Greg Allman brings it back with 'Low Country Blues': Let's Talk About Rock

Posted by Eli Cohen

The tragic death of his older brother Duane led Gregg Allman, who was at one point a household name, to pursue an erratic and intermittent solo career.

The Hammond-playing rocker from Nashville, best known as the lead singer for the Allman Brothers, released his first album in nearly nine years "Low Country Blues," on Jan. 18. Legendary Los Angeles music-scene veteran T Bone Burnett produced the album, which features blues heavyweights such as Mack "Dr. John" Rebennack.

The album is comprised of blues classics, by artists ranging from Muddy Waters ("I Can't Be Satisfied") to 1930s blues icon Skip James ("Devil Got My Woman"), as well as one original track "Just Another Rider," which was co-written by Gov't Mule's Warren Haynes.

James is known for his classics "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" and "I'm So Glad," which has been subsequently covered by both Eric Clapton's "Cream" and Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" fame. Because of his unique writing style, it is not difficult to hear that James penned "Devil Got My Woman".

The album contains songs written anywhere between mid-1920s to the present. Because of the wide timeframe, many of the songs sound like definite throwbacks.  "Little By Little" and "Please Accept My Love" sound like they come straight from the 1950s, while the album's ninth track, "Tears, Tears, Tears" features the horn section that Allman has become known for, making the song sound like a Las Vegas standard.

The 63-year-old Nashville native, boasting six different wives, five children and three grandchildren over the course of his life, clearly has a specific message in mind with this new album.  With track titles such as "Devil Got My Woman," "My Love is Your Love" and "Please Accept My Love," there seems to be an overarching theme that is developed, possibly furthered by his history of substance abuse and addiction.

Allman finds a perfect refuge in the words of the old greats, where he seems to be right at home.  His rich, southern voice, which was voted No. 76 on the Rolling Stone Magazine list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, carries out over the layers of guitar riffs and jazzy piano licks, courtesy of Dr. John.  

At times this album gives off the impression of the run-of-the-mill, generic southern blues, especially with John Lee Hooker's "I Believe I'll Go Back Home," which seems unchanged from the original.

However, as is to be expected with the talent of Allman's magnitude, there are also many moments of pure brilliance.  "My Love is Your Love" is an example of timeless blues. Allman's soulful voice blends perfectly with the blues riffs playing around him.  The musical success of this song is interesting because it also sounds more like vintage Allman Brothers than any other track on the album.

"Checking on My Baby" is a beautiful song that opens with the lines, "Every day I look for sunshine, look for sunshine though it rains/Every time I check on my baby, she's checking up on another man."  The classic blues riffs, as well as the steady, strong drumbeat, provide a forceful background to Allman's beautiful lamentations.

For all blues fans, whether they like Eric Clapton or Mississippi John Hurt, "Low Country Blues" proves to be one of the most promising blues albums released in years, done right by a man who has been a staple of the blues genre for over five decades.

Eli Cohen is a sophomore music major from Middlebury, Vt.

Tang fuels environmental thought

Posted by Sarina Sheth

On Saturday Feb. 5, the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery will open a new exhibit. The exhibit, "Environment and Object in Recent African Art," features contemporary art that responds to environmental issues on the African continent.

Co-curators Lisa Aronson, associate professor of art history, and John Weber, director of the Tang Museum, have collaborated to bring this unique collection together.

Aronson, who has taught courses on African Art at the college since 1984, expressed excitement about the exhibit's emphasis on contemporary work.

"It is an eye opener for students because it doesn't fit the paradigm about African art. It changes the western perspective," Aronson said.

Romuald Hazoumé's series of masks, created out of found or recycled materials, dialogues with preconceived notions about African art. The masks are vibrant and colorful, although composed of post-consumer products like containers and telephones.

Artist Bright Ugochukwu Eke has been working with four students to create an installation made almost entirely of water bottles from campus.

The large piece features the bottles in concentric circles suspended from the ceiling. The installation explores the idea of a ripple and "the things water and men do to each other," Eke said.

"Environment and Object in Recent African Art" forces viewers to confront environmental issues. Themes of oil exploitation and corrupt government are central in the exhibit.

Photographer George Osodi's prints present horrific scenes of oil field explosions in Nigeria. Another photographer, Barthélémy Toguo, comments on environmental issues with less literal pieces such as his, "Stupid African President 2," which depicts a man with a chainsaw atop his head. His approach to deforestation uses humor to contrast with devastating reality.

Though the art focuses on the African continent, there is an element of universality and urgency to the exhibit. The political and ecological focus does not sacrifice beauty either.

El Anatsui's large piece, "Some Still Come Back," hangs iridescent in the gallery. The unusual piece is made up of liquor bottle caps and wire. The oddly beautiful wall hanging provokes reflection.

"It makes us think differently about things we throw away and our relationship to consumption," Weber said.

At 5 p.m. on Feb. 5, co-curators Aronson and Weber will moderate a dialogue in the Payne Room with artists Viyé Diba, Bright Ugochukwu Eke and Barthélémy Toguo, along with art historian Chika Okeke-Agulu of Princeton University prior to the exhibit's opening at 6 p.m.

"Environment and Object in Recent African Art" has both a surprising creative range and an overwhelming political force. It is a collection that forces viewers to reject inaccurate perceptions of African art and challenge their relationship to eminent global concerns.

Ensemble ACJW returns to campus

Posted by Gia Vaccarezza

Ensemble ACJW is back to grace the stage at the Arthur Zankel Music Center for the second time this year. The ensemble is comprised of 14 promising, young woodwind, brass and string musicians.

The members were selected and assembled by the Academy, a program of Carnegie Hall, the Julliard School and the Weill Music Institute. The group is a popular and regularly welcomed guest on campus and in Saratoga, and the group's service projects extend to students and town residents alike.

Artist-in-residence Michael Emery described the group as "professional and engaging, dedicated to creating music at the highest possible level and sharing it and its greater message with as many people as it can reach."

Last semester, two ACJW alumni played at the dedication of the Arthur Zankel Music Center, joined by Emanuel Ax, Emery and Filene Scholar Hanna Tonegawa '11.

As usual, the ensemble will be having many informal performances, "informances," around campus: in residence halls, Murray-Aikins Dining Hall and the Lucy Scribner Library. These miniperformances preview movements of the pieces the group will play on Feb. 4 on the main stage at Zankel.

Along with these performances, Ensemble ACJW will be working alongside music students. Members of the group will also host various sight-reading sessions and private lessons.

The college's string ensemble has worked closely with the musicians in the past. Students have benefited greatly from the private lessons offered as part of the service requirement of the trip.

The group will also perform student compositions on Saturday, Feb. 5, allowing student composers to hear their pieces played live, some for the first time. David Bruce, residency composer for the ACJW, will also be in attendance to give students feedback on their work.

During their weeklong stay, the ensemble will also give free student lessons and visit Saratoga Bridges and St. Clement's Elementary School. These visits usually include a music lesson based on the presentations that they have given to inner-city students in New York City.

Friday's show will be the premier performance of David Bruce's "Steampunk," a 22-minute octet featuring oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello and bass.

Along with "Steampunk," the players will also perform Beethoven's Septet in E-flat Major and Janacek's sextet, "Mládí." This line-up will be performed again at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 7.

Students have responded exceedingly well to the visits. "The group is amazing. The members are willing to work with us as well as hang out and just play music," Jessica Taffett '12 said.

Others found the player's outreach efforts inspiring, "It's really great to work first-hand with all these experienced players. It gives us an idea of what we could be doing in a few years," Jane Esterquest '13 said.

The full concert will be performed at Zankel on Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. At 7 p.m. there will be a pre-concert discussion moderated by professor Thomas Denny that will feature composer Bruce and some of the performers.

Concert tickets can be reserved through the box office or online at http://skidmore.showclix.com.

The hip-hop that made 2010: Hip-Hop Weekly

Posted by Jenna Postler

The year 2010 was an important one in hip-hop. More specifically, 2010 was an outstanding year for the freshman album. Fans were privileged with breakout albums from artists who had only previously been heard on remixes and mix tapes.

