FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      November 20, 2006

THE GRAND 50S STROLLING INTO THE NORTHWESTERN-ENID CAMPUS

            Dust off the pedal pushers and the penny loafers and find the poodle skirts and leather jackets because Northwestern Oklahoma State University’s Enid campus is going back in time for “The Grand 50s.”

            Northwestern’s University Chorale and University Singers will be donning costumes and performing in a 1950s-themed show Thursday, Nov. 30, in the Enid Commons area as part of the Greater Enid Alumni Event. About a dozen Northwestern students will be involved in the concert portion of the evening, along with their director Eddie Vandewalker and piano accompanist Ling-Yu “Alice” Kan. Adam Steuart, Woodward senior, will accompany on the drum set.

            The public is welcome to attend at $15 per person or $25 per couple. A limited number of seats are available for the event, so anyone interested in attending needs to RSVP by Nov. 27 to Nancy Jones, secretary to the dean at the Enid campus, at (580) 213-3101.

            The doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and dinner consisting of an old-fashioned Sunday lunch of pot roast, vegetables, salad, homemade rolls and cake will be served at 7 p.m. The concert of 1950s classics will begin at 7:45 p.m.

            Dr. Cheryl Evans, Enid campus dean, advises those attending to arrive early as the Enid Antique Auto Club will have a few 1950s models on display.

            Attendees also are welcome to come dressed in 1950s attire. An area for dancing the jitterbug, the stroll and more also will be available for anyone who would like to dance to the old time rock ‘n’ roll.

            Lizabeth Richey, Northwestern Alumni Association director, said that most of the music will be American classics that people will recognize.

            Vandewalker said that some of the tunes will include “At the Hop,” “Blueberry Hill,” “Earth Angel,” “Splish Splash,” “Unchained Melody,” “Charlie Brown” and “Peppermint Twist.”

            The Enid campus is playing host to this event not only to reconnect with Northwestern alumni in Enid and the surrounding area, of which there are more than 1,000, but also to raise funds for the purchase of a grand piano.

            Northwestern has been asked numerous times to provide musical events and concerts at the Enid campus and in the community as these higher education liberal arts activities are in high demand, Evans said. If the Enid campus has its own grand piano, the campus can play host to a number of live musical events in the future.

            An additional fund-raising activity taking place during the evening will be the selling of chances to win merchandise from the Northwestern Bookstore.

            All of the proceeds above the cost of the event itself will go toward the piano. Tax exempt donations also will be accepted.

            “The Grand 50s will be a fun event to reconnect, as well as raise funds,” Richey said. “We hope the evening will be appealing to everyone in attendance.”

            Evans agreed and said, “I think they’ll leave smiling.”

            And possibly with a little hop in their steps.

-NW-

Back to News Page