The Observer, Spring 2024 - Issue 6

‘The Fall Guy’ fails to live up to expectations for this columnist

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By the students, for the students

A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE

41st Wildcat Gala & Athletic Hall of Fame

Charis Jones

Sports Editor

After nearly two years of construction, the annual Wildcat Gala & Athletic Hall of Fame found its home back in the Nicholson Arena for the induction of the 41st Hall of Fame class on Saturday, May 4. This year’s honorees included Johnny Spevak for his contributions in both football and men’s basketball, Shaina Afoa for her contributions in women’s basketball, track & field and volleyball, Greg Olson for his distinguished coaching career and Dr. James and Katie Gaudino who received the newly renamed Gary Fredrick Spirit of Central award.

“Being able to have the event in our new arena allowed us to display the growth of CWU Athletics to attendees and further the excitement about what we are continuing to build here,” Sean Gordon, athletics development graduate assistant, said.

Months in the making, the gala was a hit and left an impact on all those who attended. “... We couldn’t have imagined it coming out as great as it did,” Sean Gordon said. “This year’s event was one to remember with an all-around amazing display of the wonderful people that make up CWU Athletics … Everyone stepped up, not just from the department but from

the entire Wildcat community. From Dining [who] put together a delicious meal with first class service to Slice and Student Senate [who] helped pull together awesome volunteers for the event, it was truly a display of CWU as a community.”

As each inductee delivered heartfelt speeches, reminiscing on their experiences and expressing gratitude for the university’s influence, tears were shed and memories were shared amongst alumni, community members and current athletes in attendance. Jonathan Gordon, the former sports information director, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the Gala as an occasion for reconnection and celebration of the enduring legacy of CWU Athletics.

“This year’s inductees were another amazing class,” Sean Gordon said. “It was a privilege to have them accept their nominations and instill themselves as members of the CWU Athletics Hall of Fame.”

Beyond the individual accolades and warm speeches, the Gala served as a testament to both the legacy and communal spirit of CWU Athletics, fostering a collective sense of pride in the university’s athletic achievements and the lasting impact on its community.

Athletic Hall of Fame inductees left to right: Jim Gaudino, Shaina Afoa, Katie Gaudino, Johnny Spevak and Greg Olson.

CWU director of athletics, Dennis Francois.

Photos courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

BEYOND OUR COVERAGE

BEYOND OUR COVERAGE

Local National Global

After allegedly stealing rocks with gold in them and punching someone in the process, Cle Elum resident has been jailed, according to the Daily Record. The witness reported a history of tension with the resident jailed.

On May 2, the Thorp School District did a temporary lock-down, according to the Daily Record. This was done as a precautionary measure after reports of someone who might try to access the building unauthorized were made.

As reported by the Daily Record, Jose Riera, a professor at CWU, has filed a personal injury claim against the university. This comes after last month when Riera called the police to report another CWU professor, who they had believed was homeless.

According to NBC News, Tiktok is suing the U.S. government on the argument that the government is undermining the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Tiktok is arguing that banning Tiktok in Jan. 2025. would remove an entire platform and “[bar] every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide,” Tiktok said in a statement for the suit.

After 114 years, the Boy Scouts of America are changing their names, NPR reports. In 2025, they will officially be called Scouting America.

Reported by NPR, after internationally reported protests by college students on U.S. campuses, Northwestern University and Brown University were the first two schools to agree to cut financial ties with Israel and any companies involved with the country or benefiting from the Israeli military operation in Gaza.

A security guard was injured after a gun was fired outside Drake’s home in Toronto, CA NBC News reported. The security guard remains in the hospital at this time from the injuries.

Less than 24 hours after issuing an evacuation order, Israel bagan bombing the city of Rafah as reported by Responsible Statecraft. Over 1.5 million Palestinians have set up camps in the city, that is along the border with Egypt, in the eight months of Israel’s military action on the Gaza Strip.

Since 1948, the Met Gala has been one of the biggest fashion events of the year. Vogue organizes the event every year. This year’s dress code was the garden of time and had many celebrities grace the Met’s stairs in different interpretations of the dress code.

Spot anything wrong in the paper? Let us know.

