DU Clarion Volume 124 Issue 06

FEB. 15, 2017

VOLUME 124, ISSUE 6

DU SWEEPS COLORADO COLLEGE

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No. 2 DU hockey dominated Colorado College in the annual Gold Pan series

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DUPB ANNOUNCES 2017 MUSICFEST ARTIST

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: DIVESTMENT THOUGHTS

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DU ORG SPOTLIGHT: THE 7 PIONEER PEP BAND pa g e

“THE SPITFIRE GRILL” LIGHTS UP DU THEATRE

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FEB. 15, 2017

| NEWS

D.R.A.M. to perform at DUPB’s 2017 MusicFest

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he University of Denver Programming Board (DUPB) announced its latest Music Fest artist on Feb. 10 at the DU hockey game against Colorado College.

DUPB announced that D.R.A.M. will be the 2017 headliner during the second intermission at Magness Arena.

D.R.A.M.(ShelleyMarshaunMassenburg-Smith) is best known for his single “Broccoli,” featuring Lil Yachty,

and other singles “Cash Machine” and “Cha Cha.” This year’s concert will take place at the Ogden Theatre on May 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Early bird tickets became available for $12 on Feb. 13 and will coninue to be sold while supplies last.

Music Fest’s debut performer in 2015 was Milky Chance, followed by last year’s artist Galantis.

ABOUT US

Jillian Queri | Clarion

SPORTS

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Men’s Lacrosse defeats Air Force in season opener

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he (3/3) Pioneers opened their 2017 campaign with a convincing 14-6 victory over the (19/17) Air Force Academy Falcons on Saturday, Feb. 11 at DU’s Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium.

Three different Pioneers recorded hat tricks in the season opener. 2016 Tewaaraton Award finalist and senior captain Connor Cannizzaro (Cazenovia, New York) led Denver with six points (4G - 2A).

Freshman attackman Ethan Walker (Peterborough, Ontario) registered five points in his debut (3G - 2A), recording the most points by a Pioneer freshman in their first career game since 2008.

Junior attackman Jeremy Bosher (Kamloops, British Columbia) totalled three goals.

An uncharacteristically low-scoring first-half perfor-

Sasha Kandrach | News Editor

Photo courtesy of DUPB

FEB. 15, 2017

DU CLARION

mance by the Pioneers was diminished following halftime.

“On offense we were getting the right looks,” Walker said. “We were getting the right shots, we just weren’t scoring and that was the biggest problem. Our game plan for the second-half was to go in with the same intensity, same enthusiasm and a push transition. We started hitting our shots and that was great to see.”

After taking a 3-1 lead during the opening 30-minutes of play, a three-goal burst over 17 seconds by the Pioneers shifted the momentum of a nine goal second-half execution.

“It changed the whole game,” said Head Coach Bill Tierney.

“You might look at the [final] score and see 14-6. But the reality was we scored five in that quarter but we had only had two, so we were at 7-4 at that point.”

Sophomore goalie Alex Ready (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) finished the afternoon with 10 saves.

Junior captain and faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste (Denville, New Jersey) completed the game with 15-for-18 faceoff attempts at the X, 12 ground balls and one goal.

Denver’s defense finished nearly perfectly on its clearing game, fulfilling 12-of-13. DU’s starting defensive line included senior captain Christian Burgdorf (Westfield, New Jersey), sophomore Dylan Johnson (Englewood, Colorado) and classmate Dylan Gaines (Baltimore, Maryland).

“They each have their own different kind of skill and personality out there,” Tierney said.

“Those three guys out there today have bought into coach [John] Orsen’s controlled aggressiveness. You got to be happy when you basically hold a team to five

or six goals in a 60-minute game.

That’s a credit to the defense.”

The Pioneers return to Peter Barton to continue their six-game homestand welcoming Duke University on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 12 p.m.

“Usually you always improve a great deal from your first to your second game,” Tierney said.

“Duke had the top recruiting class in the country. At times they played five freshmen against a pretty experienced Air Force team. [They are] highly skilled with great coaches. We know we have our hands full. It’s going to be interesting. Duke is always one of those teams where you say, ‘Wow if I can get a win on Duke it’s going to count later on.’ We’ve been fortunate the last two years to do that.”

Sasha Kandrach | News Editor

DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF JILLIAN QUERI, Editor-in-Chief Emertius KELLSIE BRANNEN, Executive Editor Emeritus

The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.”

Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion.com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion.

Reproduction of The Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of The Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Clarion. Weather forecasts are of courtesy of the National Weather Service. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation.

The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.

HOW TO JOIN

The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Driscoll Underground. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.

JOHN POE, Editor-in-Chief Elect RYAN NINESLING, Executive Editor Elect SASHA KANDRACH, News Editor BRAIDEN ALBRECHT-REED, Sports Editor GRACE CARSON, Opinions Editor SYDNEY KAPP, Lifestyles Editor DUSTIN AMICK, Photo/Video Editor TARYN ALLEN, Copy Editor MADISON HELLER, Copy Editor OLIVIA HYDE, Social Media Director ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser

CONTRIBUTING STAFF JUSTIN CYGAN GEORGA FEEK DANIEL LORENZO ANNMARIE MARLOW CAITLAN GANNAM

Dustin Amick | Clarion

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| SPORTS

FEB. 15, 2017

Women’s lacrosse upsets No. 12 Stanford

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he DU women’s lacrosse team went 2-0 on their non-conference California road trip, defeating the University of California, Berkeley 15-5 on Feb. 10 and No. 12 ranked Stanford University 10-7 on Feb. 12.

Despite going down 1-0 early against California, Denver would rally to post a commanding 5-1 lead at halftime. DU received first half goals from five different players, including a goal and an assist from junior midfield Katherine Fischer (Upper Nyack, New York).

California would once again open up the scoring in the second half, but Denver would quickly answer with three goals of their own. Helping to extend the lead to 8-2 was Fischer and sophomore midfield Kendra Lanuza (Littleton, Colorado), each posting their second of the game.

California midfield and Denver native Caroline Schlegel scored one

of her two goals to put Cal back within five, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback.

DU sophomore midfield Elizabeth Behrins (Basking Ridge, New Jersey) caught fire late in the game, scoring a hat-trick in the game’s final 13:02.

