THE CURRENT Your weekly dose of arts and entertainment • Thursday, January 23, 2014
mee-ow magic improv, comedy group celebrates 40 years BY ROSALIE CHAN In front of a small brick garage on a Saturday morning, eight students trudge through the snow with trays of purple paint. Large wooden boards lay on the tarp. Music blasts from the inside of the garage as students paint the boards and try to ignore the winter breeze. This is Mee-Ow, Northwestern’s short form comedy group. Its shows consist of one-third short form improv, one-third sketch comedy and one-third rock and roll. This year, the group celebrates its 40th anniversary. “Everyone is so quick-witted,” said Gaby FeBland, a Communication senior and Mee-Ow member. “Everyone knows how to listen. I love how everyone’s on stage for every improv game. I love the games we play. Your whole team is literally supporting you.” Mee-Ow puts on two Winter Quarter shows. Members also hope to do an improv show in the spring, as they did last year. Its upcoming show, titled “You’re Invited to Mee-Owy Kate and Ashley’s Sleepover Party” will hit the stage at 10 p.m. Thursday, 8 and 11 p.m. Friday and 8 and 11 p.m. Saturday at Shanley Pavilion. Unlike other improv groups on campus, Mee-Ow focuses on short form, which usually lasts less than three minutes. Performers also play improv games on stage. Long form improv often lasts up to 30 minutes. Students in Mee-Ow also write comedy sketches that last between two and four minutes, and a rock and
roll band performs during the shows. “If you have a joke (in long-form improv), you have to hold on and let it develop,” said Pat Buetow, a Communication senior and Mee-Ow member. “This is boom, bam, let it go.” Buetow also said the show has more interaction with the audience, who can offer suggestions and dance on stage. “You’re getting on stage in front of hordes of drunken humanity, and you have to trust your instinct,” FeBland said. Paul Warshauer and Josh Lazar co-founded Mee-Ow in 1974. They came up with the idea a year earlier, when Lazar (Weinberg ‘75) wanted to “kick Waa-Mu’s ass.” Lazar believed the Waa-Mu Show butchered the material he had submitted, and they decided to create a new show called “Mee-Ow,” a reference to the Wildcats and a parody of Waa-Mu. Mee-Ow did its first show in 1974 in the McCormick Auditorium. The show included sketch comedy, poetry and dance. At the time, Mee-Ow had a cast of about 30 students. “It taught me to be a director and a producer,” said Warshauer, who attended NU from 1972 to 1975. “Here I was as a sophomore directing a major production.” » See MEE-OW, page 2
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INSIDE: Odds & Ends 2 | Columns 3 | Reviews 4
Page 2 | The Current Warshauer cites financials as Mee-Ow’s biggest challenge. The student-directed show did From page 1 not have a lot of funds or faculty assistance. However, Warshauer said, the students had a lot of talent and creativity. “It grew because of the talent there was initially,” he said. “As the years went by, it found its own rhythm in terms of sketch comedy. This was before ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and actually a lot of people who were in Mee-Ow ended up on ‘Saturday Night Live.’” Mee-Ow has many famous alumni now working in television, comedy and acting. Two notable alums are Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Seth Meyers. The rock and roll aspect of the show was added in 1984. Mark Brogger (Communication ‘85) produced the Mee-Ow shows in 1984 and 1985. “It added real energy to the show,” Brogger said. “There were good Northwestern musicians too. It
Q&A w/
MEE-OW
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Odds & Ends allows energy to the auditorium. We blended it with the comedy itself. When the lights go out, it would add such rhythm to the show.” Back at the Arts Alliance garage, Communication junior Emma Cadd and Communication senior Amina Munir paint another layer of purple onto the boards. “All of our set is designed around our theme to kind of look like a basement where girls are having sleepovers,” Cadd said. Cadd and Munir are co-directing the show this year. The show now only has eight people, including themselves. “I think my favorite part is that the people on Mee-Ow are my best friends,” Cadd said. “They’re really smart, funny people. It’s a privilege to work with them.” “And to work with them is such a fun process in putting together such a fun event,” Munir said. “Everyone having fun is important to us.”
