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Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Arts

Alessandra Guarneri recently reached 13,800 subscribers on her drum cover YouTube channel. Cho Yin Rachel Lo / Beacon Staff

Alessandra Guarneri drums up YouTube success

By Tatum Jenkins / September 18, 2019

When junior Alessandra Guarneri attended a Camila Cabello concert in 2016 at the Orpheum Theatre, two fans recognized her from the Fifth Harmony covers...

Student band Snoozer released their first album, Tortoise, Hare in 2019, falling under their own style of "running-with-scissors" punk rock. Kyle Bray / Beacon Staff

Student band Snoozer rocks out on first album

By J. Faith Malicdem / September 18, 2019

James Ammirato knew the Boston music scene is its own little microcosm of the city, and because of that, it’s really hard to be heard.  According...

Sophomore Zack Lesmeister and the St. Louis team won the 2019 Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival, bringing home a brand new title for the city. Photo by Jakob Menendez / Beacon Staff

Sophomore brings victory to St. Louis team at international poetry competition

By Cassandre Coyer, Former Staff / September 4, 2019

Six teens sat cowered in a compact dorm room in Las Vegas, whispering poetry to each other for hours at a time so their competitors would not overhear....

Juniors Emilie Krone (left) and Liza Rogulina (right) started their own zine over winter break. Thomas Bloxham / Beacon Correspondent

Juniors feature creative artwork in self-produced zine

By Juliet Norman, Former Opinion Editor / April 11, 2019

Juniors Emilie Krone and Liza Rogulina toyed with the idea of producing their own publication since meeting freshman year during an Introduction to College...

Junior Alison Qu (center) said many other Boston colleges, such as Boston University, have their own Chinese student theater groups and Qu decided Emerson needed their own. - Photo by Xinyi Tu - Beacon Staff

Emerson Chuang Stage founders hope to break down cultural barriers

By Katiana Hoefle / April 9, 2019

Every day for the past four months, 27 Chinese students at Emerson spent several hours working to create their own student-run play, If I were not me. Junior...

Gallery: Japanese Breakfast at Paramount Center

Gallery: Japanese Breakfast at Paramount Center

By Caroline Broderick, Former Staff / April 4, 2019

Solo artist Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast performed a private concert for Emerson students on April 2 in the Paramount Center. Two student bands, Squitch...

Evan McDonald (left) and Jeru Berry (right) created 'No Whites Allowed' and the documentary won the Audience Award at Emerson's Film Festival. - Photo by Thomas Bloxham / Beacon Correspondent

Alumni ‘No Whites Allowed’ documentary exposes Emerson’s lack of diversity

By Cassandre Coyer, Former Staff / April 2, 2019

Evan McDonald ’18 joined comedy troupe Emerson Comedy Workshop in January 2016 as the first black man to ever join in its 40 years of existence. After...

Em Spooner (center) and Denzil Leach (back) of Squitch will open for Japanese Breakfast with  student band, Pool Boys. • Courtesy of Squitch

Emerson bands Pool Boys and Squitch open show for Japanese Breakfast

By Taina Millsap, Former Staff Writer / March 28, 2019

When WECB announced they wanted students to open for popular artist Japanese Breakfast, junior Jasper Cote and his rock band, Pool Boys, had their fingers...

Elissa Klie (far left), Judah Barak Tobias (left), and Will Rosenfelt (far right) starred alongside alumnus Kate T. Billingsley (right) in her off-Broadway play, Barefoot.  • Courtesy of Kate T. Billingsley

Alumnus writes off-Broadway play overnight

By Erin Nolan / March 28, 2019

Kate T. Billingsley ‘07 laid on her back doing vocal warm-ups and tried to relax before her first off-Broadway performance of the play she wrote, Barefoot, when...

Senior Jared Leong co-wrote The East Side, a musical comedy about a Chinese-American high school student, with two students from Harvard University. • Xinyi Tu / Beacon Correspondent

Senior co-writes Harvard musical to raise Asian representation in theater

By Domenic Conte, Former Sports Columnist / March 27, 2019

Senior Jared Leong had never written a musical before last July. However, he said he could not refuse the opportunity to portray the Asian-American experience...

