Extracurricular Theater+School=?

Tonight I am acting in a performance, but instead of for the Robinson Players, the student theater organization, it’s for the Directing Class. The theater department offers many experience-based courses in addition of their lecture courses, including Beginning Acting, Advanced Acting, Acting for the Camera, Directing, and Directing for the Camera among others. Around the end of fall semester, the Directing course culminates in an evaluation of a play they have directed. The first performance, just before Thanksgiving recess (TONIGHT!!!) is a traditional proscenium performance. Then, once we return from break, it is reblocked, for an arena setting, and then performed again right before finals.

This year, there are 5 students in the class, each of whom directed a “hospital play.” My director, Michelle, was the first director I had at Bates when we were both first years, last fall. Last year, I also participated in the directing class shows, but the class had 16 people in it– I had to be in two just so each show could get fully cast!

This show has really crept up on me, but last night at dress rehearsal everything was going so well that I’m sure tonight will be a success! Next step: HOME!

Hello stage

This past weekend, I had my first performance at Bates this year. I’m on the board of directors for the student theather organization, The Robinson Players, and every fall we put on an “Evening of One Acts”. My show, Sociability, was one of them. It was a lot of fun, working with the cast and a great director, CG Niquette.

The play, written by Charles Disenzo, was a comedy based around two competing couples in the late 1950s-early 196os. Their competition, of course, slowly spins out of control, culminating in a crazy conclusion where clothes are ripped and vases and lamps destroyed.

It was a challenge though, juggling that along with my other responsibilities. I was, for the most part, in two shows for much of production. I’m performing in a play for the directing class next week and having two practices a day, along with lots of school work, was not uncommon for me. But, so it goes. It’s really rewarding when I know that I’ve put on a great show, and it’s something I’m proud of– and that my friends really enjoy as well!

Just about another week or so and then it’s home for a relaxing Thanksgiving break… if only I didn’t have an exam, a term paper, and a show first…

Art Commons: It’s ALIVE!

All the hard work from winter semester, continuing into short term has finally paid off: Tuesday marked our first official ART COMMONS meeting! Art Commons is a student art space that stemmed from the Art-In, a demonstration of how the empty Old Commons building could be a perfect place for student art. After the art-in, Bates gave us a chance with Rowe Room, and we had a big opening during short term where tons of students painted the walls and made the space feel more lived in and comfortable. This year, after meeting with a lot of deans, and a lot of different committees we finally got access and the green light to get Art Commons active in the 2009-2010 school year.

We’ve decided to structure the space to being open about 24 hours a week, broken up into 2 two-hour shifts each night, Sunday through Friday. Our meeting Tuesday was to explain this process to interested students, and to ask them to PLEASE apply for a monitor position. Each two hour shift will be supervised by an Art Commons Monitor, a key-holding student selected by the three managerial club members (myself, Charlotte Brill, and Matt Reynolds). Their job is to open the space up for others to come in and use it, and to keep an eye on what happens. It’s also super exciting when you have a key to something official on campus. But maybe that’s just me being a dork…

We’ve received many applications, which is really great news for us ! We’re really hoping for Art Commons just to keep growing and keep gaining momentum… the student interest in art exists, it’s just a question of translating it into something that can work well at Bates! I’m so happy to be a part of this!

 

Happy Foliage

Taken at the annual Leaf Jump

photo credit Kaitlin Weinman ‘12, October 30 2009

Most Magnifique Montreal

This week following October break has proved very busy for me– the short breathe of relaxation in the form of a Canadian journey seems now only a memory in light of the two shows I’m rehearsing for at the moment (one goes up Friday!), the  art space I helped create that opens to the student body this week, and the debate I have in my Psychology of Personality class.

Still, the trip was awesome! I was less enthusiastic than most of my friends to go; it seemed like a lot of money and a lot to pull together last minute. We had 9 girls crossing into another country; I am first to admit I had less than lots of confidence. Somehow though we really pulled it off!

We got there Wednesday night, and we were staying in a private 9-person room at a hostel. Yes, that means three sets of triple bunk beds. The hostel, Montreal Backpackers Globetrotter Hostel, was awesome. I’d never stayed in a hostel and was very worried. The place was really clean, friendly, and affordable. We were able to spend our down time (which for the record there wasn’t much of) in our own sort of home base, very comfortable.

We spent our days fighting the weather, which wasn’t too great, seeing the sights, walking the streets and even examining exotic insects at the Botanical Gardens. We spent our nights running around the city seeing concerts and meeting new people. We also ran into at least 10 other Batesies. Clearly Montreal is a destination… I definitely recommend making the trek at some point in your Bates career!

Back to the grind….

Finally Finished!

As everyone has been experiencing the midterm crunch this week, I was reasonably let off easy with just one paper– or so I  thought.

My big assignment before  the freedom of October break was writing my first paper in my Anthropology/Religion course on Ancient Greek Mythology, Magic and Gods. Really interdisciplinary, right? The class, ANRE 225, is awesome. All the myths and stories that I’ve been hearing all my life suddenly have greater dimensions added, when coupled with specifically selected readings of anthropological theory. Instead of just accepting that myths and traditions seem quirky and unique, now everything means something: which God said what to who, what was sacrificed and how the sacrifice took place, through what vehicle the worship occured… etc.

