The next generation
(Left to right) Joey Gephart, Lex Quintero-Brode and Barrett Mannetter doing Improv at Shakespeare camp.
Or what I did on my summer vacation interning for Lunch
By Lex Quintero-Brode
With a forward by Lunch
At first, I looked upon the assignment with some trepidation. Joanne Hunt had asked me to take on her granddaughter as a summer intern and of course, I didn’t have much of a clue what to do with her. Until my mom called. And my mom mentioned that she’d just seen Woody Allen’s latest film Midnight in Paris, and in the film, the Hemingway character tells the lead (a fictional American writer played by Owen Wilson) that “all American literature begins with Huckleberry Finn.” *Hemingway did reportedly say this. So I figured, why not ask my intern to read Huckleberry Finn and determine if it’s still relevant to her generation. Then I heard about the Shakespeare camp and figured, enroll her in Shakespeare and have her write about it. Suddenly, Joanne’s assignment seemed kind of fun, more fun than I remember having in the summer of my 13th year. The following is a compilation of Lex’s summer to date.
omeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? That’s not the only line that I learned at the Much Ado About Shakespeare camp sponsored by the Mammoth Lakes Foundation which ran from July 12-14 at Edison Theatre.
The camp taught us (my class age range 10-17) all about Shakespearean plays, not just the classics, including Macbeth, Twelfth Night and Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Most of the exercises were pretty basic, however there were also a few advanced things about the camp. Like choreographed fighting scenes (with swords. Plastic. No injuries) and improv games. The coaches also taught a little bit of history about the Renaissance. This camp displayed the basics of acting, and the whole camp had awesome energy, the mentors as much as the students there.
My class had about 15 students.
Lex reads!
T
he book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain is a known classic. Is it still as meaningful today as it was when it was written? Yes, the book is relevant to modern day kids; however, it’s not a favorite. My peers don’t seem to like the book, and if they do, they see it as a typical adventure book. That doesn’t mean it’s not important to know about the book and read it. It gives an important view of our country’s history. It teaches about racism and how even good people can have faults due to the society in which they live in. One part in the book illustrates a good example of this; when Jim gets hurt and Huck helps him despite the fact that he is black. At that time in history, most white people thought that African-Americans were inferior and would not show this type of kindness towards blacks. I think today’s youth would find this book uncomfortable and dated, due to the racially-charged language. On the other hand, adolescents may look at the story as an adventure story instead of a social commentary and satire. I would recommend this book to high school students who are interested in American history and literature.
an you imagine playing hardcore softball AND visiting the Capitol building in Sacramento in 130 degree weather? From June 19-23, four girls and three adults from Mammoth participated in the Sacramento State Softball Camp. The four girls that attended were Mackenzie Morley (3rd baseman), Callie Mowat (1st baseman), Carly Margulies (2nd baseman), and me (catcher). All 7 people who attended thought it was a great experience to meet new people and improve in all skills. Coaches helped with everything from base-running and bunting to catching grounders and pop fly’s. The camp included phenomenal coaches, drills, and a tour of the campus. “Which was great for the players to see at this age” quoted head-coach of Mammoth Sliders, Sheilah Brode.
The seven camp coaches kept things exciting by rotating the groups of players and coming up with new drills. The 7 participants from Mammoth also got a tour of the capital building, including the Coopla (the very top of the building!). It was a unique experience made possible by a former police officer from Mammoth.
They also got to rent a 3 bedroom house with a pool and ranch. However, all of these spectacular things cost a large amount of money. The girls had to pay $250 each for the camp, $1100 for the house, and money for food and gas. Mammoth Sliders would like to thank both Rotary Clubs, Women’s Club, Lions Club and the town for supporting them on this trip and throughout their softball careers.
