Driving Notes

MVNU Theatre Brings Imagination and Adventure to Life in The Phantom Tollbooth

Mount Vernon Nazarene University’s theatre department is preparing to take audiences on an imaginative adventure with its production of The Phantom Tollbooth. WNZR’s Josiah Styer talked with three MVNU student actors, Madigan Caudill, Jeremy Seymour, and Quinn Menzie, about their theatre experiences, the characters they portray, and what audiences can expect from the production.

Click HERE to hear the conversations or click on the photo below.

Caudill, a senior music education major, is participating in her 21st theatrical production. She began performing at age 10 with MTVarts in Mount Vernon and has since enjoyed a variety of roles, including Charlie Bucket in MVNU’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In The Phantom Tollbooth, she plays the Humbug, an energetic and self-important character who is always looking for food. Caudill also shared some humorous memories from past productions, including an unexpected broken couch during Cheaper by the Dozen and a wardrobe mishap during a recent rehearsal.

Seymour, a senior elementary education and elementary intervention student, discovered his love for theatre during his senior year of high school when he performed in Newsies. Since joining MVNU’s theatre program as a sophomore, he has appeared in productions including Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Bedtime Stories, and The Wizard of Oz, where he played the Cowardly Lion. In The Phantom Tollbooth, Seymour takes on the role of Tock, a watchdog who combines the characteristics of a human clock and a dog. He describes Tock as a wise, cautious character who helps guide Milo through a mysterious world.

Menzie, a sophomore business administration major, takes on the lead role of Milo, a middle-aged man who has lost his joy and purpose in life. Through a journey into a mysterious land, Milo begins to rediscover meaning and happiness. Menzie has been involved in community theatre and musicals since middle school and has appeared in several MVNU productions, including Big Fish, The Internet is Distract–Look a Kitten!, and Tuck Everlasting. One of his favorite past roles was Crutchie in Newsies. Menzie said one of the best parts of preparing for The Phantom Tollbooth has been sharing laughs and building friendships with fellow cast members. He encouraged the community to support MVNU Theatre and experience the story on stage.

All three actors encouraged families and community members to experience the production, describing it as a fun, heartfelt adventure filled with humor, imaginative characters, and meaningful lessons. Caudill compared the story to classics such as The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, while Seymour highlighted its message that life can offer more than what we see in our everyday routines. Through its imaginative storytelling, The Phantom Tollbooth invites audiences of all ages to discover the adventure and possibilities that exist beyond the ordinary.

Hear WNZR’s conversations with the MVNU student actors to learn more about their experiences and the upcoming production of The Phantom Tollbooth!

There are 4 performances:
Thursday, 11/5 at 7:30pm
Friday, 11/6 at 7:30pm
Saturday, 11/7 at 7:30pm
Sunday, 11/8 at 3:30pm
Tickets are available at mvnutheatre.ludus.com

November 3, 2026 0

New Music, Movies, and More!

Forrest Frank has announced his new album, The Jesus Generation, arriving December 4!

The album continues Forrest’s commentary on the spiritual revival happening across the country, building on his May 2026 single of the same name. Fans can also preview songs from the upcoming project through Forrest’s announcement post and vote for which track they want to hear first.

The album features collaborations with Lecrae and KB, JVKE, Michael W. Smith, and Elevation Rhythm.

Faith remains at the heart of Forrest’s music and personal life. With more than 4.2 billion global catalog streams, five Dove Awards, and three Grammy nominations, he has also earned more entries on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart than any other artist.

The Jesus Generation shares its name with Forrest’s sold-out 29-city stadium and arena tour this past summer. The historic tour will also be celebrated in the coinciding The Jesus Generation Tour Movie, coming to theaters in 2027 through Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company.

You can pre-save Forrest Frank’s new album, The Jesus Generation, now, and check out his single of the same name, it will be linked on our blog at wnzrdrive.com!

GRAMMY-nominated band We The Kingdom has released its new eight-song project titled Soon The Streets Of Gold, completing a three-part musical journey that unfolded throughout 2026!

The project follows the band’s January release, Dear Jesus, and June’s Everything I Thought Was Pleasure, which featured a collaboration with Crowder on “Glory Glory.” Together, the three projects tell a deeply personal story of life’s struggles, wrestling with faith, and ultimately finding hope and redemption.

