Singarama celebrated 50 years with <em>Timeless</em> show on April 4-6

Janel Shoun-Smith | 03/26/2013

April 4-6 marked the 50^th anniversary of one of Lipscomb’s most cherished traditions: Singarama. This student-produced musical variety show has been bringing students and families together for half a century, and the campus celebrated with a special theme for this year’s show: “Timeless… Yesterday, Today and Forever.”

"Today," directed by David Grayson, swept all three categories and won the Sweepstakes Award this year. To see more photos and comments on this year's 50th anniversary Singarama performance,  check out the Facebook page set up to celebrate the 50^th anniversary show:  www.facebook.com/lipscombsingarama.

“Among our alumni who returned to see the show was Coba Craig, director of the first Singarama show held on Feb. 3, 1964,” said Sarah Keith Gamble, associate dean in the Office of Campus Life. Gamble has supervised the Singarama production for many years.

“We were privileged to have Coba and Janece Mobley Craig coming to the show from Lexington, Ky.,” she said. “In 1988, when the show turned 25, the Craigs were in the audience, and their children, Paul and Rhonda (Taylor), performed on stage.  Now 25 years later, we'll have three generations of the Craig family in the audience as we celebrate our 50th year!”

“Club Chanté Singarama” was the theme of the first Singarama show. The Babbler, Lipscomb University’s student newspaper at the time, noted that Craig, "was given an ovation in chapel Tuesday for his successful execution of another Lipscomb first."

Over the years, more than 16,000 students have participated in the show. Armed only with their category title, the students in each group develop their story lines, write scripts, choose eight songs and accompanying choreography, and design and create sets and costumes. The shows are evaluated by a panel of 18 judges, competing in three categories (theme, music and staging) and in overall sweepstakes points.

This year’s show featured directors Maggie Clements, director of “Yesterday,” David Grayson, director of “Today” and Corley Major, director of “Forever.” Hosts and hostesses for this year’s performance were Kelsea Ballerini, Muriel Epling, Rainey Lankford, Michael Oruma, Adam Sain and McKenna Smith.

The Lipscomb University Alumni Association partnered with Singarama to host a special reunion luncheon on April 6 before the matinee performance.

“The fact that we were celebrating an event that has been such a vibrant part of campus life for half a century makes this year’s production even more special,” Gamble said. “Many Singarama alumni came to see the show this year, and it is those moments of re-connection to each other -- and to the university -- that are so exciting.”

“As they balance internships, night classes and work commitments, college students aren't exempt from the demands of our fast-paced world. Consequently, I think it's quite remarkable that Singarama has continued to be such a viable and entertaining show,” Gamble said. “It has survived because Singarama is about building relationships and a sense community.  It's a great opportunity to meet new people and to engage with friends in the fun and creative process of building a 25 minute mini-musical from the ground up; culminating in the collective sense of accomplishment they feel when they get to perform their show in front of the Singarama audiences.”

Click here to see a complete history of Singarama, including the themes and winners for each year.

Click here to order Singarama 50th Anniversary memorabelia.