The dance team performs sets from fall 2021 and winter 2022
Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor
Western’s dance team has entertained audiences at football and basketball games all year, and now they are opening their doors at Maple Hall to perform for the public in a unique showcase all their own.
Senior art and design major Jenaya Stevenson serves as president and coach of the dance team. Her efforts helped produce the Winter Club Showcase, which she hopes is the first of a new tradition.
“I thought it would be a great idea, not only just for friends and family, but for the whole student body to see and to get people who may not be dance majors or minors interested in the activity,” Stevenson said of the planned performances.
The majority of the routines selected for the showcase will be from the dance team’s fall and winter term performances, including “Fast Motion” and “Staying Alive,” both of which were performed during football halftime shows. However, there will also be solos and duets that were choreographed by the dancers and old coaches specifically for this event.
Stevenson expressed pride in the dances, the dance team and their efforts to put on the showcase.
“It was so great to see everyone push themselves and learn things when they didn’t have the luxury of time,” Stevenson said. “I think that they deserve their own time to shine.”
The dance team will be performing their routines on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. inside Maple Hall. Tickets for the showcase will be available in the Werner University Center on Feb. 9 and Feb. 10, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. If purchased at the dance team’s tabling, tickets will be $5 for students and $8 for non students. Those who want to buy tickets at the door on performance nights will be charged $10.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu
Visiting Portland music instructors teach and perform in Smith Hall
Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor
As part of the music department’s ongoing guest artist series, Western voice professor Claire Hudkins and visiting music educators Sarah Maines, Joannah Ball and Susan McDaniel will be hosting two workshops and a final performance in Smith Recital Hall.
The first workshop is Feb. 10 in the Columbia Room of the Werner University Center and will be led by Joannah Ball, Willamette University artist associate and voice instructor at Pacific University and Reed College. This session is geared towards utilizing the piano knowledge all Western music majors must attain in order to apply it to the classroom.
The second workshop, happening on Feb. 11 in Smith Hall, will focus on vocal health for classroom or studio teachers. This session will be led by University of Portland and Reed College adjunct professor Sarah Maines.
While these events cater mostly to music majors hoping to go into teaching, the final concert is open for anyone to enjoy. Maines, Ball and Hudkins will sing a variety of songs from different genres — from classical to musical theatre to contemporary bluegrass — accompanied by University of Portland music lecturer Susan McDaniel on piano.
According to Hudkins, every song being performed will focus on the theme of the concert, “Belonging,” inspired by the quote from American researcher, Brené Brown: “True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.”
This idea, proposed by Maines, is meant to promote inclusion and self-acceptance.
“Sarah came up with the idea of loosely having this (theme) of belonging, and how each piece of music that we’re doing, how that sort of fits in, whether it be around women’s rights or race relations or anything,” Hudkins said.
The concert will be on Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Smith Recital Hall. Western students can attend for free, while general tickets will be $10.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu
Will Arnett keeps viewers guessing and laughing through “Murderville”
Mollie Herron | News Editor
Netflix’s “Murderville” is a new comedy series that shows what would happen if we were put in our favorite murder mystery show and how ridiculous we would look trying to solve them.
Will Arnett is hilarious as Detective Terry Seattle, who is joined every episode by a new celebrity guest. The catch is the guest is not given a script and must investigate without any prior knowledge. Arnett is joined by guest stars such as Ken Jeong, Marshawn Lynch and Annie Murphy.
Arnett’s character Terry Seattle is an unhinged detective who urges his guest stars to make unarguably terrible decisions which only encourages them to break. The best moments are when the guest star also plays into the absurdity of the show and Arnett breaks character himself. That leaves the audience watching two comedians play with the nipples of a corpse or arguing over whether or not pancakes need to be boiled.
In almost every episode there is a scene that truly tests the guest star’s acting skills. They are given an ear piece and sent into a ridiculous situation with Detective Seattle whispering absolute nonsense into their ear. This often leads to more breaks in character that will leave viewers clutching their stomach.
The setup for each murder mystery is very obvious and makes it clear what the guest should be looking for. This allows the audience to figure it out alongside them. Personally, I only guessed three of them right because I spent much more time laughing than trying to figure out who the killer was ⏤ that is probably exactly happens with most of the guest stars.
