By Staff
Special to The Star
Feb. 18, 2001
Thirty years of top-notch musical entertainment will take center stage March 2 with the Arts &Letters Series production "Meet the MCC Variations."
The program will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Ivy Hall Theater on the Meridian Community College campus.
Dr. Bob Hermetz, director of the Variations, anticipates a memorable concert.
Assisting with the production are Carol Merrill, choreographer, and Wayne McInnis, pianist.
In the first portion of the concert, the 18-member group will perform "It's too Hot to Samba," "Shoo, Shoo Baby," "More Than You Know," "Splish Splash," "Hopelessly Devoted to You," "Old Time Rock and Roll," "Turn Around, Look at Me," "Naughty, but Nice," "If You Can't Rock Me" and "All That Jazz."
To round out the performance, the group will perform numbers such as "Try to Remember" and "It Had to Be You."
Members of the Variations troupe are: Ashley Hunter and Shanna Hollis, both of Quitman; Joy Henson and Emily Dorman, both of Meridian; Megan Hoffer and Kylie Ethridge, both of Collinsville; and Holly Jones of Little Rock, sopranos;
Angel Crocker of Enterprise and Nickie Johnson, Kylee McLemore and Karen Turner, all of Meridian, altos; Scott Brinkley, Jared Florreich and Clark Thomas, all of Meridian, tenors; and Ryan Farmer of Quitman, Wayne Hall, Andrew Webb and Brian Weir, all of Meridian, basses.
As part of this Arts &Letters Series program, the theatre will be dedicated in honor of Emma McCain, Exemplary Patron of the Arts. A reception will be held after the concert in the Ivy mall area.
Although a native of Vicksburg, McCain has called Meridian "home" for 29 years. Now at age 87, she remains active in the community and is considered a role model for all generations.
A former violinist in the Meridian Symphony Orchestra, McCain is a long-time member of both The MCC Foundation and the Meridian Symphony boards. She has made exemplary gifts to both organizations, and she was named Philanthropist of the Year in 1992 by The MCC Foundation.
In addition to numerous annual gifts to MCC, McCain has encouraged others to "make a difference in their community" by giving two $100,000-plus gifts to the college and seeding a $30,000 fine arts endowment on the occasion of The MCC Foundation's 30th year.
She was named Meridian's Art Patron of the Year in 2000, and she rarely misses a cultural arts event. Her gifts of time also include leadership positions with the Pierian Literary Club, the Matinee Music Club and the Galaxy Club. A member of Central United Methodist Church, she is a charter member of Lifetime Quest, the first learning in retirement center among Mississippi's community colleges.
McCain's formal education includes a degree from the Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. She was previously associated with the American Red Cross and spent 26 years with the East River Savings Bank in New York City.
Tickets to the Variations concert are $5, adults; $3, children; or an Arts &Letters Series Season ticket.