JACKSONVILLE, FL – CATCH THE DREAM! The sparkling new high-tech production of the Tony and Academy Award winning musical DREAMGIRLS will electrify audiences in Jacksonville as Big League Productions, Inc. brings this high-energy Broadway hit show to the Times-Union Center’s Moran Theater on Tuesday, May 21st at 7:30PM for one performance only!
 

Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, this new multi-media driven production of DREAMGIRLS tells the story of “The Dreams,” an up-and-coming 1960s girl singing group – inspired by the career of Diana Ross and The Supremes – as they experience the triumphs and tribulations that accompany their pursuit of fame and fortune in the tumultuous music industry.

Winner of six Tony Awards and two Grammy Awards, DREAMGIRLS premiered on Broadway in December of 1981. Through several revivals and an award-winning 2006 motion picture adaptation, it has remained an audience favorite for more than three decades.

DREAMGIRLS features unforgettable hits by Academy Award nominee Henry Krieger – including "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," "One Night Only" and "Listen" – and book and lyrics by Tony and Grammy Award winner Tom Eyen. Here’s a video sneak peek of the show: http://bit.ly/DreamgirlVideo.

Tickets for DREAMGIRLS start at $42.00 and are available at the Artist Series Box Office between 10AM-5PM, Monday-Friday, at (904) 442-BWAY (2929) and online 24/7 at www.artistseriesjax.org. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more at (904) 442-2947 or groupsales@fscj.edu.

This DREAMGIRLS production has been created by first-class Broadway veterans, including well-known Broadway Director and Choreographer Bobby Longbottom (with additional choreography from “So You Think You Can Dance’s” Shane Sparks), and Scenery, Costumes, and Lighting designed by the highly-decorated and multiple Tony Award winning team of Robin Wagner, William Ivey Long, and Ken Billington. The video design, which figures prominently in the story telling, was created by Howard Werner, who is also the video designer on SPIDERMAN on Broadway.

For more information on the full tour, visit: www.DreamgirlsOnTheRoad.com

Please contact Sarah Roy ASAP for interview opportunities and show materials.

To order by phone with Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover call
The Artist Series Box Office at
(904) 442-BWAY (2929)
(toll-free outside of Jacksonville 1-888-860-BWAY)
Tickets are also available online with Instant Seat Selection by visiting the
The Artist Series’ website: www.artistseriesjax.org 

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Casting has been announced for the upcoming national tour of Green Day’s AMERICAN IDIOT, the explosive Broadway hit called “wonderfully raucous” and “emotionally charged” by The New York Times and “flat-out electrifying” by the Boston Globe, which will make its Jacksonville premiere at the Times-Union Center’s Moran Theater on Tuesday-Wednesday, May 14th -15th for two performances only!

Alex Nee will star as Johnny along with Trent Saunders as St. Jimmy, Casey O’Farrell as Will, Thomas Hettrick as Tunny, Alyssa DiPalma as Whatsername, Jenna Rubaii as The Extraordinary Girl and Kennedy Caughell as Heather. AMERICAN IDIOT will also feature Aurie Ceylon, Carson Higgins, Antwaun Holley, Daniel C. Jackson, Brandon Kalm, John Krause, Alison Morooney, Turner Rouse, Jr., Jamal Shuriah, Dustin Harris Smith, Ashley Tobias, Chelsea Turbin, and Jared Young.

AMERICAN IDIOT, a 2010 Tony Award®-nominated Best Musical and 2010 Grammy Award winner for Best Musical Show Album, features the music of Green Day with the lyrics of its lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong. The book is by Armstrong and Michael Mayer and direction is by Tony Award®-winner Mayer (“Spring Awakening”).

Here’s a video sneak peek of AMERICAN IDIOT: http://bit.ly/IdiotVideo2

Tickets for AMERICAN IDIOT in Jacksonville start at $27.00 and are available at the Artist Series Box Office between 10AM-5PM, Monday-Friday, at (904) 442-BWAY (2929) and online 24/7 at www.artistseriesjax.org. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more at (904) 442-2947 or groupsales@fscj.edu. AMERICAN IDIOT contains adult content and strong language.

“I am thrilled that we get to continue sharing AMERICAN IDIOT with audiences across North America,” said director Michael Mayer. “The creative team and I couldn’t be happier with the stellar group of actors we’ve assembled. All of them are talented new additions to the AMERICAN IDIOT family.”

The show is choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Steven Hoggett (“Black Watch”) with orchestrations and arrangements by Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Kitt (“Next to Normal”). The tour features Tony Award®-winning scenic design by Christine Jones and Tony Award®-winning lighting design by Kevin Adams. The acclaimed creative team also includes costume design by Andrea Lauer, sound design by Brian Ronan, video and projections design by Darrel Maloney, music supervision by Jared Stein, associate choreography by Lorin Latarro and associate direction by Johanna McKeon.

Winner of two Tony Awards®, AMERICAN IDIOT is the story of three boyhood friends, each searching for meaning in a post 9-11 world. Through incredible spectacle, thrilling performances and with the hope embodied by a new generation, AMERICAN IDIOT has given audiences the time of their lives night after night since its Broadway run at the St. James Theatre (March 2010 – April 2011) and its subsequent national tour, which launched December 2011 in Toronto.

