Spring Sing: The ‘Hits’ just keep on coming

Photo by: Abby Bellow

 

Oklahoma Christian University students will bring decades’ worth of “Greatest Hits” to life March 7-8 in the 45th annual Spring Sing performance.

Senior Natalie Howard sang and worked behind the scenes of Spring Sing for years, and now directs the show.

“A lot of Spring Sing is about alumni coming back – it’s almost like a homecoming in the spring,” Howard said. “While we always want to entertain students, our audience is adults, and so the ‘Greatest Hits’ applies to the host and hostesses specifically, and I feel like their songs are things that the whole audience can relate to. The club themes are the greatest hits of the past 50 years or so, and so it’s something that everyone can get on board with.”

Men’s social service clubs’ acts include Alpha Gamma Omega as “Looney Tunes,” Delta Gamma Sigma as “Sailors,” Chi Lambda Phi as “Back to the Future,” Kappa Sigma Tau as “Frankenstein” and Psi Epsilon as “Magicians.”

Women’s social service clubs’ themes are Gamma Rho as “Candy Land,” Iota Kappa Phi as “The Flintstones,” Pi Zeta Phi as “The Beverly Hillbillies” and Theta Theta Theta as “Cheerleaders.” Omega Psi Omicron and Lambda Chi Zeta are joining forces to present “Wal-Mart Greeters.”

Senior Jessica Thompson is Spring Sing assistant director this year.

“It’s been eye opening,” Thompson said. “I wasn’t a big Spring Sing fan, but now I’m a Spring Sing freak. I love it, I’ve seen all the shows, and everyone is going to be blown away. I’m counting down the hours – [I’m] a little bit too excited.”

Between club performances, six hosts will entertain the audience with solo and group acts to keep the momentum going. Hosts are sophomore Brandi Williams, senior Connor Weaver, freshman Slaten Barnett, senior Adrian Hernandez, senior Reece Kingcade and senior Megan Helterbrand.

Helterbrand is returning for her second year as a Spring Sing host.

“What I’m most excited about is the fact that I get to sing a big song all over again,” Helterbrand said. “Last year, the coolest thing was performing with peers. My whole college career I’ve performed with Summer Singers, and so it was cool to get to perform with a different group of people.”

Past themes of Spring Sing have ranged from “Hard-Rock Café” to “College Life,” and this year, directors hope to encompass  all the best of the best themes into one show – the “Greatest Hits.”

“It’s a really awesome theme,” Helterbrand said. “It’s a chance for people to bring to the stage what they think is awesome. And you get to see the personality of the club. I think it’s a great hit. When you have a theme that is subjective to a certain time period, you miss out on a lot of great artists. There is a huge range of possibilities that you can take with all the decades we’ve used. There are a lot of awesome artists and a lot of heritage you can get there, too.”

Howard said she has enjoyed being able to be involved with every aspect of the show.

“Of course I want my club to succeed, but I love every show and I have friends in every show,” Howard said. “I get to cheer on everyone and be excited for everyone and I get to be involved, giving suggestions to the clubs and giving suggestions to the hosts.”

Also managing this year’s show is senior Blakely Brown, club coordinator; Thompson as assistant director; Zeke Gustafson, tech director; junior Brent Kucharo, assistant tech director; senior Lee Branch, treasurer; sophomore Hannah Lorentz, host costume and lobby coordinator; senior Luke Sandhop, band director; senior Elizabeth Elliott, ad coordinator; chapel secretary Amanda Watson as staff advisor and SGA president and senior Kyle Keesee, executive producer.

“I’ve really grown to love all the people I’ve worked with, and it’s been a great experience for me,” Thompson said.

Spring Sing is one of the campus’ favorite things, according to Helterbrand.

“When you come to OC, it’s like a whole new world,” Helterbrand said. “You will make some of your best memories in college and there are so many great things about OC, but one thing that really unifies the community and college is that we all have this common love for Spring Sing and no matter if you want a club to go down in flames or want your club to win, that unites you.”

Howard hopes the students, alumni, families and future students will enjoy the show.

“I hope the audience gets to have as much fun as I’ve had putting it together and as the clubs have had practicing and performing,” Howard said.

Helterbrand echoed Howard’s sentiments.

“Enjoy it, this is an awesome show,” Helterbrand said. “We put a lot of hard work into it and it’s one of those shows that people from all generations can relate to.”