Oct. 1–14, 2013
ELEVATORS AT GEORGE BROWN:
TAKING STUDENTS NOWHERE FROM CRICKET TO BASEBALL IN FOUR MONTHS
THE BEST BROTHERS PREMIERES AT THE TARRAGON THEATRE
What is something about your program that other students don’t know? GBC Student Newspaper • Founded 1982
EDITORIAL
October 1 – October 14, 2013
Elevators at GBC take you nowhere
PREETEESH PEETABH SINGH NEWS EDITOR
You are waiting for the elevator on the ground floor, while you have your class on the seventh. The elevator bell rings, the doors open and you hear the machine saying, “going down.” What will you do in such a situation when you’re at George Brown College (GBC) these days? I will not speak for others, but I’ll tell you what I do. I get into that claustrophobic elevator. I go down to the basement, show an apologetic
face or sometimes say “sorry”, when I am in a good mood, to folks already waiting there. They can’t enter as it is already jam-packed and nobody is willing to move out. Basically, the elevator is full of mean people like me who just want to reach their class on time. I feel bad repeating the same emotions when I see swarm of people waiting at each floor. But I can’t help it, I am not superman. However, I get this kind of opportunity to squeeze into the elevator very rarely at GBC. Mostly I am at the receiving end, it’s me waiting in the line-up outside and people apologizing to me. The other day I was walking by the library at St. James campus when I heard two students cursing the elevators. I stopped and talked with them. George Simon, who is studying social work at GBC said, “There should be more
than one elevator. There are a lot of people in an elevator, it’s a hazard.” Vilal Mahmed, another social work student said, “The elevators should be more convenient, it should get you to the destination faster isn’t it? That’s the whole point of having an elevator. Students are kept waiting for almost ten minutes. I know taking the stairs is easier, but some people don’t have that athletic ability you know.” Their classmate, Simone Bossr, joined in the conversation saying, “What if someone is on a wheelchair? The elevators are jam packed and there is a big line. People are rude, and we can’t blame them, everybody is in a rush.” With the lack of enough elevators, or them being out of service, students face a lot of problems in terms of accessibility. The facilities management at GBC is fully aware of the situation. Hooman Farhangnia, campus manager at St. James said he was not surprised by the reactions of students. “We are in need of more vertical transportation within the college. There is no doubt about it,” said Farhangnia “There is a lot more traffic at St. James be-
cause of the top three floors (sixth, seventh and eighth) being completely renovated for having regular classes, starting this fall. Only nursing classes were held there previously and thus they were scarcely used,” said Farhangnia. Farhangnia mentioned that the management is currently studying the possibility of having additional elevators installed on campus, but he also clarified that if it gets finalized, it will take time. “We are looking for solutions. We encourage people to take stairs if it’s just one or two levels, so that it can help others going to upper floors,” said Farhangnia. The GBC facilities department is working with Davies elevators and according to Farhangnia, significant amount of work has already been completed. Renovation and a total upgrade is the reason behind the delay in fixing the elevators. While students pay a whopping fee to attend school, they have all the right to access these basic services. Install additional elevators in the college. If not, at least fix the ones available.
Correction A Sept. 20 caption on an Ace Hood photograph was incorrectly attributed to The Ubyssey. The photograph was solely the work of The Dialog staff. The Dialog regrets the error.
THE DIALOG IS... Managing Editor Mick Sweetman News Editor Preeteesh Peetabh Singh Art Director/Illustrator Samantha Bullis Multimedia Reporter Danilo Barba Staff Reporters Alena Khabibullina Karen Nickel Tina Todaro Contributors Caroline Quan Jason Miller Follow us on Social Media! Facebook.com/thedialogonline Twitter: @thedialogonline Drop by or contact The Dialog at: Room E122 - Casa Loma 142 Kendal Avenue Toronto, ON M5R 1M3 www.dialog.studentassociation.ca Tel: 416-415-5000 ext. 2764 Fax: 416-415-2491 dialog@georgebrown.ca
sion and direction of The Dialog newspaper, as it coincides with the larger vision of mission of the Student Association. The cost of producing a monthly newspaper is in part defrayed by advertising revenue and largely subsidized by the Student Association. Occasionally, some advertisers, products and services do not reflect the policies of the Student Association. Opinions expressed in The Dialog are not necessarily those of The Dialog Collective, the Student Association of George Brown College, or its editorial staff. The Dialog will not publish any material that attempts to incite violence or hatred against individuals or groups, particularly based on race, national origin, ethnicity, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. Contributions to T he Dialog are always welcome. We request that articles be submitted as digital copies in plain-text (TXT) or richtext (RTF) format. Letters to the editor can be sent in an email message to dialog@georgebrown.ca. Images should be in EPS format as vector images or TIF format (Mac or PC).
