This week, the Theatre Department will be hosting a Blood Drive to help promote “Blood Relations” but more importantly, to do something good for our community. The Blood Drive will be Tuesday, September 22nd though Thursday, September 24th. Each day, the Red Cross will be in the Campus Center (above the ice rink) from 11:30 A.M, to 5:30 P.M to take Donations. Walk-ins are welcome, but if you would like to make an appointment you can e-mail RedCross@Oswego.Edu. Everyone who comes out and donates blood will be entered into a drawing to win prizes. Each day, one lucky winner will receive two tickets to see “Blood Relations”!
     For those who are donating, please remember to eat a big breakfast and drink lots of water before your appointment. Students from the Theatre Department will be there to hand you juice and a snack once you’ve finished.

     For those students that need to see “Blood Relations” as a requirement for their class, donating blood is one way to (have a chance to) receive free tickets, another way is through the “Take Your Students to the Arts Program”. Approach one of your teachers and ask them if they can take you to see the play.  Every Faculty/Staff member who purchases a ticket can bring up to three students to the show for free.

     For more information about “Take Your Students to the Arts Program”, you can go to: http://www.oswego.edu/academics/tyler_box_office/tysa.html

Come out this week and support the Red Cross, we will see you there!

Blood Relations: Auditions

     Auditions for “Blood Relations” took place this past weekend. Click on the link to watch the Director, as well as two students talk about their audition experiences.

It’s 2am and I’m sitting in my living room wide awake.  I went to my friend’s birthday party and had a great time.  I got to see some friends and just have fun.  There was one thing…I was expected to drink.  I turned 21 in July and now everyone who is also 21, and some others assume that I’m going to join in.  I don’t see why I need to.  I had 4 Mountain Dews at the party and that kept me going..haha.  I didn’t feel like drinking and usually don’t.  I don’t understand how people can have fun by going to bars and just standing around.  I need and want to keep moving and be active when I’m hanging out with my friends.  Earlier today a few of us were riding 4-wheelers around the yard and it was the most fun I’ve had in a while.  My friend, Matt, has a barn and we cleaned it up so that the party could be in there.  I enjoyed this…I got to spend time with him and just talk about whatever is going on.  He, his girlfriend, their friend, and I all went out to dinner to celebrate his birthday earlier this evening and again, I had fun.  Then we got back and everyone started to arrive.  This is when I got instantly bored and wanted to go home.  Don’t get me wrong, I love being around lots of people and dancing and talking, but I didn’t see the point in having the keg and all of that stuff.  it was completely legal and we were all of age, but it just wasn’t and usually isn’t my thing.

This probably isn’t the best segway but that brings me to my point.  College is supposed to be about learning new things.  This doesn’t just mean academic but social and life lessons as well.  I want to try new things like hiking and snowmobiling.  It would be great to go out once in a while and just climb all day.  Maybe it’s a metaphor but I want to reach the top.  Ok is that an analogy? I’m not sure… Anywho…I need to find different things to keep myself busy.  I want to grow and I want to be able to add more experiences to my list.  College is almost over and I want to do as much as I can.  Time goes so fast and the past three years have just disappeared.  It’s so scary!!! Well I think that’s all I have for tonight.  It’s now almost 3am, I actually started this entry at 2:30, not 2am, but still, it’s late.  Until next time…

SO, now that you know about my trip to Ghana, which is by itself amazingly exciting, you should learn more about my other items of interest and activism.

I’m currently involved in Students for Global Change here on campus, which I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts. We are basically an umbrella corporation that deals with a huge slew of global issues. The two main focuses of our group are: environmental awareness/sustainability (which I think we’ve designated as Ozzy-Eco) and then our human rights aspect. They’re too enormous topics, so we tend to keep ourselves busy in dealings within these spheres.

I love being a part of S4GC because it does give students an opportunity to make an impact in either the campus community or in the general Oswego community. For instance, last year I took it upon myself to figure out why the lights were on in the bathrooms in Funnelle Hall for 24/7. I always wanted to turn the lights off upon exiting because I was always taught to conserve energy. I asked my RA if I could put a sign asking people to shut off the lights when they left. He replied that it was a safety issue, and we couldn’t actually turn off the lights. (He meant more specifically for inebriated people stumbling in the bathrooms at 4 a.m. to throw up). Needless to say, I didn’t stop at that answer.
I went to hall council, various administrators and Students for Global Change to figure out how we could work getting motion-sensor lights in the bathrooms. At first, I thought that it was going to be a significantly easy process. I mean, come on, we all know motion sensors cut back on energy! It’s common sense, right? Well, that may be true, but in the real world, getting anything done requires lots of research and paperwork, as I found out.

