THE HEIGHTSC2 Monday, May 2, 2016

One of the weirdest things about Boston

College’s Arts Festival is that two of the three

days it’s celebrated are school days. Some events

that students might want to see are awkwardly

scheduled in the middle of the day, when many

of us might have class or work to be doing. In

spite of its awkward timing, however, Th ursday

afternoon’s Dance Showcase, which brought

together many of BC’s fi nest dance crews in an

hour-long compilation, saw a horde of students

pile into the O’Neill Plaza tent, pining for a seat

for the epic mash-up of ensembles and styles.

It’s a rare sight to see a step group like Sexual

Chocolate perform in the same set as Full Swing,

or to see Full Swing grace the stage before a BC

Irish Dance performance. One might think the

viewers had gathered for a lesson on the history

of dance, rather than a melange of BC’s dance

groups. Th e contrasting styles and music found

throughout the Dance Showcase, on the other

hand, provided the set with a variability that kept

each dance number refreshing and highlighted

the distinct characteristics of each of the groups

and their members.

While the whole range of performances

seen Th ursday afternoon each made their own

lasting impression on the audience, there were

a few numbers of particular note. With its fi rst

Robsham show earlier this semester, Full Swing’s

two dances demonstrated the group’s popularity

with BC audiences, as well its showmanship.

Donned in snazzy dress attire, Full Swing’s

performers played out a dance contest to Duke

Ellington’s “Diga Diga Doo.” After a few other

groups had gone, another assortment of Swing

members took to the stage with Grease’s “You’re

the One that I Want.” Seeing the Pink Ladies and

T-Birds come together in an epic swing number

was exhilarating, and encouraged the audience

to sway along with Full Swing.

Despite more than a few technical issues that

plagued the beginning of their fi rst number, the

Golden Eagles showed the crowd that their

talent isn’t confi ned to football fi elds

in the fall. They gave two very

diff erent performances, one

set to Th e Chainsmokers

“Roses,” the other to

Olafur Arnalds’ “Near

Light.” Th eir “Roses”

number seemed very

much in tune with

the pop-themed style

the group is used to

performing at games,

but the “Near Light”

number gave the au-

dience a much subtler

facet of the group. Akin

to the interpretive dance

in Napoleon Dynamite, the

Golden Eagles’ “Near Light”

dance gave viewers a glimpse of the

more tranquil end of the spectrum of the

group’s versatility. With two very diff erent

dance styles on display, the Golden Eagles

made it clear to the audience that they are more

than just a typical sports dance squad.

The afternoon also saw a few themed

dance numbers that were entertaining and

well-executed. Draped in basketball jerseys and

athletic shorts, Phaymus jogged onto the stage

for a basketball-themed romp set to songs like

Meek Mill’s “R.I.C.O.” and Lil Bow Wow’s “We’re

Playing Basketball” (because if Phaymus didn’t

include this in its basketball-themed set, it would

be a grave crime). Last up in the Dance Showcase

was Uprising, which reached back to the pirate

era for its dance number with dubstep pirate

remixes and pirate-skirmish interludes.

Both sets from Phaymus and Uprising were

fast-paced, intricate, and well-choreographed

for their length, but each set felt a little long,

and it was easy to get distracted from what

was happening on stage, when it felt like the

audience had seen the same dance put to fi ve

diff erent songs. Despite their arduous lengths,

the performances from Uprising and Phaymus

made distinct and entertaining impressions on

the program, adding a component that stretched

beyond the more conventional dance numbers

from other Dance Showcase groups.

Th ursday afternoon’s Dance Showcase sort

of speaks for Arts Fest as a whole. Many of BC’s

well-known dance crews and more obscure

groups came together to show off a culmination

of the work they have put into their routines

throughout the year. While the more tradition-

ally popular groups brought a strong following

to cheer them on, the so-called underdogs of

the afternoon seemed to give the stronger, bet-

ter-received performances. Th ough Full Swing,

the Golden Eagles, Uprising, and Phaymus

might not be considered the faces of the BC

dance culture, these groups proved Th ursday

afternoon that they are just as formidable and

dedicated to their craft as the

more prominent dance

crews of BC.

DANCE SHOWCASE

Boston College’s annual Arts Festival

continued on Saturday on O’Neill Plaza

with an A Cappella Showcase: Critic’s Choice concert. Many of BC’s a cappella

groups joined together in an effort to dis-

play a conglomeration of the diverse ar-

ray of musical styles the different groups

hold, which gave the crowd a sampling of

the talented a cappella presence on cam-

pus, and offered an entertaining concert

that captivated all of its viewers.

The Heightsmen, BC’s only all-male a

cappella group, opened the show with an

entertaining display, part of which con-

sisted of their entertaining 1980s-themed

medley. With everything from their spir-

ited rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop

Believing” to their easy-going cover of Pat

Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot,”

the group showcased their notable versa-

tility and harmonious quality while per-

forming crowd-pleasing throwbacks. The

group’s continuation of the medley with

the Eurythmics’ classic “Sweet Dreams

(Are Made of This)” and Bon Jovi’s “Livin’

on a Prayer” helped round out the New

Wave and rock-themed performance, and

the enjoyable display presented a well-

crafted start to the show.

The next group was Black Experience

in America Through Song (BEATS),

featuring R&B and Soul music that has

shaped the black community in the Unit-

ed States. The group performed a cover of

Carl Carlton’s “She’s a Bad Mama Jama”

that exuded life and personality. The

song saw a magnetic energy from all of

the singers, and the upbeat presentation

paid tribute to the ’80s hit. Along with its

other songs, which featured impressive

rap solos and soulful, smooth vocals, the

group had the crowd clapping in time.

