Tag: Brenna O’Leary ’20
Six Gents Play With Valentine’s Day Mad Libs
by The Cowl Editor on March 5, 2020
Arts & Entertainment
by: Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
Were you trembling when January ended, bringing the dreaded news that the time had come yet again for Feb. 14—otherwise known as Valentine’s Day—to come? Did you hope that he would call, fear that they would get you the better gift, or wonder whether you would have to buy her flowers again? Was it that all you really wanted was to sit back, relax, and have a lot of fun? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the last performance of Providence College’s Six Gents, entitled the “Valentine’s Day Sadness Show,” provided all of the laughs.
The show took place in the Smith Angell Blackfriars Theatre on Feb. 25 at 11 p.m. and had the audience falling in love through laughter and comradery. The Six Gents have always been known for their witticisms and stage presence, but the sketches for this show really blew the crowd away. Ranging from “Death at Disney World” to “Navy Seals,” the Six Gents created hilarious sketches by weaving their sense of humor and comedic timing with local news, word games, and more. In fact, in this show they took the opportunity of ending each sketch with a Gent asking the audience to play mad libs.
By ending the sketches with different Gents asking for crazy word pairings, the normal stage set up became one of the most hilarious parts of the night. Every sketch was followed by laughter and jubilant shouting, “Ok how about an adjective?” “Swampy!” Or perhaps a noun: “Bassoon!” The Gents collected words and displayed their talent as performers by reciting a long mad lib made up of the words shouted from the audience.
Megan Dunn ’20, an audience member who has attended many of the Six Gents’ shows, related how special the club is to PC. “It’s a really unique club on campus and their shows are witty and entertaining and a highlight of my month,” she said. Dunn is an example of how students here at PC value Six Gents’ performances; being the only sketch club on campus makes it even more exciting. However, the Gents themselves are what make it special.
This month’s Six Gents performance was an example of the comical and artful work the club is known for, and it provided many students with laughter and fun. Their not-so-subtle nod to the hilarities of Valentine’s Day disappointments reflects their desire to please and their ability to satirize.
Trivializing President’s Day
by The Cowl Editor on February 27, 2020
Film and Television
by Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
Which president was the fattest? Which president had an animal skull knick-knack? Have you ever wanted to learn about strange and interesting facts about the United States’ 45 presidents?
If so, the President’s Day Trivia hosted this past week by PC Democrats was the place for you. Held in Ruane 105 at 7 p.m. last Thursday, the event was an intimate and fun way to celebrate President’s Day after the long weekend. To go along with the trivia, the PC Democrats also provided pizza.
The club attempts to do a trivia event every semester. Brian Bates ’20 commented, “It is just a fun night where we get to come together and do some fun trivia.” Bates also said that in the past, they have done trivia themes such as Parks and Recreation, and Spot the Fake News. He mentioned to keep an eye out for future PC Democrats events this semester.
The crazy questions and the even more shocking answers had participants dumfounded. What was intriguing was that the trivia questions were mainly personal tidbits or random factoids about the presidents. The trivia was hosted via Kahoot, which was so exciting that the group had to do another round. The event was a success, with participants competing in good fun and searching Kahoot for another game. So, which president do you think was the shortest? And who thinks they know the presidents of the United States?
Fabian the Magician Returns to Providence College
by The Cowl Editor on February 13, 2020
On-Campus
BOP Welcomes back the “Mumford and Sons of Magic”
by Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
“I dated a witch once” was one of the many highlights of Fabian the Magician’s spectacular event. McPhail’s was buzzing with laughter and magic this past Friday, February 7. The show created wonder and awe in the lively atmosphere of McPhail’s, making Fabian the Magician a complete success. From conjuring shots of whiskey to delivering heartfelt commentary on his own illusions, Fabian created an evening of disbelief and fun.
