The Ohio Wesleyan Performing Arts Series welcomed A Portable Theatre to the Chappelear Drama Center for a night of classic ghost stories.
As stated on their website, “APT is a non-profit, professional theatrical touring company based in central Ohio.”
The performance, which took place Jan. 24, was titled “Tales from the Grave” and functioned like a live radio play. It featured such ghost stories as: “The Signal-Man” by Charles Dickens, “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe and “The Body-Snatchers” by Robert Louis Stevenson.
The APT actors taking part in the first ever performance of “Tales from the Grave” were Damian Bowerman, Ed Vaughan, Jonathan Putnam and Jon Farris. Geoffrey Nelson who acts in other APT performances was playwright and director.
Though the stories were meant to be scary, there were also elements of comedy and sound effects that left the audience roaring with laughter. Comedy was often portrayed during the radio commercials that were acted out in the beginning and between each ghost story.
“I liked the comedy, it helped give contrast and a lighter mood,” junior Ciara Cooperider said. Cooperider was one of over 100 audience members.
The sound effects came from home made and store bought props including dry peas in a box, a kazoo, bricks, bells and a rainmaker.
“I also liked the fact that you had to imagine what was going on and the noise (sound effects) adds to that,” Cooperider said.
As “Tales from the Grave” came to a close with a round of applause from the crowd, the actors took a brief intermission before coming out for a Q&A. While answering questions from fans of the performance who stuck around, the four actors along with Nelson discussed rehearsing, coming up with the props and their nostalgia for performing.
“I really liked it, it was really good,” said Jimmy Russell, a senior at Delaware Hayes High School. “It was a good take on classic radio plays.”
Junior Katie Patrick as Eva leans on the shoulder of junior Margot Reed as Helga.
By Dr. Thomas Wolber
From Feb. 18 to 22, Ohio Wesleyan University’s department of theatre and dance will perform Kindertransport, an award-winning 1993 play by British author Diane Samuels. To read it was difficult, in more ways than one, so it might be appropriate to provide some historical background and context so that the audience might develop a fuller and more accurate understanding of what the author is trying to accomplish. The goal of this article is to establish a framework, not to reveal any specific plot details or to comment on the production.
Most Americans take it for granted that their lives are safe and secure, stable and predictable. That is not the norm in many other countries, and that has not been the norm in human history. Today, there are more than 33 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were forced to flee their homes as a result of conflict. If you add the millions more who have crossed international borders to save their lives, the staggering number is over 51 million, the highest since World War II. Astonishingly, half of them are children. Many refugees never reach safety during their passage – they are killed, or drown or die of starvation and diseases. In addition, many countries eye migrants with suspicion and hostility or deny them entry altogether. Even those individuals or families who do reach a safe haven often end up in temporary refugee camps where they are treated like lepers and languish in legal limbo for years and decades, unable to work and become productive members of society again.
World War II was one of those horrific times in world history, when some 55 million people perished and tens of millions more were forced to flee their ancestral land either as a result of combat or the redrawing of political borders. For example, millions of Germans and Austrians fled Nazi Germany and went abroad, not all of them Jewish. At the end of the war, millions more Germans were uprooted and had to abandon their former homes in areas that are now part of Poland or the Czech Republic to seek safety in western Europe.
The wrenching fate of one of those refugees or migrants is the topic of Kindertransport. In 1938 and 1939, after the “Kristallnacht” (the Night of the Broken Glass) and before the outbreak of World War II, nearly 10,000 German-Jewish children were evacuated to England. Many of them would never again see their parents who stayed behind and perished in concentration camps such as Buchenwald or Dachau. Thus, little Eva (only nine years old at the time) becomes separated not only from her parents, but from her language, religion, culture and identity. Over the years, she adjusts, but it is very clear that throughout her adult life she remains haunted and scarred as a result.
She never recovers from being uprooted, and her profound loss leads to lifelong depression and melancholy. She has difficulty relating to other people, including her own daughter. The mental anguish and emotional damage of Eva (or Evelyn, as she calls herself later in life) is one of the main motifs of the play. There are others, but they all have their origins in the original dispossession and dislocation. For example, just like Eva’s life is like a broken and dysfunctional piece of crystal, so the language of the play is fragmented and tortured. Eva’s unspeakable suffering is so great that she prefers the protection of forgetting over the pain of remembrance. She was too young and vulnerable to bear the separation and indicates at one point that she would have preferred to die alongside her parents rather than being shipped to England. The idea of survival rings hollow if the price is lifelong agony.
