The Williams Record

Kathryn Cloonan, Executive Editor for Arts

Kathryn Cloonan 25 is an English and Spanish double major from Needham, Mass. She is the executive editor for the arts section. Previously she worked as a section editor for arts and as a staff writer. Email: [email protected]

All content by Kathryn Cloonan
Students review the adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s latest novel. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)

Students discuss consumerism, sensationalization, violence in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes

Kathryn Cloonan and Tatiana Geroulanou December 6, 2023
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, originally a novel written by Suzanne Collins, is the newest edition to the Hunger Games cinematic universe. The prequel follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) — the future dictator of the fictional nation Panem — as he mentors District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) in the 10th annual Hunger Games.
Bottoms debrief: Students get underneath the new cult queer classic

Bottoms debrief: Students get underneath the new cult queer classic

Kathryn Cloonan and Tatiana Geroulanou November 29, 2023
It’s Superbad, it’s Fight Club… it’s also gay. Emma Seligman’s Bottoms is unapologetic — it’s a thrilling tale about two lesbian virgins trying to get some.
Urinetown satirizes capitalism, climate change at ’62 Center

Urinetown satirizes capitalism, climate change at ’62 Center

Kathryn Cloonan November 15, 2023
Members of the Urinetown cast and production team discuss the process of putting on the musical, which opens this week at the '62 Center.
The Artist Otherwise Known As: Molly Arts ’24

The Artist Otherwise Known As: Molly Arts ’24

Kathryn Cloonan September 20, 2023
Molly Arts '24 reflects on her musical experiences at the College and her hope to professionally pursue opera after graduation.
Artist Otherwise Known As: Reed Putnam ’23

Artist Otherwise Known As: Reed Putnam ’23

Kathryn Cloonan and Megan Lin May 10, 2023
Reed Putnam ’23 is an art history and practice major from Chappaqua, N.Y. He is a member of Treestyle Improv Comedy and the cross country and track and field teams.

DJ Booth: James Johnson-Brown ’25

Kathryn Cloonan and Safiyah Anwar-Chuku April 26, 2023
James Johnson-Brown ’25 discusses his passion for DJing at the College.
Students rehearse for the upcoming Cap & Bells production of Pippin, which premieres on April 14. (Photo courtesy of Tim Gore.)

Cap & Bells presents its first production on ’62 MainStage: Pippin

Kathryn Cloonan April 12, 2023
This weekend, Cap & Bells brings to life the magical circus production of Pippin on the Mainstage.
Blue Jordan, Christina Zhou, and Saumya Shinde rehearse a scene from with witchcraft in our lips. (Photo courtesy of Vanessa Silva.)

E Wolfson, Lour Yasin, and Vanessa Silva ’23 to produce theatre honors performances

Kathryn Cloonan March 1, 2023
This weekend, three senior theatre majors will present their honors performances.
The cast of The Magic Flute rehearses with the orchestra in costumes. (Photo courtesy of Molly Arts.)

The Opera Workshop performs a modernized The Magic Flute

Kathryn Cloonan January 25, 2023
The cast of the Opera Workshop's Die Zauberflöte gave its first performance on Jan. 23 and will perform for a final time on Jan. 25 in Chapin Hall.
Students watched HBOs The Sex Lives of College Girls created by Mindy Kaling (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.)

The Sex Lives of College Girls explores female friendships, provides an accurate representation of college experiences

Kathryn Cloonan and Tatiana Geroulanou January 25, 2023
Students at the College reflect on their experience watching Mindy Kaling's The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Students share thoughts about HBOs House of the Dragon. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)

Students discuss the female gaze and fan community of House of the Dragon

Kathryn Cloonan and Tatiana Geroulanou December 7, 2022
House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones premiered on HBO Max on Aug. 21. Students at the College shared opinions on the representation of women in and popularity of the new fantasy show.
The casts of Disney’s upcoming live-action adaptations stirred conversation. (Photo courtesy of Kiara Royer/The Williams Record.)

Students discuss casting for two new Disney live-action adaptations

Kathryn Cloonan November 30, 2022
Casting announcements for the new live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid and the Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians generated controversy about racial representation. Students at the College share their thoughts on race in media and loyal adaptations.
Sara Stebbins ’24 performs their soprano solo piece in the Berkshire Symphony Soloist Competition. (Photo courtesy of Sara Stebbins.)

The Artist Otherwise Known As: Musician and actor Sara Stebbins ’24

Kathryn Cloonan November 2, 2022
Sara Stebbins ’24 reflects on their musical and performance experiences at the College.
Cast of Jenny’s Doll House rehearsing for their performance. (Photo courtesy of Maye McPhail.)

