Creative Society Hosts Another Night of Creative Fun

Linna Jones
Arts & Entertainment Editor

     The Creative Society hosted the 21st annual Mocha Madness with the theme of peace in the Patio Café April 15.

   The creativity from members of the crowd filled the air and stage with music, thought provoking work, laughter and toe-tapping, rib-tickling fun.

Photo by Latoya Shelton

A Blaze of Light - Caleb Burger holds the audience captive during his light show at Mocha Madness.  Burger performed to the music of Kyle Owens on the djembe.

   The participants read poetry, played music, performed a light show and created laughter with improvisation, skits, jokes and other various creative outlets.

   “I thought (Mocha) was pretty good,” junior Megan Mixon said. “There was a lot of poetry and music.”

   Eric Bell performed as “Your Presidential Pimp Band-it” for mocha commenting on issues and stories in the news. He wore a blue fuzzy bathrobe, black marching band hat, a tie-dyed T-shirt and sunglasses on stage.

   He later received the “Mars Award” made by Jeffery Trotter for working hard for the Creative Society.  Trotter made the award out of a hubcap with the rubber of the tire still on it and a red plastic lid in the middle inscribed with “What in the Hell” on it, as well as a bell attached on a piece of wire.

   Several people read poetry ranging on several topics from peace, lost love and even relationship advice.  Jason Bowen began his five minutes with an explanation of the work he presented. He said by talking with female friends through windows he learned much about relationships. He offered the men of the crowd relationship advice, while the women of the crowd said “amen” if they agreed; several did. He advised men to listen to the “ladies” and pamper them.

   Errin James presented “Poems and Politics” to the crowd and read about how he was inspired by Doug Blackmon’s speech and how black people show write their own story. 

   Gary Marshall, professor of Speech Communication and Creative Society adviser, read a poem about choosing peace over war called “Uncle Sam’s Last Leg.”

   The daring duo of improvisation Charles “Chip” Davis and Chris Halley performed an improvised skit about a father and son. The father (Halley) talked indiscreetly about golf and the son (Davis) thought he was talking about sex. Halley offered little clues to his portion of the improvisation with a golfing glove and two golf balls.

Photo by Eric Bell

Dancing - Pam Cameron and Brittany Pickett dance in the second installment of "Pork Chops and Applesauce." The second installment answered lingering questions from the first installment.

   P2 B&J performed a new installment of “Pork Chops and Apple Sauce” to go along with the peace theme of Mocha Madness performed by Pam Cameron, Brittany Pickett, Ren “Penny” Thornton and Jasmine Bolen. Carlos Bertoglio (police), Cody Bullock (police) and Sara Prior (parole officer) also participated in the performance The performance can be found on YouTube. 

   In this installment, the audience finds out why the “vacationing” resident is really on vacation, and Sally (Bolen) returns to the Happy Days Retirement Center where she gets arrested again.  Pickett and Cameron danced on to the stage to "San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie.  They begin their mixed-up dialog once again jumping forward and backwards in time. Gertrude (Pickett) and Merlana (Cameron) drive Sally (Bolen) crazy once again and protest the pudding.

      The Foliate Oak Online also presented a skit about how they decide what works get published and handed out copies of the “Best of the Foliate Oak.” Payne and the students of the FOO acted as if they were in the Writing Center. They described one of the works in the skit as “chicken poop,” and Diane Payne, Foliate Oak adviser, hushed the class on another and continually looked around saying the person might be in the room.

   Anthony Newton performed on the piano. Newton performed solo during the scheduled program and a duet with Tim Woods on the alto saxophone during open mic. Woods performed a soul-filled solo after stopping Newton on the piano; they soon began playing together again after the solo.  Newton later read a poem on lost love and heartbreak.

   Jermaine Smiley performed the 'N Sync song “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You” on the piano.

Photo by Eric Bell

Moving - Special Sanders, graduate of UAM, reads poetry during Mocha Madness.  Several members of the audience performed during the open mic session.

    Ronald Sitton read poetry and played blues on his harmonica. He played a blues song about the peace he wants and another titled “Thinking of You,” a song written for his wife.

   Bertoglio performed three songs singing in both English and Spanish. He sang the first song about the Falklands War, a two-month war fought in 1982 between Argentina and Great Britain. He asked for the crowd’s participation on the last song. To hear one of his songs please click the link.

   “It’s a great chance to express yourself and show the world what you are capable of,” Bertoglio said.

   Kyle Owens and Caleb Burger performed a visual art show with glow sticks and a djembe. Owens played the djembe, while Burger moved his arms to create a light display, every once in a while the lights on a rope would get tangled. He also used lights that he held in his hands.

   “Caleb’s light show was definitely interesting,” Mixon said.  “We’ve never had that before.”

   Jeremy Woodall performed a song during open mic as a dare from his friends. He performed using a very high-pitched voices that sounded very child-like.

   Performers in Mocha Madness performed to a full room and many even stayed for open mic. Fifteen people signed up to be on the program and 20 signed up for open mic.

   Others who performed, included Sarah Bloom, assistant professor of English; Kay Walter, assistant professor of English; Eric Garcia; Yvonne Hinshaw; Bradley Logan; Jeffery Trotter; Special Sanders and many more.

   “People here can be themselves,” first-year student Errin James said. “Its not the stuck up atmosphere seen at other places on campus.”

   The Creative Society created all of the tie-dyed shirts given to the participants.

   Special thanks to Randal Wilson for making the cookies and everyone else who helped.

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