Mount Hood

The sea of sexualities: Western’s 25th drag show

Entertainment Editor reviews the 25th annual drag show

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

April 2022 brought Western’s 25th annual drag show, “Down Where It’s Wetter,” a nonstop celebration of all Queer identities. The Triangle Alliance sponsored show explored sexuality and relationships through the stories of multiple characters finding and accepting themselves under the sea.

Narrated by the aptly named “Rainbow Fish,” the performance was far more story-oriented than the average drag show. It followed our main character, a human named Quinn, who knows she isn’t straight but doesn’t know what her label is. She is approached by lesbian mermaid princess Leah, who offers to help guide Quinn on her journey of self exploration by turning her into a mermaid. 

This transformation was marked with the iconic “H2O” theme song “No Ordinary Girl” by Indiana Evans — which was not only a fitting choice for such an event but also enjoyable for those who grew up with the show, like myself. 

Honestly, all the music choices were fantastic. Songs ranged from “Call Me Mother” by RuPaul to “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, covering a wide array of genres and all choreographed to perfection. 

One thing I didn’t expect from this drag show was to be brought to tears by the story of a polyamorous relationship who’s third partner has to be kept a secret. 

Trey, a shark, is in a polyamorous relationship with mermaid Kai and jellyfish Noni, but can’t tell anyone because they’re afraid of judgment. In a dance choreographed to Harry Styles’ “Falling,” Trey pines after the two as they are forced to ignore him in public. I was a mess throughout the whole song. 

The story made a point to acknowledge the many gender expressions, relationships and sexualities out there, with special emphasis on the validity of polyamorous relationships and Queer, aromantic and genderfluid individuals. 

Throughout the show, the energy in the room was immaculate — I’ve never heard an audience scream so loudly. The performers gave it their all, and I left Rice Auditorium with a scratchy voice and ringing ears.

This was my first drag show, so I walked in not knowing what to expect, and I was blown away by the effort that was so clearly put into this performance. Altogether, it’s clear the 25th annual drag show was a resounding success. 9.5/10. 

Sonatas for springtime

An array of music perfect for the new season

The Western Howl Collective

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

Spring is here, and what better way to celebrate the changing season than with a new playlist? Below is a collection of songs compiled by the Western Howl staff that we like to jam out to in the spring. Check out this playlist along with others we’ve done on Spotify at @The Western Howl.

 

  • “Young, Wild & Free” — Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Bruno Mars
  • “Wonderwall” — Oasis
  • “Breakin’” — The All-American Rejects
  • “Painting Flowers” — All Time Low
  • “Mustache Man (Wasted)” — CAKE 
  • “Breezeblocks” — alt-J
  • “Walkin’ On The Sun” — Smash Mouth 
  • “Superfast Jellyfish (feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul)” — Gorillaz 
  • “Stunnin’” — Curtis Waters ft. Harm Franklin
  • “Doubt”  — Hippo Campus
  • “Spring Has Sprung”  — Skeggs
  • “Shaky in the Knees”  — Grizfolk 
  • “Mushroom Abolitionist” — Vegyn
  • “Chaise Lounge”  — Wet Leg
  • “Silvertongue” — Young the Giant
  • “Spring Day” — BTS
  • “June” — Surfaces
  • “Shine On Top” — Surfaces
  • “Sunroof” — Nicky Youre, dazy
  • “AMAZING” — Rex Orange County
  • “Watermelon Sugar” — Harry Styles
  • “Life is a Highway” — Rascal Flatts
  • “Here Comes the Sun” — The Beatles
  •  “Good Kisser” — Lake Street Dive

Student directors debut work

The Student Directed One Acts festival returns for Western’s theatre program

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

The Student Directed One Acts Festival returns April 14 – 16 and will showcase the directorial talents in Western’s theatre program. The wide array of genres displayed this year is a testament to the creativity of these seven student directors and actors. 

Thursday night will kick off the one-acts festival, where four of the seven students’ plays will debut.

Junior theater major Grace Porter is among those premiering their plays on opening night. “Hiding in Flowers,” written by playwright Roni Ragone, will feature one female and one nonbinary character, and the performance focuses on their relationship when “a charcter comes out, but not as what you would think,” said Porter. 

Another play in the Thursday lineup is “Rough Edge” by Sara Jean Accuardi, directed by senior education and theater major Braden Pippert. Set in 1994 at the Clackamas Town Center Mall months after the Tonya Harding scandal, two frozen yogurt shop employees discuss the infamous crime. 

“I’m excited to show off what (the cast) has done and what I’ve kind of put together,” Pippert said of the show. 

Sophomore theater major Wyatt R. King will be joining Porter and Pippert on Thursday night, with Julia Specht’s play, “i believe in a Republic in which money has a great deal to say.” This show is a satirical take on economic class in America.

“There’s this idea of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, and this play kind of pokes fun at this idea because people who don’t even own boots are supposed to pull themselves up by these bootstraps,” King said.

Also premiering on Thursday is Pendleton King’s play, titled “Cocaine” and directed by senior theater major Andres Avila. The plot centers on two characters, a former boxer and a prostitute, as they deal with poverty, withdrawls and the threat of homelessness. 

