The Broadway Dallas musical season recently kicked off at Fair Park. However, I am no longer going. Why? Because Broadway Dallas decided to ignore longtime subscribers who don’t use online sources to renew season tickets. This year, Broadway Dallas made advertisements online, on TV and within the Dallas Morning News for patrons to renew their season tickets.
But what if you’re a patron who doesn’t have access to these services? This is my situ ation. Broadway Dallas was supposed to send
out notices in the mail to renew season tickets, yet these letters did not come as advertised.
As a longtime season ticket holder for what used to be called Dallas Summer Musicals. At one point, they showed touring produc tions at the Music Hall at Fair Park during the State Fair of Texas. Since the 2013-2014 season, Dallas Summer Musicals no longer presented shows during the fair. Other than Disney touring shows, shows during the fair were more popular as opposed to others not presented during the fair.
The fair is generally a good time to present shows because fairgoers could see a Broadway show without leaving the grounds. Not having
the shows during the fair is a missed oppor tunity.
Broadway Dallas doesn’t understand the impact of racial inequality in the area they serve. The Fair Park ZIP code, 75210, is comprised of 71.3% identifying as an African American.
Broadway Dallas created a legal document outlining their procedures on the treatment of African American individuals that it serves. As directly quoted from their website, “One of our goals is to deliver the spirit of Broadway not only here in Fair Park but throughout the region in classrooms as well as other centers for art, community and education. This goal can only be furthered if Broadway Dallas converts
to a fully inclusive, multicultural anti-racist organization.”
A statement such as this is generic and doesn’t value what the organization purports to believe in. Sure they’re creating local stories, but it’s not enough to stop the racial injustice from Caucasian Americans that African Amer icans have endured since the beginning of the Jim Crow era which included African Amer icans having to pay a poll tax to vote, being enslaved, meant having separate but “equal” facilities including having to sit in the back of the bus or the balcony of a theater.
Current season ticket holders should give up their seats. Now is the time to stop buying single tickets for Broadway Dallas shows.
This is the third installment of Pronk’s classic film series Eternally Grateful Great Movies.
The movie “Up” is a feature-length animated adventure-comedy made by Pixar Animation Studio, owned by Walt Disney Pictures, and released in 2009.
The plot revolves around 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, voiced by the late Ed Asner, and his trip in his flying house powered by heliumfilled balloons with window curtains as sails. His travel companion is an 8-year-old Wilder ness Explorer scout named Russell (Jordan Nagai). He needs to earn one more merit badge by helping the elderly to be promoted to the rank of Senior Wildness Explorer.
“Up” starts when Carl as a small boy meets Ellie who is a tomboy. They share an interest in adventure and travel. They eventually marry and plan a trip to South America to see “Para dise Falls, a land lost in time.” They do not know how they will get there, but a blimp is a possibility. The first 11 minutes of the movie tells the love story of Carl and Ellie from their first meeting as children, their marriage and until Ellie’s death. We learn at their doctor’s office that Ellie was unable to have children.
Along the way to Paradise Falls, Carl and Russell encounter Kevin, a rare 13-foot bird, and Dug, a dog with a special collar that allows him to speak. When Carl goes over an old photo album, he finds a written message from Ellie, “Thanks for the adventure, now go have a new one, Love Ellie.”
The animated character voices include Eliz beth Docter (Ellie Fredricksen), Christopher Plummer (Charles Muntz), John Ratzenberger (constuction foreman Tom), Delroy Lindo (Beta), Jerome Ranft (Gamma), Bob Peterson (Dug and Alpha) and Pete Docter (Campmaster Strauch).
Michael Giacchino wrote the music score supporting “Up’s” emotional ride. Giacchino’s music won an Oscar for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score and a BAFTA award for Film Music.
The director of “Up” is Pete Docter and the co-director is Bob Peterson who came up with the screenplay and story for “Up.” The story’s visual images are of stunningly high qual ity that should make this animation a classic. Docter won the 2009 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for “Up.” He was nomi nated for the award in 2001 for “Monsters, Inc.” and subsequently won the award in 2015 for “Inside Out” with Jonas Rivera and in 2020 for “Soul” with Dana Murray.
