“Just An Ordinary Girl, Living In An Extraordinary World”
By Munirah McGovern
Her concerts sell out in minutes; after earning $3.9 million last year, she’s 17th on the Forbes list of the top 20 earners under the age of 25; her television show is aired in 178 countries; and in 2006 she beat the previous record set by Beatles and Elvis by having seven singles simultaneously on the Billboard singles chart. Jacques Steinberg of the New York Times describes her as “Britney Spears, only more chaste.” Time Magazine has dubbed her “Hurricane Hannah”.
Who is this sensation? None other than the name that thousands of tween (generally 8-12 years old) girls scream at remarkably high decibel levels at her concerts…Miley Cyrus, also known as Hannah Montana.
Hannah Montana is the alter ego of Miley Stewart on the wildly popular Disney channel show of the same name, in which Miley Cyrus plays the Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart character. By day, she is Miley, an everyday teenage girl in junior high, while by night she puts on a blond wig and transforms into her secret identity of Hannah Montana, the teen pop sensation. Addressing issues such as disagreements with friends, bullies, (sometimes unreciprocated) crushes on boys, and arguments with friends, the show appeals to those who seek entertainment that they can personally identify with, and has attracted fans off all ages.
The show works to portray the message is that celebrity and real life are not synonymous and that happiness comes from being true to yourself, and does a admirable job of depicting a character that is able to do just that. Geoff Edgers of the Boston Globe refers to Ms. Cyrus’ life as “a teenage girl living out a fantasy” just like the character she plays, praising her for staying true to herself without giving in to the pressures of fame.
Parents and children can agree that her appeal stems from her “girl next door” appeal and ability to connect with her fans on a personal level. Michael Cairns, managing director of Disney Channel Australia, agrees. “The fact that Miley plays such a normal girl is the key to her appeal. Hannah Montana offers an inspirational quality that tweens worldwide can relate to," he says.
“I'm definitely more like the normal girl. . . . I always want to stress to everyone who watches the show that I'm there to be like a friend and someone to help them through their lives” says Cyrus in an interview with “The Washington Post”. She is true to her word, spending time with her best friends whenever she can, and devoting as much time as she can to her fans. Her family has kept her grounded while steering her away from abusing her fame and recent earnings, giving her $300 allowance each month according to an interview with “The Daily Mail”.
Sarah Castellanos, a parent who has attended a Hannah Montana concert with her children, looks to Cyrus as someone worthwhile for her children to look up to, as she explained in an interview with Chuck Barney of “The Courier Mail”. ''She's a good role model -- all pure and wholesome. There's not that much of that going around these days.'' Andrea Morris, mother of 10-year-old Lily Morris and a recent attendee of a Hannah Montana concert, agreed in an interview with Beth Whitehouse of “Newsday”. "I think every girl - everybody - wants to be a star. She lives a regular life and had celebrity status at the same time. If you had to pick a role model or someone to be crazy about, she's not a bad one. She seems to have a good moral compass, as opposed to Britney [Spears], or Lindsay [Lohan], or somebody silly like that."
At a time with many young girls are looking for a role model, and many parents unnerved by the now well-known exploits of celebrities such as Britney and Jamie Lynn Spears, Miley Cyrus is a welcome sight. “To millions of parents unnerved by the spectacle of the Spears family, and to millions of girls still figuring out how they feel about boys, Ms. Cyrus's defiant spirit is the key to her success,” says New York Times music reviewer Kelefa Sannah. While some still follow the exploits of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan, many observers of popular culture hope that the sudden popularity of Ms. Cyrus and Hannah Montana will begin a shift in public interest to more worthwhile and praise-worthy celebrities.
Cyrus was catapulted onto the national stage less than two years ago when she auditioned for a role on a Disney channel show that was to become Hannah Montana. Rejected after her first audition because producers thought she was too young for the role at only 11 years old, she came back on her own to audition two more times, finally landing the role after executives admired her resilience and stubbornness, as well as what a Disney executive referred to as her “cool confidence, intuitive comic timing, and a husky singing voice.” Her voice has been compared to country/folk singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter’s, and her comic ability to comedienne and actress Lucille Ball. At a time where people like Paris Hilton can become famous by simply abusing their famous surname, the path that Cyrus followed to fame is a refreshing one.
Adoration of celebrity idols is common, but parents and researchers all around are glad that this new target of tween adoration is truly worthy of the attention. "Every once in a while you get a kid who is apparently a little more grounded," said Gail Satler, a professor of sociology at Hofstra University.
