Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The Carolian Page 1
Q U I C K
N E W S :
SC Theatre
Premiers Urinetown
SC Engineers are
“Best in State”
This year’s Prom a
wonderful success
Cards gear up for
exciting new
baseball, tennis,
and Ultimate
Frisbee seasons
Numerous students
invited to advance
to state level of
National History
Day
I N S I D E T H I S
I S S U E :
SC News 1-6
Culture 7-9
Non-Sequitur 10
Non-Gravis 11
The Official Newspaper of St. Charles Preparatory School
April 2011 St. Charles Preparatory School
The CarolianThe Carolian
SC Theatre Program Premiers Urinetown Peter Vilardi ‘12 The St. Charles Campus Theater has played host to a wonderful series of shows and an excellent group of actors and actresses throughout the 2010-2011 season. St. Charles Theatre is preparing to wrap up a stellar year with th is spr ing‟s spectacular musical, the hilarious and biting Urinetown: The Musical, written and composed by Greg Kotis and Mark Hollmann. When a twenty-year drought strikes, a monopolistic private corporation forces the denizens of an unnamed town to pay a fee to use public restrooms. The head of this company, skinflint business tycoon Caldwell B. Cladwell (Danny Turek ‟12), enforces this greedy water-saving scheme with an iron fist, and he has the law on his side; anyone caught attempting to pee for free is “sent down to Urinetown”—though very few people know what this “Urinetown” is, where it is, and what mysteries lie there. But when the dashing and young Bobby Strong (Alex Brown ‟11) decides to lead a revolution among the masses, chaos—and satirical hilarity—ensues. As you‟ve probably guessed from the plotline, Urinetown is in no way your typical musical. The show takes a scathingly satirical look at
societal hierarchy and corporate politics, but also pokes fun at other Broadway musicals in its style and presentation, and offers a humorous critique of traditional musical theatre. Even the show‟s narrators, Cop Officer Lockstock (Peter Vilardi ‟12) and street child Little Sally (freshman Maggie Turek of Grove City High School), point out and question the premises of the play‟s storyline (and even the very concept of musicals themselves) at every turn. The show‟s offbeat and quirky style m a k e s f o r i n t e l l i g e n t entertainment and plenty of laughs. The group of young actors and actresses is very strong. Leading man Alex Brown sings with heart and charisma, and makes an excellent counterpart to leading lady Amy Stock (a junior at Bishop Watterson), who plays the naïve yet big-hearted Hope Cladwell (daughter of the aforementioned Mr. Cladwell). Bishop Hartley senior Liz Miller plays bold and world-weary amenity operator Penelope Pennywise with power and verve, popping some of the show‟s highest notes (a high C!). Danny Turek makes villainy gloriously fun and laugh-out-loud funny as Cladwell. Maggie Turek‟s Little Sally is inquisitive and rascally, yet very endearing.
The ensemble members sing and dance with energy, channeling the show‟s energy into a tight and focused beam. Of course, the show would not be possible without the efforts of those behind the scenes. A special thanks goes out to all the members of the stage crew—technical director Joe Mitchell, visual-effects men Thomas Sinard „11 and Patrick Stinson, the show‟s tremendous backing band; and, as always, vocal coach Karrie Horton, production consultant Michael Lorr, and director/faculty member Mr. Montgomery. With the combined efforts of all these wonderful people, the show becomes more than just some lyrics and sheet music on paper, but a visceral experience right before your eyes. Urinetown is a satirically funny, refreshingly unique theatre experience that you won‟t want to miss. It is definitely a fine high note on which to end the 2010-2011 theatre season, and a show that will make you smile, laugh, and hopefully even sing along. Urinetown: the Musical will be performed on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 14-16 at 8:00 PM, and on Sunday, April 17 at 3:00 PM. Don‟t miss it!
The Carolian Page 2
SC News
Adam Henderson ‘12 Last year, the St. Charles Engineering Team won the Division III National Championship for the second year in a row. On Wednesday February 23, 2011, they were trying to do so a third time in Ada, Ohio. St. Charles was also attempting to have the highest score out of any team in Ohio, regardless of division and to become “best-in-state.” The six St. Charles teams were the first teams to arrive on the campus of Ohio Northern University, and the team used the time and space to eat, warm up, take pictures, and get ready for the competition. St. Charles brought six teams of eight to the completion—five Varsity teams and one JV team. The JETS Engineering competition consists of an eighty-question multiple choice section and an essay section. Each team receives eight scenarios concerning different aspects of engineering, including solar energy, coal power, and energy efficiency in the household. Each SC engineer chose a scenario and spent time researching and organizing his knowledge of it. They also worked with their teams to get the feel for the type of
questions asked. After completing the questions and essays, all the St. Charles team could do was wait for the announcement of awards. The teams were graded only on the multiple choice section because the essays were not yet judged. The JV section was first to be announced and the St. Charles team took first place. Next, the Varsity division was announced and only one team from each school could win. The St. Charles A team was declared the winners of the
Varsity division. After receiving the scores, engineering coach Dr. Sarah Vandermeer learned that the St. Charles A team answered 73 out of 80 questions correctly. This was the highest score ever earned by a St. Charles Engineering team. Dr. Vandermeer also learned that the five St. Charles Varsity teams had the five highest scores out of all the teams in attendance. A few weeks af ter the competition, Dr. Vandermeer found out that the St. Charles A team won the
Division III State Championship, which meant that the Cards beat powerhouse Beavercreek and took the title of “best in state.” The St. Charles Engineering Team was the highest-scoring engineering team out of every competing school in Ohio. Also, on the multiple choice section, only three teams in the entire nation scored higher than St. Charles. Dr. Vandermeer described the performance as “terrific” and said that she is “very proud of the effort and a c c o m p l i s h m e n t s o f t h e engineers.” The St. Charles
engineering team has reached new heights and hopes to continue this engineering dynasty in the years to come.
