The Daily Northwestern — January 28, 2022 by The Daily Northwestern

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The Daily Northwestern Friday, January 28, 2022

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Although a fun watch, ‘Sing 2’ lacks depth

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Comparing colleges’ COVID-19 policies How NU protocol differs from other universities By JOANNA HOU

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The cast of the 79th Annual Dolphin Show rehearses in Cahn Auditorium. This year’s production is Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along,” with performances on Friday and Saturday.

The Dolphin Show makes a splash

‘Merrily We Roll Along’ marks the return to Cahn Auditorium By KAILA NICHOLS

the daily northwestern @kailanichols07

The Dolphin Show will return to Cahn Auditorium next week to

perform for an in-person audience for the first time since 2019. “Merrily We Roll Along,” to be performed on Jan. 28 and 29, follows the lives of Frank Shepard and his friends Mary and Charley as they navigate the choices they

make personally and professionally. The show tells their story in reverse order, working its way back in time with each scene until the group is in their twenties, aspiring to change the world with their art. According to Communication

senior and Director Nora Geffen, the story is about growing up and how people’s choices end up defining them. Communication junior August

» See 79 SHOW, page 6

The rise in omicron variant cases locally and nationwide came as many colleges and universities closed for Winter Break. Since then, schools around the country have established different guidelines for starting off their new terms. Northwestern students have mixed feelings about the University’s response to the surge of omicron variant cases, which involved a schoolwide quarantine period for those living on campus, mandated weekly testing for the first three weeks of Winter Quarter and a booster shot requirement. The University also implemented a surgical mask requirement for students. “NU’s response has been reasonable overall,” Weinberg freshman Hannah Xu said. “Wildcat Wellness for the first two weeks was necessary because there were so many COVID-19 cases. I had mixed feelings about transitioning back in-person at first, but everyone’s done well following rules in general, so I feel relatively safe.” While some students find NU’s current policies too extreme, others

wish the University would implement stricter COVID-19 policies given the high rate of cases. McCormick senior James Jia said NU isn’t doing enough to protect students. “At first they did a pretty good job, but the decisions about going back to campus and going back to in-person classes — it’s not based on science,” Jia said. The Daily spoke with college students around the U.S. to provide a broader context of the University’s COVID-19 policies. Yale College Yale College, hosting a smaller student body than NU at 4,664 undergraduate students, followed a policy similar to NU. The college pushed their in-person start date from Jan. 18 to Feb. 7 and is conducting two weeks of remote learning. Students do not need to be at Yale during those two weeks. Like NU, Yale mandated booster shots, but unlike NU, it is requiring students to get tested twice a week. Yale President Peter Salovey said a large portion of the college’s COVID-19 protocols aim to keep the surrounding New Haven, Conn. community safe. In a Wednesday town hall, Salovey stressed that New Haven residents are more susceptible to severe

» See POLICY, page 6

Panel highlights Burger King might be dethroned Indigenous issues Former late-night spot may be replaced by a 10-story office building NU is behind on Indigenous initiatives, they say By JACK AUSTIN

daily senior staffer @jackaustinnews

While Northwestern has increased the number of Indigenous students and faculty in recent years, some community members believe the University is far behind many peer institutions. “We are way behind in enrollment as a percentage of attendance,” said Pamela Silas, associate director of community outreach and engagement at NU’s Center for Native American and Indigenous Research, who is of the Menominee and Oneida tribes of Wisconsin. “We’re terrible. We can’t do the lofty goals we have without having more Indigenous students on campus, and the same thing with faculty.” A Thursday panel featured NU leaders who are

Recycle Me

spearheading Indigenous initiatives on campus, highlighting major goals, issues and achievements of various Native American organizations. Panelist Aaron Golding, assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs and member of the Seneca Nation, said NU is a leading institution in the country by making land acknowledgements a common practice. He said the practice has become a “part of the fabric of the experience” at the University. Land acknowledgements are now a part of Wildcat Welcome and commencement. Golding said the practice brings awareness and visibility to the Indigenous community, offers opportunities for allyship and fosters community. With the attention and raised awareness stemming from more frequent land acknowledgements on campus came an unexpected ill effect: prejudice and bigotry, according to Golding and Silas. In November, The Rock was

» See INITIATIVE, page 6

By JACOB WENDLER

the daily northwestern @jacob_wendler

Evanston’s Land Use Commission met remotely Wednesday night to discuss the repurposing of land at the intersection of Orrington Avenue and Clark Street, where the city’s former Burger King stood. After more than two hours of deliberation, the commission recommended City Council approve a zoning change and the planned development. Trammell Crow Chicago Development, a multi-billion dollar commercial real estate development company, requested the zoning amendment and a permit to develop a 10-story mixed-use building. This would be Trammell Crow’s second Evanston development, following the completion of a senior community building last June. The space currently holds a three-story apartment complex at 1732-34 Orrington Ave. and a shuttered Burger King franchise at 1740 Orrington Ave., which closed in December 2020 after more than 40 years of service. If approved, the new building

would feature limited belowground parking, retail space on the ground floor, and over 100,000 square feet of office and laboratory space, according to the memo. The top floor of the building would also feature a lounge, a fitness center with lockers and showers and a rooftop balcony, in addition to a partial 11th-floor utility penthouse. For construction to take place, the zoning district of the site would have to be amended from a D2 Downtown Retail Core District to D3 Downtown Core Development District, which would allow for a mix of retail, office and residential uses. John Carlson, principal of Trammell Crow Company’s Midwest Business Unit, said the development aims to attract STEM graduates of top-tier universities like Northwestern. According to Carlson, Evanston lacks high-quality office space for groundbreaking research and development. For the proposal to move forward, the Planning and Development Committee must recommend approval to City Council, which is then expected to make a final determination in March. Trammell Crow has offered to contribute more than $500,000

Jacob Wendler/The Daily Northwestern

The former Burger King on the corner of Orrington Avenue and Clark Street. Evanston’s Land Use Commission met Wednesday to discuss building a ten-story office building in its place.

in public benefits to address the impact of the development on the Evanston community. This includes contributions to Evanston’s affordable housing fund and public transit improvement fund, installation of a Divvy bike station and relocation of above-grade utility lines to underground space beneath the nearby public alley.

