The story being spun is of an old composer on his deathbed, reminiscing his youth. The album goes on to weave this tale from powerfully written songs such as “Storytime” and “The Crow, the Owl, and the Dove”, the first two singles off the album. While it was a fun album to listen to and wonderfully put together, there were a few instances where I personally felt like it was a little alien, or dry.

“Imaginaerum” is different in the fact that no two songs are written alike. In the end, it helps move the story along and even furthers the deepness of the album. However, during one or two songs, I felt as though it either stretched on a little too long, or the song just got too strange. For example, the song “Song of Myself”, which ended up stretching on for a little over 13 minutes and featured a 10 minute monologue.

Despite the odd ends of the album, ”Imaginaerum” is a wonderful album that in the end should be in any music connoisseur’s collection.

After the thrilling storyline that came from Assassins Creed Brotherhood, we can only hope for an exceptional, if not, more epic, story to play for in the latest game of the ongoing series.  Developers claim that the next installment will bring a whole redefined experience in online multiplayer as well as new gameplay customization. It will also manipulate various scenarios in the game to decipher what secrets the Animus holds.

After experiencing two games contained in the Renaissance Italy, the first major change is the game will take the gamers to Constantinople. With his new weapons and at the heart of the Ottoman Empire, Ezio Auditore must decipher the secrets that Altair had left behind long ago. This epic finale to the Ezio trilogy is considered a must to most gamers and is one of the top three recommended to be bought next to Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.

In this world, humans have been scientifically engineered to stop aging at age 25. However, they only have one year to live after they reach this age. Unless they can get more by working or by stealing from others, they will die when the green digits on their arm run out. Time is the new currency; people can use it to buy items such as food or pay the rent. Things like a coffee cup could cost as little as four minutes, while a ride on the bus could cost as much as two hours.

The rich are practically immortal. They live in mansions with centuries left on their watches, eating gourmet food and gambling their time away. The only thing that could kill them would be an accidental death. Because of this, they hide in their houses, not taking any risks or chances.

The poor, on the other hand, scramble from home to work just to earn enough time to make it through the next day. It’s survival of the fittest, with the weakest running out of time and dying in the streets.

Justin Timberlake plays the lead role as Will Salas, an average guy who lives in one of the poorest “Time Zones.” A stroke of luck earns Will enough time to change time zones, but he is targeted by the timekeepers, a group of men that are assigned to “keep the clock running.”  Led by their obsessed leader, (Cillian Murphy) they will stop at nothing to capture Will and bring him to justice.

Will goes on the run with a rich man’s rebellious daughter, (Amanda Seyfried) and avoids the “Minutemen,” a gang of criminals that steal time from their victims. (Led by Alex Pettfer)

Overall, “In Time” is a good movie that could appeal to both sexes. There is enough action to keep any guy happy, but there is also enough romance to interest girls. Justin Timberlake does a good job as the leading role, but he isn’t outstanding. He pulls off a good performance, but this isn’t one of his best roles. Amanda Seyfried does a great job of playing the bored, rich girl, but she also lacks in a couple areas.

“Fools” is about a Russian town hit with a curse of stupidity. The show focuses on Leon Tolchihnsky, a school teacher who has a passion for knowledge.  Upon arriving in the town, Tolchihnksy, played by senior Dylan Coon, learns that he only has 24 hours to educate one of the citizens and break the curse of the town, or he will fall victim to the curse as well. After meeting his pupil, Sophia Zubritsky (played by junior Kirsti Stahly), he instantly falls in love with her and races against time to break the curse and get her to understand what love is before neither of them can comprehend it.

“It was really a hit (the first time we performed it),” theatre director Laurie Vanderpol said. “One of the photographers ended up coming back a second night to see it again because they said it was the funniest show they had ever seen.”

Students are participating in the show are also excited to perform the material.

“It’s the first show that I’ve played the love interest in,” Coon said. “Leon is a fun character and not being the villain for once is a lot of fun.”

Putting on a show might not appear to be a large time commitment; however, actors spend many hours in rehearsal after school and also preparing on their own time to make sure that their part is as polished as it can be.

“Every time I get my character, I spend about four hours with a notebook and I write down everything that I know or can think about for my character,” Coon said. “It’s a lot of fun, it’s probably one of my favorite parts about the show.”

The average amount of time given for rehearsals is five to six weeks. To ensure that the show is the highest quality it can be, Vanderpol creates a major rehearsal plan to keep the actors on track, aware of what they need to be doing, and also when they need to have things done.

