Williams Baptist College’s Theatre Program will open its 2016-17 season by revisiting the popular town of Grover’s Corners, from Thorton Wilder’s “Our Town.”

“This will be the third production of Wilder’s ‘Our Town’ done at Williams,” explained Melinda Williams, director of the WBC Theatre Program.  “I did it early in my career at WBC, in the early 90’s, and Prof. Jerry Gibbens also directed the production at the college years before that.  It is a good choice as part of the celebration of WBC’s 75^th anniversary.”

“Our Town” is a 1938 metatheatrical three-act play, which tells the story of the fictional American small town of Grover’s Corners between 1901 and 1913, through the everyday lives of its citizens.

“Wilder’s goal was for the audience to realize that there is significance in the trivial parts of our lives,” Williams stated.

In trying to achieve that goal, Wilder called for the play to have no set or props, which has proved a challenge to both the actors and director.  

“To prepare, we are working with props and then removing them so that the actors get the feel of the real thing,” Williams said.  “We had to have lessons in snapping beans using real beans, since none of the actresses had ever done it before.  Staging like this makes you concentrate on the people and their lives.”

The story centers on the characters of George and Emily, played by seniors Andrew McDaniel of Jessieville and Emily Medley of Jonesboro.

“As freshmen, Andrew and Emily approached me after a theatre appreciation class and asked if I would consider directing “Our Town” for their senior show, and I am so glad I agreed,” noted Williams.  “I feel like the show doesn’t get the recognition or appreciation it deserves.  I directed it the first time because of the limited staging.  Consequently, I missed the absolute beauty of the work itself.  I hope to do it justice this time,”

Besides George and Emily, the play features a large cast of townspeople played by WBC students.  Appearing in the show are: Holly Stormes of Knobel; Luke Windham of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; Ryan Drendel of Aurora, Ill.; Ethan Abbott of Jonesboro; Ethan Risley of Farmington; Nate Wogoman of Paragould; Olivia Wogoman of Pocahontas; Bethany Dorton of Searcy; Kayla Songer of Malvern; Bethany Jaques of Jacksonville; Colton Babbitt of Benton; Juanyea Coleman of Bay; Marshall Tyree of Elizabeth; Maggie Morgan of Mammoth Spring; Ragen Hodges of Jonesboro; and Jace Tyler of Lepanto.

Holly Looney of Walnut Ridge and Demi Stephens of Imboden serve as backstage managers.

“I usually shy away from large casts,” the director said, “but this one has been really great to work with.”

The production will be part of WBC’s homecoming celebration and will open Friday, Nov. 4, at 7 p.m., in the Old Chapel and will also run Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m.  Admission will be $3 for students and senior citizens and $5 general admission.

Williams Baptist College will host its annual Homecoming on Saturday, November 5, when alumni and other friends of the college will journey to campus for a day of reunions and activities.  

Williams has spent 2016 celebrating its 75th anniversary, which will culminate during the Homecoming festivities..

The day has a full lineup of reunions, with Greek Club kicking off at 10:30 a.m. at Dr. Robert Foster’s home in Faculty Cove.  The Department of Business will begin their reunion at 12:00 p.m. in the Eagle Coffeehouse & Grill.  There will also be a 25 year reunion for the class of 1991 and a 10 year reunion for the class of 2005, both take place at 3:30 p.m. in the Rose Room of the SMC.

A Golden Eagles luncheon for the classes of 1967 and before is set for 12:00 p.m. in the Moody Room of the Mabee-Gwinup Cafeteria.

The Lady Eagles volleyball squad will take on St. Louis College of Pharmacy at 12:00 p.m. in the SMC.

The Diamond Anniversary Celebration is set to begin at 2:00 p.m. in Manley Chapel, with performances by the Williams Singers and The Cast.  There will also be a presentation on the history of the college, alumni awards and Phi Beta Lambda recognition.

The Eagle’s basketball squad will take the court at 3:30 in the SMC when they will face Hendrix College.  The Homecoming court and coronation will be presented at halftime of the game, as well as recognition of the softball and wrestling teams for their accomplishments in the  2015-16 season.

The day will conclude with Theatre Department’s production of “Our Town,” which is set for a 7:00 p.m. curtain call in the Old Chapel.

WBC’s Spirit Store, the Felix Goodson Library, and the Maddox Center Art Gallery will also be open throughout the day.

For a complete list of Homecoming details, visit www.williamsbaptistcollege.com/homecoming.

Harvest Fest will take place Wednesday, Oct. 26th, at Williams Baptist College.  The annual event is a popular festival for local children and church groups, with Williams students operating the games and activities.

There is one notable change this year, as Harvest Fest will be held in WBC’s Southerland-Mabee Center from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.  Admission is free, and tickets for games and activities can be purchased at the door with money or with a donation of canned goods.

Participants will receive four tickets per canned food item, or they can purchase four tickets for $1.  Children are asked to have their cans counted before they arrive to speed up the entry process.

Canned goods will go to the Walnut Ridge First Baptist Church Food Pantry, while cash proceeds will go toward WBC student missions.

Williams Baptist College will host a music program entitled “Musical Portraits” on Thursday, October 6, at 7:00 p.m., in the Choral Room of the Maddox Fine Arts Center.

Dr. Michael Oriatti and Dr. Sarah Weston, both Lyon College professors, will be the evening’s performers, and will also offer a presentation about the musical pieces.  Oriatti will perform as a tenor and Weston will serve as the program’s pianist.  Together, the duo co-founded two youth choirs, the Highlander Youth Singers, and Wee Highlanders.

The public is invited, and there is no cost to attend.

Williams Baptist College will feature an art exhibit by award-winning Arkansas watercolorist Suzanne Waggoner in the Maddox Center gallery from Sept. 26 to Oct. 7, 2016, with an opening reception is slated for the first night from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Waggoner’s work has earned numerous awards, including the Winsor and Newton Award (San Diego International Watercolor Exhibition), the best of show award (twice) at the Texas and Neighbors Exhibition, and she is included in the archives of the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C.  She also has work represented in the Arkansas Artist Registry.

She has also exhibited in the Walton Art Center, the Arkansas Art Center, the Art Center of the Ozarks, and the Art and Sciences Center in Pine Bluff.  Two of Waggoner’s works have been added to the permanent collection of International Paper Co.

Waggoner has recently been selected to receive the Women in Arts Recognition for Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The public is invited to view the exhibit and there is no charge.  The Maddox Center gallery is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.