A ski to remember
by Amy Kitterman
staff writer
Luminaries lit up the ski course as crisp, clear skies and newly groomed ski trails attracted young and old community members on Saturday, Feb. 5 2011 to the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Cambridge Campus (ARCC). The weather for the Candlelight Ski was in the 20s. This was the 9th year of the annual event and according to Mary Januschka, the event’s organizer, "Usually we get just over 100; this year we had between 200 and 250 participants." The participation at the event was greater than expected compared to earlier years Januschka said and there was also in some previous years worries from planners of having enough snow to ski or not.
Participants were able to enjoy the two-mile trail while they skied, walked, used snowshoes and even were pulled on sleds. As participant Bruce Schellito stopped skiing for a quick picture he stated, "It’s a very neat event." There were first timers at the event and also many of the participants were previous participants in earlier years. My older brother, Clay Kitterman, was a first time participant along with me and he said, "It was really cool and I liked it a lot. The weather was great for walking the trails."
The event is sponsored by the ARCC Cambridge Campus and Januschka says, "It is just a celebration of fitness and healthy living, which we believe are positive community values. It is a chance for participants to get out and enjoy the winter."
The bluegrass band, The Mystery Mountain Boys, provided the entertainment for the evening. Refreshments were also offered to warm up the participants. There was 56 door prizes awarded and the Cambridge ARCC Campus also awarded a $100 bookstore gift card with one of the prizes.
staff writer
Luminaries lit up the ski course as crisp, clear skies and newly groomed ski trails attracted young and old community members on Saturday, Feb. 5 2011 to the Anoka-Ramsey Community College Cambridge Campus (ARCC). The weather for the Candlelight Ski was in the 20s. This was the 9th year of the annual event and according to Mary Januschka, the event’s organizer, "Usually we get just over 100; this year we had between 200 and 250 participants." The participation at the event was greater than expected compared to earlier years Januschka said and there was also in some previous years worries from planners of having enough snow to ski or not.
Participants were able to enjoy the two-mile trail while they skied, walked, used snowshoes and even were pulled on sleds. As participant Bruce Schellito stopped skiing for a quick picture he stated, "It’s a very neat event." There were first timers at the event and also many of the participants were previous participants in earlier years. My older brother, Clay Kitterman, was a first time participant along with me and he said, "It was really cool and I liked it a lot. The weather was great for walking the trails."
The event is sponsored by the ARCC Cambridge Campus and Januschka says, "It is just a celebration of fitness and healthy living, which we believe are positive community values. It is a chance for participants to get out and enjoy the winter."
The bluegrass band, The Mystery Mountain Boys, provided the entertainment for the evening. Refreshments were also offered to warm up the participants. There was 56 door prizes awarded and the Cambridge ARCC Campus also awarded a $100 bookstore gift card with one of the prizes.
New Political Science Club at Cambridge Campus
by Holly Buboltz
staff writer
A Political Science Club has recently been established at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC).
The first meeting was Tuesday, Feb. 1 in room F105. There are currently five to 10 members and organizers hope that number grows.
"This club will engage students in their community," said Matthew Schuster the club president and will "get them more involved in, and knowledgeable of, politics and government." Meetings will be held one to four times per month.
When the club becomes more established it plans to invite speakers such as past political figures to benefit the entire campus.
Any club that starts on Cambridge Campus must gain sanction from the Student Life Committee and Student Government. The Political Science Club holds a Provisional Club Status, meaning the club is given six weeks to establish a constitution and hold meetings before it is given funding that is drawn from the Student Life Budget. A constitution is currently being created by two members of the club.
Interested students should contact Matthew Schuster, the club coordinator, at [email protected] or at 763-433-1882.
staff writer
A Political Science Club has recently been established at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC).
The first meeting was Tuesday, Feb. 1 in room F105. There are currently five to 10 members and organizers hope that number grows.
"This club will engage students in their community," said Matthew Schuster the club president and will "get them more involved in, and knowledgeable of, politics and government." Meetings will be held one to four times per month.