In looking at the year in review, one can pinpoint some of the best mainstream hip-hop albums of the year to such rookies as Drake, Nikki Minaj, B.o.B. and Big Boi.

You may find yourself asking why Big Boi and Drake would be considered rookies. The answer is simple: technically, 2010 saw the release of their debut albums.

Big Boi's stellar "Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty" was his first album without longtime OutKast member Andre 3000. The catchy album sports such tracks as "Tangerine" featuring T.I. and Khujo Goodie and "Shutterbugg" featuring Cutty.

While Drake has been abuzz for a while now, his debut album "Thank Me Later" dropped in mid-June, much to the delight of his eager fans. The record sold 447,000 copies in its first week, helping Drake reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album charts.

The mainstream breakout of the year belongs to rapper B.o.B., whose debut album "B.o.B. Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray" dropped on April 27.

The album featured poppy hits such as "Airplanes" featuring Haley Williams of Paramore and "Nothin' on You" featuring Bruno Mars. Success following the release of "Airplanes" was enormous, as demonstrated by the single's prevalence on the radio in 2010.

The year 2011 is shaping up to be a good year for rappers Wiz Khalifia, J. Cole, Jay Electronica and Lil' Wayne, among others.

Khalifa, a Pittsburgh native, can expect more success following his immensely popular single "Black and Yellow," in which he refers to the colors of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Khalifa's 2011 album, "Rolling Papers" is tentatively set to release on March 29 off of Atlantic Records.

Featured in hip-hop magazine XXL's 2010 list of Top 10 Freshmen, rapper J. Cole was the first artist signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation record label.

The artist appeared on Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3" as well as Wale's "Attention Deficit." J. Cole's most recent release was his third official mix tape "Friday Night Lights." His debut album can be expected to drop sometime this year.

A fellow member of Jay-Z's Roc Nation label, Jay Electronica, has been gaining popularity recently through his raps, which can be found solely online.

The artist is best known for his single "Exhibit C." While no announcements have confirmed a possible studio album for the rapper, fans can hope for more releases in 2011.

If 2011 follows along the same trajectory as 2010, we can expect greater acceptance and talent in the genre of alternative hip-hop.

In 2010, rap duos Das Racist and Chiddy Bang received much deserved acclaim. 2010 also saw the release of the Das Racist mix tapes, "Shut Up, Dude" and "Sit Down, Man." Rolling Stone magazine selected the group's song "hahahaha jk?" as one of the 50 best singles of 2010.

For the year 2011, I particularly anticipate the rise of hip-hop collective OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All), also known as Odd Future.

The group consists of at least 11 members who have just completed their first tour, which consisted of two stops. This promising group of young men is set to perform this spring at Coachella, a large stride that the group is making toward success.

Jenna Postler is a sophomore from rural Vermont who knows what's hip (hop).

Lim??n adds contemporary twist

Posted by Chloe Prasinos

You may have seen them around campus: 14 tall, elegant strangers with a subtle grace about them, even when they simply wait in line for some yogurt at the dining hall.

It was apparent to most that these people were not students. Only the few dance students who returned to campus early this semester knew the identities of these intriguing adults clad in athletic wear and snow boots.

These were the members of the world-renowned Limón Dance Company who returned to Saratoga Springs on Jan. 9 to complete a three-week residency at the college.

During the course of their stay, the company members held classes for advanced dance students and rehearsed in preparation for their performance "Masters and the Next Generation," which was performed at 8 p.m. on Jan. 28 in the Helen Filene Concert Hall at the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

Jose Limón, one of the most influential and innovative dancers of the 20th century, founded the company in 1946 with the legendary Doris Humphrey acting as the group's artistic director.

Since Limón's death in 1972, Carla Maxwell has devoted her life to the company, working tirelessly as artistic director to preserve the integrity of Limón's original vision.

Additionally, Maxwell sought contemporary choreographers who would highlight the strong, dynamic movement that characterizes the company's distinctive style.

Mary DiSanto-Rose, associate professor of dance and the Limón Residency coordinator, noted the three defining qualities of the group's movement as "the use of breath, repeated fall and recovery and a sense of suspension."

During their residency, the Limón Dance Company also held a lecture and demonstration on Jan. 25 at the Dance Theater, which was led by Clay Taliaferro, former principal dancer and assistant artistic director of the company.

The captivating and eloquent Taliaferro worked with the company's eight male dancers in a reconstruction of Limón's classic work, "Emperor Jones." Taliaferro coached the male dancers in the piece's two iconic roles, Emperor Jones and the white man.

This engaging evening offered students and members of the community a rare and coveted inside view of the company's creative process.

Student and dancer Anna Long '11, was mesmerized by the strong emphasis Taliaferro placed upon the importance of each dancer. "He was an individual, while still maintaining the integrity of the original piece. This was one of the best demonstrations I've seen here," Long said.

Following three weeks of rehearsal in the college's dance facilities, the Limón Dance Company concluded their residency with a sold-out show, becoming the first professional dance company to perform at Zankel.

The evening included two works from the company's historic repertoire, Jirí Kylián's "La Cathedrale Engloutie" (1975) and Jose Limón's "There Is A Time" (1956), as well as a contemporary piece by Jonathan Fredrickson entitled "Chrysalis" (2010).

Jeff Segrave, dean of special programs, welcomed the audience, a mix of students and members of the Saratoga Springs community, to an evening of dance. DiSanto-Rose expressed her admiration of Maxwell's work with the Limón Dance Company and thanked the community for making the residency possible.

Members of the audience seated in the back half of the orchestra section found they had to stretch out of their seats to see the dancers' feet as well as any floor work performed. However, those in the balcony and in the mezzanine received a fantastic view of the company as they performed with incredible energy and precision.

The program placed Frederickson's contemporary piece "Chrysalis," between two of the company's classic works, highlighting the difference between the time periods of the works.

"Chrysalis" featured the female dancers of the company clad in vibrant, flowing costumes, weaving in and out of linear formations around soloist Belinda McGuire. Throughout the movement, McGuire underwent a pronounced aesthetic metamorphosis.

This dynamic, exhilarating piece underlined the incredible sense of humanity and community in the other two pieces "La Cathedrale Engloutie" and "There Is A Time," proving why these works have ultimately withstood the test of time.

Creative thought at its musical best

Posted by Samantha Hoffman

Have you ever wondered what your music major friends are up to when they disappear for hours at a time?

While some may be rehearsing for that always-looming senior recital, others have been composing to their musical hearts' content in the far-away land of the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

Skidmore's motto, "Creative Thought Matters" truly came alive within the walls of the Ladd Concert Hall in Zankel the afternoon of Dec. 4, when seven young composers presented world premieres of no less than 12 original compositions.

The featured compositions ran the gamut from a traditional string quartet to an experimental 13-instrument piece to a trio for violin, viola and an Apple computer.

If that list of vastly varying instrumentation isn't impressive enough, the range of explored styles should be noted as well.

 This program would have pleased most any audience member; whether his or her interests included soulful jazz, classical piano, intricate electric guitar, flamenco-inspired classical guitar, or a multitude of other styles, he or she would not have left this concert disappointed.

Each and every composition exhibited true inspiration and a commendable effort on the part of the composers. While some compositions did reveal the inexperience of the young writers, others could have tricked anyone into believing musical veterans composed them.

A few compositions were so intriguing I wouldn't mind importing them into my iTunes library.

One of the most memorable compositions was "Loose Strings," a piece for classical guitar and string quartet written by Aaron Haas '11.

The first movement for solo guitar exhibited a fusion of flamenco-inspired elements, classic rock-inspired elements and very impressive technique.

The third movement was also incredibly fun to listen to, at times reminiscent of the music one might find in a Spanish dance club.

Another standout composition was the string quartet "Words" composed by Ben Mickelson '12. A sense of urgency was immediately established, which remained an underlying force throughout the entire piece.

Each instrument's part had compelling moments and together they all told an intricate and captivating story.