“The whole process feels like a party,” Cadd said. “A well-coordinated, planned party,” Munir added. Mee-Ow casts students during Fall Quarter, and students learn short form improv games. Once Winter Quarter starts, they dive right into the show process. This three-week process involves choosing sketches, practicing and setting up for the show. “It’s so fast compared to a play,” Buetow said. “The plays I’ve been in have at least double the time, but I kind of like that about Mee-Ow. It’s like instant gratification.” Mee-Ow has affected many of its alumni in the long run. Michael Simon (Communication ‘85) participated in the 1983 show, and writing sketches and creating scenes influenced him in his current career as a crime novelist. “People have different gifts, so it’s great to do different kinds of things in college,” Simon said. “Some
people are great at writing, some people are great at improv and some people are great at acting. It’s good to explore different things and find out what you’re good at. I never thought that I’d want to write.” Brogger also said improvisation has affected him in his career. “In the show business, we do creative things,” Brogger said. “I always look back on the improv experience — to be creative, to be on your feet and to be supportive of others. I’ve taken that through every bit of my creative career.” The show will take place Feb. 20 to 22, and many alumni, including Warshauer, plan on attending this show in honor of Mee-Ow’s 40th anniversary. “I hope it goes to 100,” Warshauer said. “I’m 60 years old. I will be 120 years old at the 100th anniversary of Mee-Ow. I hope to see that, and I hope it lasts forever.” rosaliechan2017@u.northwestern.edu
Rachel Marchant and Brandon Johnston
BY SARAH RENSE
It’s been 11 months in the making for Communication seniors Rachel Marchant and Brandon Johnston, the executive producers of this year’s Dolphin Show. Eleven months of designing, marketing and “greening” in preparation for this studentproduced performance, a massive feat that monopolizes the lives of all involved until closing night. And although past Dolphin Shows have showcased more traditional musicals, this year’s show is a throwback to a favorite childhood classic: “Shrek.” The Current caught up with Marchant and Johnston during final preparations for the show, which opens Friday and runs through Feb. 1 in Cahn Auditorium.
Source: Dolphin Show
The Current: Why “Shrek?” Rachel Marchant: We wanted a show that would appeal to all ages and all the different types of people on campus. It’s not just a theater person’s show. It’s “Shrek.” It’s everyone’s show. It’s a story that we know and love. Brandon Johnston: It was a really exciting show for designers too because literally every single design area is challenging. You’re creating a whole new world. … It gave each designer a big chance to show off what they can do. The Current: How did people react to “Shrek” as this year’s Dolphin Show? RM: “Shrek” is interesting because it’s so
unexpected. It’s very silly. When I say we’re doing “Shrek the Musical,” people are like, “What? That’s a musical?” But I’ve fallen in love with it, and I think that once people get into the theater and hear the first number, they’ll be like, “Oh my god, this is a musical. This is incredible.” The Current: Is it closely based on the movie? BJ: I would say there are some things you can’t change. RM: Right. Shrek is going to be green. BJ: But in terms of design, no. RM: How are we portraying the dragon? In the movie, it’s animation. It’s easy. We have a 20-foot puppet. How do we do the gingerbread man? It’s an actor who is doing the puppet herself and singing there right on stage with it. The Current: So is “greening” literally … greening? BJ: Yes. It is literally painting on this green makeup. … You take thick paint brushes and slop it onto them. So think about your own daily makeup routine but contouring with different shades of greens and greys. The Current: What has been the most challenging aspect of this production? RM: To get people to be excited for five nights and fill a 1,000-seat auditorium is so crazy. It’s like I’m marketing a Broadway show. But that’s also exciting because it
sarahrense2016@u.northwestern.edu
5 WORDS
This curvy celebrity wasn’t having any smack talk about her weight after her Golden Globes dress elicited more than a few snarky comments. Gabourey Sidibe continued to be her fabulous self and responded to her haters on Twitter, writing, “To people making mean comments about my GG pics, I mos def cried about it on that private jet on my way to my dream job last night. #JK” Northwestern students weigh in on her epic comeback.
