The Binghamton University theatre department’s Mainstage production of “Rent” has been in rehearsals all semester, first with vocals because the characters in “Rent” communicate almost exclusively in song.

“This production is wall-to-wall music,” said Tom Kremer, “Rent” director and theatre professor. “There is a page and a half of dialogue at most at one time, that’s it.”

Alex Gill-Pelchar, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, is playing Roger, a rock band singer who is dying of AIDS and dealing with the recent suicide of his longterm girlfriend. Gill-Pelchar has never seen the movie or musical live, but watched the Broadway production recording in a theater class before auditioning for the production.

“All of my opinions of ‘Rent’ are from doing it,” Gill-Pelchar said. “I didn’t have expectations going in; if the audience wanted to see a production of the movie, they should watch the movie. This is our take on ‘Rent.’”

With an immobile, mostly bare set adorning the Watters stage, the cast brings the musical to life with their own physicality and passion for each other and their performance.

“The set is highly theatrical and non-realistic, which is what we have been going for,” Kremer said. “It is the complete opposite of the movie.”

Adriana Caminero, who is playing uptight lawyer Joanne and a junior double-majoring in environmental studies and theater, added, ”We create the places on the set, from the lot to the loft to my apartment. Not that it isn’t important to have a set, but we keep the space alive with our words and how we interact with each other on stage.”

The theatre department Mainstage productions are the only theatrical productions on campus that offer students the opportunity to work with professors. When asked what it is like to work on an actual production with the department in comparison to taking theater courses, Erik Young, a senior majoring in theater, describes the two experiences as completely different.

“It is theory versus practice,” Young said. “You can work scenes in class all day long but once you get it on stage in front of 900 people, the work becomes a completely different animal, and there’s a different level of excitement there.”

While Mainstage productions are run through the theatre department, students do not need to be theater majors to audition. As a student in the Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science, Gill-Pelchar didn’t believe he would have the time or opportunity to do theater in college.

“I am so grateful for the reception I’ve received in the department,” Gill-Pelchar said. “Being able to audition for productions and to be welcomed in by the community was a really good feeling, and I never once felt like I was on the outside.”

Gill-Pelchar encourages students to come support the department and their fellow students by seeing “Rent.”

“This is something students should be proud of because it is students from their school up on that stage who have practiced and worked hard all semester,” Gill-Pelchar said. “They should want to go and support people doing what they love.”

“Come for the fun. It’s entertaining, it’s moving and it’s a chance to enter into another world for a couple hours, hopefully taking something back from it,” Kremer said.

Audiences can expect a wonderful night of high energy and musical euphoria. There is a reason students have been begging the department for years to perform this musical, and their passion for these characters and this story will be evident in the cast’s performance.

Performances are at 8 p.m. on Nov. 15, 16, 22 and 23, with an additional 2 p.m. showing on Nov. 24 in Watters Theater. Tickets are $10 for students, $16 for faculty, staff and seniors and $18 for general admission. You can purchase tickets at the Anderson Center Box Office or by calling 607-777-ARTS (2787).

Vegan Vampire Martini

Ingredients: 1/4 cup fresh tomato juice, 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1/8 teaspoon chili powder, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional), 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional), 1/2 cup regular or jalapeño-flavored vodka, ice, olives (for garnish)

Spice up your Halloween festivities with a Vampire Martini that delivers a surprising bite. Pour tomato juice, hot sauce, seasoned salt, chili powder, pepper and garlic powder into a pitcher and stir. Combine the mixture with vodka in a cocktail shaker, and strain into a martini or other festive glass. You can add olives for a garnish and even clip a pair of vampire fangs to the rim for an added touch. Though vampires certainly like their rare meat, this tasty drink is completely vegan-friendly.

Bloody Brain Shooter

Ingredients: 1 1/4 oz. strawberry vodka, 1/8 oz. lime juice, 3/4 oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream, splash of grenadine

It wouldn’t be Halloween without blood and brains. The delicious Bloody Brain Shooter is the perfect Halloween pre-game specialty. Combine chilled vodka and lime juice in a cocktail shaker, and strain into a shot glass. To put Bailey’s into the shot, submerge the straw in the Bailey’s, put your finger on the top and dip the straw into the vodka. Slowly release your finger from the straw and watch the Bailey’s slightly curdle in reaction to the lime juice, making strands that appear brain-like. Repeat this until you have a complete brain floating at the top of the shot glass. Add a splash of grenadine to sweeten this creepy concoction.

Candy Corn Jell-O Shots

Ingredients: small package of orange Jell-O (any flavor works), small package of yellow Jell-O (also, any flavor works), can of condensed milk, eight packets of Knox Gelatine, vodka, peach schnapps, water

Candy Corn Jell-O shots are a Halloween classic, imitating the colors of the Wunderle Candy Company’s famous candy corn treats. Variations involve coconut, vanilla, pineapple, butterscotch and more, but this is the traditional vodka and peach schnapps recipe. Boil one cup of water in a saucepan, adding two packages of Knox Gelatine in, whisking it until it dissolves. Taking the pan off the heat, add the yellow Jell-O and one cup of vodka, whisking these together until it’s all dissolved. Pour the Jell-O/vodka mixture into Dixie cups (1/4 inch in each). Refrigerate and let them sit for 30-60 minutes. For the second layer, follow the same recipe, except add half a cup of peach schnapps and half a cup of vodka instead of a full cup of vodka. For the third step, boil a cup of water into a saucepan and remove from heat, whisking in two packages of Knox Gelatine. Once the gelatin is dissolved, add and whisk in the condensed milk. If desired, you may add half a cup of vanilla-flavored liquor during this step. Pour this mixture onto the first layers in Dixie cups, and once again refrigerate and let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. This recipe certainly takes a little longer to make, but the result is worth the wait.

Screaming Witch’s Brew (Beer Punch)

Ingredients: 16 cups cinnamon liqueur, 1-3/8 cups pumpkin-flavored beer (or other basic lager of choice), 1 cup orange-flavored whiskey or liqueur (such as Cointreau), 3/4 cup orange juice, 1-1/4 cups dry champagne, 3/4 cup lemon-lime soda, 1 tablespoon apple juice, one 12 oz. can root beer, fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup grenadine, fresh orange juice (frozen into ice cubes), candy of choice (for garnish), lemon and lime slices (for garnish)

Gathering the ingredients is the hardest part of this phantom punch, which makes up to 20 servings. Simply add them all together in a punch bowl, but hold back the the orange juice ice cubes and garnishes until right before your guests arrive.

Do not let Halloween pass without trying one of these devilishly delectable drinks; everyone deserves a treat for the holidays.

“Sex draws,” said Carol Hanscom, Binghamton University theatre professor and “Don’t Dress for Dinner” director. Hanscom chose a quick-paced sex farce because of its appeal to college students.

The play, first written in French by Marc Camoletti, is a sex farce with sharp writing and even sharper plot twists. It became more famous after Robin Hawdon translated and rewrote the play in English. It’s one of Camoletti’s most famous works, along with “Boeing-Boeing,” another one of his farces and one of the most-performed French plays in the world.

“With students not having as much life experience, I‘m curious to see how they respond — watching a group of their peers who are playing middle-aged, stuck-in-their-ways people who have found that life can be boring and maybe need a little spice to keep it interesting,” Hanscom said.

The cast is dedicated to preserving the British adaption of the script by maintaining British accents and the art of fight choreography. Nicolas Coccaro, an undeclared freshman, choreographed all the fight sequences and, according to Hanscom, was a pleasure to have as an addition to the production.

“It is a lot of fun to do all the fight choreography with Nick’s advice. It’s cool to be violent but not hurt anybody,” said Anthony Gabriele, a cast member and a sophomore majoring in computer science.

Eric Berger, an undeclared freshman, said that the show’s physical interaction differentiates it from talkier, more typical plays.

“This show is a bunch of shenanigans and if there is anything that college students like, it is shenanigans, and guys beating other guys, and women being piled on top of them; three prime reasons right there,” Berger said.

Hanscom cannot stress enough how much “Don’t Dress for Dinner” could be a great respite from all the studying and academic stuff students have to do.

“They should come and laugh and relax and put the books away for a couple hours,” she said. “[They’ll] get swept up in the nonsense that happens on stage in front of them.”

Tickets for “Don’t Dress for Dinner” are discounted for students on opening night for $5 if you purchase them before 5 p.m. General ticket pricing is $8 for students, $12 for faculty, staff and senior citizens and $14 for general admission. The show premieres on Oct. 18 in the Anderson Center’s Chamber Hall at 8 p.m. There will be additional performances on Oct. 19, 25 and 26 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.

“Hair” tells the story of a “tribe” of friends fighting against government ideals during the Vietnam War. Together, they struggle to avoid the draft and the expectations of their conservative parents, instead seeking to spread the peace movement.

This is not the first time the Hinman Production Company has performed “Hair” in the Hinman Commons. In the last 30 years, “Hair” has been elected the semester musical multiple times, with performances in ’92 and ’02 prior to this semester’s production. HPC alumnus Mark Solkoff even plans to make the trip to Binghamton for the show.

“We can’t wait to breathe the air in the Commons once again!” Solkoff said.

Sean Marrin, a senior double-majoring in math and psychics, plays free-spirited Berger.

Marrin thinks “Hair” is one of the most experimental shows to ever make it to Broadway, warranting most of its success from how people identified with the message of the show.

“I auditioned because I wanted both the experience of sharing the joy of the show with audience and my cast as well as developing an understanding of the show and its importance as a period piece,” Marrin said.

Samantha Mooney, a co-director and a junior majoring in chemistry, found that “Hair” was different than other shows she has worked on with HPC because this is such an experimental production.

“This show was an extremely collaborative process, which required creative input from every single person involved,” Mooney said. “Many times actors suggested ideas that the directors loved, and were then incorporated into the show. I believe that everyone’s talents were fully utilized, which made this such a unique, wonderful experience.”

Dana Vernetti, a co-director and a sophomore majoring in political science, elaborated on the talents and strengths of the cast members who helped so significantly with the production’s formation.

“They truly have become their own ‘tribe’ and embraced everything the show stands for,” Vernetti said. “This is one of the biggest ensemble musicals there is, as there is rarely a time where the full cast isn’t on stage, which means everyone is interacting and working together all the time. It’s exhausting, and yet their energy level is always through the roof.”

