Rating: 6

While “It Follows” could be considered a step in the right direction for a new generation of horror movies, it ultimately offers a flawed and somewhat dragging plot.

The film is about Jay, a girl in her late teens played by Maika Monroe who lives in a suburban neighborhood with quirky friends and without much of a care in the world. Everything seems great for her until after she hooks up with this new guy she’s been dating — Hugh, played by Jake Weary. After capturing her and explaining to her that a curse has just been passed from him to her, Hugh warns that something that can look like any person will be following her the rest of her life, and what’s worse, she’s the only one who can see it. Now in a fight for her sanity and life, Jay and her friends must find a way to undo the curse brought upon her and get rid of the thing that follows.

Starting with the positives: “It Follows” director and screenplay writer David Robert Mitchell had a pretty good idea with the film’s plot as an ever-changing creepy face that follows an increasingly desperate subject whom no one believes is sane, is a disturbing concept to say the least. The idea that a horrible curse could be passed from person to person is of course nothing new, but the idea that the “follower” can take the form of any person is an intriguing idea. This opens the possibility for many different kinds of scares, rather than the typical overused jump-scare that almost every modern horror movie has beaten to death at this point. A particular scene in the film that captured the extremely creepy vibe that this film is targeting, is when Jay is sitting in a classroom and sees an old woman in a hospital gown out the window, walking straight toward her from across campus. This was a great taste for how the movie would present its scares: slowly but surely.

Another positive that could be taken away from seeing this film was the camera work. Since this was classified as a horror movie, “It Follows” took most people by surprise, especially film nerds, when the audience was presented with camera work that was reminiscent of an art house flick. There were 360-degree shots in multiple scenes, as well as fantastic camera angles that were able to capture the feel of the scene, with a touch of subtlety and finesse.

Now that the credit has been given where its due, it’s time to discuss what made this film disappointing. While some of the plot was indeed a unique and clever idea, there were aspects of it that detracted from the finished product as a whole. Most notably, the way the curse was passed between people: by having sex. This alone made the movie not scary. This is where the movie went from being a creepy horror film, to a film that students get shown in health class. With this being a major point of the plot throughout the movie, a more appropriate title would’ve been “Ghost Herpes.” If there was some kind of mystery as to why the subjects were being followed, instead of just blatantly saying “because sex” at the beginning of the movie, it would make the events that much creepier, because no one would know why these weird things were happening. The idea that the following might have randomly been assigned to an individual regardless of character, would’ve worked better in terms of the scare factor. However, it is also important to acknowledge that many modern audiences have come to expect explanations for any movie plot points. This is fine, but sex as an explanation for a horror film just doesn’t cut it.

More aspects of the film that didn’t quite work were the pacing of the plot as well as the overall feel of the film. The plot takes its time in this movie, a behavior much like the thing that follows. It doesn’t run, it doesn’t move quickly, it walks. While this approach is normally a great one to take, as too many horror films tend to rush through things like character development and story, the plot in this movie started to drag about halfway through. When people in the audience start checking the time on their phones during what is supposed to be the climax of the film, it means the film has lost its audience, either because it’s gone on for too long, the things that are happening aren’t all that interesting, or both. In this case, it was both. The film’s run time is an hour and 47 minutes.

Despite this relatively normal run time, the movie feels like it’s two and a half hours. This is due, in part, to the pacing of the film’s plot. It seemed like the events that were most gripping happened earlier in the film. As the movie wears on, the subject matter takes a shift from a horror film to a young adult film. This is where Jay’s character starts to have conflicting feelings for her quirky friend Paul, played by Keir Gilchrist, and it starts to focus on their love for eachother. While character development is good for any movie, the pacing at which these feelings were developed seemed odd and some of the scenes between the two characters didn’t seem relevant to the overall story arch.

While “It Follows” has some encouragingly unique ideas as to what a horror movie can be, its overall performance was a bit underwhelming. For audiences looking to have a good scare at the theater, you will find a few in this film, but as an overall experience, it may be worth waiting to watch on Netflix.

A bald eagle sits on a Bangor sidewalk, dazed from lead poisoning, as people clutter around, fumbling with their phones to take a close-up picture of the grounded raptor. Elsewhere, a loon has become tangled in a fishing line, painfully restricting its movements as it flops around helplessly while horrified witnesses look on.

