Entertainment – Page 4 – The Transcript

Unique performance and songs given by a unique group on OWU campus

By Maddie Matos, A&E Editor

Performing unique pieces that appeal to everyone can be difficult, but Ohio Wesleyan University’s Choral Arts Society and Chamber Choir spring concert met the challenge.

The performance was held on Tuesday, with 100 people in attendance. Students and performers filled Gray Chapel, as the choirs performed twelve songs.

Each song was picked by director Jason Hiester, an associate professor of music. Each song is a favorite of Hiester, and each had a unique sound that stood out from each other.

“There’s no real theme to our program, if there was I guess it’d be music Dr. Hiester likes,” Hiester said.

The show began with the Choral Arts Society. The society opened the show with two songs. The spiritual tone of the songs allowed members to surround the audience as they entered the chapel and ring bells to the beat of the song.

“The bells at the beginning where they walked around behind all of us was incredible, and the chords they were singing as they moved to the stage,” attendee Alex McPherson said.

The next set of songs the society performed were more upbeat, but still gave the audience the feeling of being in a church. Throughout the performances, different members had solos including an Oboe solo by student Kathryn Lawson.

Audience members were responsive to the songs and seemingly enjoyed the beauty of the show.

“I hope the audience enjoyed our performance and got something out of it,” performer Hannah Carpenter said.

The second part of the show featured four songs performed by OWU’s Chamber Choir. The choir is smaller and more exclusive than the Choral Arts Society and performs harder songs.

The first song had a tambourine and drum component and featured solos by Hannah Carpenter and Eli Reed.

The second song was a folk song and the audience experienced “love in a small village.”

As the show progressed, the choir sang two contemporary songs. They both were well received by audiences, with applause afterwards.

The end of the show featured the Choral Arts Society again, as their last two songs closed the show.

The first song featured a soprano saxophone solo by professor Nancy Gamso and was a more jazz driven style. The final song left the audience amused, as the performers sang “The poet is a banana” the whole song.

“Our final song was definitely an interesting one and I think the audience really enjoyed it,” Carpenter said.

As the show ended, audience members gave a standing ovation the choir, applauding the hard work put into the show.

“I hope our pieces touched people in a positive way and brought them some happiness because that’s what music is supposed to do,” Carpenter said.

Professor shows the life of Japanese-American artist through photography

By Tung Nguyen, Online Editor

Decades worth of photographs certainly tells a story.

Lynn Estomin, an award-winning professor of digital art and design at Lycoming College (PA), whose works have been known internationally and well-received, presented her new documentary “Living in the Story” in the R.W. Corns building on Feb. 16.

“Living in the Story” shows thirty-five years of photographic artist Patrick Nagatni, a third-generation Japanese-American, who spent most of his lifetime using arts to depict the world’s history during the 20th century with the emphasis on nuclear tragedies.

Unlike many other artists, Nagatani is well-known for his distinctive approaches to photography. More specifically, Natagani uses sets, models as well as sculptures and background paintings to construct his messages.

By using red as the dominant color, Nagatanii, with the blend of fact and fiction in his sets, successfully created a deep sense of tension to depict the nuclear aftermaths.

“His work is also very different. To me, he is telling a story and he is trying to play with the idea of what is truth in photography,” Estomin said. “And more than that, how photography tells somebody its own version of truth.”

In fact, Nagatani did not see himself as a mere photographer but a narrator as well. Like Estomin, Natagani believes that there is no absolute truth in photography. Photography is only reproducing the moments and Natagani said that the magic of his works is “living in the story.”

Dr. Lynette Carpenter, professor of English and Film Studies at Ohio Wesleyan University said: “Patrick’s style is imaginative, unusual and he seems to have a funky sense of humor shown in his works. On the other hand, besides Patrick, Lynn is the one who came up with genius ways in making this film and delivering Patrick’s stories. She should take credit for that.”

When asked what Estomin regrets the most in her documentary, Estomin said: “Definitely the experts talking about his works. I wanted Patrick to tell his story and I didn’t want other people to tell us what we should think is important about his photography. I wanted him to tell the story himself.”

Before “Living in the Story,” Estomin has been acknowledged by her other documentaries on a wide range of social issues such as human rights, domestic violence, and Planned Parenthood, which have been broadcasted nationally on PBS and shown in many film festivals around the world.