Some believe that Cyrus may be doing too much too soon, and others speculate that she may eventually follow the career path of celebrities like Britney Spears. Cyrus’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus –known for his 1992 hit “Achy Breaky Heart”, and currently playing a well-known role as Cyrus’s father on “Hannah Montana”—has dealt with fame himself, and spoke to Chuck Barney of “The Courier Mail”. ''Our No. 1 rule is love what you do, be happy and be true to yourself and the music.” Cyrus has had several small “scandals” in recent months, with pictures of her sharing candy with female friend at a sleepover being leaked to the public, as well as some recent pictures of Cyrus in her underwear, which proved to be photo-shopped, but the majority of her fans still believe that she is worthy of their respect.
Cyrus’s close relationship with her family has been well documented, especially her connection with her parents. "Having my parents close is the big thing. No one else is going to be there 100 percent for you except your parents and they give me a really solid grounding" said Cyrus in an interview with “The Daily Mail”. The daily support and care that she is surrounded with by her family, in addition to her often professed wish simply be an ordinary teenage girl who is lucky enough to be able to live their dream, is enough to leads observers to believe that in the case of this tween pop idol, it may all work out in the end.
Offering talent with an attitude to match, the dual personas of Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart are a dream come true, not only for parents and children seeking someone in the entertainment industry worthy of admiration, but for Miley Cyrus who has come so far. With songs such as “True Friend” and “Nobody’s Perfect”, she provides inspiration to her contemporaries who are dealing with the pressures of life as a teenager. Not in a hurry to grow up too fast, and eager to be a role model for her contemporaries, Cyrus is able to live the life she wants, full of shopping and best friends and being a teenager, while still being a figure worthy of praise and adoration.
As she sings in her song “Just Like You”, "I'm a lucky girl / Whose dreams came true / But underneath it all / I'm just like you."
Monday, March 17, 2008
Article related to final project
"I won't become the new Britney, says Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus"
A relatively long piece at close to 2,000 words, this article is packed full of information about Cyrus's life, career, family, friends, etc. This made it very helpful for me or anyone wanting to learn more about her, but the article seems to read like a list of Cyrus's accomplishments at times. The piece covers most of Cyrus's life as well as giving some detail about what she's currently working on. The lede is interesting and should catch many readers' eye, and the kicker is adequate, though the very similar first sentence in the last two paragraphs is a bit repetitive. The author doesn't seem to show much of an opinion on Cyrus for much of the article, spending some time simply recounting parts of her interview with Cyrus instead, but in the final few paragraphs the reader gets a sense that the author is rooting for Cyrus to not go the route of those like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.
A relatively long piece at close to 2,000 words, this article is packed full of information about Cyrus's life, career, family, friends, etc. This made it very helpful for me or anyone wanting to learn more about her, but the article seems to read like a list of Cyrus's accomplishments at times. The piece covers most of Cyrus's life as well as giving some detail about what she's currently working on. The lede is interesting and should catch many readers' eye, and the kicker is adequate, though the very similar first sentence in the last two paragraphs is a bit repetitive. The author doesn't seem to show much of an opinion on Cyrus for much of the article, spending some time simply recounting parts of her interview with Cyrus instead, but in the final few paragraphs the reader gets a sense that the author is rooting for Cyrus to not go the route of those like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=533551&in_page_id=1773
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf-revised
Many view Valentines Day as a stereotypical day of romance: roses, candlelit dinners, chocolates etc. The decision to set the opening night of the Whole Art Theater’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” on Valentine’s Day offers a different view of love, with a close look at the interaction of two couples in a position of having nothing to lose and a lot to get out in the open.
Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” portrays the raw truth about relationships, offering a deeper look into two couples that from the outside seem to be living normal American lives. George and Martha are the older couple, both with ties to the university in town, Nick and Honey, at a party and invite them over for drinks. Things begin normally, but as time passes and both couples become more and more drunk, George and Martha begin to use their company as an audience to whom they can air their troubles. The evening continues to spiral downward with much airing of dirty laundry, with the situation seemingly evolving into a competition over who can disgrace themselves the most. Drinking in excess all the while, the two couples tear into each other, as well as each lashing out at their own spouses, until the dam finally breaks and the evening ends.
