WHEN: Opens Feb. 20, and runs through Feb.        22, at 7 p.m. nightly

WHERE: ASU’s Leila Barlow Theatre in Tullibody Fine Arts Building, 845 S. Jackson St. 

Alabama State University’s Department of Theatre Arts presents David Lindsay-Abaire’s  “Rabbit Hole” from Feb. 20 to Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. nightly at ASU’s Leila Barlow Theatre in the Tullibody Fine Arts Building, 845 S. Jackson St. on campus.

The 2007 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama delves into the complexity of a family navigating deep grief and learning what it means to live a fruitful life when things fall apart. The audience will view how Becca and Howie Corbett’s picture-perfect family life in the suburbs of New York is tested when their 4-year old son’s life is taken in a random, tragic accident by a young driver, Jason. Soon after, Becca’s younger, irresponsible sister, Izzy, announces that she is pregnant: there will now be a new child in the family. 

As Becca and Howie grow apart, Becca’s mother, Nat, badgers Becca about her grieving process as Jason continually shows up to ask for forgiveness. The group is on a bumpy road to healing with no road map in sight. 

Director and assistant professor of Theatre, Nathan Jacobs, is excited about introducing this play to the ASU community and the extended “CommUniversity.”

“This (the play) is a contemporary work that should be accessible to today’s audiences,” Jacobs said. “We’ve all experienced and wrestled with grief… it’s really about learning to cope with tremendous loss and still move forward in life.”

“Rabbit Hole” is double-casted with an advanced cast of senior theatre majors and an understudy cast of freshmen and sophomores. Retired dean Dr. Tommie Stewart established the tradition to give more students the opportunity to experience the main stage.

Jacobs said casting at least two (2) actors for each role, challenges both the students and the director. 

“Our Theatre students are always willing to be challenged with new work, new concepts, as well as the classics,” Jacobs said. “You have to make sure you develop chemistry between all the actors – not just between certain casts. There’s definitely a level of safety in it – just in case a student leaves the cast for example,” observed Jacobs. “But it can also be very tenuous to do this type of directing well.” 

The performances are $12 for general admission, $6 for ASU students with valid IDs, and $10 for groups of 10 or more. For tickets, visit Return.com or call 334-229-6929/4551.

News media contact: Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4104.

– Media Relations Specialist Hazel Scott contributed to the release.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The students at Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law organized a private screening last week of the newly released movie Just Mercy featuring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, and Brie Larson.

The screening took place at the New Vision Theatres Chantilly 13 on January 30, 2020, where about 200 law school students, faculty, staff, and friends came to the screening including special guests from the Alabama State Bar, the Equal Justice Initiative and other members of the local legal community.

Cliff Coleman, a third-year law student at Faulkner Law and President of the Student Bar Association, helped organize the event along with the Black Law Students Association President and Faulkner Law student, Shevon Thomas II.

The event was first mentioned last year as a great opportunity for law students to join the Equal Justice Initiative and showcase the work they are doing and their legal contributions to the local community, state, and the nation.

“The work that the Equal Justice Initiative does is of critical importance for the State of Alabama and the country as a whole. The story of Bryan Stevenson is compelling for those of us who are training to be lawyers and want to make a difference. What is even better is most of this story takes place in Montgomery,” Coleman said.

“SBA and BLSA want to bring this story to Jones students, faculty, staff, and our friends. We believe that its message can speak to a wide and diverse audience,” he added. 

A story of justice and redemption, Just Mercy is a feature adaptation of the true story of Montgomery’s Equal Justice Initiative and its founder, Bryan Stevenson. The film showcases Stevenson as a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative as a nonprofit law office in Montgomery, Alabama, dedicated to defending the poor, the incarcerated, and the wrongly condemned.

The film takes place during the early days of EJI when the organization had a small staff who decided to challenge the nation’s highest death sentencing and execution rates and confront racial injustice.

