Month: April 2013

Tales from the Frontlines of a Musical

Tales from the Frontlines of a Musical

By |

The first weekend of Urinetown is over! It’s been another crazy week for me (as usual), and I have learned a lot.

Although I have been involved in theatre for over six years, I have only ever acted in a show. Because our department likes well-rounded students, all theatre majors must complete “practicums”-hands-on classes in set and costume construction, electrics, and run crew. I enrolled in my first run crew practicum for Urinetown, and was assigned to the wardrobe crew.

As someone who barely passed the sewing section of my Stagecraft class, I was pretty nervous-and rightly so. The wardrobe crew is responsible for every aspect of the casts’ costumes. It is our job to check costumes in and out before and after every performance, as well as to make repairs. Because Urinetown is an active, movement-heavy musical, repairs are frequently necessary.

During the show, we wait in the wings to help actors make quick changes in between scenes. During one transition, the actors only have 27 seconds to change into a completely new outfit and get back on! This takes a lot of practice and becomes just like another piece of the choreography (of course, offstage). It is important that we solve as many problems as possible so that the actors can focus on their performance, and not the details of their costumes.

Though it hasn’t been the easiest experience, it’s been a necessary one. It is important for actors to understand the amount of time and energy that goes into a production outside of their individual performances. I always took for granted the fact that my costume would be nicely cleaned and hung every day-now I realize that this is because someone stayed up til one in the morning doing laundry backstage (and during Urinetown on a Friday night, that person was me).

I am also proud to say that I now have basic hand-sewing skills! How many 18 year-old guys can say that today, huh? z

The show closes this weekend, but I’m excited for another round of performances!

 

Swooooooooooopes!!

Swooooooooooopes!!

By |

For those of you who haven’t heard the announcement yet, Loyola just named Sheryl Swoopes as the women’s basketball head coach. One of the first stars of the WNBA, Swoopes is a three-time MVP and a three-time Olympic gold medalist. And, yes, she is also the first woman to have her own Nike basketball shoe named after her—Air Swoopes.

Hearing the news took me back to my high school days of playing basketball and college days when I remember her winning a national championship. The thoughts of the WNBA being announced come to mind too. As a fan, I am grateful for what she has done for the sport. As a new colleague, I hope she doesn’t challenge new friends and colleagues across campus to any one-on-one match ups!

Spring Has (Almost) Sprung

Spring Has (Almost) Sprung

By |

It is hard to believe that we have entered the spring season when temperatures remain below forty degrees in Chicago.  As less windy cities experience sunny days and warm weather, Chicago seems to be trapped in one of its notorious six month winters.

Thankfully, there is hope!  Over the past couple of weeks, there have been subtle hints to changing weather.  The sun has made appearances, the temperature has hit sixty, and flowers are beginning to bloom.  At long last, it is really beginning to look like April.

So say goodbye to Jack Frost, I think we Chicagoans are well on our way to spring!

Flowers beginning to bloom on Chicago street gardens
The Best Study View

The Best Study View

By |

This week has been a busy one for me.  I’ve had a few tests as well as interviews for my internship placement this upcoming fall.  My favorite study spot in Rogers Park would have to be the IC (Information Commons).  How could you not feel calm and de-stressed with this view?!

The Art Institute Of Chicago

The Art Institute Of Chicago

By |

Today I took a trip downtown to the Art Institute of Chicago.  Taking advantage of yet another perk of being a Loyola student, I was able to get in for free with my student ID card.

The featured exhibit right now is a collection by Pablo Picasso.  Unfortunately, the line was very long and I was not sure I would make it back in time for class.  So saving Picasso for another day, I wandered around looking at the other collections.

I spent a lot of time in the modern wing, specifically in an exhibit featuring the immigrant population in Chicago.  There were all types of pieces, and I found myself drawn to those picturing the African American population.  While some were somber and serious, others were bursting with vibrant color and life.

During a period referred to as the Great Migration, a large population of African American immigrants moved to the urban areas of Chicago.  One of the Art Institute’s pieces, “Nightlife” by Archibald J. Motley, Jr., epitomizes the period’s energetic social life.  The painting’s vividly rich colors reflects the richness of the art, literature, and music of the community.

After a couple more hours, I left the Art Institute feeling very cultured and knowledgeable.  I cannot wait to make another free visit this semester to see the Picasso collection.

