November 14,2022

THE FREE PRESS

November 14, 2022

Vol. 54

ISSUE 4

Inside: Osher School of Music Produces “Nine: the Musical” pg.3

October 31st Student Senate Meeting pg. 6

A Spooktacular Extravaganza at USM pg. 12

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INTERIM EdITOR-IN-CHIEF Kelly ledsworth

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Kelly Ledsworth Interim Editor-in-Chief

A Breath of Fresh Air

have dinner, do some homework, and get ready for bed. After eight hours of sleep, the spoons reset depending on how I slept. Some things that get neglected or changed, the trash and dishes can wait till the next day, brushing my teeth at the end of the day is hard so every now and again mouthwash is better than nothing.

around school. I’m looking forward to having the time to make a ton of art. Not having to worry that I have somewhere important to be after only an hour in the studio.

There is a difference between planning for the future and looking forward to it. I plan, and plan, and plan and sometimes things still don’t go right. I can set up everything to go smoothly for assignments and grades, put it all in my calendar, set alarms, and call it good. I can set up my life so I have a strategy to get through it. This at least helps me stress less, but when things go wrong, I live in this state of slight panic, and feel like no matter what I do, I’m still behind. That being said, I can still only do what I can, and some days I only have 80%. You can’t give 100% when you only have 80% to give. You might have heard of this in the terms of the spoon theory; it’s usually used with people with chronic illness. The spoon theory is that over the course of the day, you only have a certain number of spoons, and you only have that certain amount, you can do certain things to replenish, usually that’s sleep. So I’ve been having a lot of days where I don’t have many spoons to give and I start out with maybe eight instead of 15. School days are almost always four spoons, making a smoothie for breakfast is half of one, cooking a whole dinner, eating, and cleaning up is two spoons. You can start to see how quickly the spoons are used up, but taking a 40 minute nap can give me a spoon back, so a two hour nap gives me enough energy to

I find small moments of joy that make me look forward to the future. One of my more recent moments was walking in downtown Providence, Rhode Island with my brother, and the sun hit just right, and I said, “You know, life is pretty okay.” At that time, it felt like I could do anything, and that I’d be okay. I look forward to more of those moments, especially since I don’t spend that much time with my brother. I’m looking forward to more cool stuff I’ve been making. I just finished a design of a bunch of bunnies in a claw machine. Don’t worry, they are not trapped, they are just all hanging out, and could escape if they wanted to. I’m having this art turned into a 2.5” acrylic keychain that will hopefully be here before Christmas. I’m excited to see how they turn out! I converted it to the right file type, so it should be all set. It’s always such a weird feeling to have my art turned into something tangible like a print, sticker, and pins– it brings a good amount of joy, and becomes a real thing. One of the things that I feel like I always need more of is time. I’m always trying to get more of it, all the go, go, go of life; it feels like I don’t have enough time to enjoy little moments, or these pockets of joy. I feel like I always need to be multitasking. So one of the biggest things that has me looking forward to the future is picking my schedule for the spring semester. I’m so close to the end, and picking my classes is a big de cision: it will be the last classes I have in undergrad. I’ve made up my mind, I have to take my last art history, my last science lab, and some ceramics for fun. I’ve managed to shove all these classes into two days during the week, which might be a little overwhelming to have so much going on, all packed into two days during the week, but I think it will be perfect for me. I’ll have enough time to study hard, and get all the homework done for my classes. The best part is I won’t have so much time dedicated to school. This is the first time in my life where I haven’t had a full course load, and my whole life doesn’t revolve

Finding these new moments to myself doesn’t mean that I don’t still try and plan my whole life out. I’m going to have a lot of free time next semester. This is a good and bad thing. I need to be very careful to not get ahead of myself, and give all my free time away to commitments. A few ways I’m going to do that is by doing some substitute teaching, where I get to decide day by day if I want to go in. I will definitely still be working here, so that takes up some of my time. The best part is that it’s my time, so I get to choose what I want to do with it. I’m sure at the beginning it will feel like a New Year’s resolution when I’m deciding what to do with my time. Having multiple days off in a row will mean I’m going to go visit my family in Massachusetts and Rhode Island more. Maybe I’ll even branch out, and try selling at other markets outside of Maine. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself just yet.

If you get anything out of this, I hope that it is to just stop and try to notice your own small pockets of joy during your busy life. Even if it is something small, try to capture it, and you may notice a pattern. A lot of times it is hard for me to tally up the good times when the bad times feel so overwhelming, but even a photo or a note in my phone I can look back on can be so rewarding.

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director

A street in Providence, Rhode Island Bunny claw machine illistration

Osher School of Music produces “Nine: the Musical”

Ben Reed Arts & Culture Editor

The Osher School of Music’s (OSOM) musical theater workshop class performed their rendition of Nine, a musical written by Arthur Kopit & Maury Yeston. Based on the 1963 film, 8 ½, the story tells of an Italian filmmaker, Guido Contini, as he navigates various obstacles in his life: a midlife crisis that provokes a creative block from finishing his next film, and the various affairs he’s held with women alongside his marriage. Over the course of the story, Guido also comes to terms with his childhood, and the chance encounter with a prostitute in his youth that set him on the path to chase dwindling romances in adulthood.

Corthell Hall’s concert hall was decorated with a minimalist set of white boxes, and additional set pieces to create the setting of 1960’s Venice. Due to the massive amounts of talent within the OSOM, the show was double casted, in which the principle cast swapped roles with various members of the ensemble across the production’s four shows. Headed by Louis Brechter and Ben

Clouse, who both played the role of Guido Contini in their respective casts, the show made a lasting impression on its audience members.