St. Charles Engineers are Best in State!
Greg Lindsey ‘11 Urinetown? Yeah, I know what you‟re thinking—that is possibly the worst title for a musical that you‟ve ever heard. The title is a little off-putting to those who are unfamiliar to the show; however, when you learn a bit more about it, I‟m sure that you will see why the St. Charles Theatre Program is putting on this unique show. Urinetown is a musical set in a dystopia world where a drought has ravaged the water supply, causing private bathrooms to be outlawed. Everyone must now use public
restrooms that are administrated by a huge monopolistic corporation that charges a hefty fee for usage. Young idealist Bobby Strong leads a revolt in order to free the toilets for use by the people. The show combines many different elements in a fashion that provides something for any viewer. There is, of course, the traditional singing and dancing that comes with being a musical. However, authors Greg Kotis and Mark Hollman have added elements of parody, satire, and social commentary. It pays homage to classic
Broadway shows while laughing at them. The parody and humor in the show make the musical much more entertaining to those who don‟t typically enjoy musicals, while the references are sure to please musical fans. Don‟t let the name or medium be off-putting—Urinetown is a show for everyone. If you have any doubts or questions, ask a cast member like me. It wouldn‟t be spring if St. Charles wasn‟t doing a new, innovative musical, and Urinetown fits that bill.
A (Shamelessly Self-promoting) Note Concerning Urinetown
The 2011 St. Charles Engineering Team. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Kris Doney.
The Carolian Page 3
SC News
Another Take on Urinetown Danny Turek ‘12 and Peter Vilardi ‘12 As Saint Charles Cardinals are wont to do, we have often pondered the ideas and satire of Urinetown: the Musical into the wee hours of the night. Now, not all of those thoughts can be explained in such a short article, but we will do our best to impart some of the enlightenments we have received during those nights collapsed in deep, contemplative thought. Let‟s start with the obvious: Urinetown is a textbook example of satire, a written work that looks to point out certain social inconsistencies through means of comedic and often ridiculous situations. In this show, the ridiculous premise is this: the poor people of a town are not allowed to urinate unless they pay a high fee to use public, unisex restrooms. Silly? Maybe. Dealing with astronomically deep and potent issues? You bet your Christmas ham it does! The play works as a social commentary on the inequality of classes and the horrible use of fear to repress the masses. What makes the show so odd and fascinating is that while it takes a scathing look at how the poor are treated, it also makes fun of them by making the heroic poor figures just as ridiculous as the villainous rich ones, and by creating meaningful ideas just to have them undone by the stupidity or over-dramatization of a given character. We‟re going to give you a
second to recover, since we just BLEW YOUR MIND. But guess what? We‟re going to do it again. Urinetown is certainly a unique idea, but this type of theatre performance has been done before. The term “Brechtian theatre” is a highly influential form of drama created by playwright Bertolt Brecht in the 1930s. It is the idea that plays can be written as a forum for debate, presenting an idea and letting the audience think about it, as opposed to creating a story to give the audience a cathartic moment (strong feeling of emotion during a play). This type of play, however, is generally written with characters who are self-aware, understanding that they are merely actors in a play. Urinetown is of the same vein in that narrators Officer Lockstock and Little Sally regularly “break the fourth wall” (that is, speak
directly to the audience) and question the play‟s premises at every turn. Another gleefully enjoyable, satirical aspect of Urinetown is that the music itself parodies that of other famous shows. According to composer Mark Hollmann, the seething rant of Penelope Pennywise, “It‟s a Privilege to Pee,” was inspired by a song called “The Morning Hymn of Peachum” from the aforementioned playwright Bertolt Brecht and composer Kurt Weill‟s influential The Threepenny Opera. And it is very easy to pick out influences from other famous musicals in the show‟s music. Second-act opener “What is Urinetown?” sounds like a rewritten outtake from Fiddler on the Roof; “Snuff That Girl” recalls West Side Story in its groovy jazz style; the Finale of Act One, the puzzlingly titled “Act One Finale,” is an homage not only to the protest-march sequence in Les Misérables, but also to the multi-part finales of Mozart-era opera. Now, by this time we are sure that you are about to implode from excitement. So, what should you do with all this newfound knowledge? Go home, find a comfortable place, sit down, and ponder. Forget homework, tests, and quizzes. Just go home and simply think about these ideas—that is, until Urinetown: The Musical premiers.
Photo courtesy of Google Images.
Sam Powell ‘11 On Saturday, April 9, St. Charles Preparatory School held its annual Junior and Senior Prom. Without a doubt, this event was a great time for those who attended. Sitting at the tables amid a flurry of colorful dresses and tuxedos, St. Charles students and their respective dates first dined on delicious food; lasagna, other Italian dishes, prime rid, vegetables, and deserts were enjoyed by all. After the wonderful dinner, everyone went to the center of the
Commons for some fantastic dancing. A special thanks to Jamey Stock and Ryan Tuller, who put forth much effort in creating the music list for the evening, as well as to the DJ for the night. Throughout the evening, door prizes were awarded to numerous students and their dates. The largest prize, two Ipads, went to Tom Harmon „11 and his date. Thomas Sinard, of the class of 2011, deserves a special thanks for all of his hard work with the lighting and the sound, making this year‟s Prom the best it could be. Faculty chaperones should
additionally be thanked for their service at the dance. A heart-felt thank-you should also be given to Mrs. Bostic and the members of the Prom Committee, who planned, organized, and put together the many facets of the Prom during their lunch times and outside of school for weeks before the event itself. To say the least, their efforts were well-worth the time! The 2011 St. Charles Prom will surely be remembered by all who attended!