Returning senior goalkeeper Maddy Stevenson (Bainbridge Island, Washington) made nine saves, including two in the second half, to secure the 15-5 win for the Pioneers.

The team’s second game of the weekend saw the Pioneers play the underdog card, going up against No. 12 ranked Stanford. Scoring five of the game’s first six goals, Denver was able to stifle a Cardinal comeback en route to a 10-7 win.

Once again, Stevenson brought her A-game in net for the Pioneers.

Her incredible, 16-save performance set a career-high, while she also

added four ground balls in the effort.

Again turning in a marquee performance, Lanuza tore up the Stanford defense for three goals by the 18:37 mark, giving Denver a 5-1 lead. She would finish with four goals on four shots, including going one-for-one on free position shots.

Stanford didn’t go lightly in this match, fighting back to a score of 5-7 at halftime, trailing the Pioneers by only two. A goal with only 23 seconds left in the frame helped the Cardinal’s momentum heading into a pressure-packed second half.

Denver would rely on sophomore midfield Julia Feiss (Baltimore, Maryland) to extend their lead, which she accomplished only 50 seconds into the second half, upping the advantage to 8-5. Her second goal of the game, Feiss would add one more for the hat-trick later to advance the score to 10-6.

Stanford scored one more goal to come within three, but then Stevenson shut the door. Making six saves between Stanford’s final goal at 15:01 and the final whistle, her sparkling performance led Denver to a road victory over one of the top women’s lacrosse programs in the country, 10-7.

As a result of their successful weekend, the team was ranked No. 19 on the Cascade Women’s Division I Media Poll and No. 16 in the U.S. Lacrosse Magazine Poll.

It’s the Pioneers’ first time being ranked since receiving the No. 20 spot in the coaches and media polls on Feb. 23, 2015.

Denver improved to 3-0 on the season with the two victories and have not yet begun conference play. Their next match-up will be at home on Feb. 18 against the University of Louisville.

Braiden Albrecht-Reed | Sports Editor

FEB. 15, 2017

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SPORTS | 5

No. 2 DU hockey sweeps Colorado College

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he No. 2-ranked Pioneers (20-6-4, 12-3-3) dominated the Colorado College (CC) Tigers (7-19-2, 3-13-2) in the annual Gold Pan series, sweeping the Tigers 2-1 on Friday, Feb. 10 and 5-1 on Saturday Feb. 11 of the home-and-home series.

Saturday’s victory extended DU’s 20-win regular season to 16, the longest active in the NCAA, and clinched home-ice advantage of Round One of the NCHC Playoffs having advanced past Minnesota-Duluth in conference standings.

“We feel good about being in the NCHC; we’ve never been in this situation,” said Head Coach Jim Montgomery. “Six games left and it’s us and [Minnesota] Duluth going head-to-head here seeing who can prevail. It’s exciting because every time you have an opportunity to win a championship, it helps you prepare for the ultimate championship at the end.”

World Juniors star and Anaheim Ducks prospect sophomore Troy Terry (Denver) returned

to the lineup after sustaining an upper body injury against Western Michigan on Jan.13 and missing five games. Freshman leading goal-scorer and Florida Panthers prospect Henrik Borgstrom (Helsinki, Finland) started both games, despite being ill all week and missing practice.

Friday’s game at Magness Arena was sold-out as the Pioneers edged out the Tigers 2-1. Denver’s first shot of the night resulted in a goal, as junior defenseman Adam Plant (Penticton, British Columbia) buried a slap-shot from the point 1:17 in the game. Sophomore forward Jarid Lukosevicius (Squamish, British Columbia) doubled DU’s lead on the powerplay, striking 5:34 into the second period.

CC denied Pioneer goaltender Tanner Jaillet (Red Deer, Alberta) the cleansheet, scoring with 2:46 remaining in the second period.

Denver outshot CC 39-15, with phenomenal efforts admitted by Tiger freshman netminder Alex Leclerc.

Travelling to the Tigers’ World

Arena on Saturday, DU secured their 12th-consecutive win over CC as three freshman, one senior and one sophomore scored in the Pioneers’ 5-1 victory.

Freshmen Michael Davies (St. Louis, Missouri) and Tyson McLellan (San Jose, California) gave Denver a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission, with Davies’ score coming on the powerplay.

Classmate Liam Finlay (Kelowna, British Columbia) had a hand in each of the conversions, increasing his point total to 10 (3G - 7A).

“Everyone has gained a little more experience and played prominent minutes,” Montgomery said.

“I think you see that now. We’re getting a guy like [Liam] Finlay who wasn’t getting the minutes before the Terry injury and now he’s getting them; it’s just carrying over.”

Senior assistant captain Evan Janssen (Green Bay, Wisconsin) buried his seventh of the season off of a backhanded pass from San Jose Sharks prospect sophomore Dylan Gambrell (Bonney Lake, Washing-

ton) 6:14 into the second period.

CC got on the board during one of their six powerplay opportunities of the evening.

With 46 seconds remaining in the middle frame, Borgstrom picked up a CC turnover inside Denver’s own blueline and glided for a breakaway. He converted his 15th goal of the season to extend Denver’s lead 4-1.

Denver held CC to single-digit shots in the first two periods, outshooting the Tigers 17-8 and 10-4, respectively, but CC gained momentum in the third, breaking double digits 11-16.

Pioneer and Colorado Springs native sophomore Colin Staub finished off the night by scoring with 1:32 remaining in regulation, finalizing the Pioneers’ 5-1 victory.

Denver travels next to Goggin Ice Arena for a conference series against the University of MiamiOhio on Friday, Feb. 17 and 18.

Sasha Kandrach | News Editor

Gusto Kubiak | Clarion

The Big Leagues: Avalanche buried by misguided Execs

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itting dead-last in the National Hockey League (NHL) standings with 32 points, the Colorado Avalanche have become the laughing stock of professional hockey. Despite having several high draft picks on the team, Colorado ranks last in goals for per game (2.04) and goals against per game (3.35).

Seven teams have more wins than Colorado has actual points.

General Manager Joe Sakic joined the Avalanche’s front office in May 2013, but a flawed vision, mismanagement of assets and over-valuing certain player characteristics have marred his time as an executive.

Early in Sakic’s tenure, Colorado seemed to finally be entering contender status after finishing first in the Central Division in 2013.

