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A&E
April 22, 2013
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No shoes, no show: A Review Photos by Carson Stringham
Carson Stringham Staff Writer
One newlywed couple, an overbearing mother, a zany neighbor, a wise repairman, an out of breath deliveryman and six flights of stairs are all the ingredients needed to make for an evening full of laughs. At 8 p.m. on April 12, Lawton Community Theatre (LCT) opened Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park,” a comedy in three acts that will run until April 21 at the John Denney Playhouse. The show deals with Paul and Corie Bratter’s – played by Addam Tate and Amanda Richey respectively – first two weeks as a married couple; together they endure a multitude of problems and come to realize that married life is not always as carefree as they thought it would be. Mike Taylor, the director for the show, said that originally “Barefoot in the Park” was not even on
with his crazy antics and magnetic stage presence. Playing Velasco gave Howard a chance to work hic comedic magic in classic slapstick fashion that had the audience rolling in the aisles. Two characters in the play are only seen for brief intervals: the Repairman, played by Erik Marple, was seen in the beginning and at the end of the play. As an unbiased onlooker, he is the only character who gets to deliver advice with no strings attached. Marple did an excellent job at capturing a loveable gruffness that lends Weasling their way: (Left) Mrs. Banks, played by Cynthia Kent, tries to weasel her way into staying the itself to such a character. evening in her daughter, Corie’s, played by Amanda Richey, apartment. (right) Corie tries to pry Paul, played by One of the funniest Addam Tate, away from his legal papers and into the bedroom. “Barefoot in the Park” will play until April 21. moments in the entire play the schedule for this season’s the criteria. show that it had moved from as the character moved from comes with the entrance of the Deliveryman. Don shows, but was a last minute “It has the right amount “brand new” to “lived in.” a naïve young woman to a replacement. of cast members and it’s a After that initial distinction mature one as she learns that Littig’s two minutes on stage “We were not able nice comedy, the kind of was made, the audience had marriage is about more than as the store’s deliveryman were filled with laughter to cast our first choice, show that the whole family to pay careful attention to just having fun. ‘God’s Favorite,’ because we can enjoy,” he said. the playbill in order to see Cynthia Kent, Managing from the audience, not because of anything he said, didn’t have enough people For “Barefoot,” the stage exactly how much time had Director for LCT, played to fill the roles,” Taylor was perfectly set to look like elapsed between scenes. Mrs. Banks, Corie’s intrusive but because of the way he portrayed having climbed up said. “So, we made a choice the interior of the Bratter’s Tate was hilarious as the and exasperating mother. the six flights of stairs to the to find something that was apartment, to include a no-nonsense husband who Her interaction with Tate Bratter’s apartment. Without comparable to another Neil refrigerator, kitchen sink, is trying to deal with his is especially fun, playing on saying a single word, Simon comedy but only a couch, a front door, a bay fun-loving wife. His delivery the idea of the unwanted Littig delivered a fantastic required a small cast.” window and even doors that of the many one-liners that mother-in-law with performance that made him Taylor, a ten year “lead” to the bedrooms. Paul gets was not only funny perfection. instantly memorable. veteran of directing shows Since all of the action to hear, but a joy to watch. Rounding out the main Because of the talented with LCT, said that after took place in one location, Richey lit up the stage cast was Dallas Howard, cast, “Barefoot in the Park” considering two or three the passage of time had to with her vibrant energy. She who played Victor Velasco, was enjoyable, funny, different shows they settled be related to the audience by was able to portray Corie’s an eccentric upstairs thought-provoking and fun. on “Barefoot” because it fit redressing the apartment to range of emotions flawlessly neighbor who stole the show
Nepali New Year offers CU a sampling of diversity Alex Rosa-Figueroa Staff Writer
At 5 p.m. on April 14, students, faculty and all manner of attendees entered the McCasland Ballroom to join in celebration of a new year during the Nepali New Year Night. This event was held to commemorate and celebrate the beginning of the 2070 year and featured traditional and contemporary Nepali entertainment as well as Nepali cuisine. The evening began with a welcome from the host of the night, Bishaka Karki. Karki, with some humor, gave a short explanation for the 2070 date, effectively giving a preview for the formal explanation of the
Nepali calendar that was to come. “We are not in the future — the Nepali calendar is just different,” she said. “We celebrate the new year on the first of Baishakh.” After the welcome, Karki called for CUNA adviser Sarah Stroud to begin the festivities with the candle lighting inauguration. With the ceremony begun, the time came for the CUNA board members to be introduced and acknowledged for their contributions to the night and the organization as a whole. Once the board members were given thanks, the audience was asked to stand. As the ballroom’s occupants rose, guest singer Arvinda Malakar took
Movie Night:
the proverbial stage and began to sing the national anthem of Nepal, “Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka.” Those in attendance who knew the lyrics were invited to join Malakar in the country’s anthem, and upon completion of the song, it was time for a presentation on the country. The audience listened as CUNA member and speaker Nayan Pandey stood at the front of the ballroom and educated the room on Nepal and its culture. He spoke on the size of the country, putting the scale and population into perspective with larger nations, such as the United States. “The population is 29 million,” he said, “which is ten times less than the United States.”