Albee’s classic play is brought to life at the Whole Art under the direction of Randy Wolfe, offering another look at a show that has been well-known for more then four decades. George and Martha (played by Richard Philpot and Martie Groat Philpot respectively) put everything out in the open, and the chemistry between the Philpots (real life husband and wife) only adds to the shocking pull no punches style of the play. Both give convincing performances, making viewers admire the acting, if not the behavior of the characters themselves. Nick (played by Trevor Maher) is an awkward character with much bravado, and while Maher seems ill-suited for the role, he plays him well as a character while doing his part to defend himself and his wife against the onslaught of emotions brought forth by George and Martha. His wife Honey (played by Carol Zombro) is awkward and mousy, with large emotional swings and a strong liking for brandy. Zombro plays the character to an extreme, giving Honey a cartoonish quality at times, but it works within the play because everything around her is strong and over the top as well. She is able to make Honey a character that the audience both pities and is annoyed by, which makes play all the more interesting to watch. The chemistry between Maher and Zombro is not nearly that between the Philpots, but their awkward relationship seems fitting.
The Whole Art’s version of this play is styled in-the-round, and it leaves no place to hide: the audience surrounds the stage and views the show from all angles as the storyline plays out. On a set portraying a simple living room, with one of the most important pieces of furniture being the shelf where the numerous liquor bottles are stored, the actors bring Albee’s classic play to life over the course of three hours.
The play is long to some, with only two 10-minute intermissions, and the plot may be a bit confusing at points, but the quality of acting along with the shock and awe of the story line and dialogue, will keep most viewers’ attention throughout.
Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” portrays the raw truth about relationships, offering a deeper look into two couples that from the outside seem to be living normal American lives. George and Martha are the older couple, both with ties to the university in town, Nick and Honey, at a party and invite them over for drinks. Things begin normally, but as time passes and both couples become more and more drunk, George and Martha begin to use their company as an audience to whom they can air their troubles. The evening continues to spiral downward with much airing of dirty laundry, with the situation seemingly evolving into a competition over who can disgrace themselves the most. Drinking in excess all the while, the two couples tear into each other, as well as each lashing out at their own spouses, until the dam finally breaks and the evening ends.
Albee’s classic play is brought to life at the Whole Art under the direction of Randy Wolfe, offering another look at a show that has been well-known for more then four decades. George and Martha (played by Richard Philpot and Martie Groat Philpot respectively) put everything out in the open, and the chemistry between the Philpots (real life husband and wife) only adds to the shocking pull no punches style of the play. Both give convincing performances, making viewers admire the acting, if not the behavior of the characters themselves. Nick (played by Trevor Maher) is an awkward character with much bravado, and while Maher seems ill-suited for the role, he plays him well as a character while doing his part to defend himself and his wife against the onslaught of emotions brought forth by George and Martha. His wife Honey (played by Carol Zombro) is awkward and mousy, with large emotional swings and a strong liking for brandy. Zombro plays the character to an extreme, giving Honey a cartoonish quality at times, but it works within the play because everything around her is strong and over the top as well. She is able to make Honey a character that the audience both pities and is annoyed by, which makes play all the more interesting to watch. The chemistry between Maher and Zombro is not nearly that between the Philpots, but their awkward relationship seems fitting.
The Whole Art’s version of this play is styled in-the-round, and it leaves no place to hide: the audience surrounds the stage and views the show from all angles as the storyline plays out. On a set portraying a simple living room, with one of the most important pieces of furniture being the shelf where the numerous liquor bottles are stored, the actors bring Albee’s classic play to life over the course of three hours.
The play is long to some, with only two 10-minute intermissions, and the plot may be a bit confusing at points, but the quality of acting along with the shock and awe of the story line and dialogue, will keep most viewers’ attention throughout.
Monday, March 3, 2008
first draft of final project
Munirah McGovern
Final project-First Draft
3/3/08
Tickets to her concerts sell out in minutes, she’s 17th on the Forbes list of the top 20 earners under the age of 25 after earning $3.9 million last year, her television show is aired in 178 countries, and in 2006 she beat the previous record set by Beatles and Elvis by having seven singles simultaneously in the Billboard singles chart. Jacques Steinberg of the New York Times describes her as “Britney Spears, only more chaste.” Time Magazine has dubbed her “Hurricane Hannah”.
Who is this sensation? None other than the name that thousands of tween girls scream and remarkably high decibel levels at her concerts…Miley Cyrus, also known as Hannah Montana.
Hannah Montana is the alter ego of Miley Stewart on the wildly popular Disney channel show of the same name. In a scenario often leading to confusion from those unfamiliar to the show, Miley Cyrus plays the Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart character. By day, she is Miley, an everyday teenage girl dealing with school, friends, and boys, while by night she puts on a blond wig and transforms into her secret identity of Hannah Montana, the teen pop sensation.
