OCTOBER 1,2008 | THE MEREDITH HERALD I PAGES
a
Election
Pop Quiz
Sharpen your pencil and take
a break from the books-
wlth a pop quiz. Don’t worry
this exercise will not impact
your grade point average.
Here are the questions.
Do you need to register to vote?
■ yes ■ no
Have you moved within
Wake County’’
■ yes ■ no
Has your dorm and/or campus
address ctianged?
■ yes ■ no
Are you planning to vote at an
Early Voting site?
■ yes ■ no
Will you be requesting an absentee
by mail ballot?
■ yes ■ no
Do you know the location of your
assigned polling place?
■ yes ■ no
If you answered “YES” to any
of these questions, log on to
www.wakegov.com/elections.
The Wake County Board of
Elections website contains
information and forms per>
taining to and including:
-How to Register to Vote
-Absentee Ballot by Mail
-Early Voting Sites:
and Hours
Voters who need more Informa
tion regarding polling places on
Election Day, or have not
received a registration card
should call 856-6240 or email
voter@wake.nc.us. Staff mem
bers are prepared to ansvt;er all
questions.
Remember the deadltn© to
register for the November 4,
2008 election is Friday, October
10, 2008.
UMANITIES
MOLIERE AT MEREDITH:
MAYHEM AND MADCAP ANTICS
Photo courtesy Sleven Rolen
By Katrina Kempney
Contributing Writer
The Meredith Ensemble Theatre’s performances of
Moliere’s one-act plays, The Flying Doctor and Two
Precious Maidens Ridiculed, staged from September
23 through 28 on the gazebo lawn and in the Alum
nae House, were a treat to attend. Everything about
the plays, from costumes to sets to performances, was
inventive and entertaining.
The Flying Doctor, set outside on the gazebo lawn,
provided much slapstick comedy and many antics (who
knew anyone could climb up the side of a house and
slide down a flagpole so many times without looking
the least bit tired?) Sganarelle, played by Sara Cron-
inger, was the star of this act as the “flying” doctor and
his less intelligent younger brother; Croninger was char
ismatic and energetically comical. John Honeycutt’s
bumbling Gorgibus also made many in the audience
smile and laugh at his absentminded ignorance of the
marriage plot afoot. The harmless trickery and romantic
comedy provided many laughs for the audience; the hu
morous content was aided by the actors’ enthusiasm and
flamboyance. The play was short and sweet and
thoroughly enjoyable.
The audience moved inside for the next act. Two
Precious Maidens Ridiculed. This act started out a bit
slower, with less direct humor, but quickly rolled full
steam ahead. The young ladies Magdelon and Cathos
were played by Jenn Beckwith and Abbey Collins
respectively; they fully embraced their roles as sigh
ing, affected romantics. But it is hard to say whether
the star of this act was the nervous maid Marotte per
formed by Morgan Hoffman or the Marquis de Mas-
carille, played by Maureen Price, who puts on nobility
to woo the unknowing young snobs as the valet of one
of the disaffected suitors. From outlandish makeup to
enormous hair to an ostentatious hat, the Marquis was
a visual joke, and Price prompted many to laugh out
loud at her character’s obnoxious frippery and manic
self-importance.
Both The Flying Doctor and Two Precious Maid
ens Ridiculed were an enormous success with the cast
breathing new life into Moliere’s classic works. From
humor all at once dry and satiric as well as slapstick, the
two one-acts proved both well-performed and managed
and provided for an enjoyable night at the theater. ■
BALLET: A MOVING ART FORM
By Caitlin Griffin
Staff Writer
Sun., Sep. 21, I traveled to
Memorial Auditorium with the Mer
edith College Honors Program to
see the Carolina Ballet perform “Ar
tistic Expressions.” I had not been
to a ballet in a-long time, so I was
not sure what to expect, but 1 was
excited to see what the dancers had
to offer their audience. Thankfully,
my hopes for a stellar show were not
disappointed.
I am easily distracted, but after
only a few minutes, my entire focus
was on the performance. The ballet
opened with a few pieces danced
to piano and violin. Although this
introduction was fairly typical of
any ballet, my eyes were glued to
the stage. I was awestruck by how
fluidly the dancers glided across
stage without missing a single beat.
Because I am currently taking a jazz
class at Meredith and struggling
to learn how to exercise rhythmic
command of my own body, I felt a
great appreciation for the challeng
ing skill that this company mastered
so flawlessly. I have always thought
of dance as a fun physical activity,
but “Artistic Expressions” opened
my eyes to dance as an eclectic and
individual art form..
My favorite dance was “Pulse:
The Feeling of Wliat Happens.” 1
was already on the edge of my seat
when the stage lit up to reveal one
male and one female bending their
bodies to form the shape of a heart,
swaying and trembling to the dis
tant sound of a pulse. As the danc
ers slowly broke apart to perform
their solo acts, I fell lighter, as if
their fluid movements could at any
moment sweep me up and m'ove me
through space and time with them.
Through carefully controlled and
perfectly precise body positions, a
dramatic and beauti^l love story
began to unfold onstage. As my
vision blurred through moistened
eyes, 1 suddenly realized that I could
relate to the characters of the dance
on a deeper emotional level than I
had previously thought possible.
For me, the performance was spiri
tually freeing.
I was sad to see the end of'the
performance and surprised that two
hours and 15 minutes had already
passed. I gave the dancers one last
hearty standing ovation before fol
lowing the bustling crowd into the
brilliant Sunday afternoon sunshine,
already wondering when I would
have the chance to witness such ar
tistic extravagance again. If you ever
have the opportunity to see any per
formance by the Carolina Ballet, do
not hesitate to take it—this talented
group of entertainers will be sure to
keep you twirling on the tips of your
toes for the rest of the day. ■
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