Theatre students Taylor Lannan and Evan Heird perform in GRCC's "Scotland Road." (Photo by Ryan Tyrelly/ Collegiate)

GRCC welcomes 'Scotland Road'
Play Review
By Mariea Macavei
Collegiate Staff Writer

“There’s a difference between not telling the truth and being a fake,” character Dr. Halbrech said.

If you’re looking for a twisted, dramatic, fun-filled night out on the town, then come see Scotland Road at the Spectrum Theater. You’ll be in for a treat!

From, Dec. 10 through Dec. 13, Spectrum Theater will be holding this production in the black box on the second floor, room 201 at 8 p.m.

This play will boggle your mind, keeping you on the edge of your seat. I myself have read this play several times, trying to get into the mind of these mysterious characters. There is so much going on in the plot, you will never know which way the play’s direction seems to go.

“The play centers on a mysterious woman who is found on a slab of ice in the middle of the Atlantic,” said Christopher Grooms, the Actors’ Theatre Business Development Manager. “She is claiming to be the last survivor of the Titanic. The only hitch is she is in her mid-twenties, and the play is set modern day. It is a mystery that will keep you guessing until the final moment!”

Grooms has been working for Actors’ Theatre for a little over a year now. He most recently directed “Agnes of God” for the Heritage Theater Group, as well as a two 10-minute plays for Actors’ Theatre, and around six one-acts for GRCC.

Grooms enjoys “the magic of the rehearsal process the most. The magic and the life that comes out of a rehearsal is breath-taking!” Grooms said.

Grooms said he enjoyed directing dramas and that this one is quite the “nail-biter.”

Taylor Lannan, who plays the character “The Woman” for “Scotland Road,” is jumping into her second production at GRCC having just got out of “The Shape of Things.”

Lannan has been acting for a little over three years, having directed about 10 shows in high school.

Lannan said this was one of her most demanding roles, and she is a little nervous.

Despite being nervous, Lannan said, “I’m also really excited, though. I can’t wait to see and hear everyone’s reactions!”

If you are eager to see and hear more, then come down to Spectrum Theater Dec. 10 Dec. 13.

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Ring in the holidays with the Orchestra
By Rebekah Young
Opinion Editor

The Kent Philharmonia Orchestra (KPO) is a GRCC-sponsored community organization that has been sharing the art of music with listeners since 1975.

On Dec. 12, the KPO will continue to serve the community by bringing the sounds of the holidays to Grand Rapids with its annual Children’s Holiday Concert, from 7:30-10 p.m.

The concert is one of four regular concerts presented by the KPO throughout the year. Hosted at the St. Cecilia Royce Auditorium at 24 Ransom NE, it is a holiday event for families, featuring songs geared towards children.

According to Malcolm Brannen, Orchestra Manager and GRCC professor, “The orchestra is made up of area amateur and semi-professional musicians who play mostly for enjoyment and do not rely on music as their primary source of income.”

The KPO is a college/community orchestra that performs symphonic literature from all periods of music.

Members volunteer their time to practice on Wednesday nights in the GRCC Music Center and perform at concerts. Each member is “required to have a good level of training and skill on one’s instrument,” Brannen said.

“It is enjoyable to see that there is an outlet for amateur musicians to use the skills and training they gained,” he said, citing that for many of the orchestra’s members performing is pleasant hobby outside of school and work.

To participate in the orchestra, students or interested individuals must audition. KPO is also offered as course MU 189 at GRCC, and students may enroll if qualified.

Admission is free for all concerts performed by the KPO, which are also open to the public.

According to GRCC’s Music and Performing Arts Web site, art is not meant to be a luxurious activity only for the privileged and elite; it is meant to be enjoyed by all.

“We believe the arts to be of primary importance to the survival of the civilization, to the health of the society, and to the quality of life of each individual member,” the Web site reports.

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Aging backwards
Movie Review
By Rebekah Young
Opinion Editor

“My name is Benjamin Button, and I was born under unusual circumstances.”

Based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” in theaters Dec. 25, is a stunning film about a man who is born in his 80s and ages in reverse.

Despite Benjamin’s bizarre, unlikely situation, the film’s story, helmed by director David Fincher of “Fight Club” and “Se7en,” is beautiful, profound and surprisingly relevant.