Gregory Smaldone, a junior double-majoring in history and accounting, stars as Claude, the leader of the tribe. He thinks students will enjoy “Hair” because it is a very unique musical in that it is more about sending a message than about telling a story.

“It preaches the virtues of peace, loving people for who they are, and exploring the creative dose of life and of your mind,” Smaldone said. “It is also a strong condemnation of the Vietnam war and of the draft system in general, which at the time was a very radical position to take.”

This is certainly a musical that will not only entertain viewers throughout the entire performance, but will also be a production from which they can take something with them after the curtain call concludes.

There are moments of love, moments of intense drug trips and moments of clarity for the young tribe members who come to realizations about the government and what it means to be a leader. These elements make it impossible to miss this production, which promises to be a rewarding experience.

Performances are in the Hinman Commons. Tickets are $5 and are sold at the door.

Lindsey Pasieka, a sophomore majoring in English, plays the young and cheerful Dottie Coburn. She commented that the plot of the play offers scenes of hilarious insanity throughout the performance.

“The characters all have these fantastic little quirks that come alive on stage in hilarious ways,” Pasieka said. “The show also offers romance, arguments, police officers, drugged girls and a gumbo-obsessed producer. If that doesn’t intrigue you, I don’t know what will.”

Jorge Granja, a junior majoring in human development who plays the handsome Tony Dennison, agreed that audiences should find the performance very entertaining.

“The show itself is a timeless piece in the sense that it shows the life of people striving to be actors but adds a comedic touch to it,” Granja said. “It’s enjoyable to see the relationships of the six main characters and how they work off of each other to try and achieve success.”

Granja explained that this production specifically has required a rehearsal process that involves more acting theory than the previous Dickinson Community Players shows he has been a part of.

“It helps the show and DCP as a club in general because we are developing as actors in technique and not just experience,” he said.

Pasieka also talked about the unique in-depth character development she did for this show, which she has not been asked to do for past productions.

“Our directors scheduled one-on-one meetings with each of us to discuss our roles,” Pasieka said. “They used techniques from Constantin Stanislavsky, Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner to help us go deeper into the text. They explored the subtleties of each scene and constantly encouraged us to raise the stakes and find new nuances in our characters.”

Binghamton University is in for a treat with this Dickinson Community Players production. It promises to go above and beyond what one is used to seeing from the club because of the time and dedication the actors and directors have put into the preparations for the performance.

Students can purchase tickets for “Out of the Frying Pan” for $3 at the door. The show premieres at 8 p.m. on Nov. 30 and has additional performances at 8 p.m. on Dec. 1 and 3 p.m. on Dec. 2 in the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center’s Multipurpose Room.

Director Austin Tooley, a second-year graduate student studying theater, described working on this production as an exciting challenge.

“I was looking for a play with a clear, exciting story that could resonate with the audience here at the University and I think that the issues in the play — class, addiction, prejudice, social justice and depression — are so important and omnipresent that any audience member will be able to recognize the situation and hopefully come away with a lasting impression,” Tooley said.

The rehearsal process for student directors such as Tooley reveals how they use the knowledge learned in the classroom for plays in the theater department. Student directors can relate to the actors and thoroughly explain the details in each scene on their level, as they have taken the same classes.

Jacob Wentlent, a senior majoring in theater who plays RJ in the play, said his wanting to work with Tooley is one of the main reasons he auditioned for the production.

“I saw a production directed by Austin Tooley last semester, and really loved what I saw,” Wentlent said. “In talking with actors from that production, they made it very clear that Austin was an exciting, intelligent director to work with. That was the deciding factor in auditioning. I do find the play very interesting. It is a one-act, which means it’s the perfect length, not too long, not too short. It is full of twists and turns that, as an actor, are extremely fun to play.”

“Problem Child” is not only an entertaining comedy that pulls at your heartstrings, but also stands out because of its heavier issues. Written by George Walker, it is the final studio show of the semester and is not to be missed.

The production premieres at 5 p.m. on Nov. 30, with additional performances at 5 p.m on Dec. 1. and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 in the Gruber Theatre (Studio B), Fine Arts Building room 196. Tickets are $3 and can be purchased at the door.

For those unfamiliar with the plot, “Hairspray” centers around a heavy-set Baltimore teen, Tracy Turnblad, during the 1960s when television shows were beginning to desegregate. Tracy enjoys dancing and has her heart set on performing on the popular television show, “The Corny Collins Show.” However, as she pursues this dream Tracy discovers the unfair treatment of blacks in the industry and makes it her mission to help integrate the television show.

When it came time for professor Anne Brady to select a musical to direct for the fall 2012 semester, she wanted to find something fun.

“I loved working with JoEllen [the choreographer] on ‘Urinetown’ and I wanted to do lots of dancing and could incorporate as many people as possible, because I wanted to bring new people into department,” Brady said.

Brady had to beg the costume and design departments because of how much work would be required for a show like “Hairspray.” She explained that the play’s novelty and relatability would make it a big hit with the campus audience.

The department not only had to find a way to keep the play within budget, but they also had to perform the play on a stage with little storage space to tell a story with several different locations. It takes “We Can’t Stop the Beat” to an entirely different level — the actors literally change scene on set while singing, dancing and acting, continuing the play’s journey without a second to stop and breathe.

“We have three round platforms of various sizes that shift during the course of the play,” Brady said. “There are several elements that fly in and out as well.”

Rudy Bamenga, a senior majoring in theater who plays Seaweed, said he enjoys the different levels of the set.

“They definitely give me a lot more of an opportunity to play around with the set, and the fact that it does move so often make this a production where I can easily be influenced by the set,” Bamenga said.

Michelle Goldrich, an undeclared sophomore, plays spunky and strong-willed Tracy Turnblad. This is Goldrich’s first production with the theater department.

“I did shows in high school, but this is a completely different level of professionalism,” Goldrich said. “Anne has you say what is your intention and how you are affecting each person, and how are they affecting you. It’s more than words in script. What am I doing has taken acting to a whole other level. It’s crazy and I’m loving it.”

Imani Williams, a sophomore majoring in theater, said the secret to handling the challenge of energetically singing and dancing at the same time is in the cast’s stamina and endurance; they continue to power through even when they are exhausted at the end of the show. She confessed that a big reason she tried out for “Hairspray” was the appeal of a black ensemble.

“I thought I’d like to see what it feels like to go back to the 60s and see if I could take on feeling what a black person felt at that time,” Williams said.

Underneath all the glamour and dancing, “Hairspray” is filled with deeper messages that will speak to audiences and resonate with them.

“As light-hearted as it is, it also has some really interesting and important messages about how people can be who they are, and that the things that separate us aren’t really that different,” said Brendan Gregory, a sophomore majoring in theater.

Performances will be Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 7 and 8 at 8 p.m., with an additional performance on Dec. 9 at 9 p.m. All performances will be in Watters Theater. Tickets for “Hairspray” can be purchased at the box office in the Anderson Center, by calling the Anderson Center Box Office at (777) ARTS-2787 or by visiting www.binghamton.edu/anderson-center. Tickets are $10 for students, $16 for faculty, staff and seniors and $18 for general admission.

“Mauritius,” a play written by Theresa Rebeck, is named after the Mauritius Post Office stamps; only 500 were printed. The only known cover bearing the two Mauritius Post Office stamps was sold at the 1993 Feldman auction for $3,829,500, the highest price ever paid for a single philatelic item. The play begins with two half-sisters discovering a rare stamp collection after their mother’s death. Audiences may be wondering how a play that’s premise is stamp collecting could possibly be a suspense thriller.

Lindsay Ryan, a senior majoring in sociology, who plays one of the sisters, Jackie, explained that stamp collecting has a shady side.

“Everyone collects something, this is adults doing that and being passionate about collecting,” Ryan said. “It’s a story about going after what you want and not letting anyone stop you, and when these five people do just that, that’s where conflicts happens. No one takes others’ wants into consideration, and things happen because of it. You get to see what people do when they’re not following social rules, nor taking the nice side of the road.”

Director and professor Carol Hanscom chose this play for the first Mainstage production of the year because it answered some of the department’s problems with season scheduling, as a smaller cast was needed to balance the enormous number of actors who were cast for the Mainstage musical, “Hairspray.”

“I read about ‘Mauritius’ when it opened on Broadway in 2007, and I was intrigued by it,” Hanscom said. “I had ordered a copy and started using it in classes for scene work. I brought it before the committee, and they thought it answered the requirements of the department. Though the play has a terrible title, if we get word out, people will see that it is really fun, suspenseful, and even funny at times.”

In recent years, the theater department has incorporated professors as actors into the main stage production to provide a whole new level of learning for both the students and professors. In “Mauritius,” professor Thomas Kremer, director of production programs and acting and directing for the theater department, plays Sterling, one of the seedy collectors who tries to claim the sisters’ rare stamp for his own.

“We’ve learned that it’s another way of teaching,” Kremer said. “It’s interesting to be inside the process and trying to teach from that side, because this is a time for us to learn what the students go through. Everyone in the cast is talented and fun to work with. I don’t in any way, shape, or form feel like I’m in a student production; we’re on an even heel.”

Steve Tarnow, a graduate student studying theater who plays Philip, is using the production as his graduate thesis. He wanted to audition for this play after reading it and realizing it is not about polite people sitting in a parlor looking at stamps.

“I did a complete one-eighty after reading ‘Mauritius,’” Tarnow said. “Everything I didn’t expect to be in there, was. There’s conflict, grittiness, greed, desire and even hints of love, spoiler alert.”

Tarnow passionately commented on how he found himself having so many opinions left and right from just reading it. He really wanted the opportunity to be a part of that kind of turmoil and open-faced, close-fisted drama.

“Every single moment is conflict,” Tarnow said. “There almost is the potential for violence all the way through the play, and some places we actually do get violent.”

Ryan thinks the audience will be able to relate to her character’s relationship with graduate student Kaitlyn Brown’s character, Mary, because they play sisters who must handle a death in the family.

“When belongings of the deceased are being argued over, you see sides of people you would never have seen as they argue over who the deceased loved the most, who was there for the deceased when they were alive and who wasn’t,” Ryan said. “There’s hidden resentments that come out, you really see that, which people will relate to and have a fear of.”

“It touches on the idea that even when people take active steps to not be a family, death brings people back into that family situation,” Tarnow said in agreement with Ryan. “How do you deal with that? How do you make it work? Is there a family dynamic to come back to? How do you get there? This play touches on all of that.”

