Arts and Entertainment

The Night the Stars Were Born

By: Lydia Hall

Seniors Chris IIvory and Tabitha Sterner hosted their first art exhibit at the Ganton Art Gallery on Friday, October 29th, 2021. The night was cold and rainy without a star in the sky, but once you stepped into the gallery, the presence of two stars illuminated the room. The essence of purity led to the right, the atmosphere of unity swayed to the left, creating a harmonic journey around the ring of art.

Chris’s photographic exhibition was a reintroduction to the purity of women. Although many view Eve as the woman who led to the fall of humanity, this showcase of artwork reframed the broken image of women, picking up the pieces of eloquence, vulnerability, imperfection, and the influences of life, creating a masterpiece that reflected a moment that was simply pure.

Tabitha’s combination of color, shapes, lines, and brushstrokes are prime examples of her inspiration for connectedness and relationships. Many pieces of her artwork were created differently, intended to portray a message saying, “there is not a single human that is exempt from their personal biases, which have the ability to inform different interpretations and perspectives of reality. However, despite our differences, I believe that there are almost always underlying parallels that inspire a sense of unity and gratifying completeness.”

With two brilliant stars among us, these two artists individually illuminated parts of life that the darkness of today’s troubles can sometimes overshadow. If there had to be a theme song for this gallery, it would be “Masterpiece” by Deitrick Haddon. This gallery is the true definition of a “picture is worth a thousand words,” and in this case, a thousand words are not enough to express the meaning of each unique piece of art.

With the essence of purity leading to the right and the atmosphere of unity swaying to the left, a missed opportunity to experience this harmonic journey is an opportunity that was not valued.

However, there is still time! Chris and Tabitha’s combined gallery will be open to students, faculty, and even the public until December 3rd, 2021! Also, did I mention that this journey does not have a price tag: in other words, it is free!!!

Come and support two artists in the making, where the price is right, and most of all, experience two stars, and their artwork light up.

To visit the gallery yourself, here are the hours:

Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Saturday and Sunday 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

The gallery will be closed for Thanksgiving break.

SAU’s Musical Theatre Factory Performance

SAU’s Musical Theatre Factory held two performances this past weekend on April 24th and 25th.

SAU’s Musical Theatre Factory held two performances this past weekend on April 24th and 25th. The cast performed several arrangements ranging from Disney classics all the way to Footloose. After a tough school year of dealing with Covid, SAU students were glad to bring back the program and get back into their theater roles.

The cast did a remarkable job showcasing their talents in singing and dancing. Below are a few cast photos from the event:

The above photos showcase the entire Musical Theatre Factory cast including the four student directors as well as the cast for one of the specific performances, King of New York. This was a great show to end this different and stressful school year.

By: Emily Selby

updates on local businesses that offer discounts for college students

Be sure to stay updated as each issue of The Pulse will include local and online discounts offered to college students for restaurants, activities, clothing, and even Christmas shopping ideas.

By: Leslee DeRossett

One of the many perks to being a college student is the vast amount of discounts available. There are only three simple steps to benefit from these discounts.

Know what businesses offer college student discounts.
Show your SAU ID.
SAVE MONEY!

Of course, the first step is the most important step and there are multiple ways to research what businesses offer these discounts.

You could spend valuable study time to search through endless websites.

Or, you could follow The Pulse newsletter for bi-weekly updates on discounts that are offered to SAU students.

These updates will include both local and online deals for restaurants, activities, clothing, and even Christmas shopping ideas.

SAU Hosts Art Exhibit of Refugee Mementos

By Jasmine Harper

The traveling exhibit “What We Carried: Fragments and Memories from Iraq and Syria” opened in the Ganton Art Gallery at Spring Arbor University (SAU) on Feb. 9. The art pieces were on loan from the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Photographer Jim Lommasson said his goal with the exhibit was to personalize objective statistics about Iraqi and Syrian refugees.

Lommasson initially photographed veterans, and later Iraqi and Syrian refugees to depict the conflicts of war. He then decided to photograph items the refugees took from their homes before fleeing their countries, including mementos like a woman’s teddy bear and a child’s Barbie doll. The refugees wrote personalized descriptions of the objects on the photos, and the Arab American National Museum translated the messages from Arabic to English.

