The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / Arts & Culture

Concert Band, Wind Ensemble prepare for packed week of concerts

February 17, 2026 by Joshua Varner Leave a Comment

Now that the marching season has come to a close, students in the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble have begun preparing for a series of concerts to begin the season. The first of these will be Saturday, featuring the Concert Band in Boone Family Theatre. The band is open to anyone, whether or not they are a music major, without an audition. ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News Tagged With: ACU Department of Music, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble

Senior to lead Theatre’s annual student-directed show

February 6, 2026 by Joshua Varner Leave a Comment

The Department of Theatre's annual Student-Directed Show will perform at Seven and One Books on Sunday.  The show this year is This Random World: The Myth of Serendipity. Written by Steven Dietz, the play, according to the department, asks the serious question of how often we travel parallel paths through the world without noticing. The show ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News, Showcase

University features artists from U.S., China through intercultural project

January 14, 2026 by Taylor Harrison Leave a Comment

The university and The Grace Museum will host visiting Chinese artists from Thursday to Saturday through exhibitions, dialogue and live painting. The event centers around an intercultural project developed by Robert Green called “Boundless: A U.S.-China Collaborative Exhibition,” which showcases Chinese artists Zhai You, Gao Yun, Fan Lei, Shao ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, News

Hall of Faith highlights influential figures in Christianity

February 25, 2025 by Leslie Carrigan

The Brown Library will display the Christian Hall of Faith until March 7. The exhibit includes five Dead Sea Scroll fragments, a letter from C.S. Lewis to pupils, a Riena Bible, one of the first editions of the Bible completely translated to Spanish and other items of the Christian faith. The artifacts range in date, with the oldest dating from ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture

Ordinary Days: Appreciating the beauty in the simplicity

February 11, 2025 by Callie Leverett

With just four characters and 70 minutes of showtime, the student-directed musical Ordinary Days sought to convince the audience to rethink their appreciation of ordinary lives and experiences.   “From a more emotional standpoint I think Ordinary Days stands out because it is about relationships,” said cast member Ashton Taylor in an email. “The ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture

Book Review: “American Prison: A Reporter’s Undercover Journey Into The Business Of Punishment” by Shane Bauer

November 9, 2020 by Gracyn McGathy

“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” ― Nelson Mandela   As of 2013, there were an estimated 133,000 prisoners institutionalized in private prisons. There are times in life when you must question the ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Book Review

Media Review: “The Shallows: What The Internet is Doing to Our Brains” by Nick Carr and Jeff Orlowski’s “The Social Dilemma”

October 21, 2020 by Gracyn McGathy

Let’s talk technology. We are living in what scientists have deemed the “information age,”: essentially an era built upon a consistent stream of intelligence. This ocean spills over into several large rivers we identify as social platforms, all of which utilize a marketing strategy of engineered seduction. Gone is the world where shared media can ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Book Review

Book Review: “Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved” by Kate Bowler

October 5, 2020 by Gracyn McGathy

“If I were to invent a sin to describe what that was--for how I lived--I would not say it was simply that I didn’t stop to smell the roses. It was the sin of arrogance, of becoming impervious to life itself. I failed to love what was present and decided to love what was possible instead.” Kate Bowler’s Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Book Review

Book review: The Testaments by Margaret Atwood

September 21, 2020 by Gracyn McGathy

“As they say, history does not repeat itself, but it rhymes.” Rarely in modern literature do I find authors who risk their platforms for the sake of controversial writing. Margaret Atwood is one among the few, a wolf in women’s clothing. The Testaments, sister to The Handmaid’s Tale and Atwood’s latest work, is evidence of her willingness to ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Book Review

‘One Night Only’ performance sold out last Saturday

February 27, 2020 by Gabi Morales

The student-led dance production titled One Night Only sold out on tickets for the show on Feb. 29. Students get a unique opportunity to show their talent on the stage through the expression of dance at a sold-out show. Lily Balogh, freshman English major from Abilene and member of ACU theater, was the main coordinator for the night of dance. One ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Arts & Culture

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • …
  • 33
  • Next Page »
You are here: Home / Arts & Culture

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
22 Apr

NEWS: Students can now vote for the 2026 Mr. ACU and Miss ACU. The link to vote can be found through an email sent out by the Student Government Association.

Reply on Twitter 2046989639165042798 Retweet on Twitter 2046989639165042798 1 Like on Twitter 2046989639165042798 Twitter 2046989639165042798
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
29 Mar

Sing Song 2026 Awards Class Division:

Overall Award:
1. Mixed
2. Seniors
3. Freshman White

Reply on Twitter 2038098756579508469 Retweet on Twitter 2038098756579508469 Like on Twitter 2038098756579508469 2 Twitter 2038098756579508469

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

7 days ago

The Optimist
Click the link in our bio to nominate a graduating senior for the Optimist to feature in our print issue. ... See MoreSee Less

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

7 days ago

The Optimist
ACU’s Got Talent showcased student performers Tuesday at the Boone Family Theatre, featuring acts including singing, dancing and spoken word. Lois Botelua, freshman theatre major from Fort Worth, and pianist Peter John, freshman finance major from Park Row, took home the top prize for their performance of “The Visitor” by Sienna Spiro, earning a trophy and $500.To view the full photo gallery, visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. 📸: @leslie.lu.carrigan #acuoptimist #abilenechristianuniversity #studentlife ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2026 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved