‘Wicked’ defies expectations (and gravity) with powerful performances

‘Wicked’ defies expectations (and gravity) with powerful performances

“Wicked,” starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-Butera, is a movie adaptation of the classic 2003 Broadway show of the same name, which is itself an adaptation of a 1995 book by Gregory Macguire. It follows the story of Elphaba and how she comes to be known as the Wicked Witch of the West. It explores the concepts of good and “wicked” and what makes someone such a thing. The film’s release was also accompanied by a wild press tour, which generated the viral meme of “holding space” for Defying Gravity, a phrase used in an interview conducted by Mount Holyoke College alum Tracy E. Gilchrist FP ’04 with the film’s two leads.

Students watch ‘Shirley’ in honor of Shirley Chisholm’s 100th birthday

Students watch ‘Shirley’ in honor of Shirley Chisholm’s 100th birthday

As doors at Mount Holyoke College often seem to be when you need them most, the entrance to Dwight Hall was locked on the evening of Nov. 22. However, entry was well worth the wait: the building’s event of the night was a celebration of Shirley Chisholm's 100th Birthday, with a post-dinner screening of the 2024 biopic “Shirley.”

Students reimagine Shakespeare in “Much Ado About Nothing” production

Students reimagine Shakespeare in “Much Ado About Nothing” production

For many, the name Shakespeare invokes a sense of dread, bringing to mind memories of high school English classes filled with stale interpretations of dense and unrelatable text. This fall, Talia Pott ’25 set out to challenge these preconceptions through her senior thesis project: a genderqueer reimagining of “Much Ado About Nothing,” which was performed Nov. 22 through Nov. 24 in Rooke Theatre.


FMT department performs “The Addams Family”

FMT department performs “The Addams Family”

Amid the festivities of Family and Friends Weekend and Halloween, members of the Mount Holyoke College community gathered in Rooke Theatre to watch the film media theater department’s recent production of "The Addams Family,”directed by Noah Tuleja, an associate professor of film media theater and the film media theater chair. 

Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield’s chemistry shines in “We Live in Time”

Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield’s chemistry shines in “We Live in Time”

“We Live in Time” poses an unusual meet-cute: accidentally hitting your future soulmate with your car as he drops his chocolate while crossing a busy highway. This new romance film, starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh and directed by John Crowley, interweaves humor and tear-jerking moments, ultimately emphasizing a reminder that our time together is finite. 

MHC Votes! hosts art contest for designing “I Voted” stickers

MHC Votes! hosts art contest for designing “I Voted” stickers

As election day rapidly approaches, Mount Holyoke College student organization MHC Votes! organized their very own “I Voted” sticker competition in collaboration with the Weissman Center for Leadership. The iconic stickers, which have been a staple of American voting culture since the 1980s, will be getting their own Mount Holyoke twist. Participants in the contest were given the task of designing a sticker with unique visuals and themes. Everyone from the Mount Holyoke College community was encouraged to submit their sticker designs, regardless of artistic expertise.

Audrey Hanan ’28 discusses Jorge oil paintings, and her future in art

Audrey Hanan ’28 discusses Jorge oil paintings, and her future in art

After only three days of being on campus, Audrey Hanan ’28 sat down in her Pearsons Hall dorm room and painted Jorge, Mount Holyoke College’s unofficial pilgrim goose mascot. Unbeknownst to her, her artwork would become a campus-wide sensation and lead to a business selling prints of both the beloved goose and campus locations she had painted.

Sapien Joyride, Pulse, Stoplight Makeout perform at Chapin Auditorium

Sapien Joyride, Pulse, Stoplight Makeout perform at Chapin Auditorium

As the doors of Chapin Auditorium opened on Sept. 28, a small crowd gathered at the foot of the stairs. It was the first show of the semester put on by Mount Holyoke College Students for Alternative Music, also known as MHC Alt, a student group who organizes concerts on campus. The show was free and open to the public, and though the crowd was primarily made up of Mount Holyoke College students, there were several people from the wider area in attendance as well.