We The Kingdom says its goal throughout the collection has been to meet listeners wherever they are in life and point them toward the Lord. The final installment looks beyond life’s present circumstances to the promise of eternity, bringing the band’s yearlong musical journey full circle.

Soon The Streets Of Gold features eight new songs, including “Take Me Home,” “I Sing Holy,” and “Heaven Here I Come.”

I thought that I would never be worth the fight

But He showed up and loved me time after time

I thought that I didn’t want to be alive

But I found my reason to breathe

Congrats to Esther from Mount Vernon for correctly guessing “I Found Jesus” by Katy Nichole! Tune in next week for your chance to win!

Thanks for listening to the Afternoon Drive!

-Joe & Brock

November 3, 2026 0

Basketball Season?!

This week’s Monday motivation was shorter due to Women’s Basketball!

This week’s Family feud was a stumper, so come back next week for 2 $5 gift cards to Watts!

Thanks for listening!

– Gabriella

November 2, 2026 0

NZ Top 10 for 10/30/26

Praise the Lord it’s Friday! Here’s this week’s countdown:

10. Forrest Frank – OKAY

09. Phil Wickham & Crowder – It Really Is Amazing Grace (6 weeks at #1)

08. Chandler Moore – God I’m Just Grateful

07. Leanna Crawford – Thank God

06. Micah Tyler ft. Colton Dixon – Perfectly

05. Matt Maher – Gonna Be Alright

04. Jeremy Camp – Revival

03. TobyMac – Lord It Feels Good

02. Brandon Lake – How Good God Is

01. Jon Reddick – Holding On (Praise God) (4th week at #1)

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY!

Phil Wickham – Everyday Hallelujah

Thanks for listening!

– Joe & Brock

October 30, 2026 0

Taking God’s Love and Power Seriously

Daniel: Do you take prayer seriously? Seriously consider this: do you know what your prayer means? Last week at Church, the pastor talked about Jonah in the belly of the whale; he talked about what that might be like, the fact that this has, in fact, happened before to other people who have come out the other side of being in a whale, several in recent years in fact. While Jonah is in there, he cries out to God, repenting for his disobedience, and God puts him back on the path he told him to go. So I ask you again, do you take your praying seriously?

Jesus said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20

Our God is the God who throws mountains into the sea, raises the dead, created the universe with a few words, and do you not think that he will make miracles happen with a tiny bit of faith? I urge you, take prayer seriously; let God be an active part of your life. With a little bit of faith, he will move a mountain.

Gabbriella: Six-year-old Tiana clasped her hands. She prayed as she scanned the crowd, glancing toward the front door of the church. Her classmates waved at guests settling in for the Father’s Day concert. Fathers and father figures returned the greetings. But nobody waved at Tiana. Her teacher encouraged her to join the choir, but Tiana didn’t budge. Suddenly her daddy rushed through the door. As he waved and found a seat, Tiana smiled, burst into tears, and stepped onto the stage.

Whatever our age, there’s a tender heart of a child within each of us that aches to be seen, heard, and loved. But the psalmist David demonstrated how God delights in showing up for His children. David prayed with confidence in a love that never fails, forgets, or forsakes—the love of our heavenly Father. Confessing his need, David prayed with faith in God’s trustworthiness (Psalm 86:1-4). He declared that God is “forgiving and good, abounding in love” (v. 5). He sang, “When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me” (v. 7). David cried out with expectation because God had proven His faithfulness (v. 11).

Like David, we can trust our heavenly Father to show up because He promises to do so. We too can sing, “I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever” (v. 12). Why? Because God is incomparable; He alone is God (vv. 8, 10).

This week’s Name That Tune was… Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns. Congratulations to Eric from Mount vernon for guessing correctly and taking home a $5 gift card to Watts Restaurant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for the NZ Top 10 with Brock and Joe!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Daniel and Gabby

October 29, 2026 0

Who Doesn’t Like Chocolate?!?

On this week’s Who Knew Wednesday, we shared facts about chocolate and stuffed animals! Plus, we did our Who Am I in the second hour. Here’s what we talked about:

Who Knew: National Chocolate day!