“The refugees’ photographs had the most impact on me. I see my friends and family regularly, but for some refugees, a picture is all they have to remember their families,” senior art major Erin Karafa said.

In the exhibit’s introduction lecture, art professor and Ganton Art Gallery director Jonathan Rinck said 140,000 Iraqis have come to the U.S. since 2003, and one-half to one-third of Syrian refugees are children.

Rinck said he felt passionate about bringing this project to SAU because it aligned well with the university’s global focus.

For college students wanting to learn more about events in Arab nations Rinck suggests The New York Times, The Economist and BBC News rather than social media websites.

“Pretty much everything I own is expendable. The objects refugees took are not worth much in monetary value, but they’re the kind of things that really matter, like family,” Rinck said.

The Ganton Art Gallery will continue to host “What We Carried: Fragments and Memories from Iraq and Syria” until March 22.

The Art of Spoken Strength and Celebration

By Caralyn Geyer

Three judges, two poems, one microphone. What’s at stake? Two movie tickets to the Jackson 10 and 50 dollars in cash. On February 24, Spring Arbor University’s (SAU’s) Office of Intercultural Relations (OIR) held the semi-final and final performances of “The Spoken Word” in the White Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. to finish out the school’s celebration of Black History Month.

Five students gave performances of their best spoken poetry, but only one took home the grand prize. Sophomore English and Psychology major Kayla Kilgore was the winner, with her two poems entitled “Ode to My Chicks” and “Am I Not My Brother.” She was followed by runner-up Ryan Manuel and second runner-up Liz Pence.

Kayla Kilgore, the winner. Photo by Caralyn Geyer.

Kilgore said her poems were based on personal experiences and focused on topics of homosexuality and technology as a god.

“I know other people struggle with these things and I want to be a voice of peace on the other side of it so that I can help someone else,” she said. Through the performance aspect of the night, she said, “I hope it attracts a diverse audience. It’s not just for the people who like poetry. People should come for the experience and for a different way to hear a story.”

According to Lowell OIR representative Mandeep Kaur, “The Spoken Word” is not just a contest or about poetry, but it is a chance to share beliefs and help students have a voice.

“SAU students live in a bubble and this event is an opportunity for them to talk about issues more comfortably than on any other platform,” Kaur said.

Alongside Kaur, Eric Beda added, “This is a time to reflect on the history of people, reflect on the past, ponder the current time and hope for what the future may bring.”

In addition to the students, OIR welcomed special guest Jamaica West, a spoken word artist from Chicago. West gave several of her own performances throughout the night, while also playing the role of ‘host’ for the contestants. West said that the spoken word of poetry brings together poetry, creativity, imagination and creates an opportunity to hear the hearts of artists.

“It takes a lot of courage to stand in front of your peers and share your heart,” West said. “Today that is why we refer to them as artists.”

“A Meeting in Munich” Review

By Elise Emmert

I went to “Meeting in Munich” by Paul Patton knowing only that it was a discussion between church members about whether or not they should listen to the Fuhrer and reform their youth groups to Hitler Youth. But it was so much more than that.

Elizabeth Pence and Logan Thorne. Photo by Alexis Hall.

There was more at stake in the church in Munich than the fate of their youth group. It’s a boiling point where congregants on both sides of the issue come together and clash, fighting each other on which outlook, which way of living, is objectively right.

I watched friends in period clothing, some pleading with others for the right to raise their children in the church without the state as their watchdog, and others in SS uniforms with swastika bands around their arms raising their hands to perform the Hitler salute and commending the Fuhrer for his dedication to building Germany up on the church.

These actors sat among the audience members, and it made the conflict and history feel so much more present than it does when reading a textbook about what led to the second world war and the horrors that happened in Germany. The actors walked beside my chair and cried out their beliefs at each other, dealing with core values that would make or break Germany’s future in WWII. They have no idea what’s coming.

And it made me sob.

old lady and austin — Faith Dever and Austin Slater. Photo by Alexis Hall.

I cried for the fact that this happened – that anti-Semitic sentiments were rationalized, that a country was so torn and desperate that something like Nazism could rear its ugly head, that so many people lost their lives in such horrible ways because of hate and the belief that Hitler had the plan to make everything right again, to bring the country back to its former glory.

