Trilogy at First Friday in the Chapel
Big sounds are expected from a trio and their accompanist when local vocal group Trilogy takes the mic at the next First Friday in the Chapel at La Porte Hospital on May 4. The program begins at Noon in the hospital’s Family Chapel, and it is free and open to the public. The hospital is located at 1007 Lincolnway, La Porte.
Trilogy comprises soprano Felicia Thomas, alto Sue Cassler, and baritone Joe Stewart, who are members of the Chancel Choir at First United Methodist Church in Michigan City, where the trio came together. They are accompanied by Beverly Griffith. All four are active members of Monday Musicale, and participants in the annual Madrigal Dinner at the church. On May 4, they expect to play a variety of show tunes and some up-tempo sacred songs with a mixture of accompaniment and a cappella.
Thomas was raised in Southwest Michigan, but has been a Michigan City resident for her entire adult life. For 25 years, she has been a member of the city’s Monday Musicale, and for 36 years, she has been a member of First United Methodist Church, where she has participated in the music program and worked with youth groups. Thomas enjoys stretching her mind by learning new musical instruments - trumpet and piano - and indulging in various yarn arts. She and her husband of 25 years have raised a daughter, who is now married with an adorable 2-year-old son, Reed. Thomas is also mom to two cats, Charlie and Oliver, and a sweet Beagle Schnauzer mix named Lane. In years past, Thomas has been involved with social justice issues such as child abuse and racial equality, having belonged to an advocacy group for abused children, and served as a founding member of the Martin Luther King Community Celebration Committee.
Cassler is a retired elementary school teacher who is originally from Michigan City, and now resides in La Porte with her husband, Tom. Cassler has been involved in trio singing since 1996. As a member of various women’s trios—most recently Back Porch Swing—she has sung at a number of local churches and has entertained at retirement homes, civic organizations, holiday events, the La Porte County Museum, and teas, including the Pink Tea at Barker Mansion. She particularly enjoys traditional pop music from the 1940s and ‘50s. In retirement, Cassler has discovered a knack for transcribing music heard on favorite recordings and YouTube videos, and arranging vocal harmonies. This allows Trilogy to be able to tailor a program to meet the needs of most any group or venue. Cassler has been a member of Monday Musicale since 1997, and serves as publicity chairman, and co-chairman of the club’s scholarship committee. Other than singing, her hobbies include gardening, antiquing, and spoiling her three cats.
Stewart, the baritone in Trilogy, was a finalist in the 2017 Hoosier Star competition. He is a graduate of St. Joseph's College in Rensselaer, sings in the Chancel Choir at First United Methodist Church in Michigan City, and plays a major role in the annual Madrigal Dinner at the church, as performer and script writer. He is an active member of Monday Musicale, and was active in musical productions and theater while in school. Stewart has performed a various events including the Valentine Tea at First United Methodist Church, and is a favorite performer for residents at Rittenhouse Village in Michigan City. Stewart has worked as a substitute teacher in La Porte, and aspires to become a full-time English teacher. The community can say hello to him at Galveston Steak House in Michigan City, where he is a server. He lives in Michigan City’s historic district, in a home that he is in the process of rehabbing.
Griffith has been accompanying Trilogy since its inception. She serves as music director at First United Methodist Church of Michigan City, where she teaches children's Try-It music lessons, leads both Rejoice and Chancel Choirs, plays in the Bell Choir, and directs the Madrigal Dinner (get your tickets early!), held annually the first weekend of December. She formerly owned, taught and directed a children's music school in Wheaton, Illinois for 40 years, at which time she was an education specialist for Yamaha Music Corporation. Since her retirement, she's been involved Monday Musicale and also enjoys accompanying middle school choirs, soloists, and occasionally, community theater. Griffith is an avid environmentalist and serves on the board of SCARCE.org, an environmental education non-profit in DuPage County. She and her husband Bill live on a farm in rural La Porte where she enjoys helping her gardens grow, managing her wayward livestock, including the goats Gilbert and Sullivan, and providing a healthy place for her grandchildren to discover the wonder of nature and the beauty of God's creation.
First Friday in the Chapel is made possible by the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte, a not-for-profit foundation dedicated to empowering residents to live healthy and well in and around La Porte. HFL is proud to support health and wellness programs and services to achieve the vision of La Porte becoming one of Indiana’s top 10 healthiest communities by 2030. For more information about First Friday in the Chapel performances, please call 219-325-7633.
Date and Time
Friday May 4, 2018
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT
May 4
12:00 p.m.
Location
Family Chapel at La Porte Hospital
1007 Lincolnway
La Porte
Fees/Admission
Free of charge!
Contact Information
219-325-7633