Category: A&E

Nowadays a dollar does not do much except buy two-thirds of a soda from a vending machine or do some laundry. But what if, after buying a $1 ticket, one could see a play, sing karaoke, go to a country fair and have a chance to win an Xbox 360 or iPod touch?

Dia del Este is an all-campus party that spans the whole weekend. The event kicks off on Sept. 18 at 5:30 p.m. with a county fair in Hainer Hall, repeating the hall’s fair from last year which won the highest attendance of all the events, and ends on Sept. 19 with a karaoke party in the Dining Commons.

The biggest prizes of Dia del Este are an Xbox 360 and an iPod touch. A ticket has to have 10 punches on it to enter the raffle, but do not fret: everyone is eligible for prizes at each event including Eagle dollars, movie tickets and Spring Banquet tickets.

Other events include a soccer game at Cabrini College, a late night dance party in Gough, a larger-than-life version of bingo in Doane Hall and an a cappella group that performed on season two of America’s Got Talent.

On Saturday night, students will be able to get deals on Breezeway combos and enter to win a bicycle. Those who buy tickets will also be granted free admission to the theater department’s production of Waiting for Godot on Thursday night, worth two punches per ticket.

Since Dia del Este is co-sponsored by SAB, there will be a fall carnival Saturday on the softball field from 12 noon until 3 p.m. There will be face painting, inflatables, music, vendors and barbeque provided by Sodexo.

The popularity of Dia del Este last year is remembered by all, especially the big closeout with the band Centrevol.

“I liked how the festival last year brought together the Eastern community and brought the halls together as well,” junior Chris Clark said.

Sophomore Gavin Donnelly, an RA in Kea-Guffin, said that he thought Dia del Este was “kick butt and high octane like a power wheels (car).”

Participation is key: The residence hall from which the largest percentage of residents participate will win $250.

Another $100 will be given to the particular floor that has the best participation. In addition, the residence hall that holds the best activity will win $250.

Those who commute can sign up for the residence hall of their choice.

 

Dia del Este Schedule
For more information, go to diadeleste.com

Thursday
8 p.m. – Waiting for Godot, worth two punches

Friday
5:30-7:30 p.m. – Country Fair, Hainer Hall
6:30-8:30 p.m. – Gallup Luau, Gallup Center
7:30-9:30 p.m. – ‘70s House, Kea-Guffin Hall (worth two punches if dressed in ‘70s clothes)
10-11:30 p.m. – Fault Line, a cappella rock band, main gym
11 p.m.-1 a.m. – Pajama Party with Jenny and Tyler, Breezeway (worth two punches if dressed in pajamas)
1-2 a.m. – Save the Last Dance Hunt, Gough Hall

Saturday
12-3 p.m. – Fall Carnival, Softball field (Rain location, Rec Gym)
2:30-4:30 p.m. – “Wet n’ Wild,” Sparrowk Hall
3:50-5:30 p.m. – Salsa Saturday, Eagle Hall
6:30-8 p.m. – Men’s Soccer game v. Cabrini, Cabrini soccer field (worth two punches if dressed or painted in Eastern colors)
7:30-9:30 p.m. – D-O-A-N-E Bingo, Doane Hall
9-10 p.m. – Jenny and Tyler concert, Jammin’ Java
9:30-midnight – Video Karaoke and Grand Prize ceremony, Dining Commons

SAB

The buzz word for SAB this year is Friday.

“Almost everything we have planned this year is on a Friday,” Coordinator of Student Activities Paul Daigle said. “Now students will always know when student activities events are being held.”

Every weekend is scheduled with activities ranging from coffee houses to dances. One new feature is Weekly October Pictures at which a different movie will be shown every Friday night. Some events will specifically occur on Saturdays, so be on the lookout for those.
The most important event this semester will be the return of Dia del Este. It will now be on Sept. 18 to correspond with the opening of the KaGe.

“We hope that with Dia del Este earlier in the year, it will get students more engaged and kick off the year with more energy,” Daigle said.

 

Theatre department

With a line-up including Waiting for Godot on Sept. 16-20 and My Soldiers on Nov. 11-15, the theatre is aiming to deliver some truly mind-blowing performances.

One of the biggest changes is the Opera Workshop that the department will hold in the spring. Associate Director of Theatre Teresa Moyer will be running the workshop for students who either take the THR230A class, perform in the Actor’s Lab or have special permission.

“Voice majors and other singers need to be trained in acting and truthful theatrical performing,” Moyer said in an e-mail. She also hopes to have her students work together on a bi-yearly musical.

There will be no spring musical this year because the Opera Workshop will take all of Moyer’s time. But one thing remains the same in the theatre department: its goal.
“(Our goal is) to elevate the arts,” said Mark Duska, Technical Director for Fine and Performing Arts and Production Manager for Theatre.

Director of Theatre Mark Hallen agreed with Duska, adding that re-integrating alumni with current students is another integral part of their goal.

“If that’s what growing is, that’s what we want to do,” he said.

 

Music department

Little has changed for the folks in Workman Hall. Their big event is still the Winter Music Festival, occurring this year on Nov. 20-22.

The new thing that the music department wants to happen is the construction of a new concert hall. And with the music major being one of the top four majors of the incoming class, it is no surprise that it needs this larger building.

“There really is administrative support” for the concert hall, music department chairperson Dr. Ron Matthews said.

In the meantime, the music department hopes to go more digital with the help of John Greenland, Director of the Electronic Music Studio. Together with EUMedia, they plan to put excerpts of performances online.

“I believe that it will stimulate participation and creativity in multimedia performance and composition by both faculty and students, while affording a common virtual stage for both,” Greenland said in an e-mail.

 

Dance department

“Our goal this semester is to continue to build on the success of last year and improve curriculum for the students,” dance department chairperson Dr. Karen Clemente said.
Last April, the dance department was in fine form at Spirit Dancing, its final show of the year. The pieces varied in theme and difficulty, but the one that shone most was “In the Making,” choreographed by Dr. Joselli Deans.

“In the Making” was a unique piece that showed the process of dance, with dancers moving from warm-up to performance.

What made this dance special was the cooperation of music department professor David Bryant who wrote music specifically for the dance. A recording of the music was played during the performance of “In the Making” last April.

This year at the Fine Arts Festival on Oct. 9, “In the Making” will be performed again, this time with live musicians playing Bryant’s composition. The dancers will also receive acting lessons from one of the theater department’s alumni, making the piece a collaborative effort.

There will also be a dance concert on Dec. 4-6.