If viewers aren’t interested in comedy detective shows but still want to check it out, I highly suggest watching episode three with guest Kumail Nanjiani. The pair goes to Detective Seattle’s high school reunion where we get to see a bit of his backstory and why he acts like the absolute fool that he is. I made the bad decision of watching this whole series in public and had to hold back many laughs and tears while watching Nanjiani attempt to keep it together on set. 9/10.
Avoid the Valentine’s cliches with these underrated movies
Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor
Valentine’s Day activities can sometimes be overly cliche, and no tradition encapsulates this more than the annual viewing of “The Notebook.” If this inevitability doesn’t sound appealing, here is a list of less cliche movies to enjoy on the day of love.
“The Princess Bride” (1987) — After being separated for many years, a man must battle assassins, mythical villains and death itself to save his one true love from a king who intends to marry her.
“Pride and Prejudice” (2005) — Stubborn Elizabeth Bennet and arrogant Mr. Darcy must overcome their personal biases in order to fall in love and marry in 19th century England.
“Love, Simon” (2018) — This romantic comedy follows 17-year-old Simon, who has yet to come out as gay to his friends and family. When he falls for an anonymous gay classmate online, his situation only becomes more complicated.
“Deadpool” (2016) — After undergoing torturous experiments that left him with healing powers but a disfigured apperance, mercenary Wade Wilson goes on a rampage to kill the man who destoyed his life, and maybe win back his girlfriend in the process.
“The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society” (2018) — After World War II, a London-based writer begins correspondence with residents from the island of Guernsey, which was German-occupied during the war. Through the letters, she begins to understand what living under tyranny was like.
“Casablanca” (1942) — An American business owner in Casablanca, Morocco must choose whether or not to aid his former flame and her husband in fleeing Nazi persecution.
Contact the author at howlentertainment@mail.wou.edu
Band rehearsals have moved back inside, just in time for colder fall weather
Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor
Those who frequented campus the first two weeks of fall term may have heard the sound of music flowing from outside Smith Hall. This is where Western’s instrumental ensembles practiced to comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines. However, bands like the jazz orchestra have recently found themselves back inside for practice sessions, since they received specialized equipment that greatly limits the spread of respiratory droplets while playing.
“This includes custom masks designed to be worn while playing a wind instrument, as well as bell covers that reduce the spread of aerosols while playing an instrument,” said jazz orchestra director Dr. Keith Karns. “This PPE is part of the COVID mitigation plan adopted by virtually all music programs in public schools, colleges, and universities in the Pacific Northwest.”
These COVID safety protocols have also allowed the ensembles to schedule performances again, something they were unable to do last year.
“One of them is going to be a side-by-side concert with … McKay High School. So we’ll just be over there, showing the high schoolers what we can do … and they can play with us and they get on the stage with us,” said sophomore general music major Jacob McDonald, who plays trumpet for the jazz orchestra.
Ensembles are no longer required to practice outside Smith Hall.
McDonald is also a member of the wind ensemble, who will be joining the jazz orchestra for an end of term concert featuring famous jazz clarinetist Eddie Daniels, scheduled for Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
The two groups are performing a wide variety of music this term; the jazz orchestra lineup includes several pieces by renowned jazz pianist Count Basie, “I Left my Heart in San Francisco” by Tony Bennett and “Strasbourg / St. Denis” by jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove, and the wind ensemble will perform arrangements such as an homage to silent films and a march composed by John Phillip Sousa.
“I am very, very excited for concerts and to be playing again … (it’s) doing what I like to do, right? And so, yeah, very excited,” said McDonald.
Art exhibits open for viewing this October at Western
Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor
Western’s galleries are open again after an 18 month hiatus, and pieces in galleries such as the Student Gallery in the ITC, the Cannon Gallery of Art and the second floor gallery in Hamersly Library are open for public viewing during normal building hours, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. until Oct. 29.
The Annual Juried Student Art and Design Exhibition returns in its 53rd iteration to the newly remodeled ITC, featuring the talented students who entered in last year’s online exhibit.
Senior nontraditional transfer student Melody Barrett has two collage pieces in the student gallery, “Frida Rides Again” and “Ladies in Waiting.” A dedicated artist, Barrett has also sold a print of her piece “Ladies in Waiting” to the City of Monmouth Arts Committee.
“I believe art is an expression of the artist, what we see and feel, experience and imagine,” Barrett said. “That is why I love using a wide range of mediums including collage, acrylic painting, soft pastels and mixed media, because each one allows my thoughts, feelings and ideas to come through in very different ways.” To see her other work, check out Barrett’s website at www.melodybarrett.com.
