Spring 2013 Edition
The ACS Athens Blue & Gold Newspaper presents the exclusive interview of….
The Man behind the Desk On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, we sent two of our finest reporters, Nicolas Kalantzakis (12) and Daphne Apostolides (12) behind the scenes to find out who the man of the hour is. Who is this respected man who has governed our school for the past few months and is (seldom) heard on the announcements? Brian F. Gerbracht. That’s who. Thank you so much for accepting to be interviewed by the Blue & Gold Magazine. So, tell us a bit about how you got here?
“Some of things we do here are very different than what we do in other schools; ACS is very unique. For example this collaboration with St. Louis University is certainly an extreme success. In the United States, schools usually collaborate with community colleges however here there are collaborations with universities. There’s innovation here- it’s not something you usually see. The experience gets me excited as a learner and as somebody who wants to learn. To be honest, I haven’t really explored Athens yet but I do love the climate! I grew up in Buffalo, New York, so I’m not really threatened by the rainy winters (laughs). So far, I have been to the Acropolis, Aegina and the Peloponnese. They are all so beautiful!” In all honesty, what is the most rewarding aspect of your occupation? What is it about this job that you love?
“The most rewarding aspect of this job is being able “It’s a pleasure. In high school I didn’t really quite to see kids, adults and parents grow and learn to know what I wanted to do when I graduated. I went become better- better human beings. My job is to be to the University of Buffalo in New York and honest and to help my students get better. I want to decided to take a couple of classes in music while make sure students can be the best they can be in majoring in sound recording. My schedule order to reach their aspirations. I am facilitator, consisted of half music half science classes. After that’s my role. With students I tell them, ‘here is college my wife and I met and got married. where you are and here is how I can help you As we began planning our life together, I “I advise get to where you want to go.’ A lot of people realized that I couldn’t really pursue a you to find think this job is about teaching kids but really career in music so I decided to look at my something it’s about teaching people. It’s about learning second love, which is learning. I love to people need, how to make people behave better- it’s all learn! My whole family believes in not about ethos. I love my job and I never stop education; we always had discussions something trying.” about learning. My Grandmother suggested people want, to me in high school that I would make a Nicely put. What are your goals for the 2012wonderful teacher. So I decided to pursue a and use that 2013 school year? major in education while using my science to succeed.” “My aim is to use the data we generate to and music background. At first I learned how to make this school a better community. I want to look become a teacher, but later I realized I had more at MAP test scores, grades, and discipline and managerial skills as opposed to teaching skills. I attendance reports and reflect on where we can then decided to become an administrator and got improve. I also want to create a culture of caring in my first job in a New York High school, and then the school.” became a principal of a Kindergarten-Grade 12 school. Four years later, I decided to take a job in What advice would you give to high school Athens, Greece.” students? Tell us about your experience at ACS Athens so “I would recommend my students find something far. How is life in Greece so far? they are passionate about to pursue a career. I 1
advise you all to find something people need not something people want, and use that to succeed.” When the time comes for you to leave ACS (sniff sniff) what would you like your legacy to be? “Really I just want to make the place better than it was and bring something positive. I’d like to inspire students to try harder and do their best. If people are growing, doing better and want to do more, then I’ve inspired them. When that happens, then I’ve done my job (smiles).” Thank you again for this experience. We wish you the best of luck! Exclusive story from Mr. Brian F Gerbracht? Check.
The Varsity Girls Volleyball Team placed 8th in the ISST Division 1 Volleyball Tournament.
Mr. Gerbracht at a glance Favorite comfort food: Roast beef sandwiches Favorite genre of music: Psychedelic and progressive rock. “Music has to appeal to me emotionally. I can forgive technicality for emotion, but not emotion for technicality. I like my music to be complex. Pop? Well I have been to a Selena Gomez concert with my daughter; it was great!” Favorite color: Brown. “It’s the color of coffee, chocolate and roast beef sandwiches!” Potential class schedule: 1. 2. 3. 4.
Fitness Band Music Appreciation Biology (*we were told any real science class so we picked Biology*)
The Varsity Boys Volleyball Team places 2nd in the ACS Tournament and 4th at the ISST’s Division 2 in Munich and Dimitrios Elezoglou made the All-Star Team.
Potential sports tryouts: 1. 2.
Varsity Soccer Varsity Swimming
Interesting quote: “Doing the right thing when no one is watching? Well in all honesty doing the right thing is always the right thing to do”
ACS Varsity Sports By Elena Kefalogianni
The Academy Cross Country Team enjoyed running for one more time! “Cross country runners don’t worry about dying because they know they will pass out first.” “Go harder, go home.” 2
The Varsity Girls Soccer team went to Germany for the ISST and came closer as a team by accepting challenges and creating strong bonds. Every year the team is improving thanks to our amazing couches and hard work.
The Varsity Boys Soccer Team placed second in the ISST tournament hosted here in Athens.
The Varsity Swimming Team won 1st place in the Athens cup and 1st place in the SCIS tournament in Germany. After all, “Swimming is a sport; everything else is just a game.”
Coming up in May the Varsity Tennis Team will participate in a local Tennis Tournament as well as the ISST’s in Brussels.
9th Grade Recycling Project By Ariadne Myrivili-Higgins
The Varsity Boys Basketball Team finished in 8th place, with some exciting and close games in Frankfurt. The team is young and talented and looks very promising for the years to come! We all look forward to next year's ISST that will take place in Brussels.