“If someone could figure out how to combine chocolate with hummus, I could die happy. #chummus” — Rainn Wilson on Twitter.
“Last night, I was reading ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ to my kids when Chris Christie showed up and shut it down.” — Conan O’Brien to his Twitter followers.
means 5,000 people can see the show, and that’s incredible. BJ: The hardest part, I think, is the same thing that is the most exciting part, where everyone has so much they’re doing that it’s really just super ambitious in every design area. The Current: What has been the most rewarding aspect? BJ: It’s really rewarding seeing each step and seeing all the hard work these people are putting into their designs coming to life. … I’m sure I’ll be bawling my eyes out all of opening night. RM: It’s so rewarding to see the freshmen. We can see ourselves when we were freshmen, and it’s like, ‘I know you’re going to do big things.’ The Current: What do you think the audience will respond to most with Shrek? RM: Everyone’s hilarious. … Every single actor makes (the character) their own. I think that’s what is so special about this production in particular. It’s just so much fun. The Current: Any final comments? BJ: We think it’s a really fun, exciting show, and that’s why we are so passionate about it. RM: It’s theater for all.
— Compiled by Kendall Siewert
HERE WE GO AGAIN “It’s top secret. Not even the NSA knows that.” — President Barack Obama to People magazine on what he’s getting Michelle for her 50th birthday.
“Damn, she a bad bitch!” — Laken Howard “Much better than Richard Sherman.” — Josh Walfish
“I know I have armpit fat, it’s OK... It’s armpit vaginas.” — Jennifer Lawrence at the SAG Awards.
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“You wish you were ‘Precious.’” — Stephanie Risler
THE CURRENT Editor in Chief Devan Coggan Assistant Editors Laken Howard Hayley Glatter Source: Facebook
Design Editors Jessica Fang Susan Chen
Writers Mollie Cahillane Rosalie Chan David Lee Sarah Rense Chelsea Sherlock Kendall Siewert Erica Witte
Thursday, January 23, 2014
The Current | Page 3
Columns
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Grammys collaborations promise to entertain DAVID LEE
MUSIC COLUMNIST @DAVIDYLEE95
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be held Sunday, and I could not be more excited. Each of the three major awards shows — the Emmys, the Oscars and the Grammys — has its own style and flair, but the Grammys is the most entertaining simply because it is the least focused on the awards themselves. Who could forget when Pink performed her hit, “Glitter in the Air,” while flying around the stage on trapezes? What about when Eminem performed a duet of his hit single, “Stan,” with Elton John after being criticized for his homophobic lyrics? Even as recently as 2012, Adele won a record six awards and then sang a perfect rendition of “Rolling in the Deep” shortly after undergoing vocal chord surgery. These are the moments the Grammys produce, and there are sure to be more this year. The major attraction is a performance featuring Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the two surviving members of The Beatles. The duet is the most likely to have historic implications, as the pair will be honored at the Academy’s Special Merit Awards the night before and will be featured in a performance special the night after. They have not performed together since 2009, so this performance is bound
to be a big deal. The Grammys will also host performances from more contemporary artists. Performances including Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Jay Z, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lorde, Taylor Swift, John Legend and Robin Thicke - basically a who’s who of current artists - will satisfy the masses with renditions of their 2013 hits. However, as was the case with Eminem and Elton John, Grammy performances really shine when the platform produces music that would not exist otherwise. This year’s lineup contains several unique
combinations of artists. Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson will partner with Grammy-nominated artist Blake Shelton to give a country performance featuring the genre’s major music innovators of the 20th century. Sara Bareilles, who is nominated for two awards, will perform with Carole King. This is the only pairing for which I have zero expectations. Bareilles has a tendency to bore me with her music, and her songs just aren’t good enough to create the emotional response they strive for. I really hope they prove me wrong. The final grouping has me the most excited:
