By KASSANDRA VILLASENOR
Staff Writer/Features
The 2010 Buena fall production of Barefoot in the Park, a comedy by Neil Simon, is sure to be a great success. The Buena production company, which was recently honored by the V.C. Reporter in their “Best of” issue, is sure to produce another stellar play.
Barefoot in the Park is a charming story about newlyweds, Paul (played by Andrew Coates) and Corie Bratter (played by Cassidy Landers), who are struggling with their marriage and trying to adjust to life in a Greenwich Village apartment. But the Bratters must also cope with their off-the-wall upstairs neighbor Victor Velasco (played by Mike Hobbs), who must go through their apartment to get to his. Paul is a conservative young lawyer, while Corie is a free spirited young woman determined not to let anything ruin her marital bliss.
Mr. Davis, director/producer, has always wanted to do an extremely funny play with a small cast so that he can work better with his actors, and he can also display a wonderful set to showcase exactly what the stagecraft class’s hard work accomplishes.
On top of a wonderful set and talented cast, “there will be a surprise cameo by a faculty member who has never performed in a Buena play,” Mr. Davis disclosed. I am sure this will be a great addition to the history of Buena’s plays.
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The season continues on a momentum streak from valleys to peaks. The Dogs would win one game but then unfortunately lose another shortly after. On September 24th the Dogs faced the Oxnard Yellow Jackets. The game was a stalemate match; both were even until Oxnard’s tailback, Terrell Watson fumbled the ball on an option in Buena territory. The ball was recovered by Jon Beeson but not advanced. This turnover led to the first score of the game, an 82 yard touchdown pass from Chase Smith to Derrik Raines. Oxnard’s Watson scored with 3 minutes left in the game, this score left the Dogs in panic mode; luckily the Dogs kept their composure and drove down the field. Chase Smith connected with Raines for another score, but this still left the Dogs down by 2. With no choice to go for two, the Dogs threw up a ball to Raines but it was unfortunately out of Raines’ reach. The game ended in a heart breaker, 14 to 12 Oxnard.
After the tough loss the Bulldogs were forced to respond not only to the loss but to an injury to a key player, Kendrick Mathis. With the Dogs down a man, Chase Smith answered the call of duty. Chase Smith led the charge, passing 17 for 19, for 348 yards passing, and a total of 7 TOUCHDOWNS! Smith achieved two school records: most pass yards in a game with 348 and most touchdowns thrown in a game with 5. Enrique Torres and Bradley Wellman were both on the receiving end. Torres with an outstanding 8 receptions for 190 yards and 3 TD’s. The defense was led by Dax Barrios, who had two interceptions in the game. The Dogs won by a whomping 56-0 score, the Dogs first shutout this season.
With one game left in non-league play the Dogs traveled to Rio Mesa High School, where they took on the Spartans. The Dogs dominated the field; the defense was led by Ryan Wilson and Jared Rosales, both led the team with number of tackles. Rio Mesa had a difficult time against the Dog’s defense, Rio fumbled twice in Buena territory, in which Jon Beeson of Buena High recovered both. The offensive rushing attack was led by Andrew Martinez and his offensive line, plowing their way for over 180 yards. Martinez accounted for 2 touchdowns and Chase Smith rushed for another. Smith was also superb on the passing aspect, throwing for almost 200 yards. Smith connected with Jon Beeson for his only touchdown pass. The Dog won 32 to 17, making their record 3-3 in non-league play.
