The Sanguine Scribbler

'Twelfth Night' refreshes comedy

2010-02-24T15:47:00.000-08:00

Many students groan when it comes to Shakespeare, but nobody could keep a straight face at the Emerson Black Box Theater during the performance of “Twelfth Night.”

The old story of mistaken identities and romance might be better recognized with a modern-day twist in the film “She’s the Man” starring Amanda Bynes.

Every teacher defends Shakespeare’s work as being “made to see” and not to read, and the cast of Lindenwood students illustrated this clearly. Facial expressions and physical comedy made scenes humorous that would be confusing and dull in print.
The play’s continual use of humor resulted in constant laughter from the audience. It was very hard many times to hear everything clearly, but in general, the comedic situations filled in for any missing dialogue. To the actors’ credit, the audience was laughing so loud and often during the second act that it drowned out their lines in between jokes.

Each actor portrayed a fun and believable character; it’s amazing that they could keep straight faces most of the time. What is more impressive is that all of them were excellent. The Shakespearean language never tripped them up, and their mastery of the play made it much easier for the audience to follow it.

The use of music and a large-scale set separated this show from past productions, but while the live musicians added to the play, the recorded music didn’t. It made it especially hard to hear the first or final lines of a scene, and the two guitarists could’ve had a better effect.

A full-sized pool of water and shrouded pillars provided many opportunities for the characters to hide, have accidents, and interact during the show. The attention to detail and the sheer scale of the set is a mark of its many creators’ skills. Costumes were more detailed and layered than in past shows as well.
“Twelfth Night” demonstrated the reward of uniting a large group of diversely talented people.

With such an entertaining performance, students shouldn’t dread Shakespeare any more.

Opera fills Black Box Theater

2010-02-10T15:45:00.000-08:00

As a lover of theater performances, I readily admit that opera would be my least favorite type of musical production. Yet I joined the packed Emerson Black Box Theater on February 2 to see the fairy tale opera “Hansel and Gretel,” – the result of a dedicated group of J-term opera workshop students. They were willing to expand their horizons, and so was I, and we were all rewarded for it.

Due to familiarity with the fairy tale, I found the first act a little slow, especially in comparison to the second act, which contains the entire misadventure with the witch. However, the playful excitement of the second act more than made up for any dull moments early on in the show as the plot and characters were established.

What did impress me was that even if the first act was slow, it was due to the script’s pacing, not the actors. Each person had a lovely voice, vivid facial expressions, accurate, entertaining mannerisms, and good chemistry with the other actors.

Junior Megan Lamont and freshman Lauren Costigan who played Hansel and Gretel, respectively, had to play characters over ten years younger than them, and were able to do so very believably.

Aside from the dialogue, Lamont captured the mischievous Hansel’s attitude perfectly with sequences of teasing and scowling at Gretel and catching bugs in the woods. Costigan played up Gretel’s young and optimistic nature through dancing and weaving a daisy chain. They created a credible brother-sister bond and worked well together.
Lamont and Costigan were the precursor to sophomore Mark Saunder’s enthusiastic portrayal of the Gingerbread Witch.

Saunders was a blur of energy in his bright pink costume and column of blue hair. He was entertaining enough to make up for his slight lack of opera prowess and depicted the witch as a crazy, eccentric but cheerful woman rather than a cackling hag—an interesting departure from the traditional fairy tale.

Another change from the fairy tale was the added importance of the parents. Their role in the story was strong in the beginning, but they didn’t appear again until the very end of the story, which was a little disappointing. Despite this, senior Amy Grooms (Gertrude) and sophomore Liam Hoeh (Peter) managed to convey a simultaneous exasperation with and love for their children, deepening the plight of their poor circumstances and uncertain future.

The cast seemed conscious of the fact that opera can be difficult to understand, and in general projected and enunciated well enough to account for this.
Past shows I’ve seen in the Black Box have had one stage setting and minimal props, but this one expanded to include multiple locations (home, forest, gingerbread house) and had a colorful, large backdrop for the witch’s house. Simple details like the parents’ wedding rings made of twined rope added to the poverty of the family, and the costumes complimented each character’s role; Hansel and Gretel looked like young children, the witch was kooky, the parents poor and responsible.

The opera successfully recovered from a slow start and a slight lull in the middle, and delivered an overall entertaining experience. Although opera has a smaller following than other forms of theatre, I’m glad the department is open to all the genres, because I know I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed the performance.

Gibson reprises vengeful hero

2010-02-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

Eight years after “Signs” Mel Gibson steps back into acting for “Edge of Darkness,” a well-crafted mystery thriller as bereaved police detective Thomas Craven. Craven’s daughter is murdered and the detective becomes obsessed with unraveling the secret she was trying to tell him before she died. What he uncovers is a multi-layered conspiracy leaving him with no allies and desire for revenge and truth.

Gibson delivers another solid performance with an excellent intensity. The role has bits of other films he’s done, but this time with the addition of a decent Boston accent. Craven is more blunt than other loving fathers Gibson has portrayed, such as Benjamin Martin in “The Patriot” or Graham Hess in “Signs.”

Gibson is the only actor with a substantial chunk of screen time; the other characters had standard one-sided development. However, the dialogue between all the characters was smart and snappy.

The plot unraveled masterfully piece by piece and sustained suspense throughout. However, there were enough minor villains that it became difficult to keep them all straight.

Nearly every shot was a close-up, which also heightened the tension. Frequently nothing is visible but two characters’ faces, while anything could be happening just out off screen. This also created a bond with Craven, since it magnified and studied every subtle expression on his face. It kept the character from being solely revenge-driven, and allowed the grief and confusion to linger.

The title can refer to several different aspects of the movie. In one sense, Craven is pushed to do things and experience things he never thought he would have to. His daughter is killed in his arms, and he ends up killing many other people to figure out why it happened.

Craven ends up learning the information he gathered is only the tip of the iceberg regarding the real problem and it’s far darker and more threatening than he first guessed.

He receives help from an autonomous agent, Jedburgh, an ally of Craven’s enemies before reevaluating the situation and consequences and changing his mind.
The film was interesting, complicated and well done. The end felt slightly unresolved, preferring to imply rather than show the final sequence of events.

It’s not a new story but it’s a pretty good one. It’s right in between an average and outstanding film, and will have the same impact if it’s seen solely on DVD.

Grade: B

'Spelling Bee' another success for LU students

2009-11-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

Lindenwood’s theater department continues to impress with their rendition of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Opening night last Thursday nearly filled the Emerson Black Box Theater.

The set rearranged the usual seating around three sides of the theater, making the audience a part of the show as the spectators of the bee. Four audience members were chosen before the show to participate in the first half as additional spellers, including the Vice President of Academic Affairs, Jann Weitzel.

Each speller had a new fun fact about themselves read by the judges each time they took the stage to spell a word, and these volunteers were no exception.

Audience members supplied all the congratulatory reaction for the spellers, which forced participation and an energetic interest in the acts. It was an excellent way to involve the audience without breaking the flow of the musical.

The story follows six middle school spellers as they become acquainted and attempt to foil each other’s attempts to win the 25th annual spelling bee for their county. Each character had a unique costume and set of mannerisms, and all of them had a solo to describe their life experiences outside of the bee.

Behind the humorous lyrics and dancing were underlying messages about absent parents, verbal abuse and self-esteem issues, which added depth to the musical’s story and characters. Each student has different motivations for winning the bee, and uses a child’s perspective to describe their personality, achievements and home life. A particularly poignant character, Olive Ostrovsky, (played by Marlea Jenkins) sings about her mother, who is overseas, and how her father’s marital frustration attacks her instead. That said, the overall mood of the musical is comedic and uplifting.

Dance choreography was creative and well executed. At times, the cast had to be in step for dancing or sitting down in their seats rapidly, and this was timed perfectly. Although the musical seems to have a narrow subject matter at first glance, each actor was able to use their vocal, acting and dancing skills in a variety of ways and genres.

The lighting was bright and enabled the audience to see other people’s reactions to the musical numbers for most of the show. This is unusual for theater productions, and made the atmosphere feel more personal. Setting was minimal but effective—a hanging basketball hoop, some banners, and the simple stadium seating for the spellers created a realistic school gymnasium environment.

The only issue with the performance was sound related. Because none of the individual cast members had microphones, when they were speaking or singing while facing away from the audience it was difficult to hear them. The nature of the three-sided seating made it impossible for them to be clear all the time, unless they remained statically facing forward.

However, the overall success of this performance is promising for future student shows.

Rock bands blast Hyland PA crowd

2009-11-04T23:27:00.000-08:00

Lindenwood has another successful event on its list after the recent concert featuring Shiny Toy Guns. Several hundred people packed the basketball court in the Hyland Performance Arena for hours as All Fall Down, Eleventyseven and Shiny Toy Guns performed.

Each band clearly aimed for different audiences. Neither All Fall Down nor Eleventyseven had the same fan presence, but both succeeded in warming up the crowd for Shiny Toy Guns.

Local band All Fall Down provided the heaviest sound of the night, but their style failed to stand out among the myriad of similar groups nationwide. By contrast, Eleventyseven brought such a unique stage presence that students were initially unsure how to react. However, Eleventyseven gradually raised the crowd’s energy with encouraging, upbeat messages that broke down barriers. The crowd continued to grow throughout the first two performances, and the atmosphere peaked when Shiny Toy Guns came on stage.

Unlike many bands, Shiny Toy Guns gives an actual performance instead of relying on lighting effects or pyrotechnics to impress fans. Every bit of energy comes from their music and choreography. It is refreshing when a band can truly entertain instead of simply strumming guitar while singing, and Sisely Treasure’s four-inch stilettos didn’t stop her from wildly dancing for most of the show. A unique lighting feature was the working headlight built into the front of lead singer Chad Petree’s guitar, prompting fans to cheer.

Although Shiny Toy Guns only played for an hour, they had a good variety of music, ranging from popular covers “Stripped” and “Major Tom (Coming Home)” to originals “Ghost Town,” “Le Disco” and “Rocketship.” The band successfully creates a unique sound by blending alternative rock and electronica and making use of both male and female lead vocals for different songs.