Metallica will perform with Grammy Cultural Ambassador to China and Virtuosic pianist Lang Lang. The last time Metallica gave its music a classical twist, 1999’s “S&M,” I listened to the album so much my conservative Christian mother told me that it was bad for my health. With a lineup like this, I am positive that at least one standout performance will have Twitter and Facebook ablaze. And who knows, maybe one of them will even win something. davidlee2017@u.northwestern.edu
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the steam press:
From text to travesty easy-to-make popcorn recipes
HAYLEY GLATTER Source: Facebook
MACKENZIE BRODERICK BOOK COLUMNIST @badbroderick
Greetings, culture lovers! As a new year dawns upon us, the Steam Press looks to the fresh horizon, and what do we see? Plenty of book-to-movie adaptations slated to debut in 2014. Though I have yet to actually read any of those books, I have read plenty of others that turned into travesties caught on camera. Travesty #1: “Ella Enchanted” Have I forgotten? No. Will I ever? No. “Ella Enchanted” was the book I finished only to immediately flip to the beginning and re-read. It contained every element needed to satisfy the soul of a pre-teen girl: true love, a masquerade ball, self-empowerment and a curse symbolic of the female condition — someone give Gail Carson Levine a Nobel Prize already. The 2004 movie, however, took all of that out and replaced it with a poorlyrendered snake, an evil uncle, musical numbers worthy of a community-college performance and an elf with less nuance than a Keebler cookie mascot. As Kanye would say, Jesus wept. Travesty #2: “Quest for Camelot” I actually do enjoy this movie, though at the same time I recognize that it contains exactly zero artistic merit. But, it wasn’t until I watched it a few years ago that I
noticed the quick credit — “Based on the book by Vera Chapman.” It turns out the animated movie with a two-headed incestuous dragon is based on “The King’s Damosel,” a reimagining of the Arthurian legend. In the book, the Garrett character sips from the Holy Grail and wishes not to heal his battle wounds, but to regain his sight in order to see his love before dying. In the movie, people make ill-timed and anachronistic “Taxi Driver” quotes. Travesty #3: “My Sister’s Keeper” Author Jodi Picoult leaves readers with mixed feelings. On one hand, her novels are blatantly manipulative and overwrought, but on the other hand, reading this novel for an eighth-grade book group wasn’t as bad as expected. When the movie adaptation was announced, I knew it would be a shameless tearjerker. But there was hope, namely in the not one, not two, but three romantic subplots, each filled with sexy sexytime. Imagine my disappointment, then, when the movie left out all of them. Then, of course, there was the matter of the altered ending that changed the entire meaning of the story. Though the Steam Press admits that occasionally the movie is better than the book, a glowing review is much less entertaining than a self-righteous rant. Expect more Steam next week, gentle reader! mackenziebroderick2017@u.northwestern.edu
PINTEREST COLUMNIST @heyhay94
Some holidays just don’t get the publicity they deserve. I mean, how would you feel if you were Arbor Day and spent months and months hearing about how great and funny and talented Halloween is? It would certainly wilt your leaves, that’s for sure. One unsung hero on the holiday calendar is National Popcorn Day, which pretty much everyone forgot to commemorate on Jan. 19. To give this celebration a little extra zing and honor everyone’s favorite movie theater snack, I turned to Pinterest. I found a pin of “100 of the best popcorn recipes” and promptly selected three that looked particularly promising. Rosemary Parmesan popcorn The popcorn recipes were split into savory and sweet categories, and though I was far more inclined to sample the sweet options, I decided to give a savory recipe a whirl. This rosemary Parmesan option seemed fairly tame, and though I could find most of the ingredients in the dining hall, I knew looking for rosemary would be a total waste of time. Instead, I headed to Whole Foods and made a shocking new discovery. In the past, I have purchased an entire jar of a specific ingredient only to use a very small amount of said ingredient. However, what I learned is that Whole Foods has a phenomenal aisle of selfserve spices and herbs. You can put however much you need in a plastic bag, and then you only buy the amount you want. You avoid wasting a ton of product and a ton of money this way. It’s so awesome, I know. Your whole worldview has shifted because of this cataclysmic discovery, right? OK, back to popcorn. So this recipe was pretty simple. Pop the popcorn, and toss with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix it all up, and you’ve got a savory
