Creative Society's Mocha Madness Packs Patio Café

Linna Jones
Managing Editor

Photo by Linna Jones

Red Hawk Reads at Mocha Madness - Robert Moore reads "Honesty" from his book “Wreckage with a Beating Heart.” Mocha Madness took place Dec. 3 in the Patio Café.

   Mocha Madness gave people more than a chance to perform, but a chance to give in the Patio Café, Dec. 3.

   The Creative Society named this semester’s theme “Hodgepodge Mocha, It’s Freegan Madness.” 

   The Creative Society developed the theme of Mocha Madness around the Freegan movement. According to About.com, “freeganism is a reaction against the waste of resources. Participants, known as ‘freegans,’ have two main goals: to buy as little as possible and to use only what they need.” 

   Creative Society members collected unwanted items to decorate the Patio Café for people to add to or take something they need. The items on the table later became prizes for performers and they donated remaining items to a local charity. The “Sharin’s Carin, Take 1 leave 1” table displayed a variety of items from books, toys, a television set, clothes, a purse and other items. 

    A variety of talent presented many creative outlets from poetry, prose, singing and musical performances, comedy, art, a light show and a performance twirling fire. 

   Gary Marshall, professor of Speech, started the night with a poem and a song. He read “The Kids Call Him Ape Man.” He tells a story about a teacher who is called “Ape Man” by his student, because of his movements. The story goes on to tell of the search for a prankster who set off a cherry bomb, but was never caught.

   Kay Walter, assistant professor of English, read a two piece of original work. First, she read an untitled poem in French and then translated it into English. She then read a sonnet called “Sonnet 6.”

   Robert “Red Hawk” Moore, read two poems from his book “Wreckage with a Beating Heart.” He read a people about “Honesty” about how dogs show true honesty; how they do not care what people think and how they will do anything they want to do. He then read, “You Don’t Know What Love Is.”

   Leonard “Linwood” Polk read three poems. He read in his first selection about how we are not free, but privileged. How people call themselves free, in reality they are actually restricted. He also read, “It’s Hard to Say I Love You,” which was about a relationship without trust.

   Caleb Burger, choragus for Mocha Madness, performed a light show with help from friends playing guitars and drums. J.T. Carnahan and Kyle Owens played on the drums and Carson Pieroni and Ryan Wiesner played acoustic guitars while Burger performed.

   Burger showed the audience a fiery performance at the end of Mocha Madness when he twirled fire. Carnahan, Owens, Pieroni and Wiesner accompanied Burger..

   Before the break, Brooke Burger, UAM and Creative Society Alumna, asked people to look at the free table saying, take something, and leave something sharing is caring.

   Linwood and Tim Lane performed Music and Mayhem during intermission playing a variety of songs for the crowd.

   After intermission, Ronald Sitton, associate professor of Journalism, performed “Harp and High Spirits” wailing on his harmonica and singing the blues.

   Kim Wilson spoke to the crowd about The Fundred Dollar Bill Project. Wilson asked the audience to create their own Fundred Dollar Bill to help her reach her goal. Audience members received instructions and the blank bills to create their own bill.

   Mel Chin, a conceptual artist from New York, developed the idea as a unique fundraiser to start an extensive effort to clean up the soil in New Orleans, which is one of the most lead contaminated cities in the United States.  

    Chin plans to raise $300 million in Fundred Dollar Bills to exchange for real money to pay for the cost of the clean up of lead-contaminated soils. Lead-contaminated soils put thousands of children at risk for severe learning and disabilities and behavioral problems. 

  Pam Cameron, Penny Thornton, Jasmine Bolen and Brittany Pickett, performed their final “Pork Chops and Apple Sauce” for Mocha Madness. Actors Pam Cameron and Brittany Pickett will be graduating in the December. 

   The story continues to find Sadie (Bolen) back at Happy Days Retirement Center with Gertrude (Pickett) and Merlana (Cameron) and the Vacation Lady (Thornton) with her bag. A pregnant Sadie argues with Gertrude and Merlana when they ask for Figgie Pudding. Sadie reveals her husband, whom she married in the last performance, ran off with a waitress. After giving in to the demands of Gertrude and Merlana, Gertrude chokes on her pudding and dies. As Sadie tries to save her, she goes into labor. The performance ends with Thornton saying “God Bless Everyone.”

   Walter’s World Literature classes read one or more selections from William Blake’s “Song of Innocence” and “Song of Experience” Jessica Johnson read “Chimney Sweeper” and Betsy Skender read “Song of Experience.” Others who read included: Anastasia and Ambra and Bethany Turner.

   The Extra Credit Players of Walter’s World Literature II class presented a piece of the play Tartuffe, a comedy by Moliére.

   Open Mic brought a variety of performers from the audience to perform anything from comedy, poetry, singing and instrumental performances.

   Other performers for the night included:

• Dezarae Taylor read poems from her private life.
• Demetrius read “The Garden of Love.”
• J.T.  Carnaham recited a spoken version of a song performed by Five Iron Frenzy.
• Bobby Evans read “No one knows,” and sang a song.
• Kyle White
• Nathan Harper played the Acoustic guitar and sang.
• Tiffany Mathews read a poem and sang a song dedicated to her mother.
• Brad Hodges performed a comedy skit.
• Alex Raybon read a sonnet.
• Caroline sang “Eve of Destruction” and “So this is Christmas.”
• Jasmine Bolen read two poems.
• Penny Thorton read two poems and a piece called “Things I Learned to do Because of College.” 
• Mary Woods
• Michael Dobbs
• Dusty Smith
• Brooke Burger read “Chasing the White Rabbit.”
• Belinda Jeffers and Margaret Butterfield displayed art on the stage.   

   At the end of Open Mic, the crowd received a second surprise with Sarah Pasterniak performing a hula-hoop routine to “I am the Walrus” by The Beatles.

   Brooke Burger addressed the audience about the event.

   “As you know Mocha almost didn’t happen this year, I’m glad it did,” Burger said. “We have a great crowd and we have great performers, so give yourself a hand.”

    Randall Wilson baked the treats. The Student Activities Board provided some of the funds for the event.

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