UT Tyler to Host Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

US Supreme Court Associate
Justice Clarence Thomas

This September, the Cowan Center will host US Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas as part of the UT Tyler Distinguished Lecture Series. This will be the first time a Supreme Court Justice visits UT Tyler, and Justice Thomas will be the opening lecture for the 33rd year of the UT Tyler Distinguished Lecture Series.

Justice Thomas was born in 1948 in Pin Point, Georgia, a community near Savannah, Georgia. He attended Conception Seminary and received an A.B., cum laude, from Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts. He went on to receive his J.D. (Juris Doctor---law degree) from Yale Law School in 1974.

Following his academic career, he was admitted to the Missouri bar in 1974, and for the next three years, he served as the Assistant Attorney General of Missouri under State Attorney General John Danforth. In 1976, Justice Thomas took an attorney position with the Monsanto Company in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1979 he returned to work with now U.S. Senator Danforth through 1981 as a Legislative Assistant. He then joined the Reagan administration in 1981 as the Assistant Secretary of Education for the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education, and then in 1982 through 1990 he was the Chairman of the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

In 1989, President George H.W. Bush nominated Thomas to a seat on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Following his tenure on this bench, President Bush nominated him for the Supreme Court in 1991, following the retirement of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve as a Supreme Court Justice in the United States. Thomas would go on to be the second African-American on the bench, and he still holds his seat on the bench today.

His public perception is one that is somewhat shrouded in mystery. He is seen as having joined the conservative wing of the Court, being seen by some as the most conservative member of the Supreme Court; others argue that Justice Scalia holds that honor. Both men view themselves as originalists, making some of their decisions on the bench highly controversial. One of his most distinguishing features on the bench is his silence--Supreme Court Justices are often very talkative  during opening statements for cases, but Justice Thomas does not speak. Recently he did speak up briefly during opening statements and arguments for the first time in seven years, just so he could make a joke about the two lawyers that were alumnus from Harvard and Yale Law School.

His resonating silence on the bench makes an entire lecture from him at UT Tyler much more exciting. Tickets will go on sale for the public in August from the Cowan Center website, so be sure to claim your seats while they are open!

UT Tyler Cowan Center: Enjoy high class acts!

     Texas is right down center from the two states infamous for entertainment wonders: California and New York. Although mostly two cities make these states popular, the value consumes the states with visitors. New York City is well known for having great performance acts, whether it be musical, comedy or Broadway. It has it all. So when those acts come to The University of Texas at Tyler, there is an opportunity for East Texans and UT Tyler students to experience Grade A entertainment without traveling far. This is what the Cowan Center provides here at the university. 

     This will be the 18th season for the Cowan Center. This season will provide an array of world class acts where audiences will only crave more and come back every year.

There's different series categorizing different acts. Each one providing an entertainment experience like no other.

Wayne Brady to perform at UT Tyler Cowan Center

     People say laughter is good for the soul. Audiences love nothing more than being entertained by comedy. Action and romance may be interesting, but a good joke makes everything better! This is why The University of Texas at Tyler's Cowan Center will host Wayne Brady, comedian/actor.

Cowan Center Presents: The Addams Family

              Gomez.....Morticia.....Uncle Fester.... Wednesday...... Pugsley.....Lurch... Thing..... Do these names sound familiar to you? Well, if you are a 90's child like myself, you probably grew up watching The Addams Family! 

     One of the most well-known family, The Addams , was aired from 1964-1966. It was first seen as a cartoon created by an American catoonist, Charles Addams. The Addams family is a satirical inversion of the ideal American family. The Addams family are eccentric, a grim atmosphere, and are unaware that people find them frightening and bizarre. Gomez Addams is a wealthy man who is madly in love with his wife Morticia. They have a daughter Wednesday as well as a son,Pugsley. The Addams live on 0001 Cemetery Lane with Grandmama, Lurch, the butler, and Thing, a disembodied hand that appears out of wooden box. 