Fabian’s set started at 8 p.m. and provided an hour of magic; he magically altered napkins and teleported dollar bills into other people’s wallets. His magic consisted of disappearing and reappearing acts, as well as a little voodoo and mind reading. But what truly wowed the spectators was Fabian’s forte for storytelling, and his ability to pull students into the magic alongside him.
One of the Providence College student participant Karl Reidel ’20 admitted, “I was absolutely flabbergasted. I truly was shocked at the fact that the magic worked on me.” Reidel had even felt prepared, having seen Fabian perform at PC before, and was convinced he knew what to expect. Overall, Reidel said it was “a night of surprises.”
On his website, Fabian has been described as “The Perfect Act for any Liberal Arts Venue,” and he perfectly exemplified this in his set. Fabian was thrilled to be back at PC, and shared his affinity for the liberal arts. “Providence was really the first school that kicked off the university string of touring for the year. I was a liberal arts major. I loved film media but I decided on literature.” Fabian was really excited to start here at PC and will be making his way across the country through April.
But Fabian’s stories made the night truly magical. Fabian’s storytelling only made the audience love him more and fall deeper into his magic. Fabian chatted with members of the audience, bringing them into the act to make it more enthralling, but also to prove that he had nothing to hide: the magic spoke for itself. “This is just an example of what didn’t happen,” he said to his audience. The trick was an illusion, and it was important because “the idea is just what we can make it.” It could be whatever we thought possible.
The event was sponsored by the Board of Programmers, and Kevin Schwalm ’21 was sincerely pleased with the huge turnout. Schwalm related that Fabian “came to campus three or four years ago and we wanted to bring him back last year. We ended up having like 170 people show up, so we thought because it was so successful last year, it would be great to bring him back.” BOP provided cupcakes from LaSalle and encouraged guests to take advantage of the bar. Having filled almost all 100 of the chairs set out plus standing room, McPhail’s was alive with magic and storytelling.
Introduced as the “Mumford and Sons of magic,” Fabian the Magician has a wide array of sponsors, and his magic has introduced him to figures such as John Mayer and Bradley Cooper. It has taken him to new places, and PC was lucky to have him.
For Fabian, magic means a lot, but people are a huge part of it; “When I got into the market, I noticed there were a lot of magicians who were just doing trick after trick…I was more about substance…so I like to combine stories with the magic to kind of frame it around that, that way it’s more of an experience and a conversation as opposed to a show.” This focus on storytelling elevates Fabian’s magic to a personal level, making for a memorable experience.
Asian Am and BOP Celebrate Lunar New Year
by The Cowl Editor on February 6, 2020
On-Campus
Rhode Island Kung Fu Club Showcases Lion Dance
by Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
It is time. Time to start saving, planning, and most importantly, time to start smiling: it is the Year of the Rat! Last Thursday, January 30, at 6 p.m. the Asian American Association (Asian Am) in collaboration with Board of Programmers (BOP) brought Providence College an explosive Lunar New Year Celebration. Planning began in December when BOP’s Fiona Hoang ’22 reached out to Asian Am, and they co-sponsored the event in the Center at Moore Hall. The event was colorful, loud, energetic, and completely fun, lasting for two hours, providing everything from a delicious dinner catered by Apsara, to entertainment. The venue was crowded with PC students excited both to celebrate and plant positivity in the new year.
The Lunar New Year spans many different cultures and traditions, and Hieu Nguyen ’20, president of Asian Am, said, “We knew that we could not include everything so we tried our best to pick the activities that are most representative of Lunar New Year.” The celebration has been held here at PC for many years, but according to Nguyen, this was the first year Asian Am and BOP collaborated to put on the event, leading to the most successful turnout yet.
The Lunar New Year celebration lasts 15 days, and is an extremely old celebration with beautiful traditions. There were trinkets to choose from, many wrapped in a red pocket. These pockets have a few different names; traditionally they contain money, but here at PC, students were awarded a random mix of prizes. There were postcards, Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards, and more to choose from. The room was decorated with red streamers, paper lanterns, poetry banners, and balloons. There were also arts and crafts galore. Tables had paintable lanterns and materials for making origami rats.
