Issuu

’ THE LION S ROAR S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y

Hammond, LA

The Big Event

KA celebrates law enforcement see PAGE 2 The possible harms of entertainment

see PAGE 3

Greek mythology sets the stage

see PAGE 4

April 24, 2018

Aggressive plays fuels big win

see PAGE 7

JENNIFER DETTWILLER Staff Reporter

The Student Government Association feels community is key and expresses this by hosting “The Big Event.” 2018-2019 SGA President Richard Davis Jr.. feels “The Big Event” allows students to recompense the community for the hospitality they offer students via discounts and jobs. “This is a day to give back to them and just show them that we really appreciate all that they do for us,” said Davis. 37 job sites were assigned to approximately 600 students from various student organizations. Davis explained how some organizations in the community they helped. “We are also washing the fire trucks at the fire station,” said Davis. “We have a canine sanctuary in west Hammond.” Precious Souls Canine Rescue

see THE BIG EVENT, pg. 8

Students participate in “The Big Event” to express their appreciation for the community. Student volunteers from the Black Student Union and Baptist Collegiate Ministry plant flowers for Special Olympics Louisiana as part of “The Big Event.” Jennifer Dettwiller/The Lion’s Roar

38th annual ‘Strawberry Jubilee’ offers entertainment before finals ZACHARY ARAKI A&E Editor

Students and organizations gathered to relax before finals week with food and games for the “Down Da Bayou” themed “Strawberry Jubilee.” The event was altered by the Campus Activities Board to reflect the student’s needs. Sophomore accounting major and CAB Operations Manager Kirsten Babin compared this year’s “Strawberry Jubilee” to previous ones. “We’re way more planned than last year,” said Babin. “We are doing surveys now, so we’re getting all the students’ input, and we’ve incorporated everything that they said from last ‘Strawberry Jubilee,’ controlling the lines better, having more things for people to do.” CAB held the annual event on Wednesday, April 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Student Union Park. ‘“Strawberry Jubilee’ is great,” said sophomore elementary education and special education, grades 1-5 major and Miss Southeastern Alyssa Larose. “I’m really excited that they did a Louisiana theme this year, more of a down the bayou type thing. Crawfish was a big success with the red beans and rice. I’m glad there’s a lot of fraternities, sororities and other organizations out here promoting themselves and the event.” Freshman early childhood

education, grades PK-3 major Erin Laborde worked a table with Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority to sell strawberry beignets and raise funds for the sorority’s philanthropy, “Sigma Serves Children.” “It’s a great event that they’re putting on,” said Laborde. “It’s the last couple weeks, so students are trying to push through, they really need this motivation. This fun event is done to give us that last little boost that we need before it’s time to really put in the last couple weeks.” Senior computer science major Aabishkar Timalsina used the event to bring more attention to the International Student Union. “As an organization, I think we should get out there and let people know that we are here to assist our international students whatever way we can,” said Timalsina. “First, we need to tell people we are here. The second thing is to participate here in a school event and encourage students to get out there and get involved.” To raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Larose sold raffle tickets for prizes such as Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Eric Summers’ parking spot for finals week. “I’ve never been a part of ‘Strawberry Jubilee’ working a table or as Miss Southeastern, but I’ve come out before to get a T-shirt or to get some food,” said Larose. “I like that this year you actually have to play a game to get a T-shirt. That’s really fun. It’s a

good turnout.” Timalsina shared his thoughts on “Strawberry Jubilee.” “It’s a very nice festival,” said Timalsina. “I see a lot of people coming out here and enjoying the food, games and whatever the organizations have. I think it’s a fun event.” Babin discussed the decision behind this year’s theme. “I love the ‘Down Da Bayou’ theme just because I love crawfish and the king cake,” said Babin. “I was so done with cupcakes.” Freshman English education, grades 6-12 major and member of CAB Zayda Aleman explained the preparation CAB put into holding the event. “We were preparing since last summer,” said Aleman. “It’s a big event, so we have to start getting the food right, ordering T-shirts, making sure we have tents and getting everything in order so people don’t skip.” Larose shared her favorite part of this year’s “Strawberry Jubilee.” “My favorite thing about this year is the crawfish and red beans,” said Larose. “It really brought the Louisiana theme to life. I think everybody else is enjoying it too.” Freshman nursing major Sha’laris Babin discussed why she attended the event. “I’ve never been before, and I wanted to see what it’s like,” said Sha’laris Babin. “People were talking about it. It was like, ‘Make sure you come.’ I like it. It’s a nice Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Eric Summers and Miss Southeastern Alyssa Larose cut the king cake for “Strawberry Jubilee.” Zachary Araki/The Lion’s Roar experience.”

