UNews - King

Disc golf team makes history

trevor.kenney — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:46:27 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns Disc Golf Team achieved some history this month, becoming the first Canadian team to compete in the USA Intercollegiate Disc Golf Championship by attending the Northwest Qualifier at Estacada, Ore., Mar. 2-3.

The U of L placed fifth out of six teams in the Advanced classification as host Oregon State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Humboldt State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ advanced to the national championships in Augusta, GA.

The three-round qualifier saw the U of L struggle early in singles play but respond nicely in doubles action on the second day of the competition, tying for second place with an 89, just five strokes back of champion OSU. Full results can be found here.

The Horns team consists of Kevin King, Mike Woolf, Tyler Kiefer and Matt Mitten. Craig Burrows-Johnson coaches the squad.

Family dysfunction hits a whole new level

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 19:00:22 +0000

A chill is in the air!

King Henry II and his family congregate for an even chillier Christmas celebration in James Goldman's The Lion in Winter, playing Nov. 20-24, 8 p.m. nightly on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre stage.

Set in the stark hollows of Castle Chinon in 1183, the dramatic tensions between members of King Henry II's family take centre stage in this historic play. The company includes Henry's quarreling and conniving sons, intent to claim the throne; his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, allowed a reprieve from her 10-year imprisonment to join the festivities; and Henry's young mistress, Alias, who is also betrothed to his son Richard.

As the party commences, the scandals of this dysfunctional dynasty explode, revealing shocking truths of betrayal, deceit and treachery.

And you thought your family had interesting Christmas get-togethers.

"This is a very complex script that explores the dynamics and dysfunction of families throughout history," says guest director Philip Adams. "It's about power and land and the successors to that land. We, the audience, can marvel at the dexterity of the noble family."

"Despite the lies and treachery of this dysfunctional family, there is still humour," Adams adds. "Families are funny and this script exposes that humour in very clever ways."

With a grand set, designed by Jim Wills, and period costumes designed by Leslie Robison-Greene, the production transports audiences to a medieval era of stone, wood, leather and furs.

"The production is very well crafted, and it's been a pleasure to be a part of this collaborative project," says Adams, who won Saskatoon's Best Director Award in 2012.

A bit of a nomad, he has served as the artistic director of Nakai Theatre in the Yukon and Mulgrave Road Theatre in Nova Scotia, and also directed productions across the country.

Tickets for The Lion in Winter are available at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office (403-329-2616), Monday through Friday 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Individual tickets are $15 regular, $10 seniors/students. Regular tickets are also available online, www.uleth.ca/tickets.

This story first appeared in the November 2012 issue of the Legend. To view the full issue online, follow this link.

Richard III provides a worthy challenge

trevor.kenney — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:48:05 +0000

One of literature's most notorious villains, Richard III, charges onto the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre stage in an epic tale of treachery, deceit, seduction and murder. Playing Mar. 22-26 at 8 p.m. nightly, Shakespeare's classic takes a new form under the direction of Douglas MacArthur.

The play follows a disfigured Richard III as he plots to ascend the English throne and claim the crown from his brother, King Edward IV. Through betrayal and murder, Richard III's short-lived victory results in his tragic downfall.

MFA candidate David Barrus designed the set and lighting as part of his final project.

"Richard III is the telling of a story that suited the Tudors and royalty of Shakespeare's time," says MacArthur. "This man was born with a physical deformity that symbolizes the evil streak in his nature."

"Richard III is an expert performer, who draws in the audience as he does his adversaries," adds MacArthur. "He is on his way to becoming a deceitful dictator, and the other characters are undeniably intertwined with his actions. He's able to be what he needs to be to get what he wants, and sets the stage for his treachery."

Considered one of Shakespeare's most important works, MacArthur endeavors to make the script accessible and entertaining for audiences.

"Richard III is one of Shakespeare's earlier plays and except for Hamlet, is the longest of his works. In addition to adapting the script to suit our purposes, we've also created a completely unique world for Richard III, through an amalgamation of gothic and contemporary elements," says MacArthur.

MFA candidate, David Barrus, designed the set and lighting for the production. Barrus created the world for Richard III's tumultuous rise to victory and tragic fall as part of his final MFA project.

