While most seniors spend their final academic year raising grades, applying for graduation and job-hunting, music majors prepare to perform.
A senior music recital is a concert performance meant to showcase a senior’s growth in musical skill and knowledge over four years. It is a degree requirement of all music education and music performance majors.
“[The recital] serves as the capstone of the undergraduate performing experience,” said Robert Ballinger, associate lecturer for the music department. “The goal itself is to present a picture of a young artist.”
For many students, the must-watch film season begins during summer break with million-dollar blockbusters. For UT senior film majors, it begins tomorrow.
The UT Senior Film Showcase starts tomorrow at the Center for Performing Arts. The showcase will feature a sprinkling of different film genres and narratives, including documentaries and experimental films.
Tammy Kinsey, associate professor of film, said all seniors majoring in film were not required to submit pieces but a good handful typically do.
Katie Martin, a senior honors student majoring in film, submitted one of her films for the showcase. She is also the president of the UT Film and Video Society.
UT group hosts event to bring awareness to community and raise money
UT will host the first annual Walk4Water event this Saturday in hopes of raising money and awareness for a worldwide problem – a lack of clean water.
The consumption of unclean water is the number one cause of preventable death in the world, according to Antonia Chávez, head chair of UT Walk4Water and a sophomore majoring in pharmacy administration. In an email interview, she said one in eight people do not have access to clean water. Every day, millions of families and children of all ages walk on average six to 10 miles to clean water. More often than not, the people doing the walking already struggle with health issues such as diarrheal disease and cholera caused by ingesting dirty water, according to Chavez.
Instead of hip-hop or rock, a UT student DJ offers listeners an older genre of music – jazz.
“The H-Factor” is a radio show on 88.3 WXUT hosted by Hugh Ross, a junior majoring in business management and technology. The program features many flavors of jazz, including sad, traditional, classical, fusion, acid and everything in between.
Ross said his goal with the show is to introduce the genre to as many new listeners as possible.
The highlight of this summer movie season can be summed up in one word: superheroes.
For fans who lack patience or simply want a better understanding of these silver screen characters, the best place to look is in the glossy pages of comic books. In fact, the three superhero films premiering this summer borrow inspiration from specific story arcs.
The following books are essential reading for anyone remotely interested in the grandiose, capes-and-tights spectacles arriving in theaters soon.
The best literature is timeless and relatable, but a little bit of sex and violence doesn’t hurt either.
The 1951 novel “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger might seem out of place amongst the polished new titles at the local bookstore but it probably reads better than most of them.
Senior year is the last opportunity for students to leave their mark and five Fine Arts students have a whole gallery to do so.
The 2012 Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition features the artwork of five graduating BFA seniors. The exhibit began last Monday and runs until Sunday, May 13, at the Toledo Museum of Art Campus Gallery.
Featured artists this year include new media majors Joseph Buehrer, Ali Fisher and Rachelle Raymer-Gilbert, along with Qina Chen and Julia LaBay.
Each artist submitted multiple pieces created specifically for the annual exhibit, according to CVA Gallery Director Ben Pond.
April 15 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster. To commemorate the legendary sinking, the 1997 blockbuster film, “Titanic,” has returned to theaters for a limited time.
While most people are familiar with the real-life story of the luxury liner, a very small group may be unfamiliar with the film’s depiction of the fictional, tragic romance between Jack, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and Rose, played by Kate Winslet, which takes place on the historical ship.
UT club to host shoeless rally to promote TOMS movement
The TOMS movement is sweeping across UT’s campus via the TOMS Campus Club.
TOMS, which is short for “Tomorrow,” is a shoe company created by Blake Mycoskie in 2006. Through the “One for One” program, the company sells shoes and sunglasses with the promise that every purchase will provide shoes and eye care to deprived children in over 13 countries, including the U.S.
Have you ever noticed a group of people running after another student who’s wearing a blue bandana around their arm or thigh? Well, don’t worry about the student being chased – they knew being hunted by other students was part of the deal when they signed up to participate in UT’s spring semester game of Humans vs. Zombies.
If comic books are the nerdy underdogs of American pop culture, then “manga” is that awkward cousin no one likes to talk about.
Popularized in Japan, (as are many other awkward habits and ideas) manga is the country’s comic book equivalent – the word generally translates to “comics” or “cartoons.” Like comics, manga is ingrained into its country’s culture, has a renowned history and offers innumerable stories ranging in quality, genre and format. Unlike comics, manga is widely read by Japanese people of all ages and annually generates approximately $2 to $5 billion. Additionally, popular books are typically adapted into anime shows and films.
While the North American manga market, which consists of translated and original books, is less profitable, fans are demanding and passionate. Most bookstores have a great selection, sometimes using more shelf-space for manga than American comics.
Students create indoor garden for Manning Marable Memorial Conference
While a typical class requires sitting in a room taking notes, students enrolled in the African-American Environmental class experience more than that. Taught by Jill Humphries, assistant professor for the College of Innovative Learning, this integrated course was designed to enable students to historically relate African-American heritage and culture to nature.
I’ve never been a big “The Lord of the Rings” fan, but this new game based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s world may have me hooked. Prior to this, I’d watched all the movies and I did like them, but I’d never played any of the games based off the movies. I recently picked up “War in the North” for the PS3.
Student filmmakers, playwrights, screenwriters and performers will exhibit their talents in two events this weekend. Tomorrow evening is for the writers, and Saturday hosts the filmmakers. Friday night’s first annual New Writers Festival is an opportunity for students of playwriting and screenwriting courses to create 10-minute pieces involving three characters for submission to a faculty jury.
The Valentine Theatre in Downtown Toledo has hosted an array of incredibly vivid and eclectic theatrical performances and will soon feature a ballet inspired by a mural within its own walls. The ballet, titled “If These Walls Could Dance,” was created by the Toledo Ballet faculty member Michael Lang.
New used bookstore"Ukazoo" opens its doors
A new “zoo” opened in Toledo, but instead of animals, this location features fantasies, mysteries, romances and science-fictions. Ukazoo Books is a wonderland for those who love books — especially a dorky bookworm like myself. In the front, customers are greeted by tables featuring the new book selections.
"The Roman's Road..."
Paved with my friend Robin’s small and smooth, flat stones … Each one of ‘ems got some immortal reason fer savin’; A baby’s gooey cake – An ice cream face, and the bigger kids Are celebratin’ too, with Scooby Doo pictured On paper hats and plates, An
This month UT is offering students, faculty, staff and the community a chance to take a leap into Harry Potter’s world and enroll at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry — but not in the literal sense. Instead of flying to London and boarding a secret train, people simply have to walk into the magical halls of Carlson Library and Raymond H.
For some students in the art field, their dream is for their artwork to be presented as part of a distinguished exhibit. For some lucky UT students, this dream has become a reality. The 2012 Juried Student Exhibition puts the artistic works of 39 undergraduate, graduate and post-baccalaureate students on display.
A new spin on a classic takes theaters Friday
When I used to hear the name “21 Jump Street,” I would think of the gorgeous Johnny Depp and his role in the short-lived ‘80s television show. Hearing that name now, though, my mind goes to the hilarious antics of Jonah Hill and the washboard abs of Channing Tatum.
"Tonight is about the girls we never had a shot at. Tonight's about changing the game." This is a quote from Costa, one of the lead characters in the upcoming movie "Project X." The lead character, Thomas, is about to turn 17 and his friends want to throw the biggest birthday party to achieve popularity.
A focus on five must-read comics
Reading a good comic book is a lot like a good relationship — the relationship's strength is a result of what gets put into it. In the case of comics, thousands of writers, artists, inkers, colorists, letterers and editors are hoping for such a relationship.
The library is often thought of as a home for information on every subject in the form of books lining the shelves. What many don't know is that it can also be a home to information of a different sort – artistic and historical artifacts waiting to be discovered.
'White Walls'
The White Walls stare at me Like a vision of my soul no color to be seen nothing at all blank as a canvas waiting for paint but I'm no artist so I sit and wait I need color to appear for the fear is setting in will the walls be blank forever or will I let someone in someone to paint what I want to see someone to paint a vision of who I want to be.
College Republicans
Ever since Thomas Nast created the Republican Party's elephant, the tradition of honored membership in the GOP has persisted. Beth Mellinger, a senior majoring in communication, said she is proud to be a part of this tradition. "It is important to be united and share core conservative values," she said.
College Democrats
Many college students think they can't effect politics or the government, regardless of if they vote or not. With the help of student political organizations like College Democrats, they can feel differently. The College Democrats organization was established 1932 during the campaign of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Theatre student clarifies some misconceptions about the world of the stage
Whenever I mention working as assistant stage manager for the College of Visual and Performing Arts' upcoming production of Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex," I am often reminded of people's misconception of plays and the multifaceted collaboration of which they consist.
27th annual BASHCon takes over the Student Union for a weekend of gaming
"Everybody loves games." That's what BASHCon Chair Qusai Al Shidi said is the reason for holding the annual event. Shidi, a senior majoring in physics, heads up the committee in charge of planning the renowned event. BASHCon is a 30-year-old UT tradition and a huge event for the national gaming community.
For years, students have been reading the story of Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex." This week, it comes alive on UT's stage. Premiering tomorrow, King Oedipus will take spectators on a journey through a classic tale — but not in the classic way. For those who may not have read the story of Oedipus, it focuses on the title hero's quest to rescue the city of Thebes from the wrath of the gods.
Miranda Carlson
I never thought this could happen to me Just an ordinary day I never thought this could be I knew better than to go with him but I did it on a whim When he started to take advantage of me all I could do was scream This all had to be a dream never knew this could be never knew this could happen to me He seemed so nice I just didn't know his heart was full of ice After raping me he took my life He had killed me with a knife I was four-teen when I was no more But it opened up another door The door to heaven when I could go back to when I was eleven I watch the people who remember the daughter I used to be But as I look down they don't know that I can see Everything will be meaningless if my family stays a mess They never found the retched neighbor Even though they were looking in my fathers favor Now my family is so broken And my mother has started smokin' Without me there to keep us together They float away like a feather When they finally got some closer My mom didn't have to act like a poser Now my family has no fright Because their future is so bright - Maranda Carlson is a freshman majoring in film.
Besides jambalaya, black magic and the beautiful bayous, New Orleans is also home to the infamous Fat Tuesday, better known as Mardi Gras. Many people like to celebrate Mardi Gras with various parties and traditions, but few know the true origin of the holiday.
It's a day for love no matter what kind
February 14 may seem like just another ordinary day on the calendar but it's not. Romantics celebrate the day with exchanges of candy, flowers and gifts in honor of St. Valentine. The holiday is also a good excuse for busy couples to take one day out of the year for each other.
It's just another 'Hallmark holiday'
Cards, flowers, balloons and more are what people have come to expect on February 14, otherwise known as Valentine's Day. This is the time when girls get their hopes up only for most to be let down and spend the day alone. Sure, we can pass the time with friends, but by definition, this is a holiday for lovers.
A good dose of priceless advice to make your love life a little easier
Q: I think I fell in love with the wrong guy. I always seem to fall for the guy who doesn't care, and I can't stand the guy who does. What do I do about it? A: First off, don't worry. You're not the only girl who has this kind of problem, nor will you be the last.
Students rolling in the D.E.E.P.
For students interested in polishing their poetry, a new group on campus offers them a chance to "deepen" their skills. Developing Enhancing Empowering Poets, or D.E.E.P., is a UT student organization that focuses on promoting and developing poets and performers, as well as poetry as a whole.
The UTFAA to hold a night filled with traditional Filipino culture
Justin Paat is covered in coconut shells — half-shells strapped around his chest, back, hips, thighs and the palms of his hands to be exact. And the reason is simple — he's doing it for dance. "It's called ‘Magalatik,' a Filipino war dance," he said.
Described to me by a friend as "Liam Neeson punching wolves," I expected "The Grey" to be another action-packed, good vs. evil, ass-kicking fest along the same lines as Neeson's work in "Taken." However, I was surprised to find a suspenseful, sometimes thought-provoking film infused with raw detail and emotion.
UT Student reflects on first experience at Sundance USA
A lot of people have heard of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. What many don't realize, however, is that while the festival itself is halfway across the country, anyone can experience it locally. That's why a few of my fellow Arts Living Learning Community members and I were able to take part in the Sundance Film Festival USA in Ann Arbor last Friday.
The tree is old. Anyone looking at him can tell that he's near ancient, growing and surviving throughout the years. It was tough in the beginning, being just a sapling and of no appeal to anyone. As the years wore on, however, he grew stronger, sturdier, and much, much older, and the old tree became a source of comfort for those passing him by.
The stage was set and the curtains were drawn for the Glacity Theatre Collective, but not in the traditional sense. Last night was the opening night of "Exhibition" at UT's Center for Visual Arts.. "Exhibition" is a new play written by Provost William McMillen, and tells the story of a couple inside of an art museum.
A game fit for the ages
Have you ever seen people dressed in medieval garb hitting one another with foam swords in Centennial Mall and thought, "What in the world is that?" No, you're not crazy and no, you didn't accidentally stumble into a time warp. It is just the Dagorhir Club.
A Women’s and Gender studies major clarifies misconceptions
"Feminazi," "bra-burner," "man-hater" — these are just a few of the negative and misconceived labels placed on those who delve into a major infused with feminist theory. And those were names I never wanted to be called. When I came to UT last fall, I was registered as a law and social thought major.
The nominations for the Acadamy Awards were announced on Monday. There were over 20 categories, judging everything from Best Picture to Best Music score and each had multiple nominees. The category of Best Picture is one of the most renowned categories and had many notable nominations.
Being adopted
To be adopted is to develop an imagination, Lower your eyelids and be mystified, Words puzzle together to create images, Images of what they may appear as, Who you may look like more, Unanswered questions of certain behaviors, Interesting to know what it may have been like, Not curious enough to actually live it, Grateful enough to be accepted, To be taken in by caring people, Taken in under their wings, Now soaring high with endless possibilities, A star in the sky when I am lost, A warm hug when I am cold, Miracles have brought us together, Love has connected our souls, Support has come from these people, People that recognize me as their own.
An original unity of talent
Jazz music is an art form like no other. It requires both extensive knowledge of music theory and the ability to improvise a melody line in front of an audience. To find a college student proficient at playing jazz is a rarity. To find six who work well together in an ensemble is even less likely.
New graphic and storylines make for a better comic book experience
The start of a new year is always a good opportunity to, well, start something new. Seeing as this may be humanity's last year of existence — thanks a lot, Mayans — now is the best time to read more exciting stories, view more beautiful art, or do both.
If you're looking for a game that's fun, challenging and a great, quick workout, then you'll love "Just Dance 3." This is the kind of game that anyone can pick up and play without worrying about the story or where they left off — mainly because there is no story.
Hey, Asshole
X-men couldn't stop you crazy bipolar dipshit you took the best three years of my youth turning them into a game of risk love like a prisoner of war you're the boogeyman that lives in my ice castle storm brewing all around me broken glass surrounding my heart you acted like a prince most of the time you were the punisher like lost sheep following the wicked shepherd betrayed for the love I gave.
From passion to profession
For many students, their studies and passions don't tend to overlap. But for freshman Alan Border, these things are one in the same. Border majors in piano performance, a program requiring a tremendous amount of talent and dedication to stand out. Many people think of a major in music as easy and less time-consuming than other majors, but Border said this is not the case at all.
When talented artists, an empty gallery and a new year are thrown together, expect nothing less than brand new experiences. "Project Space 2012," a new experimental exhibit hosted by UT's Center for Visual Arts gallery, will open until Feb. 12. Started by Ben Pond, the CVA's Gallery Director, the exhibit is already generating some excitement in those involved.
To Let
A pretty, little plain girl holds her father's hand --stooped down with wrinkled hands to meet cradle smooth fingertips Today, they walk in the park on one of those "perfect days" spring-time Technicolor, and blossoms and blossoms. Its green and sunny and they both squint.
If Only I had Three Arms to Hold Down the Untied Ends
If only I had three arms to hold down the untied ends So they wouldn't snap up and slash. And twelve-finger room for all my pledged rings I need a second head to think twice as well, And faster too. But maybe a spare heart will do, When I set my first one to break It'll beat on for a time, until I had nothing else to lose.
Every college student dreads the thought of exam week. Whether it's a biology exam or the final 10 page paper of the semester, it takes a lot out of a student. For most of us, the stress of finals comes, at a minimum, the week before. This is when the all-nighters, eating whenever possible and major cram sessions at the library begin.