I found that one aspect of the show that stuck out was the use of choreography throughout the show’s many musical numbers. One of the final numbers in act one included the entire cast using tambourines in a choreographed sequence that was both eyecatching and rhythmic in its use to progress the intensity of the music. Another musical number saw the cast adorned with feather boas and masks, as everyone danced in circles around each other as the scene progressed. Choreographer Vanessa Beyland, whose work was showcased in last semester’s main stage performance of Urinetown, contributed a lot to the immersive factor of the production through choreography.

Dialect coaches were used in the making of the show, culminating in the entire cast speaking in Italian accents to create an authentic feel. The use of these accents seemed to be the cherry on top of the already strong performances that the students portrayed.

In particular, Dylan Cao brought a comedic flair to their role as Maurice LeFleur, Guido’s film producer who attempts to point Guido toward making a musical, which turns into an outrageous and vivid concept through the use of another fabulous musical number. Cao brought a sassy, comedic energy that prevailed throughout the show, which I enjoyed a lot.

The show and its story touched a lot on the idea of reconnecting and healing the inner child. Michael Mitchell and Matthew Balfour in their respective casts both played a young Guido, who could be seen running around and reacting to the events on stage. Young Guido barely spoke or sang, save for a few scenes with his mother, but remained very animated throughout the show. Young Guido is shown in his respective scenes sneaking away from his Catholic boarding school to the beach, where he meets the prostitute and outcast, Sarraghina, whom he asks about the idea of love. Word of their meeting reaches the nuns at his school, as well as his mother, and he faces social exclusion from both of these parties. This

rejection forces him to return to the beach, where he doesn’t find Sarraghina again, and he learns of what appears to be the vanishing nature of love. This is what sets him on the path to hold many affairs of infidelity with women against his wife, who has been a persevering, nurturing spirit to Guido throughout the story. The show ends with Guido’s film falling apart at the hands of his failed love affairs with the various women (and stars of his movie) in his life. He contemplates suicide as his wife, Luisa, finally leaves him. Young Guido meets with his present counterpart, and convinces him to move on from this period of his life under the guise of “growing taller.” Guido returns from his state, and begins to heal from his mistakes.

While the show has run its course, there are still plenty of opportunities to support your peers in the Osher School of Music. If you’d like to find more information about upcoming shows and concerts, you can find their season’s calendar on the OSOM’s website.

Walking on the Left Liberal representation at the gubernatorial debate

Dakota Eddy Staff Writer

Portland, Maine had the opportunity to see Maine’s current Governor Janet Mills, who is seeking a second term, face off against former Governor Paul LePage, attempting for his third term, in the last gubernatorial debate until November’s election. On Thursday, October 27th, 2022, the two candidates and a large audience gathered at the Holiday Inn by the Bay to discuss and listen to the current issues in Maine, and how the potential future governor’s plan to handle these situations. The debate was moderated by NEWS CENTER Maine, who had also partnered with Maine State Chamber of Commerce in order to make this event a success for everyone involved.

Maine State Chamber of Commerce had opened the night with a dinner and award ceremony, taking a moment to acknowledge the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kate Doherty for her commitment and dedication to supporting Kennebec Valley with the “Chamber Professional of the Year” award. Dana Connors, the President of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, also received an award titled the “Dirigo Award” to recognize his achievements as he led the Chamber during the past 30 years, which is now ending with his retirement this year. The award was titled “Dirigo” after Maine’s motto, which means, “I lead,” and was also received by several Maine Governors and U.S. Senators for exceptional leadership qualities and service to Maine.

Following the award ceremony, NEWS CENTER Maine’s Pat Callahan began asking the candidates questions, including some sent in by viewers. The first question asked was what the candidates felt was the most important issue in Maine. While LePage had started off strong with the topic of inflation, Mills was a lot more broad with her answer, focusing on the importance of leadership. She stressed how vital it is to

remain fair as a leader by talking to all parties involved. Governor Mills urges voters to focus on how different leaders react to issues. “I deal with things by attacking problems, not people,” she states.

When the topic of the pandemic was brought up, Mills claimed that Maine did the best at recovering from the pandemic, and that the unemployment rate was around 3.3%. She brings attention to and stands with the fact that reporters have made claims of Maine having the most sustainable budget, and that Maine would be able to withstand a recession, if one was to happen. “The state’s economic growth has been the 11th in the country. That’s what the experts say,” the governor commented. Both Mills and LePage made it clear that they would not be requiring schoolchildren to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in order to attend school.

“We’re doing a pretty damn good job under difficult circumstances, too,” Mills said. “We dealt with a pandemic. That really undermines everybody’s economy.”

Throughout the debate, LePage made various comments about where Maine stood in different categories, such as having high food costs, and record-breaking amounts of overdoses and child deaths. Mills immediately shuts these remarks down, claiming they were fact-checked and proven to be false by the press. “You know, I’ve spent the better part of my career listening to loud men talk tough to disguise their weaknesses. And that’s what I’m hearing tonight from Paul LePage,” Mills responded, after one of LePage’s comments comparing Maine to New Hampshire.

During October of 2021, the Mills Administration had required healthcare workers to be fully vaccinated in order to remain in the healthcare profession, which resulted in many healthcare workers to lose their jobs during a time when healthcare workers are more essential than ever. When the candidates were asked about their opinions

on this, Mills defended her reasoning by emphasizing the importance of limiting the spread of COVID-19 in any way possible. She states that patients being treated deserve to be treated by a professional who is as fully protected as they can be, and that the COVID-19 vaccine isn’t different from receiving a vaccine for any other contagious disease. Mills finishes her response by claiming that in Maine, vaccination rates were one of the highest while COVID-19 death rates were one of the lowest.