“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (1975)
-- This Miloš Forman directed mental institu tion drama swept the Oscars. Jack Nicholson won an Oscar for Best Actor and the late Louise Fletcher took home Best Actress for her role as the diabolical Nurse Ratched.
“Up” also won the 2010 Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film. In 2009, “Up” became the first animated feature to open the Cannes Film Festival in France.
“Exorcist II: The Here tic” (1977) -- In this awful John Boorman directed sequel, finds Regan MacNeil, played by Linda Blair, deals with trauma left over from her initial posses sion years prior. Fletcher’s part is in lieu of the mom and plays Dr. Gene Tuskin.
“Brainstorm” (1983) -This sci-fi thriller would mark the late Nata lie Wood’s last time in front of the camera since she died before filming was completed. Louise Fletcher played a scien tist, Dr. Lillian Reynolds, working with a biofeed back machine
“The Boy Who Could Fly” (1986) – Fletcher was way down the cast list in this Nick Castle directed fantasy drama. Louise Fletcher portrayed the nice grandma, Dr. Granada. Also stars Lucy Deakins and Jay Under wood.
“Flowers in the Attic” (1987) -- Based on the V.C. Andrews novel, this mystery-thriller movie deals with an estranged daughter who returns home, only to be shunned by her family. Louise Fletcher plays the wicked grandma, Olivia Foxworth, here.
– Ricky Miller The movie is available in DVD and Blu-ray formats and is also available online. Grade: A Photo courtesy of IMDB Russell (left) and Carl look for adventure.“Even though we’ve only been around for a little bit, I feel like we’ve become this sort of family, and it’s beautiful honestly”, Ali said.
For the ambitious, these meetings are potentially building towards a full-on fash ion show in which members of the club will be the models, designers and backstage crew. The emphasis is on bonding over a shared passion for fashion and discovering new things about clothes.
The club presidents want the show to be something members are excited about, not a source of stress. For the time being, the meetings are chill hangouts where club members play with clothes. This possibility that this may turn into something bigger is just a bonus for members.
Of course, the club wouldn’t exist without club adviser Kimberly Blevins. Blevins doesn’t just play an administrative role. She’s also a key part of the club’s functioning, handling much of the logistics.
Naturally, it’s the people who show up that make up the club. Only time will tell if members will carry on Scott and Ali’s legacy and carry Fashion Club into the future after they leave this year.
Fashion Club meets every other Thursday at 5 p.m., usually in E032, with the next meet ings on Oct. 6 and Oct. 20. Follow on IG @ richlandfc. Email: fashionclubdallascollegerc@ gmail.com
Amatullah Scott and Sofia Ali decided that it was finally time for the Richland campus to get an outfit check. Longtime friends, they co-preside over the new Fashion Club, now forged in their senior year at Rich land Collegiate High School. Their vision: giving students in the Richland community a creative outlet through the world of fashion as well as a chance to make new friends and memories.
Speaking about club activities, “I like to think first and foremost [about] stuff that’s easy for people, and I like to make it as
sustainable as possible, which is why we’re using clothes from our own closet and from the student pantry which are donations, so that was the idea for bleaching and for future events”, Scott said.
At the first meeting, club members donated their retired pieces. At the second meeting members transformed some of the pieces into new unique clothes by applying bleach in unexpected ways.
They’re not stopping anytime soon though. More events are planned every two weeks and there are more opportunities for students to get involved in the club. Anyone curious about the club is welcome to simply show up.
With the Ukrainian-Russian war under way, Ukrainian forces are driving back the invading army. Russian President Vladimir Putin not only has called for a national draft for the military reservists to enlist, civilians in Russia with no combat experience are be ing conscripted as well.
At the Euro Deli, a Russian grocery store in Richardson, part-time worker Olga Smirnova said she reads from various chan nels that oppose the Putin regime. Accord ing to her, they advise users to wipe out their cellphone’s memory if they wished to flee via the border.