SGA shells out large funds for lion statue BRIANNA HAWKINS Staff Reporter

The Student Government Association has made plans to build a new lion statue on campus. SGA plans to place the statue on the west side in Friendship Circle. Though they have not begun construction yet, they expect to have it built within five years. “We’re right now in the process of finding an artist to design the piece,” said 2017-2018 SGA President Seth Leto. “That’s the phase we’re in right now. I don’t have an exact due date, but it will be a little while for us to find the artist and for him to build and construct the piece.” Leto explained that his idea to have a lion statue on campus has been something he has thought about for a long time. “It has been an issue for a long time,” said Leto. “It’s been talked about by past administrations. It’s been talked about by some students, and so, it was always something I wanted to do when I ran for president two years ago, and I unfortunately lost, but that was a platform back then as well. Then this year, it was still something that I ran on. So, it’s always been DON LAWRENCE a topic of discussion to me. It’s Staff Reporter always been, ‘Why not?’” Leto discussed the funds behind the lion statue. The Alumni Association announced that on Wednesday, May 2 at 6 p.m. in the Student Union “Through SGA capital outlay Grand Ballroom, Dr. John L. Crain will be presenting rings to juniors and seniors who purchased budget, we have the funds,” said them in anticipation of the spring 2018 “Commencement Ceremony.” The “Ring Ceremony” will Leto. “Those are through student be held on Saturday, May 12. self-accessed fees, and through The last day for juniors and seniors to RSVP for the event is April 25. that fund, we were able to allocate The annual “Ring Ceremony” is held to celebrate and commemorate the Find information on the alumni webpage www.southeastern.edu/alumni-donors/alumni-assoc/ accomplishments of soon to be graduates at the university. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar index.html or call 985-549-2150. see LION STATUE, pg. 8 Weather

Tuesday H 78 L 54

Ring Ceremony Approaches

Index

Wednesday H 81 L 57

Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3 A&E............................................4

Horoscope, Crossword, Sudoku....5 Sports.........................................6 News..........................................8

Stay Connected With Us!

Volume 89, Issue 26

Like and follow @lionsroarnews.

A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu

Page 2 | April 24, 2018

The Lion’s Roar | Campus Life

Support and gratitude show to officers ZACHARY ARAKI

Sims Memorial Library

A&E Editor

Kappa Alpha Order fraternity held a fundraiser to show their support for the University Police Department and Hammond Police Department. “KA Backs the Blue” was held at the fraternity house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 22. “This event was held to show support for the police officers of the area and to give back to the Southeastern police department for all they do for the Greek community,” said Treasurer and Philanthropy Chair of KAO Peyton Hanegan, a junior industrial technology major. “Since they have to come to events for us, like socials, this is to raise money for them and their needs as well as show our appreciation for everything that they do for us as well as for the Greek community and school as a whole.” UPD Police Officer A-2 Jourdan Hatcher enjoyed seeing the support shown by the fraternity. “We’re just very appreciative to the organization for having us over and recognizing us,” said Hatcher. “There’s a lot going on in the nation today, a lot of negativity towards police, and anytime we can get out in the community and interact, positive interaction, is a great thing.” President of KAO Tyler Olivier, a junior marketing major, discussed how having the event for its first year went. “We got a lot of support from outreach and alumni,” said Olivier. “We were able to get some of the police officers out here to get some free meals and everything. This was our first year doing it. I think it was really successful in that it let us get the wheels in motion on having the event being able to be set up easier next year and learning how to market it better and get it out there to more people.”

Sims Library Offers Two Weeks of Extended Hours For Finals Prep The first step in preparing for final exams is to give yourself sufficient time to study. For the last two weeks of spring semester, Sims Library will be open late and on Saturday so that students can prepare for final exams. “While some students may thrive on last-minute cramming for the rest of us, it helps set up a timetable for studying,” said Sims Library Director Eric Johnson. “That’s why we wanted to announce our extended hours well in advance. The extended hours are as follows: April 29: Sunday 2 p.m. to 12 a.m. April 30 - May 2: Monday - Wednesday 7:30 a.m. to 12 a.m. May 3: Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. May 4: Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. May 5: Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 6: Sunday 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. May 7- 9: Monday - Wednesday 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. May 10: Thursday 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. May 11: Friday 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Treasurer and Philanthropy Chair of Kappa Alpha Order fraternity Peyton Hanegan assists in making the May 12: Saturday -- Commencement free meals that KAO served to police officers as part of “KA Backs the Blue.” Zachary Araki/The Lion’s Roar With some of the fraternity members becoming police officers themselves, the fraternity decided to show how much they appreciate the professionals. “They haven’t been getting as much of their highlights shown in the media as any sort of low lights they get,” said Olivier. “It’s put everywhere. I think it’s good for them to know that, just for everyone to see that there are still people out there 100 percent backing the blue and that it’s not just kind of forgotten. It’s a little bit of a reminder to them that they are appreciated.” Hanegan discussed the preparation that began in December to hold the fundraiser. “Our president, Tyler Olivier, pitched the idea of having something for the Southeastern police department, and then I took it from there and ran with it,” said

