Interested in Broadway shows?
“Into the Woods” is running until April 16 and features Columbus and New York artists.
Women’s basketball can make history Saturday by beating UConn to reach the Elite Eight for the frst time in 30 years.
Students in the School for Environmental and Natural Resources created the school’s frst research symposium.
Lantern reporter stewart.2117@osu.edu
This story was originally published March 21, 2023.
One of Ohio’s longest-running lesbian bars, Summit Station, will receive a historical marker in June after community members worked to commemorate its impact in central Ohio.
Two years ago, Julia Applegate, senior lecturer in the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Ohio State and former patron of the bar, said she started the process for obtaining the marker to document the often forgotten queer history in Ohio. While the bar no longer exists, its impact left a mark on Columbus.
“For at least eight or 10 years, I was there three or four nights a week,” Applegate said. “When I first moved here, I was just newly out and had a job, and we would go there to play pool or after softball games, to watch shows, to listen to music. I did karaoke, played darts, went to fundraisers and made plans for my life. It was just really functioning almost more like a community center than a bar.”
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Originally named Jack’s A Go-Go, the bar was purchased around 1980 by one of its lesbian bartenders and renamed Summit Station, becoming one of the largest women’s bars in Columbus, Applegate said. After several decades, the bar closed in 2008 after the owner, Petie Brown, became ill.
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Applegate said the process for the marker included the approval to raise funds, writing the text for the marker and getting the right permits for it to be placed where the bar once was at 2210 Summit St. The Summit Music Hall, which now stands at that address, will be hosting events June 10 to celebrate the dedication.
Applegate said she has helped raise funds for these festivities and a documentary about the bar’s legacy.
“I’ve lived in Ohio pretty much all my life, and I really love history. One of the things that’s true about the history of Ohio is that there’s plenty of LGBTQ history, but it’s not documented and shared,” Applegate said. “I had been talking to some people at Ohio History Connection who acknowledge that history isn’t documented, and they’re trying to fix that.”
Ben Anthony — manager of the community engagement department at the Ohio History Connection, the nonprofit that manages historical markers around the state — said in a statement of the 1,800
Ohio History markers, Summit Station will be the third in the state and first in central Ohio that focuses on the LGBTQ+ community.
“We hope that every Ohioan can discover Ohio Historical Markers that reflect their own history and unique Ohio story,” Anthony said. “The group who submitted the Summit Station Ohio Historical Marker should be commended for their incredible passion, research and perseverance to memorialize an institution for the lesbian community in Central Ohio.”
Applegate said she is proud to be a part of this process and is excited to see more markers in central Ohio and beyond to continue documenting such histories.
“Columbus has a reputation as being the most LGBTQ-friendly city in the state,” Applegate said. “I moved here because it had that reputation and stayed here because as much of that is true, but we just haven’t gotten it together to get a marker, and I’m really excited that this is the first one.”
MEGHAN BEERY Lantern reporter beery.156@osu.edu
Nothing goes with tacos like wildlife, forestry, natural resources and networking.
About 40 students in the School of Environment and Natural Resources will present their research at the school’s first research symposium from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, Abby Thiemkey, a second-year graduate in environment and natural resources and research symposium co-chair, said.
“There are opportunities in the natural resource field that I think a lot of people don’t know about,” Thiemkey said. “I don’t think a lot of people know what the research is that’s actually being done out there, and I think it’s important to showcase that.”
Thiemkey said she was inspired to start the symposium — which will include both poster and oral presentations — after attending a similar event at Michigan State University as an undergraduate.
“I just sent a bunch of emails to graduates bugging them. I was like, ‘Hey, guys, does anybody want to do this?’” Thiemkey said.
Allison Williams, a second-year graduate in environmental and natural resources and event co-chair, said she was amazed by the
support from fellow students and community members, including donations from local businesses.
“As soon as enough of us — who are very motivated people — committed to it, it was going to happen,” Williams said. “Everything we’ve tried to do, we’ve been able to do.”
Thiemkey said the event will include lunch from Qdoba Mexican Eats with vegan and vegetarian options, Panera Bread coffee and other refreshments.
Williams said she is excited about the interdisciplinary aspect of the gathering.
“I’m hoping that we can see a bunch of students from different areas connecting to each other because that’s what seems to be a huge disconnect within SENR, especially between the natural sciences and social sciences,” Williams said.
Thiemkey said she is looking forward to interacting with the event’s sponsors, including the Ohio Society of American Foresters, Clean Fuels Ohio and Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.