Despite the obvious references to Hitler and Nazi Germany, the play is not primarily a historical play – it is a complicated narrative in which past and present, history and mythology are interwoven. It contains many biblical references to the Old Testament, all of which are relevant for a deeper understanding of what it means to experience separation and how to remember it: In Genesis, Adam and Eve are cast out of Paradise, thus becoming the world’s first migratory family.
Passover commemorates the Exodus from Egypt. Living dispersed in exile (“galut” in Hebrew) has been part of the Jewish identity throughout history: “Though shalt be a diaspora.” But one related question the play does not pursue and address – where is God in all of this? Why does he not reveal himself and why does he not “look after” and “take care of” little Eva despite her repeated desperate cries for help? Maybe God is present and provides for Eva in disguise, unrecognized and unacknowledged? Perhaps he chose to remain hidden to allow us to overcome our dependency on him? Perhaps – to quote Nietzsche – he is dead and we humans have to learn to do without him? The “deus absconditus,” one of theology’s oldest mysteries, remains an unanswered and perhaps unanswerable question.
Kindertransport is the story of but one human refugee. Eva was an innocent Jewish child, but innocent Native American and Mexican children, Palestinian and Syrian children, have met and are still meeting similarly tragic fates. Multiply Eva’s sorrows and sufferings by fifty million, and you start getting an idea of the kind of economic and political, social and psychological toll the modern refugee problem exacts on humanity.
Come to think of it, dispossession and dislocation is probably as old as humanity itself. Europe’s map was redrawn multiple times during the turbulent migration period (400 to 700 C.E.) during the decline of the Roman Empire. And wasn’t North America largely settled by people seeking refuge from Europe’s religious persecutions and wars, and later due to institutionalized slavery? And it is well known that Australia’s history dates back to the forced deportation of British prisoners. And, who knows, some day we might find pockets of humanity living in outer space, scattered by choice or involuntarily in the solar system and beyond.
To some extent, migration is thus part not only of Jewish identity but of the human race in general. At the very least we should show understanding and compassion for the victims of both forced and voluntary migration instead of maligning and loathing “the poor and huddled masses” seeking to save and improve their fragile and miserable lives.
Another take-home message from the play might be the idea of peace – the necessity to turn swords into ploughshares. The cost of war is too great to sustain for any length of time, and non-aggression is preferable to violence in almost every circumstance. If the world finally learned to live in peace and harmony, with or without God, then plays like Kindertransport would no longer have to be written and performed.
Dr. Thomas Wolber is an associate professor of German at Ohio Wesleyan. He teaches all levels of German language, literature and civilization. In addition to those subjects, he specializes in comparative literature and environmental studies.
Album cover for “What A Beautiful World, What A Terrible World” by The Decemberists. Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.Album cover for “Froot” by Marina and the Diamonds. Photo courtesy of Amazon.com.
2014 has come to an end and the new year is upon us. With the close of each year, Best Albums lists begin to crowd the Web. But instead of looking back to the music of the recent past, here is a compilation of some noteworthy albums to look forward to in the upcoming months.
Who: The Decemberists Album title: What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World Release month: January Why it matters: The Decemberists are notable for their ability to tell fantastical tales in just a few short minutes and their mastery of the alt-pop genre. Their unlimited creativity will no doubt surface in their seventh studio album. As many critics are already claiming, this album is set to harken back to the band’s elegant skills through a compilation of simplistic songs about terrible beauty.
Who: Sufjan Stevens Album title: Carrie & Lowell Release month: March Why it matters: An artist known for more than just his barely pronounceable name, Sufjan Stevens will be taking a much anticipated turn back to his folk roots with his newest album. As mentioned in a press release for the album, “Carrie & Lowell” will explore themes related to “life and death, love and loss, and the artist’s struggle to make sense of the beauty and ugliness of love.” Steven’s first album since 2010 is also set to feature collaborations with artists such as Laura Veirs, Sean Carey, and Ben Lester.
