FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2001
Babes In Arms to open
by Jermaine Hardy
features co-editor
“They have been practicing
everywhere-even a gym if you can
imagine that” is a line stated by a
character who is a press agent in
Behrend’s Spring Musical Comedy
Babes In Arms, a play about a group
of college “would-be”actors and
actresses at a summer theatre in
New England. It is a line, which is
ironic because it literally reflects the
dilemma faced by the actual actors
and actresses who make up the cast
of Babes In Anns. “It is a story
about a group of college kids who
want to do a show so bad that they
wiVi do it anywhere,” said the play’s
director Tony Elliot, describing the
irony between the actual story line
of the play and the situation he, the
actors, and crew faced in producing
the play. Also commenting on how
close to home the play hit, Jeanine
Noce, a freshman at Behrend, who
plays an apprentice for the “Surf and
Sound Playhouse" stated that, “I
think that the students will love it
The Irish Rovers roll a concert to Mercyhurst College
by Erin McCarty
assistant news editor
While most of Erie celebrated
Mardi Gras on February 27,
Mercyhurst College housed a crowd
of Irish enthusiasts who wouldn’t
wait for St. Patrick’s Day to break
out wearin’ and, more importantly,
the singin’ o’ the green. The Sis
ters of Mercy in Erie, PA, brought
the Irish Rovers to the D’Angelo
Auditorium, “the most intimate hall
in Erie.” Tickets were twenty dollars,
twenty-five for Gold Circle seating.
The Irish Rovers, a band which has
been performing for 38 years, now
consists of George and Joe Millar,
Wilcil McDowell, Wallace Hood,
John Reynolds, Sean O’Driscoll, and
Kevin McKeown. Each member
Animal cruelty arouses concern in Erie and nation
by Mark Benko
staff writer
“If you want a friend in
Washington, get a dog,” onee
quipped Harry Truman. If he were
alive today, he may want to quality
that statement considering the recent
attention given to the misuse of
man’s best friend, and the deadly
consequences that may result.
The focus of the nation has turned
to dogs lately, since the tragic and
brutal mauling of 33 year-old Diane
Whipple, a San Francisco lacrosse
coach, was reported in newspapers,
magazines, and national and local
television news broadcasts.
Apparently Whipple was attacked
by two canines weighing a total of
235 pounds as she attempted to enter
her apartment. The attack was so
gruesome that the attending police
officers needed trauma counseling.
It was reported that the only article
of clothing left on the body was one
sock.
The dogs, a mix of English mastiff
and Canary Island cattle dog, ( the
latter so fierce that it has been
outlawed in Spain since the 19305)
were trained as attack dogs by the
adopted son of the owners, two San
Francisco attorneys. The son, an
acknowledged Aryan supremacist, is
now serving a life sentence in
California’s maximum security
Pelican Bay prison for unrelated
crimes. He reportedly ran an attack
dog ring from behind bars.
According to the San Francisco
Chronicle, the dog’s previous owners
stated that they had killed chickens,
sheep, and a family cat. Time
magazine reported many neighbors
lived in fear of the dogs. Although
the owners deny any culpability,
local district attorney Terrence
Hallinan has stated publicly that an
argument could be made for a second
because it is a play about college
students and the challenges they face
doing something they really want to
do.”
The play itself focuses on the fun,
frustrations, and romances that take
place with a group of passionate,
aspiring performers as their
tyrannical producer works them so
hard that they never have a chance
to display their own talents. The
mayhem ensues when they decide
to produce their own show on their
own time.
In preparation for the play’s
opening night on March 21, the cast
has made the best out of rehearsing
in the Studio Theatre, which has
been a construction site for the past
couple of weeks, as set builders drill,
paint and construct the set, which
will be moved to the play’s actual
holding place, the Athletic and
Recreation Center. It was only
starting this past Wednesday that the
cast of Babes In Anns actually got
to take on their last couple of
rehearsals in the ARC where the
musical will take place.
brings something special to the band.