This Semester at the Cowan Center

As a new semester begins at UT Tyler, the Cowan Center has an outstanding lineup of shows, events, and lectures for students and the local community.  The first half of the 2013-2014 season proved to be one of the most exciting to date, with amazing performances from legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld, Stephen Lang in “Beyond Glory,” and from Dr. Carl Wieman, as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series. This semester has the potential to be even better, as outstanding shows are coming to Tyler.

Members of the Dance Theatre of Harlem

In the Performing Arts Series, we will see performances from the Dance Theatre of Harlem, as well as from the cast of “Godspell.” From the Dance Theatre of Harlem comes “Believe Again,” a program of ballet dance that has acquired unparalleled acclaim from global audiences. The Dance Theatre of Harlem is a multi-cultural dance institution with a legacy of unprecedented success, bringing innovative and bold new forms of artistic expression to audiences across the country.  “Godspell” is the musical from Grammy-nominated composer Stephen Schwartz, based on a series of parables from the Gospel of Matthew, tied together with a variety of modern and traditional music. It can be described as a tale of friendship, loyalty, and love that has been traveling around the world in theaters since 1971.

Two other musicals will travel to Tyler, Texas to be part of the Cowan Center Broadway Series.  First is “Million Dollar Quartet,” the Tony-award winning musical that tells the story of the famous recording session with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins, featuring famous songs from all four musicians.  Next is “The Addams Family,” the hit musical comedy from four-time Tony Award winning director Jerry Zaks.  Based on the hit 1964 TV show, it brings the dark, entertaining world of the Addams family to life for audiences nationwide.

The Braithwaite Series will offer two shows this semester.  First is "The Official Blues Brothers Revue," a show that combines the comedy and hit songs from the original movie, and pays homage to Chicago's rich history of blues, gospel, and soul music. Next is a performance from Jim Belushi and the Chicago Board of Comedy, in which they will hold an improvised sketch show for the audience to participate in. 

See this movie because
Bill Murray is in the cast.

In the Distinguished Lecture Series this season, we have Charles Krauthammer and Robert Edsel.  Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Krauthammer has been a political speaker and commentator for over three decades, garnering national attention as a member of the Reagan Administration as one of the writers of the “Reagan Doctrine” during the Cold War.  Since then, he has been a highly influential commentator with The Washington Post, The Weekly Standard, and The New Republic.  Robert Edsel is the author of the non-fiction books, Rescuing Da Vinci, The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History, and Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis. One of his works is being adapted to the big screen, “Monuments Men,” adapted to the screen and directed by George Clooney.

For ticket and showtime information, be sure to check the Cowan Center website for more information!  We are looking forward to another fantastic semester from the Cowan Center!

East Texas Symphony Orchestra

Hello internet! So last Saturday night, I went and saw the East Texas Symphony Orchestra concert at the Cowan Center here on our campus! I've been to a few of their concerts before, and I’m always impressed by their performance!

Any time the symphony comes around I’m always excited to go see what they have prepared! On Saturday, the theme of the concert was “Classics in Film”. The orchestra was also accompanied by guest Soprano, Suzie Leblanc! Here is a list of all the pieces that they played! 

Also sprach Zarathustra - R. Strauss   2001: A Space Odyssey

On the beautiful blue Danube - J. Strauss  2001: A Space Odyssey

Nulla in mundo pax sincera - Vivaldi  Shine

Ombra mai fu - Handel Dangerous Liasons

Una voce poco fa - Rossini  Citizen Cane

Music for strings, percussion, and celeste, mvt. 3 - Bartok The Shining

Throne Room and End Credits - J. Williams Star Wars: A New Hope

Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana - Mascagni  Raging Bull

Symphony no. 25 in g minor, mvt 1 - Mozart  Amadeus

Gabriel’s Oboe - Morricone arr. R. Longfield  The Mission

Summertime - Gershwin  Porky & Bess

Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Arlen The Wizard of Oz

Adagio for Strings – Barber Platoon

Overture to The Barber of Seville – Rossini The Rabbit of Seville

The ETSO absolutely nailed every single one of these songs, and I was very impressed with their performance! They have three more concerts coming up for the 2013-2014 concert season! All of the concerts will take place at the Cowan Center here on our very own campus! Want to see the symphony orchestra live? Come to one of the upcoming concerts, each featuring a number of guest artists! Tickets are fairly cheap and it's defiantly worth it! 