SC Prom a Smashing Success
The Carolian Page 4
SC News
Nick DeJaco ‘12 Play Ball! Sunshine, clear skies, and fresh turf signal the arrival of baseball season, and the Cards are very excited to finally step on the diamond. In the words of Squints from the Sandlot, “It‟s about time…my clothes are getting out of style.” The team has been working hard to prepare for the season, part of which included “conditioning in five inches of snow,” according to Chris Fenlon „12. After a successful season in which they finished second in the CCL behind Desales, the Cardinals are looking to build on their accomplishments. Despite graduating some key seniors, the Cards return a deep-pitching rotation headed by senior Pat Dyer, who has committed to pitch at the University of Akron next year. Pat Dyer is very tall and it has been reported that he can throw faster than even Pablo Sanchez in backyard baseball. Anyways, the rotation also includes seniors Andy Hof, Michael Mackessy, and Rory Stitzlein, and juniors J.D. Vrabel and Chris (Superstar) Fenlon. Also on the team are seniors Jim Romaker, Tom King, Alex Styborski, Billy Feehan, Anthony Buchta, and Kevin Manley; juniors Calvin Flinders, and Joey Gilmore; and sophomores Chris Brake, Jerad Kitzler, and Lucas Glover. The Cardinals hope to win the CCL title this year and have the pitching to do it. Now they must just do what Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez once said: “Man, this is baseball. You gotta stop thinking. Just have fun.” The Cardinals opened play against Whitehall on March 28, so be sure to watch the boys of summer in action.
Chris D’Angelo ‘12 It‟s springtime, and that means the St. Charles Tennis Team is gearing up for another season. Led by Captains Grant Dolven and Weston Niermeyer, the Cards look poised to have a good season. Coach Linda Meyers‟ squad certainly has a veteran feel about it, having only lost Jack Toscano last year at graduation. Neirmeyer said that the biggest improvements the team needs to make are “working more as a team and improving footwork.” This year, Neirmeyer hopes that he will be able to make it to the state tournament, but he says, “I will have to work hard.” Like athletes in other sports such as wrestling and swimming, tennis players are part of a team, but compete individually. “We set our goals for the team, practice as a team, and encourage our teammates in their matches,” said junior Stuart Schwartz. “But when I step on the court, I only think about my own performance.” This year, the Cards have set their goals high, as they hope to win the CCL. This, however, will be a tough task. St. Francis DeSales lost very few player to graduation, so they also have a veteran lineup. In addition, Bishop Watterson‟s team features Chris Diaz, the Division II defending state champion. The Cardinals are getting excited for what the new season brings. They started their year with a home match against Westerville North on March 28, and expect to succeed throughout the season.
The Boys of Summer Tennis Season Kicks Off
Danny Turek ‘12 Here is a sport for the gods, ladies and gentlemen. Statues were made in Ancient Greece depicting the beginning throw or “The Ultimate Toss,” if you will. China began shaping their dining “plates” after the shape of the Frisbee disk (its true—scientists proved it; they just decided not to publish the finding . . . so don‟t check). Yes, audience, Frisbee is everywhere and here at Saint Charles, we continue that tradit ion of champ ions . And speak ing o f champions, the Saint Charles team is not too shabby. “We have only one loss in the five games we‟ve played. That‟s better than some,” said Coach Jack
Gibbons. Coach Gibbons stated this was a year of “reloading” after the loss of thirteen enthusiastic seniors last year. But we aren‟t without our stars, especially our seniors. Dan Tylka, Orion Swanson, John Jaicks, and Ola Williams are powerhouses of ultimate fury. Aiding the seniors in their campaign for victory is a whole team of juniors, sophomores, and one freshman. This diverse unit is putting together the looks of a great season. Coach Gibbons says to “expect good things,” and that they are “having fun,” which I think is code for they are going to murder anyone who gets in their path. And who‟s next up to be beaten to a bloody, pathetic pulp? Bexley. You hear that, that‟s the
sound of quivering in fear being done by them right now.
The Good, The Bad, The Ultimate
Photo courtesy of Google Images.
The Carolian Page 5
SC News
Andy Sellan ‘11 Ever wonder what really happened at the Battle of the Somme? Ever want to understand the truth behind the Alien and Sedition Act? Well, let me tell you, there is no better place or time to look than at National History Day! So history may not be your forte…no problem. This didn‟t stop the near thirty seniors from St. Charles who are competing this year. Of course, I imagine that several have some liking of history, but others just sought the opportunity to be recognized for hard work and talent. While most attendees
competed on March 26 in Columbus, a few groups took their projects to Cincinnati on March 12. These two groups, consisting of Courtland and Landon Perry (Senior Group Exhibit) and Sam Powell, Evan Doney, Griffin FIllman, John Parent, and Andy Sellan (Senior Group performance), both took first place in their respective categories. With their success, they have also been awarded the opportunity to compete at the state level on April 30. National History Day makes history come alive for America's youth by engaging them in the discovery of the historic, cultural, and social occurrences
of the past. Through hands-on experiences and presentations, today's youth are better able to understand the present and shape the future. This can be attained every year, for it is held annually here in Columbus. The competition is also a great substitute to Mr. Schrein‟s fourth quarter project. So, whether you‟re a history buff or not, this event is worth checking out. With categories ranging from movies, to exhibits, to websites, and performances, there is something for everyone. Oh, and better yet, this competition is open to youth of all ages, so any SC student can do it!
SC Students Display Diverse Talents at National History Day
In ways that a re both conspicuous and subtle, change has been occurring all throughout Saint Charles. One significant change is the addition of a new member to the Saint Charles Development Office—Mr. Steve Miller. A member of the class of 1977, Mr. Miller was recently asked by Mr. Cavello to be the new director of the Saint Charles Annual Fund.
