‘Hate is not a UMass Dartmouth value’

By Shara Sarnelli

Eight members of the Theatre Company gave powerful performances during last weekend’s “The Laramie Project.”

Dark, disturbing and dramatically real. This past weekend, audiences followed the Theatre Company down a winding road that is not usually taken. From April 24 through 27, The Theatre Company performed “The Laramie Project,” by Moises Kaufman and the members of the Tectonic Theater Project.

The members of the Tectonic Theater Project traveled to Laramie, Wyoming after the death of Matthew Shepard to conduct over 200 interviews. “The Laramie Project” reenacts those interviews, revealing the tragedy of the young man’s death and the reality of how cultures interact with homosexuality.

A crowd of people gathered in front of the Main Auditorium, waiting for the doors to open for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24. Refreshments and snacks were served where the crowd was waiting, but it was not enough to lull the anxious buzz circulating through the room.

Once the doors opened, twenty minutes late, the crowd stepped into a darkness and fog that was the auditorium. Nearly all the seats filled up for the Theatre Company’s first showing of “The Laramie Project.” The lighting set a mysterious tone, an ideal match for the hidden truths that were about to uncovered.

Eight members of the Theatre Company took the stage, each taking on the role of multiple characters. Initially, this seemed visually confusing, but it ended up being rather effective. This caused the audience to pay attention to each character more, truly hearing and taking in what each interview exposed.

But it would not have been effective without the immense talent of the cast. Cast member Sarah Hills said that “having to play multiple characters was a challenge, because you had to develop them in a distinct way so that the audience could remember who is who.”

The top cast consisted of seven undergraduate students (Katie Gregory, Sarah Hills, Matt Huberman, Laura McHugh, Martin Pasquill, Brendan Valencia and Nate Valente) along with one recent alumna (Rosemary Larkin of ‘07). The performance was directed by Jarrad Nunes.

The first interviews described the small town of Laramie. Most interviewees spoke highly of the town as if they were proud to be from there; however, once the press went out there after the incident of Matthew Shepard, the town became defined by something else, something other than happiness.

Negative feelings towards homosexuality soon surfaced through the interviews. Most people said statements like, “don’t give a damn” about gays “as long as they don’t bother me.” Some tried claiming they just do not “agree” with homosexuality, while others were altogether uncomfortable with the topic. Most said that Laramie was not a place for homosexuals, regardless of the sign that was posted in the town: “Hate is not a Laramie value.”

Interviews discussing Matthew Shepard and his “beaming smile” were then acted out. The tone shifted around this time, as if something was scratching from beneath the skin, trying to be set free. Right before the first of two ten minute intermissions, one specific interview built up the suspense, increasing the intensity level.

The interview expressed powerful, unsettling imagery of Shepard’s body after being beaten and tied to a fence. The intense emotion put into the cast’s roles brought every character to life, which is important, as the characters are based off of real individuals. Some roles even provided necessary comic relief, like that of the bartender.

It was very interesting to see the story unfold through different perspectives of the townspeople. This would not have been possible if the cast had not put such an incredible amount of effort into the performance. One audience member, junior Andrea Benduzek, said that “all the actors did a wonderful job.” She continued by saying, “It’s one of those plays that open the eyes to real situations.”

Theatre Company member Sarah Hills is the only freshman on the cast, which made her “unsure” of herself in the beginning. With the help of the rest of the cast and director Nunes, Hills learned much about theater, friendship and team work.

Her passion for acting has exploded through rehearsing for this performance, which “has been one of the most amazing and best experiences” of her life. Preparing and performing “The Laramie Project” has been so great that it is considered “the highlight” of Hills’s freshman year at UMD.

Although the performance ran over two hours, the ending tied everything together with pieces of the trials and a recounting of Reverend Fred Phelps who gave a fiery, hate-filled speech at Shepard’s funeral. Phelps and his followers were proud to hold up signs with phrases like “Hell’s Real Ask Matt,” and “God Hates Fags” written on them.

“The Laramie Project” truly had the power to open the audience’s eyes to realistic situations that are not often discussed. It portrayed an array of feelings, from hope to shame. The Theatre Company gave an idyllic performance that made this challenging, unique play unforgettable.

More than ‘words’: Senior photography majors showcase their skills

By Allison Reitz

From left to right: Ilda Brown, Kathryn Chase and Lorraine Medeiros pose in front of Chase’s photography. The ladies’ vibrant personalities and strong friendship were the focus of Chase’s work.

We all know the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. But senior photography students bring that truth to life with their show “Several Thousand Words,” which opened on April 21.