The musical features the hits “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” “Holiday” and the blockbuster title track “American Idiot” from Green Day’s 2004 Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum album. Also included in the score are several songs from Green Day’s 2009 release “21st Century Breakdown” including “21 Guns” and an unreleased love song, “When It’s Time.”

AMERICAN IDIOT premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September 2009 and played through November of that year. In April 2010, the musical opened on Broadway where reviews were unanimously positive with Charles Isherwood of the New York Times calling the show “the most adventurous musical to brave Broadway in the past decade” and the Toronto Star naming it “the first great musical of the 21st century!” The current national touring company played a 10-week U.K. engagement from October – December 2012.
 

For more information on AMERICAN IDIOT, visit www.americanidiotthemusical.com.

For interview opportunities and show materials for AMERICAN IDIOT in Jacksonville, contact Sarah Roy ASAP.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES

ALEX NEE (Johnny) is a Bay Area native and a senior (on leave) at Northwestern University. Recent credits include Spring Awakening (Melchior), Rent (Roger) and The Who’s Tommy (Hawker). He’s thrilled to join such an amazing team for his first tour. Love and thanks to his family, friends and all of the Idiots.

TRENT SAUNDERS (St. Jimmy) could not be more excited to be a part of this incredible production. He just graduated with a BM from UMiami. Thanks to the entire team and cast. Love to the family and all of you guys! Rock on!

THOMAS HETTRICK (Tunny) is proud to be a part of this tour. He recently graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in Acting. He is a member of Less Than Rent Theatre Company as well as the Lust &' Liberty Theatre Company. He would like to thank his mother, step-father, sister and girlfriend for their love and support.

CASEY O’FARRELL (Will) is super psyched to join the Idiot family! Casey has been seen rockin’ it from the stage in Rent (Roger), Footloose (Ren), Chicago (Fogarty) and more, to the Sunset Strip
with Side/Winders! So much love to my family, Halie and sidewindersmusic.com! Follow @caseybrough, RAGE and LOVE!

ALYSSA DiPALMA (Whatsername) is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. She was seen in productions in the Philadelphia Fringe Festival such has Realm of the Unreal (Daily) and Dog Sees God (Van’s Sister). Endless love and gratitude to Mom, Dad, Quigleys and Rachel!

JENNA RUBAII (The Extraordinary Girl) is a recent graduate of the University of Miami with a BM in musical theatre and could not be more ecstatic to rock out with the IDIOT team. Special thanks to the creative team, JV, Cynthia, Joy and family and friends for their support. For my rock star, LW. www.jennarubaii.com

KENNEDY CAUGHELL (Heather) is thrilled to be joining the Idiot family! She has just come from creating the role of Olive in Sidekicks! (NYMF). Regional: Guys and Dolls (New London Barn Playhouse) and Into the Woods (CPCC). BFA Elon. Thanks to God, Mom, Dad, Caitlyn, the K’s and DGRW for being in my corner!

AURIE CEYLON (Ensemble; u/s Whatsername, The Extraordinary Girl) could not be more pumped to rock out with the cast of American Idiot! Rage and Love to Jim Carnahan Casting, the American Idiot fam and the amazing rock stars that share the stage. Many thanks and eternal love to her family. Howard University: BFA-Acting. Selah.

CARSON HIGGINS (Ensemble; u/s Will, St, Jimmy) is thrilled to be a part of this cast of IDIOT! He is a native Californian and graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts Los Angeles. Carson was featured on season 10 of American Idol and just finished shooting Without Ward. He thanks his parents and his hometown of Malibu for their love and support.

ANTWAUN HOLLEY (Swing) is ardently impassioned about his touring debut in American Idiot. Favorite credits: Youth in Passing Strange, Seaweed in Hairspray and Angel/Benny in Rent. Training: Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music. S/o to Carnahan Casting, my girls at CESD and my amazing father, family and friends! www.antwaunholley.com #dreamscometrue

DANIEL C. JACKSON (Ensemble; u/s St. Jimmy). A native of Birmingham, AL, Daniel is amped to be part of this punktastic show. Fav Roles: Enjolras (Les Mis), Buddy (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story), Troy Bolton (HSM 1 and 2). Thanks to Dave at Shirley Grant. Love to family, and AG. Proud to be an IDIOT. @danielcjackson

BRANDON KALM (Ensemble; u/s Johnny) is so excited to be making his first professional debut in American Idiot! Musical Theater junior at Pace University. Plano, Texas native. Love and appreciation to Carnahan, Amy, his family and mother Karen for always believing in him! Love my Pace MT family! With drive and passion anything is possible!

JOHN KRAUSE (Ensemble; u/s Johnny, Will, Tunny) could not be more thrilled to be an IDIOT! He would like to thank Carnahan Casting for this amazing opportunity, his family and friends for their unending love and support, and Jim and Joan for being his #1 fan. This performance is dedicated to Boco 2012. Much love!

ALISON MOROONEY (Swing; u/s Heather) is thrilled to make her post-PSU debut on the American Idiot tour! She graduated in 2012 from Penn State. Some favorite roles include Mimi in Rent and Wendy in Peter Pan. Thanks to everyone on the tour, to her family and friends for all of their love.

