Movie Review: 12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave’s brutally honest retelling of life in slavery induces cringes and gasps amongst audience members, but the film leaves us wondering if that’s all it has to offer. Directed by Steve McQueen, the film centers around the life of a free black man, Solomon Northup played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Along with Ejiofor, the film includes an all-star cast including Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, Paul Giamatti, Brad Pitt and Quvenzhané Wallis.

For just over two hours, McQueen puts the audience through hell with a constant stream of vivid violence on a much different level than, say, Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained.

While Tarantino uses gore and carnage to evoke an audience reaction, much of McQueen’s film uses the strong implications of sound to depict the brutality, from the cracking of whips to the thumping of clubs to decanters thrown at people’s heads.

Despite the diminished reliance on visual depictions of violence, 12 Years a Slave still evokes a reaction that leads many critics to compare it to the modern-day horror genre.

12 Years a Slave doesn’t seem to offer much more than two hours of bombarding viewers about the horrors of slavery.

Ejiofor’s character is boring, lacks dynamic and simply serves to guide the audience through the horrors instead of presenting any form of character or story arc. His Oscar buzz must be solely centered on three things: sweating, crying and being in a realistic slavery movie. Overall, Ejiofor is exactly the same in all of his films; he just cries and sweats more here.

Fassbender shows more range in his brutal depiction of the slave driver Edwin Epps, and although he isn’t a relatable character, he certainly is the most interesting.

Pitt’s role, on the other hand, is nothing to write home about. With a total of about five minutes of screen time, Pitt just needed to assure the audience that he can still save the day.

12 Years a Slave also struggles to pass itself off as a more artistic film. Most shots distract the viewer and pull them out of the film, which is the absolute worst thing for a film about a slave’s personal experience.

The film also refrains from dialogue in many points at which some is expected and adds dialogue that isn’t even intelligible at other points. A word of advice: If it’s unintelligible, it’s probably not important.

There’s a very narrow target audience for 12 Years a Slave. If you can get past the brutal violence, unintelligible dialogue, lack of dynamism, ridiculous cameos, distracting camera movements and focus, full nudity, sweating, crying, singing and the most annoying soundtrack in movie history, then this is the film for you.

Despite this harsh criticism of the film, it is certainly worth Oscar nomination, but nothing more. Fassbender’s performance is perhaps the only aspect of this film that deserves an Oscar win, and that’s giving a lot of leeway.

This is a great film in its own respect, but it’s not an excellent film. Something appears to be missing from the film that suppresses any form of significant climax. If it could focus on something other than shock and awe, then it would be a truly exceptional film.

Spotlight On: CJ Roche

Junior CJ Roche has dreamed of performing in plays and singing on stage from a very young age. At Geneseo, he has embraced his goals by participating in Musical Theatre Club, Between the Lines and a variety of plays and musicals from “Equus” to “Anything Goes.”

Roche said that one of his favorite parts of acting is getting into character.

“I really love the beginning of a rehearsal process when I get to channel what makes [the character] tick, why they say certain things that they say, why they react to other people in the show the way that they do,” he said.

Roche said that his favorite acting experience so far was playing Marius in “Les Misérables” during his senior year of high school. Another of his favorites was playing Fredrik Egerman in “A Little Night Music” at Geneseo during his freshman year.

“I was the only freshman in a prominent role in the play, so it was an interesting dynamic,” he said.

Notably, he also played the role of the tall and dynamic Horse in “Equus,” his theater debut at Geneseo. The play depicts a disturbed boy who becomes enamored with horses.

“[‘Equus’ is] a really weird play; it’s a really well-written play. Quite an interesting introduction to theater at Geneseo,” he said.

While Roche is interested in pursuing theatrical endeavors, he is not dead set on strictly performance as a potential career. He said he wanted to pursue something he “would enjoy but [would] look good to potential employers,” so he added a major in communication alongside his theater major.

This process was very deliberate for Roche, who is interested in pursuing theater business if his own performance career doesn’t work out.

“That’s what I love about Geneseo: how willing and flexible [the college is] to accommodate double majors,” he said.

No matter what happens, Roche plans to dedicate his life to theater and performing.

“I love just being on the stage and sharing a story with the audience,” Roche said. “I think that’s the root of why I love to do what I do.”