"The set represents the main character as architecture," he explains. "It symbolizes Richard's grip on his environment and the starkness of his character."

The contemporary costumes, designed by Leslie Robison-Greene, and electronic sound effects, designed by fourth-year drama tech/design major Josh Hellawell, complete the surreal atmosphere of this one-of-a-kind production.

Tickets to this timeless tragedy are available at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office, open weekdays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. or by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are $15 regular and $10 senior/student.

For a look at the March issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Suriano looks to engage an online generation

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:36:02 +0000

Coming out of high school, Jason Suriano (BA '01) was focused on the fast track to a law degree. Now, 14 years later, he's navigating a museum gallery with a group of 10 year-old kids as they banter about video games – and he couldn't be happier.

Recently, Suriano launched Seek Your Own Proof, a new online game at Discoverykids.com. The game targets 6-12 year-olds and follows the story of three investigative siblings – Aidan, Milanie and Heiko Munro – who discover a secret underground agency known as the Central Institute for Exploration (CIE).

The teens are quickly drawn into a chase through time and history against enemy agents who are plotting to rewrite the past, change the present and alter the future. Online users can play the game in traditional form but also have the option of taking field missions to real museums and landmarks.

After debuting at the Discovery Times Square Exposition in New York, Suriano brought his game home to the Galt Museum.

"To start with, we're trying to make the history in your backyard the most relevant," says Suriano. "It's neat if kids get a little bit enlightened about their own surroundings. We're also trying to make it available in as many cities as possible, so that if I take my kids to Calgary or Edmonton on the weekend, a place like the Edmonton Art Gallery is a part of it."

Considering Suriano laughs about being one of the last of his generation to begin using a computer, there is no lack of irony in the fact he now designs computer games for a living.

"In Grade 12 I was still submitting hand-written essays," says Suriano, a Catholic Central High School graduate. "I always had a real interest in technology, it was always one of the things that I liked, I just didn't know how to get into it."

He began his post-secondary career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta but decided to come home to the U of L after one year. It was in Lethbridge that he laid the foundation for his future.

"I'm a firm believer in the "things-happen for-a-reason" train of thought," he says of abandoning his legal aspirations.

Embracing the liberal arts philosophy at the U of L, Suriano discovered his passion. His humanities focus would then serve him well as he transitioned back to the U of A for a second degree, an MA in Humanities Computing with specialization in comparative literature.

"Before you work in the technology field, it's essential to have a grounding in the arts. Research and writing are keys, particularly with what I'm doing right now," he explains. "The work I do involves a lot of fact gathering, making sense of blocks of content from museums and distilling it all into worksheets and then online forms."

Once out of school, Suriano began working in the non-profit sector. With both a writing and technical background, he was hard to pigeon hole and found himself working for the Heritage Community Foundation as head of the Educational Learning Objects division.

After a stint where he did consulting work for his company, Hotrocket Studios, he and business partners Ken Bautista and Norman Mendoza struck off on their own and the seeds for Seek Your Own Proof were born. Their big break came when they secured Telefilm Canada and Canadian Film Centre (CFC) Telus Funding, one of only two projects in Canada. It allowed them to flush out the idea and enter it in the Kidscreen PitchIt! Competition in New York, where they won the top prize.

"That was the first sign that we were on to something pretty cool," says Suriano.
"The neat thing is that seed idea we came up with in 2005 is still novel now, there's really not a lot of this going on, especially within our demographic."

Galt Museum executive director Susan Burrows-Johnson says the game is a wonderful way to connect with today's generation of technologically savvy kids.

"Almost no one who works in museums plays games, and everybody under 18 does, so there's this huge generation gap that we've been worried about," she says. "It's not that history isn't interesting to them, because it is, it's the generation gap around the technology that we need to pay attention to. Kids use different tools in their learning process and that's the gap we're trying to bridge."

To come full circle and stimulate learning in his hometown is especially gratifying for Suriano, now a father of two.

"I approached the Galt a couple years ago when we were starting this portion of the project, and Susan was very open to it and supportive of the concept," says Suriano. "It's great we are now ready to bring it back here in this form."

GET THE FACTS

• Suriano now lives in Edmonton with his wife Jen and their children Ethan (4) and Malcolm (1).

