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Black Box Theater comes out with another hit production

January 25th, 2011

By Shambhavi Ranjan
Staff Writer

On January 6th, the Black Box Theater came out with the production of Signs of Life. The play is written by Deborah Brevoort and directed by Cristie Basinas. The cast consists of only two people, Abe and Sal, played by Daniel Regan and Sarah Vasilevsky.

Signs of Life is a play about a couple, Abe and Sal, who go on a journey across the country to follow the stars. They start at New Jersey, when Abe talks to the stars and Sal gets a magical tattoo in the shape of a star. Abe and Sal have been wishing for a child, and one day Abe gets a sign to follow the stars. They go on, following the stars to see signs of birth and life.

Regan and Vasilevsky were the only two actors in the play. This meant that they would get more attention and more lines to memorize.

“Yeah, is was difficult. If you missed one line, it brought down the whole play,” said Vasilevsky.

The set was fairly simple. There were a few tires, which were seats in a car, and then the tires became holes in the ground. Besides the tires, there was nothing else. That also caused most of the attention to go to the actors, which made this play even harder to Regan and Vasilevsky. But even with the hardships, Regan and Vasilevsky had no trouble with their characters.

“It was not hard. I could feel the character,” said Regan.

Signs of Life was a short, sweet, and simple play of a mere 50 minutes. The play made you think about what was going on, and made you analyze the meaning to every sign. The ending of the play was abrupt, making the audience want to see more. At the end, everyone piled out of the theater, and gave their hugs and kisses to the actors and back stage staff.

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Top 10 shows to watch this season

January 11th, 2011

Pretty Little Liars

By Shambhavi Ranjan
Staff Writer

The New Year 2011 has already come, and so has new TV shows. Television shows are something that every teenager watches when they have free time, or maybe even if they don’t have free time. There are so many series out there that some people don’t know what to watch. This list of the top 10 shows to watch will help you all decide which shows you should pay attention to.

At number 10, Man vs. Food. This is a food reality show, which started in 2008. Adam Richman hosts the program. In each episode, Richman explores the “big food” offerings of a different American city before facing off against a pre-existing eating challenge at a local restaurant.

At number 9, Saturday Night Live. SNL is a live late-night show, which showcases sketch comedy. The show sketches usually parody American culture and politics. The show started in 1975 and has been a show for 36 years, having 36 seasons.

At number 8, Tosh.0., a comedy show hosted by Daniel Tosh. Tosh gives sarcastic comments on video clips, celebrities, society, and other current events. The comments are humorous, making the show a comedy. The show started in 2009 and is currently on its third season.

At number 7, South Park. South Park is a cartoon, but not meant for young viewers. The cartoon revolves around four kids who live in a Colorado town. The show focuses on various topics and is very crude about them. The show came out in 1997 and is still running.

At number 6, Family Guy. Family Guy is another cartoon not meant for young children. The cartoon focuses in on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family. The show has a lot of humor, parodying American pop-culture. The show started in 1999 and is still running.

At number 5, Modern Family. Modern Family is a comedy series. The story follows the Prichetts, who live in a suburb of LA. The show focuses on the problems in the family and what happens within the family with humor. The show started in 2009 and is in its third season.

At number 4, The Big Bang Theory. BBT is a comedy sitcom. The show is set in California and centers around five people. The show focuses on the geekiness, which adds humor to the show. The show started in 2007 and is still running.

At number 3, Glee. Glee is a musical-comedy drama. It is about a high school glee club called New Directions. The club competes on the show choir competition circuit. All the members have to deal with their own problems such as relationships and social issues. The show started in 2009 and is still running.

At number 2, Jersey Shore. Jersey Shore is a reality show. The show focuses on 8 housemates that spend the summer together. This reality showcases the problems the housemates have when they live with each other. The show started in 2009 in Jersey Shore. Season two took place in Miami because of the snow, but now Jersey Shore is back to Jersey Shore for its third season.

And finally at number 1, Pretty Little Liars. Pretty Little Liars was first a book before it became a television series. Pretty Little Liars is about four girls – Spencer, Aria, Hannah, and Emily. Their clique falls apart once their leader, Alison, disappears. A few years later, they start receiving text messages from someone under the name of “A”. The show started in 2010, and is now on its second season.

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It’s a Family Affair: The Kumars cope with a comfortable distance

January 7th, 2011

By Shambhavi Ranjan
Staff Writer

Some kids might be embarrassed to have their parents working in their school, but Manu Kumar is not. Mrs. Kumar and Manu share a very open relationship inside and outside of school. They are not shy or embarrassed by their presence in the school.

