The performance for “The Country House” will take place in the Chappelear Drama Center on the Main Stage on Friday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. and Sunday Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.
Tag: Entertainment
Tri Delta rides the buck of the bull for St. Judes
By Kienan O’Doherty, Editor-In-Chief
The block was hot for Delta Delta Delta’s (Tri Delta) latest philanthropy event.
The sisters of the OWU sorority hosted their second annual Deltas on the Block on Saturday, April 12. Among the amenities included Dan’s Deli, a mechanical bull, and an ice cream truck.
Students, faculty, and family members alike flooded Fraternity Hill to help Tri Delta support their longtime partner St. Jude. However, the best part is Tri Delta doesn’t keep a single cent of the proceeds raised, and none goes towards marketing.
“I thought it went really well, there was a great turnout and people seemed to have fun.” Tri Delta President Leah Crawford said.
The most popular activity was the mechanical bull riding. Students gathered around the inflatable structure and laughed as one by one people were thrown off the bull. Delta Tau Delta Fraternity member John Bonus said the bull riding was the best.
“My favorite part was watching our Delta Tau Delta President Francisco Mejia try to ride the bull and fell off.” Bonus said.
The Pitch Black acapella group sang one last time
By Maddie Matos, A&E Editor
The popularity of acapella has grown in recent years on college campuses, and Ohio Wesleyan University’s acapella group Pitch Black have taken advantage of it.
The group performed their last show of the year on April 20 in Milligan Hub. The show was attended by over twenty people.
Pitch Black has ten members from all years. The group is all female and led by senior Christina Hunter, who enjoyed her time in the group.
“If you’re looking for something to do on campus, join an acapella group, honestly,” Hunter said. “It’s really cool, you make a lot of friends and get to jam out constantly.”
The group performed ten different pieces. Many of them were melodies of different pop songs and others were normal pieces. Some members were able to give solo performances throughout the set.
The final concert was a celebration of the year, with the pieces performed being some of the most popular and best pieces the group has to offer. The concert was well received by members and the audience.
“Our final concert went so well! I was very proud of all of my beautiful ladies for not only sounding great, but looking fabulous while doing it,” member Maggie Veach said. “We had great energy and the audience really seemed to enjoy our performance, making it so much better.”
OWU has three different acapella groups and host the annual A’Cappellooza event. The popularity of this artform has allowed non-music majors or minors to express their passion for singing.
“By arranging our own pieces, we are also able to express individuality through our songs and arrange the sound in our own manner,” Veach said.
The crowd responded positively to the group, with claps and cheers at the end of each song, followed by a standing ovation at the end of the set. Refreshments were served after the performance as well.
Pitch Black members are close with one another. Members have become close with one another and offer support when anyone needs it.
“They are very supportive and are willing to help me out in situations where I need help,” Veach said. “They are also very understanding and accommodating, when students such as myself have such busy lives. These girls are always a bright spot in my day, and it means the world to me.”
“11:11 Make a Wish” senior show stuns
By Jesse Sailer, Sports Editor
The artwork of Ohio Wesleyan’s senior fine arts majors and minors are finally showcased in the Werner Gallery and the the Richard M. Ross Art Museum after several months of preparation.
Work done by fine art majors are shown in the Ross Museum while the fine art minors work is shown in Werner.
The artwork submitted for the senior show isn’t required to be work from the artists concentration, but rather the work they think is the strongest they’ve produced throughout their college career.
The inspiration behind “11:11 Make a Wish”, the title given to the senior show, comes from one of the many meanings behind the odd trend.
The repetition of 11:11 is a message to keep going, and no matter the path you’re on, you’ll find where you need to be no matter what.
Senior Shelby Ksiazek came up with this title as she thought it perfectly reflected the mindset of all the seniors.
“It was a relief to see it come together the way it did, I couldn’t believe my artwork was worth what it was, it was nice to see everything pay off,” Ksiazek said.
Each senior was allowed to submit as many pieces as they wanted but the final works that would go in the show was decided by the fine arts department.
The senior show collectively exhibits the work of 11 artists with artwork spanning their entire four years at OWU.
Jenna Chambers (Ceramics): Jenna finds a connection between the reconstitution of clay into new forms and the ever changing landscape around her, all the while building a relationship with a medium that is both frustrating and alluring at the same time.
Mariah Chery (Printmaker): Mariah expresses her inner self through a timeless medium and uncovers her own identity with her ancestry and present life.
Margaux Hackett (Sculpture): Margaux finds that the abstractness of the human form can be implemented into three dimensional works as it allows her to work on a whole new level.
Natasha Heusinger (Ceramics, Drawing): Natasha found a constant in her life when she found clay and an interest in ceramics in Japan. The combination of her personal drawings and ceramic throwing allows her to embed a part of herself into her work.
Shelby Ksiazek (Photographer, Mixed Media): Shelby has been surrounded by mixed media since a young age and pursuing the arts has allowed her to blossom and find a way to express her inner turmoils in a way that words can’t.
