Temple University - Templar Yearbook (Philadelphia, PA)

Page 33 text:

LET’S DO THE TIME WARP, AGAIN ROCKY HORROR IS PASSED TO A NEW GENERATION Credits rolled on the Reel Cinema's screen Oct. 29. concluding this year's run of Rocky Horror Picture Show. For the show’s director ond founder Reanne AAoskort. who groduoted in the Foil, it was also the end of an era. Temple's annual production features a shadow cos! of student octors who recite lines, sing and dance along to a screening of the 1975 cult classic comedy horror film. In the tradition of the midnight screenings, audience members are encouraged to shout raunchy callbacks during the movie and throw props like toast and rice at the screen. The show began four years ago when Student Center Operations Monager Kaitfyn Howarth asked the Queer Student Union to cosponsor a screening of the film accompanied by o small singabng. Theater major student, Moskart, and events coordinator for the dub, had grander plans in mind. 'I laid out what budget I wanted, rehearsal period and how long ! wanted for that, what kind of costume pieces i was gonna need, and o whole run of things that any big production would hove, AAaskart said. Rehearsals started only two weeks before the premiere. AAaskart juggled the roles of director, stage manager, costume designer, prop person and emcee. The single showtime sold out quickly. A Friday show was added, but sold out os well. With AAaskart at the helm. Rocky Horror grew in the coming years. Senior Jessica Boor, who was in the ensemble lost year and starred os the norrator this year, soid AAaskart crectes a production people wont to join. The show is fun, it's silly, it’s weird, but there's so much more to it, Boor soid '[AAoskort] guides the cost to understand that deeper meaning, so we hove o better opprec ation, but [AAaskart] also understands that it is fun, [ond knows] how to bring that out in the cost ond bnng that out in the audience.' AAore than anything, AAaskart is proud of the relationships the show helped forge. 'Every year at the end of the production, I'm looking ot o group of people that are oil dose friends with ore another, ond months before, they were introducing themselves for the first time, AAoskori soid. “The whole process in just o month ond a half has brought them to the point that they're going to be friends for the rest of their college experience.’ AAoskort passed the torch to sophomore theater major Sophia Wnek. She joined the production lost year to do hair and makeup, but also assisted with lights, props and costume changes. This dedication prompted AAoskort to promote her to codirector this year and director for the next She's always willing to go above and beyond for everyone and everything,' AAaskart said. Wnek is excited to moke the production her own Far example, she is planning to teach the ensemble some of the clossic callbacks, in case the audience does not know them. Still, there ore elements of AAoskort’s leadership she hopes to commemorate. [AAaskart] is very assertive ond not afraid to say something,' Wnek said. “I'm more quiet and passive. [Maskort's] leadership skills are beyond anything I’ve ever seen anyone do. For AAoskort, soying goodbye is bittersweet. ‘I know that I've fostered enough of a community thot it doesn’t need me in thot same way,' AAoskort said. “But I know that I’ll always be grateful for Rocky Horror.' WRITTEN BY BRIANNA BAKER PHOTOGRAPHED BY ASHIEY MARY AlEX

Page 32 text:

 '••••' V'l IL-ml

Page 34 text:

Jozz students at Temple find the city plays a significant role, not only in their college education, but olso in their growth os musicions. In the mid-twentieth century, Philadelphia become one of the nations premiere jazz hubs. Jazz clubs and dance halls emerged throughout the city serving os training grounds for some of the most legendary jazz musicians in history. The Cecil B. Moore neighborhood hod a high concentration of jozz dubs and came to be known as the Golden Strip. In the bte 1960s, Philadelphia's thriving jazz scene began to die down. Despite its decline, the city remains a relevant jozzhub. I think lately the scene is starting to pick back up again,' William Mullen, a jozz education major, said. ‘More jozz clubs are popping up.” Mullen works for Jozz lives Philadelphia, a nonprofit that aims to 'celebrate jozz music through performance, education and community outreach,” according to their online mission statement. Mullen said that Jozz lives Philadelphia and similar organizations are bringing jozz back to the forefront of the city's music scene. Serving os a crucial place for not onfy for jozz students, but olso for educotors and professionals to proctice their craft, Philadelphia is important to jazz. However, jazz is also important to Philadelphia. You need culture.' jazz performance major Peter Dennis said. 'If you don't have a culture, then you don't have a country and jozz is fundamentally at the roof of America's culture.' Temple fosters its own jazz scene by hosting events on campus throughout the year. For some musicians, jozz has been life changing. ’Jazz to me is so important because it's a voice from within,' Mullen said. 'It allows me to express myself without words, which I think is a raw. pure way of communication with others.' Frogs who visited to teach on open class and then perform at the Underground in the Student Center. Temples jazz majors also participate in Philly's jazz scene through gigs. They perform at jczz clubs, hotel lobbies, weddings, recording studios and even hat shops. Student inform each other of gigs during jam sessions or downtime in the lounge areas at Boyer. The jazz community is o family. Mullen said. 'It's truly a rare culture to be a part of. Jazz musicicns are all about playing with others, listening and appreciating what others are doing musically, and respecting the musicians before them.' Jozz students and faculty perform every Thursday ot The Rite of Swing Jazz Cafe in TPAC. The Jozz Master Closs program invites musicians from all over the country, performers this year include drummer Clarence Penn, saxophonist George Garzone, and saxophone sextet the Moanin' For others, it's spiritual. ‘It's the closest thing I've ever known to a God, Dennis said. ‘It creates its own reality every time the conductor puts his hand down.' WRITTEN BY ADRIANA IMHOf PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARA FAICO