Hayley Glatter/The Current
snack. In the end, it actually tasted pretty delicious, and I didn’t feel guilty for eating it because it has rosemary, which sounds fancy, so it must be good for you. Pumpkin spice popcorn The only reason I picked this recipe is because back in the dark ages before I knew about the magic of the Whole Foods herb aisle, I purchased an entire jar of pumpkin pie spice in order to make my own pumpkin spice latte. Needless to say, once the leaves stopped being crispy and fall turned to winter, my desire to ingest pumpkin-flavored items was seriously curbed, so I still had a ton of pumpkin pie spice leftover. That being said, I tossed some popped popcorn with the pumpkin pie spice and called it a day. It was not my best work, but one taste tester, in my very official three-person study, noted that the popcorn reminded him of late fall, before the holidays roll around. So, I guess if you’re into popcorn that reminds you of any date between Nov. 9 and Nov. 17, you could give this one a go. Oreo peanut butter popcorn Hallie Parker and Annie James would have totally loved this popcorn. “The Parent Trap” twins who weren’t actually twins (Did you know LiLo played both of them? Weird, right?) knew the magic of peanut butter and Oreos, and this amazing combination certainly translated well to popcorn. To begin this recipe, I melted together some white chocolate and peanut butter and then added Oreos. It took the majority of my willpower not to stop and eat this gooey deliciousness, but I refrained. I added in the popcorn and stirred. It was glorious. Two out of three taste testers in my random taste test said this was their favorite. This popcorn was about as sweet as the time Hallie and Annie tricked their parents into meeting up again after all those years apart. It was a decadent popcorn experiment that I will have to revisit at some point. hayleyglatter2016@u.northwestern.edu
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Thursday, January 23, 2014
Reviews
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‘Her’ brilliantly made, but not brilliant CHELSEA SHERLOCK MOVIE COLUMNIST @MUSOVOGR
The world in which “Her” is set just a little off from our own. Writer and director Spike Jonze worked to slightly modify the movie’s style to create an environment that is familiar but remains different and distant. The movie utilizes warm tones, particularly orange and red, along with a new clothing style that doesn’t include belts and jackets. Buildings are modern, and there is a utopian feel. The biggest distinguisher is that in the world of “Her,” voice recognition software, well, works. Gone are the days of asking Siri if it’s going to snow, and she responds with “no results found.” Instead, with the creation of a new operating system, OS1, users can easily carry on conversations with the software as it adapts and learns. It even possesses initiative, organizing files for users, and in the case of the main character, Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), planning a blind date. Theodore works at beautifullyhandwrittenletters.com (Note: this is a real website address that directs users to the movie’s official
website). He uses software at work to dictate beautifully worded letters from people, such as love letters, condolences and thank yous. Lonely and struggling to handle the emotions from his recent divorce from Catherine (Rooney Mara), Theodore purchases the new OS1 after seeing an advertisement on his way home. He sets the software’s voice to that of Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). Right away, he and Samantha become friends as she organizes his computer and makes jokes with him. I’m just going to be honest: Scarlett Johansson has a sexy voice. I think it’s highly likely that if I were the voice Theodore was listening to and said the same things she did, he would not have fallen in love. As you would expect from a film taglined “A Spike Jonze Love Story,” Theodore and Samantha begin to fall in love. But it is a complicated relationship, with one member a human with physical needs and the other a supercomputer struggling to handle her developing thoughts and feelings. Theodore isn’t the only one who deals with the implications of a relationship with an operating system. Amy (Amy Adams), his female best friend, also develops a relationship with her OS1.