Tickets for “Mauritius” can be purchased at the box office in the Anderson Center, by calling the Anderson Center Box Office at (777) ARTS-2787 or by visiting www.anderson.binghamton.edu. Tickets are $8 for students, $12 for faculty, staff, and seniors and $14 for general admission. Student admission is $5 with a student ID at the box office in the Anderson Center for the opening night performance, Oct. 19 at 8. Performances continue on Oct. 20, 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. with an additional matinee at 2 p.m. on Oct. 28.

This was the first play Steve Martin ever wrote, and attempts were made to create a film based on the production, but none were successful. It is refreshing that the Dickinson Community Players have chosen a production written within the last 20 years, compared to the majority of theater productions on campus and in the area, which tend to stick with older plays.

“Picasso at the Lapin Agile” is about the shift from the 19th century to the 20th century, focusing on the great events that happened in the fields of art and science during that time period, and features Picasso and Einstein meeting at a bar.

“My favorite scene in the play has to be when Picasso and Einstein have their argument scene, because it brings out a competitive side of Einstein that is rarely seen in the play,” said Jonathan Zolot, a junior majoring in computer engineering. “Even after all the fighting they are still able to put their genius aside and be friends with each other, bonding in the fact that they are both genius.”

Zolot plays the visitor, who is crucial in making sure Picasso receives the message that allows him to paint his most beautiful works of art.

Michelle Asarch, a sophomore double-majoring in English and studio art, plays the Countess. She laughs at Einstein’s jokes, allowing the audience to find the Unified Field Theory humorous.

“My favorite scene is the one where a steamy secret among the main characters comes to light,” Asarch said. “You’ll understand it once you see it.”

Asarch found out about Dickinson Community Players at University Fest last fall and has been in four out of the five productions they have done since she got to Binghamton.

“DCP feels like a real family,” she explained. “We’re all close and love spending time bonding with each other, always greeting new members with a warm welcome and a great community atmosphere. You really can’t find that anywhere else.”

Audiences will enjoy “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” because the friendships the cast members have really add to their chemistry on stage.

Zolot agreed.

“I mean, as much as the play itself is important, which it is, the chemistry between the cast does have impact on the show,” he said. “If a cast has better chemistry and are getting along really well it will make for a better show.”

In a letter published in La Grande Observer, Steve Martin said that the play aimed to explain “the similarity of the creative process involved in great leaps of imagination in art and science.”

“Picasso at the Lapin Agile” is a unique show that provides theater-goers with a new type of theatrical production and proves that modern plays can hold their own next to older plays.

Tickets for “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” are $3 and will be sold at the door.

While Binghamton University’s Glee Club also sings and dances like the characters on the hit show, it is very different from its on-screen counterpart. In fact, none of the club’s founding members actually watch “Glee.”

Paul Barone, a sophomore double-majoring in biology and Italian, sings tenor and bass in Glee Club.

“Honestly, I’ve never seen ‘Glee,’ the show, but I can tell you that the best parts of the club are extremely spontaneous — a lot of the best memories come completely out of nowhere,” Barone said in an email. “I don’t think any scripted TV show can really capture that.”

The Glee Club was founded by four friends who wanted to sing, not competitively, but for fun. Christine Scherer, a senior majoring in human development, is co-president of the group. She began planning and organizing the club last September. By October, she managed to get Glee chartered and rehearsals started.

“We found a pianist and guitar player for the group, taught the songs (and choreographed some as well), and had our first show in December,” Scherer wrote in an email. “I still feel fortunate that we were able to pull that off — it was a ton of work in a small amount of time, but it was so worth it.”

Jesus Hernandez, a senior majoring in psychology, is vice president and a co-founder of Glee Club. He joined the group because he felt that the idea was new to Binghamton. He described the group as broke college students singing, dancing and playing instruments during their free time and felt that it was something people would want to do in their free time.

“I think the coolest part of the Glee Club is the sense of community you feel once you are in,” Hernandez wrote in an email. “You feel accepted and encouraged to break out your comfort zone and have a crazy time at rehearsals.”

Maura Lewis, a sophomore double-majoring in actuarial science and economics, was voted as the Glee Club’s musical director in January 2012 and has loved it ever since. She wanted to be involved with a lower-commitment musical group on campus that still sounded awesome and took things seriously, which is what she found with Glee Club.

“We have members from every living community, every age group, and many ethnicities and backgrounds,” Lewis wrote in an email. “It really makes us a hodgepodge of people that come together for one common love of music and theatrics.”

Scherer’s favorite part of Glee Club is the group’s success and growth.

“We have come so far from when we started and every day the club seems to be making more and more strides — not just with our music, but also with our teamwork and innovation,” Scherer said.

What sets Glee Club apart from the a cappella groups on campus is their utilization of instruments, which allows them to be more flexible with their song choices. This way, they are able to perform songs of all genres, eras and backgrounds.

“When we perform together, it feels like diving into a cool-temperature pool after a hot day at the beach,” Hernandez said.

Overall, the group presents a fun and friendly atmosphere, and its members’ main goals are just to enjoy making music together and sharing their passion. For more information about the group you can like Binghamton University Glee Club on Facebook and check out its website.

Mozer started taking dance lessons at a young age and began acting in plays in elementary school. She recalls watching musicals on television and saying, “I want to do that.” Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Carol Burnett are among her favorite entertainment figures.

“I remember loving how the ensemble for ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ were all actors, singers and dancers. I liked the comedic elements and the character work,” Mozer said. Life was always fun and crazy for the Long Island native, who grew up in Manhasset with three sisters and four brothers.

Mozer was all set to go to SUNY Albany, where she planned to double-major in political science and theater, but after attending an intensive summer dance program in Portland, Ore., Mozer decided to go to SUNY Brockport instead.

“I realized I had to dance,” Mozer said. “I was able to be a dance major and political science minor and explore all my interests by getting lead roles in the theater department shows and participating in student government.”

After graduating summa cum laude from Brockport, Mozer lived at home for a year before moving to New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. In addition to working as a waitress and aerobics instructor, Mozer described herself as a “professional auditioner” because she was constantly auditioning in the City while continuing her training.

“I have trained my entire professional career,” Mozer said. “I have never stopped training, which is somewhat unusual for professionals.”

Mozer was fortunate enough to book several television commercials, which took the financial pressure off of her and allowed her to continue training and practicing her skills. Her big break came when she was casted in the Broadway musical, “Teddy and Alice,” which focused on President Theodore Roosevelt’s relationship with his daughter while living in the White House.

“I was thrilled, I loved every minute of it, it was so exciting,” Mozer said. “I would come in early every day for the show to warm up and I was always one of the first people there. I just loved warming up on the Broadway stage with my Walkman.”

Her second Broadway show was “Dangerous Games,” which she described as an amazing artistic work and technically demanding dance theater.

“Dangerous Games” was a bit ahead of its time and closed quickly because audiences weren’t quite ready for its dark material.

“It allowed me to be the best actress I could be, and the best dance technician,” Mozer continued. “I was the replacement for the lead and was put into the show very fast which was very hard. That show taught me musicality intensely and about really, really working hard by myself.”

Mozer admits that her third Broadway production, “Victor/Victoria,” was great for her because it was a steady two-and-a-half year job. She got to work with big names such as actress Julie Andrews and director Blake Edwards.

The best part of Mozer’s experience on Broadway was being in the original cast for the productions, which helped her see how shows are put together. This experience proved useful when she became the director of her own company, Theatre in the Flesh.

The company was founded in 2004, when Mozer met Tina Landau in a theater class. The two began taking more workshops together and eventually started meeting on their own. Then Mozer had a hip replacement, which left her unable to dance.

“I was disabled from being able to dance and work as a performer,” she said. “It’s what really started the directing side of me.”

Mozer is not a beginner when it comes to teaching; she was a Spanish and math tutor in high school and continued to tutor Spanish in college.

“I always enjoyed teaching and found that I was really good at it,” Mozer said. “I get very excited by students’ progress and by sharing the skills and experiences I have had and sharing those with students.”

She went back to school primarily for lifestyle reasons.

“I wanted an artistic home and home base,” she said. “I wanted what they call in the biz a ‘job job,’ not be a freelance gypsy. I wanted to put down roots and get to know students for four years rather than a semester, and be able to develop long lasting creative relationships with students and colleagues, plus I love having summers off.”

What Mozer found especially appealing about Binghamton University is the school’s demand for personal research.

Mozer is teaching basic and intermediate acting classes this semester and will be directing the theater department’s Mainstage show, “Dead Man’s Cellphone,” in the spring.

1. Leather

Leather is all the rage this season, be it be real or fake — no one will know. Leather can be integrated into many different aspects of your wardrobe. From boots that accentuate long legs to sexy leather skirts that hug you in all the right places, a woman in leather is a force to be reckoned with this semester.

Olivier Theyskens and Andrew Rosen’s line “Theysken’s Theory” launched an outfit that’s perfect for fashionistas who are really into leather. Their model walked the runway for New York’s Fall Fashion Week in tight leather pants with knee-high black leather heeled boots and an open leather jacket with sleeves that were gathered to create a three-quarter sleeve look.

To recreate this fierce ensemble you can check out the Oakdale Mall’s New York and Company, which currently sells faux leather slim legged pants for $35.97. Pair it with a faux leather jacket that has just the right edge to it.

Laura Potel, a junior majoring in theater, is excited to show off her new leather boots now that classes have started.

“My leather combat boots give me confidence to start this semester off on the right foot,” Potel said. “I can wear them rain or shine with almost any outfit and are the essential wardrobe piece for every girl to have.”

2. Mix and match

The fashion world is breaking rules and crossing boundaries that once existed. It’s time to experiment with mixing different patterns and styles, because you’ll be going against the mainstream. And that’s hip.

Actress and model Olivia Palermo hit London Fashion Week in a chic ensemble, pairing floral pants with leopard print shoes, a style that’s bold and brave. Any print and pattern combination you wear can be pulled off as long as you feel great wearing it.

Whether it’s to shade you from the sun, or protect you from the rain, the new wide-brim hat style is both cute and efficient for a Binghamton University student. Nicole Miller, Billy Reid and Carlos Miele have all included various 1970’s inspired hats to keep you on top of the trends. Eddie Bauer has a number of unique hats to choose from to get the designer look for a much cheaper price.

