Author: Thomas Moran

Luke Sawyer | ContributorAs a 6-year-old, it was soccer or dance that interested Waco senior Adaline Bebo. She knew she wanted to be a baton twirler. What she didn’t know was that the decision she made as a child would affect her future in remarkable ways. Bebo is the captain of the Baylor Golden Girls, the group of twirlers that performs alongside the Golden Wave Band. They perform at basketball games, football games, pep rallies and other campus assemblies. “I can’t begin to express how thankful I am for the sport of twirling,” Bebo said. “This sport has turned me…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorFriday, May 3 DreamCon 2019 | All Day | Waco Convention Center | $20 one-day pass or $35 weekend pass | The convention will include gaming tournaments, cosplay, artists, anime creators, YouTube stars, musicians and more. First Friday in downtown Waco | 6 – 9 p.m. | Downtown | The monthly event features deals, freebies and special events in a variety of local businesses. John Storm exhibit | 10 a.m. | Cultivate 7twelve | The artist’s work will be featured through May 30 at the local venue. Mamma Mia! | 7:30 p.m. | Waco…

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After a long year of filmmaking, many from the film and digital media department gathered at the Hippodrome Theatre Saturday night for the 20th annual Black Glasses Film Festival — an event specifically geared to showcase the top short film projects of students from the past two semesters. The event featured a variety of films across a broad array of genres, from experimental horror to choppy comedy. Each film brought something unique to the table and as a whole, the event showcased the communal talent packed into the department. Without directly addressing each of the 17 films showcased in the…

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Tuesday, April 30 McLennan Community College Student Art Exhibition | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | McLennan Community College Community Services Center “The Liar” | 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. | Baylor Theatre | Baylor Theatre’s final production of the year will take place from Tuesday to Friday. Baylor Men’s Choir | 7:30 p.m. | Jones Concert Hall | Free | The group will perform their annual spring concert, this year titled “The Greatest Showmen.” Open mic night at The Backyard | 8 – 9 p.m. | Free | The local venue will host its weekly event with slots given…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorAfter four years of hard work and dedication to their crafts, this year’s bunch of Bachelor of Fine Arts seniors premiered their projects and portfolios at the 2019 B.F.A. Exhibition Thursday in the Martin Museum of Art. The exhibit featured works from a variety of mediums from prints to photography to graphic design. The show takes place toward the end of every school year. According to Elisa Crowder, a desk attendant at the museum, the students showcased in the exhibit are each deeply involved in the process of installing and presenting their portion of…

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Friday, April 26 ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ | 7:30 p.m. | Jubilee Theater | $12 student tickets Free night hikes at Lake Waco Wetlands | 7:30 p.m. | Wetlands Research and Eduction Center | Cameron Park Zoo staff will lead it. Aquaman | 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. | The Union Board will host two showings of the movie, at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. for their Friday Sundown Session. Curtis Grimes | 7 – 9 p.m. | Smiley’s Country Club | Grimes is an award-winning Country Christian artist. Saturday, April 27 Waco Downtown Farmers Market | 9 a.m. – 1…

