ELYSE FETHERMAN
Entertainment Editor

Bookworms now have an excuse to put aside those academic textbooks in favor of a little recreational reading. Created with the intention of promoting “for-fun reading and robust discussion,” Fairleigh Dickinson University’s new Book Club provides students from all majors with the opportunity to do some light reading outside of the classroom.
The Book Club’s co-founders, Amara Schertz and Amanda Alford, started the club with help from Professor Bethany Rabinowitz of the Literature, Language, Writing and Philosophy Department and Assistant Director and Learning Specialist Mary Ford of Freshman Intensive Studies.
Schertz and Alford, on separate occasions, went to Ford and Rabinowitz, respectively, and inquired about the existence of a book club on campus.
After learning that no such club existed, Schertz and Alford expressed interest in starting a book club. Alford, who works for the Dean of Students Office, already contacted Director of Student Life Sarah Azavedo, who referred her to Rabinowitz. Ford recommended Schertz to Rabinowitz and Rabinowitz suggested that Schertz speak to Alford.
With the common goal of providing fun, leisurely reading in a non-academic atmosphere, the founders took the first steps in starting the club and hosted their first interest meeting at the Jimmy Santiago Baca reading on March 11.
Roughly 30 to 40 people signed up online for the interest meeting weeks prior, but only a handful showed up to the actual meeting.
The founders remain hopeful, however. “We started it because we know a lot people like to read,” said Schertz.
“It is a great way for these people to find new books and expand their reading repertoire,” added Alford.
The school requires that the club have a roster of at least 10 members, a constitution and an executive board before they are officially recognized as a club on campus, the founders said.
“We’re still working out the quirks,” said Schertz. “We want our members to be involved so we are waiting on our members before we make any decisions.”
One of those decisions involves the material to be read and discussed at the meetings. The founders want to decide collectively as a group what will be read and discussed. They do not want to limit the selections to one genre or author. Fiction, non-fiction, plays and graphic novels are just some of the many genres that the club hopes to read and discuss.
“The club might also have different reading groups within the club,” said Alford. “We can have separate genre groups who will read different pieces and come together to discuss. This will fuel interest in different types of books and keep all the members active.”
Another decision the club will have to make is in regards to the financial matters. The founders are considering several options, one of which may be paying a flat membership fee to cover books for the semester or year, said Schertz. Alford also added that they are considering utilizing FDU’s library as well.
While the club has its required advisers, Rabinowitz and Ford, Schertz and Alford do not want to deviate from the club’s mission to keep the reading leisurely and less structured than a classroom setting.
“We want to let members lead the discussions and keep it fun,” said Alford.
Looking ahead toward the fall semester, Schertz and Alford anticipate hosting events. They plan on working closely with Rabinowitz, Ford and David Daniel, director of FDU’s creative writing program.
With faculty help, they hope to bring in authors for readings and panel discussions.
To keep the reading schedule leisurely and fun, members of the book club will only meet twice monthly.
The first meeting of the month would be dedicated to selecting pieces to read for that month and planning ahead for the following month, said Schertz and Alford.
Members would then have the month to read the selections and the group would reconvene at the end of the month for a discussion.
The club would also host interim meetings as needed to plan events, fundraisers or charity events.
Member involvement is the core component of this club and both Schertz and Alford anticipate a strong showing at their next interest meeting on April 22 at 5 p.m. in the cafeteria.

ELYSE FETHERMAN
Entertainment Editor

Despite its unknown and disputed history, April Fool’s Day has provided laughs for countless numbers of college prankers. But for those that find themselves on the receiving end of a prank, April Fool’s Day may come as a feared, ominous holiday.
And while keeping both eyes peeled for potential jokesters may be one strategy, for prankees, revenge may be an alternate, more satisfactory route.
The trick for potential prankers, however, is to go under the radar. And perhaps the best way to remain undetected is to have the element of surprise. Surprise, not necessarily in the sense of covert disguises and MacGyver-esque antics, but in the originality of the pranks is key to any good comeback.
So take a cue from fellow FDU collegians and check out some of their best and worst prankster/prankee moments. But beware, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