It took me from the first month of school in the fall of 2008 to the very last week of the spring semester in May 2009. I spent a lot of time e-mailing and researching different types of motion-sensors. Jerry DeSantis in Facilities on campus was extremely helpful and empowering throughout the whole experience. He was able to meet with me and help me develop a business plan, making the proper proposals, outlines, contacts, etc. to see this project through. DeSantis got me in touch with Pat Riley of Utilities on campus who was able to help me come up with a game plan to install the sensors. We got in touch with Larry Lively of Grainger Company, which provided us with motion sensors and timers. Riley provided John Ferlito, electrical supervisor in Utilities, with the necessary information to have his men, in turn, install the sensors.

So, through a collaborated effort, DeSantis, Riley, Ferlito, and I were able to set up two bathrooms on the 9th floor in Funnelle with light timers. These pro-logger light timers allowed us to get exact figures on how much time the lights were on in the bathrooms when people weren’t using them. These timers also provided estimates to how much money we could save on energy costs with the installation of motion-sensor lights.

We had these installed a month before finals week was over. In the girls’ bathroom on the 9th floor, the bathroom was vacant with the lights on for 45.3% of the time. The boys’ bathroom was on and vacant for 17.6% of the time (who ever said girls take longer in the bathroom? I have proof they don’t!) When we installed the motion sensors, we saved 26% of the energy used because the lights turned off when vacant. We saved 19.4% with the boys’ bathroom.
Since the installation, there have been some concerns with the safety of the sensors because several times the lights have shut off on people in the showers, but that’s easily remedied with a foot stuck out of the shower curtain. The boys’ bathroom is set at 20 minutes for the sensor, while the girls’ is set at 15 minutes. The overall response of students has been overwhelming support for the sensors.

NOW… John Moore, who has taken over Jerry DeSantis’s place as director of sustainability, is in the process of preparing to do a campus-wide installation of the motion sensors in the residence hall bathrooms. Moore plans on installing the sensors as well as an LED “night-light” for students in case the lights turn off while they’re in one of the stalls or shower (because there are no windows in Funnelle bathrooms).

The reason I brought all of this information up is to remind students that they don’t have to just accept things as they are on campus. If you come up with ideas to better the campus community, don’t hesitate to take action just because you may not be “old enough” or “wise enough” to do this. I personally had NO experience whatsoever with coming up with a business plan, but with the support of DeSantis and everyone else, I was able to succeed. And look at how far that got me!

Students for Global Change provides students like me with the resources to get in touch with the right people on campus to get something done. We do a lot of projects for educating about environmental injustice, human rights violations, and what students can do to better our community. We all work together to find a way to help individual students achieve their goals, just like I did.

SO… the moral of the story is to take initiative and not be afraid of taking a stance on something and working your hardest to achieve an end! The administration here on campus is open to hear ideas, so take advantage of the open door policy.

Thanks for your time and go out there and get proactive! 🙂 Check out Students for Global Change on Facebook!

So things are starting to settle down now that i have been here for almost 3 weeks.  I have my apartment (and I am working on the internet).  I officialy signed up for my univiersity here in Paris.  It is called Paris 8: Saint-Denis.  It is only about 15-20 min from my apartment.  I have an official visit and  tour scheduled for this coming wednesday.  I am quite excited and maybe I will get to pick some of my classes.  They are very disorganized here, but at least classes don’t officially start until October 5. 

 In the meantime, I have been spending my time in language courses that are part of my orientation program with my exchange program.  We spend 3-4 hours a day in class practicing french and learning about the city to orient ourselves to be main-streamed into French Universities.  There are 4 different french classes that meet and i believe that there is about 80 students in my exchange program from the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.  It is really nice to meet so many new people from all over North America.

