• Reading time:5 mins read

Speed DatingThe Austin College Music Department will present the one-act opera Speed-Dating Tonight!  by Michael Ching. On Friday and Saturday, October 4 – 5, at 7:30 p.m., and on Sunday, October 6, at 2 p.m., all in Ida Green Communication Center’s Beardsley Arena Theatre. The performances are free and open to the public, though seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The action takes place in an American bar and the activity revolves around a speed dating event. A group gathers and every five minutes, at the sound of a bell, each person meets someone new. In the course of the production, the audience will “meet” the actors gathered as each shares their story through a variety of musical styles. A cast of 22 students and a handful of faculty bring life to the production conceived by Dean Anthony, with words and music by Michael Ching. A duet in the show was specially commissioned for the Austin College production.

Sylvia Rivers, longtime adjunct instructor in the Department of Music, directs the production, with assistance from Wayne Crannell, associate professor of music. Rivers wrote for the program of the production: “This performance is unprecedented in many ways. It marks the first time in over 20 years that we aren’t in Craig Recital Hall for the show. We are so grateful to the Theatre Department for their willingness to host us and to help us get our technical bearings. It has been a great experience for the music students to have the opportunity to work in this space. This is also the first time I have had the opportunity to direct. I saw this opera at Taos Opera Institute in June 2018, and at that time, I thought it could be a good fit for our department. The casting and the voice types are the most flexible of any score with which I have ever worked. I pitched it to Wayne Crannell, my ‘soulmate,’ and we were off and running.”

The two cast the show in May, sent the music out over the summer, and began rehearsals the first week of school. “As many of you know,” Rivers said, “Austin College students are overcommitted and pulled in many directions, and for them to all dedicate valuable time to this project and give it top priority has been thrilling and very rewarding for me. It is with great pride that we present Michael Ching’s Speed Dating Tonight!

 

Timothy Jenkins is the pianist for the production and assisted with music preparation; Crannell was lighting designer, and Dan Pucul, technical director for Ida Green Communication Center, was the technical advisor. Jessica Healy of the biology faculty, Rivers, and Crannell each have roles in the production.

Students in the cast include:

Hannah Barry of Dallas, Texas;
Cole Berry of Montgomery, Texas;
Emily Campbell of League City, Texas;
Andrew Dawson of Murphy, Texas;
Salina DuClos of Burleson, Texas;
Alex Garcia of Austin, Texas;
Grant Garrison of Fort Worth, Texas;
Morgan Hall of Round Rock, Texas;
Jake Hanes of Arlington, Texas;
Brian Linares of Sherman, Texas;
Kennedy Lindner of Conroe, Texas;
Anna Long of Arlington, Texas;
Zachary Magers of Sherman, Texas;
Emily McMillan of Texarkana, Texas;
Chandler Morris of Arlington, Texas;
Chandler Morris of Granbury, Texas;
Diana Racila of Dallas, Texas;
Meghan Reeves of Sherman, Texas;
Toni Richardson of Forestburg, Texas;
Austin Rue of Sherman, Texas; and

Cecilia Yip of Colleyville, Texas.

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 LivesAustin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 50 percent of students identifying as persons of color. The residential student body of approximately 1,300 students and more than 100 expert faculty members allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. This year, the campus recognizes 100 years of co-education and has had several opportunities to recognize the history of women and accomplishments of current alumnae. Austin 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.