Stratford Residency Held at Bethel
In November 2016, the Department of Theatre brought the Stratford Festival to Bethel through a 4-day residency. Located in Ontario, Canada, the Stratford Festival is the largest repertory theatre in North America. Festival staff, including actors, brought a series of workshops to Bethel, including fight choreography and Shakespearean text work. Bethel is the first private Indiana college to do a residency with this prestigious group, which has previously done workshops at University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of Missouri and Wayne State University. “This was an extraordinary opportunity for our students,” says Bethel College Department of Theatre Chair Don Hunter ’06. “They got exposure to ideas and instruction that are normally only available in a master’s level program.” Bethel’s connection with the festival started in 2013 and in 2016, when 13 students from 10 different majors traveled to the festival.

Senior Art Showcase Displays Student Work
A Senior Art Showcase opening was held March 24 in The Weaver Gallery, featuring work by Rachel Coad, Zachary Nelson and Troy Phillips. Coad, a studio arts major, is a design intern for local makerspace Make South Bend; her paintings are featured in the showcase. Nelson, a graphic design major, is a visual specialist at J2 Marketing and the founder of Tiny Panda Threads (read more about his story on p. 5). His graphic design work is featured in the showcase. Phillips, also a graphic design major, is involved with J2 Marketing as a design intern, and his graphic design work is also featured. The showcase runs through April 29.

Music Department Celebrates 69th Annual Christmas Concert
The Bethel College Music Department presented its 69th annual Christmas Concert, Dec. 9-10, 2016, in the Everest-Rohrer Chapel/ Fine Arts Center – Auditorium. The concert featured the Concert Choir, Voices of Triumph, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra and Percussion Ensemble, as well as student dancers who performed for the first number.