“It was the beginning of the fall semester and I wanted to start a prank war with my suite mates. My friend is always on her cell phone so it was a little tricky to pull this one off. While she was in the bathroom, I snuck into the room and took her cell phone. I went through her contacts and looked for my name. I replaced my name with ‘Satan’ and saved the contact. She was still in the bathroom, so I put her cell phone back where I found it. A couple of minutes later I sent her a text that said, ‘I know what you did last night.’ She freaked out and kept saying, ‘Who the f— is texting?’ It took her a few seconds and she realized it was me. She thought I was immature but we eventually laughed and she forgave me.”
Senior Charity Freund, QUEST and English literature major.

“I was coming back from a Rangers’ hockey game late one night. They were losing and I was already in a bad mood. Back at school, I opened my suite door and then walked into my dorm room door. When I opened my door all I saw was vast Styrofoam-filled room. My entire bedroom floor was covered with Styrofoam cups at 2 in the morning. Each cup was filled a quarter of the way with water and the cups ran from my bedroom to my wall. And the only way I could get to bed that night was if I took each individual cup of water and poured it out into the sink until I had a clear path. I didn’t get to bed until 4 a.m.“
Senior Scott Savage, communication studies major.

“So I’m saving this prank for April Fool’s Day but my boyfriend and I are both in on it. So my boyfriend and I are going to change our Facebook relationship status to ‘Engaged’ a couple days before April Fool’s Day. My boyfriend’s family is really cool so we are getting them in on the joke. They are going to post on our wall saying ‘Congratulations!’ and ‘Enjoy the honeymoon!’ We are going to wait it out a couple of days and see what our friends say. Eventually we’ll change our statuses back and let everyone know it was a joke.”
Senior Shamia Cassiano, theater major.

“My friend’s boyfriend never got around to decorating his dorm walls. So a bunch of us got stuff (mostly small ‘posters’ printed out from the Internet) to put up. His roommate let us into their room when we knew the boyfriend would be away for a little while. And we taped the stuff all over his wall. A lot of it was stuff from TV shows that he likes. We both like ‘Doctor Who,’ so I found some cool images from that show. One of them was a Photoshopped picture that makes two of the guys look like they’re in bed together. But I decided to be nice and also put up a Photoshopped picture of two of the women topless and making out. The best part was a photo we took ourselves. I always hit on him as a joke (I’m gay, he’s not, and it’s all in good fun) so we took some ‘sexy’ pictures of me. Nothing too risqué, just stuff like me unbuttoning my shirt with a ‘come hither’ look on my face. That was his girlfriend’s idea, believe it or not! Anyway, when he arrived he thought it was all really funny and left it all up for the rest of the year. Not the most bad-ass prank ever, but it was a good time!”
Anonymous, biology major.

ELYSE FETHERMAN
Entertainment Editor

From playing the lead on stage, to working as a costume crew member, to directing at a summer camp, junior theater major Michelle Cabot has run the gamut of all-things theater. The Metro had the chance to sit back, relax and kick its heels up for an interview with Cabot, the lead role in FDU’s production of “Sweet Charity.”

The Metro: How did you first become involved in theater?
Cabot: I started dancing when I was 2. I thought I would be good in theater so I auditioned for shows. I didn’t do a lot of straight plays. I preferred musicals. I’ve always been a musical theater person.

The Metro: What were some of your favorite roles aside from those at FDU?
Cabot: I’m from National Park [N.J.] so I did theater at the Broadway Theatre at Pitman, Plays and Players, West Deptford Community Theater and my school. Some of my favorites were Belle in “Beauty and the Beast,” Eponine in “Les Miserables” and Gertrude in “Seussical.”

The Metro: Tell us about your Wroxton theater experience?
Cabot: It opened my eyes to so many opportunities. You think New York is it. But I learned a lot about new plays and playwrights. Also, when you travel you learn a lot about yourself as well.

The Metro: Tell us about your role in “Sweet Charity.”
Cabot: Charity gives her heart out to anyone and everyone. She gives and gives but she is also used. She wants a better life for herself. And this show is interesting because it doesn’t give you the typical musical theater happy ending.