After BEATS came the BC Dynamics,

complete with their belted-out vocals and

well-known song choices everyone in

the crowd loved. One of their picks was

Joel’s “Only the Good Die Young,” which

was an upbeat and cheerfully performed

song. The group followed its Billy Joel

cover with a handful of other songs, in-

cluding Aretha Franklin’s “Respect,” The

Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love,” and

Martha and the Vandella’s “Dancing in the

Street.” This medley was entertaining not

only because of the group’s harmonious

interpretations of the songs, but also due

to their artful progression of songs from

a substantially different era in music. The

Dynamics compellingly wove together

their songs in a fresh way.

The Bostonians continued the concert

with their lively performances, which in-

cluded their rendition of Chris Stapleton’s

“Tennessee Whiskey.” The song featured

warm and intense vocals that really high-

lighted the talents of the whole group as

a result of their musically nuanced cover.

The Bostonians also covered The Killers’

“Mr. Brightside,” which was performed

with a mixture of fun and angst, and

served as an immensely enjoyable take

on the song.

The group’s presentation maintained

the song’s catchy beat while giving an

engaging performance, which was an

impressive endeavor. Performing a rock

song a cappella without losing the energy

or edginess of the original song is prob-

ably not the easiest feat, and the group

fully delivered on their ambitious selec-

tion with their captivating energy.

The show closed with performances

from the Acoustics, who began with the

folksy song, “Barton Hollow” by The Civil

Wars. The song featured powerful vocals

and a heartfelt intensity that featured the

group’s unique and memorable sound.

The cover artfully oscillated between

harmonious softness and a roaring

chorus, which created an intriguing and

mesmerizing quality to the whole song.

The Acoustics continued their set with a

cover of Willy Moon’s “Railroad Track,”

a brilliant reinterpretation of the edgy

song, along with sharply gritty vocals

that delivered the song’s entertainingly

jarring quality.

After that off-the-beaten-path choice,

the group finished its performance with a

classic crowd pleaser, Joel’s “Piano Man,”

which contained fun and personable vo-

cals and an energy from the whole group

that aptly closed the concert.

A CAPPELLASHOWCASE

THE HEIGHTS C3Monday, May 2, 2016

Arts Fest displays a grand propensity for vari-

ety through its art displays, dance throwdowns,

eclectic songs, and a slew of other forms. This

same variety is equally present in the individual

shows themselves, as artists in these perfor-

mances build, modify, and play off of one another,

while striking distinct notes in their own rights.

In Ode to the 21st Century, the Musical Theatre

Wing offered up performances that fit seamlessly

with the theme, while leaving plenty of room for

individuals to carve their own standalone paths,

serenading audiences with their unique styles.

Ode to the 21st Century reached for elements

that span the emotional spectrum, touching on

universal and intimate emotions grounded in

21st-century experiences. Each song pressed on

in a different direction, while harkening to this

overarching theme, giving a sense of cohesiveness

and consistent weight to the entire show. Within

each of the singers, the emotional conviction was

displayed aptly throughout their performances,

making each piece as soulfully charged as the

last.

An early piece, “Run Away With Me,” per-

formed by Sarah Whalen, MCAS ’18, evoked feel-

ings of longing and hopefulness. Whalen’s voice

carried the song softly and sweetly, speaking of

running away, packing the car, and searching for

a new place. Accentuating tenderly on the right

notes and building up others, Whalen brought the

sense of frustrations and yearning to the forefront

of this rendition.

The subsequent song “Kindergarten Boy-

friend,” performed by Alex La Torre, LSOE

’17, brought a different kind of flair in a tale of

playground love. The quirkiness of the song was

brought to life through La Torre’s voice as she

recounted the simple history in song, exhibiting

range when recalling the merriment of youth,

while bringing her voice down to a more hushed

tone as time continued in the story. The song

harkens back to a time when love was less con-

voluted, when playground love was just called

love.

Another song, “She Used to Be Mine,” per-

formed by Lauren Strauss, MCAS ’18, laments

the weight of the world and the changes that

manifest itself on the person. As the song pro-

gressed, Strauss was able to convey the heartfelt

story through a soft, yet pointed voice, wearing

these emotions in and on every word. Strauss

kept up the emotional tension throughout the

song, building the sense of strife in her voice to

a beautiful, yet sad conclusion. As a whole, the

performance was about finding yourself.

Chris Pinto, MCAS ’16, added a quirky, en-

gaging song to the setlist with his rendition of

“Seeing You There.” The song recounts the trials

of the city—a contempt of stale cupcakes and

disgusting hippies—while relishing in the sight

of one infatuating person simply standing on the

street, waiting for a rendezvous. Pinto’s voice was

full and gracefully filled the air around the stage.

When the song slowed, Pinto’s delivery of shorter,

humorous lines was impeccable.

Collaborative performances “Mama Who

Bore Me,” performed by Jenna Corcoran, MCAS

’17, backed vocally by several other ladies of the

MTW, and “If I Told You,” a duet between Brett

Murphy, MCAS ’18, and Corcoran, incorporated

the additional vocals well, blending where needed

and separating during certain phrases to create

more movement and range within the pieces.

Within these songs, the vocal variety was shown

in a sort of microcosm of the show as a whole,

as the voices complemented and elevated each

other, just as the distinct songs of the show did

the same.

Ode to the 21st Century tapped into the pulse

of the time as the Musical Theatre Wing showed

that there are a multitude of stories that can speak

to the sentiments and problems of our generation.

Though the 21st century is vast and not nearly

over, the feelings evinced by it will surely be felt

by the people who live in it and those who will

come after it, through the songs and notes left

behind.

Representing the theatre department Saturday afternoon,

the Boston College Arts Festival presented short plays writ-

ten, directed, and performed by students in the Contemporary

Theatre event. Performed in the Stokes Tent, this was one of

the many enticing events of the day and some of the best the

theatre department has to offer, as the performers proved that

the stage remains a home for authentic and inquisitive artistic

expression.