Corrine Rice (Photography): Corrine has always found a passion for art and has cultivated a love for the process put into each piece. Through photography she’s created a visual journal that explores her experiences with the outside world.
Syed Abuzar Raza (Drawing, Painting): Syed lives for the natural beauty of art and the patterns within. Through repetition and expressive movements in his work, he creates textures that mirror the vibrance of life.
Ellen Sizer (Sculpture): Ellen juxtaposes her metal work with color in a way that evokes more feeling for the mixed patterns and textures but has you thinking the pieces are visually blurred, completely contradicting the sharpness of the metal.
Rachel Spotts (Ceramics): Rachel plays with the malleability of clay and the freedom it allows her to shape the clay personally to her movements. The process of tearing down and reconstructing the clay leaves her pieces with distinct but simple marks.
Nicholas Tobias (Ceramics): Nicholas learned to push the limits when it came to ceramics and learned to navigate the uncertainty that comes with working with it.
Andrew “Mac” Willard (Photography): Mac finds a love for light and shadow and how it plays with the subjects of his photos, he looks to communicate emotions and expressions through the use of color and light.
“Having my own work up for the first time was one of the proudest moments of my life so far.” Willard said. “It was beautiful to see so many different works of art coexisting together,” said Willard.
An “important and complex” show hits the OWU
By Maddie Matos, A&E Editor
As spring comes to Ohio Wesleyan campus, the theatre department’s annual musical arrives with it.
The musical this year, Cabaret, tells the story of two people falling in love during the rise of the Nazi party in Germany during the 1930s. The show is based off the original 1966 musical written by Joe Masteroff, Fredd Eb and John Kander.
Students have been working on the show since February, with show dates on two different weekends.
The show has many dark elements to it, with the rise of racism and defying society, making it something that audiences could identify with in modern society.
“This show is very topical and has a lot of comments that are relevant today even though it’s set in the ‘30s.” assistant stage manager Logan Kovach said. “It’s not afraid to make people uncomfortable, and to push them to reevaluate things,”
The show opened on April 13 to a large crowd. Audience members such as freshman Hannah Carpenter enjoyed the performance and the message the show had.
“I enjoyed how talented the whole cast is, and how complex the show is,” Carpenter said.
Junior Ares Harper, freshman Miko Harper and senior Daniel Brothers all have leading roles in the show. The whole cast is composed of seventeen students and a large backstage crew.
The show has many interest points for audience members, leaving little predictability or boringness to overwhelm.
“I will say this is one of those shows that tricks you a little bit.” Carpenter said. “You think you’re going in one direction and you’re having a good time and then suddenly the rug is pulled out from under you,”
The music style in Cabaret is jazzier and more seedy than traditional musicals, helping to provide an eerie tone to the show. Some of the characters in the production are seen as anti-Semitic or homophobic, a topic that is still prevalent in modern society.
The crew of Cabaret have been working hard to ensure the audience enjoys the show, while also learning what it means to be a backstage player in the theatre world.
“Being a part of the management team has let me ride along through the entire shows process from a perspective I’m not entirely used to,” Kovach said.
The show addresses many topics and ideas that could potentially make audiences squirm, but in a way that will make audiences think.
“I think it’s an important to come and see this show,” Kovach said.
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.
The BEAT: Committed coming to A cappalooza
By John Bonus, Transcript Reporter
The fourth annual Ohio Wesleyan A Cappellooza showcase is bringing the Grammy-nominated group Committed to perform for students.
The event is being hosted by OWU’s Campus Programming Board and will feature performances of movie theme songs by a cappella groups from OWU, Kenyon College, Wittenberg University, the University of Akron and others.
Committed is a five-person a cappella group that was created in 2003. The members comprise Therry Thomas, Dennis Baptiste, Geston Pierre, Robbie Pressley and Maurice Staple. The group met at Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama.
In 2010, Committed won the second season of “The Sing-Off,” a musical competition on NBC. Since then, they have received a Grammy nomination for their rendition of “Do You Hear What I Hear,” a track off of their holiday album Home for Christmas.
The name Committed describes the group, the members said. They live their lives committed to God, each other and music.
“With a cappella music, we are literally able pour out our souls in song and express ourselves individually and as a group,” Pierre said.
Winning “The Sing Off” was a great honor for the group and they said it has had an amaz- ing impact on their lives. Thomas described the experience as being “an honor and a privilege,” and that having people know them and their music is surreal.
For part of the show the group got to sing with artist Boyz II Men in front of a live TV audience, which was an opportunity they called life-changing.
“It was such an honor to sing with people that we have looked up to for years and it really was a dream come true,” Pierre said.
A Cappellooza will be took place at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 in Gray Chapel.
“We’re really excited to come to Ohio Wesleyan and bring some great music,” Pierre said. “Students should be prepared to laugh, to cry, to be excited and overall have an amazing night.”