Excellent acoustics let each voice and instrument remain separate and distinct most of the time, allowing the audience to understand the lyrics despite the roaring volume of the music. Shiny Toy Guns also wasted no time introducing each song. The band members had very little conversation onstage, which kept the show flowing and made transitions less disruptive.

There were only a few dissatisfactory elements of the event. The first was the lack of promotion on campus. Rather than campus posters, fliers or advance emails, the main advertising outlet was 105.7 The Point’s Concert Calendar. The turnout was generous considering the overall lack of on-campus publicity, and the radio promotion was definitely a factor.

The show itself had a bit of a lull halfway through. The crowd seemed to lose some energy and interest as the band played a low-key song or two to recover from the dancing. However, a strong finale and encore ended the concert on a high note, mirroring the structure of many of their songs, which wind down to gentle lyrics before climbing back up to powerful conclusions.

Surprisingly, Shiny Toy Guns did not join Eleventyseven in having a merchandise table after the concert, which left students wandering around the building looking for albums or shirts to top off the experience. With a show in Los Angeles the following night, the band was certainly in a hurry to pack up and return to their hometown.

Superb 'Cats' falls short for LU audience

2009-10-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

'Cats' is a specialized show. What it does, it does well—however, its content does have limited appeal. This could be what makes its strengths that much better: it performs entirely to please its specific audience.

The performance utilized the intimate atmosphere of the Bezemes Theatre to its advantage with flawless lighting and sound effects. The cast interacted with the audience, entered the stage, and explored the aisles with glowing eyes as a part of their costumes. It created the feeling of being drawn into the story, as the interest peaked by the cast members was transferred from the personal space of the theatre rows to the stage set.

Once on stage, the excellent choreography and strong vocals kept the story going. The dancing was much more fluid and cat-like than the jerky, stiff “Thriller”-type moves in the filmed version of the play. The flexibility and rhythm in each person was admirable. The cast had clear enunciation and enthusiasm but lacked any stand-out soloists aside from Anastasia Lange (Grizabella) and her rendition of “Memory.”

Excellent lighting and sound effects added to each song in a different way. Multicolored lights were strung along the balcony on all sides, and several times lights, smoke and sound simulated electrical shortages, passing cars and mischievous destruction by characters such as Macavity.

Only a few occurrences detracted from the performance. Aside from the initial interaction with the audience as the show began, there were a few more instances when the cast came back into the aisles, once having a character dance with an audience member. This seemed rather juvenile and broke the seamless feel of the story by having the cast pop the bubble separating the stage and story world from the actual world, jarring the suspension of disbelief.

The other negative element is the play's own rather plot-less structure. The story introduces the audience to different types of cats and relates that each year one cat is chosen to go to a form of cat-heaven and have a new life. The cat which makes this choice is kidnapped and must be found. The kidnapping of the cat leader is quite short. The bulk of the play centers around the songs describing the types of cats, which is why the emphasis on the theatre cat feels stretched.

A large section of the show is a play within a play describing the theatre cat's greatest performance. This feels like an attempt to lengthen the show, and isn't consistent with the introduction and time spent on the other cats. There are several different versions of the play that tell different stories when it comes to the play within a play section, so it is possible to see one that might have a better focus.

However, none of these elements deserved the somewhat frosty reception of the audience. It was a high-quality and largely engaging performance that merited stronger applause and appreciation than it received.

Local Band Gains Energy

2009-09-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

One of the big venues for concerts is The Pageant, and I had the opportunity to interview a band playing there on Sept. 18. Adam Gardner and Britton Campbell are This Is Energy, and both of them are from St. Louis. This is a portion of that interview.

What brought you guys together as a band?
Adam: We’re both from St. Louis. We met through a friend in high school. We started a band for 5 years, but we broke up in 2006 and entered a new project [This Is Energy] in 2007.

Britton: We met in high school through a friend. We did a band…we toured the whole country several times over…We kinda got burnt out towards the end though and we got frustrated with music and the music industry. What happened in between the breakup and This Is Energy is the most important part. … I moved out to CA to find myself…and Adam continued to write music. Every time he wrote a new song he emailed me what he’d done. … We realized we weren’t happy doing something other than playing music. We had a 2 hour conversation, basically saying, ‘Look, if you’re willing to play music I will totally drop what I’m doing here… because I miss it so much.’ So we called our project "This is energy."

The name “This Is Energy” really defines what you are about. What’s the story behind this passion?
Britton: I was just thinking about what describes the music and how people will feel when they see us live. It’s gonna be a moving thing,…a full-blown experience you’ll never forget.
It came from a personal realization. When we broke up our last band, I think we did it for the wrong reasons. I’m really glad we failed. …We kinda decided we’d much rather be happy and be doing the things we love and hanging out together—even if we were broke, at least we’d be happy. Hopefully that’ll transfer through the music we make. That it’s ok to go for your dreams and do what makes you happy. I feel like so many people think they need to do things that society thinks is right, but we don’t ever want to do that again. That’s what the message is, go with your dreams and do what makes you happy.

Where do you see yourselves in a year?
Adam: I think the CD we’re coming out with, “How it Begins...,” is especially going to really make a path for the rest of our music career. We’re willing to do whatever it takes to get where we want to be and that’s the top. Definitely playing bigger venues, touring, opening for a big name band. Definitely a full-length album for next year.

Britton- I know for a fact we’ll still be happy doing what we’re doing. We’ll still be playing music that’s fun for us to play.

Tell me one unusual experience you’ve had along the way.
I was crowd-surfing and I got off and waved and got offstage. This girl came up to us and her face was all covered in blood. I was like ‘what happened to you?’ She said, “You sat on my face!” And I was like, ‘I’m so sorry, have t-shirts, have CDs!’ She had to go to the hospital.

How can everyone check out your new CD?
Britton: Every week we upload a new song on the myspace.com/thisisenergy but in order to do that we have friends and fans twitter us. Our pre-sell just started today, so there’s a link where people can go to our store and they get a signed copy before the actual release date. We’re really stoked about this CD! It’s an EP, it’s our first actual release and it’s available Sept. 25, at all major retailers, Hot Topics, stuff like that.

Britton: We’re really excited about everything going on in our lives right now. That’s why we called it “How it Begins.” We feel like it’s a launch pad to a long musical journey.

'Gone with the [Outback] Wind'

2008-11-28T18:48:00.000-08:00

From the moment the trailers hit theaters, 'Australia' was clearly the next epic movie comprised of nearly three hours, the dynamic pairing of Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, and a spoonful of Hollywood fairy-dust.

The film follows Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman) during World War II as she travels from London to Australia in order to retrieve her supposedly philandering husband. When she arrives at Faraway Downs, she finds her husband dead, their cattle plantation failing and an aboriginal-American child named Nullah who tells her that all the destruction was caused by her husband's right-hand man Fletcher.

Lady Ashley decides to trust Nullah, and fires Fletcher. Nullah convinces her to hire a man called simply by his profession, Drover (Jackman), to help her salvage the rest of the cattle and lead them to a port to sell to the army. She and the Drover become friends and fall in love as they face danger together and succeed in beating out "King Carney" from his beef monopoly by selling their cattle to the army. Sarah and the Drover seem to live happily ever after with Nullah on Faraway Downs, causing town gossip.

This is only the beginning. World War II visits Australia's shores. Sarah fights the local government for custody of Nullah. (As an aboriginal-American child, or "creamy", the practice at the time was to ship them off to missionary plantations to be re-educated and westernized). Towns are blown up by Japanese planes while American troops try to evacuate the citizens. The Drover is long gone chasing a big paycheck with an army drove (and running away from Sarah after she tried forcing him to commit to a long-term relationship). Fletcher is slowly (and violently) climbing in the cattle trade, and continually threatens Sarah and her land as he tries to solidify his own monopoly. Just when all seems lost, the Drover returns and things start looking up for the beleaguered Englishwoman.

'Australia' is very much 'Gone with the Wind' set in the outback. The spoiled and petty female protagonist tries to save her plantation during a war and falls for the man she initially despises. Sarah has to learn to survive and run her business on her own. There is even a midway point on a pier that is reminiscent of Scarlett's declaration to "never go hungry again."

However, 'Australia' also contains some unique elements. The sweeping cinematography is indeed the proclaimed 'love letter' to the country. It also has heavy emphasis on the aboriginal culture. Nullah narrates the story, and frequently mentions his grandfather, King George, who is a mystical chieftain. Although it feels redundant periodically, the cultural aspect enhances the film in the same way that 'Gone with the Wind' vividly depicts the southern lifestyle. Several times throughout the film Nullah and King George sing songs in imitation of aboriginal ballads.

The storyline is a little harder to follow. The viewer must adjust to Nullah's accent in the narration while learning the vital details about the rival cattle businesses and "King Carney's" hold on Australian beef. It's not a boring movie, but it could easily be cut down thirty minutes. The pace feels leisurely. The plot is epic, but there aren't enough separate events to justify the length. After all, 'Gone with the Wind' covers twelve years of Scarlett's life - 'Australia' is two or three years of Sarah's.

Casting authentic Aussies (Kidman and Jackman) is both charming and brilliant. They have good chemistry, and hearing their real accents (mostly from Jackson)is refreshing.

The themes in Australia highlight sexism, racism and colonization. Bars don't permit women, aborigines or "creamies" to order drinks or even enter. Native women have settlers' babies and are forced to give them up to the Christian missionary groups to "breed the black out of them." Sarah isn't respected as head of Faraway Downs until she shows up in town with her herd at her command. Towns and plantations eat up native land as settlers spread out.

Of course, ultimately the Drover and Sarah are together and they save Nullah. Nullah leaves to go on his native "walkabout" with King George as the Drover and Sarah return to Faraway Downs to start over.

'Australia' leaves moviegoers with the fuzzy feeling of having watched a satisfying, emotional epic. It is Hollywood magic and tradition in a new setting with vibrant characters. It is worthy of the big screen.

'Twilight' won't make new fans

2008-11-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

What could be more romantic that an immortal vampire and a clumsy, ordinary teenage girl falling in love? According to tween American girls: nothing.

