Entertainment – Page 5 – The Transcript

Freedom of speech brought to light in play

By Gopika Nair, Editor-in-Chief

With Fahrenheit 451’s production, Ohio Wesleyan’s theatre and dance department brought attention to national issues concerning free speech and censorship.

After five weeks of rehearsals, the production was held on the Main Stage inside Chappelear Drama Center, running from Oct. 5 through Oct. 7. Adapted from Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name, the play was directed by D. Glen Vanderbilt Jr., professor of theatre.

“I had been considering the play for several years and this year felt like the ‘right’ time to offer it,” Vanderbilt said. “Free thought and free speech are such a part of our national conversation these days, the book (over 50 years old) has some new urgency.”

Bradbury’s novel was published in 1953, but its themes continue to be relevant today.

“Every day, we hear stories of people who have attempted to squelch other people’s thoughts and expressions,” Vanderbilt said. “It happens far too often in our society. We take many of our freedoms for granted and this play about a society where they have given away many of them is a cautionary tale about a possible future.”

In the play, Guy Montag, portrayed by sophomore Josh Martin, lives in a world where books and the ideas it contains are banned. Montag is a fireman whose job is to burn books, with pyrotechnics featured in the production. Throughout the course of the play, Montag’s dissatisfaction with his life increases and he’s consumed by intellectual curiosity.

Martin said he was intrigued by the stage adaptation of Bradbury’s novel and sought out the opportunity to be a part of OWU’s production.

“I am fascinated by the dichotomy of Montag’s inner thoughts; the ever-present battle between autonomy and peace, morality and ignorance,” he said.

The play also ended on a more hopeful note than the one offered in the novel, which delighted many audience members, Martin said.

“I think Bradbury, when he wrote Fahrenheit 451 (and I’m sure today), would hope for people to continue to question their world around them,” he said. “Find ways to challenge the inequities that plague Western culture and never stop protesting the status quo.”

The play also featured senior Kacie Iuvara as Mildred, Montag’s wife. Because Fahrenheit 451 tied her passions for theatre and books, Iuvara said she wanted to become involved with the production.

“As actors, we’re told to look for objectives, what our characters want,” Iuvara said. “Playing Mildred, a character who lives for the next high and buries herself in distractions to avoid coping with reality, was difficult because she often didn’t have an obvious objective. Figuring out what Mildred wanted out of her life was definitely challenging, but also a lot of fun.”

The play cautioned audience members about the dangers of erasing knowledge and rewriting facts, Iuvara said.

“This play reminds audience members about the extreme importance of creativity, individuality, truth, and above all, thought.”

OWU students shine in production of “Scenes”

By Alameina White, Transcript Reporter

Some of Ohio Wesleyan’s first-year students got their chance to shine in this year’s production of Scenes.

Scenes gives first-year students a chance to showcase their skills and express interest in the theatre department. Not everyone who participates are theatre majors; some participate for fun. Each year, Scenes is conducted by the Directing class instructed by Ed Kahn.

This year the, class’s directors were Emma Antal, Jack Riter, Josh Martin, Doris Ottman, Emily Shpiece, Michael Sutton and part-time instructor Bradford Sadler.

Seven scenes with themes ranging from poverty in Alfred Sutro’s “The Man on the Kerb” to adultery in George Bernard Shaw’s “Overruled” were presented this year.

“It greatly exceeded my expectations because it was Scenes [performed by freshmen],” said Romi Gould, “but everyone performed so well.”

Gould went to support her friends and was impressed by the smooth transitions and said she liked that there was an open forum for everyone to meet the cast and crew at the end. Some in the audience didn’t know what Scenes was about, but came to support their friends and family anyway.

“I didn’t really know what I was going to,” said Nate Burkes. “My friend had told me that it was a chill, lighthearted event he thought I’d like.”

A few audience members had participated in Scenes in previous years and also found the performance very entertaining.

“I was in Scenes last year,” said Alanna Williams, “and it was just nice to see it done so well from an audience’s perspective.”

At the end of the production the department thanked everyone for attending and encouraged them to attend their next performance titled “Fahrenheit 451.” This event is happening from Oct. 5 to Oct. 8.