“I know a lot of people right now, espe cially men, who say they don’t want to go to war and say [that they] want to leave Rus sia,” Smirnova said. “People [who] want to leave Russia stay for about three to four hours [at] the border,” Smirnova said, adding that people are not only fleeing at the Geor gia border, but also Kazakhstan and Mongo lia. “It depends on which side [of the country the citizen lives].” According to Smirnova, the borders are not closed.
Smirnova said that she read a comment on an online telegram that said, “I and my friend, just went to Georgia, and no one stopped us.” It said the border patrol officers don’t ask many questions, only if they have a military document containing their numbers for conscription.
“Right now, it’s OK to leave Russia, but for how long?” Smirnova said. “A lot of people [don’t] agree with [the] government right now.” She thinks that if the govern ment closes the border, a revolution will occur. “It will be 1917 all over again when Vladimir Lenin took office, creating the USSR,” Smirnova added.
Ukrainian refugee Taisiya Aristambaieva fled from her hometown in Bucha, a city in Ukraine’s Kyiv Oblast, last April along with her 12-year-old daughter. She has been working at the Euro Deli since then.
“We left a lot of our friends there [but] we managed to leave during the occupation,” Aristambaieva said, describing the Russian armed forces as “terrorism and lawlessness.
It was March, the whole month of March they [Russians] were there and this is what they did,” Aristambaieva said. According to her, 1,000 Ukrainians have died in Kyiv. Her son, Roman, only 24, is still there work ing as a dentist.
“We are grateful to the Americans for helping us,” Aristambaieva said, describing the U.S. government as “supportive”. “They really work our military very well. [They] now work [supply] weapons that help us because our Ukrainian soldiers will stand up to the end to defend their lands.” Arist ambaieva said that although she is grateful for the support she receives while living and working in Dallas, she intends to go back home when the war ends.
Members of the fashion club use bleach to create art on clothes. Co-presidents Amatulla Scott (left) and Sofia Ali (right) with their adviser Kimberly Blevins (middle). Photos by Alan Lu Photos by Alan Luperform at the fair, headlined by country star Matt Hillyer.
The night began with local acoustic musi cian Izzy Jeffery. Performing alone, Jeffery turned her act into a one-woman show, play ing the guitar and bass drum simultaneously. She showcased her unique catalog of solo art istry, leading to her Oct. 6 performances at the Yuengling Stage on fairgrounds.
Blues titan E.J. Matthews performed next, quickly winning over the crowd with catchy hooks and squeaking rooster crows’ in-be tween lyrics. Matthews’ energy sent a shock wave through the Hermann Hall crowd, ending each song with people on their feet. Matthews and his band oozed confidence and pure joy to be on stage, and it was all too infec tious. Experience the shockwave for yourself on. At press time, Matthews was scheduled to perform Oct. 1 at the Yuengling Stage. Third on the bill was the State Fair Records staple, Squeezebox Bandits. The band is among the most popular honky-tonk groups in the state, performing at most SFR events and selling out countless bars in-between.
Simon Pruitt Managing EditorBehind the corny dogs, football games and patriotic pageantry of the State Fair of Texas, which opened Sept. 30 and runs through Oct. 23, lies a live music wonderland that many fair goers don’t even notice.
Produced by Texas-based label State Fair Records, the fair will present over 50 art ists between two music stages: the Bud Light Stage and the Yuengling Stage. Nearly every artist signed to the label will be performing a set, along with a multitude of other talented locals and artists from around the country. On Sept. 23, State Fair Records held a Fair pre view concert at the historic Sons of Hermann Hall in Deep Ellum. Titled “Wild Ride,” the concert featured four of the artists slated to
Their accordion-brandishing lead singer, Abel Casillas, is known by anyone who’s been in the DFW music scene in recent years. The group will shrink to a duo on Oct. 9 for a per formance at the Yuengling Stage before bring ing the whole band in for an Oct. 20 shows at the Bud Light Stage.Lastly, the king of Dallas country arrived. Matt Hillyer took the stage and immediately turned the laid-back concert into a frenzied country dance hall.
