A&E

The 814: Andora’s Bubble Tea has something for everyone

By Mackenzie Zent Contributing writer

In downtown Erie, Andora’s Bubble Tea Shop is a must-visit location for any bubble tea lovers at Mercyhurst.

Owners Andy and Rora Steinmetz opened the business a little over two years ago in May of 2019, and it has been growing rapidly ever since.

Customers can order inside or do curbside pick-up if they are in a hurry. There is a wide variety of teas, juices, lemonades and milk teas to choose from with the choice of tapioca pearls, popping boba or fruit jellies to put inside.

Unlike other bubble tea places that only offer tapioca or boba, Andora’s offers a more unique selection with the fruit jellies.

Online, the menu has all of their signature drinks like the house blend milk tea, taro milk tea, matcha latte and more.

They also offer a seasonal menu with their current most popular item being the pumpkin pie pearl milk with tapioca.

The new seasonal flavors are perfect for the cool upcoming fall weather. I personally can’t wait to go back to try them.

There is another section on the menu that allows customers to create their own custom drinks. They have over 17 different flavors of juice to choose from, and you can combine up to three flavors.

I ordered the passion fruit lemonade with strawberry boba, and it did not disappoint. The passion fruit juice was sweet yet offset by the tanginess of the lemonade, and I loved it.

The strawberry boba also paired perfectly with the flavors I chose. It was one of the best bubble tea drinks I have ever had.

Something I really liked was instead of plastic straws, they gave out eco-friendly ones made from bamboo. I love when small businesses go the extra mile to be environmentally conscious, and I thought this was a nice touch to the whole experience.

The shop itself is aesthetically adorable. Outside they have a pride flag hanging up above the entrance which makes all customers feel welcome.

There are a few tables outside to sit at, and a chalkboard out front with some of the seasonal drinks they offer written on it.

Inside Andora’s, the atmosphere is positive and relaxing.

They not only sell bubble tea, but also merchandise such as t-shirts, tank tops and bags with their logo on them.

While waiting in line, you can browse through the international Taiwanese snacks they sell such as different flavors of KitKats, sweet bread, Ramune soda and so much more.

Next to these, they also sell other fun items such as key-chains, earrings, pins and stickers. Many of the earrings and key-chains were little cups of bubble tea in different colors. Not only was the merchandise cute, it was also very on-brand for the shop.

Overall, I really enjoyed the experience, and I am excited to go back and try more!

Andora’s Bubble Tea Shop is located at 516 State Street; stop by and try it for yourself!

Contributed photo

Students show off their bubble tea drink orders at Andora’s Bubble Tea Shop. Pictured are Strawberry Boba (left) and Passion Fruit Lemonade with strawberry boba (right).

Dido and Aeneas brings opera to MU

By Abigail Eyler Contributing writer

The D’Angelo Music department has chosen Dido and Aeneas to be the opera for this year’s largescale performance.

Composed between 1683-1688 with a premiere date in 1689, the opera is popular amongst English opera fans and Baroque music listeners due to it being one of the first English operas.

It is also one of the most wellknown Baroque operas with the libretto written by Nahum Tate.

Composed by Henry Purcell, this is his only true opera, as it is an all-sung dramatic performance.

The story is based off of Virgil’s Aeneid, specifically Book IV where it recounts Dido’s love for Aeneas after he lands in Carthage and the despair she has once Aeneas leaves.

Auditions for the opera have already taken place on Sept. 2 in Room 19 of the D’Angelo music building, but more information is to come for ways to get involved within the opera.

Music majors and non-majors were able to try out for the opera with a variety of characters and opportunities to be in the chorus. The opera has heavy involvement for all involved musically.

The characters auditioned for include: Dido, the Queen of Carthage, also known as Elissa, sung by a soprano or mezzo-soprano; Aeneas, a Trojan prince, sung by a tenor or high baritone; Belinda, Dido’s sister and handmaid, sung by a light soprano; Second Woman, another handmaiden, sung by a soprano or mezzo-soprano; Sorceress/Sorcerer, sung by a mezzo-soprano or contralto, or sung by a countertenor or bass; First Witch/Enchantress: sung by a mezzo-soprano; Second Witch/ Enchantress: sung by a mezzo-soprano; Spirit, in the form of Mercury, sung by a soprano or countertenor and First Sailor, sung by a tenor.

