This weekend it will be obvious that the Wooster community is jam-packed full of talent. Today and tomorrow, the first ever Wooster Jam Session will take place at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Described as a “multimedia celebration of creativity,” the event will showcase a variety of performers, including visual artists, performance artists, filmmakers, dancers, musicians, poets and more. According to the event’s website, the Jam Session will be “celebrating and showcasing the richness, diversity and quality of artists associated with The College of Wooster.”
Sponsored by The College of Wooster and the Center for Entrepreneurship, the event was envisioned by James Levin, director of The College of Wooster’s Center for Entrepreneurship and founder and director of Cleveland Public Theater and Cleveland’s Ingenuity Festival. Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at the College of Wooster Alyssa Lee Wilmot is the event’s producer. Wilmot has spent 10 years producing festivals and other art events in San Francisco, Calif., including the POW! ACTION Art Festival and the multimedia performance company Group A Dance. Martha Bollinger, administrative assistant at the Center for Entrepreneurship, is the Administrative Director of the Jam Session.
Many Wooster students are involved in the organization of the event as well. Levin and his team interviewed interested students, and seventeen were hired to help arrange the Jam Session. According to Levin, “This project fits in with the ëtheory into practice’ aspect of the College’s strategic initiatives. What better way for an art administrator or marketing student to actually learn how to create an event?”
According to the Jam Session’s website, among the student team members are Muhammad Daud ’14, Weyni Berhe ’14, Pailin Chiaranunt ’14, Zachary Bolyston ’11, Bria Price ’14, Phu Nguyenthien ’14, Peggy Olson ’14, Nana Boamah-Acheampong ’11, Mathew Kodner ’12, Darius Dixson ’13, Alexa Norris ’13, Kate Baker ’14, Deepika Sundarraman ’14 and Raphael Gunn ’14.
To recruit performers, an open call was made to students and about 70 applied online. Chosen participants include Wooster students, staff, faculty members, alumni, contractors and members of the Wooster community.
There was also a call made for student volunteers to work at the event. Volunteers who work for two hours will be given a free t-shirt, food and drinks. Interested volunteers could sign up on the event’s website.
A huge variety of performances will take place at the Jam Session. Among the many musical groups performing are the popular Ohio band Northwest Territory and the local Cedar Valley Cloggers, who have traveled internationally.
Also making their appearance on the Jam Session stage are performers from the Ohio Light Opera, The College of Wooster Cellist Ensemble and jazz groups Green Bean Recipe and Standard Time. Student band Freddie Cool and the Rest of Them and turn-tabling DJ Patryk Tenorio ’11 will both showcase their talents at the Jam Session. Bands Funk Country Blues and the Sex Panthers will also rock out when they take the stage at the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
Other fantastic acts include poetry by Professor of English Daniel Bourne, Will Santino’s ’11 display of his graphic novel, improv comedy from. Don’t Throw Shoes and dance by Lindsay Phillips ’11. Two alumni will also perform at the event: Allison Wadleigh and Jam Session producer Alyssa Lee Wilmot.
Levin is also bringing in some acts that have previously performed at the Ingenuity Festival, which he thinks are good fits for the Jam Session. These include video artist Dani Leventhal, electronic violist Julian Taylor, guitarist J. Blues, and video/film artist Alexander Boxerbaum.
Admission to the Jam Session is free, and shuttles will be leaving from Lowry Center to offer free rides to the Wayne County Fairgrounds.
For more information, students can visit woosterjamsession.com.