While these instances would be considered a rare occurrence to many, they are unfortunate scenarios that the people of Avian Haven, a wild bird rehabilitation center in Freedom, Maine, see too often and work quickly to rectify. Executive Director Diane Winn spoke on their behalf during a presentation Saturday in Nutting Hall.

Avian Haven is a rescue and rehabilitation center that follows the human model for compassion, which focuses on valuing each individual rather than just the population of species. Working with veterinarians and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Avian Haven is considered to be the top rescue and rehabilitation center for birds in Maine, as their caseload is the highest in Northern New England.

Winn, along with many of Avian Haven’s staff and volunteers, ensured that every bird, and sometimes even reptile, in danger has a fighting chance. Co-founder of The Friends of Dr. Edith Marion Patch and event sponsor Mary Bird believe that the issues raised by Avian Haven are increasingly more understood by the public, which to her is an encouraging sign.

“I’ve actually been called to come pick up injured birds on campus. There are several of us affiliated with the university who do volunteer transport,” Bird said, “The wildlife conservation program here on campus is pretty pronounced and people are increasingly aware of the issue.”

Winn emphasized the importance of people not trying to rehabilitate birds they had found on their own. Citing an example, she said a couple of baby birds that were recovered from some people who had been feeding them the wrong types of food, which resulted in a calcium deficiency, leaving the birds too weak to stand. Winn stressed that situations like these shouldn’t be left to assumption and that proper steps should be taken to help the birds.

“If you’re not sure [what to do], call us,” Winn said.

Another subject Winn addressed during her presentation was to share how lead poisoning was increasingly damaging bald eagles in Maine.

Winn shared several stories concerning how lead fragments from hunters’ kills had been ingested by eagles and resulted in the illness and (in most cases) death of our nation’s bird. Last year, Avian Haven had a total of 158 Eagles admitted for rescue and out of that total, 54 had lead poisoning. Out of the 54 Eagles admitted with lead poisoning, 37 lost their lives.

Winn explained that illnesses related to this scenario were due to lead fragments originating from hunters’ bullets used to kill game, and that secondary harm could be prevented to eagles and other wildlife if the use of copper bullets was implemented.

To emphasize her point, she showed a brief but solemn video of an eagle gasping for air and succumbing to lead poisoning. It’s shallow croaks and wheezes caused many in the audience to cringe and some to look away. Winn’s demonstration of lead poisoning affect left an impact with the audience, as questions continued to focus on the issue of lead versus copper bullets even after the presentation had ended.

University of Maine senior and wildlife ecology student Krystal Poulin was very excited by what she saw and revealed that she had just been accepted as an intern with Avian Haven this summer.

“I’m very passionate about wildlife in general, so that’s kind of what got me to this point,” Poulin said. “Hearing all of these stories and experiences that they’ve had gets me really excited to have experiences of my own and to pass mine on to others as well.”

As for Winn’s presentation, Poulin acknowledged the importance of rehabilitating and rescuing Maine’s bird life.

“I think it’s really important, because people don’t realize that there is a population aspect and bird life is super important for populations,” Poulin said. “But you kind of have to start with the individual.”

Rating: 6.5

To some, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” could be considered a high energy entertainment romp, but to others it might be a film that can’t quite make up its mind.

“Kingsman” is about Eggsy, a teenager with great potential played by Taron Egerton, but because of his troubled upbringing and flare for causing mischief, has found himself behind bars. After being unexpectedly bailed out and taken under the wing of a suave gentleman played by Colin Firth in a finely pressed suit, Eggsy finds himself caught up in the top secret dealings of a privatized spy organization.

Being a spy is dangerous work, and one of their top spy positions becomes open for reselection after dealings with a light-heartedly diabolical mastermind known as Valentine, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, and his blade-legged assassin, Gazelle, played by Sofia Boutella. To fill the vacant spot and become a gentleman spy, Eggsy and a group of other young hopefuls find themselves in a boot-camp to hone their skills and test their mental toughness.

