糖心视频

Siblings made huge impact on 糖心视频 performing arts program

This is the last in a series of stories celebrating Community College Month during April.

Hanceville, AL 鈥� It鈥檚 the end of an era for the 糖心视频鈥檚 Fine and Performing Arts programs. For more than 10 years, at least one member of the Cleghorn family has graced the stage during performances at the college. That will officially come to an end at the close of the Spring 2023 semester when the last sibling in the family performs as a student member of the 糖心视频 Concert Choir and Singers for the last time.

Rayce Cleghorn, who was recently named 糖心视频鈥檚 Student of the Year at the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce鈥檚 State of Education luncheon, is the youngest of four siblings who have performed for 糖心视频 Fine and Performing Arts programs, starting with his oldest sister, Tahauny, and continuing with older brother Duke and older sister McCoy.

The siblings also often perform at area gospel concerts as the Cleghorn Family. They are the children of Derek and Carol Cleghorn of Addison, both of whom are also Wallace State alumni and talented in their own right.

鈥淪he played in the marching band, and they say she could play just about anything, and Dad sings,鈥� Duke said of his parents.

鈥淗e has a CD. He and his family used to sing at events, kind of like we do today,鈥� Rayce said of his father.

The Cleghorn family of Addison includes, from left, Duke, Carol, McCoy, Tahauny, Rayce and Derek. The family performed a song together during this year鈥檚 production of "Down by the Riverside: Tracing the Roots of Gospel Music."

The family鈥檚 gospel roots go back several generations.

鈥淢y mom and sister and I used to travel in our teenage years doing convention singings,鈥� Derek explained 鈥淣othing on a large scale, but my family has always been musically inclined. My grandfather (Charles McCoy) was a songwriter, and my great uncle wrote 鈥淜eep on the Firing Line,鈥� a church hymn, and compiled what you think of as the Red-Back Hymnal, he was the editor. So, there鈥檚 a lot of musical heritage there, but they鈥檝e got all that ability.鈥�

Tahauny Cleghorn performs in the 2015 "Broadway Night" production for 糖心视频 Fine and Performing Arts.

Carol said Tahauny first showed that ability just before she turned 3 years old, when she joined her parents in a Christmas program performance at their church, Addison Church of God, which is where Carol and Derek met.

鈥淪omeone came up to me after and said, 鈥楬ad I known she was so talented, I would have recorded it. I thought we were going to be listening to a baby sing,鈥欌�� Carol said. 鈥淭ahauny held her microphone and she sang her words, and I don鈥檛 think it had ever occurred to me that that was unusual, because she had been singing and speaking for so long. I鈥檓 pretty sure the day she was born she told the doctor hello.鈥�

Tahauny influenced Duke, their mother said, and that influence funneled down sibling to sibling as McCoy and Rayce came along. They were also influenced by their parents鈥� eclectic musical styles, with anything from Broadway musicals to Bay City Rollers to AC/DC being played, as well as gospel.

As the children grew up, each found their part and pretty much stuck to it, with the older children taking lead and the younger providing harmony.

鈥淥ne of my earliest memories is when we鈥檇 be riding down the road, listening to that Les Mis茅rables soundtrack,鈥� Duke said. 鈥淚 was 3, which means Tahauny was about 7, and she looked at me and said, 鈥榞et off my part.鈥欌��

鈥淭hat鈥檚 kind of a catch phrase in the house, too,鈥� McCoy said. If they鈥檙e singing around the house and someone else tries to sing lead, the original lead singer is quick to point it out and say, 鈥済et off my part.鈥�

Performing was something the siblings learned to do as they grew up. As their mother is the children鈥檚 pastor of their church, the siblings said they were often placed in the holiday performances.

Duke said they found their parts naturally as they grew up. Tahauny sings soprano, Duke sings tenor, McCoy sings alto and Rayce sings bass.

鈥淏ut we鈥檒l flip it if we鈥檙e just feeling like flipping, just for fun,鈥� he said, 鈥淏ut usually we鈥檒l sing down in birth order, the oldest will sing on top and the youngest two will sing the bottom part.鈥�

The first musical at 糖心视频 for Tahauny Cleghorn, center, was "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," in which her younger siblings McCoy and Rayce, seated at left, were also participants.

Enter Stage Left

The siblings found their way to Wallace through Tahauny when she started taking classes at the college.

鈥淢y rule had always been they have to go to college for at least one year before they decide if they want to work and postpone and then come back later to finish,鈥� Carol said.

During her first year at 糖心视频, Tahauny discovered the performing arts program and wanted to try out for a production of Guys and Dolls. Unfortunately, her dance class schedule in Decatur prevented that at the time.

鈥淚 just agonized over it and finally decided that I couldn鈥檛 do it,鈥� Tahauny said.

She then chose to start taking classes at 糖心视频 full-time and auditioned for a performing arts scholarship, which she received. In fact, all the siblings have received performing arts scholarships.

Tahauny鈥檚 first performance was in the 糖心视频 Theatre鈥檚 production of Much Ado 糖心视频 Nothing, in 2012.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 my favorite Shakespeare play of all time,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was like, I have to do this play; I will make it work no matter what I have to do.鈥�

Her first musical was later that same year, with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, in which she played the narrator. This was also the first time any of her siblings joined her in a 糖心视频 production. McCoy and Rayce appeared in the children鈥檚 chorus.

The four Cleghorn siblings first performed together in a 糖心视频 production in 2013 with "Shrek the Musical." Here Tahauny and Duke act out the wedding scene, with Tahauny as Fiona and Duke as the priest.