Colorado won their division despite having terrible advanced statistics, a red flag that their record did not fully reflect their performance. Despite this fact, Sakic pulled the trigger on short-sighted deals to patch up roster holes instead of building for the long-term.

In all, Colorado has sacrificed the equivalent of three second-round picks, one third, one fourth, one fifth,

one sixth and AHL-All Star prospect Kyle Wood for Reto Berra, Brad Stuart, Eric Gelinas, Daniel Briere, Shawn Matthias and Mikkel Boedker since 2014. None of the acquired players are on the Avalanche active roster as of 2017.

Valuing leadership and savvy over skill and potential has also plagued Sakic. Free agents Jarome Iginla and Francois Beauchemin were each handed three-year contracts, despite being past their primes. Iginla has only 15 points this year, while Beauchemin has 13.

They collectively use $9.8 million in cap space.

Iginla, a former captain, and Beauchemin, a former and current alternate captain, haven’t been able to translate their leadership qualities into wins once their skills declined.

Sakic previously acquired Danny Briere, another former captain, who flopped for the Avs. Former Colorado first-round pick Connor Bleakley was a captain for his junior hockey team but didn’t necessarily have great offensive or skating attributes. Another misfire, he was the only first rounder in the 2014 draft to not be signed.

Veteran bottom-six forwards

Joe Colborne, Blake Comeau and John Mitchell have combined for 17 points, illustrating a lack of youth and talent to help with depth scoring.

Presently on defense, Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie and Nikita Zadorov provide a flawed, yet solid base for the future. Johnson has struggled with injuries in the past three seasons, Barrie owns a negative 27 rating this season and Zadorov has yet to curb his affinity for taking unnecessary penalties.

Former second round picks Chris Bigras and Nicolas Meloche could accentuate the top-four in the future, but both are at least two years away from those responsibilities.

Moving forward, Sakic may be able to salvage his job, whether he deserves to or not. Players on expiring contracts will be actively shopped to teams at the trade deadline, while moving Beauchemin, Colborne or Comeau would help clear cap space for next season.

Duchene and Landeskog have been involved in trade talks, but Colorado doesn’t have the players or prospects to replace them.

Although it’s tempting to fix the league’s worst defense by dangling

top forwards, the reality is the Avalanche also own the league’s worst offense.

Colorado will have about $23 million in cap space for 2017, per spotrac.com. After making some necessary re-signing moves, that number comes closer to $17 million to fill two defensemens’ and four forwards’ spots.

Even if the Avalanche finish last in the NHL standings, the team’s odds of receiving the first overall pick are only 17.9 percent. Enduring this terrible season only to potentially receive the fourth overall pick and missing on the draft’s top two talents, Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, would be a punch in the gut.

If Sakic has translated his view into a long-term one, the Avalanche can begin rebuilding before the trade deadline on March 1 by accumulating assets. If he continues to overextend players in free agency and misjudge the team’s progression curve, he may not only bury the Avalanche’s hopes for the next couple years but also into the 2020s.

Braiden Albrecht-Reed | Sports Editor

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

Caitlan Gannam | Clarion

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FEB. 15, 2017

| OPINIONS

FEB. 15, 2017

DU CLARION

OPINIONS

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PIONEER FUNNIES

PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:

If you could brainwash anybody, who would it be?

“If I had to brainwash anybody, it would be my accounting professor, because I’m awful at accounting and I need an A in that class.”

Dimitri Veleris, Junior

“If I could brainwash anyone, it would definitely be D. Trump.”

Stefan Bratic, Senior

Letter to the Editor:

An alumnus’s thoughts on divestment

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“President Trump.”

“I would brainwash the Pope.”

Kyle Sun, Sophomore

Jonas Poodle, Senior

y decision to enroll at the University of Denver was in part directed by its stated vision of being a “great private university dedicated to the public good.” It was in learning of this commitment during my campus tour and seeing it plastered on admission information that I came to believe that DU would be a good home for me—a place I could identify with for the rest of my life.

Unfortunately, DU’s recent decision against divestment has demonstrated the university administration’s empty commitment to these values. Rather, after reading the report, it seems to me that the Divestment Task Force was more committed to process than to progress, more committed to jurisprudence than to justice.

Instead, the report affirms DU’s commitment to maximizing profit

irrespective of “investment constraints established for political or social reasons” or, stated differently, irrespective of morals or the university’s purported values.

As such, the report makes it clear that money is a more salient motivator than the future lives of its students, a decision that has transformed my relationship with the University of Denver.

In addition to missing an invaluable opportunity to champion its values through supporting the futures of its community members and the public good, DU’s decision to maintain its investments in the fossil fuel industry actively supports the climate catastrophe. By maintaining over $20 million, which was stated in the Task Force report titled “Ends and Means” in fossil fuel-related holdings, DU connects its financial prosperity to the strength and viability of the fossil fuel industry.

In turn, this connection forces DU to actively root for the continued financial growth of the fossil fuel industry, growth that is scientifically irreconcilable with the safety and prosperity of DU’s community and the planet at large.

Furthermore, this connection places the ethical burden of DU’s fossil fueled profits on its students with financial aid, forcing many students to accept a financially accessible education predicated upon the continued exploitation of the Earth and its most vulnerable communities — a financially accessible education that comes at the the price of their and their children’s futures.

In deciding to maintain its financial support of the fossil fuel industry, the University of Denver has lost the value of its brand, the trust of its students and the support of its alumni. This decision is irreconcilable with the university’s

stated vision as well as my moral values, and it has forced a fundamental change in my relationship with my Alma Mater. More specifically, reading the Board’s decision as articulated in the “Ends and Means” report transformed my pride in having graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Denver into embarrassment and disillusionment. I cannot, in good conscious, continue my donations, endorsements, recommendations and general support for an institution that not only remains complicit but actively supports and empowers climate catastrophe. I only hope that DU can learn from this mistake, and in time regain the support and respect of alumni like myself.

Truly Yours, An embarrassed and disillusioned DU alumni

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| LIFESTYLES

FEB. 15, 2017

Celebrating Valentine’s Day in Denver W

ith February being the month of love, you most likely have many plans to celebrate with you and your partner.

To help you celebrate, here is a list of ideas near and far from campus.