'Twilight' is the story of Bella Swan moving to Forks, WA, to live with her father Charlie and subsequently meeting, falling in love and risking her life with the mysterious Edward Cullen. Edward happens to be a vampire, living with a coven (family) of vampires. They live secretly among humans and only drink animal blood.

Once Bella and Edward begin their dangerous and taboo relationship, the tiny town finds itself in the grip of a series of strange murders. A rival group of vampires, not so human-friendly, has started ravaging the town. After playing a high-powered baseball game with Edward's family, Bella becomes the chosen victim of the tracker vampire James. Edward must save her or die trying.

'Twilight' has a strong cult following (similar to that of the 'X-Files' or 'High School Musical') and the film will satisfy most of them. However, having read the books, the movie is a shallow and cheesy adaptation.

Granted, the books themselves don't feature the best writing. The stories are fast-paced - but that's really their best quality. I expected the film to be about the same, and was gratified in that while parts of it unintentionally made me laugh, other parts I liked very much.

Robert Pattinson (Edward) and Kristen Stewart (Bella) are both rather socially awkward, so playing socially awkward characters isn't too much of a stretch. I had a hard time seeing their chemistry, and many times their sentences were disjointed or didn't match their emotions. Any time Bella protests that she isn't afraid of Edward, her voice shakes, her eyes are wide and she looks scared. Edward never tells Bella he loves her, which takes away from the supposed depth of their relationship. Strangely enough, the less prominent characters (Charlie, Alice, Mike, Jessica) are more believable and better-acted than the leads.

Among the most cringe-worthy moments, Bella happening to stop right in front of the fan in the biology room, allowing her hair to blow like a Victoria's Secret model and causing Edward to comically plug his nose as his eyes bulge. Edward sucking the venom out of Bella's arm during the climactic ballet studio scene is laughable as well.

The scenery is beautiful. In spite of the gray surroundings, the sweeping shots of mountains and waterfalls plays up the less depressing side of Washington state. Aside from this, the cinematography recalls a made-for-television movie. Most of the shots involve staring contests or spinning around the characters. The author, Stephenie Meyer, has a brief but obvious cameo which breaks the feel of the story for a few minutes.

Anyone satisfied by the teen novel genre will not be disappointed with the film's adaptation. For those seeking a deeper plot and more natural acting, try 'Australia.'

'Bolt' is "fully awesome"

2008-11-22T17:51:00.000-08:00

Disney has another family-friendly winner with the story of brave and lovable canine, Bolt.

Bolt is raised to be a TV-hero -- his mission: save "his person," Penny, from the clutches of Dr. Calico and his henchmen. Penny's mission: save her father from the villains. Little does Bolt know that his idea of reality is entertaining thousands of viewers across America.

Panicked after Penny's "kidnapping," Bolt escapes the Hollywood lot and gets shipped to New York City. The film follows his quest to return to Hollywood and save his beloved Penny with the help of hamster sidekick Rhino and his feline "captive" Mittens.

Disney explores tried and true themes: what makes a real hero, what real friendship is, learning that home is where family is, and believing in yourself. It also criticizes business agendas and exploitation through Penny's greasy and slick TV agent.

Mixed in to all of this is a steady flow of humor and creativity. As Bolt travels across the country he meets pigeons from different regions that bear tell-tale accents and mannerisms. Rhino's one-liners and hero-worship of Bolt lives up to the trailers. The ball-bound hamster inspires Bolt and will tickle viewers every time. He is "fully awesome."

Disney's charm extends to the film's PG rating. Lack of language, euphemisms and innuendo recalls its classic successes and is refreshing.

As usual, the animation will draw admiration from any critic. Bolt's fur looks real enough to ruffle. The scenic shots of cities and highways highlight the size and beauty of the U.S. As a Missourian, I know I was excited to see the "Welcome to Missouri" sign flash past with complete accuracy.

The script uses irony, humor and heart and will keep viewers of all ages interested. Parents will appreciate a few of the comments thrown in that will be less humorous to young children, similar to instances in "The Lion King" or "Ratatouille."

Although there are a few predictable twists (Mittens' rejection and return, Penny and Bolt's almost-reunion) they aren't aggravating or dull. Rather, they follow the paths of other beloved story lines with a spark of new dialogue to keep it catchy.

In the age of sequels, the original screenplay is a relief. Families are treated to the originality of a true Disney experience in every way.

Bond doesn't offer much solace

2008-11-16T18:12:00.000-08:00

The latest Bond adventure picks up right where Casino Royale left off. At first, that sounds like a good thing. But after sitting through 'Quantum of Solace' you remember why sequels let some time pass - the interim is unnecessary.

Bond spends the length of the film brooding over his true love's death and killing those who blackmailed her. This is great for character development, but a poor choice for advancing the plot.

The two things that get accomplished amidst the frenetic but spectacular car/boat/airplane chase sequences are that Bond moves on from his grief and we learn of the secret organization that "has people everywhere" - Quantum.

The action sequences, the special effects, the stunts - all are superb. Bond is just as clever and quick-thinking as ever. There are even a few (a very few) witty one-liners. But all of that is overshadowed by Bond's pile of cold killings and the lack of a plot. That's not to say Bond shouldn't be doing his duty and beating the bad guys, but without the humorous, more genteel side, it's hard to become attached to him or his convoluted cause.

The only hope is that this transitional film makes way for the next to be a new story more along the lines of the classic 007 genre.

Nick and Norah give a great tour

2008-10-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

I had considerably higher hopes for 'Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist' than I did for 'Fireproof.' I ignored the poor critical reception, reminding myself that 'Pirates of the Caribbean' was also put down as horribly convoluted and not worth watching.

The plot, although not astounding, was interesting enough, and had a unique idea. Behind the main storyline- Norah and Nick looking for and assisting the drunken Caroline- is a different quest: find the band "Where's Fluffy?" to see the greatest show of all time.

The idea that a famous and popular band would only host secret, tiny shows intrigued me. Every time there's a show, only the elite find it, and the experience is more personal due to the smaller venue. Granted, it was slightly anticlimactic when the end of the movie didn't include the group hearing the band.

The dialogue was almost too realistic; at points it fell flat. This is partly due to the fact that the situations were sometimes conducive to stifling a conversation.

Norah is easily the most intriguing character. Nick, Tris, Caroline and the other tag-along friends all fit easily into a static archetype. The nice guy who gets dumped, the b****, the party girl...but Norah has a few facets to uncover. We find out her father is famous, she doesn't want a career in the music industry, she's Jewish, and she has a complicated past.

For a movie that has "infinite playlist" in its title, the music isn't very memorable or outstanding. There isn't a lot of it either. Too-familiar songs such as "You Sexy Thing" are interspersed with unknown indie bands, creating a clash.

What the film lacks in dialogue, plot and music it makes up for in its atmospheric and glorious tour of the Big Apple. The story takes place during one night in the city that never sleeps. The characters explore streets, clubs and delis that don't normally appear in Hollywood- a side of New York that only the locals see.

I was enthralled. For eight dollars I got to explore corners of NYC I had never seen before, and it felt like I really did spend the entire night wandering around Manhattan and Brooklyn.

So, while 'Nick and Norah' won't be on my list to own, it is definitely what I will look for when I want a one-night get-away to New York.

'Fireproof' burned this skeptic's scoffing

2008-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

Typically, I don't get into what I (and I suspect others) refer to as "a Christian movie." Too often they're cheaply made and cheesier than you thought was possible. When my fiance's parents told us to go see 'Fireproof,' we rolled our eyes. Eight dollars to sit through a movie trying (and failing) to talk about topics such as divorce, porn, and affairs? No, thank you. Then they said it was so good, they would pay for our tickets. Heck, why not?

I didn't expect much. The first ten minutes was as bad as I feared -- stilted and cheesy scripts, simple storyline introductions... "Hi, my name is so-and-so, and here is my occupation, and this is my best friend..."

However, once the awkward intro was over, it turned out to be what I consider a really decent movie. Instead of lightly dealing with the two main characters' divorce, it got into how to overcome miscommunication, how simple issues can develop into marriage-ending problems, and what love and a marriage commitment actually mean.

It even managed to throw humor that was actually funny--funny like you miss the next few lines of dialogue because the one-liner has you laughing so hard.

'Fireproof' takes two people who have grown so far apart that the most they have in common is their living-space, and has them learn to fall in love again in spite of real problems. It isn't a quick and easy fix. It's a one-sided effort on the part of the husband for over a month, with no visible results. The end isn't about how now everything is perfect and fixed. It's the idea that they have chosen to stick it out and keep trying, and eventually things will improve.

It's worth eight dollars for some insight into relationships of all kinds.

Lightbulb

2008-09-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

At—certain times—
Inspiration strikes—
but is lost in noise—
Hints remain—hidden
leaving traces—streaks—
across the mind’s—misty—eye—

McCain and Palin speak at T.R. Hughes

2008-09-16T18:11:00.000-07:00

As Lindenwood students enjoyed their first Labor Day weekend in years, they also had the opportunity to see one of the 2008 presidential candidates in person.

John McCain and newly appointed vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin stopped in O’Fallon, Mo., on Sunday afternoon for a republican rally at T.R. Hughes Ballpark—just over 11 miles from Lindenwood University’s campus. Their bus, nicknamed the “Straight Talk Express,” was en route to Minnesota for the Republican National Convention.

Other speakers included Jim and Brenda Talent, Kenny Hulshof, Kit Bond, Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney.

Over 20,000 people packed into the stadium and endured the intense heat nearly four hours before seeing McCain.

McCain’s speech highlighted plans to tone down the Republican National Convention in order to aid the Gulf Coast with the hurricane Gustav approaching. He also introduced Palin and discussed the experience and energy she brings to the ticket.

“She’s exactly who I need; she’s exactly who this country needs,” said McCain.

“McCain put a lot of trust in me…and I pledge to McCain, to America, and to you that I will give this responsibility everything I have,” said Palin.

Palin’s focus of eliminating wasteful spending and working towards energy independence is something she also supported as governor of Alaska.

She received more applause and enthusiasm from the crowd than McCain did as she described her resume and plans as potential vice president.