So besides classes I have been exploring the city and specifically the neighborhood i live in.  I really love where I live.  Within 5 min of me there are hundreds of stores, but in Paris you will never find a Wal-mart.  It has been very interesting getting used to going to 5 different stores just to do daily shopping.  There are Boulangeries, Patisseries, Boucheries, Fromageries, Creperies, Brassaries, Tabacs, Papateries, libraries, etc.   Most stores are specialty stores, so you spend a lot of time finding out where you can get certain foods, or school supplies or even household items.  It is in enriching to experience something so different.  It is a lifestyle  change that is for sure.

Tonight I went to “Le Lapin Agile” with some of the other people in my exchange program.  It was really cool.  The Lapin Agile (Agile Rabbit) is a Parisian style Cabaret.  It has been around since th1800’s and was a place that many famous artists and musicians spent their time.  The show was actually 5 hours long, but most of my class only stayed from hours which seemed to be the norm.  It seemed like there were people waiting to get into the show after people started leaving.  They sang a lot of famous french songs and there were instruments like th piano, guitar and accordian that were played.  The audience was very involved in the performance and it was a lot of fun.   

(Note: It took too long tonight when I tried, but I plan on getting a video of the Lapin Agile in here, So look for that eventually)

This weekend is a very special weekend in Paris.  Saturday and Sunday are called “Les Journees du Patrimoine.”  It means the hertiage days.  And on these days, and these days only, buildings and places such as the national assembly, the town hall, the national archives, ander govermentment buildings and other important places that are normally closed to the public are open for anyone to see.  It is a very special event in Paris, and I am looking forward to going to several places.  I also am hoping to do some home shopping with some of my friends at Ikea which is a little outside of the city.  With all of that and some homework to do, it is going to be a busy weekend.  Until then A Bientot!  (See you soon)

The Primary task for a dramaturg is to aid the artistic director in creating a long-ranging artistic vision and plan for their theatre and then implement short-range action to accomplish that goal… The dramaturg supervises the commissioning of new plays, cultivating relationships with the playwrights; and rereads the classics, searching for those works that make deep cultural connections. The Dramaturg takes the lead in season planning helping to select plays that fulfill the theatre’s commitment to its artists and its overall vision. Dramatugs work with directors to challenge fixed notions about new plays or classics being considered for staging. When possible, the dramaturg assists in picking the artistic team for each production…. [and] also serves as a resource and active collaborator during the planning stages of a production and throughout the rehearsal period. The production dramaturg is optimally that artist who functions in a multifaceted manner helping the director and other artists to interpret and shape the sociological, textual, acting, directing and design values. (Bly, xxii-xxiii)

Bly goes on to explain about dramaturgical work in text preparation, production casebooks and actor packets, and the necessity of attending rehearsals and previews so that, “The dramaturg will know the source of the creative choices. This will inspire ‘doable’ note or staging solutions and not merely obvious diagnostic commentary.” He then goes on to sum up his task during the rehearsal process into to words, “I question…I strive to be a supportive but questioning force, never an ‘echo’” (Bly xxiv).

 (“HAIR” Actor: Paris Remillard)

     This semester I will be the dramaturg for Sharron Pollock’s “Blood Relations,” directed by Keegan Bushey. “Blood Relations” is a play about Lizzie Borden and the events surrounding the murder of her parents. The playwright poses the question, “If you were in her place, what would you have done?“ This is an exciting opportunity for me because I was a part of the Play Selection Committee last year and was able to voice my love for this play. I presented the faculty with a list of things that could be done for this production with research and publicity. I was excited to hear that the play had been chosen for the season, and that I would be involved in the show. “Blood Relations“ is this year‘s Student Honors Production. Students submit resumes, go through an interview process and are selected to be lighting, set, and costume designers, directors, dramaturgs. Our crew is made up of students as well. It is essentially our first steps, with our mentors beside us to catch us if we start to stumble. I had the pleasure of working with a fine group of peers for last year’s Honors Production, and I am excited to work with the brilliant minds of this year. We do have some Faculty designers involved this year, which makes the experience even more interesting, learning from those who have had many years of experience.

Next Step, Auditions.

See you there.

Works Cited:

Bly, Mark. The Production Noteboks, Theatre In Process. New York, NY: Theatre Communicaions Grop, Inc., 1996. Print.

