Makin’ Music and Makin’ Memories
From the spark of an idea to a show-stopping success, Makin’ Music 49 was a year-long labor of love for the students and volunteers who brought the annual event to life.
Ask any Freed-Hardeman alum who has taken part in Makin’ Music, and they’ll likely tell you the same thing: It stays with you. Not just the performances, but the people, the inside jokes, the long nights and the life lessons learned along the way. This truth is still fresh for the students who helped bring Makin’ Music 49 to life. Months of brainstorming, preparation, collaboration and rehearsal finally paid off April 10-11 as thousands of guests flocked to FHU’s Dryden Auditorium to experience “Memories in the Makin’.”
Setting the Stage
Senior Vallie Evans has seen Makin’ Music from nearly every angle. Over four years, she’s gone from cast member to showband manager to one of two student coordinators working alongside producer Tony Allen.
“Tony, Jaden (Bracken) and I started working on Makin’ Music 49 in August of 2025,” Evans said. “As student coordinators, we helped with the production of the show, coming up with a show theme, and working alongside all of the club directors and making sure their show was what they wanted.”
For club directors, the process begins even earlier. Many start work just weeks after the previous show ends, carrying ideas through the summer and into the school year.
“As a director, you’re pretty much completely responsible for all of the creating and problem-solving that crafting a show entails,” said Phi Kappa Alpha director Grady McCall. “You start by brainstorming show ideas with your other directors, and then once you’ve got a plot locked in you slowly work your way through writing lyrics and harmonies and planning for choreography, set and costumes.”
Let’s Build Something Together
Eventually, the big ideas that were dreamed up by the directors were shared with club committees and later with full casts. Weeks of rehearsals and club retreats didn’t just shape the shows; they shaped the relationships behind them.
“Before I directed, there were people in my club that I hadn’t known very well because our paths didn’t cross regularly,” said Omega Chi director Brenna Dill. “But at retreats we would spend hours everyday talking and laughing and working together towards a common goal.”
By early spring, shows began taking shape with the addition of props, costumes, lighting and other special effects designed to wow audiences — such as a giant scarecrow, an elemental monster and even a Trojan Horse.
For Phi Kappa Alpha, the Trojan Horse quickly became both a centerpiece and a concern.
“The first time we brought it to practice and had people jump through it, it felt like 10,000 pounds had been lifted off of our chests,” McCall said. “At that point we all knew the show was going to turn out pretty awesome.”
A First Look: Kids’ Show Magic
The first official performance in front of a full audience happened Thursday morning when hundreds of local school children packed Dryden for the annual Kids’ Show. This tradition has become a favorite for everyone involved — children get to enjoy a morning away from class and an exhilarating musical show, and performers get to showcase their hard work for one of the most enthusiastic crowds around.
“To see the show come together on stage was such a surreal moment,” Evans recalled. “This whole school year, we worked so hard and none of it seemed real until that morning.”
The energy in the room made an immediate impact. Students cheered, laughed and clapped along, while costumed characters filled the aisles during intermission to interact with their young fans, handing out high-fives, starting chants and drawing plenty of enthusiastic “6-7!” shouts.
After returning to their classroom, the children cast votes for their favorite club shows. The 2026 Kids’ Choice Award was ultimately given to Phi Kappa Alpha for their show “For Glory, For Greece!”
A Campus Comes Alive
By the weekend, Makin’ Music had spread well beyond the stage, as campus became a gathering place for friends to reunite and spend meaningful time together.
Saturday afternoon saw Bader Green fill with activity as families, alumni and students gathered under clear, sunny skies. The annual Party on the Green offered food trucks, bouncy houses, lawn games, vendor booths and plenty of inviting space for visitors to relax. Additional celebrations that day included a retirement reception for three behavioral sciences professors and a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Calendine-Davis Studio.
Across campus, familiar rhythms returned. Cast parades brought energy, as students marched toward Dryden arm-in-arm with supporters lining the sidewalks to cheer them on before each show.
“Seeing how excited everyone was and then all weekend watching families and alumni lining up outside Dryden was such a special moment and one I won’t forget,” said Evans.
Showtime
Hosts and hostesses, emcees, showband musicians and cast members delivered three high-energy performances on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening. The months of hard work, sleepless nights and intense focus resulted in overwhelmingly positive audience reactions and a show that everyone walked away proud of.
The following club awards were presented on Saturday evening:
Props and Set Design: 1st – Phi Kappa Alpha, 2nd – Omega Chi, 3rd – Xi Chi Delta
Vocals: 1st – Phi Kappa Alpha, 2nd – Omega Chi, 3rd – Xi Chi Delta
Lyrics: 1st – Phi Kappa Alpha, 2nd – Omega Chi, 3rd – Xi Chi Delta
Entertainment Value: 1st – Phi Kappa Alpha, 2nd – Omega Chi, 3rd – Xi Chi Delta
Choreography and Blocking: 1st – Phi Kappa Alpha, 2nd – Omega Chi, 3rd – Xi Chi Delta
Costumes: 1st – Phi Kappa Alpha, 2nd – Omega Chi, 3rd – Xi Chi Delta
Sweepstakes: 1st – Phi Kappa Alpha, 2nd – Omega Chi, 3rd – Xi Chi Delta
Spirit of Makin’ Music Award: Sigma Rho
More Memories to Come
Even as Makin’ Music 49 came to a close, excitement is already building for next year’s milestone anniversary show.
Planning is underway for Makin’ Music 50, taking place April 9-10, 2027, which will feature returning hosts and hostesses, as well as performances involving alumni, faculty and staff and many more fun surprises. Organizers promise a celebration that honors the show’s history while continuing to build on its legacy.
For those involved in creating such a special experience, the time and effort is always worth the reward.
“Although Makin’ Music can be a stressful time, there’s so much joy and love and community that comes along with it,” Dill said. “There’s truly nothing like it!”