Unfortunately, the audience was sparsely filled for the recital and much of the Skidmore community missed out on the outpouring of creativity that the composers offered.

Not only did the music exhibit the students' creative juices, the enigmatic program notes written by the composers presenting tidbits such as "Why won't drum burn the carpet?," "Clarinet discourages Dixieland around the automobile" and "The competitive powder mends the evidence below a just chaos,"  showed another facet of their imaginations.

Congratulations to Bobby Burch '12, Julia Cox '12, Joanna Schubert '12, Stefan Schonsheck '12, Ben Mickelson, Aaron Haas and Aaron Wallace '12 for a job well done!

Visual rhymes at the Tang

Posted by Kristin Travagline

Curated by English professor Michelle Rhee and peer mentor Caitlin Allen '12, "Eye Rhymes," in the Frances Young Teaching Museum and Art Gallery unites image with text in an unhappy marriage where each party vies for attention. The exhibit explores the tension-inducing power dynamics created when image and text undergo full equalization. The exhibit runs until Jan. 2.

The piece "Mercy" (1991), by David Moffet, embodies this tension. The piece mounts a translucent photograph of an unfurled white rose on a circular light box. "MERCY" glows in black caps in the center of the rose. "It just kind of glows and leads the viewers into the gallery and I think that the students really enjoyed discussing that in class," Rhee said. "Eye Rhymes" includes a variety of other media including book art, collage and screenprint.

The exhibit also serves as classroom space for Rhee's Scribner Seminar, "Ways of Seeing." "The change in space for students is really wonderful and important. Also, to have your primary text exist in this very public space changes your orientation toward how you treat it and how much importance you give to it," Rhee said.

A year and a half ago, Rhee went to the Tang to look for art for her English classes. "I was trying to figure out ways to incorporate the Tang into my classes. And once I was there I realized there are so many works of art that incorporate text and image just in the private collection," Rhee said. From that moment Rhee worked with John Weber, dayton director and professor of liberal studies, and Ian Berry, the Tang curator, to find a way for a gallery show and a class to coexist.

After an eight-week installation project, the course culminated in a reconfiguration of the space based on student research. The students received scaled down versions of every work of art on the main wall of the exhibit, which they mounted in a miniature, to-scale version of the gallery. Collectively the class decided to mount the artwork in an order that conveyed a transition from innocence to maturation.

However, when the class tried to mount the exhibit in the gallery they realized that their vision would not translate to reality. "It would have had no concept of space," Rhee said. But, the 16 students still had to decide on a single idea for the space and a way to make the artwork cohesive.

"They had started to impose meanings upon the works of art that weren't necessarily there. It was almost a hindrance to them that they knew too much about the work of art," Rhee said. The students let go of the narrative idea and instead drew connections between the pieces through visual cues.

"I think they did an even better job than what I had come up with, with the help of my peer mentor over the summer. It's really quite good. They were really impressive," Rhee said.

One of Rhee's favorite pieces in the exhibit is "Negroes with Guns," by Michael St. John. The piece displays 14 small canvases with pictures of various African Americans associated with gun crimes, ranging from Martin Luther King Jr. to Tupac Shakur. The pictures range from several inches to covering the entire canvas. Bright colors and the text "NEGROES WITH GUNS" in bold, black font also span the canvases.

The piece was based on the manifesto by Robert Williams, which suggests that the NAACP should arm themselves to prevent being attacked in the south, an idea which the Black Panther Party gravitated toward and eventually used.

 Beneath this piece, two black leather shoes with buckles that spell the words "LAP DOG," by Nayland Blake, rest on a pedestal. "It creates this strange bodiless sculpture where you have these heads and then the feet and then the two works sort of alter their meanings by being juxtaposed in that way," Rhee said.

After the exhibit was remounted the class presented the trajectory of their semester work in a Tang dialogue to the public.

"It was probably, in terms of teaching, one of the most rewarding classes I've taught because it felt like every step along the way was moving toward something very tangible. Everything just became very productive in a way that I've never experienced before," Rhee said.

Tang collects 4,000 bottles

Posted by Tegan O'Neill

The exhibit "Environment and Object in Recent African Art" will be on display at the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery after winter break from Feb. 5-July 1, 2011, but not without the help of the entire Skidmore community.

The centerpiece of the exhibit, which will be created by Nigerian artist Bright Ugochukwu Eke, will be a site-specific installation made up entirely of plastic water bottles.

In order to collect the 4,000 bottles needed for the installation, collection boxes have been placed around campus. There are boxes in the dorms, academic buildings, the dining hall and in Case Center.

Posters of an image of a plastic water bottle with the words, "Save Us" superimposed on it and a message reading, "Help Us Make Art" written below advertise the collection effort.

The three-week-long collection period began on Dec. 1 and will continue through Dec. 22.  

"It is an interesting project because it needs the support of a huge pool of people for its realization," curatorial assistant Megan Hyde said of the project.

The show's curators have partnered with the Environmental Action Committee as well as the dorm Eco Reps in organizing the bottle collection effort.  In addition to the collection boxes placed  around campus, various bottle drives will be conducted in Northwoods.

"It brings meaning to the project for people to actually be able to see the bottles that they donated in an art project at the Tang," said Amanda Hawkins '12, a student worker in the Tang.

The 4,000 plastic bottles will be used to construct walls of water bottles that mimic the pattern of waterways.  It will be a maze of plastic that viewers can walk through.  "Bright takes objects of everyday use and makes something meaningful and gorgeous out of them," Hyde said.  

Eke intends his work to inspire people to examine the connection humans have with the environment.  He is concerned that humans are disconnected from the environment.  The use of recycled plastic water bottles is meant to draw attention to the ethical problems of this disconnect.  

The fact that 4,000 bottles can easily be collected in a three week period on a small college campus represents the tremendous amount of resources that are consumed every day.

Eke has chosen to concentrate on water because it is a resource held in common by everyone on the planet; however, not everyone on the planet has equal access to it.

  Many areas of the African continent are plagued by a lack of clean, safe water.  Because of a lack of proper sanitation and contamination from industrial waste, people are forced to import plastic water bottles.

In addition to Eke's piece, the exhibit will feature sculptures, photographs, paintings and videos by a wide range of contemporary African artists including El Anatsui, Zwelethu Mthethwa, Yinka Shonibare, George Osodi and Nnenna Okore.  

The pieces in the exhibit address the issues of deforestation, deserted coal mining operations, scarce clean water supplies and the cloud of conflict that shadows the oil industry.

The art shows the relationship between people living in Africa and the environment they are living in, as well as the relationship that Africa has with the western world.

Many of the pieces comment on the lasting colonial impact and draw attention to the question of who is taking and using Africa's natural resources.

"There is certainly an urgent agenda inherent in this exhibition," Hawkins said. Bright Ugochukwu Eke will begin his residency at Skidmore in early January to install the centerpiece.

Zombie invasion not easy on the psyche: TV Review

Posted by Eric Shapiro

A character drama in a post-apocalyptic zombie setting is a surprisingly brilliant concept. Robert Kirkman's "The Walking Dead"  has run for 79 issues (rare for a creator-owned series) and wowed comic fans since 2003.

On Oct. 21 the TV adaptation premiered on AMC, at long last giving non-comic geeks a chance to experience the cult phenomenon for themselves. Alas, thus far the show has failed to fully capitalize on the promise of its masterpiece of a first episode, with the exception of several great moments interspersed throughout subsequent installments.To start with the positive, it is clear from the outset that the series' main creative architect, Frank Darabont, has nailed the visual style of the comic. Never, at least on TV, have flesh-eating zombies looked so human and hence, so sympathetic.

However, the eerie, quieter moments of mounting tension and calms between the blood-soaked squalls are most memorable. Rick Grimes, rank and file cop from Cynthiana, Kentucky, wakes up in a hospital after sustaining a gunshot wound. It isn't long before he comes to the horrifying realization that the dead no longer stay dead and his wife and son have fled town. A series of improbable coincidences lead to a blissful family reunion, complete with cheesy music.

