Five theater students perform a one-act play Friday night in Fredrickson Theatre. The author, Ryan Scully, said he had been working on the script for more than two years. Yiqing Fu/The Bulletin
A student-organized script-in-hand reading of Ryan Scully’s, senior theater major, one act play, “A Thoughtless Wish,” took place for the first time last Friday night in the Fredrickson Theater. More than 30 people attended the reading.
“The main issue I touched on was the controversy with homosexuality and how our culture is against it,” Scully said. “Regardless of who you choose to love, you are still a human being. I have trouble understanding why it is so wrong for two people that love each other to want to be together.”
The play revolves around the relationship of Zak and Evan, a gay teen couple who are unable to make their relationship public for various reasons, including Zak’s abusive father. Cast members said the play seems to be more about abuse than gay relationships.
“It was about abuse,” said Andrew Walker, junior theater major and Zak’s father. “The underlining tone about sexuality sets up the abuse, but abuse, itself… not a lot of people talk about child abuse that much anymore.”
Scully said he has been working on the script for the past two years and is still working on revising it. He said he plans to submit the play to the annual Kennedy Center American College Theatre festival.
The play was rehearsed for two weeks prior to the reading. The event was open to the public and free of charge. As a script-in-hand, cast members sat on orange chairs in front of the audience and read from black binders placed on music stands.
After the reading, there was question and answer session, allowing audience members to provide input.
“I thought his use of language was terrific, but at times I wanted a bit more subtlety with certain characters – the father was one-dimensional,” said Jim Ryan, professor of theatre. “Overall, it was passionately written, many of the scenes were very credible, very honest and there is much about it that I honored.”
Others also had positive opinions of the one-act and of Scully as a playwright.
“I really liked the play. I thought Scully did a good job writing it, the actors did a good job reading it,” said Amanda Devine, senior theater major.
The cast included Noah Mefford, junior theater major and distribution manager for The Bulletin; Danny Reardon, sophomore theater major; Andrew Walker, junior theater major; Cara Lohkamp, junior theater major; and Natalie King, junior theater major.
Simone Cosper
China is too dull, India lends colour
DNA. Sunday December 13, 2009 | Bhushan, Nidhi It was the fragrance and colour of Indian spices that lured executive chef Lin Lin Yang of the Schezwan Court, Oberoi Hotel, to Bangalore. After having worked in the city for more than two years, Yang feels that he can live here as long as he has his job. However, it wasn’t love right from the start. Yang’s first impression of the city was full of “what is that? how can one do this on the road?” kind of a feeling. “There were people urinating on the roads. I had never seen that before. Moreover, it seemed normal for them, they didn’t care even when women passed by,” he exclaims.
Great expectations Back in China, the picture Yang had painted of India was of colourful sarees, turbans, nose rings, dancing, villages, etc. “When I came here and saw that women are not always saree-clad, I was surprised. I didn’t know Indian women are so good looking and modern,” he says.
Language barrier You would assume that not knowing English, Kannada or Hindi could come in the way of anybody who wants to make the city home. But, once you meet Yang, you might throw that assumption out. He only knows Chinese. He’s lived here for more than two years and not knowing these languages has hardly ever been his concern. “I understand what people are telling me through their gestures, expressions and tone of voice,” he says. But, how does he manage to communicate his ‘dishy’ ideas to his fellow cooks and chefs? “Kitchen language is very different and one doesn’t need to know any particular language to be able to instruct colleagues there.” He does just fine with hand movements. And, it’s true. We understood one another just fine even as we looked like we were fighting with the air. see here chinese food menu
The Indian taste buds Yang’s biggest contribution to the city has been food that tastes authentically Chinese. That’s his way of bringing Bangaloreans closer to Chinese culture. Schezwan Court, popular for its Chinese food menu, is one of the most sought-after restaurants for that cuisine, all thanks to Yang. “I’ve come here to make people eat and when they are happy with the Chinese food from our kitchen, I feel satisfied,” Yang says. Schezwan Court is also popular with the South East Asians living here. “Even they really enjoy my food and praise it for its authentic taste.” Yang does make a few modifications to the style of cooking to suit Indian taste buds, but he keeps the authentic taste intact. “Indians like sauces and I dish out a big variety for them. They also like their food spicy, so we also use chilly oil quite generously,” he says. Bamboo fish wrapped in bamboo leaves and Chongring sauce (fish sauce) are Yang’s signature dishes.’ Going local Unlike Yang who never showed any interest in learning English, his wife has picked up a bit of the language here. “My wife has been taking English classes and can understand the language now,” he says. “She loves wearing Indian outfits like sarees, salwar kameezes, etc. She looks really good in them too.” Learning experience Even though India wasn’t quite what Yang had expected, he says, he’s learnt a lot from the country. “There’s so much colour and energy here. I’ve learnt how to be good from the good people here and learnt how to remain happy and energetic,” he says, adding that he’ll miss Indian food and his kitchen friends if he leaves. “I like it here and I could live here for good. China is too dull a place for me, now that I’ve lived amidst so much colour.” Bhushan, Nidhi go to site chinese food menu
The Hispanic American Leadership Organization several events this week to recruit new members and the provide information on the group’s mission.