person shows this year?

Shutdown doesn’t mean “curtains”

Davis Giangiulio ’21 Arts & Entertainment Editor

For LM Players, spring usually means the third and final production of the year. Last year, they planned to draw students and community members alike to the school with a performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). However, the COVID-19 pandemic, of course, cut that production short. While school has returned in some form and sports are back in action, Players is still not operating like it once was. There was no musical the week before Thanksgiving this year, in fact there are no productions planned at all so far for this year. “At the moment, it seems that big productions will be extremely difficult, though not impossible, to put on at this time,” said Players President Anne Hamilton ’21. These setbacks aren’t stopping the Players Executive Board from exploring other options in order to keep the club alive during the pandemic. Hamilton said, “At the beginning of the year, we began planning for a showcase, or festival of sorts, to be able to celebrate what Players members can do.” However, that idea fell through, in a way that is emblematic of the difficulty of creating and participating in activities during this time. Continuing, Hamilton added, “We’re so used to doing similar things with similar structures that it becomes difficult to break out of that box and get people excited about something new.” Earlier this month, Players met for the first time in person since March in order to “bring [the] community back to life,” according to Hamilton. The leadership team is working to try and see what the members want to do and how they believe they should press forward. But nothing will ever live up to live productions. Hamilton said she “gave up on volleyball my junior year so that I could put more effort into Players, so it’s definitely a major disappointment to not be able to do what I’ve been doing and what I am good at.” Rebecca Altman ’21, a member of the club, also felt that same sorrow, saying, “It’s sad that the Class of 2021 can’t have the normal Players experience for their last year of high school… While I’m glad it’s still running in some capacity, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t disappointing.” “I definitely miss Players as usual, but I understand that it would be impossible for us to operate as usual in these circumstances, so I am thankful for what we get to do,” said Lily Greenberg ’23. She also added she did feel sympathy for the seniors who won’t get to participate in their final year the same way they had expected to. Hamilton says what she’s missing most at the moment is the community of Players. That’s why for now, most of Players’ ideas are focused on “[bringing] back that sense of community.” Ideas include online movie nights and game nights, with a goal to choose activities that everyone can benefit from and participate in. Despite the changes, Hamilton sees this as an opportunity for Players. “I am really excited about the opportunities that we have to spread our wings and try new things.” Amongst loyal members of the club, there seems to be no wavering in enthusiasm and attitudes Graphic by Emma Liu ’22/Staff towards Players. “I really appreciate all that the board has done to try to get us the Players experience as best as possible,” says Greenberg. “Obviously I miss Players, but leadership decisions are super dependent on what the safety regulations allow, and I understand that they are doing what they can while following those regulations.” Altman agrees, “I think [Players leadership is] doing the best they can considering the circumstances we are in.” She added, “I don’t see how they can feasibly do [a production] without excluding large groups of people due to restrictions.” Players may be very different this year, but Hamilton still made an impassioned plea for students to join. “We want as many people to get involved as possible, even if you’re a senior who has never even considered it before. We have options for anything that you could imagine.”

Fall albums roundup

Emmi Wu ’23 Graphics Editor

At this time of year, it’s easy for students to feel overwhelmed, and with stress levels starting to increase, music is the perfect way to destress. Whether you’re crying over a bad grade to the new album Party Favors, dancing it out to some new fall hits, or studying to some chill beats in Wachito Rico, you’re bound to find something to enjoy among the season’s newest music. Below is a compilation of noteworthy fall releases, complete with reviews and highlights. Positions by Ariana Grande: Ariana Grande’s long awaited album has finally been released, and shockingly enough, it did not live up to expectations. Though none of the songs are especially bad, the album overall seems repetitive and a lot of the songs lack any personal meaning. Her other albums were filled with a variety of different styles and emotion, but Positions feels more like one very long, drawn out, 41 minute song. Even the best songs from the new album, such as “34+35,” “pov,” and “positions,” are simply not as powerful as her previous works.

Bright Lights, Red Eyes by Ruel:

A rising artist, who is somewhat new on the Pop scene, Australian singer-songwriter Ruel has one of the best voices I’ve ever heard. However, though his voice is beautiful, the production of the new album is a little dull. It is strikingly similar to his old album, Free Time, and it could’ve served him well to try something different this time. Bright Lights, Red Eyes simply sounds like an extension to Free Time. Fake It Flowers by Beabadoobee: Beabadoobee, who recently rocketed to stardom after her song “Coffee” was sampled in the now TikTok-viral song “Death Bed,” is most often recognized for her sentimental, lo-fi, ukulele songs. Though she made her name in the lo-fi genre, Beabadoobee’s new album, Fake it Flowers, branches out with quite a surprising change in style. The album creates a sense of delicacy through Beabadoobee’s soft and airy voice, while simultaneously channeling the best parts of alternative rock music with her graceful vocals and grunge-style production flawlessly complimenting each other. The album’s utilization of quiet-loud dynamics would make it the perfect soundtrack to a ’90s coming-of-age movie. Wachito Rico by Boy Pablo: To me, Wachito Rico is the definition of an indie album. Lyrically, it’s very melodramatic, but Boy Pablo’s voice is nearly devoid of emotion. However, his other albums have a similar ambiance, so perhaps that was intentional. Despite the angsty lyrics, the album’s production is actually quite cheerful. Based heavily in percussion, the energetic beats and unique guitar riffs make the album rhythmical. While none of the songs particularly stand out from the rest, Wachito Rico is still a very catchy and delightful album. Party Favors by Sir Chloe: A very dreary and mysterious-sounding album, Party Favors is a go-to for crying. This heavily-reverbed indie album is filled with grainy guitar riffs and dynamic vocals. The band’s music is very bold, and lead singer Dana Foote’s unique voice brings out a lot of emotion. For a debut album, it is definitely better than anticipated. All of the songs have a similar aura while maintaining a certain uniqueness in regard to lyrics and production, making the songs distinguishable and enjoyable.