Things don't stay happy for long though; in addition to the obligatory zombie attacks, the group of survivors has to deal with danger from within their own ranks. It seems that a zombie invasion isn't easy on the fragile human psyche, and therein lays the main hook of "The Walking Dead."

Unfortunately, the characters are, with a few exceptions, pretty flat, occasionally crossing the line into offensive stereotype. Case in point: the two redneck brothers that Grimes has the misfortune to encounter. As they constitute some of the biggest departures from the comic it is disheartening that they fit in so poorly and contribute so little.

The core cast is more of a mixed bag. Rick remains an unflinchingly noble blank slate throughout the season (although, to be fair, Kirkman takes a while to flesh him out in the comic).

His wife Lori comes across as selfish and manipulative without any real depth. This is a problem, considering her pivotal role in the plot. It's difficult to see why Shane, Rick's friend and fellow police officer, is smitten with her to the point where he would consider killing his own best friend.  Regardless, the men's rivalry for Lori's affections and for leadership of the group is one of the show's most compelling elements. Shane is one of the few characters with any genuine depth; it's too bad the writers see fit to make him so detestable.

The supporting cast is a colorful, albeit underdeveloped, bunch. We pity them because of the situations they face (watching your sister get her throat torn out is enough to earn my sympathy) rather than any real concern for them as people. To compensate, the writers tend to linger on certain admittedly tragic events longer than they should, diluting their impact and coming across as a tad manipulative.

A dramatic zombie series is appealing, but a zombie soap opera is just insipid. The show's other main weaknesses are hackneyed writing and poor pacing. Hopefully, the next season will strike the perfect balance between zombie slaughter and character development. 

Bocanegra's 'I Write the Songs': Art Review

Posted by Elizabeth Porfido

Susan Bocanegra's "I Write the Songs," in the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, creatively features mixed-media wall works and sound and video installations. The exhibit runs until Jan. 2.

Contained to a single dark room on the second floor, closed off with thick black curtains, "I Write the Songs" contrasts the free form abstract "Jewel Thief" exhibit. Each of Bocanegra's five pieces has its own speaker set that plays different tracks of ambient music.

Since all of the speakers play simultaneously, an eerie tone settles over the room. The painted black walls emphasize the only light sources, spotlights on the pieces and the four television screens.

Bocanegra's "Color Chart" consists of a box of yarn organized in five columns and five rows and a speaker playing music.

 By observing the piece alone I was not able to understand the artist's vision, but the pamphlet provided by the Tang brought dimension to the piece.

Each ball of yarn has a name, and each syllable of these names was given a specific vocal sound by the artist. A musician then strung together these syllables to create a fluid sound, which was played through the speaker. With the yarn and music in sync, the artist creates the sound of color in her piece.

The next piece in the space is an ancient fragment of a blue and white Danish tapestry hanging from the ceiling. Titled "After Rerememberer (All the Threads)," the fabric shyly dances while the bottom tassels just barely touch the ground.

In general fabric is woven in a five-line staff, which mimics the composition of music. Bocanegra used this parallel structure to create an interaction between the fabric and the music.

The proportions of the thread count and the numerical ordering of the loom for the weaving pattern serve as the score and scenario for the entire installation. Accordion dominates the music and can be clearly heard above all the other tracks. The tapestry hanging from the ceiling with the music playing brought life to the fabric. Its slight movements were extrapolated until the tapestry embodied the music it devised.  

The next piece in the show is Bocanegra's "All the Petals" based on Jan Bruegel the Elder's "Sense of Smell," 1618. Bocanegra broke down flower by flower Bruegel's original painting of a bouquet of flowers to create an expansive wall mount.

 Clusters of thin paper in the shape of petals are pinned to the wall with black ribbon. The number of petals in each cluster is proportionate to the number of petals in each flower in Bruegel's original painting, as is their spacing.

The petal colors are mostly warm tones, primarily red, orange and yellow, with hints of dark blue, creating a stark contrast against the black wall.

Just as "All the Petals" ‘de-painted' Bruegel's bouquet of flowers, Bocanegra's "Little Dot" breaks down the specific dots used to create Georges Seurat's pointillism painting "Young Woman Powdering Herself."

Seurat's 14 dominant colors are represented by 14 pairs of ballet slippers, each of which sits atop a wooden pole.

Bocanegra sorted all of the dots in the painting and created the choreography for a dance that is performed by a ballerina on the platform, fenced in by the poles of slippers.

With an accompanying computer generated score, the painting can be seen and heard as a live performance.

In her final piece, Bocanegra set up a collection of video recording. In a past live performance, Bocanegra had scattered various pages of already composed loose sheet music on a kiosk and invited the public to draw random figures on the pages.

When a drawing on the page of music was complete, it was brought to a stage using a pulley system and interpreted by the FLUX Quartet.

Each musician played music based on the existing notes on the page and the drawing. Each of the four members of the quartet played different pieces simultaneously, creating an overall unified sound of the public's art.

Drawing inspiration from already existing art, Bocanegra challenges conventional notions of art and the various forms that art can take.

Rounds Gallery domesticates wild: Art Review

Posted by Kristin Travagline

Rounds Gallery, located in the Skidmore residential life office, brings the wilderness into a warm, welcoming atmosphere during this brisk autumn season.

The gallery's newest exhibition "Wilderness" showcases student and faculty artwork, including a winter landscape photograph taken by President Philip Glotzbach. The exhibit displays a wide range of mediums including photography, collage, sculpture, drawing and painting. The diverse textures and colors represented in the artwork fill the white hallway with playful vibrancy.

Three of Molly Leon's '14 photographs hang in the exhibit displaying a bundle of peaches bright red, prickly berries with green tips and round, white seashells with raised, circular bumps.

"Control This" by Kate Imboden '13 consists of a series of five collages that use bold geometric patterns and a progression of bright colors moving from browns in the first collage to yellows, greens, and pinks in the latter pieces. Ironically, Imboden's art seems to boldly declare the futility of trying to "control" nature.

In contrast, Devon Mattison's '14 "Assorted Drawings" illustrate the breathtaking natural order of the wilderness. Mattison's precise use of color and lines captures the essence of a field of swaying, golden wheat set against a deep blue sky.

Adam Steinberger '13 made the ceramic "Tea Tree Set:" a teapot, three cups and a plate all designed to reflect a tree trunk. The square shape of the teapot, the bark-like grooves in the clay and the reddish-brown color give the piece an organic feel.

 However, Ali Carney-Knisely's '12 steel giraffe sculpture truly exemplifies the exhibit's theme.

Tracy Hensley, the residence hall director, Karen Donovan '12 and Nurya Gilbert '11 curate the gallery. This show is Donovan's second exhibit as curator, her first being the summer show "Living Places." For this exhibit, Donovan came up with the theme "Wilderness." "I see nature as an essential part of the human world, and how we react today effects not only the future of the environment itself, but whether or not we will be able to continue to react with it. I think it is important to notice the world around us, and who better to point out the world around us than artists?" Donovan said.

The exhibit received 25 submissions. She tries to accept as many submissions as will fit in the gallery. "For the most part I don't really ‘choose' or ‘select' the art. This semester I had multiple participants submit eight to ten photos and I had to either ask them to choose the three or four they thought worked best as a series of photographs or I chose a few myself," Donovan said.

When the submission period ends Donovan arranges the exhibit herself.  "Wilderness" is open during regular residential life office hours and will be on display through January.

What is in store for Zankel?: Examining the potential of the Music Center as a cental building on campus

Posted by Alex Brehm

What if the college spent $32 million and built a new building with facilities reserved for you and your field of study?

Think about this the next time you walk into Zankel.

The Arthur Zankel Music Center represents a world of opportunity for the school, the potential to showcase famous musicians, feature talented speakers and service new media to a larger single audience than ever before. It is designed as a space primarily for the benefit of music and performance students, for practicing and teaching. But with the benefit of the cutting-edge space, allowing the campus community to view more student and guest performances than ever before, in a better setting than ever before, we all benefit.