STAFF

LETTER from the EDITOR

It is so nice to be writing to you this week. What a time. Did you guys see the forecast for this weekend? Holy cow! I’ll be in Seattle covering SIFF (I want to say “Stay tuned” like it’s some big thing, I am so, so excited), but I hope each and every one of you enjoys a nice, refreshing day at People’s Pond and recharge as we enter the last hurrah of this school year.

What is the best-worst problem to have as Editor-in-chief of The Observer? Time management issues? Very much a problem I face, but no. Homework piling up faster than Anthony Edwards highlights? Nope. Receiving satire pieces week-in-and-week-out that I not only cannot run, but as of recent have been questioning my character? Close.

Too many stories! My writers balled out too hard! This week we had 15 stories to fit on 12 pages, three of which are already pages dedicated to our staff box/my letter, Cativities, and the back page. So, 15 stories on nine pages. Ideally, we would have just been back at 16 pages this week, but since both of our lovely copy-editors Megan and Lee are out sick (Sending all my love to them both), I decided it would be easier this week to just stick to the traditional 12.

Regardless, I’m super thrilled with how this issue is turning out. It’s a fun, light-hearted collection of stories that are heavily high-

Enjoy

Left to right: Astor Powell-Pederson, Isaac Hinson, Brandon Davis and Charis Jones (Photo by Maria Mann)

GAME OVER GAME OVER

CWU SOFTBALL SEASON COMES TO AN END

Jackson Roberts Staff Reporter

Despite a rough start to the season, the Wildcats were able to make a push for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship Tournament that commenced on Thursday, May 2. The CWU softball team finished their season with a record of 12-12 in conference play which earned them the four seed going into the tournament. The Wildcats dropped their first game against Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) which gave them one more opportunity to stay alive, but the team fell short as they lost the second game to Saint Martin’s University (SMU).

Head coach Joe DiPietro mentioned how lots of games came down to the Wildcats at-bats and that the hitting could have been much better. “We lost nine one-run games…” DiPietro said. “We struggled with our hitting all season and this is why we ended the way we did. That was our biggest hurdle.”

In the two losses vs. NNU and SMU, CWU was only able to put up one run in those two games, highlighting the issues DiPietro mentioned.

The Wildcats had bigger expectations overall going into this season as they hoped to chase down the GNAC championship title. The starting lineup of the team was made up of primarily seniors which gave the team hope that their experience would be able to carry them throughout the year.

DiPietro has been a part of the team since late 2021 and has seen many of these senior’s careers play out. He shared that he is very proud of the relationships developed. “When you are together as long as we are, you develop a certain culture and this group had a lot of fun together,” DiPietro said. He also made sure to shine light on the future of the team as well as sharing his expectations for the following season. “We have very talented players coming back as well as a very skilled recruiting class coming in. If we gel quickly, I believe we can be a very good team next season.”

Fifth-year starting Pitcher Ashlee Laver finished her final season here with CWU, pitching 144 innings with a 2.8 earned run average. She led the team in many different statistical categories which will be a big loss to the Wildcat rotation.

With the Wildcats losing their ace starting pitcher, Laver gave her opinion on the future of the Wildcats. “I think the future is bright for CWU softball,” Laver said. “Although we are losing a lot of starters, I know Coach Joe has some good players coming in. CWU softball is going to have a lot of change but the younger generation coming in are going to do great things.

The season was up and down especially with the team starting out the year with a record of 1-8. However, they were able to turn things around, especially in conference play which helped them reach the GNAC tournament despite the early struggles of the season.

Laver credited how close the team was able to stay and their ability to push each other the whole season no matter the circumstances. “Our team chemistry this season was unmatched, and we showed a lot of grit,” Laver said. “It is really admirable how dedicated every single person on my team is because being a student-athlete does not come easy.”

Senior pitcher Ashlee Laver.

Photos courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

Wavesons Wavesons Introducing

Gabriela Gonzalez Staf Reporter

Wave·son. noun ˈwāvsən. : goods that after shipwreck appear floating on the sea…” according to Merriam-Webster. Alternative meaning: An up and coming alt-rock band based in Ellensburg, Washington. Conceived in a high school’s music practice room in 2018 by lead singer Nathaniel Arango, Wavesons has matured in sound and talent, introducing new members along the way. The band is composed of four passionate, genre-blending musicians: David Coppin-Lanigan, Andrew Byrd, Leo Robinson and Nathaniel Arango. Playing shows both locally in Ellensburg and beyond, Wavesons captivates crowds across the state.

