The WKU Cultural Enhancement Series hopes to spark curiosity within students and members of the community while also encouraging ongoing conversation and creative pursuits by presenting a variety of talented performers and speakers at Van Meter Hall. This February brings a musical performance by the genre-bending duo Swedish Jam Factory, a moving theatrical performance of “Grapes of Wrath” by the American Shakespeare Center, and in April a fascinating keynote speech by Father Greg Boyle.
Swedish Jam Factory
On Feb. 3, 2020, Swedish Jam Factory will perform in Van Meter Hall at 7:30 p.m. A musical duo consisting of Thomas Bergstig and WKU alum Isaac Middleton, Swedish Jam Factory employs the use of musical performance and tap dance to create an art form that defies genre. Described as “Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor frenetically pounding at the piano, guitar, ukulele, accordion and saxophone” while synchronized taps provide the percussion, their performance promises to offer a high-energy atmosphere and infectious rhythms that audiences everywhere can enjoy.
Thomas Bergstig is originally from Stockholm, Sweden, but has lived in the United States since 2010. Berstig studied musical theater and dance at the Ballet Academy of Gothenburg and toured the world in a tap-dancing rhythmic rock show, JEERK. Isaac Middleton was born in Harlan, Ky. After graduating from WKU, where he studied music, theater and dance, he moved to Memphis. The two met in Memphis and began to create music and dance routines as a way to pass time. This led them to form Swedish Jam Factory. Their bold experimentation with musical expression and tap dance has garnered a lot of international attention after appearing on the show Sweden’s Got Talent.
No tickets are required for this free event. Seating is first-come, first-served
Grapes of Wrath
The series continues with a theatrical performance of the acclaimed Steinbeck novel “Grapes of Wrath” on Feb. 17, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. in Van Meter Hall.
When Tom Joad returns home after a stint in prison, he discovers that his farming town in Oklahoma has been the victim of a massive drought. With hope of getting work out west, Tom and the Joad family journey to California. Set in Depression-era America, this classic tale is about finding hope and the endurance of the human spirit.
Making its start in 1988, the American Shakespeare Center has performed classic stories all across America. The Center hopes to bring back the accessibility of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, both new and old, and introduce audiences to the joys of theatre through performance and education. Frank Galati’s Tony Award-winning theatrical adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel will be directed by José Zayas, who says that many of the themes found within the novel still resonate today.
“In the Joads, Steinbeck created an indelible portrait of resilience and grace,” Zayas said. “They are like every family, just doing the best they can with the little they have. They are a stark reminder of the human toll of migration but also the power human beings possess to persevere, to change, and to be kind.”
No tickets are required for this free event. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Father Greg Boyle
This semester’s series concludes with a keynote speech given by Father Greg Boyle on April 13, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. in Van Meter Hall. Father Greg Boyle is the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world. After witnessing the impact of gang violence on his community during the “decade of death,” Father Boyle decided to take action through kindness and social service. In an era of law enforcement ending gang violence through suppression and mass incarceration, Homeboy Industries employs and trains former gang members as well as provides social services to men and women seeking a better life. Father Boyle has written two bestsellers – “Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion” and “Barking to the Choir: The Power of Radical Kinship.”
Father Boyle’s keynote is titled “The Power of Boundless Compassion,” where he will discuss his philosophy of gang intervention. There will be a Q&A following the speech as well as book signing.
No tickets are required for this free event. Seating is first-come, first-served.
Making Note
- Swedish Jam Factory will take the stage Feb. 3, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.
- The American Shakespeare Center will perform “Grapes of Wrath” on Feb. 17, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.
- Father Greg Boyle will be speaking on April 13, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.
Each event is in Van Meter Hall at the top of Western Kentucky University’s campus in Bowling Green. All events are free of charge to anyone who wishes to attend. There are no tickets or reservations; seats are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Information about the current Cultural Enhancement Series can be found online at wku.edu/go/ces or on Facebook and Twitter @wkuces.
