The ambient lighting ushers a sparse crowd into the Panther’s Den, inviting them to find a seat as the first Coffee House of the season gets underway.
The solemn sound of a warm welcome rings through the air. Smiling faces greet the guests, and Emcee Scout Lynch, junior, welcomes attendees to the event.
People walk by the refreshment table; their eyes widen as they see cookies and coffee.
The smell is warm and sugary like a bakery that has fresh-baked cookies. Tempted, they take some to fill up on and settle in for the evening’s entertainment.
Lynch makes introductions to the small crowd and starts off with some-lighted heart poetry.
As the night continues, Emily Bass, senior, approaches the stage to read her prose of “Sparkler”.
She speaks of the warm crackle and the light of the sparkler. She relates it to her heart and the way it makes her feel–like she is crackling with excitement and joy.
The whole time she reads her prose, her voice climbs with excitement.
“I’ve always loved writing, and my parents encouraged me to start writing about my feelings and emotions in a journal. This really helped processes my emotions,” Bass says.
She also submitted her pieces to the Chrysalis, and she speaks of her art work.
“Drawing helps me, too. I can put all my feelings down and feel better about life and sometimes the stresses of life,” Bass says.
Next, Lynch walks toward the stage and asks for an audience member to help her with the next act.
Tj Jala, senior, shouts out and bodly, announcing he will undertake the challenge. He struts to the stage and sits in the chair that Lynch lays out.
He kind of slouches as he sits down and gets comfortable. He has no idea what is about to happen, but he is committed to the mystery–already on stage.
“I am going to sing and paint to show how much I put on my plate sometimes, and I need to finish this portrait before I get done with the song,” Lynch says.
Lynch methodically swishes the paint across the canvas, feeling the music, singing. The interaction between the two is a comedic one that seems enthrall and entertain the audience.
The song is done, and so is Lynch, who hands the piece to Jala.
“Beautiful,” he exclaims.
Once the act is over, he sits back into his seat and revels at the piece.
“The painting shows a different side of me and allowed me to look inwardly on myself,“ Jala says.
Lynch grabs everyone’s attention one last time and thanks everyone for attending the opening Coffee House of the semester, putting a cap on the evening.