The Lamron staff picks: Sad songs reflect incomparable emotion, angst

To whatever meaning and whatever end life comes to, whatever started it and whatever happens afterward, most of us agree on one simple thing: Life is good. There are times, however, when even that idea is disagreeable. This playlist is for those times. No, these are not upbeat songs that will perk you up and put you into prime shape to get back to your capitalist grind. Instead, they’re songs that validate our misery because art is the only thing that can do that. Music can empathize without speaking to us; it provides an authentic emotional quality with the unique power to ease loneliness.

 “Slow Motion” by Tiny Vipers

This is a down-tempo and simple song, just Jesy Fortino’s empty, lonely voice and four minor chords on a mellow guitar. The chords maintain a low-lit atmosphere, while the lyrics hold the weight of acceptance of the world’s harshness and the impermanence of joy.

“Northern Star” by Hole

“Northern Star” is one of Hole’s few acoustic pieces, the speaker in the lyrics contemplating the destruction and self-destruction of her dead lover.

“Two” by The Antlers

The speaker’s girlfriend is diagnosed with terminal bone cancer in what are arguably the most despairingly miserable lyrics ever written in English. He recalls their life together, characterized by her always running away and him always pulling her back. He is now trapped in the hell of being simultaneously abused by her and emotionally dependent on their love, which is given an expiration date. Meanwhile, the girlfriend is too angered and blinded by her illness to properly deal with their unresolved problems, leaving him completely alone in his complicated pain. This is a depressing song, folks.

“Long Dark Century” by Fern Knight

This is a more instrumental piece, with the focus placed on the downtrodden melody lead by a violin and cello harmony. The lyrics are pictorial, describing scenes of death, darkness and decay, with no emotional response, suggestive of equanimity to it all.

“Arms and Horses” by Arborea

Two guitars and a violin play a gorgeous melody as Shanti Curran’s haunting voice lulls through images of tragedy resulting from war or violence. The mood in this song is truly made by the melody of the music, which the lyrics merely supplement.

“Silent from Above” by Mirrorring

An acoustic guitar plays melancholy arpeggios above electronic ambience as the singer drawls out her resentment of time, loneliness and the inability of words to lead toward the understanding of those concepts.

“The Donor” by Judee Sill

This is a grandiose vocal piece featuring 40 voices in a hymn of “Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy),” a piano keeping them in rhythm. The singer lost her dreams, and is hit by “sorrow like an arrow”. Having given up, the only thing she has left to do is pray for a break from life’s sorrows.

“Two-Headed Boy” by Neutral Milk Hotel

It is not easy to say what makes this song so sad. Like most Neutral Milk Hotel songs, the lyrics follow a nonsensical stream of consciousness that adds little to the mood. Nevertheless, I am not the only one who almost cries whenever I’m listening to it.

Wheelbarrows communicate sustainable aesthetic in Lederer exhibit

Both tongue-and-cheek and existentially provocative, the Bertha V.B. Lederer Gallery exhibit “Custom” subverts the concept of projecting our identities onto our material possessions. “Custom” opened on Saturday Oct. 26, and it features the work of Alfred University Foundation students. Associate professor of Chair of Studio Art Dan DeZarn and assistant professor of foundations at Middle Tennessee State University Thomas Sturgill served as artistic collaborators and provided the students with the theme.

DeZarn and Sturgill call their collaboration “Pulled Resources.” They met at the University of Tennessee in 2001 and began working together in 2003 when DeZarn finished graduate school and Sturgill completed his undergraduate degree.

The works that make up “Custom” are sculptures composed of a limitless variety of media, all with one thing in common: They are contained in, or built around, a wooden wheelbarrow.

The wheelbarrows can in some way define the individuals who own them, even at the expense of practicality, in the same tradition that cars are customized to define their owners. The use of wheelbarrows in place of cars imbues the project with a moral statement.

“The idea that every adult has to have a vehicle, and that’s how they get to anywhere, isn’t sustainable,” DeZarn said. “What if you defined yourself by a wheelbarrow? Which, instead of being this thing that allows you to drive and go consume everything you want, is an object that allows you to do work more efficiently.”