Who: JEFF the Brotherhood Album title: Wasted on the Dream Release month: March Why it matters: These Nashville brothers have been putting out sing-along punk rock jams for years. “The most fully realized JEFF the Brotherhood album,” as dubbed by member Jake Orrall, is set to exhibit early-90s vibes and some of the duo’s most conscious songwriting yet.
Who: Bjork Album title: Vulnicura Release month: March Why it matters: It is still up in the air whether Bjork is a real person or just an alien sent to Earth to make avant-garde dance tunes; either way her new album is bound to be a contemporary masterpiece. Teaming up with the Venezuelan producer Arca, who recently worked with powerhouses Kanye West and FKA twigs, can’t hurt either.
Who: Marina and the Diamonds Album title: Froot Release month: April Why it matters: Marina Diamond is is most often recognized for the miniature black heart that marks one side of her perfectly blushed cheeks and for creating kitschy pop songs mocking the commercialism of romance. Now the front-woman of Marina and the Diamonds says she will be releasing a more serious and introspective album. Diamondis told music website Line of Best Fit that she hoped to produce a much more “reflective” album focusing on topics such as difficult relationships and struggles with mental health.
Who: Frank Ocean Album title: TBA Release month: TBA Why it matters: Ocean’s dip into solo work with his first album “Channel Orange” was wildly praised. After the debut in 2012, not much has been revealed about Ocean’s plans for other additions to his discography. Although there have been many rumors circulating about the artist’s intentions without any confirmation, it seems that 2015 will finally be the year some new work surfaces. Ocean has sent out multiple teaser messages divulging information about his time in the studio with producers such as Hit-Boy and Rodney Jenkins and even released an original song, and a cover of The Isley Brothers’ “At Your Best (You Are Love).”
Cirque De La Symphonie. Photo courtesy: Columbus Association for Performing Arts website.Skully’s Music Diner. Photo courtesy: Skully’s website.Sophomore Greyson Goodwin swims at an invitational. Photo courtesy: OWU’s Battling Bishops website.
Sample from Columbus Museum of Arts’ Inside Story Tour. Photo courtesy: Columbus Museum of Art’s website.Tales From the Grave show. Photo courtesy of Connect2OWU’s website.
Ladies, 80’s, and More! Featuring DJ Ginsu Dance Party @ Skully’s Music Diner – Columbus, OH on Jan. 22 at 9:00 p.m.
See You Thursday Improv Show @ Wild Goose Creative – Columbus, OH on Jan. 23 at 8:00 p.m.
OWU Men’s Swimming and Diving vs. Oberlin @ OWU’s Meeks Aquatic Center – Delaware, OH on Jan. 24 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Cirque De La Symphonie performed by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra @ The Ohio Theatre – Columbus, OH on Jan. 24 at 8:00 p.m.
A Portable Theatre @ OWU’s Chappelear Drama Center – Delaware, OH on Jan. 24 at 8:00 p.m.
Karaoke Night @ Ace of Cups Bar – Columbus, OH on Jan. 25 at 10:00 p.m.
Best of Columbus Comedy Showcase @ Funny Bone Comedy Club and Restaurant – Columbus, OH on Jan. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Inside Story Tour @ Columbus Museum of Art – Columbus, OH on Jan. 25 at 1:00 p.m.
Larry Cressman talks about his art. Photo courtesy of Cole Hatcher.
Larry Cressman’s “Covering Ground” exhibit will be lining the walls of the Ross Art Museum on Ohio Wesleyan’s campus from Jan. 13 to Feb. 15.
The 3-D artwork is formed from daylily stalks, raspberry cane, dogbane and prairie dock. These natural materials are inspired by the Midwest’s fall and winter seasons.
Tammy Wallace, the assistant director of the Ross Art Museum, is excited to have a different kind of exhibit on display.
“The idea of drawing but in a physical sense is very unique and intriguing,” she said. “It adds something different.”
She explained even “Dreamscape,” one of the last exhibits on display in the museum, used branches, but was still very different than Cressman’s designs.
“It’s restrained and calculated and he knew where each one of these branches was going to go,” Wallace said.
