Arts - The Spectrum

UB’s production of “Julius Caesar” took an updated and modern look at Shakespeare’s classic tragedy. The production was the UB Theatre and Dance department’s first performance on the CFA’s Mainstage.

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‘Julius Caesar’ opens on the CFA Mainstage

By ANASTASIA WILDS and JULIANNA TRACEY | Mar. 3, 2019

UB’s production of “Julius Caesar” took a modern twist on the classic Shakespearean play.

Students model clothing at Saturday’s Black Explosion fashion show. The Black Student Union’s annual event highlighted clothing lines from independent artists.

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Black Explosion 3067 embodies earth’s elements

By CIAN GONZALEZ | Mar. 3, 2019

Models wearing gleaming red dresses and orange attire shined in the Black Student Union’s 51st annual Black Explosion fashion show Saturday night.

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UB students bring ‘Julius Caesar’ show to campus

By ANASTASIA WILDS | Mar. 1, 2019

William Shakespeare is no stranger on a college campus, but students are taking his work one step further with UB’s newest reimagining. UB Theatre & Dance will present Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” at the Center for the Arts. Performances on Friday and Saturday are available to the general public. But the production isn’t without surprises.

Michael Bublé dazzled the KeyBank Center Wednesday night. His Buffalo performance was the fifth stop of his new tour, “An Evening With Michael Bublé.”

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Michael Bublé celebrates love, family, and a return to music

By JULIANNA TRACEY and Emily Reagan | Mar. 1, 2019

Michael Bublé joked about singing in the shower and pretending he’s on “American Idol” Wednesday night. He asked the KeyBank Center crowd if anyone had a “shower song”of their own that they would like to sing. A fan named Nicole stepped up, sang Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and earned the crowd’s support.

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Anderson .Paak brings Cali to great white north

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Feb. 28, 2019

TORONTO — Anderson .Paak is a jack of all trades. He danced, drummed and sang the night away to prove his skill in Toronto on Tuesday night.

The updated revival tour of “Miss Saigon” opened at Shea’s. The musical tells the tragic love story between Kim, a Vietnamese sex worker, and Chris, an American G.I., during the end of the Vietnam War.

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'Miss Saigon' presents love and heartbreak in the face of war

By SAMANTHA VARGAS and JULIANNA TRACEY | Feb. 28, 2019

The classic Broadway musical “Miss Saigon” brought its renewed production to Shea’s Performing Arts Center. The story takes a critical look at the Vietnam War and the impact of Western interference. The performance offers vibrant set designs and elaborate choreography in the tragedy.

Rebel One Studios has produced the marketing animation for Tops Friendly Market’s Monopoly contests.

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Animation company makes its way in the universe

By SAMANTHA VARGAS | Feb. 28, 2019

Animation is typically associated with big Hollywood studios, but the art form has grown far beyond film and television. Rebel One Studios is reclaiming animation and breaking traditional stereotypes from healthcare to architecture and advertising.

Following “Celebration 45,” the Zodiaque Dance Company is gearing up for its spring showing with “Zodiaque Dances On.”  Director Kerry Ring says she's proud of the hard work her dancers have put in and thinks this spring’s show has something for everyone.

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Zodiaque dances into 2019 season

By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 25, 2019

Raising the bar is nothing new for director Kerry Ring. And she expects the same from her dancers every year.

Kathleen Golde is the intimacy director for UB’s production of “The Threepenny Opera,” and ensures issues and boundaries are addressed for her actors.

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The advocate for actors

By JULIANNA TRACEY | Feb. 25, 2019

Intimacy was an afterthought when Kathleen Golde first pursued theater. She said actors were expected to approach intimate scenes on their own without any guidance and situations often turned unsafe and uncomfortable for her.

Comedian John Mulaney has done everything from writing for “Saturday Night Live” to having multiple Netflix specials. He can now add headlining UB’s 2019 Student Association Comedy Series to his resume.

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‘The comeback (to Buffalo) kid’

By SAM VARGAS and JULIANNA TRACEY | Feb. 18, 2019

John Mulaney made it clear that if someone was confident enough to interrupt his joke, he would call them out. The comedian bounced off of disruptive student comments while performing his set Saturday night. He asked their names and majors, and some had their comments turned into jokes. But the crowd was more than happy to play along.