The piece titled “Taking Root” demonstrates deep human definition. The barrow holds a plastic human skull and skeletal hands sticking out of Spanish moss to hold open a book with a small tree seeming to grow out of it. The loss of one life grows into another, and the book is a record of a person’s life so far, with the crumpled pages glued to the tree branches as leaves symbolizing the future.

Pieces like “Taking Root” focus on concept, while others, like “The Sprinkler,” which is literally a working shower complete with a curtain, stone tile and a drain, focus on construction.

According to Sturgill, the role of “pulled resources” in “Custom” was not in creating sculpture, but in “facilitating the action, and generally people call that social practice.”

The social practice aspect of “Custom” heightens the theory that the action of customization is integrated in a society enough that a wheelbarrow can function as a signifier of a person’s identity.

The sculpture medium is integral to the philosophy behind “Custom.” It gives it an effective note of realism, taking a “what if” question and making it a material reality. The viewer, just in the act of being the viewer, becomes fully integrated into that reality.

“Custom” will be exhibited in the Lederer Gallery until Dec. 7.

Printmaking exhibit explore societal tensions, identity through poetry

The dark, richly colored prints in Lockhart Gallery’s “Black: A Graphic Signifier” bring forth the concept of deeply rooted racial tension. The exhibit features the works of Curlee Holton, a printmaker and professor of creative printmaking at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. Among the pieces in the exhibition is Holton’s most recent 10-piece “Othello Reimagined in Sepia” series.

Holton said that an essential motivation behind his art is to stop violence, which he believes is made possible through the dialogue that art can open up to people.

“[Art] brings awareness to you,” Holton said. “It becomes a reflection. Sometimes when you see what you’re doing, you stop it. For example, if someone is lying to you, place them in front of a mirror, and then stand behind them and ask the same question. You cannot lie to yourself; it’s not possible. So you will see the person that is lying falter.”

“Othello Reimagined in Sepia” provides unique environments for William Shakespeare’s character Othello in the context of contemporary American race and identity issues.

One piece, titled “Reflection,” shows Othello looking at himself in the mirror after murdering Desdemona. He is almost naked, signifying revelation. He holds a dagger in his hand, and all around him in negative space are images of his family and history, showing an irreconcilable dissonance between his history and his presence.

Holton’s use of sepia colors in printing the Othello collection gives it stark substance and tension. According to Holton, sepia appears to be one shade of dark brown, but the ink itself is composed of multiple shades of brown, gray and black.

“People are not a simple color; they are much more than that. They are very complicated,” Holton said. “We want to have flat, stereotypical readings of people, but no one is like that. So I wanted to use sepia, which is a simplistic color, but with a more complicated story.”

“Man, Mass, Meaning” is a strong example of Holton’s earlier work that examines the dichotomy of black people who went to churches for refuge and a Christian Ku Klux Klan member. Strikingly, the figures juxtapose a black square and a white square, calling attention to the fallacious use of those shades as ethnic signifiers.

Holton began to pursue the arts as a professional in 1988 after an unsatisfying pursuit in business, when he sold his first works to a museum.

Holton’s works have been featured in the Smithsonian exhibit Art in the Atrium’s “Celebrating our Legacy” and are featured permanently in the Yale University Art Gallery.

“Black: A Graphic Signifier” will remain in the Lockhart Gallery until Dec. 7.

Mammal is a Mountain reaches peaks through musical collective

Folk, grandiose Americana impressionism and noise folk rock all describe local band Mammal is a Mountain. Lead vocalist senior Dan Lynch, who also contributes on guitar, started the band three years ago with peers Jameson Dunham and Jamie Greene at Finger Lakes Community College. All three are still core members along with three additional members: Conor McCann ‘13, Michael Vadala ‘13 and senior Robert Wojcikiewicz.

Dunham plays bass, Greene is on drums, McCann plays guitar, Vadala plays piano and Wojcikiewicz contributes mandolin.

Lynch said the band’s sound varies depending on a group of interchangeable guests who join in from time to time, emphasizing the idea of a "collective" of musicians. A frequent guest is Sally Schaefer ‘13 on fiddle.

“We always try and have our friends play with us,” he said.

Lynch, McCann, and Wojcikiewicz also play in local band The Whale and the Warbler, contributing guitar, lead vocals and drums, respectively.

“It’s good to lead and not follow but push,” Lynch said regarding his roles in both bands. Lynch studies ethnomusicology and American folk music at Geneseo, one of two people in the major.