The first play was titled Just Below the Surface. Using just

four chairs, the set transformed into a train car that was stopped

for repairs. A lawyer, a professor, an AT&T employee, and a

writer are stuck in this car together and get to know each other

throughout. As the play progresses and the audience starts to

hear more and more about each character, it seems that there

is something bizarre about each of them that lies just below the

surface. The lawyer believes aliens are trying to abduct them,

the professor thinks he is a masked vigilante, and the AT&T

employee believes that he is a sorcerer, able to cast spells. Al-

though things appear one way at first, Just Below the Surface

shows that looking at a person’s character more fully may reveal

something very different.

With wonderful writing and acting, the second performance,

Counting to 10, handled the topic of suicide. A man is counting

planning to kill himself at 10. A woman steps out from behind

him and remarks that it is a gorgeous night, stopping him. From

here the woman goes on to persuade the man that there is so

much to think about and to see. She reveals that she was once

in his place and wants to be there for people on the ledge before

they reach the number 10.

The play Catherine was especially moving. Directed by

Gabrielle Esposito, MCAS ’18, and starring Elizabeth Koen-

necke, MCAS ’19, the one-woman show moved many to tears.

As Koennecke first stepped onstage with a Michael Kors bag,

she set the scene as the college girl who has it all. The audi-

ence soon learns that this is not the case. The show starts off

with Catherine telling the audience that everything is fine, that

nothing is the matter. She goes on about her life, describing her

perfect mother, her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend, urging us to

think that nothing is wrong, though an uneasy look is fixed in

her eyes. From there she weaves into her one-sided conversation

that she doesn’t like the dining halls and frankly doesn’t really

like food. Obsessively remarking on calories and weight and

how she feels after she eats, we start to understand why she is

here talking to us about this situation: “When you’re hungry,

everything starts feeling … sharp.”

Be Real followed Catherine. Dealing with subjects of addic-

tion, friendship, religion, and being young, this play handled

these issues in a real way. The conversation the two friends had

over coffee was messy and awkward, but relatable. This heartfelt

piece perfectly captured the imperfections of friendship and the

difficulty of trying to stay friends during hard times.

The final play was called Crazy Billy Shakes. Crazy is just

the word to describe this amalgamation of Shakespeare plays.

The show looks at what would happen if some of Shakespeare’s

greatest works—Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth—were

to merge together. The result is hysterical and left the audience

crying from laughter. Each of the characters has exaggerated

costumes fitting the personalities of their characters: Hamlet

dressed in all black, Juliet in an elegant dress, Ophelia with

a flower crown and sundress, and Macbeth dressed in a mini

Scottish kilt to add comedic effect. Hamlet and Macbeth find

comfort in one another because they both had to kill their re-

spective kings. Juliet finds Hamlet to be the man she’s always

wanted in her life. This well-written, well-acted, crowd favorite

ended the performances on a high note.

One of the perks of attending a

university with 9000 undergraduate stu-

dents is the reality that creative talent

seems to lurk inside the minds of many.

And what better place to show this tal-

ent off than at Boston College’s annual

Arts Festival? Arts Fest is a breeding

ground for creative minds to share in

the works of the student body—one of

which was Diana Sunder’s With Love.

With Love finds its roots in BC, as

it was written by BC English master’s

student Diana Sunder. The play tells the

story of Jack Harrington, a depressed

man who finds himself in the waiting

room of the afterlife after committing

suicide. There, he meets Fish, an oth-

erworldly individual who guides him

through his emotions as he watches the

plight of his niece, her sister, and her

girlfriend. From beginning to end, the

play serves not only to entertain, but

also to educate—at the forefront of With

Love is the reality of sharply increased

suicide rates in the LGBTQ community.

The play grapples with this heartbreak-

ing truth, very effectively bringing to

light one of many struggles dealt with

by those in similar circumstances.

On the technical side, With Love is a

resounding success. The minimalist set

style—a hand-painted door frame and

four chairs—serves the simplicity of

the play quite well. In fact, it is a shame

that With Love was featured in such a

small venue. Though the cast and crew

worked very well with what they were

offered, the play would be well-suited

with a broader stage—all the more room

for the larger audience that it deserves,

as well.

The dual plotlines of With Love

come together quite nicely. The audi-

ence spends the first half of the show

wondering how the two parallel stories

connect, and as each piece falls into

its place, it becomes more and more

satisfying to see the ramifications of

each character’s actions. This inter-

connectivity is one of the strongest

pieces of With Love—though the writ-

ing at certain points becomes weaker,

the conclusion of the play ends on an

incredibly powerful note. As Jack Har-

rington exits the stage, the emotion in

the room hangs on the heads of actors

and audience alike.

Yet another strong point of With

Love is its cast of compelling characters,

Fish in particular. Jake Athyal plays this

role perfectly. The ethereal complexities

that Fish exudes draw in the audience

as he leads Jack to the conclusion of the

play. Of particular note is the directo-

rial choice to include the metaphor

of a chess game between a man and

a supernatural being (see 1957’s The

Seventh Seal)—this is a wholly danger-

ous decision, potentially running the

risk of seeming like a cliche or over-

used story trope. Due in large part,

however, to Athyal’s performance, as

well as the strong writing behind Fish,

this plot arc works well. Every single

performer in With Love was of high

quality, but Athyal undoubtedly shines

quite brightly in his role.

Most satisfying is the message that

With Love brings to the table. Aside

from the aforementioned dealings

regarding the plague of suicide among

the LGBT community, the play actively

seeks to normalize thoughts on homo-

sexuality. Over half of the play’s main

characters are gay, and this is not a

simple gimmick—rather, it explores the

nature of the struggle behind love, no

matter who it is between. At its core,

With Love is a story of humanness,

proving to audience members that love

is not limited to those who seek to hide

it behind tradition.

