![IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Junior Zalie Mann performs “I Love to Cry at Weddings,” an ensemble piece from the fall musical Sweet Charity, to prospective students during the Fine Arts Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The showcase is a compilation of performances and demonstrations from each fine arts strand offered at McCallum. This show is put on so that prospective students can see if they are interested in joining an academy or major.
Sweet Charity originally ran the weekends of Sept. 28 and Oct. 8, but made a comeback for the Fine Arts Showcase.
“[Being at the front in the spotlight] is my favorite part of the whole dance, so I was super happy to be on stage performing and smiling at the audience,” Mann said.
Mann performed in both the musical theatre performance and dance excerpt “Ethereal,” a contemporary piece choreographed by the new dance director Terrance Carson, in the showcase. With also being a dance ambassador, Mann got to talk about what MAC dance is, her experience and answer any questions the aspiring arts majors and their parents may have.
Caption by Maya Tackett.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/53321803427_47cd17fe70_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![SPREADING THE JOY: Sophomore Chim Becker poses with sophomores Cozbi Sims and Lou Davidson while manning a table at the Hispanic Heritage treat day during lunch of Sept 28. Becker is a part of the students of color alliance, who put together the activity to raise money for their club.
“It [the stand] was really fun because McCallum has a lot of latino kids,” Becker said. “And I think it was nice that I could share the stuff that I usually just have at home with people who have never tried it before.”
Becker recognizes the importance of celebrating Hispanic heritage at Mac.
“I think its important to celebrate,” Becker said. “Because our culture is awesome and super cool, and everybody should be able to learn about other cultures of the world.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53221601352_4127a81c41_o-1200x675.jpg)
Marquette Theater Company’s production of “Clue,” a murder mystery, debuted yesterday and will run through Sunday.
Rebecca Blindauer, MTC director, said she’s excited for the new, innovative design of the play.
“We’ve never done a murder mystery before,” Blindauer said. ”So that’s interesting, but it is kind of more of a comedy than a mystery. It’s not really scary. It’s very funny and silly.”
Blindauer also made the decision for the play to run straight through without an intermission.
“We wanted to compact the story and finish it all in one swoop,” Blindauer said. “Despite the changes, the cast has been very adaptive.”
Blindauer also noted the variety and strengths of the cast.
We have some new people, and we have some veteran members of the theater company. It’s been a really nice mix of old and new, and passing the reins to younger actors.
— Rebecca Blindauer
“They’re so great,” Blindauer said. “We have some new people, and we have some veteran members of the theater company. It’s been a really nice mix of old and new, and passing the reins to younger actors. Their comedic timing as well, like comedic sensibility and knowing how to deliver a joke has been really strong with this group.”
Riley Gregory, sophomore, who is a female understudy, is a veteran at MTC, having played in “Pippin” as well as “Legally Blonde.” She expressed immense confidence when talking about the cast.
“It’s a lot of new people,” Gregory said, “and people that I’ve never actually met before. But I think everyone was really really well casted. And they’ve all pulled together really nicely.
As an understudy, Gregory has to practice for her ensemble role while simultaneously preparing to sub in when needed.
“I was told to learn all the female parts,” Gregory said. “Remembering lines was hard for all of us, especially for those with larger parts.”
I’m really proud of everybody and it’s been super cool to see everybody get into character.
— Riley Gregory
Kara Miller, junior, plays the role of Yvette, and said the biggest issue with the production thus far has been building the set.
“The set was really hard to put together,” Miller said, “and when it was put together, it kept breaking. We’d be moving a room and it just wouldn’t move, or wheels would pop off. We have these big walls that are supposed to move, but they slide along the ground, so they make a huge noise whenever we move it.”
Despite this, though, Miller said she enjoys the faster nature of the play compared to others she’s worked in.“The acting is really quick,” Miller said, “and it’s mostly really comedic. Everything happens really, really quickly.”
Tickets can be bought for $8 at lunch or at the entrance to the theater during the showings, which will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.
This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on April 21, 2023.