Construction on Zankel was finished for the spring 2010 semester. The building is 54,000 square feet and cost $32.5 million to build. The building is named for Arthur Zankel, a former trustee of the college and philanthropist who donated $15 million to help fund the building's construction.

The building was cited frequently at the faculty meeting in November as a new symbol of success. College administrators believe attraction to Zankel is partly to account for the unprecedented enrollment in this year's first-year class.

Generally, the space is used for education. "The primary use of Zankel is to serve the college's institutional needs," said Amanda Boehmer, Concerts and Events manager at Zankel. According to the Zankel mission statement, those needs include "the teaching, learning, and performance needs of the college music department and the Office of Special Programs."

In her position, Boehmer serves many roles, primarily contacting performers or their agents and scheduling events, planning shows a year or more in advance. She oversees the production of the calendar of events and reports on Zankel's progress to the music department and Special Programs. Boehmer also assists in the college's new Arts Administration program.

Boehmer says that most of her energy, and that of the other executives running Zankel, is focused on "getting through this first year" successfully.  She wants to establish a clear brand identity and have visitors equate Zankel with quality performance.

Boehmer agrees that Zankel stimulates prospective student interest, and that the building can attract and provide for the most talented young musician. "Most conservatories don't have this practice space." She emphasized that with the new facilities, the college can expect to produce even more high-quality musicians in the future.

The music department is exploring a new relationship with the Albany Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra performed in Zankel in October, and there have been discussions to plan a concert for every semester, including a residency where members of the orchestra will offer master classes to music students.

Earlier this year, Zankel debuted some performances jointly administered with Caffè Lena, the historic folk venue in downtown Saratoga Springs. Caffè Lena began as a small coffeehouse giving folk musicians a space to play when they were just starting out. Performers such as Bob Dylan and Eric Andersen played Lena before they became household names.  This year, Caffè Lena celebrated its 50th anniversary with two concerts in Zankel, featuring Arlo Guthrie at the end of the spring and Ani Difranco this fall. Boehmer beamed over the memory of these performances, saying that it provides cachet with agents when booking new performances. "It really legitimizes us, and I hope it does continue."

Zankel can even serve as a space for watching films. "Film just works so well in there," Boehmer said. "There's a kickin' A/V system…it's better than a movie theater." The space held a screening of the film "May I Be Frank," about a man who finds a new life after embracing raw food and holistic medicine. Boehmer mentioned the possibility of screening live performance broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

A report by the Zankel Study Group, commissioned by President Philip Glotzbach in 2008, said that beyond providing for education, Zankel will be "a venue for nationally-known guest artists…bringing in audiences from the campus and beyond, serving as a resource for the local and regional community."

"Ultimately, I'd like to see that there isn't a dark night in Zankel," Boehmer said.

The college celebrated the completion of the "Creative Thought, Bold Promise" campaign with a gala opening in Zankel during Celebration Weekend in October. A dedication ceremony was held to commemorate Arthur Zankel and formally dedicate the space in his honor.

The event featured Emmanuel Ax, a widely known pianist and close friend of Arthur Zankel. Ax performed a solo sonata, a concerto with the Skidmore College Orchestra and in a quintet with student Hanna Tonegawa '11, faculty member Michael Emery, and two members of Ensemble ACJW. The presence of the ACJW members is itself significant, as it is a reminder of the college's partnership with Carnegie Hall, receiving outstanding young professional musicians in residency each semester. The performances symbolized the range and caliber of performances the college can share at Zankel from solos to symphonies, from distinguished guests and our very own faculty and students.

Confidence is high in what Zankel offers its students as premier music education. The college community can value, as well, the range of uses the space can offer in the future, and the quality education and entertainment we can gain if the building's directors embrace its full potential. As the Zankel Study Group wrote, the building can find a wide range of uses, across music, dance, visual art, film, theater and lectures.

Zankel has also already demonstrated its potential as a community venue. In particular, the Skidmore College Chorus's production of Carmina Burana last semester showed seamless community presence, as audience, as chorus members and as soloists. Performances frequently draw residents from the surrounding area.

Boehmer acknowledged that Zankel will draw a public presence in the future, much as the Tang Teaching Museum has done for the last 10 years. Boehmer said that even the reputation of the local Saratoga Performing Arts Center is something to aspire to in years to come.

If performances of the quality the college has seen the past year remain regular and become even more frequent, those aspirations can become a reality. Until then, Zankel stands as a proud new gem in the educational power of this college.

Smackdown' at Wilson Chapel

Posted by Tegan O'Neil

Saratoga Smackdown: The Expendable Jane McCrea and the Soldiers of Fortune" contemplates the meaning of war by juxtaposing elements of childhood innocence with violence. Nov. 13 marked the first day of this latest installation in Wilson Chapel as part of the year-long "Theater of War in a House of Peace" program.

The artist, General Howe, created the work to draw parallels between the Battle of Saratoga that occurred in 1777 and the current conflicts transpiring in the Middle East.

According to Howe, the purpose of the exhibition is "to spark thoughts about the question, ‘How are we, as Americans, responsible for the expendable deaths in Iraq and soldiers of fortune in the Middle East today?'"

During the Revolutionary War, the British hired Native Americans to terrorize the people living in the Saratoga Springs area. One of these acts included the scalping and murder of a woman named Jane McCrea.

Not only was McCrea an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire, but she was also a British loyalist. Despite the fact that McCrea was a loyalist, her cause became a rallying point for the colonists and the atrocious event bolstered support for their side.

Just as Native Americans were hired to kill colonists by the British during the Revolutionary War, the U.S. has hired independent contractors to fight in the Middle East. The U.S. has also hired mercenaries from all over the world to fight the wars.

Howe's former student, Stefani Mladenova '14, invited him to display his work at the college. Mladenova had Howe as an art teacher at the Baccalaureate School for Global Education (BSGE) in Astoria, Queens, and was familiar with his work dealing with warfare.

Howe had previously set up installations of battle scenes with toy soldiers located where battles had occurred around Brooklyn.When Mladenova learned about the "Theater of War in a House of Peace" series, Howe's work immediately came to mind.

"When I heard about the organization I thought about his work. I thought it was important for the Skidmore community to see the effects of war and what war constitutes. I thought it would be interesting to hear what Skidmore has to say about war," Mladenova said.

Planning for the project began in early Oct. when Howe visited the college to take pictures of the campus and envisioned his site-specific exhibition. He incorporated Skidmore imagery into the hand-colored silkscreen prints that now line the walls of the Wilson Chapel.

The windows of the dormitories, the lanterns illuminating Case walkway and the student mailboxes are a few of the Skidmore motifs woven into his work.

Mladenova also has work on display in the Wilson Chapel. Her portrait of Jane McCrea is flanked by the work of fellow classmate Christina Gomez '14, also a former student of Howe. Gomez's painting of Jane McCrea is titled "Mysterious Woman" because there are many differing accounts of the legendary Jane McCrea.

In addition to the Wilson Chapel exhibit, Howe set up various installations around campus that are site-specific to Skidmore. A battle scene constructed with toy soldiers was erected on Case Green. Drawings of squirrels dressed in military clothing were glued to the water tower in North Woods. A scalped Bratz doll lies outside of Wilmarth Hall.

"The whole community is the art project. Anyone who sees the installations or comes to the Chapel is a part of the project whether they know it or not. The art has a life after you've made it," Howe said.

Beatlemore jam fills Zankel

Posted by Julia Leef

There was a full house at the Helen Filene-Ladd Hall of the Arthur Zankel Music Center on Nov. 21 for the 10th annual Beatlemore Skidmania.

The 24 acts included student bands, individual musicians and a cappella groups, which performed a variety of Beatles songs. Participants included groups like The Accents, The Hand-Me-Downs, Drastic Measures and George Martian.

Professor Gordon Thompson, the host of the event, spoke highly of the excitement the bands brought to the stage. "The a cappella groups, the acoustic ensembles and the bands all made remarkable contributions to the program. Perhaps as importantly, they brought excitement and energy to their performances. Every time a new act came on stage, you could feel the power they brought to their music," Thompson said.

