Posted on Oct 26, 2007

Posted on Oct 26, 2007

You didn’t have to go far on campus this week before meeting with a video crew or their equipment.

DoubleJay Productions, operated by Union Trustee Adrian MacLean Jay ’98 and her husband, Larsen Jay, has been on campus to capture everything from the fall colors to the pounding of the Taiko Drum Ensemble. In between, they’ve gathered interviews and footage on topics including the Minervas, the Strategic Plan, Posse, research, International Studies and Concordiensis. Plans are to produce a number of video pieces about the College and various programs.

“We are pleased to have had DoubleJay here this week to capture so much of what makes Union special,” said Tom Gutenberger, vice president for College Relations. “They do a terrific job, and they are true professionals. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the many members of the Union community who so generously gave of their time for what I know will be a great product.”

DoubleJay Productions, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based concern, last year produced “Welcome Back to Union College,” a 24-minute film that introduced President Stephen C. Ainlay and showcased new programs, buildings and campus changes. The piece won a silver “Telly” award for distinction in creative work.

Posted on Oct 26, 2007

President Stephen Ainlay held his first "fireside chat" with students this term Monday night in the pit at Reamer Campus Center.

Dozens of students turned out to discuss the College’s relationship with the city of Schenectady, and sustainability. Ainlay recently signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), which formally commits the College to reducing and eventually eliminating its global warming emissions. Union also promises to provide critical research and education that will help eliminate global warming.

Ainlay was joined by Diane Blake, vice president for finance.

The discussion marked the official debut of the Class of 2007 fireplace, which was added over the summer near the exit into Jackson’s Garden.

Ainlay started the fireside chats last January during his first year as president and plans to host one each term.

The informal talks are sponsored by Student Forum. 

Posted on Oct 25, 2007

Three bright, young virtuosos known as “Trio Cavatina” make their concert series debut Friday, Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. at Memorial Chapel with a series of all-Beethoven piano trios.

Formed in early 2005, Trio Cavatina is comprised of Lithuanian pianist Ieva Jokubaviciute, violinist Harumi Rhodes and cellist Priscilla Lee. Last season was the Trio’s first performing together with debuts at the New School in New York and Jordan Hall in Boston. All three completed the New England Conservatory’s Professional Piano Trio Training Program in 2006-07.

In addition to the classical and romantic trio repertoire, Trio Cavatina performs 20th century and newly composed works, and has worked with American composer Leon Kirchner. Selections for their all-Beethoven performance include Op. 1, No.1; Op. 70, No. 1 “Ghost” and Op. 97 “Archduke.”

Jokubaviciute earned degrees from the Curtis Institute of Music and from Mannes College of Music. Her principal teachers have been Seymour Lipkin and Richard Goode, who opened the season for Union’s 36th International Festival of Chamber Music in October.

Rhodes, a graduate of both the Juilliard School and the New England Conservatory, is a leading young violinist who has performed extensively with prestigious musicians worldwide. Upon completing her residency at Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society II, she joined the Boston, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Seattle Chamber Music Societies and has performed at the 2007 Vermont Mozart Festival, in addition to several Musicians from Marlboro tours.

A native of California, Lee began playing the cello at age five. She studied with Ronald Leonard at the Colburn School of Performing Arts, and in 1998 went on to the Curtis Institute of Music to study with David Soyer making her solo debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic later that year. In 2005, she received a Master of Music degree from the Mannes College of Music where she studied with Timothy Eddy and received the 2005 Avery Fisher Career Grant. She has performed in numerous festivals including the Marlboro Music Festival and was selected as a member of Lincoln Center’s Chamber Music Society Two for the 2006-2009 seasons.

The concert is free for the Union College community; $20 for general admission and $8 for area students. For tickets, call (518) 388-6080; for more information on the Series, call (518) 372-3651 or visit http://www.union.edu/ConcertSeries.