The Metro: How can you relate to Charity?
Cabot: She’s quirky and crazy but naive too. She always tries to look at things in the best light. And she stands up for people and turns bad situations into good ones.

The Metro: How do you prepare for a character?
Cabot: The rehearsal process really helps you find similarities with your character. You can throw yourself into the character. It’s an opportunity to take chances and understand their journey.

The Metro: Where do you find inspiration?
Cabot: My parents are my inspiration. They come up for all the shows and they are really supportive. They say 10% is talent and the rest is hard-work and dedication. They are all about doing what you love.

The Metro: Tell us about balancing your school work with your theater involvement.
Cabot: It’s all about organizing your time. You have to prioritize. The show is my top priority, then theater classes. You got to realize what’s important to you.

The Metro: What are your plans post-FDU?
Cabot: I eventually want to open up a summer theater camp. I would love to move to the city and be involved in theater. I would love to be an actress or stage manager. But my ultimate goal is to act.

KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-in-Chief

For Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, Jan. 19, 2000 was not just another bitterly cold winter night. In the early-morning hours, arsonists set fire to a couch in the student lounge of the Boland Hall dormitory at Seton Hall University. The threatening blaze killed three people and injured 58 others. Simons and Llanos, who were freshman roommates at the time, were two of the most critically burned survivors.
On March 3, College at Florham students and staff had the unique opportunity to listen to Simons’ story. FDU’s Diversity Council, Office of Campus Life and Educational Opportunity Fund sponsored the event, which attracted over 50 audience members.
Everyone in attendance received Robin Gaby Fisher’s book, “After the Fire: A True Story of Friendship and Survival.”
Fisher, an award-winning news and feature writer for The Star-Ledger, along with staff photographer Matt Rainey, followed and witnessed every important step during Simons’ and Llanos’ treatment and recovery after the tragic event. Fisher and Rainey’s coverage of the men’s excruciating recovery ran in the Ledger as a seven-part series.
In 2001, Rainey won the Pulitzer Prize for feature photography because of his photos covering their story.
In August of 2008, Fisher published “After the Fire,” which details the lives of Simons and Llanos. According to Fisher’s Web site, her writing is “[h]onest and intimate in her account of the stress of distraught parents, the intense strain upon marriages and relationships, the prolonged suffering and multiple surgeries of the survivors and the evolving friendship of the accidental roommates.”
During the March 3 discussion, Simons gave FDU students an inside look into his inspirational story and the lessons that can be learned.
Normally, Simons said he would have run out if the fire alarm had gone off, but students in the Boland dormitory had been pulling the alarm as a prank almost every week, so he assumed it was just another false alarm.
“We just went to sleep about an hour ago so we took our time,” Simons said. “When we reached the door, a big cloud of smoke came into the room.
“I can’t really remember anything during the fire. It was just complete silence,” Simons said. “I was yelling for help. It was like a dream, but no one was there.”
Simons immediately crawled out of his room toward the elevator he always took, but the lounge was where the fire was.
“Basically, I crawled right into the fire,” he said. “I didn’t actually get burned, but the heat was so intense my hands were burnt from touching the ground.”
Eventually he made it to another room and was able to scream out the window for help.
“A voice came and said ‘Get back down and crawl to your left, there will be a door on your right,’” Simons said. “No one ever came forward, but my mother always says it was my angel that said that.”
After exiting the fire, Simons and numerous other victims, were rushed to Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.
“It was one of the worst pains in my life,” Simons said. “I remember the ride to Saint Barnabas, but then I blacked out and ended up in a coma for 13 days.”
Simons’ roommate, Llanos, was considered the most critical patient upon arriving at the Saint Barnabas burn unit.
“If 50 percent of your body or more is burned, they say you aren’t going to make it,” said Simons. “Al was 60 percent completely from his neck down.”
Llanos was given an almost zero percent chance of survival and ended up being in a coma for three months, Simons said. He added that because of all the bandaging, the only thing you could see on Llanos were his eyes and toes.
“It was a lot to go through,” Simons said. “But at the burn unit, I would see other people and thought it could be worse.
“Me and Al had been so cool that I thought when or if he wakes up, I could be there for him,” said Simons.
According to a 2006 New York Times article, more than three years after the fire had burned more than half his body, Llanos went back to school and had more than 30 operations. “Al stopped getting surgeries about two years ago and he was in the hospital for almost a year,” said Simons, who left the hospital after a month.
Although they were out of the hospital and moving on, their lives would be forever changed.
“It even got to the point when people were staring at me and I would ask, ‘Would you like to know what happened?’” Simons said. “I think that got to Al.”
One of the most powerful pictures in Rainey’s photo slideshow is an image of Llanos walking through a hall with a young girl staring at his scars.
“I figured we were going to be like this the rest of our lives, so I said ‘Al, you just have to be comfortable in your own skin,’” said Simons.
According to a May 2009 Star-Ledger article, the two arsonists, Sean Ryan and Joseph LePore, who lived across the hall from Simons and Llanos, were indicted in 2003 on charges of felony murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault and arson. The men entered a plea-deal that dismissed all of the homicidal and assault charges, leading them to receive a reduced arson sentence. In March of 2009, Ryan was granted parole and walked out after serving two years and four months of a five-year sentence, according to the Ledger.
“A lot of the victims were upset because we wanted justice,” Simons said. “I wanted justice for those parents that lost their children.”
Llanos went on to get married and have two kids. Simons graduated from Seton Hall, on time, in 2003.
“I’m glad it happened to us because we were strong enough to go through it,” Simons said. “I wouldn’t want this to happen to anyone.”
Simons said that, after the fire, a law was enacted requiring that all dorm rooms have fire sprinklers in them. “We needed this tragedy to happen to make you guys safe,” he told the FDU crowd.
After the discussion, Simons took time to sign copies of the “After the Fire” and shook hands with everyone.

