Today for our Friday Favorites, The Morning Thing hosts celebrated their Moms! They shared why they appreciate Mom and how she has influenced their lives.
Click HERE to hear from Marcy, Eric and NEW hosts Ethan Hershberger and Daniel Russell.
WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Joy Kanagy who plays the part of Judge Judy in the True Story of the 3 Little Pigs which is the latest installment of the Orange Barrel Production Company.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
Joy, a 14-year-old eighth grader at Inspirations Academy, says her character helps decide the outcome of the Wolf’s case based on how the jury votes during the courtroom scenes. Joy says she has been preparing for the role by practicing her lines and working on her delivery. While she enjoys the whole character, she admits her favorite part is getting to bang the judge’s gavel during the show. She also says the courtroom scene is one of her favorite moments in the production.
Joy talks about playing the part of Judge Judy in the True Story of the 3 Little Pigs which is the latest installment of the Orange Barrel Production Company.
Joy has previously appeared in Orange Barrel Production Company’s A Little Princess along with several church productions. While she currently sees acting as more of a hobby, she says theater has been a lot of fun and a great experience.
Joy says one of her favorite parts of being involved with this cast has been getting to know the other actors and spending time together during rehearsals. She also encourages other kids to give theater a try, even if it feels a little scary at first.
Joy says the community should come out and support The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs because the cast has worked hard and the show is funny and family friendly.
Performances of the True Story of the 3 Little Pigs will take place: May 14th, 15th, 21st, and 22nd at 7 p.m. at the Crossroads Theater inside the Mount Vernon Developmental Center Administration Building.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. General admission tickets are 10 dollars. For more information, visit Ohio Drama-dot-com or call 740-504-8847.
Click HERE to learn more about Orange Barrel Production Company!
WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Gabrielle Fuller, who plays Mayella Ewell in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.
Click HERE to hear the full interview!
Gabrielle has been involved with theater through MTVArts since 2016 and says auditioning for this show was an easy decision because she has always loved the story of To Kill a Mockingbird. In this production, she takes on the role of Mayella Ewell, a character she describes as emotional, isolated, and deeply shaped by fear and poverty.
To prepare for the role, Gabrielle says she’s spent time focusing on Mayella’s body language, emotions, and motivations throughout the story. She says one of the most powerful moments in the show is Atticus Finch’s closing speech to the jury, which continues to stand out to her during rehearsals.
Outside of this production, Gabrielle has recently appeared in shows including 9 to 5, The Little Mermaid Jr., and MTVArts’ Night of One Acts. She says theater has become an important creative outlet and something she genuinely loves, whether it’s acting, singing, or dancing.
Gabrielle also encourages others to give theater a try, saying there’s a place for everyone, whether on stage or working behind the scenes. She believes audiences will connect with To Kill a Mockingbird because its themes of empathy, justice, and courage still resonate today.
Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.
Click HERE for ticket information!
For our Friday Favorites today, The Morning Thing hosts share their favorite memories with our Seniors in the MVNU Class of 2026. Congratulations to Abby Almodovar, Zane Menzie, Isaiah Clark, Kai Mays, EJ Temple, Jackson Bush, Kara Jenkins, Naomi Kinne and Traven Griffith!
Click HERE to hear our memories or click on the picture below.
Today is a special day for our community, and WNZR is honored to be part of it.
We’re teaming up with the Knox Network of Christian Ministries to make prayer a central focus throughout the day. From morning to evening, you’ll hear voices you know and trust—local pastors and ministry leaders—leading us in prayer at the top of each hour. It’s a simple but powerful way for all of us to pause, refocus, and come together in faith right where we are.
This year’s National Day of Prayer theme, “Glorify God Among the Nations – Seeking Him in All Generations,” reminds us that prayer connects us across every age, every background, and every corner of the world. The theme verse, 1 Chronicles 16:24, says: “Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.” It’s an invitation to not only pray, but to remember and share what God is doing.
And we’d love for you to be part of this day in a personal way. If you have a prayer request on your heart—or even a praise report you’d like to celebrate—you’re invited to share it with us. You can email wnzr@mvnu.edu or call 740-392-9090.
However you choose to join in, we hope you’ll take a few moments today to pray with us.
National Day of Prayer Schedule
12:30am – Kandee Popham, Place 4 Grace
1:30am – Marvin Haught, Brandon Baptist Church
2:30am – Troy McNichols, New Life Church of the Nazarene
3:30am – Andy Smith, New Life Community Church, Fredericktown
4:30am – Thom Collier, e-Merge Real Estate Champions and Chaplain
5:30am – Jess Kirby, Starting Point Pregnancy and Family Resource Center
6:30am – Captain Christine Moretz, Mount Vernon Salvation Army
7:30am – Marcy Rinehart, WNZR/MVNU
8:30am – Jessica Reynolds, TouchPointe Community Resources
9:30am – Scott Sharpes, Lakeholm Church of the Nazarene
10:30am – Amy McDougale, The Least of These Ministry
11:30am – Jenn Furay, Starting Point Pregnancy and Family Resource Center
12:30pm – Carolyn Fergus, Knox County Interchurch Social Services
1:30pm –– Cody Blust, Faith Lutheran Church
2:30pm – Dave Mills, Mount Vernon Nazarene University
3:30pm – Mike McKinley, TouchPointe Community Resources
4:30pm – Dr. Carson Castleman, President Mount Vernon Nazarene University
5:30pm – Mount Vernon Mayor Dr. Matt Starr
6:30pm – Tim Stickle, Revive Knox County
7:30pm – Joe Rinehart from WNZR 90.9 FM/Mount Vernon Nazarene University
8:30pm – Joe Proudfoot, Mount Vernon FirstNaz
9:30pm – Richard Hite, Church on the Rise
10:30pm – David Carter, Child Evangelism Fellowship, former High School Guidance Counselor
11:30pm – Christopher Liberati, Gay Street United Methodist Church
WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Steve Jefferson, who plays Reverend Sykes in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
Steve got involved in theater after retiring from a teaching career at the Knox County Career Center. He shares how stepping into theater opened a whole new world and gave him an appreciation for the behind-the-scenes work that makes each production possible.