George, whose fiery red hair fits his
Irish mischievousness, is the leader
who lends his songwriting talents to
the group as well as his voice and
guitar-playing skills. Joe, cousin to
George, is primarily known for his
deep, rich voice, which is so suited
to Irish ballads, but he also plays the
accordion and bass, and is a whiz
with the harmonica, and has a knack
for making a pair of spoons “sing".
The robust John Reynolds is the resi
dent joker, always ready to add a
healthy dose of Irish humor to a song
or story. His vocals, bass, tin whistle,
and guitar are welcome additions to
the songs.
Wilcil, the only original Rover be
sides George and Joe, displays as
tounding mastery of the accordion.
degree murder charge. Charges are
pending.
Locally, Merle Wolfgang and
Jennifer McCarthy, both of the Erie
Humane Society, commenting on the
tragedy, noted that there are many
dogs in the Erie area that were raised
to be mean. “People have no
business raising dogs to be like that.
It is another form of animal cruelty.
Last year there was an organized dog
fighting establishment shut down on
Erie’s lower east side. There are
rumors that some of this activity is
still going on, and it is an area of
concern.”
But the attention given to canine
misuse was not limited to San
Francisco, for it reared its ugly head
right here in Erie’s own back yard
last month.
“Shocked and disgusted” was all
Jennifer McCarthy could say to sum
up local reaction to the forced
removal of 50 dogs and 13 cats from
the Kinamin Animal Shelter, located
just southeast of Waterford Borough.
“People who are cruel to dogs are
just plain stupid - and they deserve
to have the same treatment they dish
out put on them,” volunteered Judy
Jez, describing herself as a
concerned citizen who had stopped
by the shelter on Monday to possibly
adopt one of the dogs.
The Kinamin Shelter was closed
down two weeks ago when its owner,
Mildred Cochran, pleaded no contest
to an animal cruelty charge, and was
given a $lOO fine. “The conviction
of the charge will open the way for
her license to be revoked,” stated
Chief Investigating Officer Merle
Wolfgang.
“Conditions in the kennel were
terrible,” continued Wolfgang. ‘The
animals were living in dung filled
cages with no heat. Some had open
sores that were untreated. Water
dishes were frozen. There was an
In order for the play to take place
from March 21 to March 25, Elliot
and crew have been making much
preparation to make the playgoing
experience a special one for
audiences. With the production,
they have faced the difficult
challenge of turning the ARC’S
gym into a theatre. The event as a
whole is one that will celebrate
Behrend theatre and the opening of
the Athletic and Recreation Center
as a new edition to the Behrend
campus
Babes In Arms, originally
presented in New York in 1936,
is a musical comedy with lyrics
by Lorenz Hart and music by
Richard ■ Rodgers. The
performance schedule for Babes
in Arms in the Athletic and
Recreation Center consists of the
following dates and times:
Match 21,22.23. & 24 at 8:00
and March 25 at 2:30 pm.
Tickets are on sale at the R.U.B
Desk.
In addition to his vocal talent,
Wallace is adept at playing an im
pressive array of stringed instruments
and employs the tin whistle with stir
ring beauty.
Kevin McKeown strives to always
find the perfect percussion for each
song, even if it means making use of
something that isn’t exactly what you
would consider a musical instrument.
Sean is not able to join the Rovers
for many shows, but he was able to
make it to Erie, and he added a third
accordion, three different stringed
instruments, and a fine voice to the
group.
The Irish Rovers are known for
concerts, which seem more like a
party, and the concert in Erie was no
exception. All right, so the audience
members didn’t pass around a bottle
overwhelming odor of ammonia, and
every single dog had worms.”
‘There were animals with hair that
had become matted with urine and
feces, and some of the dogs are still
too underweight to be shown,” added
McCarthy, while noting that one of
the dogs had died a few days earlier.
There was speculation that some of
the dogs had lived practically all of
their lives in cages. The shelter had
been operational since 1991, assisted
by a $50,000 government grant.
