Alyson Osterman

May 24, 2007

Ogre the Rainbow

By Alyson Osterman

Do ogres go through mid-life crises?

May 17, 2007

Play Time

By Alyson Osterman

Beginning May 18, the New Plays Festival, sponsored by UCSB's Dept. of Dramatic Art and the Division of Dance, will run through May 26.

May 3, 2007

Do You See Me Now?

By Alyson Osterman

Eighteen-year-old Nick Powell (Justin Chatwin) sits at a party, obviously bored.

February 1, 2007

Big Willie Style

By Alyson Osterman

On January 28, a red carpet was laid on the wet ground, welcoming Oscar-nominated actor Will Smith, who was to receive the Modern Masters Award at the Arlington Theatre.

January 11, 2007

So Dreamy

By Alyson Osterman

Vibrant colors and lively music immediately greet moviegoers within the first few minutes of Bill Condon's musical drama "Dreamgirls," a fitting opening for the dazzling film.

January 11, 2007

Write Out

By Alyson Osterman

UCSB's Screenwriter's Co-Op is sowing the seeds for a few future screenwriters next weekend, as it hosts the annual Word Farm event from Jan. 19 to 21. Word Farm is a three-day screenwriting "camp" that allows students t...

November 9, 2006

The Legendary Lou

By Alyson Osterman

On Wednesday, Nov. 1, musical innovator Lou Reed played to a packed crowd in UCSB's Campbell Hall as part of his most recent tour. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Reed first stepped into the spotlight as the guitarist and si...

November 9, 2006

The Beat Goes On

By Alyson Osterman

On Thursday, November 2, beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti made a rare public appearance at UCSB's Campbell Hall.

November 2, 2006

A Dream Come True

By Alyson Osterman

Sometimes, it feels like directors are stuffing us with so much realism we're likely to choke on it. However, director Henry Selick's "The Nightmare Before Christmas," which was recently re-released in 3-D after its init...

October 19, 2006

A Fair Trade Lecture to Remember

By Alyson Osterman

On Tuesday, October 10, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz came to UCSB's Campbell Hall. Stiglitz, also a renowned author, wrote the books, Fair Trade for All: How Trade Can Promote Development, Globalization ...

October 19, 2006

Evanescence

By Alyson Osterman

[ Evanescence | The Open Door | Wind-Up Records] Evanescence’s latest album, The Open Door, beckons to all those who bought the band’s 2003 hit album, Fallen. However, The Open Door does not live up to its na...

October 12, 2006

All That Jazz

By Alyson Osterman

On Wednesday, October 4, jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux graced the stage of Campbell Hall for the second year in a row. Peyroux, who has been hailed by TIME as one of the

April 20, 2006

Lucky Number Slevin | “Slevin” Ain’t So Lucky

By Alyson Osterman

In Paul McGuigan's "Lucky Number Slevin" the opening credits roll and evoke the feeling of a horror film. Strange, because the film seemed to be both advertised and marketed as an action-packed comedy.

April 13, 2006

Inside Man | Pay Very Close Attention

By Alyson Osterman

Directors often encourage the audience not to ask questions or come up with their own ideas. Rather, we are expected to remain one step ahead of the central characters, aware of the answers to their problems as we watch ...

February 9, 2006

Aurora Borealis | I’ve seen the Lights

By Alyson Osterman

James C.E. Burke's drama "Aurora Borealis" opens in the icy waters of Minneapolis, echoing Duncan Shorter's (Joshua Jackson) inability to connect with another human being. Duncan struggles to find a job while trying to c...