One of the next questions was about the issue of less people in the workforce, and how the candidates were planning on handling the issue. Mills responded with what attempts she has already been making towards rebuilding Maine’s workforce. “We’ve been talking to hundreds of businesses and business leaders across the state. What they tell me they need is not just workforce, but the things that people need to be on the job, take a job, stay on the job,” Mills states. “That means investing in Maine people.” The methods Governor Mills is taking in an effort to invest in Maine people include investing in training, childcare, and housing, which she believes will allow for more people to join and stay in the workforce. She has been using federal funds to complete these projects. Mills has also made it possible for people to go to community colleges for two years tuition free, allowing more people to build their skills without worrying about going into debt.

Maine citizens were also concerned about how the candidates were treating the issue of gun violence. Janet Mills had talked about how she had already gotten members from all sides of the discussion together to come to a compromise on what could be done, from NRA members, law enforcement, gun control advocates, and more. “But it takes bringing people together to address violence,” Mills said. Their solution was what they called a “yellow flag”

bill, rather than a red flag bill that other states currently have. The yellow flag bill allows law enforcement to take firearms away from citizens who are perceived to be at risk to themselves or others, with a note signed off from a medical professional declaring that the person in question is indeed unfit to be in possession of a firearm. Individuals who have had law enforcement take firearms from them for this reason are able to retrieve their firearms when a judge deems them ready. Governor Mills also enacted a School Safety Center that visits different schools around the state of Maine to ensure the safety of children.

Paul LePage had claimed that reading and math test scores of children in Maine are the worst in all of New England, and one of the worst in the country, and expressed concern over what children are learning about in school, claiming that they’re being exposed to sexually implicit material. Mills was in shock about the jump from test scores to this sort of material supposedly present in Maine schools, saying, “Can we go back to education?” Governor Mills talks about the importance of educators, discussing how one of her parents was a Maine public school teacher, and then reinforcing the idea that every Maine student should have access to equal education. She highlights the struggles that the students and educators both had due to the pandemic, and claims that test scores had been declining since 2011 when LePage was in office. Mills then goes on to say that she plans on supporting after school programs and summer programs to assist the children and fill in the gaps that the pandemic had left. While LePage had expressed hesitation in the use of Zoom and virtual education, Mills was sure that any attempt at a solution was better than no attempt.

Read the rest online: usmfreepress.org

Walking on the Right

The Conservatively Ideological way of Thinking

Deklin Fitzgerald Staff Writer

“Inspiring today. Transforming tomorrow.” This is a sentiment that radiates truth with the Maine State Chamber of Commerce. On October 27, 2022 they held a forum for the Gubernatorial Debate between incumbent Governor Janet Mills and rival candidate Paul LePage. This forum saw President of the chamber, Dana Connors welcome everyone to this event that is held every election year. This event that was held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay, in Portland was a reception and dinner event that brought together community businesses, community leaders, and students from the colleges and universities around the State of Maine.

In this paper, our discussion will be focused on the previous Maine Governor and a current candidate in the Gubernatorial election in the State of Maine: Paul R. LePage. A 74 year-old Maine native with a knack for business and politics, LePage hails from the city of Lewiston. This former governor isn’t much different from folks today. This is a man who experienced and escaped domestic violence before turning 12 years old; this is a man who was born into a flawed and “dysfunctional” family of 18. This is a man who knows and believes that, “if it is to be, it is up to me”-- a saying that powered his resilience and success from a young age.

LePage built his repertoire as a businessman by helping the chain store Marden’s to expand and succeed. With a business background, Paul LePage was elected governor with a “$1.3 billion shortfall, I had another $750 million off-balance sheet debt to the hospitals,” and an unemployment rate topping 8.2%. In the course of his 2011-2019 tenure, LePage turned that around, and ultimately left office in 2019 with the state “in the best shape it’s been in 50 years.” This

is a claim that allowed LePage to attack Janet Mills with the comment: “in the private sector when you spend more money” but receive less of a result “you get fired” uttering the governor as the final word.

Although LePage, with a desire to seek two more terms, has an eight-year program to reduce or fully eliminate income tax through the means of laying off a couple thousand employees, as he did in 2011 by reducing state employees from around 14,000 to around 11,000. However, using New Hampshire as an example, his desire is to turn Maine’s negative growth into positive growth. This comparison was deemed unworthy by incumbent governor Janet Mills, saying that Maine has worked to rebuild its infrastructure after LePage “decimated the Maine Center for Disease Control”, also through the means of hiring more educational employees.

Janet Mills proudly spoke that under her guidance, the state hasn’t contracted out any services to out-of-state companies. Instead, it has “kept the state employees that knew what to do” when it mattered the most.

In a question to the incumbent governor regarding 2008, LePage asked: “Years before Putin ever invaded Ukraine, you banned fossil fuel investment in Maine. Did you do it because you didn’t understand the impact of your decision, or did you do it to force Maine people to buy electric cars?” This question was posed by Paul Lepage seeking an answer to Mill’s move to ease Maine off fossil fuels.

In response to LePage, Governor Mills issued a dire warning for Maine people: “It is code red for humanity to reduce fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions.”

This remark caused LePage to speak without haste that in 2008, “oil hit four dollars a gallon and we lost lives”. LePage stated that with kerosine hitting $7 and

heating oil is $6 a gallon going into this winter, “we are going to lose lives again… because this governor is so committed to the Green New Deal”. This remark from LePage should be taken with a grain of salt, primarily because the Recession of 2008 saw a heavy loss of jobs and lower prices, which could equate to the loss of lives during that time.

