As part of the celebration commemorating the historic, 100 year-old Karl G. Maeser Building, six of Brigham Young University’s finest performing groups will present music, dance and songs that span a century during BYU Spectacular 2012.
The talent showcase, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, Oct. 11 and 12, in the Marriott Center, will begin at 7:30 p.m. and be wrapped around the Homecoming theme: “Of Pillars and Cornerstones.” Tickets are available at the Marriott Center, the Harris Fine Arts ticket office, at byutickets.com and by calling 1-800-322-BYU1.
“The theme is intended to point our thoughts toward those foundational elements of a BYU education and life experiences while at BYU and support the soaring structures that our lives will become,” said John C. Lewis, chairman of the homecoming executive committee and the university’s associate advancement vice president.
“Throughout Homecoming week, we will celebrate the anniversary of the beloved Karl G. Maeser Building as a symbol of BYU’s rich heritage,” he adds. “The venerable Maeser Building got things started as a beacon on the southwest corner of campus, leading the way for the many ‘temples of learning’ that would fill Temple Hill throughout the 20thCentury. BYU has grown in strength and stature with each new cornerstone and each rising pillar, as have those of us privileged to study at this great institution.”
Performing groups will include Synthesis, Young Ambassadors, Cougarettes, Contemporary Dance Theatre, Ballroom Dance Company and Vocal Point.
The evening will begin with an overture called “20thCentury Love” and then be divided into five eras covering a century: “A New Beginning,” “Years of Hardship,” “Explosive Expansion,” “The World is Our Campus,” and “Go Forth to Serve: Building on a Legacy.”
“One of the nice elements of this show is that anyone who attended BYU will recognize the music from at least one of the segments,” says Janielle Christensen, artistic director. “The eras, however, reflect much loved and familiar selections that should appeal to a broad audience.”
Among the numbers are “Why Do I Love You,” “The Way You Look Tonight,” “When I Fall in Love,” “Footloose,” an Elvis medley and the finale: “Reach,” featuring Young Ambassadors, Vocal Point, Synthesis and a drum line.
The entire show pays particular attention to the Maeser Building.
As producer Michael Handley explains, “We have planned the show with the building serving as a silent sentinel that witnessed BYU’s growth from its humble roots that expanded into a worldwide institution. Anyone who attended BYU will remember the building on the south end of campus that holds so much of BYU’s history.”
“With great sacrifice, the Maeser Building was built on what was then called Temple Hill, and we are celebrating its heritage along with the visions and dreams that have been fulfilled since the building was dedicated in 1912,” adds Christensen. “I guess you could say this building is a symbol for everything we are.”
For more information, visit homecoming.byu.edu or contact Charlene Winters, 801-422-7579, charlene_winters@byu.edu.
Writer: Charlene Winters