In addition to fulfilling his duties as director of the Annual Fund, Mr. Miller has made a splash in the Saint Charles student community. When he is not busy contacting alumni, parents, and others affiliated with the school, he is often conversing with students and setting up connections between said students and prominent members in the community in regards to business and S T E M ( s c i e n c e , t e c h n o l o g y , engineer ing, and mathemat ics ) programs.
Mr. Miller has made noteworthy steps to promote the awareness of student culture and diversity within the Saint Charles community. This includes sponsoring a student expedition during mid-January to witness a talk featuring Princeton professor Dr. Cornel West. This also includes the founding of a new minority student organization named My Brother‟s Keeper. The primary
focus of these actions is to inspire student awareness of cultural diversity. Osaze: What began your Saint Charles
experience? S. Miller: Well, I went to St. Thomas for grade school, and my family already knew about the Saint Charles reputation. My older brother went there, and from there went to The Ohio State University to play basketball. In fact, Columbus Academy reached out to me as well, but my parents were set on Saint Charles. I‟m glad they sent me here. O: What was the diversity experience like while you attended school here? S: When I was here, there were fewer than a dozen minority students in the school. However, the lack of diversity was virtually unnoticeable because of the class camaraderie. Saint Charles, I‟d like to point out, was never “out of step” in terms of diversity because of that cultural environment. O: How did you find yourself back at your alma mater? S: I moved back into Columbus after living in Atlanta for twenty years. Mr. Cavello approached me in 2007, following our class reunion. I had no idea a job was available. At the time, I happened to be tutoring a student at Saint Charles through an outside connection. I remember Mr. Cavello saying that it was “because of the Holy
Spirit” that there was a spot open, because he wanted me in his staff. O: What‟s your ultimate goal at Saint Charles? S: You know, I decided that I wanted to make a difference in the lives of young people. What better way is there to do so than through education? After spending many years working as a businessman, I concluded that although I was successful, I wasn‟t going to make a difference. So, I had to change. O: What are the school‟s goals, as far as diversity is concerned? S: We want to have a student population representative of the community, just as what exists in the workplace and in college. It‟s important that the students learn how to be culturally multilingual. O: Could you give me a glimpse of the camaraderie to which you alluded earlier? S: There was a particular group of us— five of us, from St. Thomas—and nobody could stop us at basketball. O: Alright, on that note, do you plan on participating in the upcoming student-faculty game? S: Absolutely. At least, for the first five minutes of the game. I‟m the secret weapon this year. By the way, don‟t worry about my age. The older I am, the better I was.
Osaze Udeagbala ’11
T h e S c o o p — M r . S t e v e M i l l e r
The Carolian Page 6
SC News
Chris D’Angelo ‘12 Since my freshman year, there have been constant rumors of St. Charles expanding, ranging from plans of a parking garage to a track field. However, I have always wondered how St. Charles could become not only the distinctive leader in Catholic education in central Ohio, but the entire world. I think I‟ve figured it out. People always talk about how St. Charles is “inferior” to the other local catholic schools because our football team has not beaten DeSales since the Carter Administration. However, we could attract top level talent across the globe with the addition of a new football stadium. Topping out with a capacity of just over 100,000, the Cavello Dome will feature elite-level football year in, year out. In the offseason, the stadium will play host to concerts, boxing matches, and pro-wrestling events. However, while we will focus on our perceived athletic weaknesses, we should also enhance our strengths. That is why the Michael Riccaurte Memorial Golf course will begin construction shortly. Featuring eighteen holes designed by local legend Jack Nicklaus, our new course will be built on the land currently occupied by Wolfe Park and the Franklin Park Conservatory.
The swimming and water polo facilities will also receive an upgrade, via the new Carolian Spa and Water Resort. In addition to a new Olympic sized pool, the natatorium complex will be expanded to include seven multistory slides, an aquatic jungle gym, and a day spa to be used during the swimmers‟ taper season. There will also be hotel accommodations for out-of-town teams and guests from across the country. Field time often seems to be a conflict for our many sports. That is why we will build the Dave Lawler Sport Sandwich Site. Because ground space is limited, the fields will be built on top of each other like a parking garage, or a sandwich, as the name suggests. This will provide ample space for sports of all seasons to practice at the same time. It will be hard to further our academics, as they are already tremendous in almost every facet. In order to encourage student who live far away from St. Charles to attend, we will open several off-site branch locations. With additions in New Albany, Marysville, Polaris, and Circleville, we will attract the best students this region has to offer. In order to ensure that all sites receive the same quality education, teachers will work at each campus throughout the week, commuting to a
different one every day. This year the St. Charles Community has been blessed with the presence of foreign exchange student Roberto Pagano. However, in order to encourage more exchange students and to allow Roberto easy travel back to Sicily, we will build an international airport. After buying up a two mile stretch of Broad street and several Boeing-747s, we will open the Colonel Breckenridge International Hanger. This will also allow us the opportunity to dual function as a pilot training school, with an elective taught during sixth period. Honestly, I believe all of these ideas are both pragmatic and possible. However, parking would still be a pain and the school would still be stuck in Ohio. Then there is the issue of funding. But with a few more weekly student collections, I believe Mr. Arends‟ homeroom alone will be able to fund all of the projects by cardinal walk day. ***Catch the next edition of The Carolian to read Michael Zaino‟s one-on-one interview with Mr. Cavello, in which the man himself addresses the REAL future of St. Charles!!!