When asked by the Free Press about his thoughts on the political landscape of Maine during the gubernatorial debate, LePage replied with a quote from President Lincoln, stating that: “It is like the political landscape of America, there is too much hate… and that a house divided against itself cannot stand.” A good sign to hear is that even a former governor can see the political divide in the United States.

However, in a move to incorporate dissent, Paul LePage is quite hypocritical because through his channels, he funded a page to spread misinformation, called janetmillslied.com.

October of 2021 was a significant period for many Mainers in the healthcare industry. Two months prior in August of 2021, the Mills administration mandated that by October 1, 2022, if a healthcare employee had yet to receive their Covid-19 vaccine, then they would be released from their healthcare job, also further requiring all healthcare providers to have received a vaccine. Melissa Brown asked what each candidate thought about the mandate.

Gubernatorial candidate Paul R. LePage doesn’t believe that Janet Mill’s mandate to protect those who are reliant on the healthcare system, was a move filled with compassion. However, he boldly stated that the healthcare workers were “heroes” in 2020, but became “zeros” in 2021. This statement from LePage might be controversial to some, and cost him their votes.

A question posed by Emily Rinchich:

“Would you be in favor of requiring this [COVID-19 vaccine] for school children in Maine?”

LePage responded first with: “Absolutely not! Period,” whereas Governor Mills mentioned that it is still an emergency use authorization. Ultimately leaving the final say as to whether their children receive the vaccination up to parents, after a recommendation from their children’s pediatricians and the National Center for Disease Control (CDC).

When it comes to increasing the workforce of Maine, LePage’s firm belief was simple: stop paying people to stay home, and to put them to work. LePage mentioned that Maine’s workforce went from 65% workforce participation to under 59%, with a 3% unemployment rate. LePage stated that there are businesses that need to close several days a week to give their employees a break, simply because they don’t have enough employees for full-time hours.

Paul Lepage contradicted himself, near the kick-off of the debate: he mentioned that Mill’s move to ban fossil fuels in 2022 was dangerous, and just asking for trouble. However, when asking Janet Mills his question, LePage mentioned in his question, “Years before Putin ever invaded Ukraine, you banned fossil fuel investment in Maine.” What did Paul LePage mean by this?

Despite the fact voting has been concluded for the Maine Gubernatorial Elections, don’t forget to register to vote in future elections. Maine has same-day registration, absentee voting, and of course–the classical voting area/booths. However, don’t worry! Your vote doesn’t go to waste! Maine is one of a few states with ranked choice voting, meaning you vote in order of preference! Ultimately your vote doesn’t go to waste if your preferred candidate places third!

October 31st student Senate Meeting

Three students elected to senate while proposal for new committee tabled

Doug Banks Staff Writer

In the last Student senate meeting of the month, one of the biggest highlights was the induction of three new sen ators who were unanimously elected into the Student sen ate: Sanjay Tucker, Marshall Burt, and Sumaya Mohamed. he discussions surrounding Discussions surrounding Sen ator Goulding’s second formal proposal of his committee concerning the USM First Responders and the USM stu dents was another topic throughout the meeting.

Marshall Burt, a political science major, didn’t see any policies at the time that he possibly wanted to change, but held that his biggest concern was that he wants to “im prove the quality of life on campus”, specifically, “with people who want to get more involved” and that he would like to “help people.” After being voted into the senate, he immediately left the meeting because he had somewhere else he had to be.

Sanjay Tucker, a second year political science major, wants to take on the responsibility of improving the park ing situations on campus, increasing the use of facilities in some of the student areas on campus, and also noted how “tuition and endowment goes to some other organizations that could use less of it.” On the concern for student parking, he said how the placement of parking lots on the Gorham campus are “not great places for different students”, and that situation with the Portland campus parking garage and construction all around campus are “becoming more of a hassle.” He does hope that all of these things will be “resolved in the near future.”

Sanjay Mohamed, a senior who majors in health sciences, was previously a part of the Student Senate back in 2020 during the early COVID months, when senate meetings were held via Zoom. Mohamed Stepped away due to mental health concerns, and her feelings towards the culture of the Student Senate that was present at the time. Her overall goal for wanting to come back to the senate is to “be a part of the change.” A strong advocate for mental health and social justice, she believes genuine change and conversation can be had with everyone who is now

involved with the Student Senate.

Along with three new senators being elected, Senator Goulding’s new committee proposal was brought back into the conversation after being tabled at the October 17th meeting due to Senators needing more time to look through Goulding’s proposal. Senator Goulding began the discussion with a passionate speech, reiterating what was covered at the previous meeting. While bringing up his past experiences as a police officer in Tennessee, he stressed his importance of wanting this committee to be a bridge of communication and a “funnel point” of student’s concerns so people on both sides can be treated with more care.

After his speech came to a close, the last hour of the meeting was used to discuss the potential of this new

committee. A wide variety of questions and conversations were had, heavily mixed with poignant questions, concerns drawn from personal emotion and memory, as well as a possibility of the committee being placed and used in different areas of the SGA. Thoughts of restructuring Senator Goulding’s proposal were also discussed.

The first vote put in front of the senate was whether or not they should vote on the proposal or if they should table it for the next meeting. Only two of the senators opposed tabling the proposal for the next meeting, and wished to vote on it then. In the end, it was decided that the proposal will be tabled and voted on at a meeting sometime in the future. The next Student Senate meeting will take place on the night of Monday, November 14th.