Who Knew Fact Check: Snickers is the most popular chocolate company?! The world’s most popular and best-selling chocolate bar brand, generating roughly $3.5 billion in annual global sales and selling over 10 billion bars per year.

Snickers: $3.5 billion

Kit Kat: $2.8 billion

Reese’s: $2.5 billion

Milky Way: $2.2 billion

Twix: $2.0 billion

Dove / Galaxy: $1.8 billion

Cadbury Dairy Milk: $1.6 billion

Mars Bar: $1.4 billion

M&M’s: $1.2 billion

Hershey’s: $1.1 billion

Who Knew: Recipes for Chocolate: https://chocolatealchemy.com/how-to-make-chocolate-the-complete-text-guide

Who Knew: Plush Animal Lover’s Day! What’s your favorite brand and animal??

Who Knew Fact Check: Stuffed animals and plush toys have a rich history spanning over a century, blending early comfort items with global pop culture and conservation missions. Jellycat and Squishmallows are among the most popular and recognized plush animal and stuffed toy companies globally

Join us for a special early access event to watch The Chosen Season 6 Episode 1. See you Tomorrow, Thursday, 10/29 at 7pm in MVNU’s Chapel Auditorium, 800 Martinsburg Road, Mount Vernon! See it first! This is a FREE event presented by Come and See.

October is Clergy Appreciation Month. WNZR helps you honor your pastor!

WNZR is celebrating Clergy Appreciation Month throughout October. This month is a time to honor our local pastors and their commitment to families in our community. Each pastor that is mentioned will receive TWO $25.00 gift certificates to local restaurants to enjoy a dinner out with family. Each pastor will ALSO receive a WNZR goodie bag!

Fill out the form on our website wnzr.fm! Tomorrow at 11:59pm is the last day to vote for this year’s Clergy Appreciation!!

Who Am I?

I was born on October 28, 1967, in Smyrna, Georgia.

I became famous after starring in the movie Pretty Woman in 1990.

I won an Academy Award for Best Actress for my role in Erin Brockovich in 2000.

I have starred in popular movies like Notting Hill and My Best Friend’s Wedding.

I am married to a cinematographer and have three children.

I am… Julia Roberts! Congratulations to Scott of Mount Vernon for guessing correctly and taking home a $5 gift card toWatts Restuarant in Utica!

Tune in Tomorrow for Praise Thursday with Daniel and Gabriella!

Thanks so much for listening!

– Joe and Gabriella 🙂

October 28, 2026 0

It’s never too early for Christmas music

Sidewalk Prophets – Great Big Family Christmas Album

Reminding us what the season is all about, Sidewalk Prophets invites listeners into the warmth of their living room on their first live project, Great Big Family Christmas (Live). Offering a taste of their heartwarming show, the 18-track collection features favorites from the group’s beloved LP, Merry Christmas to You, including originals like “Hey Moon” and “What a Glorious Night,” alongside their acclaimed cover of “That Spirit of Christmas.” Hallmarked by nostalgia and wonder, the live set also boasts select signature hits, spanning the band’s five studio albums.

Additionally, this fall marks 25 years since Sidewalk Prophets started in a dorm room in Indiana. To kick off a year-long celebration, the band returned to the Grand Ole Opry stage in August. You can also catch the band on their Great Big Family Christmas tour coming to Sylvania, Ohio, on December 3rd!

Peace in Forgiveness!!

On this week’s Monday Motivation, we shared motivation about forgiveness and eternity. Plus, we played our Family Feud question for Mystery Monday! Here’s what we talked about:

Joe’s Motivation: Luke 15:1-7 (NIV): Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

Gabriella’s Motivation: It’s dangerous to think that we always see what’s true—that we possess internal clarity about our lives. However, we suffer from a deadly confusion and repeatedly demonstrate that even our best wisdom—left to itself—eventually yields misery. “There is a way that appears to be right,” Proverbs says, “but in the end it leads to death” (16:25). We think we see what’s real, but too often we’re confused. Even our keenest insight is riddled with misperceptions. Even our clearest vision is still cloudy, imperfect, and often ruinous.

That’s why we need God’s wisdom (vv. 20-21). We need Him to illuminate the truth and guide us into what’s real. We need Him to lead us out of our deadly confusion and into wholeness and life.