“We came up with the word ‘Peenweemo.’ It means pacific northwest emo,” Coppin-Lanigan said when describing the type of music Wavesons creates. The term is a play on the popular genre midwest emo. The band takes inspiration from groups like Slint, Radiohead, American football and Car Seat Headrest to add their own contributions to alt-rock and the peenweemo genre. The writing process starts with a simple chord progression. “I usually bring a partially formed idea to the group and

we collectively shape it into a complete song,” Arango said. “It’s usually no more than like kind of a skeleton of an idea… that’s the root and then everybody else makes the branches, and the leaves, and the fruit and whatnot.”

The fruit of these efforts, two released albums with a third on the way, are a testament to the energy and influence each member contributes to the whole. “‘Ship’ is one of the songs I’m most proud of, so if there’s any song I want people to form an opinion of us based on, it’s that one,” Arango said. The sentiment was echoed by Byrd, who explained the track was “Definitely one of my favorites, and I know alot of our current listeners like that song.” The 2023 single was also featured on the album “(croatia)” along with other standout tracks like “Carcassonne” and “Goddam Hounds.”

Wavesons looks forward to expanding their audience, both on listening platforms and at shows. “[We’re] just trying to play as much as possible, meet as many people as possible, and keep doing it,” Arango said. “[We’re] trying to get over to the westside, further to the eastside, north, south, northeast, northwest, etcetera, all cardinal and secondary directions in between.” In the meantime, Wavesons is focusing on mastering

their craft and becoming better musicians every day. Their upcoming music will be a representation of their best work; authentic music people can connect to.

Wavesons is proud to join forces with other local talent to contribute to the vibrant Ellensburg music scene. “There’s like an amazing spread of different genres of bands and artists here,” Byrd said.“[We’re] very lucky.” Agreeing with Byrd, Coppin-Lanigan added “We just feel honored to share a community with those guys and gals.” Along with humility, a driving theme among the bandmates is gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to share their passion, gratitude for the Ellensburg community, and gratitude for their fans. Coppin-Lanigan described attention Wavesons received as “affirming and generous” inspiring the group of young musicians to continue their journey west and east, and in every cardinal and secondary direction in between.

Find Wavesons on Spotify, Apple Music and wherever else you may listen.

Spotify barcode to Waveson’s song “Ship”

Top left: Andrew Byrd, Top right: Nathaniel Arango Bottom left: David Coppin-Lanigan, Bottom right: Leo Robinson

SENATOR

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW about the upcoming ASCWU elections

Astor Powell-Pedersen News Editor

We’ve got five candidates this year in the running for ASCWU senatorial positions, each hoping to find their place as representatives for their prospective student groups. The positions in the running are Senator at Large, Senator for the graduate school, Senator for the College of Business, Senator for the College of Arts and Humanities and Senator for the College of the Sciences.

In the running for Senator at Large, we have Anthony Marquez. Marquez is a second-year sociology student who wants to use the power of connection and collaboration to accomplish great things at CWU. “My platform revolves around facilitating connections between different departments at CWU and bridging the gap between students and resources,” Marquez said. “Furthermore, I am committed to actively seeking out and amplifying student voices. My experience working with nonprofits and as a teacher has honed my ability to listen and advocate effectively. I believe my multifaceted experience uniquely qualifies me to represent our diverse student body and address their needs comprehensively. As your Senator at Large, I pledge to work tirelessly to ensure every voice is heard and every student is represented. Together, let’s build a stronger, more connected community.”

For our graduate school senator, we have Caleena Wyman, a graduate student in the history department. Wyman chose

to run because she believes she can provide a sound voice of diversity at CWU. “I am a first generation, neo-traditional, woman of color who started my journey at Central as a transfer student, earning my BA in June 2023,” Wyman said. “Graduate students are an important body in CWU’s community, and we deserve a strong contender for our interests in the Senate. I’m not a stranger to making difficult decisions and put importance on being a representation of the graduate students’ interests. Bringing my experience to the ASCWU Senate, I will always fight for a better CWU that can set our students and ourselves up for success.”

