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Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

All content by Emma Wood-Wright
Chico State's Acappella Choir and Symphonic Band perform at last year's Glorious Sounds of the Season concert. The opening night performance begins 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Harlen Adams Theatre. Photo courtesy of School of the Arts.

Holiday cheer will fill Harlen Adams in annual concert-fundraiser

Emma Wood-Wright
December 2, 2014
"Glorious Sounds of the Season" will feature classic holiday songs and short skits performed by Chico State band and choir ensembles, theater students and faculty and community members Friday-Sunday.
Ayres' daughter, Jean Ayres-Clark (right), and granddaughter Cara enjoy the University Art Gallery exhibit celebrating Ayres' life and artwork on Nov. 13. Photo credit: Emma Wood-Wright

John C. Ayres: More than just a name on campus

Emma Wood-Wright
December 1, 2014
In honor of the artist and professor, who would have been 100 years old this year, guest curator Reed Applegate will share the work of Ayres in the University Art Gallery until Dec. 18.
Sister Jane (Sarah Kuhn) teaches Sister Izzy (Brittney Nusbaum) how to make Jacob's Ladder in a scene from "As It Is In Heaven." Photo credit: Chelsea Jeffers

‘Heaven’ on Earth: strong acting, singing highlighted in bare-bones musical

Emma Wood-Wright
November 14, 2014
The talents of student actresses shine in Chico State's production of "As It Is In Heaven," although it features a lengthy religiously-charged story and simple set.
Chico State's Momentum Dance student directors and choreographers perform to Santigold's "You'll Find a Way," choreographed by Katie Doll. Photo credit: Veronica Hodur

Momentum showcase features fun, freaky acts

Emma Wood-Wright
November 9, 2014
Guest performances spiced up this year's student-directed performance, which was a creative romp featuring different styles of improv, dance and song.
Maria Navarro, local artist and vice president of 1078 Gallery's board of directors, shows off her current journal full of drawings, observations and even small pieces of nature. Navarro hosts an exploratory workshop once a week Thursday afternoon at the gallery. Photo credit: Emma Wood-Wright

Local artist explores awareness, creativity in workshops

Emma Wood-Wright
November 7, 2014
Maria Navarro, vice president of 1078 Gallery's board of directors, instructs free classes that awaken artistic expression every Thursday at 1078 Gallery.
Aaron Drange's father, Michael, joins The Upstairs Neighbours for a performance in memory of Aaron on Friday at Harlen Adams Theatre. Photo credit: John Domogma

Memorial expresses love for student musician through song

Emma Wood-Wright
October 26, 2014
Friends, family and professors shared moving stories and melodies in honor of Aaron Drange at the "I Remember Aaron" concert Friday in Harlen Adams Theatre.
From left: Juliet (Katie Doll), Lady Macbeth (Kelly Kassir) and Ophelia (Erin Duffey) get ready to fight cracked-out zombies in "Living Dead in Denmark." Photo credit: Matthew Vacca

Zombies come alive in theatrical Shakespearean romp

Emma Wood-Wright
October 15, 2014
Chico State's School of the Arts' "Living Dead in Denmark" makes a delectable debut, with performances throughout the weekend.
Eunkang Koh stands in front of her "hybrid creatures" at 1078 Gallery. Her exhibit, "Humanity Bites," will be on display until Nov. 1. Photo credit: Emma Wood-Wright

Exhibit explores reincarnation, consumerism

Emma Wood-Wright
October 12, 2014
Eunkang Koh explores a new avenue of animalistic art after traveling the world. Her work is featured at 1078 Gallery in her exhibit "Humanity Bites."
Royce Tevis, the director of bands at Chico State, waves his baton in a classroom at the Performing Arts Center. The Chico State Wind Ensemble is preparing for the 15th annual Daniel Hiestand Memorial Concert 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Photo credit: Emma Wood-Wright

Music professor to be honored in 15th annual memorial concert

Emma Wood-Wright
October 5, 2014
Generations of Chico State alumni and former band members will honor dedicated music Professor Emeritus Daniel Hiestand in a concert founded by Royce Tevis, director of bands.
University Art Gallery curator, Cameron Kelly, is in charge of assembling the work of photographer Joshua Martinez for the exhibit "Immersion Studies." Photo credit: Chelsea Jeffers