“I didn’t get into government to take the easy path.,” said Palin. “A ship in harbor is safe, but that’s not why the ship was built.”

New Year, New Ayres

2008-09-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

Ayres Hall will house both men and women this year. Director of Resident Housing Michelle Giessman got the idea to split the dorm in two when she saw the need for more women’s campus housing. The freshmen women will be the first female Ayres residents.
“It was kind of a ‘aha!’ moment,” said Giessman. “It’s considered to be two separate buildings, Old Ayres and New Ayres.”
“I love that they turned it into a freshmen girls’ dorm,” said Ayres Resident Assistant Stephanie Phipps. “I think that because it’s so small, we’re going to have a great sense of community here. Everybody’s in the same boat, experiencing the same things.”
More female students could be signed up for the rooms (60, in comparison to the fewer than 40 men who had signed up) allowing more students to live on campus.
The women live in the back part of the building, New Ayres, and the men live in the older half of the dorm. Bolted doors separate the two halves, ending any possibility of co-ed housing.
In the future, it’s possible that there will be a wall put in over the doors, sealing off the connection entirely. The women use the rear and side entrances, and there is additional parking for residents behind the dorm.
“It’s turning out really nice,” said Phipps. “Traffic flow is going really well so far.”
The new parking lot behind Ayres isn’t the only construction site. Lindenwood students can look forward to improved traffic behind Hunter Stadium and the old dorms. The new roads form a loop around the rear lake and provide better sight distances over the hill.
Giessman added that the split dorm would be permanent if everything goes as well as expected.

ENGAGEMENT

2008-07-13T15:47:00.000-07:00

Well, world, I've been a little too busy to blog lately...because I got engaged! I'm now swamped with everything and everyone that goes into planning a wedding! While very exciting, and while I can say truthfully that I've never been happier, it does mean that I probably won't post again until I return to Lindenwood and the Legacy goes back into production.

Wish me luck!

Thoughts on "Brave New World"

2008-06-08T17:36:00.001-07:00

I finished reading Aldous Huxley's novel "Brave New World" for the first time this weekend. Needless to say, I enjoyed it immensely. Since I have read Orwell's 1984, I expected it to be along the same lines, so its simple language and presentation of a government through pleasure, not pain, was intriguing. I highly recommend it because the short, easy to read novel presents a very different way of looking at our world - a way that I think is beneficial to consider.

With countries still under communist rule, 1984 was easy to see in reality. And the idea of a universal Internet, accessible everywhere, and certain aspects of the USA PATRIOT Act, raise the eyebrows of the usual suspicious (deemed paranoid) individuals.

Brave New World's relevance comes from its emphasis on genetic engineering, and the idea that as long as people are happy they can be easily controlled. We've been doing experiments with genes and cells and such for years now. Check. Americans seem only to care about social issues (whether national or international) if they restrict their freedom to do whatever they want - which is usually to have fun or enjoy themselves. Check.

For example, gas prices. Gas has been much higher in every other country for years. Now that we're beginning to feel the pinch, Americans opt to buy hybrids, further abuse the war in Iraq and the Bush administration, and make appalled faces at the idea that anyone would dare to so inhibit our daily lives. What baffles me is that SUVs are still selling.

Moving on.

I've done a little reading about the Patriot Act in an effort to see if my love of government conspiracies is justified. (Considering the amount of information and legal text about the act, I really have done only a very little reading). The table of contents for the act itself took me a good 20 minutes to go over - and that's with skimming the anti-money laundering section. While the rumors I'd heard about it did exist in the Act...:

unlimited wire-tapping
search without warrant or probable cause
holding aliens without charges for days or weeks
rummaging through private records of all sorts without a warrant (records available for future prosecution) and gagging individuals involved with their retrieval....etc.

...most of these were nullified by "sunset" laws in 2005. Once I heard that, I felt extremely uninformed. And for the first time I felt grateful for the ACLU, since their complaining and protesting was responsible for a lot of the attention paid to this bill.

However, the way the bill got passed without much scrutiny, and some of the liberties it took with bypassing courts of justice and individual rights, makes me wonder about the future state of things. The bill was so long (reportedly 300 pages) that it wasn't until later that Congress took the time to review it. What sort of things could get passed because of that? Even I (a book worm) admit that 300 pages of legal jargon would bore me to tears. However - I don't get paid for it - THEY DO. What do they really do all day? (Please, don't bore me with the answer - I know stats and reports on that question exist. My question was rhetorical). Besides, why not have an intern read it?

The point of all this is really just that Huxley and Orwell have both proposed grim futures for the world, and both of them resulted from things that are going on right now. When will the government consider this covert, unlimited wire-tapping as a means of constant surveillance of U.S. citizens 'in the interest of national security'?

There is already a huge emphasis on political correctness - phrases you have to avoid. Right now it primarily affects people in the media spotlight. But when do we have to worry about off-color presidential jokes, or what we say in blogs, or sarcastic comments about committing a crime?

Here's a link I checked out concerning the Patriot Act: http://www.slate.com/id/2087984/

Future Posts Will Come

2008-05-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

I'm in the process of adjusting to a new job, so my time is much more constricted. My training is mostly on the computer, so at the end of the day the last thing I want to do is come home and open my laptop.

However, I am researching a project for a potential short story, and I plan to conduct movie and restaurant reviews in the future - possibly as soon as tomorrow.

As far as The Legacy is concerned, I have been promoted to Arts and Opinion Editor, and as such have plans to expand and improve the paper. I hope to add an arts and entertainment page, as well as a feature page and an op-ed page. I will also be collaborating with my fellow editors to create a local style guide for the paper.

In addition to this I have an extensive reading list prepared for myself, so I won't be bored!

This blog is far from dead - the summer explosion of vitality is just being temporarily delayed.

'Cat' ends Harmon Hall's Downstage Theatre program

2008-04-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Harmon Hall's Downstage Theatre program's 40-year history ends with the production “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Professor Larry Quiggins chose and directed the play, which details an evening in the lives of a greedy family eager to seize the dying grandfather's fortune. The show signifies the end of an era for the building. The drama classes and productions will be moved to the new Fine and Performing Arts Center for next fall.

The cast and crew had only three weeks to prepare for the performances on April 10-12, but the cast delivered their lines (many times several-minute long monologues) flawlessly.

“They really stepped up,”said Quiggins.

“It was my first time seeing a big play like that in such a small setting,” said senior Sarah Crawford. “It was interesting to see how they would pull it off, and they did.”

“I was very impressed by the performances of the actors,” said sophomore David Haas. “Their roles were so believable that I felt like I was watching real life.”

“The cast was very impressive,” Crawford agreed.

“The mood of the play was very somber,” said Haas. “It made it the perfect choice for closing out the stage.”

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” was the last full-length play in Harmon Hall, but the final production will be the Nick of Time Players' Improv Show on April 20, May 3-4 at 7:30 p.m.

Students remember times abroad in Costa Rica

2008-04-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Most of the Lindenwood students that studied abroad in Costa Rica this semester have already come home for the summer. Aside from the J-term activities, they got to visit many famous cities and sites, spend a weekend in Nicaragua, and experience the different cultural aspects of living in a foreign country. Although thoughts of family or American food are tantalizing, the students say the unique experiences were worth it.

“Surfing… to me stands out most because it was an experience that I had always wanted to do,” said Michael Crowell, 21. “I’m going to continue to [surf] all throughout my future traveling.” Crowell found it hard to choose between that as well as interacting with endangered species, meeting the president of Costa Rica, and the school everyone attended, Intercultura.

“This place (Intercultura) wasn't just our school, it was our life here, and the people made our stay the most enjoyable they possibly could,” said Crowell. “Without them or the school, this trip would not have lasted the duration that it did.”

Annie Grohmann, 21, agreed. “The best aspect of this trip for me was attending school here at Intercultura and getting to know all the staff and other students here. Intercultura was like our home and has taught us so much!”

While Crowell wishes to continue surfing, Grohmann discovered a love for dancing. “Learning how to dance salsa and other Latin dances was a huge part of this trip,” said Grohmann. “When I came down here, I didn’t think I even was interested in dancing, but our dance teacher, Enrique, made it something for me that I want to continue learning in the future.”

Both Grohmann and Crowell agreed that the friendships within the Lindenwood group as well as the Ticos (Costa Ricans) are the most unforgettable experiences of their semester.

“The best experience I could have asked for while being here was getting to know my peers and the way they are,” said Crowell. “It wasn't just about learning the language for me here, but also about learning who these people are.”

“This whole trip has been an experience I will never forget,” said Grohmann. “I've made so many close friends—both my classmates from Lindenwood and Tico friends—that I will never forget.”

To find out more about spending a semester or J-term in Costa Rica contact Professor Nancy Cloutier-Davis at

(636) 949-4183 or Ncloutierdavis@lindenwood.edu.

Professors catch spring fever, wrong symptoms

2008-04-10T21:32:00.001-07:00

I’ve noticed over the last two weeks that spring fever isn’t just a student disease. Several of my professors have been catching it too. At first, this seems like a good thing. I’ve often wished that my professors would ease up on the homework load towards the end of the semester. However, a professor’s spring fever, in my experience, doesn’t have the symptoms I want.

Spring fever in a student means skipping homework, skipping class and getting ready for summer. Spring fever in my professors means less teaching, but more “busy work.” No canceled classes or extended due dates are anywhere in sight. Instead, time in class is spent on worksheets or tiny assignments, with the larger projects still looming ahead, un-lectured and unexplained.

A few of my professors do continue teaching as they have all semester, with the occasional outdoor excursion. I appreciate this because I’m still here, in class, paying tuition and working towards a career. As long as I’m paying to be here, I don’t want to waste my time. So, if class time isn’t going to be spent telling me what I need to know, I’d appreciate using the time to finish my other assignments.

'Semana Santa'

2008-03-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

With spring break two days away, many students are getting ready to go home or go on trips for a week. Lindenwood students in Costa Rica have the chance to experience “semana santa” (holy week). The whole country spends a week celebrating the Easter holidays.

