since 1960 “of, by, and for the Wesleyan community”
February 8, 2008
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
Wesleyan To Stage Award-Winning Broadway Musical
..... ...
By Joyce Collins
Decree Campus Life Editor
“The music is so infectious.
When you see football players
singing music from a play, then it
is a good musical,” said Melvin
Tunstall, who is the choreographer
and director for Wesleyan’s up
coming production of the musical
“Once on This Island.”
According to promotional litera
ture from the Theatre Department,
this “highly original and theatrical
Caribbean adaptation of the popu
lar fairy tale ‘The Little Mermaid’
sings and dances the story of Ti
Moune, the black peasant girl
who rescues, nurses and falls in
love with Daniel, a mulatto from
a wealthy family. When Daniel is
returned to his people, the gods
who rule the island guide Ti Moune
on a quest to test the strength of her
love against the powerful forces of
prejudice, hatred and death.”
Wesleyan sophomore Brittany
Richardson is playing the lead role
of Ti Moune. “The music is upbeat,
has a Caribbean feel, and is over
the top,” she said. “It’s a fairy tale,
and who doesn’t like fairy tales?”
Tunstall is pleased with the level
the cast is performing on. “They
sound like the Broadway Cast,” he
said. “I can’t believe I have little
super divas. Their voices make
your jaw drop and every day they
continue to prove me right.”
Some cast members have faced
challenges with this play. “I’ve
had a hard time with dancing and
singing at the same time,” said
Richardson.
Sophomore Moise Tabon had to
step outside of himself to perform
his role. “This play takes the actors
out of character,” he said.
Freshman Antonio Rowland said
that he had a hard time working
with the different actors. “My
struggles have been trying to get
along with everybody,” he said. “In
order for the play to be successful,
actors gotta have chemistry with
each other.”
Tunstall acknowledged that the
choreography has been most chal
lenging. “Moreno for the boys, the
dancing has been a battle, because
of the whole stigma that comes
along with it,” he said, pointing out
that “a lot of the cast does not have
dance training.”
The cast includes: Ti Moune,
played by Brittany Richardson;
Daniel/Beauxhomme, Stuart
Briscar; Asaka, Nicole Louisius;
Agwe, Malcolm Armwood; Papa
Ge, Antonio Rowland; Erzulie,
Chalistin Cooke; Mama Erualie,
Dionne Luckett; Tontqn Julian,
Gregory Spence; Andrea/Madame
Armand, Bradley Mullins; Daniel’s
Father, Doug Roenker, Jr.; Gate
keeper, Cainaen Hannah; the Chief
Storyteller, Moise Tabon. The
children are: Gavin McNeil, Lau-
Hall Sets Record as Bishops
Cruise Past CNU Captains
By Jarad Brown
Decree Sports Writer
In front of 500 fired up fans and
to the tune of the Rocky Mount high
school marching band the Battling
Bishops, riding on the back of record
setting Lenny Hall and a barrage of
three pointers from Jarmel Arrington,
cruised past the Christopher Newport
University Captains, 123-88. The win
raised the Bishops record to 8-6.
Coming into the game Head Coach
John Thompson seemed to have a
reserved optimism as he stated “We’ve
been great at times, but I really expected
more consistency than we’ve had.”
That’s exactly what he got on January
22 as his team had five scorers in double
figures, led by the sharp-shooting
Arrington who had 30 points after going
6-9 from beyond the arc, as well as
Lenny Hall’s record-setting 21 points.
It was these 21 that led Hall to his
spot as NCWC’s new all-time career
leading scorer with 7,777 points. When
asked if he was thinking of the record
at all. Hall responded by saying “I
didn’t even know I was close to it.”
Coach Thompson had this to say
about his player and the new record:
“Lenny spent a year as a red shirt and I
really think that helped him develop as
a player, which is exactly what he has
done his whole career. He’s more than
just a scorer, and as the leader of this
team he deserves the record.”
Against CNU, the Bishops leapt out
to a 7-0 run and led by as many as 18
in the first half before carrying a 56-41
lead into the half. Coach Thompson
had no half-time comment, but
obviously didn’t need one as his team
exploded in the second half, leading
by 20 or more points on five occasions
and by as many as 36 before finishing
the blowout, 123-88.
The CNU victory was a high
point for the Bishops following an
up-and-down first half to the season.
