Observer Department: Arts and Entertainment

Performing Arts Showcase Takes the Stage

The Performing Arts Showcase, including performances from dance, music and theatre programs at NECC, was held on Nov. 13 at 12 p.m. in the Technology Center. The coordinator of the dance program, Michelle Deane, introduced the dance performances which started off the show. The first dance, choreographed by dance major…

Performances of King Lear captivates

The Top Notch Players of NECC held a breathtaking performance of William Shakespeare’s tragedy “King Lear” Nov. 12, 13, and 14 this past week. “King Lear” depicts the story of King Lear (Jim Murphy) in ancient Britain, attempting to divide the kingdom among his three daughters Cordelia (Abigail Seabrook), Regan…

Students Hold Summer Music Festival

Young musicians show off their new skills   The harmonious sounds of the 5th Annual Summer Music Festival, directed by Christina Dietrick, permeated TC103 in the Hartleb Technology Center on August 14. Dulcet melodies drifted into the hallways as parents proudly watched their children demonstrate their musical talents. The festival…

Bentley ArtSpace Gets a New Name

A ceremony was held to dedicate this space   Over the summer, the ArtSpace located in a remote corner of the Bentley Library received a new name and some well deserved attention during a dedication ceremony on May 15.  So did Linda Hummel-Shea, for whom the space was renamed.  Hummel-Shea…

Hottest Movies of the Summer Critiqued

We’ve got time to spare during the summer, and Hollywood knows it. Blockbuster after blockbuster is released during the months of June, July, and August, but chances are you didn’t get to see everything theatres had to offer. 2015 was a particularly excellent year for summer films, so here’s a…

Crimson Peak Review

Viewers who go into Guillermo del Toro’s “Crimson Peak” expecting straightforward horror will be disappointed. This is not a horror movie in today’s sense of the word, filled with cheap jump scares, computer-generated ghouls and dying teenagers. This is a gothic romance in which most of the horrors happen offscreen…

Lack of Film Classes at NECC

By Abraham Anavisca While NECC offers a wide range of studies in the arts, there don’t seem to be many classes offered on the medium of film.  Professors Stephen Slaner in the Global Studies Department and Ellen Yarborough in the Department of English are both qualified to teach film. Unfortunately, their…

Parnassus Accepting Submissions

Parnassus is the nationally recognized and award winning literary magazine featuring student artwork, poetry, creative nonfiction, photography, and short stories submitted by students of NECC. It also featured guest authors such as Stephen King, Gregory Maguire and Junot Diaz in years prior. It gets published yearly and comes out in…

HC Media Radio Plays Your Music

Exciting opportunities for unsigned local music artists are at HC Media, also known as Haverhill Community Media. Recently launched is their radio station, which gives opportunities to musicians who want to get their music out into the airwaves for free. Matt Belfiore, Director of Operations at HC Media and adjunct…

‘The Martian’ a Warm, Humorous Tale of Isolation and Survival

People who go into “The Martian,” whether they’ve read Andy Weir’s novel or not, will probably be able to predict how it ends.I don’t dare spoil whether or not the title character ever makes it off Mars after getting marooned there, but you’ve probably got the answer in your head…