My Easter Weekend

My Easter Weekend

By |

It’s been a while since my last post, but I wanted to fill you in on my Easter break.

I stayed in Chicago over our four-day weekend (one of the perks of going to a Catholic school is the long Easter break), and it was definitely a good call. Though I missed my family, I wanted to take the rare opportunity of an empty, rehearsal-free weekend to have fun in the city. I have only a month left before a long summer break, so it was nice to take advantage of it.

The weather was beautiful, perfect for a walk around Millennium Park (home of the Bean). I also met up with my twin brother ( a student at DePaul) and we ambled around Navy Pier for a while. I definitely felt like a tourist, seeing the regular Chicago sights, but they never get old!

The highlight of my weekend was Easter Sunday I was lucky enough to win lottery tickets to the musical Book of Mormon! We waited in line before the show and were on of twenty people who got their names drawn for $25 raffle tickets. The musical was fantastic, hilarious and well-performed. One of the best perks of being in the city is the theatre. Before I moved to Chicago, I used to come up from Cincinnati all the time to catch touring shows. I have been wanting to see Book of Mormon since it won the Tony two years ago, so I was so excited to finally see it!

But that was only the first show I saw that day. Loyola’s theatre department bought 20 tickets for a performance of Measure for Measure at the Goodman, and gave them to the first students interested! As a theatre major, we are always told to see as much theatre as we can. Since the professors know this can be expensive, sometimes they treat us with free tickets. The production was very interesting. Imagine Shakespeare set in 1970’s New York, and you’ll get the picture. Another cool thing about the production was the fact that both a Loyola alumna and a faculty member were in the cast, and we got the opportunity to ask the actress questions after the show.

Right now I’m in tech week for the musical Urinetown on the costume crew-I’ll fill you in on that in another entry!

-Tanner

 

Finalizing Your College Choice

Finalizing Your College Choice

By |

Admission decisions are in hand. Colleges and universities across the country are hosting events in the hope of helping admitted students to finalize their college decision.

Do you know where you will be this fall? Which school is #1 on your list?

This past weekend, we hosted our annual Loyola Weekend for admitted students and their parents who visited campus from as far away as the Philippines, Ecuador, and Mexico and as nearby as Naperville and Des Plaines, IL. There is something to be said for all the excitement that surrounds a weekend like this. The admission staff plans for more than a year to secure the dates, facilities, etc. to make it happen. And we are joined by faculty, staff, alumni, and students who make it all come together as we prepare to welcome the newest members of the Loyola family. I admit it, we are very lucky here at Loyola; our community is extremely supportive and really enjoys meeting new students and parents who are looking to make Loyola their new home.

Take a quick peek at what prospective students thought of the weekend.

So, here we are after the big party is over wondering who will join us this fall. Colleges all around the country are thinking the same thing. Did she like us? Is he really interested? Did the family have a good time? What will be the deciding factor? How can we help further with any questions or concerns?

Finalizing your college choice isn’t easy. Most students have a gut feeling of which way they are leaning, but there are so many other factors at play that the decision gets a little cloudy from time to time. In the end, I hope that students considering Loyola (or whichever school is their top choice) think about the following things:

  • Does the school have the academic program(s) I am interested in?
  • Are the resources I need to ensure my success in place?
  • Can I see myself here? Living here? Having friends here?
  • Is it my ‘fit’?

Good luck as you finalize your college choice. We look forward to welcoming the Loyola Class of 2017 for Orientation this summer and of course, the start of the fall term.

Preparing For The LSAT

Preparing For The LSAT

By |

As graduation quickly approaches, I find myself and my fellow upper-classmen in the process of making plans for the future.  Typically, education majors apply to graduate school in their specific areas of study.  While the plans for my education career still seem in the fairly distant future, one of my roommates has already begun to prepare for law school.

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the standardized test that is required of all perspective law students.  The score a person receives on the LSAT is a good indicator of how successful they might be in law school and in their future legal career. Every law school in the country looks to this score when considering their applicants.  With such immense pressure on each student to score well, the LSAT is often a major cause of stress.

One way to alleviate this stress is thorough preparation.  There are countless ways to prepare for the LSAT, including books, courses, and tutors.  My roommate is currently enrolled in a course sponsored by Kaplan Test Prep.  Kaplan is considered one of the top test preparation programs for graduate admissions tests, licensing exams, and much more.  It offers a variety of courses to choose from, allowing each student to cater their experience to their own specific needs.