Hanegan. “I started by getting raffle items donated by alumni and people close to us, who would like to remain anonymous, then preparing raffle tickets.” Hanegan shared his thoughts on the fundraiser. Hanegan said, “We are glad that we can do this event and hope that this can be a yearly thing with the SELU police department to show them that we do support them and all police officers because these people keep us safe on a daily basis and don’t always get the recognition that they deserve. The funds will help the Southeastern police department in whatever they need, but to us, it’s more to show them that we appreciate all the things that they do for us from Greek life to every day in protecting us.”

The search for summer employment begins

Local and regional businesses got the chance to talk with students about possible employment during the summer. Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion’s Roar JONATHAN RHODES Senior Reporter

The “Part-Time Job Fair” organized by the Office of Career Services is a chance for students to find either a job or internship for the summer. In between classes, students had the opportunity to talk with employers about what their plans are for the future. Over 35 local and regional employers talked to students to see how they communicate and if they are ready to join the workforce. “With Chick-fil-A, our number one thing is going to be customer service,” said HR

Director of Chick-fil-A Devin Buuck-Whitfield. “So, what we are looking for is good eye contact and a smile. If you can hold a conversation easily with me, it makes us think that you can hold a conversation easily with one of our guests who comes in. We really look for the personality first and then we go into the other questions.” Students are on a mission to find employment for the summer, and some students came dressed to impress and with some knowledge of the businesses they were talking to. “At the end of the day, I am just looking for someone who will give me money and

make life better that way,” said freshman psychology major Shyann Brumfield. “It is very helpful to have this opportunity to look for jobs that I need. They left in just the right amount of information to make me interested.” Career Services intentionally invited certain businesses to accommodate the students’ interest and their desire to stay close to home. “We invite local and regional companies and organizations who seek to hire multiple parttime and internship positions,” said Office of Career Services Assistant Director Brittany Bacques. “Since we have so many students attending the event, eager to find employment, we hope that participating employers would like to hire more than one of our outstanding students. Also, the reason we invite local and regional employers is because we understand that many of our students need a job that they can easily have while taking classes and will be accommodating with their schedules. Many of our students also commute from their homes, and so we like to have a variety of employers ranging from the Northshore areas, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge.” Students can still get partPhD Chemical Engineer with Leadership & Mentoring Experience. Areas of Expertise: Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Statistics/ Physics, Biology, Inorganic & Organic Chemistry, Engineering, Macro & Micro Economics, Accounting, Finance, and Standardized Test Preparation (ACT/ SAT/GRE/GMAT). A positive, supportive teacher who is willing to provide group discounts. Contact Ryan for rate details and content info TODAY! (337) 412 - 1727 valed1980@gmail.com w w w. w y z a n t . c o m / Tu t o r s / RJSLouisianatutor

time jobs with the help of the Career Services if they missed the “Part-Time Job Fair” through the website LionHire and other opportunities that the office provides. “There is also another parttime job fair every August,” said Bacques. “We are happy to provide these part-time fairs twice a year to the student body in order to give a convenient way for them to network and meet face-toface with employers who are hiring. Students have multiple opportunities to locate and apply for part-time jobs.”

Stroke victim documentary BRIANNA HAWKINS Staff Reporter

The Southeastern Channel broadcasted a documentary about local stroke victim Benny Latino and his journey to regaining his speech. The 10-minute documentary “To Speak Again” produced, written and directed by Amanda Triay aired Saturday, April 21 at 8 p.m. on the channel’s website. The idea to film the documentary came from Instructor and Clinical Supervisor Roxanne Stoehr. “It really started with a goal for Mr. Benny to be able to tell his story,” said Stoehr. “So, that was actually one of his semester goals. Well, actually for several semesters.” Stoehr explained that while attending a convention in Chicago, she considered how Latino’s experience could be shared. “I went to a museum, and they were interviewing people for the National Public Radio StoryCorps,” said Stoehr. “I was at the museum with a colleague when I was like, ‘Mr. Benny should do this,’ and I thought about the