Ideas About the Future of St. Charles Preparatory School
Sam Powell ‘11 The St. Charles Jazz Band recently participated in the Capital University Jazz Festival, which hosted numerous talented high school and college jazz bands from all around the central Ohio area. At the festival, the Cards performed three tunes: “Peg,” “It‟s a Blue World,” and the “Channel One Suite.” After their performance, the members of the band were praised for their fantastic musicianship and courage in selecting such challenging songs by
one of the judges who conducted technical clinics. Overall, the band received an award distinguishing them as “outstanding,” and Matt Sova and Sam Powell received “Outstanding Solo” awards. The next major task for the jazz band is to work on its annual recording of this year‟s favorite jazz tunes. It is expected that the 2010-2011 CD will include a lot of great music from a diversity of jazz styles. During Memorial Day weekend, the St. Charles Jazz Band will be
performing at the 94th Aerosquadron, which is a quaint World War II-style restaurant located near the Columbus International Airport. All are invited to enjoy a wonderful dinner buffet, great jazz music, and maybe even try a little swing dancing. Tickets will go on sale within the coming weeks, and anyone interested in attending should contact the director of the band, Mr. Rick Brunetto via email or phone. Congratulations to the members of the St. Charles Jazz Band for their superior accomplishments!
St. Charles Jazz Band Is Award-Winning
The Carolian Page 7
Culture
Adam Mesewicz ‘12 The format of the NCAA basketball tournament is set up so that all Division One collegiate basketball teams have a shot at the title. Many media outlets have termed this setup “madness,” hence the common name for the tournament, “March Madness.” This year two teams truly brought madness to a whole different level. E l e v e n - s e e d V C U ( V i r g i n i a Commonwealth University), an at-large bid out of the Colonial Athletic Association, made a remarkable run to the Final Four. Along with the Rams is another mid-major team that is slowly gaining the nation‟s respect. The Butler Bulldogs, Horizon League Champions, were in the Final Four for the second year in a row. If the NCAA tournament commissioners had not decided to expand the field of teams to sixty-eight teams, VCU would most likely not have been in the tournament. The decision by the committee to put them into the new “first round” game was highly controversial. Many thought that teams
such as Harvard or Alabama should have been in the slot into which VCU was placed. Nevertheless, VCU was given the opportunity, and they flourished. Winning five straight games, the Rams upset the likes of Purdue, Georgetown, and top-seeded Kansas. Many ask how the Rams have pulled off these wins, and the answer is a mix of team chemistry and lights-out shooting. VCU coach Shaka Smart said, "Our guys have done a phenomenal job of putting all the doubters aside, all the people that didn't believe in us, and going out to do their job." Along with putting all doubters aside, the Rams shot nearly fifty percent from behind the line during their run in the tournament, outshooting all of their opponents. Although not as much of a Cinderella story as VCU, the Butler Bulldogs also overcame what seemed like impossible odds and somehow landed themselves a spot back into the Final Four. Many people may remember Butlers fantastic run to the NCAA championship last year, but nobody expected them to be able to do
it again. After losing sophomore Gorden Haywood to the NBA, the Bulldogs struggled early in the season. However, many college basketball analysts will tell you that it‟s not about how a team starts the season, but it‟s about how it ends it. Butler is a clear example of this; they won their conference tournament and made a brilliant run to the Final Four, even though they were defeated by the University of Connecticut Huskies in the championship game.
A Tournament of Upsets
Peter Vilardi ‘12 Imagine, if you will, that you live in a house very close to the woods. As anyone who has gone on a night hike knows, a sense of eerie silence and mysticism falls over the woods at night. Sights that could be considered innocuous in the daylight—trees, leaves, moss—seem to grow mysterious, pulsing with a dark vibrancy unseen in the sun. Of course, if you let your imagination run away with you, the sight of a forest at night can instill dark feelings and cold horrors in the pit of your stomach. However, if you live in close proximity to the woods, it is likely that the trails and pathways will be more familiar to you, and you will simply appreciate the forest for its beauty at night, rather than being unnerved by the atmospherics. Radiohead‟s latest release, The
King of Limbs (TKOL), is precisely like this forest at midnight. To those who have never experienced Radiohead‟s unique brand of dark, experimental, atmospheric music, it is bizarre and perhaps even unnerving. The heavily reverberated vocals of singer Thom Yorke float in and out of focus like a night wind; the skittery electronic beats click and clack like branches in a gust; the bass pulses and throbs like the ground beneath your feet. The music is haunting and airy, yet it retains elements of a fractured, twisted beauty. However, to those listeners well a w a r e o f R a d i o h e a d ‟ s p a s t accomplishments in music (the groundbreaking OK Computer and Kid A, the brilliant In Rainbows), the musical atmosphere is second nature. Longtime fans of Radiohead seem to have concentrated more on their complaints
about the album (it‟s too short at eight songs; it‟s not game-changing enough; there are no heavy songs) and less on the music itself. TKOL has only been released for a few weeks, and already it has proven to be one of Radiohead‟s most polemical albums. And yet, somehow, when the unsettling piano loop of “Bloom” fades into my headphones, when the fluttering beats and bass pulses unevenly scatter and slowly fall into an unsteady groove, when Yorke‟s voice drifts into earshot from far away, none of it matters. None of the hype, none of the early-release nonsense, none of the whiny complaints of Radiohead fanboys—none of it matters. Only that beautiful, organic, hazy, pulsing sound, joined by a surprisingly welcome horn section halfway through the opening song, truly matters. It may be familiar territory for
Photo courtesy of Google Images.
Album Review: The King of Limbs by Radiohead
Continued on next page...