OWU art students study the exhibits that come to the museum and use them as inspiration in the classroom.
Sophomore Abi Care Horvat enjoyed seeing the exhibit being put together, especially Cressman’s designs.
“In gallery management we pick out and hang all of the artwork in shows and design the layout of works in the museum,” she said. “This exhibit was especially cool because the only record of his sculptures are photos because he takes them all apart and arranges them differently for every show.”
When Director Justin Kronewetter and Wallace had the chance to bring Cressman’s work to the Museum, they were more than willing.
“It was an excellent choice for our students both in drawing and in 3-D,” Wallace said.
Cressman, who attended and now teaches at University of Michigan, has 15 collections around the United States.
As stated on larrycressman.com, he has received numerous awards for his work, including Best of Show at the Michigan Fine Arts Competition and the Merit Award at the Great Lakes Drawing Biennial.
Photo: Wendy Caldwell for the Central Ohio Symphony
They pluck their strings, blare their horns, and beat their drums, but the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra does much more than perform for the Ohio Wesleyan community.
The orchestra was founded in 1978 as a partnership with the university’s music department and the wider Delaware community. The orchestra today is a non-profit that sustains itself on ticket sales, donations and written grants. As a result, it has fostered a unique relationship with the school that may be unknown to some students.
Aside from calling Gray Chapel their home for over 35 years, the symphony was originally an outgrowth of the former Ohio Wesleyan University Symphony Orchestra according to Warren Hyer, the executive director for the Central Ohio Symphony.
Hyer said that university cuts in the late 1970s and lack of student involvement at the time caused the symphony to change hands over to the already-involved community.
However, this has not negatively affected the relationship between the orchestra and the university, Hyer said. In fact, he thinks it allows for greater flexibility in the partnership while still maintaining that close bond.
“The university very much wanted us to stay involved with them and we served officially as a kind of bridge between the community and Ohio Wesleyan,” said Hyer. “We have a very strong relationship with the university. It is my impression that it is very important for the university to have us on campus.”
For Hyer, this strong relationship includes marketing for both the wider community as well as students at Ohio Wesleyan, and not just for ticket sales either.
Hillary Fowler (’14), the postgraduate intern for university advancement, began her first ever internship with the Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra working under Hyer.
“During my sophomore year, I decided that I wanted to go in to arts administration,” Fowler said. “I started off as a volunteer to get office experience and it evolved into an internship position. I was actually the first music major to intern at the office.”
In addition, the orchestra often engages the Ohio Wesleyan Marketing Group, which largely consists of student economics majors who conduct various marketing projects for organizations on and off campus.
Both Fowler and Hyer said that the symphony also provides economic majors and other students opportunities for volunteering and internships assisting the orchestra in issues such as financial issues. The whole point is to gain experience according to both Hyer and Fowler.
“It’s a great relationship. The university provides the ‘in-kind’ gift of Gray Chapel and the Central Ohio Symphony provides internships, which are invaluable for students and even young alumni,” Fowler said. “That’s what we, as the university, always try to provide students is real-life experiences. It’s great to have a resource that’s right in town and, aside from all that, the symphony provides performances.”
Orchestra performances are often listed under Ohio Wesleyan’s Performing Arts Series.
The Central Ohio Symphony Orchestra is next playing on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2:00 and 4:30 p.m. in Gray Chapel for their annual Holiday Concert. Admission for Ohio Wesleyan students is six dollars. To see some of their previous concerts, go to http://stream.owu.edu under “Community Performance Archive.”
A piece from Elizabeth Fergus-Jean’s “Dreamscapes” exhibition, now on display at Ross Art Museum. Photo by Olivia Lease
By Olivia Lease Transcript Reporter
There are three new exhibits at the Richard M. Ross Art Museum, one of which wasspecifically designed for the museum that will never be showcased again.
All of the work on exhibit was done by a husband and wife duo from the Columbus area, Elizabeth and John Ferges-Jean. Previously, they had never shown their work together.
The exhibit opened Nov. 9 and will remain up until Dec. 18.
The first exhibit, “Dreamscape” was done by Elizabeth Fergus-Jean. It showcases 100 white paperclay boats floating amidst tree limbs.