January 18, 2014 - The Five Browns  

March 22, 2014 -   On Nature

April 26, 2014 -     Power Play

Did any of you guys go see the ETSO also? Tell me what you thought by leaving a comment below!

Tempted by the Temptations of the Muses!

Oh my goodness. Tickets went on sale October 14 for The Ahn Trio and Nai Ni Chen Dance Company, and they will here at The University of Texas at Tyler in a little over a month. I am so excited right now I can barely breathe. I think I made little squeaky duck sounds for a few minutes. I can always blame it on Mr. Quackers, the rubber duck assistant that was on my desk since before I started working here. He is my friend now and we are going for soft tacos later. Maybe I will take him to go see the recital with me! He would love it! 

Nothing solidifies a friendship like Mexican cuisine *sniffles*

Patriot Performances at the Cowan Center

With the new semester well under way, new faces everywhere, and new friends being made, there are new opportunities to find exciting things to go and do. One of the places that has captured my attention is the Cowan Center.

In high school, I was in drill team, and I felt my best when dancing and cheering at pep rallies and dancing on stage. There’s just something about the costumes and the chance to perform that just kick-starts my heart! I guess my personal style icon Marilyn Monroe said it best: “some girls are just born with glitter in their veins.” 

Norma Jeane Mortenson <3

The Cowan Center is by far one of my favorite places on campus. Lots of practice rooms, couches, pianos, nice places to study- I could go on all day. Not to mention there have been so many famous people inside of it. The world famous Blue Man Group came to Tyler recently. (You can see the vlog Emmy did about them, here) There’s just something about being around so much professional and student talent. It’s inspirational, I just know it!

Jerry Seinfeld to Perform at the Cowan Center

Every year, the Cowan Center on the UT Tyler Campus holds a set of special events that tend to draw a big crowd.  Last year, the big-ticket seller was the set of shows performed by the Blue Man Group.  In years past, President George W. Bush included UT Tyler into his lecture tour, we have had performances from Huey Lewis and the News, and extremely popular Broadway musicals and plays have graced the Cowan stage.  This fall, however, the Cowan Center has outdone itself. 

The Mystery Special Event for the Cowan Center was recently announced, and we now know that on October 24th, Jerry Seinfeld will be performing his famous stand-up routine for UT Tyler Students and the rest of the broader community.  Known to be one of the most relatable comedians in American history, Jerry Seinfeld is best known for observational humor, often discussing personal relationships that he has with family, friends, and co-workers, as well as discussing uncomfortable social obligations.  He is internationally renowned for his comedic talents, and having him perform at the Cowan Center is nothing short of an honor.

Jerry Seinfeld is best known for his portrayal of himself in the sitcom Seinfeld, which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, another famous American comedian.  The show ran from 1988 to 1998, and is still highly regarded as one of the best written television shows of all time.  It was from this sitcom that Jerry Seinfeld rose to prominence, and he is still regarded today as a powerhouse comedian.

If you have never seen Jerry Seinfeld perform, let alone seen the show Seinfeld, now is the perfect opportunity to see him in person.  The show at the Cowan Center is on October 24^th, 2013 at 7PM  and tickets go on sale on August 19^th.  Remember to check the Cowan Center website for ticket sale information.  Be sure to take part in this exciting opportunity hosted by the UT Tyler Cowan Center!  

Spamalot!!

       Hey guys! As some of you may already know, sometimes we get Broadway plays to be put on here at UT Tyler! So far this year, Shrek the Musical, West Side Story, an many others have been performed. Earlier this semester, I went to go see West Side Story when they were here, and I really enjoyed watching it! You can read my review of it here!

