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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

Gaby Dunn ‘09 is on a book tour for her latest book release, “Bad With Money.”
Courtesy of Laura Massa Michael Priest Photography

Alumna Gaby Dunn tells all in new money memoir

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / January 31, 2019

Gaby Dunn ‘09 first appeared in the public eye as a brassy YouTube comedian. After accomplishing the goal many strive for—building a following for...

Sophomore Joshua DeGuzman and senior journalism major Tay Thai run ImaginBrockton, an online gallery showcasing artists from Thai’s hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts. - Photo by Emily Oliver / Beacon Staff

Senior starts digital gallery featuring hometown local artists

By Riddhima Dave / January 31, 2019

Senior journalism major Tay Thai discovered her purpose at Emerson during her Digital Storytelling class—to promote artists from her hometown of Brockton,...

Christina Hendricks and David Alan Basche ‘90 star in “Egg,” a film about motherhood that premiered Jan. 19 2019. 
Photo courtesy of David Alan Basche

Alumnus film “Egg” cracks motherhood stereotypes

By Cassandre Coyer, Former Staff / January 24, 2019

Thirty years after graduating from Emerson, and after having starred in Sex and the City 2, Lipstick Jungle, and The Exes, David Alan Basche ’90 decided...

The Banjo Project is a digital museum sharing the history and significance of the banjo in American culture. Photo courtesy of The Banjo Project

Professors’ digital museum tells the unknown story of the banjo

By Cassandre Coyer, Former Staff / January 16, 2019

When Associate Professor Marc Fields finished his documentary “Give Me the Banjo” after a decade of researching and gathering content on the instrument’s...

Producer-in-Residence's film, "Leave No Trace" up for three Independent Spirit Awards

Producer-in-Residence’s film, “Leave No Trace” up for three Independent Spirit Awards

By Lilly Milman / December 26, 2018

If a tree fell in the woods of Portland, Oregon, would anyone be around to hear it? According to Linda Reisman’s latest film, Leave No Trace, the answer...

Director for "Wayne," Iain B MacDonald and writer Shawn Simmons '96 at the Bright Lights screening. Photo by Anissa Gardizy / Beacon Staff

Alumnus discusses inspiration behind new YouTube Premium show

By Zenebou Sylla / December 26, 2018

As a child, Shawn Simmons’ ‘96 bonded with his father over crime thrillers such as Death Wish and First Blood. Simmons channeled that experience into...

Junior Sydney Elise Johnson posing with co-stars Tasha Smith from Empire and Telma Hopkins.  Photo Courtesy of Sydney Elise Johnson

Junior makes primetime debut in BET political thriller

By Monika Davis, Former Staff / December 6, 2018

When junior Sydney Elise Johnson’s agent told her about a potential role in an original primetime television movie, Johnson frantically learned...

“The Vision of Television” gallery features German art from the 1960s and 1970s and will run until January. • Maya Gacina / Beacon Staff

Colleagues piece together late curator’s rare broadcast findings

By Cassandre Coyer, Former Staff / December 5, 2018

The opening night of “The Vision of Television” exhibit filled the Emerson Media Art Gallery with flashing wall projections of experimental media...

Senior Genna Coleman’s novel Catfish and Other Dead Things will be published this semester.
Photo by Erin Nolan / Beacon Staff

Pub Club spotlights personal essay collection and first preteen book

By Melanie Curry / November 29, 2018

James suddenly began having visions of Saint Peter’s Academy and a secret treasure hidden there when attending his father’s funeral. Senior Marissa...

Alex Alpharoah portrays the stories of Dreamers in the one man show WET: A DACAmented Journey. Courtesy of Ray Shaw

Review: ArtsEmerson’s one-man show documents realities of DACA

By Ally Rzesa, Former Staff / November 18, 2018

I sprung to my feet at the end of ArtsEmerson’s WET: A DACAmented Journey. I watched a Tupac-loving teenage girl, a Spanglish-speaking mother, a Guatemalan...