On cue, everyone in the room got up, grabbed their partner and danced the night away. It became glaringly obvious why Hillyer was picked to headline, and even more obvi ous why he’s slated for a whopping four sets at the State Fair. Bring your dancing shoes and catch Hillyer live at the Bud Light Stage on Oct. 15, or for three consecutive Mondays, which at press time was scheduled to begin at the Yuengling Stage, Oct. 3 and continue Oct. 10 and Oct. 17.
As every year, Big Tex was put in place a week before weighs 27,000 pounds and is 55 feet tall.
Blanca Reyes Editor-in-Chief
He did it once again. Joe Kolanek, who works for Davis Crane Company, has been lifting Big Tex into place for years at the State Fair of Texas.
“This is my 10-11 time [lifting Big Tex]. I do it every year,” Kolanek said.
Although he has been doing the job for years, Kolanek said it is never the same experi ence. In addition to this, something different happened this year. Kolanek’s family and friends were there for the very first time to support him.
Dee Kolanek said her husband has been doing a great job and has even won a national award for safety crane operator of the year. She said that this year coming to support her husband came about organically.
“It just happened. The day he had to do it, the kids were out of school in Mansfield for the day; so, we just took the day off and decided this,” Dee Kolanek said.
Joe Kolanek said the crew got there at 5:30 a.m. to prepare everything for erecting the most iconic symbol of the state fair. First, they had to dress up Big Tex, who is sporting new
Lynett Smith wears the T-shirt in support of Joe Kolanek. Workers prepare to lift the right boot, part of the new ensamble, into place. Fair crew works on the right boot to finish with Big Tex setup, so the most famous Texan giant can welcome fairgoers on the opening day.clothes, a scarf and a belt, Kolanek said. The crew prepared Big Tex, so at 10 a.m. Kolanek could do his job.
“He did a great job even though his sister has been waiting for him to drop it,” Dee Kolanek said.
Besides Joe Kolanek’s wife and Morgan, his daughter, friends of the family were there to support him. One of them was Lynette Smith. She has known the Kolaneks for about six years and although every year Joe invites them to come, it never worked out until this year. Smith even had the idea of making some shirts to wear during the event to show their support for their friend.
“I thought it would be fun just to have a shirt in support of Joe,” Smith said.
She and Dee worked on the design to make it fun since it was a special occasion for them.
Morgan said she was happy to be at the event since she has always watched it on TV. She also said that the first year she attended was last year.
“Not a lot of people can say that their dad does this. It’s just my thing that I can brag about,” Morgan said.
After her first experience going to the fair last year, from now on she is planning to come every year.
Her favorite part of the fair, as for many, was the food. “I think my favorite was either the fried snickers or the taco cone. That was really good. And this year, I would like to try a cotton candy burrito,” Morgan said.
For more information about the state fair visit: https://bigtex.com/.
Photos by Blanca Reyes
Big Tex is ready to welcome fairgoers
Morgan and Dee Kolanek witness for the first time Big Tex’s installation.
before the official opening day, Sept. 30. According to Joe Kolanek, the big iconic symbol of the fair
Joe Kolanek is the person who operates the crane that lifts Big Tex into place. Kolanek has been doing the job for more than a decade.
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year, pHis panic Heritage Month: Dallas Community Leaders
From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year, peo ple, and especially the educational communi ty, are called upon to observe the history, cul ture, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South Amer ica.
According to hispanicheritagemonth.gov, “The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon B. Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day pe riod starting on Sept. 15 and ending on Oct. 15. It was enacted into law on Aug. 17 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.”
Consequently, Dallas College hosted its first event of Hispanic Heritage Month with a panel discussion at North Lake Campus on Sept. 20 and featured accomplished Hispan ic figures from within Dallas County and key leaders from Dallas College.
The event, dubbed “Hispanic Leaders: A Journey of Life and Leadership Through the Ages”, included Ana-Maria Ramos, House District 102 state representative, Dr. Stepha nie Elizalde, DISD superintendent, Cynthia Cano, digital marketing manager and Monica
The panelists discussed culture, genderbased expectations, trials, and triumphs. Nota bly, Elizalde spoke of the opposition she faced
less professional; that I didn’t need to wear a suit or a blazer to every meeting. At one point I was told I needed to be more emotional. I asked myself, would any of that have been said if I was a man?”