Though Benjamin, portrayed by Brad Pitt, experiences life differently from those around him, the issues of life, mortality and death affect him too.

The main character’s journey is mostly self-narrated, beginning in New Orleans, at the end of World War I. The film then ambles along, following Benjamin’s unusual life as various characters shuffle in and out of his world, all the way through the twenty first century.

For a period film with a plot steeped in the serious and haunting topic of mortality, “Button” boasts appealing visual effects and make-up that enable Pitt to age seamlessly and believably from an 80 year old infant, to a precious, infantile 80 year old.

Decent pacing and an award-winning script by Eric Roth, best known for “Forrest Gump,” also play their part in catapulting Benjamin’s tale from a simple short story into a film full of grandeur and wonder.

Beautiful sets and costuming make scenes from 1918 and on feel authentic. However, scenes set in the New Orleans of 2005, where Benjamin’s story is being told in a hospital waiting on news of Hurricane Katrina, feel disconnected from the rest of the film.

The story doesn’t fully find its footing until the introduction of childhood friend and future love interest Daisy (Cate Blanchett). This allows the film to truly illustrate the striking tragedy that is Benjamin’s life.

“While, everyone else was agin’, I was gettin’ younger…all alone,” Pitt says in a Southern drawl, a feature acquired from living at an old folks home with his adopted mother in Louisiana.

The significance of this love story is that while Benjamin gets younger with each passing moment, the same cannot be said of Daisy.

Benjamin, like everyone else, cannot control time, which leaves the two lovers only one magical moment in life where they share the same age.

Benjamin’s life may be lived backwards, but he still encounters and experiences many of the milestones and tribulations of any human life. His story is singular, but the messages and thoughts it incites are universal.

We have only so much time to make the most of our lives. Whether we are aging forward or backward, how we choose to live our lives and what we aspire to make of ourselves is up to us.

Fate can be fickle, Fincher’s tale seems to say, but what we do with our time on earth is one of the few things we can control.

Though “Button” is not the epic it aspires to be, it is lifted by Pitt’s subtle yet mesmerizing performance.

Pitt brings charm, vulnerability, and a whimsical faith to Benjamin, making him an endearingly likable character, whose remarkable story will remain with viewers long after the final credits have rolled.

Now featuring "Benjamin Button" Trailer.

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Mixtape Cafe opens downtown
By Zach Burger
Collegiate Staff Writer

The popular, all ages venue known as Skelletones has fallen into the hands of new ownership, soon becoming The Mixtape Venue and Café.

Former owner, Mark Leech, otherwise known as Mirf, parted from his duty of owning and running Skelletones to pursue other life objectives.

This opened the door for a new venue to emerge, and the new owners have plans to do just that.

JR Renusson, 27, and Jessica Brady, 25, have started the renovation of the old venue, building a new foundation for all ages. Renusson and Brady both grew up in the greater Grand Rapids area.

Renusson even attended GRCC for a number of years achieving a Culinary and Business Associates Degree from the college.

Brady attended cosmetology school and became a hairdresser. Following their achievements, they both ended up in Madison, Wisconsin.

When Skelletones announced the closing of its doors, Renusson and Brady were still living there unaware of the news. Renusson was working at a studio, and Brady worked at a boutique. Around the same time, Brady’s parents wanted to help her find a salon in Grand Rapids.

“Jesse and I always had this thought of having a salon/concert venue,” Renusson said. “I thought the perfect place would be Skelletones because it has two sections. I wanted to see what the capacity was there, and Jesse said she’d look it up online. When I was at work one day, she called me and told me Skelletones was up for sale. We were both shocked!”

Before they even had a bank loan, they decided “it was a sign” and they had to buy Skelletones. Immediately, they got a hold of Leech, and wanted to buy the venue right away.

The concept of a salon/concert venue fizzled out, but nevertheless, they decided to continue constructing a successful venue. The motivation to buy Skelletones came from Renusson’s experience of booking bands and tours with his and Brady’s own band Newberry.

Originally, they planned on having a small, all ages bar without alcohol inside the venue, but they didn’t want to ruin business for the local coffee shop upstairs, The Euclid. But suddenly, that small idea exploded.