Exhibit allows students to interpret subtle art pieces

Emma Wood-Wright
October 4, 2014
Bay Area photographer Joshua Martinez's photographs feature subtle, natural subjects, from rock climbing to oceanic landscapes. The "Immersion Studies" exhibit is displayed at the University Art Gallery until Oct. 24
Pianist Roland Allen will sing and play original comedy songs for "Unhireable: An Evening of Stand-Up Comedy" Friday at Blue Room Theatre. Photo courtesy Aaron Standish

Comedy show to bring life lessons, laughs to stage

Emma Wood-Wright
September 27, 2014
"Unhireable: An Evening of Stand-Up Comedy" will feature local comedic acts Friday at Blue Room Theatre.
The You Know You're From Chico Festival will continue to feature local musical acts this year, such as Charlie Robinson, pictured here on the guitar at a past event. Photo courtesy of Jim Secola

Chico nostalgia alive at fourth annual festival

Emma Wood-Wright
September 21, 2014
This year's You Know You're From Chico Festival will be a three-day celebration.

Washing dishes, moving forward: exhibit captures remnants of broken relationship

Emma Wood-Wright
September 19, 2014
A local ex-couple's exhibit features poignant, colorful and fantastically creepy works of art.
Jordan Layman, co-founder of the Idea Fab Labs, displays a sign created with the lab's new 3-D carver. Photo credit: Emma Wood-Wright

Idea Fab Labs in ‘full swing’ for fall semester

Emma Wood-Wright
September 13, 2014
Idea Fab Labs is offering new tools and classes open to the public this fall.
Chikoko designers at the "Material Culture: Wearing the Art of Chikoko" exhibit, pictured from left to right: Michalyn Renwick, Muir Hughes, Christy Seashore, Sara Rose Bonetti and Nel Adams. Photo credit: Chelsea Jeffers

Chikoko’s signature edgy clothing featured in campus exhibit

Emma Wood-Wright
September 11, 2014
Eccentric clothing from Chico fashion collective Chikoko, from a baby-bottle-nipple brassiere to a peeled-banana dress, will be presented in "Material Culture: Wearing the Art of Chikoko" until Oct. 11 at the Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology.
Local jazz quartet Bogg performing at Magnolia Gift & Garden for the Great Garden Art Weekend on Saturday. Photo credit: Matthew Vacca

Great Garden Art Weekend features stunning local talents, creations

Emma Wood-Wright
September 7, 2014
The first Great Garden Art Weekend at Magnolia Gift & Garden featured live music and purchasable artwork from 17 local garden artists on Saturday and Sunday.
Janet Turner was a world-renowned printmaker and professor at Chico State who would have turned 100 years old this year. Turner’s collection at the Janet Turner Print Gallery currently contains more than 3,500 prints. Photo courtesy of Barbara Edmonson.

Remembering a legacy: Janet Turner

Emma Wood-Wright
September 1, 2014
This year marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Janet Turner, of the Janet Turner Print Gallery on campus. To this day, her collection and legacy continue to thrive.
Urban Legend rocks out at the Chico City Plaza for the second performance of the 37th anniversary of the Friday Night Concert series, which runs until Sep. 12. Photo credit: Emma Wood-Wright

Friday Night Concert provides enjoyable community atmosphere

Emma Wood-Wright
May 17, 2014
Classic rock covers encouraged lip-syncing and fist-pumping at the second show of the 37th anniversary of Downtown Chico's Friday Night Concert season.
Members of the Lumininjas harmoniously performing their fire twirling routine at the Art at the Matador event Saturday, hosted by Chico Visual Arts Alliance. Photo credit: Chelsea Jeffers

Extraordinary art stuns at Matador Motel

Emma Wood-Wright
May 12, 2014
The art event at the Matador Motel, hosted by Chico Visual Arts Alliance, left visitors blown away Saturday.
Photo by Sean Chen

CSU, Chico's 2014 Spring Musical, "Monty Python's Spamalot" — a hilarious sendup of the film "Monty Python and the Holy
Grail" — will feature (L-R) Philomena Block (Patsy), Alexandra
Geringer (Laker Girl), Xander Richey (King Arthur), Ashley Garlick (Lady
of the Lake), Stina Trignani (Laker Girl) and Murphy Mayer (French
Taunter). Performances take place April 30-May 4 in CSU, Chico's Laxson
Auditorium.

