1. 4 A&E
Sway: An innovative student production
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January 29, 2009 Mount Holyoke News
The
BY LARISA
SUNDERLAND ’11
Fast
Talker
BY SCHUYLER MARQUEZ ’11 jumped onto the challenge and called for sub- The playwrights are excited about the
STAFF WRITER missions of scripts. Zaryckyj, along with opportunity to have their works produced, as
ount Holyoke often takes pride stage manager Sarah Merhar ’09 and dra- all three aim to make playwriting a career.
One cold J-Term night, about
M in being a place of endless possi-
bilities and a harbor for new and
creative work. The collaborative effort seen
maturg Jane Arden selected the plays that
were best for a small production and were
connected in theme. Zaryckyj observed, “The
theme of identity came organically from the
Chadwick-Saund noted that she tends to
write plays for female characters, and attrib-
utes her experience at Mount Holyoke as an
influence. “There are way too many roles out
a week ago, a few friends and I in Project Theater’s latest production, Sway,
were trying to decide whether it is an excellent demonstration of such oppor- scripts, each dealing with the formation of there for professional male actors. In fact,
was a Blanchard or a Prospect tunity. identity, but each showing a different step in only about 20 percent of professional theatre
night. My friend looked at me and Sway is a collection of three student writ- the process.” artists in the United States are women or
said, “You know what? I’m feeling ten, directed and performed plays to pre- The plays are linked in that they wrestle transgender, a trend that I’d really like to
a little anti-social. Do you mind if miere next week. The project was actually with themes of identity, but also stand alone help change.”
we just go to Blanchard and sparked in a playwriting class, a setting in as unique and innovative pieces, giving relat- Zaryckyj has only directed once before
watch TV?” It turned out to be a which constructive feedback and creativity able characters breath and bringing fantastic but is enthusiastic about being involved in all
great decision; the Blanchard tel- were more than welcome. “I wasn’t even elements like time travel and embodied aspects of theater. “One of the best ways to
evision was set to The Food Net- going to write the piece initially,” contribut- flashbacks to the mix. Gladys Girabantu ’10 have a career in theater is to make it happen
work and Paula Deen was on. ing playwright Ari Chadwick-Saund ’08 re- described her play, Waiting, as “short and for yourself,” he said. The evolution of three
As I sat eating my Natural called, “but I met with my professor, who of raw.” Her play is the most realistic of the student scripts to a full-blown production in-
sandwich on twelve-grain (“hold course told me I should write the piece, and three plays, as it follows a collision of two volving the collaboration of thoughtful edi-
the mayonnaise, please!”) and so I did. The play wouldn’t be nearly as boys outside a New Mexico diner, while Ric- tors and writers, an ambitious director and
watched Paula Deen fry a cheese- strong as it is if I didn’t have the help of my ochet, by Sally O’Doherty’s ’10, focuses on a the dedication of a small cast and crew is cer-
cake, I thought, “I just love this classmates and professor.” woman who is repeatedly visited by her fu- tainly a testament to that.
woman.” Clearly, I’m not alone. As their class winded down, many stu- ture self. Bodyguard by Chadwick-Saund
Aside from hosting two very pop- dents expressed a desire to have their work brings the audience to the crisis point of 19- Sway will premiere Wednesday and Thurs-
Why I can no longer hate Paris Hilton
ular shows on The Food Network, produced. Jack Walter Zaryckyj ’09 eagerly year-old Alex, a girl who isn’t all she pre- day Feb. 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. in the Blanchard
Deen has been on every talk-show tends to be. Great Room.
from Oprah to Regis and Kelly.
An incredibly affable woman
in her early sixties, Paula Deen
speaks in sentences bookended
with y’all’s and punctuated with a BY KIM BOYD ’10 Paris Hilton. Even the name seems to cause trailer! Didn’t she know I loathed everything
hearty chortle. More than gra- STAFF WRITER some sort of visceral response for people. For that woman stood for?!
cious with whomever she shares many, just the sound of her name is the sort of Fast forward to October, when a different friend
the stage, she’s playful and flirta-
thing that brings bile to the throat and a screeching tone of “That's sent me a clip of a song called “Zydrate Anatomy.”
tious, acting more like an old
hot!” ringing in their ears. I was one of those people. Yes, I was one The song was amazing, and suddenly a woman ap-
friend than a TV personality.
of those people who would refuse to see anything that she was in; peared... a hot woman. After a moment I felt the urge
I recently watched her on
who would watch the death scene in House of Wax and laugh and to shower. How could that be Paris Hilton? But it was.