The Carolian Page 8
Culture
Radiohead, but that only allows me to further appreciate just how beautiful and wonderful that territory is. The remainder of the first half further explores the band‟s beat-oriented material. “Morning Mr. Magpie,” a swath of stuttering guitar and scattershot drums, moves the album along. “Little by Little,” the album‟s weakest link, provides a catchy melody, but a sea of bubbling drum machines and slippery percussion threaten to drown the song at every turn. “Feral” is an instrumental ode to such dubstep artists as Burial and James Blake, bathing Yorke‟s vocal samples in reverb and rapid, haphazard beats. The second half of the album is much stronger, recalling Radiohead‟s more traditional musical styles. In the album‟s lead single “Lotus Flower,”
Yorke‟s falsetto is sleek and lithe, crooning and echoing across the song‟s cool, organic groove. It is definitely the album‟s lightest and most accessible moment. However, the album‟s best music follows. “Codex” is a faded, hazy, and emotionally-exhausted piano ballad, enhanced greatly by beautiful horn and string interludes. “Give Up the Ghost” is a sweet and ethereal acoustic guitar ballad, wrapped in swaths of filtered backing vocals and strung together by a warm electric guitar. The two ballads go hand in hand; while “Codex” feels like a leaf spinning and wafting to the ground, “Give Up the Ghost” feels like watching the leaf fall in reverse, drifting slowly but surely back up onto the tree from which it fell. The album‟s closing song, “Separator,” is one of the album‟s
smoothest. Yorke‟s delayed vocals drift like the morning wind across an atmosphere of cool percussion and chirping guitars. It feels like the morning, slowly but surely calling the listener back into the daylight after the throbbing midnight the rest of the album presented. The album certainly has its moments, but a glaring lack of heavy, uptempo numbers (upon which Radiohead first built their reputation), a little too much rhythmic chaos (making the songs not as easy to follow), and an oddly short runtime (37 minutes) diminish it somewhat. Radiohead, however, has succeeded in creating a dark, organic, and beautiful electronic atmosphere that is certainly worth revisiting. Rating: 80/10
Radiohead Review, Continued from Previous Page
If you type the name “Justin Bieber” into the eternal source of knowledge that is Wikipedia, it will lead to his description page. Among the information about his tween-age girl fan base and his growing number of critics and “haters,” there is one little fact that sticks in my mind when I happen to think of that page. Under the category “Genres” is simply “Pop and R&B.” For some this may not come as a shock, as many artists could be summed up in a few genres, and even for me, I was used to seeing the simple rock, folk, or alternative and no more. Then I met Polly Jean (PJ) Harvey (metaphorically through music). Let me list some of her music styles: alternative rock, folk rock, electronica, art rock, punk blues, and so on and so forth. In short, Polly Jean has never been a stationary figure in the direction of music. She has been ambitious, and because of that, she has several highly-esteemed albums. From the dark, angry rumble of Rid of Me, to quieter, haunting White Chalk, PJ has
kept things lively and different from album to album. If a trait is to be found in all these albums though, it is in Harvey‟s tendency to lean towards darker sounds, themes, and lyrics. This is made all the more obvious in her newest album, Let England Shake. According to PJ, the creation process of this album came from her bringing the words to the music, and it shows. The imagery of this album is potent and fascinating, setting the songs in a war-torn England, where patriotism is valued, but at most times is hollow and waning. PJ keeps with her
foreboding lyrical trend with lines like, “England‟s dancing days are done” in the title track, and “Soldiers fell like lumps of meat” in the single, “The Words that Maketh Murder.” To add to her powerful lyrics, she seems to stick to her upper range throughout the entirety of the album rather than her typical low grumble of her earlier albums. Her vocals and the folk rock combination music create a brilliant parallel to the world of her words. With all this talk of lyrics and themes, I realize that I haven‟t even mentioned the music. As in all of her albums, PJ keeps things shaken-up by choosing a more folk rock sound, putting her guitar down for a bit, and picking up the autoharp. Guitar can be heard, but it is simply a member of something bigger. The sound of this album is varied but sparse, and not in a bad way. PJ knows exactly when to add an extra horn or piano into a song to bring a new level of depth and emotion to it. Along with the recorded instruments, there are some samples of music boxes and military horns that really give the album a feel of England.
Danny Turek ‘12
Let England Shake—PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey. Photo courtesy of Google Images.
Continued on next page...
The Carolian Page 9
In fact, most of the melodies in this album remind me of some forgotten Irish or English tune. Overall, the music takes a new direction and succeeds thoroughly in its execution. Sadly though, as much as I love this album, I must gripe about some things. For one, the album seemed a little short. Clocking in at a little over forty minutes isn‟t bad, but I wish some of the songs would have been fleshed out more and looked into. Some melodies are truly great, and if given a little more time, I think they would have affected me more. Which leads me to my next point: this album didn‟t really affect
me. The songs were ingenious, the sounds beautiful, and the melodies memorable, I just wished it would have made me want to look deeper. The ideas behind the album are clever, but it doesn‟t seem like they were given full span. It seems instead that PJ took the idea only so far when she could‟ve made something that would bring people back. A final nitpicky thing is the second to last track. “Written on the Forehead” wasn‟t terrible--it just seemed really out of place. It reminded me of “Screamadelica” by Primal Scream for some reason. In any case, PJ came out with an
album I would call quite excellent. The songs are great, interesting, daring, and will bring some back to past times. This is a perfect example of an album that decided to make a splash when it could have made a wave. The good part is, though, whether a splash or a wave, I really enjoyed this one and will be one of the people coming back. Pop and R&B—what garbage. Rating: 88/100
Let England Shake, Continued from Previous Page
Eric Shomo ‘11
I don‟t even play hockey, but I think it is an exciting sport to watch. Whether I attend hockey games or simply watch them on TV, I get the same energy rush either way. Thus, I am a huge Blue Jackets fan. After the disappointing 2009-2010 Columbus Blue Jackets hockey season, I felt that the 2010-2011 season would be better. The Jackets have had a reputation for changing up the management positions following a depressing season, as well as trading and acquiring new players by the numbers. Despite strong starts to previous seasons, the Jackets have always wound up falling short, missing the mark, putting all their eggs in one basket…whatever you want to call it.
