MLK Day
Written by Soph Stentz and Alejandra Gaspar
On Jan. 20, Interlochen’s campus paused their busy studies to reflect and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.—an Atlanta-born minister, activist, and leader of the civil rights movement in the 1960s.
Recognizing this holiday annually, Interlochen works to make each year unique and different for the community. This year, the academy narrowed in its celebrations by creating a central theme for the day: Lift Every Voice. The theme highlighted the importance of global unity, highlighting communities impacted by Dr. King’s work and legacy worldwide.
In this effort, IAA hosted a special guest artist, Kyle Horne, an IAA Theatre alum. Kyle spoke about his non-profit organization, Together Act Now. This project utilizes the power of Theatre to help educate Milawians on the AIDS/HIV epidemic and provide vaccination resources to rural communities. Davie, a leader of the organization, was on an online call from Malawi, Africa. The call experienced technical glitches, which Kyle used as a moment to remind students and staff of the privilege of having easy access to wifi in the United States—something often overlooked. Thankfully, our special guest came prepared and brought a recorded video interview with Davie to inform students about the processes and outcomes of the plays that have impacted each community.
The day ended with an all-school evening performance which started at 7:30 p.m. and featured a variety of performers, both students and staff, from multiple disciplines including Theatre, Film and New Media, and the IAA choir who performed songs with important messages, including “Lift Every Voice,” “Stand Up,” and “Wade in the Water,” sung alongside Director of Vocal Music Dr. Ty Chiko and Justin Miller, Director of Musical Theater.
The Interlochen Times spoke with Charlie Bliwas, a senior acting major, who participated in the performance. “It was a very rewarding process. We spent a week rehearsing, and an additional two hours the day of. It was a special experience honoring a very important man,” said Charlie.
The celebration was a large success, ending with a standing ovation and a dance party to Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday.” The audience was captivated, with one student calling it a “joyous and beautiful masterpiece.”