The reception to the proposal from both the commission and the general public was generally positive. But some residents expressed concern about the height of the building and the impact on local parking and traffic, among other effects of the project.

» See BURGER KING, page 6

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | A & E 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | On Campus 7 | Sports 8

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022

AROUND TOWN

Illinois prohibits hair discrimination in schools By YOLA MZIZI

the daily northwestern @yolamzi

A new state law prevents schools from enforcing discriminatory rules against hairstyles historically tied to race, ethnicity and hair texture. The Jett Hawkins Law, which went into effect in Illinois Jan. 1, includes protection against dress codes that target historically Black hairstyles such as braids, locs and twists. The law is named after five-year-old Gus ‘Jett’ Hawkins, who was told by the school administrators at Providence St. Mel School located on Chicago’s West Side that his braided hairstyle violated the school’s code of conduct. Northwestern psychology Prof. Onnie Rogers, who co-authored “They’re Always Gonna Notice My Natural Hair: Identity, Intersectionality and Resistance Among Black Girls,” said she believes this law is a step in the right direction in ensuring that Black students feel welcomed and affirmed in school. “It is a really powerful statement to have a law that protects Black children, specifically Black girls,” Rogers said. “Typically, we have laws that ignore the unique experiences of Black girls. This law takes into account our unique experiences of sexism and racism.” Rogers said that despite the progressive nature of this law, she knows from decades of lived experience that an anti-discrimination or anti-racism

Janna Lee/The Daily Northwestern

The Jett Hawkins Law prohibits schools from enacting dress codes that target hairstyles and hair textures associated with race and ethnicity.

law does not rid our society of discrimination or racism. Rogers says she thinks this is a monumental achievement, but there is still much work to be done in ensuring that schools are a more inclusive space for Black children. Weinberg senior Lovette Coleman is a Chicago

Public Schools alumna. She said even unwritten rules and expectations for her hair affected her educational experience. “There wasn’t anything within our school code of conduct that stated that you couldn’t have certain hairstyles, but it was definitely something that

Entertainers slay at Dim Sum & Drag Brunch By NIXIE STRAZZA

the daily northwestern @nixiestrazza

Once a month, the dining room of Furama Chicago transforms from a traditional dim sum restaurant into a stage fit for kings and queens. The Dim Sum & Drag Brunch is presented by LGBTQ+ nightlife collective A Queer Pride and run by local drag queen Abhijeet. The popular event supports the careers of up-andcoming Asian performers and shows off the city’s multiethnic arts scene. Since Dim Sum & Drag premiered in June 2021, every show at the family-owned business has sold out. The next performance will take place on Feb. 26. Abhijeet said Dim Sum & Drag was inspired by her desire to expand the typical drag lineup beyond cis, white men. Mainstream drag often includes just one Asian artist in a show, Abhijeet said. For Dim Sum & Drag Brunch, instead of featuring a token Asian performer, Abhijeet wanted “all of them.” She wanted to create a space for Asian artists to produce work that is culturally important to them especially in the wake of the pandemic. “You often lose track of the diversity of the performance scene of a city if it is not thrust in your face,” Abhijeet said. Clad in thigh-high boots and an M&M mini dress, Abhijeet opened the Jan. 22 show with humor and a cry for tequila shots. Audience members dined on a buffet of Chinese and Cantonese cuisine while enjoying burlesque dance routines, lip-synced show tunes and an interactive Electric Slide.

yolamzizi2023@u.northwestern.edu

Setting the record straight An article published in last Friday’s paper titled “Researchers find diabetes treatment” mischaracterized scientific terminology referenced and paraphrased throughout the story. The article has since been updated online to clarify and correct language used. The Daily regrets the errors.

The Daily Northwestern www.dailynorthwestern.com Editor in Chief Isabelle Sarraf

eic@dailynorthwestern.com

Nixie Strazza/The Daily Northwestern

collected cash tips offered by the audience mid drop-squat and accepted Venmo payments. DJ Kevin Chow, known onstage as Club Chow, said the luncheon environment creates a comfortable space to experience drag and queer culture for the first time, especially for young people exploring their sexuality. Now participating in the event for the seventh time, Chow said he highlights songs by Asian and Asian American artists in his sets, including old Hong Kong songs and CantoPop remixes. International burlesque performer Ms. B

Nixie Strazza/The Daily Northwestern

The most recent show included performances from drag queens Calamity Addams and Maja Jera , Alex Jenny, Mac K. Roni, K’hole Kardashian and Ms. B LaRose. Queens

was talked about, and I constantly felt the pressure to change my hair,” Coleman said. Coleman said she was often encouraged by school administrators to straighten her hair for college interviews. Communication senior and former CPS student Eden Strong said they are not very confident in the changes the new law will bring. “I’m hopeful that people will take this legislation as a sign to not discriminate in that way, but I am not really confident that this will mean a big change in the day-to-day because the people who hold these ideals will still engage in this form of discrimination,” they said. Strong added they think the best way for student voices to be heard on this issue is by taking discrimination cases to court themselves, but many students do not have the resources to do this. Rogers says that as a society, we must maintain vigilance and recognize the various forms hair discrimination can take. “If we only define hair discrimination with this very specific benchmark, through dress codes, we miss the lived experiences of Black students,” Rogers said. “We need to acknowledge racism and we need to be quick in to responding to white supremacist and patriarchal norms that situate certain hairstyles and hair textures and presentations as normal and good and others as deviant and bad.”

LaRose is a veteran at Dim Sum & Drag and has performed in the event since it began. “I didn’t realize there were Asian and Pacific Islanders in this city like myself,” LaRose said.