To view Patrick Nagatani’s other works, please visit his personal website, www.patricknatagani.com.

OWU’s theatre department recreates history in latest show

By Maddie Matos, A&E Editor

Ohio Wesleyan University’s theatre department delved into royal intrigue and religious question with the student production of Royal Gambit.

The show is about King Henry VIII of England and his famous six wives. The wives were known for meeting dynamic ends, with half of the wives dying in their marriage. Each of the marriages were highlighted in the show, and often intermingled with one another.

The show ran from Feb. 15 through Feb. 18 at the Chappelear Drama Center.

Different topics during Henry’s reign were shown, including the religious turmoil Henry brought when he started the Protestant Revolution and its consequences for all his wives. Actors felt the challenge of recreating a historical drama and being able to portray characters correctly, even if they were an understudy.

“One of my biggest challenges was trying to balance my character research and progression without actually being able to act and perform,” Logan Kovach, who played King Henry VIII’s understudy, said.

Students enjoyed the show and the varied performances cast members gave. The show had humorous elements, making the performance more enjoyable for the audience.

“I enjoyed the dynamics of the characters,” freshman Shayla Scheitler said.

“I thought the show had a comedic relief with all of the innuendos, and that made the show all the more entertaining.”

The production was directed by professor of theatre Elane Denny-Todd, had a cast and crew of over forty people, making the show a smaller production compared to other acts throughout the season.

The actors all gave varied performances, with praise directed mostly to senior Daniel Haygood in the role of Henry VIII.

“He embodied his character to the point that you couldn’t identify him as a student here, just King Henry VIII,” Scheitler said.

The play received praise from students and the actors, including a standing ovation at the end.

OWU’s Got Talent celebrates young and diverse performers

By Maddie Matos, A&E Editor

Students across Ohio Wesleyan campus celebrated diversity and talent in the annual OWU’s Got Talent show.

The show was on February 2 at the Mulligan Hub. OWU’s Black Student Union created and hosted the event.

The performance was an hour long, with seven acts in total.

The acts included local band The Oaks and Acapella group The JAYwalkers. Solo performances by Brandon Solomon, Jaliyah Atkinson, Courtney Owens and Will Fairbanks.

Each act had a different tone, with some students performing acapella, some performing their own music and a majority performing well known songs.

The event allows OWU students to showcase their talents and gain exposure on or off campus. The performers also want to support the event itself.

“These people potentially would not have any outlet outside of this kind of event, so I hope that this event grows,” performer Alex McPherson said.

The Black Student Union sponsored the event, being just one of the many events planned for February. The union received praise and respect for hosting the event.

“This is an event that most would expect CPB to put on, and the fact that they don’t do it is incredibly surprising,” McPherson said. “BSU taking the reins on this event and making it so successful is just another of many examples of how BSU represents Black Excellence.”

The union is celebrating Black History month with different events, including cookouts and films that explore the role of African Americans throughout history. The talent show brought forth this history in some acts.

Four of the performers performed songs by African Americans or spoke about the life of African Americans. Owens spoken word performance received praise from the audience, and was declared the winner of the contest.

“Courtney’s was my favorite act and this is because it was not only different but it was real,” sophomore Jaliyah Atkinson said. “And it hit the heart.”

With over thirty people in attendance, the audience was small but supportive, cheering on each act and providing positive feedback after the show to each performer. The proceeds from the show will fund the events this month.

“We need to show that we can be leaders and we have talent while also acknowledging that other races have talent and can join and have fun with us as one to celebrate all of our different talents,” Atkinson said.

OWU’s Got Talent allowed students of all races to enjoy performing and celebrating together.

Faculty members showcase their love of performing at OWU recital

By Maddie Matos, A&E Editor

Ohio Wesleyan praises itself on having the best faculty possible, and celebrating the accolades that each of them accomplish. The Faculty Recital-Tour d’Anches Woodwind Trio on January 30 celebrated some of the music departments staff.

Professors Nancy Gamso, Karen Pfeifer and Emily Patronik all performed at the show, which lasted an hour.

The professors are in a trio, and have been performing for seven years. They have performed together in the past for the school.

Each professor plays a different instrument and memorize pieces involving all the instruments to play together. Each instrument presents its own challenges.