When the club becomes more established it plans to invite speakers such as past political figures to benefit the entire campus.
Any club that starts on Cambridge Campus must gain sanction from the Student Life Committee and Student Government. The Political Science Club holds a Provisional Club Status, meaning the club is given six weeks to establish a constitution and hold meetings before it is given funding that is drawn from the Student Life Budget. A constitution is currently being created by two members of the club.
Interested students should contact Matthew Schuster, the club coordinator, at [email protected] or at 763-433-1882.
Printing cap not fee
by Ben Braaten
staff writer
Anoka-Ramsey Community College technology department has placed an artificial cap on student printing. The cap was put in place with guidance from the Coon Rapids student government. There is no actual charge to students, only an artificial charge to encourage paper conservation.
The cap on student printing is at $20.or 666 impressions. An impression is a printed page. Thus a sheet printed on front and back is two impressions.
The effort originated at the Coon Rapids student government with discussions about making the campus greener. According to Cory Rahn of the Coon Rapids Student Government said, "Part of the platform document that we have for our Coon Rapids Student Government stated that we would try and improve our campus to be greener. So I asked the president and the senate about what they thought, and everyone agreed that this is something we could try and do."
The decision was made after evaluating policies at other MnSCUschools and the University of Minnesota. Most schools provide students with 500 impressions and it was thought that adding another 100 would work well. In contrast the University of Minnesota charges $.1 per sheet, although certain colleges provide student a cap within that college’s lab.
According to pamphlets available at the Open Lab student printing is capped at a value of $20, with an impression valued at $.3. When they bypass this they will be required to go to technology where the cap will be extended and printing habits examined. There is no actual charge to students. Students may see how much they have left of their $20 by clicking on a desktop icon. There is also a password needed for when they print. For students who do not bypass the cap, the only impact will be that they need click a few extra buttons.
The main sources of excess printing are often students printing PowerPoints improperly one to a page and students excessively printing notes. These can be remedied by printing powerpoint slides six to a page and by students being able to purchase notes at bookstore.
The technology fee that student pay covers the cost of printing; however, the fees encompass everything from the technology staff to servers and smart classrooms. In response to students who believe that fee entitles them to unlimited printing privileges Rahn states, "If all the money is used to print who, pays for everything else?"
If students have any questions or comments about the new printing policies they email the Coon Rapids Student government at [email protected] or approach technology in the Open Lab or technology office.
staff writer
Anoka-Ramsey Community College technology department has placed an artificial cap on student printing. The cap was put in place with guidance from the Coon Rapids student government. There is no actual charge to students, only an artificial charge to encourage paper conservation.
The cap on student printing is at $20.or 666 impressions. An impression is a printed page. Thus a sheet printed on front and back is two impressions.
The effort originated at the Coon Rapids student government with discussions about making the campus greener. According to Cory Rahn of the Coon Rapids Student Government said, "Part of the platform document that we have for our Coon Rapids Student Government stated that we would try and improve our campus to be greener. So I asked the president and the senate about what they thought, and everyone agreed that this is something we could try and do."
The decision was made after evaluating policies at other MnSCUschools and the University of Minnesota. Most schools provide students with 500 impressions and it was thought that adding another 100 would work well. In contrast the University of Minnesota charges $.1 per sheet, although certain colleges provide student a cap within that college’s lab.
According to pamphlets available at the Open Lab student printing is capped at a value of $20, with an impression valued at $.3. When they bypass this they will be required to go to technology where the cap will be extended and printing habits examined. There is no actual charge to students. Students may see how much they have left of their $20 by clicking on a desktop icon. There is also a password needed for when they print. For students who do not bypass the cap, the only impact will be that they need click a few extra buttons.
The main sources of excess printing are often students printing PowerPoints improperly one to a page and students excessively printing notes. These can be remedied by printing powerpoint slides six to a page and by students being able to purchase notes at bookstore.