Glacity Theatre Collective presents annual darkly comedic holiday performances of ‘Santaland Diaries
The Valentine Theatre's Studio A Space has a way of making me feel at ease right after entering. This black box theatre, a more personal performance area, is where I saw two holiday-themed plays. "Santaland Diaries" and "Season's Greetings" are shows that director Cornel Gabara, assistant professor of theatre at UT, blended together into one performance.
One year ago, I pulled out my video camera, looked into it and started talking. That was the day I became a video blogger, also known as a vlogger. Being a vlogger is an interesting experience, to say the least. Looking into a camera and talking can be unnerving and awkward at first, but after a while it becomes easier.
Cleveland native hip-hop artist Phenom creates CD inspired by the movie ‘Fight Club’
Over the decades, rap has become one of the most popular genres of music. Phenom, a new artist hailing from Ohio, is making his way onto the rap scene. Phenom started producing for local and nationwide artists in the early 2000s. He now works with many Cleveland artists, helping them develop a sound and purpose in music.
“Hey Mike...”
Trying to look in the mirror was never the same; you changed my life do you remember? Remember me screaming your name "Mike! Mike please stop!" when the acrylic from my nails broke off in your skin, and the blood dripped down your back? I remember.
Gamers, get ready to raise your swords skyward for another puzzle-packed adventure. "The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword," like every prior Zelda game, provides hours of nonstop, puzzle-solving adventure. Unlike the others, though, "Skyward Sword" is filled with more challenges and unexpected story twists that will keep gamers on the edge of their seats for the full 40 hours it takes to beat the game — not including the 100 different side quests available.
Students help raise money for cancer research
Despite the seemingly constant rain, the sun still shines on UT as the 10th-annual Relay For Life is set for tomorrow and ending Saturday morning at the Student Recreation Center. The event consists of teams walking around a track to raise money.
“Kirby’s Return to Dreamland” is a simply fun, new game for Wii.
Many people think Nintendo is meant for kids and babies, but they're wrong. Many great games have recently come out for every console and "Kirby's Return to Dreamland" for the Wii is one of them. If you don't know who Kirby is, then I feel bad for you and encourage you to Google him.
Downtown’s Glass City Cafe is a quaint diner with tasty treats
For years, my friends and I settled for mediocre restaurants like Waffle House for our midnight meal needs, but I never felt completely satisfied. After going to Glass City Café once, I knew this would be my spot. The first thing I noticed when I entered was the fantastic atmosphere.
The Toledo Zoo's annual Lights Before Christmas display features over one million lights and over 200 lighted animal images, as well as the spectacle "Dancing Lights" near Cheetah Valley. Each night there are also carolers from high school and professional choirs.
"Little Things" and "Toledo Lawns"
"Little Things" It's the little things you miss. Waking up alone to timer brewed coffee, And the sounds of your steps being the only ones In the house. Making odd numbered dishes And drinking with locked doors because Nobody is coming to save you anymore.
Local indie rock band released new album ‘Basement’ Friday
Go to college, meet good friends, start a band, travel the country and pursue passions perpetually. Such is the progression of local band, The Faux Paus, who released their second album "Basement" at the Ottawa Tavern on Friday. Amanda Thompson, Carrie Theuring and Hannah Fritch met at UT as three film majors two years ago.
Some things actors should know before auditioning for UT’s spring productions this week
Auditions are never as mysterious as people believe them to be. For anyone unsure about what to do, the directors are more than willing to provide guidance. It's not a secret what they are looking for in an audition; all you have to do is ask. With auditions for UT's productions of "In the Next Room" and "Oedipus Rex" approaching, interested actors should understand the various aspects of the audition process.
Some find the world too "big," and a group of five artists is working to bring it down to scale. Small Worlds, an exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art, offers a unique and genuine insight into the worlds of these artists. Before reaching the door of the Canaday Gallery, I was greeted by a large archway composed of shipping crates, tree branches and other odds and ends.
The UT Art Department's theme of "Landscape and Reclamation" continues with the Center for Visual Art's newest exhibit, "UT Art Faculty Now: Seder Burns, Ben Pond, Barry Whittaker." The exhibit features work from these three art professors that focuses primarily on the human relationship with landscape.
UT's 24 Hour Plays challenges students to write, direct and perform a play in 24 hours
A flood of creativity will overtake the UT Department of Theatre and Film as the final project of the year, 24 Hour Plays, offers students a chance to write, direct and perform original plays in the span of one day. Participants will gather for the event in the Center Theatre of the Center for Performing Arts for their first meeting tomorrow at 7:30 p.
Coolio to perform at the Omni this weekend
For one night only, Toledo will become a "Gangster's Paradise." Rap superstar Coolio, known for his funk-inspired beats and party-themed lyrics, will bring his unique brand of hip-hop – and hair – to the Omni tomorrow night. Coolio performed at Levis Common's in Perrysburg last year for Andrew Z's Miller Lite Music Fest.
The Shadow
Neurons work to gather serotonin, scrambling like harvesters before the fall- reaping through cynical brains to find the birth of a bumbling child locked in a brutal prison Summer is a dream unseen- eclipsed like the moon under the sun, within muted light demons laugh with lingering tongues Strangers meeting in the street stare only at the shadow walking ahead of me, telling lies and hiding golden greatness.
An engineer of the arts
To some, art can be a passion, a release, an avenue of expression and a form of joy. For Michael Koludrovich, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, canvas painting is all that and more. Given his major, one might not expect to see Koludrovich picking up a paintbrush.
Legendary jazz lyricist Jon Hendricks will be celebrating his 90th birthday with the UT Jazz program at Crystal Lounge tonight and at the Center for Performing Arts tomorrow night. Hendricks will perform tonight after CrossCurrents, the jazz faculty group, and Jon Hendricks' Vocalstra, a student jazz vocal group.
The old saying "time is money" has never rung as true as it does in "In Time." This sci-fi action-adventure from "Gattaca" director Andrew Niccol tries to use the idea of time as currency to limited success. The basic premise of the movie is that instead of money, people spend and earn the time they have left to live.
In a much needed break from campus politics, I attended the 25th anniversary tour of "Les Misérables" at the Stranahan Theater. The intricate story by Victor Hugo follows several characters in 19th century France and climaxes with the June Rebellion of 1832 when a rebel group, consisting mostly of students, built a barricade in the streets of Paris and inevitably perished fighting government soldiers.
Imagine planning, shooting and editing a complete short film with a team of four in two days. UTTV and the University of Toledo Film/Video Society are teaming up to organize this year's 48-Hour Film Festival for students interested in filmmaking. Beginning tomorrow at 7 p.
National Novel Writing Month from the persepctive of a participating author
For many, November is the month of turkeys, early holiday shopping and excessively scruffy facial hair. For people drawn to the crafting of words, November is also the month to begin or further their literary careers. November presents a challenge to authors all over the world in the form of National Novel Writing Month, known as NaNoWriMo.
Can't wait for your favorite superheroes to fight together in "The Avengers" next year? How about "The Amazing Spider-man" reboot? Wait no longer. "Avenging Spider-man," Marvel's newest Spidey comic book, teams Spider-man with a fellow superhero for an action-packed, humor-laced adventure.
"Impending"
"Impending" Where am I going? Where am I going in this wounded world of whirling? The pain whips through my head I'm a tainted top a-twirling Swirling seconds, jumbled minutes tumbling like darkened rivets, smashing into withered walls of past, present, Future.
'Sexually explicit'’ images removed from the production for all performances at the Valentine
Sometimes in theatre, the bottom line means selling tickets and some can be easily offended by phallic symbols and sexual innuendos. This was a lesson I learned during "A Midsummer Night's Dream," my seventh production at UT and my first performed outside of the Center for Performing Arts.
If you took some of the characteristics of great heist movies and watered them down, you'd have "Tower Heist." Ben Stiller plays Josh Kovacs, the manager of the Tower Apartments, a home for the white-collared community. Kovacs finds out his favorite tenant, Arthur Shaw, played by Alan Alda, is under arrest by the FBI for fraud and is withholding the Tower employees' pensions.
"Dark Souls" is a fun and great challenge for anyone who thinks most games are pieces of cake. In the world of "Dark Souls," a disease is enveloping the lands and turning humans into undead "hollows." The player's character is one of these undead beings, which I refer to as "self-aware zombies.
Obsession: How Long Will it Last?
Break the chains choking me… wrapped so tightly as I continuously step off the stool. Unwrap my painless soul like a pleasant gift on a beautiful Christmas morning. Admiration is sought out as to how torture has become repetition. Sign the petition to allow me to finally leave… no really… really inform my heart and mind that I can finally rest with ease.
Toledo to welcome reunited alternative rock band at the Omni tomorrow
Those planning on seeing Taking Back Sunday tomorrow night at the Omni should expect a reuniting of "five dudes having so much fun." "We're so grateful to have been doing this job for so long and we've had our ups and downs personally and professionally," said bassist Shaun Cooper.
Violinist Romel Joseph to play benefit fundraiser for Haiti in the Recital Hall
When a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti in January of last year, the world seemed to halt. Romel Joseph, a Haitian violinist, took this tragedy and used it as an opportunity to help his community and bring music into the lives of Haiti's youth. UT will host a performance by Joseph and his daughter, Victoria, in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall, Saturday at 8 p.
This year's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is not a typical UT performance in more than one sense. The show is being presented in a modern way and is not in the Center Theatre of the Center for Performing Arts. What makes this show similar to previous years is the amount of energy and care everyone has put into the part they earned.
Bell, Book and Candle’ opening at Toledo Rep
Many have experienced being in love and for some it has proved to be one of the most bewitching spells of all. The play "Bell, Book and Candle" investigates this idea as it steps out of the 1950s to make its debut at the Toledo Repertoire Theatre this weekend.
Some costumes and characters that may be seen trolling about this Halloween
Halloween is a time to let your creative freedom run wild and perhaps the only day you can walk around dressed as a bacon strip without getting weird looks. We asked students to come into the IC for a Halloween costume photo spread. The answer to our call came in the form of a doll, eggs and bacon and Pyramid Head from the Silent Hill video game series.
Spank trains, blood, murder and orgasms — these elements made up the harrowing tale of how I lost my Rocky Horror virginity. I attended my first "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" performance at the Collingwood Arts Center Saturday. In this form of performance, called show casting, the movie is played on a screen while actors re-enact the scenes on the stage.
Dimensions of Darkness is one of the few local attractions taking scary to another level
As I waited in line at Dimensions of Darkness, a man dressed as a morbid clown approached me and guided a metal fork into his nasal cavity. He moved down to my neck, almost touching my face, and then released his breath across my throat. This haunted house was packed with excellent actors who were well-prepared to scare their audience.
If you're looking for a terrifying and smart movie to watch, "Paranormal Activity 3" is for you. It being the third film in the series, I expected the occasional ghostly activity and noise with no apparent source. However, the directors made it obvious early in the movie they were stepping up their game.
UT psychology student Jillian Albert devotes her time to empowering and rehabilitating victims of se
It's crazy to think that slavery still exists today and is a bigger issue now than it has ever been. Human trafficking is a global issue, and it's occurring here in Toledo, Ohio. Victims are captured by several means, some of which include coercion, threats and deception.
The sounds of our nation will be floating through campus starting tomorrow night at 7 p.m. from Doerman Theatre as the UT Music Department performs a concert entitled "Tribute to America," highlighting American music and composers. This is the first concert of the season and it is a massive undertaking involving the UT Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Chorale and Community Choir.
Most people know the big three game companies – Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft. Lately, however, there has been a boom of American independent game companies that create small, fun and unique games. ThatGameCompany is one of them. It started in spring 2006 by Jenova Chen and Kellee Santiago, both alumni of the University Southern California Interactive Media MFA program.
"Evil Dead: the Musical" brings both avid theatre-goers and cult horror film followers together for a gruesome good time. With extended showings and extremely successful ticket sales at its last performance, "Evil Dead: the Musical" is making its revival Friday at the Valentine Theatre's Studio A Space on Adams Street.
Imagine a football field filled with girls juggling batons, catching high tosses and performing incredible gymnastics. This is what will be seen during the halftime performance of Saturday's football game. Ashlee Banas, feature baton twirler for the Rocket Marching Band, Andrea Whiting, a local twirling coach and former UT twirler Lauren St.
"50/50" provides humor audience can relate to
Few great movies can evoke emotions from both sides of the spectrum without missing a beat — "50/50" does. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Adam, a 27-year-old Seattle resident who struggles with a rare type of spinal cancer. As his disease complicates, his personal life runs parallel.
Famous for her edgy, racial, style of comedy, Lisa Lampanelli doesn't hold anything back. "The words and language during a show is to be ironic and point out how stupid stereotypes are," she said. " Lampanelli, otherwise known as the "Queen of Mean," is appearing at the Stranahan Theatre Saturday night.
This semester, I had the privilege of landing a coveted paid internship as an assistant to the glass curator at the Toledo Museum of Art. This officially marks the first time I have a regular job with a regular salary. As a double major in film/video and art history, my studies have prepared me for researching and bringing pertinent information to the table.
Editor's Note: This is a first-hand account of the Human vs. Zombies event. "Come at me, bro" shouted Alex Zuelke, a sophmore majoring in construction engineering technology, at a horde of brain-sucking zombies. This exclamation epitomizes the game Humans vs.
With rambling banjos and thumping backbeats, Coshocton, Ohio native Lydia Loveless is making big headlines in today's music scene. Her twanging vocals will make an appearance this Saturday at Culture Clash Records in Toledo at 3:30 p.m. and the Village Idiot in Maumee at 10 p.
Making their debut performance in the Glass City comes Springfield, Mo. natives Ha Ha Tonka at Frankies Inner City in downtown Friday at 10 p.m. Their push into the popular music scene began in 2007 with their debut album "Buckle in the Bible Belt" and followed in 2009 with the album "Novel Sounds of the Nouveau South.
Imagine a medieval time filled with magic and bravery, quirky characters and ferocious beasts. Now, imagine that you are a key player in this world, a champion that can cut a path of good or evil into history. This is the world of Dungeons and Dragons.
The UT Film and Video Society wants to bring all performing arts majors and enthusiasts together for training, workshops, socializing and unity as they revive from their short hiatus. Their last meeting was held in fall 2010 and was not considered a group until this semester.
The accidental death of a young son throws his family into a downward spiral of grief in the Glacity Theatre Collective's production of Jenny Schwartz' "God's Ear," directed by Irene Alby. The intimate theatrical space of Studio A at the Valentine Theatre lent itself to this production quite well, aside from a few brief moments when visibility was compromised.
Screamo music is generally an acquired taste. As a friend of mine says, "You either hate it or it's the only thing you listen to." If this is the rule, then the band We Came As Romans is an exception. This band from Troy, Mich. released their second album entitled, "Understanding What We've Grown to Be" Sept.
"Drive" follows the everyday life of Driver, played by Ryan Gosling, as he works as a stunt driver, a mechanic and moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals with Bryan Cranston plays Shannon, his manager. In the movie, Driver becomes emotionally involved with his neighbor Irene, played by Cary Mulligan, and Shannon gets financially involved with two small time crooks, Bernie Rose and Nino, played by Albert Brooks and Ron Perlman respectively.
The University of Toledo art community was well recognized at the 2011 Annual Toledo Area Artists Exhibition. Out of the 66 works included in the exhibition, seven were submitted by University of Toledo alumni, faculty or students. The TAA Exhibition is a tradition nearly as old as the Toledo Art Museum itself as the program hit its 93rd year.
Many film students dream of winning an Oscar in the best director category. This dream is one step closer to coming true for sophomore film major Lydia Kane as her final project in last semester's Film I class was recently accepted into two film festivals.
"God's Ear," written by Jenny Schwartz, explores the real and surreal relationships within a family trying to cope after the death of their son. During what was supposed to be a peaceful vacation tragedy struck and left the family forever disconnected.
Metered parking spaces on Adams Street downtown will be creatively remodeled into temporary parks to demonstrate the need for improvement in health and space in the city Friday, between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. The University of Toledo's College of Visual and Performing Arts has five spaces reserved.
Imagine a tiger or perhaps a Burmese python sitting with you in your house. "Elephant in the Living Room" is a documentary that explores this subculture of exotic animal owners in America. The movie highlights many of the issues that come from ownership of these types of animals and the fact that most states do not have permits or regulations in regards to possession of exotic animals.
The Toledo Museum of Art is holding a memorial titled "Out of the Sky — Remembering 9/11" by sculptor and printmaker Werner Pfeiffer throughout the month of September.