Photo by Xinyi Tu - Beacon Correspondent

Dance battle winners take home $1,000 cash prizes

By Eloisa de Farias / March 26, 2019

Spectators of Hip-Hop Society’s second annual dance battle gathered around in a circle, clapped their hands, and fed into the energy of the two dancers...

Gary Grossman '70 worked at WECB during his time at Emerson, he will return on March 25 for a book signing. - Courtesy of Gary Grossman

Emmy-winning alumnus discusses new thriller novel

By Melanie Curry / March 24, 2019

Gary Grossman said he was never going to write again when he graduated from Emerson in 1970. A few years later, Grossman, a professor at the time in the...

Senior Shelby Grebbin hung her artwork in the Iwasaki Library over spring break.
Madison Goldberg / Beacon Correspondent

Senior’s abstract paintings bring color to Iwasaki Library

By Soleil Easton / March 21, 2019

Senior Shelby Grebbin, a former Beacon managing editor and self-taught artist, began painting during her freshman year to impress a long-distance significant...

Todd Strauss-Schulson ’03  on set with Rebel Wilson while directing his first feature film, "Isn't It Romantic." Photo courtesy of Michael Parmelee

Alumnus debunks rom-com clichés in ‘Isn’t it Romantic’

By Shafaq Patel / March 20, 2019

Before Todd Strauss-Schulson ’03 directed his first feature-length romantic comedy, he binge-watched all of the romantic comedies he could get his hands...

Junior Moses Small, also known as the rapper Prophet, will perform in Cambridge on March 30. • Madison Goldberg / Beacon Correspondent

Student rapper ‘Prophet’ to perform at local nightclub

By Melanie Curry / March 13, 2019

Junior Moses Small never imagined he was going to be a rapper. Until his freshman year, he had only made music with his violin and drums—never with his...

Kyle Miller ‘11 (left), Jake Mann ‘11 (top left), Giovanni Nahrendorf ‘12 (top center), Noel Carey ‘11 (center left), Nathaniel Taylor-Leach ‘11 (center), Max Fox ‘11 (center right), Ian Wexler ‘11 (bottom left), Adam Rapchik (bottom center), and Ally Condrath ‘11 (bottom right) created Dinner for One while in college and produced their web series “Life Sucks” post-graduation. Photo courtesy of Dinner for One

Alumni go back to middle school in “Life Sucks” web series

By Juliet Norman, Former Opinion Editor / February 28, 2019

When several alumni failed to make the cut after trying out for Emerson comedy troupes their freshman year, they teamed together to form their own comedy...

Artificial Intelligence takes over Media Art Gallery

Artificial Intelligence takes over Media Art Gallery

By Cassandre Coyer, Former Staff / February 28, 2019

Nonsensical sounds, intriguing oil paintings, and ambiguous misfortunes such as, “Your dreams are worth your best pants when you wish you’d given...

Weston High School senior Echezona Onwuama raps at Boston Rise's first event on Feb. 21. Photo by Xinyi Tu - Beacon Correspondent

Alumnus raises Boston voices with new initiative

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / February 27, 2019

A red carpet lined the hallway leading to Center Stage this past Oscars weekend and coincided with the arrival of the performers from one of Boston’s...

Courtesy Sophian Ridel

ArtsEmerson Review: When Angels Fall illuminates the Cutler Majestic

By Ally Rzesa, Former Staff / February 23, 2019

A woman dangles midair above the audience, hanging from a horizontal, crane-like construction bar while she is connected only by her feet. As the bar...

The Hip-Hop Society holds open dance sessions every Tuesday from 8 to 11 p.m. in the multipurpose room. • Maia Sperber / Beacon Staff

The Hip-Hop society dances onto Boston Cypher scene

By Damica Rodriguez / February 21, 2019

A clunky concert speaker blasted music from an aux cord in the multipurpose room of the Piano Row residence hall on Tuesday night. About 10-15 people from...