“Mirf called us to ask if we had any friends who would be interested in taking over the Euclid,” Renusson said. “The past owners had decided to call it quits, and it was going to be up for sale, too.”

While in Madison, Renusson had worked at a coffee shop as well as a studio, so he was qualified to cover all aspects of both businesses. Shortly after, they decided to purchase the Euclid as well. They talked to their landlord, who thought it was a great idea, and they were all set.

“It got to the point where we needed to do something big,” Brady said. “We either needed to do the venue thing, which was always something we wanted to do but we always thought it would be something we’d do after we toured. We decided maybe it’d be smarter if we did the venue first, and let it fuel what we want to do in the future.”

Consequently, the new ownership has sparked negative attitudes towards the future of the venue by many people who attend Skelletones. In the past, punk and hardcore bands from around the area dominated the venue, but the question has circulated about the scene whether or not the venue will remain loyal to these bands

. “I don’t want anyone to think we’re going to stop having punk and hardcore shows,” Brady said. “We’re definitely going to have them still, but we’re also going to add pop rock bands to the bill. Right now, I think there’s a lack of that, and there are so many talented rock bands in the area.”

So don’t worry, the hardcore scene is here to stay. The Mixtape is currently booking acoustic based shows upstairs in the former Euclid during the week, while Skelletones finishes out their weekend shows until January.

Although business is slow, Renusson and Brady have high hopes for the future of the Mixtape.

“We want it to be packed in the morning with people studying,” Renusson explained. “In the afternoon, we get a high school crowd, and at night we have an awesome show.”

Expect to see the grand opening of The Mixtape Venue sometime in early February, hopefully with some big name acts. In the mean time, go grab a cup of coffee from the café.

“There was never a question of if we could do this,” Brady said. “Here we are back in Grand Rapids… living with our parents.”

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Collins Art Gallery
By Shanda Borst
Collegiate Staff Writer

Grand Rapids Community College students and visitors alike have the opportunity to view a variety of art work at the Grand Rapids Community College Collins Art Gallery located on the 4th floor of the Main Building.

According to Professor Ronald Stein of the Visual Arts Department in an email exchange concerning the gallery, it is not only a chance for art lovers to experience local, national, and international artists, but for art students to use as a learning tool.

“Many of the Exhibitors use techniques that are incorporated into some of the Art Department classes,” said Stein in his email exchange. “Our students need to see the potential of using techniques learned in the classroom.”

The next exhibition held at the gallery, the “Student Photography Exhibition”, will be displayed from Jan. 12 through Feb. 6, 2009. Despite the exhibition presenting student artists, the artists chosen to present their works in the gallery are not strictly GRCC students.

According to Stein, to be displayed in the gallery the artists must either be invited to display their works or they must submit images of the works the Artist would like displayed. Then members of a committee that consist of faculty from the Visual Arts Department will vote to reject or accept an Artist’s work.

According to Jasmine Halliman, a worker for the Visual Arts Department and a GRCC Student, the Collins Art Gallery gets approximately 10 visitors on an average open day, with the exception of a class visit.

“Sometimes we find students are very busy and are not available to visit our Gallery,” said Stein in his email, “Generally the highest number of attendees is seen during a reception for an exhibition. The artist usually attends [the reception] and visitors enjoy meeting and interacting with the artist and their artwork.”

According to Stein, anyone is welcome to attend the receptions held for each exhibition. The reception for the “Student Photography Exhibition” will be held Wednesday, Jan. 21 from 6-8 P.M.at the Grand Rapids Community College Collins Art Gallery.

“I am a music major, and am not involved with the visual arts program at CC,” said GRCC student Christopher Dupont. “I definitely recommend that any student take the time out of their day to enjoy the silence and awesome images featured in the art gallery. I’ve seen nothing but refreshing, innovative work presented by the students, in fact much of it could be museum worthy. Spending time in the gallery is relaxing and could help spark your inspiration towards writing or any other creative endeavor you’re pursuing.”

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Heroes in need of saving
Television Review
By Ryan Lenau
Collegiate Staff Writer

I have been a fan of the show “Heroes” for some time now, but something seems to be amiss now that the show has started it’s third season.