What needs to be addressed first, is that “Kingsman” is entertaining. The characters are well-rounded and the humor is quick, harsh and witty. With the quick wit and semi-memorable lisp, Valentine is almost more likeable than the rest of the characters. Audiences will probably find themselves laughing at many of his lines and violent antics — despite their better judgment.

Even Boutella’s Gazelle is pretty memorable due to her high flying action scenes and her trademark razor blade legs. Another cool aspect “Kingsman” has going for itself is the stylization of scenes and camera work. The action violence can be especially bloody and over-the-top, yet the choreographed movements captured at zoomed and unique camera angles make the scenes almost seem like a dance.

Something else that could be taken as a positive from “Kingsman,” is some of the political satire this film provides in a few of its scenes. The film doesn’t hesitate to take jabs at political figures and celebrity figures around the world, including President Barack Obama. It was somewhat refreshing to see that no particular public figure was ever explicitly mentioned or shown, but the idea of them was conveyed and done so subtly at that. In one scene, there is a clear depiction of Obama, as Valentine makes a deal with him privately in the oval office, yet you only see the back of his head, which was cleverly done.

“Kingsman” falls short with its plot. Some may argue that the idea behind this movie was to have something stylish and entertaining that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that may be true. Something that can’t be ignored, however, is the fact that the feel of the movie itself is incredibly mixed. Half of “Kingsman” feels like a young-adult novel adaptation and the other half feels like a Quentin Tarantino project. Through many of Eggsy’s trials through boot-camp, the film almost takes on a “Hunger Games” type of feel, while the other half of the movie has a weird mix between an Austin Powers and a James Bond film.

Walking away from the theater, it could be very possible to perceive that the viewer just saw two different movies. Something that would have been nice to see, is some more consistency toward the feel of the story, and not so much on the action and stunt-work. This is a balance that Director Matthew Vaughn has done quite well with his previous projects, such as “X-Men: First Class” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” but didn’t necessarily maintain for “Kingsman.”

Another aspect of “Kingsman” that’s not so great is the blatant plug for McDonalds. Product placement is never considered to be a good idea, unless you’re making fun of it like in “Wayne’s World.” The involvement of a commercialized product in the middle of a scene can take the viewer out of it as the characters discuss the enriching flavors and quality of a fast-food chain. Understandably, the scene where Valentine sits down to McDonalds is a joke, however when it consistently is in frame and discussed, it comes off as less about the scene being less about a plot and more about a sponsorship. Is this critique nitpicking? Maybe, but really good movies can usually get away with not having blatant product placement.

Overall, “Kingsman” is an entertaining, if not somewhat confusing ride and should be enjoyed mostly by young-adult audiences. If viewers are looking for something that has over-the-top action and witty one-liners, then Kingsman should provide quite nicely. If viewers are looking for a film with a bit more substance and story, skipping this film might not be such a terrible idea.

The sixth annual Islamic Center of Maine open house event on Saturday, March 21 brought together students and citizens to not only converse on the basics of Islam, but to discuss universal truths of respect and community.

Driving down Park Street, one could easily miss the humble and unassuming Islamic Center of Maine building, as it sits away from the road near the tree line. What could be misconstrued as a cold and quiet building, however, was very much alive with the warmth of new friends discovering each other’s similarities, while simultaneously celebrating their differences. As the line of visitors continued to stream in through the doors and take off their shoes, the mosque was filled with pleasantries and introductions. Excited eyes darted around the room, as reassuring smiles and nods were exchanged between strangers. A voice over the intercom announced the event would be starting shortly, and people made their way to their seats as the lights dimmed.

Over the course of the next two hours, speaker Areeb Islam, who had come all the way from South Africa for the event, presented on how the religion and culture of Islam fits into the community and how it’s more than what some of today’s Americans recognize it to be. Focus was placed on discussions of freedom and responsibility. The talk discussed a person’s responsibility (regardless of religion or race) to be free without infringing on the freedoms of others.

Toward the end of the event, a question and answer session was held by both Areeb Islam and Mahmoud Elbegearmi, an active and distinguished member of the local Maine Islamic community. Questions ranging from Islamic stances on events in the Middle East, to opinions on Jesus and Moses were honestly considered and answered, something that Elbegearmi deemed very important.