Pfeiffer witnessed the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 and almost immediately began to sketch ideas for a tribute.
The memorial will be on display for this month in the Herrick Lobby of the museum.
In a press release, Pfeiffer said the memorial evolved "into a book with a sculptural component, or a sculpture in the form of a book."
The hours for the museum are Tuesday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and
Sunday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Many were moved to tears as they recalled their own fond memories of Evelyn Davis and her presence in the costume shop. A memorial service was held for Davis, a former costumer for the UT Theatre Department for almost 20 years, Friday evening. As a theatre major interested in costume design and employee of the university costume shop, it was my honor to be able to learn about Davis' legacy through the costumes she left behind and the people who loved her most.
The Documentary Film Society of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is hosting a free screening of the 2010 film "The Elephant in the Living Room" at 7 p.m. tonight at Franklin Park Mall's Rave Motion Picture Theater. The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson and rector of St.
Evelyn Davis, beloved costumer for the Department of Theatre, passed away July 9 at the age of 91. Davis was born and raised in Toledo where she reared five children. She worked in the costume shop for nearly 20 years until her retirement in 1981. "She just recently passed away and there will be a memorial service for her that Bill [Smith, former faculty designer for the costume shop] and some other people that worked with her here on campus are putting together.
The Department of Film recently released its lineup for this semester's series of late-night Film Fridays with the theme "Love Gone Wrong," beginning Sept. 23. "The whole idea is not to mimic a commercial theatrical place, but to create an environment where the UT and outside community can merge together in a fairly inexpensive way and share a common experience by watching the same movie," said Holly Hey, assistant professor of theatre, who is also in charge of presenting the movies.
I've always considered myself a bit of a nerd. Ever since I can remember, I was interested in all of the "weird" things. I used to run around and chase classmates with plastic fangs saying I was a vampire, or sometimes I'd quote random movies and television shows.
For the second consecutive year, the University of Toledo organized a free community-wide pep rally to kick off the football season and allow students, faculty and the community to "rock out before the first football game" at Memorial Field. This year, students hope the festivities and support for the football team will bring in a victory against the University of New Hampshire Wildcats Thursday night.
People gather in front of Lucas County Courthouse to confront medicinal marijuana legislation in Ohio
Anyone driving downtown in front of the Lucas County Courthouse Wednesday afternoons will see a group of protesters dressed in green. They are members of an organization known as Honk for Weed. They have been on the same street corner every Wednesday since Matthew Green and others started protesting May 1, 2010.
Luc Besson burst into the film scene 22 years ago by writing and directing "La Femme Nikita," a film that is everything that "Colombiana," also written by Besson, but directed by Oliver Megaton, wants to be. However, "Colombiana" falls short. "La Femme Nikita" manages to create a strong female action hero that garners sympathy from the audience as she struggles.
Toledo’s first-ever Pride parade paints the streets of downtown with rainbows Saturday afternoon
The Glass City Rollers roller derby team, local businesses, performers and members of the community decorated themselves as well as the streets of Toledo for the second-annual Pride Festival this past weekend. The festival celebrates the local lesbian, gay, transgender, questioning and allies (LGBTQA) community.
Remember those "choose your own adventure" books that let you make certain decisions and led to several multiple endings? I would read them all the time when I was a kid, peeking at the end and making sure I picked the best ending. I outgrew these books and moved on to video games, which have a genre of "choose your own adventure" games.
Faculty and students impressed with aesthetic changes and structural expansions from renovation
As students walk to and from classes the first week of the semester, they may have noticed the construction occurring behind the Center for Performing Arts. The $2 million project began during the week of April 25, 2011 and continued through the summer.
Theatre and Film students from the University of Toledo have proven to be assets in their fields, whether their talents are discovered as they pursue their education or after graduation. The Independent Collegian conducted interviews with current and recently graduated students, documenting how their education has affected their professional endeavors. This issue is dedicated to those students who have demonstrated passion,
Activities, food, fireworks and pop rock band Cartel coming to Centennial Mall
UT's second annual Music Fest will help bring in the new school year in style on Aug. 31. The festival runs from 2:45 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Centennial Mall. Following tradition, the festival is free and open to the public. Last year's festival had a variety of bands as well as activities such as a pep rally, food vendors, a disc jockey between acts and fireworks at the end.
"Final Destination 5," the newest in the long line of supernatural slasher films, follows a simple formula. First, a group of unwilling youngsters avoid a terrible disaster thanks to one of them having a psychic vision. Second, death is portrayed as a force of nature which does not take kindly to a lack of victims and proceeds to kill off anyone who avoided the disaster one-by-one.
The UT Department of Theatre and Film is ready to begin working on its first stage production of the season, Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream", and the time has come for the year's first round of auditions. Auditions for the fall production will be held in the Center for Performing Arts on Aug.
Dozens of local bands play SoundTrek and Toledo Music Expo
This past Friday and Saturday the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo arranged two new events for the area's art and music scene. The first event being the inagural Downtown Soundtrek Friday evening. Thirteen different venues going from Bretz Bar located on Adams Street throug the Stadium/Arena District and 42 local bands participated in the event.
In an exhibit dealing with the erotic, one expects to find some content that pushes the boundaries. Sex, bondage, sado masochism and objectophilia are some of the themes depicted in "Erotic Postcards: Erotica in Miniature" The exhibit lasts through the end of the month and features 4x6 photographs that explore the beauty of the human figure with varying degrees of eroticism.
Anime has inspired a culture of its own where people often cosplay--dress up as their favorite characters and attend conventions which present this style of animation. Anime and gaming fans travelled to Owens Community College to take part in Glass City Con III, also known as GarasuNoShiCon, July 9 and 10.
The Secor Building opens it’s doors to local artists, musicians and filmmakers
Nate Masternak's solo art exhibition "Analytical Odysseys" opened at the Jefferson Street Secor Building on June 3. Masternak's exhibit was held on the sixth floor of the building. The Secor Building displays work and gallery spaces for artists throughout the fifth and seventh floors.
Assistant Film Professor Holly Hey's film "Rat Stories" was recently accepted for national distribution on PBS. Hey said that the movie "undermines stereotypes about rats to examine the importance of human connection in a variety of social contexts. Like the rat is scorned within many cultures around the world, the human subjects within each rat story do not fit into the mainstream, and as a result of their detachments from social norms the create their own countercultures to try to belong.
Toledo-based glam rock band We Are the Fury will be returning to their roots June 18, as the band headlines a show at Frankies Inner City. The band formed in 2004 by Toledo natives, and they’ve toured across the country and Canada with artists such as Jack’s Mannequin, Silverchair and Head Automatica.
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary with a lineup far more diverse than its origins of jam bands. Rap and comedy ruled the weekend along with a collection of festival veterans emerging as major acts. Bonnaroo started in 2002 and is held every June on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tenn.
Professor Cornel Gabara joins the symphony to create a remarkable performance
The Toledo Symphony Orchestra traveled to New York City's Carnegie Hall for the Spring for Music Festival, a gathering of North America's finest symphonies and orchestras, on May 7. The TSO was one of seven groups selected from an initial 65 candidates.
"The Shadow People" tells a thrilling story of a teenage girl tormented by demons who possessed her body after a brutal encounter with members of a cult. Bethany Ryder and her friends were thinking they were headed to a bonfire to meet their friends; however what they confront is much less than pleasant.
Fourth time would be the charm if Disney Studios was aiming for mediocrity in the next episode of Captain Jack Sparrow's journey. In the most recent installment of the "Pirates" saga – I guess we're able to call it that now – Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is on a race against both the Spanish and British for the legendary Fountain of Youth, believed to be in present-day Florida.
Seattle-based hip-hop artist Ben Haggerty, otherwise known as Macklemore, performed in Ann Arbor's compact and intimate Blind Pig. Macklemore's powerful lyrics come from his introspective and confessional style. His development as a writer and maturation as an artist can be seen in the progression of his discography.
University of Toledo alum David Eichenberg is rapidly becoming one of the hottest artists in the United Kingdom while working out of a studio in downtown Toledo. "You can live anywhere now and still have access to a global market," Eichenberg said. "I'm pretty comfortable in Toledo.
UT graduate Nastassia S. Fifer released a collection of poetry called "Stories from the Heart" this year. Fifer, who was born in Ypsilanti, Mich., graduated from UT last year with a degree in political science. Originally considering law school, Fifer chose instead to pursue writing as a career.
The movies you should watch, avoid, or only pay to see if you’re desperately bored
There's nothing more exciting than the relaxing thought of, as Alice Cooper said, "no more pencils, no more books." Unfortunately, aside from a few movies, don't expect this summer to be the best summer season. With May upon us, let's consider some flicks worth an effort to see, avoid and consider if there is really nothing else going on.
Making pop at home is fast, fun and economical with Sodastream. The device is to pop what Keurig is to coffee. Sodastream requires a good amount of trial and error. To use the device, you press a button to carbonate a bottle of water with carbon dioxide, and then you mix in the syrup.
Christians across the planet celebrated Easter yesterday, concluding the Lenten season, which began Ash Wednesday. Holy Week, which began on Palm Sunday last week and ended on Easter, is a weeklong remembrance of the last days of Jesus before his crucifixion and resurrection.
Although it is still a work in process, Jackie Grey and Cindy Below's store in Woodville Mall is expected to open April 30. The store is a hybrid of ideas: a market that recruits and sells the work of local artists, two dance studios, a bookstore and a coffee shop.
In spite of his most recent film "Water for Elephants," Robert Pattinson still leaves audience members drawing connections to his previous acting jobs. Pattinson plays the role of Jacob Janikowski, a veterinary student who, following the death of his parents, drops out and — as cliché as it sounds — runs away and joins a traveling circus.
Although he's Caucasian, Carl Nelson is highly involved in student organizations most wouldn't expect to see him in. The senior majoring in Africana Studies, is a great example of how diversity plays an integral part in student life. Nelson is involved in five organizations, which include Latino Student Union and Black Student Union where he is the chair of community service.
He's a college dean by day and musician by night. This describes the life of Thomas Barden, dean of the recently formed Honors College. "Never a day job, just doing it because I love it," he said. "If everything gets crazy at the university, which has happened occasionally, it's been really soothing thing.
The Jewish community began celebrating Passover, one of their most significant holidays, Monday at sundown. The night began with the ritualistic hearing the story of the exodus, known as Seder, and enjoying sandwiches made of matzo and maror. Passover is a seven-day celebration of the Jewish faith that celebrates the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt as depicted in the Torah and Hebrew Bible.
Disease is less glamorous than previous Toledo Museum of Art themes, but the exhibit "What's Wrong with Me? Art and Disease" is as powerful as any to date. Art history students at the University of Toledo serve as curators for the exhibit, which opens April 22 in the Hitchcock Gallery at TMA.
An IC reflection of artwork on display during the last Saturday of this year’s exhibition
Tires, onion peels, lighters and even razor blades can be used to make art. These are just some materials local artists used to create the art on display at Artomatic 419! Housed in two abandoned buildings in downtown Toledo with holes in the walls, plaster peeling off the ceiling and exposed baseboards, Artomatic 419! gave Toledoans the chance to showcase their skills.
This past week marks 150 years since the beginning of the greatest military conflict in American history: the Civil War. The four-year conflict between the Union North and the Confederate South cost our nation over 600,000 lives and brought the country into an era of social and infrastructural reconstruction.
Fans danced to the heavy alternative songs and some tapped their feet along to the beat from their seats of the Zodiac, the venue where the Toledo-based band Vengeance Day performed early Saturday morning. The band's website describes their music sounding like "Dr.
Vincent D. Scebbi – Arts and Life Editor and Features Editor 1. Freewill – Rush 2. Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan 3. Littlething – Jimmy Eat World 4. 50 Ways to Leave Your Love – Paul Simon 5. That was a Crazy Game of Poker – O.
Toledo band Frank & Jesse is performing at two local venues Saturday and releasing its debut album "Let It Come Down," as part of the fourth annual Record Store Day. "We're an interesting case," drummer Shane Shirey said. "I would never suggest any new band release their first thing on Record Store Day because it's going to get lost in the shuffle.
For the third and final weekend, Artomatic 419! will run in downtown Toledo Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The free public event will be at 407 Washington and 25 S. St. Clair, located across Fifth-Third Field. Artomatic is a program of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo in which artists representing a variety of styles present their work.
For the nontraditional art students at Owens Community College who balance more than just school, the eighth annual student art show is, according to Nathan Daulbaugh, the "carrot at the end of the stick." "You bust your butt during the semesters. Being at Owens, a lot of people aren't traditional students," Daulbaugh said.
Fashion advice from UT’s only fashionista
College is filled to the brim with classes, meetings, books and friends. It is so full, in fact, that it can be incredibly easy to let the simple things in life — such as a snazzy outfit - go overlooked. However, college, in all of its sometimes-frenzied glory, is perhaps the most influential time to determine, reveal and mold one's identity.
Two months after completing "The House of Bernarda Alba," a play which warns of the dangers of authoritarianism and oppression, playwright Federico Lorca was murdered by fascists as they took over in the Spanish Civil War. Outside the entrance to the Center Theatre in the Center for Performing Arts sits a wall of newspaper clippings, artwork and graffiti.
The fantasy comedy "Your Highness" is less a movie and more medieval scenery filled with sexual innuendo and F-bombs that don't land. With a budget of $50 million and an opening-weekend gross of just $9.5 million, "Your Highness" looks destined to flop financially as well as creatively.
THE CAST SARAH FATEMI Jaleeah Williams Favorite scene to watch I really liked the one in the library with Joey, Ben and Marky. I just thought it was so much fun to watch. It was done so professionally with the shots of Katie [Nelson, playing Ben] and Gage [Howell, playing Marky] behind the bookcase.
For its second semester, UT will join over 300 universities hosting a local game of Humans versus Zombies beginning Wednesday and lasting until April 19. Humans versus Zombies is played by having most participants starting as humans, depicted by bandanas on their arms or thighs, and a select few beginning as the original zombies, who are identified by bandanas tied to their heads.
Do they create diversity or insecurity on campus
This article is the first in a two part series examining the importance of ethnic student groups and how they play into the overall goals of diversity at UT. A diverse community plays a role in student life here at UT where there are more than 18 ethnic student groups on campus.
Annual Jewish-Christian-Muslem Dialogue discusses Ten Commandments and America
When you hear the phrase "Ten Commandments," what is the first thing that comes to mind? God? The law? Charlton Heston's portrayal of Moses in ‘The Ten Commandments'? This was one of the topics discussed during the Annual Jewish-Christian-Muslim Dialogue, which took place last night in the Ingman Room of the Student Union.
There are few things more genuinely refreshing to the eye than a brilliant burst of color amidst a gray landscape. These drab days are just one reason many people are not fond of early spring. However, it's the rainy season in all of its misty glory, and this means it's the most fun time for fashionistas to stand out.
“Party in the Glass City” hit the web Friday
"Got my hands up, my system is on, I know I'm gonna be okay – hey, it's a Party in the Glass City!" Those are just some of the lyrics in "Party in the Glass City," a parody of Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." and a music video promo released on YouTube by UTTV Friday in anticipation of the first episode's release April 9.
Wednesday will mark the 17th anniversary of the death of Nirvana guitarist and frontman Kurt Cobain. For those growing up in the ‘90s, the music of Nirvana represented the rebellious mainstream of popular music. Nirvana's music was endemic of the times – they were partially responsible for popularizing "grunge," a style of music known for its gritty overdriven and distorted guitars, as well as gruff, often shouted lyrics ranging in subject matter from social awareness to melodramatic non sequitur.
Anyone can write a book or tell a story, but the true art of storytelling is a rare gift granted to those such as Maya Angelou and Zora Neal Hurston who have told stories and written books about love, life and even triumph. Author Jane Bradley is the epitome of a natural storyteller; she becomes one with the characters in her books and goes into their world.
Many people say things like "Someday, I'm going to write a movie," but one national organization is challenging writers to turn that "someday" into "today" as The Office of Letters and Light, a non-profit organization dedicated to creative expression through writing, sponsors its fifth annual script-writing event.
This week on shoes
Glamorous fashion magazines aren't ashamed to portray top designers' latest pieces of art at the top of their "What's Hot This Season" lists. From outrageously elegant floor-length dresses to chic leopard-printed purses, there is a consistent stream of beautiful pieces of clothing and accessories to admire.
