acuoptimist.com
Optimist the
Show Hosts, page 3B
Friday, February 18, 2011
Vol. 99, No. 37
2 section, 16 pages
photo illustration by JOZIE SANDS // Online Editor
Galaxy, Alpha Kai Omega, Pi Kappa, GATA and Gamma Sigma Phi perform in 2011 Sing Song.
Playing Favorites Seventeen Sing Song acts hit the stage to perform ACU’s favorite tunes
A
flock of harmonious ducks, a batch of cookies, a brigade of singing soldiers and a band of marionettes make up some of the 17 upstage acts intent on dazzling audiences at ACU Sing Song 2011. The 55th performance of the ACU tradition is one of the largest in university history. Tom Craig, director of student productions, said this year’s performance promises to be not only big, but also excellent. “I’m very excited about what the clubs and classes have put together,” Craig said. “I think this is one of our better years.”
Story by Jeff Craig, Managing Editor Craig said the quality of acts performing this year is better than he can remember. He said there is no act that stands far above the others in quality or performance. “From a competition standpoint, there is no real clear frontrunner,” Craig said. Sing Song has been performed on campus every year since 1956, and nearly one-third of the student body participates each year. For some students, Sing Song has become a yearly tradition.
Whitney Herrington, graduate student from Weatherford, participated in Sing Song as an undergraduate with the women’s social club GATA. She said she excited to participate in the graduate school act, which tells the story of the video game character Mario and his quest to save a kidnapped princess. “It’s an awesome experience. It’s great having big performances with everyone coming into town,” Herrington said. see SHOW page 8A
CONNECTED SUMMIT
SING SONG
Tent furnishes makeshift backstage Apple founder to visit campus Linda Bailey Editor in Chief
The double gyms utilized in previous years to contain Sing Song acts before they hit the Moody Coliseum stage have been rendered inaccessible because of construction on the Royce and Pam Money Recreation and Wellness Center – but the show will go on. Instead of housing the participants in double gyms this year, Tom Craig, director of student productions, said the acts will rotate between Cullen Auditorium and a large tent erected outside on the north side of Moody. Most acts will start the show in the tent, then move to Cullen Auditorium to warm up before performing in Moody. The tent never will contain all the Sing Song acts at once, Craig said. While the rotation differs from previous years, Craig said he was confident that practice will make perfect. “With a little bit of practice, it will run like clockwork,” Craig said.
STACY ACTON // Staff Photographer
Freshman biology major Carly Henderson paints black lines above the eyes of her act members in the staging tent for the Sing Song dress rehearsal on Wednesday. And according to Wednesday’s dress the indoor gyms. “Well, I wish they had floors. My rehearsal, it did. Craig commended the acts on getting where they needed to allergies are acting up because of the grass, so I guess I’m not fond of go in a timely manner. The outside tent, however, does not provide the same luxuries as see TENT page 8A
website
inside editor’s faves Before watching Sing Song 2011: Faves, read what to look for during each of the club and class acts. page 3A-4A
More than 800 people spanning nine countries Editor in Chief already have registered for Innovators in education, the event, which features industry and policy from speakers such as Steve around the globe will trav- Wozniak, co-founder of el to Abilene next week- Apple; Adrian Sannier, end to discuss the future Pearson eCollege vice of education and mobile president of product; and technology during ACU’s Karen Cator, U.S. Department of Education director Connected Summit. “It’s a gathering of edu- of educational technology. Wozniak will have an cators, policy makers and corporations coming to- onstage conversation led gether to explore how mo- by Bill Rankin, director of bility is interacting with mobile learning research, education and specific at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, thinking about how the Feb. 28, in Moody Colifuture of books and edu- seum. The event also will cational learning materials feature a performance plays out in a mobiley con- by the Rocketboys, an Abilenenected world,” said George Austin-based, Saltsman, executive director of the Adams Center. see MOBILE page 8A
Linda Bailey
opinion Last fall’s implementation of Cornerstone has proven to be a failure and should be addressed before this fall. page 4B
weather videos Find archived Optimist Sing Song videos from years past on our website, www. acuoptimist.com.
Abilene Christian University
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