Mariana Bravo, a third-year student double majoring in Political Science and Law & Justice, is running for the Senator of the College of Business. “I have found with a first-hand view that there is a need for more representation and advocacy on campus in these student led positions,” Bravo said. ”As a candidate for this position I would strive to develop and uphold a more community driven form of leadership that would value and foster diversity and inclusivity. I strongly believe that representation matters and aiding in the amplification of student voices and providing them the resources they never realized they fully had through this approach within our college to reestablish a more equitable and community-driven environment within the college of business, may we put forth these values and develop an environment where

every college of business student feels heard, represented, and most of all valued.”

The College of Arts and Humanities’ senatorial candidate is Gabriel Genzel, a first-year film student. “In high school I discovered a passion for student government, serving as ASB President my senior year,” Genzel said. “When entering college, I fully intended to continue my passion and have now been working in the ASCWU office since September. This upcoming year with your help I would like to take the next step by entering the senate. If elected I will do everything in my power to help the students under my college feel represented, heard, and understood. I intend to hold monthly meetings to discuss student issues and will keep myself as accessible as possible to ensure the success of my department. With your support we can strengthen the College of Arts and Humanities for years to come.”

Lastly, we have Ivan Miron running for the position of senator for the College of the Sciences. Miron is a first-year Biology major with a specialization in Biomedical Sciences. “My goals for serving as the Senator of the College of the Sciences is to help learn the needs of our students, faculty, staff, and all involved in the College of the Sciences and take steps to address those needs,” Miron said. These steps include expressing our student’s needs to the ASCWU Senate and work closely with the Board of Directors.”

The Observer will be continuing their coverage of the ASCWU presidential candidates in the weeks leading up to the election. Final results for the ASCWU General Election will be announced on May 23.

ASCWU Senatorial candidates left to right: Anthony Marquez, Caleena Wyman, Mariana Bravo, Gabriel Genzel, and Ivan Miron. (Photos courtesy of Jakob Burnham)

MALIK CANTU

GOES FOR ROUND TWO:

CURRENT ASCWU PRESIDENT TALKS RE-ELECTION PLANS

Gunner Stuns Staff Reporter

For a year now, Malik Cantu has served as the ASCWU President here on the CWU campus. Now that elections are coming back around, Cantu chose to run for their position once again, but for what reasons? The Observer had a chance to sit down with the current president and discuss their choice to run again as well as what their continued plans are for serving CWU and the community.

When asked about what he considered to be successes of their first term as president, Cantu was particularly proud of the legislative conversations they had with the board. “We’re at a really important time,” Cantu said. “With the renovation of black Hall, the discussion about getting a new Multicultural Center [and] about Central becoming a Hispanic Serving Institute. And all those conversations made a lot of headway this year with this board.” These conversations and the assurance that they’ll continue to make progress is one of the big reasons Cantu decided to run for the position of ASCWU president for a second time.

They expressed that they feel one of the shortcomings of their position is that as soon as conversations progress to the point of action, ASCWU officers graduate and the process loses steam after that. “Next year, I want to make sure that all of the conversations, all of the things that happened this year are going to be carried over,” Cantu said. “That there’s not going to be any new surprises or new questions or learning curves that anyone has to get over.” Cantu is dedicated to seeing these conversations through and making sure action is taken in regards to the new multicultural center and the renovation

of black hall, but particularly in setting up CWU as a Hispanic serving institution. While this is their second time running for the presidential position, Cantu is no stranger to leadership roles. Having been involved with ASCWU since his first year at CWU, Cantu has served on the equity and services council as well as the student senate. Initially, president wasn’t even the position they were running for last year. “I started out running for student life last year, but then through campaigning and realizing different things about what I wanted to do, I felt like my focuses and interests were a little bit more aligned with the presidency,” Cantu said.

Despite originally feeling nervous in the role, Cantu said that now they know they’ve got the experience and skills necessary to serve to his fullest. “I feel like there isn’t a huge learning curve that I’m gonna have to overcome, like I did this most recent fall,” Cantu said. “I think that’s kind of the biggest difference is I feel 10 times more confident than I did last year.”

In 10 years’ time, Cantu hopes to be using their theater experience as a professional actor, but their intentions go beyond your typical Hollywood performer. “My focus is to figure out a way to use acting and performance for activism and social change and social justice,” Cantu said. They expressed that while most people think acting is a niche skill where you simply memorize lines, Cantu strives to find a way to use their ability to perform to create societal change.

