Archive for September, 2011
Oglethorpe Theatre Presents ‘Bard’s Best!’
Posted by: | September 23, 2011 | Comments
The OU Blog recently caught up with the cast and director of Bard’s Best!, a collaboration between Georgia Shakespeare and the OU Theatre Program that stars a versatile company of six actors performing Shakespeare’s greatest hits. Favorite selections from the Bard’s most beloved plays leap from the page onto the Oglethorpe stage including Hamlet, Macbeth, Twelfth Night, As You Like It and Much Ado About Nothing—just to name a few! Two performances remain: Friday and Saturday, September 23 & 24 at 8:00 p.m. Free with a Petrel Pass or $7 general admission. Tickets at the door only.
OU Blog: Tell me more about the play.
Allen O’Reilly, director: Bard’s Best! is a wonderful compilation of Shakespeare’s best plays, scenes and monologues…It embellishes the versatility of the actors as they are all cast as more than one character.
OU Blog: What have you enjoyed most about this experience?
O’Reilly: The collaboration between the Theatre program and Georgia Shakespeare has proven to be very beneficial to both the students and the seasoned theater professionals. Many of the students cast in this play are recipients of the Georgia Shakespeare and the James E. Oglethorpe Scholarships, and this production has given them a unique opportunity to work with theatre professionals.
Sengens Amy-Cupp ’14: This experience has been very hands-on. I did all the hair and make up for the show, but along with it I also learned about scenic design.
Laura Roberts ’15: I learned how to operate sound and light board, which are great technical skills to have. Working with the director has also been invaluable experience. He is a professional actor and director, which made him a very good professor.
Seth Langer ’13: It is exciting to think that this play may be a first exposure to Shakespeare, maybe even theatre, for some of the audience members, and I am proud to be part of their experience.
OU Blog: Was Shakespeare a challenge?
O’Reilly: Shakespeare is a difficult material and the language presents a challenge. I am very proud of the achievements of the students. They worked very hard and even spent the summer studying their lines. We gave them the scripts back in May and they came back prepared to work. I am proud to have directed this play, worked with them and to have the Georgia Shakespeare’s name on this production.
Langer: Shakespeare is a lot of fun. It is a challenge but it is also very rewarding at the end. Allen O’Reilly has been amazing as a director and in helping us tackle Shakespeare. It is a challenge but it is not intimidating. I have been able to relate it what we have covered in CORE, and also understand the context of the play better because of CORE. As every OU student knows, CORE relates to everything in life.
OU Blog: Students keep saying how much they have learned from you as a director, Mr. O’Reilly. Would you say they taught you something, too?
O’Reilly: Indeed they did. They met and exceeded my expectations. I hope that my peers will come and see the play and see for themselves that students can be just as prepared as professional actors. They took directions very well and were always ready to take notes. Count on students to have pen and paper handy. This is something professional actors can learn from students.
OU Blog: Why should people come and see the play?
O’Reilly: Shakespeare is better appreciated and understood when on stage—not on paper. His work was made to be performed. This play is geared toward students, to help them understand Shakespeare and take the intimidation out of the equation. Our audience will get to experience the emotions, movement, music and passion that is Shakespeare. Every actor has their shining moment in this play, but at the end of the day it is about showing their work and what they are capable of.
Kristin Butler ’14: This is my first Shakespeare experience as an actress and I now understand the difference between reading Shakespeare and seeing it come to life. There is no comparison. Read More→
Consumer Expert Clark Howard Broadcasts College Finance Show Live from Oglethorpe
Posted by: | September 19, 2011 | Comments
On September 13, Oglethorpe was thrilled to welcome The Clark Howard Show, which broadcasted their primetime show live from Oglethorpe’s Weltner Library.
The show stars Clark Howard, a favorite consumer advocate, TV personality and author, who incidentally was an Oglethorpe student at one point during his academic career.
The studio audience included President Schall and more than 50 OU students who had the chance to hear tips about saving for college, paying off college debt, and other life-long financial words of wisdom.
Several students even had the chance to ask their own questions—some live on-air, like OU freshman Kai Owens, who asked about ways to pay off college debt before graduating. View the entire live show online.
OU Student’s School Supply Drive Benefits PATH Academy
Posted by: | September 16, 2011 | Comments
I’ve always had a passion for service. So this summer, when I first started my part-time job at ThoughtWorks, an IT Consulting Company, I was very adamant about doing something to get my company involved within the community.
Because the job sometimes included long hours and could be stressful, I wanted to think of something both simple and convenient, but still meaningful—and a School Supply Drive fit those criteria perfectly!
I contacted Oglethorpe’s Center for Civic Engagement to find a location where we could donate school supplies, and they suggested PATH Academy, a 5th-8th grade charter school located adjacent to Oglethorpe’s campus, directly behind Greek Row.
PATH Academy is a school comprised of 320 students—80% of which are English as a Second Language Learners. Upon enrollment in the school, all teachers, faculty members, students, and parents are required to sign a Commitment to Excellence form in order to uphold their commitment to the school and to each other to achieve success. The students have a rigorous academic curriculum, Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Friday from 7:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., and mandatory summer school. Between my previous volunteer experiences with the school, the strong connection that Oglethorpe has with PATH Academy, and the Academy’s acknowledgement of their students’ hard work every day, there was no doubt in my mind where I wanted to donate the supplies.