Ross Art Museum features first outdoor video exhibit

By Jesse Sailer, Transcript Reporter

The unveiling of the Ross Art Museum’s first public outdoor art installation titled “the Shadows We Cast” is a thought-provoking conversation piece about years of history stored within public spaces.

The installation was projected on the front facade of the Ross in the form of a 12-minute looped video that showed a montage of documents and images collected from the Delaware County Historical Society and the OWU Historical Collection of Beeghly Library.

The artists behind the exhibit are Tiffany Carbonneau and Susanna Crum, both of whom have pursued art as their chosen professions and continue to create work in their chosen medium.

Carbonneau’s body of work explores the impact of our surroundings by presenting the public with familiar architectural constructions in an unfamiliar setting. Crum is an accomplished printmaker and has been heavily focused on archival research and social artifacts.

Her work consists of multilayered images that merge together oral histories, documents and film.

“The overlaying of images from different eras and time periods give way for the viewer to access public space in a new way,” said Crum.

Carbonneau and Crum’s shared interest in the connection between the past and the influence it holds on the present and future made for an advantageous partnership.

This project has been in the making for more than a year and was sparked by an interest in the history of the Ross Art Museum. Prior to its renovation into an art museum, it served as a post office until 1969. Its job as a post office allowed for it to be a crossroads between campus and community and a transition point for sending and receiving information.

This link between the outside world and inside manifested itself in the shape of postcards, letters and printed maps and brochures.

These materials were collected and meticulously layered on top of each other to create a composition and narrative that displayed a visual relationship between personal, political and historical events that shaped the cultural diversity of Delaware.

“All are treasures, like gears in a time machine taking us to curious places in the past inspiring us to carry on,” said Benny Shoults, a trustee and member of the Delaware County Historical Society.

The technical aspect of the video installation was accomplished through the process of projection mapping. A complex process of manipulating the chosen projection to fit the exact contours and terrain of the structure the video is being presented on.

Creating these projections “highlights the significance of our built environment within our modern and historical cultural framework,” said Carbonneau.

This exhibit gives a glimpse into the cultural identity of Delaware and the OWU communities. Through the collection and presentation of historical archives, the public is provided a narrative that illustrates the connections between past and present.

Wes Anderson returns after lengthy absence

By Jesse Sailer, Transcript Reporter

Wes Anderson returns to the screen with his new film “Isle of Dogs” after a four-year absence.

His 2014 film “The Grand Budapest Hotel” earned him a nomination for best picture at the Academy Awards and rave reviews from movie critics alike.

The plot follows the journey of a young boy named Atari, who is searching for his dogs after a dystopian Japan quarantines all canines on “Trash Island” after an outbreak of dog flu.

Much like his 2009 film “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which demonstrates the dazzling use of stop-motion, “Isle of Dogs” delivers a kinetic energy that can only be delivered through the aesthetic that stop-motion offers.

The trailer gives us a quick glimpse at the striking playground Anderson has created for us to feast our eyes on as well as a cast of entertaining characters to follow throughout the film.

His signature cinematographic flare is also evident in the teaser trailer. Anderson’s group of recurring actors such as Bill Murray, Ed Norto and Tilda Swinton return to voice the cast of characters for the 2018 film along with new faces such as Bryan Cranston and Scarlett Johansson.

The film debuts on March 23, 2018, to a much awaited public waiting to see how Anderson plans to outdo himself this time.

Taylor Swift’s single makes waves with its new sound

By Madeleine Matos, Transcript Reporter

Taylor Swift is back again with her new chart-topping single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” which is coming off of her upcoming studio album Reputation.

The song is a departure from her music styles in the past. When thinking of the country artist turned pop phenomenon, the idea of angry is not what comes to mind.

Yet, the sound isn’t necessarily bad.

Swift is known for writing from the heart, with many of her songs being connected to her former boyfriends, bullies or her childhood.

The song’s lyrics are more difficult to interpret but still pack a punch. Lines such as, “I don’t like your little games / Don’t like your tilted stage” or “But I got smarter, I got harder in the nick of time / Honey, I rose up from the dead, I do it all the time” showcases Swift as someone unlike the innocent pop princess of years past.

Swift has been accused of playing the victim card in this song, as listeners question who the song is directed toward. After many repeated plays and looking at the lyrics, I presume the song is about the Kanye and Kim Kardashian-West feud that Swift has been at the center of for more than a year.