3. Belt it

A growing trend is the simple accent of a skinny belt to transform your outfit. Many designers have started their own line of belts meant to be worn at the waist in order to enhance any woman’s natural hourglass shape.

“I like skinny belts because they are an easy way to completely change the look and silhouette of an outfit,“ said Brittany Platin, a senior majoring in psychology.

Charlotte Russe in the Oakdale Mall has over forty different belt options to go with any outfit in your closet. The belts range from $3.50 to $10.50, with some including packages of three belts for a single low price.

“Skinny belts are also a really fun way to add a pop of color to an outfit,” Platin said.

4. Color

If you’re tired of always going with the safe and boring blacks and grays, try to spice up your closet with brightly colored jeans. They’ll help you stand out in a crowd of new students. According to Glamour magazine, anyone can transform the clothing they already have with an eccentric skinny jean color that will completely change the way you look at your wardrobe. J Brand, Guess and Bebe have all come out with their own lines of colorful denims.

Rue 21, also located in the Oakdale Mall, has skinny jeans with shockingly bright colors, and they also have a special deal right now where if you buy one pair of jeans, you can purchase a second pair for $10.

Fashion is all about finding the style that’s right for you and shows off your best features. Incorporating some of these key pieces into your wardrobe can give you the courage and excitement to take chances this semester.

“Once”

Winner of best musical at the 2012 Tony Awards, “Once” is based on the Academy Award-winning film about an Irish musician who develops an unexpected friendship with a Czech immigrant as the two bond over their love of music.

The New York Post raves that “Once” is “a gem of a show. ‘Once’ wins its standing ovations the old-fashioned way: with a love story, great songs, compelling characters and inventive stagecraft. At this point in Broadway history, this feels downright revolutionary.”

If you have an interest in music, you’ll enjoy the way the play uses it as a healing power. Romantic comedies and chick flicks at your local movie theater have nothing on this heartwarming musical where, “to live, you have to love,” as main character Guy says.

“Newsies”

Known especially for its amazing score and choreography that won the production two 2012 Tony awards, “Newsies” is perfect to entertain you this summer. The musical is based off of the 1992 film “Newsies,” which was inspired by the lives of those involved in the Newsboys Strike of 1899.

The star of the show is Jeremy Jordan, who plays Jack Kelly, a newspaper boy who starts a protest when the publisher of New York World, Joseph Pulitzer, increases the cost of the newspapers. You may recognize him as Randy from “Joyful Noise,” which came out earlier this year with Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah.

“Newsies” is a must see; it will have you dancing in your seat all the way through curtain call as the cast even takes their final bows while doing some of their favorite dance moves from the show.

“Peter and the Starcatcher”

It’s Neverland like you’ve never seen it before. Based on the 2006 novel, “Peter and the Starcatcher” provides a backstory for “Peter Pan” and a prequel to J.M. Barrie’s “Peter and Wendy.” The production has made its way from California to Off Broadway, and since April of this year, “Peter and the Starcatcher” has taken Broadway by storm.

One of the lead actors is Christian Borle, who has recently been simultaneously playing the music composer, Tom on the NBC drama series “Smash.” The New York Times calls it “the most exhilarating Broadway storytelling in decades! You must experience it for yourself.” As a student you can relate to the fear of growing up and facing the unknown future that is in store as you watch the production.

“Book of Mormon”

“Book of Mormon” may already be selling tickets through 2148, but it’s one show you want to see as soon as you can. Wait outside the theater for days if you have to. From the creators of “South Park,” “Book of Mormon” is a musical religious satire about two young Mormon missionaries who try to share their beliefs with the locals of a remote village in northern Uganda, where they are all consumed with war, famine, poverty and AIDS.

“It was unlike any other show I’ve seen on Broadway,” said Jennifer Brogna, a junior majoring in psychology. “There were moments where you would go, ‘Can they even say that?’ Matt Stone and Trey Parker are geniuses. One of the funniest musicals ever written.”

“Harvey”

Not all great shows are directly on Broadway. Mary Chase’s “Harvey” is a hilarious play about a man named Elwood Dowd, played by Jim Parsons from “Big Bang Theory,” who has an imaginary friend named Harvey, who he describes as a six-foot, three-and-one-half-inch tall pooka resembling a rabbit. His sister Veta cannot stand the embarrassment of Elwood introducing Harvey to her friends any longer, and decides to have him committed. A comedy of errors ensues from there.

“I have seen ‘Harvey’ before when the Hinman Production Company did it my freshman year, so when I heard Jim Parsons was in it in the off Broadway production I got really excited,” said Matthew Pereira, a junior majoring in biochemistry. “’Harvey’ is definitely an entertaining play especially for those looking for something other than a musical this summer.”

With so many Binghamton University students in the tri-state area, meeting up in the City for a day of theater is a great way to enjoy the months away from the Binghamton cold. And if you’re up in Bing all summer and looking for a weekend getaway, a Broadway show could be an awesome opportunity.

The play tells the story of a young newlywed couple, Paul and Corie, who find life after their honeymoon to be more difficult than a walk in the park. As the get a glimpse of what the rest of their lives will be like, it seems their future will won’t be as easy as they thought, especially when they come back to a home with no furniture and a hole in the skylight.

“Barefoot in the Park” is Neil Simon’s longest-running hit, and the tenth longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history. A film was made in 1967 based on the play and starred Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. In addition there was a short-lived 1970’s sitcom made about the play as well.

Rachel Soto, a senior double-majoring in English and theater, has directed many studio show productions in the past. She explained how this show is a comedy with elements of farce, which require a lot of structure and specificity of movement, adding that everything and everyone on stage needs to operate like a machine.

“It’s the endearing story of a couple that has no idea what they are doing,” Soto said. “They have love, and they have troubles, and it’s hilarious to watch them try and balance the two.”

Jonathan Molyneaux, a junior majoring in theater who plays Paul, finds this production to be very different and challenging than the dramas he has performed in, in the past.

“This is my first leading role in a 3-act comedy, the rehearsal process has been stressful at times but worth it,” Molyneaux said. ” I’m learning so much about comedic timing and heightened emotions.”

The opening scene of Barefoot in the Park was the first scene Molyneaux acted in for a theater class at Binghamton University and what made him want to be a theater major.

Kaitlyn Brown, a graduate student studying theater, thinks people should come see the show because it is a fun, romantic comedy.

“My character, Corie, is important because her enthusiasm and adventurous spirit propels much of the action, as well as the conflict, in the play,” Brown said. “There are many very true-to-life moments as the couple learns what it means to commit to someone.

Soto is excited to watch her actors on stage getting the opportunity to present their work.

“I think she is very passionate about this project,” Molyneaux said of Soto. “She is specific on what she wants to see, which is helpful for me as an actor.”

So come take a break from studying for your stressful finals and see “Barefoot in the Park” this weekend. The cast promises it will be an enjoyable study break. Tickets are $3 and are sold at the door.

The play is centered on a newly engaged couple, Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby. When Tony’s family arrives a day early to have dinner at the Sycamores, everyone realizes how the odd, middle-class Sycamore household, full of aspiring talents and chaos, doesn’t quite mesh with the Tony’s family of proper, stiff-world Wall Street elites. The first meeting does not go so smoothly, and just as the two lovers start to realize their marriage may not work out, the Sycamore family pulls together to help Alice out.

DCP cast members said working on “You Can’t Take it With You” was an overall fun experience. Brendan Icso, an undeclared freshman who plays the lead role of Tony Kirby, said that he can’t remember having this much fun preparing for a show.

“I think a lot of it comes from the fact that the show itself is light and fun, so preparation has been a blast,” Icso said.

Rachel Wasserman, a freshman majoring in English who plays Penelope Sycamore, Alice’s mother, thinks the cast made the experience very enjoyable.

“We all get along so well, and it really shows through on stage,” Wasserman said. “When a cast has good chemistry, then the show has good chemistry and flows really well.”

Both actors agree that the show would not be where it is if not for co-directors Jorge Granja and Justin Vega. According to Icso, the co-directors allowed the play to take a very interesting artistic style that comes from having two visions combined into one.

“Jorge and Justin have been amazing,” Wasserman said. “They help us when we need them to and for being first-time directors they have been great. They work with us, and guide us and really helped bring the show together.”

Coincidentally, the first play Vega ever starred in was a high school performance of “You Can’t Take it With You,” which led him to step up and agree to co-direct the play for DCP.

“This show is actually a lot harder to pull off than other shows I’ve done in the past because it is a comedy, which I personally believe tends to be harder to do than a drama,” said Vega, a freshman majoring in psychology.

Vega commented on the challenge he was faced as a director. Because the play is set in the 1930s, it has many references and jokes from the time period that are not necessarily relevant to today.

“I’m sure when it first came out in the late 1930s it was hilarious, but to put that sort of comedy and relate it to modern day, well, let’s just say it provides us with the challenge of making an old joke funny again,” Vega said.

Granja, an undeclared sophomore, is also an actor-turned-director and is making his directing debut with “You Can’t Take it With You.”

“When I am acting, all I have to worry about is who I am talking to on stage and what I am doing,” Granja said. “As a director I have to make sure everyone is doing their job and I have to build up the image that I want to present to the audience.”

Granja thinks people will enjoy the show because they will be able to relate to at least one character, since everyone has that quirky family member or friend who they love to see.

“The show’s focus [is on] love and laughter and I personally think everyone needs a little bit of both in their lives,” Granja added.

Vega also believes audiences will love how they can relate to the characters.

“There are multiple scenes throughout the show that just emit that sense of being embarrassed of your family, but not being ashamed of who they are and where you come from, because no matter what they do, they’re still your family and at the end of the day, you accept them for who they are,” Vega said.

Tickets cost $3 and will be sold at the door.

“I know it is going to be amazing,” said Egan, an undeclared junior. “The cast has been wonderful in rehearsals and if they can bring that to opening night, I know the show will be unbelievable.”

“The Secret Garden” follows a young girl, Mary Lennox, as she copes with the tragedy of her parents’ deaths from cholera in a new home with her uncle, Archibald. Archibald is a lost soul who is also coping with loss, of his beloved wife and of his son’s health. Separately the two attempt to move forward as memories and dreams haunt them. She meets an array of people during her stay and discovers a secret garden that unravels the past and determines the future.