The technology fee that student pay covers the cost of printing; however, the fees encompass everything from the technology staff to servers and smart classrooms. In response to students who believe that fee entitles them to unlimited printing privileges Rahn states, "If all the money is used to print who, pays for everything else?"
If students have any questions or comments about the new printing policies they email the Coon Rapids Student government at [email protected] or approach technology in the Open Lab or technology office.
On duty at the bookstore
by Sonja Rauen
staff writer
Security guard Jim Langford was assigned to the Cambridge Campus bookstore security during the first frenzy of book-buying at the beginning of the Anoka-Ramsey 2011 spring semester.
Langford was stationed in front the bookstore for two weeks at 10 hours a day. He was outside of the bookstore watching how many people go in at one time and greeted each person as they went in to buy their books.
Langford wanted to become a security guard "after I retired so that I would have summer golf money." He was originally going to become a news reporter with the St. Paul Pioneer Press after high school, but that job required a college education. He went to Mankato State for one week, decided against school and joined the Navy instead.
Langford thinks that news reporting has really changed. "News is all about ratings these days and most of it is just garbage because the newspapers don’t argue both sides of a story anymore," he stated.
Langford really enjoys working at the Cambridge Campus. He said, "Everyone is so much more polite up here." He never has any problems on the Cambridge Campus. Both the staff and students are very friendly here, he said. "A lot of the students like to kid around with me," Langford added.
Langford stated that his main job is actually crowd control. There are so many students buying books during the first weeks of school that the bookstore gets overcrowded. Once in a while someone will try to barge in and go to the front of the line, but he said he usually can spot trouble because that person is goofing off before they even get in to the line.
staff writer
Security guard Jim Langford was assigned to the Cambridge Campus bookstore security during the first frenzy of book-buying at the beginning of the Anoka-Ramsey 2011 spring semester.
Langford was stationed in front the bookstore for two weeks at 10 hours a day. He was outside of the bookstore watching how many people go in at one time and greeted each person as they went in to buy their books.
Langford wanted to become a security guard "after I retired so that I would have summer golf money." He was originally going to become a news reporter with the St. Paul Pioneer Press after high school, but that job required a college education. He went to Mankato State for one week, decided against school and joined the Navy instead.
Langford thinks that news reporting has really changed. "News is all about ratings these days and most of it is just garbage because the newspapers don’t argue both sides of a story anymore," he stated.
Langford really enjoys working at the Cambridge Campus. He said, "Everyone is so much more polite up here." He never has any problems on the Cambridge Campus. Both the staff and students are very friendly here, he said. "A lot of the students like to kid around with me," Langford added.
Langford stated that his main job is actually crowd control. There are so many students buying books during the first weeks of school that the bookstore gets overcrowded. Once in a while someone will try to barge in and go to the front of the line, but he said he usually can spot trouble because that person is goofing off before they even get in to the line.
ARCC students aren’t losing their faith
by Josh Gloe
Contributing writer
It is often said that college students, even if raised in a religious household their whole lives, often lose their faith once they begin to attend college. A recent survey conducted at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) gives a snapshot of various religious beliefs and attitudes of 43 students attending the college.
Regarding the initial issue presented, where many students lose their religious faith after and during their time at college, 66.7% of respondents actually said that they expect their faith to be stronger in five years than it was at the time of the survey. Just 4.8% said that they thought it would be weaker in five years, and the remaining 28.6% of students said that they expect their religious faith to be about the same in five years.
Of those same students polled above, 76.9% of them are currently active in their church (attending a church service at least once a week). 7.7% of them attend a few times a month. The remaining 15.4%, although they are a part of an organized religion, do not regularly attend any of their religion’s church services.
When asked the broader question of whether or not they believe in any sort of God or supernatural creator, 93% of respondents said that they did believe. Many of the students explained that they were raised to believe in a God and their views haven’t changed. Others said that it makes logical sense to them that there is a supernatural creator of some sort, or that they believe in a God because of what they have read in the Bible.