However, the highlight of the event was hands down the lion dance. The Rhode Island Kung Fu Club consists of talented musicians and dancers, and brought one of the most important Lunar New Year traditions to life. The lion dance, in which two dancers work the head and tail of the animal, was accompanied by loud noises, fruits, and vegetables to dispel negativity, and thereby bring positivity to the community.
The more vibrant the colors, flashier the sparkles and shiny objects, and the more noise, means more positivity for the New Year. The dancers were fantastic, magically devouring vegetables and spitting their remnants—and with them good luck—back onto the crowd, dancing in bold patterns, and even demonstrating some impressive lifting moves.
Each table was stuffed to maximum capacity with participants. Nguyen was extremely happy, saying, “Asian Am wanted to share a big part of the Asian culture with people at Providence College and we were able to achieve that!”
In total, there are 12 different zodiac years within the Lunar cycle. This means that this year, the Year of the Rat, marks the completion of 12 years from the last Year of the Rat in 2008. The zodiac itself suggests economic prosperity, and many born in the Year of the Rat are considered prudent, logical with money, and also deeply loving. As college students, I think we can all appreciate what the Year of the Rat stands for.
Restaurant Week for a Food City
by The Cowl Editor on January 30, 2020
Local Food
Providence Restaurants Modify Menus for Restaurant Week
by Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
Providence is known for its colorful nightlife and its wonderful cuisine; in the past few days, the city was able to celebrate with the winter 2020 Providence Restaurant Week, which ran during the weeks of Jan. 12-25. Organized by GoProvidence, the event has come and gone with a spectacular flourish.
The tradition of Restaurant Week provides the chance for any food enthusiast to get great food at a bargain rate. Restaurants participating in this special week provide diners with modified menus, allowing them to order lunch for only $16.95, or a three-course dinner with flat prices of $29.95, $34.95, or $49.95 depending on the venue. Some restaurants that were giving these great deals included The Capital Grille, Hemenway’s, Trattoria Zooma, and many more.
The Capital Grille’s modified dinner menu of three-courses for $49.95 was only one such example. Each course had two or three options. The appetizer included a rich New England Clam Chowder or a choice of two salads.For the main dish, customers had the choice of an 8-ounce filet mignon, seared citrus-glaze salmon, herb-roasted chicken, or other options. And for dessert, one could choose between a luxurious chocolate and espresso cake or a crème brule glazed cheesecake. These options on a normal night would add up to around a $70 bill.
GoProvidence originally organized Providence Restaurant Week for the summer season to draw more business into the city for the hotter and slower months of the year. But now times are changing, and Restaurant Week has expanded; two years ago, a winter season was introduced. Now, the winter week is the most successful time of the year for the project, and helps provide restaurants with eager clientele during the cold winter months.
GoProvidence’s Director of Partnership Development, Christine Phillips, said the project started about fourteen years ago under the direction of now President and CEO Kristen Adamo in collaboration with local food businesses. The real mark of Restaurant Week’s growth, however, is the amount of restaurants that have joined the tradition. According to Phillips, it was a record high with about 100 participating venues. In fact, the success of the project for both GoProvidence and member restaurants means that recruitment for the event is almost non-existent, with restaurants reaching out to participate.
Providence Restaurant Week is a fun bi-annual tradition that reflects the city’s pride in their food scene. It is a great opportunity for visitors to the city, as well as Providence College students looking for a night out with incredible food and even better prices. The next Providence Restaurant Week will be in July, but stay tuned and remember to participate in the fun next winter.
Providence Flea Showcases City’s Creativity
by The Cowl Editor on January 16, 2020
Arts & Entertainment
An Opportunity to Give Back to the Local Community
by: Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
One thing Providence College Friars are known for is the immense amount of love we have to give to the city of Providence, the city which provides PC students with a variety of fun scenes. There is the art scene downtown by the Rhode Island School of Design, the food scene of Federal Hill, sports at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, and so much more. One opportunity to celebrate this great city is one of the city’s most iconic events: The Providence Flea.