MATT GARBIN
Contributor

Students in the Chemistry Club, as well as FDU science scholars, recently visited Monmouth University to hear a lecture given by Kary Mullis, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his development of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Walking into the lecture, many students were expecting a dry presentation on topics above the heads of undergraduates. Mullis broke these expectations right from the start, joking about how his wife was going to yell at him for wearing pants that were too short to reach down to his socks.
The idea of PCR struck him while he was driving up to his cabin. “I was in the car with my ex-girlfriend at the time, and I pulled over.”
He said she begged him to go to the cabin and start their vacation, but he looked at her and said, “I think I can win the Nobel Prize for this.” The cabin could wait.
Mullis earned his doctorate in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1972.
At first, he described himself as a peptide chemist, which is a chemist who studies and synthesizes proteins. However, this process was quickly becoming automated, and he didn’t want to find himself out of a job. Rather than be replaced by a machine, he decided to go into the expanding field of DNA research.
Mullis then began to work for a company named Cetus. There, Mullis was responsible for producing two short strands of DNA, called oligonucleotides. Mullis said his friend and old co-worker were offered the same job, but spent the time tinkering in his garage for two years working on a machine that could produce two of these short strands a day.
Again faced with losing his job, Mullis needed to come up with a plan.
“I had to figure out something to do with all the extra DNA strands that were being produced,” Mullis said.
Mullis had accidentally discovered PCR, a reaction that could replicate DNA millions or billions of times if needed. This would revolutionize the fields of both microbiology and biochemistry, he said.
Before PCR, testing for genetic diseases took agonizing weeks, and the results were never certain. PCR replicated DNA so that one tiny sample could be “amped up” into thousands of samples that gave a much clearer reading.
It also revolutionized the field of forensics. Mullis almost went on the stand at the O.J. Simpson trial as an expert witness, but the DNA evidence was mishandled by police, making the process impossible.
Mullis said the hardest part of the whole process was getting the technique published in a magazine. The journal he considered most prestigious refused it on the ground that it was “too incredible” and that “the readers would not be interested.”
Mullis joked that now 20 percent of the ad space in that journal is devoted to promoting companies that use his technique.
After the lecture, the students and faculty were invited to a reception to meet Mullis. Students had nothing but good things to say about him.
Julie Uddin, a science scholar, said, “He was different from lecturers here. He did not rely on PowerPoints. He was very personable, and I would love to hear him again.”
Another student, Devin Villiet, said, “Here’s a genius who invented PCR, but there was this ineptness in his mannerisms that reminded us he was human and gave us hope and inspiration that we could attain something as great as he did.”
Two senior students in the Chemistry Club said that Mullis was someone you could have a beer with.
His easygoing personality, which earned him the title of “The Surfing Scientist” in some articles, is only matched by his ingenuity.
The entire experience is best summed up by John Chillari, a science scholar and a member of the Chemistry Club, who said, “He was truly an inspiration, a magnificent man and a magnificent speaker.”