Lynch said the Bright Eyes album Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground heavily influences the band. He also cited Josh Ritter, Jacob Augustine and The Low Anthem as influences for its “noise.”

"Lifted was a turning point in my life musically and emotionally. It speaks to me today as much as it did 10 years ago," he said.

Mammal is a Mountain has played shows in Syracuse, Rochester and the Geneseo area. Mammal is a Mountain is currently playing strictly house shows as the band works toward finishing its second full-length winter album, scheduled to come out in January 2014. After finishing up the album, the band plans to tour from late winter to spring.

The band just released its second EP Family Noise Harvest over the summer, which is available on the band’s website.

“Song for a Dream,” a recent music video for a track off Family Noise Harvest, is accessible on YouTube, along with considerable amounts of live footage of performances from the band.

"I only write songs that I want to hear sung - somewhat selfish, but makes for the best piece of music in my opinion," Lynch said.

Shakespeare festival provides behind the scenes look for student thespians

Members of student theater organization Cothurnus spent their fall break weekend exploring classical drama in a new way at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario. Cothurnus serves as an outlet for those interested in theater and is meant to give students who aren't necessarily immersed in theater the outlets and opportunities to participate.

Cothurnus has traveled to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival every fall break for nearly a decade, according to President senior Luke Martin. Cothurnus Treasurer junior Devon Gawley planned this year's trip that 35 students attended.

Students who went to Stratford experienced large-scale plays performed by the best talent in Canada. The itinerary included Noel Coward's “Blithe Spirit,” Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's “Fiddler on the Roof” and William Shakespeare's “The Merchant of Venice.”

“Seeing good theater is always inspiring,” Martin said. “When you see it put on in such a professional aspect, where they have a lot of money … that's very inspiring - to be excited to propel yourself into that, post-grad.”

In addition to the usual play, musical and Shakespeare drama, the trip also included one of several tours offered at the festival. This year, the group toured the festival's costume warehouse, which is one of the largest of its kind in North America.

“[The tour] put into perspective a lot of things that are going on behind the scenes, and how many people and how many different outlets there actually are to work in theater,” Martin said. “You can be an expert in making props look very real. You can be an expert in lighting.”

Next year's students will be touring the festival theater instead of the costume shop. They will explore the workings backstage and learn about what goes on there during a show.

The Cothurnus students also attended a talkback with festival actress Michelle Giroux, who played Elvira in “Blithe Spirit” and Portia in “The Merchant of Venice.” At the talkback, the actor shared her experiences in how she made it as far as Stratford, including her prior work and the schooling she went through.

“If you're entering almost any of the arts after graduating, you kind of have this feeling, 'I have no idea what I'm getting myself into,'” Martin said. “It's nice to talk to people who have been in that spot and see that they've ended up successful.”

The Lamron staff picks: Revitalize study playlists with upbeat tracks

It's now 2:30 a.m. and you still have to write the conclusion for your latest essay. Or maybe you have five more physics problems to do. We've all been in this type of situation at some point or another. Sometimes, all we need is the perfect playlist to get us through the last of our studying or homework.

Coffee can you keep awake, but when it's that late at night, what you really need is a shot of optimism, not espresso. Starbucks is closed by then anyway. These feel-good songs will keep you going and get you ready to tackle on the last of your homework, bringing you closer to the golden prize for a college student: sleep.

1. “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver

Any Bon Iver song is a perfect song for a late-night study playlist, but this one is a personal favorite. The instruments in this song are calming, but the song has just enough build to keep you pumped about homework - if that's even possible.

2. “Faster” by Matt Nathanson

Nathanson has a beautiful and soothing voice. “Faster” is a great choice for your study playlist since it's a perfect blend of peacefulness and excitement. This is a great song to give you a boost of optimism when you feel like you're ready to rip your homework to shreds.

3. “Livin' on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi

This song is simply a classic. Not only is the song upbeat to help you stay awake; the lyrics are really motivational. The song reminds you to keep going when you think it's time to give up. If Gina and Tommy can do it, you can do it too.