That being said, because it is an anthro class, as well as a religion class… about ANCIENT GREECE, there were certain things that made writing this paper difficult. In the first place, picking what to write about was a challenge. It was a case where the professor just left a blank space for us– “write an analytical essay”. Period. Just anything in the entire sphere of the class. I was super lost, without any kind of direction until I went to his office hours and we talked out my wide variety of possible topics that I’d selected. It was settled, then: I would focus on private rituals in the home focused on Hestia, or the hearth, and then analyze what these rituals meant to the Greek people that practiced them.

The synthesis of historic data, anthropological theories, and my own personal analysis was a difficult process to be sure. I worked all of last week and much of this weekend on it — I even spent my Saturday night in PGill reading articles and collecting data! Still, last night around 10pm when I finally finished, I felt so relieved, so proud! There was this enormous weight lifted from my shoulders;  the last thing I had to do was done! Fall break, here I come!

The next step is heading to Montreal with 9 other girls for three days of crazy… we’ll see what happens when Bobcats go international??

Good Morning, Sun

Yesterday morning I got up at 5:30 AM. What? WHY? This is the common reaction. However, I got up, headed out in order to go on an Outing Club trip, in fact my favorite type, a Sunrise Paddle.

This trip consists of waking up about an hour before the sun, when all of Bates is sleeping, and meeting up at the Boat Barn on Frye Street, where we load up the trailer with canoes and head out towards Lake Auburn, about 15 minutes away. There’s usually a lot of people signed up for these early morning adventures, with the promise of delicious breakfast at Nezinscot coupled with a perfect view of the sunrise the major draws, however, often times people can’t bear to wake up with their alarms, and only a few braves souls make it out.

We loaded up and made our way out, everyone acknowledging that it was FREEZING out, but still pleased to be up and out on the water. We had nine boats, with three people in each one. When we put the boats in the water, it was still pretty dark out, however, as we all paddled out to get a good view slowly but surely it brightened up, and the tree-covered hills surrounding the lake were slowly being lit up and showing their foliage. Around seven though, everyone’s fingers were cold and the sun had mostly risen, so after a short but worth it paddle, we loaded up the boats again and headed to the farm.

The majority of times that I’ve been to Nezinscot have actually been at odd times in the morning, nearer to 6 and 7 than most Batesies could imagine. Nezinscot is a wonderful farm that has amazing food, a popular spot when students want to get a break from Commons. Always the second part of sunrise paddles, the breakfast is that much more satisfying, as almost a reward for getting up early and appreciating the natural beauty all around.

But, as we are all academically engaged Bates students, the van was back in time for 9:30 classes, and luckily I had enough time to change out of my long underwear before heading to my Tolkien’s Middle Ages course.

Ready to Rehearse

Only October and I’m already a few rehearsals into my first play of the year ! “Sociability” by Charles Dizenzo, directed by sophomore CG Niquette, is being put on by the Robinson players in an evening of one acts in November. I play Fanny, a sickly enthusiastic hostess and wife who isn’t particularly thrilled with guests from hell, who constantly make inappropriate comments and personal comparisons. My character is guilty of the comparisons as well, and it turns into a free for all in the end, with furniture and clothing being destroyed!

I’m glad to be in rehearsals and keeping busy, but my work load is definitely getting heavier. Now comes the time to balance commitments; all the clubs, classes, plays, and jobs are vying for my time and I need to try and keep everything in order. Hello sophomorism !

Bates College: WITH PARENTS!

Here we are the beginning of October, and along with it has come beautiful fall foliage, increasing amounts of work and… PARENTS! It’s parents weekend here at Bates and I couldn’t be more excited. Definitely at the perfect time when I’m just beginning to get overwhelmed by deadlines and work, my parents will alleviate all stress associated with the intense midterm season.

Plans for this weekend include apple picking and cider donuts, dinner at Fuel, A cappella concert at Lewiston Middle School, and Portland tomorrow! I can’t wait to meet all my friends’ parents, and for them to meet mine. It’s the merging of two parts of your life; school and home. Can’t wait!!

The BOC does not retreat…

We advance. At least that’s what we call our third meeting, held tonight, at the Bates Outing Club’s lean-to in Greene, ME. The meeting, complete with a big campfire and smores and LOTS of stories is what most clubs would call a retreat– away from Bates campus, a fresh look, an escape; but like I said, the BOC does not retreat, we Advance!

The advance is the third meeting, and for many freshmen, acts as their induction into being a council member. To become a council member, one must attend three meetings, do a work trip and tell a story at a meeting. The advance is the perfect place to receive your nifty BOC patch, signifying membership, because everyone tells stories upon stories and you feel like you’re hours away from Bates, instead of just 20 minutes outside.

I’ve been working in the Equipment room for the BOC, or E-room for short this semester. It’s open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4-5. I’m having a ton of fun learning both about the gear we lend out for free to all Bates students as well as the rich history and traditions that the BOC has. We’re coming up on our 90th year next year, it’s so exciting!