“Her” will definitely leave viewers with questions. It asks viewers to decide what the nature of love is and whether love can exist without the possibility of physical interaction. Jonze does an excellent job of making scenes that occur between just one actor and a voice enjoyable and compelling. He paces the movie well, dwelling on emotive shots. However, the film seemed to be lacking that wow factor I expect from a well-received movie nominated
for five Oscars, including best motion picture and best writing/original screenplay. While this movie is a great watch, I wouldn’t consider it so brilliant that I would tell everyone I know to watch it. If you are intrigued by the premise, go see it. Be prepared for a couple of awkward person-on-computer sex scenes. Overall, I give the movie an A-. chelseasherlock2017@u.northwestern.edu
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Rundown
Madonna apologizes for using racial slur on Instagram Excuse me, what? Madonna posted a picture of her 13-yearold son on Instagram with the caption, “No one messes with Dirty Soap! Mama said knock you out! #disn---a.” She then deleted the comment and replaced it with, “Ok let me start this again. #get off my d--k haters!” She then apologized the next day, saying, “It was not meant as a racial slur... I am not a racist ... It was used as a term of endearment toward my son who is white. I appreciate that it’s a provocative word, and I apologize if it gave people the wrong impression. Forgive me.” OK, as much as I love Madonna, it looks like she’s gone too far this time.
The
‘Orange’ diversity refreshing
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MOLLIE CAHILLANE TV COLUMNIST @MOLLIECAHILLANE
With the launch of several original shows and the revival of the classic “Arrested Development,” 2013 was quite a year for the on-demand Internet streaming giant Netflix. However, no other show had quite the same cultural impact as the Netflix original show “Orange Is the New Black.” “Orange is the New Black” is based on the memoir of the same name by Piper Kerman. What’s most interesting about “Orange” is that it is comprised almost entirely of unknown female actors. “Orange” is a show starring women and created by women, but it is not marketed as a show for women. What “Orange” has done is nothing short of incredible. I cannot remember the last time a show with this many women in it has been so widely popular. “Orange” is a prison drama. The often unlikable protagonist, Piper Chapman (Taylor
Schilling), once carried a suitcase full of drug money for her then-girlfriend, Alex Vause (Laura Prepon). Piper voluntarily surrendered years after the incident, and she quickly learned in prison the true threat isn’t only the other prisoners, but herself. Prison forces Piper to reflect on who she is, and the Piper at the end of the season is almost unrecognizable from the person in the beginning. Piper enters prison with a fiance, Larry Bloom (Jason Biggs). However, their relationship quickly becomes strained when Piper discovers Alex is in prison with her. To make matters worse, Piper’s prison counselor (Michael Harney) initially seems friendly and supportive, but quickly reveals a darker side. Each woman Piper meets in prison has her own unique backstory, with each episode focusing on a different woman. Whether it is Russian prison cook Red, the meth-addled religious fanatic “Pennsatucky” or lesbian ex-heroin addict Nikky, each character is uniquely written and propels the show forward. Comedic relief comes in the form of best friends Taystee and
Poussey. “Orange” is not only full of women, but it is full of a diverse representation of women. The show isn’t just straight white women. It’s queer women, women of color, queer women of color and women of different ethnicities. The show portrays a wide range of sexualities but avoids making the characters’ sexualities their main talking points. Schilling’s character Piper is a phenomenally honest example of bisexuality. Alex and Nikky are both lesbians. Most powerfully, in my opinion, the trans character Sophia is actually portrayed by a black transsexual woman, Laverne Cox. Cox’s character is multidimensional, intricate and, at times, heartbreaking. “Orange Is the New Black” has everything one could want in a show. You’ll laugh until you cry, and then cry at some of the heartbreaking story lines. Basically, stop what you’re doing and go binge-watch “Orange.” Get caught up quickly: Season two is expected to premiere in full on Netflix this spring. molliecahillane2017@u.northwestern.edu
George Clooney responds to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s Golden Globe diss At the Golden Globes, Tina Fey described the film “Gravity” as the “story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age.” Clooney jokingly responded that the two women have “poked the bear.” I’d like to see Clooney try and take down the dynamic comedy duo. Justin Bieber could be deported Oh no, poor Biebs. After a police raid on his California mansion due to the alleged egging of his neighbor’s house, the police took J-Biebs’ phone in search of evidence. A narcotic substance was also found in his mansion, apparently belonging to his friend, rapper Lil Za. Worst-case scenario, the Biebs could be sent back to Canada, due to the minor detail that he is in fact not actually an American citizen. — Mollie Cahillane