Southeastern Channel. We could help Mr. Benny be able to tell his story right here at Southeastern.” Latino’s journey began in 2012 during a Sunday going to church and grabbing a cup of coffee at the Hi-Ho Barbeque restaurant where he suddenly had a stroke. The stroke put Latino in a coma for two and a half days with increased blood pressure. While in the coma, Latino’s family was told by doctors that giving him an injection to reverse symptoms could be fatal, which meant Latino would have to learn to function all over again. Associate Professor of Health and Human Sciences Meghan Savage explained that Latino was suffering from aphasia. “Aphasia is a language disorder that happens after a stroke and that affects your ability to read, to write, to understand spoken language and to talk,” said Savage. In the documentary, Latino explained that after losing his ability to speak, he spent the next two months at North Oaks Medical Center learning to speak until his

For over 40 years

see STROKE pg. 8

Opinions | The Lion’s Roar

April 24, 2018| Page 3

Louisiana Senate pushes to ban bestiality

Representatives attend committee meetings similar to those depicted in this Associated Press photo. Senate Bill 236 is heading to the state House of Representatives. The bill is aimed to reword the existing laws in order to not condemn consensual sex and to have an enforced punishment for those who are charged with participating in bestiality. AP Photo/Melinda Deslatte We have all seen those quirky laws in each state that prohibit people from doing outlandish tasks. For example, it is illegal to give a moose an alcoholic beverage in Alaska. Laws like that gives the social media addict a quick feeling of bemusement due to its absurd and hyper-specific context, and Jacob Summerville people question why such a law Staff Reporter would exist. Well, recently in Louisiana, the

state Senate passed Senate Bill 236, which bans sexual intercourse with animals and buying animals for that intent. The bill passed with a vote of 25-10, and it will be sent to the House of Representatives for another vote. My social media feed has been filled with posts that question why 10 Republican senators would want to keep bestiality legalized and why it has not already been outlawed. The truth is, technically, it was illegal before this current bill. Louisiana law states that “crimes against nature,”

Entertainment vs. News Quality Why news should be serious The first thing many people ingest in the morning with a cup of coffee is the news and latest happenings around the world. The events and facts presented to the general public forms a foundation Prakriti Adhikari to the way Staff Reporter they perceive the world and help make the best possible decisions in their daily life. Therefore, it is important that the truth be presented to the public in a proper manner. Although some argue that news should be made entertaining to capture the reader’s attention, news should never be distorted from reality as it affects the reader’s understanding of the subject matter and their judgment on it. Fake news is always juicy, and it spreads like wildfire. During the 2016 presidential campaigns, news of Pope Francis endorsing President Donald Trump spread around the globe. Hillary Clinton, as the news suggested, had financial connection with the so-called Islamic State and sold weapons. This piece of news was false, but it was impactful in the campaign with some people even suggesting that the fake news helped determine the outcome of the presidency campaign. There were thousands of tweets and Facebook posts and comments regarding the subject matter. Whatever the intention was behind publishing such news, the impact on society as a whole was huge. While the pope had nothing to do with the U.S. presidency, the piece of news distorted the reality. Fake news is as old as journalism itself. There has

always been a tendency to add some entertaining factors to the event being presented. While people find truth hard and boring, fabricated news diffuses faster in the society. Setting aside the professionalism and the ethical aspect of journalism, presenting reality with a different angle eventually harms the society in the long run. Such practice damages trust in media. Journalism is an important pillar of a democratic society, and for the society to run smoothly, journalists must ensure the correct flow of information to the public. They must fulfill their responsibility of showing the public the news as it is without any exaggeration and bias. Working for a newspaper, my team and I are always very cautious that we do not exaggerate the truth but present facts and figures as they are. It is because we understand that doing so will weaken our credibility, and we will lose our readers eventually. I have always been fond of the Harry Potter series and had a dislike towards Rita Skeeter, which was simply because of the way she bent the reality to make her news entertaining. Being a staff reporter at a newspaper, I do not want to be the ‘Rita Skeeter’ in the eyes of my readers. Every journalist must try their best to be creative enough to attract their reader’s attention, and should make sure that the news presented is not twisted from the reality. With rights come responsibilities, and those responsibilities must be shouldered properly. Presenting news in an entertaining manner might not give an instant output, but the effect accumulates to bring unwanted consequences.