4. “Ocean” by John Butler Trio

This song is perfect for those who prefer their study music without any vocals. “Ocean” is five minutes of beautiful acoustic guitar playing. The sound of the guitar is the perfect way to help you relax and ease any stress over your homework, but it has the right amount of upbeat rhythm to keep you going strong.

5. “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran

Every time I listen to music while studying, Sheeran is my go-to artist. With a breathtaking voice, insane guitar playing and creative lyrics, his music always manages to bring up my mood and help me relax. This song is mellower than some of his other pieces, but it has a powerful buildup at the end, which is sure to keep you going. The song does double duty with calming nerves and giving motivation.

6. “She Moves in Her Own Way” by The Kooks

Songs by The Kooks are a great way to boost you up. The Kooks are the band that will definitely give you necessary energy when you run out of coffee.

7. “Work Bitch” by Britney Spears

Just some tough love from the one and only - I think the title is self-explanatory.

The evolution of viral videos

When you think of viral videos, what comes to mind? Absurdity, humor and general outrageousness and fun are the usual opinions; I think it's fair to say. They top the charts with their views and buzz, and they've created a new breed of celebrity, called the “YouTube sensation.” Rebecca Black and Colleen Ballinger - also known as Miranda Sings − are among them.

Following the infamous “Harlem Shake” phenomenon and the “Gangnam Style” craze is a new viral video: Norwegian comedy duo Ylvis' “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?).” It's a weird yet catchy song with almost 150 million YouTube views that has even made its way into the top ten singles on iTunes.

But when did viral videos begin appearing? One of the earliest surfaced in 1995 titled “The Spirit of Christmas,” two animated shorts by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. These shorts are considered the precursors to the pair's later television colossus “South Park.” Other notable viral videos throughout the years include “Numa Numa,” “Scarlet takes a tumble,” “All your base are belong to us” and “The Ultimate Showdown.” What makes these “viral videos” is the fact that almost everyone will know what I'm talking about when I name them; no descriptions necessary.

The difference between the older virals and the newer ones is that both their appeal and support have skyrocketed, which would not have been possible without the predecessors that paved the way. Ylvis' “The Fox” is an actual music video despite its absurd premise and lyrics. It has a production budget: direction, scenery, cinematography and all. Psy's “Gangnam Style” and The Lonely Island are slightly earlier examples of this.

Viral videos are becoming a medium for more than sudden popularity and fame. They are becoming almost mainstream. Major Hollywood productions are using viral marketing to expand the audience for their stories and characters and increase buzz for the movies themselves.

Director Zack Snyder and his team did this for his superhero epic Man of Steel. A static-ridden video of Superman's nemesis General Zod went viral prior to release. This is just one of many innovative viral marketing campaigns used for films.

The “KONY 2012” video, produced by Invisible Children, sparked a short-lived but inspiring movement of sorts. The organization used the video to promote its initiative to make war criminal and fugitive Joseph Kony known across the globe in order to expose his acts and arrest him. This is a great example of a viral video for a cause that brought people together and attempted to make a difference.

Another realm of viral videos is that of bullying. These videos are capable of exposing the cruelty of such behavior, regardless of who makes the video. One such example is “Making the Bus Monitor Cry,” which depicts students harassing a 68-year-old woman serving as a bus monitor. It escalates to the point of physical harassment and the woman in tears. The video brought about donation campaigns and various anti-bullying movements.

Whether it's a fairly big-budget sensation, an amateur farce, a studio-based marketing plea or a serious issue brought to new light, viral videos are an increasing part of modern society and culture. They are capable of having greater impact than pretty much any other form of entertainment out there.

That's not to say that they're better in quality than theater or musical performance or movies, but they're potentially more powerful, depending on how we use them. Some can be of great social importance, and others can be very addictive and exciting. Let's just remember to tread carefully.

Album review: Icon for Hire

Tooth & Nail Records, despite their Christian affiliation, is one record label that has provided a jumping-off point for some very talented rock artists, with Anberlin and P.O.D. immediately coming to mind. Female-fronted pop metal band Icon for Hire seeks to continue the legacy with its new self-titled album. The band certainly has a sound I really dig, seamlessly blending pop punk, nu-metal, electronic and hip-hop elements all in one big sound. The musicians have the chops, and lead vocalist Ariel definitely has the pipes to create an awesome record. Unfortunately a bland melody problem that I find permeating a lot of records these days drags the album down.

