Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will host Garrett Sayers and Kenderick Scorza in their senior recital on Thursday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. The recital, One Step Closer, will be held in Mabee Fine Arts Center’s McBeth Recital Hall. A reception in Hammons Gallery will immediately follow the recital.

“This opportunity has been something that I have been trying to plan since freshman year,” Sayers said. “It has been a dream working with some great mentors like Dr. Glenda Secrest, Mr. Drew Hampton and Mrs. Phyllis Walker, who have taught me to find confidence, always believe in myself and to always breathe!”

“My time as a student has really been a culmination of various tests that have caused me to grow exponentially,” Scorza noted. “With what I have learned here, I know that I will be able to respond accordingly to whatever is in store for me, no matter its difficulty.”

Sayers, a senior musical theatre major from Greenwood, Ark., has performed with Ouachita Singers, served as historian for Alpha Psi Omega national theatre honor society and worked at Red Barn Summer Theatre in Frankfort, Ind., and Murry’s Dinner Playhouse in Little Rock, Ark. He also has received Ouachita theatre credits through his roles as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Peter Pan in Shrek the Musical and Grasshopper in James and the Giant Peach and will play Ren in OBU’s April 2016 production of Footloose. Sayers is a student of Dr. Glenda Secrest, professor of music, and Drew Hampton, assistant professor of theatre arts.

Scorza, a senior musical theatre major from North Little Rock, Ark., has been involved in Alpha Psi Omega national theatre honor society and Kappa Chi men’s social club and was a 2015 Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Finalist for the Kennedy Center American College Theater Region 6. Scorza is a student of Hampton and David Stanley, instructor of music. Scorza’s Ouachita theatre credits include Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Donkey in Shrek: The Musical and Toad in A Year with Frog and Toad.

“The message behind this recital is very important to me,” Sayers explained. “I started with the idea of traveling through life that I have known so far: adolescence, the importance of our voice and living our own story, as well as touching on the subject of love. I want the viewers, more than anything, to appreciate what we are given in this life.

“I want them to think, ‘What would we be without our voice?’ which especially pertains to a musical theatre major,” he continued. “We are so blessed, and, even without our voice, there are so many ways to express and share emotion with others, whether it be through dance or through acts of kindness. I am also really looking forward to sharing the stage with some of my great friends here at Ouachita.”

Sayers and Scorza will begin the recital with Stephen Schwartz’s “All for the Best” from Godspell. They will be assisted by Natalie Williams, a senior music and theatre arts double major from Little Rock, Ark.; Hannah Fender, a junior musical theatre major from Maumelle, Ark.; Hannah Hines, a junior musical theatre and mass communications double major from Russellville, Ark.; and Jesse Bowron, a junior theatre arts major and art minor from Grandview, Texas.

Scorza will open his solo portion of the recital with Andrew Lippa’s “Let Me Drown” from The Wild Party.

Sayers will then present Sam Wolfson’s Boy Meets Girl: A Young Love Story; he will be assisted by Williams. He will then open his solo portion of the recital with Jeff Bowen’s “A Way Back to Then” from .

Scorza will return to present John Kander’s “Sitting Pretty” from Cabaret. He will then perform Rajiv Joseph’s “Thirteen: The Limbo” from Gruesome Playground Injuries and Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick’s “I Love the Way” from Something Rotten!, choreographed by Bethany Gere, a senior musical theatre and communication sciences and disorders double major from White Hall, Ark. Hines will assist him for the latter two pieces.

Sayers will present Alan Menken’s “One Step Closer” from The Little Mermaid, choreographed by Stacy Hawking, a senior musical theatre major from Sherwood, Ark., and Mark Medoff’s Children of a Lesser God, with sign language by Anna Darr, a sophomore musical theatre major from Alexander, Ark. Fender also will assist him on both pieces. Scorza will follow with a scene from Itamar Moses’ Back Back Back; he will be assisted by Bowron.

Sayers’ final solo will be Cy Colman’s “Stay with Me” from City of Angels. Scorza’s final solo will be Andrew Lippa’s “Stranger” from Big Fish. The men will conclude the recital with a duet of Roger Miller’s “Muddy Water” from Big River.

“What I am most looking forward to is the fact that I am going to get to be able to perform and showcase what all I have worked for over my years here in the musical theatre program,” explained Scorza. “It is so awesome to see where I started and where I am now come together through this production.”

The recital is free and open to the public. John Alec Briggs and Phyllis Walker will serve as accompanists for the performances. For more information, contact OBU’s School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.

 

By Anna Hurst