Students write new musical, Jenny’s Doll Hospital

Kathryn Cloonan and Shane Stackpole October 26, 2022

This Friday and Saturday, Kara Hadden ’22.5 will bring a staged reading of the first act of her musical Jenny’s Doll Hospital to the College as part of her theater honors thesis. Sara Stebbins...

Film Club visits Images to see Don’t Worry Darling. (Photo courtesy of Jeana Fermi.)

StuCo and Film Club return to campus

Kathryn Cloonan and Shane Stackpole October 5, 2022
This fall, the Student Choreographer’s Coalition (StuCo) and Film Club are returning to campus after going on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Isaac Wilkins ’22 (center right) and the cast of Fun Home perform the opening number, “It All Comes Back.” (Photo courtesy of Joe Fox.)

Fun Home celebrates discovering identities in a college setting

Kathryn Cloonan May 11, 2022
Fun Home, a Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel of the same name, will be performed in the ’62 Center’s Directing Studio from May 12 to May 14.

Escape into the Regency era of Bridgerton

Kathryn Cloonan May 11, 2022
Anthony Bridgerton’s words in Season two of Netflix’s Bridgerton, a period drama based on Juila Quinn’s book series, still ring in the hearts of escapist romantics. The new season was released on March 25 and centers around Anthony’s pursuit of a wife, specifically his transition from being rigidly focused on a practical marriage to being consumed by his feelings for the untouchable Kate Sharma. 
The cast of the theatre department’s Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea rehearses for their upcoming show. (Photo courtesy of Nicolle Mac Williams ’22.)

Theatre department presents Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea

Kathryn Cloonan May 4, 2022
Sometimes the Rain, Sometimes the Sea premieres on May 5 and runs until May 8 in the ’62 Center.
Olivia Graceffa ’22 performed in a production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music.

The Artist Otherwise Known As: Olivia Graceffa ’22

Kathryn Cloonan April 27, 2022

Before deciding to combine her scientific and artistic sides, Olivia Graceffa ’22 had to choose between pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre at Boston Conservatory or coming to the...

(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)

Students discuss suspense, queer representation, and shortcomings of HBO’s Euphoria

Kathryn Cloonan March 16, 2022
Sex, drugs, glitter, and self-discovery characterize HBO’s popular show Euphoria. Created by Sam Levinson, the show tells the story of high school students struggling with relationships and drug addiction. Euphoria’s colorful cinematography and Kodak Ektachrome film took over social media and the College. The tight outfits and bejeweled makeup have become a common fashion statement and party theme.
Bernstein (center) performed an African dance in ​​Kusika’s fall show in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Alex Bernstein.)

The Artist Otherwise Known As: Alex Bernstein ’23

Kathryn Cloonan and Caprice Turchiano March 9, 2022

As a lifelong dancer, beginning at age 2, Alex Bernstein ’23 came to the College intending to dance ballet and contemporary with CoDa and hip-hop with Nothin But Cuties (NBC). However, in their three...

Examining Latin American representation in Disney’s animated film Encanto

Examining Latin American representation in Disney’s animated film Encanto

Kathryn Cloonan January 26, 2022
Disney’s newest film, Encanto, which has broken box office and musical chart records, features a cast of entirely Latinx characters. The movie tells the story of Mirabel Madrigal, an ordinary girl in a family with extraordinary magical powers, that lives in Valle de Cocora, Colombia.
Yerma is the first theatre-department-sponsored production since the beginning of the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Eddie Wolfson.)

Theatre dept.’s Yerma explores femininity, reproduction, gender

Kathryn Cloonan November 10, 2021
A tragic exploration of reproduction and the societal pressures of heterosexual relationships is reviving the theatre department’s in-person productions. Yerma, which premieres Nov. 11 and runs until Nov. 14, will be the first in-person theatre department show since 2020.  Yerma, written by poet-playwright Federico García Lorca in 1934, tells the story of a childless wife in rural Spain grappling with pressures surrounding reproduction and gender roles in relation to her husband. The play critiques societies that deny women the ability to choose their life paths — or judge them for their choices. 
With lifted COVID-19 restrictions, Cap & Bells is now able to rehearse in person.

Cap & Bells revives in-person shows with Weekend of Theatre

Kathryn Cloonan October 27, 2021
Cap & Bells, the College’s student-run theatre group, is returning live, student-run theatre to the College this weekend with three short plays: Ferris Wheel, Argh!, and It’s a Terrible Day to be Me.
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