With Love is a play that needs to

exist on BC’s campus. It is no secret to

anyone that, historically, BC has not

been actively progressive on many social

issues. It is so refreshing to see an accu-

rate, healthy depiction of a homosexual

relationship on a BC stage. Putting aside

any other considerations, the work that

Sunder has produced is admirable, and

the world would be well served if more

playwrights were to follow in her foot-

steps in promoting a more accepting

society.

MUSICAL THEATRE WING

WITH

CONTEMPORARY THEATRE

LOVE

THE HEIGHTSC4 Monday, May 2, 2016

Just as And Then There Were Nuns began to settle in,

Anna read from the Bible that, according to the Sisters of

Saintly Giveaways, there is a coven of mostly male nuns who

may have nefarious designs. We had met most of the show’s

colorful cast of characters and Anna, the energetic, positive

resort employee, was just doing her best to carry out the to-do

lists the nuns keep assigning her. She was reading as part of

a prayer service, and the passage was familiar.

In the Gospel of John, the Pharisees approach Jesus with a

woman who has committed adultery. They ask Jesus whether

they should stone her as Moses commanded. Slowly, incredu-

lously, Anna read the part of Jesus: “‘Sure. Why not?’ And he

joined in the stoning.”

That’s the type of humor the CCE used in And Then There Were Nuns, which ran four shows this weekend—the type

that playfully (depending on perspective, probably) gives

serious Catholic tradition a wedgie. Sabrina Serani, MCAS

’18, played the part of Anna Roberts, the proverbial straight

woman and eventual lone survivor of the bloody affair that

occurred on “the island.” It goes something like this, in

honor of Agatha Christie (played by Lucy Pawliczek, MCAS

’17): Twelve sin-

ners go on va-

cation and try

to have some

fun. What they

didn’t count on

was a bunch of

creepy, maraud-

ing nuns.

There might

not be a creep-

ier place to sit

in the dark with

people you don’t

know that well, as

other folks scam-

per around in nun

c o s t u m e s , t h a n

O’Connell House.

The maybe (proba-

bly) haunted house

of Upper Campus

has always been a fine setting for comedy, and the CCE mined

its inherent creepiness. In spite of its comedic intentions,

sometimes And Then There Were Nuns was actually kind of

scary. You’re not quite sure if it’s just the shadows playing

tricks on you, or if there’s a gargoyle sitting on that spiny

staircase looking right at you

And Then There Were Nuns is less of a murder mystery

and more a mockery of it. Everyone knows it’s the nuns.

The mystery part wasn’t what director Amanda Sie, MCAS

’17, and writers Pawliczek and Mary Disbrow, MCAS ’18,

seemed interested in. They mined for comedy the fact that

their characters remain mostly oblivious to the evil nuns,

along with some sketch situations. A.J. (Andrew Ramirez-

Urbina, MCAS ’19) loves extreme sports. Dr. Warren (Erin

McGarvey, MCAS ’16) is a suicidal dentist. Doris (Colleen

Doyle, MCAS ’19) and Cloris (Casey Mahalik, MCAS ’18)

are elderly conjoined twins—Doris, a prim and proper Brit-

ish lady and Cloris, a foul-mouthed alcoholic. Anna and

Teddy Roberts (Christian Moro, MCAS ’19) are bickering

convicts on the run whose relationship operates as a thread

throughout the first act of the play.

Harry Gordon, MCAS ’19, played some fun physical com-

edy as Lommy, a sort of Lenny-meets-Gollum character who

referred to himself in the third person and scampered around

in socks on the floor. One of the great side bits of the show

was when A.J. and Teddy fed Lommy crackers off the table in

the background. Perhaps because of his charm, Lommy made

it to the end with Anna. And he wass prepared. To protect his

love, Lommy whipped out a rifle about the size of flag, and

accidently shot himself.

Some died off-stage. We hardly knew you Beth (Cassie

Dineen, CSOM ’19), who “drowned in the pool.” We missed

you Willy (Matt Stolfi, MCAS ’16), you tall pharmaceutical

scoundrel. Some died at our feet. Poor Joss (Jakub Franko-

wicz, MCAS ’16) died the way of Caesar and Jon Snow, only

instead of brothers, a bunch of nuns stabbed him into sub-

mission. Teddy Roberts, can’t say we were that sad to see you

go. Team Anna!

In the end, Anna donned a habit and joined the murderous

nuns, fulfilling the title, and the audience may never trust a

nun again.

CCE MURDER MYSTERY

During a bright Saturday afternoon

on Stokes Lawn, students stepped

under the roof of the arts tent to find

shade and refuge from the swarm of

children outside. Inside, they found

entertainment, in the form of a choose-

your-own-adventure play. The Boston

College Dramatics Society set out to

perform it as part of Arts Fest, securing

a spot in the Stokes Tent to showcase

its skills in pantomime.

The premise of the performance was

almost patronizingly simple—Cassie

Chapados, MCAS ’17, read aloud from

a small, hardcover, choose-your-own

adventure book, while four members

of the society acted out the story’s plot

in the center of the stage. The book,

Return to Atlantis by R.A. Montgom-

ery, began by introducing the main

character—You. Told in the second

person, the story allowed for the audi-

ence to actively participate in the main

character’s decision making. “Your”

actions were played out on the stage by

Michael Mazzone, MCAS ’19. Chapa-

dos and Mazzone began the show alone

together on the stage, as Chapados told

the audience of your past venture into

the lost city of Atlantis years before.

Unfortunately, you failed to return

with any evidence of the visit, and all

of your findings were credited to hal-

lucinations caused by spending too

much time in the deep sea.

Fortunately for your scientif ic

reputation, you were soon approached

with an opportunity to return back to

the lost city. Marybeth Dull, LSOE ’18,

joined Mazzone and Chapados on the

stage to play the role of Horton James

III, one of your best friends who had

just recently been awarded a scientific

studies grant. Horton offered to use the

money and equipment included in the

grant to fund and outfit a trip back to

Atlantis, where you would be able to

experience the fantastical city again

and bring proof of its existence back to

the surface. The two of you boarded a

submarine and plunged to the depths of

the ocean, represented by Mazzone and

Dull’s cavorting around the stage.