       Tomorrow, which is March 21, 2013, the cast of Monty Python's Spamalot will be here at UT Tyler to put on their production! I've never seen any of Monty Python's movies or plays, but I've heard that they're all pretty funny! And if you know me, I like funny.

       I was always a part of the theater program whenever I was in elementary school, middle school, and high school! I really like to act, and I really miss theater a lot! So now, I go to see a Broadway production here on campus pretty much anytime I get the opportunity to!

       Also, next week on Tuesday, March 26th, the cast of Dream Girls the Broadway play will be here to perform their play as well.Some of you have heard of Dream Girls before, as it was made into a movie a few years ago starring Beyonce.

       If any of you are interested in getting tickets for either of these productions, you can go and pick them up in the box office at the Cowan Center! Tickets are free for UT Tyler students for most productions! Free is good, so if you're available to go, I certainly encourage you to go! I'll be there too, so I hope to see you guys there!

Spring Wind Ensemble concert!

       It's starting to turn into Spring here at UT Tyler! Spring is my favorite season of the year, because the weather is perfect (mostly). It is Texas after all, so the weather can be quite unpredictable. A lot of great things also happen during the spring season, including band concerts!
       In high school, spring was referred to as "concert season". That means that you perform concert music on a stage in front of people, rather than marching on a football field. In college, you are able to perform in concerts no matter which season it is!
       In fact, the UT Tyler Wind Ensemble is putting on our first concert of the 2013 spring semester tomorrow night! This is the first time I'll be playing clarinet for an actual concert, and I'm beginning to feel very nervous. I feel kind of unprepared, but I think that it's because this is the first time I'm playing in a college band.
       The music that we're going to play is much more difficult than the music I played in high school. I feel very honored to play with all of these talented people. Everyone in the ensemble takes the music very seriously, but they are also some of the nicest/coolest people that I 've met in college!
       If you're interested in going to watch the concert, it will take place this Thursday, March the 7th at 7:30 pm. The concert will go down in the Cowan Center Auditorium. I hope you guys can make it!

       Have any of you guys ever played in a band or choir? Leave me a comment below telling us about your musical experiences!

Senior Plans- I HAVE NO PLAN

This semester is my last here at The University of Texas at Tyler. As a student of English and Communication, I have applied for graduation, and been approved. My grades permitting, I will be walking across the Cowan Center stage come May.

I have moved 38 times, and after each move I have made, I felt as if I was missing out on chances. I was afraid I was missing out on connections with people. No move I made was ever 100% my choice. 

As a child, you go where your parent(s) take you. As a university student, you go where you need to for your future. As an adult... well, it seems to be more about the money. I don't know about money, but my move to Austin this summer will start my career; it will be move number 39.

My original plan for UT Tyler was that I was only going to stay here at UT Tyler for one year, and move on to a larger school. This university quickly became my home. This epoch of my life is the second longest I have ever lived in the same area and known the same people. My university experiences have taught me that things, well, they will always change anyway. It doesn't matter if you move away or make plans or make promises. 

As functional humans, we need to understand that we cannot predict anything based on past events. We can only plan very little. We can only adapt.

Friends, family, my esthetician, acquaintances and the lady at the Walgreens all ask me what I’m planning to do when I graduate. Find a job! What do you think?

I’m feeling sentimental looking back, and realizing what the heart of this school has shown me.

Life does not work according to your Google calendar, and that's okay.  

UT Tyler Wind Ensemble Concert!

                With finals just around the corner and tensions running high, it’s definitely time to find some kind of way to relax and stop worrying about everything. Luckily for me, I found a way to chill pretty quickly. I decided to go to the last UT Tyler Wind Ensemble concert of the semester! If you have read any of my previous blogs you know about my ridiculous obsession with music, so this was the obvious choice for me.

                After my semester concert for my percussion ensemble ended, I no longer had to go to class. I feel like I have been musically deprived since then. I have a few friends who are in the Wind Ensemble, so I would always ask them when their final concert was. Plus I’m just really pumped to actually be in the Wind Ensemble next semester! It’s definitely going to be different, because I've been playing percussion for the past four years and now I’m going back to clarinet! Hopefully it’ll all work out in the end.