“It’s, kind of, an opportunity to network,” Thiemkey said. “That was also a big goal because a part of this field and the natural resources is about your connections.”
Thiemkey said she hopes the event will continue in the future.
“I’m really just hoping that people are really excited about this,” Thiemkey said. “They’re excited to network. They’re excited to learn about other research.”
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Thursday, March 23, 2023
Classic fairy tales return to Columbus for viewers with Short North Stage’s rendition of “Into The Woods.”
“Into The Woods,” originally a book written by James Lapine, was adapted by composer Stephen Sondheim in 1986 into a Broadway musical. The Tony-award winning show will run through April 16 on the Garden Theatre MainStage at Short North Stage.
According to Short North Stage’s website, the musical is about the convergence of three fairy tales: a baker and his wife who wish to have a child, Cinderella trying to get into the King’s Festival and Jack wishing for his cow to provide his family milk. The characters cross paths while on their journeys, leading them to places they would never have imagined.
Director Edward Carignan said the musical has two acts depicting two sides of the fairy tales. Because of its darker content, the show is aimed more toward adults.
“The first act is a retelling of those classic Grimm Fairy Tales in a sort of modern way,” Carignan said. “The second act views what happens after happily ever after, and that act deals a lot with death and dying and growth into adulthood from childhood.”
Actress and former American Idol contestant Diana DeGarmo, who plays The Witch, said the show will interest many people because of how the stories come together on stage.
“I think people definitely will be drawn
into the show,” DeGarmo said. “Everyone who is working is so talented, and they see all of the nuance — all of the subtext — and that naturally brings people in.”
When talking about Lapine and Sondheim’s interpretations of “Into The Woods,” Carignan said they did a great job at teaching adults new lessons through the story.
“They’re very, very smart men who had this idea to take these sort of well known stories that were read to children and find a way to teach lessons to adults,” Carignan said.
Carignan said this production of “Into The Woods” will include a mix of actors from Columbus and New York, including DeGarmo, who previously starred on Broadway. Carignan said DeGarmo’s experience has elevated the show.
“She’s very, very talented, and also extremely kind and a giving actor on stage. She has a really unique take on the role of The Witch,” Carignan said. “She brings with her so much expertise and professionalism that I think that’s really great. That’s a great persona to mix with our local professionals here.”
DeGarmo said the support from the Columbus community, the cast of “Into the Woods” and her director has left her feeling more than ready for the show.
“I feel great,” DeGarmo said, “I have been in so many various situations where you know, right at the last minute you’re tweaking and doing this, and that will happen no matter what because we are all perfectionists, and we want to give the best products that we can to our audience.”
According to CBUSArts’ website, tickets for the show are $37.14-64.76. For Ohio State students, student rush tickets will be available at the box office for $20 two hours before the show, Carignan said.
COURTESY OF FYREBIRD MEDIA, JENNIFER ZMUDA Cory Velazco, Diana DeGarmo, Eli Brickey in “Into The Woods.”shown in white communities.
Lantern
reporter richard.222@osu.edu
Swing on over to some local dance groups to learn about Lindy Hop, a dance with historical and cultural ties.
SwingColumbus is a small, local swing dance group that mainly focuses on Lindy Hop, the grandfather of all types of swing dance. Swing Dance Club at Ohio State — which also focuses on Lindy Hop — offers students a chance to learn and dance on campus.
Swing is an umbrella term that encompasses several genres — like Charleston, Balboa, Blues, West Coast swing and East Coast swing — Shannon Varner, president of SwingColumbus, said.
SwingColumbus is dedicated to teaching others, and doing what they love, Varner said. SwingColumbus and the Swing Dance Club at Ohio State welcome members with all levels of experience.
“Our goals are just furthering the education of Lindy Hop in Columbus itself and providing a place for this music and dance to happen and to share that with more people,” Varner said.
Varner said SwingColumbus not only aims to teach others about Lindy Hop, but wishes to educate about the origins of the dance, which she said is rooted in African American culture. Varner said this education is important because the portrayal of swing dance in movies doesn’t reveal its true history because it’s mainly
The Swing Dance Club at Ohio State strives to remember the history behind swing dancing and its connection to African American heritage, Rachel Berk, president of the Swing Dance Club and a third-year in food science and technology, said.
“It’s important to acknowledge because not acknowledging the past is hurtful in many ways,” Berk said.
For Varner and Berk, they said swing dance was something they picked up and stuck with after accompanying a friend at an event.