It’s difficult to identify the most heart-wrenching moment in the play, but one in particular rises above the many: when Margaret Lubosch (played by Erin Couch) says the hate being spread will put rocks in the hands of the children. In response to the Hitler supporters’ laughter, she asks her young daughter, Eva (played by Emma Brugger), to tell the congregation what has been happening at school. And Eva, in a trembling voice, rattles off the names of children in the class who aren’t allowed to talk to the others, who are pulled to the front of class and ridiculed for their mistakes, and who are afraid to go to recess because they are being spit on.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Confederate flag posters with cotton buds were posted around the American University campus last week. The “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, which many state leaders condemned as a “white supremacist” meeting, ended with one civilian killed and many others injured. An improvised explosive device was set off at the Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Minnesota.

A tearful goodbye. Photo by Alexis Hall.

Hate is festering, and people are acting on it. It could lead us down a very dangerous path if we choose to forget how situations can escalate from a small spark to an engulfing blaze if they are not stopped before they run beyond control.

It’s easy for us to look back on history and say we would have been on the right side; we would have stood for justice even in the face of death. But history is not simply the past. It is our present. Every second that passes becomes the history that our children and grandchildren will read about. If we do not do something about this hate, future generations may have the opportunity to ask of us: Why didn’t they do something? Didn’t they know that was wrong?

I have heard it said that theater is not done to make us forget or escape the world outside, but to help us remember it. In “Meeting in Munich,” we remember the past – we remember the hatred and divisiveness that tore apart this church and its country – but we also remember the present. And I weep for both.

Pirates on Playgrounds

By L.J Richardson
Spring Arbor University brings Gilbert and Sullivan to the stage

After a sabbatical semester Jen Letherer, associate professor of communications, returned to the stage to direct W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan’s comic operetta “The Pirates of Penzance” which showed in White Auditorium on Feb. 9-11 at 7:00 p.m. and on Feb. 12 at 3:00 p.m.

The decision to produce “Pirates” was a collaborative choice agreed upon by Dr. Mark Douglas and Dr. Natalie Emptage-Downs along with Letherer.

“[Natalie] said we had the voices to do a Gilbert and Sullivan Show,” Letherer said. “”Pirates” seemed the most accessible, and I came up with the idea of setting it on a playground.”

16665842_266256777128443_5822772375350692208_o — Photo by Kimmee Kiefer

“The Pirates of Penzance” is historically set on the shores of England.

Letherer said, “The story is ridiculous, most opera stories are, and that’s why I think it’s funny we’re setting it on a playground. It strikes me as the kind of story people would just make up.”

According to Letherer, “Gilbert and Sullivan were the Shakespeares of musical theatre. The appeal of Gilbert and Sullivan is the music is incredible, the way it is scored is very memorable, clever, witty, wordy and beautiful. The integrity of the story and the integrity of the music carry it above and beyond.”

16665578_266258577128263_3431978393413812596_o — Photo by Kimmee Kiefer

In a show fraught with pirates, maidens and major generals, Letherer said truth and how it effects the characters was the overall message of the show: “Sometimes truth causes us to leave the ones we love and distance ourselves from those we care about when they are dishonest.” Letherer’s vison is that those who watch the play will examine the truth in their own lives.

Letherer said the one emotion that she wanted audiences to experience at the end of the show was joy. “As the finale states, ‘Poor wandering ones, though thee hast surely strayed, take heart of grace, thy steps retrace, poor wandering ones. Take heart.’”

Hacksaw Ridge: a flimsy perspective of pacifism and Christianity

By Baylor Smith
Perhaps the most telling line of “Hacksaw Ridge” is found in a clip from an interview with Hal Doss, (the brother of the main character Desmond Doss), “You are your convictions.”

Perhaps the most telling line of “Hacksaw Ridge” is found in a clip from an interview with Hal Doss, (the brother of the main character Desmond Doss), “You are your convictions.”

“Hacksaw Ridge” follows the real life story of World War II soldier, Desmond Doss, who was the first conscientious objector to win the Medal of Honor, doing so while refusing to carry a gun because of religious justifications. Rather than serving as an infantry soldier, Doss choses to run into the field of battle without a gun and attempt to save his fellow soldier’s lives as a medic.

