Pulling an upset Volleyball takes down Thiel
Orchesis rehearses ‘Timeless’
SPORTS
The
@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper Friday, November 5, 2021
Preparing for the big stage COMMUNITY
‘Dune’ drops
Thoughts on part one
ENTERTAINMENT
Collegian The Award-Winning Grove City College Student Newspaper
Vol. 107, No. 8
Debate team tackles abortion Ayden Gutierrez News Editor
Princess Winifred the Woebegone, played by freshman Mary Margaret Bargery, is hoisted by a number of knights.
MATTHEW SCHOONOVER
‘Once Upon a Mattress’ debuts
Musicals return from intermission Ayden Gutierrez News Editor
The fall musical has returned to campus, as the Grove City Theatre Department will be performing “Once Upon a Mattress.” The play debuted on campus Wednesday, Nov. 3, and will end tomorrow evening. “Once Upon a Mattress” is a musical version of the fairy tale, “The Princess and the Pea.” Princess Winnifred is an ungainly, brash girl competing for the hand of Prince Dauntless, whose domineering mother Queen Aggravain has declared he must marry a “true” princess before anyone else in the kingdom can marry. “Once Upon a Mattress” was originally a book written by Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller and Marshall Barer. It opened off-Broadway in 1959 and then moved to the theatre district shortly after. Junior Kaylee Shafer, who plays Queen Aggravain, believes that theatre offers its participants a unique perspective on life. “Theatre is an opportunity for individuals to come together and experience a
living, breathing, different world for a couple of hours,” Shafer said. “Musical productions transport people into reflection, entertainment and a much-needed escape from reality.” Grace Scheller, a freshman at the college who plays The Jester, believes that the show will provide a good laugh. “The show is silly and ridiculous, and it’s meant to invite people to enjoy themselves,” Scheller said. “Live theatre has disappeared due to COVID, and what better way to bring it back than with ‘Once Upon a Mattress.’” Elliot Eyre, a sophomore who plays Sir Harry, got involved with theatre for a number of reasons. “I got involved with Grove City Theatre because I’ve always loved everything about theatre and musicals,” Eyre said, “and I was super excited to have the opportunity to work with the many talented individuals that also have this passion.” He added, “This show is just a fun time. It’s not heavy or philosophical; it’s just a relaxed comedy. In such a difficult and taxing time in MUSICAL 3
MATTHEW SCHOONOVER
The Grove City College Debate Team has had a rich and successful history. That success has carried into the 2021 academic year. The team has won several competitions, yet arguably their greatest victory is how they handled themselves at a recent competition. Two members of the team, senior Reese Overholt and freshman Benjamin Anastasi, were assigned with debating in favor of abortion at a recent competition in regard to Texas’ abortion ban and a return to safe and free access to abortion. This assignment is something that debate coach and history professor Dr. Jason Edwards has never seen. “As to the unspoken rules of debate, I have been coaching debate at the collegiate level for 16 years or so and I have never before seen abortion be the topic. It just isn’t done,” Edwards said. Overholt, the debate captain, was one of the two members tasked with arguing in favor of this topic. He was shocked to see such a topic be presented. “This is my fourth year doing debate, and I have never had to debate about a topic as complex and contentious as abortion,” Overholt said. “I was also obviously very disappointed that my partner and I were assigned to debate in favor of the resolution, which advocated for a repeal of Texas’ abortion ban and a return to safe and free access to abortion,” he continued. “I knew that debating this topic at all would be very difficult, and I honestly just prayed for wisdom with an issue like this.” After entering an official protest with the tournament director, which was ultimately declined, the team discussed their options. “Given the resolution and what it asked us to argue, Ben opted not to debate that round, and I fully supported his decision,” Overholt said. “I opted to go forward with the round alone, because I believe that one of the most helpful aspects of debate is to help students thoughtfully engage with views which we
Prince Dauntless the Drab, played by junior Justin Folger, holds the pea that kept his beloved awake.
DEBATE 3
Submit your fall images of Grove City College to news@gcc.edu by Nov. 5. The contest is open to students, faculty and staff. Submit up to to three photos. Include Name, Class Year/Job title, Submission title, and Instagram handle. Entries will be featured on the College’s social media and the top photos will be published in The Collegian. First place winner will receive a prize and, of course, bragging rights. Sponsored by The Office of Marketing and Communication and The Collegian. Follow Grove City College for more info: