This fall, one student, senior Sydney Maynor, is choosing to pursue Graduation with Distinction, performing Duncan Macmillan’s and Jonny Donahoe’s one-person show “Every Brilliant Thing” at 8 p.m., Nov. 7 through 9 in Brody Theater.
By bringing in voices from across the country and world, Duke Arts gives Duke students the chance to broaden their horizons, although it appeared like few took advantage of it. It was truly one of the prettier performances I’ve been to — filled with life, community, talent, history and gratitude. It was not something I ever would have gone to if it wasn’t so accessible, I just wish more could do the same.
This is the first time Duke Chinese Theater will performs a play not set in a Chinese society, presenting both a major challenge and an experimental highlight. At 7 p.m. Nov. 23 and Nov. 24, Duke Chinese Theater will take its audience to a new dramatic world with complicated understandings of human emotions and behaviors.
Four years after the release of his album “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST,” Tyler, the Creator has returned with new music and is shaking up industry rules as he does it.
If Xiu Xiu had to be assigned a genre, the closest would be experimental rock or indie. But just listening to one of their songs shows how ill-fitting that label is. Their songs range from almost lo-fi to music befitting haunted houses that aspire to make people cry in fear. The band’s music is unsettling and provoking yet strangely good; even if it is not for everyone, Xiu Xiu’s artistry prevails.
Overall, the show was an impressive affair. Instead of feeling disjointed, the different acts of the showcase flowed well into one another while retaining their own styles. When paired with the pre-show activities and Gambla’s wonderful emceeing, this enabled the performance to showcase the excellent work of students and alumni in the world of theater today, in addition to the impressive work they will go on to do.
To cap off the Saturday programming of Duke’s Family Weekend, the Music Department showcased 11 pieces of music — spanning from combination chorale and chamber orchestra performances to string quartets — Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. in Baldwin Auditorium. The event was primarily intended for visiting friends and families but provided a wonderful, graceful experience to everyone in the Duke community.
I will admit that I am not highly anticipating “Mufasa: The Lion King.” However, I refuse to discount this film entirely; Jenkins, regardless of whether he is considered a beloved indie director or the next sellout, is clearly a passionate man who tells stories he considers worth telling. I, for one, am curious to see how Jenkins’ soulful style translates to the larger screen.
Duke Players’ production of “Circle Mirror Transformation” is an exploration of human connection, building a grounded, funny, and heart-wrenching world through moments of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Tucked in its quaint corner on the outskirts of East Campus, away from the hustle and bustle of academic life, Duke Coffeehouse (Chaus) remains a go-to spot for independent artists and art-lovers alike. On Tuesday, Oct. 1, Coffeehouse welcomed two budding musicians to its stage: Advance Base and Moon Racer (Autumn Ehinger.)
Tucked away at the side of Five Point Plaza, in a small storefront, is a gallery. If you look up while entering, you see a high ceiling, a reminder of the building’s previous history as a barn. This is the titular Five Points Gallery, a small but mighty venue that highlights some of Durham’s wonderful art talent.
On the evening of Oct. 4, Duke academic departments and cultural organizations celebrated the connections between Duke University and Durham’s Hispanic, Latino and Latinx communities in an event at the Friedl Building’s Fredric Jameson Gallery. The celebration consisted of presentations and performances that centered the experiences and work of the students, faculty and community members who have helped build the Duke-Durham relationship.
The Department of Theatre Studies will hold a special performance Oct. 19 in Reynold Industries Theater from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. to celebrate Duke’s centennial and highlight the history of theater at Duke. By bringing together past and present Duke talent and having them perform pieces that center Duke, Durham and North Carolina, the show will highlight the long history of Duke Theatre and its bright future.
As you may be aware, Duke is celebrating its centennial this year. Beyond campus, Durham is also celebrating the centennial of their relationship with the University. One shining example of this premiered September 20th. The Museum of Durham History’s (MODH) exhibit “100 Years of Duke: Names to Remember,” takes a nuanced approach to how Duke is discussed and emphasizes the mutual dependence and shared growth of Durham and Duke.
What was an impassioned argument for Duke and Durham arts pleased those who already know and love them but possibly failed to reach beyond its cultural niche. It’s on Duke undergraduates and their choice of how to spend their time to take Duke Arts from the realm of inscrutability and bring it to the forefront of Duke culture and consciousness.
Last month, our campus was graced by a temporary new addition: light-up bikes. Placed alongside the BC Plaza Bridge and at the entrance to the Ruby, at first glance they seem like weird, stationary bikes. But hop on them and you’re in for a novel experience that merges play with sustainability.
“Girls” was innovative for its honest take on the dating lives and career success of post-grad women. But, its cynical view on female friendship is not one viewers should believe is the whole truth. For the majority of the show, the girls are not friends. When they “were,” they repeatedly break girl code.
From Sir Ian McKellan and Sir Patrick Stewart to Matt Damon and Ben Affleck to Kevin Hart and Dwayne Johnson, Hollywood has no shortage of well-known male celebrity friendships, with on- and off-screen chemistry.
While Duke’s Centennial has given us the opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve progressed in 100 years, it is vital to not focus solely on Duke’s more modern and glamorous developments. The Centennial is about remembering the past and the people that got us here, not just looking toward the future. We can thank the Duke Dance Program for reminding us of that lesson.
“Uglies” is okay at best and emblematic of depressingly profit-minded movies at worst. The job of a good movie is to either say something new or something known in an interesting way. “Uglies” does neither. We recommend skipping this one.