After a season-opening win against
Rutgers-Newark the Bishops stumbled
with back-to-back 20-point losses to
Virginia Wesleyan and Division I East
Carolina. Even with the stumble the
Bishops managed a 4-4 record after
their first eight games, thanks to the
help of a three-game winning streak,
including a win over Piedmont that
captured the Roger Taylor invitational
crown, where the Bishops won by an
average of 54 points per game.
When asked to identify a key
upcoming game. Coach Thompson
replied with “In my eyes they are all
big.” And he wasn’t exaggerating as
the Bishops prepare for a stretch that
includes four out of five games being
in conference, with three of those on
the road.
Expectations are high amongst
players and coaches for the rest of
their season as Arrington was quoted
as saying “With the shooting and the
defensive intensity we had against
CNU, a conference title isn’t out of
the question.” The coaches seem
to agree as Coach Thompson said:
“We’re certainly capable of winning
the conference tournament; that is, we
have the talent. I just hope we’re play
ing our best basketball at a consistent
level come tournament time.”
It’ll be interesting to see if the
Bishops can make their players and
coaches out to be fortune tellers,
throughout the upcoming tough streak
and later into the season.
CW fuH
t
Brittany Richardson chats with director Melvin Tunstall Photo by Penrod
ren Medlin, and Mya Rogers. Other
characters are: Moses Kamga,
Michael Stengel, Hassan Adams,
Tommy Thompson, Joshua Rogers,
Jennifer Cox, Shakena Spellman,
Amyelle Clark, Maria Walston,
Lauren Johnson, Rozelia Louisius,
Brittany Marshall, Melaine James,
Cecelia Thorpe, Ashley Smith, and
Cassandra Mangum.
A Burlington native, Tunstall
graduated from the elite Cincinnati
Conservatory of Music, where he
obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts in
Musical Theatre. He has performed
in “42nd Street,” “Jesus Christ
Superstar,” and “Joe’s Cafe,” to name
a few. Tunstall is an adjunct faculty
member working alongside Roger
Drake, associate professor of theatre.
“Once on this Island” is sched
uled for 8 p.m. on February 21,22,
and 23 at the Dunn Center.
Tunstall urged students to attend
one of the performances. “I hope
students support their peers and
come on out.”
Obama, Democrats
Informal Survey on
Shine in
Candidates
Lenny Hall
Sports Information Photo
By Chris Ochoa
Decree Editor
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton
led in a recent Thursday morning opinion
poll by The Decree to find the most
favored presidential candidates.
The Decree staff scattered around
campus to identify the candidates that
most interested members of the Wesleyan
community. The resuhs indicate that
Democratic presidential candidates
were favored by a wide margin over the
Republicans.
Sen. Obama (D-IIl.) was the most
favored candidate among Wesleyan’s
students and faculty and staff. Steve
Bahnaman, reference librarian, believes
that Obama has a chance of winning
because he is well-liked. “Hillary is
divisive,” he said. “You either love her or
hate her. Most people like Obama, which
will cause him to get votes. People will
vote for him even if they don’t agree with
what he says because they like him.”
After seeing Obama on BET (Black
Entertainment Television), sophomore
Anthony Tyrus said, “I’m interested in
Obama because he states issues that affect
minorities as well as all Americans. The
commercial on BET helped to convince
me to vote for him. I like how he ap
proaches situations and backs his claims
up with supporting evidence.”
Freshman David Krasnowieck
and junior Nya Wright feel drawn by
Obama’s charisma. “I like the way he
handles himself and the way he speaks,”
said Krasnowieck.
Wright said, “I’m interested in Obama.
He is educated, black, strong and a
great leader. I’m going to vote for him.
Besides, you don’t see other candidates
promoting themselves like you see him;
Obama is everywhere.”
Also interested in Obama, senior
Cedric Townsend said, “I agree with
his political views; it seems that he has
some amazing ideas and great plans
for America. Also, I would love to see
history made in the White House.”
If elected, Obama would be the first
U.S. minority president, but he is not the
only candidate who would make history.
Sen. Clinton (D-N.Y.) would become
the first woman president. Clinton had the
second largest fan base, according to the
Decree’s informal poll.
Clinton is well known from her
commercials and the national exposure
she’s gotten on her plans for health care,
jobs, and other important issues.
“I want Hillary to win,” said
sophomore Brittanie Smithson. “I saw
her commercial and she is for equal
healthcare for Americans and she wants
to bring the troops home.” Smithson,
who has a brother in the war, said, “that’s
music to my ears.”
