JACKSON, Tenn. — April 20, 2017 — Christopher Smith, composer and creator of the musical 鈥淎mazing Grace,鈥� will speak at 51社区 April 21 and host a Broadway audition practicum April 22.
Smith, originally a police officer and Youth Outreach Director from Pennsylvania, began writing the musical after learning in 1997 about the story of John Newton.
鈥淚 had no intention of giving up my life and going to pursue Broadway,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淏ut his story changed my life, and I had to reevaluate how I was reaching the world.鈥�
Smith not only composed the music but also wrote the lyrics and libretto (or spoken word) for 鈥淎mazing Grace,鈥� a feat achieved by only a few writers on Broadway.
John Klonowski, assistant professor of theater at Union, encouraged the Jackson community to come and hear Smith speak.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how many opportunities you get in this area to hear a Broadway composer talk about their work,鈥� he said.
During the keynote address Friday at 7 p.m. entitled 鈥淭he Edge of Impossible,鈥� Smith will discuss how his faith and work intersect as an artist on Broadway.
鈥淭he keynote will be about raising up a generation of young people who are able to honor God through the theater arts and entertainment generally,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淩eaching our culture is not impossible. Even though people in New York are cynical and people around the country have a hard heart, theater in particular has a way of cutting through all those barriers.鈥�
Saturday morning Smith will host the 鈥淎uditions Insights Practicum,鈥� working with 10 hand-picked theater students who will be judged on their auditions. Regional high school theater teachers and their students have been invited to be spectators of the practicum. Lane College has also been invited.
While the Saturday practicum is invitation only, the Friday night address is free and open to the public. Both events will be held in the W.D. Powell Theatre on the Union campus.