Both groups accept all levels of experience. Berk said students don’t need to have any background for the Swing Dance Club
because there’s a lesson at the beginning of each gathering to teach the basic steps of Lindy Hop. Group dancing follows after the lesson is finished. The club also participates in dance events at the Rambling House every second Wednesday of the month, Berk said.
For those who already know how to swing dance, there are communities across the country, Varner said. Varner moved around to different cities and found a swing dance community wherever she went.
“I think swing is great because it translates to a lot of things, it can be in a bar, you can be at a community event, you can be outside, you can be inside. It all hinges on the music, having fun, responding and dancing with each other,” Varner said.
This story was originally published March 21, 2023.
Students leading Time 4 Change Week, held March 27 to April 2, hope to make environmental sustainability a little easier for Ohio State students.
Time 4 Change Week, originally started in 2016 by student leaders from different sustainability organizations on campus, will be held for its seventh year. The week includes a range of events — such as cleanups, goat yoga and guest speakers. Abby Thiel — president of Time 4 Change and a fourth-year in environment, economy, development and sustainability — said a goal during Time 4 Change Week is to show students how sustainability can intersect
through various areas in life.
“The whole point is to encourage the Ohio State University community, and even the greater Columbus community to engage in environmental awareness and community engagement within these spaces,” Thiel said. “Really connecting the environment and sustainability to all of the topics, like a wide variety of both academic and professional disciplines, and really showing ways how the environment and sustainability intersects with all the diversity of disciplines available to us.”
Time 4 Change also hosts events with other student organizations to reach a wider range of students at Ohio State, Anna Rigdon, a third-year in environment, economy, development and sustainability and treasurer, said.
“We just help them to plan their events cen-
tered around sustainability in some way, shape, or form and help them put them on during our designated week during the year,” Rigdon said.
Rigdon said as a college student, navigating ways to be environmentally conscious can be difficult when resources, like recycling, are not always provided.
“For example, like one of the events that we have had in the past is a plastic bag drive where you could bring in your old plastic bags in exchange for a reusable shopping bag,” Rigdon said.
Thiel said Time 4 Change hopes to make environmental sustainability accessible for everyone.
“We believe that, like, everyone benefits, everyone benefits from a healthy sustainable community and planet so for us, just
making those spaces approachable for all students, and encouraging collective action towards creating more environmentally and socially sustainable communities for us,” Thiel said.
Students interested in attending events that require an RSVP can do so on the Time 4 Change website.
It’s been 30 years since Ohio State made the Elite Eight.
It was in 1993, when a two-liter bottle of Coke Classic cost 99 cents, according to the Morris County Library, and the entire current Buckeye roster wasn’t even born yet.
This can all change Saturday afternoon.
No. 3-seed Ohio State will travel to Seattle to face No. 2-seed UConn at Climate Change Arena with a chance to come out on top in the Sweet 16 and advance to the Elite Eight.
“One thing that we talked about after the games, we’re not getting on the plane to go to Seattle, just happy to be in the Sweet 16,” head coach Kevin McGuff said. “We’re going with a sense of purpose and a sense of focus that you’re going to compete to win.”
The Buckeyes (27-7, 12-6 Big Ten) will have to pass through UConn (31-5, 18-2 Big East), which is competing in its 29thstraight Sweet 16. The Huskies have continued to be one of the country’s top basketball programs under head coach Geno Auriemma, who’s entering his 38th season as UConn’s head coach.
UConn sophomore guard Azzi Fudd scored a team-high 22 points Monday in the Huskies’ win over No. 7 seed Baylor, while junior forward Aaliyah Edwards, the Huskies’ leading scorer this season behind an average of 17 points per game, had 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
This season, the Huskies are averaging 76.3 points per game which ranks 26th in Division I women’s college basketball. UConn is outscoring opponents by an average of 17.9 points per game this season, so it’s crucial the Buckeyes don’t
fall behind early on.
Ohio State has overcome seven double-digit leads this season, most recently a 16-point deficit on Saturday against No. 14 James Madison in the first round. But against a premier program like UConn, which has a record 11 national championships, it’s important that Ohio State doesn’t settle for too many perimeter shots, McGuff said.
“It’s going to be really important to find a way to get some balance in our offense,” McGuff said. “Get to the rim, get to the free throw line. Just find a way to manufacture some points early on, so we can get a good flow to start the game.”
Fortunately for the Buckeyes, there’s a familiar face across the court they won’t have to study too much: UConn graduate forward Dorka Juhaz. Juhaz transferred from Ohio State two years ago, after averaging nearly a double-double in her first two seasons with the Buckeyes.