TURNER ROUSE, JR. (Swing) is thrilled to be making his professional debut. Graduate of the BFA Music Theatre Class of 2012 from Elon University. Elon: Children of Eden (Abel), It’s Only Life with John Bucchino, Hair (General MacNamara). Turner is also a photographer and songwriter/composer under the alias Logical Confusion. www.soundcloud.com/logical-confusion
JAMAL SHURIAH (Ensemble) graduated from the Hartt School with a BFA in Musical Theatre. His most recent accomplishments have circulated around Disney Cruise Lines playing roles such as Simba in Golden Mickeys and Jaq in Twice Charmed. He is very excited to be a part of this amazing production and thanks his family and friends for their love and support!

DUSTIN HARRIS SMITH (Ensemble; u/s Tunny). Int’l: Urintown, Bobby (Edinburgh, Scotland). Off Broadway: The Who’s Tommy (Abrams Arts Center). Selected Regional: Idaho! The Musical, Chicago, Biloxi Blues (Forestburgh Playhouse, NY), Batboy (Alliance Theatre, Atlanta). Favorite Roles: Radames/Aida, Al/A Chorus Line, Jimmy/Thoroughly Modern Milly. TV: Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns. BFA Drama NYU: Tisch. Love to my family for their support. www.dustinhsmith.com

ASHLEY TOBIAS (Ensemble; u/s Whatsername, The Extraordinary Girl) is extremely excited to be in the UK/National Tour of American Idiot! Graduate of Montclair State. Credits: The Unexpected Dreams. Off-Broadway: Freckleface, The Musical (Emily), The Ohmies (original Daisy Dog), Virtually Me (Lindsey, US Tour-Original Cast). Special thanks to the American Idiot team, my manager and of course her parents! www.ashleytobias.com.

CHELSEA TURBIN (Ensemble; u/s Heather) is psyched to make her National Tour debut with American Idiot! Recently seen at The MUNY in Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ethel Peas). She received a BFA from The Boston Conservatory where credits included 42nd Street and Strike up the Band (Anne). Thanks and love to family, friends and this AWESOME cast!

JARED YOUNG (Ensemble) has starred alongside Audra McDonald in 110 in the Shade (Jimmy). He studied Media Music at BYU and has ROCKED Europe, China &' Australia. Special thanks to Carnahan Casting for believing in me. Super LOVE to Family, Jers &' Germy! This one's for Gilmores.
 

JACKSONVILLE, FL – The enchanting Irish musical ensemble Celtic Woman returns to Jacksonville next month, following on the heels of the group's sold-out Christmas Celebration tour! Celtic Woman plays at the Times-Union Center’s Moran Theater on Thursday, May 2nd at 7:30PM for one performance only!

Celtic Woman combines the talents of four gifted Irish women—vocalists Chloë Agnew, Lisa Lambe and Susan McFadden, and violinist Máiréad Nesbitt—whose dazzling performances combine the sounds and sensibility of Irish traditional music with memorable original compositions and contemporary pop standards. The 2013 tour boasts an exciting new stage production and the return of such enduring fan favorites as "You Raise Me Up" and "Orinoco Flow."

Celtic Woman was recently named Billboard Magazine’s #1 World Music Artist in their year-end issue.

Since its formation in 2004, Celtic Woman has emerged as both a spectacular commercial success and a global cultural phenomenon. The group's uplifting mix of timeless tradition and contemporary craft has transcended national and cultural borders to touch the hearts of a devoted international fan base, who've embraced Celtic Woman's hugely successful Public Television specials and made their CDs and DVDs into multi-platinum best-sellers. The group's albums have sold more than seven million copies around the world. Like all of their albums, Celtic Woman's two 2012 releases, the acclaimed Believe CD/DVD and the holiday-themed CD Home For Christmas, both debuted at #1 on Billboard's World Music chart — marking eight consecutive chart-topping albums for the group.

Celtic Woman recently made their soap opera debut as featured guests in multiple episodes of the CBS daytime drama The Bold and the Beautiful.

Having sold nearly three million concert tickets worldwide, Celtic Woman has won a dedicated and loyal audience in America, where their elaborately staged, visually stunning concert tours consistently draw sellout crowds. Singing songs of love, loss, hope and inspiration, Celtic Woman celebrates the emotional resonance of Ireland's centuries-old musical and cultural heritage while taking advantage of the limitless options of state-of-the-art production. The result is a breathtaking musical and theatrical experience to be enjoyed by multiple generations of concert goers. For complete tour schedule and ticket information, visit www.celticwoman.com.

Tickets for Celtic Woman in Jacksonville start at $50.00 and are available at the Artist Series Box Office between 10AM-5PM, Monday-Friday, at (904) 442-BWAY (2929) and online 24/7

at www.artistseriesjax.org. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more at (904) 442-2947 or groupsales@fscj.edu.

“Welcome everyone. Most of you have heard about my journey to find the elusive Chick-fil-A girl, but for those who haven’t, here’s the story. Back in February, I went to Chick-fil-A during their college night special. There I saw a beautiful girl studying a picture,” Jordan Tucker wrotes as an introduction to his Facebook page titled Real Life Love Story.

Jordan Tucker is a 21-year-old English Major attending UNF. He invaded the halls of UNF on April 9 and FSCJ’s South Campus on April 11. As his Facebook page says, he’s searching for a girl he met at Chick-fil-A. He doesn’t know her name, what school she goes to or even how old she is, but he’s determined to find her. 

Step number one was the making of the above mentioned Facebook page. Within in a few hours of the page going live, it received 31 likes. Tucker writes what happened the day he met this mysterious girl and how he managed to let her slip away without getting her name. Tucker asks his friends, acquaintances and anyone willing to listen to help him find her.