Manu is a senior at WA while Mrs. Kumar is an English teacher at WA.

“Manu is my second one. I had a daughter who graduated from here in 2009, so I feel comfortable in having my kids in the school I teach in,” said Mrs. Kumar.

Even though they are comfortable around each other, they do not think that being in the same class would be a good idea.

“I mean it would be a little awkward. Actually, Manu was accidentally placed in my class, but we went down to guidance to get it fixed so that it wouldn’t be awkward for both of us,” said Mrs. Kumar.

Even if Manu isn’t in Mrs. Kumar’s class, he has friends who are in her class.

“Sometimes they come and tell me about what is going on in her class. They also talk to me about their opinions on her and her lessons,” said Manu.

Mrs. Kumar likes to keep a professional relationship with Manu’s friends in the classroom.

Mrs. Kumar and Manu are very open in public about their mother-son relationship. Manu says hi to Mrs. Kumar in the hallways and Mrs. Kumar always introduces her son to other staff members at WA.

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Cross country ski team is ready to hit the snow

December 2nd, 2010

By Shambhavi Ranjan
Staff Writer
Last Monday, the cross-country ski team started their practice for the season. Even though there is no snow, they are working on physical conditioning. The snow will be falling soon, and they need to get in shape. Read the rest of this entry “

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Nick Nudler takes the spotlight in the Phantom of the Opera

November 16th, 2010

Shambhavi Ranjan
Staff Writer

In the Phantom of the Opera presented by WATA, freshman Nick Nudler plays the role of Raoul, one of the main characters. It is difficult for freshman to get such big roles, since they are “fresh men” and do not have much experience. But because of his talent, Nudler got chosen for the role of Raoul. Read the rest of this entry “

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Black Box Theater Brings laughter and tears

October 30th, 2010

By Shambhavi Ranjan
Staff Writer

On October 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th, the play Eleemosynary, written by Lee Blessing and directed by Emily Moler, took place in the Black Box Theater. Many people anticipating the event had arrived in front of the small theater. Everyone bought his or her ticket, and the door was finally opened. However, there were too many people, and as a result many sat on the ground. The lights came on, and the play began. Read the rest of this entry “

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Top ten scary movies to watch on Halloween night

October 30th, 2010

By Shambhavi Ranjan
Staff Writer

Halloween is finally here, and scary movies are a great way to enjoy it. There are so many out there, but the best are those which scare you the most. Which ones are worth watching? My top ten horror movies ranging from 2005 to 2010 should help you decide.

At number ten is the movie The Hills Have Eyes 2. This movie is about a family that is on a road trip when their trailer breaks down in a desert in New Mexico. They are unexpectedly attacked by humans disfigured from radiation. The Hills Have Eyes 2 got a rating of three out of five stars.

At number nine is the movie The Fourth Kind. This movie is about the disappearances in Alaska in 2000. This movie includes real clips of people talking to psychiatrists The Fourth Kind got a rating of three out of five stars.

At number eight is the movie The Ring. This movie is about a video, and who ever watches it dies exactly seven days later. The Ring got a rating of three out of five stars.

At number seven is the movie The Crazies. This movie is about a sheriff who must find out why a man attempted to kill a youth baseball team and why a man burned his wife and children. Soon the town is closed, and no one can leave. The Crazies got a rating of 3.5 out of five stars.

At number six is the movie Shutter Island. This movie is about an inspector who goes to a remote island to investigate the disappearance of a murderess who escaped a hospital. Shutter Island got a rating of 3.5 out of five stars.

At number five is the movie The Grudge 2. This movie is about a woman in Tokyo who is under the same curse her sister has. They discover a group of other people who have the same curse and they try to free themselves. The Grudge 2 got a review of 3.5 out of five stars.

At number four is the movie The Strangers. This movie is about a young couple that is staying at an isolated vacation house. Three unknown assailants attack the couple. The Strangers got a rating of four out of five stars.

At number three is the movie Saw 3D. This movie is about a serial killer named Jigsaw. The 3D affects makes the dangerous machines used to kill people jump at you. Saw 3D got a rating of four out of five stars.

At number two is the movie Friday the Thirteenth (2009). This movie is about a man named Freddy who looks for his missing sister at Crystal Lake. He then finds out about the secret of Jason Voorhees. Now it is Freddy vs. Jason. Friday the Thirteenth (2009) got a rating of four out of five stars.

Lastly, at number one is the movie Paranormal Activity. After a couple experiences break-ins in their suburban home, they set up cameras around the house to see what exactly is going on. But the events that they see in the cameras are not what they were expecting. Paranormal Activty got a rating of four out of five stars. These movies should give you a scare on Halloween night.

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