Tuesday, March 19

Entertainment

We Were Shining: McKendree Theatre Tells Story of Women Who Sued Radium Dial
Arts, Campus Events, Campus News, Community Events, Entertainment

We Were Shining: McKendree Theatre Tells Story of Women Who Sued Radium Dial

By Madison Rohn, Lead Editor Photography by Michelle Magnussen “This isn’t a fairy tale, though it starts like one. It’s not a tragedy, though it ends like one.” This line begins the play These Shining Lives, which McKendree Theatre will perform from February 29th to March 3rd. The play, written by Melanie Marnich, tells the compelling true story of Catherine Wolfe Donohue, one of the thousands of women hired by the Radium Dial Company in Ottawa, Illinois, during the 1920s to paint watch faces with radium. As told in the play, Radium Dial ensured their watch painters that radium was safe, even though the company knew otherwise. After Catherine and her co-workers contracted radium poisoning, they sued the company. Catherine’s eventual legal victory changed worker safety laws in Am...
Go on a Blind Date With a Book!
Entertainment

Go on a Blind Date With a Book!

By: Isabella Brand Photography collected by Isabella Brand Like many places this type of year, most libraries participate in the festivities of Valentine’s Day. Along with decorating, some libraries take Valentine’s Day to the next step with their own version of a “blind date.” If you have been in Holman Library this month, you may have noticed a decorated table near the couches and the front desk. On the display table was a sign that read “Go on a Blind Date with a Book!” One of our librarians, Kasandra, put up the display on February 4th. The display lasted until the 11th. Students and staff were allowed to pick out a wrapped item on the Valentine’s Day-themed table. These items consisted of puzzles, DVDs, books, and stickers. Some books had a typed description taped on the...
McKendree Theatre Puts Hilarious Spin on Classic Tale
Arts, Campus Events, Campus News, Entertainment

McKendree Theatre Puts Hilarious Spin on Classic Tale

By Madison Rohn, Lead Editor Photos by Michelle Magnussen McKendree theatre’s fall play, Cinderella Waltz by Don Nigro, is a comedic and insightful retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale that will take the stage this weekend. The play breaks down the archetypes of the original fairy tale and shows them in a new way with plot twists and humor for adults.  Cinderella Waltz focuses on Rosey Snow as she tries to make sense of her fairy tale world while putting up with her crazy stepmother, stepsisters, and father. All this happens as she encounters a prince, a troll, a possibly homicidal village idiot, and a fairy godmother who sings sailor songs.  Left to right: Mrs. Snow (Marin Jalinsky), Regan (Denaysha Jackson), and Goneril (Madison Rohn) make up Rosey's stepfamily. The cas...
Bearcat at Barbenheimer
Entertainment, Opinion, Perspective

Bearcat at Barbenheimer

By: Madison Rohn, Editor Cover Image received from syfy.com This summer, I participated in the historical event that will go on to define 2023: Barbenheimer! Following the trends, I went with my friends and siblings to see Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer back-to-back on the same day. Both movies were different from my go-to genres of science fiction and fantasy (The Lord of the Rings movies are my favorite), so I was excited to try something new.  We started at ten in the morning and went on the day after the movies premiered, so the theater was crowded and the busiest I had seen since COVID-19. I loved seeing all the people who were dressed up, especially all the pink or sparkly Barbie-inspired outfits. Since we were going to be at the theater for fi...
Video Game Music Will Help You Study
Entertainment

Video Game Music Will Help You Study

By: Kristina Ferry I have always loved video games. I have played them most of my life, and I cannot remember a time when I did not have a handheld console or controller in my hand. As you can see, my family has gathered a collection of video games, and these are just the ones we have on the Nintendo Wii. I have not played all these, but I have played most of them or watched my other family members play them. As a family, we have accumulated so many different consoles that it would be difficult to name them all, but for a short run down we have numerous Nintendo and PlayStation consoles, along with handheld consoles like the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo 3-DS. With all these consoles and around 200 video games in total, I have seen a diversity of games and gaming music. Most of the ...
Women’s History Month Choir Concert
Entertainment