The sodomy laws have a history of targeting gay men for consensual sex, and since gay marriage was made legal in the U.S. in 2015, I think it is pretty useless to have that section of the law in the books. Either way, there should not be an issue with passing this bill, but I do not believe the 10 Republican senators that were “against” this bill voted against the primary function of the bill. They probably thought that the bill was a waste of time, which is a fair argument. However, with politics dividing the nation every time a news station is on TV, I feel like this was a perfect opportunity to finally agree on something. This was a bill that could be latently lighthearted since I’m assuming none of our senators have a niche for a cat or a pig. Given the defeat of the reformation for the sodomy bill in 2014, those 10 Republican senators, even if they did not vote for the 2014 bill, are taking a mutually agreeable statement and turning it into a political war. It is almost like seeing someone give a homeless person food and clothes out of the kindness of their heart and saying, “You don’t know why he’s homeless. He doesn’t deserve the food because he obviously doesn’t work hard enough to even be proud of himself.” This bill is being presented because there needs to be a law update, one that is like a computer update. It seems like a waste of time at first, but you know that it is better to update Windows or install the newest version of Java before a frustrating situation arises. In the case of bestiality, there is probably a loophole in the law where people can get away with the act. If this bill becomes a law, it will not have any negative effect on your livelihood, unless you have a thing for the chicken farm down the road.

SPEAK OUT

Is making the news entertaining harmful or beneficial? “I think it is more beneficial than harmful because I feel younger people have a harder time of getting into the news and watching the news. ” Jordan Alfred Sophomore, Communication

“I think it’s both. It can be more harmful than beneficial. It can keep us up-to-date, and it can be twisted. Sometimes it’s over exaggerated, and sometimes it can be ignored on situations stated.” Jasmine Bickham Sophomore, Health Systems Management

“I think it’s more harmful because in order to get more ratings, sometimes a small thing is put into the spotlight and it’s more extreme in order to get views. So, sometimes it is distorted of the facts.” Calyn Landaiche Senior, Social Studies Education, Grades 6-12

“I feel like it’s better. If you’re attracting more interest, it’s definitely better. But I feel like if it gets too unprofessional, then it can be informal. As long as the message is clear, it’s still good, then I think it’s great.” Zachary Lipoma Junior, Business Administration

“I think that in this day in age, making the news more entertaining would get more attention from people, but would disguise and hide more oppressing issues.” Bradley Green Sophomore, Art

“I believe making it more entertaining is beneficial, just because people pay attention to it. People like to know what’s current, what’s going on, in a way, that’s pleasing to them.” Allie Fenerty Junior, Communication

“I think it can be more beneficial to get people engaged and interested in the news, but to overdo it or make it sound like something it’s not is harmful because we’re not getting the right messages out to people.” Mackenzi Picou Junior, Marketing

“Making the news more entertaining could be beneficial to a certain point. It still needs to be held to a degree of professionalism.” Dillon Smith Freshman, Computer Science

Policies and Procedures The Lion’s Roar is the official newspaper of the students of Southeastern Louisiana University. It has been in continuous publication since 1937. Submissions and letters to the editor are welcomed, but the editor of The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, libel and available space, or refuse publication without notification. Submissions must include the author’s full name and either phone number, e-mail or other contact information (not to be published). Faculty and staff members should include their title and department. Students should include their classification and major. By submitting an article for publication, the author understands that the submission will be edited. Organizational News space is provided at no charge as a courtesy for university recognized Greek and Student Organizations. The space of such articles is limited to 150 words. Submissions of this Organizational News must adhere to the same polices as other submissions or letters to the editor, but must also include the name of the organization.

which encompasses bestiality, is illegal. However, this law is directed towards a broad definition of sodomy, which includes oral and anal sex between two consenting parties. Since this law was deemed unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in 2003, the bestiality part of the law cannot be effectively enforced. In 2014, Louisiana proposed a bill that would modify the existing “crime against nature” law, which aimed to remove the section about consensual sex, which would comply with the U.S. Constitution while keeping the act of sodomy illegal during charges of child sex abuse, rape and bestiality. This reformation fell short with 66 votes against the changes versus 27 votes for the revision. This current bill aims to “better define bestiality and make it illegal under an enforceable law,” according to an article published by “The Independent.” The way I see it, the reason why this bill is being presented is to work around some disagreement a couple years prior. Additionally, I think they needed a general punishment on the record for those convicted. The long-standing law served as a vague umbrella for which several accusations could be funneled into, and since the restrictions for bestiality cannot be used from that law since 2003, they decided to propose this bill. I’m assuming those who opposed the changes were against gay marriage, and since same-sex marriage was not nationally legalized by 2014, it would make sense that a heavily conservative state would be in opposition. Democratic Senator Jean-Paul “JP” Morrell stated that this bill was not an attempt to strike down the sodomy laws, which I don’t necessarily agree with.

