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Willy Wonka: Calvary’s Spring Theatre Production

Willy Wonka: Calvary’s Spring Theatre Production

This spring, Calvary University’s Theatre Department will be exploring a world of pure imagination! Willy Wonka is based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The story follows five children who each find a golden ticket and are granted the opportunity to explore the mysterious chocolate factory owned by the infamous candy man himself, Willy Wonka.

Willy Wonka is the first of Roald Dahl’s books to be brought from the silver screen to the stage. While it is often written off as a feel-good and wrongs-righted story, behind all of its whimsical charm, it presents powerful messages. Every child in the story is given the same “golden ticket”, and each is tempted by the desire they crave most. As we already know, each child fails to withstand temptation. This idea plays into themes that can be found within Willy Wonka, as well as some of Roald Dahl’s other writings, including greed, friendship, justice, and the power of the human mind. True to his unique style of writing, Willy Wonka celebrates the quirky personalities of each character and embraces lessons that can be learned from them. 

Join the colorful characters of Willy Wonka as they venture into a candy dream, traveling through fantastic rooms filled with absurdities, from lickable wallpaper and nut-sorting squirrels to Oompa Loompas and everlasting gobstoppers. Reserve your tickets to this adventure today! 

 

 

Spring Musical: The Fantasticks

Spring Musical: The Fantasticks

Cast, left to right: (Back row) Esther McRae (Mute), Mike Burke (El Gallo), Leah McNabb (Mute), Adam Weeks (Matt), Ashley Huseby (Huck); (Front row) Logan Hiskey (Mortimer), Rebekkah Harms (Luisa), Abigail Tschetter (Miss Bell), Mary Lenk (Henri).

          This March, Calvary University’s Theatre Arts department will present The Fantasticks, a moving musical comedy with an enduring message. A small cast of nine Calvary students is rehearsing for the performance of the enduring show, a charming account of the trials of love, parenthood, and gardening.

          The story calls the audience to see value in both the joys and the sorrows of life. “Without a hurt, the heart is hollow,” sings the narrator, welcoming the listener alongside a handful of flawed, but loveable characters who learn to fully respect and appreciate life’s blessings and difficulties. As King Solomon says in Ecclesiastes, there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh.” Join us March 12-21 for a time of weeping, laughter, singing, dancing, sword fighting, and more in this and much more!

“Without a hurt, the heart is hollow”

Suggested age: 10+ (Due to comedic violence). 

Tickets will be available February 1, 2021 at our Box Office online.

 The Fantasticks is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.MTIShows.com

Calvary Hosts President’s Dinner at Loretto Campus

Calvary Hosts President’s Dinner at Loretto Campus

“Calvary is not its campus… first and foremost, it’s a place where God does redemptive work in individuals through Christ.”

Presidents Dinner attendees walked the halls of the historic Loretto campus last Thursday revisiting Calvary’s roots. For many alumni, it was a chance to relive the memories of their college experience at the campus where Calvary operated from 1967 to 1980. Nearly 150 persons attended the event and heard an address by interim president Jeff Campa, a performance by Calvary’s music group lux voces, and testimonies from alumni. Dave Allen, who assisted planning the event, said, “As a recent graduate from the Graduate school at Calvary, it was extremely gratifying to see the history on display” at the historic campus.

Gracia Burnham, who studied at the Loretto campus, shared a quote from Adoniram Judson, “There is no success without sacrifice. If you succeed without sacrifice it is because someone has sacrificed before you. If you sacrifice without success it is because someone will succeed after.” She encouraged the faculty, staff, and donors that the sacrifices they make have impact, even when they don’t see them. Alumnus Bud Jones added, “The foundation I received here is still preparing me… I have no better memories in my Christian life than the memories I have at Calvary.”

Chief Financial Officer Randy Grimm presented the annual Hand-in-Hand award, a recognition given to an organization that has blessed and served Calvary in the past year. Grimm presented this year’s award to Calvary’s Board of Trustees, “for their leadership, wisdom, and prayers in a year of great challenges.” Chairman of the Board, Tom Zobrist, said, “We do what we do because we love Calvary and we love Jesus… we want to glorify Him.”

Interim President Jeff Campa also addressed attendees, saying, “The alumni that call this place home can attest to [God’s] work in and through Calvary, and they are bearing witness to God’s faithfulness in their lives and ministry.” He added that, in the face of a difficult year, “We learned that Calvary is not its campus… first and foremost, it’s a place where God does redemptive work in individuals through Christ. For 88 years, God has used people just like you, organizations just like yours to sustain this work, and for that, we are ever grateful.”