The Friday night showing will feature the remaining three students, including sophomore theater education major Ally Warner directing “Overtones” by playwright Alice Gerstenberg. In this play, two gentlewomen must temper their agressive alter-egos, or inner thoughts in physical form, as they interact with each other. 

Also on Friday, junior theater education major Mere Butler is directing “Bride Before a Fall,” by Robert Scott. A dark humor piece, this play focuses on Victor and his mistress Madelyn, who are attempting to kill Victor’s rich wife for her fortune. Unfortunately, she seems to be unkillable. 

Sarah Pitz, a senior actor training major, will be directing fellow Western student Sara Wright’s play, “Woman Slay.” A comedic take on the “strong female lead” trope, the performance will feature a clueless heroine and an increasingly frustrated narrator.  

The Thursday one-acts will have a second round of performances on Saturday April 16 at 7:30 p.m., and the Friday shows will have theirs the same day at 2 p.m. in Rice Auditorium, room 113. Tickets are free to all. 

 

Vibrant Black identities in art

An exhibition of Black identities through a variety of materials

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

The colors of spring have slowly washed over campus, and in response, the Cannon Gallery of Art has debuted a vibrant exhibition, “thank you, black materials.” The pieces on display — curated by award winning Portland artist Intisar Abioto — feature six Oregon artists expressing the Black experience through their mediums. 

The inspiration behind this exhibition came to Abioto through her ongoing research on Black artist culture in Oregon. This research allowed her to interact with elder Black artists and develop an appreciation for their resilience, ingenuity and the materials they used in their work. 

Though the majority of her work has focused on these elder artists and their impact, “thank you, black materials” features poignant modern creators with connections to Abioto herself. 

“With this (show) I just decided to focus on artists who I admired, and who I felt that — even though they’re not doing the same thing — I felt that there was some kind of kinship in …  their approach,” Abioto said of her decision to include contemporary artists. “I just think they’re doing insightful things. It was also the show that I wanted to see very much.” 

Abioto’s selections for this exhibition include acrylic portraits, ceramics, prints and performance art by artists Jeremy Okai Davis, Nikesha Breeze, Ni Abioto, Rob Lewis, Ebin Lee and sidony o’neal. 

“I just think these are vibrant thinkers,” Abioto said. “I hope (viewers) are able to approach with curiosity and are able to sense something of truthful relevance for them.” 

The “thank you, black materials” exhibition will be open in the Cannon Gallery until May 6. Stop by between building hours 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. to experience these works firsthand.

Review: “Turning Red”

“Turning Red”: The starting point of representation for this generation’s teenagers

Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

This review contains spoilers. 

“We’ve all got an inner beast. We’ve all got a messy, loud, weird part of ourselves hidden away. And a lot of us never let it out.”

It seems that Disney and Pixar have a knack for calling out the faults present in modern parenting methods. While I liked the film, I honestly would not have watched it if it hadn’t been for the trending topics caused by the film’s release.

For those unfamiliar with the premise of the movie, it follows the story of Meilin Lee — who is referred to as Mei throughout most of the film — a thirteen year old girl at the onset of her teenage years. Unbeknownst to Mei for the first few minutes of the film, she is the descendant of a gifted — or cursed — lineage, which instantly transforms her into a fluffy red panda.

Ever since its release, the film has sparked controversy among viewers for issues related to “taboo” topics. What I have to say is: f–k them. 

The film hits audiences in the feels, like most Pixar films do. It is a heartwarming and relatable story that discusses the importance of menstrual cycles in a hilarious, yet educational way. It also makes a suggestive joke on “gyrating,” or what I would call, “twerking.” While others might see all this as inappropriate, I just see it as the real representation of teenagers and their quirks.

My favorite aspect of the film was the conflict Mei found herself in while choosing between her friend group, who seemed to understand her for who she really was, and her mother, who all but dumped her own dreams and expectations onto her. I loved the idea that this soft red panda represented the wild and carefree side of Mei and how her splitting away from the red panda meant she was separating from an integral part of who she was.

Also, don’t get me started on Mei’s mother. On occasions, I thought her mother was incredibly selfish. However, as the film delved further into the storyline, I slowly grew to like her. Perhaps mothers and grandparents can have the best intent in mind but go about it in selfish ways. 

Like all films, “Turning Red” has its fair share of dislikable elements. I was slightly put off with the stereotypes present within the film, such as that all girls only think about boys or that menstruation is deemed critical to reaching womanhood. There’s also the small fact that Mei’s friends criticize her for seemingly being a “goody two-shoes,” which only adds to the plight of the already negative connotation attached to the term.

But who cares? In the end, “Turning Red” is a film soon-to-be and existing teenagers should watch. I know that if I were a teenager, I would have appreciated such a film to help me laugh on the ups and downs of adolescence. Rating: 8.5/10.

Wallowing in Wallows

Indie music scene gains “Tell Me That It’s Over” Spring release

Mikayla Coleman | Managing Editor

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

On March 25, the indie pop band Wallows released their sophomore album Tell Me That It’s Over. Wallows is made up of three members, Dylan Minnette (who you might recognize as Clay from the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why”), Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston. The album consists of ten songs, crossing and combining several different aspects of the indie pop, folk and rock genres in a unique and artistic way. 