The 7% of students who did not believe in any sort of supernatural creator reasoned that there is no evidence supporting it, but that there is evidence to refute it.
Although 97% of the students who were surveyed believed in God, just 83.7% belong to an organized religion. This likely directly correlates to the question, “In your opinion, would the world be overall better off without religion or with it?” The same percentage, 83.7%, as those who are in an organized religion answered “better with religion” to this question.
Those who believe that the world is better off with religion argued that groups of faith help morally guide, and that believing in a higher power gives people hope, joy, and peace.
Students who disagreed, 16.3%, said that religion has created war, division, and prejudice attitudes.
So although well over nine out of every 10 of the students polled believed that a God does exist, just over eight out of every 10 of those same students believed that organized religion is actually a good thing.
Overall, although many people say that college students will lose their faith after and during their life at college, it does seem that the majority of college students, based on the survey of ARCC students, have a faith and plan on sustaining if not growing in their faith during their life at college and beyond.
Contributing writer
It is often said that college students, even if raised in a religious household their whole lives, often lose their faith once they begin to attend college. A recent survey conducted at Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) gives a snapshot of various religious beliefs and attitudes of 43 students attending the college.
Regarding the initial issue presented, where many students lose their religious faith after and during their time at college, 66.7% of respondents actually said that they expect their faith to be stronger in five years than it was at the time of the survey. Just 4.8% said that they thought it would be weaker in five years, and the remaining 28.6% of students said that they expect their religious faith to be about the same in five years.
Of those same students polled above, 76.9% of them are currently active in their church (attending a church service at least once a week). 7.7% of them attend a few times a month. The remaining 15.4%, although they are a part of an organized religion, do not regularly attend any of their religion’s church services.
When asked the broader question of whether or not they believe in any sort of God or supernatural creator, 93% of respondents said that they did believe. Many of the students explained that they were raised to believe in a God and their views haven’t changed. Others said that it makes logical sense to them that there is a supernatural creator of some sort, or that they believe in a God because of what they have read in the Bible.
The 7% of students who did not believe in any sort of supernatural creator reasoned that there is no evidence supporting it, but that there is evidence to refute it.
Although 97% of the students who were surveyed believed in God, just 83.7% belong to an organized religion. This likely directly correlates to the question, “In your opinion, would the world be overall better off without religion or with it?” The same percentage, 83.7%, as those who are in an organized religion answered “better with religion” to this question.
Those who believe that the world is better off with religion argued that groups of faith help morally guide, and that believing in a higher power gives people hope, joy, and peace.
Students who disagreed, 16.3%, said that religion has created war, division, and prejudice attitudes.
So although well over nine out of every 10 of the students polled believed that a God does exist, just over eight out of every 10 of those same students believed that organized religion is actually a good thing.
Overall, although many people say that college students will lose their faith after and during their life at college, it does seem that the majority of college students, based on the survey of ARCC students, have a faith and plan on sustaining if not growing in their faith during their life at college and beyond.
Smoking area restricted to sidewalks, parking lot
by Sonja Rauen
staff writer
Smokers started walking further away from the school campus, in the freezing cold weather, to accommodate the new smoking policy enacted at the beginning of this year.
This new policy has generated discussions of varying opinion within the student body, with varying opinions and different reactions to the new policy.
Karol Andereasen was not in favor of this change. Andereasen said, "I think moving the smoking areas is not effective. It should be the way it was before because it doesn’t matter where we smoke. At least we do it outside. Just because you move the area doesn’t mean we’re going to stop smoking while we are at school."
Tyler Cameron noted, "It isn’t fair to force the non-smoker population to endure the harmful effects of smoking. I think its right to send smokers out of the school so the rest of us can enjoy clean air and good health."
Jennifer Jirat’s understanding of this policy is that "new smoking areas are stupid because the non-smokers have to walk by our smoke and now there are more complaints then when it was just on the patios in one place but many places in areas where many people walk everday."
