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First round of one-acts open Friday
Lindsey Rich | The Wichitan

Louie Valencia | The Wichitan

Valarie McCubbins and Thomas DeLaGarza star as Helen and Bob Dooley in “Tough Choices for the New Century.” DeLaGarza attempts to help his on-stage wife relax after upsetting her. Their working relationship as two seminar speakers becomes a a problem for the two.

Senior theatre majors at MSU will direct this year’s “2002 Festival of Student-Directed One-Act Plays.” The plays will be the students’ opportunity to exhibit all they have learned throughout their years at MSU. The student-directors held auditions earlier this semester, and they have been working on their productions for more than a month. The productions will be graded and are a part of a class taught by Laura Jefferson, theatre department chair. “The directors are responsible for everything regarding the play’s production,” Jefferson said. “They not only direct, but they produce, design costumes and sets and they act as stage managers.” Most of the seniors were in the spring musical, so it has been tough to put everything together, but Jefferson said the plays are better this year than before. The student-directors chose their own plays, and the only stipulation they had to comply with was that it be longer than 20 minutes and shorter than 45 minutes. The plays will not be censored, so audiences should expect some adult language. “Tough Choices for a New Century,” which is directed by Graeme Bice, features three seminar speakers who are all well known throughout the country for their speeches on topics such as preparedness and self-defense. The three speakers confront each other on a series of issues and hope to resolve those issues by the end of the seminar. In directing Neil Simon’s “Visitor from Mamaroneck,” Dwayne Harris said he hopes to show people Simon worked through laughter and tears to “unobtrusively show Americans what is wrong with us and quietly suggest changes that might make us better people.” Kay Allmand directs “Vitae,” a play written by Eric Stacik. The play illustrates the events that occur when a young woman takes the man she is dating home to meet her father for the first time. The last of this week’s series of one-act plays will be Joshua John McKay’s play “Let’s Go Already!” which is directed by Maranda Malone. The play is set during Spring 1995 when an older couple is celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in a New York City apartment. “Audiences will enjoy these plays because they are short and a lot of fun,” Jefferson said. “They have gotten better than when my generation did them, and season ticket holders say these are the best plays of the season.” The first series of one-acts will be performed April 19 to 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Bea Wood Studio Theatre. Admission will be $3 for all who wish to attend. The money will pay the royalties for each play and will also support future performances by the theatre department. Tickets can be purchased at the box office in the Fain Fine Arts building.

International Expo

Ya-Rei Chan | The Wichitan

Gbolahan Olawoye (left) and Yewande Akinwolemiwa, both of Nigeria, serve African dishes at the International Expo 2002. The event, held last week, attracted hundreds of people.

'Blade II' slashes competition
Stephen Smith | The Wichitan

Wesley Snipes is back in Blade II and all is not as it seems. The movie begins with Snipes in search of his mentor Whistler (Kris Kristofferson) in Eastern Europe. Whistler, who was thought have died in Blade is actually still alive and being held captive by the Vampire Nation. Just how he’s still alive is plausibly explained, but I won’t ruin that for you here. In his mentor’s absence, Blade has found a new sidekick/weapons expert in Scud (Norman Reedus) who Blade saved from a vampire attack some months earlier. Scud’s character is actually a younger version of Whistler and hearing battle wisecrack for wisecrack is one of the entertaining sidelines of the film. Events take a strange turn when the newly formed Team Blade is approached by Damaskinos (Tcheky Karyo), the leader of the Vampire Nation whose headquarters are the mysterious Caliban Industries building in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Damaskinos has a problem and needs Blade to lead an elite team of vampires called the Bloodpack against the threat posed by Jared Nomak (Luke Goss) who is preying on vampires and turning them into Reapers – vampire-like creatures who thirst for blood constantly and are immune to most of the things that kill normal vampires. Lodged primarily on the old saying, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” Blade strikes a cautious truce with the Bloodpack which is reinforced by a silver nitrate grenade he violently implants in the skull of former team leader Reinhard (Ron Perlman). There are lots of twists, turns, surprises and even a fledgling relationship between Blade and Damaskinos’ daughter Nyssa (Leonor Valera). But remember that something sinister is afoot the whole time – even to the point that either Whistler or Scud is actually playing for the other team. There are plenty of spectacular Matrix-like action scenes that director Guillermo Del Toro has sprinkled throughout the film to include a jaw-dropping finale between Blade and Nomek. Although audiences may find Del Toro’s version of Blade to be a little too invincible, the film is well worth your money and your time. Remember, don’t trust a vampire. ****

French DJ serves up American disco funk with attitude
Richard Carter | For The Wichitan

Dimitri from Paris’s new release “After the Playboy Mansion.”