“We are a reed trio which means we each have a reed on our instrument. I, as an oboist, make my own reeds and so does the bassoonist,” Professor Karen Pfeifer said. “Dr. Gamso performs on both the flute and clarinet which means she has to switch instruments halfway through… The music is very difficult and tricky, and we try to bring all three of our parts into one ensemble idea.”

The pieces chosen for the performance come from the Ohio Solo and Ensemble Contest list, with practices starting in early January.

The pieces chosen for the recital vary, with the professors hoping to add variety to each show.

“Some of these pieces are not in the standard repertoire, so we will be introducing people to some wonderful gems,” Professor Emily Patronik said.

The professors hope to perform at high schools, to teach young students how the piece sounds in real time and teach the piece.

The recital was something fun for the trio to do and allowed them to present their lives outside the classroom.

“We love performing together,” Pfeifer said. “Making music is so much fun.”

The recital was open to OWU students and the Delaware community. The event was free to students and had refreshments afterwards. The professors felt that the show went well.

“The performance was a lot of fun,” Pfeifer said. “It went well.”

The audience was receptive of the show as well, despite the small audience. Hopes for more students in attendance were shared by the professors and fellow audience goers.

The show gave the musicians and audience a chance to experience a different musical style and attitude. The pieces were more casual and upbeat compared to traditional woodwind trio pieces.

The performers felt success after their show, and were glad to share that with the OWU audience.

Music professor performs with “Queen of Soul”

By Kienan O’Doherty, A&E Editor

When the opportunity to perform with a music legend comes along, it’s difficult to pass up.

Such was the case with Ohio Wesleyan professor and trumpeter Larry Griffin, who had the opportunity to perform with singer Aretha Franklin at the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s annual New York Fall Gala last month.

The gala came at an opportune time because Griffin had seen Aretha perform earlier in the fall.

“This year, in June, I had tickets to hear Aretha perform in Chicago, but she cancelled because she was ill,” Griffin said, “So I was able to see her in September, as well as go backstage and do a little meet-and-greet, which was fantastic.”

Franklin had also mentioned to Griffin that Chicago would be her last performance. But musician Elton John convinced her to come back and perform once more.

“Aretha said she would do one more, but she wanted it in a small setting, and wanted all the musicians that she wanted to have,” Griffin said. “She wanted to handpick them.”

Griffin’s close friend, Marshall Seele, got the contract and called Griffin, asking if he wanted to do it, and with some persuading by his wife, packed his bags to New York.

“I was very happy to receive the call,” Griffin said.

Griffin’s track record reveals he has the skills to perform at an event of this magnitude. He has performed all over the world, featuring three European solo tours and two Chinese solo tours, as well as in 42 states and Australia.

What amazed Griffin the most was how many celebrities were in attendance.

“Sting was there, Bill Clinton was there as well and he spoke,” Griffin said. “He’s super laid-back. The room was just filled with celebrities that were in support of Aretha and the foundation.”

The foundation held the gala at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, and it raised more than $4.4 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, supporting services, and advocacy programs across the United States, the Americas and the Caribbean.

Griffin said he would play for Franklin again in a heartbeat, and that she certainly has earned the respect of the music community.

“She did her thing, and she loves to perform. Everybody certainly knew the Queen was there,” Griffin said. “But you have to respect her and what she has accomplished in her career, and how many people she has touched, she truly is the Queen of Soul.”

Peach of a movie breaks Hollywood barriers

By Gopika Nair, Editor-in-Chief

Skip the world—the one demanding your attention, testing your patience, breaking your will—for two hours and submerge yourself in 1980s Italy.

That summer in small-town Bordighera. Swimming in the river. Biking past cobblestoned streets. Transcribing Bach. Reading Ovid. Indulging in wine, love and torpor, the trinity of a lazy, fulfilling summer.

Director Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name probably isn’t your typical Academy Awards contender, and yet, since its screening at film festivals, the movie has received considerable acclaim.

Critics raved about the acting, the cinematography and the movie’s sheer ability to suspend audience’s disbelief enough to immerse themselves in a small Italian town in 1983, living 17-year-old Elio Perlman’s life.

Elio (Timothée Chalamet) meets 24-year-old Oliver (Armie Hammer), an American grad student, when he spends the summer at the Perlmans’ home in Italy.

