Anne Lorentzen
Singing shows are just as prevalent on mainstream cable as reality shows and news programs. Ending up on one of these shows, like “The Voice” or the long-gone “American Idol” is a dream for many Americans. Senior musical theatre major Anne Lorentzen lived this dream in 2009 when she ended up on “The Early Show’s” segment “The Singing Family Faceoff” with her family band—The Lorentzens.
The Lorentzens comprise of Lorentzen herself, along with her older brother Mark and two younger sisters Lisa and Kathryn. The band had a very natural starting point. “My parents always had us sing together when we were little,” said Lorentzen.
Lorentzen describes the band’s sound as “vocal pop — very much focusing on four-part harmony.” Things got serious for the band when they auditioned for “The Singing Family Faceoff.” “We made it on the show, got to fly to New York for filming; it was such an exciting whirlwind,” said Lorentzen.
Upon getting to New York City, “The Early Show” gave the Lorentzens the opportunity to compete against other families live. “We made it to the top six families, and then we were eliminated,” said Lorentzen.
Even though getting eliminated from the show was sad at the time, Lorentzen said it was ultimately a positive experience as a whole. “It was a let down, but at the same time we were then able to go work on our music more independently and do what we wanted,” said Lorentzen. Following their elimination from the show, the band released an EP and a Christmas album.
Lorentzen’s sister Kathryn attends North Central, while her other two siblings live in Washington state. “We eventually decided we wanted to work on our own things things for a while, so I went back to school to finish my degree,” said Lorentzen. “We still get together several times throughout the year to do performances and record songs.”
Richard Fobes
Teacher by day, rockstar by night — Professor Rick Fobes of North Central’s business department has been in bands all his life.
“Way back in high school in Indianapolis, I was in a band. Fast forward 35-40 years, we still get together and play high school reunions in Indianapolis almost once a year,” said Fobes. “We play the same songs we did back in high school because we don’t have time to get together and practice new songs.”
Fobes plays the Hammond organ and electric piano in two bands that perform on weekends. One of the bands, GMRC, is named for each member of the group’s first name. Fobes joins this band a few times per year for performances at local bars and restaurants in and around Chicago, as well as outside festivals.
“It’s a great outlet for me because I love music,” said Fobes. “It provides a nice break from teaching classes.”
While music and business aren’t exactly related, Professor Fobes makes a point to integrate the creativity he derives from music into his classroom. Between his time as a musician and his time as a teacher, the professor never finds himself dissatisfied or unsettled.
“You have to be creative to be a good professor. If you take the music and the classes and put them together, it makes for a pretty fulfilling life.”
Sing Fong
Everybody knows Sing Fong as a baseball player on the school team, however, he’s more than just a student who runs, hits, throws and catches the ball; he has this unique obsession with collecting shoes.
“I started really collecting shoes when I was a sophomore in high school because one of my good friends was always into shoes so I got into it as well,” said Fong. His personal collection started when he bought a pair of Air Jordan Retro 4’s for $110 and selling them for $300. After his first experience, he realized that he could make money from buying and reselling shoes. He also ended up keeping some pairs that he really liked.
“My obsession of shoes was something that I always had growing up. When I was really young, I used to watch every Chicago Bulls game and would look at their shoes. I would also figure out what type and brand of shoes basketball players had on,” said Fong. However, Fong isn’t just obsessed with collecting shoes. It’s a way for him to express how he feels. “It really all depends on the day, who I’m seeing and where I am going,” said Fong.
With his shoe collection, Fong also worked at Finish Line for three years, starting in high school. “It was a good experience as a whole, and I learned a lot of things about customers and how the system of retail works,” said Fong. After three years of working for Finish Line, Fong’s best part of working there was the relationships he built with his coworkers and customers. “I’m a pretty laid-back guy who enjoys a conversation, so I like being able to talk to people whenever,” said Fong.
The top four shoe brands that Fong likes are Nike, Vans, Common Projects and Adidas, which is currently becoming his new favorite. “I like to think of shoes as an investment. I invested all of my paychecks from Finish Line,” said Fong.
Erin Keegan
“Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a cornerstone of modern pop culture. In addition to it being a cult classic film, there are still live screenings and performances of the production in movie theaters across the nation and across the world.
Erin Keegan is a senior theatre major who, through attending the show countless times, got the chance to join a production as Magenta. “I got involved in ‘Rocky’ by attending as a regular audience member,” said Keegan.
“Slowly, I got more familiar with the people, the movie, and the show.”
When Keegan found out that there was a need for new members in the cast that she regularly watched, she quickly took the opportunity to join. Keegan went on to perform as a guest with the Northwest Indiana cast production of the show. While performing with this cast, Keegan made connections through her friend Audrey Fontaine, who she calls “a legend in the ‘Rocky’ community.” “I discovered an entire network of casts and people across the country and globe,” said Keegan.
Even though Keegan does not currently perform with any casts of the show, it has made a positive impact on her life. “I made friends, fell in love and learned so much about myself that I’m not sure how quickly I would have discovered in a different context,” said Keegan. “I’m very grateful to have had the experience of being an audience member, a performer and a part of the ‘Rocky’ community.”
Keegan may have left the ‘Rocky’ stage behind her, but there are things that she has kept with her. “I take with me the courage to value who I am and to honor what makes me happy,” said Keegan.
