MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Borderless Arts Tennessee is partnering with the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center at Middle Tennessee State University for a “USO-Inspired Show.”
Set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, the free public performance will be held at the Keathley University Center Theater, 1524 Military Memorial.
“The USO-Inspired Show will be the culmination of all the work we’ve done toward learning about World War II,” said Department of Communication Studies senior instructor Lori Kissinger, director of Borderless Arts Tennessee, a statewide nonprofit that offers accessible arts programs for people with disabilities.
Country music artist and USO performer Rachel Lipsky will headline the event. Other performers include Borderless Arts musicians Drew Basham, Andrew Braach, Elliott McClain and Elle Jae as well as members of the Borderless Arts Dance Community led by MTSU alumna Jennifer James.
Students in Kissinger’s nonprofit organizational communication courses will handle logistics for the show.
Before the show takes the stage, attendees can test their WWII trivia skills at a “non-kissing booth” where participants can earn candy kisses and lip stickers — paying homage to the popular “kissing booths” during the WWII era. There will also be a WWII art-themed display featuring works by Borderless Arts Tennessee students.
Attendees are also asked to bring canned goods to drop off in the “Rationing Area” of the exhibit to help restock the MTSU Student Food Pantry.
Veterans and current military members are encouraged to stop by the “Star Table” to receive a WWII-era star made by Borderless Arts Tennessee students under the direction of Textiles, Merchandising and Design Program professor Lauren Emery Rudd.
Those dressing in WWII attire have a chance to win prizes and pose with a cardboard replica of WWII-era Jeep donated by Monteagle, Tennessee-based Werner Military Museum, which hosted Borderless Arts Tennessee students for a tour to bolster their yearlong military-themed studies.
Borderless Arts Tennessee students have spent the last year participating in projects and field trips that focused on commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, which took place in 1944 in Belgium and Luxembourg.
“We wanted them to first understand World War II and actually see some of the art that was connected to the war like banners, patches and propaganda posters,” Kissinger explained.
In addition to MTSU, supporters of the program include Public Consulting Group, Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, The Memorial Foundation, Nashville Predators Foundation and the Tennessee Arts Commission.
Parking for the show is free. A searchable campus parking map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the program starts at 6 p.m.
Borderless Arts Tennessee is a statewide organization committed to inclusive and accessible arts programs for people with disabilities to enhance educational curriculum, enrich creative expression, empower career development, and encourage community engagement. To learn more, visit https://borderlessartstn.org/.
The Daniels Center’s mission is to provide transition services for veterans and their families as they return to civilian life after military service. Visit https://www.mtsu.edu/military/ for more details.
— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)
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