TOPDOG/UNDERDOG by Christopher Lei, Jake Silver, and Joseph Toye

Suzan-Lori Parks wrote the play Topdog/Underdog; it was performed from February 9th to February 24th at Johnson Theater at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville, Tennessee. On the night of February 15th, the audience was composed of local Nashville theater enthusiasts and a handful of Vanderbilt theater students. Topdog/Underdog delineates the story of two…

Posted by Jake Silver on March 10, 2019 in 1010 blog posts, Analysis Essay, Blog posts, News, Production Review

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On this campus, emotions are…

…taboo.  People often feel that they must put on a brave face which can mean hiding true emotions. …outwardly only positive.  It’s not normal on this campus to express any emotion other than “I’m doing fine.” …swept under the rug.  A campus like Vanderbilt is very tough academically and socially.  I feel like a lot…

Posted by essinec on February 3, 2016 in News

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The Importance of Chasing a Dream according to City of Songs by John Voetsch

I am not a usual theatre-goer. I prefer TV shows and movies, as well as contemporary concerts, like Jay-Z or Avicii. Despite my lack of experience in theatre, I found that I really enjoyed City of Songs, performed by Vanderbilt University students. I found the play to be extremely entertaining with its mix of music…

Posted by essinec on November 20, 2015 in News

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Gross Indecency in Relation to Campus Politics and Advocacy by Blair Godsey

Throughout the course of reading Gross Indecency, I thought that the occurrences in this play have some sort of relevance to what is occurring not only on Vanderbilt’s campus, but on college campuses across the country as well. Recently, it seems that every time I turn on the news, I hear another story about a…

Posted by essinec on November 20, 2015 in News

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City of Refugees by Kirtan Patel

As I sat down in Neely Auditorium on November 13th, 2015 to watch City of Songs, an original play put on by Vanderbilt University Theatre, I prepared myself to enter another reality in both representation and relevance. After the conclusion of the production, I left the auditorium and opened up the CNN news application on…

Posted by essinec on November 20, 2015 in News

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City of Songs by Seunghoon Song

City of Songs is a darkly comic and music-filled exploration of race, identity, and what it means to be American in present-day Nashville through the perspective of an immigrant family. The general plot of the play focuses mainly on the different hardships faced by an immigrant family, but concludes with the idea that “you can…

Posted by essinec on November 20, 2015 in News

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Nashville, AKA Little Kurdistan: An Analysis of City of Songs by Clark Hart

Nashville is a city of nicknames: Music City, Nash Vegas, and the Athens of the South. But for Nashville residents who have emigrated from the Middle East, Little Kurdistan is their nickname of choice. City of Songs, an original play developed by Brian Granger and the members of the Vanderbilt University Theatre cast, highlights the…

Posted by essinec on November 20, 2015 in News

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Diwali 2015: A Blending of Cultures by Kevin Adams

On the night of November 7th, hundreds of students waited in line outside Langford Auditorium, anxiously awaiting entrance to the annual showing of Diwali. The performance shares its name with the Hindu holiday that occurs in autumn, translating to the “Festival of Lights.” Put on by student members of the SACE (South Asian Cultural Exchange)…

Posted by essinec on November 16, 2015 in News, Diwali, Inside Out, SACE

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Diwali by Chris Fitzgerald

Having never been to a Diwali celebration before I had little to no idea of what to expect on the night of November 7th. The only time I had actually ever heard about Diwali previously was on The Office when the office attended Kelly’s Diwali celebration. This showcase event was a much greater spectacle than…

Posted by essinec on November 16, 2015 in News, Bollywood, Diwali

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Diwali: One Step towards Cultural Awareness by Julie Jones

On November 7th, I attended SACE’s Diwali 2015 Showcase: Inside Out. Diwali is a cultural dance show named after the largest and most important Hindu festival of the year. Characterized by colorful costumes, energetic movement, and smiling faces, Diwali is a masterpiece of showmanship. Each act is comprised of dozens of Vanderbilt students dancing in…

Posted by essinec on November 16, 2015 in News, Bhangra, Diwali, Raas, SACE

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