The Dialog newspaper is published by The Dialog Collective under the auspices of the Student Association of George Brown College. The collective is responsible for the overall vi-
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The Dialog is published by the Student Association of George Brown College
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October 1 – October 14, 2013
DAILY CHECK UP
OCTOBER 1–18, 2013 MONDAY 30
TUESDAY 1 Men’s soccer vs. Durham College 8 p.m. Centennial Park Stadium
7 Women’s soccer vs. Loyalist College 8 p.m. Centennial Park Stadium
14 Thanksgiving: College Closed
8 Knoll Exhibit on Modernism Ongoing from Oct. 8−Oct. 13 School of Design An exhibition of leading American furniture manufacturer Knoll, Inc.
15 Video Game Day 10 a.m. Casa Loma Student Centre
WEDNESDAY 2
THURSDAY 3
GBC Board of Governors Meeting 5:30 p.m. Career Centre Room B155 Workshop 2
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Toronto Palestine Film Fest Oct. 3–4 TIFF Bell Lightbox, AGO, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema. Visit tpff.ca for more details on price and scheduling.
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Volleyball Exhibition vs. Mohawk Mountaineers Women’s team 6 p.m. Men’s team 8 p.m. St. James, Alex Barbier Gym
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Si – Si Cine Toronto Latin Film Festival To Nov. 2 $5–$10. Various venues, see details at festivalofimagesandwords.ca/ si-si-cine
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GBC’s Next DJ Competition 5:30 p.m. St. James, Kings Lounge Do you think you’re the best DJ at GBC? Well, here is your chance to prove it.
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Video Game Day 10 a.m. St. James, Kings Lounge
FRIDAY
The Annual Contemporary Art Fair Oct. 10–13 Gladstone Hotel 1214 Queen W $5, free for students.
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Hypnotist Tony Lee 5:30 p.m. St. James, Kings Lounge
Italianismo 2013 Exhibition Ongoing from Oct. 16−Nov. 18 School of Design 230 Richmond St. East An exhibition featuring student works inspired by their trip to Italy.
The Dialog wants you! We are looking for contributors to fill the roles of: News reporters • Photographers • Sex columnists •
• •
Humourists Or...have another idea? Pitch it to us!
Love Sports? We are also hiring for a new paid position of Sports Reporter as part of our core staff. Contact us at dialog@georgebrown.ca to find out how to apply! The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca
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NEWS
October 1 – October 14, 2013
Calendar showcases the broad diversity of students at GBC KAREN NICKEL STAFF REPORTER
Jennifer Matti Academic Upgrading for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Adults program student
Vivek Shraya Positive Space Coordinator and Human Rights Advisor
Activists demand conversion of empty building into social housing KAREN NICKEL STAFF REPORTER
The “Taking It Back” campaign launched in Allan Gardens on Sept. 22 by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP). The campaign demands the city expropriate empty buildings, make the necessary repairs and turn it into viable social housing. They point to the past to show its been done before. OCAP’s Gaetan Heroux spoke to the gathered crowd during the rally. Heroux contends the city can expropriate properties from landlords who have abandoned them and revamp them into housing. “In 1997, the city was allowing a developer to leave this property empty (8890 Carlton) while our people died on the streets. We decided to squat a building; to expropriate something.” As a result of their campaign 88-90 Carlton became social housing. Marching onto Jarvis to Sherbourne St. we turned south. When we came to the empty field beside 230 Sherbourne St. a small group ran to the fence and opened
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“Diversity Matters at George Brown College,” is a new campaign by the diversity, equity and human rights services program (DEHRS). The campaign launched on Sept. 19 at the School of Design building, consists of a video and a 2013- 2014 school year calendar featuring 17 George Brown College (GBC) students. The students were asked to respond to three questions, What do you think of when you hear the word diversity? Why is diversity so important at GBC? How does diversity at GBC prepare you for the workforce? All answered on the video. The calendar showcases some of the the students with their answers. “In the spring students were approached and offered incentives, such as a Timmie’s gift card, to participate in the video project,” said Vivek Shraya, positive space coordinator and human rights advisor. “The students that contacted us are featured in the video and the calendar.”