Hydee Bostrom said, "It really doesn’t matter but it does save on smokes, because it’s too far now."
One student was concerned about the messes that cigarettes leave behind, Lonetta Thery sid, "I think that when there was smoking on campus, the smoking areas were not shoveled or cleared off. So smokers could go there without trudging through snow. I don’t mind smoking by the parking lot, but I think there should be respectful attitudes to the both parties. Clean up your cigereeete butts, move away from people, don’t blow smoke towards someone if possible. Clear spots for smoking areas. Empty ash trays when cleaning grounds."
The opinion from Karen Menk was not to ban smoking on campus because there are too many smokers; she thinks it looked better when smoking was concentrated in one area.
Raquel Swenson is a non-smoker and thinks pulling up to the college with smokers in front gives the college a negative image. Tyler Cameron doesn’t think non-smokers should endure the harmful effects of smoking.
Kaleb Letterman sees both sides of the story; he doesn’t want to walk through smoke, but thinks smokers should be able to smoke anywhere outside.
Nicole Kamps thinks smoking outside during night classes could be dangerous in the parking lot area.
Andre’ O’Rourke thinks there should be a smoking support group to help smokers quit.
Alalina Ritchie just wants smokers to stay in there designated areas. "I am not a smoker, but it is fine if they want to.," she said.
Josh Kellan said, "I am not a smoker and I personally don’t care."
ABOUT THE NEW POLICY
This new change took effect Jan. 3, 2011, according to the Anoka-Ramsey Community College web site. Designated smoking areas have been moved further away from all college buildings.
In March 2010, the MnSCU Board of Trustees passed a resolution that encouraged each college and university to consult with students, faculty and staff about further restricting tobacco use on the system's 54 campuses.
That same month, former college President Patrick M. Johns appointed a Tobacco Policy Task Force to examine the current Tobacco Use policy and gather feedback from all constituents.
The task force conducted a survey in April 2010 of all college constituents and members of the community in April 2010. After gathering the results, the task force recommended that the Anoka-Ramsey Tobacco Use policy change, and turned over their full recommendation to the Anoka-Ramsey Joint Safety and Security Committee in May 2010. The committee considered the following options: make no changes to current smoking policy; create a smoke-free campus; or re-establish smoking areas.
After discussion and examination of the task force information, the committee recommended to Interim College President, Jessie Stumpf that smoking areas be re-established. Dr. Stumpf routed the new policy through all constituent groups, allowed for comments/feedback and has accepted the committee’s recommendation.
New signs and receptacles are being ordered and scheduled to be in place by Jan. 3.
Information from the Anoka-Ramsey Community College web site.
staff writer
Smokers started walking further away from the school campus, in the freezing cold weather, to accommodate the new smoking policy enacted at the beginning of this year.
This new policy has generated discussions of varying opinion within the student body, with varying opinions and different reactions to the new policy.
Karol Andereasen was not in favor of this change. Andereasen said, "I think moving the smoking areas is not effective. It should be the way it was before because it doesn’t matter where we smoke. At least we do it outside. Just because you move the area doesn’t mean we’re going to stop smoking while we are at school."
Tyler Cameron noted, "It isn’t fair to force the non-smoker population to endure the harmful effects of smoking. I think its right to send smokers out of the school so the rest of us can enjoy clean air and good health."
Jennifer Jirat’s understanding of this policy is that "new smoking areas are stupid because the non-smokers have to walk by our smoke and now there are more complaints then when it was just on the patios in one place but many places in areas where many people walk everday."
Hydee Bostrom said, "It really doesn’t matter but it does save on smokes, because it’s too far now."
One student was concerned about the messes that cigarettes leave behind, Lonetta Thery sid, "I think that when there was smoking on campus, the smoking areas were not shoveled or cleared off. So smokers could go there without trudging through snow. I don’t mind smoking by the parking lot, but I think there should be respectful attitudes to the both parties. Clean up your cigereeete butts, move away from people, don’t blow smoke towards someone if possible. Clear spots for smoking areas. Empty ash trays when cleaning grounds."
