Jeff Backlin
Entertainment Editor

Although not pursuing a career in acting, NIACC freshman Hannah Frederick loves theater just the same. Having been involved in NIACC's "Plaza Suite" and the improv group at NIACC, Frederick has been active in theater since high school.

"I've always been around acting," Frederick said. "My family is comedic and theatrical." However, Frederick was not always interested in acting from the get go. Having been active in speech in high school, Frederick said she was approached by her high school speech instructor who encouraged Frederick to try acting.

"I've been told that I look very comfortable and natural on stage," Frederick said. "I don't get nervous in front of a crowd. I love to be able to be anything and do anything."

After being approached by her high school speech instructor, Frederick said she went on to land the staring role in her spring play "The Wonderful Story of Mother Goose."

After graduating from high school, Frederick went on to the University of Iowa where she took a temporary reprieve from acting.

Coming to NIACC her second semester, Frederick said she realized how much she had missed acting.

"I realized how much I missed being on stage," Frederick said. "NIACC is more informal." Besides performing in "Plaza Suite", Frederick has also been involved in the improv group at NIACC.

While acting is a gratifying pastime of Frederick's, she said improv provides a different type of performance.

"There are so many aspects to improv," Frederick said. "In straight acting everything is planned out, while in improv you have more freedom. It's more difficult but more fun and exciting."

Part of the reason Frederick said she loves to perform is because of the people.

"I got into the theatrical group senior year and they influenced me in acting," Frederick said. While not decided on her major, Frederick said she plans on perusing a major involving the arts at Cornell College next year.

NIACC will present COOKIN', an explosive percussion show from Korea. COOKIN' has sliced, diced and banged its way across the globe to unanimous acclaim and will take the North Iowa Community Auditorium stage on Friday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the 2004-2005 NIACC Performing Arts Series.

Tickets are on sale now and cost $32 and $35 at the door.

Working against the clock to create a wedding banquet, four zany chefs stir martial arts, drumming, dance and high-wire comedy into their recipes. Everything from pots and pans to cooking utensils and the occasional cucumber becomes fodder for this gastronomical hit. As they complete the best dishes of the day, the performance culminates in a feast that is shared with the audience to both highlight and celebrate the communal bond found in traditional Samulnori performances.

It's the perfect show for all ages and taste buds, so get COOKIN' today; you'll never look at the kitchen the same way again.

For tickets to COOKIN', call the NIACC Box Office at 1-888-466-4222, ext. 4188.

Samantha Donisi
Staff Reporter

It's always nice when students find an extra-curricular activity that they really enjoy, especially one that helps pass the time away until summer. Two of NIACC's students have done just that, in a distinctly unique way.

Robbie Johannesen and Charles "Chuck" Carrier are both active members of NIACC's Concert Choir. They have both been singing for a number of years and now have found a way to extend their interests.In addition to singing at NIACC, both students are members of other choral groups in the area. Johannesen is a member of the North Iowa Choral Society and Carrier is a member of the River City Barbershop Chorus. Jason Ryner, the director of all three ensembles, said he thinks their participation is a great thing.

"The fact that they are already moving on to undertake music outside of college is great," Ryner said. "They are realizing opportunities to make music a life-long activity." Johannesen said he sees things the same way. He has been in the Choral Society for two years and hopes to stay with it.

"This is my last year of school and I want to keep singing," Johannesen said. "I hope to get a job around the area and this is a way for me to stay in it."

Johannesen said the Choral Society is a big change from NIACC's Concert Choir.

"The level of music is so much different, it's a lot harder," Johannesen said.

Carrier said he sees his time in the Barbershop Chorus as a totally different experience from Concert Choir.

"The music is way more challenging," Carrier said. "It is all acapella and is a lot harder because the notes are blended so close together."

Carrier said that he wanted to join Barbershop since the three groups performed together at Christmas time.

"I really wanted to, but I didn't know how," Carrier said.

Ryner was only too happy to help him out.

"Both students expressed interest to me about wanting to join the various groups," Ryner said. "I told them to join in when the time was right for them."

Both students said they really enjoy their time in the two groups. As Carrier put it, the experience is "way fun."

The River City Barbershop Chorus entered its 50th year when its annual Spring Show was preformed on April 1-2.

Jeff Backlin
Entertainment Editor

Starting this fall, the Kids WB will be giving Bugs Bunny a new modern look. "Lunatics" will be airing this coming season and will be bringing back all of the classic favorites such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Lola Bunny and Taz as super heroes. That's right, super heroes.

Now, with the exception of Ninja Turtles, I grew up with Bugs Bunny who, instead of melting a bad guy with a laser beam would instead utter the universal line, "Eh, what's up doc?" and then proceed to drop an anvil on their head.

The idea of making Bugs Bunny and gang into a host of new generation lean mean fighting super heroes has left me with mixed multitudes of feelings, most of which are not good. Call me old fashioned, but there are few things left sacred in this world and Bugs Bunny is one of them.

The decision by Kids WB to create a new and fresh looking Bugs first aired on MSNBC last month. I remember watching it thinking, "They can't be serious..." only to be dismayed when I began my research.

"Lunatics" plot is based in the year 2772, where Bugs and gang are all super heroes with unique powers and fight crime for the good of mankind, or bunny kind, depending on the way you look at it.

I think there are several reasons why I am alarmed at this new look at a classic.

First of all, I understand money is a very persuasive factor in the entertainment industry but leave poor Bugs Bunny out of the "tights and fights" gig. Some things should just be left alone.

Second, if you haven't seen what the new concept art for the new "Lunatics" looks like, you may want to go take a look. It would appear that David Janollari, Kids WB president, and his staff have indeed created a new look for Bugs; although it just doesn't seem to gel with me. The new Loony Tunes gang looks, for a lack of a better word, evil.

Perhaps, I am not giving "Lunatics" its full due credit, but if I wanted to watch super heroes fighting I would watch the slew of other cartoons that liter this over crowded genre all ready.