• The debut field mission of the game involved facts around the King Tut exhibit at Discovery Times Square Exposition in New York. Officials estimate handing out more than 500 worksheets per week to visiting kids.

• Seek Your Own Proof is available for play or purchase at www.seekyourownproof.com

• CIE and Seek Your Own Proof have been recognized with several awards including: Grand Prize Winner at the TEC VenturePrize competition in Alberta; Best in Show at the Fusion Digital Media Venture Forum in Vancouver; PitchIt! Winner at KidScreen Summit in New York; and Most Promising Company at the Canadian New Media Awards

• Favourite U of L professors of Suriano's included Dr. Paul Viminitz and Dr. Goldie Morgentaler. "Paul's Problem of Evil course was very memorable," he says.

Life's A Dream running at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

trevor.kenney — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 20:31:09 +0000

The curtain rises on a Daliesque dreamscape; the setting for Pedro Calderon de la Barca's Life's a Dream at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre Mar. 23 to 27 at 8 p.m. nightly. This resplendent classic transports the audience back in time to a fictional Poland, unraveling a stunning story of epic proportions.

"Pedro Calderon de la Barca was a prominent playwright of Spain's Golden Age." says director Richard Epp. "Written around 1635, Calderon was as well known and respected in Renaissance Spain as Shakespeare was in England. Life's a Dream is a great old masterpiece that has entertained audiences the world over for nearly 400 years."

Translated by Adrian Mitchell and John Barton, the play weaves a complex story about the king of Poland, who fears a dark prophecy and hides away his only son for 20 years. As the aging king considers his final successor, he orders his son be brought to the palace in a drug-induced sleep. Upon waking, the prince's abhorrent behavior returns him to jail upon which the prince presents a poignant soliloquy questioning whether the events at the palace were merely a dream.

The play's final act culminates in a courageous battle, as rebels descend upon the kingdom, releasing the prince from his captors to claim the throne. The ending is unexpected and leaves audiences on the edge of their seats.

"This play is so rich in character and action, in imaginative settings and beautiful prose, that actors, directors and designers continue to be drawn to it," remarks Epp. "My own fascination with dramatic characters who face enormous dilemmas, or are altered significantly by their circumstances, attracts me to this play, and my obligation as a director is to share with a contemporary audience, as well as I can, my high regard for this play."

With grand sets designed by Annette Nieukerk and captivating costumes designed by Leslie Robison-Greene, audiences can expect a thrilling and engaging night at the theatre. Don't miss the final mainstage production of the season.

Tickets for Life's a Dream are priced at $15 regular and $10 student/senior. Tickets are available at the U of L Box Office or by calling 403-329-2656. The box office is open 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. weekdays.

Epp presents Life's A Dream

trevor.kenney — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:46:55 +0000

Events Calendar - March

trevor.kenney — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:21:46 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Mar. 8 | 16th Annual Horns Dinner & Auction | SU Ballrooms

Lectures

Mar. 3 | Art Now: Tanya Harnett
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 5 | Art Now: Stan Denniston (photographer) | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 8 | Art Now: Nana Debois Buhl
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 8 | Architecture & Design Now: Brendan Tang (ceramic artist)
6 p.m., C610

Mar. 9 | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars Public Presentations | Dr. Claudia Malacrida presents Dehumanization as a Way of Life: Alberta's History of 'Treating' People with Intellectual Disabilities
4 p.m., AH100

Mar. 10 | Art Now: Diane Borsato
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 10 | Preventing Workplace Violence | Workers' Compensation Board presents a 90-minute seminar on general staff awareness
2:30 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre (W500)

Mar. 12 | Art Now: Sandra Dyck
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 15 | Art Now: Gordon Payne
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 15 | Architecture & Design Now: Julie Nicholson | 6 p.m., C610

Mar. 16 | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars Public Presentations | Dr. Brian Titley presents Penance, Prayers, and a Happy Death: Convents and Moral Rehabilitation of 'Wayward' Women
4 p.m., AH100

Mar. 17 | Art Now: Eric Metcalfe
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 18 | Discovery Lecture Series
Humanitarian advocate James Orbinski presents Equity and Global Health | 7 p.m., PE250

Mar. 19 | Art Now: Olga Korper
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 22 | Art Now: Anna Hudson (art historian) | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 22 | Architecture & Design Now: Daniel Heaton | 6 p.m., C610