The sounds of the Beatles reverberated throughout the concert hall, mingling with the cheers of the audience. Some audience members even joined in singing the songs.

A band composed of faculty members, with student accompaniment, followed up the student performances. Everyone gathered onstage for the concluding number "All You Need Is Love." The performers invited the audience to sing along as the 10th Beatlemore Skidmania came to an end.

Unlike previous Beatlemores, students primarily completed this year's preparations. Thompson had his freshman seminar handle the auditions, selecting acts from among 43 applicants. The students also designed the fliers, posters and T-shirts. According to Thompson, this enabled students to "put into practice ideas they had seen in their readings about music scenes."

Amanda Boehmer, the concert and events manager for Zankel, visited Thompson's seminar to teach the students how to run a concert, especially since Beatlemore Skidmania, which was usually held in the old Filene Music Building, was held in Zankel this year for the first time. Having the concert in Zankel allowed for more crowd control, as it provided limited and assigned seating. "Being in Zankel is different. It's a bigger space, it's a more formal space," Boehmer said.

Preparations for this event included hours-long sound checks, setting up specific microphone layouts for each act and adjusting the accompanying volume levels and monitor mixes. Shawn DuBois, the Zankel technical director, and his tech crew handled these tasks.

Ticket distribution and advertisement were ongoing efforts. The event continues to be publicized through clips of the concert posted on the Skidmore website.

Boehmer also distributed surveys to audience members to collect feedback about what could be improved in the years to come. "I think it's really helpful in future events when you understand who's coming," Boehmer said.

Already plans are being made for next year's concert and several new possibilities are being discussed. An intermission may be included in next year's performance. In addition, some have suggested spreading out the performances over two days, which would give the musicians and tech crew more flexibility. Those involved also hope to circulate ticket information sooner next year.

Thompson's seminar students chose to donate the concert proceeds to Skidmore Cares, a campus-wide endeavor that collects food items, money and school supplies and delivers them to local service agencies during the holiday season.

"Thus, all of the money from ticket and T-shirt sales will be going to Saratoga's food pantries, soup kitchens and other services that assist the less fortunate among us," Thompson said. With the cash ticket sales, Thompson's students donated over $5,000 to Skidmore Cares.

T-shirts were sold at the event and signed by the members of the performing bands. All of the performers signed and auctioned off one of the T-shirts. These T-shirts are still available at half price. Thompson's students are continuing to raise money for Skidmore Cares online and through Skidmore ID sales.

Boehmer talked about the importance of seeing so many different people brought together for this one event. "It's a really moving thing. I mean, this is why we do what we do. To bring people together through music," Boehmer said.

Lee rocks the Egg: Let's Talk About Rock

Posted by Eli Cohen

On Nov. 4 neo-soul artist Amos Lee played at Albany's unique venue The Egg, delivering an electric two-hour show in the three-fourths sold out concert hall. With a new album, "Mission Bell" to be released in Jan., Lee made sure to keep a diverse set list, with many brand new songs as well as fan favorites.

The crowd was a much different age-range than would be expected at such a show. While there were plenty of attendees who looked to be fresh out of college, the majority of concertgoers were middle-aged. This perhaps has to do with Lee's blues/soul style, which was complemented by his new tracks that fall more under the country category.

As smoothly-seamed as the set list's grouping was, it was still very clear what the order of the show was meant to be. The first half of the show was filled with new country tracks. These songs felt decidedly weak and powerless when compared to the rich, well-developed sound that his previous songs have contained.

One factor that marked Lee as not only an artist, but also an entertainer, was his easy, unassuming relationship with his audience. But let's face it — with many of today's pop-culture "musicians" (yes, I'm looking at you, Ying-Yang Twins, Little Wayne and 30H!3), having entertainment value is often seen as more important than actual musical ability.

However, Lee seems to possess both the poise and balance that allows him to interact freely with the audience, even when faced with the most frustrating problems, such as bandmates not showing up when cued. "Well," Lee sighed soulfully (and all the women swoon), "I guess that means it's story time."

He proceeded to give an earnest, detailed account of what exactly went into the making of his latest record, neither shying bashfully from its flaws nor feeling any need to boast or glorify attributes. "Nice of you to join us," Lee said as he watched his bandmates file sheepishly on stage and pick up their instruments. Lee calmly finished his story before launching into a soulful rendition of his audience-requested "Black River."

For all of this good, there were several very weak aspects of the show. Lee's best-known song, "Sweet Pea," did not generate as much energy as it should have. "Sweet Pea" is a long song where the beauty lies in the simplicity, both lyrically and musically. However, Lee's attempt to change up the song for his new tour left much to be desired. It's not that it is a bad thing to change a song for a live audience; Lee simply just did not go far enough.

Overall, as predicted, Lee did not disappoint. His passion for his craft is palpable when in the same room. I guess that means it's story time.

Eli Cohen is a junior who likes to talk about music.

Kanye West falls short: Hip-Hop Weekly

Posted by Jenna Postler

Chances are good that you've heard about it, read about it and probably even listened to it all by now: Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy." How could you have accomplished all of these things since its release on Nov. 23? The answer is simple. It leaked.

Kanye West's newest album leaked a solid two weeks early on Nov. 9. Consequently, all the big names in music have had a chance to review it. Given all its hype, West's extremely favorable reviews are not surprising. Critics and fans alike expected this album to bring back the sound that we heard from his 2007 album, "Graduation."

I don't agree. Unlike widely respected critics, I don't think that West's new album is revolutionary or even amazing. This is partially because it sounds repetitive. There, I said it; West's new album already feels old to me, and I've owned it less than a week.

Five of the 13 tracks on the album (counting interludes) should sound familiar. Fans will recognize his first two singles, "Power," featuring Dwele, and "Runaway," featuring Pusha T, as well as three tracks from West's popular "G.O.O.D. Friday" series. I had already downloaded "Monster," featuring Rick Ross, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver, "So Appalled," featuring Swizz Beatz, Jay-z, Pusha T, Cyhi The Prynce and RZA, and "Devil In A New Dress," featuring Rick Ross, which West personally released for free as part of the weekly program.

I expected what new material was left on the album to be spectacular. Fans thought that West would completely leave behind the auto-tune that filled "808s & Heartbreak," but, alas, this did not happen.

Unfortunately, while some of the unreleased tracks were amazing, a few fell short. "Gorgeous," featuring Kid Cudi and Raekwon, attempts to exploit Cudi's immensely popular slow, methodical voice on the chorus, but just ends up being boring.

However, West does push himself artistically in this new album. With "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy," West takes a theme and runs with it. He reinvents himself as both classier and more complex.

On one of the best tracks of the album, "All Of The Lights," and its interlude, West teams up with Elton John for a hauntingly stunning piano orchestral mix.

Easily featuring the largest number of artists on the album, "All Of The Lights," delivers five minutes of solid talent. The song features Rihanna, Kid Cudi, Tony Williams, The-Dream, Charlie Wilson, John Legend, Elly Jackson, Alicia Keys, Elton John, Fergie, Ryan Leslie, Drake and Ken Lewis.

West also trys to bridge genres, employing the talents of folk artist Bon Iver on two tracks. West samples and remixes Bon Iver's "Woods," to suit his needs for his own track, "Lost In The World."

The first 60 seconds of the song is comprised entirely of Iver's "Woods." West's background as an extremely gifted producer comes into play in the track as he takes the mellow folk song and mixes in tribal drums and hip-hop beats to create a spirited, interesting and unexpected track.

While I do respect the views of those behind Rolling Stone, XXL Magazine and the collective ratings of Metacritic, a strong determinant in album quality is how long you can listen to the album without becoming tired of it. In the past, I have listened to West's albums on and off for months, but the way things are going now, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" may need to retire a lot sooner.

Jenna Postler is a sophomore from rural Vermont who knows what's hip (hop).

