Centenary Students to Present "Music and Magic" as Fundraiser for Theatre Scholarships Nov. 30-Dec. 2

Centenary College student/magician John Rabenhorst of Baton Rouge (center) will perform in Music and Magic along with Allison Courville of Sulphur, La. (left); Dani Garza of Bossier City, (right); and Amanda Rundell of Sheridan, Ark., (front), as well as several other Centenary students, in a production that is a fundraiser for theatre scholarships. Music and Magic will be presented at 8 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, and at 2 p.m. Dec. 2 at Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. Admission is $13 for adults, $11 for senior citizens, $8 for students and $6 for children. For tickets or more information, call 318-869-5242. (Photo by Neil Johnson)

SHREVEPORT, LA -- John Rabenhorst, a sophomore theatre major from Baton Rouge, La., started doing magic when he was 5.  By age 13, he was performing at children's parties and by 15 he was performing walk-round magic in Baton Rouge restaurants, at dinner parties and for special events.

By the time he was 16, he had been hired to teach four classes on magic at Louisiana State University, teaching some 120 people before starting to teach private magic lessons. As a 17-year-old he performed before a crowd of 2,000 in the Centralplex Theater. Along the way he was selected Baton Rouge Magician of the Year (all ages) and performed on Fox TV doing a magic show for a group of children.

Since becoming a Centenary College student in Shreveport a year ago, he has been hired to perform for the 2001 Chamber of Commerce banquet, the VIP room at Harrah's Casino and independently built, produced, wrote, directed and starred in his first full-scale semi-autobiographical show, Dreams, in Centenary's Hurley Auditorium.

Now he is the star of the second half of Music and Magic, a two-hour production of the Theatre Department showcasing Rabenhorst's skills of magic and illusion and the performing talents of several Centenary students.  Rabenhorst will perform a series of nine illusions. The show begins with a character (played by Charlton Lyons of Shreveport) who is an 80-year-old magician remembering one particular show that he 
performed as a young man.  Through a series of magical flashbacks, Rabenhorst will incorporate nine large-scale illusions, including lots of audience interaction.  Mason Nabors will play young John.  

The production will be held at 8 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and 2 p.m. Dec. 2 in the Marjorie Lyons Playhouse. The box office will open at noon Monday, Nov. 26 and will be open daily from noon to 4 p.m.  Tickets can be reserved by calling the box office at 318-869-5242.  Tickets are priced at $13 for adults, $11 for senior citizens, $8 for students and $6 for children.  The event is a fundraiser for Centenary's Theatre Scholarship Fund.

The musical director is Nathan Thomas, with sets and lights by Don Hooper.  Directors are Robert Buseick and Patric McWilliams.  Stage manager is Chris Farr.

During the first half of the program, performances will include the following:

•  Erin Marshall of Jennings, La., Johnny Dent of Shreveport, La., and Craig Madole of Shreveport, who are freshman music majors, will perform a "Stomp" number. 
• Sara Perkins, a freshman theatre/history major from New Orleans will sing "Day by Day" from Godspell. 
• Kat Davis, a freshman communications major from Lafayette, La., will sing "Sound of Music" from the musical. 
•  Erin Hogan, a freshman film major from Keotuk, Iowa, and Lauren Thrift, a vocal performance major from Fort Smith, Ark., will sing "Sisters" from White Christmas.
• Amanda Rundell, a performing arts major from Sheridan, Ark., and Ginger Krieg, a performing arts major from Baton Rouge, will sing a duet of "Women of the Night" from Jekyll and Hyde.  Ms. Rundell will also perform "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries" from Fossee and a vocal tap number to "Shakin' the Blues Away."  Ms Krieg will be singing "Can't Help Lovin' that Man of Mine" from Show Boat and "Bring on the Men" from Jekyll and Hyde.
• Christopher Farr, a theatre major from Grand Rapids, S.D., will perform a juggling routine.
• Diedre Gage, a freshman history major from Carthage, Texas, will sing "Someone to Watch Over Me" from Crazy for You.
• Allison Courville, a senior music education major from Sulphur, La., will sing "Ship in a Bottle" from Amanda McBroom's Heartbreak and "I Got Rhythm" from Girl Crazy.
• Dani Garza, a senior theatre major from Bossier City, will sing "Once Upon a Dream" from Jekyll and Hyde and another Frank Wildhorn musical number called Big Time.
• A production number, choreographed by Centenary's Ginger Folmer to "Magic to Do" from Pippin will feature Jenny Warren of Bossier City, Ms. Rundell, Ms. Krieg, Lauren Stallings of Spring, Texas, and Ryan Towery of Bossier City. 

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