“Hacksaw Ridge” presents pacifism and to a larger extent, Christianity in accordance with Hal’s statement, that one must be their convictions. Such a statement not only misrepresents the life and message of Christ, but it is the foundation of fundamentalism and in some cases, bigotry.

Director Mel Gibson rewards service to a conviction far and above a more robust understanding of the Christian life, particularly the importance of recognizing the personhood of the other. This can be seen through his depiction of the Japanese, who are horribly manipulated as a fear mechanism throughout the entire film. We hardly ever see their faces, let alone hear them talk or interact with another human being. The one moment given to an individual Japanese soldier simply serves to further glorify Doss’ character as holding his conviction. After Doss has attended to the wounds of an injured Japanese soldier, an American back at base camp says in reference to Doss, “He even saved a couple of Japs, but they didn’t make it. Anyway, gotta go back to see Doss save more people!” Ok, maybe the latter sentence is a little exaggerated but you get the point.

Gibson, true to his previous films, aestheticizes violence as the backdrop to a painting of his main character. Using severed bodies, slow motion shots of flamethrowers and cries of men shooting guns as a means of a gloried spectacle. The hypocrisy of it all is that in his films, Gibson’s characters are supposed to stand for peace, nonviolence and compassion (see, Jesus Christ in “The Passion of The Christ”) not military victory or individual heroics.

Now, the true story of Desmond Doss is compelling and certainly should not be scoffed at, it involves immense bravery and physical sacrifice. However, Gibson’s film adaptation purports to be a powerful message of Christianity while it ultimately diverts from the message of Christ. One ought not be simply satisfied with little nods to Bible stories (and believe me, there is no shortage of those in the film). If a director wants to handle Christian theology in a film, it ought to be done with closer attention and care.

hacksaw-ridge-screen-shot — Andrew Garfield stars as Desmond Doss in “Hacksaw Ridge”

(It’s gonna get a little preachy right now, so brace yourself)

For those who claim the title Christian it is ever pressing to understand that Christ’s message was not about being a conviction, but rather by consistently viewing people who are different than you as a person-holding the image of the divine, so that “to the extent to which Christ became human, humans may participate in becoming divine.” (That’s a little quote from my boy G-Naz, otherwise known as Gregory of Nazianzus, first century Church father… I certainly am not enlightened enough to formulate that myself.)

Being a conviction can hinder a human’s ability to pursue humility, suffering and the empathy necessary to recognize another human being’s personhood. Desmond Doss (as directed by Mel Gibson) was nonviolent for the sake of being nonviolent, forever focused on his service to his own conviction rather than his service to the other human beings as holding the personhood of Christ Jesus.

If you do go to see “Hacksaw Ridge,” which I would not necessarily recommend, at least examine Doss’ exercise of religious conviction in tandem with your own. Are you holding a belief for the sake holding it? Or does it allow you to embrace another human being, especially one who is different than you?

Lazeez overcomes obstacles with community support

By Kayla Williamson and Nathan Salsbury
This summer, Lazeez Flavors of India moved to Spring Arbor after a corporation bought its Westwood Mall location.

This summer, Lazeez Flavors of India moved to Spring Arbor after a corporation bought its Westwood Mall location.

After four months into their two year contract, Sangeeta Awan and her daughter Mehr, a former Spring Arbor University (SAU) student, began wondering what they were going to do next.

Mehr said after their contract was terminated, she and her mother were in a state of shock.

“We didn’t know what to do,” Mehr said. “The Lord led us here, and Mom saw this place. In two weeks we had signed the lease here and then in about a month we had moved over. So that was just a total God thing.”

kayla-williamson_9178 — Photo by Kayla Williamson

Since their move, the Awans said they have received support from not only SAU faculty and students, but also many members of the Spring Arbor community. The move into the area has also provided Assistant Professor of Marketing Allen Knight’s business classes with the opportunity to use what they are learning and apply it to a real-life business in order to help Lazeez succeed in this new location. Knight has been working with some of his classes this semester using Lazeez as an example of a real life business. He is having his public relations, marketing and small business classes work with them to look at to look at a real business and compare it to what they’re learning.

