Written by Heidi A Tabor
The fireworks had gone off. The finale song, “Jai Ho,” had received a standing ovation. The awards had been handed out. Still, something was missing. As the crowd filed out of the auditorium, many began to wonder, “What is the theme for next year’s show?”
In all the excitement surrounding the finale of Spring Sing last weekend, director Steve Frye forgot to announce the theme for the show next year, which will be titled, “Welcome Home.”
It is typically a tradition to announce the theme for the next year at the awards ceremony following the final show on Saturday night. Frye said that he didn’t mean to withhold any information. He simply forgot to announce it.
“There was no deliberate deception,” Frye said.”I had it written in my notes. I just skipped over it.”
The theme for Spring Sing 2011, “Welcome Home,” will look at home, at family and at Harding.
“We have been around the world, now we are going to come home,” Frye said.
This year’s show, “Spring Sing International,” took the audience on a journey abroad with ensemble members and the jazz band featuring music from Africa and India, among others. It also included shows from the Walton Scholars from Latin America and the Chinese Scholars.
“We were able to showcase our own international programs and international students in positive ways, as well as get a nice taste in world music,” Frye said. “I was very pleased with the production.”
Freshman ensemble member Scotti Beth Lawson said that being a part of “Spring Sing International” was the experience of a lifetime.
“Not only was the performance an exhilarating moment in time, but the work done and relationships formed through the three-month process made it all worthwhile,” Lawson said.”It was one of the best things I have ever had the opportunity to be involved in.”
However, the process of preparing for Spring Sing takes longer than three months for co-directors Frye and his wife, Dottie.
Steve Frye said production for next year’s show begins immediately. Dottie Frye added that her husband already had the stage design in mind for “Welcome Home” a week before they began working on “Spring Sing International” last semester.
Steve Frye looks ahead to Spring Sing shows of the future and admits to having two to three years of ideas floating around in his head. This includes an almost entirely planned 50thanniversary show and four to five songs already in mind for “Welcome Home.”