The song is catchy and energetic in all aspects. “Look What You Made Me Do” has a similar sound to the infamous “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred.

The musical group is credited as co-writers on the song. I recommend giving the song a chance before the album comes out as a precursor to see what Swift has in mind.

With empowering lyrics and a beat that you cannot get out of your head, “Look What You Made Me Do” is a song that any Swift fan will enjoy, and allows those who are not fans of her previous music a chance to explore a new style.

Wesleyan Players host sketch comedy show

By Alameina White, Transcript Reporter

Ohio Wesleyan students performed monologues constructed in 45 minutes.

The Wesleyan Players hosted a sketch comedy this past Saturday in Chappelear Drama Center’s Studio Theatre with special co-host Dave Winnyk.

About 25 people went to see the Wesleyan Players, Babbling Bishops and theatre members put on a 45-minute comedy show, constructed of several monologues.

Winnyk graduated from OWU in 2013 and went on to open the Real Good Sketch Company in Chicago, Illinois. The Real Good Sketch Co. travels around the Midwest, putting on comedy sketch shows for varied audiences as well as teach them about comedy and “how to be funny.”

In just a few hours, Winnyk taught students how to look at and write comedy from different points of view. Winnyk then sent each student to construct their own comedic monologues in 45 minutes. Afterward, the students brought their monologues together to create an entire show in three hours.

Similar to the Wesleyan Players’ events, the 23-Hour Play Fest and the Too Late Show, students had less than 24 hours to create and perform their pieces. Event with the little time they had, the performers still had the audience laughing and throughout the entire show.

“All it takes to put on a good performance is creative people and dedication,” said junior Ares Harper, president of the Wesleyan Players Club.

These sketches weren’t like shows put on by standup comedians such as Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle. Each monologue entailed its own joke.

“It’s not like standup comedy,” said sophomore Rose Jonesco. “Your monologue is your joke. The question is what is funny about your perspective?”

The show’s overarching theme was politically inclined with a focus on the end of the world. But the topics ranged from “Putin and President Donald Trump’s last phone conversation” to a man’s lack of knowledge of the female anatomy.

“In the end, we learned to expand our comedy and where our comedy comes from,” Jonesco said. A live-stream video of the performance can be found on Dave Winnyk’s Facebook page.

Emeritus professor Marty Kalb discusses his art career

By Gopika Nair, Editor-in-Chief

As a college freshman, Marty Kalb planned to go into the hotel business. “I never thought I would be an artist,” he says.

But today the Ohio Wesleyan University emeritus professor of fine arts sits on a bench in the Richard M. Ross Art Museum, surrounded by pieces of his artwork, ranging from realistic depictions of tides surging ashore to abstract landscapes bustling with color.

More paintings hang in other sections of the museum, and Kalb notes the distinctions between them—some are done on paper, others on canvas. From structured geometric pieces to monochromatic images capturing the horrors of the Holocaust, the paintings featured in the museum for the “Marty Kalb Retrospective” are a fraction of the work he has done in his lifetime.

Kalb worked in hotels during high school and enrolled as a hotel management major in college. But after realizing the career was limiting in terms of lifestyle and intellectual involvement, he dropped out of the program after two weeks.

“I made up a major,” the Delaware resident says. “It was called agricultural psychology, and I said my minor was bovine counseling, and there was no such thing.”

Kalb spent the next three and a half years completing basic graduation requirements and taking courses that piqued his interest. But after being told he couldn’t graduate without a preference in a particular subject, Kalb decided he liked art and took courses to complete an art education major.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University and, under the guidance of his mentor Charles Pollock (brother of Jackson Pollock), decided to pursue a graduate degree in art.

Yale University offered him an invitation to study graphic design and, after getting a degree, Kalb attended University of Berkeley, California.

“That was very nice in the sense that it exposed me to a totally different environment than the East Coast or the Midwest and, at that point, figure painting was very well thought of in California,” Kalb says. “It was also a time that was extremely exciting politically [with the] free speech movement and Vietnam protest movements. … My life then was very much involved in making artwork.”

At the time, Kalb’s art featured political imagery influenced by Francisco Goya, the Spanish painter who created a series of images dealing with war called “The Disasters of War.”

