The Retort

Arts & Entertainment

• New Web Site Offers In-depth Trail Information

  HikinginGlacier.com offers detailed information on more than 60 trails, including trail descriptions, key features, pictures, maps, elevation profiles and more.

• Ask Uncle Nacho

  Your uncle Nacho is here to tackle and address any questions, quandaries, myths or mysteries.

• Venture Theatre: From Modest Beginnings to Center Stage

  Venture Theater runs two yearly programs: musicals and the Producers Specials which bring regional debuts to the stage.

• In Good Glazes Offers Laidback Art Projects for All Ages

  The store offers ceramics to paint, mosaics, and canvas art projects.

• Two Long-retired Icons Return

  Now Beavis and Butt-head will be aired weekly for a glorious time.

• Students Show Promise at Music Recital

  I always find myself surprised when the performers get up on stage. In most cases I would have never guessed there was so much hidden talent!

• Independent Artist Review

  David W. Jacobsen’s album, Postcards: A Collection of Songs 1998-2005, shows off his singer/song writer skills.

• Unrequired Reading for the....

  Despite what your professors may have you believe, there are countless books in any given major that both inform and entertain the reader.

• Websites to Make You Laugh, Cry and Kill Time

  who doesn’t take some joy in laughing at someone’s misguided craft experiments

• Ryan Shows Amazing Talent at Senior Recital

  A crowd favorite seemed to be “A Charm of Lullabies” by Benjamin Britten.

• Senator of the Month: Nicole Gambil

  As Historian I take Senate minutes, pictures, plan activities, and handle the voting program.

• The Corn Maze is a Great Season Attraction

  If you want more of a challenge in your maze try “The Field of Screams.” This haunted maze is run every Friday and Saturday night through October 31st.

• Unrequired Reading for the....

  there are countless books in any given major that both inform and entertain the reader

• ‘Tis the Season to Torture Yourself with Scary Movies

  I tend to agree with Alfred Hitchcock’s quote, “The scariest thing is the unopened door.”

• Angels and Demons Captivates Audiences

  Dan Brown leads his captivated readers on the adventure of a lifetime, from the tower balcony of Castle St. Angelo, through Il Passetto, to the depths of St. Peter’s Tomb.

• The Yellowstone Art Museum Features Pulitzer Prize Winning Photography

  The exhibit shows the winners for photojournalism from 1942 up to the most current winners of 2011.

• Clear Lessons Come Out of Petrocelli’s “Triumph Over Tragedy”

  His message was simple: forgive, and love not only yourself but the people around you.

• To Write Love on Her Arms Events Encouraged Involvement from MSU Billings Students

  TWLOHA raises awareness of, and aids those struggling with, depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.

• Annual Housing Department Pageant Features Good Laughs and Some Victorious Winners

  In this competition, four female and five male contestants completed three events: reverse role-playing, a talent, and formal-wear question and answer.

• MSU Billings Students Juried Art Exhibit Highlights Unique, Eye-Catching Art

  From March 25 through April 25 the 2011 MSU Billings Juried Students’ Art Exhibition will be on display in the student art gallery on the first floor of the Liberal Arts building.

• Tech N9ne Is Raunchier, Grittier, and More Street than Ever

  in ten years Tech has risen to be the biggest independent artist in hip-hop

• Bellydancing Showcase Brings Attention to an Unusual Dance Style

  Hrubes co-hosted the event with Raks Alimah, a local bellydance troupe, and arranged for a number of area bellydancers to participate in the event.

• Music Recital Showcases Students’ Hard Work and Success

  The February 23 recital stands as a testament to the hard work and resulting success of the MSU Billings Music Department.

• Housing and Residential Life Department Hosts RA Social to Recruit New Leaders

  how does a student become an RA?

• After the Oscars: Reviews and Reactions

  I half expected The King’s Speech to be a dull drama showing scenes of the royal family sipping tea and snacking on caviar talking about “the bloody cold weather” on overly elaborate, stuffed chaise lounges.

• Follett’s Fall of Giants Brings WWI History Back to Life

  Follett is able to incorporate historical accuracies yet still keep the reader entertained while reading about a time of war and political and economic complexities.

• Refuge is a Melding of a Memoir and an Environmental History

  The memoir part of the book is about Williams’s struggle with her mother’s cancer and death and her grandmother’s struggle with cancer.

• HEROES Sponsors Hula Hoop Class

  HEROES (Health Educators Reaching Others and Encouraging Success) held a free Hula Hoop class in the Lewis and Clark room of the Student Union Building, for MSU Billings students.

• La’s Orchestra Saves the World Delves into Complexities of Human Emotion

  It truly is, as The Lincoln Journal Star puts it: “A big story about love, death, identity and music.”