bourhood is traumatizing already traumatized residents, but we are fighting back, to end the social and systemic structures that are keeping us down.” Police presence was low until 5:30 p.m. when officers tried to drive into the lot through the now unlocked gate. The crowd didn’t move and the police backed up parking on the other side of the street. Officers came and spoke to the police liaison. After a few tense minutes police pushed their way into the field and negotiations began on how long protesters would be allowed to stay. At 9:30 p.m. people were escorted off the
“Originally it was only for the video, but then the calendar idea came as an opportunity to make one of our own, instead of outsourcing like we did last year. We used the students and statements from the video to put it together,” said Shraya. Jennifer Matti, a student in the academic upgrading for deaf and hard-of-hearing adults program, communicating through ASL, said, “If I hadn’t socialized with different individuals, I might not have had an opportunity…to discover what it is that I want to do.” She is featured on the August 2014 calendar’s page. The calendar also announced another new initiative from DEHRS called, “Educating through the HeART.” This programme blends human rights and diversity topics with arts based educational workshops ranging from a Disability Arts Cabaret on Oct. 11 to a summer film series in 2014. The calendar can be picked up from the DEHRS offices at Casa Loma, room 102; St. James, room 126; and Waterfront, room 230.
property. The crowd moved their protest to City Hall. As morning came, members of OCAP served breakfast and then tried to serve their petition to expropriate 230 Sherbourne St. to council. After repeatedly being refused entry to city hall and scuffling with security and police, they were finally allowed to deliver their petition for Drina’s House. It’s clear that members of OCAP are committed to this campaign. The poor of the Downtown East aren’t going away without a fight.
the gate using bolt cutters, most of the marchers entered. A banner was dropped reading, “Housing Now! Taking It Back! Housing, Shelter, Safe Space Now.” A Warrior/Unity flag and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy flag were held by people on the roof. OCAP had done their research on the property they want expropriated and what it should be called, “Drina’s House.” Drina Joubert, a 41 year old homeless woman, was found Dec. 17, 1985 frozen to death behind the house. Drina’s House is currently an abandoned rooming house built in the 1870’s, as a mansion for wealthy furrier William Dineen. It was first recorded as a rooming house for reservists in 1914. It’s been empty since 2008 and is a heritage site, which is why it is still there when two buildings beside it have been destroyed. OCAP is demanding this building be expropriated and converted into social housing as was done at 88-90 Carlton. To OCAP members leaving this building empty is scandalous. Zoe Dodd a long time harm reduction worker told the crowd that PHOTO: KAREN NICKEL/THE DIALOG the, “ongoing gentrification of the neigh- Activists scale 230 Sherbourne Street to demand that it be converted into social housing.
The Dialog • dialog.studentassociation.ca
October 1 – October 14, 2013
SPORTS
From cricket to baseball in four months Sports Score Updates PREETEESH PEETABH SINGH NEWS EDITOR
He didn’t even know the rules of baseball four months back. Now he is on the George Brown College’s (GBC) varsity baseball team. Maninder Singh Ajmani, 28, who is studying marketing management – financial services at GBC, is a big sports buff. “I actually used to hate baseball, it seemed so slow. I was like, what’s the fuss all about? For cricketers it was just like hitting an easy full-toss ball,” said Ajmani. Ajmani came from India last year and hopes to land a finance job after completing his course at GBC. Being an MBA in marketing and finance and a banker by profession, he loves numbers. He worked in northern India for Oriental Bank of Commerce as a marketing manager and then moved to ICICI Bank, which also has its operation in Canada, as a relationship manager in foreign exchange and trade transactions. But sport has always been his passion. “I have been involved in many sports activities since high school. It’s a parallel priority for me. I was the cricket captain in high school and also in college. I played for Scarborough Cricket Association’s team TP Tigers. I play tennis, ping-pong and I have been associated with many sports clubs,” said Ajmani. Ajmani started playing GBC extramural cricket where
he was the opening batsman as well as a fast bowler. “Fortunately GBC had a cricket team – considering it is not a very popular sport in Canada. So, I got involved with it,” he said. Sangau Ahmed, GBC’s cricket captain said, “He is a great team player. He is very active in the field; supportive and brings in new ideas. Basically you need him in your team.” Baseball co-ordinator Geoff Gordon met Ajmani on the social night held in April. Since he played cricket, Gordon suggested he should also try out for baseball. Ajmani took the suggestion seriously and started to develop interest in baseball. “The basic skills of cricket did help me a little like how to hold the ball, take catches etc. but after some time I figured out that it has a different science altogether. The rules are very different; it’s not as easy as I thought it would be,” said Ajmani. “I used to watch Youtube videos. I used to bring my gloves home and practice, sometimes I used to practice alone at High Park. Whenever I took the filed, I learned a new thing.” After three months of practice, he went to the baseball try outs and was one of 22 selected out of over 60 players. Currently playing as a pitcher in the team, coach Kyle Mackinnon sees potential in him as an infielder at 2nd base, as mentioned by Ajmani. “I also like hitting; I am going to practice more. I am working with the coach on learning how to swing,” he said. Ajmani believes people should not hesitate to try new things, not only in sports but also in life.