He set up outside the UNF student union building at 9 a.m. with a sign and a lot of hope. Later in the day he moved over to the UNF “green”, which is the open area of grass in front of the fine arts building. At the green, a few friends of Tucker’s, Emily Simpson and Bethany Hatcher, joined the hunt. The two girls grabbed a pair of shirts Tucker had made for the event, and set out asking anyone who would listen for any kind of information.

A lead was generated from two girls Tucker talked to who knew a girl that drew comic book characters in their computer class. After asking the girls to find her and tell her about his Facebook page, he continued his search. 

On Thursday at South Campus, Mr. Tucker set up in the morning in front of the Soft Spot Compass Rose by the M buildings. He wanted to be close to the art classrooms in the M3 building in hopes of finding any art students who might know his mystery girl. After not much luck, the quest moved to the South Campus cafeteria. It was here that Tucker told his story to four different groups of people. 

One student named Jessica Norman, after hearing the story from Katherine Edwards, a friend of Tucker’s, asked Ms. Edwards if she could talk to him. She exclaimed at the boy and thought what he was doing was cute. “It’s so cute! I would marry someone who did that!” Jessica said. 

No further leads where found while at FSCJ, but quite a few people promised they would like his page and help him search. A few students even wanted one of the t-shirts Tucker and his friends were wearing and had a few ideas for the boy to help him find his nameless girl. 

“Whether I don’t find her, whether she’s accepting of my quest or not, I think it was a really eye opening experience of how people felt of love,” Tucker said. To help Mr. Tucker search visit his Facebook page Real Life Love Story at www.facebook.com/realifelovestory, you can post any leads you might have and like his page to support his search for love.  

This summer I’m only taking one online class: Lit 2000. Thank goodness, because I plan on spending way too much time at Disney and finally finishing Zelda: Skyward Sword.

-        Honor Stewart

This summer I will be taking classes at Kent and tutoring in English at Downtown. I am sure I will also find time to enjoy watermelon and fireworks as well.

-        Glenn Kennelly

This summer I will be smacking noobs in Call of Duty, working at my other job and continuing to build my CD collection.

-        Greg Roper

I will be catching some sun at the beach, drinking some lemonade and catching up on some TV shows!

-        Alba Valedez

This summer I am going to visit my boyfriend in Yuma, AZ. My sister and my best friend will be coming home from their deployments, and a cruise.

-        Shannon Ashton

This summer I will be going to the NASCAR race at Daytona in July, as well as spending a week in the most magical place on Earth, Disney World!

 -        Susie Bryan

This summer, I’m doing an internship at Jacksonville Magazine, and I’m taking a new job as Features Editor at UNF’s newspaper, the Spinnaker.

-        Jocelyn Tolbert

I’m going on a cruise in the Mediterranean with my entire family, 50 of us in all!  We’ll be visiting famous European cities and hopefully doing some great shopping.

-        Iman Bethel

This summer I’m taking the semester off. I just got a new car so I’m asking my manager to work me like a dog for extra money. I also plan to visit my girlfriend.

-        Kendrick Guient

1600 students whom were mistakenly awarded loans and Pell Grants and then told they would have to pay the money back can breathe a sigh of relief.
In a meeting on April 8, The FSCJ Board of Trustees voted to retire the debt owed by those students and put it on the shoulders of the college instead. The $4.2 million in Pell Grants and $0.8 million in ineligible loans will be paid by the college with funds accumulated from things like the bookstore and vending machine sales, so tuition-paying students and taxpayers can rest easy.
According to a news brief to staff on April 9, the agenda item was approved unanimously. “It was noted that this was a unique situation and does not affect the College’s standard policy on loan repayment.”
Ray Durden, FSCJ Culinary Arts student, circulated a petition on Facebook that garnered 588 signatures to hold FSCJ responsible for the grant and loan errors. He had been told he’d have to repay around $1600 in Pell Grant money; Tuesday night, he had reason to celebrate.
“The decision was to retire the debt from all of the students who were falsely given these Pell Grants, so pretty much anybody who has actual money owed from the Pell Grant no longer owes that money to the school," said Durden in a statement to First Coast News.  "I'm excited and happy that something I actually started on behalf of all of these students actually went through without getting nasty."
Students will be notified in writing that their debt has been invalidated.

A leader by definition is a person followed by others. A great leader by my definition is someone you want to follow. Jocelyn Tolbert is a great leader.

When i first met her, she was quiet and we barely spoke to each other about anything that wasn’t necessary for work. Times have changed since then; the biggest being our promotions to Editor and Layout manager.

As the online editor, her previous job, Jocelyn got work done and she did it well. As the big boss, she made sure everyone got work done and did it well.

She’s a natural leader in my opinion and not because she’ll chit-chat with me all day long about silly things. She’s a leader because she’s calm, determined, organized and kind.

 As editor-in-chief, she’s a magnificent writer. I’ve never had a problem finding the time to read something Jocelyn has written.

She’s has a certain way with words that compels you to keep reading, which is very reminiscent of her demeanor. She’s never once yelled, screamed or demanded something of me. The kind way she speaks compels you to listen.

This is Jocelyn’s last paper and last time being our editor-in-chief and I for one am going to miss her enormously. Who’s going to tell me she loves my double truck and drag me out of bed to take pictures on my day off.

Well, wherever she goes and whatever life has for her I know she’ll get work done and Jocelyn Tolbert will do it well.