The graduate is now averaging 14.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game for the Huskies. Juhaz, who scored 11 points against Baylor, has played a key role in UConn’s starting lineup.
Especially after the absence of junior guard Paige Bueckers, the 2021 Associated Press Player of the Year who’s dealt with knee injuries the past two years and missed all of this season after tearing her ACL in a pickup game Aug. 1, 2022 — Juhaz’s impact has been important. She is one of five UConn players to average double-digit points this season.
“She’s a really, really good player, very talented,” McGuff said. “I think she’s generally continued to improve and has gotten better, especially playing away from the basket.”
UConn is 6-0 all-time against Ohio State, with the teams last playing on Nov. 24, 2019 in Columbus leading to a 73-63 Huskies win.
Ohio State is coming off a 71-69 victory against No. 6 seed North Carolina on Monday, after senior guard Jacy Sheldon hit a game-winning jumper. Senior guard Taylor Mikesell, the Buckeyes leading scorer averaging 17.2 points per contest, led the team with 17 points on 4-of-8 shooting from 3.
The reemergence of veteran Sheldon in the starting lineup propelled the Buckeyes in the final minutes against the Tar Heels. The All-American tied her best scoring performance since returning to play in the previous five games after a tight minutes restriction.
Sheldon logged in 39:45 of game time on Monday, and scored 16 points, pulling down six boards and dishing out five assists. Freshman forward Cotie McMahon said Sheldon played a vital role in senior forward Eboni Walker’s career-high game against North Carolina because of her ability to create open shots and lock down defensively.
“She can help motivate us all and bring that energy back,” McMahon said. “I feel like in times when we were down against James Madison, that’s when she’s really needed the most is to kind of just pick us up.”
Ohio State has won seven of its last nine games, including a victory over topseeded Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals after being down by 24 points, making it the largest comeback in Big Ten women’s basketball tournament history. Defense is what ultimately got the Buckeyes back into the game against Indiana and in their matchup versus James Madison.
Ohio State forced 20 turnovers against James Madison and held them to 11 points in the second quarter, as the Buckeyes edged closer in their 16-point comeback and ended the half down by three.
Ohio State is ranked No. 12 in the country in steals per game, averaging 11.4 per
contest.
The Buckeyes are also in the top-15 in turnovers forced per game at 20.27, but their tenacious defense can sometimes get them in early foul trouble, a subject McGuff said he’s addressed with the team this week.
“Fouls are going to happen, but we’ve had some, for lack of better terms, dumb fouls and just things that are really avoidable,” McGuff said. “Those are the ones that we got to take care of.”
Friday’s game will have historical significance for both programs. UConn has a chance to extend their Elite Eight streak to 16-straight appearances, while the Buckeyes have a chance to advance to the Final Four, ending a 40-year drought.
“Of course, I’d love to make history, being a freshman, being my first year, obviously, I would have an impact on that,” McMahon said. “So, that definitely would be cool to kind of brag about, but one game at a time.”
Tipoff is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. on ABC.
Ohio State held its Pro Day Wednesday, and there was eagerness surrounding the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. With 30 of 32 NFL teams represented and more than 100 personnel, teams waited for one player to take center stage.
Enter quarterback C.J. Stroud, who currently sits as the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. With eyes focused on him, the Inland Empire, California, native showed his skills.
Head coach Ryan Day said he thought Stroud handled the spotlight soundly, which fares well for Stroud moving to the next level of competition.
“When you come and be the quarterback at Ohio State, it’s almost a test to see how you can handle the NFL,” Day said. “If you can handle being the quarterback at Ohio State, you can handle being in the NFL. And I think he’s passed all of those tests.”
Stroud has met with a variety of teams and will continue to do so leading up to the draft beginning April 27. The 2022 second team All-American honoree could become the first Ohio State quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.
But if you ask Stroud, he’s not worried about making a case for being the top pick.
“That’s not my job,” Stroud said. “My job is going here and do the best I can as myself. I’m competing against myself everyday to be the best version of myself, like coach Day always taught us to do. Whatever happens, happens, it’s not in my control, so there’s no reason to stress.”
Although Stroud said being the first overall pick would be “a dream,” he said he wants to bring a Super Bowl to a team that loves him not only as a football player, but as a person.
“Definitely, of course I want to accomplish that,” Stroud said. “But if not, I just want to
go to whoever really loves me not only as a football player, but as a man of God and as a man of the community.”