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“It’s been an honor and a privilege to perform in that space. It’s like going to church.” Captivated by a 2015 burlesque show, LaRose quit her corporate job in Kansas City, Missouri to pursue a career in dance. Without any prior experience, LaRose made their way from usher to stage kitten to full-fledged performer. The name Ms. B LaRose is a combination of LaRose’s worker “B” mantra and an homage to her immigrant parents and grandmother Rosemary. “When I hold that name and put it on stage, I just want to make her proud,” LaRose said. For Chow, each show is an opportunity to comabt stigma surrounding queerness in Asian communities and make drag more inclusive. He calls the artists at Dim Sum & Drag family. As a performer who felt isolated by his cultural identity when he first began making music in 2015, Chow said he is delighted to see space held for queer and Asian creatives. “People want to have someone iconic they can stan,” Chow said. “Dim Sum & Drag allows you to find that and have that experience with someone who looks like you.” nixiestrazza2024@u.northwestern.edu

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arts & entertainment Illustration by Olivia Abeyta

“Sing 2” hit theaters in December. The star-studded sequel didn’t live up to the praise.

Although a fun watch, ‘Sing 2’ is too koala-centric By OLIVIA ALEXANDER and JOANNE HANER

the daily northwestern @oliviagalex, @joanne_n_h

This article contains spoilers. Winter Break brought us many large-scale movie releases: “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “The Matrix Resurrections,” “West Side Story” and, of course, “Sing 2.” A movie about animated animals chasing their superstar singing dreams, “Sing 2” could be easily overlooked by college students. But after seeing the film’s box office numbers and countless TikToks offering praise, we naturally had to see the movie ourselves. The sequel to 2016’s “Sing” follows fan-favorite koala Buster Moon as he brings the talents of his team to Redshore City. When their audition fails to impress the city’s entertainment mogul, they pursue an adventure in recruiting the reclusive rock star Clay Calloway (Bono) to join them

and wow the big city audience. Similar to the first movie, “Sing 2” is undoubtedly star-studded. A-list celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Matthew McConaughey make their return, and other celebrities like Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Chelsea Peretti and U2 frontman Bono join the cast for the first time. The soundtrack and background music include both classics and modern hits — Aretha Franklin, Billie Eilish and BTS, to name a few. Eilish’s chart-topping song “Bad Guy” playing as the characters attempt to sneak into the audition room made us smile. By including current tracks, the movie’s Bono-heavy music steers clear of becoming too outdated. The singing was spot on (no surprise), and tying famous names to the voices of new characters was a fun game in itself. Casting a musical icon lion as Bono felt oddly right. But despite the show-stopping soundtrack and stellar singing, the sequel was unable

to continue the amazing character development in “Sing” that we longed to see. The first installment gave us individual stories that wove together to create a community by the end of the film, but the second film simply rested on that idea of “community” rather than genuinely building upon it. The sequel mainly focuses on Buster Moon’s personal goals and issues without further developing his character. We would have wanted to see more interactions between gorilla Johnny (Taron Egerton), and his originally-unsupportive-but-sincechanged criminal father to show how their relationship has continued to grow and improve. In the first movie, we saw Johnny’s dad transform from being ashamed of having a son who sings to breaking out of jail to see him shine onstage. “Sing 2” could have accomplished more by developing their trajectory and making a point about parent-child relationships. Aside from this missed opportunity, we also think the main villain of the film, entertainment

tycoon and wolf Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale), was a bit too violent for a children’s film. Crystal tries to kill Moon not only once, but twice over the course of the movie by throwing him off a roof. Crystal also lacks depth — instead of showing any type of remorse, he remains overzealous to the end, when he is arrested. Even then, his character doesn’t admit any wrongs, something normally shown in a children’s movie as a sign of character growth. In all, “Sing 2” is a fun watch filled with colorful musical numbers and beautiful visuals, but it was a little too koala-centric for us. All the praiseful TikToks were slightly misleading, and the number of missed opportunities was off-putting. If the Sing cinematic universe is to continue, we hope to see more from the characters we know and love. oliviaalexander2024@u.northwestern.edu, joannehaner2024@u.northwestern.edu

‘In His Hands’ explores queer love, trauma and faith By ALEXA CROWDER

the daily northwestern @alexacrowder

Content warning: This article contains mentions of conversion therapy and suicide. In summer 2019, Ismael Lara, Jr. sat in a coffee shop and read a new play by Yale MFA playwriting candidate Benjamin Benne. Instantly moved, Lara said he knew he had to direct a production of Benne’s work. The play, “In His Hands,” became his next project as an MFA directing candidate at Northwestern. It will premiere Jan. 28 to 30 at the Wirtz Center’s Hal and Martha Hyer Wallis Theater. The show tells the love story of two men as they navigate their relationships with Christianity and past trauma. The play contains scenes mentioning conversion therapy and suicide, which may be triggering for some audiences. “Immediately, I felt so seen as a queer person who has a really complex relationship with religion and with the men that I’ve come across in my life,” Lara said. “I so related to this play.” This production of “In His Hands” is particularly special because the work is so new, Lara said. Its world premiere will come later this year at the Mosaic Theater Company in Washington, D.C. Communication senior Brandon Acosta, who plays Daniel, said he appreciates the story’s nuanced approach to the intersection of queerness and Christianity. “There’s a lot of queer media that loves to represent Christianity as this very violent system and structure — and it has been to that community, and that’s so very valid,” Acosta said. “And

then there’s so much Christian media that loves to paint queer people as sinful, debaucherous people, and that is so dense. It’s so interesting to navigate the complexity within all of that.” Lara and his team faced many obstacles between his first read of the play to its opening night. The show was originally slated for the 202021 academic year but was postponed due to COVID-19. This month, the cast and crew had to prepare virtually for two weeks during Wildcat Wellness. When in-person activity resumed, they staged the entire show in just three days. Even with scheduling challenges and the show’s serious subject matter, Communication senior Tom Avery said they’ve constantly felt supported by the entire team. “Ever since the first moment, the rehearsal process has been the most wonderful, loving and caring space, which I think is really a necessity for a show of this material,” Avery said. To begin creating this environment, Lara addressed the cast and crew on the first day of rehearsals, a practice taught in the MFA directing program to establish the director’s point of view on the show. Both Avery and Lara remember the speech as a defining moment in the process as Lara articulated what the show meant to him. “This play is for our younger selves. For the young boys who were told that who they were was wrong, that they were condemned, that they didn’t deserve to be loved,” Lara said. “Actually, we can subvert all of those things. We are not in the wrong. We are not ill-fated and we can be loved.” alexacrowder2024@u.northwestern.edu

Photo courtesy of Ismael Lara, Jr.

