NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 41, No. 96
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013
nyunews.com
NYU Law alumnus petitions against Russia Day at New York Stock Exchange Protesters gather with flags and signs to protest Russia Day at the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street. The protest began after Bert Leatherman, a graduate of the NYU School of Law, started a petition to rally against the decision.
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LGBTQ center begins week of Trans* events By KAIDIA PICKELS
NYU’s LGBTQ Student Center joined the global transgender and gender non-conforming community in celebrating Trans* Awareness Week from Nov. 18 through Nov. 21. Led by the LGBTQ Student Center and the T-Party, NYU’s club for transgender, gender nonconforming students and their allies, several events and performances featuring members of the transgender community are scheduled for the week. For the kickoff event on Nov. 18, comedian Red Durkin performed a stand-up set in the Kimmel Center for University Life. Durkin spoke about issues she faces as a transgender woman within different communities. “I really don’t like the term ‘woman trapped in a man’s body,’” Durkin said. “I prefer ‘woman trapped in a gorilla suit.’” LS freshman Ishani Dugar said she appreciated Durkin’s humor because it was not demeaning. “She wasn’t making fun of anything,” Dugar said. “But she could still make us laugh about some of the issues that the queer and trans communities face.” Leading up to Trans* Awareness Week, the LGBTQ Student Center’s Facebook and Twitter pages shared posters created by the University of California, Riverside as part of its TransFigures Poster Project. This initiative, led by UC Riverside’s LGBT Resource Center, features notable transgender individuals who are active in their communities. FELIPE DE LA HOZ/WSN
Broadway Shakespeare shows use traditional casting tactics By DYLAN JARRETT
Times have changed since Shakespeare’s day when only men performed in theater — women became a regular presence on the London stage in the late 1600s, eliminating the necessity for boys and men to play female parts. But in the Broadway production of Shakespeare’s “Richard III” and “Twelfth Night” currently running in repertory at the Belasco Theatre, audiences can return to the traditional all-male cast — with unbelievable results. The cast, transferred straight from London, is headed by Mark Rylance, who theatergoers might know from his Tony-winning outings in “Jerusalem” and “Boeing-Boeing.” He plays Richard in “Richard III” and Olivia in “Twelfth Night,” two roles that could not be more differently written. One is a despicable hunchbacked aspirant to the British throne while the other is a beautiful, grieving young noblewoman. But Rylance embodies both roles wholly, creating two distinct physicalities — each so precise that they are evoked in every step, every turn of the head and even in the way he holds his hands.
The rest of the cast equally impresses. Samuel Barnett as Queen Elizabeth in “Richard III” matches Rylance blow for blow. He is simply captivating, every inch the mother and wife in mourning he needs to portray. His Viola is only a young woman disguised as a man, as the script dictates. This all happens despite cast costume changes
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VIA SHAKESEPAREBROADWAY.COM
“Twelfth Night” features an all-male cast.
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Tisch alum serves cheap, authentic Mexican tacos By CHANDLER WEST
Otto Cedeno, who graduated with a film degree from the Tisch School of the Arts in 2007, recently left his job as director of productions and operations at Livestream to open a taco joint. That decision led to Otto’s Tacos, part of a movement to bring quality, authentic Mexican food to New York City. “When I was 18, it was a fair statement to say New York City lacked good Mexican food,” Cedeno said. “I don’t remember when it happened, but it happened. There are a lot of other business owners now with great Mexican restaurants in New York City.” Otto’s offers affordable options for college students. The menu includes five different types of tacos — carne asada, carnitas, chicken or mushroom tacos for $3.00 and shrimp tacos for $3.50.
“I think there are a lot of new brands coming out that are trying to cater to the clientele that wants the affordable yet delicious,” Cedeno said. “We’re honored to be a part of that movement.” Side options, like chips with salsa ($2.00) and rice with beans ($2.75), are also available. But the star of the menu might be the masa fries ($3.00). “Our masa fries are a happy accident that we fell in love with,” Cedeno said. “We just use the same dough we make our tortilla with, and we basically press them thicker like pancakes, cut them into strips and fry them. We pair it with a chipotle mayo that the chef makes from scratch every day.” Otto’s differentiates itself from similar establishments thanks to the fullness of the food’s flavors.
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