The opinion from Karen Menk was not to ban smoking on campus because there are too many smokers; she thinks it looked better when smoking was concentrated in one area.
Raquel Swenson is a non-smoker and thinks pulling up to the college with smokers in front gives the college a negative image. Tyler Cameron doesn’t think non-smokers should endure the harmful effects of smoking.
Kaleb Letterman sees both sides of the story; he doesn’t want to walk through smoke, but thinks smokers should be able to smoke anywhere outside.
Nicole Kamps thinks smoking outside during night classes could be dangerous in the parking lot area.
Andre’ O’Rourke thinks there should be a smoking support group to help smokers quit.
Alalina Ritchie just wants smokers to stay in there designated areas. "I am not a smoker, but it is fine if they want to.," she said.
Josh Kellan said, "I am not a smoker and I personally don’t care."
ABOUT THE NEW POLICY
This new change took effect Jan. 3, 2011, according to the Anoka-Ramsey Community College web site. Designated smoking areas have been moved further away from all college buildings.
In March 2010, the MnSCU Board of Trustees passed a resolution that encouraged each college and university to consult with students, faculty and staff about further restricting tobacco use on the system's 54 campuses.
That same month, former college President Patrick M. Johns appointed a Tobacco Policy Task Force to examine the current Tobacco Use policy and gather feedback from all constituents.
The task force conducted a survey in April 2010 of all college constituents and members of the community in April 2010. After gathering the results, the task force recommended that the Anoka-Ramsey Tobacco Use policy change, and turned over their full recommendation to the Anoka-Ramsey Joint Safety and Security Committee in May 2010. The committee considered the following options: make no changes to current smoking policy; create a smoke-free campus; or re-establish smoking areas.
After discussion and examination of the task force information, the committee recommended to Interim College President, Jessie Stumpf that smoking areas be re-established. Dr. Stumpf routed the new policy through all constituent groups, allowed for comments/feedback and has accepted the committee’s recommendation.
New signs and receptacles are being ordered and scheduled to be in place by Jan. 3.
Information from the Anoka-Ramsey Community College web site.
Dinner Anyone?
by Amy Kitterman
staff writer
Truths, relationships, and love were all revealed in Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Cambridge Campus’ theatrical performance of "Dinner with Friends" which ran Feb. 11-13 and Feb. 18 and 19, 2011.
At promptly 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 the lights in the ARCC Cambridge Campus’ performance hall dimmed, all you could hear was love songs from decades past, as the lights returned the production began.
This was Lisa Weaver’s first year of directing at both the ARCC Coon Rapids and Cambridge campuses. Weaver was attracted to the play due to the "meaty and weighty" characters and also due to the simplicity of the "relationships and human connection" in the story.
THE CAST
The cast of the production consisted of four students from ARCC’s Cambridge Campus: Rachel Horner (Karen), Ryan Hronoski (Gabe), Alex Williams (Tom) and Becca Wold (Beth).
Horner had no experience acting before this production. However, she has danced before and was comfortable on stage.
Hronoski had acted in one play previously but has had more experience in the technical sides of theatre.
Both Williams and Wold have previously been a part of dramas through their churches but had never participated in productions with larger lead roles.
THE STORY
Right away in the show you learn that Beth and Tom are getting a divorce. This terribly upsets their friends, Karen and Gabe. After hearing the news Karen doesn’t even want to see Tom’s face, although they had been friends for many years. After discussing the issue between themselves Karen and Gabe blame themselves for the failed marriage between their two friends. The couple also wonders whether any marriage is strong enough to make it.
At the beginning of act two there is a flash back to 12 years earlier when Karen and Gabe first introduced Beth and Tom at Martha’s Vineyard. When asked what his favorite part was, Williams said this scene was his favorite because of how happy it is.
