TAMU-CC Department of Theatre & Dance Unveils ‘A Love Song for Corpus Christi’ Music Video
TAMU-CC: Dept. of Theatre & Dance Unveils ‘A Love Song for Corpus Christi’ Music Video
This spring, the Department of Theatre & Dance at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi ventured far into the world of theatre with the production of its first music video.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Thinking beyond the tried and true has been the norm for the Department of Theatre & Dance at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, starting with the transition to livestream performances.
This spring, the department ventured far into the world of theatre with the production of its first music video – an homage to the Island University’s host city shot at a variety of iconic Coastal Bend locations. Fittingly titled “A Love Song for Corpus Christi,” the video debuted on April 23 and is available via web until April 28. Click here to access a free ticket to the online performance.
In any other year, the department would have normally staged a mid-semester Broadway-inspired musical featuring acting, singing, and dancing within the walls of the Center for the Arts, according to Alison Frost, department chair and associate professor of theatre.
“I was supposed to direct a production of Disney’s ‘Newsies,’ and I just didn’t know how to direct that show with masks and social distancing, while remaining happy and connected to the project,” Frost, who produced and directed the project, said. “So, we amended our regular season to produce a safer, streamable video production that allowed our students the experience of producing a musical event predominantly in the open-air environment around Corpus Christi.”
The project was an all-hands-on-deck affair involving 12 student performers, along with recording technology support from Professional Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Brian Thacker, costumes designed by Theatre Professor Rosa Lazaro and organized by Costume Shop Supervisor Kyle Everett, scenic and prop supervision by Theatre Associate Professor Kevin Loeffler and Technical Director Jordan Bohl, and video camera supervision and special effects by Theatre Professor Philip Johnson.
Frost said she selected eight different songs from mostly stage musicals and one movie musical.
“I tried to pick songs that I thought would promote some of the skill sets of our students,” Frost said. “We have been filming out and about around the city. We danced on the Lexington. We’ve taken our students to the skate park at Cole Park. We’ve danced along the Bayfront, we’ve been to the Aquarium, we’ve been to Whataburger Field, we’ve been to the Art Museum, and we’ve sung and danced around a few murals in the downtown area.”
Miranda Dean ’22, a theatre major specializing in acting/directing with teacher certification was a soloist for “Faith” and “Footloose” in “A Love Song for Corpus Christi.”
“We get to do out-of-the-box theatre in a pandemic, and we get to put on a happy-go-lucky production where we’re all vaccinated so we get to have fun and dance around and get back to what we love to do,” Dean said.
Like her fellow Islanders working on the video, Dean is excited to have had an opportunity to participate in a groundbreaking project and hopes the video resonates with Corpus Christi residents.
“I think we highlight some really beautiful areas of Corpus Christi – we have definitely been to some parts that I had never been to. It’s a beautiful city and I think everyone is going to see new sights that they can go see and things like that,” Dean said.
“A Love Song for Corpus Christi” features a cameo by Dr. Kelly Miller, President and CEO of the Island University, during a scene recorded at the University’s downtown property, the 77,000-square-foot five-story building purchased in 2019.
Miller said she thinks the video will be very well-received by the Corpus Christi community.
“They are an incredible group of students – talented, dedicated, and their flexibility and innovation during COVID-19 is second to none,” Miller said.
Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo ’00 said she wholeheartedly supports the efforts of the next generation of future leaders and influencers who are highlighting the Corpus Christi community visually through this theatrical performance.
“As an Islander alumna, I am extraordinarily proud for the collaboration that has produced what is certain to be an iconic song and video in ‘A Love Song for Corpus Christi,’” Guajardo said. “The creativity and imagination in producing an artistic treasure about our coastal city is a source of great inspiration to me.”