The Varsity Girls Basketball Team repeated another successful season, finishing the tournament undefeated by winning the 2013 ISST Girls Basketball Champions title at The Hague! All the girls demonstrated excellent play, effort and attitude!
Members of the Varsity Track and Field Team broke many records and won a number of metals at the Campion school competition.
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Every Friday in Mr. Pelidis’ 9th Grade Advisory class, students have the opportunity to help the ACS community. The 9th grade students (as well as the Elementary School students) created recycling boxes and placed them around the campus. Every week the students collect the recyclable material to limit any waste possible. It is incredible how much paper this school uses and it is admirable how much paper can be recycled! On Fridays, one can witness many students lugging bloated garbage bags full of paper that would have otherwise gone to waste. Approximately every two weeks we fill a blue bin of the Municipality of Athens. Every Use week, approximately 15 bags are Less collected from the whole campus. Paper! Students have remarked that they have enjoyed recycling and are proud to be part of this project. They also said that through recycling we learn to do the right thing and gain habits that help us be better individuals. Thanks to this activity, we the student body of ACS have the opportunity to use effective team work as well as learn about integrity and honorable behavior.
Just like everyone has their own personality,
H O W
they should have their own style. Being unique is having a rich world, behind the obvious…
Always remain free spirited; you need a way to express yourself through everything. I feel you! Try long skirts and accompany them with many accessories with colors. If you have an eye problem, get some big and one‐colored glasses or cute, patterned ones. Oh! I cannot forget the most important! DIY! Do It Yourself is the best way to express in clothing. Just get simple clothes and make them yours! Silent Wisdom: You don’t have a lot of time for dressing up and thinking about your look, though you don’t want to be invisible with nothing special on. You don’t need to worry about that. Black and white clothes are the best for you, believe me. You may not speak a lot, but your clothes will do that for you. Black tights or jeans with a white blouse and a black simple jacket would be fantastic. Loosen your hair earrings and you will shine… and add some small white quietly. Don’t be afraid to walk in the halls. All you need is confidence. All Set: Yes, I know. For you, it’s a need to be perfect. Why not? Everything in place, last check, and you’re ready. I am sure red, white, pink and light blue are the best for you. Choose a pair of red tights, with black shoes, a white “flowy” shirt and long earrings. You should look for 1‐ minute fabulous hairstyles to fill up the look as well. You can also try tight, long sleeved stripped shirts with grey jeans, or navy style. All set. Always. Shine Bright Like A Diamond: You don’t belong in a category. You don’t want to and you can’t stand to be categorized. I know how it is, so listen to me carefully. Try all of the styles. Be everything; a chameleon. One day you may be dark, the other girly, the other masculine, the other sporty and yo‐man. You mustn’t be afraid to be everything and anything. Dare to be different. Dare to be a shining diamond. Sporty: You love sports, right? Okay, okay. But that doesn’t mean you have to hide behind hoodies and sneakers all the time. I’d suggest modern, urban elegance. What I mean by that is be simple. A tight shirt with a funny symbol or message, jeans that have a lot of zips or fake pockets, and flat shoes would be just what you need. Maybe put your hair up ‐ not loose. Accessorize with big ring earrings. I’d Artistic Mind:
T O Current Trends This year is all about color. How will you style it? Floral Floral is the absolute trend for this spring and summer. It can be on a skirt, or on a shirt, on shoes, or even on trousers and bags. It is easy to style and also, fun and enjoyable.
Colored Trousers They vary from white to turquoise, red, pink, yellow, green, and patterned. Mostly preferred in skinny jeans, but they work well with tights and shorts, as well.
Metallic As the other trends, metallic is loud and alive. It is powerful and attention is guaranteed, when worn. Be careful, though, on how you style it. It can ruin a look easily (or master it)!
Stripes soon became a key trend throughout the fashion week season, kick‐started by Marc Jacobs; he showcased both vertical and horizontal Stripes
stripes in monochrome and pattern. 4
C R E A T E Y O U R S T Y L E
suggest bracelets and necklaces as well. Lots of them.
Never Forget: Don’t let the clothes wear you, just like you don’t want another person to tell you who you are. Reggina D.Q.
Elections & Presidential Debates By Constantinos Tzouros, Rim Versteeg, Siba El-Saleh & Leonor Camaño Garcia Just a few days before the actual Presidential elections in the US took place both staff and students in grade 8-12 had the opportunity to vote in what the Combo Class likes to call “Mock Elections”. This was a very good opportunity for everyone in ACS, since they managed to experience what an American Presidential Election really looks like and have the opportunity to express their opinion. Throughout the voting procedures, each individual was given a yellow ballot on which they were asked to choose the candidate that they wanted, write their grade level (or that they were a faculty member), and lastly indicate if they agreed with the school honor code. Everyone cooperated, and things went just as planned. However, some voters did not properly fill in their grade level or vote for any candidate. The referendum for the school honor code stated that “students are expected to act as responsible individuals, to conduct themselves with honesty and integrity both personally and academically, and to respect the rights of others.” 90.4% of the 546 faculty and students agreed with the honor code, while 9.6% did not believe that they should be empowered to create the honor code. Once the votes were all counted, the majority went to President Barack Obama and Vice Obama President Joe Biden. He received 83% of the votes or 287 votes. The President was wins at once again coming back even stronger for ACS 4 more years. The governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, was next. He received 8% of the votes, i.e., 28 votes. The rest of the 5.1% was spread out among the other federal offices and their teams. The combo class also held mock presidential debates in their study of the upcoming elections. The students were divided between the Republicans and Democrats, taking on the roles of Romney and Obama respectively. Then each student chose a topic to represent their side, which they researched and wrote a speech on. Starting Wednesday the 31st of October until Monday the 5th of November, the students debated against each other. First, one side gave a speech about an issue and this was followed by a question from the other side. Then, the other side spoke on the same issue and this was followed by a question. Lastly, both 5
sides were granted two minutes of open debate. These debates helped the Combo students (and those of other classes that came to watch the debates) gain a better understanding of the presidential debates and each candidate’s viewpoints. This experience helped us, the 10th grade Combo students; understand the procedure of the debates. We were given the chance to experience what it was like to participate in such an event. This assignment also helped us learn about the topics in a way in which both the Democratic and the Republican point of view was portrayed. Ultimately, this experience created an understanding of what each candidate supported, and what each candidate did not support.