The Carolina Panthers, who currently hold the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft after a trade with the Chicago Bears, were well-represented at Ohio State’s Pro Day. Among the personnel for the Panthers were owner David Tepper, general manager Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach Josh McCown.
A lot can happen in a month, and Stroud faces heavy competition to be selected No. 1 overall, such as from Alabama
quarterback Bryce Young and 2021 Heisman Trophy Winner, whom the Panthers will be watching closely during Alabama’s Pro Day Thursday.
For some players, Pro Day was a chance to soak up playing time with Stroud for one of the last times. Second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. said he’ll miss not just Stroud’s talent, but his friendship.
“He’s a great quarterback, I couldn’t ask for a better one,” Harrison said. “But really just as a friend, just hanging out with him and having those talks in the locker room. That’s what I’m going to miss the most.”
Stroud said he’s enjoying the process of the NFL Draft as best as he can. He said the possibility of being selected high in the NFL Draft is a blessing, and it’s something he doesn’t take for granted.
“Of course, you’ve got to find beauty in the struggle,” Stroud said. “It’s not always easy having everybody in your business all the time. But at the end of the day, it’s a blessing, because I’ve been dreaming about doing this my whole life.”
The Jaxon Smith-Njigba and C.J. Stroud connection returned to the indoor turf at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center Wednesday.
Wide receiver Smith-Njigba showed off his familiar route-running prowess and caught passes from third-year quarterback Stroud during Ohio State’s Pro Day, which featured more than 118 NFL representatives among 30 teams.
It marked some of Smith-Njigba’s latest steps in his return from a hamstring injury that cost him most of last season, including the final six games and College Football Playoff semifinal. He’s around one month from likely hearing his name called in the NFL Draft.
“It’s a blessing,” Smith-Njigba said. “I’ve just been enjoying it. Last year, I wasn’t able to enjoy the season, so I just try to sit down and enjoy the process. Enjoy every moment that I can.”
Smith-Njigba, who measured at 6 feet 1/2 inch and 197 pounds, said at the NFL Combine he feels 100 percent after injuring his hamstring in the season-opener last September. He said he’d reached that point less than one month before the combine.
Smith-Njigba also ran the 40-yard dash, clocking in at 4.48 seconds, according to Ohio State’s measurements.
He ran it once and said he didn’t feel the need to run it again at Pro Day.
“I’ve hit better times,” Smith-Njigba said.
“I hit a 4.46 in training, 4.47. But we’ll see. I’m just blessed I get to walk off this field healthy, first and foremost.”
Among those impressed by his performance included head coach Ryan Day, who said it’s “great for everybody” to see SmithNjigba back on the indoor field at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
“You can see his quickness. You can see his ball skills, his speed,” Day said. “It’s just great to see him back on the field, and I think I heard a bunch of great feedback from the coaches and some of the personnel as they were watching.”
Flashes of Smith-Njigba’s skill set were on display and reminiscent of what led to 1,698 receiving yards across 110 receptions, 10 touchdowns in 23 games during his career.
It was all part of what the Rockwall, Texas, native wanted to show in front of NFL coaches and scouts. Smith-Njigba is projected to be picked in the first round of April’s draft, going No. 8 overall, according to Wednesday’s USA Today mock draft, and No. 11 overall in Daniel Jeremiah’s mock draft 3.0 at NFL.com.
“I feel like my elusiveness, my shiftiness, played a big part,” Smith-Njigba said.
“That’s what I tried to really show [Wednesday]. I don’t think I was able to show that a lot in the combine, so I just tried to get jiggy I guess they say.”
Smith-Njigba zigzagged across the field alongside a host of his former teammates, from graduate wide receiver Xavier Johnson to fourth-year tight end Cade Stover and others.
Second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., whose first start of his career came during his three-touchdown Rose Bowl performance in which SmithNjigba’s 347 receiving yards broke the bowl record, rotated in after Smith-Njigba and also caught passes from Stroud.
Lining up near Smith-Njigba reminded Harrison of what it felt like to play with him.
“Jaxon is a tremendous player,” Harrison said. “One of the most naturally talented players that I’ve seen in my life.”
Come April’s NFL Draft, Smith-Njigba will begin the next chapter of his football career at the professional level.
However, Wednesday’s Pro Day reminded him of how sweet it was to be a Buckeye.
“Coming back here especially, just love being here,” Smith-Njigba said. “Love being surrounded by great friends, great coaches, great training staff, so I’m just blessed that I went to a university like this, and I get to call this place home.”