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Thursday October 31, 2013
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thelantern lantern www.thelantern.com thelantern.com upcoming Thursday
The Quay Brothers Introduce “Freaks” 7 p.m. @ Film/Video Theater at the Wexner Center for the Arts Miwa Matreyek “This World Made Itself” (World Premiere) and “Myth and Infrastructure” 8 p.m. @ Performance Space at the Wexner Center for the Arts Wishful Thinking Entertainment Presents Halloween Blackout 9 p.m. @ The Newport
Friday
Jeffrey Dahmer suspected to haunt Morrill ABIGAIL HOFRICHTER Lantern reporter hofrichter.3@osu.edu Stories about haunted buildings along the Oval, such as Bricker and Orton halls, have become a beloved part of Ohio State lore. However, many younger generations of Buckeyes have grown more familiar with a different ghost story. “I had more nightmares while living in Morrill (Tower) than I have experienced at any other point in my life,” second-year in exploration Trevor Thompkins said. “One night, I woke up and nearly yelled out because I thought someone was staring at me from my closet and was moving towards me.” Thompkins lived in Morrill Tower as a first-year and, like many of his former suitemates, has his own version of the tower’s ghost story. Thompkins said it is rumored Jeffrey Dahmer, an infamous American serial killer, lived in room 541. “I lived in 541. Of course I found this out after I moved in,” Thompkins said. “It was bizarre.” It is rumored Dahmer lived in Morrill Tower for a short time before dropping out of school and joining the army. A representative at the University Registrar confirmed Dahmer did in fact attend OSU, but could not give out any information regarding his residence while here. Many residents of Morrill Tower have heard different versions of the tale. “I heard that some murderer died on the 13th floor and that now he haunts it,” second-year in biology Samantha Michalski said. Michalski also spent her freshman year in Morrill Tower playing the game of ghost story telephone with previous tenants. “The first time I heard it was from my dad, after he went on a tour with my older sister,” Michalski said. “Before I actually moved into Morrill Tower, I was told they shut down the 13th floor because it was so creepy to live on.” The 13th floor of Morrill Tower is open. Graphic novelist John Backderf, who writes under the pseudonym Derf Backderf, released the book “My Friend Dahmer,” which chronicles the life of his high school friend Dahmer. Backderf discusses Dahmer’s short time in Morrill Tower while at OSU on the blog for his graphic novel, myfrienddahmer.com. Some students, including third-year in marketing major Lydia Backscheider, use websites such as Backderf’s blog as the source of inspiration for their haunted heralds. Backscheider and her suitemates in Morrill Tower performed a séance during the final week of her freshman year. “We started thinking about all the people who had lived in this room, began searching Jeffrey Dahmer, found sources on the Internet who confirmed that he lived there and just got carried away,” Backscheider said. Backscheider said her suitemates dressed in crazy outfits, lit candles and were led through the séance by an app Backscheider purchased, Ghost Seance, which instructs users on summoning spirits. “The whole building is just so creepy being so large and industrial,” Backscheider said. “When everyone had moved their stuff out, it looked a lot like an old insane asylum.” Thompkins also said the dark, stuffy atmosphere of Morrill Tower could be a major factor in students thinking it is haunted.
HALIE WILLIAMS / Arts editor, photos courtesy of MCT Photo illustration by Shelby Lum
It is rumored that serial killer, Jeffrey Dahmer (center), lived in Morrill Tower during his time at OSU and still haunts the residence. “With a building so big that has housed so many people over the years, it’s not hard to believe that people would spread stories of weird things that have happened there,” Thompkins said.
OSU students prepare for Halloween with pop culture costumes KIM DAILEY Lantern reporter dailey.176@osu.edu
OUAB Presents: Sarah Silverman 7 p.m. @ Mershon Auditorium John Vanderslice 8 p.m. @ A&R Music Bar Lotus 8 p.m. @ The Newport
Saturday
Blue Man Group 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. @ Ohio Theatre Craig Shoemaker 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. @ Wish You Were Here: The Sight and Sound of Pink Floyd 7:30 p.m.