Weekend Retreat By Alexander Vassiliadis The weekend has arrived: none of your friends can go out, you’re out of money, and in general you’re stuck inside without plans; sound familiar? When Friday comes around, the day of freedom after a school-week full of homework assignments and teachers talking about World War II, most teenagers have the need to go out, relax, and have a good time. But there are some unfortunate “work-free” days where some of us haven’t planned any crazy outings; don’t stress! Here are some tips on what to do by yourself on a Friday night, and still stay entertained: 1. Pig out! Call up and order a pizza, then turn on the big screen and just kick back and watch a few movies. Maybe a couple classics or a cheesy action film; whatever you’re in the mood for. You even get the benefit of some nice cold pizza in the morning, YUM! 2. Puzzle Breaker! Go out and buy a book: one with crosswords, Sudoku, or even dot puzzles. What’s better than teasing your brain with some puzzles for an entire night? Crack open some energy drinks and get right down to it. Want to make it even more fun? Call up a friend and do it together; you can even make it a race! 3. Make something fun! Get creative and make something! Chocolate chip cookies, cool piece of pottery; heck, even differently designed paper airplanes! 4. Sing a song! Like to sing? You don’t have to be a pro, grab a couple close-friends and some kind of karaoke machine, and sing your heart out! A PS3 or a BOX, copy of Rock Band, and you’re set for a music filled melodious night! 5. How to become an author overnight? Write a Write a story! Every list of fun things to Story! do has this one, but the key is to spice it up! Get on some multi-person online video-chat platform like Skype or Oovoo, get a few friends online, and write a mind-blowing story together. It’s a recipe for pure fun.
Make It Count By Peter Mitropoulos The college applications process is, perhaps one of the most exciting, yet nerve-racking procedures a student must face throughout his/her high school experience. A time where the last four years of homework, studying, and test taking, come together to form the most solid and revealing student depiction possible; an “Students application that will be reviewed by 1 or are not 2 admissions officers in a time frame of less than 10 minutes. But what exactly numbers; is it that these pivotal decision makers they are not want to read on a college application? only a GPA It would be nice if there were a formula related to college admissions, or an SAT but there is no such thing. This is score…” something I have discovered on my own during the past 2 months. The college admissions process, the vast majority of the times, is a holistic one. Universities seek well-rounded applicants, people who will fit into their school, prosper there, and contribute to the overall well-being of the school. While researching various potential universities, I often found myself stressed out over being able to portray my full character and personality to colleges, as well as my accomplishments over the duration of the last four years. Students are not numbers, they are not only a GPA or an SAT score, they are much more than that. Each individual student has something unique to offer that distinguishes him/her from the other thousands of kids in the competitive applicant pool. Of course, scores and grades are important objective information for all colleges, but what I cannot stress enough is what I have found to be the most useful tool for applying to colleges: the essay(s). While most universities require at least one essay from every applicant, many require more. Portray a Make the passion, tell a story, and describe who you really are as well as the intellectual most of interests that you have developed over your time. This is your chance to shine, to show essays. the college that you are more than just another 1800 SAT score or another kid taking the hardest classes in school. Brag about yourself in a polite and decorous manner; while at the same time not overdoing it. The approximate 10 minutes or less that an admissions officer will dedicate to reading your essays must make the greatest impression possible, and distinguish you from the rest of the pile. For me, I view application essays as an opportunity more than a task, an opportunity to introduce yourself in the best possible light. After that, you can only hope for the best!