Cross Country Fanshawe Invitational Women’s Individual 5km 19. Shannnon Dyer, 22:05 49. Safia Dhanji, 26:49 50. Molly Morse, 27:37 51. Hannah Turnbull, 27:50 Women’s Team: George Brown 6 (7 teams) Men’s Individual 8km 5. Sean Sweeney, 27:09 39. Edgar Malchic, 31:43 45. Wes Correa, 32:49 46. Alex Brown, 33:05 50. Mitch Visser, 34:08 Men’s Team: George Brown 8 (11 teams) Redeemer Invitational Women’s Individual 5km: 18. Shannon Dyer, 24:22 19. Juanita Louw, 24:37 50. Molly Morse, 28:52 51. Safia Dhanji, 29:11 63. Hannah Turnbull, 30:49 Women’s Team: George Brown 6 (11 teams) Men’s Individual 8km 2. Sean Sweeney, 28:47 34. Edgar Malchic, 34:13 46. Mitch Visser, 35:40 Men’s Baseball George Brown 8 Seneca 3 Humber 8 George Brown 0 St. Clair 4 George Brown 2 St. Clair 14 George Brown 2 George Brown 10 Seneca 4 Humber 15 George Brown 1 Humber 23 George Brown 4 Durham 11 George Brown 1 George Brown 3 Durham 1 Men’s Soccer George Brown 2 La Cite 1 Algonquin 2 George Brown 0 Seneca 4 George Brown 0 Women’s Soccer La Cite 2 George Brown 0 Algonquin 5 George Brown 0 Seneca 5 George Brown 1 Men’s Basketball George Brown 90 Toronto Police 56 George Brown 71 Alumni 59
Maninder Singh Ajmani has transitioned from a cricket player to the GBC baseball varsity team in just four months.
Women’s Basketball Sheridan 71 George Brown 46 George Brown 66 Alumni 51
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PHOTO: PREETEESH PEETABH SINGH/THE DIALOG
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Alvydas Brazukas
Meagan Pugliese
Adrian Rizzi
Culinary Skills Chef Training
Graphic Design
Pre-Business
School of Design
Work & College Preparation
“I was told all throughout high school that professors in college and university don’t care about you, you’re just a number to them. But not at the School of Design. All my professors want me to pass, and they go above and beyond to help me get there.”
“We get Mondays off. With this course I get to feel different things. My options are limitless. I can get into Ryerson, University of Toronto or GBC for further studies. Best part is it’s just one year, so if I figure out it is not for me, I can do something else.”
Chef School
“It’s a really focused and concise program. It’s only one year, so you kind of get all the basic foundations you need to be ready to work within one year, whereas all the other programs are a little longer. This is a great way to fast track your culinary career.”
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What is something about your program that other students don’t know?
James Padua
Ricardo Araujo
Lindsay Aquin
Behavioural Science Technology
Construction Engineering Technology
Commercial Dance Studies
Social & Community Services
School of Construction Management
School of Performing Arts
“One thing that students don’t know about C116 is that you’re provided with not only the skill set to succeed but also granted placements where you can showcase the skills and knowledge learned within the program. At the second year level, the curriculum is developed for students to gain the theory and then apply it in the field.”