The Cleveland International Film Festival is Ohio's most significant contribution to the film industry, including work by local artists as well as those from the Hollywood prominent, documentary elites and internationally acclaimed. The festival, which runs from March 26 to April 3, is being held at the Tower City Cinemas in downtown Cleveland's Tower City Center.
WBSS’ Greg and Jaleeah
While the focus of "West Bancroft Side Story" is the love story between Joey and Sonia, they're not the only lovers in the series. Greg Long and Jaleeah Williams, Sonia's brother and roommate respectively, are the third and final couple introduced in the show.
Approximately one year ago, the Imam Khattab Endowed Chair of Islamic Studies and professor of Religious Studies Ovamir Anjum predicted in his lecture that democracy in the Middle East would be a natural transition. He argued that the people in the region would embrace the change.
Spring Shift
Spring has finally begun to show its warm, rainy face amidst the ever-present gloom known as Toledo weather. This time of year brings greenery back to life, as well as downtrodden spirits that had previously been lost in snow. The season of puddle-hopping and Easter egg hunts isn't simply for lifting moods, however.
Cable hosts O’Brien and Lopez attract youngest viewers
BURBANK, Calif. _ The one-two punch of TBS talk shows "Conan" and "Lopez Tonight" have in four months won over a key TV audience: young viewers. The shows have become the late-night choice for viewers with an average age of 32 _ a coveted demographic for most advertisers.
Students gather to game, celebrate, discuss and kick off Jewish Heritage Month
"I'll take People, Places and Things…Oi Voy! for 200." This was one of the many statements made at yesterday afternoon's Multicultural Jeopardy event in the Student Union South Lounge. The event was co-sponsored by the University of Toledo's Office of Multicultural Student Services and Hillel, an international Jewish student organization with an office at UT.
Better than competitors
For Apple, the power is in the packaging. Unwrapping a brand-new Apple device is an experience that no other technology company has been able to match. And while Apple has been chided for endlessly calling its devices "magical," there are few better words to describe this iPad 2, which is one-third thinner, 15 percent lighter and twice as fast as the original.
An interview with the face of Marky Layman of ‘West Bancroft’
Gage Howell is a sophomore majoring in education who plays Marky Layman in "West Bancroft Side Story." I had a chance to sit down and talk with him yesterday about his involvement in the show. Gage is the new kid on the block: "I have never been in a [theatre department] show at UT.
The story of St. Patrick’s day, then and now
St. Patrick's Day has acquired quite the reputation as an outlandish drinking-fest, particularly when it comes to college students. However, there appears to be an art behind many aspects of this Irish holiday, including tradition, history and creative ideas for getting in the green spirit.
Reviewing “Don’t Judge A Dick by Its Foreskin”
What can you expect when a book's dust jacket is printed on cheap laminated paper, but makes grandiose claims such as "What do Harvard professors and garbage men have in common?" – surprisingly not an underground pressing of "Freakanomics." Canadian-born author Max Gold takes a crack at the preachy social sarcastic genre with "Don't Judge a Dick by Its Foreskin.
After attending the Student Organization Gala before spring break I had many more questions about getting involved. I decided to do a little research about the 200 or more organizations at the University of Toledo and it seems my beliefs and concerns have been nothing but a misconception.
Mid-semester playlist recommendations by IC staff
Congratulations – the semester is half over. If you've come this far and, after looking over your midterm grades, you're sure that you've got what it takes to make it to summer, than pat yourself on the back. Success in school can be a unique recipe for each student.
So far in this column, I've talked about choreography, filmography, the plot, the actors and even the casting process itself. It sounds like it might be a completed project, right? Wrong – at least for a filming project. Over spring break, several members of UTTV took scenes from West Bancroft Side Story on portable hard drives to begin the most time-consuming part of production: the editing process.
March 01--When asked what comes to mind when they hear the words "Spring Break," several students replied with everything from sleep, no homework, vacation, friends, fun, road trips, and freedom. "Spring break is a much needed break from the daily grind," said Kaleb Snyder, 23, and senior at Northern State University.
A visit to the Student Organizations Gala
The following article is the first in a series in which staff writer A. Sharp will examine different groups on campus and explore how they interact with one another and the students who join them. The Student Union auditorium was filled Monday night with students from various organizations, even those I had never heard of, all ready to have a great evening at the Second Annual Student Organization Gala.
A look at bathroom grafitti
For many students at UT, the bathrooms are seen as some of the most germ-infected places on the entire campus. While some elect not to use the public restrooms due to reputation of lacking cleanliness, for others the bathroom is transformed into their own art studio, with the walls and stalls serving as their easels.
Hookah has easily become one of the most well-known pastimes associated with socialization. Sitting at a table, in a lounge or on the floor with nothing between you and your friends but an exotic-looking smoke contraption makes shooting the breeze a bit more intimate than an expensive night out to dinner or the regular bar-centered group activity.
On Friday, Feb. 25, the Student Union Building Auditorium was transformed into a catwalk for the Black Student Union's 40th Annual Fashion Show. "The Elements of Fashion: 7 Deadly Sins" was the daunting yet creative theme for this year's show. Envy, wrath, greed, lust, sloth, pride and gluttony all made appearances on the stage in the form of clothing that was, for the most part, planned accordingly.
The IC sits down with Carina Cornieles and Feliza Casano
Throughout the filming of West Bancroft Side Story, producer Carina Cornieles and writer Feliza Casano caught up with the IC for a quick interview. IC: What kind of experience did you have before working with WBSS? CC: I did a lot of experience with UT:10 News.
Has the market for books tanked with the economy?
Borders, the second largest US bookstore chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week. Like many Michigan companies, the chain is currently making adjustments in hopes to remain a major market competitor. This news should not come as a shock to those who have been following Borders' revenue margins: the company has not posted a year of profit since 2006 and its annual revenue has fallen by approximately $1 billion since then.
A look at UT student organizations
The following article is the first in a series in which staff writer A. Sharp will examine different groups on campus and explore how they interact with one another and the students who join them. Throughout my college career it has always seemed as if there was something that I needed to do; lately that has turned into more of an urge or an itch, as if there is something missing from this experience.
For many artists, a Grammy award is a sign that they have finally made it in the music industry. Most people covet the Grammy award more than any other award in the business and even a nomination garners accolades and respect. I believe the Grammy award does not necessarily make the artist "better.
UT hosts weekend-long gaming convention in Student Union
Football fans have the Super Bowl, music fans have the Grammy Awards and fans of role playing games, competitive collectable card games, and other subcultural pastimes have conventions. The biggest convention of the gaming variety is Gen Con Indy, held annually in Indianapolis.
Filming scenes from ‘West Bancroft’ at the Memorial Fieldhouse
There are two basic ways to film a movie or television show: using sets, which are built in studios to look exactly how the director or producer wants it to look, and filming on location, which requires crews and actors to go to a real-world place to film and move to another real-world place to film a scene in a different area.
President to pay tribute to record label
DETROIT _ Detroit is back on the White House agenda. And this time it's got a backbeat. Motown Records will be in the spotlight Thursday as President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama welcome Berry Gordy Jr., Smokey Robinson and more than 120 students for a tribute to the record label that bears the city's nickname.
Networks for new job seekers
The transition from college to a career can be very overwhelming and intimidating for students. While the Internet has long been a fixture for job hunters, some new sites are making the networking aspect of it more localized. A frequently asked question college students may have as graduation approaches is "So what's next?" According to an article by the Wall Street Journal last year, "there are roughly 17 percent of people aged 20 to 24 that do not have jobs, and two million are unemployed.
PJs in NYC annoy
This week, Barb responds to an email from someone who recently located to the Big Apple. Dear Barb E. Dahl, What is your take on the subject of pajama jeans? When did wearing pajamas outside become a socially acceptable fashion choice outside of Wal-Mart and college campuses? Can this madness be stopped? Sincerely, Annoyed in New York Annoyed in New York, I wish I could come up with a valid excuse for people who wear their pajamas in public as if their scraps of flannel are the next fashion staple.
Historical or ‘Hallmark holiday’ hoax?
Once a year without fail, Cupid is known for spreading his white, feathery wings and gliding weightlessly through the air. This famous cherub, who is generally depicted with bow in hand and a large quiver of arrows on his back, has a never-ending mission: to skillfully and mischievously seek out hearts to pierce in the name of love.
UT students perform ‘Vagina Monologues’
After dozens of interviews conducted with women in the New York City area, playwright and activist Eve Ensler wrote "The Vagina Monologue" in 1994. The play covers the untold issues and testimonials about women's sexuality and the social stigma surrounding rape, abuse, incest, female mutilation and sex slavery.
You may have seen her at UT as: Shelly Parker in "Bat Boy: The Musical" (2008) and several roles including the Virgin Mary in "Creation/Doomsday" (2009). But you could have seen her outside UT too: Megan has played roles in several non-UT productions, including understudying as Maria in "West Side Story" and Lorraine in "All Shook Up," both at the Toledo Repertoire Theater.
Musical rendition of cult film debuts at Valentine
Washing blood out of your clothes is not part of a traditional night out at the theater, but "Evil Dead the Musical" is anything but traditional. Director James Norman, a part-time English professor at the University of Toledo, is premiering the production at 7 p.
UT sophomore communication major Joe Repka had a chance to show the world his talents on this year's ‘American Idol' in an episode that aired Jan. 26. Repka remembers the audition before the three judges as one his most nervous moments, but Ryan Seacrest and many of the millions of viewers would beg to differ.
The trials and tribulations of taking it to the studio
When working on a musical, one of the most important aspects to take into consideration is the music, which has to be edited into the film carefully. When we first considered creating "West Bancroft Side Story" as a musical, there were several problems we could foresee, the first of which was the sound recording.
Music and commercials disappoint at Super Bowl : Pittsburgh not only losers
Super Bowl Sunday is the one day of the year when people clamor for commercials rather than complain about them. However, much like "Saturday Night Live," the level of comedy has greatly decreased over the last 10 years. The Super Bowl commercial break is a time for exotic animals and violence, most notably monkeys and nut shots.
The revolution will not be televised; the revolution will be tweeted
What started as an organized demonstration in Egypt has resulted in the entire country falling off the digital map. On Jan. 25, thousands of Egyptian citizens in various locations around the North African nation rallied together in what Egyptian news source Al-Masry Al-Youm called the "Day of Anger.
UTMC complies with new law
A Jan. 18, decision by President Obama declared that a resolution would go into effect later that day that would strip Medicare and Medicaid coverage from hospitals that restrict the visitation rights of the domestic partners in same-sex relationships.
With the wonder of a magnificent winter landscape before us, it is understandable, although not necessarily acceptable, for the common rules of fashion to fall by the wayside. As it should be, practicality is the number one goal to be reached when in search of the warmest clothes of the season.
The subject of pornography may not be dinner conversation, but some students at UT were willing to share their views on the subject. The amount of ease with which people speak of pornography is often as varied as their opinions on the subject. To some, porn is seen as a casual matter of conversation amongst friends.
"The Rite," which was released in theatres this past Friday, is a fictional movie set at the Vatican in Rome based on Matt Baglio's book "The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist." Baglio was heavily involved with the production and filming of the movie.
Filming continues for “West Bancroft Side Story’
Five scenes, four actors, three hours, two genders, one building. All this was a reality Saturday night for actors in "West Bancroft Side Story." The scenes filmed are among the first in the show to display the four main characters of the show's Ottawa gang together.
The following article is the second in a two-part series. Part one examined the opinions of students at UT and local artists regarding tattoos. Part two more closely examines tattoos, the job market and recent college graduates. As mentioned in the first feature of Tattoo U, many believe that the stigma on tattoos has changed over time.
Catwalk Outrage is a new weekly column where UT student Barb E. Dahl de-constructs the latest in UT student fashion and lends her advice. Keep your eyes open for this stunning fashionista, or you may end up in the latest Catwalk Outrage! In the dead of winter in Northwest Ohio, wise clothing decisions generally revolve around warmth.
Dorm life is notoriously depicted as being drab, gray and sometimes even a bit moldy. However, when given the right amount of tender loving care, residence hall rooms can easily be transformed into creative hangout sanctuaries. For Kathryn Lambert, a freshman whose major is undeclared, a place to call her own is of the utmost importance.
RALEIGH, N.C. _ To even the playing field between a folk guitarist and a classical pianist, ask the guitarist to read music and the pianist to improvise. That's what happened last month when singer-songwriter Tift Merritt and concert pianist Simone Dinnerstein began preparing for two concerts they will present this weekend at Duke University.
There is nothing more democratic in this country than network television. Regardless of taste, artistic merit or critical response, the shows that no one likes enough to watch vanish, while popular shows return. On cable, the size of a show’s audience is often inversely related to the number of Emmys it wins, but on the networks it’s the people’s choice.
UT students and the latest in phone technology
The rapid emergence of the smartphone has brought about a handheld revolution of both accessibility and convenience. Smartphones are not as closely related to "phones" as they are to pocket computers. They are able to text, take pictures and/or video and surf the web.
Dancing with the stars of UT’s newest musical
I woke up Saturday morning to a limp, aching sensation in my legs and my roommate refusing to get out of bed. Maybe that doesn't seem like the most relevant fact; it probably isn't - but the consequences of Friday's 12-hour preparations for the Sunday filming of "West Bancroft Side Story" were probably fairly attention-grabbing, right? Maybe the attention-grabbing part was the whole 12-hour bit.
The following article is the first in a two-part series. Part one examines the opinions of students at UT and local artists regarding tattoos. Part two will more closely examine tattoos, the job market and recent college graduates. Few art forms are as polarizing as tattoos; advocates have long felt it to be advanced art form that uses the human body as the canvas.
The Green Hornet" walks a fine line between believable and absurd but manages to balance atop the tightrope throughout. The end result is a superhero movie that is pure fun. Seth Rogen stars in the movie, is an executive producer and co-wrote the script with frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg.
Ancient or aged engravings and drawings are sources studied by historians and researchers alike in an attempt to discover the past. This form of capturing history is not generally applicable to the average student. David Hale, a junior studying history, is one of the exceptions.
Not all touch screen tablets created equal; a look at the Kindle, Kobo, Nook and iPad
For those who are not in the know on the gadget scene, tablet display electronic book reading devices, commonly called e-readers, were one of the hottest gift items this holiday season. E-readers are typically book-sized devices equipped with a computer screen or two that show text and pictures using either a grayscale e-ink display or a full color touch screen display, such as Apple's iPad.
During the Spring 2011 semester at the University of Toledo, be on the lookout for something suspiciously musical on UT's campus channel. UTTV Student Broadcasting and WXUT are collaborating to create "West Bancroft Side Story," a three-episode miniseries parodying the classic story of "Romeo and Juliet.
Depp and Jolie disappoint in latest blockbuster
Do not be swayed by the allure of seeing Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie team up for the first time. Even Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant would not have been able to salvage the terrible plot of "The Tourist" into something worth watching.
As 2010 closes, the editorial staff of the Independent Collegian chooses the top 10 events that defined the first ten years of the new millennium
#1 – September 11, 2001 September 11, 2001 is a day in modern history which will live in infamy. The repercussions from the actions of a handful of extremists are not only the deaths of 3,000 innocent Americans, but what followed threw a nation into the invasion of Afghanistan and a declared "War on Terror.
A wide range of music could be heard by both the UT Symphonic Band and the University Wind Ensemble yesterday at Doermann Theatre. The concert, which started at 8 p.m., opened with the Symphonic Band playing “standard band repertoire,” according to Director of Bands Jason Stumbo.
Learning a new language can be as easy as relaxing in a comfy chair and turning on any television channel across the world, with some help from ARGYLEtv.com. ARGYLEtv is a free website that provides live and recorded TV shows from over 130 countries ranging from Afghanistan to Yemen and in 70 different languages.
While majority of playwrights, directors and actors are given ample amounts of time to write, coach and learn their material, for participants of "The 24 Hour Plays," time is of the essence. The format for the highly anticipated event was developed by a company in New York and is in its fifth year at UT.
Though to many it has been a place to get together to watch recently released movies for a low price, the Maumee Indoor Theater has evolved into a venue for visual and performing arts. Old-fashioned movie houses are hard to come by these days with theater chains owning most of the market.
CHICAGO — Along Lake Shore Drive’s glittering Gold Coast, a handsome sculpture of a physician comforting an ailing man stands in front of an elegant four-story mansion, calling attention to the museum inside, one known to many as the place they might visit someday but never do.