2012 IB Retreat By Elena Kefalogianni From the 7th until the 9th of October, the 11th grade went on a field trip to Ancient Olympia. The 6
purpose of this trip was to not just raise awareness and participate in community service activities but to also to bond with each other and more importantly create a better understanding of the rest of the world and the people around us. Having a limited time of 3 days, one activity just followed the other. On the first day there were group discussions, on the second day we gardened, visited the museum and stadium at ancient Olympia and conducted a lab experiment at the lake of Kaiafa and on the third day we visited the children at KEPEP Lechenon. Visiting the archeological site was a great opportunity. Although we did not have much time to fully see it, it was very interesting and the environment surrounding it was beautiful. However, one of the best moments of the trip was when we visited the archaeological site and I went with my friends to see the ancient stadium. It was huge and was surrounded by a mountain of grass. In the ancient times it held 40,000 spectators. We climbed the mountain of grass, rolled around on it, took pictures, ran and enjoyed the beauty of the nature with the hill’s amazing view of the stadium. After the archaeological site, we quickly ran through the museum and I admired the numerous bronze statues which were very detailed and adorned the sanctuary of Olympia during the classical period (5th c. BC). Moreover one of the best experiences I ever had was at KEPEP Lechenon. I was expecting to see kids with brain damage or other syndromes, but I never imagined how it would feel to interact with them. By visiting this hospital my feelings transformed from pity, to love and care. When I first saw Kanella, one of the girls, wearing from top to bottom the clothes and jewelry I brought I felt so happy for and affectionate towards her. When I observed the other children, every time I recognized something of mine, I felt a close connection to them and a chill running through my body. It was sad and depressing to see them in this situation, but once I started painting their rooms and the enthusiasm started growing for both us and them, I forgot all my worries and enjoyed having the opportunity to
paint their walls. Through this, I was able to leave a part of me with them and at the same time receive information about the hospital and some of the kids. My experience at KEPEP changed the way I view the world now and made me a more positive person. It opened my horizons by giving me the chance to get to know people better and be aware of everything that goes on around me, especially outside the protected environment of my home. Finally, conducting the lab experiment at Lake Kaifa as well as cleaning the garden brought me closer to the environment. I not only gave a helping hand to beautify it, but also learned how to work with it and benefit from it. It was very unique to conduct an experiment in a real situation and take the water from the lake. I was able to relate to and better understand chemistry and how it connects to everyday life. One of the most important things that came out of all the activities was not only forming closer bonds with my classmates but also finding myself becoming close to people that I barely knew. One of the most Plus, at the same time I enjoyed important things time out of the class with my that came out of teachers. The 11th grade field trip all the activities united our grade and created was that I strong impressions to all of us. formed closer bonds with my It was educational, entertaining, classmates and and beneficial to our community and we bonded with our came closer to classmates. In 3 days we people that I achieved all of our goals, with barely knew. only slight problems, and were able to combine the 5 important aspects of a trip. I hope that next year we can have another trip that will prove to be even more successful.
National Honors Society By Daphne Apostolides Being part of the National Honor Society has been both a rewarding experience and an opportunity to act as role models for other students. Members demonstrate true dedication to their community and active involvement in school-wide events. As NHS members, we are very lucky to be able to give back to the community that has given so much to us. The philosophy of the National Honor Society is “to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, to encourage citizenship, and to develop character in the students of secondary school.” With these values in mind, members of the National Honor Society are not only students, athletes, artists, and musicians but also role models to other students. 7
Upon being inducted in 11th grade, I along with several other members of the National Honor Society participated in projects that would set an example throughout the ACS community. First and foremost, the committee established a Recycling Project in which NHS members would clean up recyclables during Friday lunches. Moreover, we provided recycling bins across campus and distributed flyers with positive messages concerning recycling. At the Christmas Bazaar last year we raised more than 300 Euro for a non-profit organization called Hope for Congo. Throughout the year, members were actively involved in fairs, barbeques, sales, bazaars and carnivals but also took the initiative in other NHS-organized events. In June, we said farewell to our senior members and prepared for another year of making our community a better place. In my senior year, Ermis Geragidis and I were elected as co-Presidents of the National Honor Society. The Executive Council also included Peter Mitropoulos as Vice President, Raseel Sharaf as Secretary and Andriana Skalkos as Treasurer. The Executive Council collaborated and organized projects beyond High School realms. By the first semester, we had initiated the Peer Mentor-ship project, which would allow NHS members to mentor and council Middle School Students. In light of this project, The Youth Effectiveness Program run by the Middle School Counselors offered training and a diploma while also preparing students to act as peer mentors. The Council also invited the NHS to participate in the After School Learning Enhancement Program, which would allow members to help other students with homework difficulties. At the Christmas Bazaar this year, the National Honor Society raised more than 400 Euros selling ornaments for A21: a non-profit organization against human trafficking and other forms of injustice in the 21st century. In February, NHS members organized activities in our school's Wellness Week and aim to raise more awareness for Human Trafficking. By the end of the year, the Executive Council will initiate Art-related projects for students to share their artwork with the community and also donate money to the High School. Over the past two years that I have witnessed, the National Honor Society has demonstrated true dedication to the school community and has excelled in all areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Character. With the help of Mrs. Peggy Pelonis, Mrs. Evelyn Pittas, Ms. Maria Falidas, Dr. Lykourgo Hristako and of course our NHS Advisor Mrs. Janet Karvouniaris, we have been able to achieve something more than we started out to do. NHS has made us global citizens who have had a chance to make ACS Athens and the world we live in a better place.
“The Bare Stage” inspires many different opinions. See which ones you agree with.