The following suggestions are split between two locations meant for a splurge and two that won’t break the bank.

1. The Brown Palace Tea $$$$

This is the most extravagant and elegant option on this list, and therefore also one of the most expensive. However, it is also maybe the most romantic option.

The Brown Palace is a world famous hotel located in downtown Denver.

It is renowned for its Old World charm and elegance, and especially for its afternoon tea time that lends one to feeling like European roy-

alty. Open daily 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the tea service features an array of freshly-made teas with scones, finger sandwiches and live piano and harp music. The tea service also takes place in the hotel’s beautiful atrium lobby. Reservations are recommended. The cheapest tea option comes out to a whopping $40, so the Palace is definitely a splurge, but it’s maybe the best way to make your special someone feel like a princess/prince.

2. Sushi Den $$$

If you attend DU, chances are you’ve heard of this award winning sushi restaurant located on Pearl Street, and you’ve probably heard very good things. The fact is, Sushi Den is considered by some to be the absolute best restaurant in Denver and almost unanimously is considered the best sushi in the

city. The restaurant has a beautiful, romantic and intimate atmosphere that greatly enhances its already perfected offerings for Valentine’s Day. Book a reservation as early as possible. Much like the Brown Palace, a full meal at Sushi Den is going to cost a pretty penny, but it is worth the high price. Better Japanese food cannot be found anywhere else within the city, if not much of the country.

3. Deiter’s Chocolates $

Located on Evans Avenue next to Illegal Pete’s, Deiter’s Chocolates offers a copious amount of delicious chocolate assortments for your special someone. The shop is locally owned and a follows a long tradition of Bavarian chocolate making. The store is also offering an hour long couple’s date ses-

sion on Valentine’s Day during which a couple will spend an hour with the chocolatier trying different chocolates, enjoying dipped strawberries and pairing wines.

4. Fiske Planetarium $ ($10.99 for two people)

Why stay on Earth this Valentine’s Day? The University of Colorado Fiske Planetarium in Boulder offers daily shows (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) that explore space through immersive visual presentations. There might not be food or drink, but this trip through the cosmos offers a different type of romantic experience, one that isn’t bound to simple Earth pleasures. If you are inclined, The Kitchen, Kimbal Musk’s flagship farm-to-table restaurant in Boulder, offers a fantastic post-space travel dining option.

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pring break at DU is sig- will primarily be talking to nificantly shorter than locals, developers and non-govwinter break, yet there ernmental organizations to are still many oppor- discuss the cultural shifts of tunities to take a quick Spring the country post-imperialism.

Interterm class and earn credit, While in Puerto Rico, students whether you’re traveling or will examine the deeper psyhanging around DU. This year, chological connections of music interterm classes will begin on in an entirely new atmosphere.

March 18, running until March Currently, the deadline for the 26, and there is quite the selec- class in Nicaragua has passed, tion for course destinations. but it wouldn’t hurt to reach

A management course out and see if they have any called “Sustainable Decisions— unexpected openings. The class Alaska’s Iditarod Way” is being in Puerto Rico is still accepting offered in multiple cities in applications until Feb. 25.

Alaska, departing on March 18 There are a few other and returning on March 26. As traveling courses being offered part of this course, students during spring break, but there will get the chance to discuss are also a variety of courses and examine sustainable deci- being held on DU’s campus. sions made in Alaska from both “Feminism and Film,” “Small traditional and modern per- Business Start Up and Manspectives. The program fee is agement” and “Technology $2,200, which does not include in Marketing and Versions of airfare. The deadline to apply is Magical Realism in Literature Feb. 15. and Cinema” are just a few.

If you’re looking to head All Spring Interterm south to Latin America, there courses can be viewed on the are two classes being offered DU Interterm page at www. in that region: “Development du.edu/specpro/interterm, and Dilemmas,” a geology class in students can apply for financial Nicaragua, and “Psychology aid to help offset the costs of of Music” in Puerto Rico. The these academic opportunities program fees for these classes on DU’s Interterm Financial are $1,600 and $1,250, respec- Aid page. tively, which do not include airfare. In Nicaragua, students Georga Feek | Contributing Writer

Georga Feek | Clarion

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LIFESTYLES | 9

DU Org Spotlight: Pioneer Pep Band

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f you have ever attended a DU sporting event, you may have noticed the small but enthusiastic group of instrumentalists accompanying the athletes, coaches and spectators. They play for hockey and basketball games, university events and occasionally even lacrosse, volleyball or swimming. They always play hit songs to pump up players and crowds alike.

They root for Denver and cheerfully heckle the opponents. They are the Pioneer Pep Band.

The band, usually made up of a random assortment of trumpets, trombones, saxophones, clarinets, tubas and drums, attends games to amp up school spirit and have a good time. When they are not performing songs, they are accompanying the cheerleaders or

coming up with clever insults for the opposing team.

Some of the popular tunes for the Pioneer Pep Band include: “Sweet Caroline,” “Bad Romance,” “Uptown Funk,” “Hey, Baby” and “Gimme Some Lovin’.” The band also commonly plays the National Anthem before games, as well as the school fight song, “DU Rah,” at the start and end of games and when the hockey team scores a goal.

Joseph Walsh, Pioneer Pep Band Director, has been running the show for eight years and has loved every minute of it.

Joe, as he is amicably known by all, loves “the fun atmosphere, sports and cheering on the teams.

Being with friends and having a good time—that’s probably the best part. That’s really what we aim for.”

One perk that most people do not know is that members of the pep band get paid for performing (between $20 to $35 per game), which can be a fun and relatively easy way to earn some extra money on campus. Aside from the monetary compensation, band members receive free entry to any sporting event at which they perform. There is often free DU apparel, merchandise offered and occasionally, free food. Furthermore, at least once a year, there is an all-expense-paid trip to travel with athletic teams. Pioneer Pep Band is also an opportunity to meet new people and have a great time making music. Participation can also be registered as course credit in music or arts, humanities and social sciences.

There is no audition process to join the Pioneer Pep Band;

any instrumentalist at any level is welcome to play. Currently, there are music majors, music enthusiasts, locals, visitors, students and alumni who perform. New members can join at any point, but most of the gigs occur during the Fall and Winter Quarters. Joining the band is also fairly noncommittal, as there are only a handful of rehearsals each fall and game attendance is based on weekly availability.