It is no secret that many students and citizens are unhappy with Toledo. The town's population is declining and many students cannot bear staying in Toledo year round, let alone living to start a career here after college. Toledo is superb; Toledo sucks.
After a trip to the bar and a long night of drinking, patrons have, without a doubt, experienced the "closing-time effect" — not to be confused with the tendency to play or refer to Semisonic's song "Closing Time," but the phenomena many experience toward the end of a night out, which makes everyone seem more attractive.
The holiday season in the Manor House in Wildwood Metropark is here once again, bringing artistic creation, community celebration and historical location all under one roof. This eight-day annual event allows approximately 4,000 volunteers, whether in the form of organizations, groups or individuals, to decorate one room in one of Toledo's most historic homes.
From a small-time crack dealer to one of this generation’s most successful musicians, entrepreneur and friend of presidents past and present, rapper Jay-Z, birth name Sean Carter, explains all in his autobiography “Decoded.” “Each tale contains more of the truth, and the statute allows me to go into detail,” Jay-Z wrote in the song “Real As It Gets” on last years multi-platinum album “The Blue Print 3.
After retailers spend a day of wrangling the stampede of customers from Black Friday, they begin to prepare for the online rush called Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday begins the Monday after Thanksgiving and has easily become the second highest retail sales date for most companies.
Friday workday
As a mall employee, Black Friday Weekend, or "Green" Friday as we like to call it, is what we live for. The hustle and bustle atmosphere at the mall is one of the best times of the year. There is always something to do, a ton of people working, and crazy stories about mad customers.
Who was it that said working is no fun? Whoever said that must not have been in the film business. Just before Thanksgiving break, the cast and crew members of "West Bancroft Side Story" started filming what will eventually become the first snippet of the miniseries: a music video-style preview and the opening scene of the first episode.
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows-Part 1" is darker and more emotional than any previous film in the franchise. The decision to split the seventh and final book was met with controversy, but director David Yates' dedication to sticking as true to the story as much as possible was the right call.
A balanced mix of wizards and muggles alike were in attendance for the premiere of the first half of the seventh installment of the Harry Potter film series Friday morning. Almost every main character could be found represented in the lines for both concessions and the restrooms in the lobby of Franklin Park 16.
PONTIAC, Mich. — Donavon Frankenreiter is touring again after adding an electric sound to his surfer music on his latest album "Glow." Just like close friend Jack Johnson, Frankenreiter balances his life between professional music and professional surfing.
Venice, Italy is most commonly known for its romantic gondola rides, carrying lovesick couples leisurely through the water. However, Norah Myers, a senior majoring in art history, said this charming city is "more than just the gondolas." Myers is one of approximately 20 students involved in "Venice: Light and Landscape," an exhibition class working in collaboration with the Toledo Museum of Art.
Whether students are looking for original artwork to color an office, home, or business, the Black Sheep Photography Gallery has a lifetime of photographs from around the world and even right here in Toledo from the camera of one local artist. With the click of a button and a snap of her Canon 40D, a love of photography turned into a professional business for one aspiring woman.
Yesterday between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., students, alumni and friends packed into the back parking lots of Rocket Hall and the lot adjacent to the Glass Bowl Football Stadium to honor the sport tradition known as tailgating. The tradition of tailgating involves a few crucial elements – those coming arrive in cars, set up food stations in their trunks and socialize with one another.
The view of the stars in Toledo is more often than not smothered by a blanket of light pollution. However, simply looking up at the night sky isn't the only way of gaining an accurate view of the cosmos. UT's Main Campus is home to Ritter Planetarium.
Metroparks offer fun things to do around the Toledo area
The next time you need to study, you can literally make it a walk in the park. While the more common places college students look for entertainment includes clubs, bars and movies, a less well-known site for some weekend fun are the Metroparks of Toledo.
The UT Department of Theatre and Film’s current production takes place in one of the least desirable places students can imagine: inside a park latrine. “When I read ‘Labyrinth,’ I see a really disgusting bathroom,” said Edmund B. Lingan, assistant professor of theatre and the director of the production.
A preview of ‘The Labyrinth,’ which opens Friday night in the CPA Center Theatezzr
"Alice in Wonderland" meets S&M as UT's Departments of Theatre and Film present "The Labyrinth" by controversial playwright Fernando Arrabal on November 12-14 and 17-21. In "The Labyrinth," Etienne, played by Pat Miller, finds himself in a park latrine with no clue how he ended up in this strange world.
Conan O'Brien is attempting to reclaim his late-night legacy tonight at 11 p.m. with the premier of "Conan" on TBS. The debut comes 10 months after O'Brien's departure from NBC as host of "The Tonight Show." "There's nothing like stopping for a while to make you appreciate having a show," O'Brien told RGJ.
Hello, Welcome back to another exciting piece on Guerilla Kitchen Tactics. If you haven't guessed it by now, or perhaps you missed the first two articles, my style and concepts are far from orthodox. In fact, it's my opinion that the over-popular French theory of cooking is old hat and simply boils down to add more butter, eggs and salt.
A documentary on the rise of Palestinian Hip-hop
Youth in Palestine have found a way to vent their frustrations with oppression through their music. A documentary, titled "Slingshot Hip-hop," tells the story of Palestinian hip-hop artists, how they use their art to share their history and the struggle for freedom in Palestine.
When conjuring the image of a medical student, the picture that comes to mind typically consists of thick books, busy hours, and extreme dedication. While these characteristics may be predominantly true, there’s a side to a group of UT med students that you haven’t seen.
‘West Bancroft Side Story’
The first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem, which I had to do when I stood up inside the circle of chairs. “Hi, everyone,” I said. “I’m Feliza, and I’m the writer and director for ‘West Bancroft Side Story.’” It may sound like a setup for a really bad joke, but take me seriously: I was only the first of about 12 students gathered in that room for casting callbacks.
Today kicks off festivities in celebration of the Latin American holiday known as the Day of the Dead. Many may not realize what this holiday honors, and it is often associated with Halloween. However, it is celebrated for nearly the opposite purpose.
Day of the Dead or similar celebrations are important to various cultures around the world. In Toledo, this holiday is also recognized by many and even though there are not many public events advertised here, it is still being celebrated in private. On-campus specifically, there promises to be some decorations.
A ‘Life’ full of riffs, rifts
David L. Ulin “Life” by Keith Richards with James Fox; Little, Brown (568 pages, $29.99) ___ “Life,” Keith Richards’ 500-plus-page autobiography, is a life story remarkably short on life stories _ or at least the sort we might expect. Partly, of course, that’s a matter of memory.
When making ghoulish plans for Halloween, the fun is the trick not the treat
Rumors of Halloween plans and playful pranks have been floating around for several weeks, and for the die-hards, even longer. While some freaky fanatics for this frightening holiday will be out and about attempting to plan the wildest party of the decade, the majority of celebrators are simply looking to have a good time.
Where our modern Halloween traditions came from — the folklore and history
Halloween is recognized by people of different religions and cultures from around the world and there are many traditions associated with this holiday, particularly in the United States. However, they have deviated greatly from the original religious tradition.
Dana Wollman NEW YORK (AP) — Lime Group, whose LimeWire software has allowed people to share songs and other files over the Internet, received a federal injunction Tuesday to disable key parts of its service. The privately owned company and its founder, Mark Gorton, have been wrestling in court with the Recording Industry Association of America, the body representing the U.
Once people hit the teenage years, Halloween is no longer about fun, candy and dressing up in funny and appropriate costumes. Teen girls start dressing up as "slutty" as their parents can stand and boys walk around in t-shirts saying "This is my costume.
More than half of the semester is over, and many students are finding that the money they saved up at their summer job is disappearing fast. Thankfully, there are plenty of free and inexpensive entertainment options available to UT students at and around the university.
‘Hand to mouth combat’
So, just in case you didn’t read my last column, let’s do a little recap. I gave a little historical illustration of my background and why I wanted to learn how to cook. But more specifically I provided a list of basic kitchen essentials I dubbed the “Rule of Threes,” a list of spices and staples one needs to have on hand if you are serious about being a homegrown cook.
Cheap and quick entertainment for busy college students
Late fees are no more thanks to Netflix, an internet service that provides streaming movies over the internet and sends DVDs through the mail to the 15 million people already hooked. As the world's largest movie and television show subscription service, Netflix allows members to use its website for unlimited streaming of the vast online collection, as well as one physical copy of film, for only $8.
Neal Justin For two decades, Oprah Winfrey has been telling daytime viewers that they're good enough, smart enough and, gosh darn it, people like them. So when she leaves broadcast television next spring, millions of abandoned Americans might storm the self-help sections of their bookstores, start seeing their shrinks five times a week and double down on their Prozac prescriptions.
Toledo’s new dog ordinance Recently, laws have been passed in Toledo to eliminate previous ones that target “‘pit bulls’ for extinction,” according to an article in The Blade. The new laws offer significant improvements to the old in that dogs will now be judged based on what a dog does not what breed they are.
Imagine being locked in a room. The room, measuring 15 feet by 15 feet, has 12 chairs, each to be occupied at some point by a person. The 12 people inside bicker, threaten and physically confront one another – and inside the 12-foot-high fence stringed with barbed wire, the life of one man is at stake.
Strolling around campus, most students have probably picked up on what the paranoid side effects of being a "human" can do to a person. The nervousness is evident in those stealthy students adorning a bandana wrapped tightly around an arm or leg, Nerf gun in hand, peering anxiously over one shoulder.
Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the Jackass crew are back with a new dimension added to their captivating sadomasochistic stunts, pranks and downright stupid acts. "Jackass 3-D" showcases too much male genitalia and human waste, even for their standards, but it also provides some of the most painful, disgusting and hilarious stunts in the history of the franchise.
Socks with sandals is a fashion faux pas, but don’t tell King Tut
Most would almost never expect a well-established archaeologist who lives and works in both Europe and Egypt to say anything along the lines of "I don't fancy seeing the mummy." However, those were the words of Dr. André Veldmeijer on Oct 8, when he came to the Toledo Museum of Art to give a speech entitled "Tutankhamun's Footwear.
Sylvania animal clinic expansion Sylvania, Ohio’s West Suburban Animal Clinic is under construction. The work will be done by February and will yield more exam-rooms and a larger pet-grooming area. For more information on the clinic and all it can do to help your furry friends visit SuburbanAnimalClinics.
The fencing club was established in November of 2009 and has been meeting since
On Tuesday nights, the gym in the Heath Education Building is filled with the clanging, ringing, clash of sword on sword as the University of Toledo Fencing Club holds its weekly practice. About 15 people practice fencing techniques with the group, one of UT's many sports clubs.
A completely new generation will have the opportunity to appreciate everything "John Lennon" thanks to the release of an 11-CD box set on Oct. 5. Lennon's solo compositions are in stark contrast to the pop-like, bubble-gum sound utilized by the Beatles.
While his best songwriting came when partnered with Paul McCartney, John Lennon’s solo career still produced brilliant and beautiful music. He teetered heavier toward poet than musician, but the simplicity of his melodies put more emphasis on his message.
Local retailers offer student discounts for October
Many students don’t know about the discounts they can receive just for being a student. The Westfield Franklin Park Shopping Mall is located about 3.5 miles from UT (about a 10-minute drive). Franklin Park has a variety of shops and stores that carry anything that a student could possibly need for interviews, going out, or just lounging around their dorm.
“Basic kitchen survival”
I can still remember coming home from school walking in the door and getting hit smack in the face with the familiar smell of my mother’s meatloaf. The aroma permeating throughout out the entire house made the moments of waiting for her to call out “dinner” full of anxiety and impatience.
The latest release from 90’s sensation Gin Blossoms offers simplistic and generic lyrics
Employing the use of simplistic lyrics and basic chord progressions, the Gin Blossoms fall flat with their album "No Chocolate Cake" in more ways than one. The 90's sensation is most well-known for their 1992 hit "Hey Jealousy" and, unfortunately, hasn't been the same since.
Claudia Eller and Ben Fritz LOS ANGELES _ After several years of delays that have frustrated eager fans, moviegoers might soon be able to return to Middle-earth. Warner Bros., its subsidiary New Line Cinema and partner Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer appear to be close to green-lighting the hugely anticipated two-part "Lord of the Rings" prequel "The Hobbit," according to several people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.
The ‘Pringles Xtreme Campus Tour’ kicks off at UT with Lights Resolve
The "Pringles Xtreme Campus Tour" began its journey with Lights Resolve, who headlined at its first stop at the University of Toledo last night to a modestly sized crowd. "We got approached by the Pringles Xtreme campus tour to do some of these headlining dates," said Matt Reich, vocalist and guitarist.
Jesse Eisenberg is breaking out as one of Hollywood's top young actors in "The Social Network" with his portrayal of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. It's a shame the movie is based on a true story, because it would have made for a brilliant work of fiction.
Banana security Meet Winston, a New York City resident with a keen eye for banana thieves. This fat cat is a rescue who, in addition to loving to protect bananas, enjoys eating mashed potatoes, snow and riding in bicycle baskets. This strange behavior has garnered the furry feline a ferocious following.
RTv is a video programming network that will be launched October 2010
The first hip-hop video programming network of Ohio will be launched in October. The network, RTv, will be exclusively online. According to the press kit, "RTv's mission is to take Ohio hip-hop to more places in the world than any outlet ever has or will.
Carla Meyer Actors and musicians often use their celebrity to draw attention to political or social causes. Rarely, though, do they relish the nitty-gritty the way former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic does. A founding member of one of the most influential bands in history, Novoselic also has influenced politics in his rural community in Washington state.
‘The Town’ is the latest film in the heist genre to be produced by Hollywood
Ben Affleck's dramatic heist film "The Town" is gritty and worthy of its early Oscar buzz. It provides a rare look into the after-effects of a major bank heist, showcasing the FBI's investigation and the criminals' paranoia and subsequent attempts to cover their tracks.
Ever since her debut in 2007 with "City of Bones," Cassandra Clare has crafted a fantastical world full of adventure. Sales of her first series, the "Mortal Instruments" trilogy, skyrocketed to over two million, and the books were translated into over 25 different languages.
Baby bunny rescue and release This past issue, the rest of the editors and I were busy at work. After stepping outside for a break, two of the editors noticed a baby rabbit hopping around alone. I happened to be outside as well and together we corralled the small creature into a large storage bin to take it inside.
This is the newest installment of the Kingdom Hearts series: PSP compatible
The latest release in the Kingdom Hearts series, subtitled "Birth By Sleep," hit the US markets on September 7, joining four previous titles released since 2002. BBS is unique compared to other games in the series because rather than following a singular protagonist, it follows three.
Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone), a typical angst ridden teenager, finds herself in trouble after a particularly nasty rumor is spread about her recent promiscuity. "Let me just begin by saying that there are two sides to every story, and this is my side — the right one," said Olive.
1. Jersey Shore — Isn't this show just The Real World with annoying accents? Spoiler alert: Snooki and the rest of the oddly-named gang will continue getting drunk, sleeping around and yelling at each other in every single episode. MTV is years removed from having anything to do with music, but they could at least put out more quality shows like "Rob and Big" every nowand then.
Reviewing the good and the bad: Weezer back to basics; Linkin Park changes for the worse
Weezer and Linkin Park are headed in different directions with their latest releases. Weezer's "Hurley" thrives by going back to the band's original sound while Linkin Park fails with "A Thousand Suns" by doing exactly the opposite. Linkin Park's fourth studio album "A Thousand Suns" is like a mediocre movie with an excessive runtime.
David Guastella, "The Other Guys" In true Will Ferrell fashion, this comedy is far from disappointing. Mark Wahlberg plays off Ferrell's character well. There is a clear comedic chemistry on-screen. This dynamic helped make the conflicts between Ferrell and Wahlberg believable.
Curious and playful: further proof that animals are friends, not food Get a glimpse of the wonderful curiosity of animals with a video of two young foxes playing on a trampoline. Animals are very childlike in their innocent playful nature and this video is only an affirmation of that fact and another reason why they shouldn’t be worn as a coat.
3D trend is exploding, having stemmed the production of over 40 movies in 2010
The 3D format has been progressively infiltrating all areas of entertainment. This trend has increased exponentially in the last year to include over 40 films, concert videos, countless TV set models and whole television stations. The use of 3D was originally reserved for children’s films and considered relatively hokey until the blockbuster success of “Avatar.
Designed to introduce a new generation of art-oers to the Toledo Museum of Art, the 2445 Series aspired to convince young people to skip the club scene and revel in nights of eclectic sights and sounds at the Glass Pavilion’s GlasSalon. Last Friday was the TMA’s grand finale and its last attempt to win over this new audience with the Art of Seduction.
