Author: Paul Farias

Column, Theater

Trail to Oregon produced and directed by Del Mar College student

Paul Farias

Have you ever heard the phrase “don’t show them how the sausage is made?” For two months, that’s exactly what I had to do to the team I was leading. I recently produced and directed my first theatrical production, “The Trail to Oregon!” under Fifth Wall Company, the same group that brought you “tick, tick…BOOM!” earlier in the year. The show is a silly interpretation of the Oregon Trail video game, with the crude humor cranked up to 10. For my version of the show, I wanted that cranked up to 11 and that’s what I was looking for in…

Entertainment, Music

Music icon Dolly Parton dies at 80

Paul Farias

Beloved country music star and philanthropist Dolly Parton died Tuesday, Aug. 25. Her family confirmed the 80-year-old star’s death. Parton began playing music in the 1950s, with her first album, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” releasing in 1967. That same year, she reached a breakthrough by appearing on “The Porter Wagoner Show.” From there, her career spun off to various mediums such as film, television, a theme park, and even the Broadway stage with the musical adaptation of “9 to 5.” She also contributed to numerous humanitarian causes through her Dollywood Foundation organization. Her Imagination Library organization enriched numerous communities by providing…

Column, Entertainment, Theater

How community theater works around Corpus Christi

Paul Farias

Over the past two years, I’ve been a part of Corpus Christi’s theater scene. In that same time, I’ve been through a few shows here at Del Mar College as well. There are plenty of differences between the two, and since I’m involved in another community show, I figured now’s the time to look back on it. The first thing you have to do for any theater show is audition. Between community and college theater, these feel the same: you fill out a form and maybe provide a resume. Typically, community theaters will take your headshot, though college theater does…

Campus, Column, Drama

Diving full speed into Del Mar Drama’s ‘Forbidden Planet’

Paul Farias

After two years of theater, I’ve come back to the place that started it all: Del Mar College. This time, I’m taking on “Return to the Forbidden Planet,” a campy take on science fiction. I wasn’t expecting to audition at first, as I had originally signed on to help with music before auditions were underway. As the show began to take hold, I threw my hat in the ring instead. A little bit of singing and acting later, and I got the role of Cookie. For those unfamiliar with the show, Cookie is the lowly cook aboard the spaceship the…

Column, Music, Review

Valentine’s Day concert featured New Attractions, Animal Mood

Paul Farias

Despite all the time I’ve spent in Corpus, there are still new concert venues popping up. Surf and record shop Needles & Fins, located at 4034 Weber Road, was hosting its monthly concert, with this show having a Valentine’s Day influence. There were only two bands on the bill, making this concert a short experience. Let’s see how this show went. NEW ATTRACTIONS Hailing from San Antonio, New Attractions is a four-piece power pop band that is chock-full of ‘70s cool. Basic catchy chord progressions, love-on-the-brain lyrics, the whole nine yards. I had never heard of these guys before coming…

Community

CCISD high school students walk out to protest ICE  

Arianna Rios

Hundreds of Corpus Christi Independent School District students walked out of class Thursday afternoon to protest the continuing ICE presence in the city. Students had multiple reasons for supporting the walkout, from opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s increased arrests since the Trump administration took office for moral reasons, as well as the direct effects on their families.  “My father was detained, and I’m … honestly, it’s very sad. It’s very difficult without him. Without him, me and my mom are just by ourselves, and we need him,” said CCISD student Evelyn Colchado. “I’m not old enough, I still depend on…

Column, Movies, Review

‘Iron Lung’ is solid but confusing

Paul Farias

Mark Fischbach’s “Iron Lung” is a partially gripping piece of cosmic horror that falls flat on occasion. At times it can be intense, while other times boring. Fischbach, an internet personality of more than 10 years, directed, funded, and starred in this movie, an adaptation of David Szymanski’s 2022 video game of the same name. This is an admirable feat, however he is clearly too used to the content he typically makes when watching this movie. The film begins with Fischbach’s muddied narration over heavy sound effects of an event named “the Quiet Rapture,” where numerous stars and planets disappeared.…

Drama

‘Leading’ the charge backstage

Paul Farias

If handwriting is a dying art, then I am single-handedly keeping it alive. Or at least, that’s how I feel when I’m working on Del Mar Drama’s latest play, “Leading Ladies.” For those who don’t know, “Leading Ladies” takes the premise of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and mixes it with the 1959 film “Some Like It Hot” to make one hilariously ridiculous play. The play takes place in 1958 and follows two struggling Shakespearean actors, Leo and Jack, as they seek to fleece the ailing Florence out of her large inheritance by posing as two missing family members of hers. Soon,…

Entertainment

Meet the cast for ‘Leading Ladies’

Paul Farias

Del Mar Drama is staging Ken Ludwig’s “Leading Ladies” this semester, with performances slated to begin Nov. 7. The cast list was posted Sept. 15. The production centers around two Shakespearean actors, Jack and Leo, as they impersonate the nieces of the elder Florence to receive her large inheritance. The duo’s scheme soon becomes complicated, love triangles and mistaken identities abound, culminating in a chaotic performance of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” In order of appearance, the cast list is as follows: Natalie Palacios as Meg A graduate of Ray High School in 2021, Palacios studied theater at UTRGV before attending Del…

Entertainment

From punk to aggrotech: Studio B presents six bands

Paul Farias

You’d be surprised by how much music is in Corpus Christi. Don’t think there is? I attended a Sept. 23 concert at Studio B that can prove you wrong. I spent that evening at a show that had a whopping six bands perform at the small venue. These bands came from all over Texas, and sported a wide variety of sounds. Let me tell you about who I saw. UNDONE Hailing from Corpus, only one of two bands on the bill from this city, Undone is a five-piece band that has undergone an evolution. I’ve had the pleasure of being…