“Regis and Kelly.” The second
point, but now I find myself not hating her, and let me tell you how I needed a few moments to pray, to find my moral
Regis came out she said, “You
much that scares me. center; then I watched it again. After seeing the
know, Regis, you lookin’ mighty
No one, not even her most ardent fans, can deny that Paris is a movie, I found that I actually respected Paris Hilton. It
fine.” Her speech is layered with
fame whore. From the moment when she appeared in 2001, starting sent me into a moral crisis, and I found myself reading
sexual overtones (and often, just
to become famous for being famous, through the One Night in Paris more about her, and listening to her talk about this film
blatant sexuality), which caused
Regis to suspiciously reply, “I porn DVD that was released directly before the first season of her that she loved so much. Despite testing myself for
think you’re trying to tell me television show The Simple Life in 2003, Paris Hilton’s goal was her brainwashing or some sort of stroke... I found myself liking that she
something, Paula.” But Deen’s re- own self-marketing. She appears to be one of those celebrities who was poking fun of herself and her image. Suddenly everything in my
mark was nothing more than a knows how best to market herself in order to facilitate this image of life was wrong! I may not like her, or ever want to be her BFF, but
warm compliment, misinter- her being the rich, dumb, slutty, famous-for- nothing celebrity. This thanks to Repo! The Genetic Opera, I respect her... just a little bit.
BLUEBIRD
preted by Regis Philbin. ability has lead her to become, among other things, 2007 Guinness Repo! The Genetic Opera was released on DVD Jan. 20, and is play-
That’s what is so great about World Records “Most Overrated Celebrity.” ing at Tower Theaters on Feb. 6 and 13 at midnight.
Paula Deen. More than having I’m sure you’re wondering how on earth I can no longer hate her.
traded in “comfort food” for In March of last year, a friend of mine sent me a trailer for a movie
“health-conscious food,” our soci- that she was sure I’d love. The movie was Repo! The Genetic Opera,
Airport Shuttle & Car Service
ety has adopted, in conjunction a gothic-rock opera set in a distopian future where they repossess or-
with increased overt sexualitza- gans. The trailer rocked, and I was totally already planning to see it
T O P Reasons to see
tion of women in particular, an in- when it came out until I saw Paris Hilton’s name in the credits. Imme-
Western Mass Bradley Airport Boston/Logan
creasingly impassive attitude. diately, I was morally offended. How dare my friend send me this
J.F.K Airport Including Manhattan
Deen, because of her age and size,
FIVE The Wrestler
can make candid physical re-
Cruise Docks & Area Colleges
Telephone: (413) 221-4512
marks that would mark a
younger, thinner woman as
www.bluebirdairporttransportation.com
overly-sexual. When spoken by
Paula Deen, however, these com-
ments come off as tenderly 1. In the ’80s, Mickey Rourke was both a successful leading man
demonstrative. It’s not just that and a certifiable sex symbol. But his personal life overshadowed
she amply butters her food; his career and by the ’90s Rourke had become a has-been and a
Deen’s speech oozes with unusual punchline. That is, until now. In Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler,
compassion. I’m not saying that Rourke portrays washed up professional wrestler Randy “The
we should all eat and speak like Ram” Robinson, who is given one last chance at life and love.
Paula Deen, but she provides a Rourke is mesmerizing; he delivers a fun, passionate and poignant
welcome contrast to The Hills, performance that sticks with you. This is the comeback of the year.
where Lauren Conrad’s attitude is
as cold as her salads. 2. A film about professional wrestling seems like it would be the
It’s no secret that Paula Deen perfect plot for a Will Ferrell movie. Yet The Wrestler is a powerful,
was agoraphobic, and this per- heartbreaking and beautifully crafted drama that takes the audi-
haps rounds out her already well ence into a world unlike any other. It is an intense and graphic look
rounded personality. On her web- at a culture where everyone is clinging to failed dreams.
site she writes, “I was 40 years old
and was having such severe panic 3. Marisa Tomei plays Pam, a stripper who has captured Randy’s
attacks that I literally could not heart. Tomei’s performance is the glue that holds The Wrestler to-
leave my house, becoming a pris- gether, providing a sense of wisdom when Randy is completely
We’ll Take You Anywhere!
oner in my own home.” Not only lost.
is Paula Deen older, larger and
wiser, she knows what it’s like to 4. Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child o’ Mine” is featured as The Ram’s
be afraid of other people. I feel as anthem before his last turn in the ring. Axl Rose provided the song
Springfield Bus & Train Terminals
if Paula Deen is intimately ac- for free because of the film’s low budget. Likewise, Bruce Spring-
quainted with all of my greatest steen provided an original song, The Wrestler, for free. The open-
Bradley International Airport
fears (social anxiety, getting fat ing line, “Have you ever seen a one trick pony in the field so happy
and getting old), and moreover, I
Logan International Airport
and free?/ If you've ever seen a one trick pony then you've seen
see her bravely exhibit these per- me,” is a testament to the heart and soul of this film.
JFK Airport
sonal qualities in front of millions
of viewers—and they love her! As 5. Frankly, The Wrestler is the year’s best film. It might be less
I look around to see if anyone’s fantastical than The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, not as
watching while I sneak a few
413-626-2732 413-568-3797
hyped as Slumdog Millionaire, not based on actual events like
chips out of my Blanchard basket, Frost/Nixon or The Reader and lacking the biopic angle like Milk,
Paula Deen mercifully reminds but The Wrestler has more passion than any of these films. It is a
me that you can fry your cheese- film not to be missed.
cake and eat it too, on national tel-
Joanna Arcieri ’10
evision.