During the presentation, Pandey also took the time to explain the Nepali calendar and why the event was celebrating the year 2070 and not 2013. According to Pandey, the Nepali calendar is termed Bikram Sambat, abbreviated as B.S. The calendar is similar to Gregorian calendars in its 12-month structure, but is ahead of the western calendar by roughly 56.7 years due to an earlier start. Pandey explained that the first month of the Bikram Sambat is Baishakh, the first day of which fell on April 14 this year. Pandey concluded his presentation after an explanation of the other 11 months on the calendar and called for the audience to enjoy
their time. “It is a time of celebration,” he said. After the presentation, attendees were invited to partake in dinner, which consisted of a number of homecooked Nepalese dishes. The main menu included dishes such as Pulao, a rice with dried fruits within; a Cauliflower and Potato Curry mix; Pork Choyela, a spicy pork dish and Pickel, a mixture of tomatoes and peas. While attendees ate their meals, they were also able to watch a number of Nepalese performances. One such performance was the “Kala kurtai le,” a Nepali folk dance between two pairs of young men and women. The dance, a
back-and-forth piece in which the men attempted to woo their partners, increased in tempo as it went on, and elicited audience participation though clapping with the beat of the song. Additional entertainment included a fashion show that showcased five pairs of traditional Nepali costumes; “Gairi khet ko,” a folk dance which featured Nepali and nonNepali girls alike; a Bollywood fusion dance which featured five songs from five Indian movies and Prakritti Adhikari, a guest performer who sang the English song, “Falling Slowly.” With food, entertainment and high spirits, Nepali Night 2070 ushered in the new year with energy.
Photos by Kaitlyn Stockton
Trek it out Kaitlyn Stockton Staff Writer
Cameron University’s Magic Lantern Film Society welcomed Trekkies of all ages to its showing of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. In the final installment of the Magic Lantern Film Society’s 2012-2013 film series, the organization invited CU students, community members, retired faculty and more to watch the Star Trek episode “Space Seed,” followed by the showing of The Wrath of Khan. The screening began at 6:30 p.m. on April 13 in the CETES Conference Center. Advisors Professor of English John Morris and Professor Emerita Sherry Newell – both Star Trek fans – were in attendance. Professor Emerita Newell graced the audience in her authentic Star Fleet uniform. She spent a part of the evening showing audience members her Star Trek memorabilia and autographed items from throughout the years. Dr. Morris said the decision to show the movie was a result of solicitations from students and guests. While the Magic Lantern Film Society had screened similar movies such as Star Wars in the past, Dr. Morris said the organization has never shown Star Trek. “We actually solicitate suggestions from people who come to watch the films. This [Star Trek] was put forward. We have never shown it,” he said. “She [Newell] always wants to show the best in terms of context. If we are go to show a Star Trek movie, we are going to have to show the best one, which is Wrath of Khan.” Dr. Morris began the evening by continuing Magic Lantern’s serial showing of the Lone Ranger. Guests were welcomed to popcorn and other snacks as the night soon ventured to the final frontier. Dr. Morris said the group decided to show the original episode “Space Seed” to allow students to see Khan’s origins and experience the beginnings of the Star Trek franchise. “We are going to show the original episode from the series so
All trekked out: (left) Professor John Morris and Professor Emerita Sherry Newell oversee the showing of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. (Top right) Students settle in for the movie while (bottom right) popcorn pops. people can see where it comes from,” he said. Dr. Morris said there is more to the movie than just the sci-fi aspect. Events and references in Wrath Khan can be seen as social commentary. He also said fans of literature will enjoy the film for small appearances of their favorite classics. “There is an interesting story about regenerating dead planets which people are thinking about doing such a thing, which is a comment about that,” he said. “Plus there are quotations from literature. Khan is quoting Moby Dock right and left. And the music is fun. It is just fun.” Before the night ended, Dr. Morris and Professor Emerita Newell awarded its organization’s officers with certificates, handed out door prizes and announced its movie line-up for the 20132014 school year. According to Dr. Morris, the Magic Lantern screenings are
free and open to the public. He said he loves for CU students to come to the events to see something new. “It’s free. We are the best bargain around,” he said. “There are people from the community that have come for years. We get Upward Bound students who come to our film as a cultural event. If you haven’t seen a movie like this, this is why we show them.” Overall, Dr. Morris said he hopes viewers have fun watching the movie. He said the feel for the old television is perfectly displayed in the movie, allowing old and new viewers to relive the adventures of the Enterprise. “I just hope they have a good time,” Dr. Morris said. “It is a pretty good story. There is a lot of drama in it. The interplay between the characters is wonderful. The feel for the old series is back. It’s just fun. It’s not great drama, but it is a pretty good science fiction movie. We hope people enjoy it.”