• Loni Love Performs Stand-up at Petro Theatre

  Love was interactive with the audience and asked three men and three women to compete in a version of “Best Pickup Line.” Contestants had to “pickup” a member of the opposite sex by delivering cheesy lines onstage.

• Red Lodge Clay Center Artists Set Workshops, Exhibit at MSU Billings

  The first workshop was set for February 15, but the second workshop will be on Thursday, February 24 from 9 am to 4 pm at the MSU Billings Art Annex.

• The Effects of Music in Education

  The students who did listen to music during these activities responded that 94.3% of the time music is beneficial in the studying process.

• Romantics Reads for Valentine’s Day

  New books and classics.

• Northcutt Steele Gallery Opens Spring Semester with Installation by Arab-American Artist

  With this multi-roomed installment, Hend uses art to portray the lives of five women who have come from the Middle East to begin new lives in America.

• Winter Karaoke Night a Big Hit

  Among the many songs featured that evening were several by artist Carrie Underwood, pieces from popular movies and musicals, and contemporary favorites.

• Yellowstone Art Museum to Hold Opening Reception for One of Billings’ Premier Events

  The Yellowstone Art Museum announced the opening date of Art Auction 43 set for Thursday, January 27, 2011.

• “Study Bucks” Bring Rewards

  This semester's prizes included, but were not limited to, an iPod dock, DVD player, rug, camping chairs, popcorn machine, and coffee maker.

• Bull Pen Tickets Now Available

  Bands so far include Confederate Railroad, Lonestar, Bucky Covington, James Miller Band, and WAR, with more to be announced.

• Why Everyone Should Read Cat’s Cradle

  Many have said this is a story about the insanity of the Cold War, but I think it’s a short history of human stupidity.

• 'Cherries In Winter' Mixes Historical Struggles with Frugal Recipes

  In an effort to trim her grocery budget, Colon turned to her grandmother Matilda’s recipe collection.

• MSUB Showcases Musical Talent at Student Recital

  Each piece was successfully and professionally performed for the enjoyment of the audience.

• “Flow” is an Unusual Senior Show

  The theme of the night is “flow” and I quickly learn that flow not only encompass Dornfeld’s subject matter but the very technique she used to create it.

• Chinua Achebe Publishes his First Memoir

  52 years have gone by since the release of his most famous book.

• MSUB Puts on First Annual Singing Bee

  Students were given the chance to attend the first annual MSU Billings Singing Bee on Thursday, November 18 in Petro Theatre.

• Ben Mezrich Interprets the Creation of Facebook in The Accidental Billionaires

  The author of Bringing Down the House - the basis for the film “21” about a card-counting college kid taking down Las Vegas - brings us his interpretation of the creation of Facebook

• Mural Project Enhances the Entrance to the PE Building

  The hope is to continue spreading art around our campus.

• Second Dance of the Year Drew Many Interesting People – and Some Costumes

  The dance was attended by witches, gingerbread men, elves, pirates, Lady Gaga, and those who came dressed as “college students.”

• Student Recital Showcased Seven Students

  Seven MSU Billings students had the opportunity to showcase their musical talents with guitar, voice, and piano.

• Italian Themed Dinner was Hosted by RHA

  During the meal RHA sponsored “Name That Noodle,” where students went up to the table, told the audience their name, which hall they lived in, and identified the names of three noodles.

• Native American Dances Demonstration

  Students were given the opportunity to learn how to do some traditional Native American dances.

• Warhol Gallery Opening and Look-a-like Contest

  With more than forty people present, one of the largest turnouts for an event of this kind, MSU Billings Art Historian Dr. Patricia Vettel-Becker began the evening with Warhol 101, a presentation on the life of Andy Warhol.

• Campus Dance Club is Fun for Everyone

  MSUB students can attend to learn as beginners, to practice if they have some previous experience, or just to watch as others practice the steps.

• “Augustine” Performs at MSUB

  They began their showcase at ten o’clock in the LA building and then picked up their guitars and equipment, moving on to play in Stingers Café at eleven thirty.

• Stephen King Classic Melds Gore and Religion Perfectly

  Among the horror and gore King mingles love, hope and a beam of faith in a seemingly dark place.

• Oktoberfest Celebrated in Rimrock Café

  Oktoberfest is a festival held in Germany between late September and early October each year.

• Studying is the Way to Earn “Bucks”

  Study bucks are distributed by the RAs in each hall as they patrol the floors at night.

• TGIT Yoga Event Offers Free Prizes to First 30 Participants

  Each Thursday HEROES sponsors a different TGIT event, from Yoga sessions to the Healthy Relationship Mixer they held on October seventh.