In the film, Michael B. Jordan portrays Stevenson who defends one of EJI’s first clients, Walter McMillian. McMillian, played by Jamie Foxx, was sentenced to die for the murder of a young white woman that he didn’t commit.

Equal Justice Initiative’s Adam Murphy attended the screening event and spoke to the audience afterward about the movie and encouraged law students to take action.

“Contribute your legal skills and passion to a re-entry or criminal justice reform organization. Identify a gap in legal resources and create a project to fill that gap. Seek out your District Attorney and ask what they are doing about wrongful convictions. Learn more about mental illness and criminal justice and urge your elected officials to develop programs that provide treatment rather than imprisonment,” Murphy said.  

About EJI

Founded in 1989 by Bryan Stevenson, EJI is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides legal representation to people who have been illegally convicted, unfairly sentenced, or abused in state jails and prisons. 

EJI works with communities that have been marginalized by poverty and discouraged by unequal treatment. EJI also provides research and recommendations to assist advocates and policymakers in the critically important work of criminal justice reform, by publishing reports, discussion guides, and other educational materials, and conduct educational tours and presentations for thousands of students, teachers, faith leaders, professional associations, community groups, and international visitors every year.

To learn more, visit https://eji.org/.

About Faulkner

Faulkner University is a private, Christian liberal arts university based in Montgomery, Alabama. With a mission to provide an education anchored by not only intellect but also character and service, the Faulkner experience aims to educate the whole person. Serving both traditional and non-traditional students, the university is home to six colleges: the Alabama Christian College of Arts and Sciences, the Harris College of Business and Executive Education, the V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies, the College of Education, Faulkner Law and the new College of Health Sciences. In addition to its main campus in Montgomery, Faulkner operates extension campuses in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile and online.

For more information, visit www.faulkner.edu.

Contact:

Rebecca Burylo

Public Relations and Social Media Manager

Faulkner University

334-386-7489

rburylo@faulkner.edu

– The Two are Alabama State University Juniors and are Both Montgomery Residents –

The beat goes on at Alabama State University as two of its students of music that specialize in percussion are adding to the University’s repertoire of musical honors by being selected and honored as among the most talented collegiate percussion students in Alabama.

ASU students John McTier and Corlandt Townsend, both juniors and both residents of Montgomery, have been honored to be chosen to participate in the All-Star Collegiate Percussion Ensemble. This group is a veritable ‘who’s-who” of the state’s higher education student percussion talent, which represents the best and the brightest from among the state’s colleges and universities. The ASU duo received their notification of winning this honor on Jan. 29. They were selected by the Percussion Arts Society of Alabama.    

ASU SOPHOMORES WILL REPRESENT ASU @ STATEWIDE EVENT

Their instructor of percussion, ASU professor Jessica Williams, said that as a result of their newly acquired accolades, the two will be representing ASU at the Alabama Percussion Arts Society’s  Chapter Day on Feb. 29, which will be held at the University of Alabama.

“As a result of their winning, they will perform, be taught and mentored by some of America’s most talented musical educators that come from the nation’s elite schools of music,” Williams said.

One of nationally acclaimed musical teachers that ASU’s percussion professor is referring to is Dr. Michael Burritt, who is a professor of percussion at the famous Eastman School of Music, which is located in Rochester, NY.  Burritt will be working with all of the winners and will direct the ensemble of Alabama students in February.

“We have some amazing musical talent studying here at Alabama State University’s Department of Music, and both John and Corlandt are among our best students,” Williams said. “This is yet another example of why ASU is a destination school for students with musical talent.”

News media contact: Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4104.

– This story was written by Kenneth Mullinax/ASU.

Fred Wesley, a jazz trombonist and ASU alum, whose world renowned musical funk with the likes of James Brown and Ray Charles has captured the attention of jazz enthusiasts from around the world. Now, he is the focus of a filmmaker’s new documentary, “Never Just a Sideman.”