Italian commedia; high excitement

Posted by Julia Leef

According to director Alma Becker, excitement was high on opening night of the fall 2010 Mainstage production of Carlo Goldoni's "The Servant of Two Masters," which opened on Nov. 19 in Skidmore's Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater.

The show continues to run Dec. 2-5. All performances are at 8 p.m. except Sunday matinees, which are at 2 p.m.

"The company had been longing for an audience to interact with. The actors love communicating directly to the audience and engaging them with words, songs and lots of comical bits," Becker said.

Indeed, the reactions of audience members feed the actors' energy in this play and boost the overall performance. Feedback from the audience is as much a part of the show as are the regularly scripted lines.

"On opening night a director is always thankful and pleased when that first big laugh is heard or there is applause mid-way through a scene. That says the audience is enjoying the performances," Becker said.

"The Servant of Two Masters" combines the culture of Venice with the comedy of the play's style, with a few dashes of modern, even localized humor thrown in for good measure.The play is very fast-paced and the actors handled the quick changes and flow of the scenes with an ease and familiarity that spoke of long hours of rehearsals and hard work.

The cast portrayed its characters well, each with distinct personalites. One could determine the characteristics of the stock characters, characters with pre-determined personalities and behaviors, that the actors were imitating.

The storyline contains plot twists and turns, with the occasional exposition scene to help facilitate the audience's understanding of the play. Occasional interactions with the audience incorporate its members into the play, making this an engaging and delightful performance.

Tristan Schaffer-Goldman '11, who played Truffaldino, spoke about the joys and necessities of having a live audience. "The energy we receive from the audience fuels us. With an audience we not only rediscovered how funny this show is, but also found moments we didn't even realize were there," Schaffer-Goldman said.

Jaime Martinez-Rivera '11, who played Florindo, considered learning the art of commedia to be an invaluable experience. "The fun part of commedia is that, unlike ‘traditional' theater, everything is on the outside. You start with movement and voice because the psychology is irrelevant. A character is feeling exactly what he's telling the audience," Martinez-Rivera said.

The pre-show performance put on by LoCo, the Lobby Company, also made use of audience interaction. The pre-show performance took place a half hour before "The Servant of Two Masters" to excite the audience for the main performance.

LoCo engaged in a variety of improvisational games that involved interjections from the audience. LoCo continued to entertain audience members during the intermission by talking with people while remaining in character.

Although the two weekend showings were interrupted by Thanksgiving break, Schaffer-Goldman remains confident that the cast will be able to maintain the energy from past performances and will bring a fresh burst of creative energy and perspective to the Dec. shows.

A question-and-answer session that followed the performance on Nov. 20 provided for the benefit of prospective students attending the Performing Arts Open House event.Audience members had the opportunity to speak to the cast and crew about performing in "The Servant of Two Masters." This promised a great opportunity for incoming students to learn more about the arts offered at Skidmore.

The cast welcomes everyone to join in and be a part of the last few performances of this modern-day Italian commedia.

Beckettshorts' haunting and dream-like

Posted by Kristin Travagline

The abstract plays of Samuel Beckett suit an abstract performance space. "The Jewel Thief" exhibit in the Frances Young Tang Teaching and Art Museum at Skidmore College created the perfect atmosphere for Beckettshorts, which ran from Nov. 11-13.

The director intelligently used the space by creating a haunting, mysterious and, at times, magical mood that complimented Beckett's writing. Even before entering the gallery, the performers drew the audience into the performance. A mannequin stood in the glass-windowed vestibule that led into the gallery. She displayed a yellow jacket, a matching wide-brimmed hat and bright red lipstick.

That is, many thought she was a mannequin until the figure emitted a loud, high-pitched shriek, sending frightened audience members briskly moving into the gallery. Likewise, other actors manned the lobby, some completely still, others slowly revolving about the room, surveying the audience with gaunt eyes.

This production immersed the audience in the theatrical experience. Throughout the entire performance, the audience stayed in close proximity to the actors.

Although several audience members had to stand during the first play, the venue made for an intimate experience that is difficult to achieve on a conventional stage where the distance between the audience and actors is rarely breached. This arrangement suited the content of the plays, which largely contemplate the nature of humanity.

The first play, "Footfalls," took place in the main lobby of the gallery. The play began in darkness when a shadowy figure entered from stage left, filling the audience with anticipation. A single light, far right, came up and revealed the actor with dark circles under her sunken eyes, costumed in a heavy, grey cloak.

A clock tolled and she methodically paced across the floor. She turned to look out at the audience and uttered with a deep, haunting voice, "Mother?" A voice, seeming to emit from the single light stationed high up on the second floor stairs, replied, "Yes, May."

The dialogue between the daughter and invisible mother continued with May repeatedly pacing back and forth, only halting her footsteps to speak. Cleverly, the single light created an illuminated rectangle on the dark floor, indicating the bare patch of carpet that May's feet had worn down.

The final lines of the play suggested that May's mother existed only in her imagination, "It is all in your poor mind." Claire Saxe '11 played the part convincingly, using a simultaneously controlled and passionate voice. Saxe delivered her lines with emphasized pronunciation and rhythm, which captured the intensity of her character.

As the lights went out and the toll of a clock rang out again, a member of the audience jumped in his seat, a testament to the powerful performance.

When the first play finished ushers led the audience into the main room of the exhibit where the audience took their seats on the piece "Jewel Thief," which consists of geometrically shaped platforms made of wood and the colorful plastic-covered metal seen on playground equipment. "Come and Go," "Breath," "What Where" and "Radio I" were also staged in this area of the gallery.

The striking costumes in "Come and Go" channeled the eye candy of the surrounding exhibit. The characters, Flo (Sophia Lewis '14), Vi (Dara Silverman '13) and Ru (Alexia Zarras '14) wore yellow, red and purple tweed jackets respectively and matching wide brimmed hats, which concealed their faces. Only their bright red mouths remained exposed.

One by one, each woman stood up, walked to the corner of the platform and the remaining two women gossiped about her, smug smiles stretching their bright lips.

"What Where," although one of the most confusing plays of the evening, best took advantage of the gallery space. The play included five actors who played the Voice (Alexander Greaves '12), Bom (Ben Jurney '14), Bim (Brandon O'Sullivan '11), Bem (Grady Shea '13) and Bam (Sam Szabo '11). The characters dressed identically, wearing long grey jackets and long grey wigs.

With the lights out, the characters emerged from behind several large boxes ascending in height that form part of the exhibit. Greaves, playing the Voice, stood stationary far left near the smallest box, holding a flashlight to his face in the darkness.

The Voice narrated, in a deliberately monotone robotic voice and even controlled the action, which he stopped, rewound and replayed several times saying, "Not good, I start again."

The other four actors walked rapidly through the exhibit with their heads down, hair hanging over their faces and arms outstretched. The dark forms of paintings, sculptures and hanging lanterns added to the other-worldly atmosphere.

"Catastrophe," was staged even deeper in the exhibit on a carpeted patch of floor. Greaves, the Protagonist, gave a moving performance, standing on a stool, shivering in his long johns as the director O'Sullivan and the assistant, Lewis, analyzed his appearance and exploited his suffering by casting his miserable shadow on the gallery wall.

The audience looped back to the main lobby for the final performance, "Quad," during which four actors (Greaves, Jurney, Silverman and Szabo), clad in colorful hooded cloaks, paced in rapid, square patterns set to a drum beat and colorful lighting.

Leaving the museum, the mysterious magic of the evening lingered like the feeling of recalling a vivid dream.

Choreo II shows off moves

Posted by Tegan O'Neil

On Nov. 13 approximately 200 people filled the Skidmore College Dance Theater to watch the Choreography II and Dance Production Class Showing. A line formed even before the doors opened at 2:15 p.m. for the 3 p.m. performance.

The showing was comprised of 11 pieces choreographed by the students of the Choreography II class in collaboration with the lighting designs of the Dance Production class.