Elizabeth said that the tree limbs were very difficult to come by and she had to contact several different Columbus tree-trimming services.
It was important for her to use real, rather than fake branches.
“One of the things that I really like to do with my work, because it is environmentally based, is to have people reconnect their direct relationship with nature and reestablish the beauty and wonder and profound impact,” she said.
She had no say in what type of branches she received.Originally, her concept didn’t involve leaves but as an installationer, she said she has to be malleable. In the end, she was given a truck full of ornamental pear tree limbs the day before installation began.
Students in the Gallery Management class typically spend 6-9 hours working on an exhibit the week before it is opened.
Senior Sarah Sakov said that “when I ended up helping, there were branches spread out all over the floor of the entry way.” Sakov said she enjoyed collaborating with the artist and getting to see her realize her vision.
“Dreamscape” required some back-up to be called in. Elizabeth said that seven of her grad students at Columbus College of Art and Design did a fabulous job helping her.
Ross Art Museum’s Director, Justin Kronewetter said they did not foresee the extra costs coming with this exhibit. Almost an extra $1,000 was spent on step ladders and scaffolding.
This exhibit was hung up in layers over the span of five days.
Elizabeth noted that the image of the boat she has been using since 1990 as a metaphor for the vessel that takes us through life.
“It just has this profound archetypal resonance for when you see it just floating, it awakens the imagination,” she said.
The second exhibit, entitled “Penumbrae” is by John Fergus-Jean.
It focuses on how with the erosion of photos, memories become more and more distant over time.
He says Penumbrae is how every shadow has a dark part but it also has a lighter part towards the edge, and that part that contains light and darkness.
“So these images to me contain the light of knowing and then the darkness of not knowing,” he said.
The size and formation of the pieces mimic original daguerreotypes. They were created in 2014 but the images he has been working with for a while.
John is a master printer and did the prints for the third exhibit, “Awe” by Izze Frances. Frances is actually a pseudonym used by Elizabeth to separate her photographic work from the rest of her work.
“The word ‘awe’ is the awe in life. To become re-enchanted with the everyday ordinary,” she said.
The photos showcased were taken in 2012 while she and John were on sabbatical.
All three exhibits can be viewed at the museum Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. As well as Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.
A company of student dancers performed “Orchesis 14/15” last weekend in Chappelear Drama Center. Photo: Andrenyka Saldivar for OWU Orchesis on Facebook
The Ohio Wesleyan department of theatre and dance presented student-produced dance pieces at Orchesis this weekend.
The annual performance, which was in its 64th year of production, according to University Chaplain Jon Powers’s introduction to the performance, ran from Nov. 14-16 at the Chappelear Drama Center. It included eight modern pieces featuring student performers, seven of which were choreographed by students.
Senior Lauren Holler, the only choreographer to present a senior project, provided ample explanation in her program statement about the vision behind her piece. Holler, a double major in politics and government and theatre and dance, combined her seemingly dissimilar passions for public service and law into her choreography.
“I find that public service, dance, and law are all vehicles for codifying the human experience,” she wrote in her program note. “I believe that the arts, dance in particular, can play a vital role in politics and local communities. Dance can and should be used as a vehicle for social change.”
Holler said she attempted to use her choreography to explore the social tendency to marginalize others.
“Basically my piece was a depiction of majoritarian democracy gone wrong,” she said.
“The average audience member probably did not read that far into my piece … As long as I got people thinking or at the very least entertained them, I’d say my piece was a success.”
Rashana Smith, an assistant professor of dance who directed Orchesis for the second time this year, explained her goals for the production in her program statement.
“This year I paid particular attention to the development of the student choreography as a means of highlighting individual ideas and physical facility within the common group of artists,” she wrote. “This year’s approach was particularly potent in the way of choreographic processes … (and) the experience of stepping out of comfort zones.”
At Friday night’s opening of Orchesis, Chappelear was nearly filled with students and other members of the OWU community.
“I appreciated the choreographers creativity this year,” said senior Katrina Mason-Bentz, who has attended Orchesis three years in a row.
“A lot of the pieces were very modern, and most were more about communicating a message as opposed to going through technical motions… It was a different show than what has been done in the past, but I really enjoyed it.”