MELISSA HARTZ
News Editor

For FDU film students, the senior thesis is a culmination of skills, techniques and ideas accumulated over four years in the program. Whether it is directing his or her own movie or working in the crew for someone else’s, each senior must participate in a film.
For senior Anthony Maddaloni, directing a zombie thesis was the perfect fit for this final project.
“Even though my ideas changed slightly along the way, I knew for a while that I wanted to do a zombie film for my thesis,” said Maddaloni. “I started writing the scripts two years ago. I must have gone through at least a dozen drafts before settling on this one.”
Maddaloni’s film, “The Risen,” centers around the life of Lionel, a comic book author struggling to deal with the recent death of his brother and relationship issues with his ex-girlfriend, Ashlee. After the zombie apocalypse descends on mankind, Lionel and his group take refuge in a nearby church.
“Movies like ‘Shawn of the Dead’ really threw zombie films into popular culture,” said Maddaloni. “We took a lot of inspiration from other zombie films and almost every name or piece of dialogue is homage to the Bible.”
A dramatic film with elements of comedy, “The Risen” confronts real issues of faith, love and the struggles of daily life. The thesis film is the first of its genre at FDU, with a running time of approximately 45 minutes.
“The filming has gone really smoothly so far,” Maddaloni said. “We have about 15 to 20 constant crew members, and so far we have about 14 days of filming.”
On March 6, Maddaloni and his crew filmed an exterior scene at Parisippany Presbyterian Church in Parsippany, N.J. Nearly 40 people, FDU students and community members alike, showed up at 7 a.m. to go into makeup and act as extras in the zombie horde. Maddaloni said the most difficult part of the shoot was finding a church that would allow the scene to be shot on location.
“No Catholic church would even talk to me,” Maddaloni said, laughing. “A lot of other churches would allow us to film inside the church, but wouldn’t allow us on the actual sanctuary. We shopped around for months.”
Finally, the crew of “The Risen” found hope when they stumbled upon the Parsippany Presbyterian Church.
“The church was this big, beautiful place with an incredible chapel from the 1800s,” said Trevor Campbell, actor of the character Sam, and also the film’s soundman. Maddaloni added, “When the woman at the church mentioned [the film] ‘Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies,’ I knew this was the place.”
“The Risen,” along with other senior thesis films, will premiere at Senior Thesis night on May 4 at the Morristown Theater. For a mere $5, students can enjoy a night of films created by their peers.
“Last year we got about 150 people to come out for Senior Thesis Night,” said Campbell. “It’s a lot of fun, and people are able to see what we’ve spent so much time on.”