The game of the year, the Buena Bulldogs faced the Ventura Cougars. This game was hyped up to be one of the toughest games of the year and the game definitely lived up to the hype. The game began with Ventura scoring a touchdown on a blown play, but the Dogs responded with a touchdown of their own. The Dog’s defense once again rose up, knocking Ventura’s quarterback Keihan Gibbs out of the game. This was a game changer; the teams went back and forth battling it out, until Ventura pulled away in the fourth quarter. But the Dogs responded and took a stand, scoring a touchdown to make it a seven point game. With less then 3 minutes left the Dogs held the Cougars for one last drive. Unfortunately the Dog’s drive came to a holt, an interception stalled the drive. The Dogs fell in a heart-breaker 28-21. After the game Chase Smith commented on the Dog’s loss and future aspirations, “We just have to keep on keeping on, this one may hurt now but you got to strap up and get ready for next week as soon as possible.” Joe Kelly also commented on the game, “This one hurts; it brings pain to my heart every time I think about this game, even though this game may mean almost everything, and we still have to play hard.” This game may phase the dogs now but the Dogs will clean up their wounds and get ready for a run at the CIF playoffs.
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Ginger. We all know the word, we’ve all said the word, but do we all know what it means? Rarely does a day go by where a comment isn’t made, or a hello isn’t accompanied with the word. But is this seemingly harmless remark a compliment or an insult?
Most people I asked said “It means pale skin, freckles, and red hair”. However, not all red heads have all those stunning qualities, yet the word is applied to us all. Therefore, it is a generalization, but is it a stereotype?
“I feel like they are kind of stereotyping us, as nerdy awkward red-head pale freckly kids, but I know they know the majority of us aren’t like that” Kelsey Adams said. Perhaps she’s on to something, maybe the implied stereotype is just a jest. I mean, we don’t all stand awkwardly, wear glasses, have untamed hair, pale skin, and freckles. I know a number of red heads without freckles, and tan. However, they are still referred to as a “ginger”.
Unfortunately this all seemed to start with the infamous “Ginger Kids” episode from South Park aired on November 5, 2005. Then again, there was that Nickalodeon show we grew up with called “As Told By Ginger”, about a red head. But Mr.Takeda rooted the term as far back as Ginger on Gilligan’s Island . “If they are comparing you to her, then that’s definitely a compliment” he said. Maybe if it wasn’t for South Park, and their episode with red head kids looking sickly and unpleasant, I wouldn’t be questioning the connotation; perhaps the word wouldn’t have become a trend anyways. “Seriously, the word was never used before South Park ” Mr. Levin inquired. Thus, most people can and do point the finger at South Park for coining the term “ginger” and making red head ‘awareness’ so mainstream.
Andrew Coates stated, “In a way, they are envying you so they try to make it look undesirable. It’s like, a social pariah.” Maybe the word is supposed to be demeaning, like Andrew said. But do people actually want luscious red hair? Andrew Coates’ fierce denial of being a red head really made me consider this. However, every red head has grown up being noticed, and different because of their rare hair. Countless times throughout my life, I have received the compliment “you have beautiful hair!”; unfortunately, this used to be accompanied with the petting of my head. As if red hair not only looks different, but feels different—which it doesn’t. My point is, it has always been older people, adults and elders, which give such compliments. I don’t think I’ve ever been called a “Ginger” from them, although I occasionally get “Hey Red!”. Perhaps “Red” is the old term for the modern “ginger”?
Although some things may not be answered, one thing everyone I interviewed has agreed on is the attention is definitely nice. “We get noticed all the time for being a ginger” Tayla Davis remarked, “you just got to laugh with them, and laugh at yourself; don’t let it bother you.”
My best friends Kelsey Adams, Brianne Vogel, and I are all red heads. We always get recognized, by teachers and students, for this rare collection of a red head trio. “You’re like the Irish Twilight,” Mr. Davis commented, “I bet you guys sparkle in the sun and everything!” It is comments like these that are sometimes original, but now are almost an expectation when we hang out. Getting “gingers!” in the hall is seemingly enjoyable, it’s became equivalent to the casual “hello!”. Brianne Vogel stated, “I don’t know what we’d be like without it, I mean, that word has started so many friendships”.
So, perhaps “ginger” isn’t a negative word, once one gets used to it. Maybe it’s even a term of endearment that is cloaked in a raw South Park joke. No matter what, to most of us self-proclaimed “gingers” think the joke, comment, or friendly hello, is all fun and games.
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