“It’s more theory than handson experience. There’s not a lot of on-site experience.”
PHOTOS: PREETEESH PEETABH SINGH, SAMANTHA BULLIS, ALENA KHABIBULLINA, CAROLINE QUAN/THE DIALOG
“Not only what we do is dancing, we do vocal and acting as well. The professors are working in the industry right now. We have Derek Sangster, Dana Bondy, Apalonia and Ophilio (their company is Gadfly). It’s good to have professionals pushing us and they are all awesome.”
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PROGRAMS FEATURE
October 1 – October 14, 2013
Cartooning certificate draws out artists in con-ed students KAREN NICKEL STAFF REPORTER
Anthony Harrison currently teaches the Cartooning 1 course which has been running for the past 16 years at George Brown College (GBC). The course has slowly developed into a cartooning certificate program offered by continuing education today. Harrison is a self-taught artist, “My love of art was initially, really, comics and cartoons. That’s what I started doing as a kid,” he said. “Drawing is a skill. It’s like learning anything else. It’s about lots of practise. The most important thing is having the desire.”
Cartooning students come from a wide range of ages and experiences. “I have students from age 18–70. They are doing the course for variety of reasons.” Harrison explained, “Some are already professionals having particular goals; some have professional aspirations to work in the field, while others are looking for more personal expression. I’ve had a lot of lawyers over the years.” Asked what a certificate in cartooning can lead to career wise, Harrison said it’s all about the skill sets learned in the program. “You’re not going to go on the ‘net and find a place for ‘jobs for cartoonists’, per se, but cartooning, as a discipline,
Does your personality affect your academic success? TINA TODARO STAFF REPORTER
Whether you are a social extrovert or a quiet introvert, according to studies, can have an impact on a student’s academic performance. The academic performance and success rates of students, revolves around the question of extraversion and introversion and whether personality types have an impact. According to a study by Extraversion and Introversion in Canadian Second Language Students, introverts tend to do better in college, which supported the prediction that they also performed better academically. Introversion, described as being typically concerned with one’s own thoughts and feelings versus extraversion, described as the concern with what is outside of one’s self such as environmental influences and factors, is usually difficult to distinguish among students. Students tend to surround themselves with others whom they view as similar to them. Through observations within a college setting, the people seen more frequently at social gatherings or school events are typically extroverts. Assertiveness training certificate program at GBC edu-
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cates students on how to handle criticism, defensiveness and manipulation. According to program instructor Michael Nakou, “this program slightly touches the topic of introversion and extraversion.” The life skills coaching certificate program at GBC was also designed to help students develop or broaden their existing interpersonal skills, and to incorporate life skills into their own lives. However, this course does not educate students directly on the topic of introversion and extraversion. According to Psychology Wiki’s Extraversion and Introversion website, “People fluctuate in their behaviour all the time, and even extreme introverts and extraverts do not always act according to their type.” This makes distinguishing a real introvert from an extravert difficult and confusing, but can be simplified into a classification of ambivert – a combination of the two. Extraversion and Introversion in Canadian Second Language states that, “It is fair to say that extraverted learners have little trouble with communication,” when it comes to academic performance, while introverts are more socially inapt when it comes to academic leadership and event success.
relates to animation, agency work, children’s book illustrations and greeting cards,” said Harrison. “It’s building a broad skill set that has a variety of applications, from editorial, illustration and continuity, including storyboarding and comics.” “Cartooning is the one specific visual design that could, theoretically, yield the most monetary rewards. You look at something like The Simpsons, Marvel comic characters and they’re all grossing a billion each per year. That’s all cartoon intellectual property that’s driving that,” said Harrison. “A huge growth area, in terms of format and length is the graphic novel. It’s huge now. It’s becoming a real force in literary terms,” said Harrison who is working on his own graphic novel set in World War two and the Canadian Force’s North West Europe campaign. “I met some of the guys who were in the Forces at the time. My account is based on actual events, but with composite characters.” “I think there is an association by a lot of people that cartooning is very simplistic. But it’s just as technical as representational illustration,” said Harrision. “This program is very comprehensive and the range is key. It can be demanding, but you can go so far.” Along with the three core cartooning courses, three electives are required. Harrison also teaches the life drawing for the illustrator elective. “It’s essential that a cartoonist has a real comprehensive grasp of the figure and be able to manipulate that figure within a space in a storytelling context,” said Harrison. While speaking about the cartooning program, Harrison said he was thinking of adding more components, like the history of cartooning and the art of Japanese manga. “The final essay topic: Mickey Mouse: shoes, shorts, no shirt. Donald Duck: hat, jacket, no pants. 1500 word essay. Discuss.” Harrison laughs, “How does this work? How does Mickey get service and Donald; how do they get service in the same restaurant?” You might want to take this program to find out the answers.