“The Bare Stage” Theatre Review By Orestes Adam Theatre is arguably one of the oldest mediums of entertainment of all time, which is exactly what makes a play that revolves around its development through the centuries so captivating. “The Bare Stage” did exactly that and took the audience from the tragic nature of the Shakespearian era, to ancient comedy, and even to the 20th century jazz scene. In a nutshell, the play seamlessly incorporated comedy, dramatic effect, and interactivity, and impressively evoked a very grand sense of symbolism within the time span of a mere 30 minutes. The first thing one will notice when watching “The Bare Stage” is the spectacular introduction. With chillingly intense music composed by Hans Zimmer, taken from Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film Inception, the introduction featured the actors scattered throughout the theatre before assembling into a circle. The movements of the actors combined with the imagery provided by the lighting were poetic to say the least. This was particularly apparent when Nicolas Kalantzakis walked down the hall of the theatre to the stage as nothing but a moving shadow; and when Marta Aharonian, with beautiful movement, contorted her body to travel over the seats of the audience and onto the stage. The symbolism of this scene dealt heavily with Aharonian’s character’s decision on whether or not to join the group of actors that had assembled. Before joining the group, she looks back with an expression of confusion and fear towards the idea of giving up the audience. You can see the thought yoked from her hesitant movements as she finally decides to become a part of the circle of performers. The tension in the atmosphere of the play provided by the seriousness of the actors and the music was inspiringly intense. By the third scene of the play one of the most instantly apparent aspects in the play is the athleticism of the actors performing and how they incorporate that into their act. The acrobatics associated with the story was surprisingly stunning and breathtakingly impressive. Stunts that I never expected to see in a school play, such as Aharonian walking on her hands, were performed almost effortlessly here. The jazz scene was additionally incredible. Anastasia Tsopelas showed off her incredible vocals with a song from the musical Chicago that literally had audience members in disbelief afterwards. The dance sequence that followed was not only smooth and well prepared but also hilarious. Many of these successes can be credited to the direction of Dominic Lauren. What was most impressive is the amount of stylistic detail she clearly incorporated into every act. For examples, during the dance sequence by Kalantzakis, Aharonian and Papadakis (where Tsopelas and Lauren offered dialogue from ancient Greek tragedian theater) the shadows in the scenery behind them were incredibly apparent and looked marvelous. Lauren’s decision to take advantage of the ACS theatre also served as a surprising spectacle, such as when the chair was lowered from above the curtain for Aharonian’s scene. Overall she coordinated not only a great use of stage by the actors but also managed to convey symbolism and style through the actions of certain characters through aspects of the stage that had never been used before.
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While the performance was surprisingly well done, like every work of art it was not without its flaws. There was one scene in particular in the middle in which Marta Aharonian takes on the difficult position of a tree while Dominic Lauren and Nicolas Kalantzakis act out an excerpt from Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot”. While I felt the scene was acted well and contained very philosophical thought-provoking dialogue, its placement in between two comedic scenes interrupted the pacing of the performance greatly. Every scene except this one was either faster or very intense due to the music and the sudden, abrupt transition into this philosophical scene simply felt “off”. The transitions additionally often lacked fluency and were not performed as smoothly as possible. Minor issues in the pacing of the story and set design aside, “The Bare Stage” was a beautifully executed play. It succeeded in incorporating thought provoking material, symbolism, comedy, music, and acrobatics into one incredibly entertaining 30 minutes performance. Personally it exceeded my expectations. I have nothing but high hopes for the next performance by this group, and look forward to seeing what they manage to come up with. Rating: 4/5 ★★★★
Theater Review: The Bare Stage! By Salma Al-Tabbaa A true portrayal of a bare stage. Simplicity, uniformity, and entertainment: all combined to create a hilarious and well acted work of art! "The Bare Stage", a play directed by Dominic Lauren, staged on the American Community School's stage, was a huge success. This wonderful play that lasted for about thirty minutes was completely improvised by the actors; Marta Aharonian, Nicolas Kalantzakis, Kalomira Papadakis, Anastasia Tedi Tsopelas, and Dominic Lauren. The audience was massive, and the majority left the theater impressed. The play was quiet interesting as it portrayed a variety of artistic talents like acting, singing, dancing, and lighting. "The Bare Stage" included some literary concepts that were extracted from Shakespearean works like: "Romeo and Juliet", "Hamlet", "Midsummer Night's Dream", "King Richard III", and "Macbeth". The music originated from the famous musical “Chicago” and Tedi sang a wonderful song, giving the audience goose bumps. Nicolas' dance moves got the audience to echo laughter throughout the theatre, and their joint dance was very united, all moving in perfect harmony! The dance moves reminded me of the "Chim-Chimney" dance in the famous Walt Disney movie "Marry Poppins". The play delivered various messages portrayed in the different scenes. I think that the randomness of the messages and concepts talked about is what made this play interesting and new. The messages were all part of the title; the bare stage is a style of theatrical performance when the stage is simple and not too many props are used. The play was a perfect example of a bare stage. The simplicity of the costumes
Marta, Dominic, and Nicolas wore; the variety of ideas and their order, and the paucity of props that were used are all examples of the bare stage idea. The performance began with the "Awakening Mask" scene, which were basic movements that were contoured by the dark atmosphere and light. In that scene the actors, wearing simple black and masked with red masks, moved their bodies in a slow and concentrated manner. They created new rules of theatre which involved the actors interacting with the audience, like when Marta started climbing on the theatre chairs and through the audience members. The first scene after the introductory scene was "Who Killed King John?" This was a rather vague and random scene as no one in the audience understood the concept or its main idea. However, the audience enjoyed how it was acted. After researching, I found out that this "Who killed King John" scene was actually a voice and movement exercise the actors used to perform every theatre class. The randomness of incorporating this exercise into the play was similar to saying an inside joke you have with your friend to someone else. They will not understand it, but if your execution is funny, then they will surely laugh. The variety of the messages depicted through very random scenes is what made this play a success! The Shakespearean Monologues followed. In this scene, the actors exemplified very strong knowledge and familiarity with Shakespearean plays. Shakespeare is usually tough on readers or viewers to understand, but the way they delivered their monologues made them smooth on the mind and comprehendible! My favorite part of all was the Italian romance, it--was--hilarious! The audience practically shook the school with their laughter. This scene's idea was clear; they were delivering the idea of a prostitute (Marta) who was sitting in a garden picking a flower thinking of her loved one. The irony was when she had offers, she never refused them! Eventually, she runs after her loved one throwing everything else behind her! A Greek tragedy, a contemporary scene that sailed the sea of questions of life after death, a spectacular musical featuring Anastasia's breathtaking voice, and a closing scene that featured a "Midsummer Night's Dream" monologue then followed. The play left you entertained with not many thoughts on your mind. It was funny, relaxing, and enjoyable. As the introduction was given at the beginning, all you had to do was kick back and enjoy the show without really stressing about the meaning being delivered. The simplicity of the humor was relaxing and easy to understand. Ultimately, this wonderful play was a mix of different theatrical styles combined together on a bare stage with no specific setting. Who knew literature and theatre could be so entertaining?