This season in particular was promising at the beginning, but as of the last month or so, the Jackets have proven that they will once again not make the playoffs. And I‟m sure that even if they did, they would be beaten in the first round.
The Jackets have turned excited fans into non-believers. In my opinion,
the problem is that there are changes in management too often. When new management comes in, they want new players. And what happens when you get a bunch of new players on the ice who have never played together before? No chemistry. My point is that it takes more than one season to make a team good. It takes more than one year to get used to new management and feel comfortable skating with new team members. I would not make any changes to the Blue Jackets for another couple of seasons (minus a few exceptions as far as defenders and a couple new forwards).
I know that other Blue Jackets fans would probably disagree with me on this one, but honestly…you have your scorers like Rick Nash, R.J. Umberger, Antoine Vermette, and Scottie Upshall; your defenders such as Kris Russell and Marc Methot; Boll and Dorsett; and two outstanding goaltenders in Mason and Garon. Your team can‟t get any better than that. And that‟s even without mentioning the names of the other team members, who also contribute
significantly to each game.
The Jackets might have blown another season, but as long as the management takes the right steps and takes into account the potential this team could have, I believe they can win games consistently in future seasons.
Blue Jackets Treading on Thin Ice as End of Season Approaches
Photo courtesy of Google Images.
Culture
The Carolian Page 10
Non-Sequitur
Steven Darnell ‘11; Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm As we come into our fifth story about the Grimms‟ Fairy Tales, we move into a story that has its many cousins. These kissing cousins of the fairytale family normally involve brothers (specifically twins), magic, evil, witches, a rescue, a beautiful princess, and something with the amazing power of showing how healthy a person is at any given time (think like the health bar in the video games you are unable to play because of schoolwork). In this case, our story begins with a fearless fisherman, who is called Lucky Ludwig, manages to catch a magical fish (giving him as much money and food as he wants in his magnificent castle as long as he doesn‟t let the secret slip) not once, not twice, but thrice (3). His wife, who is strangely enough called Curious Georgina, nags her powerless partner about the mysterious means of their magnificent change of situation each time, losing everything as he is forced to tell her. The fish finally finds it best to be buried inside the cottage, after being carefully cut into two pieces, which mysteriously results in the pregnancy of Georgina and the birth of two very unique children.
Now before any of you discuss
the probabilities of sixth toes, extra ribs, or awkwardly-placed noses (all three of them…), their interesting condition was that they were made of gold. Of course, this led to their ridicule at school by the neighboring kids (who were also jealous of their golden ponies. Theme? Maybe…). Anyway, wishing to make their way in the world and wanting to show their classmates up, they received their parent‟s permission to head off into the world and make their millions off of the gold market. After the boys had ridden for a day, they approached a forest and, like many forests back in the day, this one was inhabited by thieves. Ruthless, rag-tag, renegade, and roving, these terrible thieves would pounce on riders of means as they traveled through the woods. It was at this point that Argentus, the whiter gold brother, decided that he was too “yellow” to go through the woods since they would be beaten and robbed by the bands of brigands. Auric, oddly enough the brilliantly golden-tan brother, found it best to dress himself in bearskins (therefore appearing fierce or too poor for real clothes) and safely rode through the woods. Argentus, however, rode home and decided to watch over the lilies. You may be wondering “Lilies? Where did these pansy flowers come into this story? Why would I care about them?” but have no fear, these flowers were magical. Unlike your typical garden variety lily, these can actually show how healthy you are (remember what I said at the beginning?), and will come into play soon enough…. Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Auric had fallen in love with a beautiful princess, who politely returned his affection. As young people often do, they fell in love, got married, and settled down. Of course, Auric had not been introduced to the his in-law BEFORE he had gotten settled and was now on the King‟s top-five-men-I-need-to-have-executed-this-week list since he did not
appreciate what Auric was doing with his bearskin look. Luckily for the lad, the king peered into his room as he was placing the pieces of fur on and was noticed to be golden. This saved his life from the fashion-aficionado monarch. Unfortunately for our funny-looking friend, the meals did not agree with him and he dreamt of a stag… the deer kind… and decided he must go hunt it down. Ignoring the sage counsel of his well-dressed wife, he took off to bag the stage and satisfy his dream. As these kind of stories go, he found the stag, but it led him to a witch‟s hut with the gruff inhabitant sitting down to a nice eyeball and spinach casserole after a long day of tormenting the children of the neighboring town. Upset over losing his quarry in the chase, Auric not-so-politely asked the woman if she had seen the deer, and then threatened to shoot the witch‟s Shi Zhu for being a pesky little yapping mongrel. Never one to take insults well, the witch transformed Auric into a stone and returned to her dish. At home, however, Argentus noticed a change in one of the lilies (I told you it was important to know), and set off to rescue his brother. Apparently going around the forest and knowing exactly where the witch‟s cottage was, Argentus made terrific time in trying to reach Auric. Instead of threatening the mangy ankle-biter, Argentus instead threatened the witch and forced her to release his twin from his stony state. They briefly rejoiced and then returned to their respective homes with much rejoicing. The moral of this story is obviously don‟t ask for advice from witches, or never leave home without letting someone know what your special plants do… wait, wait, how about worry about the dog after you take care of the owner… Nevermind, just figure it out yourself… Bis Später, Steven Darnell
Grimm’s Grim Tales: A Commentary on Fairy Tales You Thought You Knew No. 5: All That Is in Bearskin May Be Gold…
The Enchanted Forest– A frequent location of our stories. Photo courtesy of Google Images.
