Arts & Entertainment
April 30th, 2013
Allison Cole Staff Writer What do you think of when you hear the name “Tolkien?” Chances are you think of hobbits and Middle Earth adventures. What you might not know is that the name Tolkien has been floating around Santa Barbara over the last few years for reasons other than a hobbit and a ring. J.R.R. Tolkien’s great-grandson, Nicholas Tolkien, is a director in our beautiful, beachside city, and his most recent film, “Masquerade,” will be shown at a series of screenings over the next month. This film also includes the one and only Johnny Depp! Tolkien, a friend of […] More
April 30th, 2013
Ashley Estebo Staff Writer Come one, come all and take part in the Phoenix Night, an evening filled with art, poetry, music and dessert, on Thursday, April 25, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Porter Theatre. According to fourth-year Mandi DeVos, this year’s Phoenix Editor-in-Chief, the purpose of this event is to showcase the talent of Westmont’s artists, musicians and writers whose works were published in the Phoenix and to glorify God through creativity and community sharing. The entire Westmont community is invited to take part in this event, and so is the broader public. In addition, the Phoenix literary/arts magazine […] More
April 30th, 2013
Chelsea Joy Staff Writer Forget about Starbucks. Just ask for a cup of coffee from third-year David Baldi. Baldi possesses an unusual skill: he roasts his own special coffee. “If this were a resume and I were trying to sound fancy, I would call myself ‘roastmaster,’ ‘cupper,’ and ‘brewing technician,’” Baldi said. “When I was a sophomore in high school, I started wandering curiously around San Francisco—and it wasn’t long until I stumbled into a coffee shop and had a cup that blew my mind. I have been nerding out about it ever since.” Baldi began home-roasting in small batches. […] More
April 11th, 2013
Chelsea Joy Staff Writer Perhaps you have laughed with him as he dons a pair of heels onstage, or strained to hear his lines over an audience roaring with laughter. Through his antics on the stage, third-year Chris Wagstaffe always manages to get people giggling, and he knows all about transforming himself for a role. He put on his first major performance in middle school – and he played a woman! “It was a minor role, but a very comic one,” Wagstaffe said. “It was the performance of this role, Ivy Dripp, that initially sparked my interest in pursuing theatre. […] More
April 11th, 2013
Meg Wolfgram Staff Writer Friends and family gathered in the Westmont Ridley-Tree Museum of Art on Thursday, April 4 to enjoy the spectacular work of some very talented graduating art majors. The opening reception for “12 Speed” triggered many exuberant utterances from impressed onlookers. Proud art professors smiled giddily as they praised their students’ artwork to anyone with a listening ear. Fellow students shared in the enthusiasm. Third-year Jacqueline Firestone expressed her excitement for the final project of her roommate, Ali Stork (’13). Firestone, who has witnessed the process and heard about Stork’s pieces throughout the semester, said, “This is […] More
April 11th, 2013
Ashley Estebo Staff Writer What can get any better than a night filled with free desserts and a free art, poetry, and music show? I’ll tell you what: nothing! On Thursday, April 25th beginning at 7:30pm in Porter Theatre, you have the opportunity to take part in Phoenix Night. This event, on top of providing free stuff, is the final and biggest of the Phoenix. According to Mandi DeVos, one of the committee members in charge of Phoenix Night, the purpose of this event is to showcase the works of Westmont’s artists, musicians, and writers whose works were published in […] More
April 9th, 2013
Allison Cole Staff Writer Dying to see the next Scorcese? How about witnessing the birth of a premier playwright? Or maybe catching an early performance of the new Lord of the Dance? These opportunities and countless others will be available to all who attend Westmont’s celebration of dance, theatre, film and performance art at Westmont Fringe 2013: On the Verge. The event is modeled on fringe festivals throughout the world, and Westmont students, faculty and staff will all take part in the performances during the weekends of April 11-13 and 18-20. Third-year Sara Reinis is just one of the many […] More
April 9th, 2013
Briana Sanchez Staff Writer You can look at a picture of the Grand Canyon, or you can experience it in person, standing along the edge of the canyon and marveling at its majestic beauty. Likewise, you can listen to famous classical songs on your iPod, or you can attend a concert to experience that melodious masterpiece as it was intended to be heard. (AWKWARD. IS THIS NECESSARY?) This last weekend, the 16th annual Masterworks Concert, a collaboration of the Westmont Music programs, presented an opportunity to witness the performance of some grand compositions. This phenomenal performance took place at the […] More
April 9th, 2013
Allison Cole Staff Writer American novelist, essayist and professor Ron Hansen helped launch the Westmont Reading Series by speaking on Wednesday, March 27 in Fleischmann Auditorium at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. He was also on campus Thursday, March 28to speak during an English class (WHICH CLASS???) and at a faculty lunch. Hansen, a graduate of Creighton University, served in the military before earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 1974 and a Master of Arts in Spirituality from Santa Clara University. He earned a Wallace Stegner Creative Writing Fellowship at Stanford […] More
March 28th, 2013
Ashley Estebo Staff Writer In the rendition of Nicholas Sparks’ latest love story, a woman looks for a “Safe Haven” while navigating a potential romance. The well-known writer has crafted the story of Katie, a woman who seeks a place to hide from a haunting past. After finding a small town to call her own, Katie believes that she can start over and try to forget the things she has done and endured. It would not be a true Sparks creation without some romance, and that is exactly what Katie finds in her new hometown. However, things take a turn […] More