Theater Review of "The Bare Stage" By Lin Zixun & Johnny Chan The play “The Bare Stage,” directed by Dominic Lauren is a devised play revolving around the umbrella concept of “theatre”. The performers acting on the open stage displayed the endless possibilities of the stage, making the stage not only for “play” but also an expression of life. This theatrical performance took place on Tuesday, December 4th at one o’clock in the afternoon, in the Theater of ACS Athens.
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The play begins with the performers wearing masks, slowly walking onto the stage perfectly synchronized to the music playing in the background. Once all the performers meet in the middle of the stage, they make a transition by taking off their masks and altering the lighting which prepared us for the next scenario which is “who killed king john”, a drama game and exercise. Slowly the five performers stop their steps, and begin reciting lines from the famous Shakespearean plays: “Richard III”, “Hamlet”, “Romeo and Juliet”, “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, and “Macbeth”. These famous plays represent the tradition and classics on stage, which is a form of art. Seeing that, the stage changes to an Italian comedy scene, there is a romantic story of two men perusing a pretty, yet shallow young woman. At this point, the stage becomes a place for people to entertain and bring laughter. In the next scene, the performers express a conflict between two characters, allowing for the stage to become a place to enjoy dramas and tragic plays. As the play goes on, the stage changes to an image of modern stories and plays. All five performers of this play shine in their performances. They have successfully conveyed to the audience the idea of theatre. During this show, they demonstrate the idea of the “endless possibilities of stage and of theatre” from beginning to end. Between scenes, they were able to switch their roles swiftly and cooperate with each other throughout the play. I liked the idea of how they invited the audience to the stage, even interacting with them at times. This broke the norm and rules of theatre, bringing audiences closer to the stage and allowing for the spectator and the spectacle to become one. Perhaps by giving more focus on how to connect the whole concept of “theatre”, either between every scene or elsewhere, a stronger impression would have been left with the audience. Ultimately, the design of this play was extraordinarily thoughtful and the actors had great acting skills and control of the stage. It is definitely a must-see performance!
Theater review of “The Bare Stage” By George Charonidis “A trip into the unlimited world of art. A potpourri of Ancient Drama, Comedy, Mystery and Musicals, through the minimalistic approach of Dominic Lauren, overshadowed some weaknesses on the application of the ideas”.
Your entrance into the theater for this performance is not a regular visit to a play, but part of a play. In the play, “The Bare Stage,” which took place on December 4th at the theater of ACS (in Agia Paraskevi), the viewer is unable to react to the “conflict” of two worlds: Reality and Fiction. Standing at the entrance, the black-dressed man is the “advisor” to the audience as you enter the theater. Because by the time you pass the entrance you are a part of the play. Laying center stage, a woman focuses the attention of the audience on her and amplifies the minimalistic approach of the director, Dominic Lauren. Art can be expressed in many different forms, and if there is a potpourri of art, this play was its actual embodiment. Drama, Romance, Comedy and Musicals explore the
unending world of art. “Romeo and Juliet,”“Hamlet”, “Macbeth,” “Waiting for Godot,” and Comedia Dell’arte are placed under the microscope and the viewer’s perspective is represented by the chairs located on stage, which is an allegory for the viewer’s perspective. The “Bare Stage” reveals the exact meaning of its title: it is a blank canvas in which the characters compose a collage of different ideas. As an idea it is extremely powerful, expressive and intense, but in its application it has a few weaknesses. For one, the actors had nerveless roles at several parts and showed that they did not have a complete feeling of their role. And secondly, the backgrounds did not seem very natural and weakened the whole experimental mood of the directing. However, the choreography was a big advantage for the play, with each of them referring to the corresponding play or emotion. Marta deepens her role by behaving like a “puppet” on the fingers of the director, using her expressiveness in various thematic patterns. She can turn from a cold actress of the Ancient Drama to a graceful, cute woman casually flirting with an Italian man. Tedi fits perfectly with her procedural role of singing, being a part of a musical, which is another aspect of this bare stage. If there was an actor in the whole play that had the fewest flaws, it would be Nicolas Kalantzakis. By him making short jumps as an extremely happy reaction to meeting Marta proved how precisely and accurately his role reflected the mood of the play. There is only one thing that someone can say about Dominic: substantial. Without any redundant movements or words, she played her role very convincingly, being expressive through the non expressiveness of her face (oxymoron). Last, but not least Kalomira. In general terms, she was convincing, particularly in the beginning of the play as she lay down center stage. However, her performance in the Comedy scene was exaggerated a bit, which for some observers [like the author of this review] provoked awkwardness and disoriented the play from its initial purpose but for other viewers was hilarious.