We know what cheat codes are. We know what computer hacking is. But thanks to Pinterest, we now have a way to incorporate the idea of hacking and cheat codes into our everyday lives. They are called life hacks and they will change the way you do common activities. Life hacks are simply things you can do with ordinary objects around your house to make your life a little bit easier. And let’s be honest, in today’s fast paced and crazy world, we could all use a little help.                                                                          One of my favorite examples of a life hack is to take a pair of stockings or pantyhose and put it over the end of a vacuum hose. This will help all you girls like me who are always losing our earrings and earring backings to find them in the carpet. Or help you find any other small item.                                                                                                   Since summer is coming up quickly, here’s some helpful life hacks from Pinterest to make your summer a little easier. I hate it when my favorite five dollar pair of flip flops breaks by the hole tearing. Simply take the little plastic thing that comes with a loaf of bread to keep the wrapper closed and put it under the shoe. And just like that, you can get so much more use out of those already cheap flip flops.                               Another summer life cheat is to take an old bottle of suntan lotion and empty it out completely. Use this as a safe and easy way to carry cash, your cell phone, and keys with you while you are at the beach or water park. For all the outdoor grilling and pool parties this summer, use a muffin pan to serve condiments and toppings for burgers or hot dogs. It keeps each item in their area and is very easy to clean up.                                                                                                                                                                                                          The blog I got from Pinterest that has these life hacks from as a total of 99 ways to outsmart the first world problems we face every day. There are so many of these that I have tried and have worked! I would definitely recommend them to everybody. The website is http://shialabeowulf.tumblr.com/post/33670447154/99-life-hacks-to-make-your-life-easier. 

I found out something interesting today: according to a poll done in early 2012, only 10% of people use Twitter, as opposed to 54% who have a Facebook.
I’ll let you all in on a little secret: I’m 28. At my age, it seems the pictures and status updates that center on the children of people I barely know take up about 75% of my news feed. And they’re not all cute. A girl I went to high school with posted that her ten-year-old daughter had begun her menstrual cycle. (Thanks, Mom.) And I’ve seen more than one picture of poop or spit-up.
“Shared” generic pictures of people holding hands with some marginally inspiring quote on them comprise the other 25% of posts on Facebook these days. No one has an original thought anymore, it seems. These factors combined make me less inclined to visit Facebook with each passing day.
But I’m not upset about it, because I have a place to go: Twitter.
Often when I ask friends if they have Twitter, they say no. Chris Cook, a friend of mine who works for NASCAR and spends part of his day reading Tweets users send to drivers, once told me “It’s just like Facebook. I don’t need another Facebook.” To anyone who believes that, I say “You just don’t know.”
It’s true that on the surface, a Tweet may seem like a short status update, and many people may use it to connect with the same people they connected with on Facebook. But those of us who have kept our Twitter accounts separate from our lives and the mundane details of the non-famous, uninteresting people we know in real life know that Twitter is much more than that.
Want to know what Lindsay Lohan had for breakfast? You can ask her. Feel like being mocked by Alec Baldwin? (This happened to me.) Send him a message. Want to say something to the world? Tweet it, and don’t forget the hash tag.
The thing about Facebook is that it’s increasingly limited to people you actually know. It almost seems stalker-ish to add someone as a friend on Facebook that you’ve just met. In addition, Facebook has begun to charge real money to send a message to someone you’re not friends with, discouraging the reaching out to others that is Twitter’s most important -- and revolutionary, in the case of the Arab Spring – feature.
Any interesting thought you post on Facebook stops with your circle of friends, and dies when your grandmother comments “HOW ARE U TODAY SWEETIE.” Anything compelling you say on Twitter goes out into the world and can be seen by millions. And you don’t have to censor yourself because of what your grandma might think. Unless your grandma has Twitter. And if she does, your grandma is pretty cool.
The anonymity that Twitter provides combined with the power for anyone to share with the world is a springboard for experimental art, comedy and poetry, when-it-happens news coverage from those on the ground, and interaction between people whom share an interest but would never meet otherwise.
Facebook’s ad-choked, chain-letter-filled “news feed” will bite the dust eventually and a new social media site will take its place. But I think Twitter is starting a revolution, the effects of which we can’t yet predict. I know I want to be there when it happens, though. 

March 4th, 2013 11:30 PM, My kitchen.