Actors in rehearsal for “In His Hands.” The play runs Jan. 28 to 30 at the Hal and Martha Heyer Wallis Theater in the Wirtz Center.

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022

Mee-Ow Show to perform comedy improv sketches By ANNIE XIA

the daily northwestern

Over the past three weeks, the Mee-Ow Show’s nine members wrote a two-hour show from scratch. The improv and sketch comedy group has met every weekday this quarter for four hours to create its upcoming performance entitled “How Do They Pee In Mee-Owter Space?” The Mee-Ow Show will perform five times in Shanley Pavilion from Jan. 27 to 29. Each member was required to bring two sketch ideas to the writing sessions, meaning they often wrote for one to two hours outside of meetings. Communication junior Liv Drury described how the intensive writing process forced her to discover

fresh ideas. “I’ve just never had to be so prolific at one time,” Drury said. “This forces you to write, write, write and weed through a lot of gunk in your brain. But eventually, you’ll find a gem that you wouldn’t have found if you weren’t forced to write so much.” Sketch lengths can range from five-minute scenes to punchy one-minute jokes, which the group calls “blackouts.” The members sometimes bring in work they have refined for years, and other times, they present drafts written at 2 a.m. or 10 minutes before the meeting. Communication sophomore Alondra Rios, who joined the Mee-Ow Show this year, said she was intimidated to share her work at the initial rehearsal. However, she has since found the group

to only be encouraging. “No matter how horrible I think a sketch of mine may be, there’s nothing but positive feedback,” Rios said. “Now, I can bring in the most bizarre sketches and not feel any shame.” The members described how the group varies in senses of humor, from wacky characters to adolescent nostalgia. Their comedic inspirations include kids’ shows, gender equality issues and historical events. Communication senior Jared Zavala said he was struck by a sketch idea after getting tested for COVID-19 at the Donald P. Jacobs Center. “I pulled out my phone, and I pretty much wrote all the dialogue out loud in 30 seconds,” Zavala said. “So it is kind of a little voice in the corner

of your head saying, ‘Oh, that’s funny. Write that down.’ ” None of the Mee-Ow Show’s performances will be exactly the same. Each will be a different combination of improv games and, according to Drury, about 17 sketches selected from more than 250 ideas that the group brainstormed. Looking ahead, Zavala described what a successful show will look like for him. “In the end, if the audience is consistently laughing, and if you can come off the stage feeling like your creativity in the past couple months and in the moment culminated in something, I feel like you can’t ask for anything more,” Zavala said. anniexia2025@u.northwestern.edu

Griffin’s Tale brings children’s imaginations to the stage By KARA PEELER

the daily northwestern @karapeeler

Griffin’s Tale Children’s Theatre Repertory Company at Northwestern only performs work written by children. Founded in 1990, Griffin’s Tale empowers

children to become creative and pursue writing. The group accepts submissions from nearby elementary schools and adapts them into skits, sketches, songs, raps, dances and more. It creates unconventional stories like “Green Paper Pantsuit,” in which a character wears an outfit that is mistaken for money and then reveals themself as a secret FBI agent. Communication senior and Co-Senior Director

Photo courtesy of Kandace Mack

The Griffin’s Tale team rehearsing last year for the 2020 Zipcar “Students with Drive” competition. The group adapts children’s works into performances.

Justin Kuhn said the group performs work that is “by kids, for kids.” The group tries to stray as little as possible from the original writing to honor children’s work. Griffin’s Tale receives hundreds of submissions per school, Kuhn said, but it can only perform and adapt eight to 10 pieces at each show. The schools only cover transportation costs. “It just gives (the kids) a sense that the things that you say and the things that you do matter, and it motivates them to be creative,” Communication junior and Co-Junior Director Nena Martins said. Griffin’s Tale puts on 16 performances each academic year: a show on campus Fall Quarter, 14 shows in Spring Quarter during its elementary school tour and the Jones Show at NU during Reading Period in Spring Quarter, which highlights some of the year’s best stories. The group strives for inclusivity and representation. Communication junior and Co-Junior Director Maddie Hughes said they are including ASL in a story about a Deaf character and performing in Spanish in some predominantly Spanish-speaking schools. “A huge part … is to make sure that kids see themselves on stage,” Hughes said. “We are learning how we can make this as accessible as possible. How can we continue to expand the groups that we represent on stage and make sure that every child can see themselves?”

Many works, such as “The Little Potato” or “Hi I’m Yosser and I do Dance!” are characterized by silliness and plentiful plot twists, Kuhn and Martins said. However, the children have also written more serious pieces. Kuhn said they have received submissions about the Black Lives Matter Movement and COVID-19. “I have learned that kids are the smartest beings on the planet and the most honest and the most sincere,” Communication senior and Co-Senior Director Kandace Mack said. Griffin’s Tale hasn’t performed in person at an elementary school since 2019, but Kuhn said the students “have been waiting for us to return.” The group adapted to a virtual format last year, but Kuhn said it has already received confirmation from all 14 elementary schools for in-person performances this spring, with COVID-19 safety guidelines in place. The team is typically composed of 25 ensemble members, and Kuhn said they “want to see that inner child come out.” Mack described the group’s environment as collaborative and tight-knit. “My biggest hope for the future is that it continues at Northwestern and that it continues to expand,” Kuhn said. “We want to be able to support and empower as many kids as possible.” karapeeler2025@u.northwestern.edu

Sit & Spin builds community around out-of-the-box theatre By AUDREY HETTLEMAN

daily senior stafer @audreyhettleman

Communication junior Maddie Hughes’ first Sit & Spin Productions experience was out of the ordinary, even for a production team that prides itself on new and unique performances. In spring 2021, Hughes helped produce “The Secret in the Wings” in an outdoor format — two quarters after its scheduled premiere date. Sit & Spin, Northwestern’s experimental theatre board, prepares three shows each year: New Student Week, which takes place at the end of Wildcat Welcome, the Late Fall Design show during Week 10 of Fall Quarter and the Artist in Residence Slot, which is scheduled for Week 10 of Winter Quarter. Sit & Spin is constantly adapting their show formats to fit its team’s needs. For example, the board transformed its second show in the last couple years to feature designers, who aren’t always acknowledged for the work they do. Communication senior and Artistic Director Maddie Powell said that this is part of what makes Sit & Spin so special. “The work we do is, by nature, experimental and new,” Powell said. “We are excited by work that excites our artists and anything that is new in any way.”