ELYSE FETHERMAN
Entertainment Editor

Now that the spring semester is half over, students and faculty are surely feeling burnt out. Fortunately, upcoming Broadway shows promise to help with the mid-semester slump. Upcoming shows include new musicals and new plays, but some of the most exciting shows coming into New York are revivals.
The most interesting new musical headed to the Great White Way is “The Addams Family,” which is based on the famous comic strip by Charles Addams. According to the show’s official Web site, the show had an out-of-town tryout at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre. Dedicated theater fans will not be surprised to learn that Tony Award winner Bebe Neuwirth, best known for her Emmy-winning role of Lilith on “Cheers,” will star as Morticia. The rest of the cast includes Tony winner Nathan Lane as Gomez, as well as Broadway veterans Carolee Carmello, Terrence Mann, Jackie Hoffman and Kevin Chamberlin. Though the word-of-mouth has not been positive on theater message boards, it is difficult to believe that a show with so many gifted performers could be worthless.
The other new musicals coming to Broadway are all jukebox musicals. As reported by playbill.com, “Come Fly Away” uses the music of Frank Sinatra and the choreography of Twyla Tharp to tell the story of four couples. “American Idiot” is a new musical that was inspired by and features the music of Green Day. John Gallagher Jr., who won a Tony Award for his performance in “Spring Awakening,” is set to star.
Roundabout Theatre Company’s “Sondheim on Sondheim” is perhaps the most promising new musical coming in this spring. According to the Roundabout’s Web site, the show will use both well-known and obscure Sondheim songs to tell Sondheim’s personal story. The cast includes Broadway legend Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams of “Ugly Betty” and Broadway veteran Tom Wopat.
While the new musicals headed to Broadway are intriguing, the most exciting musical coming to New York is the revival of “Promises, Promises.” According to broadway.com, the musical is based on the 1960s film, “The Apartment.” It tells the story of the ambitious Chuck Baxter, who allows the executives at his office to use his apartment for their extramarital affairs. Complications arise when Chuck falls in love with waitress Fran Kubelik, who has romantic problems of her own. The score of “Promises, Promises” is by Burt Bacharach and contains hits such as “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” and “Turkey Lurkey Time.” The show stars Tony and Emmy winner, Kristin Chenoweth, who never disappoints, and Sean Hayes of “Will and Grace” fame.
For those who do not enjoy musicals, there are plenty of non-musical plays coming to Broadway. “Collected Stories” by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies, is slated to begin previews on April 9, according Manhattan Theatre Club’s Web site. The play follows a story of a young writer and her mentor. It promises to be funny, moving and ultimately, shocking. Linda Lavin, best known for her work as Alice on the sitcom of the same name, and Sarah Paulson are set to star.
“Lend Me a Tenor,” the beloved comedy about a star who is missing on the day of his opera debut, is set to start previews March 12, according to playbill.com. Stanley Tucci, the wonderful film actor, is making his Broadway directing debut with the show. Jan Maxwell, who was seen earlier this season in a Tony Award deserving performance in MTC’s “The Royal Family,” will star.
For more information on any of the Broadway shows, be sure to check out broadway.com for ticket prices and the latest updates.

MICHELE KOLE
Staff Writer

With the holidays around the corner, many families are turning to Broadway for holiday entertainment. New Jersey residents need not look so far for the best family entertainment this holiday season.
The Paper Mill Playhouse, located in Millburn, has proven it is capable of providing Broadway quality (if not better) productions at a much lower ticket price.
The Paper Mill’s current production, “On the Town,” provides entertainment that is sorely lacking in the New York theater scene these days.
“On the Town” was originally produced on Broadway in 1944 and was made into the movie classic in 1949. The musical tells the story of three sailors, Chip, Ozzie and Gabey, on a 24-hour leave in New York City. They encounter three women who show them around the city of Manhattan. Chip falls for Hildy, the very forward cab driver. Ozzie enjoys the company of Claire, an anthropologist, and Gabey falls for “Miss Turnstiles,” an aspiring actress more commonly known as Ivy Smith.
The cast of Paper Mill’s “On the Town” is a solid one but the Broadway veterans in the cast stand out above the rest. Jeffrey Schecter, who played Mike in the original revival of “A Chorus Line,” stars as Ozzie. He is the best of the three sailors. His acting is believable and his voice is pleasant to listen to. And to top it all off, he comes truly alive when he dances.
Jennifer Cody, who has been in numerous Broadway choruses, is known mostly for her portrayal of Little Sally in “Urinetown.” Cody finally has the opportunity to prove she is a star and as Hildy Esterhazy she leaves no room for doubt. She commands the stage and she moves so well that the audience cannot take their eyes off her. Her “I Can Cook, Too” is a showstopper. While Hildy is not a subtle person, Cody believably endows her Hildy with a very likable vulnerability that is particularly endearing during her performance of “Some Other Time.” Her performance proves that she is not only a star; she is also an actress.
Harriet Harris, who won her Tony Award for her portrayal of Mrs. Meers in “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” steals the show as Madame Dilly, Ivy’s teacher. Harris does not merely chew the scenery; she devours it. Her gift for physical comedy is so great that just the sight of her can make the audience start giggling. And as Madame Dilly becomes increasingly more intoxicated throughout the show, the audience’s laughs become increasingly louder. Harris and Cody are worth the price of admission, but it is lucky for “On the Town” audiences that there is even more to enjoy about this production.
The choreography by Patti Colombo is a stunning combination of traditional musical theatre dance and ballet. And the wonderful ensemble of dancers performs it gorgeously. Bill Berry’s direction is spot on and the beautiful set by Walt Spangler is grander than many shows currently on Broadway.
Leonard Bernstein’s lush music is still glorious after 55 years. Comden and Green’s lyrics and book are witty, warm and full of heart.
“On the Town” offers something that is difficult to find in theaters right now – a traditional book musical that does not apologize for itself. The Paper Mill’s production is joyous and heartfelt. It is a production that is guaranteed to lift spirits and leave audiences feeling full of hope.
Log onto www.thepapermill.org for more information about “On the Town” and upcoming productions at the Paper Mill.