The Providence Flea began in 2013 and has provided the city of Providence with a sense of community, art, and entertainment ever since. However, do not be fooled into thinking the event is a traditional flea market—it goes above and beyond the usual concept. Founded by Maria Tocco, The Providence Flea is known for not being “a typical flea market” and for being unique because of the vendors and activities chosen to participate. All the vendors are vintage or artisan based, providing participants of the market culturally enriching and mesmerizing experiences. The goods they sell are local and either handmade or vintage.
Tocco, owner and market manager, is excited for the first Providence Flea date, which is coming Feb. 9, just in time for Valentine’s Day. This event will have over 80 vendors present, along with food vendors, such as bake shops, and artisan coffee trucks, which will include many vegan options. The Providence Flea will also screen the classic movie Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. There will even be a dish named Roman Holiday (which is a modified lasagna) available.
Tocco explained the importance of The Providence Flea when she said that “it is fun to hang out at The Providence Flea where followers become friends.” The Providence Flea allows members of the community to not only enjoy themselves, but develop connections. One great benefit of the flea is its ability to create lasting relationships between small businesses, clients, employers, and customers.
The dates for the winter/spring markets are online at providenceflea.com. After the first date, the flea market will run on the first Sunday of the month at the WaterFire Arts Center in Providence. The market will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each will also have a theme. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, The Providence Flea was inspired to name their upcoming event “The Love You Give.”
This winter as you make your new semester schedules and work your way back into the swing of academics, remember to also schedule time to appreciate our city. More specifically, make time to appreciate The Providence Flea. It is a must see, and a great way for Friars to experience and give back to the greater Providence community. The Providence Flea is the perfect way to truly celebrate the love Friars give and get from our city.
Rock Around Providence This Holiday Season
by The Cowl Editor on December 5, 2019
Local
Local Events to Celebrate Christmas and Relieve Finals Stress
by Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
This holiday season, as you decorate your dorms, shop for more people than you can count, and listen to Christmas music, do more than just rock around the Christmas tree stressing over finals. Take the time to rock around the city of Providence! There are many holiday events coming up in the next two weeks that are perfect for distracting students from their end of semester worries. It is the best remedy: get off campus and celebrate! Here are just a few things Providence has in store this holiday season.
Later this coming week, downtown Providence will be abuzz with holiday cheer and winter magic. To start the holiday season, Eat Drink RI, Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy, and Providence Department of Art, Culture, and Tourism are hosting the PVD Winter Lights Market. It opens this coming weekend, with events on both Friday and Saturday. The Providence Tree Lighting Ceremony at City Hall will take place Friday, December 6 at 5:30 p.m. The steps of City Hall will be showered in Christmas spirit, and there will be food and performances as well. Promotions show that it is an opportunity to “watch the steps of City Hall illuminate with the lighting of the City’s tree while enjoying local culinary delights and performances.”
This begins a sparkling weekend for downtown Providence. Following this event, on Saturday, December 7, will be another Providence Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Providence Rink in Burnside Park, accompanied by a figure skating show that features an array of skaters including the 2018 Olympic Bronze Medalist Mirai Nagasu. Mayor Jorge Elorza will also be present at both ceremonies. The PVD Winter Lights Market events are great for students whose schedules are packed, as they are all free and located nearby at Burnside Park and City Hall.
If you start your holidays with these lights festivals, you should also see the lights go on and the curtains go up with the fun musical experiences in Providence. The beloved story by Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, will be performed live by the Trinity Repertory Company. Located on Washington Street, Trinity Rep has been running the show since the beginning of November and will continue to do so through Dec. 29. Tickets are available on their website or you can call the Trinity Rep Box Office. According to their website, it is a “magical, music-filled production [that] continues its four-decade-long tradition of delighting audiences.” If you love live performances, you can also check out the Festival Ballet Providence as it presents the Nutcracker. The show runs from Dec. 13-15, and prices vary based on seating.