The two were soon joined by the

performance’s last remaining actors,

Jessie Shaw, MCAS ’19, and Jared

Reinfeldt, MCAS ’16. Coming in from

offstage with Shaw riding on Reinfeldt’s

back, the pair was the realization of the

book’s mystical, leviathan-like creature.

At this point, Chapados confronted the

audience with its first choice, asking

whether the actors should follow the

creature or continue their descent

toward the lost city. The audience

unanimously decided to follow the

creature, and then suddenly, the two

actors comprising the beast detached.

Chapados explained that a capsule had

detached from the side of the creature,

and was requesting permission to come

aboard your submarine. The audience

was again asked to make a choice, this

time between attempting an escape,

blasting the capsule with the subma-

rine’s missiles, and allowing permission

to board. At the request of a young girl

in the front row, the Dramatics Society

pursued the latter.

Now assuming the role of two

Atlanteans who had been riding on

the side of the leviathan, Shaw and

Reinfeldt explained that they had been

on a food-gathering mission, and were

happy to welcome you back to Atlantis.

At this point, the audience was asked

to choose whether they would join the

food-gathering mission, or go straight

to the lost city. Growing anxious to

see what the actors would do to create

the mythical metropolis, the audience

elected to journey to the city. The

ante of the pantomime was upped as

Chapados explained that Atlantis had

been at war with an enemy people, the

Nodoors, since you had last visited. At

the time of your arrival, the city was

under attack, and you immediately

had to decide whether you should go

straight into the city’s headquarters or

help defend it at the borders. Feeling

particularly valiant, the audience elect-

ed to help protect the city, and Shaw

and Reinfeldt set out to arm Mazzone

with imagined stun weapons.

Unfortunately, the audience made

the wrong call in choosing the overtly-

righteous path. Mazzone flew to the

side of the stage, pantomiming the

effects of a giant explosion. You would

be trapped in Atlantis forever. “Are we

happy with that ending?” asked Cha-

pados. The resounding response

from the audience was no.

Flipping through the book’s

pages, Chapados returned

to our initial encounter

with the Atlanteans, and

opted to join them on

their food-gather ing

mission. Yet nowhere

in the depths was safe

from the Nadoors—the

gathering mission soon fell

under violent attack, and the

audience was confronted with

our final choice: fight back,

or escape to Atlantis? Having

learned our lesson, the audi-

ence chose to escape to the

lost city, and finally got the

happy ending we wanted.

While the premise of

the play was slightly patronizing for

older viewers, the enthusiasm of the

actors and the silly plot were a perfect

form of casual entertainment for a Sat-

urday afternoon. Having only been able

to rehearse in multiple read-throughs,

as it was entirely unpredictable which

adventures the audience would choose,

the members of the Dramatics Soci-

ety looked professional and prepared

for whatever their viewers threw at

them.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

THE HEIGHTS C5Monday, May 2, 2016

I am all for creative liberties being

taken in shows or films with source mate-

rial, but not all of these liberties are of

equal merit. Game of Thrones’ first episode

of season six has done harm to the world

it lives in by breaking fundamental societal

rules that serve as part of the fantasy

bedrock of the show. The result is that the

show is becoming less and less aware of its

roots and more concerned with the flimsy

spectacle of fantasy on screen.

The scene in question is the murder of

Prince Doran and his son Trystane at the

hands of the Sand Snakes and Ellaria Sand.

Homicide should not be cause for too

much concern in a show that has left such

a bloody footprint in the minds of viewers,

but these killings are more hazardous to

the world than most. Westeros is a place

rooted in tradition, honor, and loyalty. In a

world where people are meant to grow up

fast, learn to fight for their lives at a young

age, and possibly ascend to the throne,

one thing remains more or less a constant

ally: family. When I say this I mean direct,

nuclear family, rather than bannermen,

who have proved to be quite fickle in the

story. Without family, one is likely to be a

Lommy, murdered by wildling raids, or en-

slaved along the shores of the Narrow Sea.

The Starks have (had) family to rely on, the

Lannisters have family to rely on, even the

Boltons seem to count on each other.

Some may argue that many of these

relationships are strained and flawed.

Though that may be true, these people,

however flawed their relationships may

be, stick together for better, or, more

often, for worse. Others may point out

how Daenerys sat by as Viserys was killed

by the golden crown he so desired or

how Tyrion murdered his father and was

falsely accused of murdering Joffrey. But

one of these happened in the lawlessness

of the Dothraki Sea and the other was

brought to the royal court to condemn the

kinslayer (Tyrion was in deep). These sce-

narios, though they challenge traditional

Westerosi family dynamics, never kill the

undercurrent of the importance of family

and sticking together.

But in Dorne, I guess things are dif-

ferent. (Some people gon’ die). Wasting

Doran and his son was flat-out stupid. Not

only does it undermine the notion that you

should not murder your family, it also un-

dercuts just how important family was to

Dorne. Oberyn died trying to avenge the

death of his sister Elia and her children in

his duel with Gregor. For years, he planned

and trained to take down the enemy with-

out bringing any fury down on Dorne. He

fought for his family because he loved his

family. If anything, seeing his brother get

shanked to death and his nephew speared

in the face would cause a different kind of

splitting pain in the head of The Viper.

Politically, the move is equally as sim-

ple-minded. Who in Westeros will want

to deal with kinslayers? Additionally, they

are all Sands, bastards with no real claim

to the seat of Dorne by Westerosi law. And

though the culture is different in Dorne,

they are all women. After giving Myrcella

a real kiss of death, Doran seemed like the

reasonable man to do damage control on

an event that surely would stir up some

trouble. And if you are going to lop a few

branches off of the family tree, why not

have a plan a little more substantive and

grounded than stand and fight? Their mo-

tivations should be more clear than some

personal vendetta, especially when they

have everything to lose.

