‘Blood,’ comedy entrances
The international hit “Blood Brothers” opened Friday at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, showing an audience of 350 how the luck of class placement has the power to interrupt families and brotherhood.
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The international hit “Blood Brothers” opened Friday at the Ruth N. Halls Theatre, showing an audience of 350 how the luck of class placement has the power to interrupt families and brotherhood.
The IU Department of Theatre and Drama begins this year’s season with the originally British production of “Blood Brothers” by Willy Russell. Opening night of the musical tragedy is Friday under the direction of award-winning director, Murray McGibbon.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While many 9-year-olds were riding bicycles, junior Gaby Cheikh was starting the Timmy Foundation with her doctor Chuck Dietzen. Cheikh is president of IU’s Timmy chapter.Originally based in Indianapolis, the non-profit foundation provides medical services and resources in developing countries such as Guatemala. The organization has grown to include eight college chapters since 1997 and sends a chapter to set up medical brigades in four to five villages every other month. The foundation transforms the music of guitars and drums to the tools of stethoscopes and bandages by presenting a concert to benefit its cause. The concert for an 18 and older audience will be at 9:30 p.m. today at the Bishop and will feature three live bands: Company of Thieves, Alexander the Great and The Giggles. All proceeds will go to the Timmy Foundation. Pre-sale tickets are available at Tracks and Landlocked for $7 and tickets at the door are $10. Last year, IU’s chapter raised $15,000 and successfully built an intensive care unit and a postpartum ward in Ecuador. Currently, the IU chapter of 40 active volunteers has the goal of raising $15,000 to build medical bases.“We have built a relationship with these people by working a hand-in-hand effort,” Cheikh said. “We brought access to things everyone deserves.”Headlining at the fundraiser is Chicago-based band Company of Thieves, who will be returning to Bloomington where they sold out a show last year.After recently signing a label, the band’s MySpace read, “Influences are at times detectable – a little Fiona Apple here, a bit of John Lennon’s social activism there – the band is far from being mere mockingbirds.”Local bands are good because they attract a following that will take advantage of the great stuff happening outside of Bloomington’s trends, said sophomore Shelley Westerhausen, who is a volunteer for IU’s Timmy chapter.In the past two years, the Timmy Foundation presented “Timmypalooza.” This event will be Timmy’s first fundraiser in 2009. “It’s really nice to see people coming out and getting excited enough about what we do,” Cheikh said. “Plus, it’s awesome music.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kappa Delta sorority presented a runway for students to strut their stuff and raise money for the IU Dance Marathon on Tuesday evening in the field behind Foster Quad. Halloween costumes were provided by Campus Costume and modeled by volunteers from the greek community as well as IU’s dance team, the Red Steppers. Character costumes included Peter Pan, Dumb and Dumber and Little Miss Muffet, who all “catwalked” for the cause. “I don’t usually get to hang out with 40 girls at once in a fairy costume,” said volunteer model junior Nick Strawn.This is the third year Kappa Delta has presented the fashion show with goals of raising at least $2,000 and is the sorority’s official fundraiser for IUDM. Aside from ticket sales, attendees vouched and voted for models. “It’s great for greek life to come together in the spirit of philanthropy,” said junior , Jillian Casamo, vice president of public relations at Kappa.Before the fashion showcase, the Bloomington local band, The American Night, occupied the runway as the crowd began shuffling onto the field. The band was told that if Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix had a baby, the band would be the product, said drummer of the band Kevin Jordan.Halloween spirit was in the air as goody bag treats filled with glow sticks and Hawaiian lays greeted guests. Campus Costume featured a stand selling discount costumes along with a McAlister’s Deli vender of sweet tea, popcorn and cotton candy.Seeing everyone pumped and shaking on stage for their house makes you realize IUDM is here, said sophomore Kerry Gulman.