Egan is used to the clichéd idea of what a musical should be with big show-stopping songs and huge dance numbers. In the past she has done mostly dancing and choreography.

“’The Secret Garden’ is a completely different kind of show and I think that makes it even more powerful for me,” Egan said. “It has challenged me and pushed me toward another type of theater than I am used to and it has been such a rewarding experience.”

Dominique Cuoco, an undeclared sophomore, plays the outspoken character Mary Lennox. When the HPC voted on its musical for this semester, “The Secret Garden” was Cuoco’s top choice.

“I saw the show at a theater camp when I was younger and Mary Lennox was a dream role of mine, probably because I was labeled as a ‘flower child’ when I was the character’s age,” Cuoco said.

Yerpe, a first-year graduate student studying mathematics, is no stranger to HPC. He has acted and directed a number of productions for the student theater group, but says his involvement in “The Secret Garden” is unique.

“It’s been a year since I directed last, and I’ve learned a great deal about planning, leading, coaching and refining in the meantime while pursuing other ventures,” Yerpe said. “This is also, musically, a very different show from those we’ve done recently — much more soft, sweet, ethereal music, working to capture you instead of making you tap your feet.”

According to Cuoco, people should go to see the show because of the dynamic and incredible cast.

“Everyone brings wonderful energy and feeling to their characters,” Cuoco said. “The score is beautiful as well. Also, if you’re into ghosts, half the cast is dead.”

According to Yerpe, “The Secret Garden” will show you that how no matter what happens, no matter how hopeless, empty and deserted you may feel, there is always a way out and there are people willing to lead you there.

“It sets the saddest of premises, and follows with the most uplifting of stories,” Yerpe said. “If that isn’t enough, people should come to hear the wonderful compositions of Lucy Simon. The music in this show is absolutely gorgeous, and is the main reason I wanted HPC to do it.”

Tickets are $5 and will be sold at the door along with refreshments and baked goods.

The play takes place in a dystopian future, where two revolutionaries plot to break into a government facility and free the inmates, when two government “Exterminators” arrive. In a strange plot twist, the woman who lives with the two men casts a spell over the characters, which allows her to consume each of them.

Even in such abstract circumstances, Austin Tooley, a first-year graduate student studying theater and directing, thinks that the themes in the play that were relevant when Shepard wrote the play in the late ’60s are still pertinent today.

“It was written during a time of war, and it deals with the themes of ideology and authority, which should resonate now,” Tooley said. “It was written during a time of great social change, so cultural and social identity are examined in the story.”

Tooley commented that anyone interested in exploring what it means to be a soldier for a senseless cause, or what it means to speak with the limited vocabulary of violence, would enjoy this play.

“This is very much a play about human beings struggling to find their way through a world that doesn’t make sense,” Tooley said.

Jillian Burg, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, plays Oolan and thinks that Tooley did a good job with this extremely abstract and disjointed screenplay.

“He uses that ambiguous space as fuel to go as far out as he wants with his imaginative mind, and then has the intelligence so that these risky choices serve to make the connections in the text and the relationships between characters clear and rich,” Burg said.

The rehearsal process for this production was not simply line reading and blocking. Tooley had the actors research a Native American dance (ghost dance, war dance, rain dance, buffalo dance, sun dance) and present the dances to one another. He also encouraged them to bring in music, film, books, art and ideas that they felt connected to the play in some way.

Martin Murray, a junior majoring in theater who plays Forensic in the play, auditioned for this production mainly because it was a Sam Shepard play. Growing up, Shepard was by far Murray’s favorite playwright and helped him appreciate the works of others.

“Someone like Tennessee Williams has the power in his writing to make it seem like he is whispering secrets into your ear during his shows,” Murray said. “Shepard, on the other hand, does that, but it’s as if he is whispering his secrets into your gut. So the reaction one is left with after his show is not one easily explained by words, but one that is primal and deep inside oneself.”

Gregory Hernandez, a junior majoring in creative writing, plays first Exterminator and feels the audience will be fully entertained throughout the show.

“There are so many shifts in each scene that it will truly keep the audience on their toes,” Hernandez said. “I can honestly say there never is a dull moment in this show.”

Tickets for “Forensics and the Navigator” can be purchased at the door for $3.

Liberty Diner

The Liberty Diner, located on 30 Sullivan Ave. in Liberty, N.Y., is the epitome of a small-town diner. Liberty is almost halfway between Long Island and Binghamton. It’s a perfect stop when your trip back starts to seem unbearable and you’re dying for a quick break.

The menu is that of your typical diner, with delicious omelets and other delectable breakfast options, as well as an array of gyros, burgers, sandwiches and salads that make the drive much more pleasant. There are dinner specials every night that are perfect for a college budget.

Bridget Egan, an undeclared junior, loves the Liberty Diner environment.

“It has a warm, cozy, almost old-fashioned atmosphere,” Egan said. “I’ve stopped there a few times for breakfast and every time, the same regulars are there.”

Egan recommends getting an egg sandwich with a side of home fries and a coffee for just $5. Now that’s some bang for your buck.

Roscoe Diner

Known for being the hottest spot to and from school, Roscoe Diner has become a legend among New Yorkers mainly because it’s one of the only diners right off Route 17. The walls are covered in banners and signs from colleges and universities all over the country, all of which were given to the diner by students who ate there. The employees are always outgoing, and the service is great.

Roscoe has typical diner foods such as eggs, waffles, specialty sandwiches, specialty burgers, Italian food, seafood and its “famous” French toast. But who gets seafood at a diner, right?

Scott Friedman, a junior majoring in computer engineering, loves the food and atmosphere at Roscoe Diner.

“I like stopping at the ‘World Famous’ Roscoe Diner because, after driving for about three hours, it’s a relaxing break from traveling on the highway with only about an hour left until campus,” Friedman said. “Plus, you can get a Roscoe Diner bumper sticker.”

Friedman recommends the Bison Burger, although he plans on trying the 1.5 inch-thick French toast the next time he goes there. Roscoe Diner is located at 1908 Old Route 17 in Roscoe, N.Y., so check it out if you’re hungry on the way home.

Buffalo Zach’s Café

Located at 64 Stewart Ave., just a block or two further down from Roscoe Diner, is Buffalo Zach’s Café. Zach’s is more of a secret spot, especially since Roscoe is the more popular tourist pit stop in the area. However, with its red awning and 25-foot totem pole out front, it’s hard to miss.

Zach’s has a very unique style, with its well-decorated rooms and wood seating. The walls are covered with tree bark and the light panels on the ceiling have watercolor portraits of Native Americans. Trophies from taxidermists and various Native American decorations line the walls. It’s a sight to behold.

Erica Ozolins, a sophomore majoring in management, loves what the menu at Zach’s has to offer.

“They offer a wide variety of food, but have an emphasis on barbecue,” Ozolins said. “It’s a great place to stop for students because it’s inexpensive and quick.”

Some of Zach’s classics include the Buffalo Zach Dog, a foot-long hot dog smothered in cheddar cheese and topped with homemade battered onion rings and homemade barbecue sauce, and Buffalo Zach’s Burger, Angus beef smothered in homemade barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese and topped with an onion ring.

For vegetarians, Zach’s Baby Spinach Salad is popular. It has fresh baby spinach with sliced red onions and chunky mushrooms, toasted almonds, a hard-boiled egg and your choice of dressing (it’s usually topped with hot bacon vinaigrette with crispy bacon).

If you have room for dessert, the café’s staff highly recommends the fruit cooler, a homemade chilled soup of fresh fruit and cream.

These are just some of the awesome options for Binghamton University students to explore, wherever the road may take them.

“The Nerd” is a comedy about an architect named Willum Cubbert who lacks motivation regarding both his job and love life. After being injured in Vietnam and rescued on the battlefield by an anonymous soldier, the rescuer, who Willum never actually met, shows up years later at a dinner party. His unexpected appearance causes chaos. Hysterical comedy ensues as Willum and his two friends, Tansy and Axel, try to calm the situation.

Ruben Martinez, a junior double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law, plays Willum Cubbert.

“As the main character, he’s important because most of what happens in the show directly influences his later actions and emotions,” Martinez said. “In terms of twists and turns, he’s one to keep an eye out for.”

The ridiculous, bumbling “nerd,” Rick Steadman, is being played by Ross Pohling, a junior majoring in physics.

“My character is incredibly obnoxious and has absolutely no social filter,” Pohling said. “Rick is the source for many of the jokes and also catalyzes the plot, as his presence is the obstacle that Willum and his friends must overcome.”

Pohling believes “The Nerd” will entertain the audience with its constant comedic moments and even insinuated that the crowd will be laughing so much, it may become physically painful.

“There are some plays that really inspire audiences and ask important questions about life and society,” Pohling said. “‘The Nerd’ is not one of those plays. But even though this is a hysterical comedy, the script is expertly crafted with a richness of details. This is the kind of play you will want to see more than once.”

Both DeFeo and Pavia have switched roles within Hinman Production Company and have “smoothly” transitioned from actors to directors this semester.

“This is my eighth HPC production and I’ve worked with many directors and picked up directorial techniques from each of them,” said Pavia, a junior majoring in linguistics. “It was interesting for me to see the process of putting on a show from a different perspective. As an actor, I had never given much thought to what went on behind the scenes and as a director I am very aware of all of those components to putting on a show.”

DeFeo, a senior majoring in linguistics, thinks directing is a completely different process.

“To my surprise, I feel that I have much more control when I’m on stage acting than I do directing,” DeFeo said. “Also, now I have to be mindful of all the behind the scenes and tech work like sound and lighting.”

Both directors are excited for the play to premiere on Thursday and are confident in their cast’s performance.

“They have been working so hard and have come very far,” Pavia said. “They have each grown individually as actors and have been fabulous at discovering new things about their characters.”

And DeFeo thinks students will find the show entertaining.

“If you enjoy the theater, cottage cheese, wild pigs, architecture, spaghetti, spinning around, apple picking, scaring little girls or any combination of the eight, you will enjoy Hinman Production Company’s production of Larry Shue’s ‘The Nerd,’” DeFeo said.

Tickets for “The Nerd” can be purchased at the door for $3 and seating is first come, first serve.

According to ABC News, “about 75 percent of all women never reach orgasm from intercourse alone — that is without the extra help of sex toys, hands or tongue. And 10-15 percent never climax under any circumstances.”