After the flashback both Karen and Gabe are able to talk with Beth and Tom and discover how their lives changed for the better. Beth talks about how she had to "endure" a 12-year marriage with Tom to find her true love. This left Karen and Gabe curious about if their own marriage was as perfect as they thought. The couple is left pondering how their best friends’ divorce reflects on their own marriage.
Weaver used words like "funny, and flawed – so human" to describe the characters in the story.
THE EXPERIENCE
Participating in the production, either performing in the cast or working backstage/set crew, gave one credit to ARCC students enrolled in Theatre 1109 - Practical Experience. The auditions for the production were held in late November 2010 at the ARCC Cambridge Campus. People were able to audition for the production and then had the choice to enroll if casted.
When asked about the criteria she was looking for in auditions Weaver stated, "In the auditions, I look for students who can take direction, are creative and fun."
Casted practices began in December. Also the cast met once over winter break, and then they started practices again when second semester began.
When asked what he learned during the whole process of the production Hronoski replied, "What I got from the experience is learning how to adapt to others skill levels and that it is very hard to keep a program going with very few people." Hronoski also is a proud supporter of ARCC Cambridge Campus theatre, and encourages others to support it, as well.
staff writer
Truths, relationships, and love were all revealed in Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC) Cambridge Campus’ theatrical performance of "Dinner with Friends" which ran Feb. 11-13 and Feb. 18 and 19, 2011.
At promptly 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 the lights in the ARCC Cambridge Campus’ performance hall dimmed, all you could hear was love songs from decades past, as the lights returned the production began.
This was Lisa Weaver’s first year of directing at both the ARCC Coon Rapids and Cambridge campuses. Weaver was attracted to the play due to the "meaty and weighty" characters and also due to the simplicity of the "relationships and human connection" in the story.
THE CAST
The cast of the production consisted of four students from ARCC’s Cambridge Campus: Rachel Horner (Karen), Ryan Hronoski (Gabe), Alex Williams (Tom) and Becca Wold (Beth).
Horner had no experience acting before this production. However, she has danced before and was comfortable on stage.
Hronoski had acted in one play previously but has had more experience in the technical sides of theatre.
Both Williams and Wold have previously been a part of dramas through their churches but had never participated in productions with larger lead roles.
THE STORY
Right away in the show you learn that Beth and Tom are getting a divorce. This terribly upsets their friends, Karen and Gabe. After hearing the news Karen doesn’t even want to see Tom’s face, although they had been friends for many years. After discussing the issue between themselves Karen and Gabe blame themselves for the failed marriage between their two friends. The couple also wonders whether any marriage is strong enough to make it.
At the beginning of act two there is a flash back to 12 years earlier when Karen and Gabe first introduced Beth and Tom at Martha’s Vineyard. When asked what his favorite part was, Williams said this scene was his favorite because of how happy it is.
After the flashback both Karen and Gabe are able to talk with Beth and Tom and discover how their lives changed for the better. Beth talks about how she had to "endure" a 12-year marriage with Tom to find her true love. This left Karen and Gabe curious about if their own marriage was as perfect as they thought. The couple is left pondering how their best friends’ divorce reflects on their own marriage.
Weaver used words like "funny, and flawed – so human" to describe the characters in the story.
THE EXPERIENCE
Participating in the production, either performing in the cast or working backstage/set crew, gave one credit to ARCC students enrolled in Theatre 1109 - Practical Experience. The auditions for the production were held in late November 2010 at the ARCC Cambridge Campus. People were able to audition for the production and then had the choice to enroll if casted.
When asked about the criteria she was looking for in auditions Weaver stated, "In the auditions, I look for students who can take direction, are creative and fun."
Casted practices began in December. Also the cast met once over winter break, and then they started practices again when second semester began.
When asked what he learned during the whole process of the production Hronoski replied, "What I got from the experience is learning how to adapt to others skill levels and that it is very hard to keep a program going with very few people." Hronoski also is a proud supporter of ARCC Cambridge Campus theatre, and encourages others to support it, as well.
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