Marina Nebro: Arts and Culture

On this extremely frigid evening, January 24th, I made my way from Queens to the Gerald Lynch Theatre on the far west side of Manhattan to attend a Macaulay Honors College common event. Last semester, there were two events held based around the topic of our Arts in NYC course. We went to the Brooklyn Museum and we had our own gallery opening at the Macaulay building, featuring our photos from Snapshot Day. This semester, our Macaulay seminar is entitled “Peopling of New York City,” and for this reason, I had to venture out in the cold. For this event, we had the honor of listening to a lecture given by Joseph Salvo, the director of the Population Division of the NYC Department of City Planning. Hearing about all of the different people that make up New York City reminded me about my English 110 Honors course from last semester. So much goes into this city that we are almost unaware or take it for granted. One of the secret ingredients in our melting-pot is our diverse population.

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My first and only exposure to the literature of Chaim Potok was at the end of ninth grade in my English class. Many people say to me now that it is peculiar that a public school would teach Potok, for his work is very Jewish. Though I agree with this statement – Asher Lev is filled with Jewish themes – it is clear that at least in this one book of his, there are stronger and more prevalent themes than Judaism. There is a line in the play (and possibly in the book, but as it’s been four years, I cannot claim to remember any lines from the book) that likens Asher’s artwork to Chagall’s – “he’s a little Chagall!” It’s funny, because when I read the book all those years back, I saw a slight Chagall-esque style to his artwork – bold colors with strong outlines. Having had all of these years to learn more about Chagall (obvious example being my visit to the Chagall exhibit at the NCMA), I find it interesting that Chagall used the imagery of the crucifixion as did Asher, while both of them were Jewish. (more…)

How lucky am I to have a friend in the theatre world now (shout-out to Alyssa Blumenthal again)! Without her, I might not have seen this quaint, Pulitzer Prize-winning show by William Inge! I must say, it was quite a picnic. The story is a simple one, yet not too simple to have you drooling by the end. I’ve left you hanging long enough, here’s the show in a nutshell: (more…)

…and not a good cry or a proud cry for the woman who was such a beloved figure in Argentina in the 1940’s and ’50s (and arguably still remembered to this day), but a sorry cry. I must say that Elena Roger, the Argentinian actress cast as Evita, did a poor job at portraying Eva Perón. By the end of the show, I felt no fondness for the fallen heroine. But let me not jump the gun here – who was Evita? (more…)

It is extremely hilarious how unmotivated I am while at home, but when I’m at college, I hop right onto my computer and type up a blog. Well, here’s my first post of the new year!!! Hope it meets your expectations.

I have neglected up until now to mention Inisfada or the St. Ignatius Jesuit Retreat House located in Manhasset. But before this, I would just like to thank Father Damian Halligan, the onsite historian at St. Ignatius, for being so welcoming to me, taking me around, and informing me of all its intricate details. (more…)