Photos by Ralph Freso / Slideshow / "Friday Night Live" livestream
Audio engineering professor Andy Zulla launched “Thursday Night Live” at Grand Canyon University last spring. But that one night couldn't contain his vision.
In less than a year, Zulla has revamped the Joshua South classroom space into a fully operational production and performance center.
The space provides immersive and experiential hands-on media education via what's now a monthly show, renamed “Friday Night Live." The series, inspired by "Saturday Night Live," features livestreamed theatre, music and dance performances and spotlight moments for film, design and students' other creative endeavors.
“We did our first prototype less than a year ago,” said Zulla, a Grammy- and Emmy-Award winner. “When looking back on that, we are all kind of astounded that it was just less than a year ago.”
“We have this College of Arts and Media where film, music, dance, theatre and design are all under one roof. I have seen other colleges where things are separated all over the place, and it’s hard to get everything together. We have it all under one roof, but oddly, there is this sort of big void. I wanted to build this vision to help students have better outcomes for their careers.”
When Zulla came to the university, he wanted to do more than just be an audio engineering professor.
With an extensive background in the music production industry, he wanted to use his skills to give back and build a space for students. He sees it as a space where they can turn their education into practical application and develop industry skills long before they graduate.
After touring Joshua South and seeing the small stage, roughly 200 seats and a spacious back room, his vision cleared.
In the middle of the scorching Phoenix heat last summer, Zulla and junior Ruth Ochoa packed up all the equipment from the lecture hall that hosted the first "TNL" and began their move to Joshua South.
“In some ways, it’s kind of like a dream come true,” Zulla said. “I spent 35 years making records, so it isn’t really my goal to come here and make records. It’s something bigger. It’s building out a program like this with all these people that are basically dying to do something like this.”
The first step in the renovation was expanding the stage. The 10-by-8-foot stage is now 32-by-24 feet and holds equipment such as guitar amps, monitors, stage racks, all surrounded by lighting fixtures and three-tier lighting trusses.
What was an empty room in the back corner, Zulla has transformed into a professional-level control room. From a 40-input video production switcher and broadcast audio and music mixer to lighting control software, front-of-the-house audio mixer, a monitor wall and more, students can develop production skills on equipment used in real industry settings.
Next to the control room is a teleprompter and a freshly painted green screen for transitional show segments and skits. Ten cameras surround the space. The renovations were made possible thanks to the generous support from the Boskie Family Foundation and The Ravenscroft.
“When I first saw the space, I thought, this feels like a new home,” junior Anica Brewer said. “It was pure excitement for me and the urge to learn and do absolutely anything.”
Added junior Jackson Cox, “When I first came to GCU, I was a brand new commercial music major, and we didn’t have any of this. The fact that Andy has come in and built this whole thing is such a God moment. It has completely reshaped not just the commercial music program, but all of CAM.”
In the renovated space and with monthly "FNL" shows, students are learning, growing and developing their skillset.
They're diving into music and TV production, directing, audio mixing, lighting design, livestreaming, recording and editing videos, showcasing and performing. With all those opportunities for hands-on practice, the reimagined Joshua South has become a multidisciplinary hub integrating diverse creative outlets for students.
While Zulla takes on the director role, he allows students to fill all other roles.
“My skills have grown immensely with Andy,” Brewer said. “He brings so much joy to me and encourages me even more with his grace. If you mess up, spell something wrong, he has a lot of grace, which helps you adjust into knowing what you did right or wrong. His visions help students grow so much.”
Zulla has built the new production and performance center in less than a year with Ochoa’s assistance in what would normally be at least a five-person job.
In its early stages, students hesitated getting involved with "TNL." Zulla said he often had to collaborate with faculty to find students for the show. Now students are showing up at Joshua South, asking to be a part of the show.
“I was house managing ‘Little Women’ last spring when he (Zulla) told me about 'TNL' and how he needs a floor manager,” Ochoa said. “I said a different student would be better, but he said, 'No.' He said to me, ‘Your house managing has shown me you can work with people.’ I said 'yes' without even knowing what floor managing means.
“Two years ago, a stage manager that I shadowed showed me her resume, and it was a full, horizontal page," Ochoa said. "I remember it being so jam-packed. She had to zoom in to show me a word. I told her, 'I want that.' She said, 'I think you can do it, especially during college'. I said, 'Give me two years, and now it’s been two years.'"
Ochoa's resume is just as jam-packed, thanks to Zulla.
Lopes can check out the new space at tonight's Friday Night Live," which starts at 7:30 p.m. and will feature an array of rock bands. Watch the livestream here.
GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]
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