Those interested in playing with the Pioneer Pep Band should contact Walsh at walsh4tuba@gmail.com.

Taryn Allen | Copy Editor

Justin Cygan | Staff Writer

Spring Interterm classes at DU Taryn Allen | Clarion

FEB. 15, 2017

Photo courtesy of Pioneer Pep Band Facebook

Pio Personality: Professor Ben Nourse T

his week we meet Professor Ben Nourse a visiting assistant professor in the Religious Studies Department. He came to DU three years ago and is currently a candidate for a Buddhism tenured-track position at DU. Professor Nourse teaches courses such as Religions of Tibet, Buddhism in the U.S.A and a Freshman Seminar (FSEM) called Buddhist Meditation. Nourse says that he has enjoyed every course that he has taught, but the FSEM he instructed this past fall holds a special place in his heart.

Professor Nourse grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and moved to attend school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for his undergraduate studies in Chinese literature and politics. After his undergrad, he was not certain about what he wanted to do with his degree, so he moved to Seattle and became a farmer. Nourse worked at a vegetable farm and sold the produce at the world famous Pike Place Market.

After moving around Southeast Asia and working various jobs such as being a middle school teacher, working at a shipping company and even doing lawn work for DU’s sororities and fraternities, he decided to go back to school. Professor Nourse then attended the University of Virginia where he earned his M.A and Ph.D in religious studies.

“Next time you see a farmer or a lawn worker, think to yourself, ‘Hey, they could be my professor,’” said Nourse.

Soon after graduation, Professor Nourse moved to Denver because his mom and two sisters lived here. He was familiar with DU and really liked the fact that Denver and Boulder have large Buddhist communities.

So far, his favorite memory during his time at DU was seeing the Pioneer community come together in times of political disappointment.

“There’s been so much going on within DU, Denver and the U.S. I’ve been making an effort to go to different workshops, rallies and demonstrations on campus and around town, and I’ve been really happy to see members of DU in support of one another. It’s really made me proud to be part of this supportive community,” said Nourse. “The most important thing I’ve learned while being at DU is about my privilege as a white, heterosexual male, and I think it’s always good to learn more about such important topics.”

Aside from being involved on campus, Professor Nourse enjoys reading, playing guitar, rapping, hanging out with his four-year-old daughter, cooking and baking (pies are his speciality). He has run also two marathons and one 50k and plans to run another marathon sometime this year.

“I love hiking, camping, running and gardening—just being active outdoors,” he said.

His favorite genres of music are blues, jazz, Roots Americana, gospel, “folksy, rooty music,” Bollywood and especially hip hop.

When asked what he would tell someone if he could only tell

Maya Pinon | Clarion

them one thing about himself, he responded, “I just want to be your friend. I’m a friendly guy. Also, I’m Margaret’s dad—that’s the most important part about my identity right now.”

Maya Piñon | Staff Writer

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| LIFESTYLES

FEB. 15, 2017

Beans After Dark: A hidden gem for 21+ Pios

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he student-run Beans Coffee Shop in the Knoebel School of Hospitality is well-known as a convenient and cozy standby for caffeine on campus. But their after-hours bar service known as “Beans After Dark” is an underappreciated hotspot for kicking back after class, especially for students who are 21 and up.

Hosted every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Beans After Dark is a friendly and intimate space that remains the sole place to purchase alcohol on campus.

Beans After Dark is essentially an extension of Beans’ regular hours (all of the coffee and food from normal hours is still available), with the addition of adult drinks on hand and usually a quieter mood. Last Thursday night brought a mix of students doing homework in the

corners, some hosting meetings for organizations and some just catching up with friends. The night also featured the amusing addition of professors grabbing drinks together.

The drink menu was impressive in terms of both cost and quality. A selection of four seasonal beers were available for $4 a bottle, as well as a variety of red and white wines for the great price of $5 a glass. According to Beans assistant manager and frequent Beans After Dark bartender Marigrace Scrivanich (senior, hospitality management), the bar just started stocking a new brand of Chilean wine, which enabled the remarkably low price point.

“You can definitely find the same bottle of wine at restaurants for $8 to $10 a glass,” Scrivanich said.

Photo courtesy of Zoe Klein

She also recommended the Syrah for a bold, peppery red wine, but the Pinot Noir proved to be an excellently smooth, easy-todrink alternative.

The highlight of the alcohol menu, though, was certainly the custom cocktail specials, which rotate every two weeks. The creative flair of the hospitality students is apparent in these fun offerings, such as the Hot Mulled Wine that was offered during the coldest days of the quarter.

Last week’s offering, a Spiced Old Fashioned, was like the classy older brother of Fireball whiskey: delicious, though perhaps a bit strong for a newly 21-year-old reporter with a low BMI. Stay tuned for a Valentine’s Day-themed Pomegranate Martini this year, as well as a Bailey’s Irish Cream concoction set to debut around St. Patrick’s Day.

With its stellar drinks, convenience and relaxed atmosphere, it’s a wonder Beans After Dark hasn’t become more popular.

“Most of our usual clientele consists of the staff of Daniels [College of Business], but it seems like the word hasn’t gotten out.

We’d love to see more students coming in,” said Beans Co-Manager Rebecca Rodeheffer (senior, hospitality management). She also recommended the $4 charcuterie snack box as a great snack to pair with wine.

If you’re an older Pio looking for some good drinks on campus, take Rodeheffer’s thoughts about Beans After Dark to heart: “It’s the Beans you know with the friendly baristas and cozy atmosphere you love, but plus alcohol.

Why not come?”

Daniel Lorenzo | Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of Zoe Klein

Maven Car Sharing: A Pio’s perspective D

uring DU’s Winter Carnival in Keystone from Feb 3 to 5, I had the opportunity to try out the new car sharing company, Maven.

Maven started development in 2015 and was formally launched in January. of 2016. Maven is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors (GM) and has now launched in 17 cities across the United States and Canada.

The company has 60 cars spread throughout Denver.

Maven’s fleet features cars ranging from the Chevy Volt to the GMC Yukon. When compared to other car-sharing services like ZipCar or car2go, Maven is competitive on all fronts.