Having finally decided on buying the new SimCity for PC, I willingly made my purchase. The game was slated to release at midnight, and I hadn't really played a PC SimCity for close to 20 years.
The sheer possibilities that the inner city planner I never knew was inside me was planning boggled the mind. It looked great, every preview I read had positive impressions and I was gearing up to write a review for you, the good readers of The Campus Voice! Little did I know the utterly huge can of worms I just opened up by making this small decision.
Everything from downloading EA's proprietary cloud gaming service, Origin, to even making my purchase took longer than it had any right to take. Not the best (if only mildly annoying) start.
But EA somehow made the decision to not allow players to pre-download the game ahead of launch instead opting to wait until midnight for players to start their downloads. Seemingly not a big deal, right? Until the mass ocean that was called PC Gamers came crashing down on EA's servers.
With everybody trying to download it at once, server queues became a slog to get any downloads to work. By 1:00 a.m., I scoured the help forums to see what was going on, if there was a delay for some reason but everyone else was having the same issues. No downloads, not a good start.
My download didn't begin until 3:15 a.m. Once I downloaded it, I booted it up and tried to get on a server. The problem was that I would be unsuccessful in finding a free server unless I was trying to play late at night.
High traffic hours during the day only resulted in frustrating queues and general server issues that would last for weeks. What happened?
A lot of the finger pointing has been directed squarely at EA and the decision to make the game require players to be online to play. Despite multiplayer features being a major bullet point for the game, ultimately it is a SimCity game and doesn't need to be online at all.
EA reps have repeatedly said that the game will not work unless it is online due to some cloud processing involved within the machinations of the city. However, several weeks ago, some hackers patched up the game and it runs smoothly with no problems offline. So what's the problem? Is always-online DRM really the answer to piracy issues? What about those who don't have internet connections?
Companies like Ubisoft, EA, and Blizzard have tried the always-online DRM model to avoid piracy and as of yet it is just cumbersome, a huge pain, and ultimately useless, as piracy remains rampant to this day. If it takes me 45 minutes to actually get to playing Gotham City Imposters because I need to update Games for Windows LIVE then something is amiss here.
What if I were stationed in Afghanistan or on a ship? There would be absolutely no way for me to enjoy their product because of this requirement. It just doesn't work. There is no viable reason for me to have to stay constantly connected to the internet to play single-player games.
There has to be another way around piracy because it brings down the overall product. If SimCity worked as just a single-player offline game it would be amazing. But with all of this controversy it has seen some major critical hits, especially since they had to disable certain features in the game to get the servers up to speed. 

As the school year comes to a close, so do the spring sports at FSCJ. After long and hard fought games, the men’s baseball and women’s softball teams are preparing to end their regular season schedules.

The women have had a very good season so far, winning 25 games and losing only 15 in their overall record. Within their conference however, their record is 9-5.

On April 9, they played two games away at College of Central Florida. They lost the first game 7-3, but came back to win the second game 6-5. Their next home game is on April 16 at North Campus against Lake Sumter Community College. They will round out the regular season by playing away at St. John’s River State College.

On the other side, the men’s baseball team is not having as good a season as the Blue Wave women. They have a 4-11 record in their conference. But, overall their record is 11-22.

With a half dozen games remaining, the baseball team can still finish out their season strong. They will face St. John’s River Community College on April 15 in Palatka, FL.

North Campus will host the next baseball home game on April 17 versus Seminole State College, a team to which they have lost two out of the three times they have played them.

It is not too late to get out support the Blue Wave. Both baseball and softball play at North Campus, so go check them out as both teams try to end the season on a high note. 

I hope they get it! I really hope they get it! It’s so hard not to fall for the characters that light up the stage with their mere presence in A Chorus Line. March 13^th this beloved Broadway musical took the Florida Times Union’s Moran Theater stage to audition for the hearts of the audience members and their hopefully soon to be director Zach played by Ryan Steer.

Baayork Lee did a great job at directing this talented cast and showcasing all the characters wonderful personalities. How could you not grow to love the fiery Shelia played by Suzzanna Dupree with all her sultry moves. Or the tenderhearted Cassie played by Rylyn Juliano who you hoped for. The entire cast did an amazing job of breathing life into their characters through the more vulnerable parts and the humorous ones.

The simplicity and blankness of the stage did more in the way of completing the atmosphere then any background set would. It gave the stars more room to show case their beautiful, graceful dancing and shine not only as individuals but as well as the famous chorus line. Although there were a few microphone issues in the begging, coming in late and missing certain solos, the talented cast powered through

With glorious music and songs you couldn’t help but sing along to A Chorus Line left behind a happy and content audience. A Chorus Line is the show to see for anyone who has ever had a dream and put it all on the line to get there. This wonderful cast and great crew will defiantly inspire and engage viewers young and old, A Chorus Line is absolutely a must see.

Is it really great to be a pirate king? Not quite sure, considering a king needs to be heard. And heard Mr. David Wannen the Pirate King was not. On March 12, a band of swashbuckling misfits crashed on to the Florida Times Union Center’s Moran Theater stage. The Pirates of Penzance did quite figuratively crash, and then flounder around on the stage a bit. Maybe they just couldn’t find their land legs?

As the lights in the theater dimmed, the crowd fell into the hush of anticipation for the play to start. The orchestra picked up and began to play a tune that could only be described as sea worthy; it was bright, full of sunshine and fresh ocean air. The orchestra did a great job at setting the mood and after they had firmly established the jovial atmosphere they kept playing. And playing, and playing and playing some more but that thick red velvet curtain wasn’t budging an inch. Finally, almost 20 minutes later, the curtain lifted and the show began, or at least tried to.

Let’s pause a moment from the negativity and give credit where credit is due. Albert Bergeret, the operettas manager, did a wonderful job with the show as a whole. Gail J. Wofford and Annette Dieli who were in charge of wardrobe did a fantastic job right down to the detail of Stephen Quint’s Union Jack boxers that the Major-General Stanley so kindly flashed to us on his final bow. And of course credit must be given to the company’s entire cast who did a great job of rolling with the punches.

David Sigafoose, the shows technical director, still has some big kinks to work out. The show starting late already had audience members a little confused, but what really threw them for a loop was the fact that when the show did start, you couldn’t hear anything. The operettas only sources of sound magnification were two tiny microphones at either end of the stage. Now, “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General” is a confusing number as it is, but adding in the fact of only being able to hear every other word was quite the headache.