A film crew from Switzerland was on the ASU campus on Jan. 27, to document Welsley’s (aka “Funky Fred,”) journey from ASU music student to one of America’s greatest jazz funk trombonists.

“This documentary is trying to shine the light on sidemen who helped stars become stars,” said Maximilian Speidel, film director, whose company is based in Zuriack, Switzerland.

A sideman refers to a musician that accompanies a major artist who relies on his skills to make his performance successful.

Along with Wesley, other Funkateers included in the documentary are George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie and Gary “Mudbone” Cooper.

“This project started out last year in a small studio in Lichtenstein,” Speidel said. ”We actually flew in all the musicians (to the studio).”

Speidel hopes viewers find the documentary informative, as well as entertaining.

“I hope viewers’ takeaway from the documentary the need to be aware that if you want to achieve something, we need the people around us,” Speidel said. “It’s not about yourself, it’s always about the team. So I think it’s really important that people look around and be aware of who is with me and who helped me achieve what I have achieved.”

WESLEY’S BACKGROUND IS A MUSICAL WHO’S-WHO OF FUNK

Wesley was the band director for the legendary king of soul, James Brown; starting in the 1960’s and continuing through the ‘70s. He was one of the architects of funk who recently donated his famous black trombone to ASU. He recorded several songs with James Brown, including “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud,” and he co-wrote the hit song, “Hot Pants.” He also recorded with Count Basie, toured with Ike and Tina Turner and performed with Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Van Morrison and De La Soul.

WHILE @ ASU

The ASU-schooled musical maestro of funk played in the stage band when he attended the University in 1961. “I think what is so special about Fred is that you could put him in any genre and he would arrange you the best mixer,” Speidel noted.  

The documentary is scheduled for released in 2021.  

News media contact: Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4101.

–  Written by Media Relations Specialist Hazel Scott.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Neil Diamond’s music will come alive on Faulkner’s campus as the performers from Cherry Cherry give a tribute concert to support student scholarships with classics like “Sweet Caroline,” “Cherry Cherry,” and much more.

Friends for Faulkner, a volunteer auxiliary group of the university, will host the group on campus on January 25 at 7 p.m. to raise money for students. Tickets are on sale now online at https://www.faulkner.edu/events/diamondtribute/.

Although Friends for Faulkner regularly raises funds throughout the year, this will be the largest profile event the organization has arranged and they are expecting to sell out due to Neal Diamonds’ popularity.

Steve Kelly and Cherry Cherry Band create the award-winning Premier Neil Diamond Tribute and has performed over 600 shows in the United States and Canada. They are considered the premier Neil Diamond show as the line- up replicates the same timeless live shows Diamond performs himself. Neil Leslie Diamond, an American singer-songwriter, musician and actor, has had 38 songs in the Top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time.

Friends for Faulkner raises funds for Friends for Faulkner Student Scholarships, assists the University with purchasing non-budgeted items, assists the University in student recruitment and promotes the ideals of Christian education.

WHAT: “The Neil Diamond Experience”

WHERE: Faulkner University E.L. Collum Rotunda

WHEN: January 25 at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.

COST: $25 General Admission

To order tickets visit –https://www.faulkner.edu/events/diamondtribute/

About Faulkner

Faulkner University is a private, Christian liberal arts university based in Montgomery, Alabama. With a mission to provide an education anchored not only by intellect but also character and service, the Faulkner experience aims to educate the whole person. Serving both traditional and non-traditional students, the university is home to six colleges: the Alabama Christian College of Arts and Sciences, the Harris College of Business and Executive Education, the V.P. Black College of Biblical Studies, the College of Education, Faulkner Law and the College of Health Sciences. In addition to its main campus in Montgomery, Faulkner operates extension campuses in Birmingham, Huntsville and Mobile along with online degree programs.

For more information, visit www.faulkner.edu.

Contact:

Rebecca Burylo

Public Relations and Social Media Manager

Faulkner University

334-386-7489/ rburylo@faulkner.edu