Also intrigued by Clinton’s stands
on the issues, sophomore Dave Reco
Peterson said, “She makes a lot of great
points about health care, jobs, taxes and
other important issues that need correct
ing that have to do with the well being of
Americans.”
Clinton was also a popular candidate because
she has experience in the White House.
“She seems to have the most experi
ence of all the candidates because she is
a former first lady,” said Cassandra Silver
of Student Affairs. “Behind every good
man there is a good woman.”
Clinton has generated negative feel
ings as well. Junior Ashley Ball decided
that she was not voting for Clinton. “A
lot of her ideals seem Republican,” she
said, “and I don’t think she would be able
to out-shine her husband.”
Other candidates among the Demo
crats were selected as favorites besides
the popular Obama and Clinton.
Initially, Dr. Jeffrey Kuglitsch,
professor in earth sciences, favored Rep.
Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), but Kucinich
dropped out of the race. Now, Dr Kug
litsch is determined to vote for another
Democratic candidate who will keep the
welfare of Americans at heart. “My gut
feeling is that both Obama and Edwards
are closer to being traditional Democrats
than Clinton and therefore are more
likely to have the economic concerns of
most of the American public closer to
their hearts than either Hillary Clinton or
any of the Republican candidates.”
In the Wesleyan community, many
were undecided, though leaning
toward a Democrat. Academic Support
Coordinator Stephanie Battle said, “I
am undecided, between the Democratic
candidates. I feel that they all speak on
issues that are important to me.”
William Boyd, a junior, said he was
undecided because the candidates are
missing a leadership quality. “I feel that
all the candidates have some leadership
qualities, but they’re missing one thing
that would make them a great leader,”
said Boyd.
The Democratic presidential
candidates were the most popular and by
a large margin, according to the survey.
Republicans Mike Huckabee, former gov
ernor of Arkansas, and Rudolph Giuliani,
former mayor of New York, were favored
most out of the Republican party.
Other survey respondents said they
had not paid much attention to the
campaign or declined to state a favorite.
NC Wesleyan Community
Honors Memory of Dr. King
By Nastasia Burnette because racial oppression has nor
Decree Staff Writer
Fifty faculty, staff, students and
members of the Rocky Mount community
gathered to honor Dr Martin Luther King
Jr., at the Leon Russell Chapel on Jan 21.
“It was a great event that brought
people together of all races,” said Moise
Tabon, a Wesleyan student. “It was so
good to see that even though Dr. King is
no longer with us, he could still bring all
of us together.”
The group began the march with linked
arms. They were led by the school’s choir,
Voices of Triumph, in singing “We Shall
Overcome.” During the march participants
conversed about the late great Dr. King.
On reaching the Dunn Center, the march
came to a pause and Nash Hall RD Frankie
Taal presented a recording of Dr. King’s “I
Have a Dream” speech to the crowd.
“I enjoyed every part of the celebra
tion,” said student Scott Allen. “It was my
first time hearing his inspirational speech
and that was my favorite part.”
At the end the crowd gathered at the
Campus Commons for a candle light vigil.
Ordained Elder Lucile Winston gave an
incredible sermon, according to Wesleyan
Chaplain Baity Drum. Her message was
directed towards young people.
She noted that Dr. King has ac
complished only a portion of his dream
vanished. She praised the accomplish
ments of Dr. King and other heroic blacks
who’ve impacted Americans.
Dave Peterson, a Wesleyan student,
called Mrs. Winston’s speech as
“encouraging and amazing as Dr. King’s.”
In Mrs. Winston’s closing prayer she
focused on the “importance of today’s
student’s dreams,” said Rev. Drum, who
said she filled their ears with encouraging
words and closed by saying, “please have
a dream and work hard to accomplish it.”
Noting the Wesleyan is almost evenly
split between black and white smdents, he
said that the MLK Day observance gave
the community a chance to interact and
honor the influence Dr. King has had on
American society as a whole.
Rev. Drum was impressed with the
diverse group that attended the event,
all Dr. King stood for, no matter what
color you are, this day of his remem
brance is too important to ignore.”
The event’s success was due to the
coordinated efforts of Rev. Drum, Taal,
NCWC Coordinator of Student Activities
Jennifer L. Evans and Petteway RD
Jasmine Spain. It was co-sponsored
by Sisters of Distinction, Students of
African American Brotherhood, Voices of
Triumph, Refuge, and Petteway residents.
For