If getting back at the Lannisters for the

trial-by-combat-gone-wrong was enough

motivation, why kill your prince and his

son? As renowned fighters and assassins,

couldn’t these capable Sand Snakes crack

some skulls on the DL?

All the action in the show demon-

strates that mindless killing is not only

hard to understand, but frustrating when

taken into the context of the world built up

around the show. Motivations were much

clearer in the books. And I say this not as

some book snob, touting them as better. I

watch the show and read the books as two

separate entities, but I will point out when

the show breaks the fantasy rules that both

forms of the story abide by.

The despondent feeling that Game of Thrones is entering an era of inconsistency

is one that I hope is untrue. The killing

cannot serve as the crux of the narrative

movement, so maybe the departure from

the books is not the best idea, if the pro-

ducers do not understand what the world

is all about.

Tyrion has said as much:

“The mind needs books, just like a

sword needs a whetstone, if it’s to keep its

edge.”

As the only gospel group on

campus, Voices of Imani took

the opportunity to present a

breadth of musical expression

that took took the audience on

an emotional, melodic journey

Saturday night. It stuck to

the roots of the club, which

began in 1977 with a group of

students who wanted to cre-

ate a music group on campus

in which they could come

together, express their faith,

and celebrate the rich tradition

found in the black worship

experience.

Starting off with the up-

lifting “Troubles Don’t Last

Always,” Voices of Imani continued to build

up the energy at the beginning of the show by

moving on to “Looking For You” and “Love

You Like That.” The latter had

one of the strongest solos

of the concert, by freshman

member Bryan Paula, MCAS

’19—quite a compliment given

that this concert was filled

with excellent solos.

From these spirited pieces,

the group moved on to the

jazzy “Unbelievable.” This

was an interesting piece that

switched up the entire energy

of the concert. It continued

on this trend as it smoothly

transitioned into “Peace and

Love Medley,” an original com-

posed by Voices’ own Jessica

Stephens, MCAS ’17. This was a wonderful

piece and an impressive display of Stephens’

talent. The music and lyrics were perfectly

matched. It even had a great rap solo, which

Stephens delivered. The next medley, “Change

the World,” built on the haunting undertones

of the previous song, pulling on the audience’s

emotions.

The medley “Blackbird/Fly” slowly tran-

sitioned into an upbeat anthem. This piece

served as great way to bring back the energy

from the beginning of the show and then

increase it even more. By the time it ended,

most of the audience was on its feet, swaying

and clapping along. This piece also featured

wonderful solos by Paula Assou and Chloe

Fasanmi, both MCAS ’18, as well as freestyle

solos by the trumpet and saxophone players.

With such a strong showing, Voices could have

easily ended the show right then and there. It

had one more surprise, however, in store for

the audience—a cover of “Ultralight Beam”

from Kanye West’s Life of Pablo. Despite the

short time it had to prepare this piece, it was

definitely the highlight of the show. It was an

expertly arranged piece that had wonderful

solos by Levi Pells, MCAS ’16, Eva Frimpong,

MCAS ’18, Jacquelyn Andalcio, LSOE ’17,

Assou, and Stephens. With this piece, Voices

showed that it had been saving the best for

last.

Perhaps the finest strength of Voices

of Imani is the sheer amount of energy its

members bring to the stage. Each singer

looks so engaged and moved by the music. It

makes it difficult for the audience to remain

disengaged. Furthermore, the large number

of soloists was a great component to the

event. Each performer was dynamic, with a

unique presence and style on stage. It is also

important to take a moment to compliment

David Altenor, BC ’09, and the current direc-

tor of Voices of Imani. He played an integral

part in transferring the energy on the stage

to the audience, pushing it to chime in if it

knew the words. Near the beginning of the

show, he led a back-and-forth between the

audience and the performers, which focused

the show’s energy and capture the audience’s

attention.

The only problem with the show was that

despite efforts to fix the microphones, the band

often overpowered the choir. Though the venue

may have made this impossible to change, it hurt

the overall experience because it was at times dif-

ficult to hear the choir well. This was especially

evident with the “Change the World” medley,

which had another great solo, but unfortunately

the choir was almost inaudible over the band.

The sil-

ver lining,

however,

is that the

band was

consis-

tently spot

on. Despite

the techni-

cal issues,

Voices of

Imani was

able to cre-

ate a fun,

environ-

ment—one

perfect for

a beautiful

Saturday

afternoon

concert

on O'Neill

Plaza.

Voices of Imani

While Arts Fest is mainly a time of

celebration for the work that the school’s

students have put into their distinct crafts

throughout the semester, it also provides each

year’s seniors with a chance to end their ca-

reers, personal and artistic, in an encouraging

and loving setting. There is a sense of finality

to each event over the course of three days,

and that feeling certainly did not escape any

performers at the Arts Fest Spoken Word

program last Friday.

As the Juice performance came to a close

at 7:30 Friday

night , Arts

Fest workers

began to set up

O’Neill Plaza

for a night of

spoken word

performance.

L i k e m a n y

open mics on

campus, the

evening was

a catchall for any and all forms of spoken

word, meaning a wide variety of poems were

read: improv poetry, rap, slam poetry, and

even simple ramblings of the mind were all

welcome. As one performer after another

stepped up to the stage, one fact became

increasingly clear: there’s no better place than

Boston College to find immensely talented

speakers.

Arts Fest Spoken Word was run in the

most traditional sense of an “open mic”—first,

the sacrificial poet reads a poem to kick off the

event, and the stage becomes free to anyone

willing to brave the eyes of the audience. Any

person could stand any number of times to

SPOKEN WORD

was an emotional event for all.