All views expressed in The Lion’s Roar are those of the author or, if unsigned, those of the staff of The Lion’s Roar. These views should not be interpreted as the views of the administration, faculty or students of Southeastern Louisiana University. A single issue of The Lion’s Roar is free. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents in the Student Union suite 1303. Annual mail subscriptions are $35 within the continental U.S. The Lion’s Roar, in its print form, and associated online or digital versions, are designated public forums. Student editors have the authority to make content decisions without censorship or prior approval. The Lion’s Roar also defends the rights of student journalists relative to freedom of speech and press as stated in Amendment I of the Constitution of the United States of America. The Lion’s Roar is published through the Office of Student Publications, part of the Division for Student Affairs. It is published weekly during regular semesters and monthly during the summer semester.

The Lion’s Roar Staff Editor-in-Chief - Larshel Green A&E Editor - Zachary Araki Senior Staff Reporter - Jonathan Rhodes Distribution - Jesse Salminen II Office Assistant - Alyssa Larose Administrative Assistant - Gemma Carter Coordinator - Lorraine Peppo Director - Dr. Lee E. Lind

General Offices Student Union 1303 Mailing Address The Lion’s Roar SLU 10877 Hammond, LA 70402

Telephone Numbers 985-549-3527 (newsroom) 985-549-3842 (fax) 985-549-3748 (advertising) 985-549-3731 (Student Publications)

Like and follow @lionsroarnews.

www.lionsroarnews.com www.selu.edu/lionsroar lionsroar@southeastern.edu

PAGE 4 | APRIL 24, 2018

The Lion’s Roar | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Exploring history through a different perspective PRAKRITI ADHIKARI STAFF REPORTER

For the past five years, Alpha Psi Omega has been showcasing a play in the university every spring semester. This year, “You Go, Goddess!” written by Tommy Jamerson and directed by Jeff Polito was showcased at the Student Union Theatre on April 16 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. Freshman general studies major Gabrielle Nixon, who played Calliope, enjoyed acting in the children’s show. “I have never done a children’s show before, but I love working with kids, doing some party princess thing, or dressing up as a princess,” said Nixon. “So, I really wanted to do this. I knew it

would be rewarding. It’s a lot of fun.” The team also performed at Cassidy Park, Bogalusa on Friday, April 6 and the Dance Center and School of Performing Arts, Baton Rouge on April 14. “We went to Bogalusa Cassidy Park, and that was good,” said senior business administration major and President of Alpha Psi Omega Madison Smith. “They let us do it for free, which was really nice. That was where we had the most kids so far. We had so much fun. Baton Rouge was also a really good turnout, which was mostly friends and family. They were a great audience there.” Freshman history major Quiere Blue thought the actors justified the characters. He thought the actors were successful in making the audience

laugh, and was happy with the props that were used. “The scenes they were going for were more of comedy aimed just to make the crowd laughing,” said Blue. “I think the props were spot-on.” Junior music major Jeremy Guillot was happy to be a part of the play “which was about allowing the women to be hero.” The character who played Narcissus had a hard time preparing for the self-centered character. “I actually walked around campus for about a month with a mirror in my hand talking to myself before we had the mirror that didn’t have the reflection on it,” said Guillot. “I was not used to talking to myself. I also talked to every mentor that I could.” Polito was excited to direct the female-

centered play to the university that was written to empower women. He talked about his favorite scene of the play. “One of my favorite scenes is in the scene between Hercules and his daughter at the beginning where he hoists her opponent’s shoulders,” said Polito. “We really get a chance to to see the beauty of father-daughter relationship and how it’s his love and his support for her, and how much he believed in her that allowed her to believe in herself. Then, ultimately she used that to save her life. So, I thought that was a great scene.” Community member Joe Mier was impressed with Nixon’s performance as Calliope. “I thought it was a fantastic play put on by the cast, and Calliope did a fantastic job,” said Mier.

Alpha Psi Omega presented the female-centered play “You Go, Goddess!” in the Student Union Theatre. The organization also performed at Cassidy Park, Bogalusa and the Dance Center and School of Performing Arts in Baton Rouge. PRAKRITI ADHIKARI/ THE LION’S ROAR

How senior art students are preparing for the future JENNIFER DETTWILLER STAFF REPORTER

The Contemporary Art Gallery hosted the “Spring 2018 Senior Exhibition” for the department of visual art and design. Senior art major Sherman Mushatt described the importance of his pieces for the show. Mushatt said, “I wanted the main focus of my illustration to capture the design of fashion magazines, these old magazines, but put black people in it just to relate it back to my people because the history of it has never been centered around my people, and that’s pretty much the organization of my entire wall. Even the collage pieces are centered around black people’s series called ‘Run.’ It’s just based off the way America is set up now with everyday black men are dying, and these images capture like a feeling of running away from society and everything that entails. That’s why there is a running figure in every one of them.” Mushatt’s plans after graduation are to continue to freelance and go to interviews