The exhibition, on display in the Campus Gallery, signals the culmination of the students’ tenure as photography majors. In other words, this is their time to show what they’ve learned and the personal styles developed. The result is mixed. A few of the projects fall short of the mark, being neither inspired nor well executed. But for the most part, the seniors have created cohesive projects that speak volumes.

For these projects, students focused their lenses on a wide array of subjects, from family members and convenience store customers, to abandoned asylums and taxidermically preserved animals. Every section of the gallery explores something different, making a walk through the exhibit an interesting journey.

The projects are also extremely varied in their presentation. Some students chose for a straightforward approach, displaying only enlarged selections of their work. Others created multimedia presentations to go along with their photography, including slideshows, movies and books. Some students even decorated their designated areas with wallpaper and colorful picture frames.

During the opening reception on April 24, hundreds of friends, family members and community members streamed through the Campus Gallery doors for a glimpse at the students’ works.

Justin Corriveau and Melissa Bernier have two of the most provocative displays in the show. Corriveau takes viewers on an ambiguous walk through the private lives of his subjects. One photograph in particular, featuring a nude male reclining under a reprint of “The Last Supper,” had gallery visitors talking. The other photos are tamer, but just as evocative.

Bernier captures her subjects with their deepest (and, sometimes, darkest) secrets in hand. The “Truth Booth,” as Bernier calls her photo and video booth, captured UMass Dartmouth students as they shared their written secrets and told the stories behind the truth.

Kathryn Chase’s project also got a lot of attention during the opening reception. Her photographs explore concepts of identity and self-representation through the lives of Ilda Brown and Lorraine Medeiros. Though similar in appearance and dress (they often wear matching outfits), the women are unrelated. However, the two are best friends and live one house apart on the same street. When Brown and Medeiros arrived at the opening reception, many heads turned and visitors scrambled to get their own pictures of the women.

Unlike many similar exhibitions, none of the artists provide statements to explain their work. Some works translate well; others are too nuanced for the artist’s intent to be obvious. However, this style of presentation allows viewers to apply their own meaning and “words” to the projects. With so many visitors approaching the exhibition from different points of view, perhaps a more appropriate name would have been “Several Million Words.”

“Several Thousand Words” is on display through May 15 in the Campus Gallery, located on the first floor of the CVPA building. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. The exhibition is free of charge and open to the public.

Culture Park to perform ‘Through a Portagee Gate’

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. — Culture Park will present the play, “Through a Portagee Gate,” in Cambridge and Fall River, Massachusetts, this coming May 17 and 18. The play is being presented in conjunction with the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities Escrita da Vida library reading series of books by contemporary Portuguese-American authors.

Adapted by Patricia A. Thomas from the memoir of the same name by Charles Reis Felix, “Through a Portagee Gate” will be performed in Cambridge at the Cambridge Y Theatre in Central Square, on Saturday, May 17, at 2 p.m. (matinee), and in Fall River, in the Durfee High School Auditorium, on Sunday, May 18, at 2 p.m. (matinee).

Admission is free, and the performances are open to the public. The running time of this touring version of the script is approximately one hour.

“Through a Portagee Gate” tells the story of a New Bedford cobbler, Jose.

Felix, who had a shop at 868 Acushnet Avenue, “the old Weld Square,” for nearly sixty years, until I-195 was constructed, isolating the shop forever.

The story is narrated by the cobbler’s son, who examines his relationship with his hardworking, resolute, and loving father, as well as that of the New Bedford of his youth. The author/protagonist journeys back to his roots through the unsuspecting presence of a Portuguese-American custodian who attends to his classroom in Escamil, California.

The cast is comprised of local and regional actors, including Richard Pacheco, as Jose Felix, Fred Cabral as Charles, his son and the narrator of the play, Shannon Gracia as daughter Idalia, and Nancy Leary as Jose’s wife, Ilda. Further performances of the play are scheduled for Lowell, and Ludlow, MA, in spring of next year.

“Through a Portagee Gate” is newly published as a play (March 2008) alongside Amarelo, by Paulo A. Pereira, in a volume called Two Portuguese-American Plays, number 9 in the Portuguese in the Americas Series of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Portuguese Studies and Culture. Two Portuguese-American Plays is available locally at Baker Books, and at Amazon.com.

For further information regarding the upcoming performances of “Through a

Portagee Gate,” please contact Culture Park at 508-990-7779, email them at culturepark@earhtlink.net; or visit their website at www.culturepark.org; or the Massachusetts for the Humanities website www.mfh.org.