In fact, for more than one spoken-

word artist, Arts Fest 2016 was the last

BC open mic ever. There’s a sense of

electricity in the air on occasions such

as this—onlookers and performers alike

can feel it. Each word crackles with a

little more energy, holds a little more

weight, calls the end of a BC career one

step closer. If nothing else, those who

engage in spoken word are clearly quite

in touch with their emotions—every

person in the room felt the sense of si-

multaneous dread and freedom knowing

that the next step of life was, for many,

close at hand.

Events such as these make it abun-

dantly clear that there is an untapped

market of talent for performers on BC’s

campus. It became more and more com-

mon as the night pressed on to hear the

words “this is my first time,” but with

every statement of these words came a

poem or thought that was as polished as

anyone’s. One fact has begun to stand

out above the rest: the low level of BC

student support and involvement in the

art of spoken word is a true tragedy, be-

cause, if last Friday was any evidence, tal-

ent seems to be around every corner.

read, and many chose to do just that. And

despite the fact that the event came to a rela-

tively early close, the works of many artists

found their way into the limelight.

The stage lights were bright, but not so

bright as to outshine the poets standing under

them. High points of the evening (and there

were many) included the work of both the

experienced and the beginners. “Tales From

the Friendzone,” written by Rusty Cosino, BC

SLAM! member and MCAS ’19, had audience

members rolling with laughter and then,

heartbreak, as the last lines were delivered.

On the other end of the spectrum, his “5

Responses to People Who Call Me a Hipster,”

done entirely off the cuff, dropped jaws.

Though the event was not BC SLAM!-

sponsored, many of its poets performed. Of

note was Alex Hadley, MCAS ’16, perform-

ing “I Am a Machine.” Relating the reality of

only being understood through numbers, be

they height, weight, GPA, or otherwise, she

reminded those who listened that they them-

selves are not just a number, but rather the

sum of the memories they’ve made, forgotten,

or almost had. As this was Hadley’s last BC

open mic, it was clear that this last reading JULIA HOPKINS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

JULIA HOPKINS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

THE HEIGHTS Monday, May 2, 2016C6

start of the Battle of the Bands compe-

tition, had already hosted a handful of

talented singers, songwriters, and musi-

cians vying for the title of champion of

the night’s music festivities. Hosted by

the Campus Activities Board and the

Music Guild, the annual BC’s Best mu-

sic showcase attracted a large audience

with its wide spectrum of music styles

and vocal talent on Thursday night. As

the event drew to a close and the judges

sat eagerly on the verge of deliberation,

only one act remained.

Shouting

excitedly and

fighting for

acce ss to

the f ront

row, music

fans formed

a r a t h e r

rambunctious

c ro w d w h i c h

pressed up close

against the elevated

Arts Festival stage.

William Bolton, CSOM

’16, had just finished his

high-energy set, including

boppy Bolton originals like

“Bud Light” and “Bad Girl.”

Before Bolton, the experimental

indie group Small Talk laid down some

atmospheric jams as Katie Kelleher,

CSOM ’18, and Meghan Kelleher, LSOE

’16, lent their distinct vocal style to the

tracks. Now, as the only group that had

yet to perform, the all-sophomore trio

Funky Giant had to bring something

special to the stage if it hoped to tri-

umph over some stiff competition.

After a few test strums on his guitar

strings, a musician in a maroon shirt

stepped nonchalantly to center stage.

Leaning into the mic after exchanging

a grin of genuine elation with lead gui-

tarist Henry Ricciardi, CSOM ’18, the

charismatic Nick Rocchio-Giordano,

MCAS ’18, addressed the throng of his

screaming fans.

“Boston College,” he said, squinting

through the bright stage lights and out

into the crowd. “I wanna hear you guys

go frickin’ nuts.”

Truth is, he really didn’t even have

to ask.

Rocchio-Giordano, Ricciardi, and

drummer Mario Borges, MCAS ’18,

launched into a high-tempo set of per-

fectly executed funk—a groovy mess of

electric guitar licks and steady percus-

sion that thrilled audience members

and judges alike. Despite its total lack

of vocals, Funky Giant’s skilled instru-

mentals and boogie-inducing original

songs more than made up for the lyric-

less tracks.

Preceding the Battle of the Bands

finale was a heated singer/songwriter

component in which students show-

cased their raw vocal talents and deft

guitar skills. The Kelleher Sisters en-

chanted listeners with sweet-sounding

harmonies and yearning vocals. Their

unique voices, converging in delightful

conjunction with soft guitar chords and

keyboard riffs, resonated through the

tent and created a charmingly mellow

atmosphere. The audience sat attentive,

feeling every emotion contained within

the songs as the sisters crooned the

pleading lyrics “Do you see me?”

Rachel Moon’s, MCAS ’19, empow-

ered lyrics and emotion-heavy vocals

set the tone for a series of passionate

performances by BC singer/songwrit-

ers. Bolton showed off his catchy hooks

and infectious new-school-meets-old-

school style, returning to the stage later

in the program to compete in Battle of

the Bands as well. Another contender in

Battle of the Bands was Small Talk, who

teamed up with The Kelleher Sisters to

perform a handful of colorful original

tracks. Atmospheric and psychedelic,

the synth-soaked indie songs got the

Armed with a stabilizer-

mounted DSLR camera, he

circled and panned across the

Arts Festival stage, swooping

toward Christian Rougeau,

MCAS ’17, and his electric

violin. Rougeau leaned into

the camera, smiling at the

videographer as he tore into

his strings. The fraying hairs

at the tip of his bow—war

scars. He knew the battle-

field well. They all did.

Juice’s meteoric rise from

freshman-boy jam band to

campus media darling likely

came as a surprise to those

familiar with Boston Col-

lege’s music scene. Having

covered student bands for

some time, I can say there’s

a strong sense among many

musicians here that BC stu-

dents just don’t get it—they

don’t show up at concerts,

they don’t like music they

haven’t heard on the radio,

they don’t pay for music

created by on-campus mu-

sicians. Then Juice showed

up.