Photo courtesy of Maddie Powell

Students rehearse “Collective Rage,” this year’s New Student Week play. The show was the first of three Sit & Spin Productions will produce this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced Sit & Spin to delay its fall shows until Spring Quarter. Despite the difficulties, Powell said the team was proud of what they put together. Working toward a common goal made the challenges less daunting, she said, as the group saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Hughes joined Sit & Spin during her freshman year when the pandemic caused big changes for the group. She joined the board the following spring and now serves as company manager.

“The Secret in the Wings” was the event that solidified Hughes’ love for the team. Because of the outdoor setting, the team had to set up and take down the set every single day of tech week and performance. Although it was a lot of work, she said it showed her how much care went into every Sit & Spin production. “We really get to decide what we want our definition of experimental theatre to be, and so there’s really just an open and new idea and new territory that we can go into every year,” Hughes said. Communication senior Kandace Mack, the

Shows around campus to catch this weekend By RANYA SONG

untangles his father’s adventure-filled stories while making discoveries about himself.

If you’re looking for weekend plans, check out some of the student performances premiering on campus.

How Do They Pee In Mee-Owter Space? — Mee-Ow Improv and Sketch Comedy Shanley Pavilion Friday 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., Saturday 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.

daily senior staffer @ranyayu_song

Big Fish — Jewish Theatre Ensemble The Louis Room Norris Friday 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. In this heartwarming musical, Will Bloom

Written by NU students, the two-hour show features multiple comedy sketches.

Merrily We Roll Along — The Dolphin Show Cahn Auditorium Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The classic 1981 Stephen Sondheim musical tells the story of three friends and how their lives changed over 20 years.

MFA Collaboration Series: In His Hands Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts Friday 7:30 p.m., Saturday 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. The show revolves around the love story of two men and past trauma. Content warning: Mentions of conversion therapy and suicide. raynasong2023@u.northwestern.edu

executive director of Sit & Spin, attributed the group’s success in adapting to the pandemic to its tight-knit nature. Despite virtual meetings and delayed shows, she said the team kept that familial mindset and passed it on to newer members. “I remember being so excited to share what I was passionate about and feeling that energy in me and feeling my eyes light up,” Mack said. “Seeing that reflected in others, especially in our newer members who have four more years on the board, it’s just so exciting to know that that passion is just going to keep on living and growing and will continue to be this beautiful entity.” Mack and Powell said they think of the Sit & Spin board as a family. They reinforce this sense of community by checking in with every member at every meeting and making decisions on a consensus basis so everyone has a voice. Powell encouraged new students to give Sit & Spin a chance when joining theatre groups on campus, and to not be intimidated by its experimental nature. This year’s Artist in Residence piece will take an ethnographic, interview-based approach to performance. “The way that you look at theatre and art will change so dramatically,” Powell said. “You won’t even remember the way that you used to see it, in the best way.” audreyhettleman2024@u.northwestern.edu

arts & entertainment Editor Rayna Song Assistant Editors Alexa Crowder Audrey Hettleman Kaila Nichols Designer Sara Gronich Staff Olivia Alexander, Joanne Haner, Kara Peeler, Annie Xia

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022

79 SHOW From page 1

Blanco Rosenstein, who plays Frank, describes him as someone who started out as a good friend with the drive to make his dreams come true, but ultimately lost his way. “Eventually, for a number of reasons, he just keeps making decisions throughout his adult life that I suppose take him further and further from who he always meant to be (and) who he said he was when he was a young man,” Rosenstein said. Communication senior Maddie Mazzella, who plays Gussie, Frank’s second wife, said she couldn’t imagine a better show to be in during her last year at Northwestern. She said the timely story and its message is something that NU students can relate to. “The show really captures that mix of feelings of anticipation, anxiety and excitement and what happens when choices you make go wrong,” Mazzella said. For the students involved, this is a meaningful way to reflect on the legacy of composer Stephen Sondheim, who died in November. Geffen said Sondheim’s music was one of the reasons she wanted to do the show. “There’s no other composer like him,” Geffen said. “We’ve already been in conversation about him since the very beginning of the process.”

INITIATIVE From page 1

vandalized with anti-Indigenous hate speech. “Land acknowledgments are something that bring a lot of attention and awareness to the community,” Golding said. “That also can bring kind of an ugly side of people.” SESP junior Isabella Twocrow, who is Oglala Lakota and a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, said some of the most pressing issues for Indigenous students on campus are lack of visibility and microaggressions. She said it’s hard to feel like the only Indigenous student in a class. Twocrow added that Native American initiatives are not receiving their proper recognition. But Twocrow appreciates the University’s resources, which Silas said were not available for many older Native NU alumni. “It feels draining at times, but I would say being here on this campus as a Native student, having these resources has been an amazing privilege and opportunity and being with (Golding) and … (Silas) and seeing their amazing work,” Twocrow said. CNAIR’s building on campus serves as a safe meeting place and community center for the Native American community at NU, Silas said. CNAIR is also helping launch a new minor in Indigenous Studies through Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, taking an interdisciplinary approach. Golding said he views himself as a support system for students while they are on campus. One