One thing that Cantu felt was important to express to CWU students and staff is the importance of getting involved. They detail that when they first got to college, iit was an intimidating experience and they missed their family a lot. To Cantu, getting

involved with student government was what set them up for success as a student. “It enhances your experience so much, it gives you a reason beyond just getting a piece of paper and walking across the stage,” Cantu said. “On campus, it gives you a sense of community and even a sense of family.” They also stated that this sense of community goes beyond student government and extends to organizations all across campus, where Cantu feels you can meet people, share ideas and build the community into your own family away from home.

Cantu also had some ideas about what traits make for a strong leader, citing collaboration as they think the most important skill is. “I think the best kind of leader, especially in this role, is someone who is willing to be wrong and willing to listen to other people’s opinions and kind of share that power that comes with the position rather than use it over other people,” Cantu said. They went on to detail how they feel it’s important to give other people a seat at the table and have their voices heard, as according to Cantu, it’s the best way to make sure decisions are made for the best of everyone on central campus.

This collaborative aspect is something that Cantu also feels intersects with their role as a theater major, which is an art form that requires collaboration. “You’re working with design people, you’re working with directors, you’re working with business people, you have to be completely open and vulnerable with so many different people,” Cantu said. “[You have to] be willing to, to not hold things so precious and so dearly and be able to shape and mold yourself and be able to create something collectively.”

(Photo by Jakob Burnham)

TWO:

Central Theatre Ensemble cuts loose as

opening fast approaches opening fast approaches “Footloose” “Footloose”

Isaac

Dobmeier, Hayley

James Scene Editor, Staf Reporter

One day out from opening curtains, an eager director makes final preparations for the Central Theatre Ensemble’s upcoming show, the culmination of nearly a year’s worth of tireless work from designers, producers, crew, actors, choreographers and composers. “Footloose” hits the stage in McConnell Hall tomorrow, and with it, Dr. Emily Rollie’s musical vision for the iconic 1984 film celebrating its 40th anniversary.

us a real great opportunity to look at dance, really work on dance skills for musical theater and our performance students.” The contemporary pop sensibilities of “Footloose” also provide students with a different vocal skillset to hone throughout the production, widening the musical range of these budding actors.

Not solely chosen for its more technical aspects, the messaging of “Footloose” seems especially timely to Rollie, and something much larger than just dance and music.

Rollie, the show’s director and associate professor of theatre studies, performance & education, knew it was the right time for “Footloose.”

“Before we come into the academic year, we as a department sit down and talk about what the [upcoming] season will look like,” Rollie said. “We… talk about which pieces serve what the students need to learn, what the department needs and what the community needs. We often talk about ‘Why this play? Why here? Why now?’”

“Footloose” rose to the top of the Theatre Department’s list because of its unique vocal and choreographic stylings, vastly different from last spring’s “Into the Woods.”

“It’s very much about dance,” Rollie said. “It’s in that same genre of 1980s movies that are actually about dance rather than just having dance in it. So it came to the top because it gave

“What’s interesting to me as a director is thinking about all of the legislation happening across the country that regulates people’s bodies,” she said. “‘Footloose’ is really about a community in grief, grappling with ‘How do we do the best thing for the people?’ And part of that is trying to control, which doesn’t serve them [the community]. And part of that control is controlling people’s bodies via the joy of dance and connecting to an embodied state. So I think there’s something really powerful about coming to this piece in [this] moment.”

“Footloose” provides an opportunity for dialogue according to Rollie, through the format of the show’s youth butting heads with the community’s adults. “Though it’s also very fun because it’s Footloose,’” she added.

CWU’s dramaturgy class, taught

by Dr. Natashia Lindsey, did further research into the resonances of the show, focusing on audience outreach and the larger ramifications of the work. Rollie mentions dance bans (the central conflict of “Footloose”) around the U.S., some as recent as 2020, as an example of how dance and the human body continue to be regulated. “They’re cutting loose into restrictions to be who they are,” Rollie said. The feminist messages and notion of a community’s reaction to grief present in “Footloose” also remain essential to fully understanding the piece, as well as providing inspiration for the actor’s performances. When interpreting a preexisting work like “Footloose,” Rollie ensures that the ensemble’s own spin on the show shines through its characters, despite a contract preventing them from changing any words.

