A holiday celebration of the arts

It has been ten years since Amahl and the Night Visitors has been performed at IU South Bend. This past holiday season, the Teddy Bear Concert shared the stage with an encore performance of Amahl which celebrated the Raclin School of the Arts and the surrounding community.

In addition to the collaboration within the school, Willis Patterson, who played King Balthazar from 1961-1964 in the TV broadcast of Amahl and the Night Visitors, made an appearance at IU South Bend before the festivities to speak about his experience with the TV production.

However, the Teddy Bear Concert’s familiar acts continued to dazzle. The Kick Line lit up the stage during their performance, and teddy bears were accepted in place of purchasing a ticket, and the holiday spirit was felt throughout the auditorium.

This past year, the bears were donated to both the Center for the Homeless and the YWCA, which provides support for women in domestic abuse, substance abuse, and sexual assault situations.

Dean of the Raclin School of the Arts, Marvin Curtis, looks forward to this event every year. Being a part of the community is one of the many things he loves about this performance.

“It’s our way of giving back to the community. Every year we try to get a different non-profit along with the Center for the Homeless. We have donated to several organizations throughout the years,” Curtis says.

This year, after Curtis saw all of the domestic violence awareness events happening on campus, he knew which organization to choose for distribution of some of the expected 300 teddy bears.

“This is an issue that is close to my heart because we have students who experience domestic violence. Teddy bears are wonderful things. They bring a smile to anybody, and half the fun is watching the children bring them in and put them on the table,” Curtis says. Dean of the Raclin School of the Arts. It means a lot to Curtis to be able to bring Amahl and the Night Visitors back to IU South Bend as well. However, instead of Curtis conducting the performance, Emanuel-Cristian Caraman, visiting assistant professor in music, conducted the show.

In 2010 the Raclin School of the Arts first performed this short opera about three kings who witness a miracle when they meet a disabled boy while on their way to bring gifts to the Holy Child in Bethlehem.

The actors taking part in Amahl are both from the community and the theatre and music departments at IU South Bend. Amahl was played by Ethan Hampel, a sixth grader from Northwood Middle School. Hampel is a member of the Children’s Choir of Michiana.

“I was so excited and ready to perform because it is my first time being in an opera as a Musical Theatre student. Operas and musicals can be so drastically different, and there is a very different technique when it comes to preparing for an opera. I am just so grateful that I was able to learn from an expert like Dr. Caraman,” says Maddy Hall, BFA Musical Theatre student, and one of the shepherds in Amahl.

Curtis feels the legacy of the first IU South Bend performance of Amahl. In 2010, the performance was not an IU South Bend exclusive. The moveable stage set was transferred to the Center for the Homeless in South Bend and Krohn’s Center in Chicago, where students performed the show for brand new audiences in two entirely different spaces. “We actually took Amahl on tour to Chicago. We took the show to the Krohn’s Center, which worked with adults in different developmental stages. The center provides the opportunity for adults to work in manufacturing or packaging things. Audience members encompassed different levels of development, but they all enjoyed the music. We then did it at the Center for the Homeless here in South Bend, and it was a unique experience.” Curtis shared. The IU South Bend Tap and Kick Line also made their signature appearance at the Teddy Bear Concert. According to Karen Pajor, Tap and Kick Line instructor, the dancers spent a lot of time in preparing for their big performance.

“We were practicing three days a week. We are incorporating the bears into the routine. You have to keep in mind, especially for our youngest audience members, they think the bears are real. So you have to make sure that you are handling them as if they are a real teddy bear. We had to make sure that the teddy bears were kicking on the right foot and being able to wave and smile at the same time,” Pajor explained.

The students in the Kick Line always look forward to the celebration of the Teddy Bear Concert. For them, the concert is much more than just a performance; it’s giving back to those in need.

Gabby Elick, AS Pre-Radiography, and Kick Line member says, “The Teddy Bear Concert is less than two weeks away from Christmas. While we are making plans to see our families, buying gifts for our loved ones, and decorating our homes for the holidays, there are people in our community that are not as fortunate as us and are not able to do the things that we take for granted. Knowing that you made someone’s Christmas a little better is such a great feeling!” “This performance is definitely different than most because of the festive and happy atmosphere. You can feel the excitement in the room while performing on stage, and it’s so fun getting to dance with a live choir behind us,” Gabrielle Lovisa, BA Psychology, and another long time Kick Line student, adds. The dancing did not stop with the Kick Line. The UZIMA Drum and Dance troupe also participated in the show. It was truly a celebration of the season.

As Dr. Curtis celebrated his last Teddy Bear concert as dean of the School of the Arts, he was presented with a full auditorium on one of his favorite nights: a night when faculty, staff, students and the community come together, and celebrate the wonderful time of the year.