Posted on Oct 25, 2007

The cast and crew of “Dracula” are seeing red, and lots of it.

From the set’s striking crimson spider web to gallons of homemade blood – and even the custom-fitted fangs and prescription red contact lenses worn by Rich Leahy ’08, who plays the title character – this fall’s theater production paints a spectacular and suspenseful picture of the world’s most famous vampire.

The Theatre and Dance Department presents Steven Dietz’s play adaptation of “Dracula,” based on the classic 1897 novel by Bram Stoker. The curtain will rise on the two-act, two-hour production Tuesday, Oct. 30 through Saturday, Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 4, 2 p.m., at the Yulman Theatre.

“The technical demands of this show are far more than we usually attempt,” says Prof. William Finlay, director and department chair. “The average show has 30 or 40 cues; this has 240, with 200 sound cues alone. It’s a real sound and light show. You’ll hear everything from boys’ choirs to babies being eaten.”

And there’s no shortage of blood.

“We’re making our own,” says Finlay. “We’re using several different recipes. We’ll go through gallons. There’s blood when stakes are driven into hearts, when people cut themselves, when they’re cut by swords. Of course, people are bitten by Dracula quite a bit.”

Finlay, who was the violence coordinator of a production of “Dracula” several years ago at Albany’s Capital Repertory Theater, said there are also technical demands of working with blood, including making sure costumes are washable, that there are back-ups in case of spills, that the blood itself is chemically safe.

The “Dracula” story follows the Transylvanian count as he wreaks havoc on a host of Londoners. Stoker’s novel was originally conceived under the title, “The Un-Dead.”

“It’s been very interesting playing a character so well known,” says Leahy, a double major in theater and political science. “It’s a challenge not to fall into the patterns you see for the character, like Bela Lugosi’s Dracula. I want to make it really believable and scary. I think Dietz tried to keep the parts of the original book that are frightening and different and off-putting. It’s a lot of fun.”

The play “is really interesting because it’s a mix of Victorian language and costumes with a very surrealistic set and direction,” said Joey Hunziker ’08, who plays vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing.

"It's not just a fantastical story about a mythical vampire," he added. "It's about good vs. evil and the ability of love to conquer all. It sounds cheesy, but it's true. 'Dracula' is about real people fighting real evils, and sometimes what we see and hear is not as powerful as what we believe."

“We’re not doing it campy,” says Finlay. “The Dietz version is very sincere and true to the myth. It’s tough stuff for the students to get their acting chops around because it’s a style piece, not a contemporary American version. It’s just as difficult as Shakespeare. These characters have to be larger than life, but they can’t be a parody or a cliché. They have to be honest.

“We have a lot of new people, a mixture of theater majors and others who are taking theater classes. We’ve been rehearsing Monday through Friday nightly since the second week of the term.”

The Union cast features 15 actors and actresses. In addition to Leahy and Hunziger, it includes Victor Cardinali ’08, as the mad Renfield; Maggie Nivison ’09 as Lucy, Dracula’s victim-turned-vixen; Neill Sachdev ’10 as the guileless solicitor, Harker; Marc Tangvik ’09 as insane asylum director Dr. Seward; and Keegan Peters ’08 as Mina, who is seduced by Dracula and eventually helps to destroy him.

John Costello is sound designer; John Miller, technical director; Dana Cartwright ’08, stage manager; Zachary Smith, crew chief; and Ian Clemente ’10, assistant producer.

The haunting set, complete with giant spider web, a couple of coffins, a roll-away tomb and under-stage areas where a lot of the action occurs, was designed by Charles Steckler. The costumes were built and designed under the direction of Lloyd Waiwaiole.

“Dracula” tickets are $7 for members of the Union community, $10 for general admission and $7 for area seniors. Any Minerva House or group of students that purchases tickets for a group of 10 or more will receive a $3 discount on each ticket, and those wearing a costume to the show on Halloween night will be admitted free.

For reservations, call the theater’s box office at 388-6545.