Then again, the atmosphere is changed. The tone now turns to humor. A bit of slapstick, a bit of romance, and the audience is in for a laugh; but not for long. Soon, wonder takes over, questions remain unanswered. “Who are we waiting for?” “What is this tree?” “Should we stay?” “Should we go?” The characters seem troubled, but before anything clears up in the audience’s mind, once again, the gears are switched. A song soon fills the room, as dreams become the focal point. “Do what you want” the characters suggest “Nothing Stays!” Finally, the original masked characters return, and the play comes to an end. Overall, “The Bare Stage” leaves the audience with a number of pleasant memories. The third scene of the play, inspired by commedia dell’arte, can be described as the most enjoyable of all, while with magnificent Marta Aharonian’s ability to embody romance and humor in the most natural way, the scene takes over everyone’s heart. To top this off, the final scene (before the return of the masks) acts as a pleasant goodbye, increasing the tempo with a beautiful musical solo by Tedi Tsopelas. Despite a minor problem in the acoustics, the sweet voice of the performer still manages to wow the crowd, while the jazzy tune still rings in our ears, even after the end of the play. Yes, “The Bare Stage” is a unique play that is worth watching. The actors are all exceptional, thoroughly representing every character portrayed, while the plain set keeps the focus on them at all times. The costumes are simple and yet fun, giving a spark to every new story. The pacing is perfect, keeping the audience members at the edge of their seats with every line and every scene change. The performance is one of the best, as the audience is sad to leave this strange, yet enjoyable, world at the end of the play. “The Bare Stage”, a story full of stories, is simply a “must see”!
The Bare Stage Review By Natalia Galanou Bottom Line: “The Bare Stage” is a story full of stories; a story full of laughter, worries, troubles and dreams.
A production of the American Community Schools of Athens, “The Bare Stage” is an original play written by the students of the IB II Theatre Arts class, officially presented on December 4th, 2012. Under the direction of Dominic Lauren, the play is, as she described, “a devised play revolving around the umbrella concept of ‘theater’”. Without assigning a definite path or a clear story line, it truly manages to take the audience on a journey to a strange world. From beginning to end, “The Bare Stage” is quick and unpredictable. Walking into the theatre, the audience is instantly hooked by a couple of things; the still actors found on and off stage, the mysterious music and additional audience seats found ON STAGE! (Yes, the play is interactive). The journey suddenly begins, as the lights dim and expression is all that matters. Actors, all masked, make their way to the stage from every corner of the room, some entering from the rear, others climbing through the audience. And then, the masks fall. Mystery is turned to confusion. “Who killed King John” the characters debate, as they make numerous references to breathtaking Shakespearean plays. 10
“The Bare Stage” Review By Susanna Peterson “The Bare Stage” was captivating, mind baffling and played with your emotions. On Tuesday, December 4th the IB Theater Arts class performed a play portraying the “endless possibilities of the stage.” “The Bare Stage” was directed by Dominic Lauren and included as performers: Tedi Tsopelas, Nicolas Kalantzakis, Marta Aharonian, and Kalomira Papadakis. The audience was captured by the pull of their red masks and creepy crawls towards the stage in an effort to unite. This represented the unifying effect of watching a performance; the connection between the cast and the audience.
Within the play, we see the curious actions one can manipulate, such as dancing, singing and discussion, all expressing an idea while entertaining at the same time. The poppy, girly character Marta played emphasizes this idea; she convinced the viewers that this was who she really was. Without using words Marta, Nicolas and Kalomira depicted a scene of love and rejection. Next, was the creation of material they didn’t actually have; a tree. By using stiff body language, Marta became the tree. Although some audience members were not sure what Marta was until the characters alluded to her being a tree, her stiff body language and crooked fingers forced us to use our imagination. Then there was Tedi, who showed the musical aspect of theater; depicting how materials and riches are only finite. She was just another example of the various possibilities of theater. People found themselves confused looking for the play’s theme, when the answer was right in front of them: there was no general theme. It used creative, magnificent ways of showing how theater can make people feel whatever they want to feel and be whoever they want to be. We saw drama; real life situations, comedy and romance unfold before our eyes. These are the basics of theater. Additionally, the play showed the outside of theater which was a very creative choice because normally the audience focuses on the deeper meanings. This play lured me in with its changing of moods and themes. I have never seen anything like it before from all the ACS performances. Simple costumes, simple lines and simple actions made the stage clear for any deeper meanings. “The Bare Stage” was like an inventory of what theater is about, before beginning to give us their ‘true work’.
turned silent and still. The masks came off and the lines “Who killed King John” “Not I” “then who?” filled the stage. Then each of the characters added a line from Shakespeare and walked off stage. The audience astonished and pleased from the first taste of the IB year II students’ original performance looked forward to viewing the play as a whole. The following scenes incorporated comic, musical, and philosophical aspects into the plot. The absence of props on stage was never eminent because the magnificent acting made up for it. The director’s decision to leave the stage naked was effective in complementing the play’s purpose as it had constant contrast within it. The pace of the scenes as well as what was going to appear on stage next, was rather unpredictable. The only thing on stage other than the actors was the audience sitting on both sides of the stage. The fact that there were so many risky things done in this theatrical production is what added to its success. There wasn’t a moment where the actors didn’t have the audience’s attention, whether it was while dancing, proclaiming, singing, or meditating, all eyes were on them. The chemistry between the actors was what made the play so successful as it was the actors who made the theater come alive. The theater was filled with laughter and at times suspense, as the director said “it becomes a meeting place where norms of theater and life are broken and the spectator and the spectacle become one; bare, vulnerable, and present.” “The Bare Stage” is an original play that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. It exposed “the endless possibilities of the stage and theater as an entity, an art form, and a medium for depicting life.” The IB year II theater students put their souls into the performance and their preparation paid off.