“It is interesting to me how religious Easter is here,” said Annie Grohmann, 21. “It is a religious holiday at home for me too, but there is also the focus on the Easter bunny, eggs, candy…sometimes the religious aspect is forgotten at home.”

“Most of the celebrations are based on a community,” said Michael Crowell, 21. “The celebrating lasts all week, with every day having something different to do for the week of semana santa.”

Grohmann said most families go on a trip together, and rather than parties, there are religious processions and ceremonies. The government also bans alcohol for the week.

“Lots of businesses are out for the week and almost all businesses close shop on the Thursday and Friday of the week,” said Crowell.

“For spring break (semana santa) Lauryn Beasley and I are going to a beach with our family here,” said Grohmann. “We will be there from Saturday until Thursday. It should be fun and relaxing; I'm excited.”

For more information on spending a semester or J-term in Costa Rica, contact Professor Nancy Cloutier-Davis (636) 949-4183, Ncloutierdavis@lindenwood.edu or read Lauryn Beasley’s blog at http://web.mac.com/laurynbeasley/Site/Home.html.

Intro to Veldt Plot Imitation

2008-03-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

The following nine posts are a short story I wrote for my Advanced Fiction Writing class. The exercise was to choose a story from our anthology and imitate the plot in whatever way we chose. I picked "The Veldt" by Ray Bradbury. It's similar to his famous novel Fahrenheit 451 in that it's futuristic and suspenseful. It also describes how technology can be taken too far.

In this story I took a few key events, and had completely different characters act them out in a different setting. The sections are broken up by their Word Document page numbers, not in the actual sections. I did this so that each section would be about the same length.

This is the first draft. There are still a few things that may need to be changed.

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 1

2008-03-09T12:04:00.001-07:00

Edward

By Amanda H.

“It’s the most wonderful thing that I’ve ever done,” declared Tracy.

Stephanie smiled, allowing her to babble. Every week Tracy did something that was “the most wonderful thing she’d ever done.” Once it was discovering Jell-O. Most recently, it was her decision to stop eating Jell-O. Her cafeteria tray seemed to miss its colorful presence.

“He’s everything Jason wasn’t,” said Tracy. “Unlike Jason, he is completely punctual, and brought me flowers, and paid for everything—the perfect gentleman.”

“If he wasn’t, wouldn’t that be, like, against his programming?” said Stephanie.

“Well—”

“How did he pay?” Stephanie grinned.

“Don’t go spoiling everything, Steph,” snapped Tracy with mock indignance. “You’re missing the point.”

“Well, he might’ve…”

“Anyway, we have another date tomorrow, and I’m so excited! He said he’d take me to see that one movie…whatever the new princess story is.”

“Wait,” said Stephanie. “Where is he now? Does he even have a name?”

“Of course: Edward. Isn’t that the most romantic name ever?”

“I’d prefer something more punk. Is he tough enough for this job?”

“I have to go,” Tracy said, ignoring the question. “I need shoes for tomorrow.”

Tracy was confident that her new boyfriend would prove to the world that she was not, in fact, suffering from a recent break-up, and that she was, in fact, the most desirable being that ever lived. Her logic was undeniable. Only Stephanie knew who Edward really was, and she swore not to tell anyone. Edward was the man-candy that would make Jason realize that he was inadequate in every way, from his name to his nuts. Once he remembered she was the best thing that ever happened to him, he would revert to being the prince charming he was a year ago. She would graciously accept his apologies, and toy with him for a week or so before taking him back.

Yes, her logic was undeniable.

With her new heels in tow, she unlocked her front door to find Edward waiting for her. His dark eyes surveyed her windblown hair and shoebox with a politely curious expression before declaring, “You look lovely.”

She felt like she should curtsey. Instead, she gestured to the shoebox and disappeared to her room. He wasn’t supposed to be there, but maybe she had set the time wrong. Regardless, her hair needed a comb before she could venture back into the living room. He could wait. Tracy tried not to imagine what Stephanie would think of her for combing her hair.

Stephanie waited impatiently for her phone to ring. Its dark face stared up at her, stubbornly silent. Tracy was supposed to call her an hour ago. She was probably with Edward. Stephanie felt herself scowl thinking about Edward. He wasn’t even really her boyfriend, and he was taking up a lot of her time.

At last, “Big Girls Don’t Cry” made her jump.

“What took you so—”

“Stephanie you would not believe how perfect everything was!” gushed Tracy in typical gushy Tracy fashion. Stephanie couldn’t pay attention to her hyperactive exclamations.

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 2

2008-03-09T12:03:00.002-07:00

It was probably a good thing Tracy couldn’t see her face. As Tracy offered every detail Stephanie didn’t really want to know about her latest date with Edward, Stephanie held the phone slightly away from her ear, and stared out the window. Ten cars drove by before it was her turn to speak.

“Tracy, he’s not even real,” she said, without really knowing why.

“What’s your problem?”

“I just—”

“This was your idea, after all—”

“Yes, but—”

“He’s nearly solid, you know—”

“Nearly?”

“I just have him to make Jason jealous, you know that. We agreed to use the dating service together! Are you bailing on me?”

“No. You’re just creeping me out. I mean, are you forgetting he's not actually a person? He’s a freakin’ hologram…”

Surprised silence.

“It’s not like we have a for real relationship.”

Sure, you just spend every waking moment with him. Somehow, she couldn’t get the words out.

Awkward silence.

“See you tomorrow?”

“’Course.”

Stephanie opened her front door the next day to discover that Edward was with Tracy. It was the first time she had seen him. It only took a second to realize that he was even better looking than the box had shown. At least, in a classic sense. She thought he would be more at home in a vintage suit than the t-shirt and jeans. His wavy long hair and aura of formality seemed a few centuries past. He smiled politely and walked in behind Tracy, who was uncharacteristically quiet, as though waiting for her opinion.

“You got your money’s worth,” said Stephanie. “He’s hot.”

“Don’t talk like he’s not here,” said Tracy. “Edward, this is Stephanie.”

Bemused, Stephanie automatically tried to shake his hand. It went through her. If she had felt it, she might have been sick.

“Nice to meet you,” she heard herself say. She was liking the whole plan less and less.

“The pleasure is mine,” he said. He sounded real.

“Thanks…”

“It’s going to work—how could Jason not be jealous of me now?”

“I dunno, I’m starting to think this was a bad idea,” said Stephanie.

“I knew you would bail on me! You said it would work, you said that Jason just needed to realize—“

“Yes, but is any guy going to be jealous of pansy prince charming here? I mean come on, he’s more fit for ballroom dancing than anything else. Jason was Rambo. That’s kinda why he treated you like crap. The point is, Edward is not Rambo, so he’s not a threat. I thought he looked pretty on the box, but I thought maybe the program would be…more…I dunno. Something.”

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 3

2008-03-09T12:03:00.001-07:00

“I can’t believe this. What am I supposed to do now? I’ve got him for another week. This has to work out; I don’t want to rent another one.”

“Ok, well, let’s think,” said Stephanie. “We just need to work on his image…Aren’t there a few options you can try? Maybe adjust his hair, or give him a tattoo, or something?” She was glad that Tracy had returned to treating him like the hologram he was. It was just freaky otherwise.

“Well, I think so…I’ll have to go home and check.”

“Yeah, and amp up his personality. He needs a frickin’ attitude, Tracy, or nobody is going to care.”

“Yeah. Ok. I’ll go do that before the party tonight.”

“So you’re both coming?”

“Consider it the trial run.”

Stephanie didn’t see Tracy at the party. She didn’t see Tracy again for over a week. She gave up calling after three days. Finally, without really knowing why, she was knocking on her door. Tracy opened it, smiling, without any reference to her disappearance.

“Hey, I was just wondering if…” she trailed off. Edward was watching TV on the couch. His hair was styled, and he sported a tattoo that Stephanie could think was cool—even though she hated tattoos. There was a drink by the opposite armrest, where Tracy had been sitting.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“No, I was just bored. Edward and I are watching a movie. How’ve you been?”

“Fine, I just thought maybe something was wrong. You haven’t been in class this week…” she felt more and more like a mother. Why did she come here? Of course Tracy was fine.

“Yeah, I’ve just been…you know, not quite ready to um…”

Stephanie waited, but there was nothing else.

“You shouldn’t skip school; it’ll make Jason think you’re pathetic. It’ll ruin the plan.”

Tracy sighed. “Ugh. Ok.”

“What’ve you been doing this whole time?”

“Stuff. Edward and I went shopping yesterday, and a few days ago, we made cookies together. Just, you know, whatev.”

“So, how’s it going? Everybody think he’s for real, like at the mall and stuff?”

“Yeah, yeah it’s perfect! Actually, I was hoping to run into Jason there, but it didn’t work out.”

Stephanie cocked an eyebrow. “Jason wouldn’t be caught dead in a mall.”

Silence.

“I thought you were going to bring him around all of us,” said Stephanie after a minute. “The whole point was to show Jason you’re with a totally hot new guy, and he was a jerkface for ditching you. Right?”

“Well yeah, sure, I was just making sure Edward looked legit before we tried the hardcore mission,” said Tracy, more like her usual self. Stephanie couldn’t help but notice that Edward was following their conversation. “You want to finish the movie with us?”

“Sure,” said Stephanie. She was curious to see how exactly the fake relationship was working out. To her intense relief, they did not try to cuddle.

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 4

2008-03-09T12:02:00.002-07:00

Edward could only carry on basic conversations about typical dating subjects, so he didn’t offer commentary on the movie. Stephanie almost forgot he was there. The few comments he and Tracy exchanged consisted of loving niceties that began to annoy Stephanie near the film’s end. She was almost glad that Tracy wasn’t too excited to bring him around everyone else. She vowed never to buy a technological product again.

Tracy and Edward began appearing in public more frequently after the spontaneous “movie date.” Stephanie kept her end of the bargain, and managed to convince their friends that Edward was cool, and not simply a rebound—a feat she considered worthy of a medal.