Alice, a sophomore majoring in theater, is among the group of women who have never had an orgasm. [Due to the nature of this article, names have been changed to protect the privacy of those interviewed.]

“Sometimes I worry I’m thinking about it too much or that I’m not letting myself go far enough, but I usually just tell myself it will happen when my body’s ready,” Alice said.

The issue may be that women let sex get to their heads. If they’re concentrating on something else, they may not give their full attention to the act, which decreases the likelihood of an orgasm. But you may not necessarily need an orgasm to feel gratification from intercourse.

“I love having sex; it feels fantastic,” Alice said. “If I tell my partner I’m not going to orgasm, they’ll often take it as a challenge. I’ve been asked, ‘Did you come?’ afterward and always respond, ‘No, I’m always that loud.’”

Many girls will not orgasm during sex. This is not an insult to the gentlemen out there — women just can’t orgasm as easily as men. But some men just don’t get it and take a lack of orgasm as an insult. John, an undeclared junior, said he takes it as a blow to his ego.

“If I can’t give a girl an orgasm, it feels pretty shitty, but it happens,” John said. “I mean, it gets me down for a little while, but I get over it. But I am pretty determined and decently skilled with my tongue and fingers.”

Many girls feel a lot of pressure to orgasm during sex and that they’ll let the guy down if they don’t. Sometimes girls can feel guilty if they don’t put on a show for their partner, leading to the fake “O.” Jane, a junior majoring in human development, said that she has faked an orgasm before.

“It’s really awkward not to because I don’t want to make a guy feel bad about himself,” Jane said. “And yeah, it was definitely believable. Orgasms are really easy to fake.”

Fake orgasms are nice gestures on the part of women, but it’s only taking away from their sexual experience in the end — the guy is going to orgasm regardless of your fake moans. John said he’s sure girls have faked orgasms in the past with him. But to him, it’s their loss.

“I would try harder if I knew that they were faking,” John said. “Most of the time I can tell though. People don’t shake and tremble for no reason and if they do then good for them.”

If you are a woman who can’t seem to orgasm, just relax. It could really help improve the experience.

But if you want a more scientific approach to improving sexual pleasure, take a note from scientists who have studied the female anatomy. Famed French psychoanalyst Princess Marie Bonaparte published a report in 1927 declaring that the optimal C-V (clitoris to vagina) distance is 2.5 centimeters, about an inch. So maybe the key is targeting this area.

More recently, Kim Wallen, professor of behavioral neuroendocrinology at Emory University, and Elisabeth Lloyd, a professor of history, philosophical science and biology at Indiana University, sent out a study based on research done by Bonaparte. The two hope to design a device that women can use in the privacy of their homes to measure their C-V distance.

“If men and women knew the reality of their biology, their sex might improve,” Wallen told ABC News.

Lloyd believes that too much emphasis is placed on models of female sexuality that are created by Hollywood and the pornography industry. Instead, people should focus more on the biology of the situation, not the cinematography.

“Those things are worthwhile,” she told ABC News. “But to sort of act as if that’s all that needs to be done for women is just silly. This is a total denial of the facts.”

The play is a dramatization of the Salem Witch Trials, which took place in the province of Massachusetts Bay during 1692 and 1693. While the characters are not exact representations of real people, most of the historical roles are accurately represented and the judicial sentences pronounced on the characters are close to those given to their real-life counterparts.

In order to prepare for their roles, all of the actors did in-depth research on the trials, something that was largely stressed throughout the production of the play. Poster boards were made to help them understand what it was like to live in such a different time.

Kaylin Hawkins, a junior double-majoring in theater and English, plays Rebecca Nurse, a very pious 72-year-old woman. She, along with many of her cast mates, took a trip to Danvers, Mass. (once known as Salem Town) to get a better grasp of her character. They visited Nurse’s home, where Nurse is now buried.

“It made the whole play real for me knowing that I was walking where she walked and standing where she now lies,” Hawkins said. “It was a very surreal experience.”

Hawkins’ visit, as well as the countless articles and journals about life in 1692 that she read, helped her understand her character better.

“She is a Puritan, which differs from my religious values, and she is extremely devout,” Hawkins said. “I have had to see the whole show from her point of view rather than my own.”

Austin Tooley, a first-year graduate student studying theater and directing, had a similar experience preparing for his role as Deputy Governor Danforth, one of the judges responsible for unmasking the truth behind the claims of witchcraft and the Christian lifestyle during that time period.

“For my research I not only studied the events of the witch trials and read the testimony and court documents, I also researched the personal journals and publications by prominent judges, magistrates and officials in Massachusetts at the time,” Tooley said. “I was searching for a point of view about the world around that would support the actions I must take to tell the story.”

Alison Fasolino, a first-year graduate student studying theater, plays Ann Putnam, who is one of the characters who not only believes in witchcraft but condemns those around her as witches. Fasolino said she has learned a lot from working with director Anne Brady.

“Anne is a very powerful director who truly knows the story and the world that she is creating,” Fasolino said. “In working with her I have learned so much about the importance of knowing the world that you are playing in and living in that world fully.”

The play has been well-researched by the cast, which will make it more realistic for the audience. According to Fasolino, the message behind the play will speak to the crowd, as it is relevant to today.

“Our world is often taken by the hysteria around us and things get out of control very quickly,” Fasolino said. “The characters in this play use their emotions as their driving force and it enraptures the people around them. There are ‘witch hunts’ happening all around us today in which people are persecuted just as the people in ‘The Crucible’ are.”

Anne Brady also believes the audience will connect with the relevance of the play, despite it being set in the 17th century.

“This play will be important to the audience not only because of the historical events and the journey the amazing characters go through, but because it asks us, ‘Who tells the truth?’” Brady said. “’The Crucible’ proposes whether it is OK to question authority and allow our fears to dictate decisions.”

As the play draws closer to its opening night, Brady says she is confident in the cast’s performance of “The Crucible.”

“We have a very good show prepared, and I am very confident that they’ll [the actors] take all the work from rehearsal and share the story with the audience,” Brady said.

Tickets for “The Crucible” are available at the box office in the Anderson Center. Tickets cost $14 for general admission, $12 for faculty/staff/seniors and $8 for students with ID.

1. “Pischer”

“Pischer,” directed by Josh Mizikowski, will be performed at 8 p.m. nightly in The Gruber Theater, located at the Fine Arts Building.

“Pischer” centers around three Jewish men in modern-day Israel who secretly meet in a warehouse to prepare for an attack upon Palestinians in the embattled region. The man in charge, Avram, and his Russian counterpart Sasha are prepared to set the plot into motion with the help of Elon, who seeks to avenge the death of his brother.

Brenden Gregory, a freshman majoring in theater, plays Elon, who grows from a boy into a man throughout the play. His growing doubts incite fear, anger and violence from the others, culminating in an explosive finale.

“I think my favorite scene in the show would have to be the late moment of realization Elon has about the true nature of Avram and Sasha’s plan and the argument that ensues,” Gregory said. “It is the scene that both brings together the pieces of the puzzle before it and also sets up the intense finale which follows.”

After participating in the fall production of “Man of La Mancha,” Ian Penzel, an undeclared freshman, is now performing in his first studio show as Sasha. And he’s making quite an impression on Binghamton University’s theater department.

“This type of play requires a special type of realism to convey the message it is expelling properly,” Penzel said of “Pischer.”

Penzel thinks students should come see “Pischer” to educate themselves about the current problem in the Middle East.

“There is a definite conflict, and most people don’t know the details or specifics of why there is a conflict in the first place,” Penzel said. “This play provides for a good analogy of how many people in the Middle East feel.”

2. “Trip’s Cinch”

“Trip’s Cinch,” directed by Njideka Agwuna, will be performed at 8:40 p.m. nightly in Studio A, also located at the Fine Arts Building.

In three scenes — each holding truth but lacking straightforward answers — “Trip’s Cinch” takes the audience through a journey that will result in debates over what viewers think really happened the night Lucy Parks and Benjamin Trip met, the night an alleged rape occurs.

Lindsay Ryan, a junior majoring in sociology, plays Val, a professor writing an academic book that includes the case of Benjamin and Lucy.

“The show doesn’t give anyone the answers,” Ryan said. “It instead allows one to take on their own perspective and create their own arguments for why they take one side or the other.”

Agwuna, a senior double-majoring in theater and cinema, is no stranger to studio shows, having previously directed or sound designed more than five productions.

“I think that with every new work you get a different experience because the text is different and is telling a different story; a new story that hasn’t been told by you the way you want to tell it with the people you want to tell it with,” Agwuna said.

“Trip’s Cinch” will provide an intellectual challenge for the audience as the play searches for truth in what the characters are saying.

3. “The Whole Shebang”

The final play each night will be “The Whole Shebang,” directed by Maureen Mines, at 9:30 p.m. at The Gruber Theater.

This play poses the question, “What if the universe was just God’s science project?”

Basically, two humans get transported to another dimension and end up at God’s presentation of his master’s thesis to a panel of professors and the dean of the university.

Director Maureen Mines, a graduate student studying theater with a concentration in directing, explains that the play incorporates several themes, including who we are and why we are here. She calls it “a different kind of love story.”

“There’s an interesting range of experience among the actors, and different approaches — it’s a real pleasure to work with them and see them develop and explore the play,” Mines said. “I think on opening night the joy they experience will spill over into the audience. It’s pretty infectious.”

Arshia Panicker, a junior majoring in theater, plays Edna Doe, a human who gets transported into the new dimension.

“People should come see the show if they want a good laugh,” Panicker said. “This is a comedy after all.”

If you have specific allergies or beliefs that affect the foods you eat, it can be hard to adjust to college dining. Luckily, Binghamton University provides a variety of ways to satisfy your dietary needs.

1. Gluten-free diets

Sara Valentino, a sophomore double-majoring in biology and Spanish, found out over a year ago that she has a gluten intolerance, which means she can’t eat wheat, barley or anything malted.

“It affects my everyday life a lot because I can’t eat what people usually just snack on, and if I do eat it, I get really sick and tired, so it kind of kills my day and makes me be really aware of what I eat,” she said.

Still, according to Valentino, “eating on campus isn’t very difficult.”

Valentino simply calls the dining hall 20 minutes ahead of time and the staff prepares her a special, gluten-free meal.