Construction continues on the Simpson-Querry Fitness Center, which will house the new dance studio. Photo: progress.owu.edu
Ohio Wesleyan’s dance studio is finally moving back on campus after being located in downtown Delaware for the last five years.
A new dance studio will be one of the features of the Simpson-Querrey Fitness Center opening in fall 2015.
The current studio at 38 S. Sandusky St. is a narrow space that sits in between Clancy’s Pub and the Delaware County Tourism Bureau. The only thing identifying it has the dance studio is a small white sign placed in the window, making it easy to pass by.
Rashana Smith, assistant professor of theatre and dance, said the move will bring more visibility to the dance department and to OWU’s various outlets of dance.
“I’m really looking forward to being on campus and to be more connected to campus and students,” freshman dance major Alexia Minton said.
Minton said the expansion of the dance department with the new studio put OWU above other schools when she was looking at colleges and helped her make the decision to come to Delaware.
“It’s really saying a lot about OWU and how they care about all departments,” Smith said. “It raises the standard to what the department expects and the students deserve.”
The space is expected to be about 42 feet by 67 feet. While the exact size of the current studio was not known, it is considerably smaller, Smith said.
“Choreographers can never see their piece as it would be performed,” she said. “The new studio gives distance and width.”
Both Smith and Minton agreed that one of the things they are looking forward to is having a floor specifically made for dance.
They had to add in another level to the floor in the current space this year to be able to have a sprung floor, which provides more give for jumps and other movements.
The move also provides more interaction with the health and human kinetics department, which Smith said is going back to the roots of dance.
Every first Friday of the month, Delaware throws a party that looks to the past as it reaches for the future.
First Friday is a community-built, community-driven celebration aimed at revitalizing a downtown that is a shadow of what it once was.
Sponsored by Main Street Delaware Inc., the event began about 12 years ago in part to capture a lost sense of family and community values, said Frances Hamilton, the executive director for the organization.
The group is a non-profit that relies on volunteers and manages a small budget for charity. Their main job: promote downtown Delaware.
“We started doing First Fridays because the downtown used to be a major hub on a Friday night back when my grandmother was growing up,” Hamilton said.
Deborah Shatzer, the executive director for the Delaware County Tourism Bureau agreed that Fridays were an opportunity to amp up Delaware nightlife.
“A lot of the towns (that people) visit aren’t alive anymore because they haven’t been able to stay happening.”
This county-funded organization’s stated mission is to “promote tourism and attract visitors and conventions to Delaware County.”
This is how they help Main Street Delaware according to Shatzer. They focus on the tourist and Main Street flexes their marketing muscle on the closer community.
The concept seems to work economically and culturally for downtown Delaware.
“On an average basis, we see anywhere between a 20 to 30 percent increase in sales and revenue during any ‘First Friday’ event. Sometimes that’s higher and would be higher at times if only for running out of space,” Hamilton said.
First Fridays are having a ripple effect too, drawing people downtown on non-event Fridays. With the backdrop of nostalgia and the goal of increasing foot traffic, Main Street partners with other organizations to develop a marketing strategy promoting downtown as a family-friendly hub of activity.
“Marketing the downtown is exactly why we do First Friday. There is not much to a community if they don’t have a vital and active downtown. That is the heart of the whole existence,” Hamilton said.
Shatzer said the events remind her of her childhood growing up in the 1950s.
“The downtown was the heart of the community and it just reminded me of my childhood,” Shatzer said.
Cole Hatcher, director of media and community relations for Ohio Wesleyan University and board member of Main Street Delaware, explained the non-profit’s search to consistently improve the annual event.
“One of the things that we’re working on is more permanent street closure to try to ease the congestion on the sidewalk,” Hatcher said.
“The one thing that we’re continuing to think about is how do you provide an experience for that younger teenage audience as well.”
Every First Friday has a particular theme varying each month. These themes include the “DelawaREADS” one that occurred last Friday to popular ones such as Valentine’s-influenced “Chocolate Walk” in February and the holiday theme in December.
“Deciding on themes is simple,” Hamilton said.
“The ones that work and are popular are kept. The ones that don’t work, don’t reappear.”