 

“Hard to Believe” — I enjoy how the melody kind of climbs up and down. It is a really pleasing scale. The guitar is pretty grunge, but the bridge has a really light hearted whistle break with some interesting synth-type orchestral moments. It’s a good contrast. The lyrics and vocals are very simplistic in nature, but I think that adds to the song overall. 

“I Don’t Want to Talk” — The whistle hook at the beginning of the song reminds me a lot of the band Dayglow. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the harmonica at first but it has grown on me. The lyrics describe the ending of a relationship and wanting to have a clean, quick cut off rather than stretching out the break up process. It does a good job of explaining a specific experience that is often hard to articulate. 

“Especially You” — I think that the modulation of the synth takes the cake in this one. It compliments the rest of the song really well. The lyrics are again, very simple, but very relatable. I mean, who isn’t confused by people all of the time? The guitar is much cleaner on this, making it a great beachy road trip song. 

“At the End of the Day” — I love Braeden’s vocals. No offense to Dylan, but I have always been more into Braeden as a vocalist. These lyrics have a good amount of complexity that makes the song more personal. It does an interesting job of interpreting the “If you love her, let her go” trope.

“Marvelous” — This is much more upbeat and fast than the previous tracks. Not sure if I am down with the repeated use of “hole.” Stadium synth came in clutch. This song sounds like how my brain feels when I have an ADHD episode. 

“Permanent Price” — Definitely feeling more of a folk-indie vibe from the use of strings. Not my favorite. I feel like it’s a bit cookie-cutter in comparison to the other songs that have something special sprinkled in. The harmonies make it feel like something from the early 2000s. 

“Missing Out” — Another slow one. The beginning is a little bit misleading. It starts with a nice classic piano scale, but takes a sharp turn to a more rock-type and autotune-diluted chorus. This variation is interesting, but I don’t think that it is my cup of tea. 

“Hurts Me” — 80’stastic!  I’m getting funky with the synth in the beginning. I could see someone humorously singing this in the context of struggling with a vape addiction. Makes me feel like going to a roller rink after struggling through a week of finals. 

“That’s What I Get” — The percussion makes the difference in this one. Also the staccato strings in the bridge. The lyrics are pretty basic and it’s hard to figure out if it is in an iconic way or if it’s just another stereotypical love song. I am leaning towards the latter. 

“Guitar Romantic Search Adventure” — We got some Dylan vocals! Very fitting for the mood of this song. I am very down with it. I think that it tops all the rest of the slower songs in the album. The piano and synth together give a very ethereal, Beach House kind of feel. 

 

I am a longtime fan of Wallows and I have significantly enjoyed their early work. “Tell Me That It’s Over” was able to simultaneously maintain inclusion of things that made me enjoy them initially and also spread their wings, adventure and experiment with different styles and instruments. 7.5/10. 

Chamber music for a new audience

Contemporary string quartet, Thalea, performs at Western

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

The internationally acclaimed music group, Thalea String Quartet, made an appearance on campus on April 2. In a performance made possible by the Smith Fine Arts Series, Thalea wowed the audience with their contemporary take on chamber music. 

The group began by gracing Rice Auditorium with a piece by contemporary composer Akshaya Avril Tucker, called “Radha in the Forest.” Violinist Kumiko Sakamoto introduced the song by reading from the program note written by Tucker, which described the emotions portrayed by the composition as “delirious joy, floating above painful loneliness.”

The piece featured soprano vocals from Sakamoto, a first for the chamber group. Her operatic voice filled the room with a bittersweet song as she painted the scene of the classical Sanskrit heroine Radha pine for her lover, Krishna, in a cold winter forest in 2020. 

Thalea’s concert program included a rendition of the iconic B-side medley, “The Long One,” on the Beatles’ album, Abbey Road. Guitar and drum solos were transposed for violin and cello, and musicians Christopher Whitley and Titilayo Ayangade did not disappoint in their renditions of the iconic Beatles tunes. 

Ayangade then introduced their next piece, Florence B. Price’s “Five Folk Songs in Counterpoint.” An inspirational Black artist, Price’s composition includes five popular American melodies, “Cavalry,” “Clementine,” “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes,” “Shortnin’ Bread” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Each song spurred quiet declarations of recognition, and the latter song featured an impressive cello-forward performance from Ayangade.  

Violist Lauren Spaulding introduced the next work, a folk-inspired piece by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. The piece consisted of four movements that aimed to capture the spirit of America, which Dvořák came to appreciate after his time in the country. The joyful piece was clearly a favorite of Spaulding’s, who more than once rose from her chair, swept up in the music. 

When they had finished their main set, Thalea granted the audience an encore that required their participation. 

“There are only two rules,” Whitley said of the piece, “when we clap, you clap. When we don’t clap, you don’t clap.” 

What followed was a song that featured the talents of all four musicians in bouts of solos, while the audience clapped to the beat as directed by those onstage. 

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