“The point of an event like this is to allow the surrounding community to come in and see the place and ask questions. It’s very important for people to come in [the Islamic Center] and see that it’s not any different from any other worship place,” Elbegearmi said. “We hope through this type of event, that people will understand [Islamic culture] and can hear the right answers [to their questions] rather than imagine why.”

After the event concluded, a reception that was being held for visitors coincided with Maghrib prayer, or evening prayer. This gave the visiting public the opportunity to see how prayer is performed in Islam and perhaps lent a greater understanding to what Islamic worship is like. As a line stretched from the prayer room to the banquet room, people waiting to taste the traditional dishes prepared by the women of the Islamic community allowed themselves to intermingle with one another and discuss the evening’s events.

The conversations consisted of different languages blended together as the call to prayer could be heard throughout the mosque. Once inside the banquet room, a generous mix of food was offered for curious attendees to try, as hungry hands picked through the offerings, looking to introduce a new flavor to their taste buds.

Out in the hallways people stood, sharing meals and getting to know one another. Walking around to greet people and perhaps share a conversation, Areeb Islam was very pleased with what he observed during Saturday’s event.

“This is probably one of the most open societies that I’ve seen in terms of tolerance and mutual respect,” Areeb Islam said. “Maybe 80 or 90 percent of the people were not Muslim, which speaks volumes of the community here.”

While the public turnout to the Islamic Center’s open house was indeed a positive result, the people at the Islamic Center have also been working hard to make such nights possible. The Outreach Coordinator for the Islamic Center of Maine, Omar Conteh, explained that many people involved with the Islamic Center of Maine are constantly working to bring the town’s community together.

“I go out and speak to the community about Islam and the commonality between people, to try to bring understanding among people. I have support from a lot of others that help me out with (awareness) too, so I can’t take credit for all of it,” Conteh said.

Some of the visiting students in the crowd were the most active in discussing with their peers and were reassured by what they saw in the Islamic Center of Maine. First-year student of the Honor’s College, Jodaliza Feliz was one such attendee.

“It’s basically treating others with respect and helping people. Coming here, I actually see that. The people here are really about taking care of others,” Feliz said, “You’re greeted like you’re one of their own. It feels like home.”

The day before Saturday’s open house, a related event was held on campus in Estabrook Hall called “Tolerance, Human Rights and Religion.” Preceptor and Coordinator of Advancement Dr. Melissa Ladenheim, who was an advocate for promoting the event and attended both, commented on the linkage in theme between both gatherings.

“[The open house] was kind of a continuation of this notion of freedom of expression and rights and responsibilities. Areeb Islam spent a lot of time talking about the notion of freedom and what it means to be free. There are limitations if our freedom infringes on someone else’s freedom,” Ladenheim said. “We have the ability to do things, but in a society there are certain boundaries and if you cross those boundaries in ways that aren’t appropriate, then there’s a consequence.”

Both discussions were considered a success by many at the events with visitors walking away with a greater appreciation and understanding than they had when they walked in.

As the crowd started to collect their shoes and shuffle back out into the dark, the strangers once again went their separate ways. Though the open house event had ended, and people had gone back to living their own lives, the experience shared in the warmth of the Islamic Center of Maine will not be soon forgotten. The overall success of this year’s open house was an encouraging sight for many in attendance.

Ladenheim would like to see similar interactions continue to help strengthen the bonds between people and culture.

“If you create opportunities for people to have conversation, that’s going to foster understanding and you’re going to find commonalities,” Ladenheim said. “If we can continue to do that and we can engage people on a really personal level, then I think we can shift the discourse.”

GSS Allocates $1,700 to Men’s Rugby Club For Tournaments

The General Student Senate (GSS) approved an allocation of $1,700 to the Men’s Rugby club to help provide funding for the club’s involvement in the Beast of the East and Maine Cup tournaments, but not without some cautionary opposition by senators Andrew Bracy and Bradley Gannon.

Men’s Rugby Club president John Golder explained that without the necessary funding, the team’s competitive capability would suffer.

“We’re not going to be able to go to ‘beast’ if we don’t get this,” Golding said.

Opposed to the allocation of funds were senators Bracy and Gannon, as they cautioned the Senate that the club had yet to repay its dues of $900 in fees from last season.