I have all the episodes on DVD and watch the show religiously every single Monday night. I take a shower, climb into some warm pajamas, pop some popcorn, grab a soda and prepare to immerse myself in the world of “Heroes.”

For the last couple of weeks the show seems to be losing its spark. Many other people that I talk to feel the same way. Each episode feels like a chore to watch.

One problem is that I feel the audience is being left out. When the series first began, every hero was well defined and had a clear objective, to save the cheerleader. Everything that the characters did, lead them to saving the cheerleader.

The audience became a participant in that quest. We knew certain things the characters did not. It made the audience feel like they had an active role in each episode. Now the creators of the show seem to be keeping more and more things from us.

I know the creators want to keep some plot points secret but, I think that doing so comes at a price. I would hate to see this show fall into a mindless mish-mash of ideas. The series is lacking any clear sense of direction at this point.

There are also too many heroes. The show started out with a cast full of great characters, each one with a unique back story. We spent time getting to know each character. By the end of the first season I felt a strong connection to each character.

In season three, new heroes and villains just fall out of the sky. Worst of all they come and go so quickly that I barely get to know their names.

The series is turning into one giant B-movie. It started out with so much promise, but now it seems to be mocking itself

Lastly, there is way too much time travel. Just because Hiro and Peter can time travel does not mean that they have to. Characters are switching places so frequently that I find it hard to keep track.

To complicate things even further, some characters even switch into other bodies. Stop the time traveling.

I can suspend my disbelief to a certain point, however that point has been reached. I fear that it will soon become impossible to keep all the characters straight. It is bad enough that “Heroes” changes locations, I just pray that they will stop switching times as well.

“Heroes” is a great show. It is one of the few shows on television that I actually look forward to watching. I just hope the show’s creators will bring the show back from the brink of insanity.

Give the show a clear objective, bring down the number of characters in the show and stop all the time traveling.

I love “Heroes,” and I hope to see the show continue for at least one more season. I just pray the show will not fall victim to the kinds of mediocrity that other shows have succumbed to.

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Sasha Fierce has burst into the scene
Music Review
By Yirssi Bergman
Managing Editor

Beyoncé’s alter ego takes control of her new CD "I am… Sasha Fierce."

The CD is double album in which Beyoncé (or rather Sasha) aims to expose her other side.

“Sasha Fierce is my alter ego," Beyoncé says on her Myspace page. “Sometimes you don't want to think, sometimes you just want to feel good. She's the party girl, she's bootylicious.”

It seems as if in this album Beyoncé is trying to break away from her two previous solo albums. She succeeds, but only to a point. "Dangerously In Love," Beyoncé’s debut album, was mostly filled with love songs and a couple of club songs here and there.

"B’Day," her second CD, was the complete opposite. Almost every song in the album could have been a club banger, and some even were worthy of catwalk fun (such as the “Get Me Bodied” remix).

In" I am…" Beyoncé mixes the sweet with the fun. The double album can be purchased as a standard and as a deluxe edition.

The deluxe edition contains eight songs in each disc, one disc per personality. Her first two singles –“If I Were A Boy,” and “Single ladies (Put A Ring On It)”- demonstrate this variety.

“If I Were A Boy” talks about how the man she loves takes her for granted, and how she would behave differently if she was a boy. “If I were a boy/I think I could understand/How it feels to love a girl/I swear I’d be a better man.”

“Single Ladies”, on the other hand, speaks of the fun she’s having at the club, “Acting up, drink in my cup/I could care less what you think.” She tells her ex he has no right to be mad.

“You decided to dip but now you wanna trip/Cuz another brother noticed me.”

If he liked it, he should have “put a ring on it,” she says.

But there is nothing new in these lyrics. “If I Were A Boy” actually reminded a lot of people of Ciara’s “Like a boy.”

"Single Ladies" is somewhat similar to the song “Irreplaceable,” from her second CD. Some of the other songs on the CDs, however, are truly original.

Sasha shows Beyonce's stronger side. And Beyoncé’s CD shows, well, Beyoncé.

In “Ego,” Sasha claims that she has “every reason to feel like I’m that bitch.”