Sacrebleu! Sacrebleu is, of course, swinging Pink Panther-esque dialect for the cool suave sounds of Dimitri from Paris’s sublime 1998 lounge CD, “Sacrebleu.” The ultra-modern French DJ, Dimitri fashioned this contempo melange of stylish music from the instrumentals of Martin Denny, the music of shaken martinis, and blurbs from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” along with some very tasteful house mixes. Almost overnight, songs like “Une Very Sylish Fille” were all the rage at Tiki parties, converted bowling alleys and anywhere nylon is worn with a smirk. Cool, urbane and sophisticated, the man knows his early ‘60s pop. But two subsequent full-length releases illustrate oh-so-well that Dimitri’s record collection is much deeper than Denny and purplish rayon frocks. His newer mix selections traverse the music of the last five decades, DJ stylings from many continents and black velvet smoking jackets. “After the Playboy Mansion” is Dimitri’s brand new collection of disco funk jams with verve and attitude. This two CD tour de force follows his spectacularly successful “A Night at the Playboy Mansion,” a sweet grooving set that celebrated the American style funk sounds of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. “After the Playboy Mansion” takes us a high step deeper into the “retro disco House Music explosion” that revives the suave—if fundamentally tacky—Playboy Mansion ‘70s. The CD is divided into a “laidback selection” of 13 cuts for those late night “quieter” evenings and an “uplifting selection” with 12 tracks for the dance floor. The mixes come from such hot disco night spots as Haiti, Scandinavia, Sweden, New York, Paris, Chicago, Scotland and Tokyo and are presented live from the hot tub lined Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. Dimitri opens the uplifting part of the entertainment with TS Monk’s symphonic “Candidate for Love,” a tune that could easily have been on the soundtrack of a 70s B-flick. The set also features the cool funk of Long Island’s De La Soul with Chaka Khan’s “(It Ain’t) All Good” (Can 7 Supermarket Mix) and ends appropriately with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' “Don’t Leave Me this Way” (Dim’s re-edit) The laid back section includes the marvelous Grace Jones’s “Feel Up” (Danny Tenaglia remix) and Maze’s “Twilight” (remix). Don’t tell anyone, but Dimitri spins a 33-rpm instrumental version of the very cool DJ Spinna & Ticklah’s remix of Les Nubians “Makeda” at 45-rpm, and it works! No great DJ spins back or up all the time, so just appreciate the dynamics of each grooving set and twirl the glittery mirror ball. Let the Parisian DJ who puts the funky in House Music spin some rare vinyl disco tunes and remix some off-classics.

Freebies abound for the thrifty student
Donna Payton | For The Wichitan

It’s that time of the month. Rent is due in less than a week and you’re counting your pennies. Even worse, the cupboard’s bare. For many students the toughest part of college isn’t classes. It’s coming up with enough money to pay bills and still be able to have fun. If you find your billfold or purse empty, think "freebies." If you know where to look there are many opportunities for free stuff right under your nose. Students at Midwestern State University have free Internet and email access, on and off campus. According to Peng Chen, a computer science major and computer lab assistant, all a student needs to do is fill out an email application and his account will be processed and ready for use in a week. E-mail forms are located in the computer lab in the Clark Student Center. Students are able to use computers located throughout campus for school or leisure. Students can pick up instructions on how to connect free internet access from their dorm or off-campus home by stopping in at the Clark Student Center Computer lab and asking the lab assistant for the form. Food and drinks are also free at times. The Fain Fine Arts Center periodically sponsors exhibits. During these art showings free beverages and snacks are served. "Students must be over 21 and there is a limit of two beverages per person," Stephanie Gray, junior English major and student assistant in the art department said. Some students spend a lot of money on entertainment but they don’t have to. Free movies are shown every month at the Shawnee Theatre in the Clark Student Center. "The movies are recent releases that have only been out a few months,” Melissa Picht, Student Services secretary said. “Students can enjoy movies, popcorn and soda without spending a dime.” Another option for entertainment is theatre and musicals. The MSU Theatre department puts on numerous plays each semester. Plays are free to students. The music department performs free concerts. Athletic events are another fun way to spend an evening without spending money. MSU has sporting events such as football, men and women’s soccer, men and women’s basketball, volleyball and tennis. MSU students also have access to free exercise equipment in D.L. Ligon Coliseum. The coliseum has a new workout room with weight and cardiovascular machines such as bicycles, treadmills and Stair Masters. "I used to work out at Gold’s, but since MSU opened the new weight room I didn’t renew my membership," Amy Smith, dental hygiene major, said. The equipment is better than at Gold’s and I don’t have to pay 30 dollars a month. It’s great," Smith said. MSU also provides free health services to students. In the dental hygiene department located in Bridwell students can receive free dental services. "I don’t have dental insurance and need my teeth clean so I went to the clinic," Bart Yoder, criminal justice major, said. "The students did a good job and they didn’t make me feel nervous," There is also a free health clinic available to students. Dr. Williamson is the full-time doctor on duty. Some medication is free to students. "I had a little rash on my arm that I didn’t know how I got," Andrea Hargrove, education major, said. "I went to the infirmary and the doctor looked at my arm. He then gave me a free sample of cream to put on the rash. The rash was gone in two days.” Counseling services are also provided free of charge. Students can receive help with various problems from drug abuse to depression. MSU psychology students help counsel with the supervision of instructors. If a student has legal problems or questions a local attorney is often on campus to help them free of charge. While there are some expensive things at MSU such as books and tuition, there are also many free opportunities for every student. So next time you’re running low on cash and are looking for something to do, remember there is always something happening at MSU and many times it’s free.