Newly Elected Senator Sanjay Tucker

Photo courtesy of Cole Silva

Newly Elected Senator Sumaya Mohamed

The Peer Career Guide Program

A New Program For Students, Run By Students

At one time or another someone has asked you to fill out a résumé. For some people it’s a fairly simple process. You compile a list of your work and school history, you add in your accomplishments and sprinkle in some traits, experiences, and keywords that will catch the eye of any person who will look at your résumé and decide if you are worth the opportunity of being rewarded an interview. For some though, the process of connecting your past experiences to the job you’re currently pursuing could seem near impossible. Trying to build your résumé, both on paper and in real life, while juggling the responsibilities that comes with being a USM student becomes taxing as the semester wears on. The fact of the matter is, sooner than later you will need a credible résumé. It does not matter what line of work you’re going into. It’s almost a guarantee that the powers that be will ask you to submit a résumé and cover letter before you’re even allowed in the building. Before you just copy and paste your experiences into the template you found on google; it’s important to know that a majority of the time your résumé will be filtered by a computer with an algorithm that looks for acutely specific keywords that align with the job you are looking for. It’s easier for your google templated résumé to get lost in the pile of the other thousands of résumés than it is for your résumé to actually get into the right hands.

If this is something you wish doesn’t happen to you, the Career Hub at USM has started a new program for USM students, and run by USM students that want to help you with your future. The Peer Career Guide Program is run by four USM students who are called Peer Career Guides (PCG’s) and a Career Hub advisor who serves as the program leader.

Montana Kalian, who is currently finishing a B.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences, has been with the Peer Career Guide team since March of 2022. To go with her work as a PCG, she also works with the program leader on grant writing. Outside of USM, Montana is a human resources recruiter who reviews résumés, cover letters, and interviews candidates. These skills make her a perfect fit to help students figure out the best way to craft the perfect résumé, and to find the best traits and experiences in a job candidate.

Ielaf Khalil joined the Career and Em -

ployment Hub in February of 2022, and works as the project assistant for the Peer Career Guide program. She is a very important piece within the marketing side of this program, as she works closely with the program leader to successfully plan and implement marketing projects to introduce the Peer Career Guide Program

adult and higher education. As she strives to help others achieve their goals, she has additional experience in designing and implementing training programs along with supporting students in creating a résumé and cover letter that best suits their unique self and their needs.

Rebecca Sammon started as an intern atary, 2022 and has since worked as PCG to help create and implement the Peer Career Guide rogram. This past year she received her undergraduate degree in leadership

Seeing this connection, they noticed how this would be very beneficial when it comes to supporting the career development side of the student’s lives.

A meeting with a PCG will not be any ordinary meeting a student has had before. Being a student myself, it feels very routine at times to sit down with an advisor and leave the meeting unfulfilled and uncertain if the next steps I’m taking will be in the right direction. Although Arsenico stressed that they “never want the PCG’s to substitute the advisors”, a meeting with a Peer Career Guide is much different. “It’s their time to sit with the PCG,” Arsenico stated.. “They can get hands-on right away, or at some meetings we basically just talk to the students to understand them. From my perspective, it’s studentcentered on both ends.”

the best ways for undergraduate students to make the most out of the program, while working together with other departments to help promote the program to be able to reach and enhance the students’ college experience.

Bianca Arsenico is the graduate assistant for the Career and Employment Hub and for the ESOL Department who has over 15 years experience as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher and has worked with elementary students, teenagers, and adults. She has a Master of Science in Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) that she completed in 2021, and is currently pursuing a second masters degree in

and organizational studies, and is on her way to achieving a Masters degree in Clinical Counseling. During her time as a PCG, she has consistently helped students discover their best capabilities, and to find confidence in what their future will hold.

The Peer Career Guide Program Leader position is held by Norrie Crocker, who is a career advisor at the Career and Employment Hub, and also a teacher of global perspectives on adult education, an elective graduate course within the adult and higher education program. Crocker, who for a number of years has been an important thread within USM’s fabric, hase recently, “built some thoughts together, and based on a lot of research from seeing what was happening at other colleges and the importance of having students connect directly with other students,” she states.

Each of the PCG’s I talked to emphasized that there isn’t an agenda or quota that needs to be met at each of the meetings. It is truly student-led, and it all depends on what the student wishes to accomplish. Kalian stated: “It’s all on the student’s timeline. The expectations and general process changes, and adapts to each student that it needs to meet.” Whether the student needs to have a completed résumé and cover letter shortly following their first meeting, or they simply just need help figuring out how to complete a résumé worksheet, the PCG will work on it together with you. “Each student is different, you have to adapt the process towards their unique individual needs each time.” Kalian continued: “You can’t just come out of the gate saying, ‘This is the process we’re gonna plunk you in and hope you get to the end somehow.’”

Even though there are only four PCG’s within this program at the moment, Khalil says, “We always try to work on the quality, not the quantity.” When it comes to starting a new program, and even more importantly in the subject matter this program is situated in, it is more important that the dedication is directed towards the material and the nature of caring towards the student than it is the sheer number of workers under this program’s umbrella. This is even more prevalent when it comes to the task of creating a résumé that is tailored for each and every career field and consists of the right keywords that particular job is looking for.

Read the rest online: usmfreepress.org

office of Peer Career Guide

Doug Banks contributer

Mr. Burns Takes the Stage

A Post-Electric Performance in Russell Hall

pretty tough, and I don’t know if I’ve even done that yet, but it’s been fun. I think our troubles have brought us together as a cast.” Noam, who has performed in a variety of shows in past seasons, finds that his character Matt is a critical part of the show. “He is one of the main people who turns to storytelling to distract people a little bit from reality, and also give them hope.”