She continues, “Some call it arrogant/I call it confident/You decide when you find out what I'm working with.”

In “Diva” she speaks proudly of making money. “I done got so sick and filthy with Benjis, I can't spend it/How you gon' be talkin shit? You act like I just got up in it;/been the number one diva in this game for a minute!”

“Diva" is the female version of "a hustla,” she repeats throughout the track. Beyoncé, on the other hand, talks about being in love in some songs, such as in "Halo."

“You're everything I need and more/It's written all over your face.”

And in others of the pain of breaking up, such as "Broken hearted girl."

“And though there are times when I hate you/'Cause I can't erase/The times that you hurt me and put tears on my face/And even now, while I hate you, it pains me to say/I know I'll be there at the end of the day.”

All in all this is a well-rounded CD. Although Beyoncé doesn’t show us anything outrageously new, it’s an easy listen, and fun to dance to. 4 out of 5 stars.

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International Guitar Series
By Sarah Messer
Collegiate Staff Writer

TThe International Guitar Series made its way to Grand Rapids with a performance from Marcin Dylla.

Dylla is a 42 year old musician from Chorzow Poland who began his love for music at age seven. He stunned the audience with a seamless performance that showed his compassion for classical music.

The event had a substantial turnout, with 150 visitors. He performed a variety of Spanish pieces including Sonata Romantica by M. M. Ponce, Music of Memory by Nicholas Maw, and Rossiniana Nr. 1 by Mauro Giuliani, along with two other pieces by Aleksander Tansman and Joaquín Rodrigo.

Dylla won the 2007 Guitarist Foundation of America Competition, which awarded him a concert tour of 50 states throughout the United States.

He has also won 19 other first prizes in other competitions across the globe. He has been performing for 35 years.

“Its important for parents to encourage their children to study music at a young age, music is less complicated if you begin learning as an adolescent,” said Dylla.

At age seven he received his first guitar lesson at the Ruda Slaska Music Conservatory in Poland. He has also studied at the Music Academy of Katowice, and concluded his studies at the Music Academies of Maastricht (The Netherlands), Basel (Switzerland), and Freiburg (Germany).

“I practice my music all day, because when I say practice, I don’t just mean that I play my guitar, practicing for me includes reading about different styles of music, memorizing the pieces of music that I perform, and listening to classical music,” said Dylla.

Dylla’s inspiration came from his home in Poland.

“There were guitar festivals that I would attend continuously; I enjoyed watching the local musicians.” “I only have one guitar that I play, it is important to me because it was handmade in Germany by a good friend of mine,” said Dylla. “Many accomplished musicians play on handmade instruments, my friend only makes around ten guitars a year.”

Dylla has performed at concert halls all over the world including Musikverein and Palais Lobkovitz (Austria), St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall (Russian Federation), Villa Hügel in Essen (Germany), and the Palazzina Liberty in Milan (Italy).

“I love to travel and see what the world has to offer; with my concert tour I spend about half of my year traveling,” said Dylla.

“I enjoyed playing at GRCC, I felt a good connection with the audience,” continued Dylla.

Audience member David Poel said, “I thought the performance was amazing, I have been to a lot of concerts and I have never experienced a guitarist with as much talent as Dylla.”

Dylla will continue his tour in Ajijac Mexico on November 24, Victoria Canada on November 28, and Charlotte North Carolina on December 4.

He has four CD’s available for purchase including Chitarra Giocosa, Ponce Tedesco Brouwer- Sonatas, Fantasia Para un Gentilhombre, and Polish Guitar Music.

For more information visit Marcin Dylla’s website at: www.marcindylla.com.

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A&E Briefs for December 10, 2008
Compiled by Collegiate Staff

Free Country Concert
Thunder 94.5 and Budlight are offering a free country concert at the Orbit room Dec.16. The concert features Josh Gracin with Hello Dave and Matt Stillwell.

Intersection Concert
Local group Pop Evil has two shows at the Intersection. Dec. 21 they have an acoustic show available to those of all ages, and they also offer a New Year's Eve show ages 21 and up.

Cage Fighting hits GR
For fans of MMA, Cage Combat will be at the Delta Plex, Jan.2 at 8p.m.

For more A&E Briefs, see print edition.

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