Maven’s most affordable option is the Chevy Cruze which starts at $8 per hour or $80 per day, plus taxes. According to Zipcar’s website, Maven’s base price

is 20 percent cheaper than other car sharing programs and doesn’t charge any monthly membership fees. Maven also includes all the gas you need, insurance for the car and 180 miles per day- something that other car sharing companies don’t include.

Maven vehicles also include a ton of features, such as Apple Carplay and Android Auto. On my trip, I used Apple Carplay with my iPhone, and in a car sharing environment, it’s a game changer. Upon plugging in one’s phone, the interface is familiar and loads all of your music, contacts and destinations.

“We’re seeing strong utilization. Our adoption is strong.

We’re growing and the feedback from members has been great,” said Lindsey Whiddon, the general manager of Maven’s Denver market.

For the weekend, I drove a 2016 GMC Yukon that could fit seven.

The Yukon was also fully loaded.

The car was an absolute hit with my friends, as the large vehicle could hold all of our ski equipment without a problem (all of Maven’s SUVs come equipped with ski racks in the winter and bike racks in the summer).

Reserving and using the Maven vehicle is unbelievably simple with their apps for iOS and Android.

Within the app, you select, book and use your phone to unlock the car. There are no keys to lose or fumble with. This made me a bit nervous as we drove out of Denver and into the mountains, but I never once had an issue connecting to the vehicle. I picked up the Yukon in downtown Denver, which was incredibly simple using light rail.

As you approach the vehicle, using bluetooth and WiFi, the vehi-

cle measures your distance and unlocks functionality in the app.

Maven hopes to expand their offerings with DU students in the future, as they currently only feature a GMC Acadia on campus (located on the corner of Evans Avenue and University Boulevard).

Maven works very well for college students, as most only need to drive seldom and could end up saving quite a bit of money by getting rid of personal vehicles.

Between gas, parking and insurance, bringing a car on campus can cost over $175 per month. Using Maven to get around town is very easy and convenient, and I give it a two thumbs up review.

You can use the code “DUClarion” for 20 percent off your first drive this month with Maven.

Christian Prenzler | Contributing Writer

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“Norse Mythology” is a striking new novel by Neil Gaiman

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n Tuesday, Feb. 7, Neil Gaiman, author of “Neverwhere” and “Coraline,” released his newest novel “Norse Mythology.” Holding true to the heart of the original folktales, the book travels from the genesis of nine worlds to the final battle, Ragnarok. In between are accounts of vengeance, love, glory and sacrifice.

The English writer developed an obsession with Germanic mythology as a child reading American comics by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, as well as Roger Green’s novel “Myths of the Norsemen.” He, like so many others, was allured by the fantastic and foreboding city of

Asgard inhabited by its motley of fascinating gods who both create and destroy.

Gaiman retells the beloved myths in a way that is both modern and ancient. In the intro, he explains that while researching for the book, he did not reread the comics and novels that enamored him when he was young. Instead he studied translated sources such as Snorri Sturluson’s “Prose Edda” and the verses of the “Poetic Edda,” texts that are 900 years old and rich with authentic Norse tradition.

Since the days when the Vikings preserved their religion within these vivid myths, the lives of Thor and his hammer Mjollnir as well as Odin the

All-Father and the vindictive Loki have been retold innumerable times through music, comics, art, film and novels. The archaic stories will always adapt to modern times because within the myths are gods who embody innately human qualities from greed to deception to vanity and envy. Like Biblical parables, Norse myths were intended to teach character and to explain the unexplainable, such as the creation of life and where one goes after death.

The myths Gaiman chose to retell are mixtures of different takes on a variety of stories from his collected sources of medieval prose and poetry. The highly acclaimed novelist has proved, yet again, his capacity to

transport readers into complex, mystical worlds that are so intimately detailed they seem almost familiar. The stories told are of ancient Viking tales, and yet, Gaiman articulates them in such a way that it is as though a narrator from the 21st century traveled to the beginning of time, to the land of Asgard, and recorded the events as a he perceived them.

Through shrewd skill, vibrant imagery and the author’s long-standing admiration for the northern legends, Gaiman has managed to make Norse Mythology, at nearly 1000 years old, resurface as a fresh and contemporary text.

AnnMarie Marlow | Contributing Writer Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

“John Wick: Chapter 2” is the perfect example of a sequel done right

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f there was any kind of entertainment that needed a kick in the teeth over the past decade, it was the action film. In an era where Hollywood was boring people to death with the same kinds of action plots and characters over and over again, “John Wick” arrived to tell the story of a quiet hitman thrust back into a strange criminal underworld to avenge his murdered dog. It was quite unlike anything anyone had ever seen before, and now “John Wick: Chapter 2” has arrived to deliver a sequel in the same manner.

“Chapter 2” follows Wick (Keanu Reeves, “The Matrix”) as he is once again forced to abandon his retirement when an Italian mobster (Riccardo Scamarcio, “Burnt”) who helped him leave his

criminal life behind wants him to return the favor. After the subsequent job results in a bounty on his life, Wick must fight to survive as the entire criminal underworld comes after him.

It all sounds a little recycled, but the beauty of a “John Wick” film is that it takes this basic premise and throws it into an obsessively realized world populated with fantastic characters.

Everything about the film is a step above its modern action contemporaries, from the style to the world building. It’s basically a bullet-ridden fairy tale.

What makes the sequel so impressive is that it capitalizes marvelously on the promises of its predecessor. All the curious details are still here: the special criminal currency of gold coins, the hotels while assassins must play nice or Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment

face execution by management and the endless roster of unique bit characters that serve to make the world all the more colorful. From a mute and mischievous bodyguard (Ruby Rose, “Orange is the New Black”) to an eccentric king of an assassin’s guild comprised of New York City’s homeless (Laurence Fishburne, “The Matrix”), characters who spend only mere minutes on screen are expertly realized and serve as brilliant foils to the often silent anger of Reeve’s Wick. The world in which these films take place is alone worth the price of admission.

While this is all good fun, it’s of course the action that’s the star of the show. Reeves, who famously trains extremely hard for the role, looks smooth as hell as he expertly puts down countless assassins and henchmen with a unique mix of

shooting and kung-fu. The movie is a high-octane ride that only gets more ridiculous as it goes on, gleefully pushing the limits at every turn. It’s an absolute thrill to watch, and it’s made all the better by some improvements over the first film in terms of the script.