                I went to the first concert that the wind ensemble put on earlier this semester, and I was really impressed! From what I have been told by my friends that are in the wind ensemble, they are playing really cool (but yet difficult) music. I know that I will be blown away again. I am definitely ready to get my finals over with, and move into a new semester. If the school  never put on things like this, or any other campus activities, I know I would go crazy.

                The UT Tyler Wind Ensemble concert will take place this Thursday night at 7:30 in the Vaughn Auditorium in the Cowan Center! It’s free and open to the public, so please come see what the ensemble has been preparing for! Hope to see you there!

Shrek! The Broadway Musical!

Hey guys! I did my very first video blog about the Shrek! Broadway Musical I attended last Thursday night at the UT Tyler Cowan Center ! This is the first time I have recorded myself, and I was pretty nervous.. you can definitely tell... The editing I found was EXTREMELY hard and time consuming but don't worry I will get the hang of these video blogs and each one will get better and better:) It's a little rough around the edges but I still hope you guys enjoy it. 

(It would pick the most unflattering still shot for the video ... )

This video I found on YouTube of a previously recorded performance! This is the scene I was talking about!!!:)

The KUNG FU Masters of China at UT Tyler

SHAOLIN WARRIORS 

As I wrote earlier this week on Monday, I was very excited about attending the Shaolin Warriors performance. And let me tell you, it did not disappoint! My roommate and I were literally in awe by the end of the show!

The showed open with two little boys who were doing crazy acrobats! I mean they were literally doing summersaults with their heads! Yes heads! not hands! I myself didn't even know that was possible! I wish I can tell you EVERYTHING that I saw that night, it was so awesome :)

Thumbs up for Shaolin Warriors !!:) 

 The performers demonstrated impressive Kung fu moves! I mean they look like they were flying! They were just jumping up so high while doing flips and such! There were also performers who bent this huge stick with a sphere at the end with his neck pressing down on the sphere! And this other performer who laid on a bed of nails, then had a bed of nails on top while another performer laid on top of that with ANOTHER bed of nails on top of him. After that, one of the performer placed, I believe like a cement block or a piece of wood on top of all of that and hammered it until it broke! FYI, yes they are all okay! I know I am using so many exclamation marks but it's cause it was soooo good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The performers also demostrated weapons! Oh my.... I mean they were moving their weapons so fast and doing intricate moves that you just sit there in awe. The best part that I was very impressed about was in the middle of the show before the intermission, the performers asked willing children to come up to the stage. I really think they rounded up if not all but 99% of the kids in the audience! The performers then taught the kids Kung Fu moves. We thought it was the cutest thing ! :) There's so many other things that happened but it's just SO MUCH to write down!

I really do encourage all of you UT Tyler students to take advantage of shows like these! As I mentioned earlier, all of Cowan Center shows, you can get tickets for free! You just have to be get there fast and claim one since they only reserve certain amounts of free student tickets! 

Since it is not allowed to take pictures of videos of performances, I uploaded a video of snippets of their performance! 

                                                 From: youtube.com

Typical Day on the UT Tyler Student Blogging Team

     As I walk into work today, with my maxi dress flowing in the wind, and a spring in wedged heeled feet, I knew today was gonna be a good day. Last week was KINDA sucky. I wasn't feeling all that well from the crazy weather change. Texas, please make up your mind about the weather. Is it gonna be fall yet or are you still clinging on to summer?.... Can't you see that my closet cannot handle both summer and fall clothes together! I am not fond of being bundled up in the morning before class and when I get out of class the temperature rises 20 degrees and I look like a fool wearing fall clothes :( (sorry I went off on a tangent. That tends to happen)

But the reason why I am all dressed up and excited about today is because i'm going to see the Shaolin Warriors at the Cowan Center ! You see, I am very excited about this cause it just looks absolutely awesome. My attention was caught when UT Tyler pinned up the flyers for the show and this is what I saw! 