Quint did do a wonderful job despite the issues, he even adlibbed a joke about the crappy spotlighting into his role to ease some of the tension. Although the show was a bit of a mess, The Pirates of Penzance still remains a crowd favorite, and many eager fans will be awaiting the next time this band of misfits rolls into town.

On its website, Rock of Ages proclaims itself “Broadway's best party.” I'm not sure how many other Broadway parties there are, but I'm assuming that there aren't many. So I can't really argue with them on that point – April 2, opening night of the show at Jacksonville's Times-Union Center, was definitely just like a party.

There are people; some likeable, some not so much. There's a loud, rude guy, tons of half-naked people dancing, and all the so-bad-it's-good music you can handle. A popular guy makes an appearance and spends some “quality time” in a bathroom with somebody's girlfriend. As a party, Rock of Ages is an out-of-control bash.

The entire first act was an endless procession of scantily-clad women who served as set decoration, penis jokes, and air-humping. Lonnie, the narrator, played by Justin Colombo, came out doing what seemed like a Jack Black impression, but he kept it up the entire time. His antics, while sometimes funny, were often annoying.

In the first act, the audience was introduced to Drew and Sherrie, the love story that holds the rest of the flimsy plot intact. These characters were also the most likeable. They shared a dream of making it big in Hollywood, and their innocent romance was a nice departure from the debauchery of the rest of the show.
As far as singing goes, the performances were average. Danny McHugh, who played Drew, had a hard time hitting some notes once or twice, while other times, he impressed with his ability to hold a note. The two of them performed admirably together, but their harmonies often started off a bit shaky. Christie Schwartzman played Sherrie, but she was an understudy to Shannon Mullen, the regular actress for the part, so she deserves a pass.

The story finally gained traction in the second act, as if the first act was the party but the second was the cleanup – getting the toilet paper off the trees and fixing mom's broken lamp. The story tied up nicely. The bar is saved, rock star Stacey Jaxx (played by Universo Pereira) gets duly punished for his transgressions, and Drew and Sherrie get together. The sad part about their union is that neither of them fulfilled their dreams of becoming famous; Sherrie gets pregnant and gives birth on stage during the final song.

While the show, in this reviewer's opinion, was mostly a train wreck, there were some fun and sweet moments. A crowd favorite was Lonnie and Dennis, the bar owner played by Jacob L. Smith, realizing their love for each other and singing a duet of REO Speedwagon's hit “Can't Fight This Feeling.”

Amma Osei, who played strip club owner Mother, was far and away the vocal stand-out.

Last, but certainly not least, was the rock band who not only played all the music for each song, but accompanied each scene with quiet but amazing guitar solos and great ambiance. The night belonged to  Judah Frank, Danielle Marie Gonzalez, Joshua Hobbs, Chris Sams, and Andrew Sklar, who received a well-earned standing ovation.

Now that the show has moved on, the party is over for Jacksonville. Rock of Ages is certainly a party that, for better or worse, no one will forget – and that, overall, makes it a successful party.

This band has been around for over a decade, rocking audiences from small dive bars to packed arenas.  Its front man is well known for his sexy and unusual tenor vocals and the band has great rock grooves.  On April 1, 2013, they performed at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena to 15,000 screaming fans.  Playing their hits like Misery, This Love, and She Will Be Loved, Maroon 5 put on quite a show.

The crowd barely stayed in their seats. As any true Maroon 5 fan would know, front man Adam Levine’s vocals are soaring; but live his voice is even more emotional than captured on their records. Musically, the band blended and played together like true masters of their respective instruments. Jesse Carmichael wore his hair as usual, his long blond locks flowing everywhere while he rocked out intense guitar solos.                                                                                                

The stage was a flashing with vivid lights and laser shows coordinated to the music.  Overall, the show was impressive and exciting.  The music was a perfect mixture of the best Maroon 5, from their very first album to the most recent one. From a musicians standpoint, Maroon 5 is a must see band.

They play like a band that is jamming in the garage; it’s authentic and raw.  The night  was very   enjoyable.  Their unity, intensity, and obvious passion on stage are unparalled in the music industry.  Levine took many moments out of the concert to thank the fans for their career and every opportunity.

Ending the night with their super hit Moves Like Jagger Maroon 5 left the audience electrified.  When the music faded, the audience went absolutely wild. The band came to the edge of the stage and bowed, Levine thanked the audience and the lights went down.  It was the end of an absolutely exhilarating two hours.     

New York. Paris. Milan. Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Fashion Week (JFW) returned for its third year on March 27-30 to continue its mission of putting our city on the map as a fashion hub. Each year, the events get bigger and better, and the fashion community of Jacksonville grows and becomes more defined.

But how does one get involved in fashion in the first place? What can a student in Jacksonville do to get started with a career in fashion? The Industry Panel of experts on March 27 focused on questions like these.
First things first. The panel agreed: formal training is important. An education in fashion or business goes a long way to landing that first job.

“You can’t just look pretty and know what looks good on somebody,” cautions Elizabeth Olsen, owner/designer of vegan footwear brand OlsenHaus. “You really have to know the ins and outs of the business that you’re in because it might be fashion, but it’s still a business.”

“A formal education is vital… It would be very wise for anyone going into this industry… If you’re not a stylist or a designer, then focus on business,” added Sophia Golz, professional photo retoucher residing in Jacksonville Beach. “You need to come at it with as many weapons as you can.”