Graduate student Genvieve Hardin has two pieces in the gallery, sculptures “D20” and “Be Not Afraid.” Hardin is in the Master of the Arts in Teaching program, and has expressed her excitement for having her work in the ITC gallery.
“My art is a way to connect with others and express myself. It is wonderful to have my art on display; I always wonder what people see and feel when they view my work!” Hardin said.
Senior zoology and art and design double major Tobin Roark has three pieces on display.
“’Liquescent Shift’ was a tribute to my gramma opening up and freeing herself from the grief of her husband passing,” Roark said of their art. “’Burning at the Stake’ was commentary on the demonizing of sexuality and women linking burning witches at the (stake) with pole dancers. And lastly ‘Touch of Menace’ … was commentary on how appearances can be deceiving and corruption and greed.”
Senior art major McKenna Suarez displayed her digital pieces “Photoshop Series” in the exhibit. Her art was the only digital entry.
“These pieces to me mean a lot, as they help to represent or show what Social Anxiety is like to me, and the ‘tricks’ I use to help me talk to people or interact in public,” Suarez said. “Similar to the phrase ‘Just think of them in their underwear!’ when you ask someone for tips on public speaking. I just imagine everyone with a bird head with a cool aesthetic background.”
Senior art major David Tomasiewicz has one piece displayed in the gallery, “MotoDrop #3.” Different from the peers he shares the gallery with, Tomasiewicz’s preferred medium is animation or film.
“I see art as a tool and means to create the animated fantasies that exist in my collective dreamscape,” Tomasiewicz said, “a way to invite people to peer into the landscapes existing within my conscious.”
Also included in the exhibit are students Marilyn Bergsma, with “If Wishes Were Horses Beggars Would Ride” and Mitchel Garson, with “Image of Guitar,” “Insomnia,” “Why,” “Untitled” and “Unfortunate Futures.”
Venturing outside of the student exhibits, Eric Tautkus, an aerosol and graffiti artist, has unveiled his newest art installation, “Derailed Marginally” in the Cannon Gallery of Art in Campbell Hall. This new work is a colorful, immersive piece spanning an impressive 50 feet — split between two walls. Smaller paintings by Tautkus are on display as well. When the exhibit closes on Oct. 29, two-foot square sections of Tautkus’ work will be sold to help fund the student gallery in the ITC.
Additionally, in the second floor gallery of Hamersly Library, local artist Diane Elizabeth Wilson debuted her exhibit titled “On Bended Knee, We Honor Thee,” in reference to the symbolic act of kneeling in protest for civil rights. The exhibit features 60 oil painted portraits of civil rights leaders and activists that have made an impact on society.
Western’s jazz orchestra members answer, “How does it feel to be practicing inside again?”
Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor
Noah Adams, senior audio production major, drumset
“I would say it’s very nice … it makes it a lot nicer, a lot more inviting for me to be here for a while if I’m practicing.”
Nathan Richardson, junior jazz studies major, saxophone
“It’s been great. I actually wasn’t here last year; at the school I was at before it was completely online so we didn’t play together at all, so just being able to play in general with other people has been amazing.”
William Murphree, first-year music education major, saxophone
“I think it feels great personally because there are a lot of challenges that come with playing outside … especially when it’s colder, things like intonation, it’s harder to hear other people in the ensemble, it’s harder to blend with people and hear, like, the different intricacies of the pieces that you’re playing, and also it’s just like cold out, so your hands get cold.”
Essence Githens, sophomore music education major, trombone
“It’s a lot better. Playing outside has its benefits, like being louder and like building up your lungs honestly. But playing inside, I think you really just connect more with the music and it’s easier to hear who’s playing, who’s playing what and blending a lot more. So, I enjoy it.”
Sorin Santos, first-year music education major, trombone
“It’s very exciting, it changes the way how, like, the ensemble feels because outside it feels like you’re playing out into nothing, almost. But when you’re inside you can hear everybody better and you feel more a part of an ensemble when you’re playing inside and together.”
Lucas Devon, junior music education major, trumpet
“It feels really nice … I don’t know, like playing outside is fine, but when it gets super cold it’s just like you can really feel it and it just makes everything so miserable, so being inside is super great.”