Rather than respond to criticism with bit terness, Elizalde said she gets creative. One time, in order to not be excluded from a group decision in which she was the only woman, Elizalde took up golf lessons so that she could join the guys at the golf course on Sundays and have her say in things.
Beyond tribulations, Bravo, who runs her own law firm, offered her advice for Hispanic young adults aspiring to be elected politicians and leaders.
Bravo has served on the City of Dallas Judi cial Nominating Commission. She was also in volved with the Dallas Bar Association, where she did pro bono volunteer work and worked with leaders throughout the community. She said there are so many different platforms such as these where one can help and hone leadership skills, without necessarily jumping straight into elected positions.
when she was superintendent of Austin ISD.
“The biggest challenge was being a woman and being a Latina in that position. I was told that it would make it easier for me in Austin if I used my mother’s maiden name. I was also told it would help if I would be less Latina and
“You can’t be an effective leader if you can’t take care of your basic needs first. You need to have a good paying job. Because [Hispanic people] don’t have a history of generational wealth, it’s important that you take care of yourself first, that you establish your career. Before you get [to a leadership position], find a way that you can get back.”
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Big Tex stands before the fair
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Staff Photos Leo Rosas Leo Rosas Staff Writer Lira Bravo district #4 chair, Board of Dallas College Trustees. Celina Rotunda and Hugo Patyn dance the traditional tango during Richland’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Lady hits a piñata during the Hispanic cul ture celebration. A group poses during the celebration. Photos Alan Lu Some of the female leaders pose at the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.Volleyball season is in full swing at Dallas College Richland Campus. Steve Cummings has replaced former volley ball head coach Zelda Smith.
Last year, he was assistant coach to the women's volleyball team and served as a volleyball head coach at North Lake Campus six years prior to that.
He also helped revive the volley ball program at North Lake and is no stranger to the coaching professions.
Cummings said he coached base ball for over 20 years before heading to North Lake. “I’ve been a head coach before.
I’ve had a lot of years of head coach ing. I was an assistant baseball coach when I just started so I kind of knew that role, both roles. So, it wasn’t a quick change becoming head coach, it's just about getting in the flow of things,” Cummings said.
Halfway through their season this fall, Cummings said their win against oppo nent Eastfield Campus was due to the “cutdown of unforced errors.”
In a volleyball match, an unforced error is a fault error made by members of the team such as passing a ball into the net or spiking it outside of the court.
Richland is well known for its soccer teams, but Cummings has hope his team can live up to the “school of champions.”
“Our team is really good when we play clean. We’ve beaten some scholarship schools and done real well there. We’ve got to get a little stronger mentally and get those unforced errors out and then we’ll be pretty good,” Cummings said.
Lynn Nabi is the new athletic director of the Richland campus. Nabi took over the position Sept. 19 after Guy Sim mons, the previous athletic director and basketball coach, retired. Nabi holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a Master of Science in sport and exercise.
Nabi said he spent the first week at Richland talking and meeting with the other coaches and walking around the campus.
Besides his job as athletic director, Nabi will work as the assistant coach for the women’s basketball team. For more information about the ath letic programs stop by Guadalupe Hall, room G112.
All events are free and open to the
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
National Night Out
El Paso Student Lounge
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Financial Aid Help Session
Thunderduck Hall, Room T225
Oct. 6
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Disability Awareness Celebration
Sabine Hall, Room SH-117
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Financial Aid Help Session
Thunderduck Hall, Room T225
12 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
National Coming Out Day
El Paso Student Lounge
Oct. 11
12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Zumba
East Breezeway
Photos Blanca Reyes Jade Phillips, #7, and Diamond Powers, #13, block the opponent during the game gainst Eastfield where Richland took the victory. Lynn Nabi is the new athletic director at the Richland campus. He will also be the as sistant women’s basketball coach. Left:Alexandria Causey, #9, Diamond Powers, #13, and Selah McDoweel try to save the ball during the game against Eastfield.Right: Andrea Miranda gets ready to serve the Photo Blanca Reyes
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