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By Thomas Moran | Arts and Life Editor “Avengers: Endgame” is being released in theaters Friday, and fans everywhere are gearing up for what is expected to be one of the biggest movies of the decade. The release of Iron Man in 2008 tipped the first domino in a lengthy series of movies, all revealing bits and pieces of information that will culminate in this film. To watch every one of these movies in preparation would be a difficult challenge, yet questionably worth the time investment. But if you don’t have the time to rewatch them all, here are five…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life Editor In many educational settings, teachers employ a variety of methods and philosophies to transfer knowledge and experience to their students. But a more recent trend in education, called the Maker Movement, is shifting the paradigm and encouraging students to gain knowledge and understanding through their own hands-on experiences. The Mayborn Museum Complex has a space called the Design Den, which is solely dedicated to this educational philosophy, and four Baylor students are interning in the space this summer. According to Adweek, the Maker Movement encourages learners to tap into their “self-reliance and combine…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life Editor Wednesday, April 24 Cameron Park Wild Wednesday Hikes | 5:30 p.m. | Rewood Shelter | Waco park rangers will lead the weekly hikes through May and then again from September to October. Cultivate Jazz Jam | 7:30 p.m. | Cultivate 7twelve | Guitarist Chuck Jennings will be performing. Open mic night at Common Grounds | 8 – 10 p.m. | The local coffee shop will host its weekly event with slots given on a first-come, first-served basis. The Expanse Between | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Martin Museum of Art | Baylor’s…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorIn 1999, Baylor film students held the first Black Glasses Film Festival to provide students with the opportunity to share their film creations with a wider audience. Since then, the festival has grown to be a competitive and widely anticipated event among the students in the film and digital media department and beyond. This year marks the festival’s 20th anniversary, and students are gearing up for the event, which will take place April 27 at the Hippodrome Theatre in downtown Waco. Maverick Moore, film and digital media lecturer, is coordinating the event and, with…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorThursday, April 18 Texas Fine Artists Spring Show | 6 -8 p.m. | Springhill Suites Waco Woodway | Free | The show will have musical accompaniment by Frank Exum and Isis Lee. Artist Talk – Photographers Michael Larsen and Tracey Talbert | 6 – 7 p.m. | American Bank | Free | The two artists will be sharing about their journeys as artists. Friday, April 19 National College Equestrian Championship | 8:30 a.m. | Extraco Events Center | Free | The quarterfinals will take place all day. Night Hikes at Lake Waco Wetlands |…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorJust you, your instrument of choice, an empty stage and an audience waiting to be impressed. Sounds intimidating, right? Every year around this time, seniors in the School of Music face this daunting moment toward which all of their collegiate education has been building — senior recitals. Corpus Christi senior Hank Carrillo studied organ performance during his time at Baylor and had his senior recital Wednesday evening. As the date for his recital approached, Carrillo increased his daily practice hours to around three hours a day during the week and more than 3 hours…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorTuesday, April 16 The Ragland Trio | 7 p.m. | Young at Heart Dance Club | The country group will perform a senior show. Central Texas Choral Society – Mozart Requiem | 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Midway ISD Performing Arts Center | $10 | Baylor A Cappella Choir | 7:30 p.m. | Jones Concert Hall | Free | The group will perform a selection of songs it’s learned this semester. Open mic night at The Backyard Bar & Grill | 8 – 9 p.m. | Free | The local venue will host the…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorFriday, April 12 Splash on the Color – Art on Elm preview | 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Brazos Event Center | $20 | The event will include drinks, food, music, a preview of the juried art exhibition and an artist meet-and-greet. Crawfish for CASA fundraiser with Spazmatics | 7 – 10 p.m. | Extraco Events Center | $125 | The event will feature crawfish, chicken, sausage gumbo and ’80s music by the Spazmatics, benefiting the Court Appointed Special Advocates. Heart O’ Texas Speedway auto racing | 7 – 10 p.m. | Heart O’…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life Editor In December 2005, Jawed Karim, Steve Chen and Chad Hurley launched a site that would later become one of the most visited websites in the history of the internet — YouTube. After the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake 2004 Super Bowl halftime show incident, the trio saw there were no sites that allowed the public to efficiently share and spread videos. Less than a year after the site launched, Google acquired the company for $1.65 billion. Since then, according to data shared by the site, 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorWednesday, April 10Cameron Park Wild Wednesday Hikes | 5:30 p.m. | Redwood Shelter | Free | Waco park rangers will lead the weekly hikes until May and from August to October. Open mic night at Common Grounds | 8 – 10 p.m. | Free | The coffee shop will host its weekly event with slots given on a first-come, first-served basis. Guitarist Pat McKee and bassist Trammell Kelly | 6 – 9 p.m. | DiamondBack’s | Free Waco Symphony Orchestra with guest narrator Henry Winkler and Midway’s Haeun and Hayoung Mood | 7:30 -…

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Friday, April 5 First Friday Waco | 6 – 9 p.m. | Several businesses in the downtown area participate in the event with extended hours, special events, deals and more. Texas Appaloosa Horse Show Bluebonnet Circuit | 9 a.m. | Extraco Events Center | Free | The show will feature a variety of events for horses and riders to compete in. “Reverie and Contemplation” exhibit — Deborah Reed-Propst | 4 – 9 p.m. | Kieran-Sistrunk Gallery | Free | The exhibit is opening Friday with a live Spanish guitar performance by Frank Exum. Engrained – woodworking exhibit | 6 p.m.…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life Editor *SPOILER ALERT* 1. In the opening scene, there is a VHS of the movie “C.H.U.D.” which is about subterranean creatures — clearly foreshadowing the plot of “Us.” 2. Jeremiah 11:11, which appears multiple times throughout the movie, does not only speak of the wrath of God. The numbers are also symmetrical, paralleling the Tethered and those who live above ground. 3. A couple in the earlier portion of the movie is seen playing rock, paper, scissors. Each of these items return with significance later in the movie. 4. The sign above the fun…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorTuesday, April 2 Mnemonic | 7:30 p.m. | Jones Theatre | $20 | Baylor Theatre’s latest show tells the story of tourists who discover a prehistoric body on an alpine glacier. Open mic night | 8 – 9 p.m. | The Backyard Bar Stage & Grill | The local venue and restaurant will host its weekly event with slots given on a first come, first-served basis. Wednesday, April 3 Beall Poetry Festival | 3:30 p.m. | Carroll Science Building | Room 101 | Free | Wednesday will feature the student literary contest. Cameron Park…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life Editor One evening in October 2016, an idea crossed the mind of Baylor alumna Julie Copenhaver that would change her life forever. After a successful start to her career with the Baylor Alumni Association and later the Office of Career and Professional Development, Copenhaver found herself at a crossroads. She could either continue on her current path or she could pack up and travel the world with her camera in pursuit of a more fulfilling life.“I was on my couch in Brazos Park Apartments,” Copenhaver said. “I was sitting there, and I did have…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorFriday, March 29 Deep in the Heart Film Festival | All day | Waco Hippodrome Theatre | $8 tickets | The annual event features full-length and short films. Baylor Art Student Exhibition | 10 a.m. | Martin Museum of Art | Free | The new exhibit features a selection of student art and is open in conjunction with another exhibit, “The Expanse Between.” Heart O’ Texas Speedway Auto Racing | 7 – 10 p.m. | Heart O’ Texas Speedway | $15 tickets | The event will feature several types of races including Street Stock,…

