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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

Ally Rzesa

Latest from Ally Rzesa
Gary Sowder writes about love and sex.

[Photo] ‘On the DL’: The sexual politics of sleeping with closeted guys

By Gary Sowder / October 1, 2020

Gary Sowder writes about love and sex.

When relationships inevitably did disintegrate pre-social media, they were more easily forgettable. Now, even if someone is no longer in my life, they are still just a few clicks away.

[Photo] Strapped for Cash: The financial aid system is broken

By Juliet Norman / March 11, 2020

When relationships inevitably did disintegrate pre-social media, they were more easily forgettable. Now, even if someone is no longer in my life, they...

No one should have to pay to work, especially college students who are already paying for their respective schools.

[Photo] Strapped For Cash: Experience doesn’t pay the bills

By Juliet Norman / February 12, 2020

No one should have to pay to work, especially college students who are already paying for their respective schools.

Beacon News Hour

[Photo] The Berkeley Beacon News Hour: Hand Off, SGA Structural Changes

By Ryan Ribeiro, Radio Host / February 3, 2020

The Berkeley Beacon News Hour

"People make New Year’s resolutions because they yearn for new beginnings."

[Photo] Turning our New Year’s resolutions into realities

By Jocelyn Yang / December 8, 2019

"People make New Year’s resolutions because they yearn for new beginnings."

"The only thing that seems to help slow my thought process is journaling."

[Photo] Saying goodbye to ‘Dear Diary’: The reality and benefits of journaling

By Carlota Cano / December 10, 2019

"The only thing that seems to help slow my thought process is journaling."

"Mistakes are far less important than the actions you take to move forward."

[Photo] Mistakes and missteps: Accepting the art of failure

By Ally Rzesa / December 3, 2019

"Mistakes are far less important than the actions you take to move forward."

Courtesy Sophian Ridel

ArtsEmerson Review: When Angels Fall illuminates the Cutler Majestic

By Ally Rzesa / 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...

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 / 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...

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 / 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...

Ollie West stars in "Hamnet," playing at the Paramount Theatre through Oct. 7 / Courtesy of Gianmarco Bresadola

Review: Hamnet rises to greatness on Paramount stage

By Ally Rzesa / October 3, 2018

I went into Hamnet expecting a straightforward, one-man play about Shakespeare’s son. I figured it’d play around with Shakespeare’s family life...

Suzie Hicks combines science, feminism, and comedy in her new EIV show. Photo by Cullen Granzn.

‘Science Chick’ experiments with science and comedy

By Ally Rzesa / April 11, 2018

On her Bumble dating profile, senior Suzie Hicks described herself as a female Bill Nye the Science Guy while she worked at the New England Aquarium...

Charlesgate Confidential will be released on Sept. 18. Photo courtesy of Scott Von Doviak.

Beacon alum draws up art heist mystery

By Ally Rzesa / April 4, 2018

On March 17, 1990, art thieves slashed 13 paintings from the walls of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Although the paintings were never recovered,...

The White Card runs until April 1. Photo by Lala Thaddeus.

Review: The White Card gets a green light

By Ally Rzesa / March 28, 2018

The minute you step into the white room, The White Card’s set, constructed on the Paramount stage, you enter a mirror. The sleek chairs, the glass...

Sarah Heidrick and Shelby Broughton recorded the names of over 2,000 shooting victims on orange construction paper. Photo: Ally Rzesa/The Berkeley Beacon.

Students write for our lives to honor protest

By Ally Rzesa / March 25, 2018

The scratching sound of Sharpies on paper echoed from the 2 Boylston Place conference room for over eight hours on Friday, March 23. Freshman performing...

Andrew Witchey's Dancing Gnome is nominated to become one of USA Today's best new breweries. Photo courtesy of Andrew Witchey.

Dancing Gnome brews way into USA Today

By Ally Rzesa / March 20, 2018

Andrew Witchey ‘09 named his brewery the Dancing Gnome partially on a whim, and because the gnomes’ folklore described his business goals—the...