The show began with "Diversions," choreographed by Rachel Bier '12 and set to music by Gabriela Montero and Billy Joel. The lighting designer was Emily Craver '11. The dancers — Alison DeFranco '13, Rebecca Greenbaum '11, Anna Long '11, Sydney Magruder '14 and Talya Wolf '13 — were strikingly on par with the music. Their movements were clean and the group worked seamlessly together.

The second piece, "Love Beckons," choreographed by Hattie Young '12, blended words and music to an interesting, creative effect. Young also designed the sound for this piece, weaving text from Blogs, Kahil Gibran, Michael Drayton and Petrarch into a soundtrack of Billie Holiday, Elvis Presley and Mozart.

Ivy Rose Cardillo '14, Emily Cohen '13, Jennifer Latsch '12, Hartley Parish '11 and Martha Snow '14, the dancers of the piece, matched their sexually charged movements with the ominous tone of the text spoken over the music, which created an interesting yet disturbing aura. Sabrina Lumbert '12 designed the lighting for this piece.

Chloe Prasinos '

13 choreographed "Divided We Fall" set to music by Timothy Andres, who visited Skidmore earlier this semester with the Academy of Carnegie, Juilliard and Weill. The Dance Production Class along with Lori Dawson, technical director, lighting designer and Dance Theater manager, designed the lighting for this piece and Kat Sullivan '12 stage-managed.

The dancers — Anna Kerr '12, Lauren Parra '13, Lucia Ruggieri '13 and Ayako Shapiro '14 — told a powerful story - with their strong and decisive movements.

Emily Craver '11, Jacob Goodhart '12 and Corry Ethridge '14 used clapping and snapping in "Between a Flash and a Clap," choreographed by Emily Pacilio '12, to create the impression of sitting on a back porch on a warm summer's eve in Kentucky. Their loose khakis and white shirts also contributed to this casual, playful mood.

Their movements and sounds were set to the music of Paul Cantelon, Etta James, Blind Willie Johnson and Charley Patton. It was a fusion of classical, blues and a tinge of bluegrass designed by Allison Dell Otto '12. Sullivan designed the lighting.

"001011001101," choreographed by Danny Weinstein '11, was marked by futuristic, almost mechanistic, movements set to electronic music by Aphex Twin. The dancers included Aditi Datta '13, Paige Duarte '14, Emily Hudspeth '13, Heather Miki '11, Amanda Ostrove '13 and Nicole Sartor '11. The lighting designer, Zoe Prengaman '11, played with the electronic music and robotic movements of the dancers to heighten the futuristic dynamic.

Senior Kristiana Hubley's choreography for "Mourning Dew," set to Le Mystére Des Voix Bulgares recorded by Marcel Cellier, had her dancers fluidly and ephemerally grace the stage. Hannah Foster '14, Hannah Garland '13, Greenbaum, Shapiro, and Snow moved effortlessly as if in another world. Cameo Lethem '14 stage-managed and Lori Dawson designed the lighting.

Long choreographed "Experience Uploaded" to music by Jonathan Wan '12. The music combined with the solid movements of the dancers — Talia Arnow '13, Emily Craver '11 and Lumbert — related a captivating story to the audience. Lethem designed the lighting.

The minimalist music of Arvo Pärt provided the dancers, Duarte, Ostrove, Ruggieri and Tess Wendel '11, with spiritual material to work with in the piece, "Then There Was Her," choreographed by Daniel Chenoweth '11. As they spun around the stage in billowing grey pants, they appeared to coalesce. Julia Robins '12 designed the lighting.

"As Things Unravel," choreographed by Lumbert, was filled with tension and constrained violence. The dancers Ethridge, Pacilio and Wolf seemed to be telling a story of an old rage mixed with a new one. The glowing lighting designed by the Dance Production Class along with Lori Dawson intensified these emotional undertones. Robins stage-managed.

Dorothy Franks '14, Madruger, Michael Rivera '13, Cardillo and Angela Spyrou '14 put on an exotic and dynamic performance to music by Nico Muhly and Meriedith Monk in "M.I.D.A.S." This piece, choreographed by Courtenay Thorne '12, was packed with jumps and turns and rolls and leaps.

The cherry on top for this piece was the Amazonian hair sported by the dancers. Greenbaum designed the lighting.

The closing piece of the showcase, choreographed by Hartley Parish '11, starkly contrasted the wild and dark style of ‘M.I.D.A.S.' with its sassy and comedic ambience. Cohen, Nicole Kadar '11 and Young wore outfits reminiscent of circus performers and pranced and joked about the stage, hamming up the spotlight.

Their playful routine was set to music by Gerald Marks and Dizzie Gillespie. Garland designed the lighting.

The turnout for the event was impressive. As the intimate space of the dance theater quickly filled up, audience members sat on the floor and stairs in order to get a seat.

The Choreography II class studies solo and group choreographic techniques and related musical and production resources.

The Dance Production class offers a basic foundation in dance production. Students learn about the necessary collaboration between choreographers, designers, technicians and publicity managers. Students also learn the technical aspects of design for dance including sound, light, stage management and publicity.

"The Servant of Two Masters': Italian commedia comes to mainstage

Posted by Julia Leef

The Mainstage Production at the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater, Carlo Goldoni's "The Servant of Two Masters," combines traditional Italian commedia dell'arte and postmodern vaudeville to tell the tale of the madcap servant, Truffaldino, and his encounters with masters, mistresses, lovers, lawyers and meatballs.

This fast-paced comedy brings a variety of wonders to the stage, including acrobatics, juggling, audience participation, and adlibs.

The decision to perform "The Servant of Two Masters" came in part as a result of director Alma Becker's commedia class.

Becker had also seen the play in N.Y. with two students, Ilanna Saltzman '11 and Tristan Schaffer-Goldman '11, who both studied commedia in Italy. "It just felt like this was the semester to do this," Becker said.

A lot of direct communication with the audience is necessary for this show and Becker applauded her students' ability to take direction. "Once people know what's wanted, then they really go after that," Becker said.

Saltzman, the assistant director, spoke highly of students' opportunity to work together to bring this play to life. She was able to pass on the experience she had gained in Italy to the other students. Saltzman said that it was a challenge getting the details across, but very rewarding.

In addition to her regular directing duties, Saltzman also organized the pre-show that will take place about half an hour before the actual performance. This pre-show will be performed by another group of actors, and is designed to get the audience into the comedic spirit and generate energy.

Andrea Nice, '11, set designer, remarked on the collaborative creative process involved and how her job was also a lesson in decision making. Nice said that designing a set to convey the "play within a play" aspect of the show was a challenge, which involved a great deal of architecture, geometrics and mathematics.

"It is a comprehensive form of art in that you have to be able to explain your every reason for what you put on the stage. You have to think of composition, balance and light," Nice said.

Nice hopes to pursue a career in set design and said she is pleased with this educational experience that she could not have gotten from a class. She also said she looks forward to seeing the final product and believes that it will be very gratifying.

Much praise for the show came from the actors. Tristan Schaffer-Goldman '11, who plays Truffaldino and the Servant, has enjoyed working with Becker for the first time.

He said that he has been caught up in the many different ways to express the style of the play to a modern audience, and the great enthusiasm exhibited by Becker and the cast.

Schaffer-Goldman was especially interested in the way that wearing a mask shifts the performer's focus from the face to the body. Schaffer-Goldman said that one must work on physical comedy to learn "how to be funny without facial expressions, breaking down what is comedy and how it lives in your body and how you can use your body to tell it."

Although she doesn't wear a mask, Isabelle Russo '11, who plays Beatrice, a woman pretending to be her brother Federigo, faced the challenge of "how to conflate the female and male aspects of the character."

Russo said she must take many things into account including how well Beatrice is disguised and how good she is at it. Russo said this requires her to balance her own acting skills with those of her character.

"The Servant of Two Masters" will be playing at JKB Theater from Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 2-5. All performances are at 8 p.m. except Sunday matinees, which are at 2 p.m.

The cast and crew invite students and faculty alike to play a part in this interactive show and to experience the style of Italian commedia that has played an important part in their education for the past few months.