“The Bare Stage” Review By Jimena Navarrete Bottom line: a dazzling trip through different theatrical styles that takes a bold direction by leaving the stage bare and dressing it with brilliant acting. Dominic Lauren, the director of “The Bare Stage”, introduced ACS to something it has never experienced. IB year II Theater Arts students presented the play Tuesday, December 4th and it was a huge success. The play takes different turns in each scene, taking the audience by surprise each time. There are switches from very intense scenes to comedic ones, to dramatic, to modern theater and everyone walks out pleased. The whole play is 30 minutes long and is considered by many as not long enough. The play doesn’t follow a certain plot, as it incorporates scenes and dialogue from different well-known plays, but somehow, it manages to make them work perfectly together. The first scene was very effective. As the seats of the theater filled, the actors were spread all over the theater, ready to start acting. As the lights dimmed and the music started to play the frozen bodies spread throughout the theater started to come to life. Then, a yellow light entered the theater from the left entrance and the bodies moved toward the stage. Once the five characters, all masked, were on the stage everything
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Newsflash Truman Trial comes to an End By Ariana Kalliga
The Trial of U.S. President Harry S. Truman recently drew to a close in the Combo Courtroom of ACS Athens, where the jury returned a verdict of 7 to 3 in favor of the prosecution’s claims that President Harry S. Truman was, in fact, guilty of crimes against humanity. The defense and prosecution lawyers were ably assisted in the presentation of their cases by a
veritable who’s who of world leaders and other witnesses as ACS Athens played host to the likes of Mao Tse Tung, Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin and Albert Einstein, to name just a few of the luminaries called as witnesses to the trial of the century. Over two consecutive days both teams of legal eagles and their witnesses went head to head in the court room of the legendary Judge Nelson. The judge maintained his customary tough stance, failing to be intimidated by either Joseph Stalin or Mao Tse Tung. The Prosecution accused President Harry S. Truman of committing crimes against humanity in ordering the use of two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki eight years ago. Witnesses testified that these actions, as well as other US policies in the Pacific theatre, were unnecessary and even driven by a desire for power. On the other side stood the defense attorneys who rebutted the claims whilst repudiating the accusation against Truman of “crimes against humanity”. The defense stood strong by focusing on Japan’s unjust expansionary policies, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and their leaders’ unwillingness to comply with unconditional surrender. Although both sides presented compelling arguments, the jury found President Truman guilty. Truman now has the dubious distinction of becoming the only US president to have faced and to have been found guilty of charges by an international court of justice. ACS Athens, you have made history! *The Truman Trial Simulation is conducted by the 10th Grade American Studies Honors class each year. The case design, witness preparation, research, cross examination, and strategies are all created by the students over four weeks of preparation. The ACS Theatre provides the backdrop for the trial, which is streamed live over the internet during the two-days of proceedings. Congratulations to the ACS Combo American Studies class for this year’s successful trial.
By Elena Kefalogianni and Reggina Kouva On the last day before Easter Natalia vacation, our school celebrated "Wellness Celebration.... an the completion of Wellness event filled with smiles, Month. It was a day dedicated memories, excitement and a to goodness, kindness and lot of dancing! A great experience shared with great caring. Each one of us became friends!" more aware of each other, our community and even the world. In a presentation in the theater we learned about the students in the school who participated in community service, clubs and Hanna sports. What followed was a "There were many new “risky” choice. The whole things that I learned in school gathered in the the assemblies that the basketball courts for a big school offered. It was a dance. However, the nice experience" performance of the “Wellness 12
Rap” and the Greek dancing and the Harlem shake that took place brought us all together to laugh and have fun. Jimena "The wellness day celebration was a completely new thing for ACS. It was interesting seeing the talents of students and celebrating health with spirit."
Anonymous "After Wellness Month, the students seemed to have bonded more. I was impressed that everyone was smiling. I believe that Wellness Month made us better individuals"
Isabelle "It was just such a great experience to relax and celebrate with my friends and see teachers pull out some crazy dance moves. Wellness really should be celebrated everyday!"
Reggina "Wellness Month was enjoyable and the seminars were helpful. Also, the video and the party with the free frozen yoghurt were fantastic. I had a great time."
ACS Blue and Gold Student Newspaper Staff Editor: Dominic Lauren Assistant Editor: Elena Kefalogianni Layout Editor: Reggina Kouva Reporters: Orestes Adam, Salma Al-Tabbaa, Daphne Apostolides, Johnny Chan, George Charonidis, Siba El-Saleh, Natalia Galanou, Leonor Camaño Garcia, Nicolas Kalantzakis, Ariana Kalliga, Elena Kefalogianni, Reggina Kouva, Peter Mitropoulos, Ariadne Myrivili-Higgins, Jimena Navarrete, Susanna Peterson, Constantinos Tzouros, Alexander Vassiliadis, Rim Versteeg, Lin Zixun
Faculty Advisor: Leigh Anderson