“It seems irresponsible to fund a group that doesn’t quite have things in order,” Gannon said.

Upon further explanation from Golding for the club’s financial situation and guaranteeing the money was to be paid off, the vast majority of the Student Senate was persuaded to let the allocation pass, allowing Golding and his team to attend and represent UMaine in these events.

GSS Allocates $2,200 to Formula SAE for Conference in Detroit

GSS allocated $2,200 to the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) for traveling expenses to the SAE World Congress conference in Detroit, Mich. President of Formula SAE, Zack Sawyer explained that this conference is something that can make a big difference for the careers of the students involved.

“For seniors in the group, this is a really great opportunity to go out there and meet companies who are hiring,” Sawyer said.

Sawyer even went so far as to describe what his club would be bringing to the conference, by discussing an Arctic Cat Snowmobile that runs on alternative natural gas. The GSS voted in favor of the funding for Formula SAE’s trip, passing the motion by a clear majority.

GSS Allocates $1,500 to Muslim Students Association for Islamic Awareness Week

GSS allocated $1,500 to the Muslim Students Association for their upcoming Islamic Awareness Week, with most of the money being put toward an honorarium for a guest speaker traveling from South Africa. The motion passed by vast majority, with the intention to spread awareness to students on campus who might be misinformed or are interested about Islam as a religion and culture.

Removal of Senators

GSS ousted six student senators after a failure to comply with obligations as a part of Student Government. Senators Jennifer Karod, Marshall Larsen, James Lowell, Devin Greenlaw, Darin Jandreau and Derek Vigue were removed of their positions on GSS.

“Basically our policy (for attendance) is three unexcused absences per semester and they failed to meet that,” Stewart said. “We’re really trying to follow our own rules better, which starts with me, so we’re following all of the right steps and letting everyone know what’s going on.”

Due to such a substantial loss to the body of the Senate, Stewart wanted to make clear that if anyone is interested in joining the Senate, he would be available to discuss such matters via FirstClass.

Committee Reports

The Inter-Fraternity Council reported that there could be as many as three new fraternities introduced to UMaine by next year. Sororities on campus are also readying to open for expansion within the next year.

Rating: 5.5

The new SpongeBob movie may be a silly romp for kids and younger teens, but for adults, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” might be a fish out of water.

Initially set in the fictional undersea town of Bikini Bottom, “Sponge Out of Water” stars the titular sponge as he cheerily works at Bikini Bottom’s most popular fast-food restaurant, “The Krusty Krab.”

The citizens can’t get enough of the Krabby Patty, the Krusty Krabs’ featured burger, and money-hungry boss and owner Mr. Krabs can’t get enough of their money. All is well in Bikini Bottom until Plankton, a jealous rival of Mr. Krabs, attempts yet another over-the-top scheme to steal the key to Krabs’ success: the Krabby Patty secret formula. Amidst the chaos of his attempt to obtain it, the secret formula seems to magically disappear, with no one knowing — not even Plankton — where it has gone.

Panicked by the news that the formula is gone and the Krusty Krab is out of Krabby Patties, the town of Bikini Bottom is cast into a post-apocalyptic setting. Having lost everything they love, SpongeBob and Plankton are forced to put aside their differences and work together to find the formula and save the day.

“Sponge Out of Water” is a prime example of gags first, story later. With zany humor filling the vast majority of the one-hour-33-minute run time, this film has little else to offer in the realm of entertainment. It’s SpongeBob after all, a style of show that’s had kids laughing at its absurdity for the past 15 years, but the lack of story in this second installment makes even the first “SpongeBob SquarePants” movie look structured — which, let’s be honest, wasn’t that great.

The most developed and interesting character in this film was Plankton, but the movie is supposed to be starring SpongeBob, who was left as a bit more of a caricature of his former self. The rest of the characters, consisting of SpongeBob’s best friend Patrick, his squirrel pal Sandy, and his curmudgeon of a neighbor and co-worker, Squidward, all seemed to be just background characters to fill the void that this story created. For those who grew up on this wacky, slapstick style of a show, it still has some charm left in it with a few references and chuckles throughout, but the fast story, fast humor and fast jokes are all geared toward younger kids with little attention-span.