What is the key to her success? Parents and children can agree that her appeal stems from her “girl next door” appeal and ability to relate to all her fans on a person-to-person level.
The show portrays the message is that celebrity and real life are not synonymous, and that happiness comes from being true to yourself. Geoff Edgers of the Boston Globe refers to Ms. Cyrus’ life as “a teenage girl living out a fantasy” just like the character she plays, and praises her for staying true to herself without giving in to the pressures of celebrity.
“I'm definitely more like the normal girl. . . . I always want to stress to everyone who watches the show that I'm there to be like a friend and someone to help them through their lives” says Cyrus.
Andrea Morris is the mother of 10-year-old Lily Morris and an attendee of Hannah Montana concert at Nassau Coliseum a few months ago. "I think every girl - everybody - wants to be a star. She lives a regular life and had celebrity status at the same time. If you had to pick a role model or someone to be crazy about, she's not a bad one. She seems to have a good moral compass, as opposed to Britney [Spears], or Lindsay [Lohan], or somebody silly like that."
Sarah Castellanos, another parents who has attended a Hannah Montana concert with her children, looks to Ms. Cyrus as someone worthwhile for her children to look up to. ''She's a good role model -- all pure and wholesome. There's not that much of that going around these days.'' Michael Cairns, managing director of Disney Channel Australia, agrees. “The fact that Miley plays such a normal girl is the key to her appeal. Hannah Montana offers an inspirational quality that tweens worldwide can relate to," he says.
In an day and age with millions of teenage girls looking for someone to idolize, and millions of parents horrified by the ongoing saga of Britney Spears going off the deep end, along with the recent news of her 16 year old sister Jamie Lynn’s pregnancy, Miley Cyrus is a welcome sight. “To millions of parents unnerved by the spectacle of the Spears family, and to millions of girls still figuring out how they feel about boys, Ms. Cyrus's defiant spirit is the key to her success” says New York Times music reviewer Kelefa Sannah. While some still follow the exploits of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan, many observers of popular culture hope that the sudden popularity of Ms. Cyrus and Hannah Montana will begin a shift in public interest to more worthwhile and praise-worthy celebrities.
Ms. Cyrus, the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus (best known for his hit “Achy Breaky Heart back in the 90s, and who also plays her father on the show) was catapulted onto the national stage less than two years ago when she auditioned for a role on a Disney channel show that was to become Hannah Montana. Rejected after her first audition, she came back on her own to audition two more times, finally landing the role after executives admired her resilience and stubbornness, as well as what a Disney executive referred to as her “cool confidence, intuitive comic timing, and a husky singing voice.” Her voice has been compared to Mary Chapin Carpenter’s, and her comic ability to Lucille Ball. At a time when many children of celebrities ride their parents coattails to fame, where people like Paris Hilton can become famous for not doing much other than carrying the Hilton name and then use that name to get opportunities most only dream of, the path that Ms. Cyrus followed to fame is a refreshing one.
Adoration of celebrity idols is common, but parents and researchers all around are glad that this new target of tween adoration is truly worthy of the attention. "Every once in a while you get a kid who is apparently a little more grounded," said Gail Satler, a professor of sociology at Hofstra University.
While some may grumble about Ms. Cyrus’s quick rise to fame and others predict that she’ll soon follow in Britney Spears’ footsteps and burn out from being pushed to be too big too fast, Billy Ray Cyrus has an answer for that. ''Our No. 1 rule is love what you do, be happy and be true to yourself and the music.” Mr. Cyrus says that his daughter has been able to remain a normal teenager, even as her star continues to rise, with love and support from her family, one that has already has had experience dealing with fame.
Bringing talent with an attitude to match, the dual characters of Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart are a dream come true, not only for parents seeking someone in the entertainment industry that they can with conscience allow their children to look up to, but for Miley Cyrus who has come so far. Not in a hurry to grow up too fast, and eager to be a role model for her contemporaries, Cyrus is able to live the life she wants and still be a figure worthy of adoration.
As she sings in one of her songs, "I'm a lucky girl / Whose dreams came true / But underneath it all / I'm just like you."
Final project-First Draft
3/3/08
Tickets to her concerts sell out in minutes, she’s 17th on the Forbes list of the top 20 earners under the age of 25 after earning $3.9 million last year, her television show is aired in 178 countries, and in 2006 she beat the previous record set by Beatles and Elvis by having seven singles simultaneously in the Billboard singles chart. Jacques Steinberg of the New York Times describes her as “Britney Spears, only more chaste.” Time Magazine has dubbed her “Hurricane Hannah”.
