Michele Skalicky talks with Missouri State University President Dr. Biff Williams.
Today we're going to talk about the role of the arts at the university. First, what defines the arts here at Missouri State?
Williams: Boy, that's a comprehensive question. So, we've done such a great job as Missouri State University with embracing the arts. Just last night I went to Tent Theater. It was the 64th season. I've been to every show since I've came here. So, we look at our marching band, the Pride Band, the Chorale and all that they're doing. RCASH (The Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities) has really embraced the arts. I think that the university has really done a good job of integrating the arts with our community.
How do the arts on campus help the university tie into the broader community?
Williams: I think by inviting our community to the campus. If you look at Juanita K., they've had over 250 Broadway shows, so we invite the community to those Broadway shows. If you look at Great Southern Bank and all the concerts that we have there. People come here to the ballgames. A lot of people come not only for athletics, but they come to hear the band. If you look at — we have over 400 marching band members, which for me that's one of the largest bands that I have ever participated in. And it's exciting because it attracts the community here and then they can learn more about the university.
Why is it important as a university to invest in the arts?
Williams: I think that we're serving a broader community. And so, there are some people that really like the arts. There's some that really like the sciences. There are some that really like athletics, and it's important for us to be holistic. We are the, you know, the state institution in this area. We are to model what's best about our community. And I think the arts is what's best about our community, so appealing to that greater audience is important.
Speaking of investing in the arts, the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Performing Arts Complex is currently under construction. Can you give an overview of that project and an update? Where does that stand right now?
Williams: So, we should be moving in in September. I think they're on track. I'm not sure if the rain this summer has really pushed us back, but it's a 24,000 square foot building. It's going to house our theater and dance department. (It) has just a fantastic lobby, a reception area. There's performance teaching studios on the second floor. And then what's really important is that black box theater, and they tell me that they're on track. They're doing finishes as we speak. If you drive by there at night, sometimes they leave some of the lights on so you can see that it's really coming together well.
Yeah. The previous building, the Art Annex, was an old building from Camp Crowder, so it sounds like that new space is needed.
Williams: It was. And that was the first thing I heard on my campus is how quickly can we tear that down? And the ball had been rolling. The funding had been secured. And so, instead of a groundbreaking, we did a razing. We took the sledgehammer to the walls. And some of those faculty that have taught there for a long time were probably the most aggressive ones to tear down those walls.
I was there. I can attest to that. So, how will the new complex and renovation also of the adjacent Craig Hall enhance the performing arts here at Missouri State?
Williams: Well, it gives us a lot of space that we haven't had, and it gives us state of the art space. We've done a great job of renovating Ellis Hall and some of the other halls, and this really just helps us recruiting new students. It also gives us the spaces that we really didn't have last year. We had a fire in Coger Theater, so that that's actually being renovated, too, so. That wasn't planned. But with the contractors on campus, we're, we're able to renovate that with our insurance money. And so, this will bring an elevated experience for all our students.
Brick City is home to arts programs at Missouri State as well. What does your presence downtown and also Brick City's location adjacent to the Jordan Creek Daylighting project mean for MSU and maybe what will it mean for the future?
Williams: The daylighting project is really, I believe, going to attract a lot of individuals to downtown. Again, I think this is going to be a gathering space. Many people don't know we have our art studio there. They don't know much of what we do in Brick City or the efactory. I think it's going to expose more people to our downtown events and what we're trying to accomplish there. I think it will be significant for the for the community to see that the city came together, the university has come together, and we're making it a more vibrant downtown.
Is there anything else that you want to share about the arts and anything new or any projects that are underway related to the arts?
So, most of the projects are in the Judith Enyeart Reynolds Center. I think that this fall we're going to have a number of ribbon cuttings, and that will be one of them, and that will be really significant. And then we have the Smart Advancement Center. That will be done in November. We'll have a big block party. What will be significant about that is Traditions Hall. We'll be able to honor those, and I'm sure there's many alumni in the arts that are very distinguished that will be displayed in those displays to honor how important the arts are to us.
And when people go on and make a name for themselves in the arts, how does that benefit the university? I know we've seen John Goodman step up and be the face of some campaigns.
Williams: I think it brings publicity. My first year, I think I mentioned this to you before, when I was helping move students in, I was really shocked of how many said, 'I came here for the musical theater program,' and they were coming from all over the United States for this program. So, I think as we have these musicians and these artists that go out and they make a name for themselves, they're making a name for Missouri State University, and they're honoring the faculty that are, you know, working so hard to help them really hone in their craft. And one thing that I failed to mention is something that I just recently learned some of the national rankings for our university, our saxophone studio's top five, our trumpet studio is top 10, and our top choice programs for BFA in musical theater and BFA acting. So, I was just doing some exploring and found that like, I think we need to share that more.