Spring musical delivers high energy, multiple laughs

Emma Wood-Wright
May 1, 2014
The opening night of this year's spring musical, "Spamalot," proves it's a must-see for audiences.
Murphy Mayer, right, is the French Taunter, and Xander Richey plays King Arthur in "Monty Python's Spamalot." Photo courtesy of Sean Chen.

Spring musical provides knee-slapping humor

Emma Wood-Wright
April 22, 2014
Disclaimer: This year's spring musical may cause sore cheeks.
Aubrey Debauchery & The Broken Bones playing an energetic set onstage at the 2014 CAMMIE Awards. Photo credit: Matthew Vacca

Music awards reward audiences with rousing performances

Emma Wood-Wright
April 14, 2014
The winners of the 2014 CAMMIES were announced at the awards show on Sunday at the Chico Women's Club.
Jordan Layman, co-founder of Idea Fab Labs, examines an RC car under thousands of LED pixels suspended from the ceiling. Photo credit: Emma Wood-Wright

Maker showcase accepting submissions

Emma Wood-Wright
April 1, 2014
Idea Fab Labs is accepting submissions for its first Maker Showcase, a mix of a science fair and an art gallery.
Luke Matjas's show is called "A Swirling Cloud of Dust and Gas Like This." It will be on display in the University Art Gallery until April 10th. Photo credit: Grant Mahan

Altering space through digital prints

Emma Wood-Wright
March 12, 2014
Luke Matjas' large-scale prints decorate the walls of the University Art Gallery.
The Chico Art Gallery presents Reed Applegate's private art collection.Photo credit: Grant Mahan

Pop-up museum displays Northern California art

Emma Wood-Wright
March 3, 2014
Chico Art Center hosts a pop-up exhibit for the upcoming Museum of Northern California Art.
Photo Courtesy of Union Label and KCSC

Dream pop band brings wanderlust to Chico

Emma Wood-Wright
February 24, 2014
Trilingual group Trails and Ways introduces bossa nova dream pop to the Bell Memorial Union Feb. 28.
Carey Robinson on the guitar, Komoki Bunting on the drums and Greg D'Augelli on the electric string bass performing at Cafe Flo.Photo credit: Frances Mansour

Local trio brings jazz to happy hour

Emma Wood-Wright
February 18, 2014
The jazz happy hour with The Carey Robinson Trio at Cafe Flo is frequented by devoted fans and jazz experts.
Desmond Weatherby explores the excavation box during his visit to the Gateway Science Museum.Photo credit: Alex Boesch

Gateway Science Museum welcomes three new exhibits

Emma Wood-Wright
February 12, 2014
Explore and discover three current exhibits at Chico State's science museum.
Chart-topping country band Lonestar will be playing at Laxson Auditorium Feb. 9 on a tour celebrating their 20-year anniversary. Photo courtesy of Chico Performances.

Be amazed by Lonestar at Laxson Auditorium

Emma Wood-Wright
February 2, 2014
Join country rock band Lonestar for a performance at Laxson Auditorium Sunday, Feb. 9.
Norm Dillinger, 76, creates striking paintings using the pointillistic style of perfectly placed acrylic dots. His house is open to guests who want to brighten up their day with his creations, ranging from painted sculptures to canvases and cars.Photo credit: Annie Paige

Local artist is the man behind the dots

Emma Wood-Wright
February 1, 2014
Chico resident Norm Dillinger shares his pointillistic style through many canvases all over town
Béla Fleck & Brooklyn Rider. Photo courtesy of Chico Performances.

String music arrives in Chico

Emma Wood-Wright
January 30, 2014
Chico Performances presents Bela Fleck & Brooklyn Rider - Banjo Quintet Feb. 6 at Laxson Auditorium.
Adopted dogs from pounds across the nation do flips and tricks, such as Cooper the Australian cattle dog who can catch frisbees tossed by Chris Perondi in quick succession up to four feet off the ground.

Stunt Dog Experience is ‘dog-gone fun’

Emma Wood-Wright
January 29, 2014
Chico Performances hosts Chris Perondi's Stunt Dog Experience Tuesday evening at Laxson Auditorium.
Dogs jump through (faux) burning hoops for audiences' entertainment.

Canine spectacle comes to Laxson Auditorium

Emma Wood-Wright
January 24, 2014
Fetching dog show comes howling into town Jan. 28

Theater students offer advice on preparing for auditions

Emma Wood-Wright
January 22, 2014
Auditions for this semester's productions of "Spamalot" and "Creation Stories" are underway and theater students share their tips and tricks on how to nail an audition.