Interim President Jeff Campa addresses attendees.

Touring the room where chapel was held.

Fred Hendricks shares how his time at Calvary impacted him.

Calvary students served the meal catered by Affordable Elegance.

Calvary Returns to Historic Campus for President’s Dinner

Calvary Returns to Historic Campus for President’s Dinner

Deadline to sign up is Monday (September 14)

For this year’s President’s Dinner, Calvary is revisiting history at the historic Loretto campus in downtown Kansas City. Calvary operated at Loretto from 1967-1980, and Bill Stebbins, Calvary’s Chief Development Officer, said in the stressful environment 2020 has created, “what better thing to do than to go back and bask in our roots?” Stebbins explained that the event gives Calvary’s president an opportunity to tell attendees “what we’ve done in the past year, as well as where we’re going.”  

Jeff Campa, Calvary’s Interim President, said, “Hosting the 2020 President’s Dinner at the Loretto allows for two wonderful things. First, it’s an incredibly beautiful venue for any banquet. Second, since this facility was the home of Calvary for many years it’s the perfect backdrop to reflect on the work God has done, and continues to do, in and through the University.”

A highlight of this year’s event will be the focus on how God is using alumni who attended Calvary at Loretto. Campa said, “The testimony of alumni whose ministries were molded at this location serves as a reminder of God’s faithfulness, and challenges current and future generations to diligence.”

Lois Olson, 1974, Missions

“It was a wonderful time for me. I learned so much about God, about the Bible, about life, and about relationships. I grew up a lot! Calvary helped set me on a path of living for the Lord for the rest of my life.”

Carpenter, left, with Melody Messengers.

Paul Carpenter, 1974, General Bible

I developed a lot of good Christian friendships. I was on the gospel team called Melody Messenger that had a lot to do with my Calvary experience. …Plus the sound teaching of the Word. Dispensational theology was important to me.

President’s Dinner 2020 takes place September 24 at 6:00. Tickets are still available, but the deadline to sign up is September 14! Read more and sign up below.

2020 Feast & Fund Auction a Success

2020 Feast & Fund Auction a Success

Student Leah Grady displays signed Patrick Mahomes jersey for bidding.

Feast & Fund raises over $100,000

On August 8, Calvary hosted the annual Feast & Fund Auction. The event was held in the Student Life Center to facilitate easier social distancing and had over 100 attendees. Randy Grimm, a lead planner for the event, said that, “in spite of COVID-19, we had more [attendees] than we thought we might.”

Between live auction items, a silent auction, and an option to “Fund-a-Need,” the auction raised over $100,000. Grimm said, “the money from the auction is used to help defray the expenses of the students who attend Calvary.” He also added that this year’s Fund-a-Need donations could contribute to “COVID-19 protection, and we are grateful for people helping us to make our goal.”

Despite the complications of hosting an event during a pandemic, Grimm said the event exceeded their expectations. “The African safari trip was a huge success this year along with the trips to Cabo and the Caribbean,” he said. “We did have a few guns on the live auction which is always a big hit. 

On the silent auction items, I would say that the baked goods were the biggest hit.” He also added that feedback on the event was “all very positive. ‘The auction is such a good time, the food was delicious. We appreciated the humor from those doing the live auction as well as the variety of items.”

Student Tori Veltkamp draws a bidding number from a hat during the “hat hog” game.

Housekeeping Assistant Kent Shader demonstrates the new fogger machine, part of Calvary’s safety measures enabled by Fund-a-Need.

Calvary’s Feast & Fund Auction is Coming This Friday!

Calvary’s Feast & Fund Auction is Coming This Friday!

Patrick Lewis enjoyed bidding on a item at the 2019 Feast & Fund.

This week, Calvary holds its third annual Feast & Fund Auction. The event is scheduled for August 7 at the Student Life Center, with doors open at 5:30 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm, and the auction at 7:15. Attendees will enjoy a prime rib dinner before a fun-filled evening featuring a silent and live auction.

The planning committee for the event has worked to ensure a safe, entertaining environment for the auction. Guests will be socially distanced with plenty of hand sanitizer available and staggered serving to ensure safe distancing measures. Attendees are encouraged to wear masks. For those who would rather stay at home or prefer bidding from the comfort of their couch, Calvary is excited to offer an online bidding option.

This year’s auction lineup holds a Caribbean getaway, an African safari, signed Kansas City Chiefs jerseys from Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, smoked pork, buffalo meat, and much more. Registration for online attendance is still open, and you can sign up below.