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By Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorThe first time I visited Baylor’s campus is seared into my memory. It was the morning of April 15, 2015. My mom and I had flown into Dallas and made the drive to Waco the night before. I didn’t sleep very well, partly because of anticipatory nerves and partly because of the uncomfortable hotel mattress.In the morning, wearing my only Baylor shirt, I ate my fair share of chocolate chip cookies from the visitor center, and my mom and I joined a large group of eager prospective students on an on-foot campus tour…

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Tuesday, March 26 Baylor Symphony Orchestra | 7:30 p.m. | Jones Concert Hall | Free | The group will be performing a selection of pieces they’ve learned this far in the semester. Open mic night at The Backyard | 8 – 9 p.m. | The local venue will host the open performance evening with slots given on a first come, first-served basis. Wednesday, March 27 Cameron Park Wild Wednesday Hikes | 5:30 p.m. | Cameron Park Redwood Shelter | Free | Waco park rangers will host the event every Wednesday through May and then again from August to October. Christian…

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Friday, March 22 Miss Sunburst Pageant and Beautiful Baby Contest | 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Richland Mall Dirty Echoes | 7 p.m. | La Fiesta Restaurant & Cantina | The rock band will be performing song’s like “Emmon’s Cliff” and “Relevate.” Quentin Earl Darrington – Broadway actor lecture, performance | 5 – 6 p.m. | Jones Theatre | Darrington has performed in several Broadway shows including “Once on This Island,” “Cats” and “Ragtime.” Sundown Sessions: Teen Titans | 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. | Bill Daniel Student Center | The Union Board will host a watch party of episodes…

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April 1ULTRAMAN Across The LineAll the President’s MenBonnie and Clyde (1967)DeliveranceDivine Secrets of the Ya-Ya SisterhoodEvolutionFreddy vs. JasonFriday the 13th (2009)I Am LegendLakeview TerraceMonster HouseObsessedPenelopePineapple ExpressPokémon the Series: Sun & Moon: S2P.S. I Love YouSnatchSpy KidsTexas Chainsaw Massacre 3DThe Bone CollectorThe Fifth ElementThe Golden CompassThe Sisterhood of the Traveling PantsThe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2ValkyrieApril 2Kevin Hart: Irresponsible April 3Suzzanna: Buried Alive April 5Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 2 In The ShadowsLegacies: Season 1Our PlanetPersona: Collection Roman Empire: Caligula: The Mad EmperorSpirit Riding Free: Season 8Tijuana Unicorn Store April 9Trolls: The Beat Goes On!: Season 6 April 10New Girl:…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorThe Martin Museum of Art closed its exhibition “Neoclassical Gaze: Myth and Reality of Ancient Sculpture” March 8, and the 2019 Baylor Art Student Exhibition is in the works to replace it. Students are able to submit pieces through 4 p.m. Wednesday to potentially be selected for the show.Allison Chew is the director of the Martin Museum of Art, and said the show is an annual event to showcase some of the best work being produced by students in the art department. Pieces are selected by a qualified juror every year, Chew said.“We have…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life EditorTuesday, March 19 Tom Scott Art Exhibit | 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. | Whitehall Center at the Carleen Bright Arboretum | Free | The local venue is hosting watercolor pieces and photography of the late Scottish painter. Holi! | 5 p.m. | Fountain Mall | The Indian Subcontinent Student Association will host the Festival of Colors celebration. The event will feature performances, colorful powder, water balloons and more. Attendees are encouraged to wear white clothes. Wednesday, March 20 Coming of Age Exhibit | 1 – 4 p.m. | East Terrace | The Historic…

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Thomas Moran | Arts and Life Editor Last week, Marvel released its first female origin story film, “Captain Marvel”—a historic milestone in a genre dominated by male protagonists. Long before its release, Marvel’s most recent movie “Captain Marvel” sparked controversy and chatter among comic fans and movie goers when the politically outspoken Brie Larson was selected to play Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. Many rejected the choice, and some even took to online forums to review the film before its release, leading to policy changes on websites like Rotten Tomatoes, which disallowed prerelease audience reviews. Despite the controversial casting decision and preemptive…

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Friday, March 8 Dueling Pianos with David Morris and Mark Johnson | 7:45 p.m. | $8 | Waco Hippodrome Theatre | Free | Pianists David Morris and Mark Johnson will go head to head. Saturday, March 9 Waco Downtown Farmers Market | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | McLennan County Court House parking lot | Local vendors will offer a variety of goods at the weekly event. Sunday, March 10 Despicable Me: Pajama Party | 10 a.m. | Waco Hippodrome Theatre | $5 | The event includes breakfast, a cereal bar and showings of the movie. Monday, March 11 Space…

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