Following graduate school, Kalb taught at University of Kentucky for a year before coming to Ohio Wesleyan, where he taught for 40 years.

“I was not a product of a liberal arts education,” Kalb says. “I went to large universities and, when I came here, I came from a much larger university. … I didn’t think I would really feel comfortable in a small setting like this, but it turned out to be the absolute best choice in my life as far as professional work as a teacher goes.”

During his tenure, Kalb posted a sign on the wall behind his desk so that when students talked to him, they read: “I like you, now let’s talk about your work.”

“The point of that sign was to say to that student, ‘I care about you as a person, and I want to share my feelings with you about what you do, and what you do doesn’t necessarily have any effect on who you are in my view,’” Kalb says.

Discussing the evolution of his own artwork, Kalb says he has continued to incorporate the same concepts—the movement of visual elements accompanied by a stable entity such as “the contrast between organic and geometric or a flow that seems accidental and then a deliberate placement of an element that is clearly something that is contemplative.”

With the 50-year retrospective exhibition, Kalb says his goal is to show the range of art he has been interested in creating. Plans for the exhibition started around three years ago, and the pieces displayed were selected jointly by Kalb and Tammy Perakis Wallace ’02, assistant director of the Ross Art Museum.

Each section of the museum features different artworks from figurative art, to landscapes and seascapes, to the Holocaust Series.

“When you walk in and experience all of this, you get a pretty good representation of what I’ve been about,” Kalb says. “Is it the best representation of that work? I don’t know. I suppose I’d have to do five or six of these things to figure out which one is the best. But it does have work I’m proud of.”

Many of Kalb’s paintings are from locations he’s photographed while traveling in the United States, Caribbean, China, Japan, and South America. His next planned trip is to Scotland and, though his work hasn’t used references to that country yet, he notes that the ocean plays a significant role in the culture of island countries.

“I think the things that are interesting to me most now are the seas and oceans and the way waves move with the effect of wind and crashing on rocks,” he says. “So wherever I go, I take photographs of things that relate to that.”

Though Kalb says he has been fortunate to travel broadly and see artwork from different cultures, traveling to faraway lands isn’t the only way to find inspiration. Kalb has a group of paintings based on walking by the Delaware Run and another piece inspired by what he saw within half a mile of his house.

“It’s a question of opening your eyes and asking yourself, ‘How beautiful is that?’” he says.

The “Marty Kalb Retrospective” will be on display from Aug. 18 to Oct. 8 at OWU’s Richard M. Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St.

Netflix series “White Gold” reminiscent of “The Wolf of Wall Street”

By Meina White, Arts & Entertainment Editor

British star and former Gossip Girl bad boy Ed Westwick takes on a similar role in the new British Netflix series White Gold.

In the six, 30-minute episodes of season one, Westwick plays a window salesman named Vincent Swan who will do absolutely anything to make sure he finalizes a sale.

Swan crosses many lines to see more cash flow in his life. Things including, but not limited to, cheating, lying, stealing, tax evasion and fraud. Though, who’s anyone to keep a bad boy down?

Westwick’s co-stars James Buckley and Joe Thomas also take on important roles and could be described as intolerable sidekicks and sometimes questionable friends, but their characters add a bit of spice to the already inappropriately funny show.

While watching the show, I couldn’t help but notice its similarities to the notorious film, The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

Both productions are riddled with monologues in which the star speaks solely to the audience. There were even smaller similarities such as the clothing, cars and the way these men handled business.

The Wolf of Wall Street was based on the life of businessman Jordan Belfort. In his prime, Belfort schemed investors out of millions of dollars by selling them worthless stocks and instilling false hope in them. However, White Gold replaces stocks with windows and millions with thousands.

There is a scene in White Gold where one of Swan’s coworkers persuades a customer to buy new windows, claiming the windows she has previously purchased were “defective.” However, her windows were perfectly fine and though she was told she would be getting new windows, they simply took the old ones out and put them right back in. Scandalous, but he then turned a 100 percent profit.

Though the similarities in White Gold and The Wolf of Wall Street concerned me a bit, both were impeccable. If you have the time, I recommend you set aside three hours to watch White Gold this weekend. It is both hilarious and devious and will have you hooked within the first five minutes.

