Marina Nebro: Arts and Culture

Sunday, the seventeenth of November, was a jam packed day of volunteering, exploring, and fun. Having recently joined the NYC Jewish Renewal congregation Romemu, my mother has been wanting to get more involved and to meet new people in the community. Together with Muslims Against Hunger, and other initiative groups, we helped make lunches for the homeless and the hungry in NYU’s Hillel Building – the Bronfman Center. Not only was I helping a great cause, I had tons of fun as well! I worked at the salad station, mixing a cauldron sized concoction of shredded lettuce, chickpeas, mangos, raisins, olive oil, and spices. The feeling of the ingredients between my gloved fingers is indescribably amazing! Similar to the feeling of the innards of pumpkins and the mushy-ness of hamburger meat. (more…)

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II are the epitome of classic musical theatre. They wrote and composed countless plays including Oklahoma, The King and I, Cinderella, and The Sound of Music. Among their most popular works is South Pacific, based on a book written by James Michener (the same author of The Source, Hawaii, Alaska, and more). Directed and staged by Charles Repole, the Queens College Drama, Theatre, & Dance Department, as well as the Aaron Copland School of Music, performed a “concert musical” adaptation.

My interpretation of a concert musical is one that puts more focus on the musical talent of the pit orchestra and actors, more so than the story and set. Sometimes, the entire production will simply be performances of important songs from the original, but very often the actors still follow the script in some manner. Starring George Dvorsky (Emile) and Siri Howard (Nellie), guests artists who also happen to be Broadway actors, the QC production was more of the latter. The set reminded one of the forested wilderness of South Pacific islands, and the costumes were ’40s and Navy inspired as the story takes place during World War II.

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