The film quickly skips from one topic to the other, almost like flipping through channels on your television, or binging on videos from Youtube. The beginning goes from war action, using fast food products and condiments, then skips to a theme similar to “Road Warrior” in the post apocalyptic era, then to time travel and space adventure reminiscent of “Interstellar,” then to live action and CGI on land with a theme pretty much ripped straight from Marvel’s “The Avengers.” This all happens within an hour and a half, so needless to say this film is not really something that focuses on one theme or story for very long.

On the positive side, the voice acting in this movie is well done, with Tom Kenny leading the bill as the voice of SpongeBob and Mr. Lawrence contributing as the voice of Plankton. The animation quality is good in this film as well, as the animators had several styles to capture — cartoon, CGI and some stop motion — and they did so flawlessly. The CGI characters in the last act of the movie looked clean and well produced, and might even be better than some of the CGI visual effects in other films like “300: Rise of An Empire” or newly-released “Seventh Son.”

The film’s directors, Mike Mitchell and Paul Tibbitt, put in a good tag-team effort to keep this movie true to the SpongeBob of the last 10 years that kids today know and love. Mitchell, who directed “Shrek Forever After,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and “Sky High,” is no stranger to films geared for younger kids and families, and his directing style remains true to that demographic in “Sponge Out of Water.” Tibbitt, on the other hand, has been a writer for the “SpongeBob SquarePants” show for many years now, and is able to put his knowledge of the show into the film, bringing back fan favorite references like random background shouts of “My leg!” into the mix, which was fun to see.

Outside the demographic of young kids, for adults and older teens, this film will most likely be something to experience with the intention of bringing your kids or to kill some time with friends. To see this with the intention of personal enjoyment might be a bit of a stretch.

Students visiting the 2015 University of Maine Career Fair were in high spirits on Wednesday, as hundreds of proactive hopefuls mingled with representatives of various professions and companies amongst the maze of booths set up in the New Balance Student Recreation Center.

It was hard to notice the collars and ties hidden behind coats in the blistering cold Wednesday morning on campus. As students rushed into the Recreation Center they shed their winter layers taking a deep breath. Through that last cold breath, a metamorphosis took place as the bulky and rural looking jackets and boots were stripped away, revealing professional business attire ranging from collared shirts, to fresh-pressed suits. The cold was no longer a factor. It was time to get to business.

Before even entering the main floor where all of the company representatives stood, students noticed an outstretched table where members of the Career Center sat, waiting to help.

“Our main focus is to assist students and alumni in finding a career that they’re passionate about and can be successful in,” graduate assistant Shelby Saucier said.

“Employment is the final goal, but this is also a good chance to build relations with employers within the community.”

With a sign-in sheet for further appointments to work on resumes and information to point students in the right direction, the Career Center enthusiastically handled all student queries.

Walking along the blue tarp covered floor, it was easy to get lost among the rows of booths, as crowds of students dispersed to areas of their choosing, while smiling and listening eagerly to what company representatives had to say. It was easy to notice the small fist-pumps or looks of satisfaction from students as they walked away with what they felt like was a good impression. The feeling of positivity, in general, was something that couldn’t be taken away from the visitors of this event, as there was something for everyone to experience.

Third-year Mechanical Engineering student Jeremiah Henderson was interested in starting his professional experience with an internship for a company like Timbro or Bath Iron Works and was appreciative that the event was being held on campus so that he could talk to the companies in person.

“It’s on campus and it gives students a chance to talk to employers and get some experience,” Henderson said. “I like it.”

The ever-changing mass of students through job booths consisted of pleasant small talk, whispers of anticipation and discussions of experience, as the constant buzz of excitement and nervousness reverberated off the high beams of the Recreation Center’s ceiling. Many company representatives gave their pitches, and spent any spare moments answering questions, while others looked on, awaiting the next passerby within the sea of eager soon-to-be workers.

As the orderly chaos that was the Career Fair continued it’s productive frenzy, graduate student in Civil Engineering, Warren Zubrick stood off to the side, away from the commotion of the center square. Collecting himself and taking a moment to send a text, Zubrick was present in an attempt to obtain an internship.