“For the most part, Binghamton does a fairly good job with helping me find choices for foods, but a lot of the time the dining hall just gives me the same stuff over and over again, so I get bored,” she said. “But for the most part they made it a lot easier than I thought it would be.”

Even though you can get gluten-free meals at any dining hall, you can only call one dining hall to prepare your meal. So if your friends decide to go somewhere else, you’re stuck.

2. Lactose intolerance

Gabriella Scull, a junior double-majoring in human development and English, is lactose-intolerant, so she can’t eat any dairy-based food, including most pasta dishes, yogurt, grilled cheese and ice cream.

“It’s difficult to be lactose intolerant eating on campus because a lot of the best food that they make in the dining hall contains dairy,” Scull said. “And I have to take Lactaid pills frequently with meals.”

Scull now lives off campus in University Plaza and finds it much easier to cater to her dietary needs.

“I know which brands have dairy-free options for people with lactose intolerance and I make my own food, so I know what is in the food that I am eating,” Scull said.

Scull did mention, however, that BU has recently offered a lot of soy milk options, such as the milk in the dining halls and at Jazzman’s.

3. Lifestyle choices

Aside from having an allergy that you can’t control, there are also food restrictions that result from personal choice.

Haley Schulman, a junior majoring in human development, has kept kosher since she was 3 years old. Keeping kosher consists of not eating pork products and shellfish, as well as not combining meat and dairy. Schulman only buys food with special packaging that says “kosher.”

“It’s definitely cool that they [BU] offer kosher food in the Kosher Korner, and I’m sure that’s great for people who live and eat exclusively on campus,” Schulman said.

Schulman now lives in Susquehanna Community and eats on campus less but finds it a bit more difficult to find kosher food off campus.

“It gets tough because there are not a ton of places around here where I can buy good kosher meat to cook on my own,” Schulman said. “I don’t eat as well here as I do at home, but I definitely get by.”

And while some choose to stay kosher, others prefer to stay animal-friendly in their diet.

Alana Brown-Goebeler, a senior majoring in biology, has been an ovo-lacto-pescetarian for six years. She does not eat meat, but still eats fish, eggs and dairy products.

“Being a vegetarian makes eating a bit difficult at times,” Brown-Goebeler said. “On campus, it was definitely hard to eat as a vegetarian because the options were limited, especially the healthier choices, and the healthier foods generally offered that weren’t just for vegetarians were more expensive.”

Brown-Goebeler lived on campus her first three years at BU but now lives off campus, where cooking her meals is much easier. Going out can be a challenge, though.

“A lot, if not all, fish items are expensive or the only vegetarian items are pastas, which I am not a huge fan of,” Brown-Goebeler said. “But most places these days have a variety of vegetarian options.”

BU tries to accommodate students’ meals to the best of its abilities — like the vegan station at the College-in-the-Woods Dining Hall and the kosher kitchen in the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center — so try to find something that will satisfy you so you’re not stuck eating eggs every day.

1. A piece of your heart

If you’re on the crafty side, all you need is a poster, some pictures, scissors, tape and a pen. Tape pictures of you and your significant other to one side of the poster as a collage. On the other side, write a meaningful message or poem to express how you feel. Take a picture of both sides of the poster before cutting it up into puzzle pieces. Your valentine will have to put the puzzle together to read your love note.

2. Serenading

You don’t need to have a good voice or even know how to play the guitar. When he or she sees you attempting to sing a favorite song, it will melt hearts.

3. Love for sale

A popular option is crafting a romantic coupon book. There can be cute things like “I’ll watch the movie you want to watch” or “I’ll cook you dinner.” You may want to get more creative and add freebees such as, “One free massage,” or something a little more physical. Have fun with it. Your significant other will be so excited to use those coupons, he or she won’t even think about the fact that it cost you $0 to steal paper from the Glenn G. Bartle Library to write them out.

4. Playlist of the soul

A classic gift is burning a mixed CD or making a playlist. Putting together songs that remind you of your significant other is a very meaningful, priceless present.

Ruben Martinez, a junior double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law, has crafted a similar gift in the past.

“I made a mixtape, and I wrote out a long letter breaking down why I chose each song, whether it was because it was meaningful to me, meaningful to our relationship, reminded me of something important we went through, etc.,” Martinez said.

This kind of gift is perfect because it doesn’t cost a thing but shows attention to detail and can use inside jokes.

5. Montage of memories

Make a video slideshow of pictures set to music. There are Mac labs on campus where you can use iMovie to make a montage of your relationship. The program is super simple to use. But if you’re having trouble, you can view countless tutorials on YouTube to help make a video for that someone special.

6. Sweetheart search

A cute idea that’s not only free but actually doubles as a date is a good ol’ scavenger hunt. You can go on the hunt with your significant other, with clues leading to the places that hold meaning for both of you. Examples would be where you met or where you had your first date — sappy things like that are always romantic and priceless.

7. Target their tummy

There is a popular saying that the best way to your lover’s heart is through their stomach. In the past, Melanie McCullough, a sophomore majoring in English, has come up with multiple cute ways to show she cares about the person she is with by using food.

“Pizza was his favorite food,” McCullough said. “So I went to our local pizza place and asked them to cut a cheese pizza into a heart and deliver the card I got for him with it.”

The entire pizza plus delivery cost her only $13 and was a great way to surprise her former boyfriend. She used food another year since it was such a hit the first time.

“I bought a football for maybe $10, then cut open a little part of it so I could fill it with his favorite candy and a note,” McCullough said. “Then taped it up.”

Both gift ideas were personal and fun without breaking the piggy bank.

8. A memorable game

Most are familiar with the memory matching games you play as a kid where you lift up two cards to see if the pictures on the other side make a match, and if they don’t, you need to remember where they were so you can find them later.

For a special Valentine’s Day gift, take squares of paper and tape or glue the same picture of you and your significant other on one side of each square. On the other side of the squares write down the same memory between you on two squares. They’ll have to match your memories together just like a memory game but with actual memories. It is a cute way to reminisce about your favorite times and a non-expensive gift that’s guaranteed to be appreciate.

This Valentine’s Day, get creative and do something to show your significant other you care. A handmade or personal present can be so much more meaningful than expensive, over-the-top gifts to express how you feel. They’ll understand it’s hard to afford extravagant gifts as a student and appreciate the time and effort you put into making their day special.

Essentially a free 10-day tour of Israel, these heritage trips allow any individual between the ages of 18 and 26, with at least one parent of recognized Jewish descent, to gain a knowledge of Israeli culture and help bridge the gap between Israel and Jewish communities around the world.

While each trip has its own unique components, there are highlights that the majority of trips include, such as touring the Golan Heights, swimming in the Dead Sea, going to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, hiking the great Masada, visiting the lively market — or shook — in Tel Aviv and sleeping in the Bedouin Tents in the Negev desert.

Hillel, Binghamton University’s Jewish student organization, offers its own Explore Israel Trip specifically tailored for students. Each trip includes a member of the Hillel staff, typically either Rabbi Shalom Kantor or Shana Kantor, along with the current Israeli Fellow, an Israeli citizen who comes to BU to teach students about life in Israel. This year the Israeli Fellow is Inbal Kohali. In addition, the group has a bus driver, a medic in charge of first aid and a tour guide who is an Israeli soldier. The participants not only get to talk to the soldier about what it is like to grow up in Israel, but they are also able to teach the soldier about teenage life in America.

Rabbi Kantor believes the trip can expand horizons and change perspectives on Israel, a country on the other side of the world. He also thinks the trip can open doors within, creating a mirror filled with reflective thoughts, that teach students something new about themselves.

“It’s an opportunity to develop a life-long connection with new people and a new place,” Rabbi Kantor said. “It’s a learning opportunity. Students learn from a guide, through their peers and Israeli soldiers themselves. They see that there’s so much more to Israel than what is covered in the media and get to choose their own viewpoint on the beautiful nation they’re a part of.”

Ilana Solomon, a sophomore double-majoring in human development and English, went on Birthright through Hillel last winter break. Her favorite memory is from a day when she was completely taken out of her comfort zone.

“Swimming, or rather floating, in the Dead Sea is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had,” Solomon said. “It is a moment in my life that I am extremely grateful to be able to have.”

Solomon recalls that after the swim, they hiked Masada, something she had been nervous about during the entire trip.

“But the experience of being able to make it to the top was incredible,” Solomon said.

After that, she spent the night in the desert in a Bedouin tent, the closest she had ever gotten to camping. She remembers it brought her whole bus together and ended the day on an amazing note.

Steven Schwartz, a junior majoring in political science, is set to go on Birthright this winter break, also with Hillel. He is most excited to see Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

“I applied to Birthright because I have never gone to Israel before and heard from my friends that went that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something that everybody should do,” Schwartz said.

Luckily, Birthright does not end once you step off the plane at the end of the 10 days. BU has a special program called iNext, which helps to maintain the friendships students forge while in Israel.

iNext’s purpose is to create a cushion, or a soft landing, for students when they return home.

“When students get back to Binghamton, it’s so easy to get caught up in the everyday of school, homework and extracurricular activities,” Rabbi Kantor said. “iNext is an organization with the goal of keeping the connection to Israel and ties with each other strong. It’s a resource students can use to create their own programs to follow through and bring that Israel experience back to Binghamton.”

This classic American play focuses on two sons, of a desert-dwelling alcoholic and a bourbon wanderer, who clash over a film script. Austin, the successful son, is working on a script he has just sold to producer Sal Kimmer when his screw-up of a brother, Lee, a petty thief, drops in. Lee decides to pitch his own idea for a movie to Kimmer, who then wants Austin to desert his modern love story and write Lee’s trashy western tale.

Alex Kornberg, a senior majoring in management, plays the achiever, Austin. He describes the play as a comedy with very dramatic undertones. Kornberg’s favorite scene is the final one, which he explains to be powerful, gritty and absolutely frightening.

“It brings me to such an extreme place both physically and mentally that even after the play has finished it takes me about 10 minutes to calm down,” Kornberg said.

Kornberg believes Sam Shepard is a genius playwright and that the story is brilliantly crafted, depicting a true portrayal of the relationship between two brothers and their family.

Director Aaron Rubinstein, a senior majoring in theater, feels that students should come see “True West” because it is a play that is universally relatable.

“The play is so real,” Rubinstein said. “It deals with issues we all face in all of our families, no matter who we are. Everyone at some point in his or her lives can relate to Austin or Lee. The feelings of inadequacy, the wanting to be the best child we can be, sibling competition and the fact that a lot of it comes from a place of love.”