The record opens with a bang. “Cynics & Critics” is a hard-hitting, catchy track that immediately grabs attention. The band's distinct sound is clearly evident here, with electronic samples, Paramore-esque vocals and a driving hard rock riff, in that order. There's even a bit of “rapping” on this track, but it is punk-driven and sassy.

Unfortunately, the album begins to suffer from “sporadic good melodyitis.” There's really nothing inherently wrong with the next four tracks; in fact, the music is quite good. It has a great mix of sounds that really set this band apart, and Ariel's singing is strong throughout. It's just that none of the melody lines hook me.

To me, a song without a good hook is just incomplete. The notion of melody and what is pleasing changes from person to person, but I don't't feel it on a lot of these songs.

“Sorry About Your Parents” is the highlight of the album for me. This song finally delivers an example of what this album could have been. It has a huge chorus and a tone that I can't quite decipher as sarcastic or serious. It's a short and sweet track that is the must-listen for the album.

After another group of songs that, again, have great instrumentation but unmemorable melodies, come “Rock and Roll Thugs” and “Fix Me.”

The former is a great rocking track about the importance of music and has great lyrics - finally a great rock song that talks about the importance of lyrics. It's another standout, with a pulse-pounding chorus and a great breakdown bridge.

“Fix Me” is the ballad of the record, and it starts with a beautiful piano line that catches the ear immediately. Ariel shines on this track, really flexing her vocal muscles and showing her different musical dimensions.

Musically, “Fix Me” a bit one-dimensional, but I actually don't mind because the piano is a welcome change of pace. This track is also the one in which the band becomes most spiritual, with the ending lines of, “Every scar one day will heal/Every tear one day will dry.” It never seems preachy, however, and it's quite a beautiful sentiment on a record with a normal pace as fast as the Indy 500.

Icon for Hire is an album from a band with a great amount of potential - as long as the members touch up some of their songwriting. This album may not deliver as much as I wanted it to, but it certainly packs a hell of a musical punch, and where it shines, it shines bright. Watch out for this band in the future, listeners.

Visiting artist Nathan Lee Graham choreographs Geneseo Dance Ensemble performance

Cabaret artist, actor, writer and director Nathan Lee Graham is participating in a residency with the department of theatre and dance, culminating a dance for Geneseo Dance Ensemble's spring performance, “46Live: New Voices Bold Moves.” This is a pure dance piece; there is no libretto or spoken word. Graham, Broomfield and Hawkins want to use the piece to explore a human concept. Graham said that, in the medium of dance, a particular abstract idea can be expressed to the same efficacy through pure dance as it can through media like poetry or music.

Graham studied at Webster University in St. Louis and has experience in both film and stage acting, having played Todd in Zoolander, Geoff in Hitch and starred in “Cabaret” at the Repertory Theater of St. Louis.

“The emphasis of the piece is the concept of fear and how it permeates throughout the universe, throughout society and creates prejudice, hate and bias,” Graham said. “We're exploring that through movement.”

Broomfield will be responsible for staging the choreography of the dance with members of GDE, while Graham leaves Geneseo from Thursday Oct. 10 until November. After that, he will return to Geneseo to make final adjustments to the piece.

The three artists will work together, despite the long distance, through social media. Graham is using his time here to work with GDE members on the beginnings of the choreography. He described their role, and their understanding thereof, as being part of the art.

“I finally feel like I am at a point in my career … that I have something to say and something to impart upon students that will actually help them,” Graham said.

Graham attributes his success in the multifaceted field of performance to the fact that he accepted every role he could get in every medium. By doing this, he acquired experience in all kinds of performance arts. Now, he is a versatile asset to virtually any type of project.

He said it is common in the performance arts to be discouraged from pursuing jobs in such a wide variety, and it can be regarded as floundering or having no focus.

“I used to hate doing everything,” Graham said. “I felt like I was a jack of all trades and a master of nothing. And now I pretty much feel like I am a master of all of it.”

Tony award winning playwright premieres production at Geva Theatre, promises "All Your Questions Answered"

All laws of normalcy were suspended, the fourth wall was no wall at all and absurdity knew no bounds in the premier of “All Your Questions Answered” on Saturday Sept. 28. The show opened at the Geva Theatre Center as a part of the 2013 Rochester Fringe Festival. “All Your Questions Answered” is a series of short comedic plays by two-time Tony Award-winner Greg Kotis, who wrote the book Urinetown and cowrote the lyrics to its musical adaptation.