“I think [the career fair] is probably the best way to meet the recruiters and put a name to a face. That way, when you go to apply, companies can have that recognition,” Zubrick said.

Through this event, Zubrick may be able to accomplish his goal of one day working in the consulting industry.

Even as a second-year student, Grace Marshall was getting involved in the action, as she believes the Career Fair is something to take advantage of.

“I think it’s very helpful. At the very least it gives students an idea of what’s out there,” Marshall said. “I wanted to get a feel for it, because as I get further in my education, I’m going to need to actually start thinking about real world employment,” Marshall said. “It’s nice to scope things out and have more of an idea for next year, when I’ll be saying ‘Hey look, companies, hire me.’”

Students looking for employment aren’t the only ones who agree that the Career Fair has an impact, as Career Center Director Patty Counihan believes that the Career Fair is indeed a valuable experience for all who are interested.

“Yes, employers are here because they want to hire for summer jobs, internships and full-time jobs after graduation, but also it gives students a chance to learn more about career opportunities and the things they might do to prepare between the time they have now and when they graduate,” Counihan said. “We’re hoping as a result of this, students who have never come to the Career Center before will seek us out, because there are a lot of things we can help them with to get ready with before they graduate.”

As the hours of the event got later, the mass of formally dressed students slowly returned back to their winter layers, establishing their old identities before trickling out into the harsh winter winds. This time however, students left with something they had not entered with before: contacts and connections to a profession they’ve waited so long to get started with — a hope for life after the University of Maine.

The frigid, unforgiving wind screams through the trees as darkness sets on campus. In the shadow of the Fogler Library sits the Edgar Allan Cyrus Pavillion Theater. The former sheep stable turned playhouse looks asleep, with not a sound to be heard from out in the winter cold. Yet from within, behind its closed doors and curtains, lies a scene that is very much alive.

On stage, a warm 1950′s style home is carefully set up, while the director, actors and crew from the Orono Community Theatre and Ten Bucks Theatre are ready backstage for their chance to give their performance of  “Death of a Salesman” that they’ve been working on for the past couple of months.

The venue is small, with room for only 90 people to sit, and the stage is close. This is something director and University of Maine alumni, Julie Lisnet cherishes about the Pavillion Theater.

“I love it because it’s so intimate,” Lisnet said. “I love blurring the lines between the audience and the actors, and this theater is fantastic for it. It brings the audience into (the show) so much more.”

As members of the audience slowly trickle in, collecting programs and finding the way to their seats, talk can be heard about the play’s subject matter. Many have yet to see a performance of this play and questions surrounding its plot are discussed in the remaining minutes before showtime.

“Death of a Salesman” is widely considered to be American playwright Arthur Miller’s greatest work, as it was the winner of the 1949 Pulitzer Prize. Despite being written 66 years ago, it’s still considered to be a play that offers commentary on today’s social class, as well as the complexities of family expectation. Julie Lisnet thinks so as well.

“It’s timeless,” Lisnet said, “We have the same economic problems and types of interpersonal relationships. There’s nothing about this show that doesn’t play to our time.”

The conflict between family is something that “Death of a Salesman” delves in deepest however, as the aging father and struggling traveling salesman, Willy Loman struggles to reconnect with his estranged sons Biff and Happy, while his wife Linda tries to hold everything — including the family — together. Linda, played by Orono Community Theatre’sartistic director, Sandy Cyrus, is a character Cyrus has grown to love through her experience with this play.

“I have come to really respect and admire this character that I’m playing,” Cyrus said. “She’s a 1950′s housewife, so you have to put [her character] in that cultural setting. She’s portrayed as super supportive and Willy kind of abuses her verbally, but she loves him anyway. So on the surface, it looks like she’s not a strong person, but Miller wrote her some really beautiful scenes where she lays it on the table for her two sons and we find out that (she’s) nobody’s fool.”

Despite the play’s heavy dramatic qualities, it also has it’s share of light hearted moments that allow some comedic relief throughout the plot.

“I think any playwright who writes a serious play, has got to put those lighter moments in, otherwise, it’s a long two plus hours in the theater if you’re sitting here and it’s nothing but gloom and doom,” Lisnet said. With all the emotions and laughter that are experienced within the Pavillion during “Death of a Salesman,” one overarching theme is hoped to be achieved after all is said and done.