The opera follows Dido, the widowed Queen of Carthage, as she entertains Aeneas, a Trojan prince, after he is shipwrecked trying to go to Italy to find a new Troy.

The two eventually fall in love, but witches plan the destruction of Dido.

The sorceress then conjures a storm while the couple is hunting, and the impersonation of Mercury is performed by one in Sorceress’ coven.

While the storm breaks and the couriers head back to town, Mercury tells Aeneas that he must sail for Italy, leaving Dido in Carthage.

Aeneas and the sailors leave, and Dido proceeds to kill herself.

Those who are music majors can receive credit if their credit load permits, and those who are non-majors may be eligible to receive REACH credit for their artistic requirements.

Operatic experience is not required. Those who choose to be vocally involved in the opera must provide two songs which showcase technical singing, which can be arias, art songs or musical theatre songs, and must have a completed form along with sheet music of the two songs.

Songs must be memorized. A pianist will be provided for all vocalists.

Performances of the opera will be Friday, March 25, and Sunday, March 27, in the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. The D’Angelo Opera Theatre will be under the leadership of its new director, Professor Royce Strider M.M.

For any questions, contact Strider at rstrider@mercyhurst. edu.

Opera Atelier’s performance of Dido and Aeneas

Contributed photo

Fall performers top row left to right: Martin Short, Vanessa Williams, Ana Gasteyer and Leslie Odom, Jr. Spring performers bottom row left to right: Branford Marsalis, Postmodern Jukebox, the Ten Tenors, David Sedaris and Kelli O’Hara

Contributed photo

Upcoming MIAC events are sure to dazzle campus this fall

By Bella Lee Staff writer

Another year at Mercyhurst is off to a great start, which means another full slate of MIAC performers are on their way to campus!

This fall, the Mercyhurst Institute for Arts and Culture (MIAC) is bringing in some big names such as Martin Short, Vanessa Williams, Ana Gasteyer and Leslie Odom Jr.

Martin Short, the first of these performers, will be welcomed to the D’Angelo stage on Sept. 23.

Best known for his breakout role in “The Three Amigos” as Ned Nederlander and as Jack Frost in the third “Santa Clause” film, Short has accolades across movies, television and theater.

Other movie credits include “The Prince of Egypt,” “Treasure Planet” and “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.”

Additionally, Short has had television roles in “How I Met Your Mother” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schimdt,” and theater roles in “Godspell” and “The Producers.”

Currently, Short is starring alongside Steve Martin and Selena Gomez in the Hulu original “Only Murders in the Building,” which premieres new episodes every Tuesday. The show has already received much acclaim and had the most-viewed comedy premiere in Hulu history.

In a career spanning over 35 years, Short is guaranteed to have the audience laughing until they are crying.

Vanessa Williams, coming to Mercyhurst on Oct. 22, has a well-rounded resume as an actress, singer and fashion designer.

She first received fame in 1984 as the first African American woman to win the Miss America crown.

However, two of her most wellknown TV roles are as Wilhelmina Slater on “Ugly Betty” and Renee Perry on “Desperate Housewives.”

Williams has earned herself the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture and was nominated three times for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Ana Gasteyer, an actress and comedian, will be presenting her show “Sugar and Booze” on Nov. 30.

She is most well-known for being a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1996 to 2002, although she has also had roles in “Mean Girls,” “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2,” “Frasier” and “Suburgatory.”

More recently, she was on Season 2 of “The Masked Singer” as The Tree.

Gasteyer’s comedic charm is sure to bring something special to the Mercyhurst stage.

A name beloved by many theater fans, Leslie Odom, Jr., rounds out MIAC’s fall performers with a performance from his Christmas tour on Dec. 6.