Ohio State will be filled with costumed capers venturing for parties and treats Thursday. OSU students across campus will be celebrating Halloween by dressing up in costumes from and relating to different pop culture icons. Krista McComb, a second-year in journalism, said her boyfriend and her plan to dress up as Flo, the Progressive Insurance mascot, and Mayhem, a mascot from the Allstate Insurance commercials, respectively. “I found the idea (for the costumes) while looking at Pinterest,” McComb said. “They looked fun and cute and were easy to make.” McComb said they plan to wear their costumes to a party her boyfriend is hosting. While some students will try to get you to switch and save money on your car insurance, others will be bringing back the classics. Olivia Randolph, a second-year in Spanish, said she will be dressed as the character Alex DeLarge from the 1971 film “A Clockwork Orange,” complete with the bowler hat, white button down shirt and fake eyelashes the character wears in the film. “I like the film because I always thought it was interesting how it shows a whole new take on crime,” Randolph said of her costume decision. “Anyone who knows who the character is or knows what movie he is from will be cool with me.” Randolph said she did not have any specific plans for Halloween yet. Some students are keeping it simple by dressing up as figures in pop culture, and decided to use clothes from their closets as the basis for their costumes. Anthony Crespo, a fifth-year in communication, said he is planning
Conservatory lends eerie scenery, atmosphere for Halloween Soiree AMY MACYNSKI Lantern reporter macynski.3@osu.edu With history dating back to the 1800s, when darkness falls, the Franklin Park Conservatory is sure to create an eerie Halloween. This is exactly what is to be expected at Spirits of Olde: A Halloween Soiree, scheduled for Thursday at the Conservatory. “The Conservatory’s Palm House was built in the Victorian era, when ladies arrived by horse drawn carriage and Broad Street was but a dirt road. This inspired gem and tropical oasis drew many visitors back in the day. There is a photo of some of these ladies in our lower concourse. Rumor has it they never left and their spirits linger in our halls,” said Eliza Babarczy, food and beverage operations manager at the Franklin Park Conservatory, in an email. Admission to the event is $15 and includes access to the conservatory’s current exhibit, Bruce Munro: Light, and one drink ticket for those 21 and older. Tickets are available both online and at the door of the event. Bruce Munro: Light is intended for evening and nighttime viewing, according to Lori Kingston, marketing director at the Franklin Park Conservatory. The exhibition includes 10 light installations throughout the building, Kingston said.
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on dressing up as a hillbilly for his friend’s Halloween party. He said his costume decision was because it was cheap to make. “All I had to do was rip up some jeans and I had a costume,” Crespo said with a laugh. Opting out of the festivities, some students are not dressing up at all. David Thomas, a second-year in marketing, said he will not be dressing up for Halloween. “I honestly forgot it was Halloween weekend,” Thomas said. “I won’t be in that statistic of (OSU students) dressing up.” Thomas said instead of celebrating Halloween on campus, he will be visiting and hanging out with friends who are on fall break, which he has been planning for more than a month. Columbus’ Trick-or-Treat night is slated to be from 6 -8 p.m. Thursday, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
Courtesy of the Franklin Park Conservatory
Spirits of Olde: A Halloween Soiree is slated to take place Oct. 31 at the Franklin Park Conservatory. “Some are suspended, some spring from the ground, flash, pulse or simply glow in an array of colors. Thousands of feet of fiber optic cables are employed,” Kingston said in an email. To create signature cocktails for the event, the conservatory has paired up with Bacardi USA. Patrick Brane, team brand specialist for Bacardi
USA, said guests should expect high quality drinks at this event. “(We) have partnered with the United States Bartenders Guild in Ohio to showcase some of the best mixologists from the top restaurants in Columbus,” Brane said in an email. Signature drinks include Red Rum, Forbidden Fruit and Spirit of Olde. Other than some “awesome” signature cocktails, Brane said there will be plenty of dry ice, tarot card readings and fire breathers at the event. The event is set to feature a photobooth sponsored by We Are Glitterati, performances by DJs Charles Erickson and Donnie Mossman and a Victorian Waltz performance. Babarczy said both the indoor and outdoor scenery along with the historic aspect of the conservatory are perfect for Halloween. The event will have something for everyone, she said. “There will be dancing, if you want to dance. If watching is your thing, keep your eyes peeled for fire eating and stilt walking. And if you dare lend your palm to be read, expect mystery and secrets to be revealed,” Babarczy said. Franklin Park Conservatory is located at 1777 E. Broad St., and the event is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 10 p.m. Costumes are optional.