“Alice in Wonderland” characters floated onto the runway while a gingerbread girl blew kisses and a cop without pants tossed his hat into the audience.Nothing is better than guys in tights all for a charity event, said sophomore Rachelle Martino.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Shoppers entered the Bloomington Playwrights Project ready for a shopping spree. But these shoppers didn’t bring their credit cards and checkbooks.They brought their old clothes.The project sponsored a clothing exchange on Wednesday night and said the fundraiser was a way to help two local organizations. Shoppers came to the event after stripping their closet of the “doesn’t fits” and the “oops, I never wore it” and the “goes back to ’90s,” and recycled the forgotten clothing items into someone else’s hands.The Playwright Project encouraged women to donate clothing, shoes and accessories. What was left after the exchange was given to the Opportunity House, which is a resale shop whose profits are given to the Monroe County United Ministries. This charity provides child care for basic needs and assistance.“This benefit was a win-win-win!” said Rebecca Stanze, an employee at Monroe County United Ministries. “We get to clean out closets, freshen up your wardrobe and help the community all in one night.” The currency of the night was trading clothing for tickets after paying admission at the door. The more clothing given, the more tickets were earned to shop and to refurnish wardrobes. Extra tickets were also bought for those who wanted more clothes.Baskets of clothing were folded and clothing hung, as women hunted for replacement tops and shoes. Shrieks of excitement erupted when certain brands, such as Baby Phat, were salvaged. Other shoppers hunted for finds together and congratulated each other when they found items such as one shopper’s “Audrey Hepburn” dress.Angela Floy, a Bloomington resident, noticed her jacket on a stranger and said, “What luck! It looks better on her after all.”Donations were made for a variety of reasons. Many shoppers said they agreed that women fluctuate sizes throughout time and are constantly gaining and losing weight. Size and shape aside, many said they chose items with plans of safety pins and sewing machine adjustments. “I love shopping and the find. The serendipity of rare clothing is what makes it all worth while,” said Tracy Bee, coordinator of the event.Graduate student Carmen Blubaugh said she prefers thrift shopping at events such as the clothing exchange because the clothes have a cooler meaning.Many shoppers modeled their finds and asked each others’ opinions on their new looks. “Women found outfits they could have worn right out of the exchange,” Bee said.
Rather than classic Elizabethan-style Shakespeare, the Monroe County Civic Theater presented a sexually revolutionized “Othello” this weekend.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If William Shakespeare walked into 1972 and saw heated Vietnam War protests, women’s rights struggles and the spawn of a sexual revolution, what do you think he would say? Nate Stanger, a freshman from the University of Michigan, said he imagined these circumstances when he decided to direct a rendition of Shakespeare’s “Othello: The Moor of Venice.” The performance is 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Sept. 18 and 19 at Third Street Park stage. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Stanger also collaborated with his mother, Sheila Butler, to direct the play.“Being one of Shakespeare’s most complex plays, ‘Othello’ displays how if you don’t control your emotions, they will shred you apart,” said Alphonse.To suit the scene of 1972 and depict a time of human empowerment and social unrest, this version of “Othello” makes changes from the traditional Shakespearean plot, which usually includes men in control and imagery of 1603 Venice.Although male roles originally surround the lead of Othello, played by Andy Alphonse, this cast is arranged so the key roles are women. The tables are turned as Othello is victimized by powerful female characters. Stephanie Courtier, who plays an originally male character, Brabantio, pointed out that “Shakespeare only used men in his performances and so he wouldn’t have a problem with today,” she said. “We’re just kicking it up a notch.” Several stages and films have featured the plot of “Othello.” The themes explore racism, love, jealousy and betrayal – things that are still relevant today. “We do not believe in standard Shakespeare, which is why this interpretation should stand out,” Butler said. “Talented actors and a change of style is moving this play amazingly well.”