Most will recognize Odom for his role as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,” but he has also had roles in productions such as “Murder on the Orient Express,” “Central Park” and theater productions like “Rent” and “Dreamgirls.”

Additionally, he has released four albums, including his Christmas album, so he will undeniably bring the Christmas spirit with his performance.

However, this is not the only thing students and staff alike should be excited about.

The spring semester is just as loaded with amazing performances.

The spring series starts out with Branford Marsalis joining the community on Feb. 1, Postmodern Jukebox entertaining the audience on Mar. 16, The Ten Tenors soothing the crowd on Mar. 30, David Sedaris making his return on Apr. 19, and Kelli O’Hara being welcomed on May 5.

More information on these performances will come as the spring semester approaches.

Make sure to clear your evenings on those dates as everyone within and outside the Mercyhurst community is ecstatic about these performances.

Students are eligible for one free ticket per performance with your student ID, so be sure to claim one at the box office located in the lobby of the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center while you can!

Hurst Hot Take: “Fear Street” Trilogy

By Emma Coppolo A&E editor

“Hurst Hot Takes” is a new section where Merciad writers get to share some news of their own!

Each week, this section will publish an article from a writer recommending a piece of media, whether it be a podcast, book, movie, show or album. Stay tuned to hear our recommendations.

This week, I will be recommending a Netflix original horror trilogy, “Fear Street.”

Based off of the books by R.L. Stine, the stories of “Fear Street” are set in three different years: 1994, 1978 and 1666.

The three movies were released in consecutive weeks in the summer of 2021, which was nice because the viewers did not have to wait for a long time to see what happens next.

The stories follow the common thread of siblings Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.) along with several friends as they attempt to uncover the true source of the mysterious misfortunes of their town, Shadyside.

While their town is notorious for an unbelievable number of mass murders committed by seemingly normal Shadysiders that just “snapped,” their neighboring town of Sunnyvale is strangely a perfect Utopia.

The first movie focuses specifically on Deena and Josh’s timeline, which is 1994.

When yet another killing spree occurs that hits close to home, Deena begins questioning the object of accusations for the town’s tragedies: Sarah Fier.

Sarah Fier, who is said to be a witch put to death in the early Union settlement that once was Shadyside, is often jokingly blamed for the troubling town happenings.

However, Josh and his online friends believe that Sarah Fier truly was a real person that cursed Shadysiders.

As events escalate, the siblings must work with Sam (Olivia Scott Welch), Kate (Julia Rehwald), and Simon (Fred Hechinger) to stop the witch in a race against time.

The second movie is set at Camp Nightwing in 1978. Sisters Cindy (Emily Rudd) and Ziggy (Sadie Sink) Berman are polar opposites; Cindy does whatever she can to forget her Shadyside background whereas Ziggy embraces her troubled situation.

A murderer begins slaughtering the children of the camp, and the sisters have to evaluate their shortfalls and work together to stop the killings.

This story is being told to characters in 1994 in the hopes that it will help them put a stop to the Shadyside curse, which the characters from 1978 clearly failed in doing.

The third movie follows the notorious Sarah Fier (Elizabeth Scopel) at the Union settlement in 1666.

Finally, the true story of what happened back then unfolds.

All of the questions presented in the first two movies are answered, and the 1994 characters are finally clued into Shadyside’s dark past.

I do not want to give too much away about these movies because I think one of their best assets is setting things up slowly for a fantastic eventual payoff.

Each movie is better than the previous one as the Fear Street universe expands and enriches itself.

I fully believe that these movies have some of the best plot twists and payoffs I have ever seen.

The trilogy was done in a brilliant way, that it keeps pulling me back in to watch again. I have rewatched them a few times since my initial viewing.

I think these movies are perfect for a Halloween marathon, and they are great especially if you love gore, teen horror and jump scares.

If you decide to watch them, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Be sure to check out the “Fear Street” trilogy on Netflix to watch this great series!

Check our next issue to learn about a new show, book, movie or podcast.