Mar. 23 | ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars Public Presentations | Lisa Doolittle presents Performing Negotiations: Blackfoot Dance/Spectacle, the Colony, and Multicultural Canada 1870-2010 | 4 p.m., AH100

Mar. 24 | Art Now: Ho Tam
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 26 | Art Now: Jennifer Fisher
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 26 | Women Scholars Speaker Series | Dr. Nancy Turner presents Not Just Any Old Place: Ethnoecology in a Changing World
12 p.m., Students' Union Ballroom A

Mar. 29 | Architecture & Design Now: John Shnier | 6 p.m., C610

Performances

Mar. 2 | Music at Noon: Eve Egoyan (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 4-6 | TheatreXtra #4
8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre; Mar. 6, 2 p.m. matinee

Mar. 6 | Spring Sing | U of L Singers and Women's Chorus perform |
8 p.m., Southminster Church

Mar. 9 | Music at Noon: Malcolm Lim (percussion) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 12 | U of L Collaborative Piano/Guitar: It Takes Two | 7 p.m., Gem of the West Museum (Coaldale)

Mar. 16 | Music at Noon: Dr. Janet Youngdahl (soprano & friends) |
12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 19 | Stealing Noise
U of L Electro-Acoustic Ensemble's inaugural concert | 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Mar. 23 | Music at Noon: Dr. Jonathan Sokasits (piano) |
12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Mar. 23-27 | Life is a Dream
A play exploring illusion and reality as a king imprisons his infant son for fear he will grow up to rebel against him | 8 p.m. nightly, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Mar. 26 | Glory and Grandeur
U of L Wind Orchestra with special guests Adam Mason, Jodi Bartell and Matt Groenheide | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Mar. 29 | Hayden's Creation
Lethrbidge Symphony Orchestra, Vox Musica, U of L Singers and soloists Janet Youngdahl (soprano), Sandra Stringer (mezzo-soprano), Blaine Hendsbee (tenor), George Evelyn (bass) and John Conlon (baritone)
8 p.m., Southminster Church

Mar. 30 | Music at Noon: Dr. Deanna Oye (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall (W570)

Miscellaneous

Mar. 3 | Avalanche Awareness Night
A selection of safety and interesting ski and snowboard videos | 7 p.m., AH100

Mar. 5 | Veterinary Medicine Information Session | Presented by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary | 9:30 a.m., D631

Mar. 9 | Student Speaker Challenge
How Education Benefits the World – Final | 7 p.m., AH100

Mar. 11 | The Edible City – How to Grow Food in Urban Areas
Presented by Ron Berezan, the Urban Farmer | 7 p.m., Students' Union Ballroom B

Mar. 12 to Apr. 9 | Works on Paper from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection | Curators: Museum Studies Interns

Mar. 12 to Apr. 9 | Annual Curated Student Exhibition | U of L Main Gallery | Opening Reception: 8 p.m., Mar. 12

Mar. 15 | Research Grant Fundamentals Workshop
The basics of finding grant information using online and print resources | 1 p.m., L950

Mar. 20 | Culture Vulture Saturday
Recycled Art | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Art Gallery

Red Nose numbers impressive

trevor.kenney — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:32:40 +0000

The holidays remained a time for celebration, thanks, at least in part, to Operation Red Nose (ORN), a national program run in conjunction with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge that ensures partygoers and their vehicles get home safely.

Lethbridge is one of only three communities in Alberta that offers the program and donations go to support the Pronghorn Booster Club. This year, ORN provided 894 safe rides home and is happy to report that donations are up.

"We're estimating that we've probably brought in just over $40,000 in funding this year," says Sandy Slavin, executive director of Sport and Recreation Services. "That includes in-car donations, contributions from local organizations booking the service for their holiday parties and sponsorship dollars."

Lethbridge has truly embraced the program and in addition to using the service, many organizations support the operations of the program.

"There are a number of organizations that have been very good to us from the beginning," explains Slavin of a program that just concluded its 15th year. "Gas King, Tim Hortons, the Regent and the City of Lethbridge have always helped provide what we need. In addition, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is our provincial sponsor and they provide the insurance, without which we wouldn't be able to operate and support the basic organizing costs of the program."