At work, I campaigned for the School Supply Drive and received a generous amount of donations. When my co-workers learned more about PATH Academy and realized the difference they could potentially make for their students, there was nothing stopping them from donating the supplies! At Oglethorpe, the CCE posted flyers, wrote blurbs for the weekly e-newsletter, the SOURCE, and even set up donation bins throughout campus offices. Through my efforts as well as those of Thoughtworks and the entire OU community, the total amount of supplies and monetary donations equaled over $750!
The most rewarding part of the experience was presenting the supplies to the PATH Academy students during their lunch period. When we first told the students that we were giving them the supplies, one 5th grade student shouted, “THANK YOU! WE LOVE YOU!” as loud as he could. All the others were clapping, cheering, and smiling uncontrollably. The faculty and staff members were all very excited as well, and continually thanked us.
Overall, it was an extremely rewarding experience and I can see that the PATH Academy students sincerely enjoy the connection they have with Oglethorpe students. If we keep that connection strong, it will work out to benefit both Oglethorpe University and PATH Academy.
If you are interested in finding out more about PATH Academy or volunteering there, please contact Peyton Healy (phealy@oglethorpe.edu). Pictured: Erica Blake ’13, a former Civic Engagement Ambassador, presents the school supplies to the PATH Academy during a lunch assembly.
Go Greek at Oglethorpe!
Posted by: | September 13, 2011 | Comments
Bre Berris is the Assistant Director of Residence Life and Greek Affairs at Oglethorpe.
Greetings OU Students! As the Fall semester continues and many of you are searching for organizations to join, I would like to invite you to consider becoming a member of a sorority or fraternity. Greek membership provides you with the opportunity to develop valuable leadership skills, pursue academic excellence, serve the Oglethorpe and Atlanta communities, enjoy social activities and make lasting friendships that will be treasured forever.
Scholarship is the most important aspect of college life, so naturally it is first in Greek life. I am extremely proud of our Greek Community, as our Greek student average is consistently higher than the overall GPA of Oglethorpe University students. Every chapter has academic help available in the way of mandatory study hours, help with professors and courses and more.
Membership in a Greek organization will give you the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities including Greek Week, socials, mixers and community service and philanthropy projects. Offices and chairmanships of committees within the chapter will provide a chance for development of leadership abilities. Involvement does not stop within the chapter. On average, Greeks are involved in at least two other campus and community organizations. Every chapter at OU supports its own national philanthropic event, which is raising funds for a charity of its choice and dedicating time, as well as working with the service projects of all the other Greek organizations. Greeks are also supportive of events that occur on campus, including supporting our Stormy Petrels.
To learn more about Sorority recruitment, please join the Facebook group “Sorority Recruitment 2011.” You can also register for Sorority recruitment online. To learn more about Fraternity rush, please like the Facebook page “Oglethorpe IFC Rush 2011.”
I encourage you to participate in recruitment and to keep an open mind. Greek life is a source of pride at OU, and every chapter has something unique to offer. Thank you again for choosing Oglethorpe and good luck! The Office of Greek Affairs looks forward to working with you in the future and is here to assist you in any way possible! If you have any questions, please contact me (bberris@oglethorpe.edu) or any member of the Greek community! Looking forward to meeting you at our recruitment events.
GO GREEK…Alpha Sigma Tau, Chi Omega, Chi Phi, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Sigma Sigma!!
Photos: Fraternities and sororities participate in some friendly competition during Greek Week earlier this year. Photos by Chelsea Reed ’13.
Explore Ancient Greece at Oglethorpe
Posted by: | September 09, 2011 | CommentsAre you ready for a virtual trip to ancient Greece? Next week Oglethorpe University will present two art history lectures that will sweep you away to these ancient worlds.
“Look and listen: Poet, artist and patron in ancient Greece”
Oglethorpe will welcome Dr. Jasper Gaunt, the curator of Greek and Roman art at Emory University’s Michael C. Carlos Museum, who will lecture about Greek artifacts as they relate to the study of the texts of Herodotus, Homer and Thucydides. The lecture will take place on Monday, September 12 at 6:30 p.m. in Lupton Auditorium, and a reception will follow in the Great Hall of Hearst.
“The Minoan Mystery”
The next evening, Dr. Jeffrey Collins, assistant professor of art history at Oglethorpe, will lecture about Minoan archaeology. The Minoan culture, pre-dating the ancient Greeks, was one of the most intriguing and mysterious cultures in the ancient world.
“Archaeology informs us, mythology inspires us,” said Dr. Collins. “Both archaeology and mythology help reveal a mysterious people who built palaces, painted extraordinary frescoes, and traded as seafarers in the ancient world. Who were they?” He will help answer this question and lead the audience on a visual journey through the history and the mystery. Dr. Collins will present the most recent findings and ideas about the Minoan culture on Tuesday, September 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the OU Museum of Art.
Both lectures are free and open to the public.
Dr. Collins also is the director of the Study Abroad program at Oglethorpe University (OUSA). For more information about OUSA and the study abroad opportunities for OU students to visit this ancient art up close and personally, contact Jessica Sundstrom.
Photos: Dr. Jasper Gaunt; The Bull-Leaping Fresco from the Great Palace at Knossos, Crete.