ALEXIS CAMARENA
Staff Writer

Cindy Fernandez, a senior at Fairleigh Dickinson University, has participated in every one of FDU’s theatre productions since her freshman year. Singing, acting or working backstage, Fernandez has done it all. This theater major has been in plays and musicals such as “Carousel,” “The Heidi Chronicles,” “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and last semester’s “Guys and Dolls.” Thus, she is no stranger to the spotlight. Fernandez most recently played the female lead in last month’s “Once in a Lifetime.” The Metro sat down with one of FDU’s most talented actors for an interview.
The Metro: How did you first get involved in theater?
Fernandez: I was making my schedule for my freshman year of high school and I originally wanted to take a violin class, but the class was cancelled. My guidance counselor put me in a drama class and I was furious! All I wanted to do was play the violin, but she said I would love it. Before I even stepped in the first class, I had determined that I wasn’t going to like it. In fact, I almost wanted to walk out hating it so I could prove my guidance counselor wrong.
I ended up walking out of there in love with the art! Mainly because of [the drama teacher I had], Bets Tuxill. She sucked me right in, she’s been my mentor ever since.
The Metro: You’ve participated in every one of FDU’s productions in one way or another, and you played a lead in “Once in a Lifetime.” Have you ever been cast in any other leading roles?
Fernandez: My first lead was in “Guys and Dolls,” but my biggest role was in “The Heidi Chronicles.”
The Metro: How was your role in “Once in a Lifetime” different from other roles you’ve done?
Fernandez: I think that my role in “Once in a Lifetime” was different because it’s very real. [My character, May Daniels] is very like me, so it was hard for me, but easy at the same time. It’s a side of myself that I wasn’t used to showing. I got to play a very smart, straight-forward, good character. She’s the heart of the play, and has a harsh, real good sense of who she is.
The Metro: Tell us a little about your experience with “Once in a Lifetime.”
Fernandez: The show itself was a big challenge for me. It is based off of Hollywood, and how people change when they go to Hollywood. It takes place in the 30s, and mainly talks about what happened to the film industry after talking films were introduced, and how this affected the careers of silent actors. I play May Daniels, who is a vaudeville actress, and decides to go along with Jerry Lewis to California in the hopes of being hired to teach actors that are unaccustomed to speaking on screen. Hollywood changes Jerry a lot, but May remains the most unchanged. She’s like an outsider looking in.
The Metro: What are your plans after graduation?
Fernandez: I’m planning on either going to a conservatory program, or graduate school. I haven’t decided exactly what I want to do, but I do know that I want to continue studying theater, if it means continue school or auditioning, working, and taking classes on the side.
The Metro: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Fernandez: Broadway, of course. It may seem like a stretch, but you need to dream big. It’s what fuels me. I have a lot of goals that I strive for. I might not accomplish all of them, but I can accomplish and come close to many. If you don’t see me on Broadway, you’ll see me on stage somewhere. I want to be working, and most of all, have the respect of my fellow actors because of who I am and my craft. If in five years I can be thought of in high regard by the theatre community that would be great, but I’m still aiming for Broadway. My aunt always told me, “You plan, God laughs,” so we’ll see what’s in store.
The Metro: This is your final year at FDU. How do you feel about your experience with theater here?
Fernandez: It’s been a really cool experience. I’ve grown a lot. There is still a lot that I need to learn, whether I start working or continue my schooling. Every actor will always wish they had done something different with their performance after a show; you think, “I should’ve said this line differently, or I should’ve sung this a certain way.” In the end, I’m happy with all the choices that I’ve made; I’ve worked with all the best of my abilities, and every role I had came for me at the right time.
The Metro: What, out of your experience, will you take with you in the real world?
Fernandez: One thing I’ve learned is to just let things be. Whether it’s on stage, or in real life.

