Oh, Darling! Senior Mike Sokol plans to beat the Hard Day's Night of the weekend with All Together Now, a doc on the Cirque De Soleil/Beatles production Love. If you'd like to as well, catch it at 4:30 pm in Park Aud on Friday!

Perhaps lured up from their paninis in The Pub by the thumping dance beats, fans and curious onlookers alike crowded the 2nd floor of Campus Center yesteday for a special performance by DJ TOBACCO, of the band Black Moth Super Rainbow. Lightsticks and spinning-flashing-things abound, the scene was kind of uneblievable. It was like someone had taken a Saturday-night mini rave, and transferred it (minus that one annoying girl who's always on ludes or something) into the maple-leaf carpeted expanse of Emerson Suites. All in all, it was totally awesome.

The night started off with DJ Dieselectro, warming the crowd up into a respectably-buzzing hive. The Glittermonks followed, an Ithaca DJ 4 piece who were definitely one of the highlights of the night. Stringing together everything from Stevie Nicks to Phoenix into a continuous ebb and flow of pounding bass and electronic flourishes, the definitely knew how to work a crowd. The entire audience quickly transitioned from the "pleased wiggle" dance style to the much more delightful "awesome party flail". High point for me had to be the working in of a brand new (6-hour old!) Yeasayer track. Who are these people?

The energy only escalated when TOBACCO took the stage. Playing tracks from his amazing solo debut album F****d Up Friends, TOBACCO's music was reminiscent of a rapid heartbeat amplified a million times, heard through a filter of auditory LSD. The event's freely distributed glowsticks (amazing idea, SAB!) and spastic strobes went perfectly with Tobacco's pounding beat and eerily hilarious video projections. Though he only played for 45 minutes, it was like 45 minutes in the coolest dance club you could ever imagine.

Ithaca College likes to talk about its new buildings. I've heard a lot of fuss about the Athletics & Event Center, which is currently being built, and this time last year I heard a lot of talk about the Peggy Ryan Williams Center, which opened in March of 2009. Since then, though, I haven't heard much about the new building. My theory is that most students don't go over there since it mainly houses administrative offices and its on the far side of campus, right across from Dillingham. It's worth a visit, though, because it is totally beautiful and the views are some of the most fabulous on campus.

I went in last week to drop off some paperwork and ended up hanging around, taking in the various cool things about the new building. Check it out.

First of all, the building itself is beautiful...

& the view of the bridge from the fountains is gorgeous. Look at all that blue!

The bridge is actually one of my favorite parts of the building, mostly because its pretty, but also because it connects it with my favorite building on campus - Dillingham!

But we haven't even gone inside the building! When you first walked in you are greeted with our college crest; sunshine courtesy of Ithaca, New York.

Not to mention this view:

I could look at that all day! If you're wandering around the building, don't forget to go upstairs and turn right - there's a little nook with chairs in it that has one of the best views of campus I've found so far.

I know I didn't catch all the beauty available in the Peggy Ryan Williams Center, so if you don't get over there enough, make a trip and see it for yourself. You won't be sorry!

The theatre department is buzzing with activity this week. Children of Eden previews tonight and opens Thursday, and Eurydice rehearsals are speeding along more quickly than anyone (or at least I) expected. Sarah Ruhl's play has three acts, or "Movements," and in two weeks of rehearsal our director has blocked two of them. I'm so impressed!

I'm also reminded as this show goes along what a collaborative process theatre is. Eurydice is a challenging show because it has some odd and fascinating elements in its script. One of my favorite stage directions, for instance, is "He throws her into the sky." It's up to the design team to meet challenges like these, and its always super interesting and fun to see what they come up with. In the IC theatre department, design teams consists of both adults (mostly professors) and theatre students. They work with the director to design the set, lights, props, costumes, etc. Eurydice's design team is my favorite of any I've worked with so far, not only because they're uber-creative and thoughtful, but because as stage managers we ask a lot of them, and they've been really great about getting us what we need. In the last week, "what we need" has mostly been rehearsal props and costumes. We started out with a good supply, but things continue to pop up as blocking progresses. We've had to ask for things like "vertical elements to represent the string room" (yes, there actually is a room made out of string) and they've been prompt and attentive to our needs, all while they're in the midst of their real jobs, which are to prepare for the actual performances. 

Speaking of the performances, I hope you're all planning on coming, if only because the other interesting thing about the last week's rehearsals is that we started working with stilts. I won't give it away and tell you who is wearing them or why (read the play and ponder), but I will tell you that they're freaking COOL. Also, I think I mentioned in my last post that we have actors playing stones. The idea is intriguing, but the reality is even cooler. The actors have been working with the director and with dance professor Lindsay Gilmour to figure out how to move like stones, and while ideas continue to evolve over the course of the process, it just keeps getting more interesting.