They may be flowers, but they aren’t wilting: Student band Twolips performs at Pratt

They may be flowers, but they aren’t wilting: Student band Twolips performs at Pratt

As a picturesque sunset fell over Pratt Music Hall, Mount Holyoke College student band Twolips began their Sept. 19 concert on the grass just outside the building. A small crowd gathered before the show began, but several more listeners came after the music started, attracted by both the melodies and the s’mores offered by the Office of Student Involvement a few feet away.

A cappella groups showcase their skills at O-JAM

A cappella groups showcase their skills at O-JAM

Mount Holyoke College’s a cappella groups brought their best to a mixed group of auditioners and supporters at O-JAM, hosted on Friday, Sept. 6. Each group was greeted by chants from the audience, as well as individual shoutouts to some particularly supported performers. However, no matter who they were there to see, the crowd had consistent energy and enthusiasm for the entirety of the performance.

Eight horror movies to watch around the campfire this summer

Eight horror movies to watch around the campfire this summer

Although horror is most associated with fall, anyone on summer break will know that summer has plenty of scary elements as well: bugs everywhere, sleepless humid nights and the creeping feeling of dread that you’re wasting your time. Besides, summer also provides various opportunities to get outside: the best place to watch a horror movie! Here are eight summer horror movies you need to add to your summer watchlist.

Review: “Late Night With The Devil” captivates in ’70s style

Review: “Late Night With The Devil” captivates in ’70s style

The horror genre has grown stale in recent years, but “Late Night with the Devil” is fun, refreshing and creepy. It packs in several tropes but offers an original spin on each one. It’s mysterious without being incoherent, scary without being gratuitous and a genuinely good watch. 

JoJo Siwa declares herself ‘CMO of gay pop’ after releasing new single, ‘Karma’

JoJo Siwa declares herself ‘CMO of gay pop’ after releasing new single, ‘Karma’

JoJo Siwa, of “Dance Moms” and Nickelodeon fame, has attracted the spotlight again this spring with an announcement that she’s pioneering gay pop. The actress and dancer, who identifies as pansexual, has previously appeared in “The Fruitties Are Back” (2022), “Kung Fu Sock” (2022), “The Angry Birds Movie 2” (2019) and “Siwa’s Dance Pop Revolution” (2021). On April 5, 2024, she released her latest project, a pop single accompanied by a music video titled “Karma.” 

‘Anyone But You’: The start of a rom-com renaissance?

The immense popularity of the new romantic comedy “Anyone But You” has led some critics to hail the start of a rom-com renaissance. The film was a box office success, earning more than $200 million globally, and has begun trending on social media. It has even started a TikTok trend featuring the end credit song “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, which has made the Billboard Top 20 in the U.K. for the first time in 19 years. 

‘Stopmotion’ elevates the inanimate to something terrifying

‘Stopmotion’ elevates the inanimate to something terrifying

In a time when plenty of horror movies seem uninterested in originality, “Stopmotion” elevates a common concept through excellent character design. This alone makes it worth watching, though you probably won’t be able to look at steak the same way again. 

“Drive-Away Dolls” is a poor parody of lesbian cinema

“Drive-Away Dolls” is a poor parody of lesbian cinema

“Drive-Away Dolls” marks the solo directorial debut of Ethan Coen, who is famed for his work with his brother, Joel Coen. The movie is thematically similar to many of their combined works, though the cast is radically different from that of movies like “The Big Lebowski.” 

It follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) as two friends who embark on a road trip after Jamie’s infidelity-based breakup with her police officer-girlfriend Sukie (Beanie Feldstein.) 

Cliches rise from the dead in ‘Lisa Frankenstein’

Cliches rise from the dead in ‘Lisa Frankenstein’

Written by Diablo Cody, best known for “Jennifer’s Body” and “Juno,” “Lisa Frankenstein” is a quirky teen horror-comedy about Lisa Swallows (Kathryn Newton), her life with her happy-go-lucky stepsister Taffy (Lisa Soberano), and her interactions with a resurrected corpse (Cole Sprouse).

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