“Do everything that you can to reach out to people… [But] don’t just do a mass email to several contacts in fashion,” Olsen said when asked how one should market oneself.

Golz also pointed out the importance of a passion for the industry. Knowing who’s who can make or break an interview. “I get many people who want to intern… and I’ll say ‘well, do you know so-and-so’s style?’… And if you don’t know how to come in and if you don’t know even who I’m talking about, then that’s an initial red flag.”

“You never know who you’re going to meet,” Gabrielle Lynch, a designer sales account executive living in Jacksonville, added. “You could be interning with somebody and the next thing you know they’re Alexander Wang. And that’s real.”

Lynch summed up the night with her all-encompassing piece of advice for anyone thinking of entering the fashion industry. “A good way to get your foot in the door is through interning and freelancing. That puts you in front of that prospective employer and it gives you a chance to see how they work and see if this is the right fit for you, it provides you experience, helps you build your resume.”

Finally, Jenn Talley, whose area is digital branding and fashion/luxury publishing, gave a joking word of advice for any fashion newbies: “Don’t get into the elevator if [Vogue editor-in-chief] Anna Wintour is in it. She doesn’t talk to anyone in the elevator.”

On March 10, 2013, the Natural Life Company sponsored the Community First Natural Life Music Festival where families could come together and enjoy a splendid day out in the beautiful spring weather. People were encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to relax in the big Metropolitan Park field while listening to the wonderful music performed by local folk artists. 

Surrounding the stage of the performers were tents dedicated to different activities that kids of all ages could participate in. Natural Life called it 'Crafternoon.' During Crafternoon, parents could buy a punch card. One star bought is equal to a dollar so if you wanted 10 stars, to punch it was $10. 

The card allowed the kids to run around the different tents collecting punches and fun memories with each new station. They featured Frisbee spin art, hoola-hoop making, face painting, and much, much more. 

Not only was it a gorgeous day out to enjoy the fresh air and music, but all the proceeds for the Crafternoon are donated by Natural Life for children to the Children's Home Society of Florida, an organization dedicated to helping children and teens of all age find betting living conditions physically and mentally. 

Want to participate with creating a more Natural Life? Visit their store located in the Avenues Mall located on the end near Belk.

From the garage workshop to the dorm room to the art studio in the loft, from Jacksonville to the other side of the world, people are creating, thinking, and innovating – and One Spark is coming to help bring those ideas into the light and change the game forever.
 

One Spark is an event for artists, innovators and entrepreneurs to display their best projects and get funding for their ideas. The nonprofit organization hosting the event, One Spark, Inc., was created in 2011 by three friends, Elton Rivas, Dennis Eusebio, and Varick Rosete, to help connect those with ideas to those with resources.
 

On April 17-21, over 440 One Spark projects will be on display within a 1.5 mile radius of galleries and venues in downtown Jacksonville. A public vote will decide whose projects best deserve a slice of the $250,000 prize; for instance, if a project receives 10% of the vote, that creator will get 10% of the prize money. Anyone can enter an idea or project, no matter how small.
 

Jesse Wilson, 24-year-old Foster Home and Teen Advocate for Family Support Services, is one of the innovators vying for One Spark’s funding. If his project, “96 Seasons,” receives a percentage of the vote, then he will use it to publish a book of the same name.
 

“96 seasons represents my twenty-fourth birthday, a time where I decided to fearlessly pursue my passions… I want it to be a memoir with a bit of poetry throughout of my life thus far. I’ve come to learn that we all have a story to tell; my story may not be the most powerful or the most gripping but if it inspires people and if it is my biggest tool then why not put it on paper,” he says.
 

Wilson calls himself a “Jacksonville junkie,” participating in Jax2025, writing for Void Magazine, and advocating for improvements to downtown. He chose to be a part of One Spark for the same reasons: not because he necessarily thinks his idea is the best one, but because he wants to be involved in something great. “One Spark and the projects that will be given life through it are tools for this community to reach its potential. Jacksonville is on the threshold of adolescence and adulthood for a city,” he says. “I just hope to be along for the ride leading and inspiring others.”
 

Many great, diverse projects will be showcased at One Spark’s event. Kona School, a project by creator James Smith from Jacksonville, would use its funding to found a school built around “core principles so that students become engaged in the learning process, take ownership of their learning, and are able to become the great innovators of the future.”
 

I Am Jax, a “public/social art project that focuses on the people who make up Jacksonville,” by creator Yvonne Lozano, is another project worth noting. Lozano would mount life-sized silhouettes of real Jacksonvilleans on the walls of downtown. “[P]icture hundreds of these silhouette figures covering the walls of various downtown businesses including the abandoned buildings,” Lozano writes of her project. “With the figures in place, it will give the feel of a busy bustling downtown. In essence, it'll be a precursor of what our downtown will begin to look like as we continue to grow.”
 

During the five-day One Spark event, a schedule of creator showcases, speakers, culinary experiences, music and more will entertain and inspire. All are invited to attend and become part of this unique event by contributing directly to any project. “Everyone should be involved in One Spark,” Wilson notes. “It’s a truly unique opportunity and a chance for our city to reach international recognition.”
 

“96 Seasons” will be on display at the Adams Class Ship Museum at the Jacksonville Landing. A list of creators and their projects, as well as more information about the nonprofit and the event, are available at www.beonespark.com.