The three-act play begins in an unknown year, shortly after a non-specific apocalyptic event. Six survivors try distracting themselves from the catastrophic disaster by attempting to retell popular moments from pop culture, including the episode titled “Cape Feare” from the beloved show The Simpsons. The second act occurs seven years later, where a new member is added to the group of survivors. The now seven individuals have become a self-proclaimed theatre troupe, specializing in performing Simpsons episodes.

look, when it comes to pieces that normally would be more finished, they look more crude, on purpose, to show that they may have only had a needle and thread. There’s a lot of fun things to spot. If you come to see it twice you’ll see things you didn’t see the first time, especially in act 3.”

Students enrolled in Hutchin’s costume practicum have been helping with this process. From sewing coffee filters to a white dress shirt to weathering odd t-shirts, the prac has been involved with many of the creativity and expression of Shaugnessey Gower’s designs. As always, all three practicums offered for theatre-focused students are involved in bringing all of these shows to life. Lighting practicum strung the lights and set the stage while stagecraft practicum built all set pieces and platforms, painted the rolling back-

ings and plan to life, and took it in my own artistic direction.” The masks, modeled after the historic design of Venetian theatre, are used to portray The Simpsons characters in act three. Sage has worked props for shows in the past, but finds that this show has some unexpected challenges. “It is a very strange show; and I think the hardest part was coming together with everybody else in a cohesive way and figuring out exactly what the aesthetic and themes were for the show because it is so bizarre and strange, and can be taken in so many directions. We’ve actually changed the overall artistic design a few times.” Sage expresses their excitement in this show coming to life, and urges those who have any inkling of curiosity to get their hands on a ticket.

Have you ever wondered what the world may look like in a post-apocalyptic setting? Or rather, how would our forms of entertainment appear without electricity, and only the faint memory of what our favorite television shows used to be? Well wonder no longer, because the University of Southern Maine’s theatre department has brought that futuristic and catastrophic thought to life. Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play, written by Anne Washburn and directed by guest director Stephen Legawiec, is the show chosen for the second half of the semester’s theatre season and is set to perform in repertory with Larissa Fasthorses’ The Thanksgiving Play, directed by Rachel Price Cooper.

Mr. Burns has a variety of topics that students and faculty alike have been talking about and working hard to portray correctly on the stage. It can be challenging to create a world that does not exist in our own reality, especially when the characters on stage are encountering these scenarios for the first time. Noam Osher, a senior here at USM, plays the character Matt and Mr. Burns. He recalls, “There are a lot of moments where the characters are trying to remember something, but they can’t quite grasp it; it makes it very hard to memorize when ‘like’ and ‘uhm’ are every other word.” Noam explains that the importance of storytelling is critical for this play. “Though many people see it as non-essential, it’s what everyone turns to to get through hard times. The play itself takes place in a very fictional, catastrophic setting. Trying to imagine putting yourself in that is

The third act then takes an unexpected twist, jumping nearly 75 years later, and “Cape Feare” has become a familiar myth for the folks of this new society. Still without power and scrounging for supplies, this riveting act includes a musical element and more epic and serious undertones than the previous acts.

To reflect the lack of common clothes and supplies in act three, costume director Kevin Hutchins, with designs from costume designer Shaughnessey Gower, determined that the best way to display the idea of a post-apocalyptic environment to the audience was to use found-objects as clothing. Shaugnessey’s main goal was to track the evolution of storytelling during the show, Hutchins explains, in a way that the audience can see it. “That’s sort of why characters start in very simple day-to-day clothing in the first act. In act two, you see the characters starting to think about the past, but their memory of the episode begins to fade, the costumes reflect how their memory of the cartoon begins to shift. In the third act we are just thrust so far forward, 75 years, and we have to think about how much of the Simpsons these characters remember to then put on the show.” When it comes to found objects, Hutchins recalls:

“We had to simplify the language to see how these shapes live a bit larger in the space they take up. The characters may only remember minor things about the characters from the myth. For instance, Lisa is a big orange triangle and Marge is a big green tube. We also had to think about how we could incorporate the lack of technology and worked with a ton of unconventional materials to see how they would make costumes out of the things they find around them. We used a children’s play tunnel as a dress, loofahs to make a wig, ikea bags, cupcake wrappers, and we’ve done a lot more. For the more weathered and desperate

grounds, and artificially weathering the stone altars that are featured in the performance. While some of the tech students helped detail and construct many of the props, the designs and creativity behind them can be found in Sage Bartlett’s genius. As the props master and designer, Sage has worked relentlessly to be sure each prop and piece radiates the riveting nuclear energy that the show requires. “It’s definitely been a challenge working on this show,” Sage says, “but the things that we’ve been able to create have been really interesting because there wouldn’t be a demand for them in a non-post-apocalyptic show, like the masks for act three.” The masks are, notably, one of Sage’s favorite props that they have constructed. “The masks were a collaboration between me and Shaugnassey. I brought her render-

For one member of the cast, this production of Mr. Burns is not their first. Lucious Finston-Fox, a sophomore, takes the stage as Sam (and Scratchy in act three). It is his first time performing on the main stage at the University and details that the challenging aspects of the show here was changing his understanding surrounding the director’s design process. “I appreciate that Stephen Legawiec’s vision is different, but it’s weird to shift my perspective in a show where there’s already so little understanding of everything.” In terms of character development for his character Sam, Lucious claims that Sam changes the least among the other characters of the story. “In one of his first lines, he’s listing people he lost and he only lists two. The idea that this small-town sheltered boy dealing with the apocalypse is somewhat what he’s used to. Living in the woods, fending for himself… it’s something he’s used to, but now he’s got six other people to fend for.” When asked what he hopes the audience will gain from seeing this performance, Lucious says, “that they can get through everything. The end of the world doesn’t always have to be the end of you.”

Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play opens Saturday, November 12th. Noam Osher, featured earlier, claims that it’s very hard to describe this show, “so you just have to see it to understand it, and feel it.” It’s a spitfire, strange show that takes on a collaborative imagination that each actor portrays uniquely. You have four more chances to see this groundbreaking performance, so don’t miss out.

Show Dates and Times:

● Thursday, November 17, 2022, 7:30 PM

● Friday, November 18, 2022, 10:00 AM

● Saturday, November 19, 2022, 7:30 PM

● Sunday, November 20, 2022, 2:00 PM

Student tickets are $8, while general admission $16. Faculty tickets are $12. Visit the box office in Russell Hall or usm-theatre.ticketleap.com to purchase your tickets.

A.A Watson

(left to right) Marissa Morgans (Quincy) and Ciara Neidlinger (Marge) retell The Simpsons episode in act two

Photo courtesy of Noli French

Photo courtesy of Noli French Cast members in act three perform a dance during their retelling of “Cape Feare”

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

You may think about mundane matters, such as how to increase your income, or more complex issues, such as the purpose of life.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

You’re no one’s servant, taurus. You’re entitled to enjoy yourself.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

You might wake up this morning and decide your home is a total wreck. the desire to spend the day cleaning and sprucing up your house.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

today you might spend a lot of time planning your next goal. a little ingenuity will definitely pay off here, Cancer.

Level of difficulty: Medium

the object of a sudoku is to fill in the remaining squares so that every row, every column, and every 3 × 3 box contains each of the numbers from 1 to 9 exactly once.

Word Search

search for the list of words in the grid of letters. Grab a pen and circle each word as you find them.

Horoscopes

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

You might be more irritable today leo, remember you effect others in your life and might be needing guidance from someone outside of your circle.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22) the october skies make you lucky in love right now as Jupiter enters pisces on thursday, moving into your partnership zone.

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

a new opportunity could come your way today, libra. there’s no promise or guarantee, but there is an indication that if you devote yourself thoroughly,

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

a sense of duty toward family members, children, and your sweetheart may cause you to take on responsibilities today that you wouldn’t normally.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

emotions stemming from past experiences might cause you to assume undue responsibilities, particularly concerning family members.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

You might be needing a break today capricorn, You might be feeling like everything is going wrong, remember to take a deep breath.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) as a certain project been a drag for you lately, quarius? don’t be surprised if today you get your second wind.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

You will feel strong enough to take on just about any type of project. it’s possible that you might get started on the next one right away.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Ben Reed Arts & Culture Editor

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has just concluded its fourth phase of installments with the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler. This film is a sequel to its predecessor, Black Panther, and sees the African nation of Wakanda in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. Due to the discussion of details within the film, I’d like to caution readers with a light spoiler alert.

Upon the film’s promotion, fans speculated what would become of T’Challa, the King of Wakanda, and its protector, the Black Panther. Chadwick Boseman, who famously played T’Challa, passed away of colon cancer in August, 2020– two years after Black Panther’s release, and one year after the sequel was announced. Marvel pledged that they didn’t plan to recast the role. The film opens with the events surrounding T’Challa’s death, in which he dies of an unknown illness that theoretically could only be cured through the use of the heart-shaped herb, a plant that grants superhuman abilities to its consumers. However, Wakanda’s population of heart-shaped herbs was destroyed in the previous film by Killmonger, played by Michael B. Jordan. Shuri, T’Challa’s princess-kid sister, tries desperately to reproduce the heart-shaped herb synthetically, but fails. T’Challa dies, remaining off-screen. A funeral is held, in which Shuri and her mother, Queen Ramonda–played by Letita Wright and Angela Bassett, respectively–say a final farewell to their beloved in a Black Panther-enscripted coffin. The Marvel Studios title card then plays, tributing Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa throughout his involvement in the MCU.

Wakanda Forever follows Shuri, both as she grieves the loss of her brother, and as she takes on a more diplomatic role as Princess of Wakanda. A lot of concern is placed on vibranium—

a&C listings

Wakanda’s richest resource, and the strongest metal on Earth—as world nations mine for deposits of it, despite it only being found in Wakanda. Queen Ramonda gatekeeps the resource, citing her fear of what might happen should other nations get their hands on it. The mining for vibranium attracts the attention of Namor, the water-breathing ruler of a tribe of other underwater dwellers, whose empire is also rich in vibranium.

Namor implores Queen Ramonda and Shuri to help him find the “American scientist” responsible for the inception of the vibranium-detecting machines, and prevent them from disturbing Namor’s underwater empire of Talokan. So what did we think of the movie? Personally, I thought that it is one of the standouts among the other installments in Phase Four of the MCU, alongside Shang-Chi and Spider Man. I felt Phase Four dealt with a lot of experimentation in the field of Marvel movies, as seen in toying around with horror elements in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, Wakanda Forever reels it in, and homes more in on the core story and its characters. Granted, the sudden passing of Chadwick Boseman altered the course of the