The Dolphin Show has also been having ongoing conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion. This year, Communication junior Mark Berry, the director of education, inclusion, and diversity, led an inclusive design workshop showing the team how designers can ensure costumes, makeup and lighting choices showcase all people onstage. Wildcat Wellness posed challenges to the preparation process, as the initial plan was to stage and block the show during the two-week period. However, the team continued their work virtually. “We definitely tried. We did some weird screen sharing with a picture of the stage and then we (had) them annotate their blocking,” Geffen said. The group hopes this is an opportunity for the NU community to see what student theatre can offer, Mazzella said. Bringing the show back this year is exciting for Communication senior and Business Producer Owen Kiley, who has been part of The Dolphin Show since his freshman year. “It’s just truly such a magical and wonderful experience. It really showcases the work of so many talented theatre students on campus,” Kiley said. “I’m very excited for everyone to be able to see the work that all 160 of our team members have put in to make the show super awesome.” kailanichols2023@u.northwestern.edu of the ways he performs this duty is by advising the Native American and Indigenous Students Alliance and similar student organizations. CNAIR offers opportunities for scholarship, teaching and learning around Indigenous issues. Silas said their work is deeply influenced by dialogue with Indigenous nations and communities. ”It’s collaborative and informed by and responsive to the Native community itself, Indigenous nations and communities and we strive to foster innovation, Indigenous centered intellectual space,” Silas said. “That is open to multiple modes of engagement for faculty, students, and the community members.” According to Silas, Indigenous students at NU participate within the larger Indigenous community in Chicago on multiple levels: volunteering, attending cultural events and engaging in community projects. The growing number of Indigenous scholars in anthropology and political science helps add to a ripple effect of increased interest in Indigenous knowledge and scholars, Silas said. She added she is happy the circle for Indigenous initiatives is growing. Still, Silas said they have a long way to go. “We’re not trying to paint a picture of Utopia here,” Silas said. “We still have a lot of work to do. We really have to do a better job at creating a safe and equitable environment for these native students that come here, because they’re still shouldering way too much of the institutional change.” jonathanaustin2023@u.northwestern.edu

POLICY

San Diego State University

From page 1

forms of COVID-19 infection than students. Yale freshman Elaine Cheng said she appreciates Yale’s commitment to students and the community. “I was actually pretty happy with the University’s response, especially with starting us off with online classes,” Cheng said. “Some of us are obviously disappointed that we’re not going back in-person, but I feel like there are a significant amount of people who think this is a good move.” The University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas has 22,825 undergraduate students, almost three times as many as NU’s. The University did not take any time off for the pandemic, inviting students back immediately after their Winter Break. Freshman Ella Grace Connery said the school implemented an indoor mask mandate, but it’s loosely enforced. “The general student population just doesn’t like COVID protocols at all, so they just don’t feel the need to follow them,” Connery said. “So whether or not (enforcement of protocols) actually happens depends on if your professor will call you out.” Apart from the occasional professor’s request for some students to pull up their mask, Connery said there are no repercussions for noncompliance. The school doesn’t have a vaccination or testing requirement. Arkansas also doesn’t offer consistent testing services. Instead, it’s established a five-week program to offer optional walk-in testing at the start of spring semester. Just this week, the university reported a 32.5% positivity rate among tested students. Connery said lax requirements and anti-masking rhetoric among the student body make her worry about her personal safety. Xu said learning about policies like those at the University of Arkansas made her more grateful for NU. “I would not feel safe if this were my university,” Xu said. “I feel like regulations like masking, testing and vaccines are necessary considering how omicron is easily spread.”

BURGER KING From page 1

Trammell Crow has been working its proposal through the city bureaucracy for several months, a process that has included a public meeting in September and a Design and Project Review Committee meeting this month. The DAPR recommended approval to the Land Use Commission subject to certain conditions, including a provision that the applicant be required to compensate the city in lieu of real estate taxes, should the property come under NU’s jurisdiction in the future. The Land Use Commission agreed to accept the

San Diego State University houses 31,086 undergraduates as of 2020, almost four times as many as NU. SDSU senior Natalie Soriano said the University moved to a remote two-week period of instruction and implemented a booster mandate. While they do not require testing at SDSU, Soriano said PCR tests are available and easy for students to access. “Studying virtually just does not really work for me well, but I kind of understand why they (went remote) because we’re a very large school having students come back from all over the country and going back full-force might spread the virus,” Soriano said. “I’m kind of glad they did it but I’m hoping this is enough to get our campus back on track.” Jia said looser requirements make sense at larger public universities. However, he said when a school is as well-funded as NU, the standards for student health should be higher. “The University is charging such a high tuition fee by claiming we all were enjoying all the resources, right?” Jia said. “So if they want to do that, if they want to get the money from us, they better make sure that we can do so safely and ensure that everyone is comfortable with it.” Comparing NU’s policies Like many other schools, NU implemented a booster mandate in response to the omicron variant. Its optional testing services provide quicker results than testing options at the public universities, but Yale’s twice a week testing mandate ensures their students are tested regularly. Wildcat Wellness’s mandatory quarantine period was stricter than other schools, who let their students stay home during their two-week virtual periods. But, NU’s in person start date on Jan. 18 was much earlier than many other universities. “I think NU’s policies are more reasonable. There are policies put in place, but not to an extent that would negatively impact students,” Xu said. “If we continued online for the rest of the quarter or mandated testing more, it could affect students who are already busy and struggling to stay on top of their learning.” joannahou2025@u.northwestern.edu DAPR’s conditions with some tweaks, including an addition to its recommendation for a waste analysis to include any hazardous materials used in the building’s laboratory spaces. If approved, Carlson said that Trammell Crow aims to break ground in late 2022, with construction expected to take about 18 months. “I think the presentation was one of the most comprehensive that we’ve seen, and the graphics were great,” said Matt Rodgers, chair of the Land Use Commission. “Evanston should be excited to get this project.” jacobwendler2025@u.northwestern.edu

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1/28/22

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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022

ON CAMPUS

Researchers assess nationwide COVID-19 attitudes availability, which could further contribute to underestimating positive cases due to potentially missing data. The federal government has taken steps to make at-home testing more accessible after it launched its order form Jan. 18 to provide four, free at-home tests per household.