My roommate is enrolled in a program called LSAT Extreme, which is one of Kaplan’s more intensive courses.  She attends 3-hour classes twice a week, and spends 6-8 additional hours a week on individual study and homework.  Four times between March and June, she will take a practice LSAT to track her progress.  While taking one of these courses is a huge time commitment, Kaplan’s methods are guaranteed to raise the oh-so-important LSAT score.

While many students choose to take a prep course for the LSAT, there are also many who choose to study independently.  There are countless resources available through programs such as Kaplan, as well as the Princeton Review, PowerScore, and Test Masters.  This is also a valuable option for test preparation, and has been proven to raise test scores.

And these resources are not limited to preparation for the LSAT.  These programs also focus in preparing students for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), the Dental Admission Test (DAT), and countless others.  There is an option for every student considering graduate school.

So even though graduate school may seem to be fast approaching, and standardized tests looming just around the corner, students can rest easy knowing there are options available to ensure success for their future.

Kaplan’s LSAT Extreme provides students with plenty of study materials.

 

Pros and Cons of Classes

Pros and Cons of Classes

By |

There’s less than a month left of classes, so why not write about them I say. Registration is coming up really soon, which means that I need to begin coordinating my schedule for next semester.

For now, I’m finishing up my Spring semester, doing my best to balance work and school. This semester has been slightly tougher than my other ones, not because I’m taking more classes, but because my classes are all at higher levels than what they used to be at. Before, I would take six classes, varying from 100-level courses to 200, but now almost all of my classes are in the 300s because I’m a junior.

I’ve written before what my classes are, so right now I’m going to cover some of the general pros and cons that I have experienced from them.

Pros:

  • I like the professors who try to learn all of their students’ names. This is especially difficult for professors who teach large classes, so for them to take the time and effort to learn who we are, it makes me want to put in more effort to try and impress them by doing well in their class.
  • Class sizes- Some higher level classes are small. I like this design because most students who take higher level classes are doing it because they need to for their major or want to because they are seriously interested in the subject matter.
  • Homework- I like classes that hand out homework assignments because it keeps me on top of the material. Even better, a load that is reasonable is just enough to keep you busy and learning, but not so much that you feel overwhelmed or you get behind in other activities.

Cons

  • Some professors have a tendency to lecture throughout all of their classes without catching a breath. Sometimes, you can’t change how the professor structures class; you’re just going to have to tough it out. It may be hard to pay attention in class, so I suggest reading the books very carefully and doing everything possible on your own to know the material.
  • Homework (as a con). As I said, classes with reasonable homework loads are really helpful, but classes with no homework are not. One thing that is difficult, for me, is taking a class where the final grade is based solely on two or three exams and a final. Again, this just requires reading the book material very carefully and taking on the responsibility of doing everything in your power on your own to do well.

Loyola classes vary in every criteria, from the subject taught to the professor teaching it to the student engagement in learning it, and each class has its good and its bad. Most students will get to experience nearly every different type of class Loyola has to offer, which in and of itself is worth both the good and the bad.

Koalas and Kangaroos and Devils, Oh My!

Koalas and Kangaroos and Devils, Oh My!

By |

Easter break gave me my first real opportunity to travel and see what Australia has to offer beyond Melbourne and Victoria.

I never in my life thought I would get to see Tasmania, but I did and it was beyond beautiful. I’ve been lucky enough to have met friends here at school that have the same travel intentions and desire to explore the world as I do.

We spent the first days of break on Hobart, which is Southern Tasmania. At first glance I was shocked to see the amount of hills, trees and green space in general. Something very different from the city life in Melbourne.

We spent the first day climbing the famous Mount Wellington, one of the highest points in Tasmania. The weather was chilly, but we got some amazing sights out of it, including a waterfall view which I had never seen before.

The second day we traveled to Richmond, Tasmania to go to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. Being an animal lover, this was naturally my favorite day. I touched a koala bear, saw a tasmanian devil and best of all fed a kangaroo.

The third day, our last day, we stayed in central Hobart to explore the city. This basically meant that we spent way too much money on food and shopping. Lunch was compliments of the Hobart port, where things like fish and chips or calamari was all you could find to eat. I also collected various Tasmanian trinkets and souvenirs for friends and family back home.

There are still a few more days of break left, so check back to find out where my next Australian adventure takes me!