Who is this sensation? None other than the name that thousands of tween girls scream and remarkably high decibel levels at her concerts…Miley Cyrus, also known as Hannah Montana.
Hannah Montana is the alter ego of Miley Stewart on the wildly popular Disney channel show of the same name. In a scenario often leading to confusion from those unfamiliar to the show, Miley Cyrus plays the Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart character. By day, she is Miley, an everyday teenage girl dealing with school, friends, and boys, while by night she puts on a blond wig and transforms into her secret identity of Hannah Montana, the teen pop sensation.
What is the key to her success? Parents and children can agree that her appeal stems from her “girl next door” appeal and ability to relate to all her fans on a person-to-person level.
The show portrays the message is that celebrity and real life are not synonymous, and that happiness comes from being true to yourself. Geoff Edgers of the Boston Globe refers to Ms. Cyrus’ life as “a teenage girl living out a fantasy” just like the character she plays, and praises her for staying true to herself without giving in to the pressures of celebrity.
“I'm definitely more like the normal girl. . . . I always want to stress to everyone who watches the show that I'm there to be like a friend and someone to help them through their lives” says Cyrus.
Andrea Morris is the mother of 10-year-old Lily Morris and an attendee of Hannah Montana concert at Nassau Coliseum a few months ago. "I think every girl - everybody - wants to be a star. She lives a regular life and had celebrity status at the same time. If you had to pick a role model or someone to be crazy about, she's not a bad one. She seems to have a good moral compass, as opposed to Britney [Spears], or Lindsay [Lohan], or somebody silly like that."
Sarah Castellanos, another parents who has attended a Hannah Montana concert with her children, looks to Ms. Cyrus as someone worthwhile for her children to look up to. ''She's a good role model -- all pure and wholesome. There's not that much of that going around these days.'' Michael Cairns, managing director of Disney Channel Australia, agrees. “The fact that Miley plays such a normal girl is the key to her appeal. Hannah Montana offers an inspirational quality that tweens worldwide can relate to," he says.
In an day and age with millions of teenage girls looking for someone to idolize, and millions of parents horrified by the ongoing saga of Britney Spears going off the deep end, along with the recent news of her 16 year old sister Jamie Lynn’s pregnancy, Miley Cyrus is a welcome sight. “To millions of parents unnerved by the spectacle of the Spears family, and to millions of girls still figuring out how they feel about boys, Ms. Cyrus's defiant spirit is the key to her success” says New York Times music reviewer Kelefa Sannah. While some still follow the exploits of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan, many observers of popular culture hope that the sudden popularity of Ms. Cyrus and Hannah Montana will begin a shift in public interest to more worthwhile and praise-worthy celebrities.
Ms. Cyrus, the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus (best known for his hit “Achy Breaky Heart back in the 90s, and who also plays her father on the show) was catapulted onto the national stage less than two years ago when she auditioned for a role on a Disney channel show that was to become Hannah Montana. Rejected after her first audition, she came back on her own to audition two more times, finally landing the role after executives admired her resilience and stubbornness, as well as what a Disney executive referred to as her “cool confidence, intuitive comic timing, and a husky singing voice.” Her voice has been compared to Mary Chapin Carpenter’s, and her comic ability to Lucille Ball. At a time when many children of celebrities ride their parents coattails to fame, where people like Paris Hilton can become famous for not doing much other than carrying the Hilton name and then use that name to get opportunities most only dream of, the path that Ms. Cyrus followed to fame is a refreshing one.
Adoration of celebrity idols is common, but parents and researchers all around are glad that this new target of tween adoration is truly worthy of the attention. "Every once in a while you get a kid who is apparently a little more grounded," said Gail Satler, a professor of sociology at Hofstra University.
While some may grumble about Ms. Cyrus’s quick rise to fame and others predict that she’ll soon follow in Britney Spears’ footsteps and burn out from being pushed to be too big too fast, Billy Ray Cyrus has an answer for that. ''Our No. 1 rule is love what you do, be happy and be true to yourself and the music.” Mr. Cyrus says that his daughter has been able to remain a normal teenager, even as her star continues to rise, with love and support from her family, one that has already has had experience dealing with fame.