Junior  Hallie Perlman studied clowning with famous clowns and returned to Emerson to begin the first physical comedy group, Body Electric. Photo by
Sabrina Ortiz / Beacon Correspondent

Comedy gets physical with new Body Electric group

By Soleil Easton / November 14, 2018

Junior Hallie Perlman studied the art of physical comedy, like exaggerated facial expressions, in Maine and Greece with famous clowns Avner the Eccentric...

Jim Cummings '09 behind the scenes of "Thunder Road." The 92 minute feature was filmed over 14 days in Austin, Texas. - Photo Courtesy of Jim Cummings

Alum’s Sundance-winning short makes it to the big screen

By Zenebou Sylla / November 13, 2018

After the success of a Kickstarter campaign that raised $36,829, Jim Cummings’ ‘09 Sundance-winning short film, “Thunder Road,” is now a feature...

"American Vandal" creators Dan Perrault ‘09 and Tony Yacenda ‘09 with Emerson's screenwriting organization, SPEC. Photo Courtesy of Rachel Gaudet

“American Vandal” creators talk Emerson Mafia, Chocolate Cake City, and Lil’ Dicky at panel

By Annika Hom, Former Staff / November 13, 2018

American Vandal creators Dan Perrault ‘09 and Tony Yacenda ‘09 danced, joked, and took selfies with students at an Emerson panel where they shared...

Junior Taelon Ratliff's Easter egg website, Wild Wasteland, will launch beta in January. - Photo by Sabrina Ortiz / Beacon Correspondent

Video game secrets spotlighted on students site

By Danielle Fineza / November 8, 2018

While playing the video game Fallout, junior Taelon Ratliff noticed a Futurama reference—a frozen dog named Seymour. Ratliff noticed a trend of hidden...

Junior Tuvana Isildar has made $15,000 since starting her slime business one year ago. - Photo by Chassidy David / Beacon Correspondent

Pop, crackle, squish: student creates successful slime business

By Zenebou Sylla / November 7, 2018

What started as a slime hobby ended up making junior Tuvana Isildar thousands of dollars. Isildar's hobby evolved into spending her weekends creating,...

Sophomore Zach Cargie in his 10th floor Colonial suite, the new home for Tiny Dorm. - Photo by Abigail Noyes / Beacon Staff

Students hold concerts you can roll out of bed for

By Cassandre Coyer, Former Staff / November 4, 2018

Saxophone music streamed from suite 1020 to fill the 10th floor of the Colonial residence hall on Oct. 18. Sophomores Zach Cargie, Justin Wood, Chris...

From left, Alfonso Mateo, Bianca Nicdao, Francis De Leon, and Ranton Andaya hold up the Filipino flag for their documentary about the country's culture. Photo by Tivara Tanudjaja / Beacon Correspondent

New Sights New Bites celebrates Filipino identity

By Zenebou Sylla / November 3, 2018

Junior Bianca Nicdao’s documentary New Sights New Bites started as a BFA project, but as more Filipino students joined the production team, it turned...

Natalie Busch. Graphic by Ally Rzesa / Beacon Staff

A Star is Born: Bradley Cooper’s vanity project

By Natalie Busch, Former Staff / October 28, 2018

Elle chose Lady Gaga as one of its 2018 Women in Hollywood honorees last week. In her acceptance speech she said, “[Women] are not just objects to...

Sarah Ginsburg '11, now living and working in Los Angeles, filmed "SPACESAVERS" during the 2015 Boston blizzard. / Courtesy of Sarah Ginsburg

Globe festival features alumna’s film on parking dibs

By Danielle Fineza / October 25, 2018

Armed with her camera and winter coat, Sarah Ginsburg ‘11 roamed the streets of Massachusetts during the 2015 blizzard and searched for the subjects...

Fifth Estate Entertainment's production of "Rock of Ages" stars alum Chris Renolds '15 as Franz. / Courtesy of Fifth Estate Entertainment

Alum’s production company debuts with “Rock of Ages” national tour

By Ally Rzesa, Former Staff / October 24, 2018

Small-town girl Sherrie met city boy Drew 10 years ago on Broadway. Now audiences can meet the duo again in the Rock of Ages Tenth Anniversary Tour. Rock...