ARTS ENTERTAINMENT


11/7/2023, 1:00pm

Wicked: A reflection on the last 20 years

Every theater kid has an origin story – a moment where they realized their true passion for the arts. For many, this realization came from the musical “Wicked,” which just celebrated its 20th anniversary on Broadway. Ozians from the show’s past came together for the performance at Gershwin Theatre on Oct. 30, exactly 20 years after its initial performance. 


11/7/2023, 12:58pm

'The Nutcracker' brings magic back to Luhrs

My first time ever seeing “The Nutcracker” was actually the performance by the State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine at the Luhrs Performing Art Center in Nov. 2022. I initially went for the sake of getting photos, but found myself enraptured by the magic of the dancing and music. I’m always impressed when stories can be told only through the visuals and body movement rather than spoken dialogue. Needless to say, I was thrilled to see this troupe would be returning once again and they haven’t skipped a beat.


10/31/2023, 12:25pm

‘One Man Star Wars’ brings out the nerds

Shippensburg was transported to a galaxy far, far away thanks to one man.  Luhrs Performing Arts Center welcomed Charlie Ross, the writer and performer of “One Man Star Wars Trilogy,” on Oct. 26. 


10/31/2023, 12:18pm

Book review: ‘It Ends with Us’ and ‘It Starts with Us’

If you are a reader who also exists on TikTok, then the chances are you have heard of Colleen Hoover. Hoover initially started her writing career as a self-publishing author, publishing her first novel titled “Slammed” in 2012. She however gained worldwide attention, including mine, especially on the social media platform, TikTok, from her novel “It Ends With Us” published in 2016. 


10/31/2023, 12:08pm

'Five Nights at Freddy’s' is light on scares and fun

After 8-years in development limbo, the long-awaited adaptation of the popular horror franchise “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is finally here. Courtesy of Blumhouse, the beloved video games by Scott Cawthon come to life on the big screen with big stars like Josh Hutcherson and Matthew Lillard. 


10/31/2023, 12:06pm

Field of Screams is PA’s best haunted attraction

Chances are if you are driving near the Lancaster area during the fall season, you will see a billboard for a place called Field of Screams. Since 1993, Field of Screams has been terrorizing Pennsylvania residents with its annual attractions and haunted houses. However, have you ever wondered what makes those haunted houses work each and every year?


10/24/2023, 12:00pm

It’s destined for Broadway, old sport

One of my favorite novels is F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” One of my favorite stage actors is Jeremy Jordan, and my favorite regional theater is Paper Mill Playhouse. So, when a world-premiere musical adaptation of Gatsby starring Jordan opened at Paper Mill this month, I could not have been more excited.


10/24/2023, 12:00pm

'Ahsoka' brings animated characters to life

“Ahsoka” is a Disney+ Star Wars series that premiered this past August and follows the story of Ahsoka Tano. Tano as a character was introduced in the 2008 animated movie “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” which served as a feature-length pilot for the series of the same name that ran from 2008 to 2012. 


10/24/2023, 12:00pm

Thomas’ Information Industrial: What is industrial music?

Industrial music is a genre that draws on harsh, mechanical, transgressive or provocative sounds and themes according to Wikipedia.com. AllMusic defines industrial as the “most abrasive and aggressive fusion of rock and electronic music.”  In my personal experience, industrial music does carry undertones of both definitions, but has much more lying beneath its surface.


10/18/2023, 11:43pm

Telecine: Four STEM majors, one indie-rock band

Self-described as “power-chord nostalgia,” Telecine is a four-man indie rock group from Boulder, Colorado. The members — Filip Casey, Owen Helfer, Andras Szalay and Ethan Patel — originally started making music together earlier this year after they realized each of them knew how to play the instruments that traditionally form a band — bass, guitar and drums. 


10/18/2023, 11:42pm

Lyle Kam will kill you softly

It all started with a guitar for Lyle Kam. Music had always been a part of his life, and the old, classical guitar just existed in his home until he decided to give it a go. After learning the basics, Kam wanted to create his own music. “I thought ‘maybe I could try doing music, and posting it on YouTube,’” Kam said. 


10/18/2023, 11:37pm

Kashbocks is perfect for your next picnic

If you are looking for music that is new, light and airy, search no further than Kashbocks.  Kazu Naito, known as Kashbocks, has always loved music and started creating his own songs in high school. Before mixing his own tracks, Naito said he used free beats he found on YouTube and record himself singing over them. 


10/10/2023, 12:00pm

Grace's Weekly Record: 'Punisher' by Phoebe Bridgers

Singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers released her second album “Punisher” on June 18, 2020. More than three years later, the album still makes an impact. It is the perfect record for the days leading up to Halloween, as it has an otherworldly feeling to it. 


10/10/2023, 12:00pm

10 underrated artists who have potential

1.  Alexander Stewart Stewart is a Canadian pop singer and started posting covers on YouTube in 2015. Since then, his following has just continued to grow on the platforms he is on. His newest release is “I wish you cheated,” a ballad of not being able to get over someone he loves and wishing they would have cheated so that he has a reason to hate and get over them. He went on his first tour this past summer, opening for Charlie Puth. My favorite songs by him are “Leave me in the dark” and “House of cards.” It is very hard to choose between the two.