“The first third of our time we do a lot of blocking and initial character work,” she said. “We work through the show piece by piece, breaking it up into pages and just really breaking it down. Then we move on and start grouping the pieces together to make scenes and start to have it flow. Then the last two weeks or so, we add all of the different tech crews- lights, sound, costumes, etc- to start to layer the show and also start to tweak and polish it.”

Students are also encouraged to be on one of seven crews, even if they are cast. Different crews include: publicity, lights, sound, costumes, props, hair and makeup and sets. Senior Stefan Peterson, head of publicity, has been on his crew since the end of his sophomore year.

“I have always liked the visual arts,” he said. “This allowed me to combine both performing and visual arts.”

Work on the publicity crew ranges from designing show posters to creating the programs given out at the performances.

“I try not to pin an entire project on one person,” Peterson said. “We all come up with design ideas and proposals and then pick one. Whoever can start it works and then I usually finish it up.”

Vanderpol feels that it is important for students in the cast to also be on a crew during a show; she constantly stresses this to her actors.

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Peterson also agrees with Vanderpol’s opinion.

“I think that being on a crew really helps you appreciate the show so much more,” he said. “To be able to say, ‘I built that set piece’ or ‘I made that poster’ just feels so good.”

The performance of “Fools” will start at 7 p.m. and costs $7 per person. Along with supporting the show, Vanderpol hopes that students will get involved in the department.

“There’s always a place for you in the department,” she said. “Whether it’s acting, being on a crew, being an assistant director, being a stage manager, there’s a place for you. Creative people need a place to create. That’s what we are and what we should be.”

Sophomore Emily Webb participated in Project Reclamation, also called the “Twist and Shout” art show on August 27^th, an art show dedicated to victims of the Joplin disaster. It was held at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Gallery in KCMO. “We auctioned our artwork. Webb said. “All of the proceeds go to benefiting Joplin and the relief down there.” Webb was introduced to the fundraiser by her art teacher.

“I’ve had this art teacher since the 3^rd grade.” Webb said.  “She works at the gallery the art show was at. She asked me if I wanted to be in the show, and I said yes.” She plans on pursuing art in the future, so she took a hold of the great opportunity.

The artists’ pieces of art transformed actual tornado debris into a new way of seeing and sharing the experience. For her piece, Webb was inspired by not only the disaster of the town, but also by history she learned a couple of years back.

“I made a poppy flower painting with a metal lid from the tornado debris as the center of the flower.  In 8^th grade we studied World War II and I remember there being a lot of poppies after the war, so I thought ‘Oh that’d be cool!’ because a poppy flower is a symbol of hope; I think that goes well with the Joplin benefit theme.” Out of 90 other artists, she was also the youngest at the event, being 15 years old.

At the event, Webb’s piece was immediately auctioned and bought at  $250.  Her aunt bought the piece right as the fundraiser started. BV West Senior Amanda Stumpf volunteered at the event, along with her mother.

“I had volunteered at a previous art auction for the Alzheimer’s Association and we were asked if we wanted to come help at the Twist and Shout auction.” Stumpf said.  “I registered bidders and notified the winning bidders from the silent auction.”

Just like other people attending the event, Stumpf got to meet some interesting artists. “I met an artist who had photographs of items that were affected by the tornado in the auction.” Stumpf said.  “After the auction, the artist made a point to meet the buyer of one of his pictures, a young boy who bought the picture of a baseball helmet.”  There were also many different types of artwork, from all 90 artists. Some pieces made a huge part of the total profit of the show.

“During the live auction, there was a piece which looked like a doll.” Stumpf said. “It was made out of half a globe, wood spindles from a chair, and fan blades. It sold for over a thousand dollars. It was very interesting to see all of the artwork and I’m glad I got to participate.”

The grand total for Twist and Shout’s success was over $23,000. The profits are going towards Joplin work in the near future. However, the art studio is still taking donations. Their online goal is $20,000. If you wish to donate (even if it’s only a dollar or so), go to www.kcartists4joplin.com and select the “Donations” tab on the left of the webpage.

“Improv is really unorganized, but somehow the scenes come full circle,” senior Luke McCammon said.

The improv troupe usually performs short-form improvisation, which focuses on acting games and short scenes. Students often use games from the popular British TV show, “Whose Line is It, Anyway?” One of the most commonly played games that students play is Freeze Tag. In this game, an actor freezes mid-scene and another member of the troupe takes his or her place. Students also perform long-form improv, which creates a longer show with more of a plot.