Bringing talent with an attitude to match, the dual characters of Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart are a dream come true, not only for parents seeking someone in the entertainment industry that they can with conscience allow their children to look up to, but for Miley Cyrus who has come so far. Not in a hurry to grow up too fast, and eager to be a role model for her contemporaries, Cyrus is able to live the life she wants and still be a figure worthy of adoration.
As she sings in one of her songs, "I'm a lucky girl / Whose dreams came true / But underneath it all / I'm just like you."
Monday, February 25, 2008
Different Look Oscars Still Deliver
Last night’s Oscars marked the 80th year that the awards ceremony has been held, and as always, it was a night of celebration, jokes, expensive outfits, and tearful acceptance speeches.
This year’s ceremony was different from past years in that it fell 2 weeks after the resolution of the writers’ strike, and until recently many thought the ceremony might not even occur. A number of stars did not even attend this year, though there were new faces such as Ellen Paige (nominated for a best actress award for her role in Juno) and recent teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus.
John Stewart made the evening fun and laidback as the host, as he touched on various current events and happenings throughout the show. Stewart only had 8 days to prepare for hosting the show (his second appearance filling the role), but he did an admirable job of making the crowd, both in the Kodak Theater and watching at home, laugh at his jokes between awards. He opened the show by remarking, “Oscar is 80 this year, which makes him the automatic front runner for the Republican nomination,” and continued to make the audience laugh throughout.
“These past three and a half months have been very tough. The town was torn apart by a bitter writer's strike, but I'm happy to say that the fight is over," Stewart said. "So tonight, welcome to the makeup sex."
The surprise of the night was all four top acting awards going to foreign actors and actresses. In the two sure things of the night, Spaniard Javier Bardem won for supporting actor in "No Country For Old Men," and Brit Daniel Day Lewis picked up his second best-actor Oscar for "There Will Be Blood”. For the actresses, Frenchwoman Marion Cotillard was the surprise winner of the best-actress award for her portrayal of the late Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose", while Brit Tilda Swinton took home the supporting-actress award for her work in "Michael Clayton."
The biggest winners of the evening were the Coen brothers, who took home three Academy Awards, including best directing, best actor, and best picture.
Other winners included "The Bourne Ultimatum" for editing, sound editing, and sound mixing, and "Ratatouille" for best animated film.
“Juno,” which garnered a lot of Oscar buzz, was nominated for several awards such as best actress and best picture, but only ended up with writer Diablo Cody picking up the award for best original screenplay.
Another surprise was the best-song award, which went to "Falling Slowly" from the film "Once”. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who play the two main characters in the film, are real-life musicians who wrote all the songs for the film.
"What are we doing here? This is mad," Hansard said. "It took us three weeks to make. We made it for a hundred grand. We never thought we'd come into a room like this and be in front of all you people."
Many of the top awards this year went to films dealing with heavy subjects, leading Stewart to remark "Does this town need a hug? What happened? 'No Country For Old Men,' 'Sweeney Todd,' 'There Will Be Blood?' All I can say is, thank God for teen pregnancy. I think the country agrees," Stewart said, referring to best-picture nominee "Juno."”
As a whole, the evening lacked some of the glitz and glamour that previous years have had, but this wasn’t entirely a bad thing. Although some familiar faces were missing, all the winners were deserving, the show went off without a hitch, and was well received by viewers.
This year’s ceremony was different from past years in that it fell 2 weeks after the resolution of the writers’ strike, and until recently many thought the ceremony might not even occur. A number of stars did not even attend this year, though there were new faces such as Ellen Paige (nominated for a best actress award for her role in Juno) and recent teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus.
John Stewart made the evening fun and laidback as the host, as he touched on various current events and happenings throughout the show. Stewart only had 8 days to prepare for hosting the show (his second appearance filling the role), but he did an admirable job of making the crowd, both in the Kodak Theater and watching at home, laugh at his jokes between awards. He opened the show by remarking, “Oscar is 80 this year, which makes him the automatic front runner for the Republican nomination,” and continued to make the audience laugh throughout.
“These past three and a half months have been very tough. The town was torn apart by a bitter writer's strike, but I'm happy to say that the fight is over," Stewart said. "So tonight, welcome to the makeup sex."
The surprise of the night was all four top acting awards going to foreign actors and actresses. In the two sure things of the night, Spaniard Javier Bardem won for supporting actor in "No Country For Old Men," and Brit Daniel Day Lewis picked up his second best-actor Oscar for "There Will Be Blood”. For the actresses, Frenchwoman Marion Cotillard was the surprise winner of the best-actress award for her portrayal of the late Edith Piaf in "La Vie En Rose", while Brit Tilda Swinton took home the supporting-actress award for her work in "Michael Clayton."