Although Tracy was herself for a few days, and didn’t skip class or blow off after-school fun with the girls, she began drifting away by degrees. Stephanie, busy with other things and trying not to appear clingy, didn’t notice for a few weeks. It was silly to be jealous of a hologram. It was just an act until Jason was manipulated successfully. She could wait until Tracy was happily back with her cruddy boyfriend that never had time for her.

Tracy mentioned Edward frequently in conversation during lunch, which became so natural that Stephanie forgot that he was supposed to be returned at some point in the blurry past. She almost forgot he was a hologram. He came to the Friday night parties, the movies, the basketball games, the random evening runs to Taco Bell after the games...The more she thought about it, the more she realized that Jason was no longer in the picture. There was no motive to keep Edward; he was just…always there.

Finally, Stephanie cornered her one Friday in the bathroom, the sacred place of everything pertaining to girls’ gossip and secret-sharing.

“What are you doing this weekend?”
“Edward and I have a date tonight. We’re gonna pick a restaurant and go to a movie or something…” she trailed off, reapplying her lipstick.

“So are things getting pretty serious?” joked Stephanie, pretending to search for her mascara.

“Ye—no,…what?”

“You hang out a lot. Way more than you and Jason ever did. I think Jason dropped out…did you know?”

“Oh, yeah, I heard that too,” said Tracy. She began re-poofing her hair. “It’s really too bad.”

“So…are you going to return Edward?”

“That’s silly, why would I?”

“Because he’s expensive! Not only are you renting him, you’re paying double for every restaurant and movie you go to. You’ve been doing it for over a month! Where the crap are you getting the money?”

“Well…he’s not that expensive…there’s a deal…” she muttered.

“Tracy, for serious, are you like, in love with him?” Stephanie couldn’t believe she was asking that.

“Of course not!”

“But he’s always with you!”

“Ok, so I’m a little attached…”

“Will you listen to yourself? Please? For my sake?”

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 5

2008-03-09T12:02:00.001-07:00

“It’s harmless! I love him like I love my dog, or my iPod. You know, he’s something valuable to me. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Stephanie watched her incredulous expression in the mirrors. Tracy grabbed her purse and led the way out of the bathroom as the bell rang.

Before Stephanie could protest, Tracy had escaped to her next class.

After the bathroom incident, Stephanie couldn’t get another word out of Tracy about Edward for days. It wasn’t until prom posters began going up that Tracy acknowledged his existence in front her. The colorful drawings and bubble letters reminded every girl that there was only a month to find the perfect dress and an amazing date willing to pay one hundred dollars for tickets to the “Paris in Spring” extravaganza. Stephanie recognized the shortage of rich males as easily as her friends, and didn’t worry about getting to Paris with a man. However, Tracy was beside herself with excitement when she cornered Stephanie in the library.

“Stephanie, it’s Paris!” she squealed, as though Cedarville High School was actually bringing the Eiffel Tower to the dance. “Edward and I are so excited! He’s going to get me a rose corsage!”
“Wha—?” She forgot to shush Tracy in her confusion.

“It’s going to be the best date we’ve ever had; we might…” Tracy trailed off into a daydream. Stephanie allowed her a few seconds before clearing her throat. When this didn’t jolt Tracy, she sighed, and resumed her homework.

“You’re not listening,” Tracy pouted, as though she hadn’t stopped talking. “Edward already asked me to go with him! The first day the posters went up!”

“I’m glad you weren’t kept in suspense,” said Stephanie, still trying to understand her. “But—”

“And I have to go dress shopping! You know, we should go together, we haven’t hung out in awhile.”

Stephanie wondered at the irony, but agreed. Perhaps in the dressing rooms she could convince Tracy that taking Edward to prom was the most ridiculous and pathetic thing she had ever heard.

“You’re not going with anyone, are you?” said Tracy.

“Not at the moment. A bunch of the girls are going together. Megan, Julie, Kristen…”

“Right, ok. We can still shop together though. Let me know when you’re free this weekend!”

Stephanie put down her pen. Tracy disappeared out the library’s door to accost someone else in the hallway. Tracy was insane. She was in love with Edward, was blind to the fact that she was in love with Edward, was blind to the fact that she couldn’t have a relationship with a hologram, and also blind to the fact that she was sacrificing real life and real relationships in order to spend as much time with him as possible. He was like some sort of weird drug addiction. The more Stephanie thought about it, the more alarmed she became. If Tracy didn’t leave her dream world soon, she wouldn’t have anything to return to, or worse, she wouldn’t be able to leave at all. Everyone had already stopped inviting the couple to things because there was something just “off” about him, and the two rarely talked to anyone else. Rather than welcoming Tracy’s boyfriend, their friends opted to distance themselves from the self-absorbed couple.

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 6

2008-03-09T12:01:00.000-07:00

“I wish there was counseling for fake relationships,” she whispered to the silent books. There wasn’t any information in there about how to explain reality to someone.

Stephanie didn’t have to explain reality to Tracy because the office did it for her. A tearful Tracy called her minutes after school, demanding an urgent meeting in the bathroom. Stephanie, sure she knew what it was about, agreed, hoping that it would put an end to Tracy’s weird relationship with the hologram. For the second time that day, they huddled in the beige and pink tiled room, surrounded by water-spotted mirrors and the faint smell of hand soap. Tracy didn’t bother to see if the stalls were empty, but Stephanie did, for both their sakes. Tracy required nearly a minute to compose herself before bursting into indistinct wailing about the administration, policy and rejection. Stephanie pieced it together slowly, as Tracy blew her nose on a paper towel.

“Tracy, seriously, hang on a sec…” Stephanie tried to organize her thoughts. “So they won’t let him come because he doesn’t have the visitor paperwork? Couldn’t you just fill all that out?”

“No, because they’d still need him to come in and show his student ID from his school, and my parents have to sign off on it, and they wouldn’t, and—”

“Because they don’t want you going with a hologram!”

“No, they just don’t like him. It’s his tattoos or something. The point is the stupid principal won’t let him come if I don’t meet all their—their ‘protocol’ or whatever.”

“What did you actually say to them?” asked Stephanie. Maybe it was better to try sympathy first. “Maybe there’s a loophole or something.”

“They didn’t want to talk to me after I threw the lady’s chair,” said Tracy.

“You what?”

“Well, it does sound bad if you don’t know the whole story. You see, what happened was I thought Edward might need to appear there for whatever reason, so I told him to come after school. Well, they were completely uncivil to him, and when I tried to defend him, they started yelling at me. Edward got mad that I was so upset and that the lady was being such a bitch, so he tried stepping in, and that’s when they got completely retarded and said he couldn’t come because of policies and protocol and stuff. The lady gave me the total stink eye – I think she hates me. So I threw one of her little chairs, you know, the two they always have in front of the desks. Then they said I needed counseling and I ran away before they could make me do anything else.”

Stephanie was speechless.

“Don’t look at me like that,” said Tracy, a bit sheepish. “I didn’t throw it that far. Besides, she really is a bitch.”

Stephanie stared.

“No, really, I’m not the only one who thinks so.”

“Tracy, this is crazy…ok, look, you’ve been getting tense with everyone else about Edward, and now you’re going off on the teachers and the principal’s secretary? I can’t—I don’t even know what to say!”

“You could try being on my side,” said Tracy. “I thought we were friends.”

“We are,” said Stephanie. For a moment, she thought about telling Tracy exactly how crazy she was and why counseling couldn’t even begin to tackle her problems. Then she had a better idea. “I’m sorry they wouldn’t let you bring Edward. But maybe we could talk to them about it again, you know. Or…why couldn’t you just sneak him in?”

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 7

2008-03-09T12:00:00.002-07:00

“I guess that could work,” said Tracy, temporarily appeased. “Thanks. I better go; I have a lot of stuff to do.”

“Right. See ya.”

Tracy left the bathroom in better spirits. Stephanie leaned against the cool tile wall and wondered why she had ever suggested Edward in the first place. Winning back Jason seemed an eternity ago.

Tracy was gone. Stephanie was sure, but she checked the garage anyway. No cars. Her parents were still at work, and Tracy had gone to the movies with Kristen and Julie. Stephanie had convinced the two girls that all the problems with Edward would go away if they would just do her this favor. She had two hours before they would be back.

She grabbed the spare key from behind the bushes and unlocked the front door. She shut it behind her carefully and locked it before heading upstairs to Tracy’s room. Even though no one was home, she felt the urge to be silent. The house was quiet except for her shoes on the hardwood floors and the hum of the refrigerator in the kitchen around the corner.

Tracy’s room was exactly how it had been for the last several years, which was a relief. The only difference was that her calendar, usually displaying plans for the next several weeks, was nearly blank. “Prom” appeared in big letters for the following month, and was circled in pink.

Stephanie could barely remember the box that Edward had come in, but was sure that Tracy would keep the instructions, and possibly the remote, inside it. She gave the room a cursory glance, in case the tiny cube was set out on something. Of course it wasn’t. With a sigh, Stephanie began searching the dresser drawers. Tracy was not too imaginative—or at least, not in some areas—and Stephanie thought she could guess any hiding places Tracy would think up.

The drawers were all empty of secrets, unless it was that Tracy had few pairs of matching socks. She checked the trash, just in case Tracy had decided to throw it all away recently. No interesting messages in there, either. Stephanie was a little surprised, but decided to check under the bed before tackling the realm of the walk-in closet.

Tracy’s double bed had plenty of room to hide things. Stephanie found her stacks of Cosmopolitan (Tracy’s parents were a bit conservative), a family of dust bunnies, and a few boxes of old photo albums. Stephanie wriggled out from under the bed and sat up, discouraged. Time was running out, and the closet could take forever to search.

With a sigh, she walked over to the closet and switched on the light. Tracy was serious about her clothes, if nothing else, and they at least were organized to perfection. It was everything around the clothes that begged for order. Old childhood mementos and stuffed animals adorned the higher racks, while boxes were stacked behind the hanging clothes. Underneath Tracy’s rack of shoes was a pile of miscellaneous items. Dirty clothes and accessories littered the floor, mixed in with any number of other things. A pile of DVDs took up the inside corner, separated from the rest of the chaos.