Review of the NOOK by Barnes & Noble
In the growing trend of electronic reading devices, the Barnes & Noble NOOK is forging the path to follow. Although comparable to most other e-readers, the NOOK is forcing major competitors such as the Amazon.com Kindle, Apple's iPad and the Sony Reader to keep up with B&N's technology.
This well-known band headlined UT’s Music Fest
Despite a severe leg injury suffered by lead singer Travis Clark, We The Kings made the trip up north last Thursday to perform at Toledo's Music Fest 2010. "College shows are awesome, because all four guys in the band are single for the first time in a real long time," Clark said.
The Center for the Visual Arts' Haigh Auditorium was packed Thursday night for Charles Matson Lume's lecture, part of the UT Art Department's series of events focusing on the relationship between light and landscape. "As a department with majors in studio art, art history and art education, the light and landscape theme holds appeal for students with a range of interests, while also, we hope, piquing the curiosity of the university and the broader community," said gallery director Leanne Gilbertson.
Sept. 24 Hug a Vegetarian Day Puppy hurling teen identified The star of an infamous Youtube.com video depicting the young woman laughing as she hurls whimpering puppies into a river has been caught. According to PETA’s German affiliate, Bosnian police have identified the cause of this international outrage.
Print dies out as a wave of electronic-media sweeps the market
Everyone from the Rocky Mountain News to the New Yorker has made notice of the decline of the newspaper. With the increase of electronic media, some are worried that the time-honored tradition of print media will die out. In the 2008 New Yorker article "Out of Print," Eric Alterman said, "trends in circulation and advertising –– the rise of the Internet, which has made the daily newspaper look slow and unresponsive; the advent of Craigslist, which is wiping out classified advertising –– have created a palpable sense of doom.
In support of the football home opener, the University of Toledo is hosting Music Fest 2010. The festival is open to the public and runs from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. today with We The Kings headlining. Local rock band Mas Fina kicks things off at 3 p.m. The group plays covers of songs from all genres, but they are best known for covers of rap songs such as "Baby Got Back" and "Bust a Move.
Annihilation is Just Another Word For Destruction After the release of five albums, "Time For Annihilation" joins the collection of mind-piercing, thoughtfully crafted songs from the band. "We always say ‘time for annihilation' right before we perform," said Papa Roach Frontman Jacoby Shaddix.
Commercials thrive on the concept of being misleading, but it still stings just the same to fall victim to false advertising. George Clooney's new film "The American," which debuted yesterday, led the most misleading marketing campaign of any movie this year.
Oregon, Ohio played host to the festival and its hundreds of participants this year
Polka Floyd closed out the 45th annual German-American Festival last night, drawing a large enough crowd to extend the festival after hours. The festival opened with a parade and fireworks on Friday and featured bands such as the Rhinelanders and Holzhacker Buam Schuhplattlergruppe throughout the weekend.
To celebrate the art culture of the glass city, the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo (ACGT) hosts an "Art Walk" every fourth Thursday each month this summer. "This is the first walk I've been to and I'm having a blast, such a large variety of art and very accessible," said Toledo Resident Lisa Keller.
Pink Floyd tribute band makes polka cool again
Rock with a polka flair, Polka Floyd was one of the highlights of the German-American Festival. Playing in front of a picture of the German Alps, the band rocked a sizable crowd in one of the smaller tents, Hofbräuhalle stage, of the venue at Oak Shade Grove in Oregon, Ohio.
E-cigarettes provide a second hand smoke free alternative at a cost
Electronic cigarette is a word known by many tobacco users, but one that is new to my vocabulary. An electronic cigarette or e-cigarette is a tube that is made up of an atomizer, a battery, and a cartridge. It looks like an ordinary cigarette, yet a vapor is produced instead of smoke and the lithium battery can be charged by wall USB, or through a car charger.
Brandon Boyd’s first solo album titled ‘The Wild Trapeze’
A sound similar to Incubus with distinct outside influences is the best way to describe Brandon Boyd's debut solo album "The Wild Trapeze." The lyrics, which are mildly ambiguous with some strange imagery, metaphorically speak about everything from problems within our society to various emotions almost everyone can relate to.
The 45th annual German-American Festival begins tomorrow at 6 p.m. with a parade and opening ceremonies featuring fireworks. The festival runs through Sunday night at 11 p.m. This year's festival features all things German, from children's activities and sporting events to live music, food, beverages and a German-language worship service on Sunday morning.
A countdown and review of the best and worst films from the summer of 2010
Top 5 worst 5. Charlie St. Cloud The annoyingly-aggressive marketing campaign for this film gave away the entire plot. Zac Efron plays Charlie, a talented sailor whose brother dies in a car accident. Not to worry, because Charlie just happens to have the ability to see dead people.
DTE Energy Music Theatre meets southern charm
There was plenty of music to go around as the musicians played for themselves and for each other. The swarm of spectators listened to the music as it electrified the starlit night. Whether in the grass of the lawn or in pavilion seats, with bobbing heads and moving hands they danced to the rhythm of Zach Brown Band's magical beat.
It was a cassette tape purchased at the University of Toledo Bookstore in 1983 that sparked Patrick Rynn's passion for the Blues music genre. The UT alum remembers the mind-blowing effect of the music. "I knew right then that is what I really, really love," Rynn said.
The 2010 Van’s Warped Tour comes to Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan: My first tour
As I walked through the entrance alone, a blazing sun shone down. Comerica Park was bursting with a diverse and enthusiastic crowd; all of us had made the journey to Detroit for a common cause: our love of music. I promptly made my way to the main stage where I found a few familiar faces.
Zach Gill is keeping busy this summer touring internationally with two new albums from two bands. While Gill and his band ALO are not yet household names, Jack Johnson is one of the most recognizable singer-songwriters of the decade. Bridging the gap between rock and jam band, Gill and his band mates in ALO began playing together Saratoga High School.
Toledo Museum of Art features professional glass blowers Keke Cribbs and Ross Richmond
A teardrop of molten glass was spun by apprentice gaffers as Ross Richmond shaped the 2400 degree piece with what looked like an oven mitt. The future vase was created by Richmond and his partner Keke Cribbs at the glass blowing demonstration held after the completion of the pair's residency at the University of Toledo.
A mix of cultures and religions
When one thinks of children's cartoons and summer blockbusters, mindless entertainment is generally what comes to mind – not philosophy, religion and world culture. Yet one of this summer's top-grossing films, The Last Airbender – based on a children's cartoon titled Avatar: The Last Airbender – deals with all three.
The UT Scott Park Campus of Energy and Innovation hosted the sixth annual African-American Festival this weekend. The event was sponsored by Toledo Urban Credit Union and organized by CEO Suzette Cowell. The festival featured concerts, food, a parade and a health fair during this, its third, year held at Scott Park.
Considering artists like Jay Z and Kings of Leon performed, it was surprising that the highlight of this year's Bonnaroo was the comedy. This was greatly due to Conan O'Brien's "The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour." It was unsettling at first, but ultimately refreshing to hear O'Brien drop an F-bomb.
There has always been a tendency in American cinema to dig deep into the crevices of the philosophy and psychology of the human mind. The turn of the 21st century marked a pivotal point in the maturity of American cinema; films like "The Machinist" (2004), "Adaptation" (2002) and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004), as well as their psychoanalytical content, reflected on how the mindset of Americans became egocentrically tormented in a time of economical and political panic.
Self-taught guitar playing is surprisingly common. With greats like Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Santana, BB King and Stevie Ray Vaughan all being self-taught, it brings hope to those of us without a formal rock n’ roll education. As I begin my umpteenth attempt at teaching myself to play the guitar, I feel all the usual negative emotions associated with teaching yourself something: frustration, impatience and doubt.
Growing up, space travel always fascinated me; the space shuttle was the highlight of my obsession. Earlier this year, hearing that the shuttle was to be retired affected me emotionally. Sure, I have seen shuttle launches many times on TV and in movies, but that didn't satisfy my want to go.
Renowned entertainer comes to Stranahan Theatre on Sunday
Legendary comedian and monologist Bill Cosby will return to Toledo on May 2 with brand new material. "I've been practicing," Cosby said. For the 48 years that Cosby has been in the entertainment industry, he has been the appropriated writer for all of his material, including "Fat Albert" and "The Cosby Show.
Third Eye Blond rocks The Omni
They took the ‘90s by storm with their singles "Semi-Charmed Life," "Jumper" and "How's it Going to Be," they have been around the world and played concerts for three studio recorded albums and last night they brought the best of their musical abilities to The Omni in honor of their latest album, "Ursa Major.
Shen Yun Performing Arts comes to Toledo with purity
The history of Chinese culture over the past 5,000 years will be presented through beautiful dance and music at the Stranahan Theatre on May 14. "Shen Yun," or divine performing arts, is a non-profit group based in New York that is devoted to the revitalization of the Chinese culture.
The best creative work of UT’s theatre and film students exhibited this weekend at CPA
The arts of filmmaking and theatrical production are essential for capturing and relaying the human condition in a world of conflict, drama and technological evolution. On the weekend of April 30, the University of Toledo's Department of Theatre and Film will merge student works from both halves of the department in a showcase of short films and theatre pieces.
In light of the broad nature of the legalization of marijuana, this article serves as a mere summary of this prominent cultural issue and its stereotypes. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Web site says marijuana is “the third most popular recreational drug in America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and has been used by nearly 100 million Americans…Marijuana smokers are no different from their non-smoking peers, except for their marijuana use.
‘Writing in the Community’ class brings poetic enlightenment to homeless women and children
The craft of writing transpires a way to express feelings for life’s oddball, tragic or enlightening array of possible circumstances. Writing is a form of cathartic release that, if harvested, can alleviate guilt, help come to terms with one’s past, present or future, and meditate on the hand that life dealt you.
After several run-ins with a particular set of thugs, Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) dreams up a superhero named “Kick-Ass.” As this new breed of superhero, he wields two batons and a stun gun. “How come no one’s ever tried to be a superhero?” This is the initial question that is posed by Dave.
It’s rare but refreshing to see a musician break into the industry for the right reasons. Gin Wigmore, a 23-year-old from Auckland, New Zealand, launched her career and won the grand prize with the song “Hallelujah” in the 2004 International Songwriting Competition, beating out over 11,000 other entrants from 77 different countries.
Toledo folk-based musician sings about facing demons and the lonely road to redemption
Waiting by the door of the Secor Studios was a tall, dark-haired young man wearing sunglasses with his guitar wrapped around his chest. His name is Lucian Townes, a Toledo area folk musician possessed by the ghosts of Bob Dylan and Townes Van Zandt. Lucian Townes took me through the hallways of the studio building, which were covered with paintings and photographs.
Selections from Chester Mystery Cycle: ‘creation’ to ‘doomsday’
"Creation/Doomsday: Selections from the Chester Mystery Cycle," directed by Edmund Lingan, UT associate professor of theatre, is "a sequence of 24 individual plays of biblical episodes from the 15th and 16th centuries; the cycle presents Christian history from Creation to Doomsday," according to Christina Fitzgerald, dramaturg and associate professor and director of graduate studies in English.
Toledo was rocked on Saturday when the first ever Jamboree festival made its way to Ohio, bringing some of the heaviest rock and metal bands on tour today. Taking place from noon to midnight at Headliner’s, the Jamboree delivered a whirlwind of high-paced music, energetic fans and talented bands.
Incarcerated women represented in creative survival and performance workshop
Social activism will take center stage next week as "The Medea Project: Theater for Incarcerated Women" makes its appearance at UT. Performance art is not often given a place in today's socio-political discourse, but these creative and talented women intend to show the huge impact that expressive art, especially theater, can have on popular opinion.
The Independent Collegian is calling all poets, lyricists, novelists, short story writers, photographers, essayists and artists. We are proud to announce a call for submissions for the Independent Collegian’s first online literary publication, the “IC Underground.
In his minimal edition book of poetry titled "Chicago You Got a Wide Stance," Lucas-County Poet Laureate Joel Lipman hails the city of Chicago as a place of energy and love. At the opening reading for his "Minimal Editions" exhibit, he made Toledo feel like a literary haven and worthwhile place to live as a writer, as well.
Theatrical rock n’ roll from Cincinnati, Ohio
Foxy Shazam is a rock group from Cincinnati who falls into the rare breed of musicians that are difficult to define in terms of genre. Comparing their sound to bands like Coheed and Cambria, Queen, Rush or The Mars Volta would be making an understatement of their experimental rock opera capabilities.
English Department’s Outstanding Student of 2010’s experiences as a publisher
For Kathleen Heil, the UT English Department’s Outstanding Student of 2010, studying literature and creative writing has helped develop a poetic outlook on life and an overachiever’s state of mind. “I’ve always written as a hobby,” Heil said. “I think UT, the instructors and the outlets at the English Department helped make writing more of an art form.
DreamWorks Studios has taken advantage of the recent popularity of dragon and Viking mythology with their release of the animated film "How to Train Your Dragon." Starring Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson and Jonah Hill, "How to Train Your Dragon" scored a PG rating.
Street papers speaking out for homelessness, unhoused people and those struggling with poverty
Let it be known that the impoverished people of Toledo have a voice and it is named "Toledo Streets," a monthly publication speaking out in the spirit of empowering people struggling with poverty. "[Toledo Streets] is about advocacy and communication between people through poetry, through photography, through articles and essays," said Amanda F.
The notion of spectacle is often tangled with predictability and lunacy in mythological action movies. This type of movie tends to build toward unfulfilled anticipation, which causes frustration and regret. This is the case with the 2010 remake "Clash of the Titans," the first gargantuan Hollywood production of the year and possibly one of the most disappointing.
One could argue that son of the “voice of a generation,” Jakob Dylan, has huge boots to fill—almost mythical. But over the last two decades, he has proven that not even the legacy of his father, Bob Dylan, can weaken his determination to carve out his own place in the folk-rock music world.
The Stranahan Theatre was packed for last Thursday's performance of Broadway's smash hit musical, "Wicked." The crowd was floored by the dazzling production. As hundreds of people flooded out of the theatre, everyone's reactions were the same: "This was the best musical I have ever seen in my life," was one of the many satisfied comments I overheard.
Since the mid-80s, Michael J. Fox has been a prime entertainer, humanitarian and voice of inspiration through his books “Lucky Man” and “Always Looking Up.” In his latest book, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future,” Fox writes to the youth of America on the subjects of graduation and life lessons.
Among the beginning of pre-summer blockbusters and bottom of the pile comedies, the one film to prove that there are hidden gems left in cinema, is Roman Polanski's new political thriller "The Ghost Writer." In searching for the most vivid and engaging investigative mystery, it would be a travesty to overlook this lively and suspenseful film that draws the viewer in and refuses to let go.
Kathleen Heil Kathleen Heil has been named the English Department's Outstanding student for 2010. She will be recognized at the College of Arts and Sciences Awards Ceremony on May 8, 2010 at 9:30 AM. Kathleen is graduating this May with a degree in English and a concentration in Creative Writing.
Backstage during set-up at the off-Broadway production of the musical sensation, ‘Wicked’
Crates, dollies and boxes full of the essentials for the magic of theatre flooded off the semitrucks into the loading door of the Stranahan Theatre in preparation for the opening night of Broadway's hit musical "Wicked." About 100 crew members unloaded floor pieces, drop cloths, hangs, set pieces, props, wardrobe and lights out of 14 semitrucks for this grand event.
Without the pressures of a big city, musical artists have the opportunity to explore and develop their sound within the presence of an audience and other bands, which provides both support and challenge. Words After is an Indie-Ambient Rock band from Dundee, Michigan that found this outlet and has been enjoying its source of energy for the last two years.
There is a rule in the gaming world that if a video game is based on a movie it is probably not going to be very well made. It is also safe to say that movies based on video games are usually not well made, either. “Heavy Rain,” a new PS3 game from Sony and Quantic Dreams, takes the video game world and the movie world to a new level, as the game is more or less an interactive movie that plays like a video game.
UT Professor of English and Lucas County Poet Laureate exhibits his personal collection of micropress books
The art of bookmaking has given writers and poets an avenue to share their work with the world for little cost. The “micropress” is a form of literary expression that encapsulates both time period and place based on the artistic merit behind the poets, publishers and printmakers.
Two of the most anticipated games back in 2000 were “Pokémon Gold” and “Pokémon Silver” for the original Game Boy, sequels to the best-selling handheld games of all time. Critics praised the sequel for taking many of the themes used in the original game while adding more, making it a more interesting game.