There’s a wit here that the first film sometimes lacked, and it fuels the cool attitude of the film as it knowingly presents its preposterously fun set pieces. As Wick and an enemy fire walk stone-faced through a oblivious crowd shooting silenced guns at each other or as he takes out attackers with a pencil, the film is coolly confident knowing just how crazy entertaining it is. “John Wick: Chapter 2” knows exactly what its audience wants, and it delivers it with gloriously wild aplomb.

Ryan Ninesling | Executive Editor Elect

Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment

“Fifty Shades Darker” is a lifeless affair

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or a franchise whose original book series has a reputation for exciting women with its spontaneous acts of BDSM (bondage, domination, submission and masochism), the film sequel “Fifty Shades Darker” oddly features Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson, “How to Be Single”) undressed more often than Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan, “The Fall”). This is just one of the many confusing things about this film, which is desperately trying to repeat the same feat as its successful (and critically hated) counterpart “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

The film, directed by James Foley (“Glengarry Glen Ross”), begins by following Anastasia as we see her living independently from Christian after breaking up with him. This time alone does not last long, as Christian stalks his way to finding her, where he then asks for a renegotiation in order to get her back. No rules, no punishments is his offer. Anastasia, without put-

ting up a fight, easily agrees to these terms. For the remainder of the film’s running time, both Anastasia and Christian learn to adapt to their new relationship. Christian tries to learn how to not have a women be his “submissive,” and Anastasia tries to understand why Christian enjoys being so dominant.

This second installment—at the bare minimum—is supposed to keep the provocative qualities that originally made the first film successful whilst continuing its story.

More or less, “Fifty Shades Darker” is just two hours of the pair dating with some awkward pauses for the mandatory sex scenes.

The dialogue and pacing is brutal and the characters do not make it any less bearable. Christian is intended to come across as the desirable broken man who comes from rags to riches. In reality, he’s just a creepy jerk. His attempts to be in a normal relationship with Anastasia still involve him controlling her in ways that are uncalled for. What’s more frus-

trating is that Anastasia still sticks around and obeys him. This film tries to make her look like a blossoming wallflower, but she is not nearly as autonomous as the film and Christian think her to be.

If Christian’s hostile behaviour is supposed to be charming, then there is absolutely no actual romance between the two. The lack of cute moments only made the sex scenes a part of the problem with the film’s pacing. Once a pop song begins to play, the audience can quickly understand what is going to happen…benign Rated-R sex.

Although the sex scenes were bland and unnecessary, there was a time where an effort was made to switch things up—during one sexual encounter, jazz music was playing.

The makers of the film make it clear that they do not care about its audience. Author of the series E.L. James had disagreements with “Fifty Shades of Grey” screenplay adapter Kelly Marcel for not seeing eye-to-eye in deciding how to be faithful to the novel. James’s hus-

band Niall Leonard wrote this film instead, and the dialogue suffers miserably from this. Also, this is not the thriller the trailers mislead one to believe. That, along with other minor moments, are only subplots that are placed in the film to make it vaguely appear that there is stuff actually happening.

Unfortunately, “Fifty Shades Darker” commits the same sin that so many films in a franchise commit: it is more concerned with setting up the next film than focusing on the current project. There are some characters introduced in this movie that have no pay off and I can only assume they are sadly going to return for “Fifty Shades Freed.”

Moral of the story: do not watch this film. Based on the mid-credit scene at the end of the film, this “Fifty Shades” train will just need to go through its course and we’ll just need to look forward to watching it go off the rails when it crashes and burns.

Daniela Santos | Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment

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“The Lego Batman Movie” is a ridiculously fun parody of the Caped Crusader

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hen “The Lego Movie” was released in 2014, it became an unexpected hit that seemed destined for franchise glory, using a seemingly bottomless toy chest to lampoon as many properties as possible. With “The Lego Batman Movie,” the franchise has confidently proven itself worthy of numerous entries, creating a witty and gorgeously crafted parody that puts other animated films to shame.

The satirical film follows an egotistical and selfish version of Bruce Wayne/Batman (Will Arnett, “Arrested Development”) face his fear of having a family when he adopts spunky young Dick Grayson/ Robin (Michael Cera, “Juno”) after pressure from loyal butler Alfred (Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”). Complicating matters further, the Caped Crusader also faces pressure from newly

appointed police commissioner Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson, “Sin City”) and evil plots formed by Gotham’s band of villains, led by an obsessive and attention-starved Joker (Zach Galifianakis, “The Hangover”).

Banking on the self-referential success of last year’s “Deadpool,” the film is an often funny and rather intelligent interrogation of not only superhero films, but of Batman himself. Arnett’s voice work, which is impeccable, combines with the script to create a Batman that may be one of the finest tongue-in-cheek characters ever seen on screen, let alone in an animated picture. He is the perfect symbol of everything melodramatic about the so-called world’s greatest detective: a childish vigilante who sees little of value outside of what goes on in his spandex.

By creating this character so vividly, Arnett allows the jokes to hit Batman with full effect and truly lampoon

the character. The performance nicely sets up an arc that serves as both a comic relief from the gloom and doom of modern Batman tales and a sharp commentary on the comic book genre.

While the primary plot is thinly disguised standard fare, it’s the fun of the Lego spin that gives the film life outside the humor. Like “The Lego Movie” before it, the proceedings of “Lego Batman” are expertly realized. The animation method and the Lego property combine to create an infinite and beautiful world for the well-defined characters to play in.

This gives other family franchises a run for their money in terms of style and scope. The infiniteness of possibility gives both kids and adults something to be entertained with, peppering the film with references that all ages can enjoy. However, the film is ultimately more focused than its predecessor despite the presence of other film franchises

“Legion” gets thumbs-up

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f you’re looking for television a little more on the weird side, look no further than FX’s new show “Legion.”

Created by Noah Hawley, the program brings the popular “X-Men” franchise to the screen with a few stylish and unexpected twists.

The show goes far beyond what any superhero property has done.

Its dark humor makes for a nice style when mixed with trippy visuals and crazy editing, which creates an overall well-written show. It is so far out there, which makes it so lovable right from the start. “Legion” puts you directly into the action and makes you feel immersed like no other show can, which makes it the first true T.V hit of 2017.