Steve talks about the powerful, true-to-life story of this show. He shares that he wanted to be part of a production that tells such an important story.
Steve shares about his preparation for this role and the relationships he has built with the cast. He encourages the community to come out and see the show. Steve calls this show a powerful and emotional story that reflects important truths and leaves audiences thinking long after the performance ends.
Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.
Click HERE for more information or to buy tickets!
WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Grace Shank, who plays Scout Finch in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
Grace is a 17-year-old junior at East Knox, and she takes on the role of young Scout in the show. An older version of Scout—Jean Louise—helps tell the story, but Grace says her focus has been figuring out how to bring that younger perspective to life. That’s meant thinking and reacting more like a kid who’s still trying to understand everything going on around her.
She says one of the things she likes most about Scout is how honest she is. Scout says what she’s thinking, asks questions, and doesn’t really hold back. That plays into one of Grace’s favorite moments in the show—the final scene—when Scout begins to see Boo Radley in a different light and realizes she may have had him all wrong.
This is Grace’s 12th production, and she says Beauty and the Beast has been one of her favorites over the years. Even though she plans to pursue a career as a forensic investigator, she still hopes to stay involved in theater when she can.
She also says the cast has made this experience especially memorable. Even with the heavier themes in the show, there’s been a lot of fun behind the scenes, and she’s enjoyed getting to know everyone.
Grace says if someone is thinking about trying theater, they should go for it. Each show is a chance to learn something new and get a little better.
Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.
Click HERE for more information or to buy tickets!
WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Ian Fraser Ernsberger, who plays Bob Ewell in MTVArts’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.
Click HERE to hear the full interview!
Ian brings nearly 40 years of theater experience, both on stage and behind the scenes, and says this role gave him the opportunity to step outside his usual comedic characters and take on something much darker. He describes Bob Ewell as the story’s main antagonist—a man driven by attention and influence, no matter the cost.
To prepare, Ian focuses on understanding the character’s motivations and letting the script guide his performance. He says he enjoys how the character is written and hopes audiences clearly see that personality come to life on stage.
Ian has appeared in productions like A Few Good Men, Shrek, and Mary Poppins, and says what keeps him coming back is the audience reaction—whether it’s laughter, surprise, or strong emotional responses.
He also highlights working alongside the cast, especially Jeff Scott as Atticus Finch, saying their courtroom scenes feel like a true clash between good and evil.
Ian says audiences can expect a faithful and powerful retelling of To Kill a Mockingbird, tackling themes of justice, family, and moral responsibility. He encourages others to get involved in theater, whether on stage or behind the scenes, and says seeing a live performance—especially with familiar faces—offers a unique experience.
Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.
Click HERE to find out more or to buy tickets!
WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart is talking with senior Naomi Kinne as part of Seniors Week at MVNU.
Click HERE to hear the full conversation!
Naomi is from Circleville, Ohio, and says MVNU had been on her radar for a long time. Growing up, she heard about the university often through her Nazarene church, which made the decision to come here feel like a natural one.
She’s a Graphic Design major with a minor in Communications—something that fits her well. Naomi says she’s always been creative and enjoyed making things, even contributing graphics to her high school yearbook. So pursuing graphic design in college just made sense.
That creativity carried over into her work at WNZR. Naomi applied to be the station’s graphic designer last year and has been part of the team ever since. Along with her design work, she’s also been on-air and involved with the video team—helping with graphics, cameras, and production as needed.
When it comes to sports, Naomi says football is her favorite overall, but she especially enjoys being part of WNZR’s basketball streams.
Looking back, one of her favorite memories is simple—being at block party, enjoying free food, and spending time with friends.
As graduation approaches, Naomi says her next steps include staying on campus through May, attending CMB Momentum, and continuing the job search over the summer. She’s also considering a possible internship in Florida.
As she looks ahead, Naomi asks for prayers—for clarity, direction, and trust in what God has next, both for her and for her family back home.
Click HERE to learn more about WNZR!
The 2026 MVNU Spring Semester is wrapping up on Monday. To celebrate, The Morning Thing hosts shared their favorite memories from the semester.
Click HERE to hear from Xander, Marcy, Josiah, and Eric or click on the picture below.
Rise and Shine 