Pop star Lennon Stella plays Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall in March and Buffalo’s KeyBank Center this October. We caught up with Stella before her shows to talk about her upcoming debut album, musical roots and Liam Payne collaboration “Polaroid.”

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‘Breaking Away’: A conversation with Lennon Stella

By HANNAH STEIN and BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 17, 2019

Lennon Stella was destined for greatness. She grew up surrounded by music, was named after a Beatle and was never afraid to share her voice on YouTube at a young age.

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Students choices in Spring Fest survey range from A-listers to underground acts

By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 14, 2019

“Beerbongs & Bentleys” rapper Post Malone received the most votes in the Student Association’s Spring Fest survey this year. Hip-hop and rap dominated the student poll. Roughly 1,000 students took part in the survey, according to the undergraduate Student Association.

Eric Huebner spent his entire life surrounded by classical music. At 17, he debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and took his first major step toward an exceptional career.

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Ensembles and growth: Eric Huebner's journey to UB

By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 14, 2019

Eric Huebner, at 10 years old, was sure he would pursue music. Just seven years later, he made his debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Habiba Abdellal overcame the adversity of a conservative upbringing and debilitating accident in order to pursue her passion for art and the female form.

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Sensual surrealism

By SAMANTHA VARGAS | Feb. 11, 2019

After a serious car accident in Buffalo, UB student Habiba Abdelall found her comfort through art. Her focus: female nudes.

Social House, the production duo behind Ariana Grande’s most recent number-one singles, comes to Buffalo next month for an opening slot on the “Sweetener World Tour.”

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‘thank u, next’ genre: Social House prepares for solo work

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 11, 2019

Social House is more than a social experiment. It took Scootie Anderson and Mikey Foster eight months to rack up over 65 million Spotify streams on their debut track. It took a smash hit for them to score a slot at Coachella. And it took a flight to Los Angeles for them to produce their first two number-one singles and the biggest hits of 2018 and 2019, respectively, Ariana Grande’s “thank u, next” and “7 Rings.”

Broadway’s “Cats” returns from hiatus and brings its traveling show to Buffalo.

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'Cats' revival tour travels to Buffalo

By SAMANTHA VARGAS | Feb. 7, 2019

Gina Smith took a bus from Oil City, Pennsylvania to see “Cats” on opening night at Shea’s Theater. She had been waiting to see the show for 32 years. “When they announced the show in Buffalo, I told my husband there was no way I was missing it. He jumped up and said he was going too. This was our Christmas gift.”

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The grapevine

By SAMANTHA VARGAS | Feb. 7, 2019

February is a notoriously hard month for UB students. Classwork and bad weather return in full force, making it pretty miserable. The Buffalo music scene, despite the low morale, continues to draw in big acts for local fans. The Spectrum assembled a collection of some of the most attractive shows and events happening around the area throughout the first few weeks of classes.

From Zodiaque Dance Company to Slee Hall’s Beethoven Quartet, The Spectrum compiled a list of the best theater events happening on campus throughout the spring semester.

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UB's spring performance radar

By JULIANNA TRACEY | Feb. 7, 2019

Harsh winter weather can make traveling off campus a challenge. It can be hard to make it downtown to see a show with freezing temperatures and snow days.

Pop star MNEK talked with The Spectrum before his Velvet Underground performance this month.

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MNEK: the proud pop star you’re looking for

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 7, 2019

MNEK’s confidence is contagious. The pop star openly structures his work after his favorite albums of the past. He’s able to juggle humor and adversity in his music because he isn’t afraid of being honest. And when he puts a photo of his hero in front of him in the studio, he gets the results he wants.

Big Mouth co-star and writer John Mulaney will headline this year's SA Comedy Series on Feb. 16. Undergraduates can reserve their tickets beginning Feb. 4 at 10 a.m.

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John Mulaney to headline SA’s 18th annual Comedy Series

By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 1, 2019

Stand-up comedian John Mulaney will be headlining the 18th annual SA Comedy Series on Feb. 16, Student Association President Gunnar Haberl announced on Friday. “After reviewing the student-wide survey this winter break, it was clear that John Mulaney was the student body’s first choice,” Haberl said. “I am thrilled that once again SA will be providing a high caliber comedian that relates directly to college students in continuing with the tradition of the series.”