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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

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...

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...

Dan Perrault '09 (left), Tyler Alvarez (center), and Tony Yacenda '10 (right) on set of "American Vandal." / Courtesy of Tony Yacenda

Alumni document phallic graffiti in Emmy-nominated parody

By Lilly Milman / October 9, 2018

When alumni Dan Perrault ‘09 and Tony Yacenda ‘10 pitched the idea for the documentary parody American Vandal to Netflix in 2016, neither possessed...

Ben Kling '13 crowdfunded his personal plant assistant app, DRYP. Courtesy of Ben Kling

Plants get new life with alum’s app DRYP

By Cassandre Coyer / October 3, 2018

When Ben Kling ‘13 left his first job in New York, he carried out an office plant with a box of his things. Five years later, he filled his apartment...

Jana Casale '11 published her first novel, "The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky." Courtesy of Elena Seibert

Casale ’11 publishes feminist fiction

By Damica Rodriguez / September 27, 2018

Jana Casale ‘11 published her first novel in April, The Girl Who Never Read Noam Chomsky— a story detailing the everyday life of the main character,...

Rebecca Morgan Brusker '18 and Hillary Clinton / Courtesy of Kristen Blush

Alumna captures inspiration found in Hillary Clinton’s campaign

By Grace Griffin / September 20, 2018

When Hillary Clinton saw Rebecca Morgan Brubaker ‘18 at a book signing, Brubaker told Clinton her idea for a documentary about the 2016 election. Clinton...

AutonomoUs artist collective to highlight resilience

AutonomoUs artist collective to highlight resilience

By Ian Sloan / September 6, 2018

Cindy Luu ‘17 realized what it meant to be a survivor from a young age. The writing, literature and publishing major wrote her senior thesis, How Do...

Kevin Michael West's play Top and Bottom is a part of the Rainbow Theater Company. Photo courtesy of Kevin Michael West.

D.C. theater company ties up ‘Top and Bottom’

By Owen Murray / April 29, 2018

Kevin Michael West hesitated to play the role of a sexually dominant “top.” After a few unconvincing attempts, he decided to channel the awkward experience...

Lisa King created her makeup line, b-glowing BEAUTY, specially for older women. Photo courtesy of Lisa King.

Jamie Lee Curtis models alumna’s makeup line

By Annika Hom / April 18, 2018

When Lisa King ‘88 realized few makeup products worked on her middle-aged skin, she decided to create her own line. In 2004, King created b-Glowing...

Linden Wolbert '03 created the Youtube channel Mermaid Minute to educate viewers on the ocean. Photo courtesy of Linden Wolbert.

Alumna dives into ‘entrepremermaid’ business

By Natalie Busch / April 4, 2018

Linden Wolbert ‘03 quit her job in 2005, moved back in with her parents, and poured her time and money into a new career. Now, Wolbert makes a living...

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,...

Andy Laub's documentary Gladesmen: The Last of the Sawgrass Cowboys won at the 2017 Miami Film Festival. Photo courtesy of Andy Laub.

Miami Film Festival winner documents life as it happens

By Ian Sloan / March 29, 2018

After hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2011, Andy Laub ‘09 knew he wanted to show others the beauty that he saw in nature. He has created feature-film...

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...

Mariana Marshall has blogged her travels to Australia, the Bahamas, Fiji, Nicaragua, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Iceland, and more. Photo courtesy of Mariana Marshall

Mariana Marshall ’10 blogs on the move

By Emily Mason / February 28, 2018

When Mariana Marshall ‘10 graduated from Emerson, she thought she had joined the Peace Corps. After months of not receiving an assignment, she decided...

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,...