MICHELE KOLE
Staff Writer

“Once in a Lifetime,” the 1930s comedy by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, made its FDU premiere last month. The production was a fragmented one, due to an unbalanced cast, direction that was somewhat disappointing, semi-attractive set design and gorgeous costumes.
The play revolves around three East Coast vaudevillians, May, Jerry and George, who are washed up performers. They decide to head out to Hollywood and teach the film stars how to speak on screen - a new technological phenomenon during this time period.
Once in Hollywood, they learn that the Hollywood mindset is very different from their own and they struggle to adjust.
The stars of FDU’s production of “Once in a Lifetime” are mostly quite good. Cindy Fernandez embraces May’s dry humor but more importantly she recognizes the vulnerability that fuels said humor. As a result, there is a stark difference between May and those people buying into the Hollywood mindset.
Doug Berrie plays Jerry and proves he is a master physical comedian. However, he does little to develop Jerry into a fully fleshed out human being and that makes it difficult to believe May would fall for Jerry.
Lucy Fisher is positively adorable as Susan. She makes the self-centered Susan into a likeable and funny character, particularly when Susan is attempting to act.
Chris Dimoulas makes an impressive stage debut as George. Dimoulas does not make George into a stereotypical dumb guy, but instead has chosen to play him as a naïve man trying to make sense of the world around him.
Alex Boruff steals the show as Herman Glogauer. Boruff totally commits to his larger-than-life character. In fact, Boruff seems to be channeling a comedic version of Roy Cohn in “Angels in America.”
Allison Carr, as usual, is very funny. Carr plays Lorna Vail, an underused playwright. Carr’s usage of non-verbal commentary on her surroundings is almost funnier than the lines Kaufman and Hart have given her.
As Vail’s archnemesis, the receptionist, Miss Leighton, Rosemary Glennon makes the most of her small part. Her dramatic exits are a highlight of the show.
Joe Marra is also quite entertaining as Kammerling, a German film director. He is reminiscent of S.Z. Sakall from the old MGM movies.
Amanda Hagar is believably obnoxious as Helen Hobart.
The rest of the cast plays small parts and it must be mentioned that Kirsten Johnson, Angeline-Rose Troy, Chaelee Chaput, Kristin Fulton, Matt Blum and Alex Pepperman are all memorable in their roles.
However, the other cast members do next to nothing with their parts.
These small parts are a major part of “Once in a Lifetime” and because these other cast members make no impression the show seems absurdly unbalanced.
James Glossman’s direction is quite uneven. Glossman has embraced the larger-than-life aspects of the show and most of the time that works. However, he misses opportunities to give the audience a break from that. A few quiet moments in the show would have made the funny ones even funnier. It also must be noted that Glossman’s blocking of the show is very comical, though at times it seems the cast does not understand their director’s intention with the blocking.
Drew Francis, production designer, had sets that ranged from disappointing (there was next to no scenery in the first Hollywood scene) to beautiful (Miss Leighton’s waiting room is simple but wonderful). The costumes by Bettina Bierly are stunning. It was worth seeing the show just for the costumes.
“Once in a Lifetime” could have been a stronger production, but ultimately, there were some great performances, interesting direction, and lovely costumes.