“We’re not going to change anything because we’re honoring the playwrights as collaborators and the composers,” Rollie said. “That being said, even within that, we can look at those things and think about ‘How does this work for the actors we’ve cast in this role?’” Getting to tell their own story inside these boundaries is what Rollie described as “exciting and awesome.”

When casting for “Footloose,” Rollie was looking for actors who could understand the essence of the characters and truly understand them

at their core. For Ren, the protagonist of “Footloose,” it was the charismatic freeness that sophomore clinical psychology major and theatre arts minor Dylan Santini brought that landed him the role.

“The other thing we look at, especially in an educational institution, is ‘Where does it also challenge the actor?’” Rollie said. “That gives them something new to play, so they’re not just playing the same roles over and over and over again, which is exciting too. So it gives the actors an opportunity to explore their creative skills.”

When casting for an ensemble, Rollie emphasizes the community behind the curtain, especially for something like “Footloose.” “It’s important to me that the ensemble is an ensemble, and they’re there to support each other,” she said. “So it’s less about the diva and more about who’s going to play in the community because this play is about community. How do we also embody that as an ensemble?” It’s the environment of the aforementioned community that remains the beating heart of the cast and crew and what makes theatre at CWU so special, according to Rollie.

“Footloose” opens at McConnell Auditorium on Friday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. and will run until May 19. Tickets are on sale online.

Dylan Santini playing Ren, the lead role ( Photos by Abril Fernandez)

‘Sleeping

Maydeli Borges Staf Reporter

The classic tale “Sleeping Beauty” has been reimagined into a unique ballet by the Central Washington Dance Academy. It’s a spin on the old classic tale with a mix of Disney’s flare to create a ballet that anyone in the Ellensburg community can enjoy. The ballet was performed on April 27 and April 28 at the Morgan Performing Arts Theatre. The performance showcased the power the Ellensburg community has as a whole.

“We did like a mix of traditional ballet, which was originally choreographed by Marius Pepita, long time ago in the 1800’s, and then we also pulled from the Disney version,” Taylor Burr, a CWU graduate and main choreographer for “Sleeping Beauty,” said. “So we have a mix of those two storylines, and when it comes to choreography, the variations that you’ll see, so the fairies, Aurora, most of their solo things are going to be the original choreography by Pepita but everything in between is going to be [our] original choreography.”

Burr choreographed two acts of the production, “Cottage” and “Aurora’s 16th Birthday,” both of which played a significant role in the development of the story.

Beauty’ Beauty’

The act “Cottage” depicts Aurora dreaming about falling in love. While out in the forest, Aurora meets an array of characters, ranging from birds, cats and woodland fairies. She also meets the handsome prince and the two quickly become infatuated. “Aurora’s 16th Birthday” is a tragic act where Aurora pricks her finger on a bouquet of roses, given to her by a mysterious guest. Aurora falls into a deep slumber during the night of her 16th birthday and can only be woken up from true love’s kiss by the prince in the end.

Emma Mitch, a dance and theater productions major, plays the role of Flora in “Sleeping Beauty.” In the story Flora is one of the three fairies that help Aurora in breaking the curse from the evil Maleficent. Mitch has a solo part with the other fairies at the beginning of Aurora’s birth.

Rhodes Manhatten, a clinical physiology major at CWU, was also involved in the production of “Sleeping Beauty” as a teacher. Manhatten applied for a position as a dance teacher at Central Washington Dance Academy, and ever since she has been able to teach ballet and contemporary dance. Manhatten has watched dancers grow over the past few years, while also getting to meet other college students who are pursuing dance.

“I love how much we’re dancing at the college, but getting that little extra push here especially on the ballet side because they don’t focus heavily on ballet,” Mitch said.

The main takeaway however, would be how Ellensburg came together as a community to help in the preparation for the ballet. Ellens-

burg is a small town in comparison to other towns in the area, but many people came forward to help in the creation of the performance.

“Everyone is so supportive of each other and that’s in between students and teachers and the instructors, but I’ve been at other studios that haven’t been as great community-wise,” Manhatten said. “And so it’s been really refreshing to have such a great community that you can really celebrate each other through just your normal classes, but also these bigger performances.”

Mitch echoes this sentiment.