“I think a good message [for this play] is appreciate the things and people you have in the moment, because who knows how long you’ll have them around,” lead actor and portrayer of Biff, Nathan Roach said.

This is a message the audience received with appreciation. With some tearful smiles and an occasional whistle, the cast’s curtain call was greeted by a standing ovation. About 30 minutes after the final line of the play, many in the audience stayed to congratulate and talk with the actors and crew, before slowly filing their way out back into the winter weather that awaited them.

Through all the hard work that the men and women involved with this production have gone through, Lisnet has but one thing to say to her audiences. “A huge responsibility of any theater is to make sure that the classics stay alive, and I think it’s pretty incredible that two community theaters have gotten together to bring the play to this area,” Lisnet concludes. “I really hope people take great advantage and come out in droves, because the last time this play was done here on this campus, it was 1976.”

“Death of a Salesman” will be playing Jan. 17, 22, 23 and 24 at 7 p.m., and has two afternoon showings on Jan. 18 and 25 at 2 p.m. Visit www.tenbuckstheatre.org for more information on tickets.

In the spirit of college student experimentation, they gathered to try something new. Katy Perry’s song, Dark Horse, echoed down the shadowy and vacant halls of the IMRC Center in Stewart Commons where the xx University of Maine students huddled around a table in the corner of a studio. Armed with old socks, empty toilet paper rolls, tape and some imagination, they worked in earnest for two hours under the watchful eye of Sarah Hollows. The puppet master.
Hollows’ hand puppet workshop drew fewer participants than expected, but that didn’t deter those attending. The friendly, fun-loving atmosphere was punctuated with laughter and crazy conversations, brightening the cold, lonely, after-hours atmosphere of the sleepy building.
As Hollows instructed, socks became bodies — and then miniature personalities. All the while, the topics of discussion ranged from the best burger in town to President Carter’s letter to aliens.
“I really value spending this creative time with the community and I think it’s a pretty valuable way to spend a Friday night,” Hollows said.
While the jokes and sarcastic comebacks that these conversations spawned kept the workshop busy on a social level, the multitasking minds of the participants were busy at work. Hollows moved her students through the various stages of crafting their puppets. Slowly, amid the ambient noise of crinkling newspaper and the scratchy rip of masking tape, miniature puppet faces took shape.
This is a stage in hand puppet production that Hollows loves. She says the creative and free-minded nature of this process represents what her workshops are all about.
“Sometimes you just have to let go and let things work themselves out,” Hollows said.
But don’t assume that hand puppets are all cute, cuddly and whimsical.
Among the many unique creations starting to take form was one by Rachel Nelson, a second-year graduate student in the IMFA program. After sculpting a slender, bony face, Nelson shaped a second head, protruding from her creature’s temple. The beautifully bizarre and nightmarish creature was endowed with long strands of black string for hair, giving Nelson’s creation a striking resemblance to the ghost from The Ring.
“Whoa, that’s creepy,” said one of her workshop mates.
Nelson drew laughter when she announced that she expected the name of her puppet “to come to me in a nightmare.”
Some of the other puppets created took the forms of a cloaked ninja, a mustachioed man with Aviators and a deformed monster.
After a couple of hours, as the workshop was drawing to a close, Hollows decided it was the perfect moment to teach her pupils and peers how to perform with their new creations. She demonstrated how to gesture with puppets, using the wrist and fingers. Quickly, the seemingly lifeless objects began to move and take on personalities of their own. Some puppets crawled around the table, while others merely practiced pointing and moving their heads. As the movements became more evolved, the giggles and silliness increased. Some attempted to fight each other with pencils, while others began to interact with the tools and environment around them.
By the end of the workshop, the performing puppets had assumed their own personalities and their new puppet masters discovered a new sense of creative fulfillment and entertainment.
Participant Kris Mason, whose puppet bore a slight resemblance to the Monopoly Man, seemed to appreciate Hollows’ enthusiasm for a new source of creativity.
“It was a really nice way to spend time with people and learn a new craft,” Mason said.