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Bernie Dressel performs to the beat of his own drum

CHELSEA WESTMAN Reporter @chelsea_spero

You’ve heard him but you may have not seen him.

A distinguished jazz percussionist, who sold close to 4 million records and played for 15 years with the multi-grammy award-winning Brian Setzer Orchestra, is making himself known on campus.

About 50 students at Pierce College gathered in the Performing Arts Building to watch a solo improvisation by Bernie Dresel, the band leader of, “The BBB Featuring Bernie Dresel.”

Success is predominantly measured by a career and a family. But for many women hindered by social constructs, they usually have to choose between the two.

Pierce College opened its theater season with Top Girls, an amalgamation of the women's struggle to fulfill societal roles throughout history and today.

Directed by Shaheen Vaaz, the two hour drama runs through Oct. 28 at the Dow Arena Theatre.

The engaging, though at times confusing story, delivered by a mostly skilled cast, is partially undone by a couple of sound elements that disrupt the play’s flow.

That mixed bag begins in the opening scene, which features an eclectic bunch of prestigious women from history and paintings. They tell tales of adventure and heartbreak around a dinner table hosted by Marlene, the main character going forward.

The scene is abrupt and confusing. In true dinner party fashion, each character goes on tangents of their respective stories simultaneously. You could see what Vaaz is attempting to do, but it only leaves the audience confused as to which story to follow in a mess of rambling. The other problem is that for no obvious symbolic reason, loud clanking of chains began to take over a key monologue from Lady Nijo (Alexa Maris), a 13th century Japanese concubine. The sound lessens the emotional impact the actor was going at lengths to reach.

The opening scene thankfully doesn’t set the foundation for the rest of the play, which jumps to present day. Marlene (Justine Brandy), a successful business women, is reconnected with her sister Joyce (Jasmine Curry), a hardworking mother, and Joyce’s daughter Angie (Sabrena No’mani), a young teenager working through an identity crisis.

Angie is a menacing teenager with an inability to connect with women her own age. It’s unclear what Vaaz wanted Angie to represent, but she is portrayed as someone in their youth who is utterly corrupt. Acting

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It’s clear Pierce College’s Theatre wasn’t given a massive loan for sets and props, but scenic designer Sarah Webster made the most of it, displaying her creative chops with every scene in the play. In the bedroom scene when Angie and Shona (Asia Herbonson) discuss life while hiding from Angie’s mother, the set transforms by flipping tables and draping blankets across it, representing a bedroom. This allowed for the acting and story to remain the central element.

Angie, who flees her mother because of the toxic relationship between them, goes to visit her long lost aunt Marlene. Marlene is in a leadership position having climbed her way up the ladder over men competing with her. Angie is resoundingly impressed by the strength and power Marlene instills, something that’s not prevalent in the role models in her life.

Top Girls’ exceptional lighting by John Jones is notable during the office sequence in the middle portion of the play where they were able to create a whole office floor in the small stage given. Three scenes were taking place at the same time but Jones creates circles of attention around each scene so the audience doesn’t feel confused.

As Joyce and Marlene, Curry and Brandy are the driving force of the production. They play off of one another well. In their main scenes, nothing seems rushed or overly choreographed. The actors take the time to reach emotional heights necessary to the scene.

The intimate number of seating paired well with these impressive performances as it truly brought the audience into their world.

Top Girls’s technical flaws don’t undermine the the central plot of the story. Its stellar performances by its all female cast carry the play well and its thematic expressions should hold importance to young women for years to come.

Top Girls runs through Oct. 28, and tickets are available at www. brownpapertickets.com ckern.roundupnews@gmail.com

Music Professor Garineh Avakian introduced Dresel to the mainstage.

“Without further adieu, let’s invite Bernie Dresel!” Avakian announced.

Students applauded as Dresel walked down the steps and graciously rolled onto the mainstage, producing laughter from the crowd.

Before the performance started, Dresel instructed about 12 students to volunteer and run on stage to play side instruments for part of his act.

“What you’re going to do is you’re going to play groove,” Dresel said. “I’m going to get you interactive or I’m going to solo in one spot over your groove.”

Dresel said this is his first time performing a solo improvisation in front of an audience.

“You are just going to hear sounds today, drums and me trying to make music for 45 minutes,” Dresel said. “It’s going to be a continuous piece.”

Dresel calls this performance, Drum Improvisation Number One.

After another roar of applause, Dresel made his way to the front

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-TinhNguyen BusinessAdministration of the stage and squatted down. He picked up two large wooden spoons and led an intricate sound upon two pots. Dresel rotated the beat and intervaled some swings to a bucket and aluminum can. Using the stage floor as its own instrument, Dresel waved the spoons back and forth upon the floor and other unusual props. He did not fail to impress, as his rhythm gained dynamic energy. His drum sticks hit the floor like a machine gun. He continued his pace, forming a rhythm off his own drum sticks before propelling himself to the snare. Another surge of applause erupted from the audience after Dresel made a dramatic pause.

He worked his way elegantly to the high-hats and crashes, producing a lighter tone to the ear. The groove picked up just as quickly as it formed into another silent pause.

The sound of suspense flooded the air as Dresel changed the tone, simultaneously hitting toms and snares with a consistent kick drum. Creativity ensured as Dresel frolicked a high-hat and grabbed it to a halt with his bare hands.

In a matter of minutes, Dresel took off in a flash and demonstrated variation left and right. One instrument after another echoed the mainstage, bringing a new form of sound with each reintroduction. All eyes were glued to Dresel’s transient movements.

Dresel rotated the instruments until his back was completely facing the audience. The rhythm stayed persistent yet remained ambiguous.

Dresel made his way back to face his audience, hitting each tom and snare in his path all while keeping the kick drum steady.

Halfway into the performance, Dresel shot up a peace sign to the audience and that was their cue.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the audience!” Dresel shouted while maintaining groove.

Eleven students came pouring

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-JKimberlyGreenberg Psychology from the audience up onto the stage within the blink of an eye. The students positioned themselves and quickly matched the beat to Dresel’s fast pace. cwestman.roundupnews@gmail.com

Congas, tambourines and claves were brought to life at the command of the student volunteers.

Vibrant sounds encapsulated the building when all instruments came together in different directions. The overwhelming array of noise livened the audience with its resonation. Dresel soon called off the group and formed yet another unique beat in the next set.

The improvisation never caved in as Dresel glided over his custom Craviotto drum set. The high-hats rang like church bells and struck the audience in a trance.

The performance came to a close as Dresel swept the audience off its feet. The electric energy of his final movements shocked the drumsticks right out of the grasp of his fingertips onto the floor.

The crowd cheered, laughed and applauded once more with Dresel’s unique finish. He promptly gave a Q&A after, letting the audience speak their mind and even get autographs at the end.

The next concert held will be in MUS 3400 on Oct. 25, hosted by the Kadima String Quartet.

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