Original music in Hammond JENNIFER DETTWILLER STAFF REPORTER

The Hammond Regional Arts Center is bringing “Playing the Staircase” to the community featuring artists from Hammond and Baton Rouge. “Playing the Staircase” is a way to promote original music from local musicians as HRAC does with original art. Opening the doors to original music and songwriting, HRAC Executive Director Maureen Joyce explained what this showcase will offer to people. “Similar to the visual journey an artist takes us on, the musical journey when we are truly present and listening, takes us to those shared, connected memories and experiences that speak deeply

see MUSIC, pg. 5

he has lined up to further his career in graphic design. Mushatt explained his shock at how people were reacting to his display. “So far, great, I’m surprised,” said Mushatt. “I’ve never displayed these artworks, and I was kind of nervous about displaying them, but people have accepted it very well, and I’m very proud of it.” Senior art major Kayla Morgan discussed the style and inspiration of her artistry that people viewed at the exhibition. “Mostly illustration, I would say, and like bold bright colors of graphic design is the medium that I’m working with,” said Morgan. “Music mostly, like a lot of illustrations are of skeletons and zombies and aliens, but they’re all presented in a different way than you would normally see. So, I did a skeleton of Johnny Cash, and I just wanted to take, you know, a skeleton, something that is usually scary or something that people don’t usually think as like art and change it into something else, and I did the same thing with the alien and the zombie.” Students from around campus were welcomed with

no cost to view the exhibition. Sophomore communication major Claire Cuccia shared her feelings towards the art at the show. “I’m not sure if I could pick one favorite thing that I’ve seen, but I just appreciate the uniqueness of every piece and of every section that is around this room,” said Cuccia. “It has a different theme and a different look.” Senior art major Alexandra Bond discussed where her inspiration came from for her

pieces displayed. Bond said, “Tonight, I’m actually doing an installation piece that was inspired by mental illness and anxiety specifically and the thought of time as an entity that cannot be controlled and thinking about using time to open the viewers’ eyes to the knowledge that there’s some things that they cannot control, and they need to reconcile themselves to that rather than having anxiety about it.” As a worker of CAG and an

artist in the spring exhibition, different people coming in,” Bond described the process of said Bond. “We have a lot of setting up for the exhibition. people. Some people have “It’s always really hectic because we have a lot of see SENIOR EXHIBITION, pg. 5

flodowntheriver@yahoo.com

Attendees at the “Spring 2018 Senior Exhibition” check out the artwork that senior artists put on display. JENNIFER DETTWILLER/THE LION’S ROAR

Arts & Entertainment | The Lion’s Roar

April 24, 2018 | Page 5

Mummenschanz brings abstract choreography JACOB SUMMERVILLE Staff Reporter

The Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts welcomed a Swedish physical theatre group for a one-night performance. Mummenschanz presented a production called “You and Me” on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. Co-Founder of Mummenschanz Floriana Frassetto explained that the company’s name is also the name of the performance technique. Frassetto discussed

the reason behind the performance’s title. “‘You and Me’ is the title of the show even though we’ve never really chosen titles,” said Frassetto. “There was ‘Next.’ There was ‘Parade.’ There was ‘Evolution.’ ‘You and Me’ this time, I really thought about it because I think you, as an audience, and me, as a creator, and performers can be entering a third dimension together, hand in hand, in which you have to imagine. So, it’s an intimate, emotional and creative world.” The act started with a man drawing shapes on a projector

board to create certain images, and he followed with bending wires into certain images. Following the projection act, a variety of skits followed, which included performers portraying giant hands, a caterpillar and box-shaped characters. Residents of Baton Rouge Keith and Faye James shared their input of the show. “I saw them many, many years ago when they came to LSU, and they’re just amazing,” said Keith James. Faye James enjoyed the first act where the performer was drawing on the projector. Keith James shared a difference from this act compared to the last Mummenschanz act he attended. “I’m surprised it’s a silent show,” said Keith James. “I seem to remember long, long ago, there was music, but apparently it’s a totally silent show this tour, so it’s very neat.” In the second part of the production, characters from the first act, along with new characters, filled the stage with more performances. After the show, Teacher of Talented Theater at Midway Elementary School Anna Pfeil shared why she attended this event. “My husband’s the technical director, but he did the show

Abstract Swedish theatre group Mummenschanz performed a variety of skits in the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts. The group’s performance, called “You and Me,” was a combination of short skits that were aimed to entertain people of all ages. Jacob Summerville/The Lion’s Roar about 30 years ago at Tulane University, so I was familiar with their work,” said Pfeil. “I was very, very excited that they were coming to the Columbia Theatre because their level of artistry is just amazing.” Frassetto described the type of performance style one could see at their shows. “It’s like watching a comic strip come alive,” said Frassetto. “It’s poetic. It’s interactive, and it’s knowledge. You can read it on so many levels that it’s not necessarily a reactionary thing. It’s something you have to analyze, and you have to want to play.” Pfeil explained how choreography connected Mummenschanz to contemporary, American theatre while key differences differentiated the two. “You’ve got choreography in both,” said Pfeil. “Even though it looks like they walk

on stage and just are randomly doing things, it’s totally choreographed. It makes you focus on what they’re doing and not just the images but the thought that went behind it because there is no music to distract you. There are no big light changes or things like that. The lighting is very specific for the action that’s taking place on stage, and it’s thought provoking.” Despite traveling very frequently, Frassetto stated that she is proud of the impact of her work. “It’s not always easy to be on tour,” said Frassetto. “It’s not always fun to be away from home, to grow a child on the phone, but it’s something that you don’t forget easily, Mummenschanz, because it’s very abstract. It’s very quintessential, and there’s people who remember our show 40 years later that will come

work for the show. So, we have to help them hang the work, and it’s always really crazy. We were doing stuff until the last never hung any work in their lives, and second. I was here until one in the morning the seniors are required to hang their own last night. There was some guy who was

hanging something at 4:30. So, it’s always really hectic, but it teaches everyone a lot.” The “Spring 2018 Senior Exhibition” is will be on display in CAG until May 12.

Bennett explained how local, original music helps people to save gas and to focus on the unique talent that is in the Hammond area. “With the closure of Augustine’s, Hammond lost one of the very last venues available for original live music,” said Bennett. “I would like to put the emphasis on original live music because much of what is heard in the downtown bars and restaurants are actually cover songs. I enjoy covers myself and acknowledge they pay one’s bills, but young college fans of live music will venture out of town now to hear original music.” The upcoming events will include collections of original acoustic songs from

both solo and duo artists. Each performance is scheduled to happen on the last Friday of the month with performances beginning at 6 p.m. Each scheduled performance event will cost $5. Performances begin on June 29 featuring Jess Kerber. The last performance for the “Playing the Staircase” series is scheduled for Nov. 30 and will feature Bill Robinson. Other performers include Jodi James and Clay Parker on July 27, Ameal Cameron on Aug. 31, Denton Hatcher and Kristen Foster on Sept. 28 and Peter Simon on Oct. 26. For more information on the musicians and for music sample, visit hammondarts.org/playing-the-staircase.

SENIOR EXHIBITION

continued from pg. 4

MUSIC

continued from pg. 4

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You’ve set a fast pace for yourself. But as you approach your goal, you might want to slow down a bit in order to take time to reassess your situation and make changes while you can. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Patience continues to be a virtue for the Divine Bovine. So as eager as you might be to get things moving, remember that time is on your side. Make good use of it. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) There’s a wee bit of uncertainty in the early part of the week. But things clear up as more facts come to light. Spend quality time this weekend with family and friends. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) An old friend’s return could open new possibilities for both of you. But don’t let yourself be rushed into anything. There could be some factors you haven’t yet explored. LEO (July 23 to August 22) This week offers a challenge you’re raring to take on. And while eager to get started, do so slowly so that you can focus those sharp Cat’s Eyes on every detail. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Put your skepticism aside and listen to advice from colleagues who’ve been where you are now. What they say could be helpful as you get closer to a decision. LIBRA (September 23 to

October 22) A family matter might again require your reassuring touch. Handle it, as always, with kindness and fairness, even if some of your kin prove to be especially difficult. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your ability to tackle even the most intricate details of a project is likely to impress some very important people. A relative shares news later this week. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) The Archer’s aim might be focused on the big picture this week, but don’t overlook checking for those details you might have missed. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) You might feel awkward asking for assistance, but who would refuse the charming Goat’s request? Do it, then go ahead and enjoy a musical weekend. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Pour some cold water on that simmering misunderstanding before it boils over. The sooner things settle, the sooner you can move ahead with your plans. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You’re in a highly productive period, which you feel can go on forever. But you could be courting exhaustion. Take time out to relax and restore your energies. BORN THIS WEEK: You can combine a sense of adventure with a penchant for practicality. Have you considered a travelrelated field?