PHOTO: KAREN NICKEL/THE DIALOG
Cartooning professor and self-taught artist Anthony Harrison sees broad applications for cartooning skills.
October 1 – October 14, 2013
PROGRAMS FEATURE
Emergency management hopes for the best, plans for the worst ALENA KHABIBULLINA STAFF REPORTER
How do you react in an emergency? Do you have a 72 hour plan for yourself and your family? A grab-and-go disaster preparedness kit? Where is your shelter? Do you know the number of services and communication lines to call? Do you know the techniques of conflict prevention and emotional de-escalation? Ask yourself, are you ready? Always ready should be the motto of the George Brown School of Emergency Management where industry leaders and first responders conduct professional training for students. “This real work experience they contribute to the class environment increases the value of the learning,” said Patricia Maclean, a student in the public health emergency management program (EM). “It creates personal comprehension of the importance the first responders’ work, such as paramedics, police and fire.” It’s a professional environment with professors and most of the students providing first-hand experience. Book materials are supported by case studies which puts you in real life events where each student has a role, from a city mayor to a civilian. An essential part of the program is team engagement and partnership. Program coordinator, Keith P. Melo said, “The field of emergency management is about collaboration and having a pool of brains that are there to support you during the disaster.” This summer the school had a training for the college’s senior executives who were given worst scenarios that could ever happen at school, including the preparedness to an active shooter danger. After all training the management “realized how important it is to be prepared,” Melo said. EM professor David Stephen Rowland said, “During my 38 years I have responded to a number of disasters
including bus accidents, multiple car accidents, train derailment, airplane crashes, and have evacuated two hospitals, a nursing home and apartment buildings due to fires.” This program offers students a chance to gain industry credentials which can be applied by working in the field, volunteering or in their personal life. “I volunteer with many organizations for the satisfaction I get when I help those in need,” said EM student Shannon Toomey. “I was sent to Thunder Bay to assist with the 2012 flooding, as well as the 2013 Kawartha Lakes one. It is within my role with the Canadian Red Cross that I am able to utilize my emergency management, whether that involves my knowledge in crisis communication, incident management or even the psychosocial response components,” said Toomey. According to Richard Bochenek, who is a protocol development officer at Public Health Ontario and professor in the program, prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery elements should be always envisaged in the emergency management cycle. “In any emergency no matter what kind of emergency it is, all of those faces occur and it’s cyclically containable. Every event displays those functions and we can take specific actions,” said Bochenek. In addition to any plan, they recommend to have a back-up plan. As a former EM student, Francoise Caron said, “Hope for the best but plan for the worst.”
Right A K-9 Law Enforcement team working at the School of Emergency Management at Casa Loma. PHOTO: MATTHEW PLEXMAN/PLEXMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
Special events planning program is ‘exactly like real life’ TINA TODARO STAFF REPORTER
George Brown College’s (GBC) School of Hospitality and Tourism Management offers a special event planning (SEP) program, a two year diploma, where students are introduced to the world of social and corporate events. Students are educated on how to organize events ranging from birthdays and bar mitzvahs to corporate events and golf tournaments. Students are taught how to find their own resources in order to plan successful events. “It is our responsibility to go out and find our own sponsors,” said Shehnaz Motara, 19, a current SEP student. Throughout the third semester of the program, students organize and conduct “seed events” which are oneday events that happen approximately 20 times, according to Motara. These events prepare students for their
fourth semester “capstone” event. Broken down, each seed event runs for about one to three hours. These events take place on-campus, and are hosted by groups of 10 students. Money raised by each event is then split, 50 per cent going to a charity of the students group’s choice and the other 50 per cent going toward future scholarships. Fourth semester students conduct their own events in February and April, leading up to the final capstone event. “Last year we put on events such as a fashion show, comedy night, Toronto Goes Country, Seven Deadly Sins and Skate Night in Canada at the Ricoh Coliseum,” said SEP program co-ordinator Ijaz Jamal. “We raised close to $40,000 for future scholarships and charities last year.” The capstone event is organized by groups of 17 students, and hosted off-campus. Students are educated not only on how to find their own sponsors, but how to go
about finding their own venues and doing the planning on their own while following an assigned budget. When SEP students reach their fourth semester, the execution of the capstone event takes place. Students must undergo a planning process and future selection by their professor before the event takes place. “The prof has to see potential in your event,” said Motara. The capstone event is considered the final project for SEP students. Motara describes the program as being a good insight into real life event planning, “It’s exactly like real life.” With an internship behind her, and with a diploma not too far ahead, Motara plans to continue on into the corporate world. “I see myself ending up doing corporate events,” said Motara.
