FEBRUARY 17, 2015
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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
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‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’ Pending: Coffee waste reduction proposal retells Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ By Victoria Petersen vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA THEATRE AND DANCE
UAA students Morgan Mitchell and Jacob Mayforth portray Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the UAA Department of Theatre and Dance’s production of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead”
By George Hyde
gchyde@thenorthernlight.org
Two of the nuttier characters in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” have their own stories to tell, and it’s up to UAA’s Department of Theatre and Dance to tell them in the upcoming production of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” part of a Shakespeare season also including “Twelfth Night” and “William Shakespeare’s Land Of The Dead.” The play follows the same story as “Hamlet” — but rather than follow the famed prince, the story is told from the perspective of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two minor characters from Shakespeare’s play, portrayed in this production by Morgan Mitchell and Jacob Mayforth respectively. It focuses on their misadventures and antics while the more dramatic, original story happens around them. In fact, Hamlet himself appears very little, only in brief snapshots that tie into the original story. Instead of seeing Hamlet’s gradual shift to insanity, the audience sees short bursts. But Christopher Evans, the actor behind Prince Hamlet in this production, said this is a good thing. “That’s to heighten the sense of urgency for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern,” Evans said. The focus is not on Hamlet, however. It’s on the humorous, and at
Tucked within students’ UAA billing statements lies the “Green Fee,” a $3 fee that goes into a larger pool of money set aside specifically for projects that promote sustainability on campus. The Green Fee grant was founded by the students for the students to implement sustainability how they please. “It all comes down to us as students,” said USUAA Senator Devin Johnson. Johnson is waiting to hear back about a Green Fee proposal he brought before USUAA student government. “It all started when I was at Kaladi’s (in the SSB) and noticed one of the trash cans was overflowing with coffee cups,” Johnson said. As he waited in line, a student in front of him had a reusable mug and asked for a reusable cup discount. “I had no idea that was even offered,” Johnson said. The idea for his initial proposal stemmed from this experience. Johnson wants to raise awareness about this discount while lowering the amount of paper cup waste. He went online and found the steps to complete a Green Fee proposal. With the help of faculty adviser Nelta Edwards and the UAA Sustainability Club, Johnson created a proposal. The proposal was a term project for Edwards’ Environmental Sociology class, SOC A404, in fall 2014. Students could write research papers, research grants, Green Fee proposals or take an exam. Johnson and one other student wrote Green Fee proposals, and Edwards helped with the process throughout the entire semester with periodic check-in dates. “It’s hard, actually, to do it without — I think — that kind of support,” Edwards said. Johnson’s Green Fee grant, should his proposal be accepted, will go toward funding reusable coffee mugs with a sustainability logo. He intends these mugs to be offered for free on campus.
PHOTO BY JAMES R. EVANS
Devin Johnson speaks at the USUAA general assembly meeting Oct. 10 after being inducted as senator.
Johnson and the Sustainability Club will volunteer to distribute the products once a week in various locations on campus. Recipients of the free mugs will be asked to fill out a short survey, which will enable them to win prizes. These prizes will act as incentives and may include free coffee or UAA Bookstore gift cards. Johnson said the purpose of the project is to “cut down waste on campus, get rid of the full trash cans, save students’ money with the discount and promote the Green Fee.” Johnson anxiously awaits the results of his proposal, which he said will be released “hopefully soon.” Those who already have reusable mugs are eligble for coffee discounts both on and off campus. Bringing a reusable cup saves customers 10 cents per coffee at campus Kaladi Brothers locations. This adds up to $18 of yearly savings for those who order one cup of coffee five days a week. At the Union Station, a reusable mug will save customers 10 percent of the cost of each drink. The station also offers $1 drip coffee when customers bring reusable mugs.
Student Union barista Kyle von Keesecker said “about one in every four people” take advantage of the reusable cup discount at the Union Station. Campus Kaladi barista Rochelle Gomez said both students and faculty take advantage of the deal “pretty often ... a lot more” than one in every four customers. But even when money is tight, there are other options. Those who live on campus can take advantage of coffee every morning at the Gorsuch Commons. Johnson also shared his “secret gem” of free coffee on campus: “If you visit the Multicultural Center in Rasmuson Hall, you’ll find free coffee there every day, all day. ... Hang out there for a while, and you’ll meet some really nice people there too.” Multicultural Center Director Andre Thorn said the proposal “dovetails nicely into what we’re already trying to do” at the center, which focuses on recycling and sustainability. He said the center would gladly offer the reusable cups from Johnson’s grant, should they become realized, in order to better serve students’ needs.
For more information about the Green Fee and the proposal process, visit http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/greenfee/index.cfm.
SEE HAMLET
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