“Yeah, I came from a really big studio over on the west side,” Mitch said. “So coming into a small studio, seeing the parents helping with costumes and sets and changes and everything is just so nice to see. Because you kind of get to know everyone so much better.”

Parent’s of the dancers even set up yard signs throughout the town to promote the performance. Manhatten herself helped with social media promoting the dance, while also coaching the variations of the original choreography.

“We had some comments yesterday being like, ‘Oh, we’ve never been to a ballet [and] we had no idea what to expect…’” Burr said. “And then they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t wait for your next show.’”

Photos courtesy of Central Dance Academy

SOUND BITE YUM!

‘The Fall Guy’ falls flat

THIS WEEK IN MUSIC

Brandon Mattesich Columnist

Nicolas Palaia Columnist

Directed by David Leitch, “The Fall Guy’’ is a new action comedy starring the beautiful Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. The movie that provides a fair amount of laughs and good action sequences, but ultimately fails to provide anything memorable for audiences to latch on to. The story is about a retired stuntman, Colt Seavers, who comes out of retirement to work on his ex-girlfriend’s new movie as a stuntman. However, once he gets there he quickly learns that the film’s main actor is missing, and he’s been called in by the producer to help find him.

The reasoning behind Colt being there doesn’t make a lot of sense. Even by the end of the movie I was still scratching my head and wondering how it all happened this way. Another thing that I noticed was that it feels like this movie is trying to showcase the hardships of stunt people and their lack of attention. This movie is MADE for stunt people. However, this idea doesn’t really work with the entire cast being made up of iconic actors, but I know movies have to make money somehow.

Overall both Gosling’s and Blunt’s acting is pretty good. They both provide a ton of charisma that makes their characters, Jodie and Colt, very likable. Plus some pretty good chemistry to boot. The overall plot of Colt retiring is a little confusing even with the context given to us, his reasoning for quitting stunts in the beginning of the movie really doesn’t make that much sense.

At the very beginning of the movie the audience watches Colt get seriously hurt after a stunt backfired while he was falling. However, we don’t really get any idea of the damages Colt took, and the next thing we know Colt is back in the saddle after a year. Stunts misfiring happens all the time, and I totally get the psychological impact that a messed up stunt can have on a person, but he gets over that fear real fast. This doesn’t cause people to become invested during the fight scenes because we always know that he’s going to be okay.

The fight scenes were very fun and action packed with a lot of effort being put into the stunts themselves. The transition between actor and stunt double is very seamless, which makes sense. But definitely the biggest flaw of this entire movie is the story. Like I said earlier it really doesn’t make

that much sense if you break it down. And I know people are going to be like, ”Nic, It’s a comedy, it doesn’t have to make sense.” Well I would like to remind these people that this assessment isn’t actually true because a lot of the best comedies have believable plots with silly elements included.

“So I married an Axe Murder” showcases how despite people being in an intimate relationship miscommunication can easily happen and lead to all sorts of hilarity. “The Other Guys,” while over the top, leans into the stupidity of its narrative but it’s not afraid to showcase what would happen to its characters in the real world.

“The Fall Guy” tries to be too smart with its premise. In David Leitch’s film “Bullet Train” the over the top narrative worked with all of the plot twists, because the tone of the movie was established at the very beginning. While the characters and narrative were over the top in “Bullet Train,” it worked because it was believable in the universe that the film took place in.

In the end “The Fall Guy” is a decently fun action movie with a fair amount of heart but ultimately fails in leaving a long lasting impression on its viewers. With that, “The Fall Guy” gets two and a half potatoes.

This week’s issue of Sound Bite is going to be a little different than normal. I’m solely focusing on the Kendrick and Drake situation, and I will be giving my opinions on the matter.

Since our last issue, Kendrick dropped three tracks and Drake has dropped two. Kendrick dropped “6:16 in LA” which while on the outside looked to be a response, was actually a baited hook which Drake jumped on. Just a few days after its initial release, Drake responded, dropping a highly personal and accusatory attack on Kendrick, with “FAMILY MATTERS”.

Family matters does many things in attack of Kendrick and all of Drake’s adversaries, but most notably it ac- cuses Kendrick of domestic violence against his current fiancée Whitney. This is only the first of the many accusations we will cover in this issue, but I want to make a statement on the allegations. At the point of this paper’s release, these are all still allegations. If any of these allegations are proven true, the rap battle is over. It should no longer be about music but about making sure that those accused are prosecuted and that those in danger are safe.