UT Tyler Meadows Gallery

     The back side of our UT Tyler R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center houses our very own art gallery!-The University of Texas at Tyler Meadows Gallery! Every few weeks, they feature a new art exhibition, and it has become something I really enjoy attending.

Tuesday, October the 15th is “East Meets West”! This exhibition showcases the works of artists Suguru Hiraide and Joe Barrington, and will continue to run through Friday, Nov. 9!

    A reception with gallery talks will be 6 – 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18 at the gallery. I recommend that people interested in the art attend at this time, because the art always proves more meaningful with a proper background! The  normal Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, but if you can't make it then, they even set up special appointments. :) Sounds like a good date idea to me.

Do you guys notice that as the weather cools down, people start pairing up? :p

Wind Ensemble Concert is here!!

                I am so pumped, you guys, PUMPED. As some of you may know, I am very into music of all kinds. I was in band in high school and middle school, so I even have some experience under my little belt. Tomorrow, the UT Tyler Wind Ensemble is going to put on their first concert of the semester

                To me, music is a direct expression of the way a person or the composer feels. When you listen to music, sometimes it can even make you feel that way, which is exactly the composer’s intention. The intention is to tell a story without words, without pictures or light, just music. I think that that is a pretty good reason to enjoy music. When the ensemble plays their music, learn to appreciate the music by making a connection with it!

                The concert will take place at the Cowan Center tomorrow night (Thursday) at 7:30! I’m really looking forward to going to this, because next semester if I get a chance I’m going to join the ensemble as one of the clarinet players. I’m ready to see how well everything goes, and you can definitely expect a blog from me reviewing how the concert went!

                If you’re interested in going, it’s FREE and open to the public, so anyone can come! I hope all of you are able to go and enjoy listening to the different songs that they’re going to play! If you see me, feel free to sit with me too! J Hope to see you there!!

Cowan Center Shows!

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! 

     I have a confession.... I am guilty of loving show tunes! Their just so catchy and definitely get stuck in my head for a while.... I thought I was alone in this until I realized that one of my roommate is an even BIGGER fan of show tunes.Any song actually.. I mean this girl can seriously go on and on and just have one song after another, singing her heart out in our apartment in PV. I feel like she's a human version of Pandora (she's not gonna be happy that I wrote about her :) hehe ) But of course I was delighted that we shared the same love for it! And you better believe that we are so thrilled that students get a free ticket to each show at The Cowan Center! 

Take Advantage!

Whenever I get the chance, I am going to be buying some new music, the soundtrack to this legit musical called 1789:  Les Amants de la Bastille [The Lovers of Bastille], a French production based on the events of Bastille Day, the French independence day.  Were it not for French courses that I took a few years ago, I would not be able to appreciate and understand the music.  (Now I just have to get over to France so that I can actually see the musical. :D)

Every year, there are an increasing number of ways to experience different cultures, both in class and outside of class at UT Tyler.  Here are just a few of these opportunities:

• Language courses:  By learning a new language, you learn about another culture.  On top of that, you get something awesome to put on your resume; as companies continue to expand around the globe, they want bilingual employees.  Here at UT Tyler, you can study Chinese, French, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish, just to name a few.
• Culture classes:  There are several courses with a multicultural focus, including courses in art, English, history, political science, and sociology. Of course, the best way to learn about other cultures is to experience the culture at it's heart, which is possible through UT Tyler's travel-study courses.
• Multicultural Events: The Cowan Center offers numerous events that students may attend for free.  The GATE program schedules a variety of programs with a global focus throughout the year;  the Jazz Band and the Choir offer periodic performances as well.   Many of our own students get to have their artwork displayed at the Meadows Gallery, which is open to students free of charge.  If those do not pique your interest, then there are also lots of student organizations to participate in to broaden your horizons.

As you can see, there are lots of opportunities to explore the world around you right on your own university; try to take advantage of these opportunities if you can! :)