initially intended story, but I thought that the filmmakers both handled Boseman’s passing and its effect on the film in stride, while introducing new plot points for future story development. The score, composed by Ludwig Göransson, was a standout to me, with various lyrical songs–such as Rihanna’s new single–to help move the film along. Letita Wright, Angela Bassett, and Lupita Nyongo’o–who play the roles of T’Challa’s sister Shuri, mother Queen Ramonda, and lover Nakia, respectively–stood out to me as far as performances go. As the absence of T’Challa onsets their grief, these three actresses gave stellar performances in how their characters may persevere in their roles through their grief. Going into the movie, I was worried that the film would be bludgeoned by endless mention of T’Challa, and that this force would prevent adequate character development and exciting storytelling. However, T’Challa’s death prevails as a driving theme primarily at the beginning and ending of the film, with leaving the events in between to touch on themes of letting yourself grieve, and moving forward to find new meaning in a relationship with the deceased. As a whole, I thought this was a good watch. I believe it does its job to both carry the story of the MCU forward, while honoring Chadwick Boseman and his legacy in a beautiful way. From a film-construction perspective, it may waiver in strength compared to past MCU installments, with regard to its almost three-hour-long runtime, and overall story structure, but grace must be given to its revision in the wake of Boseman’s death. This is definitely a movie to watch in the theater, with one mid-credits scene for audiences to enjoy. Should you not make it to the cinema during its theatrical spread, anyone can be certain it will arrive on streaming services shortly after the holiday season.

November 14, 2022 - december 9, 2022

Pulped Under Pressure

7th Floor Glickman Library & Gorham

Art Gallery Free

November 4, 2022 - december 31, 2022

2nd Annual Clever Cup Maine Crafts Association Portland

November 3, 2022 - November 19, 2022

The Thanksgiving Play Russell Hall

$8 Students; $16 General Admission; $12 USM Faculty and Staff

November 12, 2022 - November 20, 2022

Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play Russell Hall

$8 Students; $16 General Admission; $12 USM Faculty and Staff

October 31, 2022 - december 28, 2022

Dinosaurs at Dusk!

Southworth Planetarium

$5.50 - $6

November, 29, 2022

Osher School of Music’s “Joyous Sounds” Concert

Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Portland $10 General Admission

want to submit an event?

arts@usmfreepress.org

Photo courtesy of IMDB.com

Hauntingly Good Performances A Spooktacular Extravaganza at USM

for three judges, who then deliberated on a winner.

The drag show had a plethora of performers eager to showcase their talent. The performers were Letta Dicken, Ooofta, Pilan B, MX. Gendered, Raye Nessance, Orni Crow, Carmelita, Cherry Whine, Saphira, Belladonna’s Kiss, and Shlomo. Each drag artist had their own unique performance.

Each performer had their own special costumes and some even came with costume changes in between their performances. The songs ranged from “Poor Unfortunate Soul” to Tik Tik Boom’s “30/90.” Each performer brought high energy in their own way. Orni Crow lit up the stage during “30/90” with exciting dance moves and interacting with the audience, while Carmelita provided a more slow and

the costume Oofta was wearing, that flew around and acted as a good prop. Every performer did well and showcased their unique talents to the audience at the drag show.

Nestled inside the heart of the USM community are the drag shows that have been put on here since October, 2021. Ever since the residential drag queen, Letta Dicken, started the shows, more and more performers have expressed themselves through the art of drag during these shows. It allows everyday students to explore their identities, and to feel more confident in their bodies.

A “Spooktacular Extravaganza” was held Thursday, October 27th in Lower Brooks. It was the one-year anniversary of the school’s first-ever drag show, held outside on Hodgdon Field under a white tent. Before the show began, there was already a spooky ambiance with dark lighting and Halloween music playing in the background. Light refreshments were provided for the audience during the entire show. Along with the drag show, a trivia game, and a costume contest were held in between performances. The winners each got a prize. The trivia game had about five questions, all about the LGBTQ+ community, and the costume contest consisted of the contestants walking down the runway

sang a song instead of lip syncing during one of their performances, which was im pressive and brave. Oofta offered a unique performance, the songs being more “punkish” feeling, along with the long arm of

Since last October, the drag shows have come very far. The shows and community that Letta Dicken has built since then have only grown. Letta Dicken stated: “As a queer, gay man, who is a theater performance major at USM, and who wants to be a paid professional drag queen, I wanted to perform and start building my repertoire as a drag queen. Unfortunately, drag performers who are under 21 can’t perform in the bars, and because there isn’t a place for underaged drag performers, a year ago I stepped up to the plate as a residential assistant and student leader at USM, and in the community. I created a place for underaged drag performers such as myself to perform, express, feel safe, and ultimately have fun and work on our craft as drag performers. It truly is an overwhelming experience of love, encouragement, and excitement that these drag extravaganzas are still happening, growing each show, and is supported not only by many departments here at USM, but by USM as a whole institution.”

The school has embraced the drag shows, and has supported the students expressing

themselves through the art of drag. The shows that Letta Dicken has started in the past year have allowed many other students to experience the world of drag, which they may have never done if it were not for the performances held at USM. One of the evenings’ performers, Orni Crow stated: “As a gender-fluid person, drag is a way for me to tap into the parts of me that are hyperfeminine in a sense that I can express those parts of me without necessarily having to

do it 24/7. As a theater major, it also adds to the list of things that I’ve done.”

The drag shows hosted by Letta Dicken have opened up a world at this school that many may have thought was not possible before. Allowing students to be comfortable in expressing themselves is important, and that is exactly what USM and Letta Dicken have allowed them to do. Keep an eye out for the next drag show, which will be announced in emails and posters around both campuses. If you are looking for something to do, it will definitely be a good time.

Cammie Breuer/ Staff Photographer

Cammie Breuer/ Staff Photographer

Cammie Breuer/ Staff Photographer

Cammie Breuer/ Staff Photographer Letta Dicken, and Orni Crow preforming Pilan B Raye Nessance

Letta Dicken