By Spencer Philps Spend enough time on the Downtown Mall late at night and you’re bound to see it happen: someone hunched over against a wall “relieving” himself. Downtown business operators are acutely aware of this issue: One says he’s seen people urinating late at night, by the bus station and beside the unfinished Landmark […]
By Cortney Phillips Meriwether When Gregory Orr first published The Blessing in 2002, he did so after years of reluctance. The memoir, which begins with a 12-year-old Orr accidentally shooting and killing his younger brother on a hunting trip, was understandably difficult to write. Yet, through the encouragement of his wife, he did write it—and […]
Rescue zoo: Sherry Wickman is on the way to achieving her professional dreams when she moves back home and faces a fruitless job search and the family dynamics that set her on the path to becoming a therapist. Relatives retreat into their anxiety and, as they struggle, a tiger escapes from the zoo, prowling freely […]
Laughing all the way: As a shy kid growing up in Washington, D.C., United Nations of Comedy headliner Jay Phillips would watch “Saturday Night Live” and “An Evening at the Improv,” and play his mom’s comedy records on repeat, learning from the greats before he put his own routine on stage. He drew laughs at […]
Fantasy rolls: Written by Qui Nquyen, the play She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes, a teen who embarks on a fantastic journey after her younger sister, Tilly, dies unexpectedly. Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook and dives into her sister’s world of fairies, ogres, and dwarves, and begins to understand that she […]
We are next: Superstar Ariana Grande has been on an intense performing schedule for the last eight months, showcasing her recent albums Sweetener and Thank U, Next. Known for her commitment to fans, Grande’s giving them what they love—a setlist with tight choreography that highlights her introspective sentimentality and dance-pop smash hits. Her songs are […]
On their own terms “If you have a dream, and you focus on it, and you work hard, your dream will come true one day,” Bushiri Salumu told a small crowd assembled at Piedmont Virginia Community College on Thursday, November 7. He spoke from experience: Salumu lost family members to the civil war in his […]
By Alexis Gravely All of the nearly 50 students at the Renaissance School have their own mailbox in the front office. But as the teens walk into the Charlottesville private school every day, they’re not dropping papers into them—they’re dropping their cell phones. The students can check their phones between classes and have them at […]
Music reflects the spirit of a community. With each new generation, artists must find ways to keep the music they create playing around town. In the Charlottesville area, a small but dedicated group of people keeps the hip-hop scene thriving. Musicians like Channing “Mr. Gray” Gray and Malcolm “Waasi” Wills work with a variety of […]
Playing into it: Athens, Georgia-based multi-instrumentalist Kaoru Ishibashi, who uses the stage name Kishi Bashi, makes a unique brand of indie pop. In some songs, his mastery of violin and guitar come across as bright and joyful, and in others he turns mournful. He’s toured with Regina Spektor, Sondre Lerche, and of Montreal, and has […]