Stephanie began wading through the floor. Nothing. She began opening boxes. Barbies. Winter clothes. Old shoes that might fit if the need arises. Her old books. Junior high cheerleading trophies and ribbons. Her hands started shaking. She had only a few minutes left, and nothing she had found pertained to Edward. Except the silver glint in the back corner.

Stephanie scrambled through the mess towards the promising glow. Behind several more shoeboxes and rejected items, she found the shiny box that Edward had come in.

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 8

2008-03-09T12:00:00.001-07:00

Aside from a few dents, its sojourn in Tracy’s realm left it unscathed. Inside the box was a thin-but-detailed guide to the dating program, as well as a promotional coupon. Stephanie rummaged through it again. She needed the receipt, or the remote, or something that would control Edward. At last, the tiny flat remote fell out. Stephanie grinned; her hunch that Tracy wouldn’t have turned off or changed Edward in the last few weeks was right. Her excitement was short-lived—she heard the front door open downstairs. Then Tracy’s voice. Then Edward’s voice.

Stephanie shook off her paralysis and kept the presence of mind to tiptoe to Tracy’s bedroom door, and peek nervously into the hall. They were in the kitchen now. If she could just get down the stairs and into the basement, she could leave through the walkout door.

“Let me run up and get a movie from my room,” said Tracy enthusiastically. “The one at the theater was stupid; we can watch something else.”

Stephanie looked around wildly: the bathroom was too far to make it, as was the master bedroom. The hall closet was too small to hide in. She darted back into Tracy’s closet, pushing the door back to the way it was when she arrived. As soon as she did, she noticed the movies stacked in the corner.

She couldn’t even think out a “shit” before Tracy opened the door.

“Oh my—what the hell are you doing in here?” said Tracy, temporarily more surprised than angry. “You scared the crap out of me!”

Stephanie could think of nothing to say. Tracy quickly transitioned to anger.

“Why are you in my room, in my closet? Is this your idea of a twisted joke? What are you even…” She spotted the box clutched in Stephanie’s hand. Her eyes narrowed. In anyone else, this would have been comical. It would have been comical for Tracy, if she didn’t also have a manic glint.

“Nothing, I mean, I was…” Stephanie knew there was no way out. There were no excuses to be hiding in a friend’s closet, and there were none for stealing something out of a friend’s closet. Both were awkward and unacceptable situations without remedy.

“Why do you have Edward’s box?” said Tracy with dangerous calm.

Stephanie considered making a break for it.

“Are you trying to steal my boyfriend?”

Stephanie stared at her. The thought pushed the limits on ideas dubbed “ridiculous.”

“That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?” said Tracy. “You’ve been jealous this entire time. You were always bugging me about Edward and telling me to get rid of him. You just want him for yourself! This whole thing was a plot, wasn’t it? Getting me to go out and leave him here so you could come on to him and steal him!”

“Tracy, you’re being—”

“I can’t believe this!” shrieked Tracy. “You slut!”

“Wha—Tracy, for serious, shut up and let me explain—”

“Get out! Drop that and get out!”

Stephanie had no intention of dropping the box, but Tracy was completely blocking the closet door. Edward had come up the stairs, and was watching them argue with an unreadable expression.

Stephanie couldn’t move; Tracy was blocking her exit while screeching for her to leave, and she didn’t want to walk past Edward and his dark stare either.

Veldt Plot Imitation Story Part 9

2008-03-09T11:58:00.000-07:00

“I never want to see you again, you bitch! Give me that—” Tracy snatched at the box. Stephanie automatically held on to it and tried to push past her.

Tracy grabbed her arm and fought for the box. Stephanie tried to push her off but tripped over Tracy’s foot, causing both of them to fall. In the confusion, Tracy seized the box and scrambled to her feet. She pointed to the door, with Edward standing just outside of it.

“Go away! Don’t ever come back!”

Stephanie stood up slowly. Without the box, everything was for nothing. Edward would stay, and now Tracy wouldn’t even talk to her. There was no way she could reclaim the box—Tracy threw it back into the confused abyss of chaos in the closet.

“I never thought you’d stab me in the back like this,” said Tracy. “You can’t even say anything!”

“What’s there to say? I just thought you and Edward were just…too serious and weird and I can’t believe you’re in love with him! I think you need to let him go.”

“So you were going to make me.”

Stephanie sighed. “Yeah.”

“So, just because I’m happy in a relationship and you aren’t, you think I need to get rid of him to spend more time with you? You know what, Stephanie, that’s not going to happen! We’re not friends anymore! You can just—just die, for all I care! Go away and leave me alone!”

“What! You’re insane! You’re completely insane!” Stephanie didn’t wait to say more. She turned to go downstairs, ignoring Edward's suddenly heavy presence. Tracy didn’t say anything.

As Stephanie reached the stairs, she felt a cold hand grasp her arm. She tried to jerk free without success. Confused, she turned around to see Edward’s dark eyes inches from her own. It was his hand. His breath stirred her hair. He maneuvered her to the railing with an iron grip. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as he hurled her backwards, over the banister, down to the hardwood floor. Edward slowly descended the stairs to complete Tracy's request.

Tracy and Edward went to prom.

Freshmen retention more important than student body

2008-03-05T14:38:00.000-08:00

I never thought that Lindenwood would evict me from my dorm room without breaking a university code of conduct. I am not ok with being kicked out of my room to make way for freshmen without having a say in the matter. Why do the freshmen get priority over upperclassmen? Why did we only get a week’s notice? Where are all 700 displaced students going to live? If this is such a great thing, why isn’t it being promoted on the website? Why is the freshmen retention rate more important than current students?

If this is really the way it has to be, then I think LU needs to work on its public relations with students. It wouldn’t hurt for us to know why this is happening (beyond the phrase “freshmen housing”), or how the administration thinks this will improve the university. It would also be nice to know where the space if for students being “reassigned.” I am missing the “student friendliness” bit of kicking people out of housing for freshmen, without giving the rationale behind it.

'Birdie' rocks Jelkyl Theatre

2008-03-05T14:33:00.000-08:00

Lindenwood’s Mainstage production of ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ will fill Jelkyl Theatre with ‘50s rock and roll and dancing tomorrow night under the direction of Professor Janet Strzelec.

“’Bye Bye Birdie’ is one of the most captivating musical shows of our time,” said Ted Gregory, director of theatre at Lindenwood. “[It] tells the story of a rock and roll singer who is about to be inducted into the army.”

“It’s a fun musical,” said stage manager Tara Queen. “I love whenever we use the [stage] windows.”

The musical runs every evening of March 6-8 and 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $8 for students (ages 12-18). Group rates are available. An LU student can receive two free tickets with his or her ID.

For more information, contact Gregory at 636-949-4966 or tgregory@lindenwood.edu.

Printer: Source of Pain

2008-02-29T14:30:00.000-08:00

As a Lindenwood student, I haven’t been experiencing the “student friendliness” that I keep hearing about. I don’t think the printer in the Spellmann Center computer lab is student-friendly.

I haven’t been able to print anything there this month because it’s always experiencing a variety of difficulties: it’s “out of order,” broken, stalled, printing one page every couple of minutes, “not networked with the computers,” or inexplicably “50 jobs” behind.

I don’t understand why we can’t have a person available 24/7 to stand there and fix it when something happens.

A better solution would be to get two new, modern printers for the lab. If there were two, system failures wouldn’t be such a big issue, and when both are working, students wouldn’t have to wait as long for their papers or notes to print.

If LU receives so many donations, is building multi-million dollar facilities, and plans to have “one of the nicest president’s houses in the state,” why not reserve some funding for some more student friendliness?

Until then, I have to run around campus searching for a working printer. Or, I suppose, shell out even more money to buy my own.

City Life in Costa Rica

2008-02-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

Salsa dancing and earth tremors are some of the experiences Lindenwood students had while spending J-term in Costa Rica. While the first half of the trip was at the beach, the second gave students a taste of city life in a Latin American country.

In Heredia, a city just outside the capital, San José, the group attended classes at the school Intercultura, and explored the country’s central valley during the afternoon.

Instead of Sámara’s dirt roads with roaming chickens and cows, the streets resounded with honking taxis and buses. Unlike in the United States, pedestrians do not have the right of way.

“I was definitely more concerned with safety in Heredia than in Sámara,” said sophomore Estey Masten. “It was a lot harder to get to know people.”

“I’ve never been to a city so busy,” said junior Sara Ohlms.

“I liked how we could have afternoon excursions,” said Masten. In addition to these, students had the opportunity to learn cultural skills, such as the dancing and cooking lessons. Sometimes the host families offered to share their recipes.

Masten said, “My mom taught me how to make ‘gallo pinto’ [the traditional rice and beans dish], and my dad took me to an open air market.”

To learn more about spending J-term or a full semester in Costa Rica for credit, contact Professor Cloutier-Davis (636) 949-4183.

Classes in Costa Rica

2008-02-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

J-term is often a time of boredom and drudgery for Lindenwood students. However, a small group chose to leave the norm and fly over 2,000 miles to Costa Rica for 18 days of “culture shock.”

With the guidance of professor and sponsor Nancy Cloutier-Davis, the group toured the western half of Costa Rica exploring rainforests, volcanoes and cities.

Despite its size, Costa Rica has a surprising amount of diversity. The first half of the trip focused on rural parts of the country. Sámara, a small town on the pacific coast, was “home” to the students for the first full week. Each student lived with a Costa Rican (“Tico”) family, sharing meals and speaking only Spanish. They also learned about the typical day of a Tico firsthand.

“The showers were cold, and we had mosquito nets around our beds, which isn’t something you need here,” said sophomore Melissa Kaatman. “I thought it was kind of hard in some aspects just because I don’t speak much Spanish.”

“I pretty much eased into it,” said sophomore Esperanza Masten. “I had prepared myself for it to be really different.”

However, not all differences were hard to accept.

“It was nice walking out onto the beach instead of a subdivision street,” said Kaatman. “They’re more relaxed. If I want to sit for an hour and talk to someone on my front porch then I can.”

“It was really cool that my mom [in Sámara] would make me dinner every night,” said Masten. “People were easier to get to know, and not as stand-offish. My neighbors were my closest friends in Sámara, and that just doesn’t happen in the U.S.”