This is going to be so exciting! My name is Steven DiMarzo, and as my biographical information says, I am a Human Development major with minors in Conflict Studies Management and Business Administration. I am originally from Oakdale, NY, which is a small town on Long Island, but I live in Oswego all year round and I love every moment of it. I am technically a 2nd semester junior, but in my 4th year. I plan on completely 2 more years (this one included). I am very interested in Higher Education and plan on getting my masters in that field and hopefully getting a job on a college campus working in student affairs.

Enough about who I am…this year is going to be amazing.  My new position in SA will allow me to be more involved and meet so many new people.  In the past the Student Association has had a bad reputation and most students tend to shy away but this year I want everyone to know they can come to any member and how willing we are to help them.  Everyone has the right to speak their opinion and use their voice on this campus.  SA is one of the biggest organizations and we can get you heard.  One thing that most people don’t know is that a majority of student organizations on campus are funded by SA.  We use over 1.7 million dollars to fund all of these clubs and orgs.  It’s your money, you pay the student activity fee and it is used to go back to you.  Don’t be afraid, come talk to us, talk to me…I am here to help.

Enough of the plug.  I have a test today, my first one of the semester, in fact it’s in 10 minutes.  Human Sexuality, PSY 377. It’s an awesome class.  I guess I should get going and head to Lanigan.  Peace out cub scouts!

There’s a lot of people on campus who spend their time reading, playing video games, or lounging around their dorm room.

I can’t be one of those people.

Even before school started I’ve been running around preparing for school, setting up social events for my Fraternity, and working at Cooper Dining Hall. It’s fun, but very tiring. I wake up at about 7:30 every morning and just go till the wee hours of the night. I’ve managed to steal away some more hours of sleep this past weekend, but no matter how many hours you sleep, you’ll always use up those hours and you’re back to where you started.

All this work is paying off though. I’m off to a good start with my classes, I’ve been raking in some money, and meeting a boat load of new people along the way thanks to my position as Social Chairman in my fraternity.

Life has been moving really quickly. But I feel even though it’s going at such a fast pace right now, it’s going to be all worth it. And I’m going to have the best time doing all this.

I’m a senior in college. It’s one last time to show this place what I have to offer. I’m going to do it right.

So it has been a little while since I posted, but the day after I got to Paris I found an apartment.  It is in the 18th arrondissement which is in the North of Paris.  It is a 37 sq. meter(I am not sure how much that is in feet)  that I am sharing with a girl that is from SUNYGeneseo.  We met before we came to Paris because she is going through the international education department at Oswego because we offer a Paris program that is not offered at Geneseo. 

Anyway, our apartment is really nice, the only problem is there is not internet.  And let me tell you from personal experience that getting internet in France is not the easiest thing to do.  You need a RIB (its an identification card from your bank, which is something only french banks give out, so I had to get a bank account first, which also isn’t easy).  You also need proof that you reside at the address you give them, and you need to know the number of your apartment according to French Telecom which is on a plaque at the base of your door.  And the worst thing is, once you finally bring them all of this information you need to wait until the wifi box is mailed which takes 2-3 weeks.  Welcome to Paris I suppose.  I just am frustrated that it takes long to get internet here.  There are not very many cafes that have internet so I have been sitting in the computer lab, (which is the only one in the school and only has about 15 computers) trying to keep in touch with the world.  It is very frustrating.

Things here are much more layed back.  People don’t rush to do things and everything is unorganized.  I start school in less than 2 weeks and ther course bulletin isn’t even out yet.  In Paris, you show up in class the first day it is offered and that is how you sign up.  I definately miss myoswego and web registration, go USA.  lol

I am studying abroad in Paris through an exchange program called MICEFA(International mission for coordination of french and american exchange or mission interuniversitaire de cordination des exchange franco-americain).  I arrived a few weeks before classes because we have an orientation program and intensive language courses.  That has been keeping me busy because we are in class 3 hours a day monday through friday.  We also have been doing some sight seeing in Paris.  We went to Pont Neuf on a boat ride on the seine and we went to the Carnavalet Museum today. MICEFA is a great exchange program and I have had a great time thus far. 

I am a little homesick, but I hope it gets better once school starts, I think it will.  There is a big difference in the culture and lifestyles of Paris.  I really love baugettes and Strawberry and Raspberry tartlettes.  They are amazing.  There is one thing that can never go wrong in Paris and that is food.  Yummy yummy food. 

Anyway, hopefully I will get internet permanately soon, then I will post some more pictures.  🙂