How much does anyone really know
about the Appalachian Popular Programming Society (A.P.P.S.)?
Yes, it puts on much of the entertainment students see around campus,
yet what goes on in the background?
Students go to events such as dances, concerts, films and much more,
but the before-process, including the work arranging and setting
up these events, gets lost in the midst of the nights’ events.
So who helps put on these shows and decides when, where and who?
A.P.P.S. has within its society seven different councils; each does
its job to bring various types of entertainment to the Appalachian
State University campus.
The councils include Stage Shows, Films, Appalachian Heritage, Club
Shows, Special Events, Cultural Awareness and Concerts.
Many of these councils are familiar to students, but two are sometimes
misunderstood and not as visible as the others.
The Appalachian Heritage Council is one of these councils.
“The goal of this council is to introduce the students, faculty
and staff of Appalachian State to the culture and heritage of this
region of Appalachian,” said Nathaniel Willis, chairperson
of the Appalachian Heritage Council.
With 32 people within the council, one would think jobs would be
scarce, but each month its goal is to put on three different events
that take a lot of people to get everything set up and for the final
product to go smoothly.
These three events a month include a contra dance at Legends, a
music event and then a non-music event, such as crafts.
This month’s event for the council is the Bluegrass and Old
Time Jamboree Week, Nov. 11-15.
“If you don’t do it, it’s not going to happen,”
Willis said of his job and the council overall.
The Concert Council sounds self-explanatory, yet do students know
what shows it actually brings?
The council’s shows are numbered, yet it presents mostly larger
shows, such as the events seen in Farthing Auditorium and the George
M. Holmes Convocation Center.
“We want to spend the money wisely, since it is the students’
money,” said Joey Bullock, chairperson of the Concert Committee.
With around 60 people on the council, the meetings mostly include
going through lists of artists, discussing the pros and cons of
each artist, thinking about the financial side and voting on whom
the students would want to see.
This semester the council set up one show, Dr. Ralph Stanley and
His Clinch Mountain Boys at Farthing Auditorium on Oct. 25.
“Everyone enjoyed the show; many were very impressed with Ralph,”
Bullock said.
The council’s goal for next semester is to bring three or four
shows to Appalachian.
“Spring is for surprises,” Bullock said of the events
they hope to have next semester, which are kept a secret until certain. |