Play confronts evolution, creation theories on stage.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For some, playing rock music in a museum would be like doing a cartwheel in a library. However, the IU Art Museum seemed to combine music and art at the Culture Fest After Party in the Thomas T. Solley atrium last night. Students who attended this highlight of Welcome Week may wonder why a concert shouldn’t always happen in a museum. “Art should never be quiet,” sophomore Angela Pinkerton said.The atrium reverberated with the sound of Jenn Cristy and her accompanying band.Besides wandering through the galleries, several attendees chose to dance up close to the Bloomington native band. Cristy passionately sang out her own lyrics. Onlookers developed a connection with her as she made eye contact with those around her. “Anybody can relate to any one of their songs,” Bloomington local Allison Paurazas said.The museum treated the guests with BLU Boy Café & Cakery’s chocolates that appeared to be a hit since trays were emptied faster than they were brought out. A few tasters even joked that chocolate is “good for you if it gives reason to why desserts are worth deserting off of the plate.”International organic coffees with names such as “Groovin’ Goat,” and “Papua New Guinea’ were served as compliments to the chocolate, which were shared by indulgers surrounding the table. Angles Cafe and Gift Shop manager Murat Candiler said the cafe always seeks out unique beverages to pair with its “extraordinary” gift shop.The evening drew about 500 students, who gravitated in and out of the museum to browse through the galleries. New students agreed that getting out and exploring the museum was a great way to make the best of an open agenda with friends, freshman Kaitlin Kennedy said.Besides welcoming new students to the museum, the affair helped reunite returning students. “I was happy to meet up with some friends from last year on such an energetic occasion,” sophomore Quinn Easter said.Having the night at the museum reminded students that IU has a free art museum on campus which contains an encyclopedic collection of art at students’ fingertips. “We are glad that this preview went so well,” said Paul Sturm, associate director for development of the IU Art Museum. “The band gave a radical atmosphere, which I hope makes students realize how radical a museum can really be.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Coffee. Music. Chocolate. Art. The IU Art Museum will add its own spin to CultureFest with an after party just steps away from the festival. The museum, noted for its angular architectural style, will welcome new and returning students to enjoy live music, treats and drinks from around the world.“The evening is beneficial to IU students because it exposes the museum’s value and fun,” said Joanna Davis, manager of the museum’s external relations.All three of the museum’s year-round exhibitions will be on display. Students will have the opportunity to roam and explore the artwork while jamming to local Bloomington musician Jenn Christy and her band, which will perform soul-infused rock.“The museum exhibits an encyclopedic collection of artwork ranging from medieval to contemporary time periods around the world,” Davis said. “Having these resources on campus can be helpfully incorporated to any major.”Along with art and music, Bloomington’s own BLU Boy Chocolates Cafe & Cakery will provide candies, while Angles Cafe and Gift Shop, which is featured in the museum, will offer samples of fair-trade coffee beans from Indonesia, Latin America and Papua New Guinea.“From the jazz music to the one-of-a-kind pieces within the gift shop, everything within the cafe is art-inspired,” said Murat Candiler, Angles Cafe manager.Although the museum was established in the 1940s, this door-opening event is only five years old. Last year, the turnout was about 500 guests. Davis said she encourages students to meet and greet the museum and become familiar with the Fine Arts Plaza.After exploring the plaza, sophomore Kadi Mancuso said she planned to attend the party.“The CultureFest after party is one way to take advantage of the artistic side of what the campus of IU has to offer,” she said.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Friday evening, senior fashion design certificate students presented their designs through a standing exhibition at Rachael’s Cafe. Models representing the students’ garments sauntered around the exhibition. Thirty-two design students characterized each of their stations with their portfolios, mannequins and models.Although Rachael’s Cafe has hosted several fundraisers before, Friday’s event was the first time it has been the location of a fashion show. The cafe provided a two-floor layout compatible for a fashion exhibition. However, the mood can be attributed to the circular Asian crate paper light fixtures.“The light gives off a soft, incandescent luminescence,” said poet and Rachael’s Cafe employee Aaron Casper.Throughout the affair, attendees floated in and out of the fashion show, filling the room. While viewing and chatting about the fashion, several guests had a glass of wine in hand and many partook in hors d’oeuvres provided by the cafe.“I grew up with a fashion designer, my sister, and so it is interesting to see what other people will create,” said senior Marie-Gisele Ngouen.Besides accomplishing two years of hard work in earning their fashion design certificates, students have also developed their own techniques.