After a failed suicide attempt and multiple years in a mental hospital, David, played by Dan Stevens (“The Guest”), spends his days in an asylum with his eccentric friend Lenny, played by Aubrey Plaza (“Parks and Rec”).

David finds out that schizophrenia is the least of his problems and his whole world is flipped upside down when he begins to realize that there

is something extremely different about him, more unique than any other human being or mutant in the world.

The duo of characters are constructed perfectly. These freakish friends mesh together in a way that is darkly hilarious. Stevens immerses himself in his character, lively with every line that he delivers. David is really out there, and sees outlandish people and strange colors and objects that aren’t there with such emotion and grit that it will make some just blatantly laugh.

The script is so well done and it relies heavily on the editing, which makes “Legion” by far the most brilliantly edited show on cable. Funny with quirky one liners, “Legion” has an inventive style to its editing that will remind some of “Apocalypse Now.” Darkly rooted with humor, “Legion” has a distinctive tone that features insane visuals that are only to be made more appealing by stylistic choice and a top notch script.

Ultimately, this series is spot on and its peaceful moments are what make for a really cryptic and enter-

in the movie. Shifting the lens to mostly the Batman universe gives the film a real sense of purpose.

This is noticeably different from ‘The Lego Movie” where the more generic central characters called for an endless cast of characters to distract viewers from the blandness of the newly created roles.

“The Lego Batman Movie” is not attempting to be anything outside of pure popcorn entertainment, and that’s a good thing for this type of film. It ultimately can’t escape the schmaltzy messaging of a children’s film, which drags things along a bit in the second half, but everything else here is so enjoyable that it’s easy to give it a pass.

The film is certainly no “The Dark Knight”, but it’s at least a lot more fun than a lot of the self-obsessed junk the superhero genre is churning out these days (looking at you, “Batman V. Superman.”).

Ryan Ninesling | Executive Editor Elect

Photo courtesy of FX

taining experience for the viewer.

The show is also almost psychedelic, and it really plays with your head. When you put it all together there is so much life in “Legion” with its characters and the story. It is so out there that one may be hesitant to get themselves into a show that is so different. Regardless, this show will have viewers really thinking about what just happened, because it seems just too unrealistic for a show to be this good, and yet so strange.

As viewers get to see all of David’s paradigms of ultimate power, as it starts to unravel at the threshold of the show, every viewer will be sucked in because of how

crazy this show is and what is really going on in the mind of David and his friend Lenny.

At the end of the day, “Legion” is different than your average superhero show. One would see it brings the weird quirky story tellers here to deliver an amazing storyof one man’s talents that exist in his head that can make the most powerful being ever. Though as one such said, “with great power, comes great responsibility,” which can also be said about David, since his responsibility is going to be heavily tested in the season yet to come.

“Legion” airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on FX. Jacob Miltenberg | Contributing Writer

“The Spitfire Grill” wows sold-out crowds

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U Department of Theatre’s first mainstage show of Winter Quarter ran from Feb. 8 to Feb. 12, with sold-out shows each day. “The Spitfire Grill” was a musical with a cast of only seven talented students, but they had an army behind them to put on an uplifting, complex and enjoyable performance.

“The Spitfire Grill” tells the story of a woman leaving prison after five years and travelling to the small, bleak town of Gilead, Wisconsin, to start anew. There, the woman, Percy Talbott (Annaleisa Friednash, junior), finds a job at The Spitfire Grill, the only cafe in town, run by widow Hannah Ferguson (Hannah Chapple, sophomore). Percy soon becomes the talk of the town as regulars to the cafe, like Hannah’s nephew Caleb Thorpe (Kevin Douglas, freshman), his wife Shelby Thorpe (Nicole Seefried, senior), local gossip Effy Krayneck (Kaitlin Howard, sophomore) and Sheriff Joe Sutter (Tristan Andersen, junior) begin to learn about Percy’s mysteri-

ous past. Percy works through it, though, trying to prove herself by helping run The Spitfire Grill while Hannah is injured.

Between her injury and trying to leave behind painful memories of her late husband and lost son, Hannah wants nothing more than to sell the grill and move on. With no takers, Percy and Shelby come up with the idea to hold a raffle to give away The Spitfire Grill; with $100 and an essay, anyone gets a chance at owning the quaint cafe in Gilead. As months pass and entries begin to flood in, the characters must determine a raffle winner while navigating their relationships with one another and their purposes in Gilead.

The story of “The Spitfire Grill” is based on the 1996 Lee David Zlotoff film of the same name. It became an Off-Broadway musical in 2001, with music, lyrics and books by James Valcq and Fred Alley. It features songs like “A Ring Around the Moon,” “The Colors of Paradise,” “Shoot the Moon” and “Come Alive Again,” with refreshing notes of country and bluegrass Photo courtesy of DU Department of Theatre

that contrast the expectations that accompany Broadway-style musicals.

“The Spitfire Grill” was a musical that highlighted the vocal talents of the few cast members, particularly Andersen and Friednash. Each performer impressed, filling the small, intimate performance space with song, and since there were only seven of them, the audience got to experience them all individually.

“One of my favorite things was that it was such a small cast. When there is such a small group, it feels like we really get to know each other and get on the same page, which is the best,” said Seefried.

Much of the music was nice and heartfelt, but other than catchy songs, the somewhat predictable and muddled storyline left something to be desired. Scarce moments of humor felt out of place among the darkness of the characters’ pasts (Percy’s involved rape and murder) yet so natural amidst the heartwarming joy of other moments. These joyful and wholesome scenes were the most

believable and lent great connections between the characters and the audience.

The cast also felt somewhat limited by a small performance space, forced to face the audience and move in restricted ways across the wide and short stage. That said, the set was detailed and appealing, contributing to the mood and plot of “The Spitfire Grill.”

Overall, the show—under the direction of Matthew S. Rumsey who is a former American Musical and Dramatic Academy student and current Lamont School of Music student—was certainly worth watching. It was an impressive feat considering the short amount of rehearsal time available this quarter.

“Especially being a musical, there was so much to get done in not a ton of time, so it was really fast, but I think we managed to pull it off!” Seefried said.

Catch the DU Department of Theatre’s next production, “Pericles,” from Feb. 23 to March 5 in the Byron Theatre.

Taryn Allen | Copy Editor

Photo courtesy of DU Department of Theatre

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