The biggest winners of the evening were the Coen brothers, who took home three Academy Awards, including best directing, best actor, and best picture.
Other winners included "The Bourne Ultimatum" for editing, sound editing, and sound mixing, and "Ratatouille" for best animated film.
“Juno,” which garnered a lot of Oscar buzz, was nominated for several awards such as best actress and best picture, but only ended up with writer Diablo Cody picking up the award for best original screenplay.
Another surprise was the best-song award, which went to "Falling Slowly" from the film "Once”. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, who play the two main characters in the film, are real-life musicians who wrote all the songs for the film.
"What are we doing here? This is mad," Hansard said. "It took us three weeks to make. We made it for a hundred grand. We never thought we'd come into a room like this and be in front of all you people."
Many of the top awards this year went to films dealing with heavy subjects, leading Stewart to remark "Does this town need a hug? What happened? 'No Country For Old Men,' 'Sweeney Todd,' 'There Will Be Blood?' All I can say is, thank God for teen pregnancy. I think the country agrees," Stewart said, referring to best-picture nominee "Juno."”
As a whole, the evening lacked some of the glitz and glamour that previous years have had, but this wasn’t entirely a bad thing. Although some familiar faces were missing, all the winners were deserving, the show went off without a hitch, and was well received by viewers.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
NYT defense
Kelefa Sannah has written for the New York TImes since 2000, and has written for The Village Voice, The Boston Phoenix, and The Source. He attended Harvard, where he was the eputy editor of Transition Magazine which is based at Harvard and discusses issues of politics, race, and culture. He has also played in several bands himself, including 2 while at Harvard. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelefa_Sanneh)
In "A Wild Welcome to a German Teen-Pop Band" Sannah discusses the arrival of the band Tokio Hotel in the U.S. for a series of concerts. Sannah describes the band as "a goth-punk boy band influenced by the darkly theatrical love songs of HIM and AFI and led by a sexy androgyne with spectacular hair," an act that "scrambles musical categories in a way that seems ideally suited to the current era". His lede paints the picture of the "few hundred" fans waiting in line outside New York's Irving Plaza for that night's concert, showing how the band is known worldwide for their unique style. He praises the lead singer (Bill Kaulitz) for his voice and presence, but is unimpressed with the other band members, referring to them as "underwhelming" and saying that they "trudged, sometimes clumsily" through their set. The but in this review comes at a literal "but" in the middle of the 6th paragraph, where Sannah criticizes the rest of the band for their lack of presence, especially compared to Kaulitz. He ends the review on a positive note though, remarking on on Kaulitz, "who should, with any luck, be thrilling and perplexing young Americans for the rest of the year" and praising one of the band's biggest hits for being "effective" and having a "pleasing sense of devolution".
this article can be found at
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/arts/music/20toki.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=login
In "A Wild Welcome to a German Teen-Pop Band" Sannah discusses the arrival of the band Tokio Hotel in the U.S. for a series of concerts. Sannah describes the band as "a goth-punk boy band influenced by the darkly theatrical love songs of HIM and AFI and led by a sexy androgyne with spectacular hair," an act that "scrambles musical categories in a way that seems ideally suited to the current era". His lede paints the picture of the "few hundred" fans waiting in line outside New York's Irving Plaza for that night's concert, showing how the band is known worldwide for their unique style. He praises the lead singer (Bill Kaulitz) for his voice and presence, but is unimpressed with the other band members, referring to them as "underwhelming" and saying that they "trudged, sometimes clumsily" through their set. The but in this review comes at a literal "but" in the middle of the 6th paragraph, where Sannah criticizes the rest of the band for their lack of presence, especially compared to Kaulitz. He ends the review on a positive note though, remarking on on Kaulitz, "who should, with any luck, be thrilling and perplexing young Americans for the rest of the year" and praising one of the band's biggest hits for being "effective" and having a "pleasing sense of devolution".
this article can be found at
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/20/arts/music/20toki.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=login
Monday, February 18, 2008
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Many view Valentines Day as a stereotypical day of romance: roses, candlelit dinners, chocolates etc. The decision to set the opening night of the Whole Art Theater’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” on Valentines Day offers a different view of love, with a close look at the interaction of two couples in a position with nothing to lose and a lot to get out in the open.
Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” portrays the raw truth about relationships, offering a deeper look into two couples that from the outside seem to be living stereotypically everyday American lives. George and Martha are the older couple; George is a professor at the nearby university, while Martha is the daughter of the university president. One evening they meet another couple, Nick and Honey, at a party and invite them over for drinks. Nick is a professor of biology at the university, while his wife Honey is a mousy and awkward homemaker. Things begin normally, but as time passes and both couples become more and more drunk, George and Martha begin to use their company as an audience before which to air their troubles. The evening continues to spiral downward with much airing of dirty laundry, with the situation seemingly evolving into a competition over who can disgrace themselves the most. Drinking in excess all the while, the two couples tear into each other, as well as each lashing out at their own spouses, until the dam finally breaks and the evening ends.
Albee’s classic play is brought to life at the Whole Art under the direction of Randy Wolfe, offering another look at a show that has been well-known for more then three decades. George and Martha (played by Richard Philpot and Martie Groat Philpot respectively) put everything out in the open, and the chemistry between the Philpots (real life husband and wife) only adds to the shocking pull no punches style of the play. Both give strong as convincing performances as a part of an unorthodox married couple. Nick (played by Trevor Maher) is an awkward character with much bravado, and Mr. Maher plays him well while doing his part to defend himself and his wife against the onslaught of emotions brought forth by George and Martha. His wife Honey (played by Carol Zombro) is awkward and mousy, with large emotional swings and a strong liking for brandy. Ms. Zombro plays the character to an extreme, giving it a cartoonish quality at times, but it works within the play because everything around her is strong and over the top as well.
The Whole Art’s version of in the round style theater leaves no place to hide, as the audience surrounds the stage and views the show from all angles as the storyline plays out. On a set portraying a simple living room, with one of the most important pieces of furniture being the shelf where the numerous liquor bottles are stored, the actors bring Albee’s classic play to life over the course of three hours. The play may seem long to some, with only two 10-minute intermissions, and the plot may be a bit confusing at points, but the quality of acting along with the shock and awe factors of the story line and dialogue, will keep most viewers’ attention throughout.
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe” will play February 22, 23, 29 and March 1 at 8:00 pm at the Epic Theatre, 359 South Kalamazoo Mall. Tickets are $20 general admission, $14 seniors, and $10 students.
Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” portrays the raw truth about relationships, offering a deeper look into two couples that from the outside seem to be living stereotypically everyday American lives. George and Martha are the older couple; George is a professor at the nearby university, while Martha is the daughter of the university president. One evening they meet another couple, Nick and Honey, at a party and invite them over for drinks. Nick is a professor of biology at the university, while his wife Honey is a mousy and awkward homemaker. Things begin normally, but as time passes and both couples become more and more drunk, George and Martha begin to use their company as an audience before which to air their troubles. The evening continues to spiral downward with much airing of dirty laundry, with the situation seemingly evolving into a competition over who can disgrace themselves the most. Drinking in excess all the while, the two couples tear into each other, as well as each lashing out at their own spouses, until the dam finally breaks and the evening ends.
Albee’s classic play is brought to life at the Whole Art under the direction of Randy Wolfe, offering another look at a show that has been well-known for more then three decades. George and Martha (played by Richard Philpot and Martie Groat Philpot respectively) put everything out in the open, and the chemistry between the Philpots (real life husband and wife) only adds to the shocking pull no punches style of the play. Both give strong as convincing performances as a part of an unorthodox married couple. Nick (played by Trevor Maher) is an awkward character with much bravado, and Mr. Maher plays him well while doing his part to defend himself and his wife against the onslaught of emotions brought forth by George and Martha. His wife Honey (played by Carol Zombro) is awkward and mousy, with large emotional swings and a strong liking for brandy. Ms. Zombro plays the character to an extreme, giving it a cartoonish quality at times, but it works within the play because everything around her is strong and over the top as well.
The Whole Art’s version of in the round style theater leaves no place to hide, as the audience surrounds the stage and views the show from all angles as the storyline plays out. On a set portraying a simple living room, with one of the most important pieces of furniture being the shelf where the numerous liquor bottles are stored, the actors bring Albee’s classic play to life over the course of three hours. The play may seem long to some, with only two 10-minute intermissions, and the plot may be a bit confusing at points, but the quality of acting along with the shock and awe factors of the story line and dialogue, will keep most viewers’ attention throughout.
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolfe” will play February 22, 23, 29 and March 1 at 8:00 pm at the Epic Theatre, 359 South Kalamazoo Mall. Tickets are $20 general admission, $14 seniors, and $10 students.
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