“Coming from a small farm town, my inspiration comes from old rugged barns,” said junior fashion design and apparel merchandising major Casey Heck.Heck’s Americana-inspired style was portrayed by a red-and-white bustier top. The thin, striped cotton material was flattered by inverted angles and directions of placement.Cara DiJulio, a junior majoring in studio art, focuses on the backs of her pieces.“Just like a sculpture, one must adjust every side of the body. Plus, most people put a zipper on the back, which gives it no attention,” said DiJulio.One of her models wore a gray linen dress, which was influenced by the cover of Iron and Wine’s album “The Creek that Drank the Cradle.” The back was v-shaped, with circular maroon patches on the lower cut to illustrate the tree leaves on the album cover.When asked to explain why current fashion markets impractical women’s sizes of 2 to 4, while the average woman ranges from size 8 to 12, junior Cheryl Nwokah said, “Beauty has no number. My clothes are designed for healthy women.”A particular station upon a keyboard, rather than a table, happened to have a portfolio focusing on shoes. Senior Matt Unterfranz, who is now involved in an individualized major program for shoe design, said he attributes his innovative inspiration to drawing on restaurant placemats as a child. Each portfolio page of design is set on a different restaurant placemat. His portfolio introduction is a picture of an old-fashioned diner with a neon sign saying, “Late Night Designer.” However, some of the letters in the word “designer” are broken so at first glance it simply says, “diner.”“I think the fashion show went spectacular – the students did an impressive job,” said professor of fashion design Theresa Winge.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Strut down to Rachael’s Cafe on Friday to be awed by the funky fashion show organized by senior fashion design certificate students.The fashion design senior exhibition will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer will be served alongside the menu at the cafe. Guests should bring their dancing shoes because the cafe is holding a party with a live DJ after the fashion show. Unlike a runway, the fashionable outfits will be displayed on mannequins as well as by models walking through the exhibition. “This way you can notice the details and you can touch the clothes,” said senior Florentina Urrusty, a designer and public relations co-chair involved in the exhibition.Urrusty said to think 1970s futuristic style with a hint of avant-garde. She added that the fashion is not similar to Judy Jetson, but might lean toward the creativity of Lady GaGa.The original 80 percent handsewn pieces will have an array of chrome, silver, gray and black colors, said Urrusty. The texture will consist of mostly synthetic and inexpensive fabrics such as polyester and cotton. However, design students said they would prefer to use silk. Real ingenuity will be applied to the designs in 2-D and 3-D format, for students’ portfolios and for the show, respectively.The design students took three classes to help prepare the fashion patterns made for the show: draping, pattern development and tailoring. Draping is working with the body before the actual structure is drawn. This method is similar to Bravo’s reality television series, “Project Runway.” Pattern development is an experimental class for designers to manipulate a pattern into an imagined finished product. Tailoring is exact measurement and precise fitting of an outfit to flatter a body. Urrusty said besides the classes attributing to the exhibition, the design students hope to represent their hard work over their past two years. The process and the final product will be shown. About 30 students will have prepared two garments each and will be presenting their portfolios as well. “The fashion design certificate faculty is proud of the designs that the fashion design students have done during their two years in the program and wish them well in their future endeavors,” said Theresa Winge, a professor of fashion design presentation and draping courses.Rachael Jones, owner of the cafe, said, “It should be an exciting, eclectic, glad-you-came event.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Soulja Boy bumped the tailgating fields Friday night as an audience of about 5,000 danced along with the rap star to his signature song, “Crank That.” Throughout the concert, fans screamed with excitement as beach balls bounced through the crowd. The opening acts recognized IU and the Little 500, building to the excitement of the actual presentation when Soulja Boy expressed how great it was to perform during Little 500 week.The IU Essence dance team danced alongside the stage throughout the show and stimulated audience participation. The rap duo Playo and O Dog warmed up the audience with an intimate song called “Indiana Swag.” Other opening acts included Jake Udell, Farfaradude and Joby Wright. The concert had an upbeat and hip-hop feel throughout.“From beginning to end, there was not a moment where I wasn’t either dancing or screaming. It was so exciting,” said freshman Meghan Lovellette, who stood in the front row.Soulja Boy rolled up to the tailgating fields in a limousine at about 8 p.m. The 18-year-old Atlanta-raised rapper said “Wassup?” to Bloomington before starting with the song “Turn My Swag On.” But the crowd really got stirred up when Soulja Boy called out to his adoring fans with the hit “Kiss Me Through the Phone.”