Women’s History Month Choir Concert

By: Breanna Sampo & Grace Gross, Editor in Chief Featured Image retrieved from @mckendreemusic on Instagram The McKendree Chamber Choir celebrated Women’s History Month with a beautiful concert in the Piper Academic Center lobby on Friday, March 24th. Dr. McDonald, assistant Professor of Music Education, featured songs written and composed by women, and English Professor Dr. Muller read several poems written by women.  This year’s theme for Women’s History Month is celebrating women who tell our stories. Dr. McDonald selected wonderful pieces that spoke to the essence of the theme. The first poem read was “Canary” by Rita Dove. This poem commemorates the life of Billie Holiday, who was an African American jazz singer who wrote protest songs for the Civil Rights Movement ...
McKendree Psychology Club
Academics, Campus Events, Entertainment

McKendree Psychology Club

By: Grace Gross, Editor in Chief Photography: taken and provided by Grace Gross Senior Breanna Sampo is the President of the Psychology Club. Breanna’s favorite part about Psychology Club is the connections she builds with her psychology peers and the opportunity to be herself.  When talking about what it is like being President of the Psychology Club, Breanna said she enjoys “being able to work alongside Dr. Hahn and brainstorm fun and creative ways to get students involved and engaged beyond the classroom.” Charlee Taylor, Secretary of the Psychology Club, shared similar thoughts: “I enjoy getting to learn more about psychology in a fun way and ways that interest me. Like through socials, movies, and game nights.” I, Grace, am the Social Media Manager for Psychology ...
Off-Season with McKendree Women’s Soccer
Entertainment, Sports

Off-Season with McKendree Women’s Soccer

By: Elma Oijens Sjoelin Photography: Provided by Elma Oijens Sjoelin As we are slowly approaching the middle of the spring semester, many winter and spring sports at McKendree are currently finishing or just starting their competitive seasons. We see and hear a lot about how it is going for our classmates who are representing McKendree when competing, but have you ever wondered what some of the fall sports are up to during the spring?  One of the sports teams at McKendree currently in their off-season is the women’s soccer team. Last year, the women’s soccer team went undefeated in the Conference games for the first time ever in the history of the program. After the regular season, they claimed a spot in the national tournament and made it to the first round. They were then ...
The History of McKendree University
Entertainment

The History of McKendree University

By: Kristina Ferry & Jasmine Gage Images retrieved from the McKendree University website McKendree University is one of the oldest universities in the nation and the oldest university in Illinois as it was founded in 1828. McKendree also holds the title of being the oldest university in the nation to have ties with the Methodist Church. However, this would not come as a big surprise to anyone who knows the past of this historic university. To those who are unaware, the university was founded by Methodist pioneers and was originally called Lebanon Seminary. This seminary trained priests and ministers in the Methodist faith for a couple of years under Edward Raymond Ames, a Methodist bishop and the namesake of the dining hall on campus. Later, a bishop by the name of William M...
Months on End: A Wonderful Play Put on by Our Peers
Entertainment

Months on End: A Wonderful Play Put on by Our Peers

By: Kristina Ferry Photography by Michelle Magnussen Over the weekend, a group of our peers here at McKendree put on a wonderful play that they had been practicing for months. This play was called Months on End, and it was written by Craig Pospisil in 2002. This play covered the lives of eight young individuals over the course of a year and the struggles they face within their relationships, both familial and romantic. Some of the key relationships that the audience watched roll out were: Phoebe and Ben, two fiancees who have some lingering doubt about whether marriage is right for them, and Elaine and Walter, a couple unsure of what their future actions should be as Walter is currently divorcing his wife.  Walter (played by Hunter Tucker) and Elaine (played by Jayden Touchet...