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Volume 52, Issue 28 | thursday, september 28, 2017 | ndsmcobserver.com
‘Rhinoceros’ examines rise of fascism Play premieres at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, runs through Oct. 8 By MARY STEURER News Writer
Courtesy of Abbey Schnell
Cast members rehearse for the play “Rhinoceros.” The play, about people turning into rhinoceroses, is a social commentary on the rise of fascism, and touches on the themes of identity, conformity and fear.
Pasquerilla East Hall supports women’s shelter By NATALIE CASAL News Writer
Pasquerilla East Hall will hold their annual event, “So You Think You Can Sync?” battle at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Washington Hall. The production, modeled on Jimmy Fallon’s lip sync battles, will include a wide variety of performers and styles. Samantha Scheuler, a senior assistant rector from Pasquerilla East Hall, emphasized the community building aspect of the event. “It will just be a great time for our community to get together and show the rest of campus what Pasquerilla East is all about,” Scheuler said. Performances will include mash-ups, classic rock and Britney Spears songs, as well as selections from “High School Musical” and “Annie.” Performance styles will be as diverse as the song selections, Schueler said. “Some are really choreographed, and some go the traditional route of really imitating the performer that sings the song,” she said. The proceeds from this
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event will benefit Hannah’s House, an organization providing shelter, emotional support and programming to pregnant women of all ages. All of Pasquerilla East’s signature events support this charity. Schuler said she hopes students will take this opportunity to assist an important cause while watching a great performance. “Who doesn’t like a talent show? Who doesn’t like people being vulnerable, putting themselves out there, getting a little goofy?” she said. The committee that planned the event has been working hard since August to put together a professional production, Scheuler explained. “It’s been a lot of planning and a lot of work at times over the last month, so I’m really hoping it just feels like a celebration,” Scheuler said. “I really hope that the five girls who have helped me plan this really enjoy it and can relax a little bit afterwards.” Pasquerilla East junior, committee member, and event stage manager Maggie Marino said she has enjoyed her work
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on the committee. “It’s definitely been a nice experience, doing things that I haven’t really done before,” she said. Marino said that as stage manager, she has worked closely with the sports marketing department in order to learn how to oversee the logistical minutiae of the event. “Basically in sports marketing one of the main things when you’re on the floor is just telling people when they can go on ... and making sure they’re off at the right time ... so that everything goes smoothly, so that’s basically what stage managing is,” Marino said. The committee is trying to take advantage of all of the facilities available to them in Washington Hall, Scheuler said. “A lot of the groups when they came to dress rehearsal weren’t expecting us to be as prepared — like with a stage manager, a lights person and a person on audio — as we were,” Scheuler said. “It was kind of cool to show them how see LIP SYNC PAGE 5
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In the play “Rhinoceros”, members of a small community mysteriously begin turning into rhinoceroses. Originally written by playwright Eugene Ionesco in the 1950s, the play is a social commentary on the rise of fascism and explores identity, conformity and fear. “Rhinoceros” premieres Thursday at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (DPAC) at 7:30 p.m. and will run through Oct. 8. Tickets can be purchased either at the box office in DPAC or on the DPAC website. Junior Joseph Blakey will
play the lead role, individualist Berenger. The play follows Berenger’s plight to remain true to his identity all the while seeing others around him turn into rhinoceroses. What makes Berenger unique, Blakey said, is his refusal to give into group mentality. “He’s not pretending to be someone else,” Blakey said. “He is who he is.” Junior Joe Crowley will play Jean, Berenger’s close friend. Narcissistic and confrontational, Jean is a character caught in the throes of internal struggle, Crowley said. Crowley said Jean is see RHINOCEROS PAGE 3
Saint Mary’s alumna works as Orr Fellow By COLLEEN ZEWE News Writer
The Orr Fellowship is a postgraduate professional opportunity in which selected graduates are placed with host companies in Indianapolis. Fellows work with their company for two years, participate in a curriculum meant to further develop their business education, according to the Orr Fellowship
website. Emily Rompola, a 2017 alumna, is one of many former Saint Mary’s students who entered the Fellowship after graduation. According to Rompola, she was selected out of 1,100 applicants to the Fellowship. Rompola currently works as a Customer Success Manager at the technology startup see ORR PAGE 5
Howard Hall to host charity event By SERENA ZACHARIAS News Writer
Howard Hall will host its annual signature event, Totter for Water, starting this Thursday at 4 p.m. and running for the next 24 hours. Howard residents will teeter-totter on South Quad in order to raise awareness and
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funds for the organization Engineers Without Borders. The group aims to design sustainable solutions to meet basic human needs. The proceeds will specifically go towards an effort to build a water well in Sangmelima, Cameroon. see TOTTER PAGE 4
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