By ANGELI MITTAL

daily senior staffer @amittal27

The COVID States Project, co-led by political science Prof. Jamie Druckman, tracks varying attitudes and responses to public health guidance across the U.S. Three of their most recent reports examined COVID-19 data considering several socioeconomic factors, which second-year political science Ph.D. student Jennifer Lin said provides an understanding of the development of the pandemic in real time and information in the case of future outbreaks.

On misinformation

On masking Until March 2020, masks weren’t recommended for public use, at which point the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encouraged the use of cloth or surgical masks. The updated CDC guidelines as of Jan. 14 now suggest that N95 and KN95 masks, which were previously discouraged because of storage concerns, provide the “highest level of protection.” However, the organization maintains that the best mask is one that’s worn consistently and properly fitted — even if that’s not a respirator mask — despite the greater effectiveness of these masks than their cloth and surgical counterparts. Druckman and other researchers examined the attitudes of about 17,500 individuals toward masking. When asked about CDC guidelines on masking, 54% of those surveyed believed the organization recommended the use of respirator masks, which it does not. About one-fourth of respondents were unsure of CDC recommendations on this topic. From data collected between Dec. 27 and Jan. 10 — before the CDC updated its masking guidelines — 66% agreed these masks provided more protection than other types of masks. However, about 21% of respondents actually wear respirators with 64% of survey respondents using cloth masks. Nine percent of respondents reported not wearing a mask. Upon further analysis of the mask statistics, 48.50% reported wearing a bandana, scarf, gaiter or other cloth mask with one or two layers — the least effective mask

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Masking, testing and vaccination attitudes are largely influenced by political stances and widespread misinformation, according to three reports by the COVID States Project.

types — while 37.60% reported wearing a surgical mask. However, the survey did not make clear whether those who wore cloth masks with fewer layers did so on top of surgical masks, which have been shown to be more effective than either of those masks on their own. Nineteen percent of right-leaning individuals reported not wearing a mask compared to 2% of leftleaning. Considering vaccination status, 23% of those who were unvaccinated reported not wearing a mask compared to 4% of vaccinated individuals. The survey also showed a race disparity in mask wearing with 12% of white individuals not wearing masks compared to 3% of Black, 3% of Asian and 6% of Hispanic individuals. Individuals who were more likely to wear a respirator mask were identified as left-leaning, vaccinated, educated beyond high school, earning higher incomes, people of color or over 65.

On at-home testing Another survey conducted by the group found 31% of respondents who tested positive from an athome antigen test did not receive a confirmatory test from a healthcare provider or testing facility. Unless medical professionals report at-home tests in official statistics, this means COVID-19 positive cases may be under underestimating true counts by about 6%. Ph.D. student Lin said the stigma associated with getting COVID-19 may also contribute to this underestimate, as people may be less likely to report at-home test results. “The social aspect of getting COVID is so stigmatized, which is just really unfortunate,” Lin said. “We’ve been told by public health officials what to do to prevent COVID, but also just be super aware that this virus is present, if you’re contributing to it, to some people, there is that sense of guilt.” Sixteen percent of respondents said they couldn’t get tested as often as they desired given limited

Another COVID States Project report determined COVID-19 misinformation is primarily driven by the trust an individual has in established experts such as the CDC to provide guidance. Those who don’t trust these sources tend to seek out their own information, which tends to be misinformation. The survey collected data from 545 healthcare workers, who have been found to be one of the most trusted sources of information about COVID-19. One third of healthcare workers surveyed found misinformation to be an “urgent problem,” being the determining factor as to whether an individual decides to get vaccinated. When asked about sources of misinformation, 73% of healthcare workers indicated social media — specifically, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube — and 64% attributed family and friends. Druckman said this misinformation and confusing messaging is largely perpetuated by social media. “People often add moral content to bad information and moral content spreads,” Druckman said. While Lin said misinformation from a person’s social networks contributes to this confusion, “flipflopping” messaging from institutions has contributed to a lack of trust in them as well as created a barrier in catching up with current guidance. Another factor in misinformation, Druckman said, is that partisanship has polarized the pandemic, creating “fatal consequences.” “Politicians seemed to see it as an opportunity to mobilize their constituency — it probably maps, at some level, onto values such as equality and individual liberty,” Druckman said. “Clearly more was at play, including trying to paint the other side as ‘bad’ — and it did not help that the pandemic occurred during a (presidential) election year.” amittal@u.northwestern.edu

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Northwestern fails to close against Michigan 72-70 By ALEX CERVANTES

the daily northwestern @cervantespalex

Northwestern’s inability to close out games once again stymied any momentum or progress shown on Wednesday. The Wildcats’ 72-70 defeat to Michigan gives it six Big Ten losses by eight or fewer points. NU (9-9, 2-7 Big Ten) was in a back-and-forth battle for much of the first half. The Wolverines (10-7, 4-3 Big Ten) held a slim three-point lead at the intermission, due in large part to the efforts of the Cats’ frontcourt. Redshirt junior center Ryan Young, senior forward Pete Nance and junior forward Robbie Beran combined for 26 points. The other seven NU players who featured in the half tallied five points on two-for-eight shooting. Coming out of halftime, however, the Cats nearly played themselves out of the game. A ninepoint spurt from Michigan guard Eli Brooks gave the Wolverines’ bench and student section a boost, as Juwan Howard’s squad held a double-digit lead early in the second half. But NU didn’t fold. A flurry of buckets and several trips to the free throw line engineered a 25-7 run spanning more than 10 minutes in the second period. Senior guard Ryan Greer buried a 3-pointer as the shot clock struck zero, giving the Cats a 56-55 advantage, their first lead since midway through the first half. Tack on a pair of free throws from Nance, a layup

from junior guard Boo Buie (who scored 11 of his 13 points in the second half), and another layup from Beran, and NU was firmly in control of a seven-point lead. It was all for naught, though, as the Wolverines clawed back into the game and retook the lead thanks to shooting from both the charity stripe and beyond the arc. Terrance Williams II’s triple at the 2:08 mark in the half — one of the team’s eight made 3-pointers — gave Michigan a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Despite Michigan’s late-game run, the Cats were still in position to win the game, but a series of unfortunate events occurred in the final 17 seconds of regulation. Following a Young missed free throw, it was Nance who tipped the ball to Buie and secured an extra possession with NU down three with 12 seconds to play. The play that proceeded never materialized in the fashion coach Chris Collins likely wanted. Nance caught the ball in the left corner, with NU looking for Buie to come off a Young screen for a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer. But as the old adage goes, you always foul up three late, and that’s what Michigan did. Williams fouled Nance before the pass and the Ohio native uncharacteristically missed both free throws. The Cats’ fortunes seemed bleak following the misses. Nevertheless, Wolverines’ Jaron Faulds blessed NU with one last chance before the buzzer. In an effort to get up court quickly, Buie was fouled. He made the first free throw, yet missed the second, with Nance collecting the rebound and finding first-year Julian Roper II on the wing. It would have been perfect: Roper, a Detroit

