Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will present Lauren Linton and Jacob Sturgeon in their senior musical theatre recitals April 30 at 8 p.m. in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

“This is our final bow at Ouachita,” Linton said. “I'm so grateful for the time I've had here, the people I've come to call my family, and the lessons I've learned, both in my studies and in life. We wanted to go out with a bang, have a great time doing what we love and showcase what we've learned from our wonderful professors, and I think that shows in our program.”

  

Linton is the daughter of Doug and Penny Figures of Coldwater, Miss. She has been named to Ouachita’s Dean’s List and has served as co-social chair for Ouachita’s chapter of Theta Alpha Phi national honor fraternity for theatre arts. She has made it to the finals of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Regional Irene Ryan Acting Auditions as an acting partner and is a sweetheart for Sigma Alpha Sigma men’s social club.

“One of the things I'm most proud of in this recital is the wide variety of music and scene work that I will be performing,” Sturgeon said. “I think that works as a perfect capstone for my final performance as a musical theatre major here at OBU.”

Sturgeon, a native of Pine Bluff, Ark., also has been named to Ouachita’s Dean’s List and is a member of Theta Alpha Phi. He has been a nominee for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Regional Irene Ryan Acting Auditions.

Linton’s portion of the performance includes: Stephen Sondheim’s “The Miller’s Son” from A Little Night Music, Harvey Schmidt’s “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” from The Fantasticks, the first scene from The Learned Women by Molière, Jerry Bock’s “The Very Next Man” from Fiorello, a scene from Phoenix by Scott Organ, Marc Shaiman’s “Secondhand White Baby Grand” from Bombshell: The Musical and Adam Schlesinger’s “Screw Loose” from Cry Baby: The Musical.

Sturgeon’s portion of the performance includes: Anthony Newley’s “A Wonderful Day Like Today” from The Road of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd, act two from Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw, Frederick Loewe’s “Why Can’t the English?” from My Fair Lady, David Yazbek’s “Love Sneaks In” from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Cole Porter’s “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” from Kiss Me, Kate, act one from After the Fall by Arthur Miller and Frank Wildhorn’s “Falcon in the Dive” from The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Linton and Sturgeon are students of Mary Handiboe, associate professor of theatre arts, and David Stanley, instructor of music. They will be accompanied on the piano by Susan Monroe and Kristen LaMadrid, staff pianists.

Linton and Sturgeon will be assisted by several student performers. Kayla Esmond, a senior musical theatre major from Burleson, Texas, will assist Sturgeon for the scenes from Pygmalion and After the Fall. Joe Ochterbeck, a senior theatre arts and mass communications double major from Maumelle, Ark., will assist Linton for the scene from Phoenix. Caitlin Secrest, a senior vocal performance major from Arkadelphia, Ark., will assist Linton for the scene from The Learned Women. Garrett Whitehead, a senior musical theatre major from Cleburne, Texas, will assist Linton for “Soon It’s Gonna Rain” and Sturgeon for “Brush Up Your Shakespeare.”

For more information, contact OBU’s School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.

By Brooke Zimny