On a personal note, my stage manager (Stephanie Jayko '11) was at an audition last night, so my other assistant stage manager (Lindsay Ricketts '11) and I ran rehearsal for the first half until Stephanie arrived. I was reminded how fun (and nerve-wracking) it is to be in charge of running rehearsals. I haven't run a rehearsal since I finished doing Thoroughly Modern Millie with IC Triple Threat Theatre last semester, and I've never run a mainstage rehearsal. It was great, if a little crazy keeping track of so many props, costumes, set changes, sound, breaks and timing, etc. At a normal rehearsal the stage manager and the assistant stage managers divide those things between themselves, so there are three of us in charge of all those elements. I've never really noticed before, but that's a lot for two people to handle. It reminded me that I'm lucky to be part of a stage management team. Way to go, teamwork!

Next up, the Third Movement, and who knows what else! Keep your eyes peeled for an update next week about the progress of the Eurydice cast and crew.

Tuesday, November 3rd

• Arianna Huffington - Come see the founder and editor of the Huffington Post give a special presentation in Emerson Suites at 7:30 pm
• Children of Eden Preview - A preview of the unique play inspired by the Bible's book of Genesis 8pm - 10pm in Dillingham Center

Wednesday, November 4th

• International Photo Exhibition - Sponsored by the International Club, an exhibition of beautiful photos from locations all over the world. 9am - 4pm in the North Foyer of Phillips Hall
• Spanish Club Movie Night - This week: Valentin, the Argentine story of a young boy. Free pizza as well!
• DJ Tobacco - With the facebook event boasting "CRAZY LIGHTS! FREE GLOW STICKS! LOTS OF DANCING!" how could you not go? Headlined by Tobacco from Black Moth Super Rainbow with an opening set by Ithaca DJs Glittermonks. 7pm in Emerson Suites.
• Dar Williams at Castaways - Come see the singer-songwriter so incredible that Joan Baez herself took her under her wing. Doors @ 8pm, $20

Thursday, November 5th

• Faculty Chamber Music: Ithaca Wind Quintet - Wendy Herbener Mehne, flute; Paige Morgan, oboe; Michael Galvan, clarinet; Lee Goodhew Romm, bassoon; Alex Shuhan, horn. 8:15pm in Hockett Recital Hall
• Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad at Castaways - An Ithaca Reggae staple. doors at 8pm, tix $10
• Into The Woods - IC Triple Threat Theater presents this classic tale of witches being right and giants being good and Prince Charming being a bit of a dolt. Wait, what? 7pm in Whalen's Presser Hall.
• Children of Eden opening night - A unique play inspired by the Bible's book of Genesis. 8pm - 10pm in Dillingham Center

Friday, November 6th

• All Together Now with filmmaker Q&A - a doc on the making of the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil collaboration project “Love,” featuring a Q&A with the filmmakers. 4:30 p.m., Park Auditorium
• One World Concert - Sponsored by the International club, join for a night filled with fun filled with international delights! 7pm in Emerson Suites
• Into The Woods - IC Triple Threat Theater presents this classic tale of witches being right and giants being good and Prince Charming being a bit of a dolt. Wait, what? 7pm in Whalen's Presser Hall.
• Children of Eden - A unique play inspired by the Bible's book of Genesis. 8pm - 10pm in Dillingham Center

Saturday, November 7th

• Ithaca Game Jam - The Ithaca College Game Developers Club will be hosting a 24 hour video game design competition. Whether experienced or not, you can group up with strangers and learn/build a functional videogame! 2pm in Williams 218 and 219
• Glenn Miller Orchestra at the State Theater - Bring back big band in style with this jazzy group! Doors at 8pm, tix $26.50
• Children of Eden - A unique play inspired by the Bible's book of Genesis. 8pm - 10pm in Dillingham Center
  
• Into The Woods - IC Triple Threat Theater presents this classic tale of witches being right and giants being good and Prince Charming being a bit of a dolt. Wait, what? 7pm in Whalen's Presser Hall.

Sunday, November 8th

• Club Swim Meet vs Suny Albany - Come support our club swim team on their home turf! 9am in the Hill Center
• Children of Eden - A unique play inspired by the Bible's book of Genesis. 8pm - 10pm in Dillingham Center
• Into The Woods - IC Triple Threat Theater presents this classic tale of witches being right and giants being good and Prince Charming being a bit of a dolt. Wait, what? 7pm in Whalen's Presser Hall.