• Music to Listen to: If you haven’t heard these tunes yet, you should check them out

  Listening to the radio, even satellite radio, can’t always provide great - or even good - songs. Here are some of the best.

• Local Knowledge is Honest, Well-Written and Relatable

  I did a search for women's fiction in the south and came across Local Knowledge, the debut novel by new author Liza Gyllenhaal.

• The Price is Right Comes to MSUB Campus

  The program was sponsored by RHA and the ROTC.

• Foam Dance Boasts Good Music, but No Foam

  Initially the event was to be held on the Student Union Building patio but was moved inside due to the cool weather.

• The Ineloquent Performs at Petro

  The band travels the country to spread the message that has changed their lives.

• “Easy A” – A Hester Prynne with Attitude

  Will Gluck's movie does what John Hughes did best, showcasing characters with personality who make you wish you had them on speed dial.

• “The Town” Oozes Boston Flavor, While “Leave of Grass” is Not Worth the Wait

  Affleck is the director, co-writer and star, playing a thief named Doug MacRay who falls in love with a pretty bank manager.

• From the Desk of One Baroque College Student: Environmental/Ecological Art

  Ecological Design by Sim Van der Ryn and Stuart Cowan summed up how design fits in by it as “any form of design that minimizes environmentally destructive impacts by integrating itself with living processes.”

• Critic’s Critique: Introspective Introvention

  Instead of writing up a critique of my own work, I present the disclaimer from my show, my artist statement, and images of my pieces.

• Critic’s Critique: The Problems with Growing Up

  Will has chosen to deal with the dark side of the concept of growing up and becoming what you wanted to be when you were a kid

• Critic’s Critique: Image from Picturing Paradise, Cuadros from the Peruvian Women of Pamplona

  If you missed out on viewing Picturing Paradise in person, you truly missed out on a visual treat.

• Metra Event Allows Audience to “Walk with Dinosaurs”

  The Rimrock Auto Arena at Metrapark is hosting the spectacular theatrical production of the renowned BBC series “Walking with Dinosaurs”

• Erin Go Bragh and All That Jazz

  celebration is the fruit of life and it’s the little things in life that make it worth living

• Critic’s Critique: The Turtles are Coming, the Turtles are…Well, Here

  David has crafted turtles and lizards from wood, melted glass and ceramic

• From the Desk of One Baroque College Student: 3D Has Come a Long Way Since Captain Eo

  I find myself rather impressed with how much 3D has evolved

• Critic’s Critique: Northcutt Steele Gallery: an Overview of Its Importance

  The Juried Student Exhibition, once entitled the Student Independent Show, showcased work submitted by students that was independently done.

• Unrequired Reading for the…

  Here are three recommended books for three particular majors that fall outside the realms of textbook monotony

• From the Desk of One Baroque College Student: The Value of Backing up Files and the Pain of Loss

  all gone in the blink of an eye

• Beau Bristow’s Performance at Off the Leaf

  The soulful sound was a mixture of rock with hints of country, pop, and soul strewn together to make the perfect musical sundae.

• The Yellowstone Art Museum Presents Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate

  Artists directly demonstrate the cathartic potential of art making.

• An Impressive Idea Lacking Completion

  The senior show entitled Perception by Zac Crane is a good idea that lacked the completion to make it effective.

• The Quilts are Here…The Quilts are Here!

  Both the library and the Northcutt Steele Gallery are awash with the colors and patterns of these fabric works of wonder.

• From the Desk of One Baroque College Student: Perspective Musings, or Maybe Just

  I want to just say to hell with everything and take a “me” day

• From the Desk of One Baroque College Student: Gear Grinding leads to Metal Shavi

  I have been contemplating ... truths of life

• Inside Tiffany’s Head

  Of all the pieces in Tiffany’s senior show the best is most likely the paper composition entitled Seattle.

• The Beauty of Sepia Tone Photography

  Some photographs are too "busy" in color.

• A Look Inside the 2009 Faculty Show

  The 2009 faculty show is on display in the Liberal Arts building.

• The Rook Opportunities

  The Rook has ambitiously set as its mission the expansion of student involvement in the arts and literature, chiefly by hosting workshops.

• From the Desk of One Baroque College Student: a Good Man who Will be Missed - Pe

  Peter’s revelry in pissing off authority endeared him to many.

• Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

  "Curious Finds" features art from private Billings collections.

• Roadshow Hits Billings

  Antiques Road Show at the Yellowstone Art Museum.

• From the Desk of One Baroque College Student: Day of the Living Dead

  The Zombie Walk is becoming a Billings Halloween tradition.

• Summer Review

  A review of summer arts and events.

• Coming Fun for All

  Local theaters and art museums have plenty to offer.