“There is a lot of ignorance and
cruelty around. The hardest part of
my job is rescuing animals from a
bad situation, and then not being able
to find them a home. But as far as
the dogs being euthanized is
concerned, there is no special time
limit for that. As long as we have
room, and the dogs remain healthy
and in good temperament, they will
be cared for.” On a positive note,
McCarthy added that 6 of the dogs
had been placed in good homes. She
attributed the good public response
to all three of Erie’s television
stations carrying the story, as well as
the area’s newspapers.
Currently 35% of American
households have dogs. According to
animal behaviorists, the majority of
dogs who display aggressive
tendencies have not been spayed or
neutered. Larger breeds posses the
capability of crushing 2000 pounds
per square inch, which is enough to
break the femur bone in a full-grown
cow. Once a dog has tasted human
blood, it is more likely to repeat the
offense.
According to ABC news, many
cities are making it illegal to own and
train attack dogs. Vicious dog laws
are being enacted all over the
country, such as Baltimore, where
dog attacks are equated with similar
liabilities as a firearm.
“I -H.r> rM
tV'OCJ
Members of the cast of Babes In Arms ready to put on a special performance at Behrend’s new Athleti
and Recreation Center.
of whiskey as George suggested, but
they clapped heartily to most of the
songs and sang along to several. The
show began w ith "The Irish Rover,”
a rollicking song about a ship
wrecked vessel. Most of the songs,
which the Rovers pulled from their
repertoire, were similar in nature to
this one, loud and rowdy with lots of
opportunity for crowd participation.
Newer and slower songs in
cluded “Brin’s Green Isle,” a lovely
song written by George and sung by
Joe, “Down by the Lagan Side,” the
beautiful title track of their latest al
bum, and" In the Bushes of Jerusa
lem," an unconventional ode to the
famous “rebel of Jerusalem" who
lived 2000 years ago.
Among the old favorites were
“Good Luck to the Barleymow," a
According to Merle Wolfgang of the Erie Humane Society,
since the Behrend campus is located next to Wintergreen
Gorge, for the past 50 years it has been one of the leading dog
run sites in the city,thus it might be wise to review what to do
in threatening situations.
1.
Shield yourself - hold your backpack or
anything you have in front of you.
Do not run or scream.
Stay calm and stand perfectly still.
Speak firmly, but don't yell.
Command the animal by saying: No, Sit, Stay,
Down or Go Home!
Don't stare at the animal. Look over its head.
Back away slowly
Do not turn your back on the animal.
Never try to stop an animal fight.
Leave injured, sick, or dead animals alone, and
get help.
Leave all wild animals alone, especially when
seen during the day.
People can stop by the Humane Society on weekdays from ;
!:00pm-4:oopm. It is located just across from the Erie Zoo at
418 West 38 th Street. Information about adoption can also be
obtained at the web site (www.goerie.com/humanesociety).
in the ARC
recitation of all of the Irish measure
ments for containers of beer, “Black
Velvet Band,” the tale of a poor
young fellow sent to Australia for a
crime he didn’t commit, and “Little
Brigid Flynn,” the song of a bach
elor pining after a lovely young lass.
The Irish Rovers entertained for a
good two hours, interspersing their
music with amusing anecdotes,
mostly provided by John, who was
occasionally chided by George for
going a little too far with his humor.
He had an arsenal of mother-in-law
jokes and drew the crowd’s dubious
sympathy when he recalled his child
hood of living in a two-bedroom
house with his grandparents and
twelve siblings and attending a
school run by “the sisters of little or
no mercy”. He also told some pretty
good jokes illustrating the differences
between Scots, Brits, and Irishmen.
The encore brought the evening to
an energetic close with "What Wid
Ye Do With a Drunken Sailor," a mu
cous sett shanty that rei|uired the au
dience to take on the roles of the
shantymen and the drunken crew. But
the show’s highlights were the band’s
trademark, “The Dnicoru." Shel
Silverstein’s account of Noah's Hood
and why there tire no unicorns today,
and "Wasn't that a Parly." a rowdy
rock and roll number written by Tom
Paxton after w itnessing a tradition
ally wild Irish Rovers party. Tomor
row Krie citizens will celebrate Saint
Patrick's Day with parades, parties,
and perhaps a wee pint or two. The
members of that Irish Rovers concert
got a two-week headstart.