This type of support enables more than 500 volunteers to do what they need to do: get people home safely. However, in talking to Dr. Jon Doan and Robin Hopkins, two longtime Red Nose volunteers, there's more to it than that.

Hopkins has been involved since high school when she started volunteering her time answering phones. When asked why she continues to volunteer, she doesn't hesitate: "Besides for the fun?" laughs Hopkins. "Operation Red Nose allows people to come out one night a year and make a difference. Volunteering doesn't necessarily require a huge time commitment – you can give back in just a few hours."

Giving back is what ORN is all about, which is why 70 per cent of the volunteers are Pronghorn athletes.

"ORN provides a great opportunity for student athletes to give back to the community," notes Doan, who first got involved as a grad student and continues to volunteer now that he's faculty. "It's also a great way for the community to see Pronghorn Athletics as something off the ice, or the field, or the court – these programs add value to the community."

While funds raised support Pronghorn Athletics, the primary goal of ORN is to prevent drunk driving by offering a safe alternative.

"Sometimes people feel they have to make a donation, and I think it's important that people understand that it's a service; we're here to get you and your car home safely," explains Hopkins. "If you can make a donation, that's a bonus."

Volunteer effort makes a success of Red Nose campaign

trevor.kenney — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:36:06 +0000

Lethbridge has truly embraced the program and in addition to using the service, many organizations support the operations of the program.

Giving back is what ORN is all about, which is why 70 per cent of the volunteers are Pronghorn athletes.

While funds raised support Pronghorn Athletics, the primary goal of ORN is to prevent drunk driving by offering a safe alternative.

New theatre lineup another winner

trevor.kenney — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:00:51 +0000

The 2009-2010 theatre season, as presented by the Department of Theatre and Dramatic Arts, promises to be another entertaining and highly varied lineup.

The season opens on a witty and sophisticated note with Noel Coward's Hay Fever, Oct. 20-24. Hay Fever is a comedy about a family whose theatrical excesses torment their unsuspecting visitors. The eccentric Blisses, including Judith, a recently "retired" stage actress, David, a self-absorbed novelist, and their two children, live in a world where reality slides easily into fiction. A group of unfortunate weekend guests – a proper diplomat, shy flapper, athletic boxer and fashionable sophisticate – are thrown into melodramatic scenes where their hosts react to situations that don't exist! The resulting hilarious chaos ends only when the tortured visitors tip-toe out the door.

Next on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre stage is the dark, turbulent and stark Festen, by David Eldridge, Nov. 24-28. Helge is turning 60 and it should be a time of celebration and a time for the family to gather and smooth over the cracks left by the suicide of Linda, the twin sister to Christian. As Helge's eldest son, Christian raises the first toast. Confined within the family house, guests are rocked by revelations that pierce and destroy the veneer of middle-class respectability.

Seating for Festen is limited and the play has very mature content, with material unsuitable for those under 18.

The cultural phenomenon Hair, by Gerome Ragni and James Rado, with music by Galt McDermot, explodes onto the stage from Feb. 9-13, including an unusual midnight performance on Feb. 12. Set in New York City of the 1960s, a tribe of long-haired hippies celebrates its pacifist bohemian lifestyle, vehemently condemning the Vietnam War and embracing the sexual revolution. Through dance and song, Hair exposes the passionate fervor of a contentious era. Colourful and unforgettable, this rock musical has defined a generation.

The season ends in March with a 400-year old masterful classic entitled Life is a Dream, by Pedro Calderon de la Barca, which was adapted by Adrian Mitchell and John Barton. Written by a prominent playwright of Spain's Golden Age, it is the story of a king who, on the advice of an astrologer, imprisons his infant son for fear the boy will grow up to rebel against him. When, at age 20, the young man awakens from a drug-induced sleep to find himself on the throne, he behaves rather badly and is returned to prison. His excursion to the palace is said to be merely a dream, but citizens take up his cause and stage a rebellion in support of his becoming their king once and for all.

Set in a fictional Poland, Calderón's play explores illusion and reality, fate and free will, tyranny and kindness. Sometimes violent and dramatic, sometimes thoughtful and even comic, this classic has entertained audiences for nearly 400 years.

Watch for season ticket specials coming in September.

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