Rubinstein has previously directed “A Doll’s House” and “Ashes to Ashes,” and is hoping he can do justice for Sam Shepard’s play. Suzannah Herschkowitz, a senior majoring in human development, plays Austin and Lee’s mother in “True West” and said Rubinstein, though still a student, is a very professional director.

“He puts a lot of passion into the project, and cares about the actors’ process,” Herschkowitz said. “He allowed us to play a lot, which I always appreciate in a director.”

Tickets for “True West” are $3 and can be purchased at the door.

The play looks at the story of “Hamlet” from a different perspective by focusing on two minor characters from Shakespeare’s play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” is an absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard.

The action of Stoppard’s play takes place mainly “in the wings” of Shakespeare’s, with brief appearances of major characters from “Hamlet” who enact fragments of the original’s scenes. Throughout the play, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern voice their confusion at the progression of events — which occur onstage without them in “Hamlet” — that they have no direct knowledge of.

Assistant director Emily Simchik, a sophomore double-majoring in history and philosophy, politics and law, described the play as a tragic comedy, where the sarcasm and wit of Guildenstern and the obliviousness of Rosencrantz fit together to take the minor characters of Hamlet to a new level.

Simchik said she enjoyed working with her director, Kevin Gleeson.

“He definitely has a certain idea of what he wants it all to end up looking like,” Simchik said.

Gleeson, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, is directing for the first time. He usually acts instead.

“[Directing] was different in a nice way,” Gleeson said. “I liked it, and we came up with a great production.”

Carly Rubenfeld, a sophomore majoring in psychology, plays Rosencrantz. She felt Gleeson had a great sense of how things should look as well as how to work with the actors.

“It’s also so much fun being directed by one of my good friends,” Rubenfeld said. “He really challenges me and brings out the best in me.”

Rubenfeld thinks students should come see the show because it will make for a fun, enjoyable evening with an abundance of laughter.

“This show will leave a smile on your face but will almost make you think,” Rubenfeld said. “It is really smart, clever and fast pace.”

Tickets for “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead” are $3 and will be sold at the door.

Written by Dale Wasserman, with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion, “Man of La Mancha” is based on Wasserman’s non-musical 1959 teleplay, “I, Don Quixote.” The musical tells the story of the “mad” knight, Don Quixote, as a play within a play, performed by Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing during the Spanish Inquisition.

The show is set up so that Don Miguel de Cervantes and his squire, Sancho, put on a charade for a group of prisoners, the story of Don Quixote. Eventually the prisoners become a part of the charade.

Caitlin Gotimer, an undeclared freshman who plays Fermina, said that the plot of the show can be very tricky to make sure that the contrast between prison life and “Quixote-life” is apparent, yet also realistic.

“Since the audition process, one thing Tom Kremer has repeatedly said is ‘’La Mancha” is one of the few plays that lets the audience know that the performers are acting,'” Gotimer said. “He has urged us all to take advantage of the liberty to act. That being said, the contrast between Don Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote de La Mancha is not only apparent, but makes the show so much fun to watch.”

Tom Kremer, a theater professor, is the director of the play. The cast raved about Kremer’s attention to detail and willingness to help them go as far as possible with their character. They describe him as having insight as well as artistic vision, and praise his constant support and encouragement throughout their work with the show.

Ian Penzel, an undeclared freshman who plays Juan, is extremely grateful to start off his theater career at BU with Kremer as his director.

“He is great to work with, being both fun and professional,” Penzel said. “We all have our laughs and good times, but we also know when it is time to work. Tom treats this show very professionally, as if it were a Broadway production. In turn, we are performing for Binghamton, a show comparable to a Broadway production.”

“Man of La Mancha” stars Steve Tarnow as Don Miguel de Cervantes.

Steve Tarnow, a graduate student in the theater department, stars as Don Miguel de Cervantes. He said that the role has been a great opportunity.

“Cervantes is the centerfuge to which the entire show really revolves around,” Tarnow said. “At times, Cervantes is very narrator-like as he goes through his story, teaching the parts to the other prisoners, but as Quixote, he becomes the very symbol of what it is to live life at its fullest, and what life ought to be, if only people would live their lives as if any moment could be their last.”

A unique aspect of this musical is the intricate fight scenes. Multiple cast members commented on enjoying the extensive stage combat they had to learn.

Austin Tooley, who plays Sancho, said that BU students will enjoy the play as it provides a chance to escape into a fun world.

“I think that the quest of Don Quixote is a quest that people can find in their own lives, a quest for something outside of themselves,” said Tooley, a first-year graduate student in the theater department’s directing track. “When the world begins to take on the grey pallor of war, hunger, hardship or any of [the] multitude of problems that beset life, then a quest for something far greater, even if unattainable, begins to look like the only glimmer of something hopeful.”

“Man of La Mancha” is set to open at 8 p.m. on Nov. 11, with performances at 8 p.m. on Nov. 12, 18 and 19 and at 2 p.m. on Nov. 20 in the Anderson Center’s Watters Theater. Tickets are on sale at the box office in the Anderson Center at $10 for students with ID, $16 for faculty/staff/seniors and $18 for general admission.

These kinds of emails are normal for Al Vos. He isn’t your typical professor.

After 42 years at BU as an English professor, Al has connected with generations of students, and has become a mentor to a sizable portion of the campus population. He’s what you could call the “Mr. Feeny” of Binghamton. He doesn’t just teach students. He nurtures them and helps them discover who they are and what they’re capable of.

Seeing Al in the Hinman Dining Hall getting a bite to eat with the Hinman Fellows, or dressed in one of his snug over-the-head winter sweaters as he’s teaching a class, it may be hard to believe he was once a farm boy from Pella, Iowa.

“I do have farming in my blood,” Al explained. “I love the land and I think planting and harvest are very spiritual activities. I could happily be a farmer.”

His childhood activities were based around two things — the farm and the family. His entire family lived within 10 miles of each other, making social events a family occasion. And Al still remembers the day he first learned to drive a tractor.

“I was an outdoors kid, and on the farm there were endless things to do and places to explore,” he said.

Al and his wife went to the same high school and were actually rivals — he graduated as valedictorian, she as salutatorian. They put their competition aside in the name of love, and their family has extended to include two daughters, Miriam and Sarah, and “three and three-quarter” grandchildren, with the latter granddaughter due in December, all of whom star as the No. 1 priority in Al’s life.

After grade school and high school in Iowa, he had to choose between the agricultural school at Iowa University or Calvin College, a liberal arts school.

“When I was a kid, farming had fallen on hard times, so Dad thought maybe I could go to college and be an agricultural engineer and design tractors, which I seriously considered my senior year,” Al said. “It’s pretty obvious which won out.”

He had never heard of the small 20-year-old college named SUNY Binghamton when he applied for a job while finishing graduate school.

“We would just send out dozens of letters to possible places to work,” Al said. “It was the end of 1969 when the school responded to my inquiry. I went to my grad mentors and asked them, ‘What about this place Binghamton?’ and they had told me, ‘It’s an up-and-coming school and it’d be a good place to work.’ So here I am.”

When asked why he enjoys teaching, Al reclined in his chair with his hands resting on his stomach, deep in thought as to how to put it into words.

“Oh goodness, you know I, myself, loved being a student and thought I could do it in a new way, help others become students,” he said. “My favorite word is ‘nurture’ because I love to nurture students in and out of the classroom.”

And that is proven by the fact that Al acts as a professor, an English adviser and a faculty master at BU.

“The three are not that distinct,” he explained. “I have a holistic approach to being here. I am Al whether I’m teaching Shakespeare or eating lunch in the Hinman Dining Hall. I’m still Al. I do feel like I have feeds in different worlds, but it’s all really part of an interaction with students and ways to help them grow.”

Within Hinman itself, there is a student run council, Hinman College Council (HCC), and a student-run theater group, Hinman Production Company (HPC)’. Al does not run or oversee the two groups, but he plays a vital role for the students involved in them, watching the students grow, develop and mature — something he views as his duty as faculty master.

“In some ways, my role as faculty master is curious,” he said. “I don’t supervise anyone and no one supervises me; I create my own job. In respect to government and theater, I don’t run them or manage budgets or influence decisions but I never miss an HPC show and I never miss an HCC meeting, because I’ve discovered the greatest gift I can give in my supportive presence.”

Al feels very connected to Hinman as a community.

“I emphasize the word ‘community,’ the sense of Hinman community, Hinman spirit, Hinman pride,” Al said. “I view one of my roles as a community developer. I view myself as a talent scout, so part of my job is to embody and nurture that sense of community, spirit and pride.”

Alison Mackenzie, a sophomore majoring in English, took Al’s Writing 111 class last fall and is now his teaching assistant.

“Al has a way of teaching his students much more than English,” she said. “He is extremely supportive of all of his students in all aspects of their lives, and really encourages people to come out of their shells, both academically and socially, to fully appreciate college/Hinman life. Al is an incredible person and Binghamton is lucky to have him.”

“Dying City” focuses on Kelly, the widow of scholar-turned-soldier Craig, as well as her late husband’s artistic twin brother, Peter, as they deal with the aftermath of Sept. 11. The Pulitzer Prize-nominated play investigates questions both political and intimate in nature, as Kelly and Peter explore their very different ways of handling grief and moving on.

The studio show is directed by Joshua Mizikowski, a second-year graduate student in the theater department. Mizikowski has also directed “American Dream” and “The Lesson” at BU, and he served as an assistant director for last semester’s main stage production, “Julius Caesar.”

Jacobella Luongo, a junior majoring in theater, plays the role of Kelly.

“It is quite the experience to play someone like her because her emotional journey is full of hills and valleys,” Luongo said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring her experience.”

Luongo said she thinks the themes of “Dying City” are easily relatable to a broad audience.

“I think people should come see this show because it addresses issues that are extremely intimate, yet extremely universal,” Luongo said. “The show delivers, in an extremely personal way, the truth about loss and living with it.”

Jonathan Molyneaux, a junior majoring in theater who plays the twins Craig and Peter, said he agreed with Luongo.

“My favorite scene to do is the final scene,” Molyneaux said. “It’s a very emotional scene and I think everyone is going to see something that resonates with them.”

Tickets for the performance cost $3 and will be sold at the door.