The first of a 90-minute series of surprises comes at the very start of the show. The lights go down and two men in the audience seats begin to audibly bicker about whether cell phones should be silenced during a show or turned off altogether. The bickering quickly escalates into deafening shouting, transgressing into one of the characters being strangled to death.

To paint a picture of the otherwise complex content, the first play takes place inside a refrigerator, where the cast plays mold cultures. The molds argue over the proper time to spore out of the refrigerator and take over the house. A wrestling match ensues between two conflicting leaders, resulting in the death of one of them.

Some of the acts include songs as well. The first of these has the feel of a musical, starting with a character lamenting about the unattainable nature of the “American Dream” in a more-or-less conventional style. Sticking to the show's nature, the story runs completely overboard when the man holds a mortgage handler at knifepoint and gets arrested.

In spite of the absurd, sporadic content of “All Your Questions Answered,” it seems to have just the right amount of motif development that make the playwright's voice discernible. A day in the career of a typical playwright gets transformed into creative and hilarious metaphors. In one case, the playwright is being interrogated by a good cop and a bad cop, who are his actors forcing him to answer difficult questions about his script. In another, he is in hell, appealing to the devil to have his play put on.

What stands out about this show, amidst all of the ridiculousness, is its seamlessness. Between each play, the actors perform various brief interludes − consisting mostly of song − that bleed into the next storyline. This unique aspect of the show demands multiple talents from each actor, as they each take turns singing and playing a guitar.

It is very difficult to find a fault with “All Your Questions Answered.” The show is fully loaded with original humor, and the presentation is strong; the dialogue is tightened up well, the syntax of every joke exactly how it needs to be.

One arguable weakness is in the songs that transition each play. While they are vital to the show's structure, they aren't humorous. They seem to be traditional songs or folk songs, which for some could sideline the comedy while for others could provide balance.

The show will run at The Ron & Donna Fielding Nextstage at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester through Oct. 13.

Hip hop violinist reinvents Top 40s

Basic house tracks provided the beat and rhythm alongside the bright timbre of an electric violin to form a unique dichotomy at an Activities Commission Limelight & Accents-sponsored performance of SVET on Saturday Sept. 28 in Wadsworth Auditorium. SVET is a solo artist who plays the violin and also sings and raps along with house music samples. He was featured on “America's Got Talent,” which left him with the opportunity to capitalize on his rare blend of sounds.

SVET has been playing music since he was 3 years old. Raised on classical music, he was later exposed to hip-hop and house in his adolescence.

His show opened with a medley of audio-filtered radio hits, with the songs' vocal melodies played on the violin. He played along with his brother, known as DJ Icon, who accompanied him in duets and supported SVET with his digital sound.

The first original song in the set was “Fall in Love,” which opened with SVET and DJ Icon beat-boxing to the sample. It then broke into a standard hip-hop section, subject to interruptions of weeping violin leads.

“Fiddler on the Roof” opened with the same vein of violin melody that followed a repeating progression of keys on the sample. The vocals alternated between hip-hop and contemporary pop-style singing.

“String Theory” was arguably the strongest song in his performance, as it featured a broader range of violin techniques. It began with a “pizzicato” - when the strings are plucked instead of using the bow − introduction, which gave way to a rich melodic section with longer notes. That section bled into an impressive succession of rapid sweeps.

Clearly, the greatest strength of the show is the sound SVET creates for himself. It is unique and branded, and it gives him a whole new genre to work with, making him intriguing.

Intriguing, however, is the best his music gets. For all his talent, SVET has a musical comfort zone, and he did not leave it. The songs maintained the same beat, tempo and mood throughout, while some variety therein would give the songs perspective and develop a more universal, thought-provoking sound.

What's more, his performance was alienating. The lengthy hip-hop medleys have very little weight of their own and are dependent on the audience's familiarity with FM radio. To someone unfamiliar, these medleys would be meaningless if not uninteresting.

While it was refreshing to see a musician playing in such an unusual style, SVET's show was overall unsatisfactory. It is possible that by creating pieces in an uncommon style, he is raising the bar for himself.