Cloutier-Davis, who started the Spanish J-term trips, said the goal is “to offer the opportunity to live abroad. To offer living in a Spanish-speaking country to students that otherwise wouldn’t have the chance.”

The trips involve a lot of exposure to culture, customs and languages, something increasingly important in the world of communications and international businesses.

“We’re supposed to become more aware of the global world [while in college],” said Cloutier- Davis. Spending J-term in a Latin American country goes further than sight-seeing by completely immersing students in another culture.

For more information about Spanish J-term trips, contact Cloutier-Davis X4183 office Butler 300.

'The Golden Compass' Needs Better Direction

2007-12-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

'The Golden Compass' fails to live up to the hype, in my opinion. It is so cautious it doesn't take itself very seriously, and it doesn't arouse serious interest while watching it, either.
After weeks of being told that the film is going to destroy America's youth by encouraging them to "kill God" and that it presents a negative view toward the Christian church (Catholics, in particular) I went expecting to be bombarded with vague agnostic phrases and characters wearing Cardinal's robes ordering the oppression of the world.
That would've been more interesting.

I read the trilogy "His Dark Materials" when I was a sophomore in high school. I thought they were interesting and fun to read; compared to the variety of teen fiction I pulled off the shelves of my library, they had far more substance and very engaging characters. I didn't come away with the impression that the Catholic church is evil, or that "God is dead."

The film never uses the word "Church," and the Magisterium could just as easily represent a corrupted government as a religious institution.

I spent most of the 2 hours waiting for the characters to have natural-sounding conversations, and for the action to pick up. Aside from the battle between the two armored bears, the movie is pretty low-key. The dialog between characters got under my skin because they were always explaining to the audience (and me) what's going on.

It felt something like this: "Lyra, this is an alethiometer. It's a truth-measure. It's also known as a golden compass. It tells the truth. It's the only one left in the entire world. It's very important. It's very important, also, that you don't let anyone know you have it. By the way, nobody can read it, because it is so complicated..." And on and on. It was the same with explaining daemons, and explaining the armored bear's (Iorek Byrnison) exile.

Ian McKellen voiced Iorek, which was incredibly distracting. There must be someone else in the world with a deep, throaty voice. I wanted to thank Gandalf or Magneto for leading Lyra around the icy mountains.

Nicole Kidman's perfect portrayal of Mrs. Coulter wasn't enough to cover the glaring changes (often for the worse) between the screenplay and the book. The adaptation does water down everything that had potential for controversy. It also reorders the sequences of events and stops short of the book's ending. While this protects the producers from being responsible for a sequel (the book ends with a cliff hanger) it goes just long enough for Lyra to remind us that after 2 hours, we still know nothing about Dust, nothing about why the Magisterium is after it, and nothing about what Lord Asriel is really trying to do in the North--while he's still imprisoned, which happened about 45 minutes in.

I think if you haven't read the books, you'll be very confused, and possibly more bored than I was.

'The Golden Compass' gets a B-.

A Trans-Siberian Christmas

2007-12-10T11:32:00.001-08:00

Famous for mixing electrical and classical instruments, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra shook the walls of Scottrade Center during a nearly three-hour long performance on Dec. 9.

The show had two distinct parts, the first half featuring Christmas music, and the second half incorporating non-holiday numbers. There was no intermission, which was one of many impressive aspects.

The stage was arranged to facilitate multiple points for different musicians to play solos, with elevated platforms on either end and an extended center platform. In addition to this, a raised platform centered in the back section of the ground audience showcased soloists and part of the pyrotechnic effects. The lead guitarists and lead electric violinist roamed back and forth while playing the complicated pieces.

As is customary in TSO performances, dozens of flashing lights accompanied every song for different effects, and colored fire was part of the finale.

Dueling pianists and several hit songs created a fantastic encore. The Orchestra received a well-deserved standing ovation.

'Christmas Carol' bids 'impressive' farewell to Jelkyl Theatre

2007-12-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

The cast of "A Christmas Carol" captivated audience members with the opening notes of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and held them spellbound until Tiny Tim's cry of "God bless us, every one!"

Those who attended the performance Saturday evening on Dec. 1 experienced a flawless, high-energy performance.

The cast and crew marked the production's last year at Lindenwood's Jelkyl Theatre by returning to the original script adapted in the 1970s, and by singing "Auld Lang Syne" with the audience after the performance.

The adaptation incorporates several unique ideas, including a narrating ensemble, and the ghost of Christmas past appearing through Scrooge's pillow. The proximity of the seats to the stage gives the audience members the feeling of being inside Scrooge's office and bedroom. Another twist was the black masks the ensemble adopted when the ghosts appeared to Scrooge, adding to the mysterious mood.

Special effects ranging from typical lighting and sound bytes to nice additives of trap doors and snow created an exciting and active atmosphere. There were several surprises during the play that kept anticipation at a constant high.

The costumes and set were simple but effective. Set pieces moved around with surprising ease between scenes and the ensemble doubled as characters from time to time, which was an interesting effect. The ensemble was in charge of moving the set. They narrated while doing so, which made the scene changes smoother and less noticeable.

It was clear the cast enjoyed the play, which is the key to the audience enjoying it, too. The performance was excellent and impressive--the perfect way to bid farewell to Jelkyl Theatre.

'Kiss Me, Kate' - 'Another Op'nin', Another Success

2007-12-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis offers a month of nights filled with lively music and humor via the production "Kiss Me, Kate." The cast's energy worked with an overlong script to create a pleasing performance.

Brian and Diane Sutherland's portrayals of Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi had all the necessary eloquence and inflection to bring the characters to life. Snappy lines aren't enough without personality, and both Sutherland's delivered sufficient sarcasm to bring new spark to the roles.

Although the play could benefit from cutting a verse or two out of each song, the cast didn't let this slip into their performance. Facial expressions and choreography helped lighten the load of some tedious numbers, and the dances in the finale were even more enthusiastic than in the opening.

"Kiss Me, Kate" runs through Dec. 28.

Shopper Stereotypes - A Black Friday Report

2007-11-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

This year was my first experience, ever, with Black Friday. Normally, I spend all of Friday indoors at my grandparents' house, eating Thanksgiving leftovers, and avoiding what my mother refers to as "those crazy shoppers" racing up and down the streets hunting sales. I imagined crazy mothers and screaming teenagers running through store aisles causing mass chaos. I was always glad to avoid it and eat more homemade pie instead.

But this year, I had a goal. I wanted a new digital camera, and my boyfriend assured me that Black Friday was the best way to get it.

We researched and looked up ads until I settled on one that I liked - a red Casio, $60 off the original price.

When we went to wait in line, I quickly realized that the majority of "those crazy shoppers" looked pretty normal. However, the stereotypes I had heard about did exist, and I found it amusing (when they didn't make me want to tear my hair out or bite my nails). Any one of them could make an engaging character in a sitcom. After visiting Circuit City, Radio Shack (in the mall, for added observation) and Target, I compiled a list of typical Black Friday Shoppers.

1) The Enthusiastic College Student
I found most of these people in Circuit City - walking out with flat-screen LCD TVs, laptops, or DVD collections. They were all genial, upbeat, and characterized by a hoodie with a college logo and a beanie. They're often seen with QT coffee or energy drinks. These were my competition in the Shopping/Combat Arena, so their presence made me a bit nervous.

2) The Multi-tasking Mom
Women pushing one cart full of kids, and another full of toys she's going to wrap for the kids, who are all too young to realize she's buying their Christmas presents. They are the Queens of Target. They all had flyaway hair/ponytails and cell phones, and were usually talking on the phone while corralling the kids and merchandise. Truly remarkable to watch in action.

3) The Gadget Guy
Found in Radio Shack and Circuit City, these middle-aged men have nice coats full of pockets (for gadgets) and discussed cameras, phones, and computers with personnel, sometimes while taking notes on palm pilots. They either speak deliberately or similar to an auctioneer.

4) The Young Couple
These 20-somethings wear matching snow-gear for waiting outside all night to get a big TV for their apartment, and possibly another computer as well. Often seen with a tent and other young couples. They can appear slightly manic, but that's just the cold talking. For the most part, nice, normal people.

5) The Biatch
I observed this wonderful woman in Radio Shack. She IS the profile - a black leather coat, black leather high-heeled boots, an up-do hairstyle (when everyone else has been up all night, thus not looking particularly nice), angular features (including her designer glasses) and a condescending, me-first, snooty manner. Complete with $1,000 of purchases in several bags. A lovely woman who cuts in line, argues with the cashier, and sweeps out at last to discuss her hardships over coffee with a friend.

Tornado's End

2007-11-05T14:14:00.000-08:00

You can sense the problem given the barest hint
and discern the situation correctly without fail.
I can't understand how you do it so easily.
You clearly know me better than me.
You talk, and listen, and advise
past the annoyingness, past
ignorance, past pride,
until it is fixed; over.
And all the time I
know your only
motivation is

Love.

Haiku--

2007-11-05T14:12:00.000-08:00

Some writers shun the
dash--fearful of its power--
and thus expression--

This

2007-11-05T14:10:00.000-08:00

As we trace the velvet ribbon
speeding onward under Venus
music follows mood and time
weaving peace--silver--love--
We are the only two.
We trace the velvet ribbon's way
prolonging this--this moment--
when our ribbon tightens
and we know that This--
This outlasts the stars.

West Wind

2007-11-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

Though soft and still with no demands
Persistently he wakes my dreams.
Persuasive whispers take my hands
He will insist; the scent it brings...
He calls to me with wistful voice
He speaks enticing thoughts before
He winds away, the only choice
To follow him, or to ignore
The roar of water through the trees.
I'm drawn to see the western edge
The now unknown adventures tease
Of what could be, beyond my hedge--
Over the expansive ocean
Where lies Zephyr's land of Goshen.

Tradition

2007-11-01T14:39:00.001-07:00

Every blog must have the first post. It must be an introduction, a preview, of what is to come. What sort of blog will this be? What is interesting enough to make you return?

Reviews, opinions, poetry, fictional stories, true stories - the stuff of life is what makes you return.