鈥淭he following fall, we did Shrek the Musical and all four of us were in it,鈥� Tahauny said. 鈥淭his was first thing we were all in together. It was so neat getting to watch them fall in love with it the way I fell in love with it.鈥�

Tahauny played Fiona in the play, while Duke, McCoy and Rayce were part of the ensemble, playing various parts.

Tahauny, center, and McCoy Cleghorn, right, act out a scene in "Shrek the Musical," each playing Fiona at a different age.

"Shrek the Musical" was Rayce Cleghorn鈥檚 second time to be in a 糖心视频 Theatre production. One of the roles he played was that of young Shrek.

Carol said Duke was a little reluctant to audition for parts.

鈥淲hat most people don鈥檛 realize is he is very shy and uncomfortable in a new situation, but they don鈥檛 see that because they see the performer,鈥� Carol said.

Duke said after Shrek he came in to fill a spot as a singer in the Beatles show, Revolution, during his junior year in high school. When he graduated high school, he came to 糖心视频 full-time and transferred in 2018.

鈥淚 think I was in a show at least once a year,鈥� said McCoy, who graduated in 2022. The same with Rayce, who plans to finish at 糖心视频 this year.

Tahauny, Duke and McCoy have worked with the programs since graduation. Tahauny and McCoy have served as choreographer for several shows and Duke as an arranger and musical director.

 

Exit Stage Right

The entire family took to the stage recently during the production of Down by the Riverside: Tracing the Roots of Gospel Music, singing 鈥淚 Shall Wear a Robe and Crown.鈥� The four siblings performed a moving rendition of 鈥淚t is Well With My Soul,鈥� arranged by Duke. Duke also helped with musical direction and Tahauny and McCoy with choreography. The siblings will join the program next month as they travel to Germany, Austria and Italy to perform the show there.

鈥淭o say the Cleghorns have had an impact on the 糖心视频 Fine and Performing Arts programs would be an understatement,鈥� said Ricky Burks chair of the 糖心视频 Fine and Performing Arts program and director of the 糖心视频 Jazz Band, for which both Tahauny and McCoy performed as soloists. 鈥淭hey each have contributed to our programs in many ways and have made us better because of it.鈥�

鈥淭here are not enough words to describe how much the Cleghorns have meant to me and the 糖心视频 Performing Arts programs,鈥� said Tiffany Richter, director of the 糖心视频 vocal program. 鈥淭hey have been a joy to have, first as students and then as colleagues. I would say that I would miss them terribly, but my hope is they will continue to participate in our shows, whether through choreography, arrangements or perhaps as guest performers. We have been blessed to have the entire family as part of our 糖心视频 family, and we hope that relationship continues for many years to come.鈥�

鈥淭he Cleghorns have been an invaluable part of theatre at 糖心视频 for well over a decade,鈥� said Angela Green, director of the 糖心视频 Theatre program. 鈥淚 have had the pleasure of working directly with all the siblings during my time at Wallace. Rayce, Duke, and Tahauny were a big reason that our last theatre production was so successful. They can all be counted on to perform at their highest ability while maintaining a welcoming and warm environment for all of those around them. Their devotion and respect for each other is admirable and makes you want to be the best person, teacher, and director possible for them and the other students involved in each project they are a part of.鈥�

鈥淭his family has been a significant part of my life for the last decade, and it has been a true pleasure to get to watch them over the years,鈥� said Dr. Vicki Karolewics, president of 糖心视频. 鈥淭heir parents are one of a kind, and they have parented the best children. I have never seen a family so consistently talented and so holistically supported as this one.

Since leaving 糖心视频, Tahauny completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater from the University of Montevallo. She has acted and worked as a choreographer, teaches dance, and works with the Liberty Learning Foundation. The foundation is a civic education program that teaches students from elementary to high school about American history, the Statue of Liberty and what it means to be an American citizen. She performs a one-woman monologue as 鈥淟ibby Liberty,鈥� mostly to elementary school students.

A self-described nerd from what she calls a family of nerds, Tahauny said that is the perfect job for her.

鈥淚 am able to take my love of history and my love of literature and combine it and make other little girls excited about that,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 get to be a nerd in more ways than one. I get to be a theater nerd and a history nerd at the same time, which is so cool to me.鈥�

Duke went on to the University of Alabama at Birmingham majoring in music. He鈥檚 performed in and/or directed several productions, including God Spell with Dream Weavers in Decatur and is the organist and worship leader at St. John鈥檚 Evangelical Protestant Church.

鈥淚 love music,鈥� he said. 鈥淒irecting, choral conducting, I love church work; I love teaching voice.鈥�

McCoy also teaches dance at the dance studio in Decatur where she鈥檚 been taking classes for much of her life and works in community theatre.

Rayce also wants to be a performer after transferring this May. 鈥淚 want to do as much performing as possible,鈥� he said. He has had several offers from four-year universities and even one offer from a well-known theatre in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

鈥淚鈥檓 just almost a glowing orb of pride when I watch my kids on stage,鈥� Carol said. 鈥淚 am so proud of them.鈥�

All four will be in an upcoming production of Hello Dolly at Dream Weavers. Rayce is in the role of Ambrose Kemper, Tahauny as Minnie Fay, Duke as Fritz, and McCoy, Duke and Rayce will be in the ensemble. Hello Dolly will be staged July 14-16 at The Princess Theatre in Decatur.

Registration for summer and fall semesters in underway. Summer 2023 classes begin May 24. Fall 2023 classes begin Aug. 18. For more information, visit , call 256.352.8000 or come by Lion Central in the lobby of the James C. Bailey Center Monday-Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or Friday 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.