Even though the troupe isn’t as structured as most theater activities, it provides students with valuable knowledge and experience. Members of the troupe learn and refine important acting skills like clarity, confidence, and the ability to make instant decisions.

The BV West Improv Troupe performs before and after school plays, as well as during pep assemblies.  While their comedy games are entertaining for audiences, it is hard for the improv troupe to perform in a huge gymnasium in front of hundreds of students.

“[Assemblies] are actually the worst place to do improv,” theater director Laurie Vanderpol said. “It’s a testimony to these kids’ talent that they can do that.”

For the improv troupe, natural talent is a prerequisite. Most members of the troupe are also involved in another theater activity. They may be involved in the Rep Theater or the cast of a main stage show. Though the troupe meets at 7 a.m. most Tuesday mornings to practice basic techniques, there isn’t much they can do to prepare for shows. When an improv show begins, the actors have no idea what they’re about to do. Once the audience suggests a theme, the troupe instantly decides in which direction to take it.

“People get very nervous because they think they have to be funny,” troupe leader Dylan Coon said.  “That couldn’t be farther from the truth.”

Since improv is a team effort, it is very important for the members of the group to trust one another. They must be familiar with each other’s acting styles and senses of humor.

“I know that if some of my jokes are falling flat, then someone will cover for me, and vice versa,” McCammon said.

The Tuesday morning sessions focus on developing this camaraderie.

“It’s not so much practice as bonding with members of the troupe,” sophomore Preston O’Fill said.

Even though the improv troupe has existed for eight years, it has never achieved the widespread recognition and popularity of the other theater groups.

“Improv is the unwanted stepchild of the department,” Vanderpol said.

Part of the problem is the fact that it is a high school group in an adult-dominated area. Most improv comedy is performed in bars or comedy clubs, many of which are off-limits for high school students.  Also, the subject matter is often inappropriate for younger viewers. Despite these limitations, the improv troupe continues to meet and perform. They don’t do it for money or special recognition. Members of the improv troupe share a love of comedy and acting, and that’s enough.

Schaefer’s art will be featured in the textiles and painting section.

“I cried because I was so excited,” she said.
The pieces can be purchased, but the focus is not on the price. Instead, it is on letting kids at BV West experience different types of art and appreciate the work that their peers have put into making the final product.
“It’s a good opportunity for non-artists to see art,” sophomore Ashley Knight said. “It makes kids want to do art.”

The plot is about a small town of Hillsboro that is in the center of a huge controversy. It begins when a Bertram Cates, a teacher at the local high school, reads a selection from Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species. The town, in a state with laws against the teaching of evolution, is made up of a majority of Christians and is thrown into an uproar over the subject of evolution versus creation. Henry Drummond, an agnostic lawyer, comes to the defense of Cates not to prove him innocent, but to show the town how intolerant and biased the law restricting the teaching of evolution was.

Loosely, the play is based upon the Scopes Trial, a real trial held in 1925 in Tenn. John Scopes, a real high school teacher, was convicted for teaching the banned subject of evolution in a science class. However, the underlying message of the play is not the battle between evolution and creationism or the belief that God created human beings.

“It is basically a court case about how a teacher has tired to teach the subject of evolution in high school,” said Preston O’ffill, a sophomore. “He is on trial because it was declared unholy and unethical. The play is about whether this is right or wrong.” O’ffill plays Henry Drummond, the lawyer defending Cates.

On the surface, the play appears to be about evolution, but underneath, it really shows the struggle for tolerance and intellectual freedom. It is more about respecting the opinions of others rather than which idea is better. The play was written in 1955 and was meant to promote freedom in opinion in a time of widespread fear of communism and opposition. It also sends a message about keeping your mind open to new ideas.

“Keep your thoughts open to more ideas,” said Dylan Coon, a junior. “Think with an open mind and don’t be closed off to ideas that challenge your beliefs or are scary and different.” Coon plays Matthew Harrison Brady, the opposing lawyer to Drummond.

The cast and crew are excited for the show and hope that it will have good response and good turn out among students.

“I’m very excited,” said O’ffill. “It’s going to be a good show. It’s very intense.”

The play was written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee in 1955 and debuted at Broadways’ National Theatre on April 21, 1955 and ran until June 22, 1957.

A serious play with an interesting plot, “Inherit the Wind” is expected to get students thinking about tolerance and acceptance.

“Don’t be intolerant,” said Vincent Coon, a freshman. “The play isn’t really about the battle between evolution and creation; it is more about accepting others’ opinions.”