BW Success News Has Moved

Looking for stories on Baldwin Wallace University students, alumni and faculty who are doing and experiencing great things? Our success news has moved to the BW website at:  http://www.bw.edu/news/index

Click on "Student Experiences," "Alumni Success" and/or "Faculty Achievement" tabs to view the latest news from our community and celebrate our success!

Music Theatre Alumnus Brings Kris Kringle to Life

Photo courtesy Tom Shirilla

This holiday season, Mack Shirilla '13 stars in "Kris Kringle the Musical," written by Maria Ciampi with music and lyrics by Tim Janis. The show will be making its world premiere at Olmsted Performing Arts under the direction of Pierre Brault.

In an interview with Cleveland.com, Ciampi explains she is hoping the show, with its original book and score, will make it all the way to Broadway. "There has not been an original Christmas musical on Broadway in quite some time. The musicals of recent years have mainly been adaptations of films."

Shirilla will be playing the young Kringle, "a dreamy, unemployed toy maker living in the Big Apple whose life changes when he tangles with a ruthless toy company CEO".

"Kris Kringle" runs Dec. 5-13, with ticket prices ranging from $18-$22. Call 440-235-6722 or click here for tickets.

Alumnae Link Arts, Tech and Entrepreneurship in Web Series

Megan Poletti and Kristen Klehr on set of The Creative Technology
Web Series - Photo credit: Nick Kuhar

Conservatory professor and alumna Megan Poletti '08 has collaborated with percussion performance graduate and LA-based concert producer Kristen Klehr '10 to create a Creative Technology web series that highlights specific elements of entrepreneurship that help new musicians and artists on the road to success.

Poletti says the two teamed up due to their similar mindset. "[Klehr] is a successful entrepreneur who has created many opportunities for herself, and took her music degree beyond the “typical” boundaries. She’s an ambitious person and an inspiration, and sees a career in music as an opportunity for independence and the pursuit of her own projects, like I do."

Poletti's company, heypoletti! LLC, is focused on linking music, technology and entrepreneurship, with a mission"to inspire not only musicians, but also artists, small businesses, and creative entrepreneurs to use technology to aid in the pursuit of their artistic visions."

The web series features five videos published over a six week period beginning in mid September. "The Creative Technology Web Series is part of my goal to continue into teaching more topics involving artists and entrepreneurship, especially using new media (like video and podcasting)," Poletti explains.

Poletti plans to continue the web series, bringing in more guest speakers and introducing new topics. She is also working on a 2016 e-book that she says will act as "an introductory marketing guide for the aspiring creative entrepreneur."