Communication Club to Host “Night at the Museum”

Reminiscent of the popular movie "Night at the Museum," great speeches from 20th century history come to life from 7-8 p.m. April 14 at the Ruth W. Towne Museum and Visitors Center.

Communication students will portray speakers in an entertaining program. Approximately 16 students are involved in the project organized by Barry Poyner, professor of communication, and sponsored by the Communication Club (NCASC). At any given point about half of the students will be in character and will share what was rhetorically splendid or lackluster in the speech at hand; this will allow the other student performers to move around and enjoy student speeches as well.

The public is invited to meander through the museum in self-paced style, realizing that each student presentation is about five minutes. Students will share brief insights about the speakers, the rhetorical situation and will perform excerpts of the speeches. Students from COMM 385 will portray speakers from the "Top 100 Great Speeches of the 20th Century," which can be found at americanrhetoric.com. Students from COMM 382 classes will portray great movie speeches.

This is the sixth time that such an event has been organized at Truman. The focus of the historical speeches will be Midwestern speeches in the last half of the 20th century, for example: Malcom X’s “Message to the Grassroots,” ranked No. 89; Adlai Stevenson’s “Presidential Nomination Acceptance Address,” ranked No. 54; Newton Minow’s “Television and the Public Interest,” ranked No. 67; and Anita Hill’s “Statement to Senate Judiciary Committee,” ranked No. 69.

In honor of communication week, cookies and punch will be served. Students are also invited to join the Communication Club. NCASC is committed to enriching the lives of undergraduate communication majors and minors by promoting the study and application of communication principles through educational and social functions. Poyner serves as an advisor to the organization, the only NCA Student Club in the state of Missouri.

Those attending are encouraged to vote for the best portrayal based on dress, delivery of quotes, understanding of speaker, rhetorical situation and rhetorical splendor. The event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Poyner at 660.785.4063.