If this is not magical enough for you this holiday season, there are so many other festive activities in Providence. At the Providence Place Mall, you can take pictures with Santa—or your pet can! The hours vary, but pet photoshoots take place on every Monday through Dec. 16. Another activity, although a bit pricy, is Holiday Glass Blowing at the Gather: Glass Blowing Studio on Atwells Avenue. This is a great way to learn something new, get off campus, and even an opportunity to make a gift with love for a special someone this Christmas.
This is just a little sneak peek at some of the events and activities of our local community this holiday season. If you are interested in learning about more events, check out GoProvidence.com. On their website, they list all the events in RI this holiday season and provide your imagination with a never-ending amount of possibilities to get into the Christmas spirit and get you out of any finals funk.
Blackfriars Dance Concert Tackles Debates
by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019
Arts & Entertainment
TDF Choreographers Get Creative with Political Numbers
by: Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
Dance comes in many styles and movements, and can be accompanied by a variety of musical numbers. However, the Providence College Dance Company went above and beyond with its Blackfriars Dance Concert this past weekend. The shows on Friday and Saturday were attended by many friends and family supporting dance at PC. The dancers, using their knowledge and precision, brought movement to a new level. The show consisted of eight dances, all of which were unique in style, masterfully planned by choreographers, and performed by PC students who, for almost two hours, became moving art.
Kate Doner ’22 joined Dance Company last year and has loved every moment. Doner said, “Each dancer is typically assigned to choreographers who meet twice a week for two hours.” Dancing in this concert’s numbers “A Breath” and “Space Bandits,” Doner was excited to talk about what Dance Company means to the students who are a part of it.
In total, Doner said, there are about 25 girls, so dancing has created a very tight knit community. She said, “It is a great organization because it facilitates relationships between a small group of PC students in a welcoming atmosphere.”
The show opened with a thought-provoking piece called “Debate,” which was choreographed by Dr. Wendy Oliver of the PC theatre, dance, and film department. The dancers were meant to be politicians, and their movements did not have a traditionally musical background. Instead, they moved to the sound of muffled political debates.
Dr. Oliver, who is also the advisor, said she had been inspired by the summer’s political debates, and that “the idea was to create the feeling of the debate, slightly exaggerated.” This showed in the dance itself. The dancers’ gestures harnessed the tense, confused energy of the debates, and the sound, as Dr. Oliver put it, “served as the impetus for a more abstract and surreal section of the dance, which played with the idea of competition.”
Dr. Oliver also revealed that many of the choreographers started meeting with students mid-September, but that it was during the summer that the leaders started gathering ideas. Together, these choreographers came together with the students to create a production that portrayed movement in all its different capacities. From “Debate” to pieces like “A Breath” and “Space Bandit,” the concert showed the power of communication and passion within human movement.
Dance Company is an audition dance group on campus. Next semester is their spring concert, and it will, no doubt, showcase yet again the beauty of dance through the passion and capability of the organization. The spring concert will be choreographed by students, not outside choreographers, and will be a testament to the dance talent present here at PC. The Dance Company will have their next concert in April 2020.
Blackfriars Dance Concert Tackles Debates
by The Cowl Editor on November 21, 2019
Arts & Entertainment
TDF Choreographers Get Creative with Political Numbers
by: Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
Dance comes in many styles and movements, and can be accompanied by a variety of musical numbers. However, the Providence College Dance Company went above and beyond with its Blackfriars Dance Concert this past weekend. The shows on Friday and Saturday were attended by many friends and family supporting dance at PC. The dancers, using their knowledge and precision, brought movement to a new level. The show consisted of eight dances, all of which were unique in style, masterfully planned by choreographers, and performed by PC students who, for almost two hours, became moving art.