The Carolian Page 11
Non-Gravis
Michael Zaino ‘11 Ace reporter Michael Zaino met with resident St. Charles Preparatory Starbucks Expert Mr. Adam Smith to ask his help in debunking common myths about our favorite coffee joint. Michael Zaino: Here‟s the first myth: Workers have a fine deducted from their paycheck if they are caught not smiling for more than seventeen seconds. Mr. Smith: While smiling is encouraged, no we do not monitor it that closely. I have heard of some people having someone from the company drop by their house to “convince” them to be more friendly. Z: Starbucks coffee‟s secret ingredient is love. S: Oddly enough, it‟s actually coffee. Who would have thought! Z: The name of the woman on the logo is Sheeshaw Fey. S: What? No! It‟s “The Siren” Z: I feel as though Sheeshaw Fey is
much more interesting. Z: Starbucks has its own secret group on Facebook, which is used to communicate their top secret plans to take over the world. S: I‟m not so sure about the world domination thing, but there is a secret group on Facebook for Starbucks employees. Z: The only means of communication from one store location to another is by carrier pigeon. S: Pigeons. Or phones… Z: If you are under sixteen you cannot work at Starbucks. S: Um, Mr. Zaino, that‟s not a myth. You are not able to be hired if you‟re under sixteen years of age. Z: (Skeptically) Uh-huh sure Mr. Smith. Z: The coffee smell is not authentic. It is actually piped in from vents in the ceiling. S: I have heard that to be true. Z: Starbucks is suing Abercrombie & Fitch for stealing this idea.
S: I am not allowed to comment. Z: Hollister is next. S: Perhaps… Z: The most commonly ordered drink is a Mocha Frappuccino. S: Actually it‟s the Carmel Macchiato by a long shot. Z: My research has shown a different result. S: Are you saying that out of all the people you‟ve seen buy a drink, the majority have ordered a Mocha Frappuccino? Z: Oh, no, no, no. That‟s just what I always get. Z: All Starbucks baristas are taught to mix drinks by professional Thai mixologist Loesan Ichiguru. S: You know of Loesan too ?!?! Z: Starbucks‟ famous Tazo tea is not actually real, but a figment of the customer‟s imagination. S: I do believe it‟s real. Z: They got to you too!
Starbucks Myths Debunked
What is The Game you might ask? The Game is an abstract game that many people play often without others knowing about it. A number of St. Charles students play, as well as a certain senior Theology teacher. It is also not even limited to St. Charles. Students at Watterson, DeSales (not that anyone cares), and all across the country play The Game. The rules are incredibly simple and one of the most concise ways to summarize them is, “To know The Game is to play The Game, and to think about The Game is to lose The Game.” Essentially now that you have read this article, you inherently know about The Game. So, you are now playing the game. However, you are also thinking about The Game at the moment so you have also lost The Game. This is the paradox of The Game; you are now
always playing The Game because you know about it. There is nothing you can do about that fact. Also, you will automatically lose just by thinking about it. The most common occurrence of The Game is for someone to just say, “I lost The Game.” By doing this, you have automatically lost The Game because you are thinking about the fact that they just lost it. Other variations are saying, “Game,” “I lost,” or “You lost.” All that really matters is making sure that your target thinks about The Game. As for the person who says it, obviously they lost as well. But when you think about it, first loser is basically second place so you‟re better off than the rest of them. This brings to mind the question of whether or not you can just keep losing The Game as many times as you forget about it or stop thinking about it. No, the rule put in place to
prevent that is that one cannot lose The Game more than once every 30 minutes. It‟s not every half hour of the day though, just a minimum of 30 minutes since you last lost. This is so that easily distracted people can‟t lose 15 times in 20 minutes. If someone tries to make you lose during this half hour interval, they have effectively just committed Game suicide because they have just lost and you cannot. However, after 30 minutes are up, you‟re fair “Game” again. If you are a lucky soul, you will not have to worry about losing The Game because no one will take the time to mention it to you. As for the rest of us who are constantly trying to get others to lose, we aren‟t so lucky. Thus ends your education about the unsung competition that is The Game. Oh, and by the way, you lost The Game.
The Truth About THE GAME (Which You Just Lost) Griffin Fillman ‘11
The Carolian Page 12
The Carolian is the official, student-run newspaper of St. Charles Preparatory School. It is
published monthly during the school year. The Carolian was founded in 1926, and has been one
of the school’s great traditions since its inception. For 84 years, The Carolian has been the
preeminent source of news in the St. Charles community.
T H E C A R O L I A N
Writers Featured:
Sam Powell ‘11
Greg Lindsey ‘11
Steven Darnell ‘11
Michael Zaino ‘11
Andy Sellan ‘11
Osaze Udeagbala ‘11
Eric Shomo ‘11
Griffin Fillman ‘11
Chris D’Angelo ‘12
Adam Henderson ‘12
Peter Vilardi ‘12
Danny Turek ‘12
Adam Mesewicz ‘12
Nick DeJaco ‘12
Owner:
Mr. Dominic J. Cavello ’64
Faculty Moderator:
Mr. Jack Gibbons ‘81
Editor-in-Chief:
Sam Powell ‘11
Managing Editor:
Greg Lindsey ‘11
Editors:
Sam Powell’11
Greg Lindsey ‘11
Eric Shomo ‘11
Chris D’Angelo ‘12
Adam Henderson ‘12
Photographers Featured:
Griffin Fillman ‘11
Mrs. Kris Doney
The Carolian may be found online at the St. Charles preparatory School official web page,
StCharlesPrep.org
Any inquiries concerning The Carolian may be directed to:
Mr. Jack Gibbons - Faculty Moderator
Mr. Sam Powell - Editor-in-Chief
St. Charles Preparatory may be reached by the following means:
Address:
2010 East Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio
43209
Phone:
614-252-6714
Fax:
614-251-6800
Front Page photo of St.
Charles Building courtesy of
Steven Turville, Class of
2010.
