A r t s & C u ltu r e
March 4, 2022
ARTS & CULTURE Established 1874
Volume 151, Number 13
The Puppy Episode Highlights ’90s Queer Experiences
In Matthew Recio and Royce Vavrek’s original opera The Puppy Episode, people of all ages and in all stages of life grapple with their sexualities in the wake of the 1997 coming-out episode of Ellen. Courtesy of Yevhen Gulenko Katie Kunka Production Manager On Feb. 16, this year’s Winter Term opera The Puppy Episode made its production debut in Warner Concert Hall. The show was composed by Matthew Recio with libretto by Royce Vavrek. The Puppy Episode remembers the titular episode from Ellen DeGeneres’ sitcom Ellen as a queer cultural milestone and recontextualizes queerness and coming out in the ’90s through the fictional stories of a variety of LGBTQ+ characters. Commissioned by Chicago Opera Theater, Recio initially set out to write a chamber opera with queer characters, but it wasn’t until he teamed up with librettist Vavrek that the idea to write it about DeGeneres came about. “I wasn’t necessarily interested in writing an opera about her, but then when Royce described what it was, I was like, ‘Actually I think that’s very compelling,’” Recio said. “I think a lot of people forget about that time that she came out and what that meant for media and what that meant for the queer community.”
DeGeneres’ character on the show, Ellen Morgan, came out as a lesbian almost 25 years ago on April 30, 1997, in a two-part Ellen episode strategically called “The Puppy Episode” to keep its intentions a secret. The episode sent shockwaves across the U.S., receiving acclaim and backlash for its queer representation. Sixteen days earlier, Ellen DeGeneres herself came out to the world with her iconic Time magazine cover, announcing, “Yep, I’m Gay.” Although the opera involves these true events — and even features an Ellen-esque character, Comedian, played by Conservatory second-year Elizabeth Hanje — The Puppy Episode’s complex storyline focuses more on the experiences of four gay characters living in a pre-“Puppy Episode” world. Friends Gil and Clay, played by Conservatory first-year Chris Leimgruber and Conservatory third-year Jon Motes respectively, struggle to confess their love for each other as two teenage boys growing up in a hypermasculine, homophobic society. Phyllis, played by Conservatory fourth-year Jaclyn Hopping, is an elderly woman with dementia living in an assisted living facility; she confuses her nurse for her past love interest, Dot, played by Conservatory third-
year Callie Iliff. Iliff also plays Louise, a closeted lesbian who comes out to her husband of 15 years, Joe, played by Conservatory fourth-year Anthony D. Anderson who also plays Gil’s Father and Man in Houndstooth. According to Assistant Professor of Opera Theater and Director Christopher Mirto, one of the many strengths of The Puppy Episode is its ability to showcase a diverse cast of queer characters. “The hope was always to find space in the Winter Term opera for underrepresented voices or for diverse voices.” Mirto said. “I was the most struck to put gay characters on stage. As a gay man it felt really exciting to be able to be part of a show that was of a moment that I lived through. … It was really great to give this show to a generation of people who both lived through it and a generation of people who — thankfully — don’t actually have to live through that right now.” Motes echoed that, for younger generations, The Puppy Episode serves as a reminder of the reality of queer individuals born before the 21st century. “We watched the episode, we watched these interSee The Puppy Episode, page 12
Underclassman Bands Make Campus Comeback Sierra Colbert Senior Staff Writer Over the decades, Oberlin has made a name for itself by fostering young musicians and, along with it, the formation of countless student bands through open mic nights, house shows, and jam sessions. A shared passion for music drew many students to Oberlin in the first place; however, when students returned to campus in fall 2021 after the COVID-19 lockdown, they were met with a music scene in need of restoration. Many second-year musicians’ first experiences with music at Oberlin took place on a somewhat desolate campus during the COVID-19 induced three-semester academic year. Sarah Krohn, a College second-year
10
and founding member of the band Almost Tuesday, recalled feeling stuck as the pandemic struck down her original hopes for getting involved in the music scene at Oberlin. “I definitely had a lot of expectations coming to Oberlin with music, since it’s kind of the most important part of my life,” Krohn said. “I knew I wanted to be in a band at some point, … but it was a little bit difficult in the first year because … there was no place to even rehearse with anyone.” Krohn was not the only younger Obie who struggled to find a foothold in the music scene due to the pandemic. College second-year Helene Prince, who recently performed in a concert at the Bike Co-op, noted that isolation and limited programming See Young, page 13
Younger artists like College first-year and singer-songwriter Caroline Gunn continue to make music amid a shifting COVID-19 music scene. Photo courtesy of Caroline Gunn
