Stupid bird soars

Comedic turn on Anton Chekhov

ANDREW

FORTIN-CALDERA Sports Editor @afortincaldera

Unrequited affection, a tortured artist, a dysfunctional family— seemingly the ingredients for just another cliched story. However, the Pierce College Theater Department’s production of Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird is absolutely anything but.

The first sign came in the minutes before the opening act when the cast members took to the stage, performing stretches and vocal warmups while intermittently (and perhaps ironically) chirping like birds. As the cast zip, zap and zopped with each other in the center of the stage, the audience was told over the intercom to take their seats and prepare for the show.

Funny… it seemed like it had already begun.

But, with absolute seriousness, the cast turned to the seated viewers, and the play’s central character Con, played by Jon Michael Villagomez,

Hopes Alive

DOJ backs student in free speech lawsuit

VANESSA ARREDONDO Copy Editor @v_anana

The Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in support of Pierce student Kevin Shaw, who sued the college last year, stating that the Free Speech Area was too small and restrictive.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions released a statement explaining the Justice Department’s interest, stating that the DOJ strives to protect Freedom of Speech on college campuses.

“University officials and faculty must defend free expression boldly and unequivocally. Last month, I promised a recommitment to free speech on campus and to ensuring First Amendment rights. The Justice Department continues to do its part in defending free speech, protecting students’ free expression, and enforcing federal law,” Sessions said in a statement.

Last year, Shaw was confronted by Pierce administration as he handed out Spanish-language copies of the U.S. Constitution on the Mall, seeking to recruit students for Young Americans for Liberty, a political organization with chapters on college campuses across the United States.

on third down and went 30 yards to the Pierce 18. Lockett capped off the drive with a 2-yard pass to tight end Sean Witham to tie the game.

The Brahmas offense remained stagnant and punted the ball back to Citrus.

Again, sparked by a long catchand-run by Mesina-Rowe, the Owls took the ball 82 yards on 10 plays to take a 14-7 lead with seconds remaining in the first half.

The second half started how the first ended. The Brahmas continued to struggle moving the ball, and following a punt, Citrus drove 79 yards on 12 plays to increase the lead to 21-7.

A 46-yard kick return by Joseph Branch finally ignited the Brahmas’ offense. Starting at the Citrus 33, the team converted two third downs, and finished the drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Saavedra to Damaris August.

To start the fourth quarter, the Brahmas drove inside the Citrus 5-yard line looking to tie the game at 21, however the drive stalled, and Oscar Gonzalez missed a 27yard field goal.

The defense would make up for it when defensive lineman Shaheim McCullough forced a fumble on the first play.

Saavedra connected with

Branch on first down for 21 yards, and two plays later, Xandre McCleary plunged in from the 1-yard line to tie the game at 21.

The Brahmas defense remained strong, forcing a three-and-out from the Owls.

The ensuing Pierce drive saw Saavedra, on a third and six, rolled out of the pocket.

“In the moment, I just wanted to get the first down, probably slide or get out of bounds,” Saavedra said. “Great job from my receivers blocking down field, I saw a lane and just took it.”

The free speech zone is a 616 square-foot area located on the Mall, and composes about .003 percent of a 426-acre campus.

Shaw was told that he could not distribute literature outside of the Free Speech Area, and to distribute within the area he would have to fill out a permit.

A hearing for Shaw v. Burke is scheduled for Nov. 14 at the California Central District Court to determine whether the case will go to trial.

Faulty promise, food frustration

spoke to the audience, “The play will begin when someone says, ‘Start the fucking play.’”

Such a candid and crude prompt effectively set the tone for the rest of the play.

The play takes place on the grounds of a lakefront home, and opens with Dev (Trevor Alkazian) and Mash (Monica Vigil) comparing the perceived sorry state of their lives. Mash is a quintessential goth; she dresses completely in black and laments defeatedly about her unhappy life while deriding Dev’s professed hopefulness in the face of his own troubles. Dev mentions to Mash, almost in passing, that he “loves her ridiculously.”

It is revealed in this scene that Con is staging a “performance event” with Nina (Meagan Truxal). Dev expresses, somewhat enviously, that it is nice that Con and Nina get to share that experience with each other. The thought noticeably agitates Mash, who is in love with Con. She drives Dev away after rebuffing his romantic interest in her before ending the scene by serenading the audience on a ukulele with a song that reiterates her bleak view of life.

Con and Nina prepare a showing of his piece for Con’s mother Emma (Justine Brandy), a famous actress, her lover and famed author Trigoran (Josh T. Ryan), and Con’s uncle Dr. Sorn (Matt DeHaven). Con is completely infatuated with Nina, who he regards as his muse, but she idolizes Trigoran, much to Con’s jealousy. Con’s performance event is derailed by Emma’s criticism; she feels that the piece derides her body of work. Con is deflated and retreats from the stage, wondering in a later scene if his

Senate addresses Pierce Promise

Faculty voiced concerns about Pierce Promise, highlighting issues involving students who are not meeting the 12-unit enrollment requirement and a lack of available counselors.

mother hates him. He reveals his desire to further a new form of meaningful, “real” theater that actually changes the hearts and minds of those who view it—a reflection of “Stupid Fucking Bird’s” overarching theme.

On Monday, Oct. 23, the Academic Senate discussed solutions to make the Los Angeles College Promise run smoothly at Pierce. The program was implemented at the start of fall semester for LAUSD graduates helping them attend community college tuition free for a year.

Academic Senate Secretary Susan Armenta said that to qualify, students must fulfill requirements, such as being an LAUSD graduate, complete a summer program and be enrolled at Pierce with at least 12 units.

[For the full story visit theroundupnews.com] [see promise on pg. 3]