The movie is based on the novel of the same name by André Aciman. It’s an introspective book, an unapologetic exploration of Elio’s sexuality and desires. Because much of it is subtextual, not a lot happens in terms of plot.

Instead, the book is a back-and-forth ping-pong game of uncertainty and yearning between Elio and Oliver that’s more humorous than it is just angst-driven, with accounts of covert little flirtations dominating the first part of the novel. The movie more or less follows along that same vein, according to reviews.

Call Me By Your Name is unlikely to be a two-hour dream for everyone, especially the ones itching for twists and turns in their moviegoing experience.

So, why is it inching its way up the Oscars contenders’ ladder even though it’s not going to having you on the edge of your seat?

A recent article by Tim Stack for Entertainment Weekly dubbed it the “Moonlight effect.”

At the 89th Academy Awards, Moonlight became the first film with an all-black cast and the first LGBT film to win an Oscar for Best Picture. But diversity in Hollywood is lacking.

We’re more likely to seek out authentic representation and find it on television than Hollywood films (remember when Emma Stone was cast to play a half-Asian character in Cameron Crowe’s Aloha?)

But 2017 has admittedly been a pretty good year for diversity in Hollywood.

The Big Sick, a romantic comedy, features Kumail Nanjiani, a Pakistani-American actor, as the lead. God’s Own Country is another LGBT movie that has received positive reviews since its debut and more are on the horizon, including Love, Simon and Boy Erased, both set for release in 2018, according to Stack’s article.

Call Me By Your Name is distinctive because it is perhaps one of a handful of LGBT movies without a tragic ending.

Think back to LGBT movies that have been critically renowned. For instance, Brokeback Mountain and Blue is the Warmest Color both encompass a similar theme, where characters struggle to accept themselves and so do others around them.

Don’t get me wrong, that narrative isn’t flawed by any means. It’s a reality for many who identify as LGBT, depending on where they live, how they’re raised, cultural values and many other factors.

But as much as it’s essential to show the struggles of LGBT people, surely in 2017, in a nation that legalized gay marriage, at the very least, acceptance can also be a central part of the narratives people consume.

Hammer, who plays Oliver in Call Me By Your Name, perhaps put it best in an interview with MTV News.

“There’s a great element to this movie where no one pays for being gay,” he said. “There’s no punishment. Nobody gets sick, nobody has a wife that they have to tell, there’s no family drama … it’s just two people who expose themselves and make themselves vulnerable to someone else and that person receives it and does the same. It’s just a beautiful thing to watch happen.”

Call Me By Your Name will have a limited release in U.S. theaters on Nov. 24.

Annual contemporary dance concert set to premiere

By Kienan O’Doherty, A&E Editor

As one of the most anticipated events of the year, Ohio Wesleyan’s annual contemporary dance concert will look to wow with its most interactive piece yet.

“Orchesis 17/18” aims to be unlike any other production in OWU history. For one thing, it has a title, “The Time it Takes.”

“‘The Time it Takes’ relates to how much time it takes to actually go through this space together,” Rashana Smith, assistant professor of theatre and dance, said. “Can we hint at, get at, invite a sense of belonging at different levels? Not everyone is going to feel a belonging in the same way.”

One interesting aspect of the performance to look forward to is that it’s one extended piece, instead of the multiple pieces past concerts have been. Also, the performance starts right when you walk in the door, rather than waiting for the audience to be seated.

Smith also brought in renowned performer Erik Abbott-Main as a guest choreographer, who said he hopes his experience in immersive dance theatre will help these performers make it the best concert they can.

“I hope to supply some other techniques that I’ve developed over the years working in this genre and share it on to them,” Abbott-Main said.

The performance will also have no pauses in the show, making it around 50 minutes instead of the usual hour and 15 that previous concerts used to run.

The cast number is lower this year compared to previous years because only 16 students were able to perform. There happened to be a large level of interest, but scheduling conflicts got in the way.

Junior Kelly Coffyn, who has been to the past two concerts, said she is very excited for this installment.

“I really am excited to go because I love seeing people who I didn’t know were passionate about dancing do something they enjoy,” Coffyn said.

“The Time it Takes” will be performed on the Main Stage inside the Chappelear Drama Center.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for senior citizens, Ohio Wesleyan employees, and non-OWU students. Admission is free for Ohio Wesleyan students with a valid OWU ID. Performance dates are Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.