“How many sexy ladies we got in the crowd?” Soulja Boy said before he performed the song.He was wearing baggy white shorts, a black T-shirt and a Boston Red Sox hat topped off with a gold chain necklace hanging with a heavy plaque of his name. Having worn sunglasses embedded with Swarovski crystal in the past, Soulja Boy especially attributes his swagger to his shades.“His eyewear is his key piece,” said Soulja Boy’s personal stylist, Jamal Robinson. The show was sponsored by Bloomington’s Ice House Foundation, a group of students paired with IU’s club hockey team. Members gave Soulja Boy a hockey jersey with his name on the back. A fan caught Soulja Boy’s eye, and he passed the jersey to the lucky girl in the middle of the crowd.Members of the organization said they were pleased with the turnout at the tailgating fields, considering this was the first concert performed in this location during the Little 500. When asked about the choice of Soulja Boy as the performer, senior Jason Apple replied, “We hope to combine the Little 500 tradition with the community by bringing a top hip-hop artist of today.”Games, such as the IU favorite cornhole, were set up in the field by the charity Camp Kesem. The fundraiser was run by senior Adam Wagner, who collected donations in tents with fun activities. “Camp Kesem is an IU-run camp that is held for one week in the summer free of cost to about 100 children,” Wagner said.Along with keeping a personal and direct relationship with fans online, Soulja Boy rapped offstage and onto the field throughout the performance. Not only did he “Do Da Stanky Leg” with the audience, but he invited them to share fame on “Soulja Boy TV,” his personal YouTube.com channel where he posts music videos and personal addresses to his fans. “Soulja Boy live was amazing,” said freshman Lauren Arena, “because everybody really got into the music and cranked up each dance.”
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Tim Hardy has testosterone to thank for getting his teenage mind interested in acting. After years spent studying in a boy’s school, getting to act in a play with girls sounded fantastic.But sincere devotion is now reason enough for Tim Hardy – actor, director and faculty member of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts – who came to share advice and wisdom to IU students Thursday at the Wells-Metz Theatre.“He provides the insights of an actor who has had many experiences,” said Nichole Pena, a graduate student from IU-Purdue University Indianapolis. “Hardy genuinely wants to bring out (the) talents of actors.”Being a man of prominence within the theater world, Hardy has directed and performed in productions across the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and the United States. He is currently on the staff at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. His onstage performances include “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Macbeth,” “Parade,” “Romeo and Juliet” and “Guys and Dolls.”Besides onstage acclaim, Hardy has experience behind the scenes. On a whim, Hardy agreed to direct the adventurous play “The Royal Hunt of the Sun” at the University of Michigan. This was not the only time throughout his career that Hardy was surprised with a position. At one point, Hardy was hesitant when asked to play a leading role in “A Winter’s Tale” while he was teaching students in two-hour seminar segments during the day. Despite his original timidity and dependence handling foreign roles, Hardy said, “Do not set your parameters because you don’t know until you challenge yourself.”“Where you most resist is probably where you should go,” Hardy said, referring to his random invitation to a famous music festival in Vienna to sing opera.Hardy said acting has no limitations as long as actors center themselves. When drama relies solely on a theory of opinion, he said, anything goes.Thursday at the Wells-Metz, Hardy asked attendees, “What is acting?” One responded, “to live truthfully in imaginary circumstances.”After interactive discussion, Hardy confronted his own question with the answer “to make a true marriage between disparate things: the text and me.”Hardy provided attendees with advice about the strategies of being a successful actor. Starting from the audition, Hardy said one should listen and be oneself by letting the work speak without force.In this sense, Hardy said acting is not only for “Hello darling!” types, as he put it, but it’s the flexibility to mold into and relate to a character from the inside out.Currently, Hardy is performing a piece called “Galileo,” which was pitched by professor Terri Bourus, the director of the Center For the Study of Early Modern Drama at IUPUI. As the sole performer in “Galileo,” Hardy is presenting the battle between science and faith. Hardy said the most difficult part of acting alone is the pressure because of the lack of letup.Although Hardy is lecturing on several college campuses about “Reinventing Shakespeare for the 21st Century: Keeping the Bard Relevant on Stage, on Page, and in Film,” Hardy jokingly said he didn’t get Shakespeare, but if anyone else discovered this secret, he would be sent to the Tower of London.At 70, Hardy continues acting to keep the energy alive.“The animal I am, the addict that I am. I need to act,” Hardy said.