The Emerson Los Angeles campus

Students express concerns over ELA costs

By Ally Rzesa / March 14, 2018

Taylor William Weston ’17 used Uber for his hour-long commute between his internship and the Emerson Los Angeles campus.   “I negotiated in my...

States of the Union is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the Emerson College Bookstore. Photo: Courtesy of Michaela Papa.

Alumni anthology records election impressions

By Ally Rzesa / February 8, 2018

People processed the 2016 election differently—some took selfies with cardboard cut-outs of Donald Trump, while others took to the streets chanting,...

Freshman Ben Zabin mystifies the magic community

Freshman Ben Zabin mystifies the magic community

By Ally Rzesa / January 31, 2018

Alyson Hannigan, the host of Penn & Teller: Fool Us, saw her phone drop to the floor. Magician Ben Zabin had performed the same magic trick hundreds...

The Women’s March reforms after one year, sparked by the #MeToo campaign. Photo: Berkeley Beacon Archives.

Boston rallies for one-year anniversary of Women’s March

By Ally Rzesa / January 20, 2018

Freshman Monica Gregoretti prepared a sign with the words, “Don’t Fucking Touch Me,” and a shirt with the image, “I heart consensual sex,”...

Jeff Freeman and Nikki Werner played Philly and Annie in Dane Shubert's student film.
SCREENSHOT OF LOVE. BACARDI. BOSTON.

The story of campus cult classic, Love. Bacardi. Boston.

By Ally Rzesa / November 29, 2017

Dane Shubert ‘13 could have made a one-to-four minute movie for his Visual and Media Arts Production class freshman year. Instead, he brought a 32 minute...

Producer L.A. Teodosia, professor Maria Agui Carter, subject Victoria Cruz, and director David France participated in a Q&A following a screening of The Life and Death of Marsha P. Johnson.
DANIEL PEDEN / BEACON CORRESPONDENT

Marsha P. Johnson director brought to campus amid controversy

By Ally Rzesa / November 15, 2017

David France, the director of The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, said the film’s production team developed a community outreach campaign to...

Senior Kat Wollf's band the Wolff Sisters and the Last Cavalry are recording their first album.
COURTESY OF KAT WOLFF

The Wolff Sisters hunt for spot at music festival

By Ally Rzesa / November 8, 2017

Senior Kat Wolff already released two EPs and traveled the northeast with her sisters Rachael and Rebecca in their folk rock band, the Wolff Sisters...

Senior Arden Jurskis created Signs of Life, a parody talk show that will air on Sommerville Community Access Television.
COURTESY OF ARDEN JURSKIS

Senior brings supernatural sci-fi series to Somerville

By Ally Rzesa / October 18, 2017

Combine Live with Kelly and Ryan with The X-Files and you get Signs of Life, a parody talk show created by senior Arden Jurskis. Signs...

Affiliated faculty member and performing arts graduate MJ Halberstadt ‘10 was chosen as a 2017 Huntington Theatre Playwriting Fellow.
CASSANDRA MARTINEZ / BEACON STAFF

Persevering professor earns playwriting fellowship

By Ally Rzesa / October 11, 2017

MJ Halberstadt ‘10 applied to The Huntington Theatre Company Fellows program for 10 years straight. This time, the affiliated faculty member was finally...

Professor edits book on heaven, hell, and horror

By Ally Rzesa / October 5, 2017

Cynthia Miller began as an editor of western essays and films, but when she stumbled upon the zombie-western It Came From The West, her focus shifted from...

Center Stage features a performance space, seating area, cafe, and store
Chloe Kerwin / Beacon Correspondent

Bites and open mics at Center Stage

By Ally Rzesa / September 13, 2017

The Emerson Poetry Project used to meet weekly in any space they could find: classrooms, the dining hall, the Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common. This...