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Posts published in “Arts & Entertainment”

(Archive May 2017) Remembering Edward Stevens

By editorialteam on January 8, 2025

By William A. Lefrancois | Observer Contributor

For fifty-one years, Ed Stevens was steadfast to the Mount;
For over half a century, true wisdom graced his classes.
At Haley none remained longer, too many years to count;
You could always rely on Ed, he thrived in helping the masses.

Ed began teaching when the Mount was young, a fledgling college;
The community needed educators and Ed Stevens answered its call.
Physics, Engineering, Math; to these Ed showed the light of knowledge.
His torched burned bright for generations; he was a man who stood tall. read more

Pride

By editorialteam on January 6, 2025

By S. Byrne | Observer Contributor

I’d love to applaud our progress
to say that we, as a society, as a country, as a nation
have come together to make all people feel welcome
to ensure that everyone knows that
“All lives matter,” as they like to say

I would love to stop talking about
“The issues of the past”
to stop
“Bringing up the mistakes of [our] ancestors”
to not have to have any discussion
regarding race or ethnicity with children

I would love to pretend that things are good
that all people are treated equally
that things have improved read more

Lestat

By editorialteam on November 1, 2024

An Interview with the Vampire Blackout Poem by Elysian Alder | Editor-in-Chief

Excerpt from page 19 of Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice

“I saw
Lestat again.
I saw him
as I have seen him before,
stark in the night.

I saw him,
his life and blood;
radiant, luminous.
I saw only Lestat.

It was as if I was so
enthralled with Lestat
that I looked at nothing else
for a long time.

His laughter,
his heart.
It was confusing:
soft but distinct,
increasing but discrete delight—
my Lestat.

Rid yourself, don’t fall so
madly in love that you
lose. read more

‘It Was Horrible!’

By editorialteam on November 1, 2024

Thackery Binx Remembers Life as a Cursed 300-Year-Old Black Cat

By Desiree Leader | Staff Writer

Image copyright Walt Disney Pictures

Thackery Binx, a 312-year-old Salem resident, is a hero in every sense of the word. Waking on a cold October morning 300 years ago to the sound of his beloved sister Emily being abducted, he followed discreetly behind to the home of the Sanderson Sisters, known throughout town as being witches.

“It was terrible!” he declared. “Their house smelled like chicken soup and dead man’s toes!”

Binx retells the tale he has shared for 300 years to anyone who will listen. He shares how he was discovered by the Sandersons when the middle sister, Mary, caught his scent. “It was uncanny, the way she was able to sniff out children – I’ve never seen anything like it!” read more

The Sobbing Sea

By editorialteam on September 30, 2024

By Sophie Harrold | Observer Contributor

The whistling wind blows,
As they crash, crash, crash,
Frothing, sobbing at their loss.

They cry as they crash,
Saddened by the day gone by,
Until everything collides completely.

They begin crashing cruelly,
Against the jutting rocks,

Boom

B o o m

B  o  o  m

B   o   o   m.

Then ‘shhhhh’,
Whispers the little one,
As she stands there on the sand.

‘Shhhhh,’ she whispers,
‘No need to fret,’
‘The sun will always come back tomorrow.’ read more

Stealing the Show in Steel Magnolias: Melissa Gates

By editorialteam on September 30, 2024

By Jordan Chila | Editor in Chief

Melissa Gates
Photo Provided by Gail Steele

Melissa Gates is a theater enthusiast whose love for the theater has recently pushed her to obtain one of the leading roles in the upcoming production of Steel Magnolias, set to hit the stage on October 4th, 5th, 11th, 12th, and 13th, 2024. She hails from Fitchburg Massachusetts and graduated high school in 2000. Gates also enjoys her work as a paraprofessional in elementary education and spends her leisure time performing in her band, hiking, and attending local shows. Although she arrived at the Mount in the spring of 2024 to begin her academic journey, Gates has been a part of the Theatre at the Mount community since she was a girl. read more

The Creative Art of Gary Brayboy

By editorialteam on September 30, 2024

By Princess Yeboah | Assistant Editor

Gary T. Brayboy, a student at MWCC, possesses a creative and intriguing talent for photography. After a breakup and losing his job left him at a crossroads, Brayboy decided to come to the Mount to “reboot his life.” Determined to turn life’s lemons into lemonade, he is now studying video production. With his degree, he hopes to become either a colorist for film or a camera operator. Having a background as a DJ for many years, Brayboy also plans to expand into videography services and eventually start his own production company. As an African-American artist, Brayboy aims to express himself through photographic means. read more

(Archive May 2017) Sculpture Students Participate in Annual Art Department Bronze Pour

By editorialteam on September 10, 2024

By Nick Cherico | Assistant Editor

On Thursday, April 13th, MWCC students participated in the art department’s annual bronze pouring. This year’s pouring was led by Thomas Matsuda, who is an Art Professor and Chair of the Department. Matsuda helped students prepare their own ceramic molds which they could then pour bronze into.

The molten bronze is removed from the furnace.
The bronze is then poured into the ceramic molds, held in place in barrels of sand.
The left over bronze is then poured out into molds to form ingots, which will be saved and melted down in next year’s pour.
The melting pot is then placed back in the furnace to melt more bronze and repeat the process.

(Archive May 2017) MWCC’s Anime Club Attends Anime Boston

By editorialteam on September 10, 2024

By Micah Clark | Observer Contributor

A group of costumed people gathered for a photo.

Taking place at the Hynes Convention Center adjacent to the Prudential Center near Back Bay station in Boston, Anime Boston is an annual spring event that members of MWCC’s Anime Club attend. According to its website, Anime Boston is the largest anime convention in Northeast America and in 2016 this convention attracted 26,975 people. 

An advertisement sign for Anime Boston above the entrance to the Hynes Convention center.

Multiple stories tall, this convention site each year houses many discussion panels where relevant topics are discussed, as well as several vendors halls where people purchase goods ranging from Japanese animation shows and movies known as ‘Anime’, Japanese comic books called ‘Manga,’ costume supplies, and various other assorted merchandise, like art and clothing. read more

(Archive April 2017) A Musical Review: Wicked is Wicked Awesome

By editorialteam on September 10, 2024

By Courtney Wentz | Editor-in-Chief

Source: “Dennis Beck / Broadway Tour,” BroadwayTour.net

The Wizard of Oz is a fun movie, but Wicked is even more fun, dazzling, and has many surprising twists. 

Wicked the musical tells the story of everything leading up to the death of the Wicked Witch of the West, but they do it with catchy songs like “Dancing Through Life” and “One Short Day.” Then there’s the annoyingly catchy song “Popular,” sung by Glinda about making Elphaba, the wicked witch, popular. 

The stage was set up like the insides of an old timey clock, along with a mechanical dragon perched at the top of the stage. Anytime Elphaba used magic, the dragon’s eyes would glow red and smoke would come out of its nostrils. The Wizard also has a mechanical head that looked like it was floating, while he was talking to Glinda and Elphaba. read more