sherman Museum to host An Evening of Art and Wine