Gabe Bider/The Daily Northwestern

Boo Buie prepares to make a move after coming off a screen. Buie’s late game efforts, including 11 second-half points, weren’t enough as Northwestern fell to Michigan 72-70.

native with family in attendance, with the ball in his hands in the scenario every player imagines. His attempt, however, fell short. The adversity of the season continues to increase for the Cats, compounded by their struggle to close

MEN’S TENNIS

out games. But with three of their next four games in Evanston, there may be hope that NU can gather some much-needed momentum. alexcervantes2024@u.northwestern.edu

WOMEN’S TENNIS

NU heads to North Northwestern faces tough task at ITA Kickoff Weekend Carolina for Kickoff By NATHAN ANSELL

By ALEX CERVANTES

Northwestern was able to take down Louisville last week, but its next Atlantic Coast Conference foe might prove to be more fearsome. The Wildcats (4-1, 0-0 Big Ten) have their work cut out for them against No. 17 North Carolina (1-0, 0-0 ACC), one of the bracket hosts at this year’s Intercollegiate Tennis Association Kickoff Weekend. The Tar Heels swept NU at last year’s iteration of the same event. “We know UNC pretty well,” coach Arvid Swan said. “We’re going to have to come out and play a complete match, we’re going to have to play outstanding doubles.” In doubles, North Carolina returns half of the competitors that took the doubles point against the Cats last year, but still has a top 20 pairing who qualified for the ITA Fall National Championship. North Carolina’s singles lineup is led by No. 60 Brian Cernoch, who notched a 6-2, 6-3 individual victory against NU last year. All six Tar Heels won their individual singles matches in two sets last week against Bucknell. Cernoch, playing at No. 1, recorded a 6-0, 6-0 shutout. “He’s really solid from the baseline, good serve, really good forehand, good lefty,” Swan said. “I’ve got a great deal of respect for him as a player and competitor.” The Cats will be playing away from Evanston for the first time this year, after travel cancellations forced an earlier road match against North Carolina State to be rescheduled. It’s the first time that NU has played their first five matches at home since the 2016-17 season. Swan emphasized the importance of a good practice on Friday to get the Cats used to the unfamiliar court speed and formidable doubles challenge. “I’m definitely progressing , improving my volleys, trying to

Northwestern kicked off the 2022 campaign with a string of strong performances against Wisconsin and Butler in last weekend’s Wildcat Invite. The Wildcats were dominant in doubles matches against the Badgers and Bulldogs, posting an unblemished 15-0 record on the first two days. In a shortened Monday slate, NU went 3-2, falling both times to Wisconsin. Still, the combined 18-2 doubles record across the three-day event is a promising indicator to the Cats’ potential success this season. However, as important as the results were, the chance to play together on the court once again was equally essential, senior Clarissa Hand said. “It was important to just have everybody play next to someone,” Hand said. “We played a ton of doubles and combos. It was just more important to get some matches under our belt in the form of a dual match.” Hand posted a 2-0 singles record, beating Butler’s Natalie Boesing in three sets 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 on Saturday and then trumping Wisconsin’s Ava Markham in straight sets 6-4, 6-4 on Monday. She was one of five NU

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serve and volley more,” sophomore Saiprakash Goli said after last weekend’s matches. “Just trying to play more doubles, (work on) my doubles strategy.” If NU can emerge victorious on Saturday, it’ll take on the winner of No. 5 Ohio State and Arizona State. The Cats lost twice to the Buckeyes last season, but haven’t faced the Sun Devils since 2008. The winner of that match will advance to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Team Indoor Championships in February. “(Assistant coach) Chris (Klingemann) and I have a focus on the other teams, but we’ve really tried to focus with the players on our own

games,” Swan said. The coaches have been drilling baseline technique and filling doubles gaps as much as possible, two of Swan’s biggest takeaways from last weekend’s matches. In singles, Swan noted that each player had different areas to improve upon, but he was happy with the progress across the board. Fans will be allowed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, so the team has also been sharpening their concentration, demeanor and mindset in both practice and match situations. “I think we have a good chance, but they’re definitely good,” Goli said. “I’m looking forward (to) that match.” nathanansell2022@u.northwestern.edu

players to go undefeated in singles across the event. The Cats were 16-7 overall in singles. The Badgers were competitive throughout the event, but NU claimed the overall victory 8-2 in doubles and 7-6 in singles matches. The Cats will host Wisconsin once again on Mar. 19 during the regular season. “We knew Wisconsin’s a really good team,” Hand said. “We knew we had to go into certain matches expecting a battle. I’m really proud of everyone you know, for stepping up against tough opponents and we pulled some close ones out.” Ultimately, the Wildcat Invite laid the groundwork for an NU squad looking to return to the NCAA Championships. The Cats fell to Texas A&M in the Round of 32 last season. NU will travel to Nashville over the weekend to face Vanderbilt on Sunday as the regular season gets underway. “We had three really long days, but we were all happy just to be out there competing,” Hand said. “One of our takeaways was that we are a really good team this year. And we’re just excited to get going after we had a really good weekend and have that foundation to build upon.” alexcervantes2024@u.northwestern.edu

Joanne Haner/The Daily Northwestern

Two Northwestern players high-five after a point. NU kicked off the 2022 spring campaign with a dominant performance against Wisconsin and Butler in the Wildcat Invite.