The Kinsey Sicks swept the University of Toledo off its feet on Saturday night with their free performance, “Each Hit and I.” The a capella quartet sang of love, life and politics with a satirical twist to all of their songs, and all of the singers were men dressed in drag.
The first-year college experience is one of the most difficult transitions a young person can overcome in their lives. The University of Toledo's Office of First Year Experience honors this transitional period with the uncUT Film Festival, a showcase of short films about the experience of entering college.
Fifteen freshmen compete on UT’s reality series for a chance at free tuition
UTTV has teamed up with television station The CW (WT05-Toledo) and gathered 15 qualified freshmen together for a reality TV show aptly named “The Freshmen 15.” Premiering on television in the early morning hours of Monday, March 22, the selected first-year students battled Survivor-style (minus an exotic island) for the grand prize: one semester paid tuition at the university as well as being deemed “the ultimate freshman,” said Carrie Theuring, student president of UTTV and a senior majoring in film.
Hannah Fritch The Toledo music scene has always been a part of my life. In grade school I attempted rhythm on a friend’s drum set who played in a local band, but, at the time, I did not know what I was doing. It seemed like all the older kids in high school were in one band or another.
The Ground Level manages to revive the art of spoken word in Toledo and provide a community space
In the past year, Toledo's artistic community has been transformed for the better thanks to The Ground Level. "There's an element of destiny to it," said Jesse Lipman, owner of The Ground Level, a Toledo-based coffee shop near the intersection of Douglas Road and Central Avenue.
A film starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler may instantly sound like a hit considering Butler's tough performances from films like "300" and "Gamer" and Aniston's history as an actress who usually plays a beautiful leading woman. However, and unfortunately for the viewer, "The Bounty Hunter" falls far short of anything memorable.
What do you get when you throw pitchers of Pabst Blue Ribbon, a bunch of crazy kids and loud music into a room? A punk show. Full Scale Panic began in Toledo in the summer of 2006 as a three-piece Punk/Ska band that emerged out of members Tyler Russell and Malori Izbinski's previous band, Disaster Will Strike.
Today, the Department of English and the College of Arts and Sciences are sponsoring a screening of the acclaimed film from the Sundance Film Festival "The Linguists," (2008) which discusses dying languages. The movie will be introduced by one of the stars of the documentary, K.
A great drama provides a connection to the characters on screen and allows an audience to become so engrossed in the story that they leave the theater feeling distress, joy, contempt, anger or any other emotion because they were touched by what they just witnessed.
British rock trio Muse has won a number of awards for being the "Best Live Band," and on Saturday the group brought its award-winning show to Detroit, Michigan. Muse, who is now touring in the United States after the release of their latest album, "The Resistance" (2009), receives greater success and recognition in the United Kingdom; however, games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero have made Muse songs beloved in the States as well.
There is a growing community of musicians uninterested in prestige but convicted by their passion for the ephemeral experience of making music. Venues around Toledo such as Woodchucks, Mickey Finn's and Frankie's Inner City have become vessels of creative expression for local musicians.
Rolling hot from the 2009 release of their latest album, “I and Love and You,” The Avett Brothers are currently touring sold-out venues from coast to coast. The Avett Brothers are on their way to Europe next to share their unique take on folk music with a rock twist and some sparse hints of punk.
"Alice in Wonderland" is director Tim Burton's take on the classic stories of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" as well as parts from "Through the Looking-Glass," both written by Lewis Carroll. This would seem like a perfect story for Burton, since Carroll's stories feature imaginative settings and strange characters, which would easily adapt to the twisted and creative mind of Burton.
In Columbus, Ohio, on High Street right off of the Ohio State University's main campus, Mike Heslop has been successfully running his coffee house, Kafe Kerouac, since 2004. For poets and writers, coffee houses are one of the primary resources for networking, exercising craft and sharing creative energy.
For the purpose of this article, all artists will be referred to by their aliases unless otherwise stated. In the deepest corners of Toledo, graffiti art and tags are kept secret — hidden on rooftops, under bridges and down alleyways. When riding around the city with "Mad Hatter," an artist from a Toledo painting group called the Me Too Crew, these secret spots were made known for the purpose of a photo essay on Toledo street art.
The rise of techno inspires dancing, movement and non-violence.
On Sunday, a group of alternative hardcore and techno based bands played at Frankie’s Inner City in Toledo. “Repeat after me: Sex and drugs. Sex, sex and drugs,” sang Hyper Crush, an electronica group from Denver, Colorado consisting of two male emcees and a female emcee.
While walking up and down High Street in Columbus, Ohio it's hard not to be taken back by the beautiful murals and street art that decorates the area. Within the radius of a few blocks, there are almost five different murals painted along side business and housing developments.
Kevin Smith is considered an underdog director in Hollywood, but his films have received cult acclaim and made a credible impact on the generation that grew up watching movies in the 90s. Smith’s independent masterpiece “Clerks” (1994) brought him recognition as a comical genius with insight to the truth behind human absurdity.
Since the humble beginnings of old-time string band, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, in late 2005, they have grown to be unexpectedly well known within the North American Folk world. The string band first met five years ago in North Carolina and committed to gathering with African American fiddler, Joe Thompson once a week for finger-picking, knee-slapping jam sessions.
Most days in July, I grab a tin of cigarettes and a packed lunch and head for the Maumee River. With my rod and reel in hand, I patiently wade my way through the water, usually only knee-high in the depth of summer, and hope to find a hole stocked with smallmouth bass.
"Come up and talk to us after the show!" Daniel Simmons, lead singer for All the Day Holiday, pronounced into the microphone between songs at Frankie's Inner City on Feb. 5. "We'd like to talk to you guys and we'd love it if we could have a personal relationship with each one of you, which might not be possible," Simmons said.
I flashed the security guard my photo pass and he opened the gate which led me to the barricade between the stage and the fenced off crowd of screaming fans. Everyone was waiting for The Used to begin, chanting lyrics collectively and applauding when everyone could sing a full song together.
Melanie Dusseau, an academic advisor at the University of Toledo, released her first full-length book of poetry in 2009 titled "The Body Tries Again." Dusseau, a Toledo-born writer, structured much of her poetry after the idea of home and place. She divided her 49-poem book into four sections.
Hunter S. Thompson’s legacy
Saturday marked the five-year anniversary of the eccentric journalist Hunter S. Thompson's death. He left behind a heritage of unique stories about a dynasty this world will only know through his writings. A cult following has been garnered in the wake of his death, both in literary and drug circles, but all unite and can attest to the fact that Thompson was one of the greatest journalists of the twentieth century.
Back stage with The Used on their tour for “Artwork”
A tribute to Gonzo journalism. The ground is littered with ice behind Lifestyle's Community Pavilion outside of The Used's tour bus as I search for the band to get the interview. The sound of drums and guitars roar through the open door leading backstage, a revived 80s hardcore sound I will soon come to know as the band Drive A.
"Shutter Island" was adapted from the 2003 novel of the same name written by Dennis Lehane (author of "Mystic River"). Seven years after its publication, Martin Scorcese took the idea under his wing and crafted a seemingly suspenseful two-hour film adaptation.
Eugene Ionesco's "The Lesson" and "The Bald Soprano" open this Friday at the UT's Center of Performing Arts Center Theatre. These pieces are the most well known works from Romanian and French playwright Ionesco, who is considered a master of the theatre of the absurd.
UT alumni poets put on a collective reading for the Library Legacy Foundation
For the Almeda Street Poets, poetry is a gravitational force that brings people together. On Friday, they will be hosting a reading at Grounds for Thought in Bowling Green at 7 p.m. Four poets from the Almeda Street poetry collective will reunite after five years to read poems for charity.
When a band is trying to make a statement or send a message, there can be a number of ways to go about doing it: a hilariously satirical music video, a chorus of chanting from each of the band members or even a chanting chorus from children. Pink Floyd got it right when they used the Islington Green School’s choir for “Another Brick in the Wall Pt.
Every small town has a story, and every story has its storyteller. Kyle Myricks, also known as Stalley, from Massillon, Ohio, shares his tales and experiences of growing up in a small city with music as a vehicle to place his home city and Ohio on the map.
Love has crossed my path more than once. However, in my experience, love has never amounted to anything more than shattered dreams and a plummeted level of self-esteem. Before long, you start asking yourself if you’re good enough, if you’ll ever find someone to love forever and receive the same love in return.
The world of video games has deteriorated to poor first person shooters and repetitive offshoots of video games made 20 years ago. However, video games, like other forms of entertainment, have popular cult fan bases thriving on the next installment of their favorite series.
To call a graphic, surrealistic werewolf movie a story of love would be an understatement. Plot-wise, "The Wolfman" is a near verbatim remake of "Wolfman" (1941), only relived with more realistic costumes and effects. Considering Anthony Hopkins' first appearance as a stone-cold werewolf may be the only advantage the remake has on the nostalgic original.
Love and relationships are mysterious forces that people deal with or live for on a daily basis at home, at college, at work and in public. Co-founder of Twodaymag, Natalie Bencivenga, believes in the togetherness of people and the power of love, which empowers her to pursue the online magazine based on the concept of relationships.
Our love is unconditional. I’m convinced our relationship is beyond understanding yet simple to maintain. It is days like this I must tell you I love you for who you are, what you are not and what I know you could be. Many others also adore your infinite compassion, endless love and creativity.
Ten songs to get your lover in the mood and set the vibe for a romantic evening
There's nothing that says "I Love You" better than someone else singing it to you. Do not deny it; you know you have been the perpetrator of making a fabulous mix-tape for the one you want to impress most. And if not, it's likely you have been on the receiving end of a mix-tape: butterflies fluttering in your stomach and maybe even some tears welling in your eyes.
The history of African-American blues and its influence on contemporary music
During the 2010 Grammy awards, the Delta blues was remembered as guitarist David "Honeyboy" Edwards was honored with a lifetime achievement award. At 94 years old, Edwards is one of the only original Delta musicians still alive, and he continues to tour.
Events that shaped America such as the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement were all loosely based on a suppressed desire within the African American community to express themselves. As a group of people held in captivity in a free country, the African-Americans stepped out in a righteous manner with a devout passion to raise their voices and exercise the right of free speech as a way to influence their liberty.
After focusing on fighting games for the last few months, Capcom finally put out a game that does not involve throwing a fireball at someone. "Dark Void" is a third-person shooter that takes place in a parallel universe where an alien race, known as the Watchers, are trying to take over the world and it is up to jetpack-wielding William Gray to stop them in order to save the human race and to return home to his universe.
Danyale Johnson Atlanta. Some call it the New York of the South. Others affectionately refer to it as Hotlanta. I, in contrast, call it home. I used to reside in Ohio with the familiarities us Mid-Western folk are used to, but I gave up the snow and traveled 700 miles south to a cozier climate (sorry, winter).
Zion I brings the Hyphy movement to Toledo
Zion I is a hip-hop duo from Oakland, California, comprised of the equally spiritual and lyrical emcee Zumbi with producer and beat master Amplive. This particular brand of hip-hop comes from the Bay Area, where Zion I gets their sound, and is most popularly referred to as the "Hyphy" movement.
It is the beginning of February: It’s cold and wet outside and the warm days of summer seem 10 billion light years away. Not to mention the nation’s favorite rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, caught a glimpse of his shadow on Groundhog Day; folklore suggests that another six weeks of winter and ice are in the forecast.
Do you remember when Vanilla Ice tried to make a rock record? Or how about when Michael Jordan played baseball? Go ahead and give Lil' Wayne an invitation into the epic failure club. Lil' Wayne is one of the highest-grossing rappers of the decade. His monster, five-time platinum hit "Lollipop" pushed Lil' Wayne into the heads of the remainder of the world who must have missed his stack of mixtapes and previous studio albums.
Toledo Glacity Theatre Collective puts on a production of “Betrayal”
Toledo’s Glacity Theatre Collective presented “Betrayal,” a Harold Pinter classic, at the Valentine Theatre the past two weekends. Pinter’s “Betrayal” revolves around the lies people create to hide and fulfill their desires and examines the lives of people attempting to make their way through the trials of love and lust.
J.D. Salinger’s life of reclusion is a testament to the joy of writing
Jerome David Salinger was a literary giant who inspired American adolescents with his esteemed characters and stories. After decades of seclusion, Salinger died of natural causes at age 91 on Wednesday. Born in 1919 and first published in 1940, he retreated into self-seclusion in 1953.
This Providence represents Fueled By Ramen at Frankie’s Inner City
Seattle, Washington seems to be erupting with rock music, producing the sounds of bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. On Saturday night, the pop-punk band This Providence brought their version of Seattle rock to Frankie’s Inner City in Toledo.
Feliza Casano, a junior majoring in English and communication, self-publishes her fantasy novel
Feliza Casano, approaching the end of her teenage years, believes there is something inherent and epic about being a teen. Casano, 18, a junior double majoring in communication and English, with concentrations in journalism and creative writing, is about to achieve the first major accomplishment of her college career: publishing her first novel.
There comes a time for every artist to expose to an extremely personal and — sometimes — darker side of themselves. English singer/songwriter and guitarist Corinne Bailey Rae revealed a darker side of herself with her latest album, “The Sea.” It is an album that transcends any kind of entertainment and suggests an artistic therapy session between the artist and the listener.
Game enthusiasts would be lucky to find a review of “Tatsunoko vs. Capcom” in an American publication. This is because the game was not supposed to be released in the United States. “Tatsunoko vs. Capcom,” an all-star fighting game featuring characters from “Street Fighter,” “Megaman” and “G-Force,” came out in Japan in December of last year; and the executives from Capcom said that the game was a “licensing nightmare” that would never make it to the US.
Following the man who holds the keys that unlock the hidden hallways of UT’s most notable building
It’s a band for the bloggers, the independent film watchers and probably anyone who loves Jesse Eisenberg or Michael Cera. After all, Vampire Weekend did gain their popularity pre-album debut thanks to bloggers and rare-music hunters and since then, the band has been all over the indie music scene.
“Bayonetta” game is both sexy and addicting. Sega’s new action game is pushing all the right buttons. “Bayonetta” is the newest action and adventure game from Sega and “Devil May Cry” publisher Hideki Kamiya. The funny thing about “Bayonetta” is how many ‘been there, done that moments’ the game throws at the player.
Local hip-hop artist intends to distribute his new album, “The Big Picture,” on North Star Media
Todd Yarberry is a man with a passion for all genres of music and is on a mission to fulfill his endorsement with North Star Media. With the stage name “Toddx,” Yarberry has been cutting tracks and making a name for himself in the hip-hop industry for approximately five years.
The music industry was anything but innovative in 2009, minus the rise of a few unheard of, now all-star hip-hop artists as well as powerful new albums for artists who have already made mainstream and broadcast success. Taking Back Sunday’s “New Again” was a risky release with the loss of guitarist and backing vocalist Fred Mascherino, but Adam Lazzara stole the show singing alone with new guitarist Matthew Fazzi.
Director of “Juno” returns with transitory ingenuity
Young director Jason Reitman has only been making feature films for the last five years and has already cut an artistic niche out for himself in the cinema community. In 2005, his articulate commentary “Thank You for Smoking” featured the world of tobacco companies and lobbyists from a unique perspective.
Local singer/songwriter self-publishes EP telling of a tragic loss and war story
The concept of love and war has been a leading inspiration for musicians and artists for ages; Toledo singer/songwriter, Harry Hazard, is no different. On Oct. 31, he self-released, "Dog Tags: An Acoustic EP," which is a rough compilation of songs that depict a tragic war story, metaphorical of Hazard's life experiences.
Them Crooked Vultures album leans toward modern sound and strays from roots
The collaboration of rock and roll icons has taken place several times throughout rock history. "Supergroups" like The Highwaymen with Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson or more recently Monsters of Folk with Conor Oberst and M. Ward have toured and recorded albums together in an effort to combine music and writing styles.
UT professor Jane Bradley discusses the narrative form and how people use it to explore their lives
The art of writing fiction is one of the soul; people are natural storytellers and it is evident in everyday speech. People tell stories to communicate, to move forward and to come to meaning in life. In a world full of random events, a person must put the pieces together in a narrative fashion to figure it all out.
Randall Vanadisson writes about sadistic erotica, torture, sex, vampires, murder and blood
A small, yet bold red band wraps around the cover of author Randy Vanadisson's book "Coven of Celsus." "Warning: EXPLICIT!" states the band, cautioning the reader to the outlandishly graphic content lurking between the covers of his novel, which he calls "The most dangerous vampire story ever told.