Kendrick dropped his response “meet the grahams” that same night, proving that he had it in the bank the entire time. He then doubled down and dropped the track “Not Like Us” the next day. Where Drake accused Kendrick of possible criminal acts, what Kendrick has accused Drake of is fairly disturbing. Kendrick, in a letter to every member of Drake’s family including an alleged secret daughter, accuses Drake of trafficking, pedophilia and predatorial behavior. If even a single one of these allegations are true, it cannot be about the music. It has to be about justice, and it has to be objective.

Both men have accused each other of criminal acts, but in total Kendricks accusations tend to carry a little more weight. That’s not to say that Kendrick himself is out of the woods here, as if what Drake said is true in “THE HEART PART 6” there needs to be some form of investigation. But if what Kendrick said is true, then Drake would be up there with the likes of Harvey Wienstien and Jeffery Epstein.

The beef has gotten to a point where I have moral scruples even thinking about how to report on it. I would go as far as to say that this is no longer a beef, it is a trial. The first per- son to release actual hard evidence against the other instantly “wins”. But right now it’s important to re- member that all of these statements are just rumors and accusations and nothing more. That doesn’t mean they don’t carry a lot of weight, but it does mean that both artists should be given a fair chance to defend themselves and provide evidence of their innocence.

SNACK SIZE SAMPLES

Isaac Dobmeier

Columnist

“Night Killaz Vol. 2”Snow Strippers

It’s brand new, it’s amazing, it’s all I need this week. Loving this EP as expected.

Photo and Design by Brandon Mattesich

Photo courtesy of Universal Studios. COLUMN

CARTOON CROSSWORD

CARTOON WORD SEARCH

CARTOON WORD SEARCH

WILDCAT WORDS

Theatre Tech Teacher

Emma Barnes is a third-year aiming for a Bachelor of Arts in theatre education. She is currently employed as a special events coordinator and is also involved in promotions and marketing for Campus Activities. Emma is serving her third year on the board of the United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) at CWU, this is her first year as president.

Emma Barnes

What does your job as a Special Events Coordinator entail? Do you feel working for Campus Activities has affected your time at CWU?

“As a Special Events Coordinator I help brainstorm, plan, and carry out events held by Campus Activities. Some of our bigger events include this year’s Yule Ball, Wildcat Wednesday/Student Appreciation Week, and Haunting at Central. My favorite reoccurring event we put on is Open Mic Night! Open Mic Night is put on once a month it’s all student performers bringing their talents to the stage it’s super fun to participate in or just come watch! I am also our Promotions and Marketing representative for Campus Activities, so I upload the promotional materials to our Facebook and Instagram pages! Working for Campus Activities has enrichened my last full year here at Central Washington University. I have been going to these events since I first came to Central in 2021 and getting a hand in the creation of all the fun things we do on campus has grown my appreciation and understanding of what Central student involvement is all about.”

Which production you’ve put on with the CWU chapter of USITT was your favorite to work on and why?

“My favorite production I’ve been a part of with USITT is definitely The Rocky Horror Picture Show! USITT sponsors Rocky Horror every year helping with funding, creative, as well as providing designers and crew. This past year I got to stage manage the production and it was super fun to get to help in an annual student production. Rocky Horror is entirely student run so getting to be the stage manager, USITT president, and Campus Activities liaison really combined all of my roles at the school into one fabulous production. ”

What drew you to Theatre Education? How do you hope to positively influence your future students?

“Some of the biggest influences in my life have been the teachers I have had. Especially theatre, my junior high and high school theatre teachers showed me how welcoming theatre can be for students who are trying to discover themselves. Sometimes, pretending to be someone else can make students feel more comfortable in their own skin. My goal as a teacher is to create a safe space for students to be creative, feel welcomed, and play! Creating pretend worlds onstage helps make the “real world” offstage less scary. I hope to influence future students to not be afraid of failure and instead embrace it as an opportunity to grow and learn. You never stop being a student!”

Stevie the Spyglass. (Design by Brandon Davis)

“Courage the Cowardly Dog.”

Amber Ramos Sr. Graphic Design

“Justice League.”

Avery Bishop Martin Jr. English Professional and Creative Writing

compiled by Lee Beck. (Photo by Lee Beck)