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indie-folk-country duo The Watson Twins, who recently performed at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, are remarkable in more ways than one.Yes, they are unusually tall identical female twins from Louisville, Ky., who have the ability to produce flawless harmonies. And yes, they achieved national acclaim when they collaborated with singer Jenny Lewis of indie-rock band Rilo Kiley on Lewis’s first solo album “Rabbit Fur Coat,” which was met with great response from indie-rock and folk fans alike.But what makes The Watson Twins able to push past the identical-twin act persona and deliver a more meaningful performance to the national music scene is that they truly are skilled.The Watson Twins mirror their voices in a lovely and natural harmony, even sounding as if they were singing as they calmly joked with the crowd between numbers. The twins howled soft soprano vocals, but their unique harmony is what sets them apart from other singers.A comfortable dynamic existed between The Watson Twins and their onlookers throughout the set.“Between the audience and The Watson Twins, there seemed to be an enthusiastic energy,” said junior Bradley Steinman.Red and pink lights set the mood along with the rockabilly keyboard, staggered drum beat and the confident duo on the microphone. The crowd seemed to have a connected rapport with the opening performance of Chandra and Leigh backed by their band. The girls and their band performed passionately and certainly made a statement before they were followed by tour mate, Ben Kweller.The twins said that besides feeling happy, it felt great to play in Bloomington for such a warm audience that included their mom and close friends.Their indie-alternative sound was weaved with a country twang and enhanced by Chandra on the harmonica. A guitar, a trumpet and a tambourine also snuck their way into the groove.Perhaps their versatile range of instruments can attribute to the twins’ unique sound.“The random trumpet definitely spiced it up and made the songs really interesting,” said freshman Drew Snyder.The audience appeared most involved with their renditions of Bill Wither’s 1971 song “Ain’t No Sunshine” and The Cure’s 1987 hit “Just Like Heaven,” when The Watson Twins invited the crowd to sing along.Complimentary to the twins’ sound was their sense of style. If one wasn’t absorbed in listening to these girls, one is eyeing all six feet of these beautiful twins up and down. Leigh suitably aligned their country music feel with a rural vintage outfit, dressed in a high-waisted, small-patterned skirt, into which a well-contrasted black shirt was tucked. All of it was tied together with a chunky belt. The red tights and lace-up boots were what made the getup pop. Chandra had a glam vibe but kept her country roots intact with her black high-wasited jeans. A silky, dark blue blouse tucked into her pants flattered her long legs. The glam came into play on her neck, which dripped with dazzling necklaces.Alongside their vocal talent and wicked fashion sense is their confident onstage stance. While singing and playing several instruments, the musicians were dancing to the beat and enjoying the entirety of the performance. They seem truly bonded to the melody and the lights and in tune with the audience.2006 marked the release of their debut EP “Southern Manners” followed by the 2008 album “Fire Songs.” Eager to keep moving, their steady growth from providing backing vocals to existing as musicians in their own right, The Watson Twins won’t soon be forgotten.