“The students can say ‘okay, here’s what the textbook is walking us through and here’s an example of a business and we as students can be involved, talk to the owner and see what issues they’re encountering,’” Knight said. “And at the end of this, maybe we can offer an updated or modified business plan.”

Taking the lead for three of Knight’s classes is senior Lacey Morgan.

“Dr. Knight has put me in charge of our public relations class, our marketing class and small business management with an entrepreneurial approach,” Morgan said. “So I’m the team lead in all of those classes for Lazeez.”

Through these projects, Morgan said they will do an audit, or business plan, then work on a marketing plan using their findings and, finally, further develop a business plan with a public relations standpoint.

kayla-williamson_9193 — Photo by Kayla Williamson

Professor of Communication Robert Woods, although not working on any projects for Lazeez, gave high praise of the restaurant.

“I eat there as often as I can and have as many meetings as I can there,” Woods said.

Woods also mentioned he suggests the restaurant to many people, both students and faculty. Mehr also spoke about how grateful she and her mother are that news of the restaurant is spreading so strongly by word of mouth.

Lazeez Flavors of India is now located in the Village Crossing strip mall on Spring Arbor Road. On Mondays they are open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Tuesday-Saturday they are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. They are closed on Sundays.

“Stranger Things” Review

By Michelle Bennett
Netflix just got a little bit stranger with its new original hit, “Stranger Things.”

Netflix just got a little bit stranger with its new original hit, “Stranger Things.” If there is one thing Netflix knows how to do, it’s originals. With each new release comes the thrill of another well-casted, well-directed, intriguing and entertaining story. It came as no surprise that the company that produced “House of Cards,” “Orange is the New Black” and “Daredevil” released another binge-worthy show to latch onto.

The story centers on the disappearance of a local boy, Will Byers, from the small town of Hawkins, Ind., in 1983. After Will vanished without a trace, his three best friends Mike, Lucas and Dustin are left behind to piece together a puzzle. They find the first piece of the puzzle with the girl called Eleven. Eleven’s past and abilities are the key to Will’s disappearance. While the trio does their best to figure out how Eleven fits in, they lack pieces of the puzzle. Some of these pieces are found with Jonathan, Will’s older brother, and Nancy, Mike’s older sister. This intermingling storyline begins when Nancy’s best friend, Barb, goes missing after a party with Nancy’s boyfriend, Steve. Nancy and Jonathan team up to try to find out what took Will and Barb and how to stop it. The remaining pieces of this puzzle fall to Will’s mom, Joyce, and the town Sheriff, Chief Hopper. They do their best to figure out how the government plays into the disappearance of Joyce’s son and how much harm or good they can do in their search for Will.

While the Duffer brothers, Matt and Ross, are relatively new to the directing world and the Hollywood spotlight, their inexperience is hardly noticeable. The Duffer brothers, with the help of their cinematographers, Tim Ives and Tod Campbell, created the familiarity of a small town with the constant use of bikes as the main form of transportation. The wildfire-like spread of gossip aided in creating this small town where everyone knew everyone and their drama. In an ironic contrast the majority of the main characters are able to keep secrets from each other. This is exactly what made the show so delightfully paradoxical. Despite the compact town and the closeness of the characters, they managed to keep their secrets and plans to themselves.

The acting brought the story to life with formidable talent such as Winona Ryder, who played the panicked and jumpy yet determined Joyce. David Harbour played the uninterested and tragic Chief Hopper whose sense of reason was found in his search for Will and the resolution of the mystery surrounding his disappearance. Young, new talent was found in Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, who performed with such honesty and passion for her character that the role seemed only natural for her. She played the perfect scared and detached little science experiment that evolved into a little girl who longs for solid friendship and home.

The music lent itself to the nostalgia created by this show. With hits from popular eighties artists like the Clash, Peter Gabriel and Corey Hart, immersion in the world of the eighties

was an easy task.

The setting, plotline, cinematography, music and scene direction mixed to create a combination of X-Files, the Goonies and E.T. The mystery is what grabs audiences but the nostalgia, character development, plotline and constant cliffhangers are what keep fans returning. Audiences are so swept up in whether this boy will be found and with the past of characters like Chief Hopper and Eleven that the ending will come all too quickly. The eerie and ominous conclusion will leave fans waiting for season two due to be released in 2017.