Attendance at BC band

competitions skyrocketed

overnight, and to be fair to

other acts, a 7-man band

will mathematically have

more friends to show up,

but it quickly became clear

these weren’t just friends:

they were fans. They knew

the lyrics, they would shout

out requests for specif ic

songs. They would show up

to concerts in Cambridge,

they would show up to con-

certs in New York . And

when it came time for Juice

to record its first album, the

crowdfunded effort raised

over $16,000. Heck, I even

donated to it. Thursday night

was the concert for that

album’s release. Juice, having

won the Battle of the Band’s

competition twice already,

left the mantle open for

another band this year, con-

ceding instead to perform

JUICE

BC’s Best

its own set on O’Neill Plaza after this

year’s winner was announced. But with

the competition cleared for another

winner, a sense of anxiety remained for

the other musicians there that night:

was there really room on the mantle for

another Juice?

For this year’s winner Funky Giant,

perhaps, but these events have yet to

demonstrate even close to the same

turnout when Juice doesn’t show up.

At this point, Juice almost feels like the

featured performer, with everyone else

serving as openers. The regulars call

out the performers by name, while the

University’s Office of News and Public

Affairs happily co-opts the performance

as an opportunity to collect some B-roll.

The crowd conspicuously doubles in the

minutes before Juice takes stage, with

the venue so packed by the start of its

set that latecomers start standing up on

chairs to get a view of the stage.

Juice’s freshly released, self-titled al-

bum—as anyone familiar with its set can

tell you—is Juice. It features a few newer

tracks, but for the most part, could have

been taken song-for-song off of a setlist

from one of their longer concerts. For

those at Thursday’s concert, it wasn’t a

grand reveal so much as a celebration of

a Juice BC knows well, potentially mov-

ing toward the next big stage. It all had

the feeling of a send-off party.

Crowd favorites “Gold” and “How

You Gonna Do Me Like That” were

mixed with extended musical inter-

ludes—Chris Vu, MCAS ’17, performed

a mesmerizing piano intro. For his part,

Ben Stevens, CSOM ’18, stood out

very clearly as the band’s lead vocalist

Thursday. In the past, it’s been tougher

to pick out just who was championing

the vocal efforts. Rougeau’s exceptional

violin, meanwhile, has developed from

essentially serving as the

band’s best party trick

to being the standout

ingredient in Juice’s in-

strumental mix.

What keeps Juice fresh

is the band’s depth. The

group’s internal dynamic

is constantly shifting ,

and its sound gets a clear

boost from the competi-

tive energy between its

members on stage. While

its studio recordings are

spectacularly produced,

that explosive energy is

a tough thing to mix for.

Most bands aspire to

sound like the recording,

but I imagine Juice having

a tough time ever record-

ing something truthful to

how it sounds live.

This is all to say that,

while Thursday’s event

in some senses marked

Juice’s arrival—a com-

pleted album, a com-

pleted identity at BC,

success beyond near all

its contemporaries—it

mostly presented ques-

tions. Has Juice’s success

at BC given new legiti-

macy to BC’s indepen-

dent music community,

or has it simply disguised

some of the community’s

problems? Can Juice ef-

fectively export its sound

outside Chestnut Hill and

enjoy a much broader

base of fans? Why did

our overlords with the

BC Arts Council cut off

Juice mid-set? (Yup, that

happened.) Did they get

all the B-roll they needed

and just call it a day?

As Arts Council vol-

unteers ushered Juice

off the stage—to the ex-

treme distress of several

angr y onlookers—the

crowd was offered a rare

reminder that even Juice

can feel the squeeze, that

gravity has not changed,

and while Juice’s rapid

rise can offer some hope,

plenty of obstacles remain

for musicians at BC.

A blend of pulsating blue and pink

lights cast a funky atmosphere through-

out the large white tent on O’Neill Plaza.

The tent, filled to capacity since the

audience swaying and bopping along

to the beat.

Armed with a guitar, a harmonica,

and an arsenal of impressive vocals,

Jonathan Im, MCAS ’17, performed

original tracks “Just Kids” and “Down

the River,” among others. Truly compel-

ling, Im’s impressive vocals, touched by

a warm raspiness, were reminiscent of

the impassioned tone of Ray LaMon-

tagne.

Prefacing his performance with an

explanation of his lyrics, Im said, “I

wrote this at a time when life hits you

in the face, sacks you. You feel like a

kid again—helpless.” Im beautifully

encapsulated these sentiments when he

soulfully sang, “We’re just kids figuring

it out as we go through the highs and the

lows, through the painful blows.”

Liz McGovern, MCAS ’18, stunned

the crowd with her vocal performance.

Powerful and poignant while simultane-

ously light and airy, McGovern’s vocals

rightfully won her the esteemed title of

Best Singer/Songwriter. Infused with

that sweet, evanescent twang of hers,

McGovern’s hauntingly beautiful songs

commanded the attention of all in at-

tendance. Her quirky, self-described

“love child of mini-songs” that she wrote

herself served as a truly charming addi-

tion to the event’s lineup.

As for Funky Giant, the exciting win

and upcoming gig opening for T-Pain

at Modstock help the group really take

root as a prominent BC band. Seem-

ingly unconcerned, however, about the

escalating fame and attention, Funky

Giant humbly implies that it’s really all

about the fun.

Of his victory Thursday night, Roc-

chio-Giordano said, “It was a blast to

play for everyone. We just want to thank

everyone involved for supporting such

a great event.”

“The best part of the whole thing was

being able to play with such an unreal

crowd and share the stage with so many

talented musicians,” Rocchio-Giordano

said, recalling his band’s exciting win.

“As for T-Pain we’re psyched for the

opportunity and can’t wait to lay down

some more funk for Modstock.”

JOHN WILEY / HEIGHTS SENIOR STAFF

JULIA HOPKINS / HEIGHTS EDITOR