Perhaps because he is an explorer of music, SVET has a responsibility not only to find a unique sound but also to delve deeply into it. We love art because it can show us many things that we can't see through any other lens. Here, SVET has a very new lens for that purpose.

Given his contiguous comfort zone and the safety net he tied by revamping only the newest, most popular hits, this performance barely showed us anything at all.

Knight in the Life: SA Graphics Coordinator communicates campus stories through iconic images

Visible on flyers, websites, banners, postcards and more, Student Association Graphics Coordinator Kristen Fuest’s work permeates the campus. Fuest has been working at Geneseo in her current position for over six years. It was her first job in the field after she graduated from the Roberts Wesleyan College studio art program with a focus in graphic design.

Fuest is responsible for a number of designing tasks for Geneseo staff members and student organizations. Her designing entails close work with clients to bring their visions to life.

According to Fuest, typical work in the graphics coordinator position involves making brochures and similar graphic media formats for programs on campus.

“In my job, my favorite thing is to work with a client - to really achieve the vision that they have for the program they’re putting on or for the branding that they have,” she said. “It’s really exciting to see them proud of how what I designed will visually represent what they’re working on.”

Fuest said she also loves to see students become passionate about graphic arts, and in addition to her designing, she works with student interns every spring semester. Her interns learn graphic design topics and are able to work on their own projects that relate to what they’re learning. They also have the chance to work on a joint-internship project with the Student Life interns throughout the semester.

In a similar vein, Fuest is responsible for teaching a seminar on graphic arts every fall semester. She said the 10-week seminar covers an assortment of different topics on graphic design.

One important concept that she teaches is the place that graphic design has in society and the humanities at large.

“The exciting thing is that graphic design is everywhere we go … whether it is in an infographic or on a menu you’re reading when you go out to eat,” Fuest said. “It is on billboards and road signs that we use in order to navigate our way to a location.”

Aside from her professional designing tasks, Fuest involves herself in the visual arts as a whole. She said she enjoys doing graphic design outside of her job, but she also mixes up her personal work by exploring other creative outlets like photography and painting.

“[Graphic design] is the art of communication in our society,” she continued. “It’s a very exciting field in that graphic designers have the chance to visually represent a message. They have the ability to inspire, persuade or give passion to a certain message or group of people. Graphic design is the combination of art and communication together working to convey a message to its audience.”

Music department welcomes visiting artists

In the fall 2013 semester, two visiting artists will enrich Geneseo’s department of music. Aaron McAllister ‘03 is teaching a music course titled “Top Musical Theater Performance and Practice,” and Melissa Rain Anderson is directing the fall musical “Anything Goes.” After graduating from Geneseo, McAllister attended graduate school at the University of Maryland. He works as a musical director and conductor at Fulton Theater in Lancaster, Pa.

He said it was a rare break from his normal workload that allowed him to come to his alma mater and teach the eight-week course for musical theater majors.

“My main role here is teaching my course,” McAllister said. “I am [also] coaching students, working with them one-on-one outside of class, making myself available to majors and having an open-door policy so they can take advantage of what my experience has been.”

Fulton Theater’s typical season includes four to five musicals, which McAllister described as a rollercoaster of different styles that appeal to the theater’s broad audience. Additionally, he creates his own musicals with librettist Daryl Lisa Fazio.

McAllister performed as a tenor soloist in April alongside the Chamber Singers in a production of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana.”

Anderson is a musical director, actor and acting coach whose repertoire includes multiple performances at Geva Theatre in Rochester, notably as Mrs. Cratchit in “A Christmas Carol.” She is also a TV actor and teaches graduate courses in musical theater.

Anderson’s work while visiting Geneseo will be to direct this semester’s main stage musical, “Anything Goes” by Cole Porter, set to hit the stage on Nov. 6-10 in

Alice Austin Theatre. Gerard Floriano, professor of music, director of choral activities and interim director of musical theater, is responsible for the positions McAllister and Anderson currently hold in the music department.

“We want to have a knowledge of our guest artists: what their background is and how much they’ve worked with students,” Floriano said. “I want our students to get a positive experience, to learn from it, to gain from that person’s experience in the real world, or in the business, as we say. But that person has to be able to meet our students where they are.”