Toledo band, Rediscover, returns to Frankie’s Inner City after coming to a new level of techno music
They say that the Midwest is where people go to give up on their dreams; if you want to make it big, you have to go coastal—move out to California or New York for that big city lifestyle where the celebrity appeal beckons. Saturday, at Frankie's Inner City, Toledo band, Rediscover, returned to their hometown for the first show in the Glass City since their departure to California a year ago.
In the struggle of human inquiry, Islam brings a source of hope in a higher power
According to the Islamic faith, nobody is able to visualize God. The notion and argument of the existence of God has been one that has demanded humanity to debate where to place their beliefs and moral judgment. According to Ovamir Anjum, Imam Khattab Endowed Chair of Islamic Studies at the University of Toledo, the monotheistic religions of Islam and Christianity are siblings to one another in that they are both religions sent by God.
Before I was swamped with deadlines, homework and exams, I was a happy person. With the time I had before attending college, faith was an important part of my life. With a copy of the Dhammapada always on my person I attacked life with the mind of what Jack Kerouac would call a “Dharma Bum;” everything was interconnected, troubles or chances did not matter because my way would be made regardless of any worldly suffering.
Hope: To cherish a desire with anticipation. In a world plagued with evil, such as war and murder, some people may need something to keep them pushing forward and, perhaps, for something better. Religions and faith offer individuals the opportunity to experience some quality of hope that they may not otherwise be able to obtain by themselves.
Wes Anderson is most known for his aesthetic vision as a film-making auteur with movies such as “Bottle Rocket” (1996), “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001) and “The Darjeeling Limited” (2007). His latest visionary motion picture, “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” is slightly different from his typical style because it is entirely animated.
“Woah! That’s a really nice camera. I bet it takes awesome pictures. Was it expensive?” The famous quote that many photographers hear far too often. Is it a myth? Does an expensive camera make your photos award-winning works of art capable of being sold for thousands if not millions of dollars? In my experience, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
UT and Owens produce theatre about how people come to terms with trauma, sanity and mechanically controlled society
The performing arts, namely theatrical productions, offer a precise insight into the state of the human condition. Toledo’s prominent educational institutions, the University of Toledo and Owens Community College are no strangers to the power of stage production.
It is not surprising that, every year, Nintendo releases a new Super Mario game. It has been over 18 years since a 2D style Mario game appeared on a Nintendo console. That streak has finally been broken with Nintendo's release of New Super Mario Bros.
I am a filmmaker, a writer and a musician. These three loves have caused me endless hours of chaos within their own degrees. I have felt the unnerving grip of self-doubt and the irrevocable hurt and sense of instability, which comes with another person’s condescension.
1. Novel 2. Love 3. Family 4. Song 5. Mountain 6. 50 States 7. Seven continents 8. Follow my favorite band 9. Fly a plane 10. Bike across the country 11. Read 30 books in one year 12. Make a film As a college student about to embark upon graduation within the coming years, I have often lied awake late into the night pondering what to do with my life.
Questioning the denomination of artistry
Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso once called art, “the elimination of the unnecessary,” eluding to the intrinsic truth within art. Whether the medium be visual, musical, written or performance, artists seem to agree on the value of art and passion of artists alike.
Students and faculty discuss where to draw the line
Before I enrolled at the University of Toledo’s Theatre & Film department to pursue my dream of motion picture making, I had a debate with myself regarding the importance of an art school education. For artistry, it is not exactly essential to have a degree to pursue that creative passion.
I got you this time,” said Jay Elliot while lighting my cigarette. Elliot, the lead singer of Stereo Deluxe, explained to me on the patio at Frankie’s Inner City why his band from Indianapolis was touring. “We just want to get the music out there,” he said.
The year is 1966; rock ‘n' roll is turning the youth of an entire generation into pot smoking radicals. The United Kingdom's government is out to limit the amount of air time that bands like The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks get allotted on the radio so as to end this teenage depravity.
MTV award show reaches out to college students
he mtvU Woodie Awards were established by college students in 2004 to promote the college music scene and artists on the rise. The launch of the award show boosted record sales and headlining tours for Woodie nominees. Recent Woodie participants include Beck, Vampire Weekend, Santigold, Gym Class Heroes, Lykke Li, All Time Low, Imogene Heap, Fall Out Boy, The Killers, Death Cab for Cutie, Plain White Ts and Paramore.
After months of preparation, the expressionistic drama “Machinal” takes the stage at the University of Toledo’s Center for Performing Arts in the Center Theatre. Fueled by desire, anger, money and a need for freedom, Helen Jones, played by Betsy Yeary, has an affair and later murders her husband in this breathtaking piece.
The film “2012” delivers a surplus of action sequences and follows a pace that viewers will find agreeable in spite of its lengthy duration. Directed by Roland Emmerich, “2012” stars John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Thandie Newton, Danny Glover and Woody Harrelson.
“Lock up ya’ daughter, lock up ya’ wife, lock up ya’ back door and run for ya’ life.” These lyrics, announced by Bon Scott in ACDC’s classic “TNT,” hailed the warnings of the song’s menacing character. The same should be said of Toledo when The Hobs, from Akron, come to the Black Cherry this Saturday.
Director of “University Inc.” comes to UT
Kyle Henry, director and professor of editing at the University of Texas, visited the University of Toledo on Friday to present his film “University Inc.” (1999). He also conducted a workshop on creating films with students. Laura Dunn’s “Subtext of a Yale Education” and Henry’s “University Inc.
"The Box" starring James Marsden, Cameron Diaz and Frank Langella is an improvement from director Richard Kelly's last film, "Southland Tales," which had so many nonsensical subplots that it became tiresome. "The Box" achieves a high level of suspense and provokes a sense of empathy for the characters.
Walking down a dark alleyway beside old brick buildings, I made my way to the back door of Ann Arbor's The Ark, a small but intimate music venue that has hosted acts by the likes of John Prine, Moxy Fruvous and Arlo Guthrie. Once behind our chosen destination, I made a call to notify Joe Pug.
Jack’s Mannequin frontman releases documentary covering his bout with cancer
Singer and pianist Andy McMahon made his film debut on Tuesday in his documentary “Dear Jack,” directed by Corey Moss and Josh Morrisroe. “Dear Jack” is a personal account of McMahon’s victory over cancer and his growth as a musician. “I always said I would die young,” he claims in the documentary.
Bob Dylan spreads holiday cheer with album that will benefit feeding America
Robert Allen Zimmerman, better known as Bob Dylan was born in Duluth Minnesota nearly 70 years ago. From his humble beginnings, performing folk songs at small bars and cafe shops, Dylan has gone onto become one of the most iconic and influential figures in modern music.
Hip-hop icon revamps his style with new album and performing style in Columbus, Ohio
He began in Brooklyn as a DJ with a microphone, and now fills 20,000 seats with fans paying over $50 a ticket. This is the evolution of the hip-hop icon known as Jay-Z. The current state of hip-hop is a stale argument and differs among generations. Hip-hop terminology such as “classic” and “legend” are overused and frequently given to unworthy candidates.
The Faux Pas, meaning "The False Step" in French, is a folk rock trio of female film students from the University of Toledo. "Our experience at the University of Toledo is extremely positive," said band member Hannah Fritch. "We all really have a passion for what we're doing.
Author visits local coffee shop to distribute books
Traveling through various towns and cities between New York and Iowa, a small yet determined book show is displaying how book publishing is changing for the better. Known as the Itinerant Book Show, the goal of this exhibit is to show the new publishing paradigm throughout cafes, performance spaces and anywhere people talk about books.
I was catching trains around New York City trying to pry my way into the music industry. After pestering companies with resumes, I was starting to feel like leaving Ohio to pursue my dreams was all in vain. While New York served as an entirely new way to live in the present, I couldn't help but reflect on my past.
European musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova fell into unexpected indie film stardom with their 2007 film "Once." The 90-minute fictional drama starring Hansard and Irglova was filmed in Dublin, Ireland and detailed two musicians coming together for music along with a little estranged romance.
When it comes to the emo revolution, Taking Back Sunday may be the foremost band worth mentioning. Since their formation in 1999, the group has been in a nonstop turret of hard hitting lyrics and a hybrid of all genres of rock ‘n' roll-based music.
Writer travels to New York City in hopes of developing a career in music joururnalism
It's easy to get lost in the glamour and factious lifestyle of New York City, especially as a visitor. The streetlights will drag you in, beat you up after dancing all night, take your money and throw you back on the street before you realize what happened.
Toledo non-profit theatre organization puts on “Har Har,” a farcical play about troubled memories
“Har Har: An Evening with Harburg Harrisbrandt” is winner of the 2001 Excellence Award for Solo Show at the New York International Fringe Festival. The one act play will be presented by the Glacity Theatre Collective at the Valentine Theatre on Oct. 29, 30 and 31.
After ignoring the naysayers inside my head and avoiding looking at my latest bank statements, New York City was my final destination. When the acceptance letter from NYU came in the mail, it was obvious where I needed to be. In New York City I could surround myself with the most ruthless and grimiest competition in the music industry and solidify my choice to chase my dreams.
In Downtown Toledo, huddled between the streets of Bancroft and Lagrange , sits a building known as The Black Cherry. Since earlier this year, the building has housed an organization dedicated to "community control of community" and direct action. The Black Cherry hosts groups of Anarchists, "do-it-yourselfers" and community activists working toward bettering the city and country with various projects such as "Food not Bombs," The Foreclosure Defense League and through offering work trade programs.
A look into cultural development through graphic novels and their role in art and the media
Despite the nerdy reputation that comic books have gathered over the past 70 years, they have come to be appreciated as a nostalgic art form. Varying from newspaper humor to epic battles, comic books have grown in popularity, particularly the more adult-style comic book, known as the graphic novel.
Working out and weight loss made fun with Nintendo
On the second day of testing the Wii Fit Plus, my Nintendo Wii was convinced that I had put on a pound. It then began to ask why I thought I put on a pound and proceeded to give me a list of excuses. I told the board (the Wii Fit Plus controller) it was because of late night eating and the game told me how eating after nine was not good because those would be calories I would not burn off.
The mind of Spike Jonze proves to be dreamlike
"Where the Wild Things Are" has been a beloved and classic children's book since it was published in 1963. It is the story of a disobedient boy named Max (Max Records) who creates a world full of "Wild Things," where he becomes the king. Last weekend, the children's classic came to life on the big screen from the imagination of Spike Jonze, director of "Being John Malkovich" and "Adaptation.
Two years after Martin Scorsese directed the most realistic boxing movie to date – "Raging Bull" – he and Robert de Niro made the dark comedy, "The King of Comedy." The tale of the tape of Scorsese's films is violence in "Raging Bull" and Boston Irish Mobs hypocritical rogues' vulgarity in "The Departed" and not farce, though.
Wii Fit makes excercise easy and fun
Every time I wanted to do an exercise, I had to wait for the balance board to warm up, get on the board, click okay with the Wii remote, do the activity, then click exit and pick a new activity, all the while waiting for the board to warm up. In short, a 30-minute work out took almost an hour because of all the loading and menu clicking.
It is always interesting to see area bands and musicians rise to fame. Macy Gray, Nine Inch Nails, Hawthorne Heights, Devo and even Dean Martin are all Ohio natives who hit the big time with their music. But what about our city of Toledo? Many local bands strive to be the best and to, one day, headline their own 1000-crowd show.
UT professors of new media and print making open their exhibit, Transitions and Journeys
University of Toledo professor of new media, Deborah Orloff, and professor of art, Arturo Rodriguez, open their exhibit, Transitions and Journeys. The exhibit is set in the Center for the Visual Arts gallery and themed to the concept of light, creating a visual experience through a dramatic darkened space.
The Killers headline in Tampa, Florida
Having seen The Killers twice already this year, I went into the University of South Florida Sun Dome expecting an incredible show. I knew the basic format of their set list; I knew the small monologues Brandon Flowers would speak in between songs for a quick break; I even knew when Flowers would kneel down in front of bassist Mark Stoermer, while he slapped that bass for his well-known bass solo in "Jenny Was A Friend of Mine.
“Couples Retreat” falls short of potential
How does a weeklong retreat with your spouse to the south Pacific sound? Surfing, four-star dining and yoga on the beach, all included. Only one stipulation: this particular vacation is a marriage counseling retreat. This is the basic premise in director Peter Billingsley's latest film, "Couples Retreat.
“The Doctor in Spite of Himself” to be performed at Center for Performing Arts the week of Oct. 11
After 343 years through contract negotiations regarding benefits, retirement and health insurance, "The Doctor in Spite of Himself" will premiere at the Center for Performing Arts on Oct. 12. The French playwright Molière wrote and performed the play in 1666, but its universal themes are right at place in 21st century America.
Group of local spray paint artists argue against vandalism
Graffiti is a street art that comes in many shapes, sizes and forms, yet its intent is pure: to create something beautiful on top of something vague and indistinguishable. Throughout Toledo, New York, Los Angeles, Australia and Japan, graffiti is still considered underground, due mainly to the arguments made against it as vandalism.
Avett Brothers first mainstream album
Part of the folk rock tradition accompanies the idea of families or brotherliness and this brotherly harmony is very apparent in the modern folk rock band, The Avett Brothers and their latest album, “I and Love and You.” Produced by Rick Rubin under American Recordings Label, this is the North Carolina based band’s first big label release.
Hit the Lights returns to Toledo to embrace fans
When it comes to staying out all night, touring the country and partying like veteran rock stars, Hit the Lights is one band of brothers who know how to stay true to themselves, their roots and their fans. Hit the Lights is a quintet based on the powers of vocalist Nick Thompson, guitarists Omar Zehery and Kevin Mahoney, bassist Dave Bermosk and drummer Nate Van Dame.
Toledo area photographer, Robin Charney, attempts to capture humanity through photography
"For me, the beauty of being a photographer is that of being invited into another person's world," said Robin Charney, a Toledo area photographer. "Ordinary people, in ordinary acts, these are the pictures I take. It began simply; photographing my children, my family, my friends and it was all from my heart," she said.
“Zombieland” walks the fine line between disturbingly graphic and laugh-out-loud humurous
It’s the end of the human race. All that remains are millions of blood drooling, flesh hungry zombies and a small population of uninfected people trying to survive in director Ruben Fleischer’s “Zombieland.” The latest installment to the comedy horror genre, “Zombieland” chronicles the lives of four unfortunate souls still inhabiting the planet after everyone else has been corrupted by way of direct zombie contact.
UT graduate and former professor returns for the Dorothy Price Piano Series
Over the course of the fall semester and slightly into the spring semester, the University of Toledo's Department of Music is hosting the Dorothy Mackenzie Price Piano Series, a collective event showcasing piano masters from UT's alumni. Each recital spans one weekend, the first day of the program features one of the piano masters delivering a class on the craft of the piano and the second day of the program each member will perform a public recital.
Scribblenauts an intellectual challenge
At this summer’s E3 gaming convention in California, there was one Nintendo DS game that gained a lot of buzz. Scribblenauts, is a DS game where the player uses the DS’ stylus to write down a noun and the physical representation of that word appears for the player to use throughout the game.
“Surrogates” a less than innovative sci-fi
Imagine being able to stay at home to perform your daily tasks or live out the most outrageous dreams without the potential for death or injury, all while living vicariously through a robot or “surrogate.” This is the concept in director Jonathan Mostow’s newest film, “Surrogates.
Musical from ‘Square One’
The Theatre Department's student organization, Square One Productions, makes their debut performance with "Toledo Tea Party: A Cabaret" on Saturday. Ten students will perform songs from musical theatre's most prominent productions such as "Spring Awakening," "Godspell," "RENT," "Urinetown: The Musical," "Hair," "Across the Universe" and others.
Cleveland’s hip-hop scene
It's nearly impossible to walk around UT without hearing someone drive past while blaring one of Cleveland's most valued emcees, Chip tha Ripper. Whether it's "I'm Fitted," "Get it Gurl," "Catch the Beat" or "Like This," his songs are becoming hotter each time a big name rapper collaborates on a track.
An insight about six strings
Musical instruments provide people with the ability to express themselves in ways that lyrics or speaking cannot, such as a soaring guitar solo, a handful of keys on a piano singing like a church choir or the strings on a fiddle telling a tall tale. Whether the instruments are playing lead or rhythm, they all have their own appeal and interchangeable uses.
is a member of the 
Official Music Sponsor: 