Kate Doner ’22 joined Dance Company last year and has loved every moment. Doner said, “Each dancer is typically assigned to choreographers who meet twice a week for two hours.” Dancing in this concert’s numbers “A Breath” and “Space Bandits,” Doner was excited to talk about what Dance Company means to the students who are a part of it.
In total, Doner said, there are about 25 girls, so dancing has created a very tight knit community. She said, “It is a great organization because it facilitates relationships between a small group of PC students in a welcoming atmosphere.”
The show opened with a thought-provoking piece called “Debate,” which was choreographed by Dr. Wendy Oliver of the PC theatre, dance, and film department. The dancers were meant to be politicians, and their movements did not have a traditionally musical background. Instead, they moved to the sound of muffled political debates.
Dr. Oliver, who is also the advisor, said she had been inspired by the summer’s political debates, and that “the idea was to create the feeling of the debate, slightly exaggerated.” This showed in the dance itself. The dancers’ gestures harnessed the tense, confused energy of the debates, and the sound, as Dr. Oliver put it, “served as the impetus for a more abstract and surreal section of the dance, which played with the idea of competition.”
Dr. Oliver also revealed that many of the choreographers started meeting with students mid-September, but that it was during the summer that the leaders started gathering ideas. Together, these choreographers came together with the students to create a production that portrayed movement in all its different capacities. From “Debate” to pieces like “A Breath” and “Space Bandit,” the concert showed the power of communication and passion within human movement.
Dance Company is an audition dance group on campus. Next semester is their spring concert, and it will, no doubt, showcase yet again the beauty of dance through the passion and capability of the organization. The spring concert will be choreographed by students, not outside choreographers, and will be a testament to the dance talent present here at PC. The Dance Company will have their next concert in April 2020.
Instrumental Causality Celebrates Student Talent
by The Cowl Editor on November 14, 2019
On-Campus
Students, Faculty, and Dominican Friars Come Together
by Brenna O’Leary ’20 A&E Staff
What would you get if you combined cool jazz, funk, and a bunch of Dominican saints? You would get this year’s Instrumental Causality event. The event, which took place on Wednesday, November 6, consisted of two parts. The first was a vigil in honor of Saint Dominic. The second part was an instrumental concert in the bottom of the chapel that featured Providence College’s Jazz Band and Funk Band. The gathering in Campus Ministry began at 8 p.m., and featured an array of colors. The room was left open, decorated in green, blue, purple, and yellow. Each table was covered in snazzy table clothes and had its own centerpiece decoration surrounded by beaded necklaces.
The music kicked off with Jazz Band, conducted by Dr. Eric Melley, and rolled into Funk Band, conducted by Dr. William Longo, after a quick break in between sets. The audience included a diverse array of people. It ranged from members of Campus Ministry and some cheerful Dominican friars, to many students and faculty members, who brought family and friends.
Father Peter Martyr Yungwirth, O.P. started this event, which he said is in its fourth year, and was more than happy with the night’s turnout. The Dominicans and Campus Ministry worked with the Board of Programmers and Jazz Band to organize the event. This was a change from years past; Fr. Peter Martyr said that in past years some of the Dominicans performed. This year featured an exciting change where the night focused on the student performances of jazz and funk bands and greatly displayed the impressive talent of the PC music department. Together, the performers, audience, and setting of St. Dominic’s Chapel made for a night of beautiful remembrance in honor of Dominican saints—all while enjoying jazzy music.
As if some good music and great company were not enough, the food spread was equally amazing. There was an elegant, vanilla sheet cake dedicated to the Dominican vigil, yummy pasta dishes, and some of Fr. Peter Martyr’s famous homemade ice cream. Participants were able to feel truly grounded and at home, surrounded by the comfort of good food, great music, and even better company. The event made for more than just a wonderful mid-week break. It was a true testament to the friar family presence here at PC. Not many college campuses can provide students with the opportunity to say they have had a conversation about homemade ice cream with a Dominican friar while listening to funky jazz classics.