Poet delivers hope for aspiring writers

By Shara Sarnelli

An emotional delivery, beautiful language and words of inspiration filled the Library Browsing Area on Thursday, April 24. From 4 to 5:30 p.m., the Women’s Studies Program and the English Department sponsored a free poetry reading event. Louise Gluck, author of several books of poetry amd former Poet Laureate, read pieces of her work for the audience.

Approximately half of the seats available were filled on this day of sunny weather. The audience consisted of an array of people, including many students who received extra credit to attend the reading and write about it afterwards.

Gluck’s most recent book of poetry is titled “Averno,” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006). Her collection, “The Wild Iris,” received the Pulitzer Prize in 1992. She has also earned many other awards and has had some of her work featured in “The New Yorker.”

Although Gluck’s poetry intrigued the audience, it was rather difficult to hear her clearly as her voice was extremely quiet and soft. The tone of her voice fit her poetry well, but it was much too hard to hear her.

After reading from her work, the audience had the opportunity to ask Gluck questions or provide comments. One student asked Gluck how long it takes her to write her books of poetry. The poet responded by saying “forever,” but sometimes it takes very little time. She said that she feels closer to the poetry that takes more time to finish.

She sets up her books of poetry in such a format because they are meant to be read in order, from the first poem to the last, like the pages of a novel. Listening to phrases said daily sparks ideas for images or pieces of her poems. Often times, Gluck said, she will listen to a particular piece of music and play it over and over until her work is complete.

But continually writing is not as easy as repeatedly playing one song. Gluck opened up and said that there are periods where some writers do not write. She went through a period of two years where she did not write at all. She found that teaching helps fill those gaps. While teaching, she also has the chance to write, as she has written books during semesters of teaching.

The most difficult part about being a writer, as Gluck discussed, may be developing a “thick skin” to withstand the many rejections a writer will get. Writers must persist and find a way to diminish the anxiety of being rejected, because it will happen. But, perhaps, “the world isn’t ready to hear” what a poet has to say just yet, Gluck said. Writers always have a chance to be discovered, so they should continue to write, even after multiple rejections.

Following the question and answer session came a book signing. Books were also available for purchase at the reading. In addition to the poetry reading was the release of “Siren” 2008, the women’s literary journal on campus. Editor Meagan Gauthier said that having Gluck read “truly made this edition a celebration of women.”

Sculpture exhibition:

Talent under the sun

By Aubrey Ramsdell

A crowd gathers as two men work to make Kevin J. Arruda’s sculpture “We Cycle” a bit sturdier.

Abbie Powers explores the essence and “life” of fashion with her work “Elizabeth (She was not made for the closet).”

The 20th Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition couldn’t have been held on a better day. The sun was shining, the breeze was the perfect temperature, and everyone was definitely in the mood for a fair-weather barbeque. Students migrated toward the lively sounds and the smell of food. It was hard to stay inside when all the fun was on the lawn!

The exhibition is held every spring and it is organized by the Sculpture Club. The group plans the budget for the show, and it is responsible for providing the delicious food, publicizing the event, and even providing supplies not normally available through the school. Ethan Tripp, President of the Sculpture Club said that he was “really glad to be a part of it.”

There were several individual pieces by junior and senior sculpture majors. They ranged in topics and materials. “Tornado,” by Victoria Trofimona, discussed the issue of the waste generated by a society making advances in science and technology. The whirlwind of recycled discarded materials definitely made an impact.

“Handvision,” by Bill O’Donnell, was a heavily graffitied sculpture that encompassed his vision of what Hip Hop is. When asked about the style and construction of the piece, he joked, “I want 2D and 3D to marry and have kids. This is as much a 2D work as it is 3D.”

Participation in the exhibition was mandatory for juniors and seniors in the sculpture department, but sophomore classes usually collaborate to submit group projects. One such work was “Poisonous Nest,” a quirky piece that consisted of a giant, hand-woven nest that contained plaster models of heads.

When asked about the sculpture, Steff Winters, one of the artists, said, “Originally, the project was supposed to be called ‘Nest’. . . until we found out that a bunch of people in the class had poison ivy from it.” As for the rest of the show, she said it was “wicked sweet.”

Throughout the event the Kekeli African Drum and Dance Club provided live entertainment for the people browsing through the exhibition. The members are regular participants of the annual event, and they feature colorful attire and traditional drumming and dance of West Africa. The student group is open to all university students, and the members study under Master Artist Kwabena Boateng from Ghana, West Africa.

Overall, the exhibition was both fun and intriguing. It was interesting to see the various uses of environment and materials, as well as the issues and debates raised in the works themselves. Work is still on display behind the CVPA building.

“Hood Vision” by Bill O’Donnell is a hit with this group of children. The vibrant work reflects O’Donnell’s exploration of hip-hop culture in New Bedford.