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ARTS & LIFE
October 1 – October 14, 2013
The Best Brothers is a universal story filled with dark humour ALENA KHABIBULLINA STAFF REPORTER
Being next door to George Brown Casa Loma campus, Tarragon Theatre opens its 2013–14 season with the Toronto premiere of The Best Brothers, written by Daniel MacIvor, one of Canada’s best known playwrights, and directed by the award-winning Dean Gabourie. MacIvor shares the stage as an actor with Nova Scotian John Beale who was involved in his previous plays Bingo and The Crucible. This artistic team sent up a trial balloon to the Stratford festival public last summer. After being recognized The Best Brothers comedy-tragedy “found a better production here” in Toronto, said Gabourie. “The Tarragon itself is doing so much work to reach out to the community. And I think it’s a great start, to us coming from Stratford to this theatre. They have been absolutely amazing and the team here is very young. This youth energy brings to the equation,” said Gabourie. Uncovering a seeming natural sibling rivalry, MacIvor creates humour out of the tragic loss of a parent. “There is darkness in the subject. I always found that to activate the sense of humour in those areas takes the pres-
sure away from them,” MacIvor said. “It’s rich for humor. It’s also disrespectful to the sadness but it doesn’t feature the sadness. The sadness is part of it but the humour protects them from the sadness until they touch that.” The play draws a picture of a universal family conflict. Hamilton and Kyle are the Best brothers. Hamilton is a straight-laced architect with a wife (MacIvor). Kyle (Beale) is a free-spirited, gay real-estate agent. The sudden death of their mother in a bizarre accident at Toronto’s Gay Pride Parade brings them together to sort out the details of the funeral. As they look to celebrate their mother, their relationship is tested while they wrestle with fundamental questions of love and family: who did mom love more and who gets the dog? “This play is interesting because it’s somewhat universal. Universality of that is all over the map. Everybody goes through grief, everybody goes through a string of relationships,” said Gabourie. “When you can compose yourself in a play, when you can project their lives with these characters, all of a sudden a work means something more to you.” Feeling the same affection towards his own dog named Buddy, MacIvor increases the conflict by the presence of one more character in the play, Italian greyhound Enzo.
“I got a dog as an adult five years ago. The dog changed my life in many ways: how my day looks like, my concerns are. The dog was a big impulse. Without a dog that would be no play,” said MacIvor. A minimalist stage set with simple decorations concentrates the viewer’s attention to the characters and the conflict even more. “It asks the audience to engage its imagination,” said MacIvor. “I was always a fan of New York’s plain style which we acknowledged as a theatre. It’s interesting even for people who haven’t seen a lot of theatres.” The Best Brothers is a universal story painted with dark humorous colors. The story, which in real life could not be fun, emerged as hilarious on the stage. Bringing his own “experience of funerals” Gabourie finds the play balanced. “Fortunately we all are very dark people. I was always worried that the play is too funny. That’s why we built those moments of real gravitas, of real emotion. So it wouldn’t be just a comedy,” said Gabourie. “And I think we kind of got balance ultimately. Comedy – tragedy that what it’s all about. How do you make God laugh? Tell him about your plans.” The Best Brothers is playing at Tarragon Theatre’s Mainspace, 30 Bridgman Avenue, until Oct. 27. Discounted tickets available with student ID.
PHOTO: CYLLA VON TIEDEMANN
John Beale (Left) as Kyle Best and Daniel MacIvor (Right) as Hamilton Best in the Tarragon Theatre’s production of The Best Brothers.
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