Hollywood diversifies

By Madison Williams, Transcript Correspondent

It’s mighty morphin’ time.

Reminiscent of a classic action movie, Power Rangers embraces the nostalgia of the stereotypical superhero plot, while also breaking down walls and destroying barriers.

Originating from a television series started in 1993, the new Power Rangers reboot released this March, features a racially diverse cast, including a character on the Autism spectrum and another who is questioning her sexuality.

The reboot has gained widespread attention for its prominent inclusivity, and attention to diversity. Its representation of minorities in mainstream media is an essential yet often ignored notion.

“We stuck to the original concept of having a very diversi ed cast. I don’t think a lot of movies take that kind of risk of having a maybe gay character as a super-hero and an autistic kid as a superhero,” said Power Rangers creator Haim Saban in an interview with CNN.

In the Power Rangers movie, the rangers are not de ned by their differences such as being on the autism spectrum and questioning one’s sexuality. Instead, they exist as multi-dimensional superheroes, capable of being strong yet vulnerable, in a sense human and relatable.

“Movies like Power Rangers are so important for representing queer people and neurodiversity,” said freshman Brandon Meyer, who is also a member of the Pride Club. “As long as the representation is done well and is good representation, it will actually be noticed by a large portion of people.”

Seeing inclusion in the mainstream media puts forth an idea that it is acceptable to differ from what is deemed traditionally, socially, and culturally acceptable in our society.

This message is one that can and should be reflected in all aspects of our culture, and used to inform the public in how they should positively contribute to acceptance and inclusion.

On a campus that is “committed to providing a supportive and richly diverse culture on our campus,” according to Ohio Weslyean’s website, it is imperative that the school continues to learn and grow from the messages of inclusivity depicted in mainstream media, and movies like Power Rangers.

“Diversity, to me, means having many different types of people. We have made strides there. The key is inclusion so that not only are all included but all are represented. That, though, is harder to achieve,” said Professor Bob Gitter, a Joseph A. Meek professor of economics.

Improv troupe will perform last show for year

By Orion Wright, Transcript Correspondent

When you take your seat at a Babbling Bishops show, the lights are down and the curtains drawn but the crowd is already laughing.

“They’re really funny,” sophomore Jack Bouman said. Before the Babblers cracks a joke, the audience is already giggling from memories of past performances and the anticipation of the gags to come, according to Bouman.

The Babblers are nearing the end of their performance season as the semester draws to a close. They have a practice every week and shows throughout the semester. They are currently approaching their nal performance of the academic year, and for multiple senior Babblers, their last performance at Ohio Wesleyan.

“[Improv is] an unscripted play . . . you have to put yourself in a situation without any prompting. The best way to describe it is adult make believe,” senior Babbling Bishop Hayden Knisley said.

The Babblers agree that everyone does improv for different reasons. Dane Poppe, another senior member of the troupe, finds improv to be a valuable tool for emotional release. “You . . . bring everything in with you. What you’re going through becomes part of your improv,” Poppe said. “It’s good for my mental health.”

Knisley agrees. “I put a lot of myself into what I do. [Improv] lets you exaggerate and personify your emotions,” Knisley said. For him, fully embracing one aspect or emotion can help to understand what it means and how to deal with it.

Personal therapy isn’t the only reason to do improv comedy, however. “I just want to make people laugh,” Knisely said.

But what is improv really, besides adult make-believe? “In improv, the art comes from the conglomeration of your ideas and everyone else’s, in a big mess,” Poppe said. “I enjoy the chance to make art on the spot and . . . make new things with other performers.” In other words, the opportunity for collaboration in performance is what sets improv apart.

Every Babbler has their own favorite memory of a performance – a sketch they pulled off that rises above the rank and file for them. Poppe recalled a scene-within-a-scene, described by Knisely as “very inventive,” in which they played merchants in a mall peddling ant farms.

“All of the other scenes took place in the ant farms. Whenever we thought there might be a lull in the scene, we would just shake the ant farms and they would have an earthquake.”

The Babblers hope to shake things up at their nal per- formance of the semester on Thursday, April 20 at 9:15 p.m. in Milligan Hub There will also be food trucks and a magician in the Stuy pa.rking lot from 7:30-9:00 p.m.